Positive selection is an early event in thymocyte differentiation: high TCR expression by cycling immature thymocytes precedes final maturation by several days

T cell antigen receptor expression by cycling and post-cycling thymocytes has been analysed by flow cytometry. Normal mice were pulsed with 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdUrd), a thymidine analogue detectable with a monoclonal antibody. Thymocytes were surface-stained with antibodies against several V beta gene products and against whole alpha beta receptors and detection of BrdUrd in the nuclei was performed after enzymatic generation of single-stranded DNA. A significant (10%) percentage of thymocytes expressing high levels of alpha beta TCR were found in the cycle: these cells were immature, as shown by the CD4+8+ phenotype and by high HSA expression. After division, most alpha beta high BrdUrd+ cells entered a resting state and their number remained constant for 3 days, decreasing in two steps thereafter. This post-mitotic evolution was not modified by injection of an anti-mitotic drug. After day 4, a majority of the studied subset acquired a single positive phenotype. Location of BrdUrd+ V beta 8.2 high cells studied on frozen sections was found cortical at early times and medullary after day 3. V beta 6 expression by cycling and post-cycling thymocytes was analysed in various mouse strains, and early high expression by cycling thymocytes was found to be restricted to MIs 1b strains. These results suggest that high alpha beta TCR expression by cycling immature thymocytes corresponds to positive selection, which must therefore be considered as an early event in intrathymic differentiation.     

Outcome of renal transplantation following a positive cross-match with historical sera: the ASHI survey

Analysis of retrospective data, obtained on 216 patients from 27 centers transplanted across some form of positive lymphocyte cross-match in a noncurrent serum, revealed that actuarial 1-yr graft survival was 69% in first transplants and 53% in recipients of second or subsequent transplants. Graft outcome did not correlate with peak antibody levels, change in antibody from peak to current, remoteness in time of the most recent positive serum, the number or timing of sera cross-matched, the technique or target cell cross-matched, or the degree of positivity of the most recent positive serum. Although a concurrent control population was not available, these results support the concept that acceptable graft survival can be achieved despite a positive cross-match with noncurrent sera.     

Infrared spectroscopy: A new diagnostic tool in Alzheimer disease

Biological markers play an evolving role in the diagnosis of Alzheimer disease (AD). We compare conventional measurements of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) tau and β-amyloid_1–42 proteins to a novel approach – Fourier transformed infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy – a simple technique derived from chemical and physical sciences that characterizes intramolecular bonds. For automatic diagnostic analysis, we developed an artificial neural network (ANN). We examined 71 patients with a clinical diagnosis of AD and 66 controls. β-Amyloid_1–42 was decreased (sensitivity 80% and specificity 78%); tau was elevated (sensitivity 76% and specificity 88%) in CSF of AD patients. The combined tau/β-amyloid_1–42 quotient was able to distinguish healthy from diseased subjects with 99% sensitivity and 86% specificity. The ANN could separate FT-IR spectroscopy data with 88.5% sensitivity and 80% specificity. FT-IR spectroscopy proved to be cost-effective and simple to perform. Diagnostic sensitivity and specificity is in the range of CSF tau and β-amyloid_1–42 protein analysis. Larger sample numbers for ANN training and validation could increase diagnostic accuracy and thus prove to be a useful screening tool.     

Therapeutic effects of radio frequency ablation in lung tumor treatment

Radiofrequencyablation(RFA)isarecentlyde-velopedsystemthatprovidesanewapproachforthetreatmentofpatientswithunresectablemalignanttu-mor.Aninsulatedneedleelectrodethatcontains10fineneedleswithinentersthetumortissueunderCTguidanceandthe10fineneedlesstretchasanumbrel-lacoveringanareaapproximately3.5cmindiameter,beforearadiofrequencygeneratortransmitshigh-en-ergyradiofrequencypulsesthroughthewiretothefineneedles.Theenergyreleasedattheneedlepointcantriggerionicagitationandfrictionalheattopro-ducea…     

Clinical significance of interstitial collagen deposition at the invading edge in oral cancer: Immunohistochemistry for type I collagen

Background Changes in interstitial collagen in human oral cancer have not yet been fully studied. We examined the relationship between the degree of interstitial collagen deposition at the invading edge of the tumor, and the clinical and pathologic findings in oral squamous cell carcinoma. We also investigated the therapeutic implication of the changes in distribution patterns of collagen deposition by comparing biopsy specimens and surgical specimens. Methods Immunohistochemical staining was performed by the streptavidin-biotin method using antibody against human type I collagen for visualizing interstitial collagen in 50 biopsy and 45 surgical specimens. Results Carcinomas with scanty interstitial collagen in biopsy specimens tended to have highly malignant characteristics. Large carcinomas with scanty deposition both in biopsy and surgical specimens were likely to have positive resection margins in spite of radical surgery. Conclusion Immunostaining patterns for type I collagen of oral squamous cell carcinomas can provide information of importance in determining safe resection margins.     

无创正压通气治疗的护理

通过17例呼吸衰竭患者应用无创正压通气(NIPPV)的临床观察与护理,结合治疗前后血气参数值的对比分析,总结出以下护理体会:心理护理,选择合适的体位及鼻(面)罩是应用NIPPV的前提;防止漏气和面部皮肤压迫性损伤,保持呼吸道通畅,密切观察患者通气效果及呼吸机性能是应用NIPPV的护理重点;密切观察患者病情变化,进行氧疗,协助患者排痰是NIPPV治疗后的护理措施。     

中药复方研发与专利保护协调发展之积极影响分析

中药复方研发成果与日俱增,而成果的专利保护状况却不容乐观.中药复方专利保护与中药新药研发、产业发展、中药国际化等诸多领域息息相关,促成中药复方研发与专利保护的协调发展对于国内乃至国际社会影响深远.