Delta hepatitis virus infection in China

To assess the prevalence, epidemiological features and prognostic implications of hepatitis D (Delta) in Sichuan Province, The People's Republic of China, 649 sera (515 from HBsAg positive patients and 134 from HBsAg negative subjects) were tested by radioimmunoassay (RIA) for antibody to the hepatitis D virus (anti-HD). Forty-seven sera (7.2%) showed some degree of reactivity. Serial dilutions of these sera indicated that prozoning was not responsible for the equivocal results. Thirty-four of the 47 sera were submitted under code to a second laboratory for independent analysis. According to those results anti-HD antibodies were detected in four of these sera. The overall prevalence of anti-HD in the HBsAg positive patients therefore was 0.8% (4/515). On the basis of clinical, biochemical and histological data 427 HBsAg positive sera were further divided into acute Type B hepatitis, chronic Type B hepatitis, healthy carrier state and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) subgroups. Two of 65 (3.1%) anti-HD positive sera belonged to the acute Type B hepatitis group; one of 104 (0.9%), the chronic Type B hepatitis group and one of 246 (0.4%), the healthy carrier group. No antibody was detected in sera from 12 HBsAg positive HCC patients. All HBsAg negative patients were negative for anti-HD antibody. The results of this study indicate that despite a high prevalence of hepatitis B virus infection, positive serology for delta virus is uncommon in Sichuan Province, The People's Republic of China.     

Relationship of MAO-A promoter (u-VNTR) and COMT (V158M) gene polymorphisms to CSF monoamine metabolites levels in a psychiatric sample of caucasians: A preliminary report.

Monoamine oxidase A gene promoter (MAOA-uVNTR) and catechol-O-methyltransferase V158M (COMT-V158M) gene functional polymorphisms are reported to be associated with impulsive-aggression, but a biological intermediate effect remains to be determined. This study assessed the association of these polymorphisms with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) monoamine metabolites as endophenotypes. Ninety-eight Caucasian psychiatric subjects were assessed for Axis I and II diagnosis. Subjects were genotyped for the functional polymorphisms, MAOA-uVNTR and COMT-V158M. CSF was obtained by lumbar puncture. Relationships of the two polymorphism to monoamine metabolites: HVA, 5-HIAA, and MHPG were examined. The higher-expressing MAOA-uVNTR genotype was associated with higher CSF-HVA levels in males only (n = 46) (195.80 pmol/ml, SD = 61.64 vs. 161.13, SD = 50.23, respectively; P = 0.042). No association was found with diagnosis. COMT-V158M had no association with CSF monoamine metabolites. The association of MAOA-uVNTR with dopaminergic activity in males is a preliminary finding that needs to be replicated in a larger sample of Caucasian males and relationships sought with clinical phenotypes. This article contains supplementary material, which may be viewed at the American Journal of Medical Genetics website at http://www.interscience.wiley.com/jpages/0148-7299:1/suppmat/index.html.     

硬膜外穿刺针外套管在腹腔镜小儿斜疝高位结扎术中的应用

目的探讨硬膜外穿刺针外套管在腹腔镜小儿斜疝疝囊高位结扎中的应用价值。方法2003年4月-2006年5月,我院对230例小儿斜疝手术应用硬膜外穿刺针外套管代替雪橇钩针实施腹腔镜疝内环口荷包高位结扎术。结果230例手术均获得成功,手术时间：单侧161例8-10 min,嵌顿疝39例15-20 min,双侧30例16-20 min;术后未见有阴囊水肿及睾血疼痛及缺血坏死。术后随访2-6个月111例,6-12个月52例,12-24个月37例,24-36个月30例,无复发。结论硬膜外刺针外套管可替代小儿疝囊结扎专用的雪橇钩针,简便,经济,适合在所有基层医院推广。     

Pathways from first health care seeking to diagnosis: obstacles to tuberculosis care in rural China.

OBJECTIVE: To examine health care seeking pathways for patients with tuberculosis (TB) and barriers related to these pathways in counties under the National TB Control Programme in rural China. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in two counties of east China in 2004-2005. A total of 557 TB patients were recruited and interviewed by physicians at the time of TB diagnosis. RESULTS: Of 557 participants, 13.3% had presented to a specialised county TB dispensary (CTD) directly after onset of symptoms, 31.4% had first sought care at a village health station and 51.2% had visited a township or county hospital first. The proportion of referral by a first health care provider to a CTD was highest in county level hospitals (73.5%) and lowest in village health stations (21.7%). The most prompt pathway from first health care seeking to TB diagnosis was to visit a CTD directly, with a median provider's delay of only one day. There was an increase in provider's delay when more health facilities were involved. CONCLUSION: To improve direct referral from general health care providers, especially village health care workers, to TB specialists would significantly shorten the delays in TB diagnosis in rural China.     

“黄风湿”系列疗法——火针封闭治疗痛风石的疗效观察

痛风是一种由嘌呤代谢紊乱所致的疾病,日久不愈、反复发作则逐渐形成痛风石沉积。常规治疗对痛风石效果不明显。黄再军医院采用火针封闭疗法治疗痛风石36例,经临床观察治愈率为69.4%,显效率为25.0%,有效率为5.6%,总有效率达100%。     

支气管结核纤维支气管镜下局部清理、注药与联合微波治疗的疗效比较

支气管结核患者由于支气管局部的肉芽组织增生、溃疡、干酪性坏死、管腔狭窄阻塞等改变，虽然使用强有力的全身抗痨方案治疗，亦很难将其治愈，常常迁延不愈，局部结构组织破坏明显，引起永久性狭窄、闭塞，导致肺不张、毁损肺等严重的并发症。全身抗痨结合纤维支气管镜清理支气管局部的增生肉芽、坏死组织后注入异烟肼、链霉素的方法可使疗效明显提高。近年来微波技术已逐渐应用于通过纤维支气管镜治疗多种气道疾病。现将我院近5年来确诊的支气管结核用纤支镜局部病灶清理、注抗痨药治疗与同时联合微波热灼治疗的疗效进行分析、报告如下。     

血浆三种维生素检测对急性胰腺炎的临床价值

目的　探讨急性胰腺炎与血浆维生素C、维生素E和 β 胡萝卜素的关系。 方法　采用分光光度比色分析法检测 6 8例急性胰腺炎和 4 0例健康献血员血浆三种维生素含量。结果　急性胰腺炎组维生素C、维生素E、β 胡萝卜素含量较对照组显著降低 (P <0 .0 1) ,且随着禁食时间的延长呈逐渐降低趋势。 结论　急性胰腺炎时患者体内的氧化和抗氧化系统平衡失调 ,补充抗氧化维生素有助于病情的恢复。     

Inhibition of the ubiquitin-proteasome system: a new avenue for atherosclerosis.

BACKGROUND: The ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) is thought to be functionally active in atherosclerosis (AS) lesions. Aspirin was found to be a potent inhibitor of the UPS in some tumour studies; however, its effect on AS remains to be demonstrated in vivo. METHODS: New Zealand rabbits were placed on a normal diet (N) or on a normal diet with aspirin (NI) or on an atherogenic diet without (H) or with aspirin (HI) for 12 weeks. Proteasome activity, concentrations of plasma lipids and levels of peroxidation were determined. Ubiquitin/ubiquitin-conjugates (Ub), IkappaBalpha, phosphorylated IkappaB (pIkappaBalpha) and p65 were investigated by Western blotting or immunochemistry. RESULTS: Concentrations of plasma lipids and peroxidation levels were higher in H or HI vs. N or NI. Histological analysis showed that atheroma was increased in H. Ub and IkappaBalpha were mainly localised in subendothelium and media vascular smooth muscle cells. Western blots revealed that Ub, IkappaBalpha, and pIkappaBalpha were increased, whereas p65 was lower in HI vs. H. The activity of the 20S proteasome was functionally active in H vs. N, NI or HI, while the 26S proteasome was not affected in any of the groups. CONCLUSIONS: Aspirin can attenuate the pathogenesis of atheroma formation, the degradation of IkappaBalpha and pIkappaBalpha, and lower the expression of p65, indicating that its therapeutic effects on AS may be via inhibition of the UPS.