采用三维螺旋CT确定冠状动脉与冠状静脉窦及其分支之间关系的研究

目的采用三维螺旋CT(MSCT)方法显示冠状动脉与冠状静脉窦(coronarysinus,CS)及其分支,并对其关系加以研究。方法117例(男67例,女50例)患者,平均年龄(56±10)岁,行MSCT扫描并行三维重建,观察冠状动脉与CS及其分支的走行及交叉、伴行情况,测量有关的动、静脉间伴行的距离。结果冠状动脉右优势107例(91·4%),左优势7例(6·0%),均衡型3例(2·6%);CS及其分支均显示清楚。回旋支(LCX)与CS或心大静脉(greatcardiacvein,GCV)伴行的有81例(69·2%);LCX与心中静脉(middlecardiacvein,MCV)相交5例(4·3%);LCX与左室后静脉(leftposteriorvein,LPV)相交有62例(53·0%);优势冠状动脉分出后降支动脉(posteriordescendingartery,PDA)与左室后支动脉(leftposteriorartery,LPA)112例(95·7%);PDA与MCV相交44例(37·6%);PDA与MCV伴行93例(79·5%);LPA与MCV相交106例(90·6%);LPA与CS伴行50例(42·7%)。结论MSCT可良好的显示舒张期冠状动脉与CS及其分支,并可在此基础上测量其关系,是术前无创显示冠状动、静脉关系的良好方法。     

Thymic volume, T-cell populations, and parameters of thymopoiesis in adolescent and adult survivors of HIV infection acquired in infancy

OBJECTIVES: Antiretroviral therapy has significantly prolonged the lifespan of children who acquire HIV infection in infancy, but the impact of HIV on thymus-mediated maintenance of T lymphocytes has not been studied. To examine the long-term effects of HIV infection in childhood on thymopoiesis, thymic volume and parameters of thymic function from clinically stable adolescents and young adults with HIV infection acquired in infancy were compared with those from uninfected controls. METHODS: Thymic volume was determined using three-dimensional reconstruction and volumetric analysis of non-contrast enhanced computed tomography images of the upper chest. The degree of fat involution was assessed using a semiquantitive scoring system. CD4 and CD8 T cell populations and T cell receptor recombination excision circles (TREC) concentrations in peripheral blood lymphocytes were measured in all subjects. RESULTS: Twenty youths (aged 17.6 +/- 2.5 years) with HIV infection acquired perinatally (n = 18) or by neonatal transfusion (n = 2) were enrolled whose HIV plasma viral load had been undetectable for a median of 3.1 years, along with 18 seronegative healthy young adults (aged 20.6 +/- 1.3 years). HIV infected subjects and controls had indistinguishable CD4 T cell counts, thymus volumes (20.5 versus 15.8 cm), thymic index scores, and TREC values. Thymic volume correlated with the number and percentage of CD4 T lymphocytes in the control group and with the number of TREC in CD4 lymphocytes in the HIV infected group. CONCLUSIONS: Long term survivors of pediatric HIV infection appear to have retained or recovered thymic volume and thymic activity approximating uninfected youths.     

Analysis of plasmid DNA damage induced by melanin with capillary electrophoresis

Dilute linear poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) in Tris-Mes-EDTA (TME) buffer was used as sieving matrix for capillary electrophoresis (CE) of plasmid DNA and plasmid topological isomers induced by melanin in uncoated capillary. At the optimized condition of 0.1% (w/v) PNIPAM in TME buffer, base line separation of the plasmid DNA ladder (2-12 kbp) was achieved within 15 min. Three positive clones with inserts of 468, 1147 and 1566 bp can be distinguished from the plasmid pUC 18 vector within 13 min. The migration order of the plasmid topological isomers in the dynamic coating matrix was confirmed by the enzymatically prepared and UV-induced plasmids. The covalently closed circular form appeared firstly, followed by the linear plasmid form and then the open circular form. The effect of bacterial melanin obtained from Pseudomonas maltophilia AT18 on plasmid pUC 18 was investigated by CE in uncoated capillary in vitro. Plasmid pUC 18 incubated with either melanin or copper ions alone sustained little DNA damage. The combination of melanin with Cu(II) can cause the plasmid pUC 18 conformational changes from covalently closed circular form to open form. Understanding the damage effect of melanin with copper ions on DNA would be important for the melanin-related application, such as photoprotective antioxidant in protecting the skin from cancer, pathophysiology research in clinic. The investigation of melanin induced plasmid conformational changes by CE in uncoated capillary also revealed that the application of the dynamic coating matrix could be extended to the study of plasmid conformational changes in other plasmid-based biological technologies.     

Identification of a novel prostate cancer-associated tumor antigen

BACKGROUND: The identification of antigens that distinguish cancer cells from normal cells is of major importance for the definition of therapeutic targets in human malignancies. Using sera from cancer patients, we have previously reported on the identification of immunologically recognized proteins that belong to the family of cancer testis antigens (CTAs). METHODS: A normal testicular cDNA library was screened with pooled allogeneic sera from patients with prostate cancer using a modified SEREX approach. Subsequently we have identified and characterized a novel antigen, T21, with an expression pattern similar to that of CTAs. mRNA expression of T21 was determined using a panel of whole tissues and prostate cell lines using Q-RT-PCR. For laser microdissection, fresh prostate cancer and benign tissue was obtained using our novel validated harvesting technique. Protein expression and cellular localization of T21 were assessed in prostate cell lines using Western blotting, confocal microscopy and flow cytometry. RESULTS: T21 showed tissue-restricted mRNA expression in gastric, kidney and prostate cancers, and in normal testis and prostate tissues. Following laser microdissection, T21 was significantly over-expressed in malignant compared to benign prostatic epithelium. We have demonstrated expression of T21 at the protein level and confocal microscopy on PC3 cells probed with a T21-monospecific antibody revealed cytoplasmic localization of T21 protein. CONCLUSIONS: The highly restricted expression pattern of T21 makes it an attractive vaccine target for prostate cancer. Several CTAs reportedly induce cytotoxic T-lymphocyte responses, therefore it is reasonable to assume that T21 will be a valuable target for cancer immunotherapy.     

PKCδ regulates cortical radial migration by stabilizing the Cdk5 activator p35

Cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (Cdk5) and its activator p35 are critical for radial migration and lamination of cortical neurons. However, how this kinase is regulated by extracellular and intracellular signals during cortical morphogenesis remains unclear. Here, we show that PKCδ, a member of novel PKC expressing in cortical neurons, could stabilize p35 by direct phosphorylation. PKCδ attenuated the degradation of p35 but not its mutant derivative, which could not be phosphorylated by PKCδ. Down-regulation of PKCδ by in utero electroporation of specific small interference RNA (siRNA) severely impaired the radial migration of cortical neurons. This migration defect was similar to that caused by down-regulation of p35 and could be prevented by cotransfection with the wild-type but not the mutant p35. Furthermore, PKCδ could be activated by the promigratory factor brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and was required for the activation of Cdk5 by BDNF. Both PKCδ and p35 were required for the promigratory effect of BDNF on cultured newborn neurons. Thus, PKCδ may promote cortical radial migration through maintaining the proper level of p35 in newborn neurons.     

Endovascular stent-graft for type B aortic dissection in elderly patients

Objective To report the clinical outcome and complications ofendovascular stent-graft treatment for type B aortic dissection in elderly patients, as compared with younger patients in a single medical center. Methods From May 2002 to July 2008, endovascular stent-graft implantation was performed in 124 patients with type B aortic dissection at the Department of Cardiology, Shenyang Northern Hospital. Among them, 39 patients were 60 yrs or older （ranging ~om 68 to 81 years） while 85 patients were younger than 60 years old （ranging from 31 to 58 years）. Patients were followed up for a mean period of 26 months （ranging from 1 to 78 months）. Clinical data were analyzed between the two groups. Results Comparing with the younger group, the elderly group had higher prevalence of coronary artery disease （59.0% vs 24.7%, P=0.001）. There was no significant difference of complication rates between the 2 groups （38.5% vs 31.8%, P=0.54）. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed a similar 5-year survival rate（80.2% vs 89.6%; Log Rank, P=0.31） between the 2 groups. Conclusions Endovascular stent-graft implantation is safe and effective in the treatment of type B aortic dissection for both elderly and younger patients. The procedure-related complication rate seems independent of age .     

福建地区2型糖尿病患者脂联素基因启动子区多态性与颈动脉内膜中层厚度有关

目的 探讨脂联素基因启动子区-11377位点单核苷酸多态性与2型糖尿病患者颈动脉内膜中层厚度(CIMT)之间的关系.方法 采用PCR-限制性片段长度多态性(RFLP)技术在504例2型糖尿病患者(CIMT正常组254例,CIMT增厚组250例)中检测脂联素基因-11377位点多态性,同时检测血脂、空腹血糖、空腹胰岛素及血清脂联素水平.结果 脂联素基因-11377C→G基因型和等位基因频率在CIMT正常组与CIMT增厚组的分布有显著性差别(P相似文献   

广州市未婚女医生的避孕知识调查

目的 了解未婚女医生避孕方法选择和避孕知识的来源状况.方法 在广州地区四所综合性医院,采用整群抽样方法,对未婚女医生进行了抽样调查,统计分析.结果 有效调查共有559人,发现未婚女医生对于避孕套、紧急避孕、短效避孕药及安全期避孕等四种避孕方式的认知均极显著高于其它几种方式,但对于上述四种方式的知晓程度不存在显著差异性.而对于避孕针、皮下埋置、阴道喷药及阴道隔膜等避孕方式的认识程度远远低于其它避孕方式.且其不了解程度极显著低于避孕套、紧急避孕、短效避孕药及安全期避孕等四种方式.而对于所有避孕方式的了解程度之间不存在显著差异.在了解知识的渠道方面,主要是通过网络、专业教育、电视和书籍获得,其他较少.83.80%的调查对象认为有必要进行性与生殖健康及避孕知识的宣传教育,认为最可靠的获知途径为专业指导.结论 未婚女医生由于所学专业知识的利用,对各种避孕方式均有一定程度的了解.但生殖健康及避孕知识仍然缺乏,这反映了我们学校及家庭教育在这方面的不足,也体现出当前社会对性与生殖健康和避孕知识的宣传力度欠缺.