Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, the metabolic syndrome and the risk of cardiovascular disease: the plot thickens.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) affects a substantial proportion of the general population and is frequently associated with many features of the metabolic syndrome (MetS). Currently, the importance of NAFLD and its relationship with the MetS is being increasingly recognized, and this has stimulated an interest in the possible role of NAFLD in the development of atherosclerosis. Recent studies have reported the association of NAFLD with multiple classical and non-classical risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Moreover, there is a strong association between the severity of liver histopathology in NAFLD patients and greater carotid artery intima-media thickness and plaque, and lower endothelial flow-mediated vasodilation (as markers of subclinical atherosclerosis) independent of obesity and other MetS components. Finally, it has recently been demonstrated that NAFLD is associated with an increased risk of all-cause death and predicts future CVD events independently of other prognostic factors, including MetS components. Overall, therefore, the evidence from these recent studies strongly emphasizes the importance of assessing the global CVD risk in patients with NAFLD. Moreover, these novel findings suggest a more complex picture and raise the possibility that NAFLD, as a component of the MetS, might not only be a marker but also an early mediator of CVD.     

Bayesian estimation of a random effects heteroscedastic probit model

Summary Bayesian analysis is given of a random effects binary probit model that allows for heteroscedasticity. Real and simulated examples illustrate the approach and show that ignoring heteroscedasticity when it exists may lead to biased estimates and poor prediction. The computation is carried out by an efficient Markov chain Monte Carlo sampling scheme that generates the parameters in blocks. We use the Bayes factor, cross‐validation of the predictive density, the deviance information criterion and Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curves for model comparison.     

内蒙古地区食管癌组织中人乳头瘤病毒的检测

目的:了解内蒙古地区HPV感染与食管癌的关系,探讨HPV在食管癌病因学中的作用.方法:应用通用引物PCR法检测食管癌标本中HPV DNA.结果:在来自内蒙古地区41例食管癌标本中,HPV DNA检出率为零.结论:内蒙古地区食管癌发生可能与HPV感染无关.     

结核分枝杆菌稳定L型变异的聚合酶链反应研究

目的：探讨结核分枝杆菌稳定L型变异的分子机制。方法：采用结核分枝杆菌聚合酶链反应(PCR)诊断试剂扩增结核分枝杆菌稳定L型纯培养物的染色体DNA，琼脂糖凝胶电泳、聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳(polyscrylamid gel electrophoresis，PAGE)薄层凝胶扫描分析。结果：结核分枝杆菌稳定L型比细菌型多一DNA条带。结论：结核分枝杆菌稳定L型的形成可能与基因突变有关，在特异性PCR反应中可形成与其亲代细菌型有差异的产物。     

Human khat (Catha edulis) chewers have elevated plasma leptin and nonesterified fatty acids

In this study, the effect of regular khat (Catha edulis Forsk) chewing (200 and 400 g) in humans on plasma leptin, nonesterified fatty acid, triacyglycerol, and total cholesterol levels was investigated. The results presented show that khat chewing increases plasma leptin concentration particularly in individuals who chew 400 g of khat leaves. The significance of increased plasma leptin is in explaining the underlying mechanism of the observed effects associated with khat chewing such as loss of appetite, decreased body weight, and hyperthermia. The decreased body weight was evident from the significantly lower body mass index of the khat leaves chewers group as compared to the non–khat leaves chewers group (control). Moreover, like leptin, the plasma levels of nonesterified fatty acids were significantly higher in those chewing 400 g of khat leaves. On the other hand, the plasma levels of triacylglycerol were significantly lower in the 2 khat-chewers groups (200 and 400 g of khat leaves), whereas plasma cholesterol levels were not affected by the 2 levels of khat leaves used in this study. The significance of these results may suggest that khat leaves may contain a component(s) that has the ability to reduce body weight via decreasing appetite.     

用RT-PCR方法检测登革病毒E基因核酸

目的：应用逆转录聚合酶链反应(RT-PCR)技术建立检测登革2型病毒E基因的方法。方法：分别抽提登革2型病毒NGC株和从登革出血热病人血清中分离得到的2型登革热病毒(DV)核酸(RNA)，合成CD-NA第一链，经过RT-PCR得到cDNA产物，用HinfI限制性内切酶酶切鉴定。结果：通过RT-PCR检测登革2型病毒核酸。结论：登革2型病毒E基因核酸的RT-PCR检测方法的建立为快速诊断登革病毒感染提供了可靠的方法。     

聚合酶链反应检测铜绿假单胞菌感染性角膜溃疡的实验研究及临床应用

目的：探索聚合酶链反应（PCR）技术对铜绿假单胞菌感染性角膜溃疡快速诊断的可行性。优越性及其在临床应用中的价值。方法：建立PCR检测标准铜绿假单胞菌方法，对兔铜绿假单胞菌感染性角膜溃疡模型研究并应用于临床，并与细菌培养做比较。结果：铜绿假单胞菌扩增出一条长504bp的阳性条带，其他常见细菌，人和兔正常角膜组织均为阴性，动物模型PCR敏感性为93.8%。特异性为100.0%；细菌培养敏感性为68.7%。特异性为93.7%。临床标本PCR阳性率为66.7%；细菌培养阳性率为38.1%。结论：PCR技术对快速检测实验室和临床标本中的铜绿假单胞菌具有重要的应用价值。     

PCR-RSSO基础上HLA-Ⅰ、Ⅱ基因分型的研究

目的通过对PCR-DNA技术的分析,探讨人类白细胞抗原(HLA)基因分型方法。方法采用PCR反向序列特异性寡核苷酸(polymerase chain reaction-reverse sequence specific oligonucleotide,PCR-RSSO)杂交技术,建立改良半量扩增体系全自动HLA-I、Ⅱ等位基因分型方法,进行了635份血液标本HLA-A、B、C、DR、DQ等位基因分型,其中166份DNA同时采用序列特异性引物技术(PCR-SSP)和手工全量扩增体系PCR-RSSO技术。对全自动半量PCR-RSSO、PCR-SSP、手工PCR-RSSO 3种方法做两两比较。结果全自动半量PCR-RSSO的分型成功率为98.4%(3 124/3 175),PCR-SSP为98.8%(656/664),手工PCR-RSSO为88.3%(733/830)。经χ2检验,全自动半量PCR-RSSO与PCR-SSP的分型成功率无统计学差异,与手工PCR-RSSO有显著差异(P<0.05)。结论PCR-RSSO可识别HLA-Ⅰ,Ⅱ共706个等位基因,覆盖WHO命名委员会2000年公布的936个等位基因的75.43%;对706个HLA等位基因的分型均为中~高分辨率,有分辨纯合子等位基因的能力;易长期保存书面的实验原始资料,即杂交条;具有成本低、劳动强度低、省时和DNA消耗量少等优点。PCR-RSSO适合于造血干细胞移植和建立造血干细胞及脐带血干细胞库的组织配型。     

Aspergillus Iris Granuloma: A Case Report with Review of Literature

We report the case of a 25-year-old male patient who presented with complaints of redness, photophobia, and decreased vision in the right eye of a week's duration. Slit-lamp biomicroscopic examination revealed a cream-colored, irregular elevated inferior iris mass, extending on to the anterior lens surface. Differential diagnoses of a fungal granuloma, a medulloepithelioma, and an amelanotic melanoma were considered. An excisional biopsy of the mass was performed through a superior clear corneal incision. Polymerase chain reaction analysis of the aqueous humor showed a positive pan fungal genome. Histopathology of the biopsied mass showed a giant cell granuloma with surrounding numerous branching, septate hyphae. Culture growth revealed Aspergillus fumigatus We report this case because of the rarity of Aspergillus iris granuloma as a primary presentation of endogenous Aspergillosis and review the relevant literature. Absence of a significant systemic history compounded the diagnostic dilemma in our patient. Definitive differentiation of this rare entity from a foreign body, amelanotic melanoma, and other inflammatory conditions such as sarcoidosis and tuberculosis, may be possible only on microbiological and histo-pathological evaluation.     

肠康复治疗和短肠综合征

目的探讨对短肠综合征患者进行肠康复治疗的策略。方法采用文献复习的方法对肠康复治疗在短肠综合征患者中的应用加以综述。结果肠康复治疗是指重建肠道功能从而摆脱肠外营养的过程,通常包括膳食和内科保守治疗手段,有时还包括外科治疗。最近的研究显示,药物治疗、特需营养素、生长因子等的使用促进了肠代偿和吸收功能。结论肠康复治疗有益于短肠综合征患者的恢复,并将发挥更重要的作用。