In Vitro TNP-Specific Antibody Formation by Peripheral Lymphocytes from Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Immunological reactivity in patients with systemic lupus erythermatosus (SLE) was assessed by investigating in vitro trinitrophenyl (TNP)-specific antibody formation by peripheral lymphocytes. Peripheral lymphocytes from 16 patients with SLE were cultured with TNP conjugated with horse erythrocytes (TNP-HRBC) in the presence of 2-mercaptoethanol. The hemolytic plaque assay was used to detect hapten (TNP)-specific antibody-forming cells. Peripheral lymphocytes from normal individuals failed to produce antibody to TNP, whereas SLE lymphocytes produced a significant number of plaque-forming cells. Co-culture experiments with SLE and normal lymphocytes suggested that patients with SLE have a defect in T lymphocytes, leading to abnormal antibody production.     

Magnetic Resonance Imaging Findings in Patients with Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome

Tarsal tunnel syndrome (TTS) is a common entrapment syndrome whose diagnosis can be difficult. We compared preoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and operative findings in 23 consecutive TTS patients (28 sides) whose mean age was 74.5 years. The 1.5T MRI sequence was 3D T2* fat suppression. We compared the MRI findings with surgical records and intraoperative videos to evaluate them. MRI- and surgical findings revealed that a ganglion was involved on one side (3.6%), and the other 27 sides were diagnosed with idiopathic TTS. MRI visualized the nerve compression point on 23 sides (82.1%) but failed to reveal details required for surgical planning. During surgery of the other five sides (17.9%), three involved varices, and on one side each, there was connective tissue entrapment or nerve compression due to small vascular branch strangulation. MRI studies were useful for nerve compression due to a mass lesion or idiopathic factors. Although MRI revealed the compression site, it failed to identify the specific involvement of varices and small vessel branches and the presence of connective tissue entrapment.     

Randomized Clinical Trial of Endovascular Therapy for Acute Large Vessel Occlusion with Large Ischemic Core (RESCUE-Japan LIMIT): Rationale and Study Protocol

Endovascular therapy is strongly recommended for acute cerebral large vessel occlusion (LVO) with an Alberta stroke program early computed tomography score (ASPECTS) ≥6 due to occlusion of the internal carotid artery or M1 segment of the middle cerebral artery. However, the effect of endovascular therapy for patients with a large ischemic core with an ASPECTS ≤5 (0–5) was not established. A multicenter, randomized, open-label, parallel-group trial was conducted to investigate the superiority of endovascular therapy over medical therapy without endovascular therapy for a large ischemic core with ASPECTS (3–5). Patients were randomly assigned to receive endovascular therapy or without endovascular therapy at a ratio of 1:1. The primary outcome was a moderate functional outcome, defined as a modified Rankin scale (mRS; scores ranging from 0 [no symptoms] to 6 [death]) ≤3 after 90 days. The secondary outcomes were defined as ordinal mRS, good functional outcome (mRS ≤2), excellent functional outcome (mRS ≤1), mRS shift analysis after 90 days, and early improvement of neurological findings at 48 hours. A total sample size of 200 was estimated to provide a power of 0.9 with a two-sided alpha of 0.05, for the primary outcome, considering a 15% dropout rate. This randomized clinical trial reported the applicability of endovascular therapy in patients with acute cerebral LVO with a large ischemic core.     

Difficulty in removing a percutaneous central venous catheter inserted from a peripheral vein

Two girls with acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) are reported. There were difficulties in removing their central venous catheters inserted from a peripheral vein. One girl required surgery under general anesthesia for the removal. The other patient received continuous infusion of low dose urokinase from a distal peripheral vein. The residual catheter was then removed successfully.     

The linear model: a statistical tool applied to psychophysical research in dental prosthetics

The construction of a linear model is described, and its function in analysing variations in the perception of comfortable mandibular occlusal positions is explained. In principle, the model combines analyses of variance and regression in a number of simple computer operations. Data from a clinical study were used to demonstrate the analytical capacity of a specific model, designed to estimate the effect of factors, which were supposed to influence the perception of comfortable mandibular positions.     

Magnesium sulphate as a new desenstizing agent

Various desensitizing agents have been used in clinics to solve the problem of dentinal hypersensitivity (DH), but none of them has been shown to be consistently effective. We here introduce a new type of desensitizing agent, i.e. 4% magnesium sulphate with iontophoresis at 2mA for 3 min. These optimal conditions were determined by animal experiments, while only a minor effect on dentinal issues was observed within 4 weeks after the treatment. When this desensitizing agent was used to treat DH, the cure rate of 62.4% remained steady within the 25-week observation period, while some effect was achieved in all the subjects who participated in the study.     

APAAP高敏感信号放大技术在乳腺癌HPV DNA原位杂交检测中的应用

目的　探讨原位杂交 APAAP信号放大技术检测福尔马林固定 石蜡包埋乳腺癌组织HPV感染的实用性。方法　利用HPV通用型及亚型特异性探针 ,设定 4种杂交检测程序对 73例进展期乳腺癌和 34例乳腺良性病变进行HPVDNA原位杂交 APAAP信号放大检测。结果　在适宜的杂交程序下 ,39 19%的乳腺癌病例检测到HPVDNA ;良性病变中仅 1例 (2 94 % )纤维腺瘤检测到HPVDNA ,明显低于乳腺癌组 (P <0 0 1)。乳腺的大汗腺样化生区有细胞核阴性 细胞浆着色的假阳性反应 ,假阳性反应不足以被 1mmol L左旋咪唑阻断 ,但能被 0 2mol L盐酸前处理所消除。APAAP信号检测各步骤间的不同缓冲液可影响杂交结果。结论　只要杂交条件得当 ,原位杂交 APAAP检测技术在乳腺组织HPV感染研究中可获得满意结果。乳腺大汗腺样化生区内源性碱性磷酸酶含量较高 ,低浓度盐酸前处理有消除内源性碱性磷酸酶作用。     

Hepatic HCV-RNA as a predictor of outcome after interferon therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis C

Measurement of serum HCV-RNA is a useful index for evaluating the antiviral effect of interferon therapy in chronic hepatitis C. In the present study, we investigated whether the detection of hepatic HCV-RNA after interferon treatment, using a polymerase chain reaction assay, predicted long-term response to therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis C. Thirty-three patients underwent liver biopsies before and after interferon therapy. Histology and clinical courses were compared after treatment. Before therapy, serum and hepatic HCV-RNA was detected in specimens from 32 (97%) and 33 (100%) patients, respectively. Serum HCV-RNA became undetectable in samples from 22 (67%) patients; however, in 10 of these patients (45%), serum HCV-RNA levels relapsed after therapy. Hepatic HCV-RNA became undetectable in 14 patients after therapy and the serum aminotransferase concentration remained within normal limits during and following (24–92 weeks) therapy in 12 of these patients (86%). All 11 patients with detectable hepatic HCV-RNA also had serum HCV-RNA and elevated aminotransferase concentrations refractory to therapy. The absence of hepatic HCV-RNA at the end of interferon treatment thus predicted a long-term complete response to therapy with a sensitivity of 100%, a specificity of 90% and an accuracy of 94%. We conclude that hepatic rather than serum HCV-RNA is a more useful index for the prediction of the long-term efficacy of interferon therapy.     

砷与5-氮胞苷对人淋巴细胞DNA损伤的联合作用

为探讨砷和5－氮胞苷对人淋巴细胞DNA损伤及修复的联合作用，应用单细胞凝胶电泳（SCGE）技术比较研究了5－氮胞苷与砷同时和前后作用于人类淋巴细胞产生的联合毒性，结果显示10μmol/L5-氮胞苷和10μmol/L砷单独处理人淋巴细胞2h引起明显的DNA泳动（彗星尾），但两试剂引起的DNA泳动（彗星尾）间无显差异，5－氮胞苷前处理与砷后处理2h引起的彗星尾与其单独处理组比较非常显，砷前处理与5－氮胞苷后处理引起的彗星尾与其单独处理组比较无显性差异，但较对照组差异显，10μmol/L5-氮胞苷和10μmol/L砷分别单独处理2h引起了人淋巴细胞显的DNA损伤（链断裂），5－氮胞苷与砷在对淋巴细胞DNA的损伤上表现为单纯相加作用。5－氮胞苷前处理显增加了细胞对砷的基因毒性的敏感性，或砷后处理显增加了5－氮胞苷引起的DNA损伤，5－氮胞苷后处理2h显抑制了细胞对砷所致DNA损伤的修复。