A clinical evaluation of transdermal therapeutic system fentanyl for the treatment of cancer pain

PROBLEM: Circulating inflammatory cytokines have been implicated in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia. To test this hypothesis, we measured plasma levels of immunoreactive tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and -beta, interleukin (IL)-1 alpha and -beta, and IL-6 and -10 in women with preeclampsia, in women with transient gestational hypertension, and throughout normal pregnancy. METHOD OF STUDY: Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays were used and subjected to extensive validation studies. RESULTS: The median concentration of plasma TNF-alpha was increased by twofold in women with preeclampsia compared with that in normal third-trimester pregnancy (P < 0.001) and in women with gestational hypertension (P < 0.04). The median concentration of plasma IL-6 was increased by threefold in women with preeclampsia compared with that in normal third-trimester pregnancy (P < 0.001) and increased twofold compared with that in women with gestational hypertension (P < 0.1). There were no significant differences observed in the levels of plasma IL-1 beta and IL-10 between the preeclamptic and other subject groups. The level of IL-1 beta, but not the levels of IL-10, TNF-alpha, or IL-6, was significantly changed during normal pregnancy compared with the nonpregnant condition manifesting an overall decline (P < 0.04). TNF-beta and IL-1 alpha were not detected in any samples, possibly because of the low sensitivity of these particular immunoassays. CONCLUSION: Elevated levels of TNF-alpha and IL-6 may contribute to the putative endothelial dysfunction of preeclampsia.     

Transbronchial needle aspiration and percutaneous needle aspiration for staging and diagnosis of lung cancer

In summary, knowledge of the exact location of lymph nodes in mediastinum and hilar areas and their relationship to the puncture site of TBNA is the first step to a successful TBNA. The necessity to determine the N3 status and multistation status of patients with bronchogenic carcinoma being evaluated for surgery and the current financial restraint of the medical care system further highlight the potential of this simple, effective, and safe procedure. TBNA can markedly enhance the diagnostic yield of flexible bronchoscopy. TBNA and PCNA are complimentary procedures.     

棒材和轻型材连续剪切控制系统

介绍菜钢棒材和轻型材生产连续剪切控制系统的硬件，软件和工艺设备控制流程，着重介绍了定尺剪切过程。该系统将逻辑控制，仪表控制和传控制一体化，工艺合理，硬件可靠性高，软件功能强大。     

The relative growth of internal organs in light and heavy breeds

The relative weights of the gastro-intestinal segments and of some other internal organs from light and heavy breed chicks from hatching to 21 days of age were compared. 2. The relative weight of the duodenum and jejunum was higher in the light breed than in the heavy one, the reverse relationship was found for the ileum and caecum. 3. The relative growth of the pancreas, heart, cerebrum and cerebellum was greater in the light breed.     

Eosinophils and serum eosinophilic cationic proteins in interleukin-2-based immunotherapy for cancer

BACKGROUND: Extramedullary hematopoiesis (EMH) occurs in many disorders, including thalassemias and other hemoglobinopathies, and commonly presents in the spleen and liver. We present a case of spinal cord compression in a patient with beta-thalassemia intermedia, and review the literature and available treatment options. PATIENT AND METHODS: A 35-year-old black female with beta-thalassemia intermedia presented with a 3-week history of back pain and lower extremity weakness. Neurologic examination was consistent with spinal cord compression, and gadolinium enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) confirmed this diagnosis. She was given intravenous steroids and radiotherapy was begun in 200 cGy fractions to a total dose of 2000 cGy. RESULTS: At the completion of radiotherapy the patient was ambulatory with mild residual weakness. MRI scans 16 months later showed smaller, but persistent masses, and she remains asymptomatic 5 years from her diagnosis. CONCLUSION: Recognition of spinal cord EMH requires prompt physical examination and MRI for accurate diagnosis. EMH can be managed with radiation, surgery, transfusions, or a combination of these therapies. Radiation in conservative doses of (750-3500 cGy) is non-invasive, avoids the surgical risks of potentially severe hemorrhage and incomplete resection, and has a high complete remission rate in the majority of patients. Relapse rates are moderate (37.5%), but retreatment provides excellent chance for second remission.     

Perspectives for the development of vaccines and immunotherapy against cervico-uterine cancer]

The kinetic parameters of three IRT (Inhibitor-Resistant-TEM-derived-) beta-lactamases (IRT-5, IRT-6 and IRT-I69) were determined for substrates and the beta-lactamase inhibitors: clavulanic acid, sulbactam and tazobactam, and compared with those of TEM-1 beta-lactamase. The catalytic behaviour of the beta-lactamases towards substrates and inhibitors was correlated with the properties of the amino acid at position ABL69. The three IRT beta-lactamases contain at that position a residue Ile, Leu and Val, amino acids whose side-chain are branched. Molecular modelling shows that the methyl groups of Ile-69 (C gamma 2) and Val-69 (C gamma 1) produced steric constraints with the side chain of Asn-170 as well as the main chain nitrogen of Ser-70, a residue contributing to the oxyanion hole. We suggest that hydrophobicity could be the main factor responsible for the kinetic properties of Met69Leu (IRT-5), as no steric effects could be detected by molecular modelling. Hydrophobicity and steric constraints are combined in Met69Ile and Met69Val, IRT-I69 and IRT-6, respectively.     

Immunology in clinical practice. XII. Indications for T-Cell-mediated immunotherapy of cancer

In a limited number of cases, T cell based cancer immunotherapy has proven its clinical efficacy. Indications are restricted to certain haematological malignancies, relapsed after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation, and tumours against which an autologous T cell response can be elicited or boosted, such as melanomas and renal carcinomas. T cell based immunotherapy of non-immunogenic tumors is possible using bispecific antibodies.     

Indocyanine green and laser light for the treatment of AIDS-associated cutaneous Kaposi's sarcoma

Indocyanine green (ICG) is clinically approved for the determination of liver function, cardiac output and plasma volume. In this pilot study, ICG was used as photosensitizer in combination with a diode laser to treat AIDS-associated Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) in three patients. Directly and up to 50 min after intravenous administration of ICG (2-4 mg kg(-1) body weight), KS (n=57), mainly plaque-type, were irradiated using a diode laser (lambda em=805 nm, 100 J cm[-2], 0.5-5 W cm[-2]) matching the absorption maximum. Complete remission of KS (n=16) was achieved when irradiated 1-30 min after injection of the second dose of ICG (2 x 2 mg kg(-1) b.w., 30 min apart) with 3-5 W cm(-2) and 100 J cm(-2). Biopsies (n=3) revealed necrosis of the tumour 24 h and complete remission 4 weeks after therapy. In general, systemic side-effects were not observed and cosmetic results were very good. However, hyperpigmentation occurred temporarily in lesions located on the lower extremities. These findings show that AIDS-associated KS can be effectively treated after photosensitization with ICG and subsequent irradiation with an appropriate diode laser. However, additional investigations need to elucidate the exact mechanism of action of ICG-mediated phototherapy and have to show the efficacy for the treatment of other highly vascularized solid tumours.     

Synthesis and evaluation of oligonucleotides incorporating novel artificial nucleobases for the selective formation of non-natural type triplexes

Regulation of specific gene expression by the sequence specific triplex formation has been expected as a new biological tool or a new therapeutic method in the so-called antigene strategy. As native nucleobases form triplexes only within homopurine-homopyrimidine duplexes, expansion of the target sequences to general ones has been desired. We have previously reported the selective formation of base triplets by the non-native nucleobases (1, 2) with a CG or a TA base pair, respectively, in the organic solvent. In this paper, we wish to report the synthesis of the new non-native bases (3, 4, 9-11) and their incorporation into the triplex-forming oligonucleotides (TFOs), as well as their ability of triplex formation.     

一种新型静止无功补偿装置控制系统及其应用

提出一种基于Simadyn-D控制器的全数字静止无功补偿装置(SVC)控制系统。在该控制系统中实施了基于瞬时无功理论的瞬时功率和瞬时电流的检测算法以及一种开闭环相结合的复合控制策略。该SVC控制系统已经在首钢等多项SVC工程中得到了成功的应用。     

The role of transthoracic needle biopsy for the diagnosis and staging of lung cancer

Percutaneous transthoracic needle biopsy (TNB) is a simple and safe procedure with high diagnostic accuracy for the diagnosis and staging of cancer in the lung, hilum, and mediastinum. The complication rate is low and consists primarily of pneumothorax, with only a small percentage of these requiring chest tube reexpansion. Major complications are rare. Computed tomographically guided biopsy is a powerful adjunct to fluoroscopic biopsy and expands the application of TNB to include most thoracic lesions. TNB is the initial diagnostic procedure of choice in peripheral lung lesions, suspected focal metastases, and most hilar and mediastinal masses. Its proper role in the diagnosis and staging of lung cancer requires the close collaboration of the radiologist, cytopathologist, and the patient's primary physician.     

A system of nonspecific defense in chronic inflammatory bowel diseases--pathophysiologic and therapeutic aspects]

Monocytes/macrophages are a prominent feature of the inflammatory infiltrate in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Progress in the development of monoclonal antibodies has provided a powerful means to identify and study various subsets of macrophages in the intestinal mucosa. In both Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis distinct macrophage populations have been found being prominent in active disease, but absent from normal mucosa. Studies of our group show that the Ca(2+)-binding proteins MRP8 and MRP14 as well as their heterocomplex MRP8/14 (27E10 epitope) can be immunolocalized in the majority of granulocytes and macrophages in active but not inactive IBD. Serum MRP8/14 concentrations are significantly increased in patients with active IBD compared with patients suffering from inactive/mild disease. In vitro studies revealed that IL-13, IL-10 and IL-4 strongly suppress secretion of monocytic proteins. Differential responses of monocytes and macrophages towards the inhibitory effects of TH2-cytokines can be observed in both patients with IBD and control groups. Combined treatment with TH2-cytokines may effectively suppress the response of activated monocytes/macrophages thus being of potential therapeutic benefit for patients with IBD.     

Rationale for the utilization of interleukin-4, an immune-recognition induced cytokine, in cancer immunotherapy

Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic monitoring of moradol (2 mg) given to 16 somatically healthy parturients during analgesia of spontaneous labor has identified 2 groups of patients who significantly differed in kinetic characteristics and in the drug's ability to penetrate through the placenta barrier. At the same time there were no significant differences in autonomic nervous function and central hemodynamics after intravenous moradol analgesia. The newborns from the two groups had identical high scores (8-9). Moradol produced an adequate analgesic effects in all parturients, reaching its peak at min 30-45 and lasting up to 2 hours. There was a high correlation between the plasma drug concentration and pharmacodynamic indices in parturients.     

菌式穿孔机及Accu－Roll型轧机阶梯形轧制过程控制系统

对于斜轧机，使用阶梯形轧制方式，能有效地改善咬入条件并减少轧件尾卡的可能性。本文介绍这种新型轧制方式的控制系统软件包及其主要功能。成都无缝钢管厂φ２５０ｍｍＡｃｃｕ－Ｒｏｌｌ轧管机组的实际运行结果表明，该控制系统灵活方便，运行可靠，提高了作业率和钢管成材率，取得了较好的经济效益。     

Influence of type of exchange fluid on survival in therapeutic apheresis for thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura

Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) is a potentially lethal disease that may respond favorably to plasma infusion or therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) with frozen plasma (FP) as the exchange fluid. Frozen plasma from which the cryo-precipitated fraction has been removed (cryopoor plasma, CP) has reportedly been useful in refractory cases in which a response to FP is not being observed. We report a retrospective analysis of all cases of TTP treated by TPE with either FP (1985-1989) or CP (1989-1993) as exchange fluid at a large tertiary care hospital between the years 1985 and 1993. A severity score index was compiled for each patient using the platelet count, mental status, hematocrit, and renal function at the time of diagnosis. Nineteen patients were treated with FP (group 1) and 18 patients with CP (group 2). Groups did not differ in age, gender, race, hematologic parameters, or severity scores. Patients treated with CP, however, had more plasma exchange (14 +/- 10 vs. 12 +/- 8, respectively) and more fluid exchanged than these treated with FP (50 L +/- 36 vs. 37 L +/- 40, respectively). Survival was 72% in the CP group and 47% in the FP group. Although a survival advantage for the use of CP as exchange fluid in the treatment of TTP is suggested by our observations, the retrospective nature of the study, lack of randomization, and sequential rather than concurrent use of FP and CP indicates caution in interpretation. The data do indicate, however, that use of CP is acceptable as the initial exchange fluid in TTP.     

A study of objective functions for organs with parallel and serial architecture

A hemodynamics model of cerebral Willis circulation is proposed. The model consists of the compensation of blood flow as well as the compliance, resistance and inductance of arteries. The impedances of carotid and vertebral arteries are obtained by solving the govern equations. The theoretical impedances correspond well with the experimental results. The simulating results demonstrate that the alteration of the arterial dynamic parameters influences not only the ipsilateral impedance but also the contralateral arterial system. These conclusions suggest that the carotid or vertebral impedance is not suitable for describing the behaviour of its own arterial system, because the impedance is also influenced by the other arterial system and blood pressure.     

热轧表面检测系统光源设计与应用

作为检测系统的重要组成部分——光源正常工作是表面检测系统的基础保证。在高温环境下,若光源离带钢距离较近,热辐射及对流将导致光源设备的损坏;若距离较远又不能保证带钢表面的照度要求。因此,如何合理控制光源表面温度,保持合理距离的情况下保证带钢表面照度需求,是高温条件下光源系统设计的重点。详细分析了高温条件下光源的距离与光源接收到的热辐射、光源照度之间的关系,并设计出适用于热轧产线表面检测系统的光源照明设备。经现场使用,证明该光源设计方法是有效的。