Reproductive Toxicology of Aluminum in Male Mice

The reproductive toxicology of aluminum was studied in mice.Adult male mice were treated intraperitoneally with aluminumnitrate at doses of 0, 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg/day for 4 weeksbefore mating with untreated females. Decreased body weightwas seen in all aluminum-treated groups. Decreased pregnancyrate was observed in the females mated with males previouslytreated with 100 or 200 mg/kg/day of aluminum nitrate. High-dosemale mice showed significantly decreased testicular and epididymalweights, as well as significant decreases in testicular andspermatid counts and epididymal sperm counts. Spermatid countswere also reduced at 100 mg/kg/day. However, the sperm motilitywas unaffected, and the percentages of morphological normalspermatozoa in all mice exposed to aluminum were comparableto the values in control mice. Histological changes, includingnecrosis of spermatocytes/spermatids, were observed in the testesof male mice treated with 100 and 200 mg/kg/day of aluminumnitrate, whereas the tubu lar diameters were unaffected by aluminumadministration. The current study demonstrates adverse effectsof parenteral aluminum exposure on the mouse male reproductivesystem. The "no observable adverse effect level" (NOAEL) was50 mg/kg/day.     

CDH13 Genetic Polymorphisms,Adiponectin and Ischemic Stroke:a Chinese Family-based Sib-pair Study

Objective To understand the relationships between CDH13(T-cadherin) genetic polymorphisms, adiponectin levels and ischemic stroke, and possible interactions between CDH13 polymorphisms and other risk factors. Methods We recruited 342 Chinese ischemic stroke sib pairs. We genotyped rs4783244 and rs7193788 on CDH13 using time-of-flight mass spectrometry genotyping technology and measured total and high-molecular weight(HMW) adiponectin levels. We investigated associations between SNPs and ischemic stroke, and interactions between SNPs and other risk factors using multi-level mixed-effects regression model. Results In individuals without ischemic stroke, CDH13 rs4783244 was associated with total adiponectin levels(per T: Coef =-0.257, P = 0.001). CDH13 rs7193788 was associated with total adiponectin levels(per A: Coef =-0.221, P = 0.001) and HMW adiponectin levels(per A: Coef =-0.163, P = 0.003). rs7193788 was significantly associated with ischemic stroke(GA/AA vs. GG: OR = 1.55, 95% CI: 1.07 to 2.24, P = 0.020) after Bonferroni correction(α = 0.025). There was an interaction between rs7193788 and diabetes(P = 0.036). Compared to diabetes-free individuals with rs7193788 GG genotype, diabetes patients with rs7193788 GA/AA genotypes had higher risks for ischemic stroke(OR = 2.64, 95% CI: 1.58-4.40, P 0.001). Conclusion CDH13 genetic polymorphisms are associated with adiponectin levels and ischemic stroke. An interaction is found between CDH13 SNP and diabetes for ischemic stroke.     

Lupus Erythematosus-Like Lesions by Voriconazole in an Infant with Chronic Granulomatous Disease

Abstract:  We report the first case of lupus-like lesions in an infant with chronic granulomatous disease during the treatment with voriconazole for chronic invasive aspergillosis. The lesions disappeared with termination of the treatment.     

VDD Pacing with Single Lead in a Heart Transplant Recipient: Case Report

Permanent pacemaker implantation is required in a large number of transplantation patients principally because of sinus node dysfunction of the donor atrium. The most suitable mode of pacing in these cases is still subject to controversy. We describe one case of a single lead system of VDD stimulation and sensing of the recipient atrial signal in a 32-year-old patient with posttransplant symptomatic sinus node dysfunction. Physiological adaptation of rate was achieved with recovery of normal receptor sinus node function. (PACE 1996; 19:1522–1523).     

原发性高血压患者血管紧张素Ⅱ和一氧化氮含量变化及与动态血压节律的关系

目的 :探讨原发性高血压 (EH)患者血浆血管紧张素Ⅱ (AngⅡ )、血清一氧化氮 (NO)含量变化及其与血压昼夜节律的相关性。方法 :EH组 5 0例 ,对照组 38例 ,以特异性放射免疫分析法测定血浆AngⅡ水平 ,用硝酸还原酶法经比色法测定血清NO水平 ,采用无创性携带式动态血压监测仪监测动态血压 ,超声心动图测定左室结构。将EH患者按动态血压监测结果分为杓型和非杓型者。比较两者的血压变化规律。结果 :①EH患者血浆AngⅡ含量明显高于对照组 (P <0 .0 1) ,NO含量明显低于对照组 (P <0 .0 1) ,且与病情严重程度相平行。②EH患者血浆AngⅡ与NO负相关 (r =- 0 .4 999,P <0 .0 1)。③非杓型者夜间收缩压均值、夜间舒张压均值增高 ,AngⅡ明显增加 ,NO明显降低 ,左室重量明显增加 ;夜间血压下降与AngⅡ负相关 (r =- 0 4 2 1,P <0 .0 5 ) ,与NO正相关 (r =0 .30 5 ,P <0 .0 5 )。结论 :AngⅡ、NO分泌失衡共同参与EH的发生、发展以及血压昼夜节律的调节。     

Definition of T cell epitopes within the 19 kDa carboxylterminal fragment of Plasmodium yoelii merozoite surface protein 1 (MSP119) and their role in immunity to malaria

MSP1₁₉ is one of the leading malaria vaccine candidates. However, the mechanism of protection is not clear. To determine whether MSP1₁₉-specific effector T cells can control parasitaemia, we analysed the specificity of T cells induced following immunization with recombinant forms of P. yoelii MSP1₁₉ and asked whether they could protect mice. There was no evidence that effector T cells were capable of protecting since: (1) immunization of mice with yMSP1₁₉, but not defined epitopes, was able to induce protection; and (2) long term MSP1₁₉-specific CD4⁺ T cell lines were incapable of adoptively transferring protection. In contrast, priming mice with the T cell epitopes resulted in a rapid anamnestic antibody response to MSP1₁₉ after either challenge with MSP1₁₉ or parasite. Thus, MSP1₁₉ contains multiple T cell epitopes but such epitopes are the targets of helper T cells for antibody response but not of identified effector T cells capable of controlling parasitaemia .     

Ultrasound of urinary system and urinary screening in 14 256 asymptomatic children in China

Aim: The aim of this study is to assess the characteristics of urinary system diseases and the role of the ultrasound screening and urinalysis screening for chronic kidney disease (CKD) in asymptomatic children in China. Methods: Between September 2008 and November 2008, 14 256 children excluding those with obvious symptoms and signs were enrolled in our study. All the subjects accepted ultrasound and urinary screening. A case–control study was performed to evaluate the relative risk of having stones in those children exposed to melamine formula. Results: Of the enrolled children, 6.10% (869 of 14 256) showed abnormalities, of which 409 (2.87%) were established by ultrasound, 572 (4.01%) by urinalysis and 112 (0.79%) by both ultrasound screening and urinalysis. The abnormalities included congenital anomalies of kidney and urinary tract, urinary stones and/or hydronephrosis, leucocyturia and haematuria and/or proteinuria. Children exposed to melamine formula were 5.17 times as likely to have kidney stones as children exposed to no‐melamine formula (95% confidence interval, 3.28–8.14; P < 0.001); the probability of kidney stones in melamine‐fed infants were 6.28 times as likely as those no melamine‐fed (95% confidence interval, 3.71–10.65; P < 0.001). Conclusion: Ultrasonography and urinalysis could complement each other and play important roles in the early diagnosis of anomalies of the urinary system, but urinalysis is a more cost‐effective screening tool for CKD in children in China. Exposure to melamine‐contaminated formula associated with urinary stones, especially in infants, was significantly higher than the control group.