Parallel enlargement of Marinesco bodies and nuclei and progressive deposition of p62 in pigmented neurons of the substantia nigra

Marinesco bodies (MBs) are spherical nuclear inclusions found in pigmented neurons of the substantia nigra. Although MBs are abundant in senescent brains, how they are related to aging processes remains unclear. Here, we performed a morphometric analysis of midbrain pigmented neurons to identify the possible influence of MBs on nuclear size. The transected area of the nucleus (nuclear area) was larger in the presence of MBs and was correlated with the area of MB (MB area) in all tested brains. The MB-associated nuclear enlargement was significant even after MB areas were subtracted from nuclear areas. Moreover, higher MB immunoreactivity of p62 was detected in the nucleoplasm of the enlarged MB-associated nuclei. This study on human brains is the first quantitative approach demonstrating MB-associated nuclear enlargement and progressive accumulation of small nucleoplasmic materials. Although cellular hypertrophy is usually considered to be an indication of the upregulation of cellular function, this might not always be the case. These findings suggest that an age-related decline of ubiquitin-proteasome and autophagy system activity and stagnation of undegradable materials are one of the candidate mechanisms to explain the age-related decline of neural activity in the substantia nigra.     

高校职工乙型肝炎病毒感染情况分析

目的 了解某高校职工乙型肝炎感染情况,为防治乙肝提供参考依据。 方法 采集空腹静脉血,离心取血清检查乙肝五项指标评判乙肝感染情况。 结果 参加体检2 501人,乙肝感染总阳性率为2.60%,男性阳性率为2.84%,女性阳性率为2.30%。41～50岁和51～60岁年龄组阳性率较高,分别为3.66%和3.77%。71岁以上人群乙肝阳性率最低(1.18%),明显低于其他各年龄组。 结论 该校职工乙肝感染水平明显低于全国乙肝感染水平,倡导健康的生活方式,预防和控制乙肝的传播,有利于提高教职工的健康水平。     

Some Preformulation Studies of Pyruvic Acid and Other α-Keto Carboxylic Acids in Aqueous Solution: Pharmaceutical Formulation Implications for These Peroxide Scavengers

The purpose of this study is to assess some of the variables determining the aldol-like condensation of pyruvic acid (1), a peroxide scavenger, in aqueous solution to parapyruvic acid and higher oligomers. Its stability is compared to 3 other α-keto carboxylic acids, 2 with sterically hindered methylene groups alpha to the keto functionality (2-3) and phenylglyoxylic acid (4) with no methylene group. High-performance liquid chromatography, nuclear magnetic resonance, and liquid chromatography mass spectroscopy techniques are used in the kinetics and product analyses. 1 condensation is concentration dependent and base catalyzed above pH 7, consistent with the reaction mechanism proceeding through the attack of the fraction of the methylene group, alpha to the keto group, in its anionic form, at the keto group of a second molecule of 1. The major product is confirmed to be parapyruvic acid, but higher-order oligomers are also observed. All 3 of the other α-keto carboxylic acids 2-4 are considerably less reactive, with 4 being completely stable. Stable solutions of 1 can be prepared by the use of relatively dilute solutions maintained at slightly acidic pH values. 1 prevents the oxidation of methionine on addition of hydrogen peroxide.     

New immunosuppressive agents in transplantation

Immunosuppressive agents have enabled the development of allogenic transplantation during the last 40 years, allowing considerable improvement in graft survival. However, several issues remain such as the nephrotoxicity of calcineurin inhibitors, the cornerstone of immunosuppressive regimens and/or the higher risk of opportunistic infections and cancers. Most immunosuppressive agents target T cell activation and may not be efficient enough to prevent allo-immunization in the long term. Finally, antibody mediated rejection due to donor specific antibodies strongly affects allograft survival.Many drugs have been tested in the last decades, but very few have come to clinical use. The most recent one is CTLA4-Ig (belatacept), a costimulation blockade molecule that targets the second signal of T cell activation and is associated with a better long term kidney function than calcineurin inhibitors, despite an increased risk of acute cellular rejection.The research of new maintenance long-term immunosuppressive agents focuses on costimulation blockade. Agents inhibiting CD40-CD40 ligand interaction may enable a good control of both T cells and B cells responses. Anti-CD28 antibodies may promote regulatory T cells. Agents targeting this costimulation pathways are currently evaluated in clinical trials.Immunosuppressive agents for ABMR treatment are scarce since anti-CD20 agent rituximab and proteasome inhibitor bortezomib have failed to demonstrate an interest in ABMR. New drugs focusing on antibodies removal (imlifidase), B cell and plasmablasts (anti-IL-6/IL-6R, anti-CD38…) and complement inhibition are in the pipeline, with the challenge of their evaluation in such a heterogeneous pathology.     

HBeAg阳性慢性乙型肝炎患者HBV前C/BCP突变/准种与HBeAg和HBV DNA的关系

目的探讨HBeAg阳性慢性乙型肝炎（eP-CHB）HBV前C/BCP突变/准种及其与HBeAg、HBV DNA水平的关系。 方法采用断面研究对2016年1月至2018年12月就诊于首都医科大学附属北京佑安医院的220例eP-CHB患者进行前C/BCP突变检测，其中24例患者进行前C/BCP区扩增、克隆，同步检测血清HBeAg和HBV DNA水平，分析前C/BCP突变/准种的发生情况及其与HBeAg和HBV DNA水平的关系。 结果220例eP-CHB患者中，HBV前C/BCP总突变率为70.0%（154/220），前C/BCP共同突变率为18.2%（40/220），前C突变率为30.9%（68/220），BCP突变率为57.3%（126/220）。HBV DNA≥ 5 lgIU/ml患者上述4种突变检出率均高于HBV DNA< 5 lgIU/ml者，其中前C/BCP总突变和BCP突变患者差异有统计学意义（χ² = 5.809、P = 0.016，χ² = 5.081、P = 0.024）。HBeAg水平越低（< 500 COI、500～1 000 COI和> 1 000 COI共3组患者比较），以上4种突变检出率越高，差异有统计学意义（χ² = 31.738、17.291、16.263、22.164，P均< 0.001）。HBV DNA≥ 5 lgIU/ml患者中，HBeAg水平越低，以上4种突变检出率越高，差异亦均有统计学意义（χ² = 40.503、19.654、16.727、29.119，P < 0.001）。准种检测中，前C区高突变组患者HBeAg水平低于低突变组，差异有统计学意义（t = 2.230、P = 0.017），前C、BCP高突变组与低突变组间HBV DNA水平差异无统计学意义（t = 0.624、P = 0.462，t = 0.893、P = 0.317）。 结论eP-CHB患者中仍存在广泛的前C/BCP突变。高HBV DNA、低HBeAg表达者，前C和BCP突变的发生率较高；前C区突变株在准种中比率高者更影响HBeAg的表达。推测前C/BCP突变可能是eP-CHB出现低HBeAg、高HBV DNA，并导致抗病毒治疗停药后易复发的原因。     

Virus-like particle vaccine with B-cell epitope from porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) incorporated into hepatitis B virus core capsid provides clinical alleviation against PEDV in neonatal piglets through lactogenic immunity

Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) has had a negative economic impact on the global swine industry for decades since its first emergence in the 1970s in Europe. In 2013, PEDV emerged for the first time in the United States, causing immense economic losses to the swine industry. Efforts to protect U.S. swine herds from PEDV infection and limit PEDV transmission through vaccination had only limited success so far. Following the previous success in our virus-like particle (VLP) based vaccine in mouse model, in this study we determined the immunogenicity and protective efficacy of a VLP-based vaccine containing B-cell epitope ⁷⁴⁸YSNIGVCK⁷⁵⁵ from the spike protein of PEDV incorporated into the hepatitis B virus core capsid (HBcAg), in a comprehensive pregnant gilt vaccination and piglet challenge model. The results showed that the vaccine was able to induce significantly higher virus neutralization response in gilt milk, and provide alleviation of clinical signs for piglets experimentally infected with PEDV. Piglets from pregnant gilt that was vaccinated with the VLP vaccine had faster recovery from the clinical disease, less small intestinal lesions, and higher survival rate at 10 days post-challenge (DPC).     

小切口白内障囊外摘除术中应用大直径前囊口处理大硬核白内障的手法

目的：临床分析大硬核白内障患者实施小切口白内障囊外摘除术中对大直径前囊口处理的运用。方法随机选取该院在2013年1月-2014年1月实施治疗的200例(200眼)白内障患者，所有患者均实施小切口白内障囊外摘除术治疗，并应用大直径前囊口处理手法，观察患者的临床治疗视力改善效果。结果和治疗前相比，200例患者在治疗后1d、1周、1个月、3个月的最佳矫正视力均显著偏高，差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)；术后1周、3个月和治疗前相比，患者的角膜屈光度有显著提升，差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)；术后平均散光度数逐渐从顺规性散光转向逆归性散光。结论大硬核白内障患者实施小切口白内障囊外摘除术中对大直径前囊口处理应用，能够对患者的视力实施良好的纠正，效果显著，值得推广应用。