Quality of life in tuberculosis: Patient and provider perspectives

Tuberculosis (TB) is a persistent problem in the United States; however, little is known about its impact on functioning and quality of life (QOL) among people with TB. The purpose of this study is to describe the impact of TB on patients' QOL by using focus groups to assess the domains of QOL that are affected. Participants included patients (n = 10) who received treatment for active TB and physicians (n = 4) and nurses (n = 9) caring for patients with TB at a public health clinic in Baltimore, Maryland. TB affected all predicted domains of QOL, including general health perceptions, somatic sensation, psychological health, spiritual well-being, and physical, social and role functioning. Social stigmatization, isolation, pill burden, long duration of therapy, sexual dysfunction, loss of income, and fear were additional specific problems related to TB. Surprisingly, 11% (33) of the comments described benefits of TB illness, including increased spirituality and improved life perspectives. In addition, four additional QOL domains and three elements of treatment specific to TB which substantially impact QOL were identified. While patients and clinicians both identified issues in many areas of QOL, only patients mentioned the impact on sexual function, spirituality and improved life perspectives. Despite available curative therapy, TB and its treatment still have significant short and long-term consequences on patients' QOL.     

2004-2006年吉林省流行性感冒病原学变化特点

目的探讨吉林省流行性感冒的病原学变化特点。方法根据2004—2006年流感监测结果对吉林省流感的流行趋势、病原学变化特点进行综合分析。用细胞培养法分离并鉴定流感病毒，用微量半加敏血凝抑制试验方法检测人群中抗流感病毒抗体水平。结果监测哨点医院2004—2006年临床诊断的流感样病例数基本持平，冬季可见1个波峰；全省发生暴发疫情0起；两个监测年从1350标本中分离病毒71株，其中甲1型39株（54．93％），甲3型7株（9．86％），乙型（yamagata株系）流感病毒24株（33．80％），乙型（victorian株系）流感病毒1株（1．41％），正常人群抗体水平测定以抗A3抗体最高，抗乙型（victorian株系）抗体最低。结论2004—2006年吉林省流感流行以低水平散发为主。提示在今后的监测工作中除了及时发现甲型变异株的出现，还应密切关注乙型（victorian株系）的流行动态。     

酶处理急性分离技术用于研究果蝇成虫中枢神经细胞钾电流

目的 建立急性分离果蝇成虫中枢神经细胞技术，并记录分析其钾电流。方法 取S、R或H品系果蝇成虫3—5只，分离出果蝇脑组织。胶原酶消化处理后，加入10％的胎牛血清果蝇培养基终止酶反应。巴氏吸管吹打，细胞悬液静置1h后用于电生理实验。全细胞电压钳记录并分析其外向钾电流。结果 酶消化法成功急性分离出果蝇成虫中枢神经细胞。85％以上为Ⅱ型神经细胞，少部分为Ⅰ型和Ⅲ型神经细胞。记录到快失活与持续复合型、慢失活型、快失活和持续型四种全细胞钾电流。结论 本技术可成功急性分离三品系果蝇成虫中枢神经细胞，并记录到四种钾电流。     

猪蛔虫不同发育期幼虫的收集方法研究

目的研究猪蛔虫不同发育期幼虫的收集方法。方法采用7.5%次氯酸钠氧化感染期蛔虫卵,37℃过夜后,用灭菌生理盐水离心数次,充分洗去次氯酸钠,将沉淀用玻璃珠在振荡器上振荡至全部卵壳破裂,幼虫孵出。用淋巴细胞分离液通过密度梯度离心法将幼虫与卵壳分离,最后收集底层的脱鞘第三期(L3)幼虫。在贝尔曼原理的基础上,在漏斗中加入低浓度(0.4%)琼脂凝胶,分别将绞碎的含幼虫的猪肝、肺和小肠内容物及其肠粘膜平均分装在数个漏斗中,放入40℃温箱中孵育3h,待大部分幼虫游离到管底,最后用400目分样筛过滤分离肝中的L3,用300目分样筛过滤分离肺中的L3,用200目分样筛过滤分离肠内容物及其粘膜上的第四期幼虫(L4)。结果次氯酸钠氧化加玻璃珠震荡法能够使感染期蛔虫卵几乎完全脱壳,配合淋巴细胞分离液的密度梯度离心法能收集到纯度较高且活力较强的体外脱鞘幼虫。与传统贝尔曼氏分离法相比,采用低浓度琼脂糖凝胶液能获得杂质少、高纯度的猪内脏中的不同发育期幼虫。结论次氯酸钠氧化加玻璃珠震荡法是体外脱鞘分离感染期幼虫的一种较为理想的方法,通过在漏斗内加低浓度的琼脂凝胶的方法是从猪内脏中获得高纯度的不同发育期幼虫的一种有效的方法。本方法不仅适用于猪蛔虫,而且对其它动物和人的寄生线虫幼虫的收集也有参考价值。     

重组人Ⅱ型胶原250-270多肽的表达、纯化和鉴定

目的:表达与纯化重组人Ⅱ型胶原250-270多肽(rhCⅡ250-270),鉴定并确认rhCⅡ250-270多肽与预期的相符。方法:在E.coli BL 21中表达rhCⅡ250-270多肽,使用亲和层析法分离纯化。用限制性酶切、聚合酶链式反应(PCR)、基因序列测定、琼脂糖凝胶电泳、聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳(SDS-PAGE)和免疫印迹等方法在基因和蛋白水平上对rhCⅡ250-270多肽进行鉴定。结果:纯化的rhCⅡ250-270多肽,大小约43 kD,纯度为89.3%。E coRⅠ和SalⅠ双酶切法和PCR法鉴定测得DNA大小约为500bp和650bp,核苷酸序列测定证实基因DNA序列与设计的完全相符。SDS-PAGE显示rhCⅡ250-270多肽目的蛋白条带的大小约为43 kD,W estern B lotting证实GST融合蛋白上存在CⅡ片段。结论:表达和纯化rhCⅡ250-270多肽与预期的相符,并发现此多肽具有较强的免疫原性。     

Rapid genotyping of newborn gene mutant mice

One important aspect of utilizing transgenic mice is the need to genotype them in order to distinguish mice that carry a disrupted gene or a transgene from mice that do not. Current methods for genotyping include isolation of genomic DNA from tail biopsies followed by PCR amplification. Particularly, both digestion of tail tissue using proteinase K as well as resuspension of purified DNA are time-consuming and were usually carried out overnight. Here, we describe a rapid and robust method for the genotyping of bdnf targeted mice which allows us to determine the genotype of newborn mice at the day of birth within 6 h. After a freezing–thawing step tail tissue is digested in less than 2 h, and the DNA is precipitated, resuspended and ready for PCR in about 60 min. The method could be easily adapted to a variety of different mutant mice and especially should benefit neuroscientists interested in using animals with known genotype very early in postnatal development.     

苦瓜多糖对链脲佐菌素诱导糖尿病小鼠的降血糖效果

目的:研究苦瓜水提多糖(watersolublepolysaccharidesofMomordicacharantiaL.MCW)和苦瓜碱提多糖(alkalinesolublepolysaccharidesofMomordicacharantiaL.MCB)对STZ诱导糖尿病小鼠的降血糖作用。方法:昆明种小鼠120只,随机抽取12只作空白对照,余下108只,禁食后于次日晨腹腔注射链脲佐菌素(STZ)200mg/kgbw。取血糖值在11.1mmol/L以上者随机分组,共4组:模型组、MCW组(300mg/kgbw)、MCB组(300mg/kgbw)和优降糖组(15mg/kgbw)。连续灌胃10d后,禁食,次日晨眼眶取血,测定血糖及血清胰岛素含量。解剖取胰腺,观察小鼠胰岛组织形态。结果:MCW和MCB都可以降低糖尿病小鼠空腹血糖,MCB组分的降血糖效果最佳,不但可以显著降低糖尿病小鼠空腹血糖值,而且可以提高糖尿病小鼠血清胰岛素水平。结论:苦瓜多糖能帮助恢复受损胰岛组织,促进胰岛素的分泌,从而降低血糖。     

党参水溶性多糖的分离、纯化及组成分析

 目的从党参中分离出水溶性粗多糖,进一步纯化,得到均一的多糖CPPS₃,并研究其组成和性质。方法粗多糖经Se- vage法脱蛋白、反复冻融、超滤、高速离心、柱色谱等方法分离纯化得级分CPPS₃。经高效液相色谱法比旋光度测定、醋酸纤维薄膜电泳等方法,检验其均一性。结果CPPS₃为均一组分,气相色谱分析多糖组成表明,CPPS₃由Gal,Ara,Rha组成,摩尔比依次为1.13:1.12:1,同时含有少量Gle。结论CPPS₃为中性杂多糖。     

Retroperitoneal Fibrosis Secondary to Different Etiologies (Hemilaminectomy and Hypothyroidism): Reports of Two Cases

Retroperitoneal fibrosis (RF) is a clinical entity characterized by the progressive proliferation of connective tissue that rarely forms a mass involving the periaortic area of the abdomen, which may be idiopathic as well as a result of an inflammatory process after aneurysmal dilatation of the aorta. This fibrotic tissue may cover both aorta and iliac arteries, reach the retroperitoneum and surrounding ureters, and cause serious obstructions and renal insufficiency in three-quarters of patients. Most of the patients are known to have atherosclerosis and local inflammation against the antigens of the plaques. A systemic autoimmune disease presenting with retroperitoneal fibrosis seems to be pronounced more frequently nowadays because of the elevated acute-phase reactant levels, positive autoantibodies, and concurrent autoimmune diseases affecting other organs in majority of the diagnosed patients. Ultrasonography, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, positron emission tomography, and retroperitoneal biopsy are useful in diagnosing and assessing the full extent of the disease. Surgical interventions such as ureterolysis and aneurysm repair are frequently performed, but medical therapy including steroids and immunosuppressants is often needed because of the inflammatory and chronic-relapsing nature of the disease.

In this paper, we described two cases diagnosed with RF secondary to hemilaminectomy and hypothyroidism, and we summarized the literature related to RF.     

Evaluation of Border Entry Screening for Infectious Diseases in Humans

In response to the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) pandemic of 2003 and the influenza pandemic of 2009, many countries instituted border measures as a means of stopping or slowing the spread of disease. The measures, usually consisting of a combination of border entry/exit screening, quarantine, isolation, and communications, were resource intensive, and modeling and observational studies indicate that border screening is not effective at detecting infectious persons. Moreover, border screening has high opportunity costs, financially and in terms of the use of scarce public health staff resources during a time of high need. We discuss the border-screening experiences with SARS and influenza and propose an approach to decision-making for future pandemics. We conclude that outbreak-associated communications for travelers at border entry points, together with effective communication with clinicians and more effective disease control measures in the community, may be a more effective approach to the international control of communicable diseases.