The Structure of Autism Spectrum Disorder Symptoms in the General Population at 18 Months

It is unclear whether symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in young children in the population fit the three-factor structure of ASD as described in the DSM-IV, and cluster together in individual subjects. This study analysed questionnaire data on ASD symptoms filled in by mothers of 11,332 18-month-old children that was collected in the context of the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study conducted by the Norwegian Institute of Public Health. Confirmatory Factor Analyses showed that the three-factor model had a significantly better fit then the two- and one-factor model of ASD symptoms. Latent class analysis revealed four homogeneous groups of children (classes) with different scores for Social Interaction and Communication at one hand and Stereotypies/Rigidity at the other hand.     

A longitudinal immunologic evaluation of hemophiliac patients

Over an average span of one year, we performed a prospective clinical and immunologic evaluation of 30 patients with hemophilia. No patient developed life-threatening opportunistic infection or malignancy; however, the immunologic abnormalities and lymphadenopathy initially present in nine patients (lymphadenopathy group) persisted. In addition, five patients, representing 24% of the initial group without lymphadenopathy, developed generalized lymphadenopathy (converter group). One episode of idiopathic thrombocytopenia (ITP) and one episode of staphylococcal sepsis occurred in this "converter" group; one episode of ITP also occurred in the lymphadenopathy group. Sixteen patients remained asymptomatic. At the time of the follow-up evaluation, those differences in mononuclear cell (MNC) percentages and numbers noted initially among the three hemophiliac groups were no longer present. Natural killer cell function alone or in the presence of biologic response modifiers was not different among hemophiliac and control groups. Before developing lymphadenopathy, the converter group of patients had significantly better lymphocyte mitogenic function than did the other two groups of patients with hemophilia. However, lymphocyte mitogenic responses of all groups of patients with hemophilia significantly deteriorated over the course of the study. The abnormal mitogenic responses noted in these patients was explained in part by higher levels of spontaneous suppressor cell activity in mononuclear cell preparations from patients with hemophilia. We conclude that long-term immunologic studies of this patient population requires both quantitative and qualitative evaluations. Our data show that patients with hemophilia have progressive dysfunction of cell- mediated immunity.     

Modern approaches to the treatment of breast cancer

Breast cancer is the most common cause of cancer death in women in this country. Until recently, the traditional treatment has been radical surgery with or without radiation therapy for patients with primary breast cancer, and palliative endocrine therapy followed by chemotherapy for patients with advanced disease. These treatments have met with limited effectiveness in terms of eradicating the disease. Studies in the past decade have given cause for optimism for breast cancer patients. Adjuvant systemic therapy after local treatment appears promising for certain subsets of patients with primary breast cancer. The development of estrogen receptor assays has markedly changed our approach to the disease and improved patient care. Estrogen receptor is an important prognostic factor and is useful in planning appropriate therapy for patients with primary breast cancer as well as those with advanced disease. Further research is urgently needed to improve the dismal survival of certain women with this common malignancy.     

The effect of iron loading and iron chelation on the innate immune response and subclinical organ injury during human endotoxemia: a randomized trial

In this double-blind randomized placebo-controlled trial involving 30 healthy male volunteers we investigated the acute effects of iron loading (single dose of 1.25 mg/kg iron sucrose) and iron chelation therapy (single dose of 30 mg/kg deferasirox) on iron parameters, oxidative stress, the innate immune response, and subclinical organ injury during experimental human endotoxemia. The administration of iron sucrose induced a profound increase in plasma malondialdehyde 1 h after administration (433±37% of baseline; P<0.0001), but did not potentiate the endotoxemia-induced increase in malondialdehyde, as was seen 3 h after endotoxin administration in the placebo group (P=0.34) and the iron chelation group (P=0.008). Endotoxemia resulted in an initial increase in serum iron levels and transferrin saturation that was accompanied by an increase in labile plasma iron, especially when transferrin saturation reached levels above 90%. Thereafter, serum iron decreased to 51.6±9.7% of baseline at T=8 h in the placebo group versus 84±15% and 60.4±8.9% of baseline at 24 h in the groups treated with iron sucrose and deferasirox, respectively. No significant differences in the endotoxemia-induced cytokine response (TNF-α, IL-6, IL-10 and IL-1RA), subclinical vascular injury and kidney injury were observed between groups. However, vascular reactivity to noradrenalin was impaired in the 6 subjects in whom labile plasma iron was elevated during endotoxemia as opposed to those in whom no labile plasma iron was detected (P=0.029). In conclusion, a single dose of iron sucrose does not affect the innate immune response in a model of experimental human endotoxemia, but may impair vascular reactivity when labile plasma iron is formed. (Clinicaltrials.gov identifier:01349699)     

ESAT and M-CHAT as screening instruments for autism spectrum disorders at 18 months in the general population: issues of overlap and association with clinical referrals

The Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (M-CHAT) and the Early Screening of Autistic Traits (ESAT) were designed to screen for autism spectrum disorders in very young children. The aim of this study was to explore proportions of children that screened positive on the ESAT or the M-CHAT and to investigate if screening positive on the ESAT and M-CHAT is associated with clinical referral by 18 months and other aspects of children’s development, health, and behavior. In this study, the mothers of 12,948 18-month-old children returned a questionnaire consisting of items from the ESAT and M-CHAT, plus questions about clinical and developmental characteristics. The M-CHAT identified more screen-positive children than the ESAT, but the ESAT was associated with more clinical referrals and tended to identify more children with medical, language, and behavioral problems. A post hoc analysis of combining the two instruments found this to be more effective than the individual instruments alone in identifying children referred to clinical services at 18 months. Further analysis at the level of single items is warranted to improve these screening instruments.     

多房棘球绦虫重组BCG-EmⅡ/3疫苗诱导小鼠脾细胞因子变化的研究

目的 探讨多房棘球绦虫(Em)重组BCG-EmⅡ/3疫苗免疫和Em原头节攻击后小鼠脾细胞因子的变化.方法 将Balb/c小鼠按体质量随机分为3组:疫苗皮下注射组、疫苗鼻腔内接种组、对照组.免疫后8周用Em原头节进行攻击感染,感染后18周杀鼠取脾,分离脾细胞,分别用原液、Em抗原(EmAg)、刀豆蛋白A(ConA)或植物血凝素(PHA)培养,酶联免疫吸附(ELISA)法检测脾细胞培养上清液中白细胞介素2(IL-2)、γ干扰素(IFN-γ)、肿瘤坏死因子α(TNF-β)、白细胞介素4(IL-4)水平.结果 疫苗皮下注射组原液培养条件下IL-2、IFN-γ、TNF-α和IL-4水平分别为(34.6±2.7)、(34.5±2.8)、(265.0±0.0)、(9.8±2.6)ng/L,与对照组[(25.0±1.9)、(30.0±0.0)、(10.0±0.0)、(12.5±2.7)ng/L]比较差异均有统计学意义(P＜0.01或＜0.05);疫苗鼻腔内接种组原液培养条件下上述4种指标分别为(32.5±2.2)、(33.6±2.7)、(130.0±0.0)、(10.4±2.7)ng/L.与对照组比较差异均有统计学意义(P＜0.01或＜0.05);疫苗皮下注射组原液培养条件下TNF-α水平明显高于疫苗鼻腔内接种组(P＜0.01).EmAg、ConA(或PHA)刺激培养条件下,上述4种指标明显高于相同组别的原液培养(P＜0.01),且ConA(或PHA)刺激培养条件下,上述4种指标明显高于相同组别的EmAg刺激培养条件(P＜0.01).结论 多房棘球绦虫重组BCG-EmⅡ/3疫苗诱导小鼠产生辅助T淋巴细胞(Th)1型免疫反应,从而对抗Em原头节攻击感染.     

胃底折叠术治疗胃食管反流病对高血压的影响

[目的]观察胃底折叠术治疗胃食管反流病对高血压的影响。[方法]回顾性分析2011-06—2012-08期间20例行腹腔镜胃底折叠术的胃食管反流病合并高血压患者的临床资料,依照反流病诊断问卷在手术前和手术后进行反流症状评分。[结果]20例均成功实施腹腔镜手术并于术后第12个月随访。反流总积分(Sc)由术前20.0±9.5降至术后0.5±0.9(P0.05),术后收缩压下降了(11.0±12.0)mm Hg(1mmHg=0.133kPa),舒张压下降了(9.0±11.5)mm Hg(均P0.05)。术后随访12个月11例血压恢复正常,停药时间均在9个月以上;2例减少2种降压药,1例减少1种降压药;6例无效,仍用术前降压药物。[结论]胃食管反流病与部分高血压密切相关,腹腔镜胃底折叠术治疗胃食管反流病合并高血压安全、有效。     

尖锐湿疣皮损中的微卫星DNA不稳定性

目的：探讨微卫星不稳定性在尖锐湿疣及其癌变中的作用及意义。方法：采用聚合酶链-单链构象多态性分析(PCR-SSCP)检测28例尖锐湿疣皮损中的微卫星DNA改变。结果：28例尖锐湿疣皮损中8例存在微卫星不稳定性。而且其主要出现在尖锐湿疣癌变中，未发现杂合性丢失。结论：尖锐湿疣及其癌变与微卫星不稳定性有关，临床上通过对尖锐湿疣患者微卫星不稳定性的检测，有可能对尖锐湿疣癌变作出可能性预测及早期诊断，为发现癌变高危人群提供新的依据。     

妊娠及非妊娠妇女宫颈感染人乳头瘤病毒的基因亚型检测及分析

目的:探讨妊娠及非妊娠妇女宫颈感染人乳头瘤病毒(human papilloma virus,HPV)的基因分型情况。方法:收集2012年2月—2013年5月在复旦大学附属金山医院妇产科门诊就诊的684例育龄期女性(非妊娠妇女)和857例妊娠妇女的宫颈上皮细胞标本,采用基因扩增及基因芯片技术对宫颈上皮细胞进行HPV基因亚型检测。结果:非妊娠妇女检出HPV感染195例(感染率28.5%),主要的感染类型为HPV43、16、58等。妊娠妇女检出HPV感染102例(感染率11.9%),主要的感染类型为HPV43、16、58等。妊娠妇女中30岁、30~40岁、40岁的HPV感染率分别为10.9%、15.1%、30%,非妊娠妇女中30岁、30~40岁、40岁的患者HPV感染率分别为25.3%、25.2%、32.2%。结论:妊娠妇女HPV感染率低于非妊娠妇女,两组HPV感染型别基本相同,HPV43、16、58型感染是该院妇产科门诊患者的主要感染型别,非妊娠妇女随年龄增长感染率明显升高。