The role of epsilon phenotype in brain glucose consumption in Alzheimer’s disease

The aim of our study was to investigate the impact of the epsilon phenotype in brain glucose consumption in a population with Alzheimer’s disease. Statistical Parametric Mapping (SPM8) was used to investigate differences in brain glucose consumption (as detectable by means of 18F FDG-PET/CT) in the population examined. A total of 129 patients (72 females and 57 males) with a diagnosis of probable AD according to the NINCDS-ADRDA criteria underwent the PET/CT examination. The mean (SD) age of the patients was 70 (± 7) years; the mean Mini-Mental State Examination was 19(± 5.6). 59 expressed epsilon 4 phenotype (E4) and 70 expressed the epsilon 3 phenotype (E3). Cerebral spinal fluid amyloid, tau, and t-tau have been measured resulting equal to 367.4 (± 149.1), 584.7 (± 312.1), and 79.2(± 45.9) pg/ml, respectively. Patients with confirmed amyloid and Tau changes were classified as AD. Patients with amyloid changes but negative Tau, considered as high risk of AD, were classified as IAD. Age, sex, MMSE, scholarship, and CSF parameters were used as a covariate in the SPM analyses. We did not find significant differences in age, gender, and MMSE and CSF parameters among groups. In the analysis of the AD group as compared to AD-E3, AD-E4 subjects show a significant reduction of brain glucose consumption in inferior frontal gyrus bilaterally (BA 45, BA 47). In the analysis of the IAD group as compared to IAD-E3, IAD-E4 subjects show a significant reduction of brain glucose consumption in right in medial, middle, and superior frontal gyrus (BA10, BA11), and in left medial and middle frontal gyrus (BA10, BA11). The differences between IAD-E3 and AD-E3 and between IAD-E4 and AD-E4 (and vice versa analysis) resulted not significant. APO-e4 is related to a major involvement of the frontal cortex confirming its role of risk factor in AD, while APO-3 seems not related to a specific pattern, supporting the hypothesis of neutral/protective role in AD.     

宫腹腔镜联合手术诊治不孕症150例分析

目的:探讨宫腹腔镜联合手术在诊治不孕症中的应用。方法:对150例不孕症患者行宫腹腔镜联合手术,对不孕症病因进行诊断,同时行治疗。结果:盆腔粘连和输卵管阻塞是不孕症的主要原因。子宫内膜息肉和正常盆腔占次要比例。子宫内膜异位症和多囊卵巢也是主要病因。150例同时行宫腹腔镜输卵管通液和各种疾病的治疗。联合手术后妊娠率为48.8%。结论:腹腔镜联合手术,在一次麻醉下,可以对不孕的原因全面评价和明确诊断,在诊断同时进行治疗,对不孕症的诊断和治疗有重大的意义,值得推广。     

Acute respiratory distress during Caesarean section under spinal anaesthesia A probable case of anaphylactoid reaction to Syntocinon

A case of life-threatening respiratory distress during a Caesarean section under spinal anaesthesia is reported. Possible causes of the event including anaphylactoid reactions and the methods of their diagnosis are discussed. The most likely cause of the episode was felt to be an anaphylactoid reaction to Syntocinon.     

The Rigiflex TTS: A New Method to Dilate Benign Esophageal Stenosis

Abstract: This paper dicusses the use of esophageal dilatation with a Rigiflex TTS balloon. This method was used 45 times on 11 patients affected by anastomotic or a severe grade peptic esophageal stenosis. Fluoroscopic guidance was used in 36 procedures (80%) without effecting the mean duration of the treatment (12 minutes). The results were considered satisfactory when these goals had been achieved: a) dilatation of the stenosis over 15 mm; b) a dysphagia free-time of more than 6 months. A satisfactory result was achieved in 10 patients (90.9%), without deaths and major complications. 5 patients received 1 dilatation and the other 5 needed, 3-3-4-7–11 procedures respectively to obtain a satisfactory result. On these basis we consider that its great efficacy, security and tolerability depend on the following characteristics of the Rigiflex TTS balloon: 1) “radial” dilatation; 2) the possibility of introducing the balloon through the operative channel of the fiberscope; 3) direct visualization of the stenosis during dilatation. The following disadvantages with this method are: the absence of a tactile sensation of dilatation and the elevated cost of the instrument. We conclude that the Rigiflex TTS balloon is an important alternative to guide-wire techniques, especially for the treatment of severe esophageal strictures.     

妊娠肝内胆汁淤积症患者血清一氧化氮和内皮素的变化及意义

目的：探讨妊娠肝内胆汁淤积症（ICP）患者外周静脉血清、新生儿脐静脉血清中一氧化氮（NO）、内皮素（ET）、丙二醛（MDA）和超氧化物歧化酶（SOD）含量的变化及在ICP发病中的作用。方法：以ICP组28例为研究组，测定其外周静脉血清及新生儿脐静脉血清中的NO、ET、MDA和SOD，以年龄相近的24例正常孕妇作为对照组。结果：ICP患者的MDA和ET含量较正常晚期妊娠显著增高（P＜0．01），ICP患者的NO和SOD含量与对照组相比无显著性差异（P＞0．05）。母血清中NO、ET、MDA含量均较新生儿脐静脉血清中的含量高，差异有显著性（P＜0．01）。结论：妊娠期体内氧化和抗氧化失衡及ET水平的增高可能与ICP的发生、发展有关。     

Effects of hyperbaric, normobaric and hypobaric oxygen supplementation on retinal vessels in newborn rats: a preliminary study

An experimental study was conducted on eight litters of newborn rats to evaluate the effects of supplemental oxygen administration on the retinal vasculature. The animals and their mothers were kept inside a pressure chamber and treated for the first 5 days of life. On the sixth day, they were removed and kept for five more days under room air and normobaric conditions. Three litters received continuous flow oxygen at 80% at a compression pressure of +81 kPa, one litter oxygen at 80% at a pressure of -39.5 kPa atms and three other litters received oxygen at 80% under normobaric conditions. The eighth litter was treated with room air oxygen at a compression pressure of +81 kPa. A severe retinopathy with marked retinal neovascularization was seen only in the newborn animals of the litters that received oxygen supplementation under normobaric or hypobaric conditions. Retinal vessels showed no pathological changes in the litters treated with hyperbaric normoxia or hyperoxia. It is possible to hypothesize that the prolonged period of oxygen supplementation failed to produce harmful effects on the retinal vasculature because the moderate hyperbarism caused mild retinal and choroidal vasoconstriction thus preventing excessive oxygen transport to the inner retina from the choroid during hyperoxia without inducing structural damage to the retinal tissue.