血清β-hCG与CRP水平在预测胎膜早破宫内感染及预后的应用比较

目的 探讨血清β-绒毛膜促性腺激素(β-hCG)和C-反应蛋白(CRP)水平,在预测胎膜早破宫内感染和预后的应用比较.方法 入选2009年3月-2011年5月在医院妇产科孕足月住院发生胎膜早破的孕妇146例,产前抽取静脉血5 ml,用免疫分析法分别检测血清β-hCG和CRP,产后留取胎膜组织和胎盘组织,检查是否存在组织绒毛膜炎,将146例胎膜早破孕妇分为感染组与非感染组,比较两组血清β-hCG和CRP,以评价β-hCG、CRP在预测胎膜早破宫内感染和预后中的临床价值.结果 146例胎膜早破孕妇中,血清β-hCG阳性者47例,发生感染33例,感染率为70.2％,阴性者99例,发生感染19例,感染率为19.2％ ;CRP阳性者63例,发生感染41例,感染率为65.1％；阴性者83例,发生感染11例,感染率为13.3％,差异均有统计学意义(P＜0.05),血清β-hCG预测胎膜早破感染敏感度为63.5％,特异度为85.1％,二者与CRP检查差异无统计学意义,146例胎膜早破的孕妇分娩顺利,血清β-hCG和CRP阳性者预后较阴性者差,抗菌药物使用时间长,剂量大,住院时间延长,但是血清β-hCG和CRP在评价预后无差异.结论 血清β-hCG和CRP均能较好地预测胎膜早破孕妇是否发生感染和评价预后,二者之间没有差异,临床上结合血清β-hCG和CRP能够更迅速、更准确地诊断胎膜早破并发感染,并能更好地评价预后.     

锶与人体健康

锶是人体中必需微量元素之一,它与人体骨骼的形成密切相关,是骨骼、牙齿的主要成分,身体所有组织中都有锶,在肠内它与钠竞争吸收部位,使人体降低对钠的吸收,有利于心血管正常活动。锶可用来治疗一些由于副甲状腺功能不全导致的抽搐症状,缺锶会引起龋齿,锶过量则可引起骨骼的生长发育过快,表现为关节和骨骼变形、粗大、脆弱、疼痛,肌肉萎缩及贫血等。     

Leukocyte Interferon-alpha in the Treatment of Chronic Hepatitis C in Finland

Background: Food intake, accompanied by systemic and splanchnic haemodynamic changes, has only been studied in males. The extent to which splanchnic postprandial hyperaemia shows gender differences is unknown. Methods: We tested 1) the splanchnic hyperaemic response to food in females and 2) whether postprandial haemodynamic changes show gender differences. Twenty-four healthy women (aged 20-35 years) and 20 healthy men (aged 21-34 years) participated in the study. A liquid test meal (Ensure plus, 1.5 kcal/ml) was perfused intraduodenally for 75 min through an enteral feeding tube at a rate of 3 ml/min after a 45-min basal period. Blood flow parameters were measured using Echo-Doppler technology. Results: Basal diastolic arterial blood pressure was significantly (P     

A Cell-Free Collagen Type I Device for the Treatment of Focal Cartilage Defects

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the potential value of a cell-free collagen type I gel plug for the treatment of focal cartilage defects. Cellular migration and proliferation was addressed in vitro, and the formation of repair tissue in a nude mouse-based defect model. A cell-free plug made of collagen type I was placed in the center of an incubation plate. Surrounding space was filled with a collagen type I gel (Arthro Kinetics, Esslingen, Germany) seeded with 2 × 10⁵ human articular chondrocytes/mL gel. After cultivation for up to 6 weeks in vitro, samples were subject to histological and immunohistochemical staining and gene expression analysis. Subsequently, chondral defects of human osteochondral blocks were treated with the plug, and specimens were cultivated subcutaneously in nude mice for 6 weeks. The repair tissue was evaluated macroscopically, and collagen type II production was investigated immunohistochemically. In vitro, morphology of immigrated cells did not show any differences, as did collagen type II gene expression. After 4 weeks, the plug was homogeneously inhabited. After 6 weeks of cultivation in nude mice, collagen gel plug treatment led to a macroscopically excellent repair tissue. Histological staining revealed a tight bonding, and the collagen gel plug started to be remodeled. We conclude that the novel collagen gel plug device offers an environment favorable for the migration of articular chondrocytes and leads to a good-quality repair tissue in the nude mouse model. The arthroscopic transplantation of a collagen gel plug may be one option in the treatment of focal cartilage defects.     

Enhanced endogenous type I interferon cell-driven survival and inhibition of spontaneous apoptosis by Riluzole

Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), although effective in improving the survival of HIV-1-infected individuals, has not been able to reconstitute the adaptive immune response. We have described the use of novel chemical agents to restore T-cell survival/proliferation by inducing cytokine production. Due to its cationic amphiphilic structure, these molecules appear to enhance immune restoration. In this study, we investigated the action of Riluzole (2-amino-6-trifuromethoxybenzothiazole) in HIV-1 infection. Riluzole is able to increase (effective dose from 1 to 1000 nM) the cell-survival of T cells from HIV-1-infected patients and inhibit spontaneous apoptosis. The immunomodulatory effect of riluzole-sensitized cells was ascribed to endogenous type I interferon (IFN) derived from monocytes. Riluzole might be used for restoring the cell survival of immunocompromised patients and eliminating latent infected cells upon HIV-1 reactivation.     

Excision and V–Y plasty reconstruction for giant condyloma acuminatum

Abstract. Background Condyloma acuminata is the most common anorectal lesion in patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Surgical treatment can be challenging in cases where the size and extension into the anal canal make individual excision impossible. These patients require large resections and reconstruction using grafts or local flaps.Methods Six patients were treated for giant perianal condylomas between 1999 and 2001. Four patients were HIV–positive, and were selected for surgical intervention after achieving a T4 count >350 and low viral replication. In 5 cases, the lesions were circularly resected up to the pectinate line and the defect was reconstructed using a bilateral V–Y plasty. In the remaining case, fulguration was possible on one side and a unilateral V–Y plasty was performed.Results There were no infections or healing delays in this series, and the functional and aesthetic results are satisfactory.Conclusion V–Y plasties are a valid method for perianal reconstruction after resection of giant anal condyloma, with good results in selected patients with HIV infection.     

Evaluation of aldehyde dehydrogenase 1 promoter polymorphisms identified in human populations

BACKGROUND: Cytosolic aldehyde dehydrogenase, or ALDH1A1, functions in ethanol detoxification, metabolism of neurotransmitters, and synthesis of retinoic acid. Because the promoter region of a gene can influence gene expression, the ALDH1A1 promoter regions were studied to identify polymorphism, to assess their functional significance, and to determine whether they were associated with a risk for developing alcoholism. METHODS: Sequence analysis was performed in the promoter region by using Asian, Caucasian, and African American subjects. The resulting polymorphisms were assessed for frequency in Asian, Caucasian, Jewish, and African American populations and tested for associations with alcohol dependence in Asian and African American populations of alcoholics and controls. The functional significance of each polymorphism was determined through in vitro expression analysis by using HeLa and HepG2 cells. RESULTS: Two polymorphisms, a 17 base pair (bp) deletion (-416/-432) and a 3 bp insertion (-524), were discovered in the ALDH1A1 promoter region: ALDH1A1*2 and ALDH1A1*3, respectively. ALDH1A1*2 was observed at frequencies of 0.035, 0.023, 0.023, and 0.012 in the Asian, Caucasian, Jewish, and African American populations, respectively. ALDH1A1*3 was observed only in the African American population, at a frequency of 0.029. By using HeLa and HepG2 cells for in vitro expression, the activity of the luciferase reporter gene was significantly decreased after transient transfection of ALDH1A1*3-luciferase compared with the wild-type construct ALDH1A1*1-luciferase. In an African American population, a trend for higher frequencies of the ALDH1A1*2 and ALDH1A1*3 alleles was observed in a population of alcoholics (p = 0.03 and f = 0.12, respectively) compared with the control population. CONCLUSIONS: ALDH1A1*2 and ALDH1A1*3 may influence ALDH1A1 gene expression. Both ALDH1A1*2 and ALDH1A1*3 produce a trend in an African American population that may be indicative of an association with alcoholism; however, more samples are required to validate this observation. The underlying mechanisms contributing to these trends are still unknown.