COVID-19, chronic inflammatory rheumatic disease and anti-rheumatic treatments

Clinical Rheumatology - Since December 2019, the pandemic caused by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) raises a real public health problem. COVID-19 appeared in Wuhan (Hubei province) in China....     

Skin problems after a tsunami

BACKGROUND: On December 26, 2004, the biggest earthquake for 40 years, measuring 9.0 on the Richter scale, triggered a tsunami that pounded the coastal areas of South Asia and East Africa. The effects of the tsunami on skin conditions have not been evaluated. OBJECTIVE: To determine the influence of the tsunami on skin conditions by evaluating the skin problems of patients presenting at hospitals after the tsunami. METHODS: Between 5 and 25 January 2005, two dermatologists evaluated patients who complained of skin problems at an outpatient clinic and emergency room of a general hospital in Banda Aceh, Aceh Province, Indonesia. RESULTS: The total number of patients that presented during the study period was 235 (131 males and 104 females), and they had a total of 265 skin problems. In terms of age distribution, most subjects were in their fourth decade (23.0%), followed by the third (22.6%) and fifth decade (16.6%). The most prevalent skin problems were infections-infestations (32.5%), followed by eczemas (29.8%) and traumatic skin disorders (29.4%). In males, traumatic skin disorders were most common. The great majority of infection-infestation cases involved superficial fungal infections. Contact dermatitis accounted for three-quarters of eczema cases, and mainly involved the arms (40.0%) and legs (27.1%). The majority of traumatic skin disorders were lacerations, punctures and penetrations, and the feet (44.7%) and hands (18.8%) were most frequently affected. CONCLUSIONS: Unhygienic conditions, exposure to a hazardous environment and contact with various objects during and after the tsunami probably increased the prevalence of infections-infestations, traumatic skin disorders and contact dermatitis. To prevent these problems and associated secondary bacterial infections, health-related education and early medical management are required.     

不同病理类型原发性甲状旁腺功能亢进症临床表现的比较分析

目的 分析不同病理类型甲状旁腺功能亢进（PHPT）的临床表现特点。方法 回顾性分析1958-2005年北京协和医院收治经手术病理证实的280例PHPT患者的临床资料。按病理类型分为甲状旁腺腺瘤组208例，甲状旁腺增生组52例及甲状旁腺腺癌组20例。结果 腺癌组中男性高于另外2组（P〈0．05）。增生及腺癌组中骨畸形、骨软化比例较低，增生组骨吸收、病理性骨折比例低于腺瘤组；胃肠道症状、多饮多尿及泌尿系统病变在腺癌组中高于另外2组（P均〈0．05）。血总钙（TCa）、血游离钙离子（ICa）及24h尿Ca在腺癌组显著高于腺瘤组及增生组（P均〈0．01），在腺瘤组与增生组间差异无统计学意义（P〉0．05）。出现高钙危象的比例在腺癌组显著高于另外2组（P〈0．01）。腺癌组病灶重量高于增生组，腺瘤组病灶直径小于增生组（P均〈0．05）。结论 在本组病例中，腺癌组男性比例较高，泌尿系统病变更为多见，出现高钙危象的比例显著增高，术后复发的比例较高。增生组骨骼系统病变相对较轻，其病变甲状旁腺重量低于腺癌与腺瘤组。     

The in vitro pharmacological profile of KR31080, a nonpeptide AT1 receptor antagonist

Summary— KR31080 (2-butyl-5-methyl-6-(1-oxopyridin-2-yl)-3-[[2'-(1H-tetrazol-5-yl) biphenyl-4-yl]methyl]-3H-imidazo[4,5-b] pyridine) is a potent inhibitor of angiotensin type 1 (AT₁) receptors in rabbit aorta and human recombinant AT₁ receptors. In the isolated rabbit thoracic aorta, KR31080 caused a nonparallel shift to the right of the concentration-response curves to angiotensin II (All) with decreased maximal response (pD'₂ = 10.1 ± 0.1), but had no effect on the contractile response induced by norepinephrine. KR31080 inhibited specific [¹²⁵I]AII binding to rabbit aortic membranes (AT, receptors) and [¹²⁵I][Sar¹, Ile⁸]AII binding to human recombinant AT₁ receptors in a concentration-dependent manner with IC₅₀ values of 0.84 ± 0.08 nM and 1.92 ± 0.15 nM, respectively, but did not inhibit specific [¹²⁵I)AII binding to bovine cerebellum membranes (ÀT₂ receptors). In the Scatchard analysis, KR31080 interacted with rabbit aortic AT₁ receptors in a competitive manner, similar to losartan. These results demonstrate that KR31080 is a potent and AT₁ selective angiotensin receptor antagonist which exerts a competitive antagonism in the [¹²⁵I]AII binding assay and insurmountable AT₁ receptor antagonism in the functional study.     

人工生物材料和医疗器具的安全性与可靠性

本文重点论述人工生物材料的可靠性、安全性及其保证措施。     

Bilirubin and the laboratory. Advances in the 1980s, considerations for the 1990s

The limitations of current methods of measuring bilirubin are well established and relate to the broad dynamic range and inability of the technique to determine different but structurally similar bilirubin species. New instrumentation and methodology circumvent these limitations, and clinical studies are beginning to reveal their increased diagnostic usefulness. Nevertheless, in several clinical situations, for example, the prediction of kernicterus, better bilirubin determinations may not eliminate the controversy surrounding appropriate therapeutic interventions.     

Partial purification and osteoinductive activity of swine bone morphogenetic protein.

Bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) was isolated from the bone matrix of swine and partially purified by means of differential precipitation and molecular sieve chromatography. The molecular weight of BMP estimated by SDS-gel electrophoresis was 19,000 dalton. Bioassay by implanting two milligrams of BMP fraction into thigh muscles of mice resulted in bone formation in 100% of the experimental animals.

     

地尔硫卓联合地高辛治疗心力衰竭并慢性快速房颤分析

目的观察地尔硫卓联合小剂量地高辛对心力衰竭并慢性快速房颤患者血压、心室率和心功能的影响。方法 :心功能Ⅱ～Ⅲ级慢性房颤患者 10 6例 ,随机分为二组 ,对照组 5 0例 ,单用地高辛 ,治疗组 5 6例 ,地尔硫卓与地高辛联用 ,其余治疗二组相同 ,7～ 10d为一疗程 ,观察治疗前后血压、心率、左室射血分数 (LVEF)、心输出量 (CO)。结果 :治疗组较对照组心室率明显下降 ,控制满意 ,血压、LVEF及CO变化二组相似。结论 :地尔硫卓联合小剂量地高辛治疗心衰并慢性快速房颤患者心室率较单用地高辛效果更好 ,且较为安全。