The impacts of resilience on the association between illness uncertainty and sleep quality among Chinese women with systemic lupus erythematosus

Clinical Rheumatology - Our study aimed to investigate the effect of illness uncertainty on sleep quality among SLE women. Meanwhile, the role of resilience was explored in the association of...     

一例多种羧化酶缺乏症的HLCS基因变异分析

目的对1例临床诊断为多种羧化酶缺乏症(multiple carboxylase deficiency,MCD)的患儿及其父母进行相关致病基因的变异分析,为临床诊断及遗传咨询提供依据。方法应用PCR技术和DNA测序技术对患儿的MCD致病基因BT和HLCS编码区进行变异检测,并对患儿父母进行相应基因变异分析。在80名正常人中对未报道过的基因变异进行PCR-限制性片段长度多态性分析。结果患儿的BT基因编码区未发现碱基改变,HLCS基因存在c.286delG(p.Val96Leufs*162)和c.1648G>A(p.Val550Met)复合杂合变异,其中c.286delG(p.Val96Leufs*162)经PCR-限制性片段长度多态性分析验证为新变异。结论HLCS基因c.286delG(p.Val96Leufs*162)和c.1648G>A(p.Val550Met)变异可能为患儿的致病原因,致病基因的检出为临床诊断及遗传咨询提供了依据,同时丰富了HLCS基因变异谱。     

Crown angulation measured by laser scanner

The aim of this study was to measure the crown angulation of Japanese subjects with normal occlusion using a laser scanner to minimize human error. Twenty study models with normal occlusion were scanned by laser scanner. Crown angulations of each tooth in scanned 3D dental images were measured according to Andrews’ procedure. In Andrews’ procedure, a plane was established along the mesiodistal contact points of each tooth. The crown angulations of each tooth were measured by projecting the facial axis of the clinical crown (FACC) and a vertical line from the occlusal plane, and the mean and standard deviation were calculated. In maxillary teeth, the canine crown angulation was highest at about 7°, thus indicating a mesial tip, which was seen in all teeth except the second molar. In mandibular teeth, the second molar crown angulation was highest at about 7°, thus indicating a mesial tip, and only the lateral incisor exhibited slight distal tip, while all the remaining teeth exhibited mesial tip. Standard deviations for the maxillary and mandibular teeth ranged from 2.5° to 8°. The standard deviation of the maxillary and mandibular second molars was particularly large.     

Moderate aerobic exercise alters migration patterns of antigen specific T helper cells within an asthmatic lung

Studies have indicated increased incidence and severity of allergic asthma due to western lifestyle and increased sedentary activity. Investigations also indicate that exercise reduces the severity of asthma; however, a mechanism of action has not been elucidated. Additional work implicates re-distribution of T helper (Th) cells in mediating alterations of the immune system as a result of moderate aerobic exercise in vivo. We have previously reported that exercise decreases T helper 2 (Th2) responses within the lungs of an ovalbumin (OVA)-sensitized murine allergic asthma model. Therefore, we hypothesized that exercise alters the migration of OVA-specific Th cells in an OVA-challenged lung. To test this hypothesis, wildtype mice received OVA-specific Th cells expressing a luciferase-reporter construct and were OVA-sensitized and exercised. OVA-specific Th cell migration was decreased in OVA-challenged lungs of exercised mice when compared to their sedentary controls. Surface expression levels of lung-homing chemokine receptors, CCR4 and CCR8, on Th cells and their cognate lung-homing chemokine gradients revealed no difference between exercised and sedentary OVA-sensitized mice. However, transwell migration experiments demonstrated that lung-derived Th cells from exercised OVA-sensitized mice exhibited decreased migratory function versus controls. These data suggest that Th cells from exercised mice are less responsive to lung-homing chemokine. Together, these studies demonstrate that moderate aerobic exercise training can reduce the accumulation of antigen-specific Th cell migration into an asthmatic lung by decreasing chemokine receptor function.     

我国登革热的流行特征及监测预警研究进展

登革热是由登革病毒引起的、在全球范围广泛传播的急性蚊媒传染病，其传播和流行受病原体、病媒生物、气候和社会环境等多种因素影响。目前，由输入病例引起的本土登革热疫情在我国呈现流行纬度越来越高、流行区域越来越广的趋势。然而，传统的登革热疫情监测预警模型，大多集中于单一因素、单一地区的研究，因此，迫切需要建立多因素监测预警系统，以提高早期预警能力。本文主要对我国登革热的流行特征、流行的影响因素及监测预警模型相关研究进展进行综述，以期为我国登革热疫情的科学防控提供参考。     

从肝脾相关理论探讨功能性消化不良的中医药疗法

功能性消化不良是临床最常见的一种功能性胃肠疾病,其发病机制可能与情志及饮食因素有关。肝脾二脏密切相关,生理上相互联系,病理上相互影响。"肝脾相关"理论是中医理论的重要内容。中医学认为,功能性消化不良与肝脾功能失调密切相关,治疗上以疏肝理脾为重点。本文以"肝脾相关"为切入点,探讨"肝脾相关"的理论渊源,并从"肝脾相关"理论探索功能性消化不良的发病及中医治疗法,以期为临床提供思路和方法。     

Neuroprotective effects of Caralluma tuberculata on ameliorating cognitive impairment in a d-galactose-induced mouse model

Cognitive deficiency and oxidative stress have been well documented in aging disorders including Alzheimer’s disease. The aim of this study was to investigate the therapeutic efficacy of Caralluma tuberculata methanolic extract (CTME) on cognitive impairment in mice induced with d-galactose. In this study we assessed the therapeutic efficacy of CTME on cognitive impairment in mice induced with d-galactose by conduction of behavioral and cognitive performance tests. In order to explore the possible role of CTME against d-galactose-induced oxidative damages, various biochemical indicators were assessed. Chronic administration of d-galactose (150 mg/kg d, s.c.) for 7 weeks significantly impaired cognitive performance (in step-through passive, active avoidance test, Hole-Board test, Novel object recognition task and Morris water maze) and oxidative defense as compared to the control group. The results revealed that CTME treatment for two weeks (100, 200 and 300 mg/kg p.o) significantly ameliorated cognitive performance and oxidative defense. All groups of CTME enhanced the learning and memory ability in step-through passive, active avoidance test, Hole-Board test Novel object recognition task and Morris water maze. Furthermore, high and middle level of CTME (300 and 200 mg/kg p.o) significantly increased Total antioxidative capacity (T-AOC), Glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, neprilysin (NEP), and β-site AβPP cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE1) expression while Nitric Oxide (NO), Nitric Oxide Synthase (NOS) activity and Malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration, and the level of Aβ1-42 and presenilin 1 (PS1) were decreased. The present study showed that CTME have a significant relieving effect on learning, memory and spontaneous activities in d-galactose-induced mice model, and ameliorates cognitive impairment and biochemical dysfunction in mice.     

Decreased severity of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis during resveratrol administration is associated with increased IL-17+IL-10+ T cells,CD4− IFN-γ+ cells,and decreased macrophage IL-6 expression

Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), an animal model of Multiple Sclerosis, is induced after injection of PLP_139–151 myelin peptide in complete Freund's adjuvant into SJL/J mice. During EAE, T cells and macrophages infiltrate the brain, produce cytokines IL-17, IFN-γ, TNF-α, or IL-6, and bring about autoimmune neuroinflammation. However, infiltrating T cells which simultaneously produce IL-17 and IL-10 or infiltrating CD4⁻ NKT cells that produce IFN-γ protect against EAE. Resveratrol, a plant polyphenol, exhibits anti-inflammatory properties. To determine if resveratrol can relieve EAE, SJL/J mice were administered diets enriched in resveratrol at EAE injection. EAE symptoms were significantly less compared with controls in mice fed resveratrol. At day 56 of EAE, splenic T cells from mice fed 0%, 0.04% or 0.08% resveratrol that were restimulated with PLP_139–151 produced similar levels while splenic T cells from mice fed 0.02% resveratrol produced significantly higher levels of IL-17, IFN-γ, and TNF-α. At peak EAE (day 14), mice fed resveratrol had higher numbers of IL-17⁺ T cells, IL-17⁺/IL-10⁺ T cells, and CD4⁻IFN-γ ⁺ cells in the brain and spleen compared with controls. Adoptive transfer of day 14 EAE encephalogenic T cells into mice fed resveratrol reduced the severity of EAE. In addition, resveratrol directly suppressed expression of IL-6 and IL-12/23 p40 but increased expression of IL-12 p35 and IL-23 p19 from macrophages. Therefore resveratrol protection against EAE is not associated with declines in IL-17⁺ T cells but is associated with rises in IL-17⁺/IL-10⁺ T cells and CD4^-IFN-γ⁺ and with repressed macrophage IL-6 and IL-12/23 p40 expression.     

Nucleotide sequence polymorphism at the apical membrane antigen-1 locus reveals population history of Plasmodium vivax in Thailand

Apical membrane antigen-1 is a candidate for inclusion in a vaccine for the human malaria parasite Plasmodium vivax. We collected 231 complete sequences of the gene encoding this antigen (pvama-1) from three regions of Thailand, the most extensive collection to date of sequences at this locus. The domain II loop (previously mentioned as a potential vaccine component) was almost completely conserved, with a single amino acid variant (I313R) observed in a single sequence. The 3′ portion of the gene (domain II through the stop codon) showed significantly lower nucleotide diversity than the 5′ portion (start codon through domain I); and a given domain I sequence might be found in a haplotype with more than one domain II sequence. These results imply a hotspot of recombination between domains I and II. We found significant geographic subdivision among the three regions of Thailand (NW, East, and South) in which collections were made in 2007. Numbers of P. vivax infections have experienced overall declines since 1990 in all three regions; but the decline has been most recent in the NW, and there has been a rebound in numbers of infections in the South since 2000. Consistent with population history, amino acid sequence diversity was greatest in the NW. The South, which had by far the lowest sequence diversity of the three regions, showed signs of a population that has expanded from a small number of founders after a bottleneck.