Influence of Genetic Variation in the C-Reactive Protein Gene on the Inflammatory Response During and After Acute Coronary Ischemia

The aim of this research was to assess whether common genetic variants within the C-reactive protein gene ( CRP ) are related to the degree of acute rise in plasma C-reactive protein (CRP) levels following an acute coronary syndrome (ACS). While polymorphisms within CRP are associated with basal CRP levels in healthy men and women, less is known about the relationship of such genetic variants and the degree of CRP rise during and after acute ischemia. Plasma CRP is associated with increased rates of recurrent coronary events. We evaluated seven common genetic variants within CRP and assessed their relationship to the degree of rise in CRP levels immediately following an acute coronary syndrome in 1827 European American patients. Variants in the putative promoter region, −757T > C and −286C > T > A, were associated with the highest CRP elevations after ACS. Patients with two copies of the A allele of SNP −286C > T > A had median CRP values of 76.6 mg/L, compared to 11.1 mg/L in patients with no copies of the rare variant (p-value <0.0001), post ACS. The lowest CRP values were found for patients with minor alleles of the exonic 1059G > C and the 3'untranslated region 1846G > A SNPs. For example, patients homozygous for the minor allele of 1059G > C had 71% lower median CRP values than those homozygous for the major allele [3.5 vs 12.0 mg/L, p < 0.0001]. These trends persisted in the chronic stable phase after ischemia had resolved, and after adjustment for infarct size by peak creatinine kinase levels and clinical status by Killip class. Assessment of CRP genetic variants identified patients with higher and lower CRP elevation after acute coronary syndrome.     

Testing for familial aggregation of functional traits

In a genetic epidemiology study of a trait, prior to collecting genotype data the foremost task is to test for familial aggregation and examine heritability. Recently, functional traits have drawn attentions from investigators. Here, to test for familial aggregation of a functional trait in the family studies, a test constructed based on the leading functional principal component of heritability, which is a summary measure of temporal genetic variation in a functional trait, is proposed. The p‐value of the test can be approximated by a permutation procedure given the family structure. The asymptotic distribution of the test statistic is derived. Simulations are carried out to examine the size and the power of the test. The proposed methods are applied to the total cholesterol data in the Framingham Heart Study. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

雌二醇对不同性质的乳腺原代细胞增殖影响的体外研究

目的了解在体外条件下不同浓度的雌二醇对不同性质的乳腺组织原代细胞增殖的影响。方法用胶原酶消化法获取乳腺癌患者的各类乳腺组织原代细胞，并用MTT法检测乳腺癌组织、癌旁组织和正常乳腺组织原代细胞在体外培养下，给予不同浓度雌二醇时细胞的生长增殖情况。结果雌激素在体外对雌激素受体（ER）表达阳性的乳腺癌组织及癌旁组织原代细胞有明显的刺激生长作用；对正常乳腺组织细胞的促生长作用相对较弱，而且与肿瘤组织的ER表达情况无关。结论当体内的雌二醇水平≥10μmol／L时，乳腺癌的发病风险和复发风险会显著增加。     

关于经脉起止走向规律的探讨

目的：探讨经脉起止走向规律。方法：从分析古文献入手，对经脉全部起于肢端、经别经筋全部起于肢端、标本根结本输理论及经气流注进行分析。结论：十二正经全部起于四肢末端。向心行走，终于头身。     

Intakes and major dietary sources of cholesterol and phytosterols in the British diet

Cholesterol intakes in Britain have been re-estimated by analysing Total Diet samples taken in 1991 and from 1993 National Food Survey records. The Total Diet samples contained only 284 mg/day compared with 319 mg/day in 1987 and 337 mg/day in 1981, while the National Food Survey showed intakes had fallen to 238 mg/day from 259 mg/day in 1990 and 405 mg/day in 1970-75. More details of the intakes by adults in 1986/87 are given, and compared with the results from the other methods. Daily intakes of eight phytosterols were also estimated, the main ones being β-sitosterol, campesterol, stigmasterol and 57-stigmastenol whose intakes were 104, 49, 10 and 4 mg/day, respectively, in 1991. These intakes had increased since 1981, reflecting the rising consumption of vegetable oils.     

Milk consumption and prevalence of coronary heart disease in men and women from the Scottish Heart Health Study

This report uses cross-sectional results from the Scottish Heart Health Study to investigate whether milk consumption has an independent effect on the prevalence of coronary heart disease. Milk consumption was assessed by questionnaire in men and women aged 40–59 years (n = 10359) who participated in a survey of risk factors for coronary heart disease between 1984 and 1986. Odds ratios for coronary heart disease were calculated according to volume and type of milk consumed for subjects with and without symptoms of coronary heart disease. Statistical adjustment was made for the classicial risk factors.
A higher percentage of men and women with diagnosed coronary heart disease (CHD) usually consume low-fat milk, compared with asymptomatic controls. Odds ratios for having undiagnosed heart disease did not differ significantly with volume or type of milk. However, the odds ratios for having diagnosed heart disease were lower in the moderate (0.5–1 pint/d) milk consumption group. Patterns of milk consumption in patients diagnosed as having CHD are likely to be confounded by dietary changes post-diagnosis. Milk consumption appears to have little independent effect on the prevalence of coronary heart disease in this Scottish population.     

不同病因腹泻病儿肠道主要菌群变化的研究和比较

对８８例不同病因腹泻儿肠道双歧杆菌、乳酸杆菌、大肠杆菌的变化进行研究。对照组２５例。结果：研究组较对照组双歧杆菌、乳酸杆菌有显著下降（Ｐ＜０．０１和Ｐ＜０．０５），大肠杆菌下降不明显（Ｐ＜０．０５）。非感染性腹泻组较感染性腹泻组双歧杆菌、乳酸杆菌下降更显著（Ｐ＜０．０１和Ｐ＜０．０５），大肠杆菌下降不显著（Ｐ＜０．０５）。感染性腹泻组中，双歧杆菌在轮状病毒肠炎组中较急性菌痢下降更显著（Ｐ＜０．０５），而其它两种菌下降程度相差不明显（两者Ｐ＜０．０５）     

六草二苓汤治疗急性黄疸型病毒性肝炎的临床研究

目的 对六草二苓汤治疗急性黄疸型病毒性肝炎的疗效进行对比临床研究,并探讨其作用机制。方法采用六草二苓汤的治疗组治疗急性黄疸型病毒性肝炎72例,并与使用肝泰乐、益肝灵、甘草甜素片的67例对照组作对比研究。结果 治疗组总有效率为93.1％,对照组总有效率为76.1％。在治疗后显效率、显效者复发率二方面,治疗组明显优于对照组(P<0.01)。在治疗前后主要症状体征变化、治疗前后肝功能变化、治疗后肝功能复常天数三方面,治疗组优于对照组(P<0.05)。结论 六草二苓汤治疗急性黄疸型病毒性肝炎,在较快地消除主要症状体征、消退黄疸、恢复肝功能、减少复发率方面有较好的疗效。     

腹腔镜和开腹肝切除对机体肝脏功能的影响

目的 研究腹腔镜肝切除（LH）和开腹肝切除（OH）两种手术方式对机体肝脏功能的影响，评估LH的创伤反应。方法 将8个月内收治的40例行肝切除患者，随机分为LH组和OH组，比较两组手术前后部分肝功能指标的变化。结果 两组术后ALT，AST和LDH均迅速升高，与术前相比差异显著，而且OH组明显高于LH组。两组手术前后ALP及γ—GT变化不大，但术后该两指标值OH组明显高于LH组。两组术后TBIL和DBIL均有所增高，但相差不明显，而与术前比较，OH组升高幅度大于LH。结论LH对肝功能的影响小于OH，提示LH对机体的创伤小于OH，有利于减少LH术后肝衰竭。     

Influence of handedness on calcaneal ultrasound: Implications for assessment of osteoporosis and study design

Calcaneal ultrasound has been increasingly studied for its potential in the assessment of osteoporotic fracture risk. The accuracy of such an assessment is, in part, dependent on the reproducibility of the measurement. This study examines the impact of handedness on ultrasound measurements [broadband ultrasound attenuation (BUA) and velocity of sound (VOS)] in the calcaneus. Two hundred and sixty-four subjects (57 men and 297 women) aged 51.1+13.6 years (mean ± SD) were studied. For each subject, calcaneal ultrasound measurements were performed on both heels with a McCue CUBA ultrasound densitometer. Right-handed dominance (94.7%) was determined by structured interview. In men, BUA measurements were significantly higher on the dominant side: mean difference 4.1±1.5 dB/MHz (mean ± SD;p=0.009), equivalent to 4.2+1.5% and more than 4 times the average rate of annual change in BUA. The difference between sides was greater in young (<50 years) than old men (>50 years). Among the women, the difference was not statistically significant (0.7±0.9 dB/MHz;p=0.4); however, it was significant in younger women (20–30 years) (99±4 vs 90±4 dB/MHz,p=0.01). By contrast VOS did not differ between sides in either men or women irrespective of age. Within-subject standard deviation of BUA was 9.8 dB/MHz for men and 8.6 dB/ MHz for women and the component due to right and left difference was 8.4 dB/MHz for men and 6.9 dB/MHz for women. This variability of BUA between right and left heels could increase the false-positive rate by up to 28% for a cut-off of 2 SD below the mean. These data indicate that variation between left and right heel measurements of BUA is higher than that of random error measurements, particularly in men and younger, presumably more physically active subjects. Although VOS measurements were not side dependent, in the smaller number of studies examining VOS and fracture risk, VOS appears to have a weaker predictive power than BUA. Clinical and epidemiological studies involving calcaneal BUA measurements should standardize the side measured to either the dominant or non-dominant heel, to reduce within-subject variation and increase their power.