大鼠脑内心钠素的免疫组织化学观察

本文用兔抗心钠素Ⅲ特异血清,用ABC法观察了大鼠脑内心钠素的分布。结果表明心钠素在脑内广泛存在。密集的心钠素免疫反应阳性神经元,主要见于下丘脑视前区、室周核及下丘脑前核等处。密集的心钠素免疫反应阳性纤维布于下丘脑室旁核,终纹床核及终板血管器官等处。心钠素在脑内的分布状态提示心纳素可能具有中枢性调节水电解质平衡及心、血管的功能,此外,亦可能参与下丘脑—垂体系神经内分泌调节的作用。     

Socio—cultural factors influencing insecticide treated bed net utilization in a malaria endemic city in north—central Nigeria

ObjectiveTo ascertain the socio-cultural factors influencing the rate of utilization of insecticide treated bed nets (ITNs) in a malaria endemic city of Makurdi, north central Nigeria.MethodsThe study was cross-sectional in nature using systematic sampling method to identify households. Both quantitative and qualitative data was generated from adult women using structured and semi structured questionnaires, and focused group discussions (FGDs) to obtain information on rate and patterns of utilization of ITNs. Information such as age, educational level, marital status, awareness or otherwise of the existence of malaria, and factors influencing rate of ownership and utilization of ITNs were obtained. FGDs were used to obtain qualitative information on rate of utilization of ITNs not captured in the questionnaires. Data obtained was analysed using Epi Info 6 statistical software.ResultsAmong the respondents interviewed, 97.0% (2 013/2 075) were aware of existence of malaria and 87.0% of these (1 751/2 013) would associate it with mosquitoes. The rate of ownership of any bed net, ITNs and untreated bed nets (UTNs) was 25.1%, 17.0% and 8.3%, respectively. Utilization of ITNs among children was 30.0% (112/373) and UTNs 12.9% (48/373). Positive contributors to ITNs utilization were literacy, enhanced economy, experience of marriage, and being gainfully employed (P<0.05); while negative contributors were ignorance, poverty and some cultural beliefs and values.ConclusionsA more synchronized advocacy should be carried out on the potential benefits of ITNs utilization and sustained. Also ITNs should be made available to the people of the community at minimal or no cost.     

The possible role of nuclear imaging in assessment of the cardiac resynchronization therapy effectiveness in patients with moderate heart failure

Background

The aim of the study was to elucidate the role of nuclear medicine imaging in the selection of candidates for cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) and in the evaluation of CRT effectiveness

Methods

We studied 28 patients (19 male and 9 female) with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) and heart failure (HF). Before implantation of CRT device, all patients underwent SPECT with ^99mTc-MIBI at rest to evaluate the myocardial perfusion, ¹²³I-BMIPP to evaluate the myocardial metabolism, and gated cardiac blood-pool SPECT (GBPS) to assess the myocardial contractile function. Following CRT, all patients were examined with 99mTc-MIBI SPECT and GBPS 12 ± 3 months after the intervention.

Results

All patients after CRT were divided into three groups. The first group included 10 patients with LVEF increased by more than 10 % (hyperresponders), the 2nd group included 11 patients with an increase in EF of more than 5 % but less than 10 % (responders) and third group consisted of 7 males whose LVEF remained unchanged or worsened compared with pre-operative values (nonresponders). Prior to CRT, no statistically significant differences were found between groups in hemodynamic parameters (EF, EDV, ESV, SV), intra- and interventricular dyssynchrony, as well as in the midsize of perfusion defects. Following long-term CRT, we found increase in LVEF and decrease in average size of perfusion defects in groups of hyperresponders and responders (p < 0.05). Results of SPECT with ¹²³I-BMIPP, performed prior to CRT, showed that nonresponders had more pronounced disturbance of myocardial metabolism compared with the group of hyperresponders (20 vs. 14.7 %, p < 0.05).

Conclusion

The radionuclide methods can be used as possible indicators in the evaluation effectiveness and selection of candidates on the CRT.     

High maternal vitamin E intake by diet or supplements is associated with congenital heart defects in the offspring

Objective  To study associations between maternal dietary and supplement intake of antioxidants vitamin E, retinol and congenital heart defects (CHDs).
Design  Case–control study.
Setting  Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
Population  Participants were 276 case mothers of a child with CHD and 324 control mothers with their children.
Methods  Food frequency questionnaires covering the intake of the previous 4 weeks were filled out at 16 months after the index pregnancy. Data were compared between cases and controls using the Mann–Whitney U test. Risk estimates for the association between CHD and dietary intake of vitamin E and retinol were estimated in a multivariable logistic regression model.
Main outcome measures  Medians (5–95th percentile) and odds ratios with 95% CI.
Results  Dietary vitamin E intake was higher in case mothers than in controls, 13.3 (8.1–20.4) and 12.6 (8.5–19.8) mg/day ( P = 0.05). CHD risk increased with rising dietary vitamin E intakes ( P -trend = 0.01). Periconception use of vitamin E supplements in addition to a high dietary vitamin E intake above 14.9 mg/day up to nine-fold increased CHD risk. Retinol intakes were not significantly different between the groups and not associated with CHD risk.
Conclusions  High maternal vitamin E by diet and supplements is associated with an increased risk of CHD offspring.