广西壮族人群ICAM-1基因多态性及血清水平与脑梗死关系的研究

探讨细胞间黏附分子1(ICAM-1)基因K469E多态性各等位基因及基因型在广西壮族脑梗死患者中的分布频率,初步分析其基因及血清水平与脑梗死的关系。采用聚合酶连反应-限制性片段长度多态性(PCR-RFLP)和DNA序列测定法检测19例脑梗死及210例对照者ICAM-1基因第6外显子K469E多态性,同时采用酶联免疫吸附试验(ELISA)检测脑梗死和对照者血清ICAM-1水平。脑梗死组ICAM-1血清水平显著高于对照组(P<0.01),ICAM-1基因K469E基因频率和等位基因频率在脑梗死组和对照组比较差异有显著性(P<0.05),等位基因频率的相对风险分析发现,E等位基因携带者患脑梗死的风险是K等位基因的1.454倍(OR=1.454,95%CI1.090～1.940),携带E等位基因的脑梗死患者ICAM-1血清水平显著高于不携带者(503.31±141.32)ng/ml和(489.80±122.43)ng/ml,(P<0.01)。ICAM-1基因K469E多态性与脑梗死的发病具有相关性,E等位基因可能是广西地区壮族人脑梗死发病的遗传易感基因,携带E等位基因的个体可能通过促进ICAM-1的高度表达进而增加脑梗死的发病风险。     

A pilot study of bortezomib in Korean patients with relapsed or refractory myeloma

Recent clinical trials showed that bortezomib, a novel proteasome inhibitor, had therapeutic activity in multiple myeloma. However, there was no data about the feasibility of bortezomib in Korean patients. We performed a pilot study of bortezomib in patients with relapsed or refractory myeloma (1.3 mg/m2 twice weekly for 2 week in a 3-week cycle). Seven patients were enrolled. The median age of patients was 59 yr. All patients previously received VAD (vincristine, doxorubicin and dexamethasone) and thalidomide chemotherapy. Three patients previously received alkylator-containing chemotherapy and 4 patients, autologous stem cell transplantation. Bortezomib monotherapy resulted in 3 partial remissions (43%), 3 no changes (43%) and 1 progressive disease (14%). One patient who had no response to bortezomib monotherapy experienced partial remission after addition of dexamethasone to bortezomib. The most common serious toxicity was thrombocytopenia (grade 3/4, 10 of 20 cycles (50%)) and grade 3 peripheral neuropathy was developed in 2 of 20 cycles (10%). Drug-related adverse event led to discontinuation of bortezomib in 1 patient. There was no treatment related mortality. Overall, bortezomib seems to be effective and feasible. Conduction of larger clinical studies on Korean patients is necessary to characterize clinical efficacy and safety of bortezomib more precisely.     

BK polyomavirus interstitial nephritis in a renal allograft recipient

Human polyomavirus (PV) interstitial nephritis has recently been recognized as a cause of severe renal allograft dysfunction. It occurs in immunosuppressed patients after reactivation of the latent virus PV type BK (BK virus) in the renal epithelium. BK disease is defined as a morphologically manifest renal infection with cytopathic signs accompanied by varying degrees of interstitial inflammatory cell infiltrates and functional impairment. It is also identified by the presence of cells containing viral inclusion bodies (decoy cells) in the urine. The authors report a case of BK PV interstitial nephritis in a 36-year-old renal allograft recipient. Under light microscopy the chief diagnostic indicator was detection of intranuclear viral inclusions, which were found exclusively in tubular epithelial cells. Cells with viral changes were often enlarged with nuclear atypia and chromatin basophilia. Widespread interstitial plasma cell infiltrates associated with tubulitis were present. Intranuclear paracrystalline arrays of virus particles 35-38 nm in diameter were present as characteristic ultrastructural indicators. Urine samples revealed decoy cells with ground-glass-type intranuclear inclusions positive for BK virus by electron microcopy.     

Differences and relationships between the physical properties and the microscopic structure of human femoral,tibial and fibular cortical bone

Coefficients of correlation between certain physical properties and the histological components of the break area were calculated on an IBM 7090 computer for 56 femoral, 79 tibial and 37 fibular specimens of embalmed cortical bone of standardized size and shape. Strong positive correlations (0.01–0.02 significance level) were found between tensile strength and the percentage of interstitial lamellae in the break area; between hardness and the number of osteons/mm²; and between hardness and the percentage of osteons in the break area. Equally high negative correlations were found between tensile strength and percentage of osteons in the break area; between shearing strength and average area/osteon remnant; between elastic modulus and percentage of spaces in the break area; and an even higher correlation (0.001) between hardness and percentage of spaces in the break area. Negative correlations (at slightly more than 0.05 significance level) were found between shearing strength and modulus and average area/osteon. Osteons tend to reduce the tensile strength and elastic modulus of bone while interstitial lamellae tend to increase them. The probable reason is the relatively greater amount of cement lines, which are sites of weakness where failure can occur, in Haversian bone as compared with lamellar bone. The predominant orientation of collagen fibers and the amount and distribution of calcium may also be involved. These factors are now being investigated.     

Mechanism of slowing of mucociliary transport induced by SO2 exposure

Responses of nasal mucociliary transport mechanisms to exposure to 6 ppm SO₂ were studied in chickens in vivo. This model takes advantage of the natural cleft palate which exposes the mucociliated base of the nasal septum. Exposure to 6 ppm SO₂ decreased the mucociliary transport rate along the base of the nasal septum. The minimum force required to move an iron particle along this area of mucous membrane by use of a magnetic field in vivo increased significantly after SO₂ exposure, while the minimum force required to move an iron particle on a pool of mucus collected from the same chicken and tested in vitro showed no change after SO₂ exposure. The elastic recoil distance of mucus was measured both in vivo and in vitro. The in vivo recoil distance decreased significantly after SO₂ exposure, while SO₂ exposure did not change recoil distance in vitro. It is proposed that exposure of chickens to SO₂ results in the formation of multiple points of adhesion of strands of mucus between the acinar gland cells and the emergent extracellular mucus or adhesion of a mucous blanket to the cilia, causing mucociliary transport to be retarded or static.     

Use of egg yolk-derived immunoglobulin as an alternative to antibiotic treatment for control of Helicobacter pylori infection

The present study evaluated the potential use of immunoglobulin prepared from the egg yolk of hens immunized with Helicobacter pylori (immunoglobulin Y [IgY]-Hp) in the treatment of H. pylori infections. The purity of our purified IgY-Hp was 91.3%, with a yield of 9.4 mg of IgY per ml of egg yolk. The titer for IgY-Hp was 16 times higher than that for IgY in egg yolk from nonimmunized hens, and IgY-Hp significantly inhibited the growth and urease activity of H. pylori in vitro. Bacterial adhesion on AGS cells was definitely reduced by preincubation of both H. pylori (10(8) CFU/ml) and 10 mg of IgY-Hp/ml. In Mongolian gerbil models, IgY-Hp decreased H. pylori-induced gastric mucosal injury as determined by the degree of lymphocyte and neutrophil infiltration. Therefore, in this experimental model, H. pylori-associated gastritis could be successfully treated by orally administered IgY-Hp. The immunological activity of IgY-Hp stayed active at 60 degrees C for 10 min, suggesting that pasteurization can be applied to sterilize the product. Fortification of food products with this immunoglobulin would significantly decrease the H. pylori infection. In conclusion, the IgY-Hp obtained from hens immunized by H. pylori could provide a novel alternative approach to treatment of H. pylori infection.     

A study of finger lengths, semen quality and sex hormones in 360 young men from the general Danish population

BACKGROUND: It has been suggested that finger length may correlate with function or disorders of the male reproductive system. This is based on the HOXA and HOXD genes' common embryological control of finger development and differentiation of the genital bud. The objective of this study was to explore the association between the ratio of 2nd to 4th finger length (2D:4D ratio) and testis function in a sample of young Danish men from the general population. METHODS: Semen samples and finger measurements were obtained from a total of 360 young Danish men in addition to blood samples for sex hormone analysis to describe the possible association between 2D:4D and semen and sex-hormone parameters. RESULTS: A statistically significant inverse association with the 2D:4D was found only in relation to hormone levels of FSH in the group of young men with a 2D:4D >1 (P = 0.036) and a direct association with the total sperm count in the group of young men with a 2D:4D < or = 1 (P = 0.045). CONCLUSION: The statistically significant results may be 'false positives' (type I error) rather than representing true associations. This relatively large study of young, normal Danish men shows no reliable association between 2D:4D finger ratio and testicular function. Measurements of finger lengths do not have the power to predict the testicular function of adult men.     

Lymphocyte Depression Induced in Chickens on Diets Deficient in Vitamin A and Other Components

Chloroma (chloroleukemia) was induced in a splenectomized rat by repeatedly administering dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA) and was serially transplanted thereafter. Composed of immature myeloid cells, the tumor imparted a green discoloration to the tissues that it infiltrated extensively. Chloroma cells fluoresced red in ultraviolet light, produced a characteristic curve in spectrophotometry, and contained large amounts of myeloperoxidase. They included numerous intracytoplasmic granules of both types A and B, which contained occasional crystalline bars. Permanent lines of chloroma cells were established in tissue culture. These cells, while maintaining their initial morphology, ceased producing myeloperoxidase and subsequently induced white tumors when they were isotransplanted.     

Flattening the quality of life curve? A prospective person-centred study from Norway amid COVID-19

Quality of Life Research - We examined multidimensional, heterogeneous reactions to the COVID-19 pandemic and associated measures to provide further insights into the developmental processes of...