Persistent monocytosis after intravenous immunoglobulin therapy correlated with the development of coronary artery lesions in patients with Kawasaki disease.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: This study was conducted to investigate whether changes in the complete blood count (CBC)/differential count (DC) and C-reactive protein (CRP) were correlated to Kawasaki disease (KD) with coronary artery lesions (CALs). METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed of all children with KD at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Kaohsiung from 2001 to 2006. KD patients were divided into those with and without CALs for testing of correlations with changes in CBC/DC and CRP levels. RESULTS: A total of 147 patients were enrolled for this analysis. Serial CBC/DC and CRP measurements and echocardiographic data for determination of CAL formation were obtained before and after intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) treatment. There were 44 (29%) KD patients having CAL formation (>3 mm in diameter of internal lumen). There was no significant difference in terms of age distribution and major diagnostic criteria between KD patients with and without CALs. Male KD patients, however, had a significantly higher rate of CAL formation (p=0.009). In multivariate logistical regression analysis, persistent monocytosis after IVIG treatment was the only factor significantly correlated to CAL formation (p=0.003). CONCLUSIONS: Of the febrile routine measurements of CBC/DC and CRP in KD, persistent monocytosis after IVIG treatment was correlated to CAL formation. Further studies to clarify the mechanism of monocytosis may help prevent the CALs of KD.     

阿糖胞苷纳米粒的制备及其释药规律研究

采用乳化聚合法制备阿糖胞苷纳米粒，研究其体内外释药特性。结果表明阿糖胞苷纳米粒体外释药规律符合双指数方程，有明显的缓释作用。在家兔体内的药物动力学过程符合二室模型，与阿糖胞苷注射剂相比，t1／2β和MRT延长，CL降低，表明阿糖胞苷纳米粒可显著延长阿糖胞苷在体内存留时间，具有明显的缓释特征。     

High-performance liquid chromatographic analysis of the anti-fungal agent SCH 56592 in dog serum

SCH 56592 is a novel triazole antifungal agent that is active both orally and intravenously. This compound is in phase II-III clinical trials for the treatment of systemic fungal infections. A high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method was developed for the analysis of SCH 56592 in serum of dogs, a species used for safety evaluation. The HPLC analysis involved protein precipitation with methanol followed by separation on a C18 column and quantitation by UV absorbance at 262 nm. The method was sensitive with a limit of quantification of 0.05 microg/ml in dog serum. The linearity was satisfactory as indicated by correlations of >0.996, in addition to visual examination of the calibration curves. The precision and accuracy were satisfactory as indicated by coefficients of variation (C.V.) ranging from 2.0 to 3.8%, and bias values ranging from -6.5 to 10%. Moreover, SCH 56592 was stable in dog serum after being subjected to three freeze-thaw cycles. The assay was shown to be sensitive, specific, accurate, precise, and reliable for use in pharmacokinetic or toxicokinetic studies.     

载脂蛋白E不同基因型胆囊结石患者的血脂水平分析

为了解载脂蛋白Ｅ不同基因型胆囊结石患者的血脂水平，应用ＰＣＲ技术研究了８７例胆囊结石患者和５０例正常人的ＡｐｏＥ基因型，另测定参加者空腹血脂。结果发现：Ｅ２／３基因型的胆囊结石患者血清ＴＧ、ＶＬＤＬ－Ｃ水平显著升高，ＬＤＬ－Ｃ水平显著降低。Ｅ３／３基因型胆囊结石患者ＨＤＬ－Ｃ、ＨＤＬ２－Ｃ、ＨＤＬ３－Ｃ水平显著下降。Ｅ３／４基因型胆囊结石患者ＶＬＤＬ－Ｃ轻度降低，ＬＤＬ－Ｃ轻度升高。结果提示：同一ＡｐｏＥ基因型胆囊结石患者血脂异常较正常人突出，不同基因型的胆囊结石患者血脂异常的特征各不相同。为研究胆囊结石病发病机理提供了资料。     

The dorsal facial area of the medulla in cats: inhibitory action of serotonin on glutamate release in regulating common carotid blood flow

Whether glutamate and serotonin would release and interact in the dorsal facial area (DFA) of cat medulla to regulate common carotid arterial (CCA) blood flow was explored by placing a microdialysis probe in DFA and employing high performance liquid chromatographic technique. Glutamate concentration was dose-dependently decreased by perfusion with serotonin, or alaproclate, a serotonin reuptake inhibitor. Serotonin and glutamate concentrations were increased by perfusion with KC1, a depolarizing agent. Furthermore, CCA blood flow was decreased when glutamate concentration was reduced by serotonin or alaproclate perfusion, and conversely increased when glutamate concentration was increased by KC1 perfusion. In conclusion, glutamate and serotonin releases in DFA that involve regulation of CCA blood flow are tonically mediated by nerve terminals. The glutamate release is depressed by the serotonin release.     

拇指背动脉岛状皮瓣再造拇指的解剖学研究

作者在18只尸体手标本上,对拇指背动脉进行了显微解剖研究,发现该动脉出现率较恒定,起始部血管外径平均为0.63mm,动脉可解剖长度为7.2cm,血管分布范围包括第一掌骨背侧、部份鱼际区及拇指近节背桡侧5×10cm 的皮肤。以拇指背动脉及与其相连的桡动脉远段为蒂,可以游离成一个理想的岛状皮瓣,适用于拇指再造及邻近的组织缺损修复。     

Characterization of a strain-specific monoclonal antibody to hepatitis delta virus antigen

Sequences of the hepatitis delta virus (HDV) vary to different degrees among isolates. A monoclonal antibody, designated as HP6A1, against the antigen of HDV (HDAg) has been characterized for its specificity. HP6A1 bound to HDAg of isolate 25 (genotype I) that was used for immunization, but not to others of both genotypes I and II. The epitope recognized by HP6A1 was then determined by a phage library displaying various heptapeptides. A consensus peptide deduced has the best match with that of residues 4-10 of HDAg (isolate 25). To confirm the phage mapping result, Escherichia coli recombinant proteins containing different lengths and various segments of HDAg (isolate 25) were constructed. The shortest HDAg segment contained in the fusion protein that reacted with HP6A1 was residues 1-10. When this peptide was added to the N-terminus of a heterologous protein engineered for eucaryotic expression, the fusion protein was detected by HP6A1. It is concluded that HP6A1 recognizes an epitope located at the N-terminus of HDAg (isolate 25). Since viruses of quasi-species exist in natural infections, a question of how different viral strains interact in vivo remains to be explored. The highly specific MAb opens a possibility to examine the fate of one strain in the presence of other related species in a cell transfection system.     

Intrachromosomal triplication of 2q11.2-q21 in a severely malformed infant: case report and review of triplications and their possible mechanism

A female fetus with brain malformations, multicystic kidneys, absence of the right thumb, and a posterior cleft of palate was delivered at 32 weeks of gestation. Cytogenetic studies including FISH showed a novel intrachromosomal triplication of the proximal long arm of chromosome 2 (q11.2-q21), resulting in tetrasomy for this segment. The middle repeat was inverted. At least 11 patients with intrachromosomal triplications have been reported, mostly involving chromosome 15q. The mechanism involved in formation of these rearrangements is compatible with U-type exchange events among three chromatids.     

Reduction in baroreceptor reflex response by angiotension III and its modification by Ile7-angiotensin III and bestatin in the rat

We evaluated the participation of endogenous brain angiotensin III (AIII) in central cardiovascular regulation, using the intracerebroventricular injection technique in Sprague-Dawley rats anesthetized with pentobarbital sodium (50 mg/kg, i.p.). AIII (100 pmol) promoted an elevation in systemic arterial pressure and a reduction in the baroreceptor reflex (BRR) response. Its specific antagonist, Ile7-AIII (100 nmol), and the aminopeptidase inhibitor, bestatin (200 nmol), on the other hand, augmented the response of the same reflex. The suppressive action of AIII (100 pmol) on the BRR was attenuated, and the enhancing effect of Ile7-AIII (100 nmol) was potentiated, however, when these two peptides were administered simultaneously with bestatin (200 nmol). All these events were significantly different from their controls during the first 10-15 min following injection, parallel to the time course of a discernible action of AIII on systemic arterial pressure. We discussed that the endogenous AIII in the central nervous system may participate in cardiovascular control by tonically inhibiting the BRR, in concert with other brain neuropeptides.     

Use of HLA marker associations and HLA haplotype linkage to estimate disease risks in families with gluten-sensitive enteropathy

Based on a two-locus, double recessive model, we derive formulas for the risks that relatives of individuals with gluten-sensitive enteropathy (GSE) will also develop the disease. The calculations take advantage of: the linkage between the HLA locus and one of the two proposed GSE loci, and the preferential association of the HLA-DR3 and DR7 alleles with the GSE disease allele that occupies the HLA-linked locus. We use Bayes' rule to quantitate the strength of the association between the GSE disease allele and the HLA marker allele. This method predicts that siblings of the proband have an overall 10% risk for GSE, which is consistent with observed family data. This predicted risk rises to 30% when siblings are HLA-identical to the proband (also consistent with observed data) or when the sibling has the DR3 allele in the HLA haplotypes not shared with the proband. In those populations where DR7 also is associated with GSE, siblings of probands have a 10% predicted risk for GSE when only one HLA haplotype is shared with the proband and DR7 is included in the unshared haplotype. Other DR alleles are associated with much lower disease risks. By separating individuals into high and low risk groups, HLA typing identifies those individuals who would benefit from further diagnostic procedures. This general strategy should be applicable to other multilocus, marker-associated diseases.