Dry eye signs and symptoms in aromatase inhibitor treatment and the relationship with pain

PurposeAromatase inhibitors (AIs) limit the synthesis of oestrogen in peripheral tissues thus lowering levels of oestrogen. The primary aim was to evaluate whether women treated with AIs have altered dry eye symptoms and signs. A sub-aim was to investigate whether symptoms of dry eye in postmenopausal women were associated with symptoms of non-eye pain, ocular pain and self-rated pain perception.MethodsThis cross-sectional, observational, single visit study recruited 56 postmenopausal women (mean age 64.1 + 7.9 years) and 52 undergoing AI treatment (mean age 66.6 + 9.0). Ocular symptoms (OSDI, MGD14) and pain questionnaires (PSQ, OPAS) were administered and signs of dry eye and meibomian gland dysfunction were evaluated.ResultsAlmost half of each group reported dry eye symptoms, defined as OSDI>12 (48% control, 46% AI). The PSQ score was significantly higher in the AI group (p = 0.04). Neither frequency or severity of dry eye (or MGD) symptoms scores were significantly different between groups. In the AI group, meibomian gland expressibility score was worse (p = 0.003); there were no differences in any other signs. Higher OSDI scores were associated with higher OPAS eye-pain scores (r = 0.49, p < 0.001), but not OPAS non-eye pain (r = 0.09, p = 0.35). Pain perception (PSQ) showed a moderate positive association with OPAS eye-pain (r = 0.30, p = 0.003).ConclusionsIn this study elevated ocular symptoms were observed in both the AI treated and the untreated groups, with no difference between the groups. Women undergoing AI treatment for early stage breast cancer had worse meibum expressibility score and increased pain perception compared to an untreated group of women.     

Reliability of Sonoelastography in Ductal Carcinoma

The objective of the study was to evaluate the reliability of sonoelastography in ductal carcinoma in patients in primary and secondary health care settings. Google Scholar, PubMed, Medline, Medscape, Wikipedia and NCBI were searched in January 2018 for all original research and review articles to identify relevant studies. Two reviewers selected the articles independently for based on the title and abstract. The selection criteria were sonoelastography accuracy for diagnosing ductal carcinoma as index text, B-mode sonography, and micropure imaging; surgery and histologic findings were used as reference text; and benign and malignant breast abnormalities and ductal carcinoma were used as target conditions. Two reviewers extracted the data on selected study characteristics, and the results were used to construct the tables and figures. Fifteen studies on ductal carcinoma were found. The overall sensitivity of sonoelastography in diagnosing ductal carcinoma was 85.7%, and the specificity, 79.8%. On the basis of the literature review, it was concluded that sonoelastography has high sensitivity and specificity in diagnosing ductal carcinoma.     

腕管综合征主要症状体征敏感性与特异性的比较

目的　比较腕管综合征 (carpaltunnelsyndrome ,CTS)主要症状、体征的敏感性与特异性。方法　对 10 1例 ( 162只手 )进行症状严重程度与功能状况的询问 ,感觉、运动功能的检查 ;其中 62只手在术后 6周再次测定。结果　 162只患手中 15 8只具有典型症状 ( 98% )。Phalen征、前臂正中神经加压征、Semmes Weinstein单丝纤维测试阳性率分别为 98%、96%、82 %。 87%的患手出现肌力下降 ,拇短展肌肌力测定 (定量法 )结果显示 ,与徒手法相比 ,不同性别间、术前与术后的差异均具非常显著意义 (P <0 .0 1)。结论　典型症状、Phalen征、前臂正中神经加压征、拇短展肌肌力变化的敏感性与特异性最高 ,拇短展肌肌力定量法测定是判断腕管综合征严重程度、评定疗效的一个良好的客观指标。     

长、短链探针以链延伸反应提高基因传感器检测MRSA灵敏度的实验研究

目的：利用链延伸反应的原理延长引物链以提高石英谐振式基因传感器表面的质量负载，从而提高传感器检测MRSA的灵敏度。方法：以不对称PCR的反应产物做为长链探针，人工合成的寡核苷酸片段为短链探针，在基因传感器阵列表面分别固定上金黄色葡萄球菌mecA和femA的长链及短链探针共4种探针片段，与相应的靶序列杂交后，加入Klenow酶，37℃进行链延伸反应1h。结果：长、短链探针均有效地固定了传感器表面。mecA,femA短链探针在链延伸反应前的检测灵敏度为0.5nmol/L，但经链延伸反应后检测灵敏提高到了0.05nmol/L；而长链探针却无法与相应的基因组靶序列发生杂交。结论：短链探针链延伸反应有效地提高了石英谐振式基因传感器的灵敏度，但该法不适用于链探针。     

Neuroendocrine Evidence for Reduced Dopamine Receptor Sensitivity in Alcoholism

Postsynaptic dopamine (DA) receptor sensitivity was assessed during abstinence in 15 male patients with alcohol dependence. The DA receptor sensitivity was evaluated using growth hormone (GH) responses to the DA receptor agonist apomorphine (0.18-0.24 mg intravenously). The patients were cared for in an alcoholism treatment unit for the 2 months prior to the investigation. They were carefully controlled for sobriety during this period. Thirteen healthy men were used as controls. The maximum GH responses to apomorphine were significantly reduced in patients compared with those in the control group. The patients had a significantly higher proportion of blunted GH responses. The findings suggest reduced postsynaptic DA, possibly D2, receptor sensitivity in abstinent alcoholics. The question whether this abnormal DA receptor status is genetically determined or acquired after long-term alcohol consumption remains to be addressed.     

吗啡和甲基安非他明单克隆抗体联合胶体金检测试卡的研制

目的:研制吗啡-甲基安非他明单克隆一步法毒品二合一胶体金检测试卡,用于毒品的检测和可疑人群的筛查。方法:应用杂交瘤技术制备抗吗啡-甲基安非他明的单克隆抗体(McAb);ELISA方法检测McAb效价;免疫胶体金技术制备二合一胶体金检测试卡。结果:①ELISA法检测McAb的效价:抗吗啡McAb的效价为1∶3.2×103,抗甲基安非他明McAb的效价为1∶1.6×103。②检测试卡的灵敏度:检测尿中吗啡的最低浓度为300ng/ml,甲基安非他明的最低浓度为1000ng/ml;③检测试卡的特异性:7天以上未吸毒者饮用可口可乐、口服感冒药及吸烟等其尿中未检出阳性反应。④与Pan Probe Biotech公司的单一检测吗啡和甲基安非他明试纸灵敏度对比实验显示出吸毒后4~5天的尿样仍呈阳性反应。结论:由于具有高度敏感性和特异性,以及快速、直观等优势,本试卡在毒品滥用筛查工作中有重要的定性判别意义。     

老年大鼠的海马神经元对微量注射Ach的敏感性

本工作观察了老年大鼠海马神经元对微量注射Ach(10μg/0.5μl)的敏感性。 实验在6只老年大鼠(大于30月龄)和5只年青大鼠(4～5月龄)上进行。结果表明:年青大鼠和老年大鼠的海马神经元对Ach的主要反应模式有所不同,前者多出现神经元放电明显增加的兴奋反应。后者多出现抑制反应,神经元的放电明显减少。此外,老年大鼠的海马神经元对Ach反应的持续时间(包括兴奋和抑制反应)也明显长于年青大鼠。本文对海马神经元敏感性和适应能力的改变可能是影响老年记忆的重要因素进行了讨论。     

基于敏感性定理的EIT重构算法仿真研究

为了研究性能更好的EIT图像重构算法，我们对基于敏感性定理的EIT图像重构算法进行了计算机仿真研究，并与几种常用图像重构算法进行比较，提出对基于敏感性定理的EIT图像重构算法的改进措施。     

抗生素应用与烧伤创面细菌药敏变迁

目的：了解烧伤创面菌种及其耐药性变迁与抗生素应用的关系。指导抗生素选择。方法：采集1992－2000年烧伤住院病人分泌物细菌培养加药敏试验,对1992－1994年、1995－1997年（抗生素更替期）、1998－2000年（三代头孢广泛应用期）三个阶段的菌种及药敏分析比较。结果：金葡菌检出率相对稳定,位居前列,对万古霉素保持100％敏感率。绿脓杆菌检出率在第二阶段下降到第6位,第三阶段又上升到第3倍,对常用抗生素的敏感率逐年下降。大肠杆菌、肠球菌为常见菌种,阴沟杆菌检出率逐年增高。结论：抗生素的更换影响烧伤创面菌种类型和比例,广泛长期使用三代头孢和喹喹酮类抗生素,使细菌耐率逐年上升,金葡萄、绿脓杆菌仍然是烧伤创面的主要菌种。     

Can supplementary contrast-enhanced MRI of the breast avoid needle biopsies in suspicious microcalcifications seen on mammography? A systematic review and meta-analysis

PurposeTo analyze the rate of potentially avoidable needle biopsies in mammographically suspicious calcifications if supplementary Contrast-Enhanced MRI (CE-MRI) is negative.MethodsUsing predefined criteria, a systematic review was performed. Studies investigating the use of supplemental CE-MRI in the setting of mammographically suspicious calcifications undergoing stereotactic biopsy and published between 2000 and 2020 were eligible. Two reviewers extracted study characteristics and true positives (TP), false positives, true negatives and false negatives (FN). Specificity, in this setting equaling the number of avoidable biopsies and FN rates were calculated. The maximum pre-test probability at which post-test probabilities of a negative CE-MRI met with BI-RADS benchmarks was determined by a Fagan nomogram. Random-effects models, I²-statistics, Deek’s funnel plot testing and meta-regression were employed. P-values <0.05 were considered significant.ResultsThirteen studies investigating 1414 lesions with a cancer prevalence of 43.6% (range: 22.7–66.9%) were included. No publication bias was found (P = 0.91). CE-MRI performed better in pure microcalcification studies compared to those also including associate findings (P < 0.001). In the first group, the pooled rate of avoidable biopsies was 80.6% (95%-CI: 64.6–90.5%) while the overall and invasive cancer FN rates were 3.7% (95%-CI: 1.2–6.2%) and 1.6% (95%-CI 0–3.6%), respectively. Up to a pre-test probability of 22%, the post-test probability did not exceed 2%.ConclusionA negative supplementary CE-MRI could potentially avoid 80.6% of unnecessary stereotactic biopsies in BI-RADS 4 microcalcifications at a cost of 3.7% missed breast cancers, 1.6% invasive. BI-RADS benchmarks for downgrading mammographic calcifications would be met up to a pretest probability of 22%.