Point mutation in the parkin gene on patients with Parkinson’s disease

Summary To investigate the distribution of possible novel mutations from parkin gene in variant subset of patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) in China and explore whether parkin gene plays an important role in the pathogenesis of PD, 70 patients were divided into early-onset group and late-onset group; 70 healthy subjects were included as controls. Genomic DNA from 70 normal controls and from those of PD patients were extracted from peripheral blood leukocytes by using standard procedures. Mutations of parkin gene (exon 1–12) in all the subjects were screened by PCR-single strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP), and further sequencing was performed in the samples with abnormal SSCP results, in order to confirm the mutation and its location. A new missense mutation Gly284Arg in a patient and 3 abnormal bands in SSCP electrophoresis from samples of another 3 patients were found. All the DNA variants were sourced from the samples of the patients with early-onset PD. It was concluded that Parkin point mutation also partially contributes to the development of early-onset Parkinson’s disease in Chinese. WANG Tao, male, born in 1961, Associate Professor This work was supported by grants from the key program of the special scientific project of Scientific & Technologic Agency of Hubei Province (Serial No. 2001AA308B01) and the Hygienic Research Project of Hygienic Agency of Hubei province (Serial No. WJ 01529).     

超声热疗临床应用的研究

目的：通过超声热疗配合常规放疗治疗晚期恶性肿瘤的临床研究，评价超声热疗的疗效及与疗效有关的加热参数。材料和方法： 对１７ 例晚期恶性肿瘤的１７ 个病灶用常规放疗加超声热疗。放疗用直线加速器外照射，每次２ Ｇｙ、周５ 次， 总剂量４０～７０ Ｇｙ。热疗在放疗后３０ ｍ ｉｎ 内进行，每周加热１～２ 次，每次加温时间 ６０ ｍ ｉｎ，６～８ 次一疗程。全例病人每次加温时实测肿瘤内温度。结果：在可评价的１３例中，ＣＲ ２３．１％ （３／１３）、ＰＲ ４６．２％ （６／１３）、ＮＣ ２３．１％ （３／１３）、ＰＤ ７．７％ （ １／１３） ， 有效率（ＣＲ＋ ＰＲ）为６９．３％ 。肿瘤中心部温度达到４２．５℃以上的累积时间和总加热次数是决定疗效的重要参数。在１７ 例患者的 ８９ 次加温中，副作用的发生率相对较低。结论：使用超声热疗配合放疗，只要实现满负荷加温，进一步提高肿瘤的局部控制率是完全可能的     

Glomus tumours of the hand and foot

Summary. Between 1982 and 1991 we treated 48 patients with a glomus tumour in the hand or foot. There were 42 women and 6 men, aged between 14 and 61 years. Forty-five tumours were in the subungual region and 41 were on the anterolateral aspect of a distal phalanx. The lesions presented with a classic triad of pain, tenderness and sensitivity to temperature, particularly cold. Excision of the tumour was curative.

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Resumé. Entre 1982 et 1991, 48 patients présentant une tumeur glomique de la main et du pied ont été traités dans notre département. Il y avait 42 femmes et 6 hommes, agés de 14 à 61 ans (moyenne 38 ans). 45 tumeurs étaient en situation sous-inguéale et 41 en situation latéro-palmaire de la phalange distale. 44 se situaient au niveau de la main et 4 au niveau du gros orteil. Ces lésions sont souvent non palpables fréquemment invisibles et habituellement indétectables à la radiographie. Cependant, le diagnostic est assez facile, lorsqu’existe la triade symptomatique: douleur, tumefaction molle et sensibilité au froid. L’excision complète après dissection soigneuse est le traitement adéquate. Le suivi des 48 malades a toujours montré une guérison complète.

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Accepted: 21 May 1996     

Effect of shenmai Injection on SIL-2R NK and LAK cells of patients with advanced carcinoma

Serum interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R) level, activities of natural killer cell (NK) and lymphokine activated killer (LAK) cells were determined in 60 patients with advanced carcinoma (AC) before and after treatment with Shenmai Injection (SMI), forty healthy persons were taken as non-carcinoma control (NC). The results showed that: Serum sIL-2R level in AC were much higher than those in NC (P<0.05) and activities of NK and LAK cells in AC were much lower than those in NC (P<0.05) before treatment. There was no significant difference among gastric, colonic and lung cancer (P>0.05). After treatment with SMI, it was found that the level of sIL-2R in all patients were obviously lowered (P<0.05) while the activities of NK and LAK cells were signifficantly higher than that prior the treatment (P<0.05). Relevancy was not found between sIL-2R and NK, LAK cells. These data suggested that the immune function was compromised in AC, and SMI has a wide effect of immuno-regulation.     

Hemodynamic study of external counterpulsation with left and right cardiac catheters in 15 cases]

The hemodynamic changes of 15 cases during external counterpulsation with left and right cardiac catheters were reported. The results showed that the diastolic pressure at the root of the aorta was remarkably increased, the peak value (countercurrent pressure) was 8.02 +/- 2.05 kPa higher than the diastolic pressure before counterpulsation; the aortic systolic pressure during counterpulsation was slightly decreased with a mean value of 0.81 kPa; there was no apparent change in the central venous pressure and pulmonary arterial pressure; pulmonary arterial wedge pressure was slightly reduced during counterpulsation. All the above data are useful in showing the improvement of cardiac and brain perfusion volume and clarifying its mechanism.     

Modulation of infection-induced inflammation and locomotive deficit and longevity in senescence-accelerated mice-prone (SAMP8) model by the oligomerized polyphenol Oligonol.

Oligonol is produced from the oligomerization of polyphenols (typically proanthocyanidin from a variety of fruits such as lychees, grapes, apples, persimmons, etc.) and contains catechin-type monomers and oligomers of proanthocyanidins. The ability of Oligonol to affect infection-dependent eye inflammation, locomotion and longevity in senescence-accelerated prone mice (SAMP8) (a model of senescence acceleration and geriatric disorders with increased oxidative stress and neuronal deficit) was investigated. Oligonol (60mg/kg) significantly modulated the extent of inflammation scores in the eye of SAMP8 mice. Examination of the mice indicated infection with mouse hepatitis virus and pinworm (Syphacia obvelata) in both males and females and with the intestinal protozoa (trichomonad) in males. A comparison of the two groups (using log-rank test) and the difference in the mean life span between groups (using Student's t-test) indicated significant differences in survival (p=0.043) and the mean life span (p=0.033) in male SAMP8 mice. Oligonol increased the mean life span and this was statistically significant. In the open-field locomotive test, the 7-week-old SAMP8 mice crossed more than 40 partitioned lines in 1min. At 48-week-old control untreated male SAMP8 crossed 2 lines. The Oligonol-treated 48-week-old male SAMP8 mice crossed 17 lines however. The improved locomotive activity was statistically significant even after 36weeks in the Oligonol-treated male SAMP8 but this was not the case throughout the time course of the study in the Oligonol-treated female SAMP8. Thus Oligonol treatment to SAMP8 mice modulated the severity of infection-dependent inflammation, prolonged life-span and significantly improved locomotive activity indicating potential benefit to aging-associated diseases such as Alzheimer's or Parkinson's diseases. This presents potential for further research to define infection-dependent inflammation associated with degenerative conditions and the molecular mechanism of dietary antioxidant protection.     

Expression and activation of 15-lipoxygenase pathway in severe asthma: relationship to eosinophilic phenotype and collagen deposition

BACKGROUND: Although 15(S)-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (15(S)-HETE), a product of 15-lipoxygenase (15-LO), may be involved in mild to moderate asthma, little is known about its potential roles in severe asthma. OBJECTIVES: This study was performed to evaluate 15(S)-HETE levels in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) from severe asthmatics with and without airway eosinophils and from the control groups. In addition, 15-LO protein expression was examined in endobronchial biopsy, while its expression and activation were evaluated in BAL cells. RESULTS: While 15(S)-HETE levels in BALF were significantly higher in all severe asthmatics than normal subjects, severe asthmatics with airway eosinophils had the highest levels compared with mild, moderate asthmatics and normal subjects. 15(S)-HETE levels were associated with tissue eosinophil numbers, sub-basement membrane thickness and BALF tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 levels, and were accompanied by increased 15-LO expression in bronchial epithelium. In addition, activation of 15-LO was suggested by the increased proportion of 15-LO in the cytoplasmic membrane of alveolar macrophages from severe asthmatics. CONCLUSION: The data suggest that severe asthmatics with persistent airway eosinophils manifest high levels of 15(S)-HETE in BALF, which may be associated with airway fibrosis. It is likely that 15-LO expression and activation by airway cells explain the increased 15(S)-HETE levels.     

In vitro differentiation of human adipose-derived adult stromal cells into neuron-like cells in hippocampal astrocyte conditioned medium

BACKGROUND: At present, researches on differentiating from human adipose-derived adult stromal cells (hADASC) to neuron-like cells are focus on inducing by artificial-synthetic compound solution; however, hippocampal astrocyte conditioned medium (HCAM) can induce in vitro differentiation from hADASC to neuron-like cells is still unclear. OBJECTIVE: To observe whether HCAM can induce in vitro differentiation from hADASC to neuron-like cells. DESIGN: Randomized control study. SETTING: Department of Neurology, Taixing People's Hospital; Central Laboratory, North China Coal Medical College. MATERIALS: Donor of adipose tissue was donated by female volunteers suffering from caesarean section in the department of obstetrics & gynecology in our hospital and aged 20－35 years. Adipose tissue was collected from subcutaneous tissue of abdomen during the operation. In addition, 8 male newborn Wistar rats within 24 hours with average body mass of 20 g were provided by Animal Institute of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences. Rabbit-anti-human Nestin polyclonal antibody, rabbit-anti-human glial fibriliary acidic protein (GFAP) polyclonal antibody, rabbit-anti-human neuro-specific enolase polyclonal antibody and mouse-anti-human microtubal associated protein 2 (MAP-2) polyclonal antibody were provided by Wuhan Boster Company. METHODS: The experiment was carried out in the Central Laboratory of North China Coal Medical College from October 2004 to June 2005. hADASC was cultured with HCAM and its growth and morphological changes were observed under inverted phase contrast microscope. Immunocytochemistry, immunofluorescence and Western blotting were used to evaluate the expressions of Nestin, which was a specific sign of nerve precursor, neuro-specific enolase and MAP-2, which was a specific sign of nerve cell, and GFAP, which was a specific sign of neuroglial cells. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Nestin, which was a specific sign of nerve precursor, neuro-specific enolase and MAP-2, which was a specific sign of nerve cell, and GFAP, which was a specific sign of neuroglial cells. RESULTS: On the 3rd day of culture, partial hADASC started deformation from slender shuttle-shape cells to neuron-like cells. It suggested that cells stretched out apophysis, which were mainly double-pole or multiple-pole cells. Five days later, immunohistochemical detection suggested that expression of Nestin (10.5±0.037) was found out in cells; meanwhile, expressions of GFAP (38.4±0.052) and neuro-specific enolase (NSE) (15.7±0.023) were also found out in cells; however, expression of MAP-2 was not observed. Western blot indicated that, 5 days after effect of HCAM, Nestin was found out in hADASC; meanwhile, expressions of GFAP and neuro-specific enolase were also found out; however, expression of MAP-2 was not observed. CONCLUSION: HCAM can induce the differentiation from hADASC to neuron-like cells in vitro.     

大豆蛋白影响肾损害模型钙摄入和钙排出的实验研究

[目的]研究大豆蛋白对肾损害大鼠钙平衡的影响。[方法]选择3月龄断乳雄性SD大鼠40只．按体质量从小到大排序，采用完全随机化原则分为4组。每组10只。标准饲料对照组：喂食含有14％酪蛋白饲料；大豆蛋白饲料组：喂食含有14％大豆分离蛋白饲料；混合饲料1组：喂食含有7％酪蛋白加7％大豆分离蛋白饲料；混合饲料2组：喂食含有7％酪蛋白加14％大豆分离蛋白饲料。实验期用腺嘌呤灌胃共21d，建立肾损害大鼠模型，各组大鼠喂养相应饲料6周，测饲料消耗量、24h尿蛋白、尿钙、钙表观吸收率、储留钙量。[结果]4组实验大鼠饲料摄入量1d～30d无统计学差异，大豆蛋白饲料组和混合饲料1组实验结束时与另外两组相比，尿钙排泄量低，钙表观吸收率和储留钙量高，差异有统计学意义（P〈0．05）。[结论]蛋白质含量水平在14％条件下，含大豆蛋白的两种饲料对肾损害大鼠钙吸收、钙排泄的影响无统计学差异，有利于促进钙吸收，减少钙排泄。     

对学习困难学生的施教对策

教师常常偏爱成绩好的学生，而对学习困难学生则在情感上、精力上和研究上投入不够。对学习困难学生的认识往往集中在他们身上的缺陷，而忽视了他们具有的学习潜能。教学实践证明，合理的施教是开发其潜能、促进其转化的关键。