Neurofilament heavy-chain NfH(SMI35) in cerebrospinal fluid supports the differential diagnosis of Parkinsonian syndromes.

We aimed to evaluate the potential of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) axonal damage biomarker NfH(SMI35) in the laboratory-supported differential diagnosis of parkinsonian syndromes. Patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease (PD; n = 22), multiple-system atrophy (MSA; n = 21), progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP; n = 21), corticobasal degeneration (CBD; n = 6), and age-matched controls (n = 45) were included. CSF levels of NfH(SMI35) were measured using ELISA. Levels of CSF NfH(SMI35) were elevated in PSP compared to PD and controls (P < 0.05 each). They were also significantly higher in MSA than in PD and controls (P < 0.05 each). NfH(SMI35) differentiated PD from PSP with a sensitivity of 76.5% and a specificity of 94.4%. Axonal damage as measured by CSF NfH(SMI35) is most prominent in the more rapidly progressive syndromes PSP and MSA as compared to PD or CBD. CSF NfH(SMI35) may therefore be of some value for the laboratory-supported differential diagnosis of atypical parkinsonian syndromes.     

Horizontal advancement flap for lateral dorsal nasal defects

BACKGROUND: Repairing dorsal nasal defects is a frequent challenge for dermatologic surgeons, mainly due to the high frequency of basal cell carcinomas on this site. Obvious scars, mismatched skin and distortion of the nasal contour are the surgical hazards that must be avoided in these cases. AIM: Our aim was to perform surgery involving a simple flap in order to repair medium to large defects on the dorsal side of the nose. METHODS: The dorsal horizontal advancement flap was studied in 12 patients, in order to evaluate the benefits and limits of this surgical procedure. RESULTS: The resulting scars on most of our patients were well-camouflaged among their natural skin lines, and there was neither distortion of the alar contour nor the nostril. CONCLUSIONS: This flap is easy to perform and, in selected cases, provides an outstanding alternative to second-intention healing, full-thickness skin grafts, transposition, rotation and pedicle flaps.     

Bacterial lipase and high-fat diets in canine exocrine pancreatic insufficiency: A new therapy of steatorrhea?

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Nutrients and properties of lipases affect survival of lipolytic activity during aboral gastrointestinal transit. Whether different doses and formulations of bacterial lipase and diets affect steatorrhea was tested in pancreatic-insufficient dogs. METHODS: A dose of 0-600,000 IU of powdered and 135,000 and 300,000 IU of liquid bacterial lipase was given with a standard meal to 5 dogs with ligated pancreatic ducts. In 4 dogs, 0 or 300,000 IU (normal 6-hour postprandial amount) of powder bacterial lipase was also given with five meals containing 850 kcal with different nutrient caloric densities (mixture design). Coefficients of fat absorption during 72- hour fecal balance studies were used to assess treatments. RESULTS: With the standard meal, powder bacterial lipase reduced steatorrhea in a dose-dependent manner (P = 0.03), and 135,000 and 300,000 IU of the liquid form decreased steatorrhea more than powder bacterial lipase (P = 0.017 and 0.057, respectively). Coefficients of fat absorption with 300,000 IU of powder bacterial lipase correlated (r2 = 0.79; P < 0.001) with increasing proportions of fat calories in diets. CONCLUSIONS: Liquid bacterial lipase decreases steatorrhea more than powder, and 300,000 IU of powder bacterial lipase ingested with high-fat meals corrects canine pancreatic steatorrhea. The combination of adequate mixing of small amounts (milligrams) of bacterial lipase and high-fat meals abolishes canine steatorrhea and may abolish human pancreatic steatorrhea. (Gastroenterology 1997 Jun;112(6):2048-55)     

多复指数模型及其在EEG数据分析中的应用

由头皮上电极所记录下的EEG信号是大脑中各种电活动,尤其是神经元电活动,互相耦合而产生的电位变化的整体反映。有一种看法认为,表面看来随机、无规则的EEG信号,实际上它的变化只是由少量几个动力学参量控制着的非线性过程。根据这个假定,我们提出使用多复指数(MCE)模型来描述EEG信号的想法。文中首先简要地介绍了用来估计时序信号MCE模型参数的非调和Fourier展开算法(NHFE)的基本思想。然后,对一个叠加有白噪声、具有4个频率成分的模拟信号,用NHFE算法估计出其MCE模型参数,并把所得的结果与用经典的周期图谱分析方法、AR模型谱分析方法所得到的信号频谱作了比较。结果表明,在SNR高的条件下,NHFE算法所估计出的模型参数能更客观地反映信号的固有特性。基于目前的有关EEG形成的假设,应用MCE模型来描述EEG将更能反映出其特征。因此,我们对MCE模型及其参数在EEG数据分析中的几种可能应用作了初步尝试。这些应用包括:EEG信号段(或一段诱发电位,或一段事件关联电位)的特征参数的提取,这些特征参数包括优势频率值、独立的频率成分个数、幅度值、正负衰减指数的个数、频带宽度与幅度乘积(能量);EEG的频率调制特性的粗略描述等。从而看到了用通常信号分析方法所看不到的EEG信号中所反映的大脑活动的变化。由于用MCE模型及其参数来描述EEG的方法更符合目前关于大脑非线性动力学行为的假设,所以这一方法将是表示EEG信号的有效途径之一。另外,MCE模型方法在EEG信号的模拟研究与数据压缩等方面也将是有用的。文中还讨论了NHFE算法应用中的一些问题。     

Superoxide production by human eosinophils can be inhibited in an agonist-selective manner.

This paper focuses on eosinophil activation and its selective inhibition. Superoxide anion (O2-) production by human eosinophils, an indicator of their activation, was induced by a variety of activators. Several compounds which are known to inhibit protein kinase C (staurosporine, K252a, sphingosine) inhibited O2- production induced by phorbol ester (PMA) but failed to inhibit O2- production induced by IgG coupled to Sepharose beads. Inhibition of O2- production by other agents (plasma-activated zymosan, fMLP, and leukotriene B4 (LTB4), was intermediate. By contrast, wortmannin, a compound which has been previously reported to inhibit O2- production in neutrophils via a protein kinase-independent pathway, potently inhibited O2- production in eosinophils which had been activated by IgG and by Platelet-Activating Factor but was virtually inactive against PMA-induced O2- production. Taken together, the results indicate that, as a minimum, there must be two pathways of induction of O2- production in eosinophils. Moreover, the intermediate levels of inhibition in cells which had been activated with serum-activated zymosan, FMLP, and LTB4 suggest that these agents may either be acting via both of these pathways or that yet other pathways may exist.     

S-nitrosoglutathione-containing hydrogel accelerates rat cutaneous wound repair

BACKGROUND: Nitric oxide (NO) plays a key role in wound repair and S-nitrosothiols like S-nitrosoglutathione (GSNO) are well known NO donors. METHODS: Animals were separated in two groups and submitted to excisional wounds on the dorsal surface at the first day. GSNO (100 microm)-containing hydrogels were topically applied on the wound bed in the GSNO group, daily, during the first 4 days. Control group was topically treated with hydrogel without GSNO for the same period. Wound contraction and re-epithelialization were measured. Animals were sacrificed 21 days after wounding. Samples of lesion and normal tissue were formalin-fixed, paraffin embedded for histological analysis. RESULTS: Wound contraction, measured 14 and 21 days after wounding, was greater in the GSNO group than in the control group (P<0.05 for both). The re-epithelialized wound area, measured 14 days after wounding, was higher in the GSNO group than in the control group (P<0.05). A higher amount of inflammatory cells was observed in superficial and deep areas of the granulation tissue of the control group compared to the GSNO group. Twenty-one days after wounding, thin red-yellow collagen fibers arranged perpendicularly to the surface were found in the granulation tissue of the control group, whereas in the GSNO-treated group collagen fibers were thicker and arranged parallel to the surface. Increased number of mast cells was observed in the GSNO group compared with that in the control group. Vascularization and myofibroblast distribution were similar in both groups. CONCLUSION: Topical application of GSNO-containing hydrogel during the early phases of rat cutaneous wound repair accelerates wound closure and re-epithelialization and affects granulation tissue organization.