鼻咽刷片细胞学检查和EB病毒检测在鼻咽癌诊断中的意义

目的：探讨鼻咽细胞学检查结合DNA核型判断和细胞EB病毒检测在可疑鼻咽癌病人筛查中的作用。方法：分别对66例可疑鼻咽癌就诊病人作鼻咽刷片细胞学诊断和应用CAS200图像分析仪测定涂片细胞DNA含量,细胞学癌阳性病例同时作EB病毒编码RNA（EBERs)原位杂交。结果：与组织学诊断相比,细胞学诊断和DNA非二倍体诊断癌的敏感性分别为66％和55％,两者结合判断不能提高敏感性,并且假阴性率高;细胞学癌阳性病例的癌细胞核EBERs阳性率92．1％,其中6例DNA二部体核型病例均呈EBERs阳性,可诊断为鼻咽癌。结论：鼻咽细胞学检查结合DNA核型判断不能提高可凝鼻咽癌病人的诊断率,不适用于鼻咽癌筛查。细胞涂片的EB病毒原位杂交方法,在鼻咽癌可疑病人的诊断和鉴别诊断上具有重大实用价值,在鼻咽癌筛查的作用有待进一步研究。     

Mesh-independent prediction of skin burns injury

This paper presents a robust finite element model (FEM) with multiple-layers of varying properties for investigation of burn effects on human skin during a burning process resulting from exposure of skin surface to a contact heat source and a hot moving fluid. Henriques' theory of skin burns is used in conjunction with two-dimensional Pennes bioheat transfer equation for determining the spatial and temporal extent of burn injury. The model developed is a two-dimensional axisymmetric model in cylindrical coordinates. The various tissue layers account for changing thermal properties with respect to skin anatomy. A finite element scheme that uses the backward Euler method is used to solve the problem. The injury processes of skin subsequent to the removal of the heat source (post-burn) will also be inspected. The mesh employed in this model consists of a high density of nodes and elements in which a thorough mesh convergence study was done. A comparison of the transient temperature field computed by this model against Diller's results using the FE technique with a comparatively coarse mesh of 125 elements and experimental data by Orgill et al. has been done in the present study. It concluded that improved accurate solutions have been performed using the robust model developed due to the achievement of a mesh-independent solution.     

Modulation of human cutaneous reflexes during rhythmic cyclical arm movement

The organization and pattern of cutaneous reflex modulation is unknown during rhythmic cyclical movements of the human upper limbs. On the assumption that these cyclic arm movements are central pattern generator (CPG) driven as has been suggested for leg movements such as walking, we hypothesized that cutaneous reflex amplitude would be independent of electromyographic (EMG) muscle activation level during rhythmic arm movement (phase-dependent modulation, as is often the case in the lower limb during locomotion). EMG was recorded from eight muscles crossing the human shoulder, elbow, and wrist joints while whole arm rhythmic cyclical movements were performed. Cutaneous reflexes were evoked with trains of electrical stimulation delivered at non-noxious intensities (approximately 2 x threshold for radiating paresthesia) to the superficial radial nerve innervating the lateral portion of the back of the hand. Phasic bursts of rhythmic muscle activity occurred throughout the movement cycle. Rhythmic EMG and kinematic patterns were similar to what has been seen in the human lower limb during locomotor activities such as cycling or walking: there were extensive periods of reciprocal activation of antagonist muscles. For most muscles, cutaneous reflexes were modulated with the movement cycle and were strongly correlated with the movement-related background EMG amplitude. It is concluded that cutaneous reflexes are primarily modulated by the background muscle activity during rhythmic human upper limb movements, with only some muscles showing phase-dependent modulation.     

Fecal Excretion of a Novel Human Circovirus, TT Virus, in Healthy Children

The role of TT virus (TTV) as a human pathogen is unclear, as is the mode of TTV transmission. To determine the prevalence of TTV infection and the possible fecal-oral route of transmission, we analyzed fecal specimens from 67 healthy, nontransfused children for TTV DNA sequences by heminested PCR, using the NG and T primer sets. The overall prevalence of TTV fecal excretion was 22.4% (15 of 67), with the T primer set (19.4%) being more sensitive than the NG primer set (10.4%). TTV prevalence based on gender or ethnicity showed no significant differences. None of seven children in the 0- to 6-month age group had detectable TTV in feces. Of three sets of siblings, two unrelated sets of twins, ages 33 and 37 months, were negative for fecal TTV DNA, while the third set of siblings, ages 99 and 35 months, was positive. The absence of TTV in the feces of children younger than 6 months and the high prevalence (40%) in children 7 to 12 months of age is consistent with age-specific acquisition of TTV infection by the nonparenteral route. TTV genotypes 1, 3, 4, and 5 were represented in our study population. TTV-positive siblings had TTV genotypes 1 and 4, suggesting unrelated environmental sources of TTV infection. This observation suggests a possible time frame for TTV acquisition in children which coincides with increased interaction with their environment and increased susceptibility to infectious agents.     

IgE cross-reactivity between Ascaris and domestic mite allergens: the role of tropomyosin and the nematode polyprotein ABA-1

Background:  Analysis of cross-reactivity between the nematode Ascaris ssp. and dust mites, two important allergen sources in the tropics, will contribute in understanding their influence on asthma and atopy. The objective of this study was to investigate immunoglobulin E (IgE) cross-reactivity between Ascaris and two domestic mites in the tropics.
Methods:  Sera from 24 asthmatic patients were used in ELISA and immunoblotting IgE-binding inhibition assays using Ascaris , Blomia tropicalis and Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus extracts and the recombinants Blo t 10, ABA-1 and Blo t 13 as competitors. Identification of Ascaris allergens was confirmed by mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS).
Results:  We detected at least 12 human IgE-binding components in Ascaris extract. Blomia tropicalis and D. pteronyssinus inhibited 83.3% and 79% of IgE-binding to Ascaris , while Ascaris inhibited 58.3% and 79.3% to B. tropicalis and D. pteronyssinus respectively. Mite tropomyosin inhibited 85% of IgE-binding to Ascaris . Affinity-purified human IgE to rBlo t 10 identified an allergen of 40 kDa in Ascaris extract, further confirmed as tropomyosin by LC-MS/MS. We found no evidence of IgE cross-reactivity between rABA-1 and any allergen component in mite extracts, including rBlo t 13.
Conclusions:  There is cross-reactivity between Ascaris and mites, determined by several allergens including tropomyosin and glutathione- S -transferase. In addition to its potential impact on asthma pathogenesis, Ascaris infection and mite allergy diagnosis relying on the determination of specific IgE could be affected by this cross-reactivity. ABA-1 has no cross-reactive counterpart in mite extracts, suggesting its usefulness as a more specific marker of Ascaris infection.     

SNX3 recruits to phagosomes and negatively regulates phagocytosis in dendritic cells

Phagocytes such as dendritic cells (DC) and macrophages employ phagocytosis to take up pathogenic bacteria into phagosomes, digest the bacteria and present the bacteria‐derived peptide antigens to the adaptive immunity. Hence, efficient antigen presentation depends greatly on a well‐regulated phagocytosis process. Lipids, particularly phosphoinositides, are critical components of the phagosomes. Phosphatidylinositol‐3,4,5‐triphosphate [PI(3,4,5)P₃] is formed at the phagocytic cup, and as the phagosome seals off from the plasma membrane, rapid disappearance of PI(3,4,5)P₃ is accompanied by high levels of phosphatidylinositol‐3‐phosphate (PI3P) formation. The sorting nexin (SNX) family consists of a diverse group of Phox‐homology (PX) domain‐containing cytoplasmic and membrane‐associated proteins that are potential effectors of phosphoinositides. We hypothesized that SNX3, a small sorting nexin that contains a single PI3P lipid‐binding PX domain as its only protein domain, localizes to phagosomes and regulates phagocytosis in DC. Our results show that SNX3 recruits to nascent phagosomes and silencing of SNX3 enhances phagocytic uptake of bacteria by DC. Furthermore, SNX3 competes with PI3P lipid‐binding protein, early endosome antigen‐1 (EEA1) recruiting to membranes. Our results indicate that SNX3 negatively regulates phagocytosis in DC possibly by modulating recruitment of essential PI3P lipid‐binding proteins of the phagocytic pathways, such as EEA1, to phagosomal membranes.     

Controlled release of heparin from poly(epsilon-caprolactone) electrospun fibers

Sustained delivery of heparin to the localized adventitial surface of grafted blood vessels has been shown to prevent the vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) proliferation that can lead to graft occlusion and failure. In this study heparin was incorporated into electrospun poly(epsilon-caprolactone) (PCL) fiber mats for assessment as a controlled delivery device. Fibers with smooth surfaces and no bead defects could be spun from polymer solutions with 8%w/v PCL in 7:3 dichloromethane:methanol. A significant decrease in fiber diameter was observed with increasing heparin concentration. Assessment of drug loading, and imaging of fluorescently labeled heparin showed homogenous distribution of heparin throughout the fiber mats. A total of approximately half of the encapsulated heparin was released by diffusional control from the heparin/PCL fibers after 14 days. The fibers did not induce an inflammatory response in macrophage cells in vitro and the released heparin was effective in preventing the proliferation of VSMCs in culture. These results suggest that electrospun PCL fibers are a promising candidate for delivery of heparin to the site of vascular injury.     

Elevated Levels of Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 and Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase 1 during the Acute Phase of Kawasaki Disease

Kawasaki disease (KD) is an acute, self-limiting, multisystem vasculitis of unknown etiology affecting infants and young children. Unless treated promptly with high-dose intravenous gamma globulin and aspirin, patients frequently develop coronary aneurysms. Previously, matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9), which is secreted complexed to tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 1 (TIMP-1), has been implicated in abdominal aortic aneurysm formation. Since the clinical and pathological features of KD include inflammation and weakening of blood vessels, we analyzed acute- and convalescent-phase paired plasma or serum samples from 31 KD patients, 7 patients who did not completely meet the criteria for KD, and 26 non-KD controls (9 febrile and 17 afebrile patients) for pro-MMP-9 (92 kDa) enzyme activity by gelatin zymography and for active MMP-9 (83 kDa), pro-MMP-9, and TIMP-1 protein levels by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Statistical analysis was performed by using Student t tests, linear regression, and the Wilcoxon rank-sum test. Markedly elevated pro-MMP-9 enzymatic activity, pro-MMP-9 protein levels, and TIMP-1 protein levels were found during the acute phase of illness in patients with clinically established KD and in patients who were suspected of having KD but did not meet all of the criteria. There was no significant difference in active MMP-9 levels. Furthermore, pro-MMP-9 and TIMP-1 protein levels were significantly elevated among KD patients, compared to those of febrile and afebrile non-KD controls. The significantly elevated pro-MMP-9 enzyme and protein levels during the acute phase of KD may reflect vascular remodeling or an inflammatory response to a microbial agent, suggesting a pathophysiological role for MMP-9 in coronary aneurysm formation.