Volume 95  ·   Issue 09  ·  1982

In this article the method for testing amniotic fluid blood group substances is described and the results of 107 determinations presented. Amniotic fluid blood group substances agree completely with those of the fetal blood. The method of determination is simple, easy to handle and requires no expensive equipment and therefore can be carried out in most laboratories. The clinical application of this determination in hemolytic diseases of the newborn due to ABO or Rh incompatibility is discussed.

Amniotic fluid creatinine concentration (AFCC) as an index of fetal maturity is clinically evaluated, the results suggest that predicting fetal maturity by AFCC is simple and accurate. If critical fetal maturity is over 36 gestational weeks and fetal birth weight 2,501 gm, AFCC≥2.0 Mg% is mature value>1.50-1.99 mg% intermediate and≤ 1.49 mg% immature, accuracy is more than 90%. The amniotic fluid should be deproteined to remove amniotic fluid protein interference in the Jaffe reaction.

Epidemiologic survey reveals that endemic goiter is prevalent among the inhabitants of 6 villages (Group A) situated near the sea coast in Huanghua County, Hebei Province. These villagers all drink deep-well water with high iodine content. Average goiter incidence is 7.3%, and physiologically enlarged thyroid glands 28.36%. Only 5.99% of the patients have goiter larger than Grade I, none have Grade III. Only 5.36% of the goiter is nodular type. No endemic cretinism is found. Urine iodine is very high; thyroid 24 hr 131I uptake is very low; serum T4, T3 and TSH are all within normal range. Two other villages (Group B) in the vicinity are similarly examined, the inhabitants are also fishers, but they drink old fashioned shallow well water, the iodine content of which is normal. The urine iodine excretion is lower than that of Group A but is still distinctly higher than in Tianjin residents. They have a 1.52% goiter incidence and 8.73% incidence of physiologically enlarged thyroid.

In the world literature on chromosome aberrations in liveborn infants, there are 8 reports using conventional technic, and 1 using G-banding technic, with none from China.

This paper reports, the findings of 16 typical cases of Shy-Drager syndrome seen during 6 years. 81% contracted the disease after the age of 40. 15 of the 16 patients were males. Early symptoms and signs include impotence, bladder disturbance, dizziness, blurring of vision and syncopal episodes with sudden positional drops in blood pressure on changing from the recumbent to an upright position. Anhydrosis, heat intolerance, ataxia, Parkinsonism, pyramidal tract signs and muscular atrophy also occurred. Only 1 was accurately diagnosed early while the others had been misdiagnosed before admission as psychoneurosis, enlarged prostate, transient ischemic attacks, malabsorption of the small intestine, Parkinsonism, cerebellar ataxia, multiple sclerosis and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Treatment was largely symptomatic. Both western and herbal medications are used. Shengmaisan composed of Radix Ginseng 人参, Radix Ophiopogonis 麦冬 and Fructus Schizandrae 五味子 were given 13 parenterally or orally. The results of combined therapy were excellent in 2, improved in 7 and ineffective in 7 including 3 deaths. One case with autopsied findings is appended.

This paper reports 41 cases of bone and joint X-ray changes in hepatolenticular degeneration. The cases were proved clinically (ophthalmologic and laboratory) and their X-ray bone and joint changes were divided into 5 groups: no abnormal findings, osteoporosis, osteomalacia (rickets), special changes and miscellaneous. Special changes include marginal bone fragments, angulation of carpal bones, squaring of metacarpal heads and calcification of the joint capsule or tendon insertion. The mechanism causing the bone changes in hepatolenticular degeneration is also discussed.

Selective and superselective hepatic arteriography is valuable in diagnosing primary hepatic carcinoma. Tumor vessels, tumor stain, vessel stretching displacement, vascular encasement, arteriovenous shunt, pool or lake-like collection of contrast medium and tumor emboli formation occurring during arterial phase and irregular mottling during parenchymal phase are characteristic manifestations. Among them, tumor vessels and tumor stain are the 2 pathognomonic signs. After evaluating the correlation of the arteriographic features, isotope scan, clinical data and pathologic findings, it is obvious that arteriography is superior to isotope scan in establishing a correct diagnosis. It can facilitate treatment when the catheter is retained for drip chemotherapy.

Blood gas analysis is reported in diagnosis of 100 cases of cough and asthma. PaO2 and AaDO2 are considered valuable in judging the degree of lung damage.

42 normal Chinese are examined for plasma amino acid (AA) concentrations under controlled conditions. All are metropolitan residents. The normal plasma AA concentration values are given with the exception of serine and threonine. Further study of normal Chinese AA patterns and changes after AA infusion is of great significance.

With slight modification of the candle jar method described by Trager and Jensen, Plasmodium falciparum has been successfully cultivated in vitro with fresh rabbit serum instead of human serum. Each 50 ml Erlenmeyer flask containing 5 ml culture was incubated in a candle desiccator at 35.5-37 C. 15 ml rabbit serum was added to 100 ml RPMI 1640 medium with sodium bicarbonate. In the culture both infected and uninfected red cells were 5%. The culture has been maintained alive for more than 500 days and the infection rate was over 20%. Cultivation was also conducted in plastic dishes (3.5 cm in diameter) containing 1.5 ml of the culture, but using human serum instead of rabbit serum for comparison. The growth rate showed no significant difference. The results suggest be used with advantage for continuous culture that rabbit serum may instead of human serum of the malaria parasite.