氟伐他汀防治大鼠放射性胸膜炎的实验研究

目的观察氟伐他汀对大鼠放射性胸膜炎的防治作用。方法采用随机数字表法,将80只健康雌性SD大鼠分为对照组（n=8）、单纯放射组（n=36）、氟伐他汀组（n=36）。氟伐他汀组于照射前1周,给予20mg／（kg·d）氟伐他汀灌胃,直至活杀,其他组灌服等量生理盐水。单纯放射组和氟伐他汀组采用直线加速器全胸部照射,单次剂量20Gy。照射后对大鼠进行x线透视扫描,并在第15d、30d、60d以3．5％水合氯醛麻醉大鼠,剪开胸腔,对有胸水者进行病理和生化检查。结果单纯放射组放射性胸膜炎发生率为41．7％（15／36）。氟伐他汀组放射性胸膜炎发生率为19．4％（7／36）。两组之间的差异有统计学意义（x2=4．19,P〈0．05）。经过对比发现氟伐他汀组病理学改变轻于同期的单纯放射组。结论放射性胸膜炎在放射性肺损伤的早期即可出现,氟伐他汀能有效防治大鼠放射性胸膜炎。     

Growth hormone, somatomedin levels and growth regulation in Turner's syndrome

In a total of 56 children and adolescents with Turner's syndrome (41 with karyotype 45,X) basal serum levels of somatomedin bioactivity, Sm-C/IGF-I (RIA), IGF II (RIA), GH response to arginine and GHRH (GRF(1-29)NH2), and spontaneous GH secretion during 5.5 h of deep sleep were determined in a cross-sectional manner. GH responses to GRF and arginine as well as IGF-II levels were found to be in the normal range. Levels of somatomedin bioactivity were higher than normal before a bone age of 10 years, in the low-normal range thereafter, and below normal in some patients. Levels of Sm-C/IGF-I were found normal before and low-normal after a bone age of ten years. There was a trend towards increasing Sm-C/IGF-I levels with age. In contrast to the normal pattern, spontaneous sleep-related GH secretion was declining with age and did not show the puberty-associated rise. These findings suggest a normally functioning growth hormone-somatomedin axis in Turner's syndrome with alterations of its functioning level occurring secondarily as a result of absent gonadal activation. In single patients abnormally low growth hormone and/or somatomedin secretion may be present.     

Inhalational anesthetics inhibit spreading depression: relevance to migraine

Cortical spreading depression (SD) has not been shown in the human neocortex by direct cortical recordings. However, animal studies suggest that cortical injury, such as that occurring during neurosurgical procedures, should result in the initiation of SD. It is possible that inhibition of SD by volatile anesthetic agents may partially explain the failure to observe SD in the human neocortex during surgery. This study examines the effect of the anesthetic agents α-chloralose, halothane, nitrous oxide and isoflurane on the initiation of cortical SD in the cat neocortex. SD was seen in 100% of cats anesthetized with α-chloralose ( n = 15), in 3 of 7 (42%) animals anesthetized with isoflurane ( p < 0.05, χ² with Yates correction) and none of the animals ( n = 4, 6 hemispheric preparations) anesthetized with halothane ( p < 0.005, χ² with Yates correction, halothane vs α-chloralose group). In all cases this inhibitory effect was reversible. In four animals the administration of nitrous oxide (66%) reduced the inspired concentration of isoflurane required to inhibit SD by 0.75%. This study suggests that halothane, and to a lesser extent isoflurane and nitrous oxide, protect against the initiation of cortical SD. This observation may partially explain why SD has not been demonstrated in human neocortex during surgery. Further studies are needed to determine if SD may occur under pathological conditions, such as during migraine with aura, where the cortex may be predisposed to SD.     

纤溶酶相关蛋白在冠心病患者中的表达

目的:了解冠心病患者是否存在组织型纤溶酶原激活物(t-PA)及纤溶酶原激活抑制物Ⅰ(PAI-Ⅰ)功能紊乱,以及这两个指标与血脂、胰岛素抵抗的相关关系。方法:选择2004年1月至2006年1月于我院住院就诊的冠心病患者作为观察对象。按临床类型分为SAP组、UAP组、AMI组、OMI组,并设健康对照组。检测t-PA、PAI-Ⅰ、胰岛素敏感性指数(IAI)、胆固醇(TC)、甘油三酯(TG)、低密度脂蛋白(LDL)等指标。结果:(1)健康对照组t-PA高于各型冠心病组(P<0.05),AMI组t-PA低于其余各型冠心病组(P<0.05);健康对照组PAI-Ⅰ低于各型冠心病组(P<0.05),AMI组PAI-Ⅰ高于其余各型冠心病(P<0.05)。(2)t-PA与IAI呈正相关,与TC、TG、LDL呈负相关;PAI-Ⅰ则与IAI呈负相关,与TC、TG、LDL呈正相关。(3)各病例组t-PA于治疗后有所升高,PAI-Ⅰ于治疗后有所下降(P<0.05)。结论:冠心病患者存在明显的纤溶功能紊乱,且以急性期为重,并且纤溶功能紊乱与胰岛素抵抗、血脂异常等因素有关。     

Epidemiologic aspects and laboratory features of enterovirus infections in Western Germany, 2000-2005

From 2000 to 2005, a total of 1,096 enterovirus infections were diagnosed either by isolation of virus from cell culture or by RT-PCR (5'non-coding region (NCR)). Typing of viruses (n = 674) was carried out by immunofluorescence with monoclonal antibodies, neutralization test or molecular methods. Seasons with high enterovirus activity were characterized by high prevalence of echovirus 30 (62.2% in 2000, 25.5% in 2001) and echovirus 13 (34.5% in 2001). In contrast, in the 2003 season, which had very low enterovirus activity, these types were rare. During this season, cell culture sensitivity (human colonic carcinoma cells and human embryonic lung fibroblasts (HEL)) was exceptionally low. In order to determine the type of "non-cultivable" enteroviruses, purified RNA from selected stool samples was subjected to direct molecular typing. VP1/2A-specific fragments were amplified by RT-PCR, cloned and sequenced. The predominant virus identified was coxsackie A. Consequently, rhabdomyosarcom cells were introduced into the daily routine, which improved the isolation of enteroviruses. Echovirus 30 was again most commonly isolated during seasons 2004 and 2005 with increasing enterovirus activity. In conclusion, high prevalence of echovirus 30 and 13 is indicative of seasons with high enterovirus activity. The type of circulating enteroviruses may influence isolation of enterovirus from cell culture. RT-PCR (VP1/2A) combined with cloning and sequencing of amplicons is a useful tool for viral typing directly from stool samples. In cases of severe enterovirus infection, virological diagnosis should not solely rely on virus isolation from cell culture.     

Is fecundability associated with month of birth? An analysis of 19th and early 20th century family reconstitution data from The Netherlands

The relationship between fecundability and month of birth was investigated in a cohort of 1526 women who married between 1802 and 1929, using only women whose first marriage occurred before the age of 35 years. On the basis of their time to pregnancy (TTP, calculated as time between wedding and first birth minus gestational length), women were categorized into two groups: fecunds (TTP up to 12 months or prenuptial conceptions, n = 1348) and subfecunds (TTP >18 months, n = 118). By use of logistic regression, cosinor functions with a period of 1 year or 6 months and variable shift and amplitude were fitted through the monthly odds of subfecunds versus fecunds. The best fitting curve was unimodal, with a zenith in September (P = 0.13 for H0: no differences). Exclusion of childless women (n = 36, minimum follow-up 5 years) from the subfecunds led to a similar curve (P < 0.01), while childless women, as compared with fecunds, showed a birth distribution that was best represented with a bimodal curve with zeniths in January and July (P = 0.06). This study provides evidence for the existence of differences in fecundability by month of birth. The cause of this relationship is unclear, but may lie in a melatonin-dependent circannual variability of the quality of the oocyte.      

藏羚羊和藏系绵羊左心室收缩功能的比较研究

目的:探讨藏羚羊适应高原低氧环境的左心功能特点。方法:捕捉海拔4 300 m藏羚羊9只、藏系绵羊10只运至格尔木(海拔2 800 m)实验基地。测定二者的心脏/体重比(HW/BW)、右心室/(左心室+室间隔)重量比[RV/(LV+IVS)];应用心导管技术测定心率(HR)、收缩压(SBP)、舒张压(DBP)、左室等容收缩期心室内压力上升最大速率和左室等容舒张期心室内压力下降最大速率(±dp/dt)。以格尔木市的氧浓度(21.1%)为基线,分别给予更低浓度氧14.6%、12.5%(分别相当于海拔5 300 m、6 300 m)的低氧吸入15 min后重复测定以上指标。应用透射电镜观察心肌超微结构。结果:藏羚羊HW/BW显著高于藏系绵羊(P0.01),基础状态下藏羚羊SBP低于藏系绵羊(P0.05),+dp/dt与藏系绵羊比无显著差异,吸入14.6%和12.5%的低氧气体后藏羚羊+dp/dt分别升高至145.1%和148.1%,而藏系绵羊分别降低至68.4%和70.5%(P0.05);电镜下观察藏羚羊心肌超微结构与藏系绵羊比较,其心肌细胞线粒体较为丰富。结论:藏羚羊心脏对高海拔低氧环境的适应,是通过增加心脏器官的重量及心肌细胞线粒体的含量来实现,其心肌收缩功能的适应性特征为:在静息状态下以较低的左心室心肌收缩力来降低氧耗量以此适应高原低氧环境,而以海拔更高的较低氧浓度为应激条件下,左心室心肌收缩力明显升高。提示:藏羚羊作为高原适应性动物,经过漫长的自然选择其心脏对高原低氧环境的适应不同于藏系绵羊。     

A role for IL‐18 in protective immunity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Tuberculosis remains the most hazardous bacterial infection worldwide. The causative agent, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, is a facultative intracellular pathogen of resting MΦ. IFN‐γ secreted by natural killer, CD4 Th 1 and CD8 T cells upon instruction by IL‐12 and ‐18 activates MΦ to restrict mycobacterial growth. Production of both cytokines is induced by TLR signalling in DC and MΦ. Mice deficient for the TLR adaptor, MyD88, are highly susceptible to M. tuberculosis infection. Shared usage of MyD88 by signalling cascades for TLR and receptors for IL‐1 and IL‐18 prompted us to revisit the role of IL‐18 during experimental infection with M. tuberculosis. We show that mice deficient for IL‐18 and MyD88 but not for IL‐18 receptor promptly succumbed to M. tuberculosis infection in contrast to WT or TLR‐2/‐4 double KO mice indicating that lack of IL‐18 contributes to the high susceptibility of MyD88 KO mice to M. tuberculosis. Without IL‐18, the protective Th1 response was decreased and hence, mycobacterial propagation was favoured. Neutrophil‐driven lung immunopathology concomitant with unrestrained growth of tubercle bacilli are most likely responsible for the premature death of IL‐18 KO mice. Thus, IL‐18 plays a decisive role in protective immunity against tuberculosis.     

红景天抑制人脐静脉内皮细胞生长的初步研究

目的:利用体外培养人脐静脉内皮细胞,观察中药红景天对细胞生长的影响,初步探讨急、慢性高原病患者服用中药红景天防治高原病及改善症状等的作用机制。方法:培养人脐静脉内皮细胞EVC-304,设对照组与加药组,加药组分别加入不同浓度的红景天,培养3d后计数。加药组及对照组细胞用瑞氏染料染色并拍照。收集细胞以流式细胞术检测细胞周期。结果:对照组细胞形态正常,成梭形,排列紧密,分散均匀。加药组细胞数量明显减少,细胞皱缩,聚集成团,形态各异。流式细胞术检测显示加药组G1期细胞含量增多,S期细胞减少。结论:红景天具有抑制血管内皮细胞生长的作用,可能是通过抑制细胞的增殖来抑制内皮细胞生长。抑制血管内皮细胞生长对于阻止血管内膜增生,防止形成肺动脉高压,降低慢性高原病发病率具有实际应用意义。