Role of Common Biochemical Markers for the Assessment of Fracture Union

The progress of fracture union requires close monitoring. Whereas, clinical examination and radiographic studies assess the outcome, biochemical markers like serum alkaline phosphatase and urinary hydroxyproline reflect the actual status of bone resorption and bone formation over a short time frame. 36 patients of long bone fracture were randomly allocated for the study. When the patient reported to the Department of Orthopedics after fracture, serum and urinary samples were collected and X-ray of the affected part were taken. Subsequent samples were collected and X-ray taken just after management (either operative or conservative), after 3rd, 5th, 8th and 12th week, respectively after onset of fracture. According to the course of callus formation the patients were divided into two groups that progressed to proper union or malunion. The levels of serum alkaline phosphatase, urinary total and free hydroxyproline levels were measured and statistically analysed and compared. A statistically significant positive correlation between total urinary hydroxyproline excretion and serum alkaline phosphatase indicate progress towards satisfactory union. Thus, serial monitoring of biochemical markers of bone turnover can be used as an adjunct to clinical and radiological evidence of fracture healing.     

植物多样性的分子生物学研究方法

植物多样性是生物多样性的基础，它的保护和可持续利用是维持全球经济健康发展、全球气候稳定的重要因素之一，也是保持我们赖以生存环境的重要内容。对植物多样性的分子生物学研究方法进行了综述，并着重介绍了分子标记的最新进展及其在植物多样性研究中的广泛应用。     

Tumor marker requests in a general teaching Turkish hospital

Serum tumor markers may be requested inappropriately by clinicians. In this retrospective study, we aimed to investigate the appropriateness of TM requests in our hospital. Patients in the study were identified from the TM requests for 3 months between June–August 2004, using the laboratory database. A total of 2249 patients (1351 men, 898 women) were included in the study and there were 6570 TM requests. The number of requests were 1050 (16%) for Carbohydrate Antigen 19-9, 993 (15.1%) for Cancer Antigen 125, 941 (14.3%) for Prostate Specific Antigen, 921 (14%) for free PSA, 925 (14.1%) for Cancer Antigen 15-3, 788 (12%) for Alphafetoprotein, 730 (11.1%) for Carcinoembryonic Antigen and 222 (3.4%) for AFP/Human Chorionic Gonadotrophin. Our findings support the idea that for the evidence-based use of TM requests the education of clinical staff is required. Clear clinical guidelines including recommendations about the appropriate use of TM can be useful for this education process. Careful audit studies are also useful to determine the impact of these guidelines on the practice of evidence-based laboratory medicine.     

Embodied Cognition: Somatic Markers, Purposes and Emotional Orientations

We describe the “somatic marker hypothesis” proposed by Damasio (1996) to account for the ability of most people to make decisions quickly and continually in the course of their lives. We relate this hypothesis to two other theoretical constructs, emotional orientations and purposes, which we have used in our research on students' reasoning and teachers' decision making. Given that somatic markers are a part of unconscious mental activity, they cannot be observed by introspective reflection. How then can we research something we cannot see? Beginning with the hypothesis that somatic markers influence actions, we observe, particularly, the actions of student teachers, teachers and children in mathematics classrooms at points where they make decisions. This process is illustrated through examples both of teaching and learning in mathematics, and through the account (see Op't Eynde and Hannula, this issue) of ‘Frank’ reflecting on his decision-making in mathematical activity. We use the case of Frank to illustrate some differences between viewing mathematical activity from our perspective and from those of some other contributors to this special issue. The connections between emotional orientations, somatic markers and purposes are further illustrated by two examples drawn from our research into teacher development and students' reasoning processes.     

英语语篇标记分析

语篇标记作为语义性连接纽带的有形衔接是连贯的外在形式，起着表明说话者或作者的态度、意图或倾向等的作用。文章主要论述语篇标记的类别、语法形式、语文特征及逻辑语文关系等内容。     

重构性话语标记语的英汉对比分析

针对英语和汉语中重构性话语标记语频繁使用的情况,基于对所收集语料(主要为学术性文章)的统计分析,本文分别从语法和语用两个方面对英语和汉语中的重构性话语标记语的使用进行了分析;探讨了两种语言中重构性话语标记语在语法形式和语用功能方面的异同。     

The triad-iodine deficiency,hyperlipidaemia, high coronary risk— in a ‘maternal-neonate’ population of rural Africa

In order to see the pattern of changes in differential serum lipid and lipoprotein fractions as a risk marker of coronary complication in paired ‘maternal—neonate’ blood samples in an iodine deficient zone, 26 pregnant women and their corresponding new born infants at term delivery from the iodine deficient Bassa region of Plateau state, Nigeria were assessed and the results were compared with those seen in a similar 44 group of women and their newborns assessed in non lodine deficient region of Jos. The serum thyroid function and lipid and lipoprotein profiles were determined by ‘ELISA’ and ‘enzymatic’ methods respectively. Urinary iodide excretion level was also measured in 14 pregnant women in Bassa, 23 pregnant women in Jos and 16 non pregnant control from Jos. Results indicate that the pregnant women assessed in Bassa were iodine deficient (P<0.01) and their thyroid status was strikingly reduced as reflected by a drop in serum level of T4/TBG ratio (P<0.01) and a rise in TSH (P<0.005) in comparison to that seen in Jos. There was marked hypertriglyceridaemia and total hypercholesterolaemia (P<0.005), with differential significant rise in LDL cholestotol fraction (P<0.005) in the women assessed in Bassa as compared to Jos. The HDL cholesterol however dropped less significantly in the group (P<0.05) with a concurrent marked rise (P<0.001) in the serum ratio of LDL cholesterol/HDL cholesterol, total cholesterol/HDL cholesterol and triglycerides/HDL cholesterol in the lodine deficient group. A similar pattern of changes were seen in the corresponding neonates in the Bassa group as compared to Jos group. It is concluded that the pregnant women and their newborn offsprings living in a longstanding environmental iodine deficiency run a higher risk of developing coronary complications than those living in non endemic region. It is striking that such newborns surrounded by a continued state of lodine deficient may at a later adult-period of life develop marked risk of coronary complication and other features of hyperlipidaemias associated with varying thyroid insufficiency and accompanied iodine deficiency disorders. Prophylaxis measures as intervention has been highlighted.     

Evaluation of microsatellite instability in tumors of central nervous system: A pilot study

Microsatellite instability (MSI) characterized by alterations at simple repetitive genomic sequences is a distinct mechanism in tumorogenesis. Central nervous system (CNS) tumors have been reported to exhibit MSI, indicator of defective mismatch repair system with controversies. The present study was undertaken to examine sixteen primary brain and two spinal tumors for MSI at six mono: BAT-26, BAT-40, BAX, TGFßRII, IGFIIR and hMSH3 and four dinucleotide loci: D2S123, D9S1851, D9S283 and D18S58. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was done to amplify tumour and blood DNA, analyzed on 8% denaturing Polyacrylamide gel followed by autoradiography. Out of 18 CNS tumors examined, 39% exhibited MSI at BAT-26, BAT-40, D9S1851, D9S283 and D18S58 in tumoral DNA. However, no alteration was observed at BAX, TGFßRII, IGFIIR, hMSH3 and D2S123 loci. Low incidence of MS1-high hypothesizes role of MSI in evolution of CNS tumors but not in cancer initiation or progression.     

话语标记的功能

Discourse markers are pervasive in conversation, generally used to facilitate human communication.With respect to different contextual effects that discourse markers have in utterance interpretation, they may function subjectively, interactionally or textually.