Grey matter volume abnormalities in patients with bipolar I depressive disorder and unipolar depressive disorder:a voxelbased morphometry study

Bipolar disorder and unipolar depressive disorder(UD) may be different in brain structure. In the present study,we performed voxel-based morphometry(VBM) to quantify the grey matter volumes in 23 patients with bipolar I depressive disorder(BP1) and 23 patients with UD,and 23 age-,gender-,and educationmatched healthy controls(HCs) using magnetic resonance imaging. We found that compared with the HC and UD groups,the BP1 group showed reduced grey matter volumes in the right inferior frontal gyrus and middle cingulate gyrus,while the UD group showed reduced volume in the right inferior frontal gyrus compared to HCs. In addition,correlation analyses revealed that the grey matter volumes of these regions were negatively correlated with the Hamilton depression rating scores. Taken together,the results of our study suggest that decreased grey matter volume of the right inferior frontal gyrus is a common abnormality in BP1 and UD,and decreasedgrey matter volume in the right middle cingulate gyrus may be specifi c to BP1.     

宫颈癌患者术后下肢淋巴水肿发生状况及危险因素分析

目的分析宫颈癌患者术后下肢淋巴水肿发生情况及相关危险因素。方法应用妇科癌症淋巴水肿问卷电话调查492例手术治疗的宫颈癌患者下肢淋巴水肿发生情况,并分析术后下肢淋巴水肿的危险因素。结果宫颈癌患者术后下肢淋巴水肿发生率为20.93%,严重程度以Ⅰ度为主(占86.41%),中位发生时间为5.5个月。logistic回归分析表明,年龄、淋巴结清扫数目、术后辅助放疗、持续站立时间是术后下肢淋巴水肿发生的危险因素,规律运动锻炼是其保护因素(P0.05,P0.01)。243例术后联合放疗患者下肢淋巴水肿发生的危险因素为淋巴结清扫数目20枚及术后放疗开始时间45d(P0.05,P0.01)。结论下肢淋巴水肿是宫颈癌术后常见的并发症,年龄大、淋巴结清扫数目多、辅助放疗、长时间站立的患者是下肢淋巴水肿发生的高危人群。医护人员应做好高危人群筛查,及时给予健康教育,并积极探寻有效的预防干预措施,降低术后下肢淋巴水肿的发生率。     

Double multielectrode mapping catheters facilitate radiofrequency catheter ablation of focal atrial fibrillation originating from pulmonary veins

INTRODUCTION: Several reports have demonstrated that focal atrial fibrillation (AF) may arise from pulmonary veins (PVs). The purpose of this study was to investigate the safety and efficacy of using double multielectrode mapping catheters in ablation of focal AF. METHODS AND RESULTS: Forty-two patients (30 men, 12 women, age 65+/-14 years) with frequent attacks of paroxysmal AF were referred for catheter ablation. After atrial transseptal procedure, two long sheaths were put into the left atrium. Two decapolar catheters were put into the right superior PV (RSPV) and left superior PV (LSPV), or inferior PVs if necessary, guided by pulmonary venography. All the patients had spontaneous initiation of AF either during baseline (2 patients), after isoproterenol infusion (8 patients) or high-dose adenosine (2 patients), after short duration burst pacing under isoproterenol (14 patients), or after cardioversion of pacing-induced AF (16 patients). The trigger points of AF were from the LSPV (12 patients), RSPV (8 patients), and both superior PVs (19 patients). The trigger points from PVs (total 61 points) were 18 (30%) in the ostium of PVs and 43 inside the PVs (9 to 40 mm). After 6+/-3 applications of radiofrequency energy, 57 of 61 triggers were completely eliminated, and the other 4 triggers were partially eliminated. During a follow-up period of 8+/-2 months, 37 patients (88%) were free of symptomatic AF without any antiarrhythmic drugs. Twenty patients received a transesophageal echocardiogram, and 19 showed small atrial septal defects (2.8+/-1.2 mm) with trivial shunt. Fifteen defects closed spontaneously 1 month later. CONCLUSION: The technique using double multielectrode mapping catheters is a relatively safe and highly effective method for mapping and ablation of focal AF originating from PVs.     

Inhibitory effect of interferon-α-2b on expression of cyclooxygenase-2 and vascular endothelial growth factor in human hepatocellular carcinoma inoculated in nude mice

AIM： To evaluate the effects of interferon-α-2b （IFN- α-2b） on expression of cyclooxygenase-2 （COX-2） and vascular endothelial growth factor （VEGF） in human hepatocellular carcinoma （HCC） inoculated in nude mice and to study the underlying mechanism of IFN-α- 2b against HCC growth. METHODS： Thirb/-two nude mice bearing human HCC were randomly divided into four groups （n = 8）. On the 10th day after implantation of HCC cells, the mice in test groups （groups A, B and C） received IFN-α- 2b at a serial dose （10000 IU for group A, 20000 IU for group B, 40000 IU for group C sc daily） for 35 d. The mice in control group received normal saline （NS）. The growth conditions of transplanted tumors were observed. Both genes and proteins of COX-2 and VEGF were detected by RT-PCR and Western blot. Apoptosis of tumor cells in nude mice was detected by TUNEL assay after treatment with IFN-α-2b. RESULTS： Tumors were significantly smaller and had a lower weight in the IFN-α-2b treatment groups than those in the control group （P 〈 0.01）, and the tumor growth inhibition rate in groups A, B and C was 27.78%, 65.22% and 49.64%, respectively. The expression levels of both genes and proteins of COX-2 and VEGF were much lower in the IFN-α-2b treatment groups than in the control group （P 〈 0.01）. The apoptosis index （AI） of tumor cells in the IFN-α-2b treatment groups was markedly higher than that in the control group （P 〈 0.01）. Group B had a higher inhibition rate of tumor growth, a lower expression level of COX-2 and VEGF and a higher AI than groups A and C （P 〈 0.05）, but there was no significant difference between groups A and C. CONCLUSION： The inhibitory effects of IFN-α-2b on implanted tumor growth and apoptosis may be associated with the down-regulation of COX-2 and VEGF expression. There is a dose-effect relationship. The medium dose of IFN-α-2b for inhibiting tumor growth is 20 000 IU/d.     

Evidence for covalent binding of acyl glucuronides to serum albumin via an imine mechanism as revealed by tandem mass spectrometry.

Acyl glucuronide metabolites of bilirubin and many drugs can react with serum albumin in vivo to form covalent adducts. Such adducts may be responsible for some toxic effects of carboxylic nonsteroidal antiinflammatory agents. The mechanism of formation of the adducts and their chemical structures are unknown. In this paper we describe the use of tandem mass spectrometry to locate binding sites and elucidate the binding mechanism involved in the formation of covalent adducts from tolmetin glucuronide and albumin in vitro. Human serum albumin and excess tolmetin glucuronide were coincubated in the presence of sodium cyanoborohydride to trap imine intermediates. The total protein product was reduced, carboxymethylated, and digested with trypsin. Six tolmetin-containing peptides (indicated by absorbance at 313 nm) were isolated by high-pressure liquid chromatography and analyzed by liquid secondary-ion mass spectrometry and collision-induced dissociation, using a four-sector tandem mass spectrometer. All six peptides contained tolmetin linked covalently via a glucuronic acid to protein lysine groups. Major attachment sites on the protein were Lys-195, -199, and -525; minor sites were identified as Lys-137, -351, and -541. Our results show unambiguously that the glucuronic acid moiety of acyl glucuronides can be retained within the structure when these reactive metabolites bind covalently to proteins, and they suggest that acyl migration followed by Schiff base (imine) formation is a credible mechanism for the generation of covalent adducts in vivo.     

Quantifying anti-HBV effect of targeted ribonuclease by real-time fluorescent PCR

AIM: To quantify the inhibition of HBV replication by targeted ribonuclease by using real-time fluorescent PCR. METHODS: Targeted ribonuclease was introduced into 2.2.15 cells by liposome-mediated transfection or HIV-TAT mediated protein transduction. Forty-eight hours after the transfection and 24 h after the transduction, supernatants of 2.2.15 cells were collected and HBV DNA in the supernatants was quantified by real-time fluorescent PCR with a commercial kit. RESULTS: HBV DNA concentrations in the supernatants of 2.2.15 cells transfected or transducted with targeted ribonuclease were 4.9+/-2.4 x 10(8) copies/L and 8.3+/-4.0 x 10(8) copies/L, respectively. Compared with controls, transfection or transduction of targeted ribonuclease reduced HBV DNA concentration in the supernatants of 2.2.15 cells by 90.4% and 90.1%, respectively (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Targeted ribonuclease can inhibit HBV replication in 2.2.15 cells.     

In vivo suppressive effect of nudear factor-κB inhibitor on neutrophilic inflammation of grafts after orthotopic liver transplantation in rats

AIM. To investigate the effect of pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC), a novel nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) inhibitor, on expression of multiple inflammatory mediators and neutrophilic inflammation of cold preserved grafts after rat liver transplantation and its significance.METHODS: Orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) was performed after 24 h of cold storage using University of Wisconsin solution with varied concentrations of PDTC. We determined the time course of NF-κB activation and expression of multiple inflammatory signals, such as tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), cytokine-inducible neutrophil chemoattractant (CINC), and intercellular adhesion molecule-1(ICAM-1) by ELISA methods. Serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), intrahepatic myeloperoxidase (MPO)/WBC (a measure of neutrophil accumulation) and Mac-1 expression (a measure of circulating neutrophil activity) were also evaluated.RESULTS: PDTC decreased NF-κB activation induced by prolonged cold preservation in a dose dependent manner (from 20 mmol/L to 60 mmol/L), diminished TNF-α, CINC,ICAM-1 proteins in the grafts, and reduced the expression f increases in plasma TNF-α levels induced by prolonged old preservation. Neutrophilic inflammation of the graft was significantly suppressed after preservation with PDTC (P&lt;0.05). The total neutrophil accumulation in PDTC (40 mmol/L) group (7.04&#177;0.97) was markedly reduced compared to control group (14.07&#177;1.31) (P&lt;0.05). Mac-1 expression was significantly reduced in PDTC (40 retool/L) group (181&#177;11.3%) compared with the control group (281&#177;13.2%) (P&lt;0.05) at 6 h after reperfusion. Furthermore,PDTC inhibited the increased serum ALT levels after liver transplantation.CONCLUSION: PDTC can inhibit B NF-κB activation and expression of the inflammatory mediators, which are associated with improved graft viability via inhibiting intrahepatic neutrophilic inflammation. Our study suggests that a therapeutic strategy directed at inhibition of NF-κB activation in the transplanted liver might be effective in reducing intrahepatic neutrophilic inflammation, and would be beneficial to cold preserved grafts,