人芽囊原虫在不同培养基中生长状况的观察

目的筛选培养人芽囊原虫的最适培养基。方法将同一株人芽囊原虫阳性粪便标本以2×105细胞/管接种至RPMI1640、199和LES培养基中,加入20%小牛血清及青、链霉素,pH值为7.5,放置厌氧罐中于37℃恒温培养,每24h计数,每6d转种1次。观察人芽囊原虫在3种培养基中的存活时间、虫体密度和虫体形态。结果人芽囊原虫在RPMI1640培养基中存活时间最长、虫体密度最高,虫体以空泡型多见;在LES培养基中存活时间最短、虫体密度最低,但虫体形态清晰、规则;在199培养基中存活时间和虫体密度均介于前两者之间。结论RPMI1640培养基适宜人芽囊原虫的生长繁殖,为人芽囊原虫体外培养的首选培养基;LES培养基中虫体形态清晰、规则,可用于人芽囊原虫的形态学研究;199培养基也可用于人芽囊原虫的体外培养,但不作为首选。     

Endotoxin-induced suppression of erythropoiesis: the role of erythropoietin and a heme synthesis stimulating factor

The regulation of erythropoiesis is primarily controlled by erythropoietin (Ep). Recently, however, other factors that both stimulate and inhibit erythropoiesis have been reported. Using an in vitro liquid culture of bone marrow cells, a factor in normal mouse serum was demonstrated that markedly stimulated heme synthesis by marrow erythroid cells. In this study, the role of this heme synthesis stimulating factor (HSF) and Ep in the erythropoietic suppression caused by endotoxin administration to mice was examined. Although HSF levels did not alter appreciably after endotoxin injection, marrow erythroid cells from these animals became unresponsive to the factor. This could be reversed if Ep was added to the culture in vitro or if the hormone was injected into the mice 18 hr prior to harvesting the marrow. This marrow erythroid cell response is identical to that seen in animals in whom Ep levels are markedly reduced, such as that found in exhypoxic polycythemia, and suggest a decrease in the hormone following endotoxin administration. Additional studies demonstrated that when Ep was injected into mice 6 hr after endotoxin administration, an increase in femoral erythroid colony-forming units (CFU-E), proerythroblast number, and 59 Fe incorporation into femoral marrow cells could be demonstrated. These findings, together with the marrow erythroid cell response to the hormone, suggest that the mechanism for suppression of erythropoiesis after endotoxin injection is a reduction in the level of circulating Ep.     

ProMACE/CytaBOM方案治疗难治性或复发性非霍奇金淋巴瘤的疗效观察

目的：探讨ProMACE/CytaBOM方案治疗难治性和(或)复发性非霍奇金淋巴瘤(NHL)的疗效。方法：采用ProMACE／CytaBOM方案治疗18例难治性和(或)复发性NHL患者，其中难治性NHL患者8例，复发性NHL患者10例。结果：5例难治性和(或)复发性NHL患者达到完全缓解(CR率为27．8％)，4例达部分缓解(PR率为22．2％)，总有效率为50．0％；目前12例仍生存，其中生存最长者26个月(2例)，仍处于CR期。毒副作用主要为消化道症状、轻度肝功能异常以及骨髓抑制。结论：ProMACE／CytaBOM方案对部分难治性和(或)复发性NHL患者仍有效，毒副作用较轻，可用于治疗对其他化疗方案无效的难治性和(或)复发性NHL。     

New indicators for delay in initiation of antiretroviral treatment: estimates for Cameroon

Objective

To propose two new indicators for monitoring access to antiretroviral treatment (ART) for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV); (i) the time from HIV seroconversion to ART initiation, and (ii) the time from ART eligibility to initiation, referred to as delay in ART initiation. To estimate values of these indicators in Cameroon.

Methods

We used linear regression to model the natural decline in CD4+ T-lymphocyte (CD4+ cell) numbers in HIV-infected individuals over time. The model was fitted using data from a cohort of 351 people in Côte d’Ivoire. We used the model to estimate the time from seroconversion to ART initiation and the delay in ART initiation in a representative sample of 4154 HIV-infected people who started ART in Cameroon between 2007 and 2010.

Findings

In Cameroon, the median CD4+ cell counts at ART initiation increased from 140 cells/μl (interquartile range, IQR: 66 to 210) in 2007–2009 to 163 cells/μl (IQR: 73 to 260) in 2010. The estimated average time from seroconversion to ART initiation decreased from 10.4 years (95% confidence interval, CI: 10.3 to 10.5) to 9.8 years (95% CI: 9.6 to 10.0). Delay in ART initiation increased from 3.4 years (95% CI: 3.1 to 3.7) to 5.8 years (95% CI: 5.6 to 6.2).

Conclusion

The estimated time to initiate ART and the delay in ART initiation indicate that progress in Cameroon is insufficient. These indicators should help monitor whether public health interventions to accelerate ART initiation are successful.     

Effects of insulin resistance and insulin secretion on the efficacy of interventions to retard development of type 2 diabetes mellitus: the DA Qing IGT and Diabetes Study

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of insulin resistance (IR) and insulin secretion (IS) on the development of diabetes mellitus in individuals with impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) who underwent lifestyle interventions. METHODS: 284 out of 577 individuals with IGT identified by population-based screening in Da Qing, China, who were randomized to undergo diet change and/or increased physical activity had baseline fasting and 2 h post-load insulin determinations. They were followed for 6 years for the development of diabetes. IR and IS were assessed using calculated indices based on fasting plasma insulin and glucose. The interactions of IR, IS, obesity and plasma glucose and the effects of the lifestyle interventions were evaluated using Cox Proportional Hazards analysis. RESULTS: Both IR and IS were significantly associated with the development of diabetes. Lifestyle interventions were more effective in those with lower IT and higher IS at baseline. Diet plus exercise interventions resulted in significantly lower incidence of diabetes, even after controlling for IR, IS, BMI and 2hrPG. CONCLUSION: Both IR and beta-cell function were predictors of diabetes in Chinese with IGT. Lifestyle intervention reduced the incidence of DM and these interventions were more effective in those with less IR.     

左腋动脉和臂丛神经走行变异1例

笔者在标本解剖操作观察腋窝结构时发现1例左侧腋动脉与臂丛神经位置及走行出现变异,既往文献报道的变异多为腋动脉发出的分支与臂丛神经之间的位置与走行之间变异^[1-3],本次解剖观察发现腋动脉与臂丛神经的内侧束、外侧束和后束之间的位置关系出现变异,与既往报道有所不同,现报告如下。     

Interleukin-11 stimulates multilineage progenitors, but not stem cells, in murine and human long-term marrow cultures

Interleukin-11 (IL-11) is a bone marrow microenvironment-derived growth factor with pleiotropic effects on a variety of hematopoietic cells. To more accurately assess the effects of IL-11 on stem and progenitor compartments within the hematopoietic microenvironment (HM), we added recombinant human (rh) IL-11 to human and murine long-term bone marrow cultures (LTMC) and analyzed primitive (high proliferative potential- colony forming cells [HPP-CFC], long-term culture-initiating cells [LTC- IC], and long-term reconstituting stem cells) and progenitor (day 12 colony forming unit-spleen [CFU-S12], colony forming unit-megakaryocyte [CFU-Mk] and colony forming unit-granulocyte/macrophage [CFU-GM]) compartments throughout the duration of the cultures. rhIL-11 (100 ng/mL) added twice weekly resulted in significantly increased nonadherent (NA) cellularity, CFU-GM, and CFU-Mk production in human LTMC. Addition of rhIL-11 to murine LTMC was associated with a 5- to 40- fold increase in CFU-GM and a four- to 20-fold increase in day 12 CFU-S in NA cells. However, IL-11 had no significant effect on total HPP-CFC concentration and decreased the size of the more primitive stem/progenitor compartment as evidenced by both decreased LTC-IC frequency in human LTMC and decreased frequency of long-term reconstituting stem cells in murine LTMC. These data suggest that IL-11 may increase commitment of stem cells into a multipotential progenitor compartment.     

Acquired immune hemolytic anemia associated with IgA erythrocyte coating: investigation of hemolytic mechanisms

We have investigated the hemolytic mechanisms in a patient with acquired immune hemolytic anemia whose red cells appeared to be coated with IgA alone. The clinical course was similar to that of patients with hemolytic anemia mediated by warm-reacting IgG antibody. Splenic sequestration of red cells was demonstrated, and marked reduction of hemolysis occurred after corticosteroid therapy. Antibody was eluted from the patient's red cells and used to sensitize normal red cells in vitro. These sensitized red cells were not lysed by fresh autologous serum, nor did they fix detectable amounts of C3. However, red cells sensitized by eluted antibody were lysed by normal human peripheral blood monocytes in a system designed to demonstrate antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity. Monocyte-mediated hemolysis of sensitized red cells was inhibited by the addition of low concentrations of normal serum IgA to the system, but not by IgG. The ability of the eluate to induce monocyte-mediated hemolysis was abolished by its adsorption on Sepharose-bound anti-IgA, but not by preincubation with Sepharose-bound anti-IgG. In addition, normal human monocytes were demonstrated to ingest eluate-sensitized red cells. These data demonstrate an in vitro interaction of IgA-sensitized red cells with leukocytes and suggest a possible mechanism for the patient's hemolysis.     

Internal Medicine chief residents suggest need to improve health care delivery and public policy education. Internal Medicine Center to Advance Research and Education

The primary objective in medical training remains skill development in the delivery of medical care through the understanding of bedside data collection, natural history of disease, use of diagnostic tools and the influence of therapy--all applied to a specific patient. More recently, also considered important is training on the broader issues of health care delivery and public policy, especially since the environment of medicine is changing rapidly. With limited curricular time these issues must compete with the traditional and important clinical training. To evaluate how these subjects have been included in internal medicine training, the Resident Physicians Section (RPS) of the American Society of Internal Medicine (ASIM) sponsored a survey of United States internal medicine chief residents which was conducted by the Internal Medicine Center to Advance Research and Education (IMCARE). The objectives of the study were to 1) study the extent of training on health care delivery and public policy issues offered to residents by internal medicine residency programs; 2) assess training opportunities now available; and 3) determine areas of study not fulfilling perceived needs. The questionnaire contained 12 questions. Chief residents rated the 1) quality of their program in preparing residents on health care delivery, public policy issues and practice management; 2) level of instruction provided on 12 topics; and 3) degree of priority these same topics should have. Respondents were asked to identify 1) any other relevant areas their residency program covered particularly well; 2) the amount of time which should be devoted to these socioeconomic topics in each year of training; and 3) the most appealing formats for learning about these topics. Despite the rapidly growing influence of socioeconomic issues on medical practice, many chief residents perceive that important topics are not being addressed adequately. This study provides information on areas addressed well and topics that should receive greater attention. Recommendations are made for further studies and strategies to increase the emphasis on socioeconomic topics during medical education.