Human follicle fluid vascular endothelial growth factor concentrations are correlated with luteinization in spontaneously developing follicles

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a cytokine that induces angiogenesis. Angiogenesis is a prominent histologic component of the luteinization process. Luteinization is also characterized by granulosa cell progesterone secretion in response to the luteinizing hormone (LH) surge. Local VEGF production in human pre-ovulatory follicles, induced by LH, was postulated to be a luteinization mediator in women. To investigate this hypothesis, serum and fluid from the dominant follicle of 31 healthy regularly cycling multiparous women undergoing laparoscopic sterilization were obtained. VEGF was measured by enzyme- linked immunosorbent assay, and LH and progesterone were measured by radioimmunoassay. Follicle aspiration was performed at a median of 13 days from the last menstrual period (range 11-17 days). The median pre- ovulatory follicle diameter was 16 mm (range 11-23 mm). Follicle fluid VEGF concentrations (mean 6900 pg/ml, range 1200-17 100 pg/ml) were correlated positively with follicle fluid progesterone concentrations (mean 10 176 nmol/l, range 636-66780 nmol/l, r=0.62, P=0.002). This correlation was even tighter (r=0.87, P < 0.0001) when only samples from the 22 women in the earliest stages of follicle luteinization were considered. In these women serum LH concentrations were also correlated with follicle fluid VEGF concentrations (r=0.51, P=0.02). Our findings demonstrate the close dynamic relationship between VEGF production and early luteinization in human follicles during normal non-stimulated cycles.      

Microsatellite instability and mutation analysis of hMSH2 and hMLH1 in patients with sporadic, familial and hereditary colorectal cancer

To date, at least four genes involved in DNA mismatch repair, hMSH2, hMLH1, hPMS1 and hPMS2, have been demonstrated to be altered in the germline of patients with hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC). Additionally, defective mismatch repair is thought to account for the observation of microsatellite instability (MIN) in tumors from these patients. The genetic defect responsible for the MIN+ phenotype in sporadic colorectal cancer, however, has yet to be clearly delineated. In order to better understand the role of somatic and germline alterations within hMSH2 and hMLH1 in the process of colorectal tumorigenesis, we examined the entire coding regions of both of these genes in seven patients with MIN+ sporadic colorectal cancer, 19 patients with familial colorectal cancer, and 20 patients meeting the strict Amsterdam criteria for HNPCC. Thirteen germline, two somatic, and four neutral alterations were identified. The two somatic mutations occurred in patients having familial cancer, while the germline mutations were distributed among one sporadic (14%), three familial (16%), and nine HNPCC (45%) cases. All patients with identified mutations in the mismatch repair genes, whose tumors were available for analysis, demonstrated MIN. On the other hand, we could not identify mutations in the subset of clinically defined HNPCC patients with MIN negative tumors nor in the majority (6/7) of MIN+ sporadic tumors.      

Leiomyoma on the shaft of penis

Primary soft tissue tumours of the penis, such as leiomyomas, are very rare. Most present as small and painless but gradually increasing swellings on the penis. To the best of our knowledge, only 9 cases have been reported in the literature so far. This rare pathologic finding, which usually mimics a malignant lesion, should be included in the differential diagnosis of penile neoplasm. Surgical excision of the lesion provides both the histological diagnosis and an effective therapy. We report a case of a large leiomyoma on the shaft of the penis measuring 8x5 cm, which possibly represents the largest reported leiomyoma of the penis in English literature till date.     

Screening of Antibacterial Potentials of Some Medicinal Plants from Melghat Forest in India

Cyperus rotundus, Caesalpinia bonducella, Tinospora cordifolia, Gardenia gummifera, Ailanthus excelsa, Acacia arabica, Embelia ribes and Ventilago maderspatana from Melghat forest were screened for their antibacterial potential against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Proteus vulgaris, Salmonella typhi, Shigella flexneri, Salmonella paratyphi, Salmonella typhimurium, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterobacter aerogenes by disc diffusion method. Out of these medicinal plants Caesalpinia bonducella, Gardenia gummifera and Acacia arabica showed remarkable antibacterial potential. The phytochemical analysis had showed the presence of Cardiac glycosides in all extracts (aqueous, acetone, ethanol and methanol) of Acacia arabica, Gardenia gummifera and ethanol, methanol extracts of Caesalpinia bonducella. Flavonoids were present in Gardenia gummifera, Ailanthus excelsa and acetone, methanol extracts of Acacia Arabica. Tannins and phenolic were present in Cyperus rotundus, Embelia ribes, and organic extracts of Ventilago maderspatana.     

组织气氛的结构维度与类型

目的:介绍组织气氛的概念、维度结构、类型,并对组织气氛未来研究进行展望。资料来源:应用计算机检索1968-01/2006-06与组织气氛概念、维度和类型相关的文章,中文文献来源于中国全文期刊数据库,检索词为“组织气氛,组织风气”。英文文献来源于ProQuest数据库和www.google.com.cn搜索网站,检索词包括“organization climate,organizational atmosphere”。资料选择:对资料进行初审,选择与组织气氛相关的文章。纳入标准:详细阐述组织气氛概念,维度和类型的文章。排除标准:重复性研究。资料提炼:共收集到52篇文献,选择与本文密切相关的16篇文章进行综述。资料综合:自Lewin发展并正式提出组织气氛概念以来,国外组织气氛研究发展迅猛,国内的研究相对较少。首先,文章回顾了组织气氛的研究历史,着重介绍了组织气氛定义的发展和不断完善;其次,介绍了国内外组织气氛结构维度的研究和国内外组织气氛维度结构的相互比较;第三,介绍了由组织结构维度研究延伸出的组织气氛类型的研究,并对各种类型进行比较和评价;最后,对组织气氛的未来研究趋势进行了探讨,提出了中国组织气氛研究本土化的一些建设性意见。结论:组织气氛可以科学测量并根据不同的维度可划分成不同的类型。对组织气氛维度和类型的研究回顾有利于人们对组织的合理认识,有利于组织和其成员的发展,促进人与组织的匹配。     

Adjuvant immunotoxin therapy with anti-B4-blocked ricin after autologous bone marrow transplantation for patients with B-cell non- Hodgkin's lymphoma

Anti-B-blocked ricin (anti-B4-bR) combines the specificity of the anti- B4 (CD19) monoclonal antibody with the protein toxin "blocked ricin." In blocked ricin, affinity ligands are attached to the ricin B-chain to attenuate its lectin binding capacity. In a phase I trial, Anti-B4-bR was administered by 7-day continuous infusion to 12 patients in complete remission after autologous bone marrow transplantation (ABMT) for relapsed B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). Patients were treated at 20, 40, and 50 micrograms/kg/d for 7 days. Potentially therapeutic serum levels could be sustained for 3 to 4 days. The maximum tolerated dose was 40 micrograms/kg/d for 7 days (total 280 micrograms/kg). The dose-limiting toxicities were reversible grade IV thrombocytopenia and elevation of hepatic transaminases. Mild capillary leak syndrome was manifested by hypoalbuminemia, peripheral edema (4 patients), and dyspnea (1 patient). Anti-immunotoxin antibodies developed in 7 patients. Eleven patients remain in complete remission between 13 and 26 months post-ABMT (median 17 months). These results show that Anti-B4- bR can be administered with tolerable, reversible toxicities to patients with B-cell NHL in complete remission following ABMT.     

Beta-thalassemia unlinked to the beta-globin gene in an English family

An inherited hypochromic microcytic anemia transmitted in an autosomal manner has been observed in three generations of an English family. Affected members had the hallmarks of heterozygous beta-thalassemia, ie, elevated levels of hemoglobin A2 and imbalanced globin chain synthesis. However, despite extensive sequence analysis, no mutations could be found in or around the beta-globin genes of either the propositus or two other affected members from two different generations. Linkage analysis using restriction fragment length polymorphisms in the beta-globin gene cluster clearly showed that the gene responsible for the beta-thalassemia phenotype segregates independently of the beta-gene complex. Therefore, this condition represents a novel form of the disease.