复苏因子促进休眠结核杆菌复苏作用的研究

目的研究复苏因子蛋白对休眠结核杆菌的复苏作用，探索对休眠结核杆菌的最佳复苏方案。方法应用含不同浓度复苏因子蛋白的7H9液体培养基培养休眠结核杆菌H37Rv，分别在第6天、第11天、第16天、第30天检测培养物的OD值、并取10μL培养液涂于7H11平板培养、抗酸染色。结果低浓度组合有最佳复苏效果，高浓度复苏因子组合抑制体眠结核菌复苏。低浓度复苏因子A和高、低浓度的复苏因子B、C、E均有不同程度的复苏促进作用，复苏因子D和高浓度的复苏因子A均无复苏作用。重复试验结果相同。结论结核杆菌复苏因子蛋白对结核杆菌有复苏促进作用。     

A clinical study assessing the tolerability and biological effects of infliximab, a TNF-alpha inhibitor, in patients with advanced cancer

BACKGROUND: Tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) is an important regulator of the chronic inflammation contributing to tumour progression. Infliximab, an anti-TNF-alpha monoclonal antibody was investigated in this trial of patients with advanced cancer. The primary objectives were to determine the safety profile and biological response of infliximab in a cancer population. Clinical response was a secondary objective. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Forty-one patients received infliximab at 5 mg/kg (n = 21) or 10 mg/kg (n = 20) i.v. at 0 and 2 weeks and then every 4 weeks. Post-treatment samples were measured for changes in plasma and serum TNF-alpha, CCL2, IL-6 and C-reactive protein (CRP). RESULTS: Infliximab was well tolerated with no dose-limiting toxic effects. At both doses of infliximab, neutralisation of serum TNF-alpha was observed after 1 h while plasma CCL2, IL-6 and serum CRP were decreased 24 and 48 h following infliximab administration. Seven patients experienced disease stablisation (range 10-50+ weeks). There was no evidence of disease acceleration in any patient. CONCLUSIONS: Infliximab treatment was safe and well tolerated in patients with advanced cancer. There was evidence of biological activity with baseline TNF-alpha and CCL2 being correlated with infliximab response.     

Molecular analysis of PKU in Ireland

Classical phenylketonuria (PKU: McKusick No. 261600) is caused by mutations occurring at the phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH) locus on chromosome 12 and has a prevalence in Ireland of 1 in 4500. We examined 304 independent alleles from 350 patients for the presence of six mutations and have characterized VNTR alleles within the minisatellite region 3' to the PAH gene in patients carrying the most prevalent mutation. R408W was the most common mutation found, with a relative frequency of 42%. All other mutations had relative frequencies of <10%. VNTR analysis showed that the R408W mutation is associated with the VNTR-8 allele in the Irish population, indicating that R408W is associated with RFLP haplotype 1. This differs from that reported from eastern Europe where R408W is associated with RFLP haplotype 2/VNTR-3; an observation which has led several groups to propose a Balto-Slavic origin for this mutation. These results support the hypothesis of a second, independent founding event for the R408W mutation on an RFLP haplotype 1 VNTR-8 chromsome background in the Irish/Celtic population.     

Periodontal disease in children with Down's syndrome

Abstract – The occurrence of supra- and subgingival calculus, gingival inflammation, periodontal pockets ( 5 mm) and alveolar bone loss was determined in children (10-19 yr) with Down's syndrome (D-S) and in an aged- and sex-matched control group ( n = 39). Of D-S children ( n = 71), 39 of the patients (mean age 15.5 yr) cooperated in a clinical and roentgenologic examination. Alveolar bone loss was determined around incisors and first molars on intraoral radiographs when the distance between cementoenamel junction (GEJ) to alveolar crest (AC) exceeded 2.0 mm. Alveolar bone loss was diagnosed in 39% of the D-S children compared to 3% in the control group ( P <0.001). Of the total number of sites examined on radiographs the distance from CEJ to AC exceeded 2.0 mm in 8% in the D-S group compared to 0.2% in the control group ( P <0.001). The frequency of sites with alveolar bone loss in D-S children was significantly ( P <0.001) higher around the mandibular incisors compared to first molars. The study shows that early signs of periodontitis are frequently seen in D-S children as early as 11 yr of age and the lesions are first diagnosed in the mandibular anterior region.     

Thrombosis at venous insertion sites after inferior vena caval filter placement

Color Doppler flow imaging or compression ultrasound (US) was used to prospectively determine frequency of thrombosis at 54 venous insertion sites (47 in common femoral veins, seven in right internal jugular veins) after percutaneous placement of Greenfield filters for interruption of the inferior vena cava. Fifty-one filters were successfully placed in 51 patients with a dilator set or a balloon angioplasty catheter. Nine focal thrombi were detected in the common femoral vein (19%) and one in the right internal jugular vein (14%). Use of dilators induced eight thrombi (24%), compared with two (10%) from balloon catheters. The left common femoral vein had a high frequency of thrombosis, regardless of dilation technique (five of nine). Of nine patients with acute common femoral vein thrombosis, four became symptomatic within 10 days after the procedure. Patients may remain asymptomatic or have delayed symptoms; thus, US is valuable for determining patients at risk of thrombosis of the common femoral vein.     

Myocardial tagging in polar coordinates with use of striped tags

Regional deformation abnormalities in the heart wall provide a good indicator of ischemia. Myocardial tagging with magnetic resonance imaging is a new method of assessing heart wall motion during contraction. Current methods of myocardial tagging either do not provide two-dimensional information or lack a coordinate system well adapted to the morphology of the heart. In this article, the authors describe a new tagging method that provides a true polar coordinate system, with both radial and angular dimensions. This is accomplished with use of a section-selective version of spatially modulated magnetization resulting in striped tags (STAGs). These STAG planes are placed in the myocardium in a star pattern so that they intersect on the long axis of the heart and stripes appear through the width of the heart wall. In the short-axis view during contraction, rotation around the long axis yields angular information such as shear and twist, while separation of the stripes within the myocardium permits measurement of radial thickening. Therefore, this method provides a coordinate system for calculating two-dimensional strain that is adapted to the morphology of the left ventricle.     

Presence of residual basal cell carcinoma in re-excised specimens is more probable when deep and lateral margins were positive

In order to quantify presence of residual BCC in patients with histologic positive margins after the first excison and to correlate the presence of residual tumor in re‐excised lesions with the location of the positive margin on the first excision, a retrospective evaluation of 2053 surgically treated BCC was performed. Only 38.3% of the re‐excised lesions showed residual tumor. In the group of re‐excised lesions where residual BCC was found, 13% had lateral positive margin in the first excision, 39% had deep positive margin and 48% had both lateral and deep positive margins. In the group of re‐excised lesions where no residual BCC was found, 49% of the primary excised lesions had lateral positive margin, 32% had deep positive margin and 19% had both deep and lateral positive margins. The association between residual tumor and positive margins was statistically significant (p = 0.01). Our findings confirm that presence of residual tumour is more likely when both lateral and deep margins are compromised.     

Effect of disease severity and pharmacotherapy of asthma on oral health in asthmatic children

Abstract – Oral health was studied in a group of asthmatic children (n = 61). The children were divided in two groups, 5–10 and 11–18 yr of age. The individuals with asthma were further sub grouped with respect to the disease severity. Severe asthma was defined as more than 10 asthmatic attacks per year. This patient group had daily medication compared to children with moderate asthma (<10 asthmatic attacks/yr) who medicated temporarily. 55 age matched children from the same area made up the control group. Ail children were examined clinically and two bitewing radiographs were taken. The results showed no statistically significant differences concerning caries prevalence and gingival condition in asthmatic children compared to a healthy control group. The study shows that neither the asthma per se nor the disease severity affected the caries prevalence and gingival condition in asthmatic children.