Intimal hyperplasia and coronary flow reserve after heart transplantation: association with big endothelin-1

BACKGROUND: Endothelin, a peptide with strong vasoconstrictive and mitogenic properties, has been found to increase after cardiac transplantation. We therefore assessed the association between its precursor peptide, big endothelin-1, and intimal hyperplasia and coronary flow reserve after heart transplantation. METHODS: Thirty-five patients without hemodynamically significant coronary artery disease after heart transplantation were investigated: Average peak flow velocity in the left anterior descending artery (LAD) was assessed by intracoronary Doppler at baseline as well as after injection of adenosine; coronary flow reserve was calculated as a ratio of both and was corrected for patient age and baseline average peak flow velocity. Lumen, intima + media and total vessel area were measured by intracoronary ultrasound. The plasma concentration of big endothelin-1 in venous blood was determined by radioimmunoassay. RESULTS: Patients with elevated big endothelin-1 levels (>2 fmol/ml) tended to have a decreased corrected coronary flow reserve (2.60 +/- 0.9 vs 3.21 +/- 1.0, p = 0.078). They also had a significantly larger intima + media area (5.82 +/- 2.9 vs 2.37 +/- 2.9 mm(2), p = 0.004) and total vessel area (18.36 +/- 5.8 vs 12.81 +/- 4.8 mm(2), p = 0.012) than those with normal plasma concentrations. CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests an association between elevated big endothelin-1 plasma levels and the development of intimal hyperplasia and reduction of coronary flow reserve after cardiac transplantation.     

Clinical and hormonal effects of chronic gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist treatment in polycystic ovarian disease

Previously, we reported that short term administration of a highly potent GnRH agonist (GnRHa) for 1 month to patients with polycystic ovarian disease (PCO) resulted in complete suppression of ovarian steroidogenesis without measurable effects on adrenal steroid production. This new study was designed to evaluate the effects of long term GnRHa administration in PCO patients with respect to their hormone secretion patterns and clinical responses. Eight PCO patients and 10 ovulatory women with endometriosis were treated daily with sc injections of [D-His6-(imBzl]),Pro9-NEt]GnRH (GnRHa; 100 micrograms) for 6 months. Their results were compared to hormone values in 8 women who had undergone bilateral oophorectomies. In response to GnRHa, PCO and ovulatory women had rises of serum LH at 1 month, after which it gradually declined to baseline. In both groups FSH secretion was suppressed throughout treatment. Serum estradiol, estrone, progesterone, 17-hydroxyprogesterone, androstenedione, and testosterone levels markedly decreased to values found in oophorectomized women by 1 month and remained low thereafter. In contrast, serum pregnenolone and 17-hydroxypregnenolone were partially suppressed, and dehydroepiandrosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, and cortisol levels did not change. Clinically, hyperplastic endometrial histology in three PCO patients reverted to an inactive pattern, and proliferative endometrium in two other PCO patients became inactive in one and did not change in the other. Regression of proliferative endometrial histology occurred in all ovulatory women. Vaginal bleeding occurred in all women studied during the first month of GnRHa administration, after which all but one PCO patient became amenorrheic. Hot flashes were noted by all ovulatory women and by four of eight PCO patients. All PCO patients noted subjective reduction of skin oiliness, and five had decreased hair growth. We conclude that in premenopausal women: 1) chronic GnRHa administration results in apparently complete persistent suppression of ovarian steroid secretion; 2) adrenal steroid secretion is not influenced directly or indirectly; and 3) its use may be helpful in the treatment of endometrial hyperplasia and ovarian androgen excess in women with PCO.     

胃癌组织端粒酶活性与催化亚基hTERT表达的关系

研究胃癌、胃黏膜肠化生及正常黏膜组织端粒酶活性与人端粒酶催化亚基(hTERT)表达的相关性及端粒酶激活在胃癌发生中的作用.方法:通过端粒重复序列扩增(TRAP)和逆转录聚合酶链反应(RT -PCR)方法测定3种胃癌细胞株、26例胃癌、10例胃黏膜肠化生和36例正常胃黏膜组织标本端粒酶活性和hTERT表达.结果:3种胃癌细胞株、24例胃癌组织有端粒酶活性;4例肠化生端粒酶活性较弱;36例正常胃黏膜标本未测到端粒酶活性.hTERT在26例胃癌组织、5例肠化胃黏膜中表达;正常胃黏膜无表达.端粒酶活性、hTERT表达与肿瘤的分期和病理分级无关.结论:hTERT在肿瘤形成的早期阶段表达,端粒酶的激活是胃癌形成的关键步骤.     

No impact of repeated endoscopic screens on gastric cancer mortality in a prospectively followed Chinese population at high risk.

BACKGROUND: Gastric cancer (GC) is the leading cause of cancer deaths in China. Our study prospectively evaluated the impact of repeated endoscopic screens on GC mortality in a high-risk population in China. METHODS: Between 1989 and 1999, a population-based gastroscopic screening was conducted in 4,394 residents of Linqu County, China, a region with the highest rates of GC worldwide. Residents ages 35 to 64 years received initial gastroscopies with biopsies in 1989. Repeated endoscopies were performed in 1994 and 1999. Cancer occurrences and deaths were actively monitored throughout the entire period until July 2000. Mortality from GC was compared with expected values based on mortality rates obtained for Linqu in the 1990-1992 Chinese Cancer Mortality Survey. RESULTS: Between March 1989 and July 2000, 39,303 person-years were accumulated; 85 new GCs occurred, 29 (34.5%) were in early stage. Fifty-eight cases (68%) were identified at one of the screens. The number of observed deaths from GC (37) was close to the expected (36.8). The standardized mortality ratio was 1.01 (95% CI 0.72-1.37) for the entire cohort, 1.13 (95% CI 0.77-1.57) for males, and 0.65 (95% CI 0.26-1.32) for females. CONCLUSIONS: Despite high population coverage with repeated screens, no reduction in GC mortality was observed in this high-risk population in China.     

微螺钉种植体支抗系统的产生和临床应用

口腔正畸支抗是指对牙齿或颌骨所施加的矫治力的反作用力的抵抗。Freudenthaler等将其定义为:承受反作用力的单位允许移动的总量[1]。支抗的设计和有效控制是矫治成功与否的重要因素,贯穿着整个矫治过程。在临床上,尽管有了正确的支抗选择并进行了适当的支抗控制,支抗失控在治疗过程中总有可能不同程度地发生。多年来口腔正畸医生们努力想获得一种安全、有效、稳定、舒适、不需患者合作的支抗,种植体支抗正是在这种情况下逐步发展和应用。1微螺钉种植体(MAS)支抗系统的产生Creekmore Eklund于1983年第一次提出一枚小的金属螺丝钉在上颌前…