Localized Kaposi''s sarcoma in a patient with pemphigus vulgaris

We report the case of a patient with a 13-year history of pemphigus vulgaris (PV) treated with immunosuppressive agents, prednisone and mycophenolate mofetil who had developed lesions of Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) on a sole plaque of PV that had been previously treated with intralesional injections of steroids. The lesions were surgically removed and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) demonstrated human herpesvirus-8 (HHV-8) DNA. There were neither recurrences nor later dissemination of KS following gradual decrease of the immunosuppressive therapy. We suggest that the treatment with intralesional steroids may have influenced the local reactivation of a latent infection of the virus, determining the appearance of this localized KS.     

FEASIBILITY OF CONDUCTING CARDIOVASCULAR OUTCOME RESEARCH IN AUSTRALIAN GENERAL PRACTICE: RESULTS FROM THE ANBP2 PILOT STUDY

1. The present study aimed to determine the feasibility of conducting a 5 year cardiovascular outcome trial of the treatment of 6000 elderly hypertensive patients in Australian general practices. 2. General practitioners (GPs) were invited to participate by mail and personal follow-up. Patient records were reviewed to identify subjects for a blood pressure (BP) screening programme. Blood pressure was measured on three occasions and eligible subjects were included if the average BP was 160 mmHg systolic or 90 mmHg diastolic if systolic BP was 140 mmHg. 3. Seven hundred and forty-one GPs were approached and 89 were enrolled in the study (12% of mail invites and 75% of those receiving a personal contact). In 16 practices where screening was completed, 82 000 records were reviewed to identify 4% patients eligible for screening. Twenty-two per cent of eligible subjects attended screening. Of 1938 subjects screened, 180 (9%) had BP 5=160/90 mmHg. Forty-seven percent of subjects (n = 916) were receiving antihypertensive therapy and 184 (20%) were withdrawn from therapy. One hundred and sixteen (63%) of these subjects had BP return to study entry levels within 6 weeks. Fifty-seven newly diagnosed and 81 previously treated subjects were randomized (7% of the screened population). 4. Based on the high participation rate of GPs, the response rate of patients to attend a BP screening programme and the 7% randomization to screening ratio for entry into the study, the ANBP2 pilot study has demonstrated that it is feasible to recruit subjects from Australian general practices to a cardiovascular outcome trial.     

Tissue polypeptide antigen (TPA) in pleural effusions

The usefulness of tumor marker assay in pleural effusions for differential diagnosis is still debated. From the observation of common antigens on tissue polypeptide antigen (TPA) and keratins 8, 18 and 19 and vimentin, all substances contained in normal and neoplastic mesothelium, we felt it opportune to evaluate the use of TPA assay in 105 pleural effusions (46 benign and 59 malignant). The values were much higher than those found in blood. In hydrothorax the median value was 454 U/l (range, 59-1923), in exudative effusions 846 U/l (range, 258-4485), in metastatic pleural effusions 1277 U/l (range, 58-32352) and in mesotheliomas 7705 (range, 759-16000). The maximum value found in nonmalignant effusions was 4485 U/l; this value was taken as a cutoff level, so only 29.9% of the tumors were positive to the test. Our results showed this assay to be not very important for a differential diagnosis of malignant and nonmalignant pleural effusions. Nevertheless, the different TPA patterns in mesotheliomas (66.6% positive) and metastatic pleural effusions (15.9%) suggest that further studies are warranted.     

转录因子Egr-1在失血性休克复苏后肝脏损伤中的作用

目的研究转录因子Egr-1在失血性休克复苏（HS/R）后肝脏损伤中的作用.方法利用Egr-1野生型（WT）和基因封闭型（KO）小鼠复制失血性休克复苏模型.取肝组织,RT-PCR法测定肝组织中TNF-α、IL-6、G-CSF、ICAM-1 mRNA的表达变化.通过检测肝组织中MPO的含量、血清ALT水平和组织学检查,评估肝脏炎症细胞浸润和损伤程度.结果失血性休克2.5 h＋复苏4 h后,Egr-1 KO小鼠肝组织中TNF-α、IL-6、G-CSF、ICAM-1 mRNA的表达水平明显低于Egr-1WT组;Egr-1 KO组失血性休克复苏后肝组织炎性浸润和损伤程度减轻,表现为血清ALT水平低,肝组织中MPO含量低,病理损伤轻.结论本实验结果表明转录因子Egr-1参与了失血性休克复苏后肝脏炎症反应基因表达的调节,在失血性休克复苏后的肝脏损伤中起一定的作用.     

Study of interaction of styrene oxide with angiotensin by mass spectrometry.

The present study describes how mass spectrometry was extensively applied to the characterization and quantification of modified amino acids within the polypeptide chain of Angiotensin I, chosen as model substrate, combining the use of fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry with gas chromatography--mass spectrometry. The reaction products after in vitro incubation of Angiotensin I with styrene oxide, a well known carcinogen, under different conditions, have been characterized: a prominent reactivity of several potential nucleophilic sites of Angiotensin I was shown, including two histidine residues and a tyrosine residue; it is worth noting that it has never been stated that tyrosine is highly reactive with styrene oxide. The results obtained demonstrate the usefulness of mass spectrometry for the structural determination of chemically modified amino acids in peptides and proteins, and the presence of a reliable relationship between reaction conditions and the production of alkylated amino acids. This characterization procedure offers the possibility of identifying reactive sites following exposure to unknown alkylating agents.