Plasma C-peptide levels and clinical remissions in recent-onset type I diabetic patients treated with cyclosporin A and insulin

Remission from insulin dependency in insulin-treated recent-onset type I (insulin-dependent) diabetic patients can result from a partial recovery of insulin secretion, an improvement in tissue sensitivity to insulin, or both. The same hypothesis must be analyzed when remission occurs in cyclosporin A (CsA)-treated patients. In this study, plasma C-peptide levels were serially measured in the basal state and after stimulation in 219 recent-onset type I diabetic patients; 129 received CsA, and all patients were similarly monitored and insulin treated. The results were analyzed in view of the occurrence of remission. Remission was defined as good metabolic control in the absence of hypoglycemic treatment for greater than or equal to 1 mo. Remission occurred in 44% of the CsA-treated group and lasted for mean +/- SE 10.0 +/- 0.9 mo vs. 21.6% in the non-CsA-treated group with a duration of 4.4 +/- 0.8 mo. Plasma C-peptide levels were initially dramatically lower than normal in both groups in the basal and stimulated states. C-peptide levels increased significantly later, at 3 and 6 mo, in both groups. C-peptide values were proportional to the rates of remission in both groups. In the non-CsA-treated group, C-peptide levels later decreased, and these patients inexorably relapsed to insulin dependency. In contrast, in the CsA-treated group, the initial recovery in insulin secretory capacity was maintained over the 18-24 mo of the study. Furthermore, higher remission rates and longer-lasting remission were obtained in patients who reached higher C-peptide levels at the 3rd mo of treatment.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

DNA flow cytometry in stage IB and II cervical carcinoma

In a retrospective study the prognostic significance of nuclear DNA content was investigated, as measured by flow cytometry, of the tumor specimens from 212 women with nonpretreated FIGO stage IB and II cervical cancer. One-hundred and thirty cases (62%) were found to be diploid, whereas 82 (38%) were aneuploid. Univariate analysis of the follow-up data showed an increased relative risk (RR) for recurrence free survival (RFS) for stage II tumors (RR = 1.87, 95% CI: 1.13–3.10, P = 0.015) and for age (RR = 1.52, 95% CI: 0.66–3.52 and RR = 2.35, 95% CI: 1.19–4.65, P = 0.032). Ploidy showed a relative risk of 1.33 (95% CI: 0.83–2.13, NS). In addition, univariate analysis of overall survival (OS) revealed similar results. For the subgroup of patients with primary surgery ( n = 151), positive pelvic nodes (RR = 5.38, 95% CI: 2.70–10.71, P = 0.0001) and parametrial extension (RR = 2.53, 95% CI: 1.24–5.17, P = 0.011) were significant factors for OS after univariate analysis, the estimated effects on RFS were slightly smaller. Multivariate analysis of RFS for the whole study population showed age, histologic grade and stage with a slightly increased risk, but no effect was significant. Ploidy with an RR of 0.97 (95% CI: 0.58–1.62) seems to have no influence on prognosis. For the subgroup with primary surgery, ploidy again failed statistical significance with an RR of 1.20 (95% CI: 0.58–2.49). Our results suggest that abnormalities of the nuclear DNA content in this homogeneous group of patients are associated with clinical and morphological prognosticators, however, ploidy is not an independent prognostic factor for RFS, or for the whole study population or for the subgroup with primary surgery.     

Effect of isoelectric point on biodistribution and inflammation imaging with indium-111-labelled IgG

Electrostatic effects play an important role in protein interactions and may alter the biodistribution of antibodies. To study the effect of molecular charge on the biodistribution and infection imaging properties of human polyclonal immunoglobulin G (IgG), its iso electric point was varied by changing the level of diethylene triamine penta-acetic acid (DTPA) substitution: 0.8, 0.9, 3.7, 5.1 and 5.9 DTPA/IgG. Biodistributions of the different IgG preparations were determined at 10 min, 1, 6, 24, and 48 h post injection in normal rats, and infection imaging properties were determined in rats withEscherichia coli thigh infections. The biodistribution was significantly affected by pl. The immunoglobulin preparations with 0.9 and 3.7 DTPA/IgG showed faster clearance from the circulation and generally lower accumulation in most organs. The images had a target-to-background ratio of approximately 1.3–2.3:1. These results suggest that even though targeting is not affected by the level of DTPA substitutions, preparations with 0.9 and 3.7 DTPA/IgG may be superior imaging agents because of reduced accumulation by background organs.     

精氨酸加压素（AVP）的衍生物AVP4—8不能作用于AVPV1a受体而诱发电流反应

在微量注射大量肝脏ｍＲＮＡ之后，通过电压箝方法进行功能鉴定，两栖类卵母细胞成功地表达了ＡＶＰＶ１ａ受体。但在灌流ＡＶ４－８溶液时，却不能诱导卵母细胞产生内向振荡电流反应。提示ＡＶＰ４－８不能通过ＡＶＰＶ１ａ受体而介导生理学效应。     

Entrapment of platelets in the penis during and after erection

Because of the development of hypercoagulability and the deposition of fibrin in the penis during erection a study of the possible role of platelets in this process was undertaken. Platelet response was studied in 9 adult chacma baboons (Papio ursinus) using autologous in vitro indium-111-labelled platelets and sequential scintigraphy of the penis during erection. The blood pooling pattern was obtained using in vivo technetium-99m-labelled red cells in a similar investigation. A statistically significant retention of platelets occurred during and after erection, which could not be attributed to blood pooling (P less than 0,05). Entrapment of platelets could lead to enhanced activity and activation, and might play a significant role in hypercoagulability and fibrin deposition during erection. Therefore platelets could be an important factor in the pathogenesis of ageing impotence.     

多巴酚丁胺负荷对缺血性扩张型心肌病患者左心室充盈的影响：病理生理学及预后意义

目的：本研究旨在探讨多巴酚丁胺对缺血性心肌病（ICM）患者左心室（LV）充盈功能的影响，并确定峰值负荷时限制性充盈型（RFP）是否具有预后预测价值。背景：ICM患者峰值负荷时RFP的预后价值尚属未知。方法：在静息和负荷情况下，采用多普勒超声心动检查研究了69例ICM患者；RFP定义为跨二尖瓣E／A比≥1．0、等容舒张时间（IVRT）〈80ms及E波减速时间（EDT）〈120ms。结果：69例患者中有42例静息时出现RFP，其中有24例患者负荷情况下转变为非RFP（EA），18例患者RFP持续存在（EE）；69例患者中27例静息和峰值负荷时均无RFP（AA）。