Runx2 control of organization, assembly and activity of the regulatory machinery for skeletal gene expression

We present an overview of Runx involvement in regulatory mechanisms that are requisite for fidelity of bone cell growth and differentiation, as well as for skeletal homeostasis and the structural and functional integrity of skeletal tissue. Runx-mediated control is addressed from the perspective of support for biological parameters of skeletal gene expression. We review recent findings that are consistent with an active role for Runx proteins as scaffolds for integration, organization and combinatorial assembly of nucleic acids and regulatory factors within the three-dimensional context of nuclear architecture.     

Tolerance for light and sound of patients with persistent post-concussional symptoms 6 months after mild head injury

Summary Patients with post-concussional symptoms (PCS) about 6 months after a mild head injury (MHI) were examined for tolerance of light and sound in comparison with concussed patients without PCS and nonconcussed healthy controls. MHI patients with PCS were individually matched with subjects from the two control groups for the time elapsed from the injury, and for age and sex. Using a computerized rating technique, we assessed both the maximal and submaximal levels of lowered tolerance for light and sound over a wide range of stimuli. We found that the MHI patients with PCS 6 months after the trauma (n=11) tolerated significantly less well stimuli of intensities of 71 dB and 500 lx than MHI patients without PCS (n=11) and non-concussed controls (n=11). There were no significant differences in tolerance for light and sound between MHI patients without PCS and the non-injured controls. Decreased tolerance for light and sound may contribute to the persistence of symptoms up to 6 months after a mild head injury. The psychophysical method provides an objective measure for the evaluation of the late persistent postconcussional syndrome.     

骨质疏松性椎体骨折模型的建立

目的:建立大鼠的骨质疏松性椎体骨折模型,探讨骨折愈合程度与X射线、骨结构和力学性能的相互关系,以期能为临床治疗提供科学的指导和理论依据。方法:实验于2005-07/2006-07在解放军兰州军区总医院骨研所完成。实验动物:选择雌性SPF级8个月龄SD大鼠54只。实验分组:采用随机数字法将大鼠分为2组:骨质疏松组和对照组,每组27只。实验干预:骨质疏松组经双背侧手术切除卵巢,对照组行伪手术。术后3个月,所有动物麻醉下,采用L5椎体手术开窗刮除术区内松质骨方法建立人工椎体骨折模型。实验评估:于术后1,2,4,6,8,12周观察两组大鼠腰椎影像学、骨组织切片组织学与受累椎体力学性能。结果:54只SD大鼠全部进入结果分析。①影像学观察:术后两组X射线片示L5椎体有一骨折缺损透光区。对照组在术后6周时原透光区与周围骨质无明显差别,而骨质疏松组原透光区仍清晰可见,于8周时无明显差别。②组织学观察:两组软骨细胞在骨愈合1周时出现,形成软骨岛,但骨质疏松组软骨细胞每高倍视野数量明显少于对照组,另外,软骨细胞改建成成熟骨细胞,骨小梁形成数量,胶原纤维排列与对照组比较有显著性差异。③力学性能:在骨质愈合6～12周,L5椎体的最大载荷、弹性模量、最大应力明显低于同期对照组,差异有显著性意义(P<0.05)。结论:骨质疏松性椎体骨折SD大鼠模型,符合动物模型标准,可用于研究新骨形成与正常骨质结构关系,观察骨质疏松性椎体骨折愈合机制,并证明骨质疏松性松质骨骨折修复过程中,骨折愈合质量降低。     

Multiplicity in polyp count and extracolonic manifestations in 40 Dutch patients with MYH associated polyposis coli (MAP)

Objective: To investigate the contribution of MYH associated polyposis coli (MAP) among polyposis families in the Netherlands, and the prevalence of colonic and extracolonic manifestations in MAP patients. Methods: 170 patients with polyposis coli, who previously tested negative for APC mutations, were screened by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis and direct sequencing to identify MYH germline mutations. Results: Homozygous and compound heterozygous MYH mutations were identified in 40 patients (24%). No difference was found in the percentage of biallelic mutation carriers between patients with 10–99 polyps or 100–1000 polyps (29% in both groups). Colorectal cancer was found in 26 of the 40 patients with MAP (65%) within the age range 21 to 67 years (median 45). Complete endoscopic reports were available for 16 MAP patients and revealed five cases with gastro-duodenal polyps (31%), one of whom also presented with a duodenal carcinoma. Breast cancer occurred in 18% of female MAP patients, significantly more than expected from national statistics (standardised morbidity ratio = 3.75). Conclusions: Polyp numbers in MAP patients were equally associated with the attenuated and classical polyposis coli phenotypes. Two thirds of the MAP patients had colorectal cancer, 95% of whom were older than 35 years, and one third of a subset of patients had upper gastrointestinal lesions. Endoscopic screening of the whole intestine should be carried out every two years for all MAP patients, starting from age 25–30 years. The frequent occurrence of additional extraintestinal manifestations, such as breast cancer among female MAP patients, should be thoroughly investigated.     

Expression of pertussis toxin adenosine diphosphate-ribosyltransferase in a T-cell hybridoma reduces metastatic capacity

T-cell hybridomas are highly metastatic, and their in vitro invasiveness correlates with metastatic capacity. Invasion is blocked by pertussis toxin (PT), which adenosine diphosphate (ADP)-ribosylates G1-proteins, and we have provided evidence that the PT-sensitive signal stimulates leukocyte function-associated antigen-1 (LFA-1)-mediated adhesion required for invasion. PT pretreatment of TAM2D2 T-cell hybridoma cells reduced metastasis, but only to a limited extent. In the present study, we have transfected the cDNA of the PT ADP- ribosyltransferase S1 subunit into TAM2D2 cells to abrogate G1-protein function permanently. We report here a substantial reduction in the metastatic capacity of two transfectants, S05 and S09, in which 88% and 95% of the G1-proteins was ADP-ribosylated. Two-thirds of the mice injected with S09 cells were tumor-free. Metastasis to the liver was almost completely prevented and less metastases were formed in the spleen and kidneys. Metastasis formation by S05 cells in liver and spleen was much reduced, but in lymph nodes and peritoneal tissues, metastases occurred with a frequency similar to that of controls. We conclude that G1-proteins play an important role in T-cell hybridoma metastasis. We propose that the reduction in metastasis is due to diminished entry of tumor cells from the blood into tissues.     

A child with traumatic hemobilia

A 4-year-old boy was hit by a car travelling at 40 km/h and was admitted 3.5 h later to the department of paediatric surgery. Because he was haemodynamically unstable and needed blood transfusion, the patient underwent an emergency operation. The liver was ruptured in the right lobe. A large haematoma was found in the serosa of the duodenum, along with a Meckel's diverticle, which was left in place. The liver rupture was covered and sealed. One month after the accident the patient was re-admitted, because of abdominal pain and gastrointestinal bleeding. The cause was thought to be the Meckel's diverticle, which was removed later. Two months after the trauma the patient was re-admitted with abdominal pain, again with haematemesis and melaena. The diagnosis of hemobilia was obtained with MRI and angiography, which revealed a ruptured pseudoaneurysm of the ramus dexter of the proper hepatic artery. The patient was successfully treated with embolization. The diagnostic delay was two months, which illustrates the importance of considering the possibility of the diagnosis hemobilia in case of gastrointestinal haemorrhage combined with biliary symptoms.     

Giving a voice to patient experiences through the insights of pragmatism

As a philosophical position, pragmatism can be critiqued to distinguish truth only with methods that bring about desired results, predominantly with scientific enquiry. The article hopes to dismiss this oversimplification and propose that within mental health nursing, enquiry enlightened by pragmatism can be anchored to methods helping to tackle genuine human problems. Whilst pragmatists suggest one reality exists, fluctuating experiences and shifting beliefs about the world can inhabit within; hence, pragmatists propose reality has the potential to change. Moreover, pragmatism includes being cognisant of what works to whom reality concerns, making reality context-driven, with a view to understand how actions shape experiences so what is generated has usefulness. Hence, it somewhat follows pragmatism can inform mental health nursing, after all, nursing is a discipline of action, and awareness is needed in how actions produce experiences that patients find helpful. Given the principles of recovery are preferably adopted in mental health care, the paper will explore how pragmatism can help nurses move towards that goal; specifically, with patients voicing their experiences. This is because like pragmatism, recovery subscribes to hope that reality can progress, and through meaningful experiences and beliefs, patients have expertise about personal difficulties alongside how life may flourish, despite mental illness.     

Dental caries and erosion status of 12-year-old Hong Kong children

Background

We examined the association of alcohol use disorders (AUD) with adherence to and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) outcomes of antiretroviral treatment (ART) for HIV/AIDS patients.

Methods

A cross-sectional multi-site survey was conducted in 468 drug users and 648 non-drug users (age: 35.4 ± 7.0 years; 63.8% male) in 3 epicentres of Vietnam. AUD, ART adherence, and HRQOL were measured using the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test - Consumption (AUDIT-C), the self-reported Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), and the World Health Organization Quality of Life instrument (WHOQOL-HIV BREF).

Results

35.0% of drug users were hazardous drinkers, compared to 25.9% of non-drug users. 22.3% of drug users engaged in binge drinking, and 25.9% reported suboptimal ART adherence. Adjusting for propensity scores of AUD, patients who had either at-risk or binge drinking behaviour were about twice as likely to be treatment non-adherent as those who did not have AUD. Hazardous drinkers reported small to medium decrements in the Performance, Physical, Social, Spirituality, and Environment quality of life domains. Binge drinkers had a slightly higher score in Social dimension.

Conclusion

AUD is prevalent and negatively affecting adherence to and HRQOL outcomes of ART services in injection-driven HIV epidemics. Screening and intervention are recommended for AUD, especially during the stable periods of ART. Other social and psychological interventions might also enhance patients’ responses to and outcomes of ART in Vietnam.     

Molecular Study of Sheep Malignant Theileriosis at Barka Region in the Sultanate of Oman

Background

We used the PCR technique based on the abovementioned primer pair and sequencing to demonstrate the Theileria infection in the sheep samples collected from Sultanate of Oman.

Methods

According to the frame work of “integrated control of ticks and tick borne diseases in globalized world managed by EU-ICTTD-3 project, the samples from blood, liver, spleen, lymph node and lung were sent to the laboratory of Iranian Research Center for Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases (IRCTTD). Samples from blood smear and impression smears from liver, spleen, lymph node, and lung were analyzed by Geimsa staining. The DNA was extracted from the abovementioned samples and analyzed by PCR technique using specific primers derived from the nucleotide sequences of 18S rRNA gene of T. lestoquardi, which can amplify the common region in other Theileria and Babesia spp. Subsequently the amplified DNA was sequenced.

Results

The analysis of blood smears of the sheep was negative for piroplasmosis performed through the Giemsa staining. The impression smears prepared from liver, spleen, lymph node, and lung showed suspicious structures mimicking Theileria schizonts in some cells. The results showed an expected PCR product of 428 bp in length, which is specific for Theileria spp. The PCR products were subsequently sequenced. The corresponding nucleotide sequence is registered under accession number {"type":"entrez-nucleotide","attrs":{"text":"JF309152","term_id":"323695911","term_text":"JF309152"}}JF309152 in GenBank. The sequence alignment in GenBank showed that the PCR products had 99% homology to the known T. lestoquardi registered under accession number {"type":"entrez-nucleotide","attrs":{"text":"AF081135","term_id":"7576455","term_text":"AF081135"}}AF081135 in the GenBank.

Conclusion

Oman sheep are highly susceptible for Theileria infection and the infected sheep mostly die before the microschizonts or erythrocytic form of Theileria appears in the nucleated or erytrocytic cells respectively.