Ⅰ、Ⅲ型前胶原基因第2外显子核酶对靶RNA的体外切割活性的研究

目的 体外研究锤头型α1Ⅰ型及Ⅲ型前胶原基因第2外显子片段核酶对各自靶RNA分子的切割活性及反应条件。同时观察两反义核酶对瘢痕中成纤维细胞胶原合成的影响。方法 将含α1Ⅰ型及Ⅲ型前胶原基因第2外显子片段的重组质粒(pT-Ⅰ、pT-Ⅲ)，经体外^32P标记转录后形成产物靶RNA。同时将含特异性核酶基因的重组质粒(pT-gⅠ、pT-gⅢ)进行非标记的体外转录，产物(核酶)与各自的^32P-靶RNA按不同的条件混和反应，电泳后放射自显影观察结果。将构建好的核酶以脂质体包裹后导入培养的成纤维细胞内，采用图像分析法观察核酶对成纤维细胞Ⅰ型、Ⅲ型胶原蛋白mRNA合成的影响。结果 两种核酶在37℃、42℃均能有效切割各自的靶RNA，对Mg^2 浓度的要求范围较宽(10～20mmol／L)；反应温度从65℃逐渐降至并维持在37℃的条件下核酶切割活性显提高。Ⅰ、Ⅲ型胶原蛋白mRNA的表达明显降低，胶原蛋白生成降低，胶原生成明显受抑制。结论 针对α1Ⅰ型及Ⅲ型前胶原基因第2外显子片段的核酶能有效地在体外对靶RNA进行切割并能有效地抑制瘢痕中成纤维细胞胶原的合成。     

Health-related quality of life in Taiwanese patients with bronchial asthma.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) is primarily an assessment of how domains of life are affected by health. This study investigated the factors influencing HRQOL of Taiwanese patients with bronchial asthma. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted to assess the factors influencing HRQOL. The sample consisted of 242 outpatients with bronchial asthma. The Chinese language version of the St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire was used to measure HRQOL. Data were analyzed using simple regression and multiple regression. RESULTS: Age, marital status, level of education, asthma severity, peak expiratory flow, and previous hospital admissions were found to be predictors of HRQOL. Gender, duration of disease, and history of emergency visits were not correlated with HRQOL. The variables entered in the HRQOL model accounted for 17.4% of the total variance (adjusted R(2)). The regression coefficients indicated that the mean scores increased 7.68 in patients with moderate to severe disease severity, and increased 7.34 in patients with a history of hospital admissions. The mean scores decreased 7.60 in married patients. CONCLUSION: This study found that marital status, asthma severity, and history of hospital admissions were major predictors of HRQOL in Taiwanese patients with bronchial asthma.     

萘普生对大鼠着床期宫内PGF_(2α)含量及宫内节育器抗生育作用的影响

本文测定了对照组及两个萘普生(前列腺素合成酶抑制剂)处理组大鼠着床期宫内PGF2α的含量。结果表明,对照组、萘普生低剂量组(2mg/kg体重)和高剂量组(20mg/kg体重)的PGF2α含量分别为6.71±0.93、2.19±0.34和1.01±0.18ng/100g组织(三组间P<0.01)。同时,还观察到在本实验条件下,萘普生无明显干扰节育器抗生育作用,药物本身亦未呈现显著抗生育活性。     

Neural network forecasts of the tropical Pacific sea surface temperatures.

A nonlinear forecast system for the sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies over the whole tropical Pacific has been developed using a multi-layer perceptron neural network approach, where sea level pressure and SST anomalies were used as predictors to predict the five leading SST principal components at lead times from 3 to 15 months. Relative to the linear regression (LR) models, the nonlinear (NL) models showed higher correlation skills and lower root mean square errors over most areas of the domain, especially over the far western Pacific (west of 155 degrees E) and the eastern equatorial Pacific off Peru at lead times longer than 3 months, with correlation skills enhanced by 0.10-0.14. Seasonal and decadal changes in the prediction skills in the NL and LR models were also studied.     

Quality of life and exercise performance in patients in sinus rhythm versus persistent atrial fibrillation: a Veterans Affairs Cooperative Studies Program Substudy.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to determine quality of life (QOL) and exercise performance (EP) in patients with persistent atrial fibrillation (AF) converted to sinus rhythm (SR) compared with those remaining in or reverting to AF. BACKGROUND: Restoration of SR in patients with AF improving QOL and EP remains controversial. METHODS: Patients with persistent AF were randomized double-blind to amiodarone, sotalol, or placebo. Those not achieving SR at day 28 were cardioverted and classified into SR or AF groups at 8 weeks (n = 624) and 1 year (n = 556). The QOL (SF-36), symptom checklist (SCL), specific activity scale (SAS), AF severity scale (AFSS), and EP were assessed. RESULTS: Favorable changes were seen in SR patients at 8 weeks in physical functioning (p < 0.001), physical role limitations (p = 0.03), general health (p = 0.002), and vitality (p < 0.001), and at 1 year in general health (p = 0.007) and social functioning (p = 0.02). Changes in the scores for SCL severity (p = 0.01), functional capacity (p = 0.003), and AFSS symptom burden (p < 0.001) at 8 weeks and in SCL severity (p < 0.01) and AF symptom burden (p < 0.001) at 1 year showed significant improvements in SR versus AF. Symptomatic patients were more likely to have improvement. The EP in SR versus AF was greater from baseline to 8 weeks (p = 0.01) and to 1 year (p = 0.02). The EP correlated with physical functioning and functional capacity except in the AF group at 1 year. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with persistent AF, restoration and maintenance of SR was associated with improvements in QOL measures and EP. There was a strong correlation between QOL measures and EP.     

膨体聚四氟乙烯假体在隆鼻术中的应用

目的介绍膨体聚四氟乙烯(e-PTFE)假体在隆鼻术的应用体会。方法自2004年3月至2005年6月,采用国产e-PTFE假体为87例求美者行隆鼻术,并对假体的设计、雕刻、制作及置入时的注意事项进行介绍。结果随访其中的81例求美者3~12个月,3例求美者于术后7d时发现鼻背部有轻度不对称,经手法按压得到矫正;1例求美者术后3d因污染了术区造成感染,将假体取出,6个月后重新隆鼻,效果较好;余77例求美者效果满意。结论采用国产e-PTFE假体行隆鼻术,特别是修复鼻尖低平者具有安全、手感好、外形逼真、并发症少等优点。e-PTFE是一种较理想的隆鼻材料。     

Molecular cloning and characterization of a Ca2+/calmodulin-insensitive adenylyl cyclase from rat brain.

Biochemical, immunological, and molecular cloning studies have suggested the existence of multiple forms of adenylyl cyclase (EC 4.6.1.1). An adenylyl cyclase cDNA clone (type II) was isolated from a rat brain library and found to encode a protein of 1090 amino acids that was homologous to but distinct from the previously described Ca2+/calmodulin-stimulated adenylyl cyclase from bovine brain. Expression of the type II cDNA in an insect cell line resulted in an increased level of adenylyl cyclase activity that was insensitive to Ca2+/calmodulin. Addition of activated Gs alpha protein to type II-containing membranes increased enzyme activity. The mRNA encoding the type II protein was expressed at high levels in brain tissue and at low levels in olfactory epithelium and lung. The existence of multiple adenylyl cyclase enzymes may provide for complex and distinct modes of biochemical regulation of cAMP levels in the brain.