Subcutaneous adipose 11 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 activity and messenger ribonucleic acid levels are associated with adiposity and insulinemia in Pima Indians and Caucasians

Metabolic effects of cortisol may be critically modulated by glucocorticoid metabolism in tissues. Specifically, active cortisol is regenerated from inactive cortisone by the enzyme 11 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11-HSD1) in adipose and liver. We examined activity and mRNA levels of 11-HSD1 and tissue cortisol and cortisone levels in sc adipose tissue biopsies from 12 Caucasian (7 males and 5 females) and 19 Pima Indian (10 males and 9 females) nondiabetic subjects aged 28 +/- 7.6 yr (mean +/- SD; range, 18-45). Adipose 11-HSD1 activity and mRNA levels were highly correlated (r = 0.51, P = 0.003). Adipose 11-HSD1 activity was positively related to measures of total (body mass index, percentage body fat) and central (waist circumference) adiposity (P < 0.05 for all) and fasting glucose (r = 0.43, P = 0.02), insulin (r = 0.60, P = 0.0005), and insulin resistance by the homeostasis model (r = 0.70, P < 0.0001) but did not differ between sexes or ethnic groups. Intra-adipose cortisol was positively associated with fasting insulin (r = 0.37, P = 0.04) but was not significantly correlated with 11-HSD1 mRNA or activity or with other metabolic variables. In this cross-sectional study, higher adipose 11-HSD1 activity is associated with features of the metabolic syndrome. Our data support the hypothesis that increased regeneration of cortisol in adipose tissue influences metabolic sequelae of human obesity.     

CD34+ cell dose and hematologic recovery in allogeneic peripheral blood stem cell transplantation

Allogeneic peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (Allo-PBSCT) has been performed as an alternative to bone marrow transplantation (BMT). Here we report poor mobilization with granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) and engraftment kinetics in Allo-PBSCT. Sixteen patients (aged 6-61 yr, median 34 yr) received allogeneic peripheral blood stem cells from related donors (aged 15-68 yr, median 37 yr) after myeloablative therapy. Nine of the patients had standard-risk disease and 7 had high-risk disease. The donors received G-CSF at a dose of 10 micrograms/kg/day by subcutaneous injection for 4 to 6 days. Peripheral blood stem cells were subsequently collected in 1 to 3 aphereses and infused immediately. All patients received G-CSF after transplantation. Fifteen patients underwent Allo-PBSCT and one underwent Allo-PBSCT plus BMT. The mean number of CD34+ cells infused in the 15 Allo-PBSCT patients was 6.32 x 10(6)/kg (range 1.28-14.20). The outcomes were compared with 9 identically treated patients who underwent Allo-BMT. The median times until engraftment for neutrophils > 500/microliter and platelets > 20,000/microliter were 14 (range 10-17) and 15 (range 11-50) days in the Allo-PBSCT group and 17 (range 13-29) and 20 (range 16-160) days in the Allo-BMT group, respectively (p = 0.0177 and p = 0.003). Three donors were considered to have poor mobilization (< 2 x 10(6) CD34+ cells/kg of the recipient); two of them yielded 1.28 and 1.78 x 10(6) CD34+ cells/kg in 3 apheresis procedures. The patients who received cells from these donors showed prompt neutrophil engraftment, but one showed delayed platelet engraftment and another died of grade IV acute GVHD before reaching 20,000 platelets/microliter. An additional bone marrow harvest was necessary from one donor because of poor mobilization(0.17 x 10(6) CD34+ cells/kg). Thus, Allo-PBSCT results in more rapid engraftment. It will be necessary to clarify the minimum CD34+ cell dose for complete engraftment in a larger series of trials.     

Characteristics of gram-negative bacteremia during febrile neutropenia among allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients on levofloxacin prophylaxis

European Journal of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases - The aim of this study is to clarify the characteristics of gram-negative bacteremia (GNB), including extended-spectrum...     

纳米羟基磷灰石/硫酸钙复合人工骨顺铂缓释系统注射液的制备与研究

目的研制可注射α-CSH-nano-HA/PHBV-PEG顺铂释药系统,为骨转移瘤提供新型的局部药物缓释系统。方法α-CSH-nano-HA/PHBV-PEG载顺铂制成可注射用α-CSH-nano-HA/PHBV-PEG cis-platinum缓释微球,研究其结构、释药特性、可注射性以及力学性能。结果(1)第1、3、5、7天缓释微球的释药浓度分别为97.5、90.7、83.2、68.5μg/mL,第7天后趋于稳定。(2)可注射α-CSH-nano-HA/PHBV-PEG顺铂释药系统在液固比为0.7时可注射性强,与此同时缓释药系统随着液固比的增大凝固时间延长。结论α-CSH-nano-HA/PHBVPEG顺铂释药系统具有良好的注射性能和缓释作用。     

定量三维彩色多普勒超声联合血清β-HCG检查对胎盘功能低下的诊断

目的 评估定量三维彩色能量多普勒超声(three-dimensional color power Doppler ultrasound,3D-CPD)联合β-HCG检查对胎盘功能低下的诊断价值.方法 选择2012年5月至2014年3月在昆明医科大学第四附属医院接受产检的产妇368例,利用GE公司E8三维超声系统对胎盘的血管化指数(VI)、血流指数(FI)和血管化-血流指数(VFI)进行测量,同时利用化学发光法测定β-HCG水平.并存产后记录新生儿体长、体重和生命体征综合评分(Apgar评分).结果 产后共有58例新生儿体重＜2 500 g,为观察组,另外3 10例新生儿体重＞2 500 g,为对照组.对照组VI、FI和VFI分别为(12.5±5.6)、(47.2±3.3)和(9.0±2.6),观察组为(10.2±4.8)、(40.6±4.1)和(4.2±1.7),差异具有统计学意义(P＜0.05);观察组β-HCG水平为(29453.0±229.5) mIU/mL,中位数≥2.5 mom,对照组β-HCG水平为(8 442.6±47.2) mIU/mL,中位数＜2.5mom,观察组β-HCG水平明显高于对照组(P＜0.05);新生儿基本情况相比,观察组新生儿体长、体重和Apgar评分明显低于对照组(P＜0.05).结论 3D-CPD联合β-HCG检查对胎盘功能异常具有重要的诊断价值,有利于围产期了解胎盘功能及估计胎儿预后.     

Disseminated tuberculosis following reduced-intensity cord blood transplantation for adult patients with hematological diseases

Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-SCT) recipients are prone to infections. The incidences of mycobacterial infections after allo-SCT in several case series vary from less than 0.1-5.5%. However, no study has been published on tuberculosis following unrelated cord blood transplantation (UCBT). We retrospectively reviewed medical records of 113 adult patients with a median age of 54 years who underwent reduced-intensity UCBT (RI-UCBT) at Toranomon Hospital from March 2002 to May 2004. Mycobacterium tuberculosis infections were diagnosed in three patients (2.7%), of these two patients developed primary infection and one patient developed reactivation of latent tuberculosis. The interval between RI-UCBT and the diagnosis of tuberculosis was 34, 41 and 61 days. All the patients had disseminated disease at diagnosis. Histological examination showed the lack of granuloma in caseous necrosis. Combination antituberculous treatments showed limited efficacy, and two patients died immediately after diagnosis. M. tuberculosis caused life-threatening illness, rapidly progressing in RI-UCBT recipients. The lack of granuloma in caseous necrosis suggests the impaired T-cell function in early post transplant phase of RI-UCBT. We should consider M. tuberculosis in the differential diagnoses of fever of unknown source after RI-UCBT.     

A multi-centered epidemiological study evaluating the reliability of the treatment difficulty indices developed by the Japan Prosthodontic Society

BackgroundThe diagnostic assessment of the level of difficulty in treating patients who need prosthodontic care is useful to establish a medico-economically efficient system with primary care dentists and prosthodontic specialists.Materials and methodsA multi-axis assessment protocol was established using the newly established treatment difficulty indices. The protocol contains Axis I: oral physiological conditions (e.g., teeth damage and/or missing teeth); Axis II: general health and sociological conditions (e.g., medical disorders); Axis III: oral health-related quality of life (OHRQOL; e.g., oral health impact profile: OHIP); and Axis IV: psychological health (e.g., mood, anxiety, somatoform disorders). A preliminary study on the test–retest consistency of the protocol was conducted to check the levels of reliability of the indices prior to a large-scale, multi-center cohort study on the validity of the protocol.ResultsThe test–retest consistency in terms of the oral physiological condition (Axis I) after data reduction was 0.63 for patients with teeth problems, 0.95 for partially edentulous patients, and 0.62 for edentulous patients. The reliability for general health and sociological conditions (Axis II), OHRQOL (Axis III), and psychological health (Axis IV) were 0.88, 0.74, and 0.61, respectively. These values reflect either “sufficient agreement” or “excellent agreement” in accordance with the criteria established by Landis and Koch (1977) [1].ConclusionThis protocol is the first multi-axis assessment scheme introduced for prosthodontic treatment with sufficient reliability. This new system is therefore expected to have a significant impact on future dental diagnostic nomenclature systems.