Possible Allergenic Role of Tropomyosin in Patients with Adverse Reactions after Fish Intake

In a recent case report, patient’s anti-fish tropomyosin IgE was associated with gastrointestinal symptoms. We aimed to demonstrate on a wider scale that the panallergen tropomyosin should not be limited to invertebrate species and that clinically relevant reactions could be elicited by vertebrate tropomyosin. On the whole, 19 patients with adverse reactions after fish intake and showing negative skin tests with commercial fish extracts were included. Fish tropomyosin was recognized by 10/19 patients’ IgE by immunoblotting. All patients with gastrointestinal complaints after fish intake (6/6) showed an IgE band matching with tropomyosin. Cod, albacore, and swordfish tropomyosins were recognized by most patients although 3/10 patients did not claim adverse reactions to these fish species. Immunoblotting with a battery of antigens from different fish species have a high yield of positivity at a band matching with tropomyosin molecular weight, even if they have not been claimed to be causative agents of symptoms. Tropomyosin is therefore a good candidate to be investigated as a clinically relevant fish allergen in patients who report adverse reactions after fish intake.     

Heart Rate Variability in Peritoneal Dialysis Patients: What Is the Role of Residual Renal Function?

Background: The relationship between heart rate variability (HRV) and residual renal function (RRF) has not been elucidated previously. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, HRV was evaluated in 71 peritoneal dialysis patients. Patients were divided into RRF decline group, RRF stable group and anuric group. Results: RRF was negatively correlated with SDNN (r = -0.284, p = 0.017), TP (r = -0.247, p = 0.039), and HF (r = -0.238, p = 0.047). Significant sympathetic nerve activation was found in the RRF decline group (significantly lower SDNN, SDSD, RMSSD, pNN50, LF, HF, TP and higher LF/HF ratio) as compared to the RRF stable and anuric groups. Besides, significantly parasympathetic activation was found in the anuric group (the lowest LF/HF ratio as compared to the other groups (both p < 0.05). Multivariate stepwise regression analysis showed that the status of RRF was an independent factor associated with HRV parameters. Conclusion: This study showed autonomic nervous function in peritoneal dialysis patients was associated with a different status of RRF.     

儿童肝母细胞瘤临床病理特征分析#br#

目的探讨儿童肝母细胞瘤的临床病理特征。方法回顾分析经病理检查证实的68例肝母细胞瘤患儿的临床病理资料。结果 68例肝母细胞瘤患儿中男44例、女24例,3岁55例、≥3岁13例,初发时单发59例,甲胎蛋白(AFP)均明显升高。高危患儿27例,出现转移和/或肝外临近器官侵袭和/或门静脉及肝静脉三分支/下腔静脉受侵22例。术前影像分期PRETEXTⅣ期患儿13例。患儿年龄、AFP浓度、病理类型和PRETEXT分期有显著相关性(P均0.05);病理学类型和AFP浓度有显著相关性(P=0.002)。病理学类型在高危组、标危组之间的分布差异有统计学意义(P=0.043)。结论儿童肝母细胞瘤患儿临床病理特征差异性可能有助有指导临床治疗和预后评估。     

Clinicopathological and Ultrasonic Features of Triple-Negative Breast Cancers: A Comparison with Hormone Receptor-Positive/Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor-2-Negative Breast Cancers

The purpose of this study was to analyze the clinicopathological and ultrasound characteristics of triple-negative breast cancers (TNBCs) and compare these findings with those for hormone receptor-positive (HR-positive)/human epidermal growth factor receptor-2-negative (HER-2-negative) tumors. Seventy-five TNBCs and 135 HR-positive/HER-2-negative breast cancers were reviewed. Data from conventional ultrasound, Doppler vascularity and elastography were included in the analysis. TNBCs had a higher histologic grade and Ki-67 level. On ultrasound, TNBCs often appeared as microlobulated, markedly hypo-echoic masses with an abrupt interface boundary, posterior acoustic enhancement, absence of calcifications and more characteristics of surrounding tissue. Results from multivariate regression analysis revealed that margin, posterior acoustic features and surrounding tissue features of tumors were independent predictive factors in differentiating TNBCs from HR-positive/HER-2-negative tumors. Our results suggest that a thorough evaluation of sonographic findings might be useful in discriminating between TNBCs and HR-positive/HER-2-negative tumors, which may provide accurate evidence for clinical early diagnosis.     

What is the Psychosocial Impact of Disasters? A Meta-Analysis

The psychosocial impact concept improves the understanding of the effects of disasters on people and communities. However, its definition is not clear. This work explores consistencies between studies (k = 21) that refer to the psychosocial impact of disasters by way of a meta-analytic synthesis. This synthesis indicates that people are more prone to illness when they are exposed to a disaster, and less when they are protected (OR = 2.737). Please check the change conveys the intended meaning or amend Nevertheless, there are no differences in healthy responses, regardless of how protected or exposed they are (OR = 1.053). Finally, a model is proposed to explain four types of psychosocial impact: resilient, traumatic, sensitive, witness.     

Dopamine D2 Modulation of Sign and Goal Tracking in Rats

In Pavlovian conditioning, sign- and goal-tracking behaviors represent different approaches towards the conditioned stimulus. These behavioral patterns have been associated with predictive or incentive properties of the conditioned stimulus, with a crucial involvement of the mesolimbic dopamine system. As it is possible that sign tracking behavior is more sensitive to dopamine modulation, we evaluated the dopamine-dependence of sign- and goal-tracking behavior. We assessed responses to both a D2 agonist and an antagonist, and tested performance in a behavioral paradigm known to activate dopamine projections and in an animal model that affects mesolimbic and mesocortical function. Sign trackers displayed a greater sensitivity to a D2 agonist and smaller prepulse inhibition of the acoustic startle response than goal trackers, suggesting a reduced inhibitory ability. In addition, a neonatal ventral hippocampal lesion resulted in the loss of incentive salience of cues in sign trackers. Overall, these data indicate that sign-tracking behavior is more heavily controlled by dopamine than goal tracking.