Reversal of vascular 18F-FDG uptake with plasma high-density lipoprotein elevation by atherogenic risk reduction

Vascular 18F-FDG uptake marker represents inflammation in atherosclerotic lesions, but whether inflammation can be reversed by risk-modifying interventions has not, to our knowledge, been demonstrated. In this study, we evaluated the change of vascular 18F-FDG uptake in response to lifestyle intervention on serial PET/CT scans and further assessed how the findings relate to atherogenic risk reduction. METHODS: A total of 60 healthy adults underwent 18F-FDG PET/CT scans and atherogenic risk-factor assessment at baseline and again after 17.1 +/- 8.3 mo of practicing lifestyle modification. The PET/CT images were evaluated for the presence of vascular 18F-FDG lesions, and vessel-to-blood-pool 18F-FDG ratios were measured. Indices from summed ratios of positive lesions were compared and correlated to atherogenic risk factors. RESULTS: At follow-up, significant reductions in diastolic blood pressure (P < 0.05), total cholesterol (P < 0.05), and low-density lipoprotein level (P < 0.05) and an increase in high-density lipoprotein (HDL) level (P < 0.0001) were demonstrated. On the initial PET/CT scan, 50 of 60 subjects showed 1 or more 18F-FDG-positive lesions (5.9 +/- 5.0/subject), leading to a total of 352 vascular sites. On follow-up, 18F-FDG-positive lesions were significantly reduced to 2.1 +/- 2.2 sites per subject (P < 0.0001) and a total of 124 sites (64.8% reduction). Follow-up 18F-FDG-positive rates were significantly reduced for the aorta and iliac arteries. In addition, significant reductions in the whole-body 18F-FDG index from 1.39 +/- 1.23 to 0.53 +/- 0.59 (P < 0.0001) and carotid 18F-FDG index from 0.08 +/- 0.16 to 0.03 +/- 0.06 (P = 0.01) were shown. The whole-body 18F-FDG index correlated with total cholesterol (P < 0.05) and HDL level (P < 0.05), and the magnitude of reduction in the 18F-FDG index closely correlated to the amount of increase in plasma HDL level (P = 0.005). CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrated that vascular 18F-FDG uptake is reversed in response to atherogenic risk reduction by lifestyle intervention and that the magnitude of improvement correlates to increases in plasma HDL levels. Thus, serial 18F-FDG PET/CT may be useful for monitoring improvements in the inflammatory component of atherosclerotic lesions in response to risk modification.     

泰素蒂加顺铂治疗进展期NSCLC的临床研究

目的观察泰素蒂加顺铂方案治疗进展期非小细胞肺癌的临床疗效、毒副作用。方法收集可评价疗效的进展期非小细胞肺癌50例,以泰素蒂加顺铂方案进行化疗,泰素蒂75 mg/m2静脉滴注,第1天;顺铂25 mg/m2～30 mg/m2静脉滴注,第2天～第5天,每3周为一个周期,2～3周期后评价疗效和毒副反应并随访。结果50例患者中,总有效率为50.0 %,其中初治病例为53.1 %,复治病例为44.4 %,初复治病例间差异无显著性(P >0.05)。中位缓解期为5个月。中位生存期为9.5个月,1年生存率为61.0 %。毒副反应主要为骨髓抑制,白细胞下降达Ⅲ度、Ⅳ度者52.0 %,血小板下降达Ⅲ度、Ⅳ度者为14.0 %。血红蛋白下降不严重。其他毒副反应还有脱发、过敏反应、水钠潴留、静脉炎、末梢神经炎、口腔炎、腹泻等,但发生率均较低。结论泰素蒂加顺铂方案治疗进展期非小细胞肺癌,特别是复发病例,临床疗效比较满意,毒副反应能够耐受。辅以G蛳CSF可防治重度的骨髓抑制,有较好的临床应用价值。     

A PC-based free text retrieval system for health care providers

The purpose of this paper is to describe the design and development of the Clinical Practice Library of Medicine (CPLM). CPLM is an investigational project aimed at providing health care practitioners with critical in-depth information similar to that obtained from a medical reference library or consultant. When used in conjunction with the physician's knowledge, CPLM can provide valuable diagnostic prompting information to assist in rapidly reaching a suitable diagnosis for timely administration of appropriate treatment. This system may also be used to assist paramedical professionals working in remote areas where other expert medical assistance may not be available.     

Preliminary evaluation of vitiligo using in vivo reflectance confocal microscopy

BACKGROUND: Vitiligo is the most common pigmentary disorder with a global incidence from 0.1% to 2% in different geographical areas. Histopathology and histochemistry have shown the reduction of melanocytes in achromic patches, but microscopic changes of lesional and non-lesional skin are still not completely understood. Reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM), based on the different light reflectance index of cutaneous structures, allowed in vivo, en face microscopic evaluation of superficial skin layers with a resolution similar to skin histology. AIM: The purpose of this study was to evaluate RCM features of lesional and non-lesional skin of vitiligo patients. Moreover, re-pigmented areas were taken into consideration in order to evaluate melanocyte response to ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Sixteen patients of different phototypes affected by active non-segmental vitiligo and 10 controls were enrolled in the study. In vivo skin imaging was done using a commercially available RCM (Lucid, Vivascope 1500. Re-pigmented areas from 6 to 16 patients (after UVB narrow-band therapy) were also examined. RESULTS: Vitiligo lesions showed the disappearance of the bright rings normally seen at the dermo-epidermal junction. Moreover, non-lesional skin of vitiligo patients showed unexpected changes as the presence of half-rings or scalloped border-like features of the bright papillary rings. In re-pigmented areas after UVB narrow band therapy, the presence of activated, dendritic melanocytes was seen. CONCLUSIONS: Considering our results, and following further studies, RCM clinical applications could be used in the therapeutic monitoring and evaluation of the evolution of vitiligo.     

Partial purification and osteoinductive activity of swine bone morphogenetic protein.

Bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) was isolated from the bone matrix of swine and partially purified by means of differential precipitation and molecular sieve chromatography. The molecular weight of BMP estimated by SDS-gel electrophoresis was 19,000 dalton. Bioassay by implanting two milligrams of BMP fraction into thigh muscles of mice resulted in bone formation in 100% of the experimental animals.

     

铜绿假单胞菌全细胞脂肪酸气相色谱分析及应用

本研究用计算机控制，可程序升温的毛细管柱气相色谱（ＧＣ）仪分析４８株铜绿假单胞菌标准株和临床株、部分常见假单胞菌、肠杆菌的细胞脂肪酸。结果表明：月桂烯酸（Ｃ１２：１），月桂酸（Ｃ１２：０）、十三碳烯酸（Ｃ１３：１）、十三碳酸（Ｃ１３：０）、肉豆劳动脑酸（Ｃ１４：１）、十七碳稀酸（Ｃ１７：１）、十七碳酸（Ｃ１７：０）、硬脂酸（Ｃ１８：０）和花生四烯酸（Ｃ２０：４）是铜绿包菌有鉴别意义的脂肪酸，组成与     

Transforming Growth Factor-β1 Induces Apoptosis through Down-Regulation of c-mycGene and Overexpression of p27Protein in Cervical Carcinoma

Transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) is known to be a potent growth inhibitor for many cell types, including most epithelial cells. In skin keratinocytes, TGF-β1 has been shown to inhibit growth and to rapidly reduce c-mycexpression. However, the molecular mechanism of TGF-β1 action on cell growth of cervical carcinoma has not yet been elucidated. We thus assessed the effect of TGF-β1 on the growth of cervical carcinoma cell lines. Two cervical squamous carcinoma cell lines, CUMC-3 and CUMC-6, were incubated with varying concentrations of TGF-β1, and growth inhibition was evaluated with tetrazolium-based colorimetric assay. After culture in TGF-β1 for 24 h, inhibition of growth was detected in a dose-dependent manner at concentrations of 0.1–10 ng/ml in both cell lines. This effect of TGF-β1 on cultured carcinoma cells was associated with apoptotic process including oligonucleosomal ladder DNA and apoptotic body formations. Northern blot analysis revealed c-mycmRNA expression was suppressed by 10 ng/ml of TGF-β1 following 3 h of treatment in both cell lines. Western blot analysis showed that the level of p27^Kip1protein was increased after TGF-β1 treatment in both cell lines. These results suggest that the mechanisms by which TGF-β1 inhibits the growth of cervical carcinoma are complex and may include effects on down-regulation of c-mycgene, and overexpression of p27^Kip1protein.     

小叶锦鸡儿的抗炎作用

小叶锦鸡儿可明显对抗角叉菜胶、热烫及巴豆油所致的炎症,抑制小鼠毛细血管通透性、单核巨噬细胞系统的吞噬功能、肉芽组织增生及大鼠炎症部位PGE₂的合成和释放。