Ultrasound of the whole breast utilizing a dedicated automated breast scanner

Innovations in design of a dedicated breast scanner resulted in automation of the scanning process, the production of high resolution images of the whole breast and an efficient mode of image review. The results of clinical evaluation of the prototype of this breast scanner investigating normal breasts as well as benign and malignant breast lesions are presented.     

Daclizumab, a humanised monoclonal antibody to the interleukin 2 receptor (CD25), for the treatment of moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis: a randomised, double blind, placebo controlled, dose ranging trial

BACKGROUND: An uncontrolled pilot study demonstrated that daclizumab, a humanised monoclonal antibody to the interleukin 2 receptor (CD25), might be effective for the treatment of active ulcerative colitis. METHODS: A randomised, double blind, placebo controlled trial was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of daclizumab induction therapy in patients with active ulcerative colitis. A total of 159 patients with moderate ulcerative colitis were randomised to receive induction therapy with daclizumab 1 mg/kg intravenously at weeks 0 and 4, or 2 mg/kg intravenously at weeks 0, 2, 4, and 6, or placebo. The primary end point was induction of remission at week 8. Remission was defined as a Mayo score of 0 on both endoscopy and rectal bleeding components and a score of 0 or 1 on stool frequency and physician's global assessment components. Response was defined as a decrease from baseline in the Mayo score of at least 3 points. RESULTS: Two per cent of patients receiving daclizumab 1 mg/kg (p = 0.11 v placebo) and 7% of patients receiving 2 mg/kg (p = 0.73) were in remission at week 8, compared with 10% of those who received placebo. Response occurred at week 8 in 25% of patients receiving daclizumab 1 mg/kg (p = 0.04) and in 33% of patients receiving 2 mg/kg (p = 0.30) versus 44% of those receiving placebo. Daclizumab was well tolerated. The most frequently reported adverse events in daclizumab treated patients compared with placebo treated patients were nasopharyngitis (14.6%) and pyrexia (10.7%). CONCLUSION: Patients with moderate ulcerative colitis who are treated with daclizumab are not more likely to be in remission or response at eight weeks than patients treated with placebo.     

Social Play Behavior in Adolescent Rats is Mediated by Functional Activity in Medial Prefrontal Cortex and Striatum

Social play behavior is a characteristic, vigorous form of social interaction in young mammals. It is highly rewarding and thought to be of major importance for social and cognitive development. The neural substrates of social play are incompletely understood, but there is evidence to support a role for the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and striatum in this behavior. Using pharmacological inactivation methods, ie, infusions of GABA receptor agonists (baclofen and muscimol; B&M) or the AMPA/kainate receptor antagonist 6,7-dinitroquinoxaline-2,3(1H,4H)-dione (DNQX), we investigated the involvement of several subregions of the medial PFC and striatum in social play. Inactivation of the prelimbic cortex, infralimbic cortex, and medial/ventral orbitofrontal cortex using B&M markedly reduced frequency and duration of social play behavior. Local administration of DNQX into the dorsomedial striatum increased the frequency and duration of social play, whereas infusion of B&M tended to have the same effect. Inactivation of the nucleus accumbens (NAcc) core using B&M increased duration but not frequency of social play, whereas B&M infusion into the NAcc shell did not influence social play behavior. Thus, functional integrity of the medial PFC is important for the expression of social play behavior. Glutamatergic inputs into the dorsomedial striatum exert an inhibitory influence on social play, and functional activity in the NAcc core acts to limit the length of playful interactions. These results highlight the importance of prefrontal and striatal circuits implicated in cognitive control, decision making, behavioral inhibition, and reward-associated processes in social play behavior.     

Sulfation of 25-hydroxycholesterol by SULT2B1b decreases cellular lipids via the LXR/SREBP-1c signaling pathway in human aortic endothelial cells

Objective25-Hydroxycholesterol (25HC) and its sulfated metabolite, 25-hydroxycholesterol-3-sulfate (25HC3S), regulate certain aspects of lipid metabolism in opposite ways. Hence, the enzyme for the biosynthesis of 25HC3S, oxysterol sulfotransferase (SULT2B1b), may play a crucial role in regulating lipid metabolism. We evaluate the effect of 25HC sulfation on lipid metabolism by overexpressing the gene encoding SULT2B1b in human aortic endothelial cells (HAECs) in culture.Methods and resultsThe human SULT2B1b gene was successfully overexpressed in HAECs following infection using a recombinant adenovirus. HPLC analysis demonstrated that more than 50% of ³H-25HC was sulfated in 24 h following overexpression of the SULT2B1b gene. In the presence of 25HC, SULT2B1b overexpression significantly decreased mRNA and protein levels of LXR, ABCA1, SREBP-1c, ACC-1, and FAS, which are key regulators of lipid biosynthesis and transport; and subsequently reduced cellular lipid levels. Overexpression of the gene encoding SULT2B1b gave similar results as adding exogenous 25HC3S. However, in the absence of 25HC or in the presence of T0901317, synthetic liver oxysterol receptor (LXR) agonist, SULT2B1b overexpression had no effect on the regulation of key genes involved in lipid metabolism.ConclusionsOur data indicate that sulfation of 25HC by SULT2B1b plays an important role in the maintenance of intracellular lipid homeostasis via the LXR/SREBP-1c signaling pathway in HAECs.     

保元强肾Ⅱ号胶囊对慢性肾功能衰竭肾小管间质损伤的临床研究

目的:探讨中药保元强肾Ⅱ号胶囊对慢性肾功能衰竭(CRF)的疗效及机理。方法:60例CRF患者随机分为保元强肾Ⅱ号胶囊加洛汀新组(治疗组,30例)及必需氨基酸加洛汀新组(对照组,30例),观察肾功能及肾小管标志蛋白的改变。结果:治疗组显效率及总有效率分别为633%及933%;对照组分别为300%及567%,治疗组疗效明显优于对照组(P<001);治疗组治疗后BUN、SCr及CCr均较治前明显改善,尿视黄醇结合蛋白、尿β2微球蛋白及尿N乙酰氨基葡萄糖苷酶均比治疗前显著降低,TammHorfau蛋白比治疗前显著增高(P<001或P<005)。结论:保元强肾Ⅱ号胶囊对肾小管间质损伤有明显的改善作用,从而改善肾功能,提高疗效。     

SOME OBSERVATIONS ON THE TREATMENT OF CARDIO-RENAL DISEASF)*

The classification of Bright''s Disease has claimed much attcntion during the present century. Some clinicians content themselves with the simple division into acute and chronic nephritis. This seems hardly adequate when one considers the varying types of the disease which one encounters.     

Preparation and distribution of 5-fluorouracil 125I sodium alginate-bovine serum albumin nanoparticles

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胃肠胰胰岛淀粉样多肽的定位和表达

胰岛淀粉样多肽(islet armyloid polypeptide,IAPP)是1986年瑞典学者Westermarket al[1,2 ]从胰岛素瘤患者的瘤组织,糖尿病猫及Ⅱ型糖尿病患者胰岛淀粉样沉积物中分离出来的一种多肽,几乎在同时,英国生物化学家Cooper et al[3,4]也从Ⅱ型糖尿病患者的胰岛淀粉样沉积物中分离出该肽.IAPP又称为amylin.对IAPP的分子结构、基因表达和生理作用等已有许多报道[5].近年来,在IAPP定位、表达及胃肠胰IAPP免疫反应(immunoreactive,IR)细胞定位、发生、发育方面的研究报道,为探讨IAPP的生理作用及疾病状态下的改变,提供了形态学依据,现综述如下.