Pulmonary Lophomonas blattarum infection in patients with kidney allograft transplantation

The aim of the study was to analyse the clinical manifestation and management of pulmonary Lophomonas blattarum infection in four allograft transplantation recipients retrospectively. Four patients with pulmonary L. blattarum infection were diagnosed by using Fiberoptic bronchoscopy (FOB) and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) examination. Their clinical manifestation and management are summarized. Four cases of pulmonary L. blattarum were found during the period from the second month to the third month after transplantation. Concurring infection by other pathogens was found in three of them. Common initial symptoms included fever (>38 degrees C) without cough and breathlessness. Lower lobe shadowing could be found on chest X-ray. Body temperature decreased to the normal range in three patients and to 37.5 degrees C in the other one, after intravenous injection of metronidazole and tapering immunosuppressant. Radiological examination confirmed improved health condition of the patients afterwards. Two patients received repeated FOB and only dead L. blattarum was found. Pulmonary L. blattarum infection in allograft transplant recipients carry relatively obscure initial symptoms. Possible L. blattarum infection needs to be screened in post-transplantation pulmonary infection patients with similar symptoms, especially in those who respond poorly to anti-infection treatment. Microscopic examination of BAL fluid can help to identify pulmonary L. blattarum infection and metronidazole is an ideal treatment choice.     

Studies of pickled vegetables and cause of esophageal cancer in Linxian. II. Determination of nitrosamines and their precursors]

Pickled vegetables are daily food consumed in the high-risk areas for esophageal cancer in China. We analyzed the nitrosamine content of Linxian pickles by GC/TEA and found that trace amounts of six nitrosamines (NDMA, NDEA, NMBA, NMAMBA, NDPA, NPYR) were present, with the highest concentrations being NDMA and NDEA (1.7 and 1.9 micrograms/kg wet weight respectively). The average level of nitrosamine precursors, such as nitrate (111.22 mg/L), nitrite (0.152 mg/L) and secondary amines (4.223 mg/L), in pickled vegetables were determined, and their pH values ranged from 3 to 5.     

四川龙胆的三萜成分

四川龙胆系龙胆科龙胆属植物 ,生于山野坡林下及水湿地带主要分布于云南、四川、贵州等地 ,一年生草本植物 ,高 2 .5 8m;茎直立 ,黄绿色 ;叶稍带肉质 ,稍尖 ,两面有光泽 ;根部有很多分枝[1,2 ] 。龙胆科植物在《神农本草经》中作为中品收载[3 ] ,具有泻胆肝火 ,清热燥湿的功效。用于骨间寒热 ,湿热黄疸 ,寒湿脚气 ,咽喉痛 ,目赤 ,口苦 ,阴部湿痒等证 [4]。在临床上广泛应用 ,自 1 91 3年 Ashahina等从该属植物的根部分离得到苦味成分龙胆苦碱( gentiopicrin)以来[5] ,对该属植物的化学成分已有大量研究报道 ,主要含生物碱 ,黄酮类 ,酚类 ,…     

宫腔镜在辅助生殖技术中的应用

目的：探讨宫腔镜检查术在辅助生殖技术中应用的重要性。方法：对150例拟行辅助生殖技术的不育妇女行常规宫腔镜检查。结果：宫腔镜150例中47例（31％）有镜下异常，其中：子宫内膜息肉或息肉样增生18例（12％），子宫内膜单纯性增生17例（11％），子宫畸形7例（5％），宫腔粘连狭窄3例（2％），子宫内膜结核1例（0．7％），子宫黏膜下肌瘤或腺肌瘤1例（0．7％）。以宫腔镜诊断为标准，阴道超声诊断敏感性、特异性、阳性预测值、阴性预测值、准确率分别为66％（31／47）、98％（101／103）、94％（31／33）、86％（101／117）、88％（132／150），子宫造影分别为26％（12／47）、100％（95／95）、100％（12／12）、73％（95／130）、75％（107／142）。结论：宫腔镜检查术具有良好的可接受性和准确性，应作为辅助生殖技术前的常规检查。     

纵隔支气管囊肿CT误诊1例

患者男性,29岁。因体检发现纵隔肿物17天入院。无胸、背痛及胸闷、气促、呼吸困难,无咳嗽、咳痰及咯血。查体:生命体征平稳,双肺呼吸音清晰、未闻及干湿性罗音及胸膜摩擦音。胸透及胸部CT:右后下纵隔类圆形占位,密度较均匀,CT值20~22HU,肿物不随呼吸运动活动。CT诊断:右后下纵隔神经源性良性肿瘤(图1,2)。于全麻下行右后下纵隔肿瘤切除术,病理诊断:(右后下纵隔)支气管源性囊肿。讨论:纵隔支气管囊肿属先天性异常,为前肠囊肿的一种,多见于儿童和青年人。大部分位于气管、支气管周围,多在隆突下和右气管旁。最常见的临床症状是胸痛,无症状…     

Analysis of the Surface Ozone During Summer and Autumn at a Coastal Site in East China

The levels and temporal variations of surface ozone at a coastal site in East China during summer and autumn were analyzed and the influences of meteorological parameters on ozone were investigated. An inland city was chosen as a comparison site. The main results and conclusions of this study are: (1) ozone pollution, with a maximum 1 h concentration of 150.98 ppbv, was severe during summer and autumn at the coastal site; (2) the ozone level was obviously higher at the coastal site than that at the inland site in September; (3) besides temperature and solar radiation, sea-land breeze circulation is an important factor influencing the ozone level at the coastal site, and sea breeze often induce high ozone levels (the average ozone concentration for sea breeze was about 13 ppbv higher than that for land breeze).     

Notochordal cells stimulate migration of cartilage end plate chondrocytes of the intervertebral disc in in vitro cell migration assays

Background contextIt was recently demonstrated that the postnatal transition from a notochordal to a fibrocartilaginous nucleus pulposus (NP) is accomplished exogenously by chondrocytes migrating from hyaline cartilage end plates (CEs) into the ectopic notochordal NP region. Although our previous in vivo studies showed evidences for the migration of CE chondrocyte from hyaline CEs into the notochordal NP, it is unknown whether CE chondrocytes of the intervertebral disc (IVD) really have a motile property. In addition, the effect of notochordal cells on this property has not been elucidated.PurposeThe purpose of this in vitro study was to demonstrate whether CE chondrocytes of the IVD are capable of migration, and whether there is any biological link between notochordal cells and CE chondrocytes that may regulate the CE chondrocyte migration.Study design/settingIn vitro cell migration assays were performed using rat IVDs.MethodsNotochordal cells and chondrocytes were obtained from the NP and CE tissues, respectively, and were cultured separately. The different numbers of notochordal cells and the supernatant (conditioned medium) that contained soluble factors produced by notochordal cells were used to demonstrate their effects on the migration of CE chondrocytes. Bovine serum albumin (BSA) and lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) were used as negative and positive controls, respectively.ResultsCompared with BSA, LPA, notochordal cells (N=4×, 2×, 1×, and 0.5×10⁵), and its conditioned media (unconcentrated and fivefold concentrated) significantly increased migration of CE chondrocytes (p<.05 in all comparisons). Particularly, notochordal cells and its conditioned media increased migration in a number- and concentration-dependent manner, respectively.ConclusionsThis study demonstrates that CE chondrocytes of the IVD are capable of migration and that soluble factors produced by notochordal cells stimulate the migration. These results provide a plausible explanation to the question of why CE chondrocytes of the IVD migrate into the ectopic NP region during the natural transition from the notochordal to fibrocartilaginous NP.