Serum alanine aminotransferase activity in obese children

To confirm the significance of the serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) test for the diagnosis of fatty liver and to clarify the relationship between serum ALT activity and the duration of obesity, we analysed 310 obese young schoolchildren (195M, 115F), who were classified into three duration groups (1–3 y, 4–6 y, 7+ y), three age groups (6–7 y, 8–9 y, 10–11 y), and four obesity groups (weight excess; mild, 20–29%: moderate, 30–39%; severe. 40–49%; very severe. 50%). Seventy-seven patients with abnormal ALT test, >30 IU/1, and 27 patients with normal ALT test were examined by ultrasound study to identify the fatty-fibrotic pattern of the liver. Abnormal results of the serum ALT test were found in 24% of all patients. The fatty-fibrotic pattern was identified in 64/77 (83%) patients with abnormal ALT test and in 5/27 (18%) patients with normal ALT test. The serum ALT test has a sensitivity of 0.92 for detecting the fatty-fibrotic pattern proven by ultrasound study Frequencies of cases with abnormal serum ALT levels increased with the duration of obesity. In the shortest duration group, however, the frequencies of abnormal results in serum ALT test did not increase with advanced ages or the grades of obesity. In conclusion, the present study confirmed the usefulness of the serum ALT test for screening fatty liver, and showed that a longer duration of obesity is generally associated with the occurrence of fatty liver in a paediatric obese population. In young patients with mild obesity or a short duration of obesity, however, fatty liver or fatty fibrosis may develop. Early intervention should be made in the case of obese children.     

Early increase of TNFα and IL-6 in tracheobronchial aspirate fluid indicator of subsequent chronic lung disease in preterm infants

AIM—To investigate if early changes in concentrations of proinflammatory cytokines in tracheobronchial aspirate fluid (TAF) from preterm infants could be used to detect infants at risk of chronic lung disease (CLD) and help in the selection of patients for early steroid treatment.METHODS—Twenty eight preterm infants less than 34 weeks of gestation (median 26 weeks) were intubated and daily measurements of TAF concentrations of tumour necrosis factor α (TNFα) and the interleukins IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-8 were made, using enzyme immunoassay techniques.RESULTS—Seventeen of the infants developed CLD. The infants who developed CLD had significantly increased concentrations of TNFα, IL-1ß, IL-6 on days 2 and 3. TNFα, IL-6, and IL-8 concentrations were significantly related to gestational age and duration of supplemental oxygen; TNFα, IL-6, and IL-8 concentrations also correlated with length of time on the ventilator.CONCLUSION—These data indicate that tracheobronchial aspirate fluid cytokine concentrations may be used as a predictor of subsequent CLD and may help select a group of preterm infants at high risk of developing CLD for early treatment.     

4种细胞因子对K562/S及其耐药细胞株K562/A02积蓄柔红霉素的影响

目的通过检测４种常用细胞因子对白血病细胞株Ｋ５６２／Ｓ及其多药耐药细胞株Ｋ５６２／Ａ０２积蓄柔红霉素（ＤＮＲ）能力的影响,评价细胞因子在抗白血病细胞多药耐药性方面的应用前景。方法用流式细胞仪及荧光法检测重组人α－干扰素（ＩＦＮ－α）、白细胞介素２（ＩＬ－２）、肿瘤坏死因子（ＴＮＦ）、重组人粒－单集落刺激因子（ＧＭ－ＣＳＦ）对Ｋ５６２／Ｓ及Ｋ５６２／Ａ０２积蓄柔红霉素能力的影响。结果ＩＬ－２、ＴＮＦ、ＧＭ－ＣＳＦ作用后Ｋ５６２／Ｓ及Ｋ５６２／Ａ０２细胞株对柔红霉素的积蓄无改变,而ＩＦＮ－α可显著提高耐药细胞系Ｋ５６２／Ａ０２细胞内ＤＮＲ浓度,在１５０ｍｉｎ时升高了４.０１倍（Ｐ＜０.０５）。结论小剂量（５００Ｕ／ｍｌ） α－干扰素作用后,多药耐药细胞株 Ｋ５６２／Ａ０２对抗肿瘤药物ＤＮＲ的积蓄作用大大提高,提示ＩＦＮ－α具有提高耐药细胞株细胞内药物浓度、恢复其药物敏感性、逆转多药耐药性的作用。     

Sweet's syndrome and subacute thyroiditis

A 63 year old woman developed biopsy documented lesions of acute febrile neutrophilic dermatosis (Sweet's syndrome) one week after the onset of subacute thyroiditis. This is only the second reported case of such an association. The role of cytokines in the development of both subacute thyroiditis and Sweet's syndrome may be the link between these two conditions.     

HP450和CytP450在大鼠急性肝炎中的变化

目的研究四氯化碳、醋氨酚、半乳糖胺诱发大鼠急性肝炎时肝脏微粒体中ＨＰ４５０及ＣｙｔＰ４５０的变化。方法采用［３Ｈ］ｍｅｐｙｒａｍｉｎｅ为放射性配体，利用受体－配体结合技术检测ＨＰ４５０，用差示光谱法检测ＣｙｔＰ４５０，同时采用荧光法检测外周血液中组织胺水平。结果在３种肝毒剂诱发大鼠发生急性肝炎时，大量肝脏微粒体中ＨＰ４５０的水平显著降低，大鼠肝脏微粒体中的ＣｙｔＰ４５０含量也明显下降，ＨＰ４５０和ＣｙｔＰ４５０的降低具有一致性，此外还发现急性肝炎动物血清中的组织胺水平明显高于正常组（Ｐ＜０．０１）。结论大鼠肝脏微粒体中ＨＰ４５０的水平在急性肝炎中显著降低，可能与受体的“下行调节”及肝毒物质降低ＣｙｔＰ４５０有关，检测人体肝脏组织中ＨＰ４５０水平、外周血中ＨＰ４５０的酶促反应中间代谢物、代谢终产物，是否可作为判断人体急性肝炎时肝脏损害程度的一个特异性指标，值得进一步研究与探讨。     

High Serum Levels of Soluble IL-2 Receptor, Cytokines, and C Reactive Protein Correlate with Impairment of T Cell Response in Patients with Advanced Epithelial Ovarian Cancer

The serum levels of interleukin-(IL-)1α, IL-1β, IL-2, IL-6, TNFα, and sIL-2R and the proliferative response of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) to phytohemagglutinin (PHA), anti-CD3 monoclonal antibody (mAb), recombinant IL-2 (rIL-2), and the combination of PHA or anti-CD3 mAb with rIL-2 were studied and correlated with serum levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) in women with advanced epithelial ovarian cancer. The expression of CD25 and CD122 subunities of membrane-bound IL-2R on PHA- or anti-CD3 mAb-stimulated PBMC was also studied. In comparisons with the controls, PBMC response to PHA, anti-CD3 mAb, and rIL-2 was significantly lower in the cancer patients. The addition of exogenous rIL-2 to the PBMC cultures increased response in both controls and patients but did not modify the significance of the differences. After stimulation with PHA or anti-CD3 mAb, the percentage of PBMC CD25⁺or CD122⁺was significantly lower in patients. The serum levels of IL-1α, IL-1β, IL-6, TNFα, sIL-2R, and CRP were significantly increased in patients compared to the controls. Instead, no differences were observed for serum levels of IL-2. A strong association was found between high serum levels of the above-mentioned cytokines, sIL-2R, and CRP. The results of our study on advanced stage (IIIb–IV) ovarian cancer patients are consistent with the previously reported hypothesis that high IL-6 and/or CRP serum levels may represent an important and independent prognostic factor of the likely outcome in cancer patients.     

精制血府胶囊治疗冠心病心绞痛的临床研究

为观察精制血府胶囊对冠心病心绞痛的治疗作用。方法５７例患者随机单盲分为 精制血府胶囊组与常规西药治疗组。结论：加用精制血府胶囊冠心病心绞痛比单用西药效果更好。     

Risk Factors for Male Breast Cancer (United States)

Objectives: The etiology of male breast cancer is obscure, although an excess risk has been associated with Klinefelter syndrome, testicular disorders, benign breast disease including gynecomastia, use of exogenous estrogens, radiation, and a family history of male or female breast cancer. We conducted a case-control study to investigate risk factors further for breast cancer in men.Methods: Based on data from the 1986 National (United States) Mortality Followback Survey (NMFS) of almost 20,000 deceased adults (age 25 years or over), we compared information obtained from next-of-kin interviews of 178 men who died of breast cancer with that of 512 male controls who died of other causes. Information was obtained on selected demographic and other factors, including diet, exercise, occupation, height and weight, and use of tobacco and alcohol.Results: Increased risks were found for men who were described by their next-of-kin as very overweight (odds ratio [OR] = 2.3, 95 percent confidence interval [CI] = 1.1-5.0). The risks associated with the three upper quartiles of body mass index (BMI) (wt/ht²) were 1.3, 1.6, and 2.3, respectively, with a significant dose-response relationship (P < 0.01). An excess risk was also associated with limited exercise (OR = 1.3, CI = 0.8-2.0). Consumption of red meat was associated with an increased risk, and consumption of fruits and vegetables with a decreased risk, although the trends were not significant. No association was found for tobacco or alcohol use, but an excess risk was associated with higher levels of socioeconomic status (SES) (OR = 1.8, CI = 1.1-3.0).Conclusions: Our study suggests that obesity increases the risk of male breast cancer, possibly through hormonal mechanisms, while dietary factors, physical activity, and SES indicators also deserve further investigation. Cancer Causes andd Control 1998, 269-275     

灵芝孢子粉提取物降血糖作用及机制的实验研究

用Ｓｔｚ复制大鼠糖尿病模型观察了灵芝孢子粉乙醇提取物的水溶部分（Ｇｌｓｅ）的降糖作用及其对胰岛素离体生物活力和内分泌激素Ｉｎｓ、ＧＨ、Ｃｏｒ的影响。实验结果表明Ｇｌｓｅ（相当生药６２５０ｍｇ／ｋｇ）对糖尿病大鼠有明显的降低血糖作用，增强耐糖效应，对Ｓｔｚ损伤有一定的对抗作用，促进糖尿病大鼠的Ｉｎｓ分泌，维持ＧＨ、Ｃｏｒ的正常水平。含药血清对胰岛素离体生物活力无明显影响     

ET、CGRP对天麻钩藤饮治疗阴虚阳亢型原发性高血压疗效的评估

用天麻钩藤饮治疗阴虚阳亢型原发性高血压，观察治疗前后的血浆内皮素（ＥＴ）、降钙素基因相关肽（ＣＧＲＰ）水平。结果：ＥＴ、ＣＧＲＰ、ＥＴ／ＣＧＲＰ与血压呈相关性；与血压的改善同步。ＥＴ、ＣＧＲＰ对治疗效果具有评估价值