Immunohistochemical and immunoelectron microscopical characterization of cerebrovascular and senile plaque amyloid in aged dogs'' brains

Immunohistochemical and immunoelectron microscopical studies were carried out on 28 aged dogs' brains. Amyloid deposits were seen in the arteries and capillaries in the leptomeninges and in superficial areas of the cortices in 19 (67.9%) of the 28 dogs (10-22 years of age). Immunohistochemically, these amyloid deposits were reactive for anti-beta/A4 antibody. Additionally, a variable number of parenchymal deposits with diffuse beta/A4-immunoreactivity (diffuse plaques) was also noted throughout the cerebral cortex in 24/28 dogs (85.7%). However, these plaque lesions were undetectable in Congo red staining. Electron microscopically, amyloid fibrils, measuring 10 nm in width, were located mainly in the tunica media of the arteries, and in less involved vessels they tended to be present among collagen fibres in the adventitia and smooth muscle cells in the outer layer of the media. The plaque lesions appeared to contain sparse aggregations of amyloid fibrils. In immunoelectron microscopical examinations, all amyloid fibrils in both blood vessels and plaques were selectively labelled by gold particles. These findings indicate that aged dogs can provide a useful experimental model for research into the beta/A4-type of cerebral amyloidosis commonly seen in Alzheimer's disease.     

MMP-2、TIMP-2与碱烧伤后角膜新生血管形成的实验研究

目的:探讨基质金属蛋白酶-2(MMP-2)、基质金属蛋白酶-2组织型抑制剂(TIMP-2)在碱烧伤大鼠角膜新生血管(CNV)形成中的表达和意义。方法:采用碱烧伤大鼠角膜建立CNV模型,摘除角膜作病理切片,多形核白细胞(PMN)记数;免疫组化法检测MMP-2、TIMP-2的表达。结果:烧伤后1d角膜缘PMN开始增多,到CNV7d组PMN增加最明显,此后逐渐减少;免疫组化显示:MMP-2在CNV中阳性表达逐渐增加,于7d表达最明显,此后随炎性细胞的减少而减弱,21d后几乎无表达;TIMP-2则于早期变化不明显,7d表达开始升高,14d达高峰。结论:烧伤后CNV形成早期,MMP-2活性增高,继而TIMP-2表达增加,使MMP-2活性受抑,基底膜降解受阻,新生血管延伸停滞;CNV形成中,MMP-2的表达增加,并与角膜的炎性反应程度一致,PMN浸润可能是CNV形成的关键因素。     

Open, Double-Blind and Long-Term Study of Vigabatrin in Chronic Epilepsy

We performed an open, double-blind, and long-term study of vigabatrin (gamma-vinyl-GABA, GVG) in patients with treatment-resistant epilepsy who were receiving only one or at most two standard antiepileptic drugs (AEDs). The novel design included a parallel, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase that minimized the number of patients receiving placebo and allowed determination of the optimum dose of GVG for each patient before initiation of the double-blind phase. The study was divided into four phases. The first phase was a 6-week period of baseline observation. In the second phase, GVG was added openly to previous AEDs for 8 weeks. During the first 2 weeks of this phase, the dose of GVG was increased weekly and then, in the absence of adverse effects, was held constant for the next 6 weeks. At the end of this open phase, seizure frequency during the 6 weeks of constant treatment was compared with the baseline seizure frequency for each patient. Patients who experienced reduction greater than 50% in the frequency of any seizure type during the open phase were defined as responders. These responders were then entered into the third and double-blind phase, in which they were randomly allocated wither to continue active GVG treatment or placebo for 8 weeks. Thirty-three patients entered the study; 31 of 33 patients completed the initial open phase. Twenty patients achieved a reduction greater than or equal to 50% in the frequency of one or more seizure types and were eligible for the double-blind phase; 10 were randomized to continue GVG and 10 were randomized to placebo.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

酶联免疫吸附试验、间接荧光抗体试验、间接免疫过氧化物酶染色试验诊断人体旋毛虫病的初步研究

用ELISA、IFA和IIP试验检测11例旋毛虫病人血清特异性抗体,阳性率分别为72.72％、81.82％和81.82%。它们之间无统计学差异,3项试验结果间存在良好一致性。 同时检测了30份健康献血员血清和20例其他寄生虫病人血清(包括华支睾吸虫病、四川肺吸虫病、日本血吸虫病、包虫病和阿米巴肝脓肿),旋毛虫病人组的ELISA、IFA和IIP阳性率明显为高。 由于3项免疫学试验均具有较好的特异性和灵敏性,故可以单独或联合用于人体旋毛虫病的诊断和流行病学调查。     

Stimulation by mitogens and neuronal membranes of lymphocytes from patients with motor neurone disease

Stimulation of lymphocytes from motor neurone disease patients by either concanavalin A or PHA was shown to be significantly depressed relative to that from normal controls, as assayed by incorporation of [3H]thymidine or [3H]leucine or by glucose uptake. Corresponding significant differences were not shown by assays based upon incorporation of [3H]uridine or of lactate release. Lymphocytes from 4 out of 14 motor neurone disease patients showed a blastogenic response to membranes from rat spinal cord cells, compared with those from 0 out of 9 normal controls. These results not only suggest the possibility of an impaired cellular immune control in MND patients but also indicate the presence of lymphocytes sensitised specifically to neuronal membrane components.     

清炎颗粒对肾盂肾炎小鼠外周血IL-8与IL-10的影响

目的：探讨清炎颗粒治疗肾盂肾炎的免疫学机制。方法：采用孙氏方法改进造模,治疗组分别按剂量3.12、6.24、12.48g·kg^-1·d^-1予清炎颗粒,模型组予生理盐水,对照组予至灵胶囊灌胃,喂养至3d、7d、15d、30d、60d取血清,用ELISA法检测其IL-8、IL-10的水平。结果：清炎颗粒能显著降低不同时段血清IL-8的水平、提高不同时段血清IL-10的水平。结论：免疫调控可能是清炎颗粒治疗肾盂肾炎的作用机制之一。     

Role of retinol in protecting epithelial cell damage induced by Clostridium difficile toxin A

Vitamin A (retinol), a fat-soluble vitamin, is an essential nutrient for the normal functioning of the visual system, epithelial cell integrity and growth, immunity, and reproduction. Our group has investigated the effect of high doses of oral vitamin A on early childhood diarrhea in our prospective community-based studies from Northeast Brazil and found a beneficial role in reducing the mean duration but not incidence of diarrheal episodes. In this study, we explored the role of retinol supplementation in intestinal cell lines following Clostridium difficile toxin A (TxA) challenge. C. difficile is the most common anaerobic pathogen borne with antibiotic-borne diarrhea and pseudomembranous colitis. Since retinol is critical for the integrity of tight junctions and to modulate the cell cycle, we have focused on changes in transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) in Caco-2, a more differentiated intestinal cell line, and on models of cell proliferation, migration and viability in IEC-6 cells, an undifferentiated crypt cell line, following TxA injury. In this model, retinol therapy reduced apoptosis, improved cell migration and proliferation, and prevented the reduction in TEER, following C. difficile TxA challenge in a glutamine-free medium. These results suggest the role of retinol in protecting intestinal epithelial barrier function from C. difficile TxA enterotoxic damage.     

Charcot-Marie-Tooth neuropathy type 1A combined with Duchenne muscular dystrophy

We report a 24-year-old male with an unusual combination of two inherited neuromuscular disorders – Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease type 1A and Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). A phenotypic presentation of this patient included features of both these disorders. Nerve conduction studies revealed demyelinating peripheral neuropathy. Electromyography showed a profound myogenic pattern. The serum creatine kinase level was highly elevated. Muscle biopsy revealed a dystrophic picture with deficient dystrophin immunostaining. CMT1A duplication on chromosome 17p11.2 was found. The frame-shift mutation c.3609–3612delTAAAinsCTT (p.K1204LfsX11) was detected in the dystrophin gene by analysing mRNA isolated from the muscle tissue. The patient inherited both these mutations from his mother. The combination of CMT1A and DMD has not been reported as yet.