溶酶体保护蛋白/组织蛋白酶A基因敲除小鼠听力和耳形态学初步研究

目的研究溶酶体保护蛋白/组织蛋白酶A(protective protein/cathepsin A,PPCA)基因敲除小鼠听功能和耳形态学改变,探讨半乳糖唾液酸沉积症听力损害的病理生理机制。方法应用听性脑干反应(ABR)测试和颞骨连续切片,观察1月和2月龄的PPCA基因敲除纯合子(PPCA-/-)小鼠ABR反应阈和光镜下外耳、中耳及内耳形态改变,并以野生型(PPCA / )小鼠作对照。结果1月龄PPCA-/-小鼠ABR反应阈和耳形态无明显改变;2月龄时,短声和短音8、163、2 kHz反应阈较PPCA / 提高40~45 dB SPL,中耳黏膜增厚、听骨细胞囊泡化、变形和关节腔融合,血管纹增厚、螺旋神经节细胞、螺旋缘纤维细胞、前庭膜、基底膜及沿前庭阶外淋巴隙的间皮细胞囊泡化,但Corti器毛细胞及支持细胞正常。结论溶酶体保护蛋白/组织蛋白酶A缺乏可导致听力损害、中耳及耳蜗形态改变、中耳炎、听骨改变以及耳蜗螺旋神经节、血管纹、螺旋缘、前庭膜和基底膜等细胞的溶酶体储积,可能分别是传导性聋和感觉神经性聋的形成机制。     

肤纹识别白马藏人的族属

白马藏人是一支有待识别的民族。本文以肤纹作聚类分析,结果表明白马藏人与藏族的距离很大,很有可能是一支独立的民族。     

In vivo anti-melanoma activities of the Melan-A/MART-1101–115 T CD4+ cell peptide

Malignant melanoma causes significant health problems. The identification of tumour-associated antigens has led to novel approaches to increase T cell mediated anti-tumour immune response. Melan-A/MART-1 has been use as target antigen for several T cell based immunotherapeutic treatments. More recently, the critical role of CD4+ T cells in inducing and maintaining anti-tumour immunity has been increasingly recognized. In order to optimize tumour immunotherapy, greater efforts have been concentrated on the identification of tumour antigens presented by MHC class II molecules to CD4+ T cells. In a publication, Tiwari et al. (2004) [1] have identified by a computational approach the 15-mer amino-acid sequence 101–115 (PPAYEKLSAEQSPPP) of the Melan-A/MART-1 as a good target for a vigorous and safe immunotherapy. Therefore, we have investigated the in vivo anti-tumour activity of this peptide in a murine melanoma model. For the prophylactic treatment, 20 μg or 50 μg peptide was subcutaneously injected in mice once a week during 3 weeks before tumour induction. Treatment with 50 μg peptide significantly affected tumour development. Thus, our preliminary data demonstrate potential in vivo prophylactic activity of the 101–115 peptide-based vaccine to control melanoma growth.     

维生素D的骨外作用

越来越多的研究表明,维生素D除具有经典的调节钙磷平衡和维持骨骼健康的作用外,还具有其他更为广泛的骨外生物学效应,如调节免疫、抗肿瘤、保护中枢神经系统和防治代谢综合征等作用.本文就相关方面的研究进展进行综述.     

尿转化生长因子-β1和细胞外基质在慢性肾小球肾病中的变化

目的：探讨尿中转化生长因子-β1（TGF-β1）和细胞外基质（ECM）在各种慢性肾小球肾病患者中的变化及其临床意义。方法：将105例慢性肾小球患者进行临床和病理分组,采用酶联免疫吸附试验（ELISA）分别检测各组的尿TGF-β1水平,同时采用放射免疫分析法（RIA）检测尿中的各种ECM,所有检测值均用尿肌酐（Cr）浓度进行校正。结果：在不同临床分组中,尿TGF-β1/Cr和LN/Cr、PCⅢ/Cr、Ⅳ-C/Cr水平明显高于对照组（P〈0.05）,尿HA/Cr水平则在Ⅲ、Ⅳ组中出现下降。而在不同的病理分组中,肾小球轻微病变（GML）组尿中TGF-β1、ECM与对照组比较无统计学意义,其他各病理分组则出现不同的变化。相关性分析尿TGF-β1/Cr与LN/Cr、PCⅢ/Cr、Ⅳ-C/Cr正相关,与HA/Cr无相关性。结论：通过尿TGF-β1和ECM在慢性肾小球肾病患者中的联合检测,对评价慢性肾小球肾病的进展和预后判断提供一定的临床价值。     

Hypothalamic hamartoma with bilateral anophthalmia

Introduction Hypothalamic hamartomas are congenital malformations. Clinically, they can be asymptomatic, but they cause seizures, mental retardation and precocious puberty in many cases. Case report A 20-day-old boy with hypothalamic hamartoma and bilateral anophthalmia was presented. Except those, no other congenital anomaly was detected. Conclusion This is a rare case of hypothalamic hamartoma with bilateral anophthalmia. The mutations at SOX2 has an important role in the developing brain and eyes.     

Blockade of LTB4-induced chemotaxis by bioactive molecules interfering with the BLT2-Gαi interaction

BLT2, a low-affinity leukotriene B₄ (LTB₄) receptor, is a member of the G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR) family and is involved in the pathogenesis of inflammatory diseases such as asthma. Despite its clinical implications, however, no pharmacological inhibitors are available. In the present study, we screened for small molecules that interfere with the interaction between the third intracellular loop region of BLT2 (BLT2_iL3) and the Gα_i3 protein subunit (Gα_i3), using a high-throughput screening (HTS) assay with a library of 1040 FDA-approved drugs and bioactive compounds. We identified two small molecules—purpurin [1,2,4-trihydroxy-9,10-anthraquinone; IC₅₀ = 1.6 μM for BLT2] and chloranil [tetrachloro-1,4-benzoquinone; IC₅₀ = 0.42 μM for BLT2]—as specific BLT2-blocking agents. We found that blockade of the BLT2_iL3-Gα_i3 interaction by these small molecules inhibited the BLT2-downstream signaling cascade. For example, BLT2-signaling to phosphoinositide-3 kinase (PI3K)/Akt phosphorylation was completely abolished by these molecules. Furthermore, we observed that these small molecules blocked LTB₄-induced chemotaxis by inhibiting the BLT2-PI3K/Akt-downstream, Rac1-reactive oxygen species-dependent pathway. Taken together, our results show that purpurin and chloranil interfere with the interaction between BLT2_iL3 and Gα_i3 and thus block the biological functions of BLT2 (e.g., chemotaxis). The present findings suggest a potential application of purpurin and chloranil as pharmacological therapeutic agents against BLT2-associated inflammatory human diseases.     

The effect of immigrant generation and duration on self-rated health among US adults 2003–2007

Global self-rated health (SRH) is increasingly a key indicator in the assessment of immigrant health. However, evidence of the impact on SRH of generational status, duration of residence in the US, and socioeconomic status (SES) among immigrants and their offspring is limited and inconsistent. We overcome limitations in existing research on this topic by using a uniquely large and diverse data source, the March Annual Social and Economic Supplement of the Current Population Survey (CPS; 2003–2007) (n = 637,209). As a result, we are able to disaggregate results by race/ethnicity, account for country of origin, and consider the role of multiple dimensions of SES. We find that overall first-generation immigrants in the US have lower odds of poor/fair SRH compared to the third-generation. This association is particularly strong for blacks and Hispanics but not significant for Asians. Among first-generation Asians and Hispanics, longer duration of residence is positively associated with poor/fair SRH. Finally, socioeconomic gradients in SRH tend to be less pronounced among the first-generation (versus the third) and, within the first-generation, among recent arrivals (versus those with longer durations). Our results highlight the importance of explicitly accounting for multiple immigration-related variables and their interactions with race/ethnicity and SES. Otherwise, studies may misestimate SRH differences by race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status. The continued growth of the US immigrant population and the second-generation underscore the need to examine patterns in immigrant health systematically.     

结直肠癌复发再手术60例报告

目的为探讨结直肠癌术后复发的原因、诊断和术后复发的治疗效果。方法笔者回顾性分析10年间收治的60例结直肠癌术后复发患者的临床资料。结果手术后2年内复发40例(66.7%)。60例中吻合口处复发15例,腹腔、盆腔内复发20例,会阴部复发10例,肝脏转移8例,腹壁切口复发7例。全组患者均再次行手术治疗,其中根治性切除38例,姑息性切除22例。再手术后的1,3,5年生存率根治性切除分别为93.6%,48.8%,36.3%;姑息性切除为54.5%,0,0。结论重视术中无瘤技术、切除足够的肠管、彻底清除淋巴结及其所在的肠系膜、消灭微小转移灶是预防结直肠癌术后复发的主要措施。对复发患者应根据复发部位、病期早晚选择以手术为主的综合治疗方案。