酶联免疫吸附试验、间接荧光抗体试验、间接免疫过氧化物酶染色试验诊断人体旋毛虫病的初步研究

用ELISA、IFA和IIP试验检测11例旋毛虫病人血清特异性抗体,阳性率分别为72.72％、81.82％和81.82%。它们之间无统计学差异,3项试验结果间存在良好一致性。 同时检测了30份健康献血员血清和20例其他寄生虫病人血清(包括华支睾吸虫病、四川肺吸虫病、日本血吸虫病、包虫病和阿米巴肝脓肿),旋毛虫病人组的ELISA、IFA和IIP阳性率明显为高。 由于3项免疫学试验均具有较好的特异性和灵敏性,故可以单独或联合用于人体旋毛虫病的诊断和流行病学调查。     

Stimulation by mitogens and neuronal membranes of lymphocytes from patients with motor neurone disease

Stimulation of lymphocytes from motor neurone disease patients by either concanavalin A or PHA was shown to be significantly depressed relative to that from normal controls, as assayed by incorporation of [3H]thymidine or [3H]leucine or by glucose uptake. Corresponding significant differences were not shown by assays based upon incorporation of [3H]uridine or of lactate release. Lymphocytes from 4 out of 14 motor neurone disease patients showed a blastogenic response to membranes from rat spinal cord cells, compared with those from 0 out of 9 normal controls. These results not only suggest the possibility of an impaired cellular immune control in MND patients but also indicate the presence of lymphocytes sensitised specifically to neuronal membrane components.     

Role of retinol in protecting epithelial cell damage induced by Clostridium difficile toxin A

Vitamin A (retinol), a fat-soluble vitamin, is an essential nutrient for the normal functioning of the visual system, epithelial cell integrity and growth, immunity, and reproduction. Our group has investigated the effect of high doses of oral vitamin A on early childhood diarrhea in our prospective community-based studies from Northeast Brazil and found a beneficial role in reducing the mean duration but not incidence of diarrheal episodes. In this study, we explored the role of retinol supplementation in intestinal cell lines following Clostridium difficile toxin A (TxA) challenge. C. difficile is the most common anaerobic pathogen borne with antibiotic-borne diarrhea and pseudomembranous colitis. Since retinol is critical for the integrity of tight junctions and to modulate the cell cycle, we have focused on changes in transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) in Caco-2, a more differentiated intestinal cell line, and on models of cell proliferation, migration and viability in IEC-6 cells, an undifferentiated crypt cell line, following TxA injury. In this model, retinol therapy reduced apoptosis, improved cell migration and proliferation, and prevented the reduction in TEER, following C. difficile TxA challenge in a glutamine-free medium. These results suggest the role of retinol in protecting intestinal epithelial barrier function from C. difficile TxA enterotoxic damage.     

Charcot-Marie-Tooth neuropathy type 1A combined with Duchenne muscular dystrophy

We report a 24-year-old male with an unusual combination of two inherited neuromuscular disorders – Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease type 1A and Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). A phenotypic presentation of this patient included features of both these disorders. Nerve conduction studies revealed demyelinating peripheral neuropathy. Electromyography showed a profound myogenic pattern. The serum creatine kinase level was highly elevated. Muscle biopsy revealed a dystrophic picture with deficient dystrophin immunostaining. CMT1A duplication on chromosome 17p11.2 was found. The frame-shift mutation c.3609–3612delTAAAinsCTT (p.K1204LfsX11) was detected in the dystrophin gene by analysing mRNA isolated from the muscle tissue. The patient inherited both these mutations from his mother. The combination of CMT1A and DMD has not been reported as yet.     

Delayed expression of NADPH-diaphorase in rat brain after administration of the cholinotoxin AF64A

Administration of cholinotoxin etylcholine aziridinium (AF64A) into the brain selectively induces nonrever-sible cholinergic deficit. Wistar rats were injected intracerebroventricularly bilaterally with AF64A at doses of 1–3 nmol/ventricle. 28 days later the number of neurons survived was counted in dorsolateral, intermediate and medial groups of cells of the medial septum. AF64A induced a decrease in neuronal density and expression of cholineacetyl transferase at all doses used as well as in all regions studied. Brain sections were also stained for NADPH-diaphorase representing neuronal NO-synthase. Effects of AF64A on NADPH-diaphorase expression depended on the region studied. The number of NADPH-diaphorase-positive cells increased in the medial cellular group where more cholineacetly transferase-positive cells survived. In contrast, decrease in NADPH-diaphorase expression in the dorsolateral group of cells coincided with low level of cholineacetyltransferase-po-sitive neurons. The data presented suggest that in the AF64A-dependent model of neurodegeneration NO may play a neuroprotective function.     

载脂蛋白E基因多态性与颈动脉粥样硬化的相关性研究

目的:研究载脂蛋白E(ApoE)基因多态性与颈动脉粥样硬化的相关性。方法:应用聚合酶链反应-限制性片段长度多态性(PCR-RFLP)技术,对25例B超检测颈动脉内中膜厚度(IMT)增厚患者(增厚组)和25例同期健康体检者(对照组)的ApoE基因多态性进行分析。结果:IMT增厚组ε3等位基因频率较对照组降低(P<0.05),ε4等位基因频率较对照组升高(P<0.01)。IMT增厚组的ε3/ε4基因型频率显著要高于对照组。对以上两组再按ApoE基因型分别分为3组:ApoE2(ε2/2 ε2/3),ApoE3(ε3/3)和ApoE4(ε3/4 ε4/4)。结果显示颈动脉IMT在不同基因型间差异显著,ApoE4组显著增加,颈动脉多发斑块率在此组也显著增加。结论:ApoE基因多态性与颈动脉粥样硬化形成有相关性,ε4基因是颈动脉粥样硬化形成的危险因子。     

应用前列腺素E1注射治疗勃起功能障碍8年经验

目的观察前列腺素E1(PGE1)注射治疗勃起功能障碍(ED)的长期疗效、副作用及预后。方法使用PGE1行阴茎海绵体注射,阴茎硬度检查仪(Rigiscan)连续记录1h,并根据观察结果,调查PGE1注射剂量,确定每例患者合适的注射量,掌握注射方法后回家自行注射。共筛选出ED患者410例,随访患者阴茎勃起情况、药量调整和副作用。结果410例ED患者中,心理性139例,静脉性83例,动脉性36例,神经性78例,混合性74例。对治疗满意的患者有256例(62.44%),其中21例(5.1%)在使用PGE15次后停用,并能达到满意的性生活而治愈。293例(71.46%)患者自述注射时有胀痛感。171例(43.17%)因疼痛(105例)、操作不便(25例)、副作用顾虑(37例)和其他原因(4例)而于6个月后放弃治疗。204例(49.76%)患者使用时间已超过1年,24例(5.85%)患者使用时间已超过5年,7例(1.7%)使用已有8年。未发现阴茎异常勃起和阴茎海绵体纤维化。注射损伤阴茎表面血管致瘀斑者有20例。有27例患者失访。结论PGE1是治疗ED的一种安全有效的药物,可以长期使用。其最常见的副作用是阴茎疼痛。Rigiscan能帮助确定PGE1的注射剂量。     

Flavocoxid is as effective as naproxen for managing the signs and symptoms of osteoarthritis of the knee in humans: a short-term randomized,double-blind pilot study

Flavocoxid (Limbrel), a proprietary mixture of flavonoid molecules (baicalin and catechin), was tested against a traditional nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, naproxen, for the management of the signs and symptoms of moderate osteoarthritis (OA) in humans. Discomfort and global disease activity were used as the primary end points, and safety assessments were also taken for both treatments as a secondary endpoint. In this double-blind study, 103 subjects were randomly assigned to receive either flavocoxid [500 mg twice daily (BID)] or naproxen (500 mg BID) in a 1-month onset of action trial. Outcome measures included the short Western Ontario and McMaster University Osteoarthritis Index, subject Visual Analogue Scale for discomfort and global response, and investigator Visual Analogue Scale for global response and fecal occult blood. Both flavocoxid and naproxen showed significant reduction in the signs and symptoms of knee OA (P ≤ .001). There were no statistically detectable differences between the flavocoxid and naproxen groups with respect to any of the outcome variables. Similarly, there were no statistically detectable differences between the groups with respect to any adverse event, although there was a trend toward a higher incidence of edema and nonspecific musculoskeletal discomfort in the naproxen group. In this short-term pilot study, flavocoxid was as effective as naproxen in controlling the signs and symptoms of OA of the knee and would present a safe and effective option for those individuals on traditional nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors. A low incidence of adverse events was reported for both groups.