Comparable ten-year outcome in hemodialysis patients with hepatitis C virus and hepatitis B virus coinfection and single hepatitis B virus infection

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) coinfection in comparison with single HBV infection causes more severe liver disease in nonuremic population. The long-term impact of HBV/HCV coinfection on severity of liver diseases and patient survival in hemodialysis patients is unclear. Forty-eight HBV-positive patients and 19 HBV/HCV-positive patients were followed up from February 1996 to September 2006. During 10-year follow-up, there was no difference in acute hepatitis episodes, abnormal serum alanine aminotransferase period, occurrence of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, and patient survival between the two groups. The serum HBV DNA levels in HBV/HCV-positive patients were significantly lower than those in HBV-positive patients during the first 27-month follow-up. In conclusion, HCV infection suppresses the serum HBV DNA level in hemodialysis patients. Nevertheless, HBV/HCV coinfection in comparison with single HBV infection does not cause more severe liver diseases or reduce patient survival in hemodialysis patients during 10-year follow-up.     

Functional prokaryotic-eukaryotic chimera from the pentameric ligand-gated ion channel family

Pentameric ligand-gated ion channels (pLGICs), which mediate chemo-electric signal transduction in animals, have been recently found in bacteria. Despite clear sequence and 3D structure homology, the phylogenetic distance between prokaryotic and eukaryotic homologs suggests significant structural divergences, especially at the interface between the extracellular (ECD) and the transmembrane (TMD) domains. To challenge this possibility, we constructed a chimera in which the ECD of the bacterial protein GLIC is fused to the TMD of the human α1 glycine receptor (α1GlyR). Electrophysiology in Xenopus oocytes shows that it functions as a proton-gated ion channel, thereby locating the proton activation site(s) of GLIC in its ECD. Patch-clamp experiments in BHK cells show that the ion channel displays an anionic selectivity with a unitary conductance identical to that of the α1GlyR. In addition, pharmacological investigations result in transmembrane allosteric modulation similar to the one observed on α1GlyR. Indeed, the clinically active drugs propofol, four volatile general anesthetics, alcohols, and ivermectin all potentiate the chimera while they inhibit GLIC. Collectively, this work shows the compatibility between GLIC and α1GlyR domains and points to conservation of the ion channel and transmembrane allosteric regulatory sites in the chimera. This provides evidence that GLIC and α1GlyR share a highly homologous 3D structure. GLIC is thus a relevant model of eukaryotic pLGICs, at least from the anionic type. In addition, the chimera is a good candidate for mass production in Escherichia coli, opening the way for investigations of "druggable" eukaryotic allosteric sites by X-ray crystallography.     

1例先天性成骨不全症患儿的护理

先天性成骨不全症又名脆骨症,为全身性结缔组织病,是临床上少见的疾病.该病遭受轻微外力便容易发生病理性骨折,对护理有很高的要求.本科于2010年3月17日收治1例先天性成骨不全患儿,现将临床特点与护理介绍如下.     

A retrospective study of pulmonary infarction in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus from southern Taiwan

Since large-scale reports of pulmonary infarction in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) are limited, a retrospective study was performed for this manifestation in 773 hospitalized patients in southern Taiwan from 1999 to 2009. Pulmonary infarction was defined as the presence of pulmonary embolism, persistent pulmonary infiltrates, and characteristic clinical symptoms. Demographic, clinical, laboratory, and radiological images data were analyzed. There were 12 patients with pulmonary embolism and 9 of them had antiphospholipid syndrome (APS). Six patients (19 to 53 years, average 38.2?±?12.6) with 9 episodes of lung infarction were identified. All cases were APS and four episodes had coincidental venous thromboembolism. There were four episodes of bilateral infarction and seven episodes of larger central pulmonary artery embolism. Heparin therapy was routinely prescribed and thrombolytic agents were added in two episodes. Successful recovery was noted in all patients. In conclusion, there was a 0.8% incidence of pulmonary infarction in patients with SLE, all with the risk factor of APS. Differentiation between pulmonary infarction and pneumonia in lupus patients should be made; they have similar chest radiography with lung consolidation but require a different clinical approach in management. Although this report is a retrospective study with relatively small numbers of lupus patients with lung infarcts, our observation might provide beneficial information on the clinical features and radiological presentations during the disease evolution of pulmonary infarction in SLE with APS.     

黄瓜香水提物对大鼠亚急性肝损伤的保护作用

目的:研究黄瓜香水提物对大鼠亚急性肝损伤的保护作用.方法:将48只SD大鼠随机分为6组,即空白组,模型组,对照组及药物治疗组(高、中、低剂量治疗组).采用四氯化碳加乙醇复制亚急性肝损伤模型,以血清丙氨酸氨基转移酶(ALT)、天冬氨酸转氨酶(AST)、碱性磷酸酶(ALP)及肝匀浆中的丙二醛(MDA)及超氧化物歧化酶(SO...     

Study of T Cell subsets and IL-7 protein expression in HIV-1-infected patients after 7 years HAART

Objective

To study the changes in T cell subsets and IL-7 in HIV-1-infected patients after seven years of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART).

Methods

Seventy-five individuals were included in this study (25 with effective HAART, 18 with ineffective HAART, 17 untreated HIV+ patients, and 15 volunteers in the HIV negative control group). The counts of CD4⁺, CD8⁺, CD8/CD38⁺, and CD8/HLADR⁺ T cells as well as the IL-7 protein expression was measured at 5 time points during a period of seven years in patients starting HAART (baseline) and in the HIV negative control group. The expression of CD127 on CD3⁺ T cells was measured by flow cytometry at a single time point (after 7 years) in patients with HAART and was compared with untreated HIV+ patients and the HIV negative control group.

Results

At baseline CD4⁺ T cell counts of HIV-1-infected patients were lower than that in the control group (p < 0.01), whereas the CD8⁺, CD8/HLADR⁺ and CD8/CD38⁺ T cell counts were higher than those in the control group (p < 0.01). After seven years of effective HAART, the CD4⁺ T cell counts had increased and the CD8⁺ T cell count had decreased, although not to the normal levels (p < 0.05). Both the CD8/HLADR⁺ and CD8/CD38⁺ T cell counts had gradually approached those of the control group (p > 0.05). In the ineffective HAART group, the CD8/CD38⁺ T cell count had not decreased significantly, and CD8/HLADR⁺ T cell count gradually decreased. Before treatment, IL-7 serum levels of patients were significantly higher than that in the control group (p < 0.01). After seven years of effective HAART, IL-7 levels had gradually decreased, but were still higher than in the control group (p < 0.01). The CD127 expression on CD3⁺ CD8⁺ T cells in effective HAART patients was higher than in untreated HIV+ patients (p < 0.05), but was lower than that in the control group (p < 0.05). CD127 expression on CD3⁺ CD4+ T cells was not significantly different among the control group, untreated HIV+ patients and effective HAART group.

Conclusion

After seven years of effective HAART, the quantity and capacity of T cell subsets and IL-7 in HIV-1-infected patients had been partially restored, and the abnormal immune activation has significantly diminished.

     

血管组织工程支架材料的细胞相容性

背景：胶原与透明质酸均有利于组织培养中细胞的黏附、增殖和分化。目的：观察血管内皮细胞、平滑肌细胞与胶胀,透明质酸膜、明胶海绵的细胞相容性,并筛选最佳种植方法。方法：将第3—5代兔缸管平滑肌细胞种植住胶原／透明质酸膜（或明胶海绵）材料上,连续培养2周后将兔内皮细胞接种在平滑肌细胞-胶原／透明质酸膜（或明胶海绵）复合体上,并砹锐竹纯平滑肌细胞与内皮细胞共同接种组。结果与结论：①光镜和扫描电镜观察：细胞在两种材料上均随着培养时间,接种次数增加而生长加快,其中在胶原／透明质酸膜上的细胞生长更好,细胞连接更致密。②WST-1法检测：胶原/透明质酸膜组平滑肌细胞的黏附术及增殖率均高于明胶海绵组（P〈0．05）,且细胞在材料上的生长随着接种次数的增加有不同程度提高。③3H-TDR掺入法检测DNA合成率：在胶原／透明质酸膜上的细胞DNA合成最高,明胶海绵上的较差。表明胶原／透明质酸膜具有较理想的细胞相容性,采用适当间隔、反复接种的方法可提高细胞的黏附和增殖。     

Dissociation between anterior and posterior cortical regions during self-specificity and familiarity: a combined fMRI-meta-analytic study

The familiarity to the subject of any potential stimuli presents one of the major difficulties for the investigation of the self; the separation of effects resulting from familiarity from self-effects being extremely problematic. The aim of this study was thus to investigate the neural distinction between self and familiarity by combining two sets of fMRI data with a meta-analysis. In the first fMRI experiment, regions responding to self/familiarity were investigated using the subject's own name and names of familiar others. These effects were confirmed and extended in a second fMRI experiment using the subject's own name and a stranger's name, as spoken by familiar and unfamiliar voices. Finally, a meta-analysis of self- and familiarity-related studies was conducted. Neural activity in the anterior brain regions, such as the anterior cingulate (ACC) and anterior insula (AI), was found to be specific for self-specific stimuli. In contrast, posterior brain regions, such as the posterior cingulate, were activated by familiar stimuli. Finally, the distinction between anterior and posterior regions for self and familiarity was confirmed by meta-analytic data. This study demonstrates a clear anterior-posterior cortical partition between self-specificity and familiarity.