SF-36量表应用于晚期血吸虫病患者的信度和效度分析

目的评价SF-36量表应用于晚期血吸虫病(晚血)患者的信度和效度,为血吸虫病防治工作者选择适宜的健康测量工具提供科学依据。方法在湖南省汉寿县及湖北省江陵县,以SF-36量表中文版作为生命质量测评工具对晚血患者进行入户调查,评价其应用于晚血患者的信度和效度。结果SF-36量表在晚血患者生命质量测评中具有良好的分半信度(分半信度系数为0.95)和内部一致性信度(8个维度Cronbachα系数范围为0.86～0.88);效度评价显示集合效度(集合效度试验成功率为97.14%)和区分效度(区分效度试验成功率为87.86%)良好,效标效度尚好(与EQ-5D+C量表患者VAS生命质量自评得分之间的相关系数为0.70),但结构效度欠佳(仅2个维度在因子负荷上与理论模型完全一致)。除生理职能和情感职能地板效应分别高达50.31%和48.16%外,其余维度地板效应和天花板效应均不显著。结论SF-36适用于晚血患者生命质量评价,但尚需根据实际情况对部分条目进行完善。     

吸食海洛因所致海绵状白质脑病MRI表现（附4例报告）

目的：复习文献总结海洛因海绵状白质脑病MRI表现。材料与方法：搜集4例具有吸食海洛因史者的MR／资料,并对照文献。全部患者均进行MR／检查,检查序列包括T1WI、T2WI、FLAIR序列。结果：全部患者幕上半球脑白质、小脑半球、内囊后肢及膝部、胼胝体压部及膝部均见双侧、对称性异常改变。MRI均表现为T1WI呈低信号,T2WI及FLAIR序列为不均匀或均匀高信号。以小脑半球白质受累最为严重,但其灰质核团未见受累。结论：海洛因所致海绵状白质脑病具有典型的MRI表现,结合病史,MRI诊断具有特异性。     

Neuroprotective ferulic acid (FA)–glycol chitosan (GC) nanoparticles for functional restoration of traumatically injured spinal cord

An urgent unmet need exists for early-stage treatment of spinal cord injury (SCI). Currently methylprednisolone is the only therapeutic agent used in clinics, for which the efficacy is controversial and the side effect is well-known. We demonstrated functional restoration of injured spinal cord by self-assembled nanoparticles composed of ferulic acid modified glycol chitosan (FA–GC). Chitosan and ferulic acid are strong neuroprotective agents but their systemic delivery is difficult. Our data has shown a prolonged circulation time of the FA–GC nanoparticles allowing for effective delivery of both chitosan and ferulic acid to the injured site. Furthermore, the nanoparticles were found both in the gray matter and white matter. The in vitro tests demonstrated that nanoparticles protected primary neurons from glutamate-induced excitotoxicity. Using a spinal cord contusion injury model, significant recovery in locomotor function was observed in rats that were intravenously administered nanoparticles at 2 h post injury, as compared to non-improvement by methylprednisolone administration. Histological analysis revealed that FA–GC treatment significantly preserved axons and myelin and also reduced cavity volume, astrogliosis, and inflammatory response at the lesion site. No obvious adverse effects of nanoparticles to other organs were found. The restorative effect of FA–GC presents a promising potential for treating human SCIs.     

Comprehensive Genome Profiling of Single Sperm Cells by Multiple Annealing and Looping‐Based Amplification Cycles and Next‐Generation Sequencing from Carriers of Robertsonian Translocation

Robertsonian translocation (RT) is a common cause for male infertility, recurrent pregnancy loss, and birth defects. Studying meiotic recombination in RT‐carrier patients helps decipher the mechanism and improve the clinical management of infertility and birth defects caused by RT. Here we present a new method to study spermatogenesis on a single‐gamete basis from two RT carriers. By using a combined single‐cell whole‐genome amplification and sequencing protocol, we comprehensively profiled the chromosomal copy number of 88 single sperms from two RT‐carrier patients. With the profiled information, chromosomal aberrations were identified on a whole‐genome, per‐sperm basis. We found that the previously reported interchromosomal effect might not exist with RT carriers. It is suggested that single‐cell genome sequencing enables comprehensive chromosomal aneuploidy screening and provides a powerful tool for studying gamete generation from patients carrying chromosomal diseases.     

Rapid eye movement sleep deprivation selectively impairs recall of fear extinction in hippocampus-independent tasks in rats

Previous studies have shown that rapid eye movement (REM) sleep deprivation (RSD) exerts a detrimental effect on some memory tasks. However, whether post-learning RSD impairs memory for fear extinction, an important model of inhibitory learning, remains to be elucidated. The present study examined the effects of post-extinction RSD from 0 to 6 h and 6 to 12 h on recall of fear extinction tested 24 h after extinction training. We found that RSD from 0 to 6 h significantly increased freezing when recall of extinction of cued fear was tested in the context in which rats received extinction training whereas RSD from 6 to 12 h had no effect (experiments 1 and 2, two hippocampus-independent memory tasks). RSD at either time point had no effect on freezing when recall of extinction of cued fear was tested in the context different from that in which extinction training occurred (experiment 3, a hippocampus-dependent memory task). Additionally, we observed no effect of RSD at either time point on freezing during recall test for extinction of contextual fear (experiment 4, a hippocampus-dependent memory task). These results suggest that the effects of post-extinction RSD on memory for fear extinction are complex. RSD impairs recall of fear extinction in hippocampus-independent tasks, but does not affect recall of fear extinction in hippocampus-dependent tasks. Our findings extend previous research on the effects of RSD on learning and memory and support the notion that REM sleep is involved in memory process of certain tasks.     

Dysplastic changes in erythroid precursors as a manifestation of lead poisoning: report of a case and review of literature

Dysplastic changes in erythroid precursors occur not only in patients with hematologic diseases, but also those with other diseases. Here, we report on a patient that presented with dysplastic changes in erythroid precursors due to lead poisoning from the intake of Chinese folk remedies.     

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.

     

B cell lymphoma with IRF4 rearrangement: A clinicopathological study of 13 cases

Interferon regulatory factor 4 (IRF4) rearrangement is commonly detected in patients with a range of lymphoproliferative malignancies, including myelomas, large B cell lymphomas and low-grade B cell neoplasms. However, IRF4 rearrangement is generally a relatively rare finding in these latter two cancer types. In the present article, we describe and summarize the clinicopathological and genetic features of 13 cases of B cell lymphoma with IRF4 rearrangement, including 12 cases of large B cell lymphoma and one case of low-grade lymphoma exhibiting such rearrangement. These cases were detected in six females and seven males between 14 and 71 years of age. From a morphological perspective, large B cell lymphoma tumors included in this analysis exhibited large neoplastic cells in diffuse or follicular patterns, while the case of low-grade lymphoma mainly composed of small lymphocytes. All analyzed cases exhibited a split in the IRF4 gene consistent with IRF4 translocation. Three of six analyzed large B cell lymphoma cases harbored IGLL5 mutations. Mutations in SAMHD1 were detected in the low-grade lymphoma with IRF4 rearrangement case. In summary, our results offer further insight into the morphological and molecular heterogeneity of cases of B cell lymphoma exhibiting IRF4 rearrangements.