Primary tumors of the spine. Initial oncologic aspects: epidemiology, anatomo-prognostic and therapeutic classification

Primary tumors of the vertebral column are rare: 20 per cent of all primary tumors of the spinal column. The distribution by type of tumor shows that the three most frequent primary tumors considered to be "radio and/or chemo resistant lesions" are the chordoma (15.5 to 24.5%), the chondrosarcoma (20%) and the giant cell tumor (10%). A second group with "chemo and/or radiosensitive lesions" include the Ewing sarcoma, primary lymphoma and plasmocytoma (5%). We consider a third group with the benign tumor: osteochondroma, chondroma, osteoid osteoma, osteoblastoma, aneurysmal bone cyst, hemangioma and eosinophilic granuloma (2 to 3%). The last tumoral group agrees with sarcomatous tumors: osteogenic sarcoma, fibrosarcoma, malignant fibro-histiocytoma, angiosarcoma and hemangio-pericytoma (1 to 3% of primary tumors of the vertebral column); they are most frequently secondary to Paget's disease, giant cell tumor or to radiation therapy and their prognosis is poor.     

Overexpression of S100A4 is closely related to the aggressiveness of gastric cancer

Elevated levels of the calcium-binding protein S100A4 cause metastasis of benign rat mammary tumor cells. To investigate whether S100A4 plays an important role in the invasion and metastasis of gastric cancers, we examined the gene mutations in the coding regions and expression patterns of the S100A4 in gastric adenocarcinoma in Korea. Moderate to strong expression of S100A4 was found in 53 (68.8%) of the 77 gastric adenocarcinomas, whilst normal gastric epithelium either failed to stain or showed weak staining. Interestingly, S100A4 expression was more frequently observed in gastric cancer patients with advanced gastric cancer (p=0.039), positive lymph node metastasis (p=0.001), and peritoneal dissemination (p=0.022). No gene mutations were found in the analyzed genomic area in 77 gastric adenocarcinomas and 15 gastric cancer cell lines. We found one single nucleotide polymorphism without an amino acid change, A99G, in two cases. These data suggest that the overexpression of S100A4 may be closely related to the aggressiveness of gastric cancer in Korea.     

Molecular evolution of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 subtype A in Senegal: 1988-1997

OBJECTIVE: Few studies have been able to track the genetic diversity of HIV-1 viruses in human populations over time. We analyzed the molecular evolution of subtype A over a 10-year period, in a cohort of female sex workers with a known time of infection. STUDY DESIGN/METHODS: We amplified and sequenced the C2-V3 region of the surface envelope glycoprotein from 73 HIV-1-infected women, infected between 1987-1997. RESULTS: Fifty-one patients were infected by subtype A viruses. The viruses demonstrated significant diversification (p < 0.001) with mean genetic distance increasing from 8.6% in 1989 to 15.9% in 1997. The slope of the fitted curve suggested a rate of diversification of 0.7% per year. The majority of subtype A viruses clustered with HIV-1 subtype A/G recombinant form (IbNG). CONCLUSION: The genetic diversity of HIV-1 subtype A infections doubled over the first 10 years of this high risk population's epidemic, suggesting that implementation of vaccines early in the epidemic may have a higher likelihood of success based on levels of genetic diversity. The A/G recombinant form (IbNG) has taken epidemic proportions in West Africa. This is of particular importance in understanding the epidemiology of HIV-1 subtypes in Africa and to further dissect the potential phenotypic and biological characteristics of these viruses.     

逆转录病毒介导的人促红细胞生成素基因在淋巴细胞中的表达

本实验设计和构建了人促红细胞生成素（Epo）重组逆转录病毒载体（LXSN-Epo）,载体中小鼠白血病病毒长末端调控序列翻译调控人Epo基因的表达。通过重组逆转录病毒,将Epo基因转导到大鼠T和B淋巴细胞中,DNA-PCR分析证明带有人Epo基因的逆转录病毒已整合到T和B淋巴细胞基因中,RT-PCR分析显示了在两种细胞中均表达了 Epo mRNA。体外生物学活性测定显示,在转导的T淋巴细胞培养上清中Epo表达水平高达243mU/ml,在感染的B淋巴细胞培养上清中Epo活性达43mU/ml。在感染的B细胞中,Epo表达在mRNA和蛋白水平均证明了逆转录病毒能有效地和迅速地转导Epo基因到新培养的B细胞中,而不需要药物选择。这些研究开始了逆转录病毒介导的基因转移走向体内Epo基因治疗研究的过程。     

Organisation anatomique et physiologique des activités motrices de la moelle épinière

Résumé La moelle épinière utilise deux grandes modalités fonctionnelles: l'activité réflexe et l'activité programmée.L'activité réflexe constitute la modalité la plus anciennement connue, elle englobe de nombreux arcs réflexes imprégnés de finalités fort diverses. Ainsi le réflexe myotatique, arc monosynaptique le plus simple, maintient et protège le tonus musculaire; les réflexes à point de départ cutané, polysynaptiques, impliquant des réseaux interneuronaux, extériorisent des réponses motrices de défense et de protection indiquant déjà une compétence plus intégrative.L'activité programmée médullaire est supportée par des circuits neuronaux assez solidement fixés. Cette organisation fonctionnelle produit des séquences motrices correctement agencées dans l'espace et dans le temps (locomotion, miction, défécation, réflexes sexuels).Aces deux modalités basales viennent se superposer les influences supra-spinales à capacité exécutoire. Ces signaux, canalisés vers la voie finale commune, agissent, dans une faible part, directement sur les motoneurones spinaux et, en effet, dans une très large mesure, ils utilisent les circuits interneuronaux et modulent ou déclenchent réflexes et programmes médullaires engendrant ainsi une activité cinétique cohérente.     

102T/C polymorphism of serotonin receptor type 2A gene is not associated with schizophrenia in either Chinese or British populations

Several pieces of evidence implicate serotonin receptors in the aetiology of schizophrenia, and recently a number of studies have reported a genetic association between the 102T/C polymorphism of serotonin receptor type 2A gene and schizophrenia. Unfortunately a number of failures to replicate these positive associations in both Caucasian and Chinese populations have also been reported. We have examined the 102T/C polymorphism by PCR amplification and restriction analysis of DNA from: 202 schizophrenics and 202 controls from Shanghai; 112 schizophrenics and 224 parents from Chengdu, Cina; and 253 schizophrenics and 244 controls from the the UK. We find no evidence of association or transmission disequilibrium between the 102T/C polymorphism and schizophrenia in any of the groups we have examined. We conclude that either the original positive reports occurred by chance or any effect must be minimal, and urge caution in interpreting small positive results derived using data from different centres.     

中国汉族人群APOE等位基因频率的初步研究

载脂蛋白Ｅ（ａｐｏｌｉｐｏｐｒｏｔｅｉｎＥ，ＡＰＯＥ）基因是一个多功能基因，除调节脂类及脂蛋白代谢之外，近年来还发现它与Ａｌｚｈｅｉｍｅｒ病及Ⅲ型高血脂症等病之间有密切关系。为对上述疾病进行病因学研究，作者采用一步法ＰＣＲ技术对４３８名无亲缘关系的中国汉族健康受试者的ＡＰＯＥ基因进行分型，并计算其基因频率分布，结果表明，中国治疗人群ＡＰＯＥ３种等位基因的频率分别为：Ｅ２＝０．０４００，Ｅ３＝０．８     

THE EXPLORATION ON APPLIED VALUE OF BA IN DIAGNOSIS OF TIA

目的:探讨脑电地形图在短暂性脑缺血发作诊断中的应用价值.方法:在68例短暂性脑缺血发作患者中,进行了脑电地形图检查.结果:在67(98.52%)例患者中脑电地形图是异常的.40(58.82%)的患者脑电地形图在θ或δ频段显示高功率阴影,在α频段显示低功率阴影.14(20.59%)例患者在α频段显示低功率阴影.12(17.65%)例患者在θ或δ频段显示高功率阴影.1(1.47%)例患者在β频段显示低功率阴影.1(1.47%)例患者正常.结论:脑电地形图在短暂性脑缺血发作的临床诊断中具有重要意义.     

Extensive study of DRB, DQA, and DQB gene polymorphism in 23 DR2-positive, insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus patients.

To gain insight into the HLA subregions involved in protection against insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) we investigated the polymorphism of HLA-DR and -DQ genes in 23 DR2 IDDM patients. Results show the following. (1) Fourteen patients (61%) possess the DRB1, DRB5, and DQB1 alleles found in DRw16/DQw5 healthy people. These data contrast with the 5% of DRw16 normally found in DR2 populations and are in agreement with former observations supporting that the DRw16 haplotype is not protective. (2) Nine DR2 patients, i.e., 39% versus 95% in published DR2 controls, possess the DRB alleles found in DRw15 unaffected people. Among them, six patients have also DQA1 and DQB1 alleles identical to those found in DRw15/DQw6 healthy individuals. These data confirm that the DRw15/DQw6 haplotype is protective but indicate that none of the DR or DQ alleles, alone or in association, confers an absolute protection. (3) Our most striking results concern the very high frequency of recombinant haplotypes among the DRw15 patients: 3 of 9. In these three patients recombinations led to the elimination of both DQB1 and DQA1 alleles usually associated with DRw15. This strongly suggests that the occurrence of IDDM in these DRw15 patients is due to the absence of the usual DQ product and thus reinforces the assumption that DQ rather than DR region is involved in the protection conferred by the DRw15/DQw6 haplotype. Finally, analysis of the non-DRw15 haplotypes in heterozygous patients showed that IDDM can occur in the absence of any DQ alpha beta heterodimer of susceptibility.