A geometric morphometric study of regional differences in the ontogeny of the modern human facial skeleton

This study examines interpopulation variations in the facial skeleton of 10 modern human populations and places these in an ontogenetic perspective. It aims to establish the extent to which the distinctive features of adult representatives of these populations are present in the early post natal period and to what extent population differences in ontogenetic scaling and allometric trajectories contribute to distinct facial forms. The analyses utilize configurations of facial landmarks and are carried out using geometric morphometric methods. The results of this study show that modern human populations can be distinguished based on facial shape alone, irrespective of age or sex, indicating the early presence of differences. Additionally, some populations have statistically distinct facial ontogenetic trajectories that lead to the development of further differences later in ontogeny. We conclude that population-specific facial morphologies develop principally through distinctions in facial shape probably already present at birth and further accentuated and modified to variable degrees during growth. These findings raise interesting questions regarding the plasticity of facial growth patterns in modern humans. Further, they have important implications in relation to the study of growth in the face of fossil hominins and in relation to the possibility of developing effective discriminant functions for the identification of population affinities of immature facial skeletal material. Such tools would be of value in archaeological, forensic and anthropological applications. The findings of this study underline the need to examine more deeply, and in more detail, the ontogenetic basis of other causes of craniometric variation, such as sexual dimorphism and hominin species differentiation.     

Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells in repair of the injured lung

We sought to determine whether an intact bone marrow is essential to lung repair following bleomycin-induced lung injury in mice, and the mechanisms of any protective effects conferred by bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cell (BMDMSC) transfer. We found that myelosupression increased susceptibility to bleomycin injury and that BMDMSC transfer was protective. Protection was associated with the differentiation of engrafted BMDMSC into specific and distinct lung cell phenotypes, with an increase in circulating levels of G-CSF and GM-CSF (known for their ability to promote the mobilization of endogenous stem cells) and with a decrease in inflammatory cytokines. In vitro, cells from injured, but not from normal, mouse lung produced soluble factors that caused BMDMSC to proliferate and migrate toward the injured lung. We conclude that bone marrow stem cells are important in the repair of bleomycin-injured lung and that transfer of mesenchymal stem cells protects against the injury. BMDMSC localize to the injured lung and assume lung cell phenotypes, but protection from injury and fibrosis also involves suppression of inflammation and triggering production of reparative growth factors.     

Combination of PCR targeting the VD2 of omp1 and reverse line blot analysis for typing of urogenital Chlamydia trachomatis serovars in cervical scrape specimens

In this study we developed and evaluated a new PCR-based typing assay, directed to the VD2 region of the omp1 gene, for the detection and typing of urogenital Chlamydia trachomatis infections. A nested VD2 PCR-reverse line blot (RLB) assay was developed for the typing of nine different urogenital serovars of C. trachomatis. The assay developed was tested with reference strains of C. trachomatis serovars and cervical scrapes of 86 Colombian women previously found to be positive for C. trachomatis by using plasmid PCR. Two sets of primers directed to the VD2 region of the omp1 gene of C. trachomatis were designed, and fragments of 220 and 166 bp were generated in the primary and nested PCRs, respectively. In addition, an RLB assay was developed to identify nine different urogenital serovars of C. trachomatis (Ba, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, and K) and group controls, including group B (Ba, D, and E), group C (I, J, K, and H), and an intermediate group (F and G). Using this assay, we were able to type 81 of the 86 samples (94.2%). Of these samples, 91.3% were single C. trachomatis infections, and 8.7% were multiple infections. The most common serovars identified were serovars D (22.2%), F (18.5%), G (13.6%), and E (12.3%). Of the women with multiple C. trachomatis infections, >50% contained both serovars D and E. The nested VD2 PCR-RLB developed is a simple, fast, and specific method for the identification of individual urogenital C. trachomatis serovars previously detected by using plasmid PCR. Moreover, it is an appropriate method for studying multiple C. trachomatis infections and for use in large epidemiological studies.     

大学生日常琐事应激与健康的关系

目的探讨日常琐事应激与大学生健康的关系,检验日常琐事应激对健康的预测作用。方法采用自测健康量表和经修订的日常琐事应激量表对153名大学生施测,考察自测健康和日常琐事应激的关系。结果大学生日常琐事应激频率对生理健康预测显著;认知评价和个体应对对心理健康预测显著;个体应对对社会健康预测显著;应激频率和个体应对对总体健康预测显著。结论大学生日常琐事应激与健康关系密切,可作为预测个体身心健康的有效预测源。     

伴和不伴类风湿性关节炎患者腰椎管狭窄后路减压融合过程中隐性失血的对比

背景:腰椎管狭窄症后路手术除术中出血和术后引流外,还存在大量的"隐性失血"。合并类风湿性关节炎患者可能会影响围术期出血尤其是隐性失血,此前并无报道。目的:针对合并类风湿性关节炎的腰椎管狭窄患者与非类风湿性关节炎行腰椎后路手术时术中出血量、术后引流量以及隐性失血情况进行对比,并探讨类风湿性关节炎患者隐性失血的危险因素。方法:回顾性纳入了65例合并类风湿性关节炎的腰椎管狭窄患者(类风湿性关节炎组),筛选87例未合并类风湿性关节炎的腰椎管狭窄患者(非类风湿性关节炎组),所有患者均采取椎弓根螺钉+钛棒+椎间融合器内固定系统进行腰椎后路减压融合和后外侧融合治疗,术中行自体骨后外侧植骨。提取信息包括人口统计学信息、类风湿性关节炎信息(如类风湿性关节炎病史、Steinbrocker分级、抗类风湿性关节炎药物)、手术信息以及出血量相关指标。以术中出血量、术后引流量和隐性失血作为主要指标;以手术时间、术前术后红细胞压积和血红蛋白及其变化值、手术前后贫血数量、术后新发贫血数量、自体血和异体血输注量等作为次要指标。结果与结论:①类风湿性关节炎组腰椎管狭窄患者平均年龄为(65.97±8.02)岁,平均体质量指数为(25.76±3.68)kg/m^2,非类风湿性关节炎组中患者在性别比例、年龄和手术节段数上均与之匹配;②类风湿性关节炎组中患者平均病程为(16.78±12.73)年,其中单药或联合口服改变病情抗风湿药者最常见,2组在椎弓根螺钉数和椎间融合器置入数量上差异均无显著性意义,围术期并发症发生率2组差异亦无显著性意义;③主要结果对比显示2组在总失血量、术中出血量和术后引流量方面差异无显著性意义,而隐性失血以及隐性失血所占总失血量比例在非类风湿性关节炎组中更低(P<0.001,0.012);根据手术节段数进行分层分析,长节段(≥3节段)手术中非类风湿性关节炎组中隐性失血和隐性失血所占总失血量比例均优于类风湿性关节炎组;④次要指标对比红细胞压积改变值(P=0.021)在非类风湿性关节炎组小于类风湿性关节炎组但血红蛋白减小值2组差异无显著性意义;术后2组新发贫血以及贫血加重情况相比差异无显著性意义,异体血输注和手术时间相比差异也无显著性意义;⑤对类风湿性关节炎组患者隐性失血进行多元线性回归分析显示,类风湿性关节炎的Steinbrocker级别高、未服用改变病情抗风湿药、血红蛋白变化和输注异体血为隐性失血的独立危险因素;⑥提示类风湿性关节炎组和非类风湿性关节炎组在总失血量、术中出血、术后引流和手术时间上无差异,而隐性失血以及隐性失血所占总失血量比例类风湿性关节炎组高于非类风湿性关节炎组,尤其是长节段手术;类风湿性关节炎组的Steinbrocker分级高、未服用改变病情抗风湿药、血红蛋白改变较多以及输注异体血为隐性失血的独立危险因素。     

经皮血管腔内成形术在布-加综合征中的应用

我们自1991年11月～1996年12月为32例布-加综合征患进行经皮血管腔内成形术治疗，其中膜型阻塞或狭窄21例，采用大球囊一次性扩张；段型11例，采用内支架植入术。其中28例随访2～60个月，疗效满意；管腔通畅，无严重并发症，无死亡。我们认为该技术安全，简单，对布-加氏综合征治疗有效，尤适合于肝段下腔静脉膜型阻塞的患。     

羟基磷灰石与骨界面抗张强度测试及扫描电镜观察

本文测试了孔隙率为１４％，孔径小于２μｍ的纯羟基磷灰石（ＨＡ）与兔胫骨皮质骨之间界面的抗张强度，２周时为０．７２ＭＰａ；４、８、１６周之间强度无明显差异平均为１．５ＭＰａ。扫描电镜观察表明，２周时拉伸断裂位于ＨＡ－骨界面，４周以后多在ＨＡ晶体颗粒之间。ＨＡ与骨生物适应性好，矿化组织可以直接沉着于ＨＡ表面或ＨＡ内部，近界面处的ＨＡ发生了一定的生物降解反应，且骨矿化与ＨＡ的降解可能达到某种平衡。     

How clients with religious or spiritual beliefs experience psychological help‐seeking and therapy: A qualitative study

This qualitative study explored the process of help‐seeking and therapy among clients with religious or spiritual beliefs. Ten clients who were currently in, or had recently finished, therapy were interviewed. Participants reported using their religious or spiritual beliefs to cope with their psychological problems before and during therapy. Prior to therapy, they were worried that secular‐based help might weaken their faith. However, the experience of having psychological distress and the process of receiving therapy were both perceived as strengthening to faith and ultimately part of a spiritual journey. Contrary to expectations, a match between the spirituality or religious affiliation of the therapist and client was not considered important. This implies that the ‘religiosity gap’ between secular therapists and clients with religious/spiritual beliefs is bridgeable. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Antibody dynamics to SARS-CoV-2 in asymptomatic COVID-19 infections

Background

The missing asymptomatic COVID-19 infections have been overlooked because of the imperfect sensitivity of the nucleic acid testing (NAT). Globally understanding the humoral immunity in asymptomatic carriers will provide scientific knowledge for developing serological tests, improving early identification, and implementing more rational control strategies against the pandemic.

Measure

Utilizing both NAT and commercial kits for serum IgM and IgG antibodies, we extensively screened 11 766 epidemiologically suspected individuals on enrollment and 63 asymptomatic individuals were detected and recruited. Sixty-three healthy individuals and 51 mild patients without any preexisting conditions were set as controls. Serum IgM and IgG profiles were further probed using a SARS-CoV-2 proteome microarray, and neutralizing antibody was detected by a pseudotyped virus neutralization assay system. The dynamics of antibodies were analyzed with exposure time or symptoms onset.

Results

A combination test of NAT and serological testing for IgM antibody discovered 55.5% of the total of 63 asymptomatic infections, which significantly raises the detection sensitivity when compared with the NAT alone (19%). Serum proteome microarray analysis demonstrated that asymptomatics mainly produced IgM and IgG antibodies against S1 and N proteins out of 20 proteins of SARS-CoV-2. Different from strong and persistent N-specific antibodies, S1-specific IgM responses, which evolved in asymptomatic individuals as early as the seventh day after exposure, peaked on days from 17 days to 25 days, and then disappeared in two months, might be used as an early diagnostic biomarker. 11.8% (6/51) mild patients and 38.1% (24/63) asymptomatic individuals did not produce neutralizing antibody. In particular, neutralizing antibody in asymptomatics gradually vanished in two months.

Conclusion

Our findings might have important implications for the definition of asymptomatic COVID-19 infections, diagnosis, serological survey, public health, and immunization strategies.