Cell-autonomous and non-cell-autonomous neuroprotective functions of RORα in neurons and astrocytes during hypoxia

There is increasing evidence to suggest that the neuronal response to hypoxia is regulated through their interactions with astrocytes. However, the hypoxia-induced molecular mechanisms within astrocytes which influence neuronal death have yet to be characterized. In this study, we investigated the roles of the nuclear receptor RORα (retinoid-related orphan receptor-α) respectively in neurons and astrocytes during hypoxia using cultures and cocultures of neurons and astrocytes obtained from RORα-deficient mice. We found that loss of RORα function in neuronal cultures increases neuronal death after hypoxia, suggesting a cell-autonomous neuroprotective effect of RORα. Moreover, wild-type neurons cocultured with RORα-deficient astrocytes are characterized by a higher death rate after hypoxia than neurons cocultured with wild-type astrocytes, suggesting that RORα also has a non-cell-autonomous action. By using cocultures of neurons and astrocytes of different genotypes, we showed that this neuroprotective effect of RORα in astrocytes is additive to its effect in neurons, and is mediated in part by cell-to-cell interactions between neurons and astrocytes. We also found that RORα is upregulated by hypoxia in both neurons and astrocytes. Furthermore, our data showed that RORα does not alter oxidative mechanisms during hypoxia but regulates hypoxic inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α) expression, a major regulator of hypoxia sensing, in a cell-specific manner. Indeed, the neuroprotective function of RORα in astrocytes correlates with a downregulation of HIF-1α selectively in these cells. Altogether, our results show that RORα is a key molecular player in hypoxia, protecting neurons through its dual action in neurons and astrocytes.     

宁夏贝母化学成分的研究

从宁夏贝母(Frdillapia taipaiensis P. Y. Li var. ningxiaensis Y. K. Yang et. J. K. Wu)的鳞茎中分得六个异甾体生物碱成分,鉴定为宁贝素(taipaienine,Ⅰ)、川贝酮(chuanbeinone,Ⅱ)、西贝素(imperialine,Ⅲ)、贝母乙素(verticinone,Ⅳ)、贝母辛(peimissine,Ⅴ)和异贝母甲素(isoverticine,Ⅵ).其中T为一新C-去甲-D-高甾生物碱。应用波谱分析(IR,MS,¹HNMR和¹³CNMR)等确定了它们的化学结构。     

30例感染性心内膜炎的临床分析

目的:探讨感染性心内膜炎(IE)的病因,致病微生物的变迁及抗生素的选择。方法:对1995年5月～2003年8月间住院的30例IE患者的临床资料进行回顾性分析。结果:风湿性心脏瓣膜病为其主要的基础心脏病变。链球菌在致病微生物中依然居首位,但凝固酶阴性葡萄球菌(CNS)等其它菌种逐渐增多,且对青霉素耐药发生率高,为临床诊治造成困难。结论:对于IE患者应尽可能早期明确诊断,早期选用有效的抗生素。CNS在IE的致病微生物中的地位有待进一步提高。     

Social characteristics of urban cafe guests in Norway

Which factors may influence the number of hours spent per week in cafes, and the amount of alcohol consumed in licensed premises, by urban cafe guests in Norway? In 1991 a comprehensive questionnaire survey was undertaken among 1053 visitors to 41 licensed cafes in Oslo, Norway. The five most important predictors of time spent in cafes were: household situation (β=0.20), occupation (β= 0.18), personal economic resources and sex (both β= 0.15) and age (β= 0.11). These factors were also significant predictors of the number of days during the past 4 weeks the respondents had drunk jour glasses or more of alcohol in cafes. Men, people living with others, people with poor economic resources and people not engaged in paid employment or education were the ones who reported spending the most hours per week and the most episodes of “heavy” drinking in cafes during a 4-week period. Visiting and drinking in cafes may be a way of structuring everyday life.     

Outcome of the treatment of invasive non-transitional cell carcinoma

BACKGROUND: We evaluated the treatment outcomes of non-transitional cell carcinoma (non-TCC) cases after radical cystectomy. METHODS: Radical cystectomy was performed in 259 invasive bladder cancer patients in our department and of these, 59 (22.7%) were non-TCC. Primary squamous cell carcinomas (SCC), adenocarcinomas and undifferentiated cancers (UC) were grouped as non-TCC of the bladder. Of the 59 non-TCC; 32 SCC, 20 UC, five adenocarcinoma and two sarcomatoid tumor cases were demonstrated. RESULTS: The 5-year disease-specific survival rate of TCC and non-TCC cases were 48.9 and 28.2%, respectively (P = 0.0016). The 5-year disease-specific survival rates of SCC and UC were 25.1 and 23.4%, respectively. The median survival time of SCC, UC and adenocarcinoma cases were 19, 12 and 6 months, respectively (P = 0.4579). The disease-specific survival rates of TCC and non-TCC cases at stage pT2NoMo were 79.1 and 27.2%, respectively (P = 0.0000). The median survival time of SCC, UC and adenocarcinoma cases were 19, 12 and 13.3 months, respectively, for the same stage. The survival time of TCC, SCC and UC cases at stage pT3NoMo were 23, 26 and 45 months, respectively (P = 0.2307). The median survival time at stages pT2-3N1Mo for the same groups were 18, 16 and 11 months, respectively (P = 0.0939). CONCLUSION: The study presented here demonstrates that both TCC and non-TCC cases have poor survival rates in locally advanced disease and that at the pT2NoMo stage the prognosis of non-TCC cases is poor when compared with TCC cases.     

Nasal Dermoid Sinus Cysts in Children

Thirty-six children with nasal dermoid sinus cysts were treated in the Department Pediatric Otolaryngology, Armand Trousseau's Children's Hospital (Paris, France) between 1974 and 1994. Ten of the patients presented with a midline cyst only, eight had nasal pits only, and 18 had combined cases. In six of the 36 patients, presurgical imagery indicated signs of intracranial extension of the tract, reaching the foramen caecum without intracranial mass. Three surgical techniques were used: an external rhinoplasty approach with medial crura section in 23 cases, a direct median approach in seven cases, and a paracanthal approach in six cases. Only two cases had meningeal adherences. Two superficial recurrences occurred within the 7-year follow-up period. Widening of the scar occurred in four children after verticomedian approach or nasal pit excision. The external rhinoplasty procedure with medial crura section results in a wide surgical approach, low recurrence rate, and good aesthetic results.     

Effects of malnutrition on the erythrocyte fatty acid composition and plasma vitamin E levels of Pakistani children

Abstract Erythrocyte fatty acids and plasma vitamin E concentrations were determined in 47 grade 2 and 21 grade 3 malnourished Pakistani children (ages 4–56 months). Data were compared with those of 26 age- and sex-matched apparently healthy controls. Evaluation with three statistical approaches revealed that both grade 2 and grade 3 malnourished children had decreased erythrocyte ω6 fatty acids and to a lesser extent decreased ω3 fatty acids. These decreases were compensated for by increased ω9 fatty acids. The patients tended to have lower plasma vitamin E concentrations. We conclude that malnourished Pakistani children have low essential fatty acid status, notably those of the ω6 series. The combination of low erythrocyte 22:6ω3 and a low 22:5ω6/22:4ω6 ratio in grade 2 patients suggests low Δ4-desaturation activity, which may be due to impaired peroxisomal β-oxidation.     

The effect of induced metabolic acidosis on vitamin D3 metabolism in rachitic chicks

Summary The metabolism of vitamin D₃ was studied in 3-week-old, vitamin D deficient chicks, fed since hatching with a diet containing 3% ammonium chloride, 1% calcium, and 0.7% phosphorus. When kidney homogenates were incubated in vitro with [³H]25-(OH)D₃, the production of 1,25-(OH)₂D₃ was reduced by 40% in acidotic birds. During in vivo experiments, after injection of [³H]D₃ (1220 pM/bird), the level of 1,25-(OH)₂D₃ was also reduced in blood plasma, intestine, and tibiae in acidotic chicks as compared with the controls. As a large increase in plasma phosphate was found during acidosis, these results are discussed in relation to the possible role of phosphorus in the control of 1,25-(OH)₂D₃ synthesis.