Critical study of hair growth analysis with computer-assisted methods

BACKGROUND: Computer-assisted image analysis has been proposed for human hair growth studies. METHODS: The performances of Trichoscan, a commercially available automated system combining epiluminiscence microscopy with digital image analysis, developed for office-based hair growth measurements, have been evaluated comparatively on the same skin sites using standardized photographic equipment and calibrated processing for contrast-enhanced phototrichogram (CE-PTG) analysis. This reference method has been validated with scalp biopsies and histological examination of serial sectioning. RESULTS: Besides edge effects, hair fibres escaped the Trichoscan analysis for various reasons including, but not limited to, thickness, pigmentation, closeness and crossing. CONCLUSION: Most of these problems have been identified in the late 1980s and remain largely unsolved by the processing software that was evaluated in 2004. Therefore claims promoting the Trichoscan method for accurate hair measurements in clinical trials on scalp and body hair are not supported by the present investigation. The speed at which the analysis is performed is outweighed by the errors in signal detection. Therefore we suggest that improvements must be clearly documented before Trichoscan is established for quantified diagnostic purposes and detailed hair cycle monitoring during hair trials.     

双波长紫外分光光度法测定贝母中腺苷和胸苷的含量

将4种贝母的甲醇提取物经薄层色谱法粗分离后,直接用双波长紫外分光光度法测定其含量。结果表明,该方法线性关系好,腺苷和胸苷标准曲线的相关系数均为0.9999,同时也发现平贝、炉贝和伊贝中腺苷都占核苷总量60%以上,而浙贝中仅占约40%,提示贝母生药的抗凝血活性可能与贝母中核苷类化合物的种类和含量的差别有关。     

Health insurance and AIDS: the status of state regulatory activity.

Information collected by the National Gay Rights Advocates in 1986 and by the authors in the spring of 1987 was used to determine the extent to which the states currently regulate the practices of the health insurance industry specific to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Of the 10 states reporting the greatest number of AIDS cases, six prohibit insurers form denying coverage to group policy applicants because of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. These findings refer only to the status of state regulatory activity specific to AIDS.     

Structure-activity relationship of toxic-shock-syndrome toxin-1: derivation and characterization of immunologically and biologically active fragments

Toxic-shock-syndrome toxin-1 (TSST-1), a 22-kilodalton (kDa) polypeptide, was proteolyzed by papain, generating three distinct fragments, identified as 16, 12, and 10 kDa (based on molecular masses estimated from the predicted amino acid sequence). The NH2-terminal sequence analysis of the fragments indicated that the peptide bonds between Tyr-52 and Ser-53 and between Gly-87 and Val-88 were cleaved. Functional activity, evaluated through enzyme-linked immunosorbent and inhibition assays, was demonstrated only with the 16- and 12-kDa fragments. The presence of homologous and heterologous antigenic determinants on the fragments was demonstrated by immunoblotting. In in vitro stimulation of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells, the 12-kDa fragment was significantly (P = .003) more active than the 16-kDa fragment. The former composed 75% of the latter and occupied the COOH-terminal portion of the holotoxin. The functional domains were located on two-thirds of the TSST-1 molecule, toward the COOH-terminal end, and mitogenicity apparently was separable from serological activity.     

Disappointing results and low tolerability of photodynamic therapy with topical 5-aminolaevulinic acid in psoriasis. A randomized, double-blind phase I/II study

BACKGROUND: Based on good results in the treatment of superficial skin tumours, since the early 1990s topical photodynamic therapy with aminolaevulinic acid (ALA PDT) has been used for disseminated, inflammatory dermatoses including psoriasis. However, there is still a lack of well-documented trials. OBJECTIVE: A prospective randomized, double-blind phase I/II intrapatient comparison study was conducted in 12 patients to investigate whether topical ALA PDT is an effective treatment for chronic plaque-type psoriasis. METHODS: In each patient three psoriatic plaques were randomly treated with a light dose of 20 J/cm(2) and 0.1%, 1% and 5% ALA, respectively. Treatment was conducted twice a week until complete clearance or for a maximum of 12 irradiations. Therapeutic efficacy was assessed by weekly determination of the psoriasis severity index (PSI). RESULTS: The mean percentage improvement was 37.5%, 45.6% and 51.2% in the 0.1%, 1% and 5% ALA-treated groups, respectively. Irradiation had to be interrupted several times because of severe burning and pain sensation. CONCLUSION: Topical ALA PDT did not prove to be an appropriate treatment option for plaque-type psoriasis due to disappointing clinical efficacy, the time-consuming treatment procedure and its unfavourable adverse event profile.     

Evaluation of contractile state by maximal ventricular power divided by the square of end-diastolic volume

BACKGROUND. Maximal ventricular power (PWRmax) reflects contractile state and has the potential to be noninvasively determined. However, its sensitivities to preload, afterload resistance, and inotropic state are incompletely defined. The present study determines these dependencies and proposes a novel power-based contractile index that is little altered by load. METHODS AND RESULTS. Seven open-chest, autonomically blocked dogs were instrumented with a proximal aortic flow probe, central aortic and ventricular micromanometers, and a conductance catheter for ventricular chamber volume. Preload was transiently reduced by left atrial hemorrhage, and afterload was increased by intra-aortic balloon inflation. Inotropic state was pharmacologically altered by lidocaine, dobutamine, propranolol, or verapamil. PWRmax was highly preload sensitive, altering 1.7 +/- 0.1-fold a given percent change in end-diastolic volume (EDV). This preload dependence was reduced by dividing PWRmax by EDV but was virtually eliminated when PWRmax was divided by EDV2. This latter index also displayed little change in response to as much as 60% increases in afterload resistance. PWRmax/EDV2 varied directly with inotropic state, correlating to both the slope (Ees) of the end-systolic pressure-volume relation (PWRmax x 1,000/EDV2 = 0.31 x Ees - 0.04, r = 0.82, p less than 0.001) and the slope (A) of the dP/dtmax-EDV relation (PWRmax x 1,000/EDV2 = 0.025 x A + 0.02, r = 0.86, p less than 0.001). PWRmax values determined from the product of ventricular pressure and flow versus central aortic pressure and flow were nearly identical over a broad loading range, indicating that PWRmax may be noninvasively assessed (i.e., without requiring left ventricular chamber pressure). CONCLUSIONS. PWRmax divided by EDV2 provides a measure of contractile function that is little influenced by loading conditions and has potential for noninvasive clinical use.