Rat myometrial smooth muscle cells express endothelial nitric oxide synthase

We examined if rat myometrial cells in culture generate nitric oxide (NO) and express various isoforms of NO synthase (NOS). Myometrial cells isolated from rats on day 18 of gestation were incubated with various stimulators and inhibitors of NOS for 24 and 48 h, and NO production was evaluated by measuring nitrites in the media and NOS proteins in the cell lysates. NO was produced by myometrial cells and its production inhibited by N(G)-methyl-L-arginine (L-NMMA). This inhibition was reversed by L-arginine (3 mM). Interleukin-1beta (IL- 1beta) significantly stimulated NO production, in a dose-dependent manner. The IL-1beta-stimulated NO production was inhibited by the NOS inhibitor, L-NMMA, whose effects were reversed by L-arginine. Abundant NOS III protein was detectable in freshly isolated myometrial cells, and this was maintained in culture in the presence of fetal bovine serum (FBS; 10%). In the absence of FBS, NOS III levels decreased significantly (by 90%) within 24 h. In contrast, NOS I and NOS II proteins were undetectable in freshly isolated muscle cells and in cells cultured without IL-1beta. However, NOS II protein in these cells was induced by IL-1beta. Thus, NO is produced by myometrial cells through the NOS III isoform, and the myometrial NO may be important in maintaining uterine quiescence during pregnancy.      

EB病毒对新生儿脐带血单核细胞来源的树突状细胞表型的影响

从脐带血单核细胞来源树突状细胞(DC)表型变化的角度来探讨EB病毒对DC表型的影响,以阐明其逃逸宿主免疫的机制。将GM-CSF和IL-4、EB病毒和LPS不同组合对单核细胞来源DC进行刺激培养,利用单染色和三染色免疫荧光抗体标记—流式细胞术检测单核细胞来源DC表面CD14、CD11c、CD1a、HLA-DR、CD86、MR和MHCⅠ类分子。加入EB病毒后,DC表面CD14分子表达的下调不明显,CD1a的表达则随病毒加入时细胞的分化阶段有关;同时EB病毒还影响了加入LPS后HLA-DR和CD86的升高和MR的降低;EB病毒还影响了细胞表面MHCⅠ类分子的表达。因此EB病毒可抑制单核细胞来源DC的分化和成熟,这可能是其逃逸宿主免疫的机制之一。     

In Healthy Adults,Biological Activity of Vitamin D,as Assessed by Serum PTH,Is Largely Independent of DBP Concentrations

Vitamin D insufficiency, as measured by 25‐hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) levels, has been associated with important health outcomes. The majority of vitamin D in circulation is bound to vitamin D–binding protein (DBP) and albumin, and recent genetic studies have demonstrated that serum DBP is a major determinant of 25(OH)D concentrations in adults. The impact of circulating DBP levels on vitamin D's biologic action, is unclear, but is of particular relevance to vitamin D epidemiology, because a lack of control for DBP levels could strongly influence the association of vitamin D with disease. Serum parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels can act as a biological readout of 25(OH)D activity. We therefore assessed the relationship between serum total and free 25(OH)D and PTH with and without adjusting for DBP, in 2073 subjects of European descent. Total 25(OH)D levels correlated positively (r = 0.19, p = 1.8 × 10^?17) with DBP, whereas the free 25(OH)D correlated negatively (r = ?0.14, p = 5.0 × 10^?12). Total and free 25(OH)D levels correlated negatively with PTH (r = ?0.29, p = 1.3 × 10^?39; r = ?0.26, p = 1.9 × 10^?33, respectively). Including age, body mass index (BMI), sex, estimated glomerular filtration rate, calcium, and season of blood draw as covariates, total 25(OH)D levels were significantly associated with log‐transformed PTH (lnPTH) levels (linear term: β = ?0.010, p < 0.0001, squared term: β = 0.00004, p < 0.0001) and this association was not changed by adjusting for DBP. These findings provide evidence that in a largely vitamin D–sufficient cohort, the biological effect of vitamin D on PTH levels is mainly independent of DBP concentration. Accordingly, this study may provide useful information for studies investigating the relationship between vitamin D, DBP, and disease. © 2014 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.     

神经肌电检测对单侧喉返神经损伤预后的评价

目的 探讨喉神经肌电位综合指标对声带麻痹预后的估价作用。方法 检测91例甲状腺手术单侧声带麻痹患者的喉神经电图及肌电位,按病程分成4组;分析各组恢复与未恢复声带运动的患者喉神经肌电位特征,以“95％可信区间”计算神经肌电位预后评估标准。结果 病程2个月内组最大诱发电位幅度明显低于2个月以上的其他各组,差异具有显著性意义(P<0.05),而2-4个月与4-6个月组的组间差异无显著性(P>0.05),故将病程2-6个月计为一组。2个月内组自然恢复与未恢复患者分别为2、11例,以引出诱发电位且无错向再生电位作为预后良好判断指标,准确率为92％(12/13)。2-6个月组恢复与未恢复患者各为11、48例,恢复者最大诱发电位幅度明显大于未恢复者,差异有显著性意义(P<0.01)。以引出诱发电位且电位幅度大于26.4％作为预后良好的判断标准,准确率90％(53/59);结合无错向再生电位综合判断预后,准确率为93％(55/59)。6个月以上组19例无论神经肌电位检查结果如何,声带运动均无恢复。结论 将神经肌电位进行综合分析,分别判断不同病程的声带麻痹的预后,可提高预后判断的准确率。     

膦甲酸钠治疗疱疹病毒相关性进展性卒中26例

1临床资料我院神经内科200112/200203应用膦甲酸钠(PFA,foscarnetsodium)治疗进展性卒中(progressivestroke,PS)患者26例.男12例,女14例,年龄35～70(平均57±14)岁.总病程19～72d.有高血压病史19例,有短暂性脑缺血发作病史11例,有脑梗死病史3例,有冠心病病史1例.标准符合1995年第四届全国脑血管病会议脑梗死诊断标准[1],并经脑CT或MRI证实为脑梗死;发病后1wk内病情逐步或阶梯样加重,临床常规治疗不能阻止病情进展,按1995年第四届全国脑血管病会议神经功能缺损评分标准[2]评分增加2分(包括2分)以上.采用金标免疫斑点法检测患者血清中人巨…     

Case report: A patient with primary biliary cirrhosis and autoimmune haemolytic anaemia

Diseases of an autoimmune nature are well recognized in association with primary biliary cirrhosis. Although autoimmune thyroiditis and many rheumatological conditions are well described in primary biliary cirrhosis, autoimmune haematological diseases have been less well reported. We report on a 66 year old North American Indian man with coincident primary biliary cirrhosis and warm antibody haemolytic anaemia. This case report supports the suggestion of an association between autoimmune haemolytic anaemia and primary biliary cirrhosis.     

Hepatic haemangioendothelioma in adults: excellent outcome following liver transplantation

Hepatic epithelioid haemangioendotheliomas (HEHEs) are rare, low-grade vascular tumours. Five adults with HEHEs and one adult with a vascular tumour showing combined features of haemangioma and haemangioendothelioma underwent liver transplantation. Two HEHE patients had extrahepatic metastases at the time of transplantation. Median survival time following diagnosis was 10.7 years (range 40 months to 195 months). One patient needed resection of a HEHE in the breast 13 years post-transplantation. All six patients are surviving free from disease 22 to 166 months after transplantation (median 77 months). One HEHE-patient who had been treated for 8 years for vertebral and cerebral localisations is free of disease without immunosuppression 56 months after transplantation. We can conclude that liver transplantation is a valuable treatment for hepatic haemangioendothelioma, even in cases of extrahepatic localisation of the disease.Giuseppe Orlando is a transplant research fellow from the University of Rome, Tor Vergata (It)