Effect of defective connective tissue on the formation of aneurysmal-like structures in the rat testicular artery

Microscopic aneurysmal-like structures (ALS) develop spontaneously in the convoluted rat testicular artery and have been previously proposed as a model relevant to cerebral aneurysms. The effect of defects in connective tissue fibres on ALS formation was investigated by microscopy using two approaches: (i) the study of the effect of β-aminopropionitrile (BAPN), an inhibitor of the cross-linking of elastic and collagen fibres, on the incidence, size and morphology of ALS in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and their normotensive controls (WKY). The straight spermatic artery was studied for comparison. (ii) The determination of the incidence of spontaneous ALS in Brown Norway (BN) and Long Evans (LE) rats which are highly susceptible (BN) or resistant (LE) to the spontaneous rupture of the arterial internal elastic lamina. (i) BAPN increased the number and size of ALS in SHR and WKY rats and had no effect on the straight spermatic artery and (ii) ALS were more numerous and of greater size in BN than in LE rats. Taken together, these results show that defective connective tissue fibres may favour the formation and induce the enlargement of aneurysmal-like structures. By analogy, these data suggest that a lack of connective tissue fibre integrity may be of importance in cerebral aneurysm formation and development.     

Catecholamine release after physical exercise. A new provocative test for early diagnosis of pheochromocytoma in multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2

A simple and practical provocative test is needed for early asymptomatic pheochromocytoma, which is a major risk for patients with multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2 (MEN-2). We measured plasma catecholamines before and after submaximal exercise in 26 MEN-2 gene carriers, eight of whom with asymptomatic pheochromocytoma, nine with medullary thyroid carcinoma and 10 after uni- or bilateral adrenalectomy. Seventeen clinically healthy individuals and 11 patients with neurovegetative lability and symptoms mimicking pheochromocytoma served as controls. Plasma adrenaline, noradrenaline and dopamine increased after exercise except for adrenaline after bilateral adrenalectomy. The post-exercise levels of adrenaline and the adrenaline/dopamine ratio were significantly higher in the pheochromocytoma patients compared to the healthy controls and the patients with neurovegetative lability, while the patients with medullary thyroid carcinoma represented an intermediate group with a high probability of developing adrenal tumors. The present method is a physiological test with a high sensitivity and specificity. It is practical and well suited for repeated examinations and seems to be of value for the detection of early pheochromocytoma in MEN-2 patients. Furthermore, the test could be used in the differential diagnosis between pheochromocytoma and neurovegetative lability.     

A dual vulnerability hypothesis for seasonal depression is supported by the seasonal pattern assessment questionnaire in relation to the temperament and character inventory of personality in a general population

BACKGROUND: Personality structure obtained from the psychobiological Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) was studied in relation to self-reported seasonal variations in mood and behavior measured by the Seasonal Pattern Assessment Questionnaire (SPAQ). METHODS: The subjects comprised 1761 adults (57.6% women) in the age range 35-85 years, enrolled in the Betula prospective random cohort study of Umea, Sweden. RESULTS: Personality profiles of subjects who reported the occurrence of a high degree of seasonal variation as such were associated with a combination of high self-transcendence (ST) and high persistence (PS), irrespective of the level of harm avoidance (HA). Subjects who reported feeling worst in winter were associated with high HA, irrespective of the levels of ST and PS. Also, subjects feeling worst in summer or experiencing overall problems with seasonal variation were associated with high HA in their personality profiles. Using the SPAQ criteria to define seasonal affective disorder (SAD) or subsyndromal SAD (S-SAD), subjects with these disorders often had combinations of high self-transcendence (ST) and high persistence (PS), but with different associations with HA. LIMITATIONS: No evaluations were made for SAD or subsyndromal SAD according to the DSM-IV or ICD 10 criteria. CONCLUSIONS: Our results relating SPAQ with TCI give support for a dual vulnerability hypothesis for seasonal depression proposed in the literature, where it is attributed to a combination of a seasonal factor and a depression factor. Examining the literature regarding the relationships between the different TCI scales and monoamine neurotransmitter functions, those relationships suggest that these two vulnerability factors for seasonal depression may be modulated by different neurotransmitter systems.     

癌组织中p16基因甲基化分析

目的探讨抑癌基因p16在胃癌组织中是否存在甲基化异常及其与胃癌发生发展的关系.方法对20例胃癌组织及相应正常胃粘膜组织应用甲基敏感酶(HpaII)和甲基非敏感酶(MspI)酶切,结合PCR扩增技术,对p16基因外显子1、外显子2的二核苷酸胞嘧啶特定序列5'-CCGG-3'位点甲基化进行检测.结果20例胃癌组织中,p16基因外显子1、2异常甲基化分别为5例(25%)和9例(45%),正常组织未发现甲基化异常;14例高甲基化标本中,中分化胃癌4例,低分化7例,高分化1例;有2例存在外显子1、2同时甲基化异常,二者均为低分化胃癌,进展期胃癌(Ⅲa、Ⅳ期各1例)中1例呈现泳动易位;外显子2甲基化异常多发生于晚期肿瘤患者(P<0.05).结论p16基因甲基化异常可能会造成基因功能丧失,从而失去对细胞增殖的负性调控作用,导致胃癌发生与进展;外显子2高甲基化与临床进展有关,可能为晚期事件.     

投影遗传算法

针对一般遗传算法在求解优化问题的多个优化解时的局限性,结合曲面投影与遗传算法的基本思想,提出了一种基于曲面投影的投影遗传算法用于解决此类问题,数值验证的结果表明了本算法的有效性和实用性。     

胰腺癌侵犯胰周结构的CT评价

目的探讨胰腺癌的CT诊断价值.方法对76例胰腺癌的CT表现进行分析并与手术病理结果对照.结果①胰腺癌在CT上表现为低密度的肿块,不强化或强化不明显,肿块边缘不规则强化;②胰头癌可引起胆总管、胰管的扩张;③胰腺癌多伴邻近血管及脏器受侵.结论 CT能正确评价胰腺癌及胰周浸润,是判断胰腺癌能否手术切除的重要检查手段.     

A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF TENIDAP, A CYTOKINE-MODULATING ANTI-RHEUMATIC DRUG, AND DICLOFENAC IN RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS: A 24-WEEK ANALYSIS OF A 1-YEAR CLINICAL TRIAL

Tenidap is a novel anti-rheumatic drug that combines cytokinemodulation with cyclo-oxygenase inhibition. This 24-week, multicentre,double-blind, randomized study compared the clinical efficacy,biochemical effects and safety of tenidap 120 mg/day (once daily)with diclofenac 150 mg/day (50 mg t.i.d.) in the treatment of384 patients with active rheumatoid arthritis. After 24 weeks,improvement with tenidap was significantly greater than withdiclofenac for all five primary efficacy parameters, two ofthe four secondary efficacy parameters and 11 of the 13 ArthritisImpact Measurement Scales assessments. The superior efficacyof tenidap was apparent after 4 weeks of treatment with furtherimprovements observed by 24 weeks. The probability of discontinuationdue to lack of efficacy was significantly greater in the diclofenacgroup. Tenidap but not diclofenac was associated with significant,rapid and sustained reductions in C-reactive protein and serumamyloid A levels and with a significant reduction in plasmainterleukin-6. The nature and frequency of side-effects weresimilar in the two groups as was the discontinuation rate fortreatment-related safety reasons. Tenidap was associated withan equal incidence of elevated transaminases, but a higher incidenceof mild (     

Anthropometric Characteristics of Mohawk Children Aged 6 to 11 Years: A Population Perspective

OBJECTIVE: Recent studies have concluded that Native North American children have higher proportions of overweight and obesity than children from the general North American population. This study presents anthropometric data on a representative sample of children from the Mohawk Nation that can be used for comparison with other Native American populations. DESIGN: This is a cross-sectional study comparing distributions of anthropometric characteristics of Mohawk children to the corresponding age and gender data from the Second National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES II). Weight, height, triceps and subscapular skinfold thickness, and waist and hip circumferences were measured in 527 children. SUBJECTS/SETTING: All children in grades 1 to 6 (aged 6 to 11 years) in the 3 elementary schools of 2 Mohawk communities in Canada, for whom parental consent was obtained, were enrolled in the present study. There were no exclusion criteria. With a participation rate of 83%, the 527 children enrolled in this study represent an unbiased sample of the population from 2 Mohawk territories. RESULTS: Compared with children studied in NHANES II, Mohawk children were similar in height and triceps skinfolds but were generally heavier, had thicker subscapular skinfolds, and had greater waist and hip circumferences. These differences were greater in older children. Mohawk children who had extreme-high weight values compared with their population means were heavier than their NHANES II counterparts. APPLICATIONS/CONCLUSIONS: Results indicated that, on average, Mohawk children seem to be slightly heavier than children in NHANES II. Except for those with extreme overweight values, Mohawk children show less variation of weight and body mass index than children in NHANES II. Finally, overweight Mohawk children seem to be more likely to carry their excess body fat truncally, compared with overweight children from NHANES II. Health practitioners working with Native American populations should be careful when assessing childhood obesity. Simple comparisons of weight or body mass index with NHANES standards may lead to inappropriate risk assessments.