Differences in SLE disease activity between patients of Caucasian and South‐East Asian/Chinese background in an Australian hospital

Aim: We performed a semiprospective and retrospective review of all admissions to a single institution of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients, admitted due to active disease. The aim was to describe differences in disease activity as a cause of hospital admissions between patients originating from South‐East Asia/China (SAC) and Caucasians. Method: There were 210 patients admitted for active disease, with a total of 567 admissions for active SLE over a 16‐year period. Allowing for patients who had left our database, there was a total of 3415 patient years of observation. Results: Patients from SAC with a flare requiring admission presented earlier in their disease course and with more active disease than did Caucasians (median SLE Disease Activity Index 13 vs. 8, P= 0.002). They had longer inpatient stays (7 vs. 5 days P = 0.03). There was a trend to higher rates of re‐presentation to hospital for flare (59% in SAC patients vs. 41% in Caucasians, P = 0.09) with more subsequent admissions (3 vs. 2 P = 0.06) despite a shorter period of observation. Conclusions: South‐East Asian/Chinese were more likely to be diagnosed with class III/IV glomerulonephritis and require cyclophosphamide both at presentation and subsequent admissions. More patients from SAC were readmitted to hospital for severe central nervous system disease after their first hospital admission. In this population, lupus patients had more severe flares and more frequently required admission for these than Caucasians.     

头颈部良性神经源性肿瘤1H MRS的表现特点

目的：探讨头颈部良性神经源性肿瘤在单体素^1H MRS上的表现特点。材料和方法：共收集经单体素。HMRS检查，并经手术病理证实的头颈部神经源性肿瘤14例（神经鞘瘤11例，神经纤维瘤2例，颈动脉体瘤1例）。采用点分析波谱法（PRESS：TE=144ms，14例）和激励回波法（STEAM：TE=30ms，11例）进行。HMRS空间定位，以胆碱和脂质代谢物为标准评价所有肿瘤。波谱图上，胆碱和脂质分别在3．2ppm和0．9—1．4ppm区域识别。结果：采用PRESS后，14例神经源性肿瘤中检测出胆碱代谢物者11例，检出脂质代谢物者6例。胆碱和脂质代谢物同时检出者5例，仅检出胆碱者6例，仅检出脂质者1例，胆碱和脂质均未检出者2例。采用STEAM后，11例肿瘤中检出胆碱代谢物和脂质者分别为3例和8例。结论：头颈部良性神经源性肿瘤的单体素。HMRS表现具有多样性，多数肿瘤以长TEPRESS上胆碱峰的显示为特点，长TEPRESS能较STEAM更好地检出良性神经源性肿瘤内的胆碱代谢物。     

Delta hepatitis virus infection in China

To assess the prevalence, epidemiological features and prognostic implications of hepatitis D (Delta) in Sichuan Province, The People's Republic of China, 649 sera (515 from HBsAg positive patients and 134 from HBsAg negative subjects) were tested by radioimmunoassay (RIA) for antibody to the hepatitis D virus (anti-HD). Forty-seven sera (7.2%) showed some degree of reactivity. Serial dilutions of these sera indicated that prozoning was not responsible for the equivocal results. Thirty-four of the 47 sera were submitted under code to a second laboratory for independent analysis. According to those results anti-HD antibodies were detected in four of these sera. The overall prevalence of anti-HD in the HBsAg positive patients therefore was 0.8% (4/515). On the basis of clinical, biochemical and histological data 427 HBsAg positive sera were further divided into acute Type B hepatitis, chronic Type B hepatitis, healthy carrier state and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) subgroups. Two of 65 (3.1%) anti-HD positive sera belonged to the acute Type B hepatitis group; one of 104 (0.9%), the chronic Type B hepatitis group and one of 246 (0.4%), the healthy carrier group. No antibody was detected in sera from 12 HBsAg positive HCC patients. All HBsAg negative patients were negative for anti-HD antibody. The results of this study indicate that despite a high prevalence of hepatitis B virus infection, positive serology for delta virus is uncommon in Sichuan Province, The People's Republic of China.     

NEUROTROPIN IMMUNOSTIMULATING ACTION ON IMMUNOCOMPETENT CELLS

Neurotropin (NSP) is an extract isolated from the skin of rabbits inoculated with vaccinia virus. The present study examines the possible action of NSP on the number and function of immunocompe tent cells in mice. The experiment showed that NSP had no effect on both T and B lymphocytes of nor- malimmunized mouse spleen. The degree of plaque forming cell reaction and titre of specific antibody showed no significant differences when the NSP treated group and controls were compared. How- ever, NSP exhibited promotive effect on specific antigen binding cells in the early stage of immune responses. It was also noted that the rosette forming capacity of human T lymphocytes in vitro was restor- ed markedly by NSP. These results suggest that NSP possesses certain immunostimulating activity, particularly on the specific antigen binding cells and human T lymphocytes.     

骨髓基质干细胞分化来源肝细胞移植的细胞准备及组织学观察

目的 探讨大鼠骨髓基质干细胞向肝细胞分化后体外标记方法及移植肝细胞的肝内组织学表现。方法 分离大鼠骨髓基质细胞，在体外诱导分化为成熟肝细胞。将5-溴脱氧尿嘧啶核苷（BrdU）掺入后的肝细胞移植入已行部分肝切除大鼠体内，分别应用免疫组织化学和免疫荧光方法观察受体肝脏内移植细胞的形态和功能。结果分化成熟肝细胞在BrdU掺入培养后细胞核染色可见特异性棕褐色标记；肝细胞移植后肝组织切片BrdU染色可定位移植细胞；白蛋白抗体染色显示移植细胞具有功能活性。结论 骨髓基质干细胞分化来源的肝细胞移植后形态功能稳定，是进行肝细胞移植的理想细胞来源。     

三维立体培养法诱导去分化软骨细胞Ⅱ型胶原的重新表达

目的用藻酸盐三维立体培养法及离心管聚集体诱导培养法促进去分化的永生化软骨细胞第50代(IHACs50)重新表达软骨细胞的Ⅱ型胶原标志性表型。方法利用藻酸盐三维立体培养法以及离心管聚集体诱导培养法分别诱导培养去分化的永生化人关节软骨细胞第50代,然后用Ⅰ、Ⅱ、Ⅲ型胶原的免疫组织化学染色、Ⅱ型胶原的逆转录-聚合酶链反应(RT-PCR)检测、激光共聚焦显微镜检测、胶原定量检测该永生化软骨细胞的Ⅱ型胶原表型表达情况。结果免疫组织化学染色、激光共聚焦显微镜检测、RT-PCR检测分别提示藻酸盐三维立体培养法和离心管聚集体诱导培养法使去分化永生化人关节软骨细胞的Ⅱ型胶原染色阳性以及621 bp的Ⅱ型胶原mR- NA表达,Western blot和3H-脯氨酸标记SDS-PAGEⅡ型胶原定量检测发现前者促进Ⅱ型胶原分泌较后者多。结论去分化永生化人关节软骨细胞可以经不同的诱导方法而重新表达Ⅱ型胶原表型,藻酸盐三维立体培养法因与软骨细胞的生理环境相似,故促进Ⅱ型胶原重新表达较多。     

舌黏膜尿道成形治疗尿道狭窄的初步报告

目的:探讨舌黏膜补片法尿道成形治疗尿道狭窄的疗效。方法:采用舌黏膜尿道成形治疗尿道狭窄14例。尿道狭窄段3.5~14cm,平均6.2cm;术前耻骨上膀胱造瘘8例,余6例排尿均较为困难,最大尿流率2.5~5.5ml/s,平均3.8ml/s。结果:术后随访2~8个月,1例因伤口感染致尿道皮肤瘘,余患者均排尿通畅,最大尿流率增至22~51ml/s,平均29.6ml/s。结论:舌黏膜具有取材方便、对患者创伤小、抗感染力强等特点,是一种较好的尿道替代物,尤其适合尿道狭窄段<6cm的患者。