Discussing options between patients and health care professionals in genetic diagnosis: ethical and legal criteria

The specific characteristics of genetic data lead to ethical-legal conflicts in the framework of genetic diagnosis. Several international organisations, including UNESCO and the Council of Europe, have enacted rules referring to the use of genetic information. This paper discusses possible legal and ethical criteria that could be used in genetic testing.     

Inhibition of the expression of lysyl oxidase and its substrates in cadmium-resistant rat fetal lung fibroblasts.

Copper (Cu)-dependent lysyl oxidase (LO) catalyzes crosslinking of collagen and elastin stabilizing the extracellular matrix (ECM). Chronic inhalation of cadmium (Cd), a toxic metal, induces emphysema. To probe mechanisms of Cd injury to the lung, we developed Cd-resistant (CdR) cells from rat fetal lung fibroblasts (RFL6) by chronic exposure to CdCl(2) from 1 to 40 microM and further examined their expressions of LO, LO substrates, and Cu-scavenging thiols. Levels of cellular thiols, metallothionein, and glutathione in CdR cells were elevated to 13.0- and 3.2-fold of parental controls, respectively, whereas LO mRNA and protein levels were markedly reduced in these cells, with catalytic activity declining to only 16% of the parental control. A conspicuous 52 kDa species rather then the normal 50 kDa proenzyme appeared in the CdR cell extract but not in the conditioned medium, which was codistributed with the endoplasmic reticulum marker [DiOC5(3)] within the cell, implying the Cd-induced 52 kDa species as a product of an abnormal LO-processing defect in secretion. Addition of Cu into CdR cell cultures enhanced the expression of LO mRNA, protein and catalytic activities reflecting limitation of Cu bioavailability for LO in these cells. With inhibition of LO, CdR cells also displayed downregulation of collagen and elastin, substrates of LO. Restoration of collagen synthesis by exposure of CdR cells to purified LO or Cu suggests that inhibition of LO and limitation of Cu cofactor by Cd, as key phenotype changes, accelerated collagen and elastin damage, a critical event pertinent to emphysema pathogenesis.     

中国已婚育龄妇女分娩保健服务的状况与变化研究

目的:分析我国已婚育龄妇女分娩保健服务状况及其变化。方法:对全国31个省(直辖市、自治区)抽取的调查前三年有生育史的1962名已婚育龄妇女进行问卷调查,结合1997年全国人口与生殖健康调查资料,对两次调查前三年有生育史妇女最近一次活产的分娩保健服务状况进行比较分析。结果:①与1997年调查前三年相比,2001年调查前三年育龄妇女的入院分娩率增加,家庭分娩的比例明显减少;②农村妇女家庭分娩比例明显降低,由1997年调查时的61·41%降为2001年调查时的40·78%,1998~2000年间,92·54%城镇妇女接受分娩保健服务,农村妇女家庭分娩比例高出城镇7·4倍,为40·78%;③分娩保健服务在各地区发展不平衡,东部和中部地区发展快,西部地区,尤其是西南地区发展相对较慢,1998~2000年间,西部地区妇女中,一半以上在家分娩,西部地区农村家庭分娩妇女一半以上由家人接生,约为东部和中部地区的6倍;④少数民族妇女家庭分娩和由家人接生的比例明显高于汉族妇女;⑤随着文化程度和经济收入的增加育龄妇女对分娩保健服务的利用增加,文盲、经济收入低的妇女家庭分娩比例和由家人接生的比例非常高。结论:我国分娩保健服务状况在改善,但发展极不平衡,西部地区农村的分娩保健服务急待提高。应加强对西部地区分娩保健服务的支持力度,研究制定应对策略,加强对西部农村接生人员的专业技术培训。     

放射线联合p53基因及内皮抑素治疗小鼠前列腺癌皮下移植瘤

Objective To test the hypothesis that p53 gene therapy combined with endostatin can enhance tumor response to radiation therapy of RM-1 mouse xenograft prostate cancer and to investigate its mechanism. Methods A mouse prostate cancer model was established. Then mice with xenograft tumor were randomly divided into group A (control), B (radiation), C (radiation and rAdp53), D (radiation and rh-endostatin) and E (radiation and rAdp53 and rh-endostatin). On day 1, rAdp53 was injected intra-tumorously with 1 × 1010 vp per animal to group C and E. From day 1 to 14, rh-endostatin was given 15 mg/kg intraperitoneally daily to group D and E. On day 4 single fraction of 15 Gy was given to tumors in groups B, C, D and E. Normal saline was injected intra-tumorously or intraperitoneaUy accordingly as control. No treatment was done to group A. Tumor volume was measured daily. Samples were collected on Days 5, 10 and 15. Ki67, CD31, p53 and VEGF were detected by means of immunohistochemistry. Results (1) Radiation alone, radiation combined with intra-tumorous injection of Adp53 and/or intraperitoneal injection of rh-endostatin resulted in tumor growth arrest of RM-1 cells in vivo (P = 0.000). Radiation combined with both rAdp53 and rh-endostatin was the most effective treatment (P < 0.05). (2) All the four treatment groups had a decreased expression of mutant type P53 (P = 0.000). The expression of Ki67 in groups B and C were equal (P 0.05) and increasing (P = 0.000), respectively. Group D had a up-down-up curve (P < 0.05), but group E had a up-down one. On day 5 the expresion of VEGF in group E was the lowest (P < 0.05). An increased expression of MVD compared with the control was shown, and MVD in groups C, D and E were always higher than that in the control (P < 0.05). Conclusions The limitation of radiotherapy could be overcome by combination with beth p53 gene therapy and endostatin on the growth of mouse prostate cancer cell. Radiation, rAdp53 and endostatin have their own role but they can be interacted with each other.     

氟尿嘧啶化放疗的现状与未来

20世纪60年代在肿瘤的根治和辅助治疗中就使用了氟尿嘧啶（Fluorouracil，FU）化放疗（外放疗同时进行化疗）。2002年．全世界约200万肿瘤患者接受了FU治疗．其中很大一部分是以FU为基础的化放疗。FU是许多肿瘤患者的基础治疗药物。总之，FU化放疗显著改善了肿瘤的局部控制．并提高了部分肿瘤患者的生存率：也提高了部分具有重要功能的器官的保留。     

Laparoscopic Local Resection Based on Sentinel Node Evaluation for Early Gastric Cancer: A Preliminary Report

We previously reported that lymphatic mapping using isosulfan blue can be used to identify sentinel nodes (SNs). This study was undertaken to evaluate the feasibility of using the SN technique in treating early gastric cancer and to explore its usefulness for minimal invasive surgery. Twenty-three patients with early gastric cancer who underwent SN biopsy were retrospectively evaluated. Based on SN evaluation, individualized surgery was performed in five patients with T1N0M0 gastric cancer. When pathological examination of frozen sections revealed metastasis in SNs, we performed a standard D2 gastrectomy. Laparoscopic local resection was applied when the SN biopsy was negative. Our results showed that the success rate with SN biopsy in early gastric cancer was 100%, as were the accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity. All five patients with early gastric cancer had SNs negative for metastases both by frozen section and by postoperative pathology. Thus, all these patients underwent laparoscopic local resection without extended lymphadenectomy. We conclude that SN biopsy is a useful tool to individualize the operative procedure, and laparoscopic local resection can be safely performed using SN guidance in selected patients with early gastric cancer.     

A Spanish version of the Family Assessment Device

Introduction  

This paper presents the results of a study on the psychometric properties of an authorized Spanish version of the McMaster Family Assessment Device, a self-report measure of family functioning.