A prospective study of the incidence, time of appearance and significance of anti-paternal lymphocytotoxic antibodies in human pregnancy

The incidence and natural history of serum anti-paternal cytotoxic antibody (APCA) in normal pregnancy and spontaneous abortion was investigated prospectively in 306 women (64 primigravidae and 242 multigravidae), in order to establish whether serum APCA is a useful screening test in the diagnosis, treatment and prognosis for patients with recurrent pregnancy loss. Pre-pregnancy, serial pregnancy and post delivery serum samples were tested against partner's lymphocytes, using a microdroplet lymphocytotoxicity assay. The incidence of serum APCA in the 256 pregnancies successfully completed was 32%, compared with 10% amongst the 50 pregnancies ending in spontaneous abortion. The lower incidence of positive APCA tests in unsuccessful pregnancies was explained by our finding that positive APCA tests are related to the gestational age of the pregnancy and are rarely demonstrable before 28 weeks gestation. Since APCA usually disappears between pregnancies, its usefulness as a diagnostic test for immunotherapy against recurrent abortion should be questioned.     

Tricho-rhino-phalangeal syndrome type III

We present the first case of direct and inverted reciprocal chromosome insertions between human chromosomes 7 and 14, ascertained because of repeated spontaneous abortions. Prometaphase GTG banding analysis showed the karyotype to be 46, XX, inv ins (7;14)(7pter→7q11.23::14q32.2→14q22::7q21.2→7qter), dir ins(14;7)(14pter→14q22::7q11.23→7q21.2::14q32.2→14qter). Origins of the insertion have been confirmed by chromosome painting with libraries specific for chromosomes 7 and 14 using fluorescence in situ hybridization. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

HLA-G polymorphisms in couples with recurrent spontaneous abortions

The etiology of a fraction of recurrent spontaneous abortions (RSA) may involve immunological mechanisms. Aberrant profiles of Th1 and Th2 cytokines have been observed which are not present in uncomplicated pregnancies. Studies of classical HLA class I and II antigens in relation to RSA have not been conclusive. Furthermore, these antigens are not expressed in the placenta with the exception of HLA-C. However, HLA-G is expressed on especially invasive cytotrophoblasts and exists in both membrane and soluble forms. HLA-G may be involved in materno-fetal tolerance. Therefore, 61 RSA couples (with three or more spontaneous abortions) and 47 fertile control couples were HLA-G genotyped by direct DNA sequencing and analyzed for specific polymorphisms. No statistically significant differences were observed in the distribution of HLA-G alleles between controls and RSA couples, however, 15% of the RSA women carried the HLA-G*0106 allele compared to 2% of the control women. The 14 bp deletion polymorphism in exon 8 was investigated separately. There were a greater number of heterozygotes for the 14 bp polymorphism in the group of fertile control women than expected, according to Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. Furthermore, the HLA-G alleles without the 14 bp sequence were prominent in the RSA males in contrast to the RSA women in whom alleles including the 14 bp sequence were frequently observed, especially as homozygotes. These results are discussed in relation to two hypotheses concerning HLA-G and RSA. A hypothesis of HLA-G histo-incompatibility between fetus/placenta and the mother was not supported by the data. Another hypothesis concerned certain HLA-G alleles associated with an altered expression profile of HLA-G isoforms or reduced expression of certain HLA-G isoforms.     

Spontaneous infarction of a pleomorphic adenoma in parotid gland: diagnostic problems and review

Although infarction of parotid gland pleomorphic adenoma (PA) following fine-needle aspiration (FNA) has been well-documented, spontaneous infarction of PA has remained as an uncommon entity in the literature. To our knowledge, we report the second case of spontaneous infarction occurring in a parotid gland PA. A 44-yr-old man presented with a 2-yr history of slowly enlarging right parotid mass, which had become painful 1 mo before performing FNA biopsy. Smears revealed abundant necrotic debris, atypical squamous cells, and small cells with dark nuclei suggestive of a carcinoma. Histologic examination of the tissue fragments demonstrated degenerated clusters of cells and chondromyxoid matrix. The parotidectomy specimen had features consistent with those of an infarcted PA. Although appears to be rare, spontaneous infarction of PA should be considered in the differential diagnosis, since necrosis may mimic carcinoma and cause misinterpretation of necrosis as an indication of malignancy, in an otherwise benign salivary gland neoplasm.     

非对称性二甲基精氨酸对豚鼠左心室流出道自律细胞电活动的影响

目的：研究内源性一氧化氮合酶（NOS）抑制物非对称性二甲基精氨酸（ADMA）对豚鼠左心室流出道自律细胞电活动的影响,探讨ADMA在源于心室流出道心律失常发生发展中的作用。方法：制备豚鼠离体左心室流出道标本,用氧饱和的改良Locke液进行恒温、恒速灌流,采用标准玻璃微电极细胞内电位记录技术记录豚鼠离体左心室流出道部位的自发慢反应电位（sAP）,观测该电位对ADMA的浓度依赖性效应,ADMA分为3个浓度组（1、10和100 μmol·L^-1）;用NO供体硝普钠（SNP）灌流预处理标本,分为对照组、SNP（10 μmol·L^-1）组和SNP+ADMA组,记录并分析SNP预处理对ADMA所致左心室流出道电生理效应的影响。结果：与对照组比较,1 μmol·L^-1ADMA组sAP各项指标均无明显变化（P>0.05）,10和100 μmol·L^-1ADMA组4相自动去极速度（VDD）、自发放电频率（RPF）和0相最大除极速度（V_max）明显减慢（P<0.05）,复极50%和90%时间（APD₅₀和APD₉₀）明显延长（P<0.05）,100 μmol·L^-1ADMA组动作电位幅度（APA）明显减小（P<0.05）;与1 μmol·L^-1ADMA组比较,10 μmol·L^-1ADMA组RPF、APD₉₀及100 μmol·L^-1ADMA组RPF、V_max和APD₅₀差异有统计学意义（P<0.05）;与10 μmol·L^-1ADMA组比较,100 μmol·L^-1ADMA组APA明显减小（P<0.05）。10 μmol·L^-1 SNP预处理标本10min可逆转ADMA降低左心室流出道自发放电活动的效应,与对照组比较,VDD和RPF仍明显加快（P<0.05）,V_max和APA有恢复至对照组水平的趋势（P>0.05）,APD₉₀明显缩短（P<0.05）。结论：内源性NOS抑制物ADMA浓度依赖性降低左心室流出道自律细胞的自发放电活动,NO供体SNP预处理可逆转上述效应。     

C反应蛋白与慢性自发性荨麻疹患者临床特征的关系

目的：探讨慢性自发性荨麻疹患者外周血C反应蛋白(C reactive protein,CRP)水平与疾病严重程度及第 二代抗组胺药物治疗效果的关系。方法：对2013年8月至2015年3月在中南大学湘雅医院皮肤科就诊的605例慢性自 发性荨麻疹患者的临床资料进行回顾性分析。根据患者疾病严重程度评分下降是否小于50%将患者分为无效组和有 效组,利用t检验及Pearson相关分析对患者的疾病严重程度、第二代抗组胺药疗效等临床特征资料与CRP的关系进 行分析。结果：在中重度慢性自发性荨麻疹患者中,不同严重程度的患者其CRP水平存在差异(t=–2.715,P<0.01); 同时,第二代抗组胺药物治疗有效组与无效组患者时,有效组治疗前CRP水平低于无效组[分别为(2.5764±2.5059)和 (3.6715±4.7732) mg/dL],差异有统计学意义(t=–2.187,P<0.05)。结论：慢性自发性荨麻疹患者治疗前CRP水平可能与 疾病严重程度有关,并且在不同疗效的患者间存在差异。     

低分子肝素联合阿司匹林对复发性自然流产患者血凝状态的影响

目的:探讨低分子肝素(LMWH)联合阿司匹林对复发性自然流产(RM)患者血凝状态的影响.方法:将98例血栓前状态(PTS)复发性自然流产患者随机分为两组,每组49例.对照组行口服阿司匹林肠溶片;研究组在对照组治疗的基础上行LMWH腹壁皮下注射,对比治疗前后两组患者凝血状态改善情况及母婴结局.结果:治疗后两组患者的凝血四项中PT、TT、APTT值较治疗前显著升高,研究组的提高水平显著优于对照组,差异有统计学意义;FIB、D-二聚体(D-Dimer)水平较治疗前显著降低,研究组的改善水平与对照组相比,差异有统计学意义;两组治疗后PLT水平与治疗前比较降低,差异有显著性意义,组间比较无显著性差异.结论:LMWH联合阿司匹林能显著改善RM患者的凝血状态,恢复凝血和抗凝平衡,缓解患者血栓前状态,提高妊娠活婴产率,降低流产率.     

IL-18基因多态性与原因不明复发性流产关联性的meta分析

目的:探讨白细胞介素18(IL-18)基因rs187238多态性与原因不明复发性流产(URSA)发病风险之间的关联。方法:根据检索策略,通过Pubmed、Embase、web of SCI及万方数据库进行相关文献检索,按照既定的文献纳入及排除标准进行筛选,利用meta分析方法综合分析国内外关于IL-18基因多态性与URSA相关性的病例对照研究资料,计算IL-18rs187238多态性与URSA之间的合并OR值及其95%CI,并进行亚组分析、发表偏移及敏感性分析。结果:共有6篇文献纳入分析中,包括URSA 1435例及正常对照1377例。分析显示rs187238的CC基因型的合并OR值为1.79(95%CI 1.03~3.10),即突变型CC携带者较野生型GG携带者发生URSA的风险显著增高,隐性遗传模型CC/GG+GC分析显示OR值为1.80(95%CI 1.08~3.01)。结论:IL-18基因rs187238多态性与URSA的发生存在关联。     

Investigation of the Pristine and Functionalized Carbon Nanotubes as a Delivery System for the Anticancer Drug Dacarbazine: Drug Encapsulation

Carbon Nanotubes (CNTs) have been used as the systems in drug delivery due to their exceptional physical and chemical properties. In this study, the adsorption of an anticancer drug Dacarbazine (DAC) into the inner and outer surface of pristine and Functionalized Carbon Nanotubes (FCNTs) with four carboxylic acid groups was investigated in aqueous solution using the Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulations. Our simulation results showed that in spite of the adsorption of drug molecules on the outer sidewall of pristine and functionalized nanotubes, the spontaneous encapsulation of DAC molecule into the cavity of CNTs and FCNTs is observed. The simulations show that the arrangement of the DAC molecule into the CNTs and FCNTs is controlled by π-π interactions.