Acquisition of high-risk human papillomavirus infections and pap smear abnormalities among women in the New Independent States of the Former Soviet Union

The rates of acquisition and the times of incident high-risk (HR) human papillomavirus (HPV) infections and Pap smear abnormalities and their predictive factors were analyzed in women participating in a multicenter screening study in three countries of the New Independent States of the former Soviet Union. The 423 patients were prospectively monitored for a mean of 21.6 months. At the baseline, 118 women were HR HPV DNA negative (Hybrid Capture II assay) and Pap smear negative (group 1), 184 were HPV DNA positive and Pap smear negative (group 2), and 121 were HPV DNA negative and Pap smear positive (group 3). The time to the acquisition of an incident abnormal Pap smear (19.4 months) was significantly longer in group 1 than in group 2 (9.2 months) (P = 0.0001). The times of acquisition of incident HR HPV infection were 16.6 and 11.0 months in group 1 and group 3, respectively (P = 0.006). The monthly rates of acquisition of incident HR HPV infections were very similar in group 1 (1.0%) and group 3 (0.8%), whereas the rate of acquisition of an abnormal Pap smear was significantly higher in group 2 (3.1%) than in group 1 (1.5%) (P = 0.0001). The acquisition of HR HPV infection (but not a positive Pap smear result) was significantly (P = 0.0001) age dependent. The only significant independent (P = 0.001) predictor of the incidence of an abnormal Pap smear result was a high HR HPV load of >20 relative light units/control value (CO) (rate ratio, 2.050; 95% confidence interval, 1.343 to 3.129). Independent predictors of incident HR HPV infection were patient category (a sexually transmitted disease) and ever having been pregnant. The time of acquisition of HR HPV infection was 3 months shorter than that of an abnormal Pap smear. At the baseline the high load of a particular HR HPV type is the single most important predictor of an incident Pap smear abnormality, whereas young age and having a sexually transmitted disease predict incident HR HPV infections.     

Diagnostic algorithms and features of clinical course of congenital heart diseases in infants with lung anomalies

The paper discusses the influence of lung anomalies on the progress of congenital heart diseases (CHD) in infants, as well as diagnostic value of radiography and ultraspeed computed tomography (CT). The four-year experience of the authors includes preoperative examination of 178 infants with CHD (mean age 5.8 +/- 0.6 months, mean weight 5.2 +/- 0.3 kg). Lung anomalies were determined in 24 patients (13.5%) on plain films and in 85 patients (47.8%)--by means of CT. The stenosis of main bronchi in combination with lobar emphysema and lung hypoplasia were found to be the most frequent and severe predictors of respiratory disorders. The obtained data suggest that CT examination may be recommended in infants with CHD for precise diagnostics of associated lung anomalies and further prevention or early management of respiratory complications.     

Effect of atrial natriuretic factor on renal prostaglandin E2 release in the anaesthetized dog

Experiments were undertaken in two groups of barbiturate anaesthetized dogs to examine whether atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) exerts an effect on renal release of prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂). In the first group, intravenous infusion of ANF (50 ng min^-1kg^-1body wt) reduced basal PGE₂ release from 4.4 ± 0.8 pmol min^-1to 1.8 ± 0.7 pmol min^-1. In the second group, intrarenal infusion of an α-adrenoceptor agonist, phenylephrine (2.5–6.75 μg min^-1), raised PGE₂ release from 2.7 ± 0.5 pmol min^-1to 7.5 ± 1.3 pmol min^-1. During continuous α₁-adrenergic stimulation, intravenous infusion of ANF (100 ng min^-1kg^-1body wt) reduced PGE₂ release to 3.5 ± 1.0 pmol min^-1. These results demonstrate that ANF reduces basal and α₁-adrenergic stimulated renal PGE₂ release.     

天水饮治疗中风急性期疗效观察

目的 :观察中药天水饮治疗中风急性期的疗效。方法 :将 93例中风急性期患者随机分成 2组 ,2组一般治疗相同 ,治疗组 62例加用天水饮 ,病程 1周内每日 2剂 ,1周后每日 1剂。对照组 3 1例加用尼可林 0 .5 g静滴及 2周内加用 2 0 %甘露醇静滴 ,2周后加服步长新脑心通治疗。 2组治疗 3 0日后进行疗效比较。结果 :治疗组愈显率为 79.0 4 % ,病程 10日内见效率为 62 .90 % ;对照组愈显率为 5 1.61% ,病程 10日内见效率为3 8.71% ,2组比较均有显著性差异 ( χ2 =7.3 9,P<0 .0 1和 χ2 =4 .88,P<0 .0 5 )。结论 :天水饮可改善病变区脑循环 ,增强脑细胞活力 ,促进语言及肢体功能恢复 ,对中风急性期有良好的疗效     

On the genetic involvement of apoptosis-related genes in Crohn's disease as revealed by an extended association screen using 245 markers: no evidence for new predisposing factors

Crohn's disease (CD) presents as an inflammatory barrier disease with characteristic destructive processes in the intestinal wall. Although the pathomechanisms of CD are still not exactly understood, there is evidence that, in addition to e.g. bacterial colonisation, genetic predisposition contributes to the development of CD. In order to search for predisposing genetic factors we scrutinised 245 microsatellite markers in a population-based linkage mapping study. These microsatellites cover gene loci the encoded protein of which take part in the regulation of apoptosis and (innate) immune processes. Respective loci contribute to the activation/suppression of apoptosis, are involved in signal transduction and cell cycle regulators or they belong to the tumor necrosis factor superfamily, caspase related genes or the BCL2 family. Furthermore, several cytokines as well as chemokines were included. The approach is based on three steps: analyzing pooled DNAs of patients and controls, verification of significantly differing microsatellite markers by genotyping individual DNA samples and, finally, additional reinvestigation of the respective gene in the region covered by the associated microsatellite by analysing single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Using this step-wise process we were unable to demonstrate evidence for genetic predisposition of the chosen apoptosis- and immunity-related genes with respect to susceptibility for CD.     

Prostaglandin E2 in basal gastric secretion and during stimulation of muscarinic receptors in man

The physiological importance of prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂) biosynthesis in the gastric mucosa is unknown. A role of endogenous prostaglandins in protecting the gastrointestinal epithelia has been suggested, but the evidence is unsufficient and rarely supported by concomitant measurement of PG production. Amounts of PGE₂ in luminal gastric contents which can be sampled atraumatically may reflect PGE₂ synthesis in the gastric mucosa in vivo. To confirm earlier reported measurements made with radioimmunoassay we have measured by gas chromatography - mass spectrometry (GC-MS) PGE₂ in gastric juice of five healthy men under basal conditions and during stimulation of muscarinic receptors with iv. bethanechol which in dog is reported to enhance PGE₂ output. PGE₂ was detected in all basal samples. The output was in median 32.1 pmol/15 min (range 17.0–105.4, 1 pmol=0.352 ng), which is similar to results from earlier studies. Bethanechol infusion (60 μg x kg^-1 x h^-1) did not affect PGE₂ outputs systematically in spite of a significant increase in outputs of acid and chlorides. Stimulation of muscarinic receptors does not seem to influence PGE₂ synthesis in gastric mucosa in vivo. Alternatively changes in PGE₂ synthesis may be masked by rapid chemical or enzymatical degradation or reabsorption of PGE₂.Studies are under way to explore those phenomena.     

Strong Suppression by Mononuclear Leukocytes From Cord Blood of Human Newborns on Maternal Leukocytes Associated With Differences in Sensitivity to Prostaglandin E2*

ABSTRACT: We have tested peripheral mononuclear leukocytes (PML) from the cord blood of newborns, from sera of their mothers, and from sera of nonrelated nonpregnant adult women for sensitivity to suppressive exogenous prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂). Endogenous PG production was simultaneously inhibited by indomethacin 2.8 μM. The phytohemagglutinin-stimulated (PHA-stimulated) uptake of tritiated thymidine (³H-TdR) by PML from the mothers and the nonpregnant women was suppressed by the exogenous PGE₂ at a concentration of 1.4 × 10^?8 M, 100 times less than the one required to suppress the PML from newborns (1.4 × 10^?6 M). In addition, 1.4 × 10^?7 M or less of PGE₂ reversed the suppression of neonatal PML to stimulation. The maternal PML were reversed into stimulation at 1.4 × 10^?9 of exogenous PGE₂. The amount of endogenous PGE₂ synthesized by 1 × 10⁶ fresh, nonstimulated neonatal PML according to gas chromatography-mass spectrometry assay was 5 ng (1.4 × 10^?8 M). The synthesis increased to 27 ng/10⁶ cells after 18 hours' incubation. These concentrations are similar to the ones of exogenous PGE₂ at which neonatal PML were slightly stimulated but the maternal cells were still suppressed. Preincubation for 18 h at 37°C decreased the PGE₂-induced suppression of the adult PML but did not change the response of the neonatal PML.     

抗肿瘤药物的研究Ⅲ. 数种锑胺羧螯合物对实验肿瘤的作用

1.锑胺羧螯合物是一种新型的抗肿瘤药物,应用Sb-26(EDTA-SbNa)、Sb-57(PDTA-SbNa)、Sb-66(HEDT-Sb)和Sb-71(ATA-Sb)分别为15—20、30—50、25—30和20—40毫克/公斤剂量时,均能显著地抑制小白鼠Ehrlich 腹水瘤的生长,平均延长生存时间4—22天,延长率36—147%.上述剂量对大白鼠Guerin 氏癌也有抑制作用,抑制率为58—70%.后3个药物,还能使小白鼠梭形细胞肉瘤腹水型的生存时间延长5—16天,延长率50—160%,其中以Sb-71的疗效最著.Sb-26、Sb-57、Sb-71、Sb-66对肉瘤180和AK 肉瘤及前3者对Ehrlich 固体瘤和淋巴白血病固体型的实验结果,除Sb-71对肉瘤180有抑制作用外,其他均无疗效.2.4 类锑化合物:3个(月弟)酸化合物(Sb-8,Sb-11和Sb-42)及1个酒石酸锑(Sb-15),与螯合的间苯二酚锑(Sb-64)和8羟基喹啉锑(Sb-85)各1个,对Ehrlich 腹水瘤的实验结果,均无明显疗效.3.小白鼠的急性半数致死量,Sb-57和Sb-71分别为131和62毫克/公斤,亚急性半数致死量分别为75和58毫克/公斤.