Dipyridamole is superior to dobutamine for thallium stress imaging: a randomised crossover study.

OBJECTIVE--To assess the value of dobutamine over dipyridamole as a pharmacological stressing agent in myocardial perfusion imaging with thallium-201. DESIGN--Stress and redistribution tomographic images were taken in a group of patients in a randomised crossover study of both agents. The scans were scored to give a value for the stress and redistribution images and a reversibility score (redistribution--stress). All patients had coronary angiography that was also scored. Differences between the two agents were compared by a paired t test. PATIENTS--30 patients aged 51-70 years with chest pain thought to be caused by myocardial ischaemia. 11 had had previously myocardial infarction. RESULTS--Dipyridamole caused adverse symptoms in six patients whereas dobutamine caused symptoms in 21 patients (chi 2 = 15.15, p < 0.0001). Dobutamine stress took considerably longer than dipyridamole (31 v 6 minutes) and cost more (17 pounds v 1.50 pounds). There were no significant differences between the agents in terms of total stress or redistribution scores, but regional analysis showed that dipyridamole showed significantly more defects during stress at the apex and lateral wall (p < 0.05), with no significant difference at redistribution. Dipyridamole stress also caused significantly more reversible defects at the apex (p < 0.05) and gave a better correlation than dobutamine with coronary score (dipyridamole r = 0.80, p < 0.001 v dobutamine r = 0.64, p < 0.001). In six patients who had continued to take beta blockers the results of dobutamine stress did not correlate with coronary score, r = 0.34 (NS), whereas dipyridamole studies were not affected. CONCLUSION--Compared with dobutamine, dipyridamole was as effective in producing overall perfusion defects and more effective in provoking defects at the apex and lateral segment. The dipyridamole study correlated better with coronary score and was not affected by concurrent beta blocker treatment. It was also better tolerated by the patients, was less time consuming, and was much cheaper.     

AMP-18,一种新发现的胃黏膜保护因子

AMP-18是一种新发现的由胃腺体上皮细胞合成的小分子蛋白质,独特表达于胃黏膜,机体其他部位少见,胃癌组织中表达缺失．AMP-18 由185个氨基酸组成,除去N端信号肽(20个氨基酸)后大小约18 ku,第54-150个氨基酸组成高度保守的结构域(BRICHOS区域)承担主要的生理功能．AMP-18由胃腺体上皮细胞以胞吐的方式分泌到胃黏液中,他的合成和分泌与个体生长发育有关,并受福斯高林、吲哚美辛、地塞米松等药物的影响．目前发现 AMP-18的生理功能主要有促进胃黏膜上皮细胞的有丝分裂,促进细胞的迁徙,促胃肠黏膜损伤的修复,保持胃肠黏膜的完整等．     

Characterization of the human jumonji gene

While constructing a cDNA library of human embryos, we have isolated a clone homologous to jumonji, a mouse gene required for neural tube formation. We have determined the complete coding sequence of the human homologue (JMJ) and deduced the amino acid sequence of the putative protein. We show here that human and mouse jumonji putative proteins are homologous and present 90% identity. During human embryogenesis, JMJ mRNAs are predominantly expressed in neurons and particularly in dorsal root ganglion cells. They are also expressed in neurons of human adult cerebral cortex. In view of these observations, we propose JMJ as a candidate gene for developmental defects of the central nervous system in the human. The human JMJ gene maps at position 6p24-6p23.      

Screening for proteins with polyglutamine expansions in autosomal dominant cerebellar ataxias

Expansion of trinucleotide CAG repeats coding for polyglutamine has been implicated in five neurodegenerative disorders, including spinocerebellar ataxia (SCA) 1 and SCA3 or Machado-Joseph disease (SCA3/MJD), two forms of type I autosomal dominant cerebellar ataxias (ADCA). Using the 1C2 antibody which specifically recognizes large polyglutamine tracts, particularly those that are expanded, we recently reported the detection of proteins with pathological glutamine expansions in lymphoblasts from another form of ADCA type I, SCA2, as well as from patients presenting with the distinct phenotype of ADCA type II. We now have screened a large series of patients with ADCA or isolated cases with cerebellar ataxia, for the presence of proteins with polyglutamine expansions. A 150 kDa SCA2 protein was detected in 16 out of 40 families with ADCA type I. This corresponds to 24% of all ADCA type I families, which is much more frequent than SCA1 in this series of patients (13%). The signal intensity of the SCA2 protein was negatively correlated to age at onset, as expected for an expanded and unstable trinucleotide repeat mutation. The disease segregated with markers closely linked to the SCA2 locus in all identified SCA2 families. In addition, a specific 130 kDa protein, which segregated with the disease, was detected in lymphoblasts of patients from nine families with ADCA type II. It was also visualized in the cerebral cortex of one of the patients, demonstrating its translation in the nervous system. Finally, no new disease-related proteins containing expanded polyglutamine tracts could be detected in lymphoblasts from the remaining patients with ADCA or isolated cases with cerebellar ataxia.      

Cerebrospinal fluid profile of amyloid β42 (Aβ42), hTau and ubiquitin in North Indian Alzheimer's disease patients

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia, and is characterized by the degeneration of neurons and their synapses, and a higher number of amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) compared with that found in non-demented individuals. Amyloid-β-peptides (Aβ) are major components of amyloid plaques in AD brain whereas NFTs are composed of Tau and associated with ubiquitin. The aim of the present study was to analyze the levels of Aβ42, hTau (total Tau) and ubiquitin in CSF of North Indian population. CSF Aβ42, Tau and ubiquitin were measured in CSF of AD patients as well as controls using ELISA assays. Here we report low Aβ42 levels in AD patients (324.24 ± 76.38 pg/ml) as compared to those in non-AD (NAD) (668.34 ± 43.13 pg/ml), neurological controls (NCs) (727.28 ± 46.49 pg/ml) and healthy controls (HCs) (976.47 ± 124.46 pg/ml). In contrast, hTau and ubiquitin levels were significantly high (568.65 ± 48.89 pg/ml and 36.82 ± 4.34 ng/ml, respectively) in AD patients compared to those in NAD, NC and HC. The hTau levels were 267.37 ± 36.64 pg/ml, 167.34 ± 44.27 pg/ml and 107.62 ± 24.27 pg/ml in NAD, NC and HC, respectively. Similarly, ubiquitin levels were 23.57 ± 2.32 ng/ml, 19.76 ± 3.64 ng/ml and 13.24 ± 4.56 ng/ml in NAD, NC and HC, respectively. In conclusion, low Aβ42 and high Tau–ubiquitin levels were found in North Indian AD patients.     

Welfare reform, family support, and child development: perspectives from policy analysis and developmental psychopathology

This article explores the implications of recent welfare-related policy change for the well-being of children in low-income families, and for research investigating child development processes and outcomes. It provides an overview of current welfare-related policies and explores the implications for developmental researchers. The article also synthesizes early findings from research, highlighting both overall impacts and the more nuanced evidence that while families are transitioning off welfare, only a small number are transitioning out of poverty, and a subgroup of families at risk are not faring well. It then examines, from a theoretical and methodological framework, what developmental psychopathology might bring to the study of welfare-related impacts on children in the context of this complex and changing policy landscape, and what welfare researchers might bring to the field of developmental psychopathology. The article concludes with broad recommendations for both research and policy.     

Early transvaginal ultrasound following an accurately dated pregnancy: the importance of finding a yolk sac or fetal heart motion

Our goals were to determine the prognostic value of a yolk sac or fetal heart motion seen during an early accurately dated transvaginal ultrasound (TVU). We reviewed 225 consecutive pregnancies for fetal heart motion data. Furthermore, 63 pregnancies following in-vitro fertilization were reviewed for yolk sac information. The TVU was performed between 5 and 6 weeks following presumed conception (heart motion data) and between 22 and 32 days following in-vitro fertilization (yolk sac data). Pregnancies were followed until an ongoing pregnancy or spontaneous abortion was documented. The presence of a yolk sac between 22 and 32 days from fertilization was associated with the development of fetal heart motion in 94% of cases. The absence of the yolk sac by 32 days after fertilization was always associated with a poor outcome. In women < 36 years of age, the presence of fetal heart motion was associated with a spontaneous abortion in only 4.5% of the cases. However, the incidence of spontaneous abortion following fetal heart motion increased to 10% in women 36-39 years and 29% in women > or = 40 years of age. The presence of heart motion should not be considered a reassuring sign in the older woman. These data have implications regarding early embryology and the counselling of infertility patients.