Antimutagenic activities of naturally occurring polyamines in Chinese hamster ovary cells in vitro

Spermine and spermidine, ubiquitous polyamines present in bacteria and animal cells, are also involved in cell growth. Since they interact with the double helix, they can stabilize the DNA molecule. Recent evidence of the antimutagenic and anticarcinogenic capacity of spermine has focused attention on the mechanism(s) by which such agents can protect cells from induced damages. In the present paper we show the ability of spermine and spermidine to decrease the level of sister chromatid exchanges induced in Chinese hamster ovary cells cultivated in vitro, by treating them with Psoralen + UVA irradiation (able to induce mainly monoadducts and DNA cross-links). Two different mechanisms of polyamine action can be invoked to explain the preservative activity of this class of agents.     

膳食结构的变化对脂肪肝患者疗效观察

目的 通过营养干预改变脂肪肝患的膳食结构和生活方式，并观察其疗效。方法 营养干预措施采用询问法登记摄入食物的种类和数量，制订膳食原则及编制食谱。健康教育进行营养知识讲座及咨询活动。结果 通过营养干预脂肪肝患改变了原有的膳食结构及饮食习惯，能量摄入和消耗处于动态平衡；增加粗粮、蔬菜和鱼禽类等食品的摄入量，动物性脂肪摄入减少；53．1％脂肪肝患有好转，46．2％超重或肥胖的人体重恢复到标准体重范围内。结论 普及营养知识，养成良好的饮食和生活习惯，防止食源性疾病的发生。     

Eighteen-month Coronal Caries Incidence in North Carolina Older Adults

In this longitudinal study of a random sample of North Carolinians over the age of 65 and living in their homes, 325 blacks and 280 whites were examined and interviewed 18 months after baseline examinations. Coronal caries incidence was greater among whites than blacks. The increment due to teeth becoming root fragments were similar for both races; however, there were more newly crowned teeth among whites. Newly crowned surfaces were not used as part of the caries increment in logistic regression models to investigate potential risk predictors. For blacks, caries development over the 18-month period was associated with a higher lactobacillus score and more coronal caries at baseline, more previously filled coronal surfaces, and lack of active membership in clubs or other groups. For whites, having no self-reported tooth sensitivity, having a lower socioeconomic index score, taking antihistamine medications at baseline, and having the perception of more problems after the age of 40 than before were all associated with the development of coronal caries.     

耒阳市1093例不同年龄人群缺锌状况的调查分析

[目的]探讨人体内锌缺乏与年龄是否相关。[方法]采集头发用强酸消化后，利用北京振教科贸有限公司产WL-3微量元素分析仪进行检测。[结果]我们发现儿童的缺锌率高于青少年和成人人群，具有显著的统计学意义（P〈0．05），其中3～5岁时的儿童的缺锌率达到了79．1％。而青少年与成人之间的缺锌率并无差异（P〉0．05），分别为20．5％和18．4％。[结论]因膳食结构不当引起锌缺乏在儿童中常见，由此我们应当根据不同年龄阶段特点进行不同的补锌措施。     

Improved anchorage in osteoporotic vertebrae with new implant designs.

The goal of our study was to evaluate two newly developed implant designs and their behavior in terms of subsidence in lumbar vertebral bodies under cyclic loading. The new implants were evaluated in two different configurations (two small prototypes vs. one large prototype with similar load-bearing area) in comparison to a conventional screw-based implant (MACS TL). A pool of 13 spines with a total of 65 vertebrae was used to establish five testing groups of similar bone mineral density (BMD) distribution with eight lumbar vertebrae each. In additional to BMD assessment via dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, cancellous BMD and structural parameters were determined using a new generation in vivo 3D-pQCT. The specimens were loaded sinusoidally in force control at 1 Hz for 1000 cycles at three load levels (100, 200, and 400 N). A survival analysis using the number of cycles until failure (Cox regression with covariates) was applied to reveal differences between implant groups. All new prototype configurations except the large cylinder survived significantly longer than the control group. The number of cycles until failure was significantly correlated with the structural parameter Tb.Sp. and similarly with the cancellous BMD for three of five implants. In both large prototypes the cycle number until failure significantly correlated with the preoperative distance to the upper endplates. Although the direct relationship between bone structure or density and mechanical breakage behavior cannot be conclusively proven, all the prototypes adapted for poor bone structure performed better than the comparable conventional implant.     

应用电泳技术分析飞行员富含三酰甘油脂蛋白亚组分及其代谢特征

目的 分析富含三酰甘油脂蛋白(TRLs)分子组成及其代谢特征.方法应用脂蛋白电泳技术,对30例飞行员空腹和脂肪负荷餐后血浆做脂蛋白分析,以扫描图面积表示各亚组分构成,观察脂蛋白亚组分变化特点.结果 30例飞行员TRLs清除延迟发生率46.67%.TRLs分子脂蛋白亚组分由极低密度脂蛋白(VLDL)、中密度脂蛋白(IDL)、低密度脂蛋白(LDL)、乳糜微粒(CM)和脂蛋白a[LP(a)]组成.TRLs清除延迟典型扫描图特征为LDL左侧区面积增高,呈双峰或多峰.LDL、VLDL区面积增高,伴有高密度脂蛋白(HDL)面积降低.结论 高三酰甘油血症致动脉粥样硬化作用是在代谢水平异常所致的TRLs清除延迟,TRLs清除延迟是核心环节.     

Crystal structure and conformation of polypeptides: L-leucylglycylglycylglycine

Crystals of L-leucylglycylglycylglycine, LGGG (C₁₂H₂₂N₄O₅), grown from an ethanol-water solution, are orthorhombic, space groups P2₁2₁2₁, with unit cell dimensions (at 22 ± 3°) a = 9.337(1), b = 10.995(1), c = 15.235(1)Å, v = 1563.4 ų, Z = 4 with a density of D_obs= 1.29 g-cm^-3 and D_calc= 1.279 g°cm^-3. The crystal structure was solved by the application of direct methods and refined to an R value of 0.029 for 1018 reflections with I ± 2s?. The molecule exists as a zwitterion in the crystal. The trans peptide backbone takes up a folded conformation at the middle glycylglycyl link accompanied by a significant nonplanarity up to Δω of 8° at the middle peptide and is relatively more extended at the two ends. The molecules are linked together intermolecularly in an infinite sequence of head to tail 1–4′ hydrogen bonds, as is typical of charged peptides. It is interesting to note that while glycylglycylglycine takes up an extended β-sheet conformation, addition of Leu to the N-terminal results in a bent conformation.     

Predicting the experience of dentinal caries or restorative dental treatment in adolescents using D1 and D3 visual caries assessments

Standardised epidemiological caries assessments used in oral health surveys have been shown to be poor at predicting whether a tooth surface will be treated restoratively when a patient visits a dentist. However, it has been argued that oral health surveys may be more relevant in determining needs at the level of an individual or groups of individuals. The objective of this study was to determine the discriminatory power of visual caries assessments at two thresholds (D₁ & D₃) in adolescents of average age 12.1 years to predict experience of dentinal caries 3 years later or the experience of restorative treatment (not re‐treatment) during the 3‐year period. The data was derived from a prospective 3‐year longitudinal study in which the dental care provided by 41 dentists for 403 adolescents was monitored. Dental caries experience was monitored by annual standardised assessments of caries undertaken by a single trained examiner. ROC analysis showed that caries assessed visually at the D₁ threshold in 12‐year‐olds was a better predictor (P < 0.001) of experiencing some dentinal caries after 3 years (Az = 0.781) than was caries assessed visually at D₃ threshold in 12‐year‐olds (Az = 0.670). Assessing caries visually at either the D₁ or the D₃ threshold had no discriminatory power for predicting whether an individual would experience some restorative treatment during the ensuing 3‐year period (Az for D₁ = 0.507; Az for D₃ = 0.518).     

Membrane flow within the myelin sheath in IDPN neuropathy

This report describes some aspects of beta,beta'-iminodipropionitrile (IDPN) neuropathy in rats as observed by ultrastructural methods and X-ray diffraction. Light microscopy shows gross swelling of the axons in proximal lumbar spinal roots 8 days after intraperitoneal injection of IDPN. Mean axon cross-sectional area and mean axon perimeter increased to 280% and 160% of their control values, respectively. At the same time, myelin membrane packing was not visibly disturbed. In addition, X-ray diffraction patterns, recorded under physiological conditions, demonstrate that the myelin lipid bilayer thickness and widths of the aqueous spaces between bilayers did not change. Related observations are made on posterior tibial nerve (PNS myelin) and ventral spinal cord (CNS myelin). The various observations together are interpreted in terms of a fluid myelin membrane. It is proposed that the myelin membrane flows during axon swelling even though normal membrane-membrane contacts are maintained within the sheath. Membrane flow and slippage between membranes are explained in terms of a molecular model of the myelin multilayer.