Rabbit sex hormone-binding globulin: expression in the liver and testis during postnatal development and structural characterization by truncated proteins

Although sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) is found in the blood plasma of adult humans and rabbits and the gene is expressed in their livers, it is not detected in the plasma of adult rodents nor is it expressed in adult rodent livers. Thus the rabbit represents a good model to study the metabolism and function of SHBG in the blood. We have used a cloned rabbit SHBG cDNA to detect mRNA expression in rabbits during the postnatal period, and to construct truncated SHBG proteins for structure/function analysis. The SHBG mRNA appeared in the testis as early as 3 days after birth. The level increased gradually in abundance throughout postnatal development, and attained a maximum at 12 weeks of age when the gonads were fully matured. In contrast, SHBG mRNA in the livers of male and female animals increased to a maximum by 4 weeks of age, and were maintained at this level until 12 weeks before subsiding to the initial levels. The increase and decrease in SHBG mRNA levels in the liver were accompanied by similar changes in serum SHBG. This suggests that SHBG in the blood circulation comes from the liver and this might also provide a source of SHBG for the male reproductive tract before formation of the blood-testis barrier. To elucidate the minimal sequence of rabbit SHBG responsible for steroid-binding, a panel of 13 truncated SHBG proteins was constructed, expressed in Escherichia coli, and biochemically purified for study. It was shown that the complete protein sequence of rabbit SHBG was important for maintaining a stable steroid-protein complex. Unlike human SHBG for which a truncated protein of the first 206 residues of the 373 amino acid protein can still bind steroid, removal of 43 or more residues from the C-terminus of rabbit SHBG completely abolished steroid-binding.     

Impact of dialysis adequacy on the mortality and morbidity of anuric Chinese patients receiving continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis

Dialysis adequacy has a major impact on the outcome of continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) patients. However, most studies on peritoneal dialysis adequacy have focused on patients with significant residual renal function. The present study examined the effect of dialysis adequacy on anuric CAPD patients. A single-center prospective observational study on 140 anuric CAPD patients was performed. These patients were followed for 22.0 +/- 11.9 mo. Dialysis adequacy and nutritional indices, including Kt/V, creatinine clearance (CCr), protein equivalent nitrogen appearance, percentage of lean body mass, and serum albumin level were monitored. Clinical outcomes included actuarial patient survival, technique survival, and duration of hospitalization. In the study population, 64 were male, 36 (25.7%) were diabetic, and 59 (42.1%) were treated with 6 L exchanges per day. The body weight was 59.2 +/- 10.2 kg. Average Kt/V was 1.72 +/- 0.31, and CCr was 43.7 +/- 11.5 L/wk per 1.73m(2). Two-yr patient survival was 68.8%, and technique survival was 61.4%. Multivariate analysis showed that DM, duration of dialysis before enrollment, serum albumin, and index of dialysis adequacy (Kt/V or CCr) were independent factors of both patient survival and technique survival. It was estimated that for two patients who differed only in weekly Kt/V, a 0.1 higher value was associated with a 6% decrease in the RR of death (P: < 0.05; 95% confidence interval, 0.92 to 0.99). Serum albumin and CCr were the only independent factors that predicted hospitalization. It was found that even when there is no residual renal function, higher dialysis dosage is associated with better actuarial patient survival, better technique survival, and shorter hospitalization. Dialysis adequacy has a significant impact on the clinical outcome of CAPD patients, and the beneficial effect is preserved in anuric patients as well as in an ethnic group that has a low overall mortality.     

小剂量垂体后叶素加消心痛治疗肝硬化并发食管、胃底静脉曲张破裂出血疗效观察

87例肝硬化并发食道胃底静脉曲张破裂出血患者随机分成三组,34例给予小剂量垂体后叶素（0.1U/min)和消心痛联合治疗,25例单用垂体后叶素（0.2U/min)治疗,28例用善得定治疗,其止血有效率分别为79.4%、56.0%、81.1%。经χ^2检验治疗组较单用垂体后叶素组有显著性差异,而与善得定组无显著性差异。示垂体后叶素与消心痛联用止血疗效显著。     

瘤体内注射卡铂和消痔灵对荷瘤鼠的抗肿瘤作用及其毒性

目的：观察瘤内注射（it)卡铂（CBP）和消痔灵（XZL）的抗肿瘤作用。方法：选用小鼠S180实验体瘤模型,it XZL,it及静脉注射（iv)CBP治疗,测定各组小鼠的瘤重,体重,脾指数和胸腺指数。结果：与生理盐水（NS）组比较,iv CBP 30mg/kg,it XZL 10ml/kg和it CBP 30,60mg/kg的抑瘤率分别为20．23％和,25．6％,27．4％和41．9％,脾指数变化分别为－41．0％,12．2％－28．4和－49．2％,胸腺指数变化分别为－8．5％,33．0％,－5．3％和－12．8％。结论：it CBP和XZL均有抗肿瘤作用,CBP降低荷瘤鼠免疫器官指数,而ZL则增加荷瘤鼠免疫器官指数。     

Cholesterol granuloma of the maxillary sinus presenting as sinonasal polyp

Cholesterol granuloma is usually found in chronic middle ear diseases. However, it rarely occurs in the sinonasal regions and only a few case reports can be found in the literature. The etiology of sinonasal cholesterol granuloma is not yet known, and the clinical manifestations are nonspecific. Most patients presented with nasal discharge. Our patient is the only reported case presenting with nasal obstruction and facial pain. Here we present a patient with cholesterol granuloma of the maxillary sinus with a nasal polyp, whose clinical, imaging, and histological characteristics were unique. The tumor was excised via the transnasal endoscopic sinus approach without recurrence after 3 years of follow-up.     

The neuroradiological findings in a case of Revesz syndrome

Revesz syndrome is a variant of dyskeratosis congenita characterized by aplastic anemia, retinopathy, and central nervous system abnormalities. We describe a 3-year-old boy in whom the spectrum of neuroimaging findings, including intracranial calcifications, cerebellar hypoplasia and unusual brain lesions were found by biopsy to be gliosis despite their enhancement and progression. In patients with dyskeratosis-related syndromes, non-neoplastic parenchymal brain lesions occur and gliosis should be considered in the differential diagnosis for progressive enhancing brain lesions. Should this finding be confirmed consistently in additional cases, brain biopsy could potentially be avoided.     

Effect of pacifier use on mandibular position in preterm infants

AIM: It has been hypothesized that the association of pacifier use with reduced risk of sudden infant death is mediated by forward movement of the mandible and tongue that helps open the upper airway. Our aim was to examine whether the mandible is moved forward when an infant is sucking on a pacifier, and if so, whether the mandible remains advanced after the pacifier is removed. METHODS: In sixty clinically stable premature infants (corrected gestation age 36.5 +/- 0.3 weeks, mean +/- SEM) the distance from each ear where the pinna met the cheek to the most prominent point of the chin was measured bilaterally, and the average was used as an index of mandibular position. Mandibular position was determined before and after allowing the infants to suck on a pacifier for 10-15 min, and after removing the pacifier. RESULTS: There was a significant forward movement of the mandible when the infants were sucking on the pacifier (59.5 +/- 0.7 vs. 58.6 +/- 0.7 mm, p = 0.001), with no significant change after the pacifier was removed. CONCLUSIONS: Pacifier use in preterm infants was associated with a small significant forward displacement of the jaw. These data suggest that pacifier use may help protect the upper airway.     

Short-term outcomes of infants of substance-using mothers admitted to neonatal intensive care units in New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory

AIM: Illicit substance use during pregnancy is associated with an increased rate of perinatal complications. Our study examines if outcome of infants of substance-using mothers (ISMs) in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) setting is similar to unexposed infants (controls). METHODS: A prospective state-wide NICU study comparing ISMs to control infants admitted to 10 NICUs during a 3-years period (2001-2003). An ISM was defined as an infant whose mother admitted to or was documented to have used substances of dependency (illicit or otherwise) during this pregnancy. RESULTS: There was a preponderance towards prematurity with ISMs comprising 5.1% (n=310) of 6120 high risk infants (6.2% (n=165) <32 weeks gestation and 6.8% (n=39) of 22-26 weeks gestation). More ISMs were outborn and had significantly lower mortality rate, particularly in the <32 week gestation subgroup (adjusted OR 0.517 95% CI 0.277-0.962, P<0.037). ISMs also demonstrated a non-significant trend towards an increased risk of neonatal morbidities. The pattern of rural and urban substance use was different, with a higher incidence of opiate use (49.3% vs. 26.9%, P<0.001) in urban areas. Most opiate using mothers (85.6%), irrespective of rural or urban residence, were enrolled in methadone programmes. ISMs had a higher incidence of antepartum haemorrhage and chorioamnionitis and fewer were given antenatal steroids. CONCLUSION: ISMs are common in the high-risk NICU population. Further studies are needed to confirm the lower mortality rate and long-term outcomes in these infants.     

MicroRNA expression signature of human sarcomas

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are approximately 22 nucleotide-long noncoding RNAs involved in several biological processes including development, differentiation and proliferation. Recent studies suggest that knowledge of miRNA expression patterns in cancer may have substantial value for diagnostic and prognostic determinations as well as for eventual therapeutic intervention. We performed comprehensive analysis of miRNA expression profiles of 27 sarcomas, 5 normal smooth muscle and 2 normal skeletal muscle tissues using microarray technology and/or small RNA cloning approaches. The miRNA expression profiles are distinct among the tumor types as demonstrated by an unsupervised hierarchical clustering, and unique miRNA expression signatures were identified in each tumor class. Remarkably, the miRNA expression patterns suggested that two of the sarcomas had been misdiagnosed and this was confirmed by reevaluation of the tumors using histopathologic and molecular analyses. Using the cloning approach, we also identified 31 novel miRNAs or other small RNA effectors in the sarcomas and normal skeletal muscle tissues examined. Our data show that different histological types of sarcoma have distinct miRNA expression patterns, reflecting the apparent lineage and differentiation status of the tumors. The identification of unique miRNA signatures in each tumor type may indicate their role in tumorigenesis and may aid in diagnosis of soft tissue sarcomas.