Bacteremia in HIV-infected patients: short-term predictors of mortality

To identify characteristics associated with mortality in HIV-infected patients with bacteremia, 88 bacteremic episodes in 80 HIV-infected patients were prospectively identified over a 5-month period and observed for 30 days. Demographic, clinical, laboratory, and radiologic data were collected. Mean and median age was 41 years. Most study subjects were homosexual men. Median CD4 count was 20 cells/mm3. Gram-positive organisms predominated (65%). The most common source of bacteremia was intravascular catheters (45%). Overall mortality was 30%. A history of malignancy, three or more opportunistic infections, shock, low hemoglobin, source of bacteremia other than an intravascular catheter, resistance to therapy, and a second bacteremic episode during the study period, were all found to be independent predictors of mortality. In this cohort of HIV-infected patients, most of whom were severely immunosuppressed, several factors were found to be significantly and independently associated with mortality.     

Insulin stimulation of lactate accumulation in isolated human granulosa- luteal cells: a comparison between normal and polycystic ovaries

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is often associated with hyperinsulinaemia and peripheral insulin resistance. Whether the ovary is resistant to insulin is a matter of controversy. The aim was therefore to study the effect of insulin on lactate accumulation, an indicator of glucose metabolism, in granulosa-luteal cells from women with PCOS and from women with normal ovarian function. The cells were obtained from women undergoing clinical in-vitro fertilization-embryo transfer, either from patients with normal ovarian function and tubal or male infertility, or from women with PCOS, with or without tubal factor. The patients were down-regulated with buserelin and stimulated with urofollitrophin and human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG). Follicle aspiration was performed under ultrasound guidance. Following oocyte recovery the granulosa-luteal cells were isolated, washed and cultured (2-3 x 10(4) viable cells/well) in serum-free Eagle's minimal essential medium for 48 h. After washing, the cells were then cultured in medium containing HCG (0.1-10 IU/ml) or insulin (0.05-0.5 microg/ml) for 24-48 h. Lactate accumulation in the media and cellular protein were analysed. Basal lactate accumulation did not differ in granulosa-luteal cells obtained from normal or PCOS ovaries, and averaged 46 and 49 nmol/g protein/24 h, respectively. A significant stimulation (40-60%) was obtained by HCG in both groups. Insulin caused a dose-dependent increase in lactate in granulosa-luteal cells obtained from normal ovaries (control: 45.5 +/- 6.3; insulin 0.5 microg/ml: 77 +/- 10 nmol/microg protein). Lactate accumulation in granulosa-luteal cells from PCOS ovaries was not altered in the presence of insulin. These results suggest that granulosa-luteal cell glucose metabolism is resistant to insulin in PCOS.      

羧甲基变性半纤维素对小鼠免疫器官重量的影响

本文报告了羧甲基变性半纤维素(CMMH)对幼鼠及成鼠的胸腺、脾脏重量的影响。初步证明CMMH在一定浓度下不引起兔疫器官——胸腺和脾脏萎缩。该药与环磷酰胺合用时,对环磷酰胺所造成的胸腺、脾脏萎缩无相加、协同或拮抗作用。当成年小鼠接受抗原致敏和攻击后,该药虽能显著影响细胞免疫,但对胸腺和脾脏的重量无明显影响。     

流感病毒血凝素基因工程抗体的抗病毒实验效果观察

目的：对昆虫细胞系统表达纯化的中和性流感病毒血凝素基因工程全抗体IgG-IV-2,IgG-IV-6进行体外和体内抗病毒效果的研究。方法：对比抗体应用前后病毒在MDCK细胞中的病毒滴度和动物模型中粘膜用药前后鼠肺内病毒滴度的改变，验证抗体的粘膜抗感染效果。结果：两株基因工程抗体使4．5log10TCID50滴度的病毒下降1／2的剂量分别为0．8μg和0．5μg；动物模型的粘膜给药表明使4．0log10TCID50的病毒下降1／2所需的抗体剂量IgG-IV-2为0．25mg/kg体重，IgG-IV-6为0．1mg/kg体重，联合应用时为0．08mg/kg体重。结论：获得的基因工程抗体具有体内体外的抗病毒效果，能够中和病毒毒力。     

Association between attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and the DXS7 locus

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a prevalent disorder in children. The etiology of this disease is not clear. Genetics studies have suggested the involvement of the dopamine DRD-4 receptor gene and dopamine transporter gene (DAT1). Clinical studies have shown that monoamine oxidase-B (MAO-B) inhibitors are effective in the treatment of ADHD. These findings suggest that monoamine oxidase (MAO) genes might be involved in the origin of ADHD. In the present work, the DXS7 locus of chromosome X, which is closely linked to MAO genes, was selected as a marker to study the possible association between ADHD and MAO genes in the Chinese population. Haplotype-based haplotype relative risk (HHRR) and the transmission disequilibrium test (TDT) methods were employed to analyze the association and the linkage disequilibrium, respectively. Significant association (X(2) = 15.86; 1 df; P < 0.001) and linkage (X(2) = 14.88; 1 df; P < 0.001) were detected between the 157-bp allele of the DXS7 locus and the DSM-III-R-diagnosed ADHD (N = 72) in trios composed of father, mother, and affected offspring. The data suggested that ADHD was associated and in linkage with DXS7 locus.     

LBP对LPS激活巨噬细胞内p38信号通路的影响 

目的:探讨脂多糖结合蛋白(LBP)对脂多糖(LPS)激活肺泡巨噬细胞内p38信号通路的调节作用。方法:经硫酸铵盐析、Bio-Rex70阳离子交换层析和MonoQ阴离子交换层析, 从大鼠急性期血清中分离纯化LBP。分别用0.01mg/L和1mg/L的LPS刺激肺泡巨噬细胞, 并加入不同浓度LBP(0mg/L、0.01mg/L、0.1mg/L、1mg/L和10mg/L), 观察肺泡巨噬细胞中p38蛋白激酶的磷酸化程度。结果:纯化的大鼠LBP在SDS-PAGE的60kD处呈现单一条带, 并可增强LPS与单核细胞的结合。当LPS浓度为0.01mg/L时, 1mg/L以下的LBP可明显增敏LPS对肺泡巨噬细胞内p38信号通路的激活, 并且这种增敏作用随LBP浓度的增加而增强。但LBP为10mg/L时, LBP对LPS的增敏作用反而有所减弱;当LPS为1mg/L时, LBP对LPS激活肺泡巨噬细胞内p38信号通路无调节作用。结论:LBP对低浓度LPS(0.01mg/L)激活肺泡巨噬细胞内p38信号通路有明显的调节作用;而高浓度LPS(1mg/L)不需LBP的增敏作用, 可能通过LBP非依赖途径直接激活p38信号通路。     

Chemokine receptor expression on human eosinophils from peripheral blood and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid after segmental antigen challenge

BACKGROUND: The recruitment of circulating eosinophils to the lung is a characteristic feature of allergic airway inflammation. Chemokine receptors likely play a role in this complex process. However, reports of chemokine receptor expression on human eosinophils are conflicting. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine whether the chemokine receptor profile of human eosinophils change when these cells are recruited to the airway after an antigen challenge and development of an allergic inflammatory response. METHODS: Blood and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) cells were obtained from 13 allergic subjects 48 hours after segmental bronchoprovocation with antigen. The CC chemokine receptor (CCR) 1 to 7, 9, and CXC chemokine receptor (CXCR) 1 to 4 were determined by flow cytometric analysis of whole blood and unseparated BAL cells. RESULTS: Compared with their circulating counterparts, airway eosinophils had decreased CCR3 and increased CCR4, CCR9, and CXCR3 expression on their cell surface. Furthermore, expression of CCR3, CCR4, and CXCR3 was significantly correlated with the percentage of eosinophils in BAL fluid at 48 hours. Eosinophils also expressed CXCR4, but this receptor did not change after antigen-induced recruitment to the airway. In contrast, the expression of CCR1, CCR2, CCR5, CCR6, CCR7, CXCR1, and CXCR2 remained undetectable on either blood or BAL eosinophils. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that recruitment of eosinophils to the airway is associated with a modulation of their chemokine receptor profiles. These changes in chemokine receptors could be involved in determining eosinophil function and antigen-induced airway inflammation.     

睾酮对雄性家兔血管损伤后内皮功能及内膜增生的影响

目的:探讨睾酮对雄性家兔腹主动脉球囊损伤后内皮功能及内膜增生的影响。方法:选择健康雄性新西兰白兔24只随机分成3组:对照组(假去势)、低睾酮血症组(去势)及睾酮替代组(去势1周后加用长效十一酸睾酮单次肌注,14mg/kg),每组8只。去势10d后对所有动物行腹主动脉球囊损伤术。损伤后两周测血浆睾酮、血脂、一氧化氮代谢产物(NO₂^-/NO₃^-)、超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)及丙二醛(MDA)水平,并截取腹主动脉进行图像分析。结果:睾酮替代组和对照组的血浆总胆固醇、甘油三酯、低密度脂蛋白及MDA水平和新生内膜面积明显低于低睾酮血症组(P＜0.01或P＜0.05),睾酮替代组和对照组的NO₂^-/NO₃^-及对照组的SOD水平高于低睾酮血症组(P均＜0.05),替代组和对照组两组间比较各数据无差异。结论:生理水平的睾酮(内源性或外源性替代)具有保护雄性家兔血管内皮,抑制动脉损伤后内膜增生的作用。     

Dihydrofolate reductase from Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus

Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) is the first human virus known to encode dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR), an enzyme required for nucleotide and methionine biosynthesis. We have studied the purified KSHV-DHFR enzyme in vitro and analyzed its expression in cultured B-cell lines derived from primary effusion lymphoma (PEL), an AIDS-associated malignancy. The amino acid sequence of KSHV-DHFR is most similar to human DHFR (hDHFR), but the viral enzyme contains an additional 23 amino acids at the carboxyl-terminus. The viral DHFR, overexpressed and purified from E. coli, was catalytically active in vitro. The K(m) of KSHV-DHFR for dihydrofolate (FH(2)) was 2.4 microM, which is significantly higher than the K(m) of recombinant hDHFR (rhDHFR) for FH(2) (390 nM). K(m) values for NADPH were similar for the two enzymes, about 1 microM. KSHV-DHFR was inhibited by folate antagonists such as methotrexate (K(i): 200 pM), aminopterin (K(i): 610 pM), pyrimethamine (K(i): 29 nM), trimethoprim (K(i): 2.3 microM), and piritrexim (K(i): 3.9 nM). In all cases, K(i) values for these folate antagonists were higher for KSHV-DHFR than for rhDHFR. The viral enzyme was expressed at levels two- to tenfold higher than hDHFR in PEL cell lines as an early lytic cycle gene. KSHV-DHFR mRNA and protein appeared from 6 to 24 h after chemical induction of the KSHV lytic cycle. Epitope-tagged KSHV-DHFR and rhDHFR both localized to the nucleus of transfected cells, while other KSHV nucleotide metabolism genes localized to the cytoplasm. DHFR activity was not essential for viral replication in cultured PEL cells. Since hDHFR was not detectable in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), KSHV-DHFR may function to provide increased DHFR activity in vivo in infected cells that have little or none of their own enzyme.