Erythroid marrow function in anemic patients

Erythropoietic activity is known to be closely associated with marrow iron uptake. A modification of the standard measure of plasma iron turnover has been developed in which erythron transferrin uptake (ETU) rather than iron uptake has been calculated. The ETU has the advantage of providing a parameter of erythroid marrow activity independent of change produced by plasma iron and transferrin saturation. Measurements in 80 patients with anemia were compared to the normal value of 60 +/- 12 mumol/L whole blood/d. The mean ETU for ten patients with severe aplastic anemia and for six patients with pure red-cell aplasia were 12 +/- 8 and 12 +/- 11 mumol/L whole blood/d, respectively. In ten transfusion-dependent patients with renal failure under dialysis therapy, the mean value was 35 +/- 11, while ten other dialyzed patients who were transfusion independent had a mean ETU of 73 +/- 21 mumol/L whole blood/d. Sixteen patients with hemolytic anemia had an average ETU of 400 +/- 130, while 28 patients with ineffective erythropoiesis had a mean value of 474 +/- 147 mumol/L whole blood/d. While patients with hypoproliferative anemia showed no relation between the severity of anemia and ETU, those with hyperproliferative erythroid marrow showed increasing values as the anemia became more severe. Sequential measurements in patients with aplastic anemia under treatment and in thalassemic patients under transfusion therapy showed the value of this measurement in monitoring the effects of treatment on erythroid marrow activity. It is concluded that the measurement of ETU provides a more direct ferrokinetic evaluation of erythroid activity in anemic states.     

Identification of T lymphocytes in human mixed hemopoietic colonies

The addition of a T-cell growth-promoting medium (PHA-TCM) to culture conditions that support growth of multi-lineage hemopoietic colonies enhances the proliferation of cells with lymphoid morphology within these colonies. These cells were identified as T lymphocytes by their ability to form rosettes with SRBC and their reaction with monoclonal antibodies (OKT3, OKT4) directed against T-cell-specific surface components. They continue to proliferate extensively under the influence of PHA-TCM after transfer of mixed colonies into liquid suspension culture. Supportive evidence for a common progenitor of myeloid and lymphoid cells within single mixed colonies is provided by Y-chromatin body analysis of E-rosette positive and negative cells in colonies grown in cocultures of male and female bone marrow cells.     

Evolution of drug-resistance genes in Plasmodium falciparum in an area of seasonal malaria transmission in Eastern Sudan

We investigated the evolution of drug-resistant Plasmodium falciparum in a village in eastern Sudan. The frequencies of alleles of 4 genes thought to be determinants of drug resistance were monitored from 1990 through 2001. Changes in frequencies of drug-resistance genes between wet and dry seasons were monitored from 1998 through 2000. Parasites were also typed for 3 putatively neutral microsatellite loci. No significant variation in frequencies was observed for the microsatellite loci over the whole study period or between seasons. However, genes involved in resistance to chloroquine showed consistent, significant increases in frequencies over time (rate of annual increase, 0.027/year for pfcrt and 0.018/year for pfmdr1). Genes involved in resistance to the second-line drug used in the area (Fansidar) remained at low frequencies between 1990 and 1993 but increased dramatically between 1998 and 2000, which is consistent with the advent of Fansidar usage during this period. For mutant alleles of the primary drug-resistance targets for chloroquine and pyrimethamine, higher frequencies were seen during the dry season than during the wet season. This cyclical fluctuation in drug-resistance genes most likely reflects seasonal variation in drug pressure and differences in the fitness of resistant and sensitive parasites.     

"Early-peak" carbon monoxide production in certain erythropoietic disorders

The "early-labeled" peak (ELP) of 14CO excretion following injection of glycine-2-14C was used to study erythropoiesis in a patient with sideroblastic anemia and in four subjects with myeloproliferative disorders. The ELP was greatly enlarged in all patients, as compared with a normal volunteer. The contour of the peaks from the hematologically abnormal subjects suggested the presence of increased erythroid heme degradation. In the patient with sideroblastic anemia, all hours of the early peak were significantly reduced after transfusion. This was interpreted to mean that even the earliest or "nonerythroid" phase of the peak is influenced by erythropoietic activity, at least under conditions of erythropoietic stress.     

瑞香素杀疟原虫裂殖体的作用

[目的 ]研究中药瑞香素在体外和体内的杀裂殖体作用。 [方法 ]在恶性疟原虫FCCl株常规体外培养中测试瑞香素杀裂殖体活性 ,并按“四天抑制性试验”在感染伯氏疟原虫ANKA株的小鼠中测定不同剂量瑞香素的体内抗疟活性。 [结果 ]体外试验中瑞香素在 1～ 10 μmol L剂量范围内有明显杀灭裂殖体作用 ,而体内试验中按D4减虫率与感染鼠在 30d内的平均生存天数评价 ,5 0或 10 0mg kg .d- 1 × 4d瑞香素灌胃以及 10 ,5 0或 10 0mg kg.d- 1 × 4d瑞香素腹腔注射给药在伯氏鼠疟原虫ANKA株感染鼠中的抗疟作用与 10mg kg .d- 1 × 4d氯喹 (CQ)灌胃的疗效相似。 [结论 ]瑞香素在体外和体内均有一定的杀裂殖体作用。     

本经取穴调控无先兆偏头痛患者基因表达谱的研究

【目的】研究针刺少阳经穴与针刺非经非穴治疗无先兆偏头痛患者前后的基因表达谱。【方法】采用基因芯片技术,分析比较采用经穴（经穴组）和非经非穴（非经非穴组）治疗无先兆偏头痛患者（各10例）后基因表达谱的差异;选取部分基因进行Real-time聚合酶链反应（RT－PCR）,验证基因芯片结果的准确性。【结果】经穴组治疗前后筛选出72个差异基因;非经非穴组治疗前后筛选出110个差异基因。经穴组差异基因涉及的功能包括脑内啡肽酶、 ATP合酶等,与治疗该病的关联性大。但非经非穴组涉及的基因功能广泛且分散,与治疗该病关联性较小,如细胞凋亡、 DNA修复等。 RT－PCR检测了经穴组的ATPAF2、 PTGS2、 TOR3A基因,非经非穴组的ACP2、 AURKA、 ARHGEF11、 CASP8基因,验证了基因芯片数据的可靠性。【结论】本经取穴治疗无先兆偏头痛的经穴效应在分子水平是多基因作用的综合结果,而非经非穴产生的安慰效应并未找到与之对应的与治疗无先兆偏头痛相关的靶基因,进一步证明了经穴效应的存在。