Restraint-induced stress ulcer. I. Hypothalamic,urinary, and adrenal biochemical studies

The purpose of these experiments was to study the incidence of stress ulcers in restrained rats and to correlate it with hypothalamic and adrenal cortical and medullary activity, with and without vagotomy. A total of 217 adult rats were used, grouped into 56 sets, and distributed at random in 5 experimental groups. Restraint was followed by a 79% incidence of ulceration in the glandular portion of the gastric mucosa. Vagotomy made these worse (p<0.01). Hypothalamic levels of catecholamines and serotonin showed no significant changes. Urinary measurements revealed decreased excretion of 17-ketosteroids (p<0.001), increased excretion of uropepsinogen (p<0.01), and no significant changes in vanillylmandelic acid among the rats submitted to immobilization. In the adrenal glands of stressed animals, there was a decreased level of catecholamines (p<0.01) and no significant changes in corticosteroid content (17-ketosteroids). These results suggest that hypothalamic stimulation and the participation of the adrenal glands are not essential factors in the pathogenesis of restraint-induced experimental stress ulcer.     

散发内淋巴囊瘤VHL基因位点微卫星标志杂合性丢失的研究

目的 探讨散发内淋巴囊瘤发病与VHL基因异常之间的关系。方法 采用组织微切割技术和多聚酶链式反应等方法对3例散发内淋巴囊瘤肿瘤细胞VHL基因位点染色体微卫星标志的杂合性丢失进行分析。结果 3例散发内淋巴囊瘤中有2例发生VHL基因位点微卫星标志的杂合性丢失,进一步的研究证实,该两例肿瘤细胞中分别存在着VHL基因第二外显子的异常。结论 VHL基因的异常导致其功能改变不但是VHL的致病原因,而且是散发性内淋巴囊瘤发病的重要的基因遗传学基础。     

对甲磺酰基苯乙烯环酮类衍生物的合成及抗炎活性

目的寻找新型高效低毒的非甾体抗炎药。方法合成对甲磺酰基苯乙烯环酮类衍生物，用二甲苯致小鼠耳肿胀模型和角叉菜胶致大鼠足跖肿胀模型评价其抗炎活性，并考察连续经口给药对大鼠胃肠道（GI）的影响。结果合成了9个新化合物（ZA_1-9），结构经IR，¹HNMR，MS和元素分析确证。小鼠试验表明ZA_3,5-9的抗炎活性与双氯芬酸钠(DC)和罗非昔布(RC)相当(P>0.05)，大鼠试验显示ZA_3,7,8的抗炎活性与DC和RC相当(P>0.05)， ZA₆的抗炎作用显著强于DC和RC(P<0.05)，ZA_3,5-9对GI损伤显著小于DC (P<0.05，P<0.01)，与RC相当(P>0.05)。结论对甲磺酰基苯乙烯环酮类衍生物的抗炎作用较强，GI不良反应小，值得进一步研究。     

Hamartoma mamario: un tumor infrecuente

We present a case of hamartoma of the breast. This is an infrequent tumour that requires the correct diagnosis to distinguish it from other histopathology types because it has a better prognosis. The characteristic image from a mammogram is useful in its diagnosis.     

The IAEA/WHO TLD postal dose quality audits for radiotherapy: a perspective of dosimetry practices at hospitals in developing countries.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The IAEA/WHO TLD postal programme for external audits of the calibration of high-energy photon beams used in radiotherapy has been in operation since 1969. This work presents a survey of the 1317 TLD audits carried out during 1998-2001. The TLD results are discussed from the perspective of the dosimetry practices in hospitals in developing countries, based on the information provided by the participants in their TLD data sheets. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A detailed analysis of the TLD data sheets is systematically performed at the IAEA. It helps to trace the source of any discrepancy between the TLD measured dose and the user stated dose, and also provides information on equipment, dosimetry procedures and the use of codes of practice in the countries participating in the IAEA/WHO TLD audits. RESULT: The TLD results are within the 5% acceptance limit for 84% of the participants. The results for accelerator beams are typically better than for Co-60 units. Approximately 75% of participants reported dosimetry data, including details on their procedure for dose determination from ionisation chamber measurements. For the remaining 25% of hospitals, who did not submit these data, the results are poorer than the global TLD results. Most hospitals have Farmer type ionisation chambers calibrated in terms of air kerma by a standards laboratory. Less than 10% of the hospitals use new codes of practice based on standards of absorbed dose to water. CONCLUSION: Despite the differences in dosimetry equipment, traceability to different standards laboratories and uncertainties arising from the use of various dosimetry codes of practice, the determination of absorbed dose to water for photon beams typically agrees within 2% among hospitals. Correct implementation of any of the dosimetry protocols should ensure that significant errors in dosimetry are avoided.     

Adjuvant immunization of HLA-A2-positive melanoma patients with a modified gp100 peptide induces peptide-specific CD8+ T-cell responses.

PURPOSE: To measure the CD8+ T-cell response to a melanoma peptide vaccine and to compare an every-2-weeks with an every-3-weeks vaccination schedule. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Thirty HLA-A2-positive patients with resected stage I to III melanoma were randomly assigned to receive vaccinations every 2 weeks (13 vaccines) or every 3 weeks (nine vaccines) for 6 months. The synthetic, modified gp100 peptide, g209-2M, and a control peptide, HPV16 E7, were mixed in incomplete Freund's adjuvant and injected subcutaneously. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells obtained before and after vaccination by leukapheresis were analyzed using a fluorescence-based HLA/peptide-tetramer binding assay and cytokine flow cytometry. RESULTS: Vaccination induced an increase in peptide-specific T cells in 28 of 29 patients. The median frequency of CD8+ T cells specific for the g209-2M peptide increased markedly from 0.02% before to 0.34% after vaccination (P <.0001). Eight patients (28%) exhibited peptide-specific CD8+ T-cell frequencies greater than 1%, including two patients with frequencies of 4.96% and 8.86%, respectively. Interferon alfa-2b-treated patients also had significant increases in tetramer-binding cells (P <.0001). No difference was observed between the every-2-weeks and the every-3-weeks vaccination schedules (P =.59). CONCLUSION: Flow cytometric analysis of HLA/peptide-tetramer binding cells was a reliable means of quantifying the CD8+ T-cell response to peptide immunization. This assay may be suitable for use in future trials to optimize different vaccination strategies. Concurrent interferon treatment did not inhibit the development of a peptide-specific immune response and vaccination every 2 weeks, and every 3 weeks produced similar results.     

Preoperative low molecular weight heparin as venous thromboembolism prophylaxis in patients at risk for prosthetic infection after knee arthroplasty.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of preoperative initiation of low molecular weight heparin as prophylaxis for deep venous thrombosis in patients at risk of developing surgical-site infections after knee arthroplasty. DESIGN: Case-control study nested in a cohort. The incidence of surgical-site infection in the cohort was calculated. With the use of data extracted from medical histories and after adjustment for other risk factors, the effect of preoperative heparinization on the risk of incisional and prosthetic infection among case-patients and control-patients (1:3 ratio) was assessed. SETTING: Orthopedic department in a tertiary-care referral hospital. PATIENTS: A cohort of 160 consecutive patients who had received prosthetic knee implants between October 1, 2001, and November 30, 2003. RESULTS: Eighteen patients with surgical-site infections were identified, yielding an incidence of incisional and prosthetic infection of 6.9 (95% confidence interval [CI95], 3.5 to 12.0) and 4.4 (CI95, 1.8 to 8.8) cases per 100 patients undergoing surgery, respectively. Surgical-site infection was associated with preoperative use of low molecular weight heparin (odds ratio [OR], 6.2 after adjustment for medical and surgical factors; CI95 1.5 to 23). Prosthetic infection was strongly associated with preoperative use of prophylaxis (OR, undetermined [100% exposure in case-patients vs 35% exposure in control-patients]; P = .002), but incisional surgical-site infection was not. CONCLUSION: The use of low molecular weight heparins immediately before knee arthroplasty as prophylaxis for deep venous thrombosis should be questioned because of probable increased risk of prosthetic infection.     

自发性高血压大鼠血、尿III型前胶原水平变化及氯沙坦的干预作用

目的　探讨自发性高血压大鼠 (spontaneouslyhypertensiverat ,SHR)血、尿Ⅲ型前胶原 (ProcollagenⅢ ,PCⅢ )与早期肾脏损害的关系。方法　检测SHR及氯沙坦干预后血、尿PCⅢ水平。 14周龄雄性SHR16只随机分为高血压组和氯沙坦治疗组 (氯沙坦灌胃 3 0mg·kg-1·d-1)各 8只 ,14周龄雄性Wistar -kyoto大鼠 (WKY) 8只为正常对照组 ,16周后 ,放免法检测血、尿PCⅢ、尿微量白蛋白 (microalbumin ,ALB)及血、尿 β2 -微球蛋白 ( β2 -microglobin ,β2 -MG)。结果　SHR组尿PCⅢ、尿ALB及血、尿 β2 -MG水平明显高于WKY组 (P <0 0 5 ) ,三组血PCⅢ水平无显著差异 (P >0 0 5 )。氯沙坦可显著降低SHR组尿PCⅢ、尿 β2 -MG及尿ALB水平 ( P<0 0 5 )。血、尿PCⅢ无相关性 (r =0 2 2 6,P <0 0 5 )。尿PCⅢ与尿 β2 -MG(r =0 813 ,P <0 0 1)、尿ALB(r =0 5 60 ,P <0 0 1)、收缩压 (r =0 694,P <0 0 1)呈正相关。结论　SHR组尿PCⅢ、尿 β2 -MG、尿ALB水平升高 ,可一定程度反映高血压早期肾脏损害。氯沙坦可降低SHR血压、尿PCⅢ、尿 β2 -MG、尿ALB水平 ,对高血压肾脏有保护作用     

Changes in the Household Calorie Supply during the 1994 Economic Crisis in Mexico and Its Implications on the Obesity Epidemic

To characterize the effects of the 1994 economic crisis on calorie sources of Mexican households, five nutrition surveys done every leap year (1992–2000) in national representative samples (> 10,000 households) were analyzed. Each household was visited during 7 days to collect data on foods purchased, exchanged or home-grown and their monetary value. We selected 88 food items to calculate kilocalories/ person/day and cost in pesos/megacalorie (CPMC) for rural-urban strata (localities <2500, ≥2500). The food items were classified in 8 groups and the summation of kilocalories and CPMCs of items in each group were our units of analysis. Linear regressions for 1992–2000 were performed, and slopes and intercepts were used to characterize changes. Available calories showed very little change at the height of the economic crisis. Expensive calories (meat in ur-bans, eggs and milk in rurals, and industrialized meat and soft drinks in both) tended to increase, whereas the most inexpensive staples (cereals, legumes, sugars) decreased their share in both strata. An increase in obesigenic calories was seen, notably in soft drinks, despite a cost increase second only to meat. Main conclusions were: (1) the economic crisis did not affect total calories availability in Mexican households; (2) the 1992–2000 trends in calorie sources were contrary to any crisis effect in rurals and urbans (i.e., expensive foods increased and inexpensive staples decreased); (3) there were sizable rural-urban differences in number, source, and cost of calories; and (4) obesigenic calories increased and soft drinks emerged as a food with its own dynamic.