Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor augmentation of T-cell receptor-dependent and T-cell receptor-independent thymocyte proliferation

The effects of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM- CSF) are not confined to cells of the myeloid lineage. GM-CSF has been shown to have effects on mature T cells and both mature and immature T- cell lines. We therefore examined the GM-CSF responsiveness of murine thymocytes to investigate whether GM-CSF also affected normal immature T lymphocytes. The studies presented here indicate that GM-CSF augments accessory cell (AC)-dependent T-cell receptor (TCR)-mediated proliferation of unseparated thymocyte populations. To identify the GM- CSF responsive cell type, thymic AC and T cells were examined for GM- CSF responsiveness. We found that GM-CSF augmentation of TCR-induced thymocyte proliferation appears to be mediated via augmentation of AC function, and not via direct effects on mature single-positive (SP) thymocytes. Enriched double-negative (DN) thymocytes were also tested for GM-CSF responsiveness. GM-CSF induced the proliferation of adult and fetal DN thymocytes in an AC-independent and TCR-independent single- cell assay. Thus, in contrast to the SP thymocytes, a DN thymocyte population was directly responsive to GM-CSF. GM-CSF therefore may play a direct role in the expansion of DN thymocytes and an indirect role in the expansion of SP thymocytes.     

Hematopoietic growth factors for graft failure after bone marrow transplantation: a randomized trial of granulocyte-macrophage colony- stimulating factor (GM-CSF) versus sequential GM-CSF plus granulocyte- CSF

Delay in hematologic recovery after bone marrow transplantation (BMT) can extend and amplify the risks of infection and hemorrhage, compromise patients' survival, and increase the duration and cost of hospitalization. Because current studies suggest that granulocyte- macrophage (GM) colony-stimulating factor (CSF) may potentiate the sensitivity of hematopoietic progenitor cells to G-CSF, we performed a prospective, randomized trial comparing GM-CSF (250 micrograms/m2/d x 14 days) versus sequential GM-CSF x 7 days followed by G-CSF (5 micrograms/kg/d x 7 days) as treatment for primary or secondary graft failure after BMT. Eligibility criteria included failure to achieve a white blood cell (WBC) count > or = 100/microL by day +21 or > or = 300/microL by day +28, no absolute neutrophil count (ANC) > or = 200/microL by day +28, or secondary sustained neutropenia after initial engraftment. Forty-seven patients were enrolled: 23 received GM-CSF (10 unrelated, 8 related allogeneic, and 5 autologous), and 24 received GM- CSF followed by G-CSF (12 unrelated, 7 related allogeneic, and 5 autologous). For patients receiving GM-CSF alone, neutrophil recovery (ANC > or = 500/microL) occurred between 2 and 61 days (median, 8 days) after therapy, while those receiving GM-CSF+G-CSF recovered at a similar rate of 1 to 36 days (median, 6 days; P = .39). Recovery to red blood cell (RBC) transfusion independence was slow, occurring 6 to 250 days (median, 35 days) after enrollment with no significant difference between the two treatment groups (GM-CSF: median, 30 days; GM-CSF+G- CSF; median, 42 days; P = .24). Similarly, platelet transfusion independence was delayed until 4 to 249 days (median, 32 days) after enrollment, with no difference between the two treatment groups (GM- CSF: median, 28 days; GM-CSF+G-CSF: median, 42 days; P = .38). Recovery times were not different between patients with unrelated donors and those with related donors or autologous transplant recipients. Survival at 100 days after enrollment was superior after treatment with GM-CSF alone. Only 1 of 23 patients treated with GM-CSF died versus 7 of 24 treated with GM-CSF+G-CSF who died 16 to 84 days (median, 38 days) after enrollment, yielding Kaplan-Meier 100-day survival estimates of 96% +/- 8% for GM-CSF versus 71% +/- 18% for GM-CSF+G-CSF (P = .026). These data suggest that sequential growth factor therapy with GM-CSF followed by G-CSF offers no advantage over GM-CSF alone in accelerating trilineage hematopoiesis or preventing lethal complications in patients with poor graft function after BMT.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

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．     

The provision of a time-critical elective surgical service during the COVID-19 Crisis: a UK experience

IntroductionWith the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, all elective surgery was temporarily suspended in the UK, allowing for diversion of resource to manage the anticipated surge of critically unwell patients. Continuing to deliver time-critical surgical care is important to avoid excess morbidity and mortality from pathologies unrelated to COVID-19. We describe the implementation and short-term surgical outcomes from a system to deliver time-critical elective surgical care to patients during the COVID-19 pandemic.Materials and methodsA protocol for the prioritisation and safe delivery of time-critical surgery at a COVID-19 ‘clean’ site was implemented at the Nuffield Health Exeter Hospital, an independent sector hospital in the southwest of England. Outcomes to 30 days postoperatively were recorded, including unplanned admissions after daycase surgery, readmissions and complications, as well as the incidence of perioperative COVID-19 infection in patients and staff.ResultsA total of 128 surgical procedures were performed during a 31-day period by a range of specialties including breast, plastics, urology, gynaecology, vascular and cardiology. There was one unplanned admission and and two readmissions. Six complications were identified, and all were Clavien-Dindo grade 1 or 2. All 128 patients had preoperative COVID-19 swabs, one of which was positive and the patient had their surgery delayed. Ten patients were tested for COVID-19 postoperatively, with none testing positive.ConclusionThis study has demonstrated the implementation of a safe system for delivery of time-critical elective surgical care at a COVID-19 clean site. Other healthcare providers may benefit from implementation of similar methodology as hospitals plan to restart elective surgery.     

三维CT评估发育性髋关节脱位的骨性形态学特征

目的:通过使用CT三维测量髋臼发育情况及髋臼对股骨头覆盖率对比性观察,整体反映髋臼发育情况。方法:①观察对象:选择2003-06/2005-04对41例发育性髋关节脱位患者55个髋关节。其中男12例,女29例;年龄18个月～6岁。患髋右侧23例,左侧32例,其中双侧12例。健康侧27髋。患儿家属均知情同意。②实验方法:所有患儿使用PQ6000型多层螺旋CT扫描,扫描数据进行骨组织三维重建。将测量数据制成图表,显示三维的髋臼发育情况,并量化表示髋臼的缺损情况。③实验评估:计算不同截面正常侧髋臼指数、中心边缘角(假设符合正态分布)的均数、标准差、分布范围及95%可信区间。观察发育性髋关节脱位术前术后骨骼形态学变化。分别在术前、术后测量患者患侧髋臼指数、中心边缘角和前倾角,测量值均分别与正常值进行对比。结果:患侧55个髋,健康侧27髋,均进入结果分析。①发育性髋关节脱位术前术后骨骼形态学变化:术前55侧发育性髋关节脱位髋关节脱位程度为,参照T"nnis分类方法,Ⅰ度5髋(9.1%),Ⅱ度11髋(20%),Ⅲ度32髋(58.2%),Ⅳ度7髋(12.7%)。术后患者均表现髋臼α角均>90°,头臼呈同心圆对位,Shenton线连续,股骨头较术前明显发育,原先未出现头骺的患者,出现头骺,但较正常仍偏小;髋臼口呈类圆形,髋臼边缘欠光滑,髋臼整体呈一定程度前倾。②术前术后髋臼指数、中心边缘角和前倾角变化对比:术后患者的髋臼指数和前倾角与正常对照组之间差异无显著性(P>0.05),术后患者的中心边缘角大于正常对照组[(33.4±2.6)°(29.1±2.0)°,P<0.01],术后患者的髋臼指数和前倾角测量值均小于术前(P<0.01)。结论:介绍了一种对髋臼形态测量的新方法,它能够全面反映髋臼的发育情况,不但增加了对中心边缘髋臼病理改变的认识程度,还为手术提供了精确的可信度较高的矫形设计方案。