Regulation of neuronal differentiation in neuron-enriched primary cultures from embryonic rat cerebra by platelet activating factor and the structurally related glycerol ether lipid, dodecylglycerol.

Primary cultures enriched in neurons dissociated from embryonic rat cerebra were used to demonstrate that platelet activating factor and the structurally related ether glycerolipid, dodecylglycerol, are readily taken up in small amounts by neurons and that they stimulate the differentiation of neurons. The stimulation of neuronal differentiation was observed as a precocious development of axon-like extensions which correlated with a concentration-dependent increase in neuronal-specific enzyme activities. This stimulation of morphological and neurochemical factors by either platelet activating factor or dodecylglycerol was almost completely abolished by triazolam, a known inhibitor of platelet activating factor function. Neither platelet activating factor nor dodecylglycerol at the concentrations used to achieve stimulation of neuronal differentiation compromised the plasma membrane, as indicated by the lack of leakage of cytoplasmic lactic acid dehydrogenase.     

内毒素核心糖脂单克隆抗体的血清学反应性及保护作用的初步研究

以S.minnesota R595菌为免疫原,通过细胞融合获得8株分泌抗核心糖脂单抗的杂交瘤细胞系。对其中的两株代表性单抗2D6E7和3H4 2F7的血清学反应性以及在小鼠Hb/Mu腹腔感染模型中的保护作用进行了初步研究。菌体吸收试验和间接免疫荧光试验(ⅡF)表明,单抗能与多种革兰氏阴性杆菌(GNB)产生交叉反应,并且光滑型GNB的煮沸菌体荧光染色呈阳性,活菌染色呈阴性。保护性试验结果表明,3H4 2F7单抗能显著提高S.minnesota(野生菌株),鼠伤寒杆菌和E.Coli等光滑型GNB攻击的小鼠存活率(P<0.05),显示出抗核心糖脂单抗的良好交叉保护作用。若攻击前、后2h或攻击同时输入单抗3H4 2F7,对光滑型GNB的感染均有明显保护效果(P<0.05);2D6 E7单抗未表现有保护活性。     

Automatic assessment of levodopa-induced dyskinesias in daily life by neural networks.

We developed an objective and automatic procedure to assess the severity of levodopa-induced dyskinesia (LID) in patients with Parkinson's disease during daily life activities. Thirteen patients were continuously monitored in a home-like situation for a period of approximately 2.5 hours. During this time period, the patients performed approximately 35 functional daily life activities. Behavior of the patients was measured using triaxial accelerometers, which were placed at six different positions on the body. A neural network was trained to assess the severity of LID using various variables of the accelerometer signals. Neural network scores were compared with the assessment by physicians, who evaluated the continuously videotaped behavior of the patients off-line. The neural network correctly classified dyskinesia or the absence of dyskinesia in 15-minute intervals in 93.7, 99.7, and 97.0% for the arm, trunk, and leg, respectively. In the few cases of misclassification, the rating by the neural network was in the class next to that indicated by the physicians using the AIMS score (scale 0-4). Analysis of the neural networks revealed several new variables, which are relevant for assessing the severity of LID. The results indicate that the neural network can accurately assess the severity of LID and could distinguish LID from voluntary movements in daily life situations.     

Human chronic kidney allograft rejection is accompanied by increased intraglomerular cathepsin B and L activity

Abstract The major reason for late graft losses is chronic rejection. Recently, a large number of studies have indicated that proteolytic enzymes play an important role as mediators of glomerular injury. The cysteine proteinases cathepsins B and L degrade structural matrix proteins such as type I collagen and laminin. We investigated intraglomerular protease activities in 12 patients after kidney graftectomy because of end-tage renal disease following chronic rejection. A group of 12 patients undergoing nephrectomy because of cancer served as controls using only non-involved parts of the kidney. The activities of cathepsins B and L in homogenates of isolated glomeruli were measured fluorometrically methylcoumarylamidc substrates and related to DNA content. In rejected kidney allografts we observed significantly enhanced intraglomerular cathepsin B activity and cathepsin B + L activity.     

酵母硒对小鼠EAC瘤生长和抗氧化机能的影响

目的观察酵母硒对小鼠艾氏腹水瘤(EAC)生长及机体氧化机能的影响。方法将30只小鼠分为3组(对照组、低剂量酵母组和高剂量酵母组),酵母硒组小鼠通过灌胃的方法分别灌注酵母硒溶液,剂量分别为107μg/kg.BW.d和214μg/kg.BW.d,灌胃第13 d接种EAC,第23 d后测定小鼠肿瘤重和血清中丙二醛(M DA)含量、谷胱甘肽过氧化酶(G SH-Px)和超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)活力。结果酵母硒可抑制小鼠EAC的生长,同时显著提高血清G SH-Px活性(P<0.05),极显著提高血清SOD活力(P<0.01),高剂量酵母硒降低血清M DA水平(P<0.05)。结论酵母硒可抑制小鼠移植肿瘤的生长,显著提高机体抗氧化能力。     

Changing health status and health expectancies among older adults in China: Gender differences from 1992 to 2002

Numerous studies document improvements in health status and health expectancies among older adults over time. However, most evidence is from developed nations and gender differences in health trends are often inconsistent. It remains unknown whether changes in health in developing countries resemble Western trends or whether patterns of health improvement are unique to the country's epidemiologic transition and gender norms. Using two nationally representative samples of non-institutionalized adults in China aged 65 years and older, this study investigates gender differences in the improvements in disability, chronic disease prevalence, and self-rated health from 1992 to 2002. Results from multivariate logistic regression models show that all three indicators of health improved over the 10-year period, with the largest improvement in self-rated health. With the exception of disability, the health of women improved more than men. Using Sullivan's decomposition methods, we also show that active life expectancy, disease-free life expectancy, and healthy life expectancy increased over this decade and were patterned differently according to gender. Overall, the findings demonstrate that China experienced broad health improvements during its early stages of the epidemiologic transition and that these changes were not uniform by gender. We discuss the public health implications of the findings in the context of China's rapidly aging population.     

Inter-rater reliability of the original and modified Barthel Index,and a comparison with the Functional Independence Measure

The Barthel Index (BI), the Modified Barthel Index (MBI) and the Functional Independence Measure (FIM) are all widely used by occupational therapists as assessment tools for clinical decision-making and outcome measurement. All of these tools have demonstrated validity and the BI and the FIM have demonstrated inter-rater reliability. The MBI has been modified to increase sensitivity; however, there have been no publications on the inter-rater reliability of this tool following the changes. The purpose of this research was to examine the inter-rater reliability of two versions of the Barthel Index, and draw some comparisons between this assessment tool and the FIM. Twenty-five patients with neurological and orthopaedic conditions were assessed by three occupational therapists using the three tools. The method of analysis selected was percentage agreement and intraclass correlation coefficient. The results indicated that both the original and modified versions of the Barthel Index possess good inter-rater reliability. As all three tools have demonstrated adequate reliability and validity, it is suggested that clinicians select the most sensitive tool that best meets their clinical needs, and use this assessment tool in its standardized format.