Dietary calcium intake and bone loss from the spine in healthy postmenopausal women

Controversy exists over the relationship between calcium intake and axial bone loss. We measured bone density of the spine (L2-4) by dual photon absorptiometry (DPA) two times, 7 mo apart, in 76 healthy postmenopausal women aged 40-70 y. Ca intake was assessed by food-frequency questionnaire. Women with a Ca intake less than 405 mg/d lost spine density at a rate that was significantly greater than that of women with an intake greater than 777 mg/d, p = 0.026. There appears to be a threshold of Ca intake below which increased Ca in the diet is likely to be beneficial in reducing spine mineral loss.     

麦冬类中药组织切片计算机三维重建图鉴

利用计算机技术实现麦冬类中药组织连续切片三维重建与动态显示,为计算机辅助生药学鉴定和教学提供了新的三维图像技术和研究资料。     

用混合粘合剂碳糊电极测定丁螺环酮

用混合粘合剂碳糊电极测定丁螺环酮张正奇，曾鸽鸣，刘传桂，黎艳飞（湖南大学化学化工系，长沙４１００８２）碳糊电极无毒，制作方便，表面更新容易，应用电位范围广，在药物分析中已有应用［１～５］。我们在液体石腊中加入添加剂，组成混合粘合剂，可显著改善电极的检...     

Precision of dual-photon absorptiometry

Summary Precision of dual-photon absorptiometry (DPA) measurements was determined in a lumbar spine phantom and in humans. Approximately half of the measurements were made before and half after a¹⁵³gadolinium source change. The phantom was measured with different amounts of acrylic, which simulates human soft tissue, in order to evaluate the influence of body thickness on bone mineral density (BMD). Results of scans analyzed with two software versions from Lunar Radiation Corp., the widely used 08B and a prototype 08C, are compared. DPA with a cold source significantly overestimated BMD in the phantom in the presence of large amounts (more than 25 cm) of soft tissue equivalent with version 08B but not with the newer version 08C. Similiarly, in nine subjects, there was a significant decrease in spine BMD after a source change when scans were analyzed with version 08B (mean difference 0.026 g/cm²,P=0.002) but not with 08C (0.01 g/cm²,P=0.234). No systematic effect of source change on femoral BMD measurements was observed. The SD of the mean difference of two measurements of the nine subjects was 0.019 g/cm² (1.6% of the mean value) for the spine with software version 08B and 0.024 g/cm² (2.0%) with version 08C, 0.03 g/cm² (3.3%) for the femur neck, 0.03 g/cm² (4.0%) for the greater trochanter, and 0.04 g/cm² (4.9%) for Ward's triangle region of the proximal femur. The spine phanton was scanned on two other commercial bone densitometers in order to assess inter-instrument variation. Phantom measurements of L2-4 BMD made on two Lunar Radiation Corp model DP3 scanners which differed by 2% were 10 and 12% higher than those with a Norland Corp. model 2600 scanner.     

In situ saphenous vein bypass grafts: angiographic evaluation and interventional repair of complications

In situ saphenous vein grafts are being used with increasing frequency for bypass procedures involving the femoral and popliteal arteries. Complications of these procedures include anastomotic stenoses and persistent arteriovenous fistulae that may result in failure of the graft. Balloon angioplasty and embolotherapy with detachable balloons were employed successfully in three or four recent cases of patients with complications from in situ grafts. Tailored angiography is essential for evaluating in situ grafts, and interventional techniques are extremely useful for managing complications.     

1987 survey of military optometrists: activities, roles and attitudes

A worldwide survey of active duty military optometrists (Air Force, Army and Navy) was conducted in the spring of 1987. The survey response rate was 79%. Statistically significant differences (alpha = 0.01) in their roles, activities and attitudes are presented and discussed. Significant interservice differences were found in: types of duties, profession/status of immediate supervisors, work assignments, frequency and types of patient encounters, awareness of therapeutic drug policies, access to specific clinical instruments, and frequency of routine clinical tests. Attitude and opinion tabulations suggest an overall satisfaction with professional experiences and interprofessional working relationships. However, there was a common perception that optometrists did not receive appropriate promotional consideration or career opportunities within this multidisciplinary setting. Implications of survey results for non-military multidisciplinary health care institutions are also discussed.     

Association between pancreatic cystadenocarcinoma, malignant liver cysts, and polycystic disease of the kidney

Polycystic kidney disease is an autosomal dominant disease that may be associated with cystic disease of the liver. In women, the cysts may develop early and be more troublesome than in men. Cystadenocarcinoma of the pancreas is uncommon, comprising 1% of primary pancreatic malignancies. This case report is the first to describe a familial association between polycystic kidney disease and cystadenocarcinoma of the pancreas and liver in the English medical literature. A patient with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) and multiple hepatic cysts developed cystadenocarcinoma of the pancreas with multiple malignant liver cysts. The patient's mother, sister, and niece had ADPKD, and the patient's sister also died of pancreatic cystadenocarcinoma. We believe that the development of these two disease entities in which the primary pathology is cyst formation has a genetic association. (Gastroenterology 1997 Jun;112(6):2104-7)     

Pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma: comparison of MR imaging with CT and I-131 MIBG scintigraphy

To ascertain the magnetic resonance (MR) imaging characteristics of pheochromocytomas and paragangliomas and to compare MR with computed tomography (CT) and iodine-131 metaiodobenzylguanidine (I-131 MIBG), 19 patients (18 with pheochromocytomas, one with a paraganglioma) were studied. The 18 patients with pheochromocytomas had had positive findings with I-131 MIBG scintigraphy. Abdominal pheochromocytomas were generally hypointense compared with normal liver on T1-weighted MR images and extremely hyperintense on T2-weighted MR images. MR imaging was preferable to CT in the evaluation of primary pheochromocytomas due to superior tissue characterization, particularly in the patient with hypertension and borderline catecholamine levels. For patients with recurrent or metastatic disease, the data suggest that I-131 MIBG scintigraphy is the examination of choice.