Multiple sclerosis: myelin basic protein induced mRNA expression of proinflammatory cytokines in mononuclear cells is suppressed by interferon-β 1b in vitro

Beta-interferon (IFN-β) is a promising treatment in multiple sclerosis (MS), reducing the exacerbation rate and MRI lesion burden, as well as the disease progression in relapsing-remitting MS. IFN-β was originally defined by its antiviral effects, but the interest has recently been focused on its immunomodulatory properties. Myelin basic protein (MBP) is one of several autoantigens considered to be the target for autoaggressive immune responses, which eventually might lead to the development of MS. To study in-vitro effects of IFN-β1b on MBP induced cytokine expression, mRNA for the Th1 cytokines IFN-γ and TNF-α, the Th2 related IL-4 and IL-6, the cytolytic perforin and the immune response downregulating TGF-β was measured with in situ hybridization after culture of blood mononuclear cells (MNC) in the presence and absence of MBP. Numbers of cells expressing IFN-γ, TNF-α, perforin and IL-4 mRNA were significantly suppressed after culture with 10 U/ml IFN-β1b. No such effect was seen on MBP induced IL-6 or TGF-β mRNA expression. These observations suggest that one of the major effects of IFN-β1b is the induction of a shift in the cytokine mRNA profile towards a more immunosuppressive pattern. In parallel in vitro tests, the control substance dexametasone (40 μg/ml) reduced the numbers of cells expressing mRNA for all cytokines under study with the exception of TGF-β, to an extent equal to or even more pronounced than IFN-β1b.     

Elevated extracellular potassium is associated with a reduced extracellular space in rat neural lobe in vitro

Summary Increased neural activity of neurosecretory cells is accompanied by large increases in extracellular K⁺. The possibility that elevations of this ion might involve fluid redistribution and thus affect the size of the extracellular space and the relationship between pituicytes and axons in the rat neural lobe was explored using rapid freezing and freeze-substitution. Neural lobes were incubated for 15 min before freezing either in a normal medium or one containing a 10 mM increase in KCl (high KCl), a 10 mM increase in KCl balanced by an equimolar reduction in NaCl (high KCl-low NaCl), or only a 10 mM reduction in NaCl (low NaCl). A quantitative assessment of the region of good fixation was made to determine the relative fractions occupied by axons, pituicytes and the extracellular space near the neurohaemal contact zone. In addition, the percentage of basal lamina contacted by pituicytes and axons was calculated, as was the degree of enclosure of axons by pituicytes.In neural lobes incubated in normal medium, the extracellular space accounted for approximately 30% of the cross-sectional area of the neuropil and could be divided into two domains: an extended perivascular space (28–29% of total area); and a narrow (approximately 24 nm; approximately 1% of total) space between closely apposed neurosecretory processes or between these processes and pituicytes. Pituicytes occupied almost 60% of the basal lamina at the neurohaemal contact zone, while axons occupied approximately 20%. Neural lobes incubated in either the high KCl solution, or in the high KCl-low NaCl solution, exhibited a significantly reduced extracellular space, to about 20% of the total area, or a reduction from controls of about one-third. The reduction was complemented by an increased area occupied by axons plus pituicytes. In the high KCl group, the contribution of the narrow spaces (22–24 nm) between apposed processes to the total extracellular space was greatly increased. The group exposed to low NaCl showed high variability in the size of extracellular space, and was thus not significantly different from any other group. No changes in any group were observed in the enclosure of axons by pituicytes, or in the relative amounts of axon and pituicyte apposition to the basal lamina.The subsequent buffering of K⁺ and other ions during periods of increased neuronal activity may be affected by changes in the extracellular space, thereby influencing stimulus-secretion coupling. A shrinkage of the extracellular space and the relative increase in the narrow spaces between processes initiated by elevated K⁺ could also alter the diffusion properties of the neural lobe.     

Point Mutation in the Parkin Gene on Patients with Parkinson''''s Disease

Summary;To investigate the distribution of possible novel mutations from parkin gene in variant sub-set of patients with Parkinson’s disease(PD)in China and explore whether parkin gene plays an im-portant role in the pathogenesis of PD,70 patients were divided into early-onset group and late-onsetgroup; 70 healthy subjects were included as controls.Genomic DNA from 70 normal controls andfrom those of PD patients were extracted from peripheral blood leukocytes by using standard proce-dures.Mutations of parkin gene(exon 1—12)in all the subjects were screened by PCR-single strandconformation polymorphism(SSCP),and further sequencing was performed in tue samples with ab-normal SSCP results,in order to confirm the mutation and its location.A new missense mutationGly284Arg in a patient and 3 abnormal bands in SSCP electrophoresis from samples of another 3 pa-tients were found.All the DNA variants were sourced from the samples of the patients with early-on-set PD.It was concluded that Parkin point mutation a     

305例老年死亡病例医院感染回顾性调查

本文结果表明,305例老年死亡病例医院感染的发病率为33.8％。感染最多部位为肺部(66.9％),其次为尿路感染(19.4％)。高龄患者,侵袭性操作、多种抗生素联合应用,激素疗法等是诱发医院感染的危险因素。58.8％的病原菌为革兰氏阴性杆菌,37.2％为真菌。31株病原菌药敏结果显示耐药率为33.3％。本文指出合理应用抗生素是预防医院感染的重要措施之一。     

对AF系统整复压缩爆裂骨折椎体高度及椎管横截面的观测

目的 :量化评价AF系统恢复胸腰段压缩爆裂椎体高度椎管截面积的效果。方法 :测量AF系统治疗的 72例胸腰段压缩爆裂骨折术前后影像。统计椎体前后缘高度、Cobb角、椎管截面积资料。结果 :术后伤椎前缘高度恢复至 ( 96.5± 2 .3 ) %后缘高度恢复至 ( 98.2± 0 .9) % ,Cobb角恢复至 ( 5 .4± 1.5 )° ,椎管截面积恢复至 ( 97.2± 2 .1% ) ,各项指标与术前比较有非常显著性差异 (P <0 .0 0 1)。术后随访 0 .5～ 3 .5年 ,神经功能按Frankel评定 :60例提高 1～ 3级。结论 :AF系统能恢复或基本恢复胸腰段压缩爆裂骨折椎体的前后缘高度、Cobb角、椎管容积 ,为脊髓神经功能的恢复提供一个良好的环境。是治疗脊柱胸腰段压缩爆裂骨折较好的内固定器。     

全身热疗法治疗晚期肝脏恶性肿瘤39例报告

目的 探讨全身热疗法（whole body hyperthermia，WBH）治疗肝脏恶性肿瘤的疗效及其对肝功能的影响。方法 采用WBH治疗肝脏恶性肿瘤患者39例，并对治疗前、后患者肝功能指标进行动态观察，分析该疗法对肝脏功能的影响，并通过分析治疗效果，初步评估该疗法的疗效。结果 ①WBH治疗不能手术切除的晚期肝脏恶性肿瘤患者的有效率为61．5％（24／39），60．0％（9／15）的患者AFP有不同程度下降，肿瘤疼痛缓解率达100％；存活期〉2年者占12．8％（5／39），〉1年者占59．0％（23／39），〉6个月者占76．9％（30／39）。②谷丙转氨酶于治疗后1～3d出现明显升高（P〈0．05），7d后下降并接近治疗前水平；谷草转氨酶于治疗后1d明显升高（P〈0．05），3～7d则下降并接近治疗前水平；白蛋白于治疗后1d出现下降（P〈0．05），但3d即已恢复；肝功能正常组总胆红素于治疗后第1～3d出现升高（P〈0．05），而肝功能异常组未观察到同样变化；转肽酶则无明显变化。结论 WBH能改善晚期肝脏恶性肿瘤患者的预后，提高生存质量，延长生存时间，但同时可造成患者肝功能一定程度的可逆性损害。     

以计算机为基础的教学(CBE)在护理领域的应用现状

随着计算机和网络技术的普及应用，以计算机为基础的教育(Computer Based Education，CBE)特别是多媒体课件的应用在护理教育中越来越受重视。然而，我国CBE在护理领域的应用尚处于起步阶段，也存在着一些缺陷和不足，有待于进一步完善。     

rhTPO在大肠杆菌中的表达、纯化及生物活性分析

目的：探讨人促血小板生成素(human thromlbopoietin，hTPO)在大肠杆菌中表达、分离纯化及生物学活性初步鉴定。方法：利用RT-PCR法从人胎肝细胞中扩增目的基因片段，将其定向插入pQE30表达质粒T5启动子下游的多克隆区，转化大肠杆菌M15，得到pQE30-TPO的工程菌，诱导目的蛋白表达、纯化。将表达产物给血小板减少模型小鼠尾静脉注射，观察注射后不同时间血小板量的改变。结果：经异丙基硫代-β-D-半乳糖苷(isopropylthio-β-D-galactoside IPTG)诱导培养，该工程菌可以产生单一特异性的高表达蛋白条带。将纯化后的表达蛋白注射小鼠，结果显示对实验性小鼠血小板减少症具有一定的治疗作用。结论：在大肠杆菌中成功地高效表达了重组hTPO，该产物具有促血小板生成的活性。     

椎弓根螺钉内固定及植骨融合治疗退行性腰椎滑脱的临床疗效评价

目的　评价腰椎管减压、后外侧植骨和椎弓根螺钉内固定治疗退行性腰椎滑脱的临床疗效。方法　 1993年 1月～ 2 0 0 2年 9月对 74例腰椎退行性滑脱的患者行腰椎管减压、后外侧植骨和椎弓根螺钉内固定 ,采用的椎弓根内固定技术包括Dick 8例、Steffee 10例、RF 9例、Socon 2 5例、Tenor 2 0例、Moss Miami 2例。滑脱水平在L4的患者有 4 4例、L3 有 9例、L5有 16例 ,两节水平的滑脱有 5例。Ⅰ°滑脱 37例 ,Ⅱ°31例 ,Ⅲ°6例。患者平均年龄为 5 3.6岁 (30～ 79岁 )。根据手术前、后日本骨科协会 (TDA)评分评价临床症状改善的程度。结果　平均随访时间为 4 4个月 (12～ 10 4个月 ) ,所有患者最后随访的JOA评分中客观症状为 (6 .7± 1.0 )分 ,临床体征为 (4 .7± 1.1)分 ,日常活动为 (11.8± 1.9)分 ,总评分为 (2 3.0± 2 .5 )分。手术前、后的JOA评分比较 ,术后主观症状改善 70 % ,临床体征改善 6 8% ,日常活动改善 77%。根据患者的年龄分为A组 (30～ 39岁 )、B组 (4 0～ 4 9岁 )、C组 (5 0～ 5 9岁 )、D组 (≥ 6 0岁 ) ,以JOA的评分结果 >2 5分定为满意 ,A、B、C、D组的满意率分别为91%、75 %、6 9%、6 1%。结论　椎板减压、后外侧植骨融合和椎弓根螺钉内固定是治疗不稳定腰椎滑脱的一种有效方法 ,临床疗效     

胰头静脉弓的16层CT研究

目的探讨16层CT的各种血管成像方法对胰头静脉弓的正常表现及显示率方法对40例非腹部疾病患者行胰腺静脉期扫描,使用轴位图像、薄层最大密度投影(TSMIP)和容积再现(VR)图像分别评价胰头静脉弓的表现及显示率结果轴位图像、TSMIP和VR显示胃网膜右静脉均为100%,胃结肠干均为80%,右结肠上静脉分别为100%、87.5%、80%;胰十二指肠上后静脉分别为92.5%、65%、40%;胰十二指肠上前静脉分别为92.5%、62.5%、45%结论使用16层CT,联合轴位、TSMIP和VR图像可以清楚显示胰头静脉弓