多发性硬化患者外周血S100A8/A9、TLR4和MMP-2表达水平的变化

目的:探讨多发性硬化(multiple sclerosis,MS)患者外周静脉血血清钙结合蛋白复合物(S100A_8/A_9)、Toll-样受体4(Toll-like receptor 4,TLR4)和基质金属酶蛋白2(matrix metalloproteinase-2,MMP-2)表达水平的变化。方法:选取MS患者16例作为MS组,健康体检者16例作为对照组。采用蛋白芯片检测法对血清样本进行检测,定量分析血清S100A_8/A_9、TLR4和MMP-2表达水平的变化。结果:MS组血清S100A_8/A_9、TLR4和MMP-2水平均高于对照组(P0.01);MS组患者血清中上述3个指标具有明显相关性(P0.05)。结论:MS患者血清S100A_8/A_9、TLR4和MMP-2表达上调,联合检测三者可能有助于临床MS疾病活动状态的判断。     

脑性瘫痪儿童采用头部低频电刺激对其运动功能及脑血流的影响

目的探讨对脑性瘫痪(脑瘫)儿童给予双乳突法头部低频电刺激对其运动功能及脑血流的影响。方法收集来我院进行治疗的脑瘫患儿106例,按照随机数字表法进行分组,康复对照组53例,给予常规治疗,电刺激治疗组53例,给予常规治疗+双乳突法头部低频电刺激;正常对照组为同期来我院进行健康体检的健康儿童50例。结果与康复对照组治疗后比较,电刺激治疗组患者的治疗显效率及其有效率明显较高(P<0.05),电刺激治疗组患儿具有显著较高的GMFM评分(P<0.05)。与电刺激治疗组治疗前比较,治疗后ACA、MCA及PCA的平均血流速度均显著增加(P<0.05)。结论对脑性瘫痪(脑瘫)儿童给予双乳突法头部低频电刺激可以使其运动功能得到明显的改善,疗效得到显著增强。     

DNA polymerase θ up-regulation is associated with poor survival in breast cancer,perturbs DNA replication,and promotes genetic instability

“Replicative stress” is one of the main factors underlying neoplasia from its early stages. Genes involved in DNA synthesis may therefore represent an underexplored source of potential prognostic markers for cancer. To this aim, we generated gene expression profiles from two independent cohorts (France, n = 206; United Kingdom, n = 117) of patients with previously untreated primary breast cancers. We report here that among the 13 human nuclear DNA polymerase genes, DNA Polymerase θ (POLQ) is the only one significantly up-regulated in breast cancer compared with normal breast tissues. Importantly, POLQ up-regulation significantly correlates with poor clinical outcome (4.3-fold increased risk of death in patients with high POLQ expression), and this correlation is independent of Cyclin E expression or the number of positive nodes, which are currently considered as markers for poor outcome. POLQ expression provides thus an additional indicator for the survival outcome of patients with high Cyclin E tumor expression or high number of positive lymph nodes. Furthermore, to decipher the molecular consequences of POLQ up-regulation in breast cancer, we generated human MRC5-SV cell lines that stably overexpress POLQ. Strong POLQ expression was directly associated with defective DNA replication fork progression and chromosomal damage. Therefore, POLQ overexpression may be a promising genetic instability and prognostic marker for breast cancer.     

Evaluation of long-term co-administration of tobramycin and clarithromycin in a mature biofilm model of cystic fibrosis clinical isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Pseudomonas aeruginosa colonisation and chronic lung infection associated with biofilm formation is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. There is thus an urgent need to develop alternative ways to treat biofilm-associated clinical infections. A kinetic study of twice-daily co-administration of the antibiotics tobramycin and clarithromycin was performed over 28 days on 12-day-old mature P. aeruginosa biofilms formed on microplate pegs for 23 clinical isolates of various phenotypes and genotypes to simulate the treatment of CF patients with inhaled tobramycin through aerosolisation (TOBI^®). Drug activity was assessed by enumeration of persistent bacteria before, during and after treatment. A mature (12-day-old) biofilm model was chosen because a previous study suggested that such a biofilm was a more realistic in vitro model than a 24-h-old biofilm. Synergistic activity of the drug combination was confirmed on biofilms of 9/23 P. aeruginosa isolates. Of these nine isolates, total destruction of the biofilm was observed for five of them. Combination treatment was superior or equivalent to treatment with tobramycin alone, as activity was observed on 47.8% of the isolates with the combination versus 26.1% with tobramycin alone. No correlation was observed between drug susceptibility profiles and the phenotype or genotype of the isolates.     

Changes of acid-producing function of the stomach before and after operation performed for gastric ulcer type I

The gastric acid-producing function changes were analyzed in 48 patients suffering gastric ulcer (Johnson-I type), using the computer pH-metry. The dependence of the gastric glands acid-production on the ulcer defect localization was established. Hyperchlorhydria was revealed in 84.6% of patients suffering gastric distal third ulcer and in its subcardial localization--in 30.8%. In the late follow-up period after the operation, performed for gastric ulcer disease, the gastric stump capacity to restore its glands production of acid depends mainly on the method of surgical procedure applied. The best indices were revealed after application of organpreserving method--the partial resection of gastric ischemized segment according to L. Ya. Kovahlchuk combined with selective proximal vagotomy, comparing with such after application of resectional methods according to Billroth.