Optimization of immunohistochemical detection of collagen type II in osteochondral sections by comparing decalcification and antigen retrieval agent combinations

Bone containing tissues such as osteochondral joint are resistant to routine tissue processing, therefore require decalcification. This technique causes removal of mineral salts, but in the process may macerate the organic tissue, hence the need for tissue fixation. Such severe processing demands careful antigen retrieval to necessitate optimal staining. The aim of our study was to compare five different antigen retrieval protocols (heat retrieval and protein digestion) following decalcification of rabbit knee joints using two different techniques (20% formic acid and 10% ethylenediamine-tetra acetic acid: EDTA). Osteochondral sections were compared based on time required for decalcification, ease of sectioning, morphological integrity using HE staining and antigen preservation (Collagen type II) using immunohistochemistry. The two decalcification solutions did not impair the tissue morphology and ease of sectioning. Joints processed with formic acid decalcified four times faster than EDTA. Among the five antigen retrieval approaches, maximal collagen II uptake with minimal nonspecific staining was found with protein digestion (pronase and hyaluronidase) in both formic acid and EDTA sections. For osteo-chondral sections, we recommend using 10% EDTA for decalcification and pronase plus hyaluronidase for antigen retrieval if maintaining tissue morphology is crucial, whereas if time is of the essence, 20% FA with pronase plus hyaluronidase is the faster option while still preserving structural integrity. Clin. Anat. 33:343–349, 2020. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

复方番石榴制剂治疗超重肥胖2型糖尿病的疗效分析

【目的】评价复方番石榴制剂治疗超重肥胖2型糖尿病的临床疗效。【方法】将120例超重肥胖2型糖尿病患者随机分为治疗组和对照组各60例,治疗组给予口服二甲双胍肠溶片及复方番石榴制剂治疗,对照组给予口服二甲双胍肠溶片治疗,疗程均为12周。观察2组治疗前后腰围(WC)、体质量指数(BMI)、空腹血糖(FBG)、餐后2h血糖(P2hBG)、糖化血红蛋白(HbA1c)、胆固醇(TC)、甘油三酯(TG)、游离脂肪酸(FFA)等的变化情况,评估复方番石榴制剂的临床疗效。【结果】(1)中医证候总疗效:治疗后,治疗组的总有效率为95.00%,优于对照组的70.00%,差异有统计学意义(P0.01)。(2)治疗后,治疗组的WC和BMI均较治疗前显著下降(P0.01),而对照组均无明显下降(P0.05),治疗组对WC和BMI的下降作用均优于对照组(P0.05)。(3)治疗后,2组FBG、P2hBG、HbA1c、TC、TG、FFA水平均较治疗前显著改善(P0.05),且治疗组对上述各项指标的改善作用均优于对照组(P0.05)。(4)安全性评价:除治疗组有3例患者出现轻度的胃部不适感,未予特殊处理后自行缓解外,其余患者均未发现不良反应。【结论】复方番石榴制剂联合二甲双胍治疗超重肥胖2型糖尿病,疗效确切,可有效降糖、降脂、减肥及改善中医证候。     

经典名方泽泻汤的HPLC指纹图谱及多指标含量测定研究

目的建立经典名方泽泻汤的HPLC指纹图谱,结合化学模式识别技术对其进行分析,并测定泽泻汤中3种成分23-乙酰泽泻醇B、23-乙酰泽泻醇C和白术内酯Ⅲ的含量,为泽泻汤质量控制提供科学依据。方法采用Waters WAT054275C18色谱柱(250 mm×4.6 mm,5μm),以乙腈-水为流动相进行梯度洗脱,建立15批泽泻汤的HPLC指纹图谱,并采用"中药色谱指纹图谱相似度评价系统"、SPSS22.0及SIMCA14.1软件对15批泽泻汤的HPLC指纹图谱进行相似度评价及聚类分析(CA)、偏最小二乘判别分析(PLS-DA)等化学模式识别。同时测定23-乙酰泽泻醇B、23-乙酰泽泻醇C和白术内酯Ⅲ的含量。结果建立了15批泽泻汤的HPLC指纹图谱,相似度均0.94,标定了18个共有峰,指认出3个色谱峰,分别为11号峰白术内酯Ⅲ、15号峰23-乙酰泽泻醇C、16号峰23-乙酰泽泻醇B,CA和PLS-DA将15批泽泻汤样品分为2类,同时15批泽泻汤中23-乙酰泽泻醇B、23-乙酰泽泻醇C和白术内酯Ⅲ的质量分数分别为0.321～0.569、0.075～0.139、0.106～0.142 mg/g。结论 HPLC指纹图谱结合多成分同时测定的方法,快速、简便、重复性好,为泽泻汤及其制剂的质量评价提供参考。     

Does Outcome/Survival of Patients With Myelodysplastic Syndromes Should Be Predicted by Reduced Levels of ADAMTS-13? Results From a Pilot Study

IntroductionVon Willebrand factor (vWF) cleaving protease ADAMTS-13 has a key role for maintaining normal size of vWF. A deficiency or dysfunction of vWF cleaving protease is associated with ultra large vWF multimers and thrombotic microangiopathy. Patients with cancers have reduced levels of vWF cleaving protease. In this pilot study, we have evaluated whether or not deficiencies of ADAMTS-13 were present in myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). Moreover, we assessed if a reduction in basal levels of ADAMTS-13 may play a role in the prognosis of MDS.Patients and MethodsWe measured and compared the levels of vWF cleaving protease ADAMTS-13 in 100 patients with MDS and 35 healthy controls. Patients were divided into 2 groups according to the International Prognostic Scoring System: group I consisting of 44 patients with low-risk MDS and group II of 56 patients with high-risk MDS. Patients with high-risk and low-risk MDS presented significantly lower levels of ADAMTS-13 than controls (P < .001 and P = .0177, respectively). High-risk patients had significantly lower levels of ADAMTS-13 when compared with the low-risk group (P < .001).ResultsWe found that reduced levels of ADAMTS-13 have a relationship with overall survival (P < .001). Statistical analysis showed that ADAMTS-13 correlates with cytogenetics (P < .001) and a tendency of slight correlation with platelet count and basal levels of ADAMTS-13 (R, 0.35; P value, 0.001). Moreover, we found that levels of ADAMTS-13 have correlation with response to treatment (P < .001).ConclusionsADAMTS-13 in MDS might represent a surrogate marker of prognosis, response to therapy, or disease progression. Further studies are needed.     

Curcumin ameliorates hepatic chronic inflammation induced by bile duct obstruction in mice through the activation of heme oxygenase-1

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Riesgo de recurrencia tras retirada de la anticoagulación en pacientes con enfermedad tromboembólica venosa no provocada: validación externa del nomograma de Viena y del modelo predictivo DASH

IntroductionScales for predicting venous thromboembolism (VTE) recurrence are useful for deciding the duration of the anticoagulant treatment. Although there are several scales, the most appropriate for our setting has not been identified. For this reason, we aimed to validate the DASH prediction score and the Vienna nomogram at 12 months.MethodsThis was a retrospective study of unselected consecutive VTE patients seen between 2006 and 2014. We compared the ability of the DASH score and the Vienna nomogram to predict recurrences of VTE. The validation was performed by stratifying patients as low-risk or high-risk, according to each scale (discrimination) and comparing the observed recurrence with the expected rate (calibration).ResultsOf 353 patients evaluated, 195 were analyzed, with an average age of 53.5 ± 19 years. There were 21 recurrences in 1 year (10.8%, 95% CI: 6.8%-16%). According to the DASH score, 42% were classified as low risk, and the rate of VTE recurrence in this group was 4.9% (95% CI: 1.3%-12%) vs. the high-risk group that was 15% (95% CI: 9%-23%) (p <.05). According to the Vienna nomogram, 30% were classified as low risk, and the rate of VTE recurrence in the low risk group vs. the high risk group was 4.2% (95% CI:0.5%-14%) vs. 16.2% (95% CI: 9.9%-24.4%) (p <.05).ConclusionsOur study validates the DASH score and the Vienna nomogram in our population. The DASH prediction score may be the most advisable, both because of its simplicity and its ability to identify more low-risk patients than the Vienna nomogram (42% vs. 30%).     

Genetic characterization and diversity of porcine circovirus type 2 in non‐vaccinated South African swine herds

The porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) is a swine infectious viral pathogen of great significance in global swine herds. It was recently detected at another Province of South Africa sequel to the first detection of North American‐like strain (PCV2a) at Gauteng about two decades ago, but there is a dearth of information about the genomic features and diversity of the viral strains in circulation within the country and the entire sub‐Saharan Africa region. To date, only one complete genome of the virus from South Africa is available on global data base. This current effort is therefore geared towards the full‐genome characterization of the circulating PCV2 strains in the pigs of Eastern Cape Province. With the use of conventional polymerase chain reaction method, fifteen complete PCV2 genomes were successfully amplified, sequenced and assembled from field samples obtained from non‐vaccinated pigs in the region. Neighbor Joining and Maximum Likelihood phylogenetic analyses of the ORF2 gene and full genomes unanimously showed that most of the assembled genomes (11) belong to genotype PCV2b. Furthermore, three of the characterized sequences formed clade with other reference mutant PCV2b and PCV2b subtype 1C (i.e. PCV2d) strains from the USA, China and South Korea. The last sequence, however, clustered with other reference strains belonging to PCV2 intermediate clade 2 (PCV2‐IM2), recently identified in a global PCV2 strains phylogenetic analysis. This study reports the first complete genome sequences of PCV2b, PCV2d and PCV2‐IM2 in pigs from South Africa, and it gives a possible insight into the genetic characteristics and variability of the viral strains presently in circulation within the country. It further emphasizes the need for more stringent measures in curtailing the introduction and spread of transboundary swine pathogens in the country and entire Southern African region.     

The relationships among monocyte subsets,miRNAs and inflammatory cytokines in patients with acute myocardial infarction

Background

Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) causes irreversible myocardial damage and release of inflammatory mediators, including cytokines, chemokines and miRNAs. We aimed to investigate changes in the levels of cytokines (IL-6, TNF-α and IL-10), miRNAs profiles (miR-146 and miR-155) and distribution of different monocyte subsets (CD14++CD16-, CD14++CD16+, CD14+CD16++) in the acute and post-healing phases of AMI.