Point mutation in the parkin gene on patients with Parkinson’s disease

Summary To investigate the distribution of possible novel mutations from parkin gene in variant subset of patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) in China and explore whether parkin gene plays an important role in the pathogenesis of PD, 70 patients were divided into early-onset group and late-onset group; 70 healthy subjects were included as controls. Genomic DNA from 70 normal controls and from those of PD patients were extracted from peripheral blood leukocytes by using standard procedures. Mutations of parkin gene (exon 1–12) in all the subjects were screened by PCR-single strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP), and further sequencing was performed in the samples with abnormal SSCP results, in order to confirm the mutation and its location. A new missense mutation Gly284Arg in a patient and 3 abnormal bands in SSCP electrophoresis from samples of another 3 patients were found. All the DNA variants were sourced from the samples of the patients with early-onset PD. It was concluded that Parkin point mutation also partially contributes to the development of early-onset Parkinson’s disease in Chinese. WANG Tao, male, born in 1961, Associate Professor This work was supported by grants from the key program of the special scientific project of Scientific & Technologic Agency of Hubei Province (Serial No. 2001AA308B01) and the Hygienic Research Project of Hygienic Agency of Hubei province (Serial No. WJ 01529).     

Otolaryngologic approach to the diagnosis and management of otitis media

Otitis media is a common childhood disease caused by multiple factors. Understanding the pathogenesis of otitis media is important in the diagnosis and management of it. The mode of therapy should be chosen depending on the type and stage of the disease. Treatment options available to an otolaryngologist include antibiotics, tympanocentesis, myringotomy and tympanostomy tube insertions, adenoidectomy with or without tonsillectomy, exploratory tympanotomy, atympanoplasty, and mastoidectomy.     

超声热疗临床应用的研究

目的：通过超声热疗配合常规放疗治疗晚期恶性肿瘤的临床研究，评价超声热疗的疗效及与疗效有关的加热参数。材料和方法： 对１７ 例晚期恶性肿瘤的１７ 个病灶用常规放疗加超声热疗。放疗用直线加速器外照射，每次２ Ｇｙ、周５ 次， 总剂量４０～７０ Ｇｙ。热疗在放疗后３０ ｍ ｉｎ 内进行，每周加热１～２ 次，每次加温时间 ６０ ｍ ｉｎ，６～８ 次一疗程。全例病人每次加温时实测肿瘤内温度。结果：在可评价的１３例中，ＣＲ ２３．１％ （３／１３）、ＰＲ ４６．２％ （６／１３）、ＮＣ ２３．１％ （３／１３）、ＰＤ ７．７％ （ １／１３） ， 有效率（ＣＲ＋ ＰＲ）为６９．３％ 。肿瘤中心部温度达到４２．５℃以上的累积时间和总加热次数是决定疗效的重要参数。在１７ 例患者的 ８９ 次加温中，副作用的发生率相对较低。结论：使用超声热疗配合放疗，只要实现满负荷加温，进一步提高肿瘤的局部控制率是完全可能的     

Glomus tumours of the hand and foot

Summary. Between 1982 and 1991 we treated 48 patients with a glomus tumour in the hand or foot. There were 42 women and 6 men, aged between 14 and 61 years. Forty-five tumours were in the subungual region and 41 were on the anterolateral aspect of a distal phalanx. The lesions presented with a classic triad of pain, tenderness and sensitivity to temperature, particularly cold. Excision of the tumour was curative.

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Resumé. Entre 1982 et 1991, 48 patients présentant une tumeur glomique de la main et du pied ont été traités dans notre département. Il y avait 42 femmes et 6 hommes, agés de 14 à 61 ans (moyenne 38 ans). 45 tumeurs étaient en situation sous-inguéale et 41 en situation latéro-palmaire de la phalange distale. 44 se situaient au niveau de la main et 4 au niveau du gros orteil. Ces lésions sont souvent non palpables fréquemment invisibles et habituellement indétectables à la radiographie. Cependant, le diagnostic est assez facile, lorsqu’existe la triade symptomatique: douleur, tumefaction molle et sensibilité au froid. L’excision complète après dissection soigneuse est le traitement adéquate. Le suivi des 48 malades a toujours montré une guérison complète.

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Accepted: 21 May 1996     

Partial mastectomy with axillary lymph node dissection and radiotherapy as a new treatment modality of breast cancer (I).

This is the first preliminary report among two consecutive papers. Partial mastectomy(PM), axillary lymph node dissection(AD) and radiotherapy (RT) were performed on seventeen operable breast cancer patients who had been admitted from April 1991 to March 1992 to the department of surgery, Yongdong Severance Hospital for improved cosmetic appearance and better survival rate. Of seventeen patients, 47% were T1 lesion and 76% were stage I and II. Extensive intraductal component(EIC) within or around the tumor was also analyzed. Twenty nine per cent of the patients were EIC positive. The mean number of axillary lymph nodes was 21.5 after PM with AD and 20.5 after mastectomy. For radiotherapy, 4,500 rad was delivered to the breast parenchyma and 1,600 rad of boost to the primary tumor site using the electron beam method after surgery. All patients have since been living well without any local recurrence and were satisfied with breast preservation for the one-year follow-up period. We concluded that the PM, AD and RT can be another surgical treatment modality of breast cancer. A longer follow-up data will be followed on the second paper.     

Hemodynamic study of external counterpulsation with left and right cardiac catheters in 15 cases]

The hemodynamic changes of 15 cases during external counterpulsation with left and right cardiac catheters were reported. The results showed that the diastolic pressure at the root of the aorta was remarkably increased, the peak value (countercurrent pressure) was 8.02 +/- 2.05 kPa higher than the diastolic pressure before counterpulsation; the aortic systolic pressure during counterpulsation was slightly decreased with a mean value of 0.81 kPa; there was no apparent change in the central venous pressure and pulmonary arterial pressure; pulmonary arterial wedge pressure was slightly reduced during counterpulsation. All the above data are useful in showing the improvement of cardiac and brain perfusion volume and clarifying its mechanism.     

Modulation of infection-induced inflammation and locomotive deficit and longevity in senescence-accelerated mice-prone (SAMP8) model by the oligomerized polyphenol Oligonol.

Oligonol is produced from the oligomerization of polyphenols (typically proanthocyanidin from a variety of fruits such as lychees, grapes, apples, persimmons, etc.) and contains catechin-type monomers and oligomers of proanthocyanidins. The ability of Oligonol to affect infection-dependent eye inflammation, locomotion and longevity in senescence-accelerated prone mice (SAMP8) (a model of senescence acceleration and geriatric disorders with increased oxidative stress and neuronal deficit) was investigated. Oligonol (60mg/kg) significantly modulated the extent of inflammation scores in the eye of SAMP8 mice. Examination of the mice indicated infection with mouse hepatitis virus and pinworm (Syphacia obvelata) in both males and females and with the intestinal protozoa (trichomonad) in males. A comparison of the two groups (using log-rank test) and the difference in the mean life span between groups (using Student's t-test) indicated significant differences in survival (p=0.043) and the mean life span (p=0.033) in male SAMP8 mice. Oligonol increased the mean life span and this was statistically significant. In the open-field locomotive test, the 7-week-old SAMP8 mice crossed more than 40 partitioned lines in 1min. At 48-week-old control untreated male SAMP8 crossed 2 lines. The Oligonol-treated 48-week-old male SAMP8 mice crossed 17 lines however. The improved locomotive activity was statistically significant even after 36weeks in the Oligonol-treated male SAMP8 but this was not the case throughout the time course of the study in the Oligonol-treated female SAMP8. Thus Oligonol treatment to SAMP8 mice modulated the severity of infection-dependent inflammation, prolonged life-span and significantly improved locomotive activity indicating potential benefit to aging-associated diseases such as Alzheimer's or Parkinson's diseases. This presents potential for further research to define infection-dependent inflammation associated with degenerative conditions and the molecular mechanism of dietary antioxidant protection.     

Expression and activation of 15-lipoxygenase pathway in severe asthma: relationship to eosinophilic phenotype and collagen deposition

BACKGROUND: Although 15(S)-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (15(S)-HETE), a product of 15-lipoxygenase (15-LO), may be involved in mild to moderate asthma, little is known about its potential roles in severe asthma. OBJECTIVES: This study was performed to evaluate 15(S)-HETE levels in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) from severe asthmatics with and without airway eosinophils and from the control groups. In addition, 15-LO protein expression was examined in endobronchial biopsy, while its expression and activation were evaluated in BAL cells. RESULTS: While 15(S)-HETE levels in BALF were significantly higher in all severe asthmatics than normal subjects, severe asthmatics with airway eosinophils had the highest levels compared with mild, moderate asthmatics and normal subjects. 15(S)-HETE levels were associated with tissue eosinophil numbers, sub-basement membrane thickness and BALF tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 levels, and were accompanied by increased 15-LO expression in bronchial epithelium. In addition, activation of 15-LO was suggested by the increased proportion of 15-LO in the cytoplasmic membrane of alveolar macrophages from severe asthmatics. CONCLUSION: The data suggest that severe asthmatics with persistent airway eosinophils manifest high levels of 15(S)-HETE in BALF, which may be associated with airway fibrosis. It is likely that 15-LO expression and activation by airway cells explain the increased 15(S)-HETE levels.     

Benign osteoblastoma of the occipital bone: Case report and literature review

We present a case of benign osteoblastoma of the occipital bone. Benign osteoblastoma is an uncommon primary bone tumor, which usually involves the vertebrae and the long bones. This tumor rarely develops in the calvaria, showing a preference for the temporal and frontal bones when it does. To the best of our knowledge, this case is only the eighth reported case of benign osteoblastoma confined to the occipital bone. A 20‐year‐old male presented with a mild tender mass lesion of the occipital area, just below the lambda. Plain X‐ray films and CT scans demonstrated an osteolytic mass surrounded by the sclerotic rim within the diploic space. MRI proved to be effective for the evaluation of the intracranial and intraosseous extensions of the tumor. However, it was very difficult to formulate a differential diagnosis against other osteoblastic tumors, or osteoid osteoma, in view of its radiological appearance. The final diagnosis was obtained by careful consideration of the histopathological characteristics of the tumor combined with its clinical and radiological features. Although generally regarded as benign, a complete resection is preferred over conventional curettage as this can guard against possible recurrence and malignant transformation.