Inhaled dry powder mannitol in children with cystic fibrosis: A randomised efficacy and safety trial

Introduction

Inhaled mannitol has beneficial effects on lung function, mucociliary clearance, quality of life and sputum properties. This trial examined the efficacy of inhaled mannitol in children with cystic fibrosis (CF).

Establishment of two new myeloma cell lines from bilateral pleural effusions: evidence for sequential in vivo clonal change

Two new human myeloma cell lines have been established from a 36-year- old woman with refractory IgG kappa multiple myeloma in whom bilateral malignant pleural effusions developed. The malignant plasma cells from each effusion were set up in a liquid culture using an L-15 medium containing catalase, glutathione, selenous acid, ascorbic acid, insulin, transferrin, additional glutamine hydrocortisone, and 2- mercaptoethanol and designated as M-3 medium. Two IgG kappa cell lines, LB -831 and LB-832, were established and proved to be Epstein-Barr virus negative using the internal repeat sequence DNA probe. Characteristic plasma cell morphology was evident by light and electron microscopy. Immunotyping revealed an IgG kappa , B1+, B2-, Ia (HLA- DR)+, CALLA+ phenotype for each cell line as well as for the original pleural fluid and bone marrow myeloma cells. The supernatants also contained IgG kappa, beta 2 microglobulin, and large amounts of osteoclast-activating factor (indicating bone-resorbing activity). Cytogenetic analysis of the LB-831 cell line revealed a nearly triploid highly abnormal karyotype with numerous clonal chromosomal abnormalities involving chromosomes 1, 3, 5, 7, 13, and 15; several structurally abnormal marker chromosomes; and a putative homogeneously staining region on chromosome 7p at band p22. Analysis of the LB-832 cell line revealed several additional clonal abnormalities. These additional cytogenetic changes suggest that in vivo sequential clonal evolution occurred in this patient. Therefore, two new but related cell lines have been established, which should prove useful for further biological studies.     

Humoral immune response to an allogenic foetus in normal fertile women and recurrent aborters

Background  

Several humoral immune factors are responsible for a successful pregnancy. There are a few studies, which demonstrate the role of antipaternal cytotoxic antibodies (APCA) and mixed lymphocyte reaction blocking factor (MLR-Bf) in the maintenance of pregnancy. However, these factors have not been studied in women with history of recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA). We designed this study to review the role of APCA and MLR-Bf in normal pregnancy as well as in women with a history of RSA.     

常染色体16三体胎鼠和正常同窝鼠肠神经系发育

目的 研究Ｄｏｗｎ综合征动物模型常染色体１６三体胎鼠及其正常同窝鼠肠神经系发育状况。方法 （１）将ＮＭＲ－１雌鼠与携带有两个Ｒｏｂｅｒｔｓｏｎｉａｎ（Ｒｂ）易位（１１,１６）,Ｒｂ（１６,１７）８Ｌｕｂｔ＾ＷＬｕｂ３雄鼠进行交配,繁殖常染色体１６三体胎鼠。（２）采用细胞遗传学分析,以检出两条Ｒｂ染色体和４１条染色体者定为常染色体１６三体胎鼠。（３）采用高度特异的神经标记物蛋白基因产物９．５抗体进行     

TRIPS,the Doha Declaration and increasing access to medicines: policy options for Ghana

There are acute disparities in pharmaceutical access between developing and industrialized countries. Developing countries make up approximately 80% of the world's population but only represent approximately 20% of global pharmaceutical consumption. Among the many barriers to drug access are the potential consequences of the Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) Agreement. Many developing countries have recently modified their patent laws to conform to the TRIPS standards, given the 2005 deadline for developing countries. Safeguards to protect public health have been incorporated into the TRIPS Agreement; however, in practice governments may be reluctant to exercise such rights given concern about the international trade and political ramifications. The Doha Declaration and the recent Decision on the Implementation of Paragraph 6 of the Doha Declaration on the TRIPS Agreement and Public Health may provide more freedom for developing countries in using these safeguards. This paper focuses on Ghana, a developing country that recently changed its patent laws to conform to TRIPS standards. We examine Ghana's patent law changes in the context of the Doha Declaration and assess their meaning for access to drugs of its population. We discuss new and existing barriers, as well as possible solutions, to provide policy-makers with lessons learned from the Ghanaian experience.     

Mutations in the C-terminal domain of Sonic Hedgehog cause holoprosencephaly

Holoprosencephaly (HPE) is the most common brain anomaly in humans, involving abnormal formation and septation of the developing central nervous system. Among the heterogeneous causes of HPE, mutations in the Sonic Hedgehog (SHH) gene have been shown to result in an autosomal dominant form of the disorder. Here we describe a total of five different mutations in the processing domain encoded by exon 3 of SHH in familial and sporadic HPE. This is the first instance in humans where SHH mutations in the domain responsible for autocatalytic cleavage and cholesterol modification of the N-terminal signaling domain of the protein have been observed.      

组织工程技术仿生构建颅颌骨组织的研究

目的:探索构建组织工程化仿生骨种植体的方法流程,并制备成骨细胞-可吸收载体种植体样品,同时尝试建立组织工程化非承载骨种植体的评价方法。方法:实验于2001-05/2005-12分别在天津市口腔医院组织工程实验室和天津大学材料学院高分子材料研究所完成。①通过相分离技术制备壳聚糖/明胶三维网络多孔支架,在支架材料表面原位沉积纳米级的羟基磷灰石晶体,构筑纳米羟基磷灰石/壳聚糖/明胶仿生骨组织工程支架材料,并进行表征和性能检测。②用酶消化法和条件培养法分离、诱导培养中国小型猪成骨细胞作为组织工程种子细胞。③用静态复合共培养法体外构建2种骨组织工程种植体样品:成骨细胞-纳米羟基磷灰石/壳聚糖/明胶仿生骨种植体,成骨细胞-纳米羟基磷灰石/胶原种植体。④采用扫描电镜、透射电镜、FDA荧光、LDH、MTT等定期观测仿生骨样品中细胞形态、细胞增殖速率、碱性磷酸酶活性、矿化结节形成等指标,以比较样品的细胞增殖活性和成骨活性。结果:①成功构筑了具有良好的生物相容性和力学相容性的纳米羟基磷灰石/壳聚糖/明胶,这种材料具有适于细胞黏附与生长的(90±1)%的孔隙率,孔径为100￣300μm的微孔结构,且原位沉积的纳米羟基磷灰石晶体的粒径为50nm左右,接近与天然骨的组成。②自中国小型猪腿骨成功分离培养了成骨细胞,并在诱导培养条件下,表现出很强的增殖活力和成骨活性,适合作为实验用骨组织工程的种子细胞。③成功构建了两种成骨细胞-可吸收载体种植体样品:经检验仿生构建的小型猪成骨细胞-纳米羟基磷灰石/壳聚糖/明胶种植体具有细胞亲和性和体外成骨活性。结论:①在体外成功仿生构建了结构与活性接近天然骨的骨组织工程种植体--纳米羟基磷灰石/壳聚糖/明胶种植体。②初步建立了仿生组织工程化非承载骨种植体的评价方法,为其进一步用于体内修复颅颌骨组织损伤的深化研究提供了实验数据和科学依据。