偏盲患者在听-视觉刺激后视觉搜索能力的改善

目的：识别癌组织中选择性表达和可能引起免疫反应的蛋白，是抗原特异性免疫疗法的第一步。Wilms肿瘤基因（WT1）产物具有天生的免疫原性，现认为其具致癌性。本研究目的是测定WT1在卵巢上皮癌（EOC）中的表达，并了解其与临床及病理学特点的关系。方法：用微阵列免疫组化法检测WT1的表达，检测对象为正常组织和100个EOC组织。分析WT1表达的分布情况及临床-病理学变量。生存概率使用Kaplan-Meier方法评估，统计方法为秩和检验。结果：100例中，78例发现有WT1表达，其中66例（66％）为同质性染色，为主要表达类型，12例（12％）为异质性染色。     

A low-tech alternative to static progressive wrist extension splinting: the wrist extension strap.

The authors have found that for best results, a wearing time of 1 hour 3 to 4 times a day is desired. Similar to many splints designed to increase range of motion, there is some functional loss during wearing time. Application of the splint should be scheduled appropriately around functional activities. Based on clinical experience, the authors have found this splint is easy to fabricate, cost-effective, and relatively comfortable.     

Racial and ethnic disparities in influenza vaccination among elderly adults

Objectives: To examine whether access to care factors account for racial/ethnic disparities in influenza vaccination among elderly adults in the United States.
Design: Indicators of access to care (predisposing, enabling, environmental/system, and health need) derived from Andersen's behavioral model were identified in the National Health Interview Survey questionnaire. The relationship of these indicators to influenza vaccination and race/ethnicity was assessed with multiple logistic regression models.
Main Results: Significant differences in vaccination were observed between non-Hispanic (NH) whites (66%) and Hispanics (50%, P <.001) and between NH whites (66%) and NH blacks (46%, P <.001). Controlling for predisposing and enabling access to care indicators, education, marital status, regular source of care, and number of doctor visits, reduced the prevalence odds ratios (POR) comparing Hispanics to non-Hispanic whites from 1.89 to 1.27. For NH blacks, controlling for access to care indicators changed the POR only from 2.24 (95% CI, 1.9 to 2.7) to 1.93 (95% CI, 1.6 to 2.4).
Conclusions: This study confirmed the existence of sizable racial/ethnic differences in influenza vaccination among elderly adults. These disparities were only partially explained by differences in indicators of access to care, especially among non-Hispanic blacks for whom large disparities remained. Factors not available in the National Health Interview Survey, such as patient attitudes and provider performance, should be investigated as possible explanations for the racial/ethnic disparity in influenza vaccination among non-Hispanic blacks.     

Regional Brain Activation in Response to Rectal Distension in Patients with Irritable Bowel Syndrome and the Effect of a History of Abuse

Previous studies have demonstrated alterations in brain response to rectal distension in patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) compared to controls. Our aim was to compare regional brain activity in response to rectal balloon distension in patients with IBS and healthy controls. We studied six patients with IBS and six healthy controls. Positron emission tomography scans were obtained during rectal balloon distensions. Statistical parametric mapping and region of interest analysis were performed to identify and compare differences in regional cerebral blood flow (CBF) for each distension pressure within and between the groups of interest. In post-hoc analyses, patients with a history of sexual or physical abuse were compared to patients without abuse. In response to rectal distension, controls exhibit a greater increase in anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) activity compared to the IBS group (Z = 3.2, P = 0.001). Thalamic activity was higher in the IBS patients relative to the control group (Z = 3.3, P < 0.001). Increased ACC activity was observed in IBS patients with no history of abuse (Z = 5.2, P < 0.001) similar to controls, whereas no such increased activity was noticed in the abused group. In conclusion, this study replicates previous findings showing alterations in brain response to rectal distension in patients with IBS. The observations on the effect of abuse suggest a possible modulating role of abuse history on this brain response.     

Solar-light-active mesoporous Cr–TiO2 for photodegradation of spent wash: an in-depth study using QTOF LC-MS

A dark-coloured effluent called “spent wash” is generated as an unwanted product in sugarcane-based alcohol distilleries. Most distilleries discharge this effluent into soil or water without any treatment, causing water and soil pollution. Herein, we report chromium-doped TiO₂ (Cr–TiO₂) as a photocatalyst for the degradation of spent wash colour under natural sunlight. Cr-doped TiO₂ nanoparticles were prepared using an aqueous titanium peroxide-based sol–gel method with titanium isopropoxide as the Ti precursor and chromium nitrate as the Cr precursor. To observe the effect of dopant on sol–gel behaviour and physicochemical properties, the Cr concentration was varied in the range 0.5–5 wt%. The crystallization temperature and time were optimized to obtain the required phase of Cr–TiO₂. The physicochemical characteristics of the Cr-doped TiO₂ catalyst were determined using X-ray diffraction, FE-SEM, FETEM, TG, XPS, the Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) method, FT-IR, Raman, PL, ICP-MS, and UV visible spectroscopy. A shift in the absorption edge of TiO₂ by doping with chromium suggested an increase in visible light absorption due to a decrease in the effective band gap. The application potential of the Cr–TiO₂ catalyst was studied in the degradation of sugar-based alcohol distillery waste under natural sunlight, and the results were compared with those of undoped TiO₂ and Degussa P25 TiO₂. Degradation of the spent wash solution was monitored using UV-visible, gel permeation chromatography (GPC), and QTOF LC-MS. GPC and LC-MS showed significant changes in the molecular weight of spent wash colour-forming compounds due to the degradation reaction. QTOF LC-MS analysis suggested that acids, alcohols, glucosides, ketones, lipids, peptides, and metabolites were oxidized to low-molecular-weight counterparts. From the results, 5% Cr–TiO₂ showed the highest degradation rate among all Cr–TiO₂ samples, undoped TiO₂, and Degussa P25 TiO₂ under identical reaction conditions, with nearly 68–70% degradation achieved in 5 h.

A dark coloured effluent called “spent wash” is generated as an unwanted product in sugar based alcohol distillery which is degraded to less toxic compounds using visible light active Cr–TiO₂ photocatalyst under natural sunlight.     

Gender relations,sexual communication and the female condom

An exploratory multi-site study supported by the World Health Organisation and UNAIDS was conducted in Costa Rica, Indonesia, Mexico and Senegal to examine the extent to which women's capacity to negotiate safer sex might be enhanced by the introduction of the female condom. Data were first collected on prevailing gender relations, sexual communication and negotiation. This was followed by the distribution of the female condom and a locally designed intervention devised to develop women's knowledge and confidence in relation to their bodies, health and sexuality. In each of the four research sites, two groups of women were involved: one consisted of women engaged in sex work, the other of women from a range of backgrounds which varied across the sites. The introduction of the female condom was particularly successful in enhancing sexual communication between sex workers and clients, in couples where the man was already supportive of family planning, in a context where men were reassured that acceptance was high among peers, where the male condom was already in use but unpopular, and where the female condom was able to be eroticized and introduced into sex play.     

c-myc amplification coexistent with activating N-ras point mutation in the biphenotypic leukemic cell line RED-3

While activation of the protooncogene c-N-ras is observed regularly in acute myelogenous leukemia, amplification of c-myc in AML cells or derived lines is uncommon. In particular, concurrent ras/myc activation, which has been shown to be critical in several elegant models of malignancy, has been demonstrated in a very small number of human tumors or derivative cell lines. A cell line, RED-3, is described which was derived from cells of a patient with aggressive acute leukemia which exhibits many markers of lineage infidelity. DNA from this cell line contains an activating point mutation of c-N-ras as well as 20-30-fold amplification of c-myc. After HL-60, this is the second example of ras/myc activation in AML derived cells and demonstrates that this lesion is not unique to HL-60. Rather, it may be important in leukemogenesis in a small proportion of AML patients.     

The effect of fluoride on fertilized eggs of a freshwater fish, Catla catla (Hamilton)

The eggs of Catla catla were exposed to 2 fluoride media, (1) effluent dilutions containing 1.86, 3.21, 7.12, 9.56, and 16.23 ppm fluoride, and (2) fluoride (NaF) solutions containing 1.86, 3.56, 7.34, 10.01, and 16.68 ppm fluoride. The eggs exposed to 1.86 ppm fluoride (in both media) hatched at the end of 6 h, while in rest of the fluoride concentrations hatching was delayed by 1–2 h. The eggs showed decreases in water and protein and increase in fluoride contents. Toxicity of fluoride to eggs was more related to the availability of fluoride ions, than to the total fluoride in the media.     

Bioavailability of imipramine tablets relative to a stable isotope-labeled internal standard: Increasing the power of bioavailability tests

A new methodology for comparative bioavailability testing is described in which each drug formulation is compared with a stable isotope-labeled variant of the drug that is consumed orally in solution at the same time the tested formulation is ingested. The methodology is used to determine the comparative bioavailabilities of two commercially available brands of imipramine hydrochloride. The power of the new methodology to detect differences between drug formulations, when, in fact, such differences exist, is shown to be superior to that of conventional bioavailability tests.This study was supported by Contract 223-75-3006, DHEW/Public Health Service, Food and Drug Administration, Rockville, Maryland.