Consumption of uncooked deer meat as a risk factor for hepatitis E virus infection: an age- and sex-matched case-control study

It was reported previously food-borne transmission of hepatitis E virus (HEV) to humans from deer meat. The present study attempted to clarify whether eating uncooked deer meat is a major epidemiological risk factor for HEV infection in Kasai, a city in western Japan. In total, 45 volunteer subjects with experience of eating raw deer meat were enrolled. An equivalent number of people from the same area who had never eaten raw deer meat served as controls. The subjects and controls had comparable age and sex distributions. Serum anti-HEV IgG and anti-hepatitis A virus (HAV) IgG levels were measured in all 90 volunteers. There was no significant difference in age, overseas travel history, or rate of anti-HAV antibody positivity between the subjects and controls. Eight (17.7%) of the subjects but only one (2.2%) of the controls had measurable serum anti-HEV IgG levels (P = 0.014). Anti-HAV prevalence did not differ between the anti-HEV-positive and negative groups. The results suggest that eating uncooked deer meat is an epidemiological risk factor for HEV infection in the studied area. In countries such as Japan where deer meat is sometimes eaten raw, attention must be paid to this route of HEV infection.     

Phosphatidylserine binding sites in red cell spectrin

Spectrin has been shown to interact with phosphatidylserine (PS), however, the precise binding sites for PS in spectrin have not been defined. In the present study, we have identified specific PS binding sites in spectrin using recombinant spectrin fragments encompassing the entire sequences of both spectrin chains. We show that sites of high affinity are located within eight of the 38 triple-helical structural repeats which make up the bulk of both chains: these are: α8 and α9-10, and β2, β3, β4, β12, β13 and β14, and PS affinity was also found in the non-homologous N-terminal domain of the β-chain. It is noteworthy that the PS-binding sites in β-spectrin are clustered in close proximity to the sites of attachment both of ankyrin and of 4.1R, the proteins engaged in attachment of spectrin to the membrane. We conjecture that direct interaction of spectrin with PS in the membrane complements modulates its interactions with the proteins, and that (considering also the known affinity of 4.1R for PS) the formation of PS-rich lipid domains, which have been observed in the red cell membrane, may be a result.     

Conventional transport assays underestimate sugar transport rates in human red cells

The time course of protein-mediated 3-O-methylglucose uptake by human red cells and by red cell ghosts containing or lacking 4 mM MgATP was measured at ice temperature and sub-saturating sugar levels by conventional sampling procedures and at 20 degrees C by use of a quench-flow apparatus. The temporal resolution of the quench-flow apparatus (as fast as 5-ms sample times) was confirmed by analysis of alkaline hydrolysis of dinitrophenolacetate. Red cell sugar uptake at 4 degrees C is consistent with two processes [fast (tau = 120 s) and slow (tau = 1100 s)] that occur in series. Intracellular ATP increases the size and the rate of equilibration of the fast compartment and slows the rate of filling of the slow compartment. Red cell ghost volume and protein content are unaffected by lysis/resealing in the presence of ATP. Uptake at 20 degrees C is also consistent with two processes [fast (tau = 10 ms) and slow (tau = 15 s)] that occur in series. ATP increases the size of both compartments and the rate of filling of the small compartment at 20 degrees C. Preliminary estimates indicate that the sugar uptake capacity of human red cells at 20 degrees C is underestimated by as much as 8-fold by measuring sugar uptake over 2 s vs. 26 ms. We discuss the implications of multiphasic sugar uptake in the context of models for protein-mediated sugar transport.     

Margaret: a tragic case of spinal Red Flags and Red Herrings

Objective This case illustrates how easily patient misattribution can influence the clinical reasoning process and it alerts physiotherapists to safeguard from the influences of Red Herrings.Design It is the second in a series of case studies considering patients with serious spinal pathology.Setting This paper considers the case of a 49year old lady who was referred to a Spinal Assessment Clinic in a district general hospital. The clinic was established specifically to deal with more complex spinal patients, identifying those at risk of chronicity, surgical cases or those with more complex pathology. Unfortunately this case was subsequently diagnostically triaged as serious spinal pathology.Conclusion As misattribution of symptoms by the patient is common, it is essential that the clinician considers a thorough subjective and objective assessment. When drawing inferences from the findings it is vital to stand back and consider if the attributed cause and effect is an inherent likelihood and consider whether there may be important information missing.     

Platelet distribution width (PDW) is increased in vaso-occlusive crisis in sickle cell disease

Considering the multigenic and multifactorial nature of the disease, we argue that a generalized bone marrow hyperplasia—and not merely erythroid hyperplasia—will occur in sickle cell disease. Consequently, we expect the hematological parameters to depict erythroid, myeloid as well as megakaryocyte hyperplasia. In the light of this expectation, we hypothesized that platelet distribution width (PDW) will increase in sickle cell disease. Here, we report the results from a cross-sectional study of 216 children admitted with complaints suggestive of vaso-occlusive crisis. We observed a strong association between PDW and sickle cell disease as compared to children who had HbAA genotype. Our findings bridge previous inconsistencies relating to the role of platelets in sickle cell disease. Implications of this finding are discussed.     

The laser diffractoscope – a new and fast system to analyse red blood cell flexibility with high accuracy

 Red blood cell (RBC) flexibility is one of the determining parameters of the microcirculation. As capillaries are smaller in diameter than RBC, RBC can only pass through by deformation. Reduced flexibility is associated with a reduced microcirculation. In obstetrics, pre-eclampsia and intrauterine growth retardation are regarded as diseases exhibiting a reduced microcirculation. With this new system it might be possible to achieve new data concerning the microcirculation in these diseases. The laser diffractoscope is based on laser light diffraction and computer-assisted image analysis. It offers the ability to determine the flexibility of RBC in whole blood with high accuracy between 0 and 30 Pa. Two hundred microlitres of whole blood are required, and the analysis is carried out in less than 5 min, with a standard deviation ≤1%. The laser diffractoscope is a new system which offers the ability to measure RBC deformability with high accuracy in a short time. Evaluation of reproducibility and validity, as well as comparison with data from other measuring systems, proves the excellence of the laser diffractoscope. An example of its application is shown by analysing the deformability of RBC in 10 uncomplicated pregnancies at term. Received: 27 March 2001 / Accepted: 18 September 2001     

30例血性前列腺液L型细菌溶血培养法结果分析

Domingue[1]报道在进行L型细菌培养时发现,L型细菌可以在细胞内寄生。将红细胞(RBC)裂解稀释后培养L型细菌可以提高L型细菌的检出率。故本研究采取的标本为新疆地区维吾尔族16岁～48岁重症前列腺炎血性前列腺液,以了解细菌L型的阳性率及细菌L型感染的关系。     

苏州市酱卤肉制品卫生细菌学调查

目的了解市售酱卤肉制品的卫生质量现状，更好地进行食品卫生工作的监督管理。方法对苏州市饭店、超市、卤菜店制售的酱卤肉制品进行菌落总数、大肠菌群的检验。结果共采集样品69份，合格样品41份，总合格率为59．42％。其中菌落总数合格51份，合格率为73．91％；大肠菌群合格46份，合格率为66．67％。结论该市卫生监督部门应加大酱卤肉卫生质量的监督执法力度，并加强对食品从业人员的培训。     

朝鲜边民携带入境狗肉旋毛虫感染情况调查

[目的]调查了解集安口岸朝鲜边民携带入境狗肉旋毛虫感染情况，为预防控制旋毛虫病提供依据。[方法]采制入境狗肉样，按文献[4]方法检验，并对寄生部位进行统计。[结果]7只白条狗阳性2只，阳性率28．5％。隔肌部位感染率最高，为71％。[结论]检验结果表明，入境人员携带感染旋毛虫的狗肉入境，无疑会增加旋毛虫病的国际间传播的机会。为防止人感染旋毛虫，须加强卫生宣传，加强口岸查验和肉品卫生检验。