Effect of early nutrition on intestine development of intrauterine growth retardation in rats and its correlation to leptin

AIM: To investigate the intestine and body development of intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) rats under early different protein diet and to analyze the correlation between leptin and intestine and body development. METHODS: An IUGR rat model was established by food restriction of pregnant female rats. Fifty-six neonatal IUGR rats and 24 neonatal normal rats were randomly divided into normal control group (C group), IUGR model group (SC group), low protein diet IUGR group (SL group), and high protein diet IUGR group (SH group). Eight rats were killed per group at wk 0, 4, and 12. Serum leptin, body weight (BW), body length (BL), intestinal weight (IW), intestinal length (IL), and intestinal disaccharidase (including lactase, maltase, and saccharase) were detected. RESULTS: BW (4.50±0.41 g), BL (5.96±0.40 cm), IW (0.05±0.01 g), and IL (15.9±2.8 cm) in neonatal IUGR rats were much lower than those in C group (6.01±0.55 g, 6.26±0.44 cm, 0.10±0.02 g, 21.8±2.7 cm, P<0.05), while intestinal lactase and maltase activities were higher than those in C group. SH group showed the fastest catch up growth and their BW, BL, IW, and IL reached the C group level at wk 4. SC group showed relatively slower catch up growth than SH group, and their BW, BL, IW did not reach the C group level at wk 4. SL group did not show intestine and body catch up growth. Intestinal maltase [344±33 μmol/(min·g)] and saccharase activities [138±32 μmol/(min·g)] in SL group were both markedly lower than those in C group [751±102, 258±27 μmol/(min·g), P<0.05]. There were no significant differences in lactase activities at wk 4 and disaccharidase activities at wk 12 among all groups (P>0.05). The leptin level in SL. group (0.58±0.12 ng/mL) was the highest in all groups, and much lower in SH group (0.21±0.03 ng/mL) than that in any other IUGR groups at wk 4 (P<0.05). Leptin was negatively related to BW (r=-0.556, P= 0.001), IW (r=-0.692, P=0.001) and IL (r=-0.738, P= 0.000) at wk 4, while no correlation was found at wk 12. CONCLUSION: High protein diet is a reasonable early nutritional mode to IUGR rats in promoting intestine and body catch up growth.     

骨髓增生异常综合征T细胞早期激活及可溶性肿瘤坏死因子受体的研究

目的　研究骨髓增生异常综合征 (MDS)外周血CD+ 4 、CD+ 8T细胞早期激活标志CD69的表达及血清、骨髓可溶性肿瘤坏死因子受体 1、2 (sTNF R1、2 )的水平及其意义。方法　在植物血凝素 (PHA) 2 0mg/L条件下进行全血细胞培养 ,于 0h和 4h分别用流式细胞仪对CD+ 4 、CD+ 8T细胞CD69的表达进行分析。用ELISA法检测血清和骨髓sTNF R1、2的水平。结果　PHA刺激前难治性贫血 (RA)与难治性贫血伴环形铁粒幼细胞增多 (RAS)CD+ 4 、CD+ 8细胞CD69的表达率分别为 8 32 %、9 88% ,难治性贫血伴原始细胞增多 (RAEB)与转变中的RAEB(RAEB T)CD+ 8细胞CD69的表达率为7 92 %。PHA刺激后MDS患者CD+ 4 、CD+ 8细胞表达CD69明显增强 ,RA +RAS为 5 3 4 6 %、5 1 6 3% ;RAEB +RAEB T为 4 2 93%、4 1 96 % ,CD+ 4 与CD+ 8细胞CD69的表达率相似。MDS两种sTNF R1水平均明显升高 ,RA +RAS组sTNF R1血清为 (1 5 8± 0 6 8) μg/L ,骨髓为 (2 10± 0 2 6 ) μg/L ;sTNF R2血清为 (1 4 1± 0 5 0 ) μg/L ,骨髓为 (1 95± 0 6 4 ) μg/L ;RAEB +RAEB T组sTNF R1血清为 (2 6 2± 2 5 5 ) μg/L ,骨髓为 (3 12± 0 6 7) μg/L ;sTNF R2血清为 (1 96± 0 5 6 ) μg/L ,骨髓为(3 0 9± 0 6 2 ) μg/L。血清sTNF R2水平与PHA刺激     

Comparing whole body 18F-2-deoxyglucose positron emission tomography and technetium-99m methylene diphosphate bone scan to detect bone metastases in patients with renal cell carcinomas - a preliminary report

PURPOSE: Conventional technetium-99m methylene diphosphate whole body bone scan (bone scan) has a high sensitivity but a poor specificity to detect bone metastases. However, positron emission tomography with 18F-2-deoxyglucose (FDG-PET) can offer superior spatial resolution and improved specificity. We have attempted to evaluate the usefulness of FDG-PET for detecting bone metastases in renal cell carcinomas (RCC) and to compare FDG-PET results with bone scan findings. METHODS: Eighteen patients were selected for this study with biopsy-proven RCC. They were suspected of having bone metastases and were undergoing bone scan and FDG-PET to detect bone metastases. The final diagnoses of bone metastases were established by operative, histopathological findings or clinical follow-up longer than 1 year by additional radiographs or following FDG-PET/bone scan findings showing progressive and extensive widespread bone lesions. RESULTS: A total of 52 bone lesions including 40 metastatic and 12 benign bone lesions found on either FDG-PET or bone scan were evaluated. FDG-PET could accurately diagnose all 40 metastatic and 12 benign bone lesions. Bone scan could accurately diagnose only 31 metastatic bone lesions. Diagnostic sensitivity and accuracy of FDG-PET were 100% and 100%, respectively,and bone scan were 77.5% and 59.6%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that FDG-PET has a higher sensitivity and a better accuracy than that of bone scan to detect bone metastases in patients with RCC.     

天山额蚤在中国的首次发现

我们于1986年6至7月在新疆乌恰县苏约克地区(山前草原,海拔3200～3400米),自西们利亚五趾跳鼠(Allactaga sibirica)体上采获一批蚤类标本,经鉴定,其中大部分为天山额蚤Frontopsylla (Frontopsylla) tjanshanica Schwayz,1953。     

慢性肾炎患者外周血共刺激分子CD28和CD137水平变化研究

目的　研究慢性肾炎患者外周血共刺激分子CD2 8和CD1 37的表达特点及其在慢性肾炎免疫病理机制中的作用。方法　采用免疫荧光标记和流式细胞仪分析 ,对 5 2例慢性肾炎患者外周血共刺激分子CD2 8、CD1 37和T淋巴细胞亚群的表达进行检测。结果　慢性肾炎患者T细胞亚群明显失衡 ,表现为CD4减少 ,CD8增加 ,CD4 CD8比值显著降低。共刺激分子CD2 8表达显著低于正常对照组 (P <0 0 1) ,且CD+4 CD+2 8T细胞和CD+8CD+2 8T细胞均显著减少 (P <0 0 1)。共刺激分子CD1 37表达显著高于正常对照组 (P <0 0 1)。结论　慢性肾炎患者外周血T细胞亚群失衡和T细胞活化所必需的共刺激分子CD2 8、CD1 37异常表达 ,可能在慢性肾炎发生和病变进展中起着重要作用     

Divergence of the genes on human chromosome 21 between human and other hominoids and variation of substitution rates among transcription units

The study of genomic divergence between humans and primates may provide insight into the origins of human beings and the genetic basis of unique human traits and diseases. Chromosome 21 is the smallest chromosome in the human genome, and some of its regions have been implicated in mental retardation and other diseases. In this study, we sequenced the coding and regulatory regions of 127 known genes on human chromosome 21 in DNA samples from human and chimpanzees and a part of the corresponding genes from orangutan, gorilla, and macaque. Overall, 3,003 nucleotide differences between human and chimpanzee were identified over approximately 400 kb. The differences in coding, promoter, and exon-intron junction regions were 0.51 +/- 0.02%, 0.88 +/- 0.03%, and 0.85 +/- 0.02%, respectively, much lower than the previously reported 1.23% in genomic regions, which suggests the presence of purifying selection. Significant variation in substitution rate among genes was observed by comparing the divergence between human and chimpanzee. Furthermore, by implementing a bioinformatics-based approach, we showed that the identification of genetic variants specific to the human lineage might lead to an understanding of the mechanisms that are attributable to the phenotypes that unique to humans, by changing the structure and/or dosage of the proteins expressed. A phylogenetic analysis unambiguously confirms the conclusion that chimpanzees were our closest relatives to the exclusion of other primates and the relative divergence of the Homo-Pan and that of (Homo-Pan)-Gorilla are 4.93 million years and 7.26 million years, respectively.     

Familial atrial fibrillation is a genetically heterogeneous disorder

OBJECTIVES: The aims of this study were to identify and characterize familial cases of atrial fibrillation (AF) in our clinical practice and to determine whether AF is genetically heterogeneous. BACKGROUND: Atrial fibrillation is not generally regarded as a heritable disorder, yet a genetic locus for familial AF was previously mapped to chromosome 10. METHODS: Of 2,610 patients seen in our arrhythmia clinic during an 18-month study period, 914 (35%) were diagnosed with AF. Familial cases were identified by history and medical records review. Four multi-generation families with autosomal dominant AF (FAF 1 to 4) were tested for linkage to the chromosome 10 AF locus. RESULTS: Fifty probands (5% of all AF patients; 15% of lone AF patients) were identified with lone AF (age 41 +/- 9 years) and a positive family history (1 to 9 additional relatives affected). In FAF 1 to 3, AF was associated with rapid ventricular response. In contrast, AF in FAF-4 was associated with a slow ventricular response and, with progression of the disease, junctional rhythm and cardiomyopathy. Genotyping of FAF 1 to 4 with deoxyribonucleic acid markers spanning the chromosome 10q22-q24 region excluded linkage of AF to this locus. In FAF-4, linkage was also excluded to the chromosome 3p22-p25 and lamin A/C loci associated with familial AF, conduction system disease, and dilated cardiomyopathy. CONCLUSIONS: Familial AF is more common than previously recognized, highlighting the importance of genetics in disease pathogenesis. In four families with AF, we have excluded linkage to chromosome 10q22-q24, establishing that at least two disease genes are responsible for this disorder.     

Prevalence and predictors of renal artery stenosis in Chinese patients with coronary artery disease

Abstract
Background:  Ischaemic nephropathy is currently a major public health issue in atherosclerotic populations. Although atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease in Asia has reached epidemic proportions over the last two decades, there is little published data on the prevalence of atherosclerotic renal artery stenosis (ARAS) in Oriental subjects. Because ARAS may be clinically silent until end-stage renal failure sets in, it is important to identify patients with significant but clinically unsuspected ARAS. ARAS and coronary artery disease (CAD) often coexist.
Aims:  The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the prevalence and predictors of ARAS among Chinese patients with CAD.
Methods:  A total of 230 consecutive Chinese patients with CAD confirmed by coronary angiography underwent an abdominal aortogram in the same sitting to screen for ARAS. Patient demographics and comorbid­ities were analysed for any association with ARAS.
Results:  A total of 34 (14.8%) patients was found to have significant ARAS. Age and multivessel CAD were independent predictors of ARAS. Hypertension, renal insufficiency, extracranial cerebrovascular disease and female gender were also associated with a higher risk of ARAS but did not independently predict ARAS.
Conclusion:  Clinically silent yet angiographically significant ARAS is common among CAD patients. The prevalence and predictors of ARAS among Chinese patients with CAD are similar to those reported for Caucasian subjects. Underlying ARAS should be suspected in CAD patients with such comorbidities as hypertension, renal insufficiency, extracranial cerebrovascular disease, and more so in the elderly and those with multivessel disease. (Intern Med J 2003; 33: 280−285)