Somatic mitochondrial DNA mutations in cortex and substantia nigra in aging and Parkinson's disease

Oxidative damage to mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) increases with age in the brain and can induce G:C to T:A and T:A to G:C point mutations. Though rare at any particular site, multiple somatic mtDNA mutations induced by oxidative damage or by other mechanisms may accumulate with age in the brain and thus could play a role in aging and neurodegenerative diseases. However, no prior study has quantified the total burden of mtDNA point mutation subtypes in the brain. Using a highly sensitive cloning and sequencing strategy, we find that the aggregate levels of G:C to T:A and T:A to G:C transversions and of all point mutations increase with age in the frontal cortex (FCtx). In the substantia nigra (SN), the aggregate levels of point mutations in young controls are similar to the levels in the SN or FCtx of elderly subjects. Extrapolation from our data suggests an average of 2.7 (FCtx) to 3.2 (SN) somatic point mutations per mitochondrial genome in elderly subjects. There were no significant differences between Parkinson's disease (PD) patients and age-matched controls in somatic mutation levels. These results indicate that individually rare mtDNA point mutations reach a high aggregate burden in FCtx and SN of elderly subjects.     

Surveillance of respiratory viral infections among pediatric outpatients in northern Taiwan.

BACKGROUND: Viruses are a frequent cause of upper respiratory tract infections in children. Like Taiwan, there were few virological surveillance systems for respiratory viral infections among children in developing countries. MATERIALS AND METHODS: During August 1995 and July 1997, 6-10 throat swab specimens per week were taken from pediatric outpatients with acute, febrile upper respiratory tract infections (URTI). The specimens were randomly obtained by two pediatricians at Chang Gung Children's Hospital and sent for virus isolation and identification. RESULTS: A total of 910 specimens were collected and 365 specimens (40%) were positive for at least 1 virus and included 81 enterovirus, 73 adenovirus, 58 influenza B virus, 54 influenza A virus, 48 cytomegalovirus (CMV), 25 herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1), 7 parainfluenza virus, 3 respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and 16 mixed viruses. Adenovirus and enterovirus were identified throughout the study period. No seasonal variation was noted for adenovirus while enterovirus peaked between May and July and also during September and November. Influenza viruses, both A and B, were identified during two periods, respectively and altogether, influenza viruses could be detected almost throughout the year. An association between the virus type identified and the mean age of patients was found (P-value = 0.0001 by ANOVA test). The mean age of patients infected with influenza viruses, either A or B, was significantly higher than those of patients infected with adenovirus, HSV-1, CMV and enterovirus. CONCLUSION: The results of this study demonstrate that adenovirus and enterovirus are the two most common viruses isolated from pediatric outpatients with acute, febrile URTIs and can be identified throughout the year in northern Taiwan. Influenza viruses also can be identified throughout the year and during the epidemic, a child older than 5 years of age with acute febrile URTI is likely to be a case of influenza.     

Kinetics of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) coronavirus-specific antibodies in 271 laboratory-confirmed cases of SARS

The sensitivities and specificities of an immunofluorescence assay and an enzyme immunoassay for detection of antibodies specific for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) were compared for 148 laboratory-confirmed SARS cases. The appearance and persistence of SARS-CoV-specific antibodies were assessed, with immunoglobulin G detected in 59% of samples collected within 14 days and persisting for 60 to 95 days after the onset of illness.     

A practical single sample dry latex agglutination test for Helicobacter pylori antibody detection.

Assessment of a single serum sample for Helicobacter pylori antibodies is frequently requested in routine diagnostic laboratories. Current enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits are not ideal for testing small numbers of serum samples and some have low sensitivities, specificities or large grey zones. A panel of 90 serum samples from patients who had presented for routine upper endoscopy was used to compare three kits for the detection of H pylori antibodies: (1) Pyloriset Dry, total antibody latex agglutination, Orion Diagnostica, Espoo, Finland; (2) Pyloriset enzyme immunoassay (EIA), IgG ELISA, Orion; and (3) Hel-p, IgG ELISA, Amrad, Kew, Victoria, Australia. Diagnosis of H pylori positivity was made if culture results and either rapid urease test or histopathology were positive. The sensitivity, specificity, positive, and negative predictive value for each test was as follows: Orion: latex 93.3%, 95.6%, 95.5%, 93.3%, respectively; Orion: EIA-G 84.4%, 97.8%, 97.4%, 84.4%, respectively; and Amrad: EIA-G 100%, 88.9%, 90%, 100%, respectively. The latex test performed better than the EIAs with respect to sensitivity and specificity.     

Immunohistochemical analysis of centromere protein F expression in buccal and gingival squamous cell carcinoma

Centromere protein F (CENP-F) expression (localization and characteristics) in relation to tumor clinicopathological parameters was immunohistochemically examined and evaluated in 47 archival biopsy specimens of buccal and gingival squamous cell carcinomas (SCC). Centromere protein F expression was detected in 79% of the samples. An increase in the labeling index (LI) with WHO grading was obtained ( P  < 0.05). Correlations were obtained between the CENP-F LI and tumor size ( P  < 0.05). Immunoelectron microscopy showed CENP-F nuclear staining as punctate or fine dots. The present study shows that CENP-F expression and detection of a more specific cell subpopulation presents a theoretical advantage for the analysis of the precise cell cycle of G₂ to M cells, compared to Ki-67.     

电化学共沉积制备有机高聚物/钙磷复合陶瓷膜层--Ⅱ XPS、SIMS表征及力学性能研究

通过电化学共沉积方法制备具有生物活性的有机高聚物／钙磷陶瓷复合膜层。用XPS、SIMS等对复合膜层的化学组分进行表征，证明少量有机高聚物可能在分子层次上掺杂形成有机高聚物／羟基磷灰石复合膜层。对电沉积HAP陶瓷膜层进行微刮痕实验表明，陶瓷膜层与金属基体的结合力得到显著改善。     

gp49B1 suppresses stem cell factor-induced mast cell activation-secretion and attendant inflammation in vivo

We report that gp49B1, a mast cell membrane receptor with two immunoreceptor tyrosine-based inhibitory motifs (ITIM), constitutively inhibits mast cell activation-secretion induced by stem cell factor (SCF), a tissue-derived cytokine that also regulates mast cell development. The intradermal injection of SCF into the ears of gp49B1 null (gp49B(-/-)) mice elicited approximately 4- and 2.5-fold more degranulating mast cells and tissue swelling caused by edema, respectively, than in gp49B(+/+) mice. SCF did not induce tissue swelling in mast cell-deficient mice, and the responsiveness of gp49B(-/-) mice to mast cell-associated amine and lipid mediators was unaltered. When gp49B(+/+) and gp49B(-/-) mice were pretreated with antagonists of the amines, SCF-induced tissue swelling was reduced by >90% and 60%, respectively, and it was reduced by >90% in both genotypes when a cysteinyl leukotriene receptor antagonist was also provided. Hence, the dominant contribution of secretory granule amines to SCF-induced tissue swelling is the result of gp49B1-mediated inhibition of the production of cysteinyl leukotrienes by mast cells. Our findings also provide the first example of an ITIM-bearing receptor that constitutively suppresses inflammation generated in vivo independently of the adaptive immune response by a receptor that signals through intrinsic tyrosine kinase activity rather than immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation motifs.     

bFGF对胚胎神经干细胞分化为神经元及神经胶质细胞的影响

本研究观察了碱性成纤维生长因子对胚胎神经干细胞生长和分化的影响。从孕 12 d大鼠胚胎神经管分离神经干细胞 ,进行体外培养 ,分为碱性成纤维生长因子组及对照组。培养过程中观察神经干细胞的生长 ,于培养第 3、5、10 d用免疫组化方法检测培养细胞神经元特异烯醇化酶和胶质纤维酸性蛋白的表达 ,以观察神经干细胞分化为神经元及神经胶质细胞的状况。碱性成纤维生长因子可明显地促进培养细胞的生长和分化。免疫组化细胞计数显示 ,培养第 3 d,特异烯醇化酶、胶质纤维酸性蛋白阳性细胞数均明显增加 ;培养第 5 d,特异烯醇化酶阳性细胞数是对照组的 1.9倍 ,胶质纤维酸性蛋白阳性细胞数为对照组的 1.6倍 ,前者表达增加明显 ;培养第 10 d,两者的阳性细胞数仍高于对照组 ,但增加不明显。不同培养时间的胞体最长突起长度也均高于对照组 ;胞体直径及表面积随培养时间延长而增大。说明 ,碱性成纤维生长因子既能促进胚胎神经干细胞的生长 ,也可促使其分化为神经元及神经胶质细胞 ,尤以神经元为明显