Use of CO2 to move structures as an aid to percutaneous procedures

By injecting small amounts of CO2 through a needle, one can move bowel or bladder from the intended path of instruments during interventional procedures. The technique worked well in six of seven cases in the pelvis and retroperitoneum; it was not effective in the mediastinum or midabdomen (n = 6).     

Disturbance of systemic antioxidant profile in nonsmall cell lung carcinoma.

The present study aimed to determine the alterations of antioxidant activities in erythrocytes from patients with nonsmall cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC). A comparative study of the systemic antioxidant activities in red blood cell lysate from subjects with NSCLC and healthy control subjects was conducted. The antioxidants catalase, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) were measured using chemical kinetic reactions under spectrophotometry. In total, 189 cases of mostly advanced-stage IIIB or stage IV NSCLC and 202 healthy controls were studied. In subjects with lung cancer, there was similar catalase activity, lower SOD activity (median (interquartile range) 13.4 (9.0-27.2) versus 48.7 (27.0-64.3) U x (ghaemoglobulin(Hb)(-1)), and higher GPx activity (175.2 (126.6-288.3) versus 49.2 (39.5-59.2) mU x (gHb)(-1)) compared with controls. The antioxidant activities in lung cancer subjects were not associated with age, sex, smoking status, or tumour cell types. However, more advanced disease (stage IV compared with stage IIIB) was associated with lower SOD activity. Using multivariable analysis, the presence of lung cancer independently predicted SOD and GPx activities. In conclusion, nonsmall cell lung carcinoma in Chinese subjects is associated with alterations in systemic antioxidant activities, which may play an important role in carcinogenesis.     

Rebound elevation of cortisol following cyproheptadine withdrawal in Cushing's disease from a pituitary macroadenoma

A 44-year-old female with Cushing's disease associated with a pituitary macroadenoma was treated with cyproheptadine, 24 mg per day, after partial surgical resection of the tumor. A large residual tumor remained. There was no clear suppression of serum and urinary cortisol during therapy, but both levels rose markedly to beyond pre cyproheptadine levels, on withdrawal of the drug. This is the first report on the use of cyproheptadine in Cushing's disease associated with a pituitary macroadenoma. The response in this patient indicates an influence of cyproheptadine on ACTH secretion by the macroadenoma.     

外科手术中产生的烟气:仅仅是大量的热空气吗?

外科医生和手术室人员经常接触手术设备产生的烟气,病人也会暴露于烟气中,特别是腹腔镜手术中产生的烟气滞留于腹腔内这一密闭空间并被吸收.这些烟气是一种与香烟烟气相似的毒性物质,然而对这种毒性物质的影响还未引起足够重视.应该采取必要措施尽可能减少手术中烟气的不良影响.     

大孔树脂富集三裂叶蟛蜞菊倍半萜内酯A和B的研究

目的 大量富集三裂叶蟛蜞菊倍半萜内酯A，B(WTA，WTB)。方法 采用气相色谱法测定WTA和WTB，并以WTA和WTB的含量、洗脱率、精制度为考察指标，研究D101大孔树脂吸附WTA和WTB的工艺条件及参数。结果 通过大孔树脂吸附后，WTA和WTB的洗脱率达90％，50％乙醇洗脱部分中WTA和WTB的含量为总固物的4．01％～4．09％。结论 可以采用大孔树脂富集WTA和WTB。