Reflux Control Following Gastroplasty

A Belsey gastroplasty was performed on 135 patients, 132 of whom were available for follow-up. Despite a low incidence (1.5%) of anatomical recurrence, the operation failed to control reflux effectively, and the incidence of continued reflux is 44.6%. Because of this failure to control reflux, a Nissen fundoplication has been added to the gastroplasty tube.In a group of 78 patients, radiological recurrence has occurred in 1 patient, with no patient experiencing symptoms of reflux. Manometric comparison between the Belsey and Nissen gastroplasty shows more effective tone elevation of the high pressure zone and a more effective decrease in disordered motor activity of the lower esophagus.     

Characterization of a human breast cancer cell line,MCF-7/RU58<Superscript>R</Superscript>-1, resistant to the pure antiestrogen RU 58,668

Breast cancer is the most common cancer disease in women in the western world. Tamoxifen has been the standard first line endocrine therapy for patients with estrogen receptor (ER) positive tumors. Unfortunately, almost all patients with advanced disease develop tamoxifen resistance. This has lead to a search for new potent antiestrogens. One of the new compounds under development is the pure antiestrogen RU 58,668. To study the mechanisms behind acquired resistance to RU 58,668, the RU 58,668-resistant cell line MCF-7/RU58^R-1 (RU58^R-1) was developed. The RU58^R-1 cell line was responsive to tamoxifen, but cross-resistant to ICI 182,780 and the estrogen-sensitivity was reduced compared to the parental MCF-7 cell line. The protein levels of ER, IGF-I Receptor (IGF-IR) and Bcl-2 were severely reduced, when RU58^R-1 cells were cultured with RU 58,668 and the expression of progesterone receptor (PR) was lost. The ER level increased upon withdrawal of RU 58,668 and the ER protein was destabilized by RU 58,668 in both cell lines. Regulation of most of the investigated estrogen-sensitive mRNAs was found to be normal in the resistant cells. The protein levels of IGF-IR, Bcl-2 and the IGF Binding Protein 2 (IGFBP2) reverted towards MCF-7 levels upon RU 58,668 withdrawal, but the resistant phenotype was maintained. Thus, it appears as acquired resistance to RU 58,668 is not a result of loss of the ER expression or function and we suggest that in the presence of RU 58,668, the RU58^R-1 cell line probably uses other mitogenic pathways than the ER pathway for growth and survival.     

基于MSP430的数字式拔火罐的设计

火罐是传统中医疗法中最常用的治疗器具,但其古老的操作方法和相对模糊的理论基础阻碍了火罐疗法的继续发展.本文提出了一种新型的"数字火罐"设想.其理论基础是"数字中医理论",即中医诊断和治疗的"量化".应用微型、低功耗的单片机MSP430实现了火罐疗法的负压和治疗时间的精确控制.     

Studies on the heterogeneity of the carotenogenic yeast Rhodotorula mucilaginosa from Patagonia, Argentina

The yeast species Rhodotorula mucilaginosa is considered to be ubiquitous due to its world-wide distribution in terrestrial, freshwater and marine habitats, and to its ability to colonize a large variety of substrates. In this paper we assess the phenotypic and genetic variability of environmental isolates of R. mucilaginosa collected from natural and artificial environments in Patagonia, Argentina. A total of 97 strains were studied and sorted into three groups based on MSP-PCR fingerprinting results: A, which comprised 90% of the strains, including the type strain; and B and C which included 2 and 8% of the strains, respectively. The D1D2 sequencing did not differentiate any of the 3 groups, while ITS sequencing validated the existence of group C. This group was composed of Patagonian isolates of diverse origin. DNA-DNA reassociation studies confirmed the existence of significant genetic differences between group C and the type strain. In this study, which is the first on the intraspecific variability of a large set of R. mucilaginosa isolates, a considerable phenotypic and genetic heterogeneity was observed, however such differences were not enough to refute co-specificity. The study of Patagonian isolates allowed the detection of a genetically distinct group of R. mucilaginosa strains.     

School buses, diesel emissions, and respiratory health

School buses contribute disproportionately to ambient air quality, pollute near schools and residential areas, and their emissions collect within passenger cabins. This paper examines the impact of school bus emissions reductions programs on health outcomes. A key contribution relative to the broader literature is that we examine localized pollution reduction programs at a fine level of aggregation. We find that school bus retrofits induced reductions in bronchitis, asthma, and pneumonia incidence for at-risk populations. Back of the envelope calculations suggest conservative benefit–cost ratios between 7:1 and 16:1.     

A single gene copy merozoite surface antigen and immune evasion?

During the course of chronic malaria infection antigenic variants of a parasite antigen are expressed and exposed on the surface of infected erythrocyte membranes. There also exists a number of apparently invariant single gene copy blood-stage antigens, exposed or non-exposed, which have been shown to afford immunity under experimental conditions. To determine why the host, presented with invariant 'protective' antigens, is unable to control infections effectively, immunity to a representative single gene copy antigen, the merozoite surface protein 1 (MSP1) was investigated in Plasmodium chabaudi chabaudi AS, a murine model of chronic malaria. Immunization with monoclonal antibody affinity purified native MSP1 resulted in enhanced control of parasitaemia on challenge, irrespective of the parasite inoculum size; challenge with a single parasite, however, suggested that expansion of resistant parasite subpopulations was not occurring. Challenge of mice immunized with recombinant fusion proteins encoding N- or C-terminal regions of the P.c. chabaudi AS MSP1 produced inconsistent effects, often parasitaemias were indistingishable from controls despite significant anti-MSP1 antibody responses. The not unlikely contamination of MSP1 native preparations with erythrocyte (E) components was considered. Immunization with a mixture of the MSP1 C-terminus recombinant polypeptide and a Triton X-100 solubilized lysate of normal E resulted in enhanced control of parasitaemia, however, no effect was seen after administration of either component on its own. Co-immunization of E with the N-terminus polypeptide reversed the inhibition seen, on this occasion with this construct alone.