Factors affecting T3 and T4 proficiency testing

Problem areas within a proficiency testing (PT) program are performance evaluation and sample stability. The different units used in the various T3 uptake methodologies make performance evaluation complex. To facilitate this evaluation, a normalization method for T3 uptake performance evaluation has been developed. Sample stability studies for T3 uptake indicate that, at room temperature, sample values increase after storage for about seven days. Room temperature sample stability studies for T4 using a competitive protein binding (CPB) method indicate that the apparent T4 content of pooled serum increases after about one week. Fatty acids are shown to be an interfering substance in the T4 CPB method as well as the T4 radioimmunoassay (RIA) method. This interference increases with a decrease in carbon chain length from C18 to C12 and with an increase in unsaturation of fatty acids. The B/B0 ration for arachidonic acid at a concentration of 0.48 micronMoles per tube is 17.4 in a CPB method and 87.1 in a radioimmunoassay method indicating that the greater effect is in the CPB method. The increase in T3 uptake values are probably also due to the interfering effect of fatty acids.     

Hip involvement in ankylosing spondylitis

Hip involvement in ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a common and disabling problem. The clinical and x-ray records of 87 patients with definite AS (Rome criteria) were examined to define and characterize their hip disease. Clinical hip disease was present in 33 cases (38%), was usually bilateral (91%), and tended to begin early in the disease course; it was the cause of 50% of the Class III and IV disability in the entire study group. Typical findings included regional pain, limitation of motion, muscle atrophy, and flexion contractures. Radiologic hip abnormalities occurred in 42 cases (48%). The radiographic pattern was distinctive when compared to that in two control groups and included axial migration of the femoral head (63%), concentric joint space narrowing (50%), rufflike femoral osteophytosis (36%), and protrusio acetabuli (30%). Eight patients required bilateral hip surgery. Para-articular ossification occurred in 8 of 16 replaced hips; in 5 of 8 hips it caused clinical immobility. This potentially serious complication may limit the usefulness of hip arthroplasty in some AS patients.     

Enhanced HBsAb production in pathogenesis of fulminant viral hepatitis type B

The possible importance of humoral immunity in the pathogenesis of fulminant hepatitis was investigated by comparing 17 patients with fulminant hepatitis type B with 20 patients with severe but non-fulminant disease. Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) was cleared from the serum significantly faster (P less than 0-001) in those with fulminant hepatitis, and in 41% anti-HBsAg (HBsAb) was detectable by radioimmunoassay (RIA) at presentation. In all 11 sera from patients with fulminant hepatitis that were examined by electron microscopy aggregates of HBsAg and HBsAb were seen. In contrast, HBsAb was never detected by RIA in those with non-fulminant hepatitis, and in only one serum specimen (5%) were aggregates seen on electron microscopy. A significant sex difference between fulminant and non-fulminant hepatitis was observed, 65% of patients with fulminant hepatitis but only 15% of patients with non-fulminant hepatitis being women (P less than 0-01). An enhanced production of HBsAb in fulminant hepatitis, by leading to free HBsAb in portal blood, may cause an Arthus reaction in the sinusoids of the liver with ensuing ischaemic necrosis of hepatocytes.     

Intercostal thorascopic harvesting of the internal mammary artery for supercharging a pedicled rectus abdominis flap

This review on non-heartbeating donation focusses on three issues: the number of kidneys procured from a non-heartbeating donor programme, the transplant results and the influence of a non-heartbeating programme on public opinion regarding transplantation.     

Optical-luminescence properties of ZnO and TiO2 nanopowders obtained by pulsed laser reactive ablation

Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Electronics - The ZnO and TiO2 nanopowders have been prepared by means of the pulsed laser reactive ablation of metallic (Zn, Ti) targets. The Structural,...