Persistent monocytosis after intravenous immunoglobulin therapy correlated with the development of coronary artery lesions in patients with Kawasaki disease.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: This study was conducted to investigate whether changes in the complete blood count (CBC)/differential count (DC) and C-reactive protein (CRP) were correlated to Kawasaki disease (KD) with coronary artery lesions (CALs). METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed of all children with KD at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Kaohsiung from 2001 to 2006. KD patients were divided into those with and without CALs for testing of correlations with changes in CBC/DC and CRP levels. RESULTS: A total of 147 patients were enrolled for this analysis. Serial CBC/DC and CRP measurements and echocardiographic data for determination of CAL formation were obtained before and after intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) treatment. There were 44 (29%) KD patients having CAL formation (>3 mm in diameter of internal lumen). There was no significant difference in terms of age distribution and major diagnostic criteria between KD patients with and without CALs. Male KD patients, however, had a significantly higher rate of CAL formation (p=0.009). In multivariate logistical regression analysis, persistent monocytosis after IVIG treatment was the only factor significantly correlated to CAL formation (p=0.003). CONCLUSIONS: Of the febrile routine measurements of CBC/DC and CRP in KD, persistent monocytosis after IVIG treatment was correlated to CAL formation. Further studies to clarify the mechanism of monocytosis may help prevent the CALs of KD.     

M1型巨噬细胞源外泌体增强卵泡膜细胞的活力

目的:探讨M1型巨噬细胞源外泌体对卵泡膜细胞活力的影响及其作用机制。方法:采用脂多糖(LPS)处理Raw264.7小鼠巨噬细胞,构建M1型巨噬细胞模型及巨噬细胞-卵泡膜细胞共培养体系。超速离心法分离巨噬细胞分泌的外泌体;通过电镜、Western blot和纳米流式检测仪鉴定外泌体。体外分离培养小鼠卵泡膜细胞,与PKH67荧光标记的外泌体共孵育,观察卵泡膜细胞摄取外泌体的情况。CCK-8法检测细胞活力,流式细胞术分析细胞周期分布,q PCR及Western blot检测细胞周期蛋白依赖性激酶抑制因子1B(CDKN1B)的表达。结果:在巨噬细胞-卵泡膜细胞共培养体系中,LPS诱导的M1型巨噬细胞通过外泌体增强卵泡膜细胞活力。电镜、Western blot及纳米流式检测结果显示,巨噬细胞源外泌体被成功分离。PKH67标记的外泌体与卵泡膜细胞共孵育实验证实卵泡膜细胞能摄取大量巨噬细胞源外泌体。这些外泌体可增强卵泡膜细胞的活力,使卵泡膜细胞G0/G1期比例下降,S期比例升高,且卵泡膜细胞CDKN1B的m RNA及蛋白相对表达量均明显低于对照组。结论:卵泡膜细胞能摄取巨噬细胞分泌的外泌体。M1型巨噬细胞源外泌体通过抑制CDKN1B的表达而增强卵泡膜细胞的活力。     

抗T细胞单克隆抗体对再生障碍性贫血患者TNF和IL—2水平的影响

为探讨抗Ｔ淋巴细胞克隆抗体对再生障碍性贫血患者免疫功能的调节作用，采用放射免疫检测２５例ＡＡ患者ＭｃＡｂ－Ｔ治疗前后血清肿瘤坏死因子和白细胞介素－２（ＩＬ－２）水平及其中１０例周围血单个核细胞体外诱生ＴＮＦ和ＩＬ－２水平的变化。     

Crossing the barrier: Evolution and spread of a major class of mosaic pbp2x in Streptococcus pneumoniae, S. mitis and S. oralis

A paradigm for Streptococcus interspecies gene transfer is represented by the mosaic pbp genes encoding the target enzymes for beta-lactam antibiotics, the penicillin-binding proteins, in Streptococcus pneumoniae. We investigated a collection of oral streptococci from three continents by comprehensive multi-locus sequence typing analysis in order to trace the origin of a mosaic block belonging to a dominant family of mosaic pbp2x implicated in penicillin resistance of S. pneumoniae. One widespread family of mosaic pbp2x occurred in all three distinct clusters of S. pneumoniae, Streptococcus mitis and Streptococcus oralis, documenting independent inter- and intraspecies recombination events. Moreover, potential ancestor genes of this mosaic block could be identified in two penicillin-susceptible S. mitis strains from South Africa and Spain, facilitating the identification of pbp2x mutations relevant for resistance development.     

不同来源乙肝表面抗原的细胞免疫学对比研究

目的　研究不同来源乙肝表面抗原诱导CD8 抗原特异性的细胞毒T淋巴细胞反应(CTL)的差异及T细胞产生细胞因子的能力 ,从而对各种来源乙型肝炎表面抗原 (HBsAg)的免疫原性有更充分的评价。方法　不同来源HBsAg分别免疫BALB c小鼠 ,于免疫后不同时间制备脾脏单个核细胞 (MNC) ,再以相应的HBsAg体外刺激 ,酶联免疫方法 (ELISA)测定细胞因子分泌水平 ;以Na2 5 1CrO4标记靶细胞 ,测定CTL反应活性 ;应用流式细胞仪分析T细胞亚群。结果　HM HBsAg免疫小鼠 10d后的脾细胞产生IFN γ水平最高 ,而在免疫后 2 0d和 2 5d ,IL 2的水平显著高于其它各组 ,CD3 分子脾淋巴细胞显著高于其它各实验组 (P <0 .0 5) ;plasma HBsAg免疫小鼠的脾淋巴细胞产生IFN γ和IL 2水平较低 ,但在免疫 2 5d对P815 HBs的杀伤性最强 ;HM HBsAg和SSC HBsAg免疫后CD4 CD8- 脾淋巴细胞比例显著增高 (P <0 .0 5) ;CD4- CD8 细胞所占百分比各组间及与空白对照组间差异无显著性 (P >0 .0 5)。结论　不同来源HBsAg诱导的细胞免疫反应类型和程度不同     

Endometrial and subendometrial blood flow measured during early luteal phase by three-dimensional power Doppler ultrasound in excessive ovarian responders

BACKGROUND: Impaired implantation in assisted reproduction cycles with high serum estradiol (E(2)) concentrations may be related to suboptimal endometrial perfusion. Endometrial and subendometrial blood flow were compared between excessive responders (serum E(2) on the day of HCG >20 000 pmol/l) and moderate responders (E(2) < or =20 000 pmol/l). METHODS: Three-dimensional (3D) ultrasound examination with power Doppler was performed 2, 4 and 7 days after HCG in 32 patients who did not have embryo transfer in order to measure endometrial thickness, pulsatility index (PI)/resistance index (RI) of uterine vessels, and endometrial volume, vascularization index (VI)/flow index (FI)/vascularization flow index (VFI) of endometrial and subendometrial regions. RESULTS: Excessive responders tended to have lower endometrial and subendometrial VI/VFI on HCG +2 and more absent endometrial/subendometrial blood flow. They had significantly higher endometrial FI and subendometrial VFI than moderate responders on HCG +7. Only in the excessive responder group, uterine PI/RI declined significantly from HCG +2 to HCG +7 and endometrial VI/VFI increased significantly from HCG +4 to HCG +7. CONCLUSION: Changes in uterine Doppler flow indices, and endometrial and subendometrial 3D power Doppler flow indices during the early luteal phase were significantly different between moderate and excessive responders.     

Congenital malignant melanoma--a case report

Herein reported is a case of congenital malignant melanoma in a premature male baby from a 25-year-old healthy mother who was found to have hydramnios at the 29th week of gestation. The pregnancy was interrupted because of a large posterior neck mass detected by ultrasonography. The large neck mass of the baby was a malignant melanoma involving deep dermis and subcutaneous tissue. The skin over the mass showed a large area of pigmentation with hairs and the pigmentation involved the occipital scalp and posterior neck. Microscopically, the tumor cells were monotonous and showed polygonal and epithelioid appearance with prominent nucleoli indicative of malignant melanoma of a minimal deviation variety. Neither junctional components nor benign dermal nevus cells were noted. There were no distant metastasis or underlying leptomeningeal melanosis. This tumor is presumed to have developed from either preexisted congenital giant pigmented nevus with loss of benign components or de novo origin.     

改性的纳米羟基磷灰石/聚乳酸复合材料的亲水性与溶胀性研究

评价用聚乙二醇系列的表面改性剂PEG、F127及PELA改性的纳米羟基磷灰石／聚乳酸复合材料的亲水性和溶胀性，先对纳米羟基磷灰石进行表面改性处理后，再综合用传统的溶液共混、流延法及热压法将改性的和未改性的纳米羟基磷灰石分别与聚乳酸制备成复合薄膜。检测结果表明：改性剂分别被涂敷于纳米羟基磷灰石上，改性处理能够改善纳米颗粒在基材内的分布；改性的纳米羟基磷灰石／聚乳酸复合材料比未改性的对比材料的表面接触角小、表面能大、亲水性好、溶胀度大，达到饱和溶胀度的时间长。改性的纳米羟基磷灰石比未改性的羟基磷灰石改善基体聚乳酸的亲水性和溶胀性效果更显著。     

Prominent proliferative response of peripheral blood mononuclear cells to a recombinant non-structural (NS3) protein of hepatitis C virus in patients with chronic hepatitis C.

The proliferative response of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) to a recombinant non-structural (NS3) protein of hepatitis C virus (HCV) was studied in 41 patients with chronic hepatitis C. Of them, 28 had chronic persistent hepatitis (CPH) and 13 chronic active hepatitis (CAH). The positive proliferation rate of PBMC to the recombinant NS3 protein, T9Ag, was 66% in the 41 patients (77% in CAH versus 61% in CPH; P > 0.05) when stimulation index (SI) = 4 was set as the cut-off value. However, mean SI of CAH patients was significantly higher than that of CPH patients (8.3 +/- 5.2 versus 5.1 +/- 3.6; P < 0.05). Six other chronic hepatitis patients who were repeatedly negative for anti-HCV antibody but positive for serum HCV RNA also had an SI of > or = 4.0. The frequency of cellular immune response to the T9Ag is among the highest results obtained by using HCV antigens tested so far. Our studies thus indicate that NS3 is an immunologically important region of HCV for T cells. Moreover, the proliferative response to T9Ag may help to establish hepatitis C etiology in chronic hepatitis patients who are seronegative with currently available anti-HCV assays.     

Experimental transmission of Bartonella henselae by the cat flea.

Bartonella henselae is an emerging bacterial pathogen, causing cat scratch disease and bacillary angiomatosis. Cats bacteremic with B. henselae constitute a large reservoir from which humans become infected. Prevention of human infection depends on elucidation of the natural history and means of feline infection. We studied 47 cattery cats in a private home for 12 months to determine the longitudinal prevalence of B. henselae bacteremia, the prevalence of B. henselae in the fleas infesting these cats, and whether B. henselae is transmitted experimentally to cats via fleas. Vector-mediated transmission of B.henselae isolates was evaluated by removing fleas from the naturally bacteremic, flea-infested cattery cats and transferring these fleas to specific-pathogen-free (SPF) kittens housed in a controlled, arthropod-free University Animal Facility. B. henselae bacteremia was detected in 89% of the 47 naturally infected cattery cats. A total of 132 fleas were removed from cats whose blood was simultaneously cultured during different seasons and were tested individually for the presence of B. henselae DNA by PCR. B. henselae DNA was detected in 34% of 132 fleas, with seasonal variation, but without an association between the presence or the level of bacteremia in the corresponding cat. Cat fleas removed from bacteremic cattery cats transmitted B. henselae to five SPF kittens in two separate experiments; however, control SPF kittens housed with highly bacteremic kittens in the absence of fleas did not become infected. These data demonstrate that the cat flea readily transmits B. henselae to cats. Control of feline infestation with this arthropod vector may provide an important strategy for the prevention of infection of both humans and cats.