Promutagenic methylation damage in bladder DNA from patients with bladder cancer associated with schistosomiasis and from normal individuals.

Radioimmunoassays (RIAs) have been used to detect the promutagenic lesion O6-methyldeoxyguanosine (O6-MedG) in DNA isolated from the bladder tissues of Egyptian patients presenting with bladder carcinoma and concomitant schistosomiasis (bilharziasis), a parasitic disease known to be associated with the presence of N-nitrosamines in the urine. Alkylation damage was present in the DNA of the majority of the samples (44/46, 96%); 38 samples were of tumour tissue and 8 from uninvolved bladder mucosa. Levels of O6-MedG ranged from undetectable (ND; i.e. less than 0.01 mumol O6-MedG/mol dG) to 0.485 mumol/mol dG with an overall mean of 0.134 +/- 0.10 mumol/mol dG, including the two samples that were below the limit of detection. In contrast, methylation damage was detected in only 4/12 (33%) of the DNA samples from normal bladder tissue of European origin. In these samples levels of O6-MedG ranged from ND to 0.225 mumol/mol dG with an overall mean of 0.046 +/- 0.082 mumol O6-MedG/mol dG. These results confirm that alkylation events can be detected in the DNA of schistosome-infected human bladder tissue. The methylation of uninvolved and tumour tissue DNA to similar extents suggests that the alkylating intermediate may have been present in the urine. These results indicate the need for further investigation to determine whether relationships exist between levels of DNA damage and the prevalence of schistosome infection and/or the extent and type of bacterial infection that frequently accompanies this disease.     

Recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor enhanced cytotoxicity of Ara-C in Ara-C-resistant leukemic cells from a patient with biphenotypic leukemia in cell kinetic quiescence.

In vitro preincubation with recombinant granulocyte colony-stimulating factor(rhG-CSF, 100 ng/ml) enhanced the cytotoxicity of 1-beta-D-arabinofuranosylcytosine(Ara-C) in leukemic cells resistant to Ara-C from a patient with biphenotypic leukemia. Treatment of the cells with rhG-CSF resulted in a 17-fold increase in DNA synthesis, 4.6-fold increase in percentage of S-phase, and a two-fold increase in Ara-CTP formation. Maximal effect was observed at 72 h of incubation. Combination chemotherapy with rhG-CSF and Ara-C to the patient showed remarkable cytoreduction. These results indicate that recruitment of resistant leukemic cells in cell kinetic quiescence is inducible by rhG-CSF and that it is possible enhancement of the cytotoxicity to cell cycle-specific drugs such as Ara-C.     

EFNS Guidelines on diagnosis and treatment of brain metastases: report of an EFNS Task Force

The objectives have been to establish evidence-based guidelines and identify controversies regarding the management of patients with brain metastases. The collection of scientific data was obtained by consulting the Cochrane Library, bibliographic databases, overview papers and previous guidelines from scientific societies and organizations. A tissue diagnosis is necessary when the primary tumor is unknown or the aspect on computed tomography/magnetic resonance imaging is atypical. Dexamethasone is the corticosteroid of choice for cerebral edema. Anticonvulsants should not be prescribed prophylactically. Surgery should be considered in patients with up to three brain metastases, being effective in prolonging survival when the systemic disease is absent/controlled and the performance status is high. Stereotactic radiosurgery should be considered in patients with metastases of 3–3.5 cm of maximum diameter. Whole-brain radiotherapy (WBRT) after surgery or radiosurgery is debated: in case of absent/controlled systemic cancer and Karnofsky Performance score of 70 or more, one can either withhold initial WBRT or deliver early WBRT with conventional fractionation to avoid late neurotoxicity. WBRT alone is the treatment of choice for patients with single or multiple brain metastases not amenable to surgery or radiosurgery. Chemotherapy may be the initial treatment for patients with brain metastases from chemosensitive tumors.     

老年人前瞻性记忆损害的研究

目的 了解健康老年人前瞻性记忆改变的情况,初步探讨老年人基于事件的前瞻性记忆(EBPM)和基于时间的前瞻性记忆(TBPM)损害程度的区别.方法 建立前瞻性记忆的神经心理学测验方法,测试教育程度相匹配的40名健康老年人和40名健康成年人的EBPM和TBPM.结果 与成年组[EBPM(6.25±1.60)分;TBPM(5.38±0.87)分]相比,老年组的EBPM[(2.50±0.85)分和TBPM(4.93±1.07)分]均较成年组差(P＜0.01,P＜0.05),而EBPM损伤指数的差异亦有统计学意义(P＜0.01).老年组前瞻性记忆的EBPM和TBPM存在双分离.结论 老年人存在前瞻性记忆的损害,EBPM损害较TBPM损害更为显著.EBPM和TBPM的双分离表明其可能有不同的神经机制,推测额叶可能特异性地参与了EBPM.     

经直肠超声引导下经会阴125I粒子永久植入治疗前列腺癌的初步经验

目的探讨经直肠超声引导下经会阴125I粒子永久植入治疗前列腺癌的疗效和并发症。方法本组前列腺癌患者5例。年龄61￣83岁,平均70.4岁。临床分期T2bN0M0者2例,T3aN0M0者3例。Gleason评分6分者2例,7分者1例,8分者2例。术前前列腺特异性抗原(PSA)4.5￣17.5ng/ml。T3a期患者植入治疗前先行内分泌治疗。术前制定治疗计划,经直肠超声引导下经会阴125I粒子永久植入操作。术后观察PSA水平变化,连续3次PSA升高即为生化复发,观察术后尿路和直肠并发症发生情况。结果5例患者均术后恢复顺利。术后随访18个月,PSA均明显下降,PSA为0.1ng/ml者3例,0.01ng/ml者1例,0.04ng/m1者1例。5例患者术后均出现不同程度的尿路刺激症状,但6个月后逐渐好转。4例术后出现排便次数增多,术后3个月均好转。未发现尿失禁、直肠溃疡等并发症。结论经直肠超声引导下经会阴125I粒子永久植入治疗前列腺癌的疗效确切,创伤较小。     

The effect of megestrol acetate on interleukin-1 activity.

The current study investigates the effect of megestrol acetate, a synthetic progestin, on the activity of interleukin-1. Murine thymocytes were suspended in vitro and stimulated with varying concentrations of interleukin-1. [3H]Thymidine uptake was observed as an index of thymocyte proliferation. A dose-dependent increase in [3H]thymidine uptake was observed with increasing concentrations of interleukin-1. When megestrol acetate was added to the solution, a marked suppressive effect was observed. Higher doses of megestrol acetate had a greater suppressive effect on thymocyte proliferation. Additional investigation is required to further delineate the potential systemic effects of megestrol acetate.     

利用主客体分子包结现象选择分离蛇床子有效成分的方法

利用1,1,6-四苯基-2,4-已二炔-1,6-二醇(I)的包结能力,可简单而迅速地从蛇床子中选择分离出有效成分欧前胡素(2)和花椒毒素(3),收率分别为0.054%(2)和0.002%(3)。本文用UV,IR,¹HNMR和¹³CNMR验证了2和3的化学结构,并用HPLC检验了2和3的纯度。X-射线衍射晶体结构分析表明主体分子I与组分2靠氢键形成包结物,它们的摩尔比为1:2,氢键长为2.8612A。包结物晶体属单斜晶系,空间群为已P₂₁/C,晶胞参数:a=15.468(5)A,b=8.595(3)A,c=18.663(7)A,β=93.64(5)°,Z=4和R=0.088。     

The application of vitrification in human blastocyst cryopreservation: Analysis of clinical outcome of 117 cycles

Objective: To summarize the clinical outcomes of 117 human vitrified blastocyst transfer cycles and to determine the impact factors.Methods: In IVF-ET cycles, supernumerary embryos were cultured to 5-Day(D5) or 6-Day(D6), blastocysts of various stages were cryopreserved by vitrification using cryoloops. Survival rate and clinical pregnancy rate were observed.Results: A total of 312 blastocysts were thawed in 117 frozen embryo transfer cycles, the survival rate was 90.7% (283/312) after thawing. After the transfer of 230 blastocysts in 115 cycles, 69.6% (80/115) of the women got clinically pregnant, and 17.5% (14/80) of them suffered from miscarriage, 39 healthy babies were born in 28 deliveries, and the other 38 pregnancies are ongoing. The implantation rate was 47.4% (109/230). In 107 transfer cycles with 2 hatched blastocysts transferred in each cycle, 72.9% (78/107) got clinically pregnant, while in 8 cycles with 1 or no hatched blastocysts in the two transferred blastocysts, the clinical pregnancy rate is 25%(2/8). The clinical pregnancy rates were not statistically different between natural (77.4%, 24/31) or artificial endometrium preparation (66.7%, 56/84) cycles. Conclusions: These findings suggest that blastocyst vitrification is effective in terms of implantation rate and pregnancy outcome. Transferring of two hatched blastocyst can achieve a higher pregnancy rate.     

Natural history of extensive Mongolian spots in mucopolysaccharidosis type II (Hunter syndrome): a survey among 52 Japanese patients

BACKGROUND: Recent reports have shown a correlation between extensive Mongolian spots and mucopolysaccharidosis type II (Hunter syndrome). However, a statistical survey of the incidence and natural history of extensive Mongolian spots among the patients with Hunter syndrome is lacking. OBJECTIVES: To determine the prevalence of extensive Mongolian spots, to determine the natural course of the spots according to age in Japanese patients with Hunter syndrome, and to compare them with the results obtained from the patients' brothers who did not have Hunter syndrome. PATIENTS/METHODS: Fifty-two males with Hunter syndrome aged 3 to 40 years were studied. Twenty-five patients were examined in two clinics to determine the existence and characteristics of the spots. We interviewed their families about the spots in their neonates and the natural course of the spots according to their ages. The same survey was done among another 27 patients using a mailed questionnaire to their families. As control, we investigated 21 brothers of the patients by a mailed questionnaire to their families. RESULTS: The extensive Mongolian spots are identified in almost all the infants with Hunter syndrome and disappear extremely later in their life. The lesions had a high incidence of deep-blue hyperpigmentation. Regardless of age, the overall incidence was 78%. All of the brothers who did not have Hunter syndrome had common-type Mongolian spots in neonates, which regressed during their childhood. CONCLUSION: Our results confirm a strong correlation between extensive Mongolian spots and Hunter syndrome for the Japanese population. The presence of extensive Mongolian blue spots should alert the physician to the possibility of Hunter syndrome.