The experiential impact of head injury on adolescents: individual perspectives on long term outcome

Thirty one young people, who were experiencing chronic sequelae of a head injury sustained at least 1 year previously, were interviewed in depth about the impact head injury had had on their lives. Their functioning was also assessed using the Offer Self Image Questionnaire OSIQ R . The main theme raised by subjects was that they had not received adequate explanation of the emotional problems associated with head injury and relevant support in coming to terms with their condition. Head injury had had a devastating effect on their lives, causing limitations in day to day activities, employment, education and relationships, and they scored significantly below norms on the OSIQ R scale of Self Confidence. However, these young people had a predominantly positive attitude towards life, which appeared to be related to their appreciation of how fortunate they had been to survive. They scored significantly above norms on the OSIQ R scale of Social Functioning. Markers of poor functioning were identified and, in clinical practice, could be used as a method of highlighting those head injured young people who potentially are most in need of support. The findings have implications for future research directions, service delivery and planning, in that particular weaknesses of current provision are demonstrated and recommendations made for improvements.     

Olfactory Absorption of Insulin to the Brain

A vast number of potent neuropharmaceuticals, many of which are peptides, are excluded from entry into the brain because of the highly selective blood-brain barrier. The fact that a number of drugs have been shown to be transported directly to the central nervous system following application to the olfactory region of the nose is therefore of major interest. In the present study, the feasibility of delivering peptides to the brain via the olfactory route was assessed using insulin as a model peptide. Systemic hyperinsulinemia induced by subcutaneous injection did not significantly reduce the amount of ¹²⁵I-insulin transported from the nose to the brain in vivo, which suggests that the impact of systemic absorption on drug transport is minimal. A linear relationship was seen between insulin accumulation in the brain and the dose applied, without any relevant saturation. Contrary to what was expected, both systemic and olfactory absorption of insulin was enhanced when the pH of the medium was near the isoelectric point. The amount absorbed to the brain was found to be linearly related to the net charge of the molecule (r = -0.61; n = 20). It was concluded that insulin gains access to the central nervous system from the olfactory region of the nose by a nonspecific pathway. The olfactory route may therefore become an important means to deliver peptides to the brain.     

New evidence from magnetic resonance imaging of brain changes after climbs at extreme altitude

The aim of the present study was to look for anatomical changes in climbers' brains, using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), after extremely high-altitude climbs and to relate them to possible associated risk factors. Clinical history, neurological examinations and MRI were carried out on a group of nine climbers before and after climbing to over 7500 m without the use of supplementary oxygen. None of the subjects showed any neurological dysfunctions. In five climbers MRI abnormalities (high signal areas, cortical atrophy) were observed before the expedition. After the descent, two of them showed new high intensity signal areas recorded by MRI. Both subjects suffered severe neurological symptoms during the climb. The present study suggested that the brain changes observed by MRI could be related to the severity of clinical events at high altitude. However, we do not know the exact meaning of such MRI findings or the reason for their location, predominantly in posterior regions of the brain. The new evidence that a high percentage of climbers show MRI brain abnormalities, and especially the appearance of changes after the ascent, reinforces the possibility of a potential neurological risk in high-altitude climbing.     

The effect of oral hormone replacement therapy on lipoprotein profile, resistance of LDL to oxidation and LDL particle size

Objectives: To disclose if oral estradiol (E₂), alone or in combination with natural progesterone (P) or medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA), may modify the oxidizability of low density lipoprotein (LDL), and if the effect is achieved at physiological dosages. LDL oxidizability was assessed by the resistance to oxidation by copper and by the particle size profile, since small particles have increased oxidation susceptibility. Methods: Thirty-three women received two consecutive, two-month length doses of 1 and 2 mg/day of oral E₂. They were then randomly assigned to a fourteen-day treatment of 2 mg/day E₂ plus either 300 mg/day P or 5 mg/day MPA. A parallel group of experiments was performed on a pool of baseline plasma, where hormones were added at the desired concentration. Lipoprotein levels, resistance of LDL to oxidation, and LDL particle diameter, were measured at baseline and after each treatment. Results: Estradiol reduced LDL levels and increased high density lipoprotein (HDL) and triglycerides. P abolished these changes, whereas MPA only reversed the increase of HDL. Estradiol protected LDL from oxidation in a dose-dependent manner, although only at pharmacological concentrations (1 μM or higher). Both P and MPA were inert at either physiological or pharmacological concentrations. The size of the LDL particles remained unaffected except under MPA, in which it was reduced. Conclusions: Estradiol has a protective effect against LDL oxidation, although only at pharmacological dosages. P and MPA did not limit the E₂ action. The size of the LDL particles remained unaltered after each E₂ dose, but MPA, and not P, was associated with a diminution.     

急性心脑血管血栓性疾病患者血浆FⅦ：C、FⅧ：C、凝血酶原及纤维蛋白原的变化

目的检测凝血因子Ⅶ、Ⅷ、Ⅱ、Ⅰ的活性,研究其在急性心脑血管血栓性疾病中的变化.方法分别采用凝血活酶时间、部分凝血活酶时间、发色底物法及凝血酶时间法测定了急性心肌梗死(AMI)和急性缺血性脑卒中(AIS)病人血浆FⅦC、FⅧC、凝血酶原及纤维蛋白原相对活性.结果AMI病人血浆FⅦC为98.3%±36.7%,与青年组的104.0%±29.4%和老年组的114.9%±23.6%比较无明显差异(P值均＞0.05),而AIS病人为152.9%±30.3%,较青年组和老年组显著升高(P值均＜0.001).AMI病人血浆FⅧC为234.2%±57.9%,明显高出青年组的101.2%±32.6%和老年组的116.4%±35.7%(P值均＜0.001).但AIS病人FⅧC±为85.5%±32.6%,低于老年组(P＜0.05).AMI和AIS病人血浆凝血酶原活性分别为130.2%±¨.7%和128.0%±29.4%,高于青年组的108.0%±7.7%(P＜0.001和0.01)和老年组的106.1%±19.4%(P值均＜0.001).AMI和AIS病人血浆纤维蛋白原活性分别为207.2%±53.0%和174.3%±28.5%,二者均显著高于正常青年组的103.3%±¨.6%(P值均＜0.001)和老年组的143.8%±16.8%(P＜0.001和0.01).结论AMI病人FⅧC增高,AIS病人FⅧC增高;二者血浆凝血酶原和纤维蛋白原活性均高于正常水平.     

高压氧治疗血管性偏头痛临床疗效及机理分析

目的:探讨高压氧(HBO)对血管性偏头痛的临床疗效及其治疗机理。方法:研究对象为93例血管性偏头痛患者,分成常规治疗(B组)45例和加用HBO治疗(A组)48例,疗程结束后观察1年按临床疗效标准进行评定和统计。结果:B组总有效率为62.22%,A组分别加用2￣5个疗程HBO治疗后,总有效率达93.75%,比B组增加31.53%。两组之间总有效率差异有非常显著性(P<0.01)。结论:HBO治疗血管性偏头痛疗效显著,其机理主要是通过增加脑组织血氧含量,提高血氧分压,加大组织中氧气的有效弥散距离,从而改善脑组织缺氧状态;同时低降二氧化碳分压,阻止血管扩张,减轻组织水种,并通过HBO作用于5-HT系统和影响周围神经肽含量,从而缓解和消除头痛。     

血小板衍生膜微粒对内皮细胞增殖及血管生成的影响

目的探讨血小板衍生膜微粒（PMP）对人脐静脉内皮细胞（HUVEC）增殖和鸡胚绒毛尿囊膜（CAM）血管生成的影响。方法在血小板悬液中加1.0U/ml的凝血酶,37℃下作用10min后,800g离心20min,取上清,17000g离心分离出PMP,采用BCA法测定PMP含量（以蛋白含量计）,将HUVEC与不同浓度的PMP和血管内皮细胞生长因子（VEGF）共同孵育培养24h后,采用MTT法测定细胞增殖;将20μl的PMP（40μg/ml）和VEGF（10μl/ml）分别接种于CAM上,孵育72h后,观察PMP对CAM血管生成的影响。结果HUVEC的增殖与PMPs呈剂量依赖关系,在培养液中添加40μg/mlPMP时,HUVEC增殖是空白对照组的（1.83±0.33）倍;而VEGF（10μl/ml）组HUVEC的增殖是空白对照组的（1.91±0.47）倍,两者相比差异无显著性（P〉0.05）。PMP组及VEGF组在接种点周围可见不同程度放射状密集生长的血管网,而对照组无特异性密集血管生成。PMP组及VEGF组的CAM血管分支点数分别为112.5±11.3、128.4±10.0,均显著高于空白对照组82.6±8.1。结论PMP可促进人脐静脉内皮细胞的增殖和CAM血管的生成。     

包涵体肌炎的临床与病理特点(附2例报告)

目的 探讨包涵体肌炎的临床与病理特点。方法 对2例包涵体肌炎患者的临床表现、肌肉组织化学、酶组织化学和超微结构等资料进行分析。结果 本组2例患者分别于41岁及54岁发病,均以双下肢无力起病,远端重于近端,并逐渐向上肢发展;血清肌酶轻～中度升高;肌电图示肌源性损害;肌肉活检光镜下主要表现为肌纤维内出现镶边空泡,少数变性坏死纤维,伴炎性细胞浸润。电镜观察证实肌浆内有大量涡轮状髓样小体及管状细丝包涵体。结论 包涵体肌炎临床表现缺乏特异性,肌肉病理学检查是诊断包涵体肌炎的重要手段。     

广西地区15413例产前诊断中异常核型的分析性研究

目的：分析产前诊断中异常核型与指征的关系及异常核型胎儿的调查随访,为遗传咨询提供可靠的依据。方法：对15413例具有产前诊断指征的妊娠妇女在知情同意的情况下,经B型超声引导行羊膜腔穿刺或脐带血穿刺,经培养处理后进行染色体核型分析。有220对胎儿核型异常的父母在知情同意的情况下进行外周血染色体核型分析,之后进行电话随访。结果：细胞培养成功率为99.6%（15349/15413）,其中羊水细胞培养成功率99.76%（11299/11326）,脐带血细胞培养成功率99.1%（4050/4087）。培养成功者染色体异常占11.20%（1719/15349）,其中正常多态性占8.70%（1335/15349）,染色体数目异常占1.72%（264/15349）,结构异常占0.79%（121/15349）。按产前诊断指征分布筛查高危的核型异常率,唐氏综合征为10.67%（879/8236）,高龄妊娠为9.76%（128/1312）,不良孕产史为12.27%（138/1125）,超声异常为11.41%（124/1087）,胎儿畸形引产为23.91%（132/552）。异常核型的胎儿中有108例来自母亲,69例来自父亲,43例为新发生。结论：高危妊娠妇女行产前诊断染色体分析有助于减少出生缺陷。     

妇科手术后多器官功能障碍综合征九例分析

多器官功能障碍综合征(multiple organ dysfunctionsyndrome,MODS)指急性疾病过程中2个或2个以上的器官或系统同时或序贯发生功能障碍[1]。随着诊疗技术的提高,妇科手术禁忌证放宽,大手术、危重患者增多,术后MODS发生率亦有所增加。本文总结我院2002年11月~2005年6月妇科手术后发生的9例MODS临床资料,对发生原因及防治措施进行探讨。1临床资料1·1一般资料本组9例,年龄41~68岁,平均58岁。合并2型糖尿病3例,慢性高血压病2例,慢性乙型肝炎1例。1·2原发病及手术情况卵巢恶性肿瘤5例,行卵巢肿瘤细胞减灭术,均在关腹前于盆腹腔置铂类药物化…