In vivo and in vitro evaluation of the residual allergenicity of partially hydrolysed infant formulas

Hypoallergenic infant formulas are commonly used for genetically predisposed children and infants diagnosed with cow's milk allergy. This study describes both in vitro and in vivo approaches to assess residual allergenicity of partially hydrolysed infant formulas. Electrophoretic patterns indicated that β-lactoglobulin and other whey proteins were largely degraded. For safety reasons, according to the European commission-guidelines, it is required that the sensitizing capacity of hypoallergenic formulas is tested in an animal model. In contrast to whey sensitization, no elevated levels of whey-specific IgE, anaphylactic reactions or drop in body temperature were observed in sensitized mice exposed to whey hydrolysates. This indicates that the whey hydrolysates lost their putative sensitizing capacity in a mouse model using oral sensitization, which is highly relevant in relation to the human situation. In combination with the lost capacity of hydrolysed infant formulas to cross-link human IgE antibodies on RBL-huFc?RI in vitro, both the sensitization and the challenge phase of the allergic response were studied. This combination of assays is proposed as a strategy for the screening of new hypoallergenic formulas aimed at preventing sensitization in atopic children and avoiding clinical symptoms in infants suffering from cow's milk allergy.     

Initiation of health-behaviour change among employees participating in a web-based health risk assessment with tailored feedback

Background  

Primary prevention programs at the worksite can improve employee health and reduce the burden of cardiovascular disease. Programs that include a web-based health risk assessment (HRA) with tailored feedback hold the advantage of simultaneously increasing awareness of risk and enhancing initiation of health-behaviour change. In this study we evaluated initial health-behaviour change among employees who voluntarily participated in such a HRA program.     

雷酚内酯的结构修正

雷公藤别名黄藤,系卫矛科植物雷公藤(Tripterygium wilfordii Hook.f.)。其根有舒筋活血,祛风湿,消肿止痛的功效,多用于类风湿关节炎的治疗。根皮中含有生物碱、甙、萜以及其它成分,其中多种二萜内酯成分有抗肿瘤活性和免疫     

Anti-B-cell monoclonal antibody-purged autologous bone marrow transplantation for B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma: phenotypic reconstitution and B-cell function

In the present report we have attempted to examine immunologic reconstitution following high-dose chemoradiotherapy and anti-B-cell monoclonal antibody (MoAb)-purged autologous bone marrow transplantation (ABMT). By cell-surface phenotypic analysis, the majority of patients had normal percentage of natural killer cells (NK), monocytes, and CD8+ T cells at one month post-ABMT. In contrast, the percentage of CD4+ T cells was reduced for at least 3 years, and the CD4:CD8 ratio reflected this imbalance. B-cell reconstitution was slightly prolonged, with normal percentage and absolute numbers of CD20+ B cells evident by 3 months. Although B cells returned by 3 months, in vitro assessment of B-cell function demonstrated impairment of proliferative responses to either anti-immunoglobulins bound to beads (anti-Ig), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), or interleukin-2 (IL-2) for approximately 1 year and low molecular B-cell growth factor (BCGF) for approximately 2 or more years. Moreover, in vivo B-cell reconstitution demonstrated a more selective defect, with normal levels of immunoglobulin IgM returning at 6 months, IgG at 12 months, and IgA after 2 years. Despite normal numbers of B cells and relative normal levels of Ig early following ABMT, our in vitro data suggest an intrinsic defect in B-cell responsiveness. Moreover, these defects are similar to those observed following nonpurged autologous and allogeneic BMT, although the interval of immune impairment appears more prolonged.     

Cushing syndrome: pituitary CT scanning

Proper treatment of patients with Cushing syndrome depends on knowledge of whether the condition derives from a pituitary or adrenal adenoma or an ectopic tumor that secretes adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH). Fifty-seven patients with Cushing syndrome were prospectively evaluated to determine whether computed tomography (CT) of the pituitary gland is useful in diagnosing or excluding an ACTH-producing adenoma and in predicting the site of the adenoma within the pituitary gland. Findings on CT scans were normal in 35 of 50 patients with surgically confirmed Cushing disease and in seven patients with ectopic ACTH-producing tumors. Of the 15 patients with Cushing disease for whom CT results were abnormal, eight had macroadenomas and seven had microadenomas. This study demonstrates a low sensitivity (30%) and low diagnostic accuracy (39%) of CT in the detection of ACTH-producing pituitary tumors and indicates the need for alternative methods of confirming the pituitary origin of excessive ACTH secretion in most patients.     

定量药物设计中病态矩阵理化指标剔除法

在定量药物设计中,各理化指标X_i及生物活性Y之间的相关矩阵往往呈病态,求得的回归方程不稳定。本文绘出一种寻求稳定方程的方法:选择一个适当的临界值α(0<α<1),找出大于或等于临界值α的相关系我及所涉及的指标,剔除其中部分指标。将剩下的指标作逐步回归,从而得到了稳定的回归方程。     

Allelic association between dinucleotide repeats at the monoamine oxidase loci and schizophrenia

Two X-linked microsatellites, (AC)n repeats at the monoamine oxidase (MAO) A locus and (TG)n repeats at the MAO-B locus, were typed by using a PCR-based procedure in 89 nuclear families consisting of mothers, fathers and female affected offspring with schizophrenia or mothers and male affected offspring. A haplotype-based haplotype relative risk (HHRR) approach was applied to detect allelic association of these two microsatellites with schizophrenia. In the families of male patients, a significant difference in frequency distribution was found between transmitted and non-transmitted (TG)n repeats (χ² = 15.13, df = 6, P = 0.019), and Fisher's exact test showed that allelic frequency of the transmitted (TG)₂₄ was significantly higher than that of the non-transmitted (TG)₂₄ (Fisher's P = 0.003). However, no significant differences in frequency distribution between mother- or father-transmitted and non-transmitted (TG)n repeats were found in the families of female patients. No significant differences in frequency distribution were found between transmitted and non-transmitted (AC)n repeats in the families of either male patients or female patients. The present study suggests that the MAO-B gene may be associated with schizophrenia, and the underlying genetic mechanism of schizophrenia may differ between male and female schizophrenic individuals.