金属硫蛋白对大鼠肝脏线粒体氧自由基损伤的保护作用

目的：研究金属硫蛋白（ＭＴ）对氧自由基损伤线粒体的保护作用以探讨其细胞保护机制。方法：采用ＦｅＳＯ４／抗坏血酸自由基发生系统直接损伤线粒体，测定Ｃａ（２＋）－Ｍｇ（２＋）－ＡＴＰａｓｅ活性和Ｃａ（２＋）摄入的变化。结果：ＭＴ能够直接拮抗氧自由基对线粒体Ｃａ（２＋）－Ｍｇ（２＋）－ＡＴＰａｓｅ活性和Ｃａ（２＋）摄入的抑制作用（Ｐ＜０．０１）。结论：ＭＴ对氧自由基损伤线粒体有明显保护作用，ＭＴ对细胞器线粒体的保护作用可能是细胞保护机制之一。     

Antioxidants, oxidative stress, and pulmonary function in individuals diagnosed with asthma or COPD

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to investigate the association between antioxidant nutrients and markers of oxidative stress with pulmonary function in persons with chronic airflow limitation. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study exploring the association of antioxidant nutrients and markers of oxidative stress with forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1%) and forced vital capacity (FVC%). SETTING/SUBJECTS: The study data included 218 persons with chronic airflow limitation recruited randomly from the general population of Erie and Niagara counties, New York State, USA. RESULTS: After adjustment for covariates, multiple linear regression analysis showed that serum beta-cryptoxanthin, lutein/zeaxanthin, and retinol, and dietary beta-carotene, beta-cryptoxanthin, lutein/zeaxanthin, vitamin C, and lycopene were positively associated with FEV1% (P < 0.05, all associations). Serum vitamins beta-cryptoxanthin, lutein/zeaxanthin, and lycopene, and dietary beta-cryptoxanthin, beta-carotene, vitamin C, and lutein/zeaxanthin were positively associated with FVC% (P < 0.05, all associations). Erythrocytic glutathione was negatively associated with FEV1%, while plasma thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) were negatively associated with FVC% (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: These results support the hypothesis that an imbalance in antioxidant/oxidant status is associated with chronic airflow limitation, and that dietary habits and/or oxidative stress play contributing roles.     

Cartilage chips synthesized with fibrin glue in rhinoplasty

A new type of cartilage graft that is synthesized from cartilage fragments minced by our instrument and mixed with fibrin glue is described. This new material is useful when particular grafts are required in primary or secondary rhinoplasty.     

Ethylene oxide allergy in dialysis patients

DESIGN OF STUDY: Two groups of patients undergoing long-term dialysis were studied in order to evaluate the importance of ethylene oxide (EtO) in causing allergic reactions during dialysis. The first group of 50 subjects had never shown any hypersensitivity reactions related to dialysis, whereas the second group of 20 subjects had previously complained of reactions. All the patients underwent a prick test with a standard kit of aeroallergens in order to assess the presence of atopy (in doubtful cases a RAST test was carried out with the same aeroallergens). A blood sample for the investigation of EtO specific IgE antibodies was taken from all the patients; the immunoenzymatic method was used. RESULTS: Sensitivity to EtO is significantly higher in the group of patients with previous allergic reactions during dialysis (55 vs 6% in the control group).      

Implantation of the nail plate in plastic surgery

A series of cases are presented to illustrate the possible uses of the nail plate as an alternative support in reconstruction of some free edges (nasal ala, eyelid, auricle of the ear), and laminar bone parts, such as the floor of the orbit. This technique was used experimentally by the authors many years ago and has subsequently been used in clinical practice.     

Rotator cuff tears: preliminary application of high-resolution MR imaging with counter rotating current loop-gap resonators

A new class of radio frequency (RF) coils for magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and spectroscopy is introduced. The coils consist of two loop-gap resonators of equal diameters positioned along a common axis. They are tuned to the mode in which the current in the two loops flows in opposite directions. These coils are "decoupled" from a uniform excitation field of arbitrary orientation (including circularly polarized fields) by intrinsic decoupling and by means of back-to-back fast recovery diodes. Measurements made with the coils and a phantom saline tank indicate that the signal-to-noise ratio obtainable with these coils is almost identical to that obtained with single loops. Imaging of several anatomic areas, including knee, wrist, and shoulder, has been performed with a 1.5-T MR system that uses circularly polarized RF. A small series of patients with torn rotator cuffs underwent imaging. Difficulties in establishing the diagnosis with MR imaging because of anatomic complexity are illustrated. The value of pulse sequences with long repetition times to increase the signal intensity of fluid in the joint is shown.     

Congenital chylothorax in siblings

We describe two cases of congenital chylothorax in siblings with important differences from previously described familial cases. Our findings support the likelihood of an autosomal recessive inheritance in some cases of this condition, rather than X-linked recessive inheritance, which has also been suggested. Autopsy findings from one of these cases and others previously described suggest that the pathophysiological mechanisms involved may be variable.     

Circulating levels of insulin-like growth factor-I and risk of ovarian cancer

Insulin‐like growth factor (IGF)‐I, a mitogenic and anti‐apoptotic peptide, has been implicated in the development of several cancers. We hypothesized that high circulating IGF‐I concentrations may be associated with an increased risk of ovarian cancer. A case–control study was nested within 3 prospective cohorts in New York (USA), Umeå (Sweden) and Milan (Italy). One hundred thirty‐two women with primary invasive epithelial ovarian cancer diagnosed at least 1 year after blood donation were case subjects. For each case, 2 control subjects were selected, matching the case subject on cohort, menopausal status, age and date of recruitment (n = 263). Only women who did not use exogenous hormones at blood donation were included in the study. There was no association between IGF‐I concentrations and ovarian cancer risk in the study group as a whole. In analyses restricted to subjects who had developed ovarian cancer at a young age (<55), circulating IGF‐I was directly and strongly associated with ovarian cancer risk (OR = 4.97; 95% CI = 1.22–20.2 for the top vs. the bottom IGF‐I tertile after adjustment for parity, BMI categories and smoking). There was no significant association of IGF binding protein‐3 with ovarian cancer risk. We found a strong direct relationship between circulating IGF‐I levels and risk of developing ovarian cancer before age 55. Additional, larger studies of this association are needed to provide more precise estimates of effect. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Serum follicle-stimulating hormone and risk of epithelial ovarian cancer in postmenopausal women.

The "gonadotropin hypothesis" postulates that gonadotropin overstimulation of ovarian epithelium results in its increased proliferation and subsequent malignant transformation. To address this hypothesis, we assessed the association between prediagnostic serum levels of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and the risk of epithelial ovarian cancer in postmenopausal women who were part of a case-control study nested within three prospective cohorts in New York City, Ume?, Sweden, and Milan, Italy. Case subjects were 88 women with primary invasive epithelial ovarian cancer diagnosed between 3 months and 13.1 years after the blood donation. Controls were 168 women who were free of cancer and matched the case on cohort, age, and enrollment date. Serum FSH was determined using a quantitative immunoradiometric assay. FSH concentrations were similar in women who subsequently received a diagnosis of epithelial ovarian cancer (median, 44.0 mIU/ml; range, 13.8-101.2) and in controls (median, 43.4 mIU/ml; range, 13.5-109.5; P = 0.17). Compared with women in the lowest third, women in the highest third of serum FSH were not at increased risk of epithelial ovarian cancer after an adjustment for potential confounders (odds ratio, 0.85; 95% confidence interval, 0.36-1.99). These observations provide no evidence for an association between circulating FSH and risk of epithelial ovarian cancer in postmenopausal women and do not appear to support the gonadotropin hypothesis of epithelial ovarian carcinogenesis.