Health-related quality of life of Southern Chinese with chronic hepatitis B infection

Background  

Few studies have evaluated the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of Southern Chinese with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) infection.     

Association between metabolic syndrome and nephrolithiasis in an inpatient population in southern Italy: role of gender, hypertension and abdominal obesity

BACKGROUND: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) and nephrolithiasis (NL) are quite common disorders. While some of the components of MetS have been proposed as precursors of NL in population studies, no data are available about the possible association between NL and MetS as such. The primary objective of the study was to evaluate the relationship between MetS and NL. The secondary outcome was to examine the relationship between MetS single constitutive elements and NL considering the strict correlation occurring among these factors. METHODS: We studied 2132 Caucasian inpatients of the 'Spinelli' Hospital in southern Italy (males/females = 0.95; mean age 63.8 +/- 15.8 years; body mass index 26.1 +/- 3.9 kg/m(2)). The MetS diagnosis was performed according to the Heart Association/National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute criteria. The presence of NL was assessed by ultrasound examination of the kidneys and upper urinary tract. RESULTS: Seven hundred twenty-five subjects (34.0%) had a positive diagnosis of MetS. Two hundred twenty subjects (10.3%) had echographic evidence of NL, while 199 subjects reported a past history of NL (9.3%). The presence of MetS, as well as the male sex, and the occurrence of a previous episode of NL (in male subjects only) were each independently related to echographic evidence of NL. Among the individual components of MetS, high blood pressure and abdominal obesity (in female individuals only) were also independently related to echographic evidence of NL. CONCLUSIONS: MetS is significantly associated with echographic evidence of NL. A gender-related difference in the clinical expression of NL was also observed.     

Outcome following patent ductus arteriosus ligation in premature infants: a retrospective cohort analysis

Background  

The patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) is an important problem in premature infants. Surgical PDA ligation is usually only be considered when medical treatment has either failed or was contraindicated. The aims of our study were to determine the mortality and morbidity following patent ductus arteriosus ligation in premature infants, and whether prostaglandin synthetase inhibitor (PSI) use prior to ligation affects outcome.     

Greater numbers of human spermatozoa associate with endosalpingeal cells derived from the isthmus compared with those from the ampulla

A simple co-culture bioassay system was used to investigate whether or not the anatomical origin affected the ability of epithelial cells from the human uterine (Fallopian) tube to 'bind' spermatozoa. This study was also used to identify some of the factors which may be involved in the regulation of sperm-epithelial interactions in vitro by comparing different tissue culture models and assessing the effect of oestradiol concentration. Epithelial explants harvested from different regions of human uterine tubes were co-incubated with a known concentration of motile donor spermatozoa. All results were adjusted to reflect a standard sperm concentration of 5 x 10(6)/ml. More spermatozoa associated per field of isthmic compared to ampullary epithelium [isthmus 9.5 +/- 0.9, ampulla 7.1 +/- 0.7 (mean +/- SEM); n = 36, P < 0.05, ANOVA] and cells from post-menopausal patients had an apparently reduced ability to bind spermatozoa [isthmus 5.5 +/- 2.0, ampulla 4.3 +/- 1.4 (mean +/- SEM); n = 4]. Neither menstrual cycle stage nor addition of mid-cycle concentrations of 17beta-oestradiol (750 pmol/l) affected the number of spermatozoa which bound to epithelium from either tubal region. In addition, the number of spermatozoa which bound per field of polarized explants was greater (P < 0.05) than that bound to dissociated primary and passaged epithelial cell monolayers. This report is the first to provide evidence suggestive of a role for sperm- epithelial binding in the formation of an isthmic sperm reservoir in the human uterine tube. Results also indicate that oestrogen is not involved in the regulation of these interactions, and that cell polarity is an important factor for such associations in vitro.      

骨髓间充质干细胞移植对急性心肌梗死大鼠血管内皮功能的影响

目的:观察骨髓间充质干细胞移植治疗急性心肌梗死对血管内皮功能的影响。方法:实验于2005-09/2006-06在唐山工人医院中心实验室完成。①选用清洁级健康近交系SD大鼠40只,随机数字表法分为假手术组、模型对照组、干细胞移植组、细胞培养基组,10只/组。另取1只大鼠用于骨髓间充质干细胞的提取。②大鼠处死后无菌条件下分离股骨和胫骨,剔除肌肉、骨膜,剪一侧骨端,用10mL无血清DMEM低糖培养基冲出骨髓细胞后,收集冲洗液制成单细胞悬液,过滤离心,弃上清液,密度梯度法分离培养骨髓间充质干细胞。待细胞80%贴满培养瓶底时,用乙二胺四乙酸和胰蛋白酶混合消化传代。将4,6-二脒-2-苯基吲哚以50mg/L浓度加入第3代细胞培养基中,制成细胞悬液备用。③术前各组大鼠均行气管插管,建立急性心肌梗死模型,以远端供血区心肌组织颜色苍白、心电图检测Ⅱ导联ST段持续抬高为模型建立成功的标志。假手术组仅开胸予以前降支穿线但不结扎。④造模成功后1～3h,干细胞移植组用微量注射器吸取4,6-二脒-2-苯基吲哚标记好的第3代骨髓间充质干细胞悬液50μL,直接注入梗死区边缘的心肌组织。细胞培养基组按干细胞移植组的方法于相同部位注射等量无血清DMEM低糖培养基(pH值6.9)。⑤造模后4周处死各组大鼠,切取心脏组织,于梗死边缘区心肌组织制作切片,荧光显微镜下观察4,6-二脒-2-苯基吲哚标记的供体细胞。留取2mL全血,离心后抽取血清500μL,酶联免疫吸附法测定血清中细胞间黏附分子1与血管内皮细胞黏附分子1的含量。结果:40只大鼠均进入结果分析。①体外培养骨髓间充质干细胞的性状观察:从正常大鼠骨髓中分离培养的原代骨髓间充质干细胞,24～48h贴壁生长,短棒状;7～10d达到80%～90%融合;传至第3代骨髓间充质干细胞分布均匀,呈纺锤形。②各组心脏标本4,6-二脒-2-苯基吲哚标记移植细胞的存活状况:干细胞移植组可见成团及散在的4,6-二脒-2-苯基吲哚标记的阳性细胞,其余3组心脏标本中均未见荧光细胞。③各组大鼠血清中细胞间黏附分子1与血管内皮细胞黏附分子1的含量检测:与假手术组比较,模型对照组、细胞培养基组、干细胞移植组细胞间黏附分子1与血管内皮细胞黏附分子1的含量均明显升高(P<0.01或0.05);与模型对照组比较,干细胞移植组细胞间黏附分子1与血管内皮细胞黏附分子1的含量均有所降低[(3.37±0.14),(2.10±0.15)μg/L;(2.64±0.13),(1.74±0.06)μg/L;P均<0.05]。结论:骨髓间充质干细胞移植到实验性大鼠心肌梗死模型后成功存活,能降低血清中增高的细胞间黏附分子1与血管内皮细胞黏附分子1含量,提示骨髓间充质干细胞移植可能通过降低黏附分子的表达来改善血管内皮功能。     

特发性脊柱侧凸患者椎旁肌结蛋白和波形蛋白的特征表达

目的:研究表明,结蛋白和波形蛋白可反映肌肉损伤再生的情况,同时结蛋白可反应肌力的大小。比较特发性和先天性脊柱侧凸患者顶椎处凹凸两侧椎旁肌形态和结蛋白及波行蛋白的表达,探讨椎旁肌在特发性脊柱侧凸发生发展中的作用。方法:①选择2005-07/2006-11间南方医科大学南方医院脊柱骨病科收治的部分特发性脊柱侧凸患者12例,Cobb角平均73.8°;先天性脊柱侧凸患者5例,Cobb角平均36.0°;腰椎间盘突出症患者2例和胸腰椎管内占位性病变患者3例作为正常对照。所有患者年龄均在10～20岁。②对脊柱侧凸患者顶椎凹凸两侧及正常对照组患者椎旁肌进行活检,术前均签署知情同意书。③采用光镜和电镜下观察椎旁肌的形态改变;SP法分别对光镜切片的结蛋白和波行蛋白进行免疫组织化学染色,在光镜下观察蛋白表达;应用图像分析系统测量结蛋白免疫组织化学染色后反应椎旁肌蛋白表达强弱的吸光度(A)。结果:22例患者全部进入结果分析。①椎旁肌组织形态:特发性脊柱侧凸患者椎旁肌在光镜及电镜下均有病变,凹侧椎旁肌病变较重,凸侧椎旁肌相对正常。②结蛋白免疫组织化学的阳性表达:结蛋白在各组椎旁肌中均有不同程度的表达,组间比较差别显著(P<0.01)。特发性脊柱侧凸及先天性脊柱侧凸患者椎旁肌在顶椎凸侧比正常组结蛋白表达稍强(0.2727±0.0478,0.2768±0.0372,0.2429±0.0272,P<0.05),特发性脊柱侧凸及先天性脊柱侧凸患者椎旁肌在顶椎凹侧相对于正常组表达减弱(0.1898±0.0258,0.1869±0.0306,0.2429±0.0272,P<0.05)。③波行蛋白免疫组织化学的阳性表达:各组间椎旁肌肌纤维内均无波形蛋白表达。特发性脊柱侧凸与先天性脊柱侧凸患者同侧椎旁肌两组间在形态和结蛋白及波行蛋白表达无明显差别(P>0.05)。结论:特发性脊柱侧凸患者椎旁肌内波形蛋白表达均为阴性,提示椎旁肌不存在再生现象。与先天性脊柱侧凸类似,特发性脊柱侧凸患者椎旁肌结蛋白表达凸侧增强及凹侧减弱为继发性改变。     

2，4，6-三硝基苯磺酸诱导小鼠炎症性肠病模型的建立

目的:建立2,4,6-三硝基苯磺酸诱导的结肠炎动物模型,并分析其剂量效应。方法:实验于2006-05/09在南方医院消化内科研究所完成,选用SPF级雌性Balb/c小鼠50只,按随机数字表法分为5组,每组10只,对照组予以300g/L乙醇溶液灌肠1次;其他4组分别给予含25mg/kg,50mg/kg,100mg/kg,150mg/kg2,4,6-三硝基苯磺酸的300g/L乙醇溶液灌肠1次。各组于造模后3,7,21,28d各处死1只小鼠,观察结肠的大体形态。造模后21d观察各组小鼠结肠的病理组织切片,并检测中性粒细胞的髓过氧化物酶活性。结果:造模过程中50,100,150mg/kg2,4,6-三硝基苯磺酸组各死亡2,3,3只小鼠。①各组小鼠造模后的一般情况:对照组及25mg/kg2,4,6-三硝基苯磺酸组小鼠发生一过性的结肠机械损伤表现,出现便血等现象,但3～7d后开始缓解;而50～150mg/kg2,4,6-三硝基苯磺酸组小鼠出现便血,腹泻。②各组小鼠结肠的大体形态及病理组织学观察结果:对照组和25mg/kg2,4,6-三硝基苯磺酸组小鼠肠道在第7天时表现为无粘连,局部充血,肠壁不增厚,未见溃疡,于第3周时局部充血已好转;结肠病理切片大致正常。50～150mg/kg2,4,6-三硝基苯磺酸组小鼠肠道肉眼可见粘连,肠腔增大,充血水肿,溃疡形成,出现肠道增厚,病理切片见黏膜下层水肿,固有层炎症细胞浸润等现象,以上现象于造模4周后开始缓解。其中当2,4,6-三硝基苯磺酸剂量为100mg/kg时作用达到高峰。③各组小鼠的中性粒细胞髓过氧化物酶活性比较:50,100,150mg/kg2,4,6-三硝基苯磺酸组均显著高于对照组[(14.17±3.33,18.50±2.33,18.17±1.50,4.83±2.00)nkat/L,(P<0.01)]。结论:应用含100mg/kg2,4,6-三硝基苯磺酸的300g/L乙醇溶液灌肠是诱导小鼠结肠炎较为理想的方法。     

Effect of cold storage on platelet glycoprotein Ib and vesiculation

BACKGROUND: During storage of platelet concentrates at 22 degrees C, changes occur in surface glycoproteins, and membranous vesicles appear in the supernatant plasma. The extent of these changes during refrigerated storage is not known. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Membranous microparticles and changes in surface or total glycoprotein Ib (GPIb) were studied in platelet concentrates divided into aliquots stored at either 4 degrees C or 22 degrees C for 5 days. RESULTS: The refrigerated platelets showed greater loss of total GPIb, slightly less binding of monoclonal antibodies to surface GPIb, and reduced aggregation response to ristocetin relative to the paired platelet controls at 22 degrees C. Moreover, the platelets stored at 4 degrees C produced 45-percent more microparticles and 64-percent more platelet factor 3 activity in the supernatant plasma than were produced by the controls. These differences were augmented by warming both 4 degrees C- and 22 degrees C-stored platelets at 37 degrees C for 1 to 4 hours. CONCLUSION: Storage of platelets at 4 degrees C causes increased membrane vesiculation and accelerated loss of GPIb. The magnitude of these differences was small, but it may contribute to marked reductions in platelet survival in circulation.