Modulation of infection-induced inflammation and locomotive deficit and longevity in senescence-accelerated mice-prone (SAMP8) model by the oligomerized polyphenol Oligonol.

Oligonol is produced from the oligomerization of polyphenols (typically proanthocyanidin from a variety of fruits such as lychees, grapes, apples, persimmons, etc.) and contains catechin-type monomers and oligomers of proanthocyanidins. The ability of Oligonol to affect infection-dependent eye inflammation, locomotion and longevity in senescence-accelerated prone mice (SAMP8) (a model of senescence acceleration and geriatric disorders with increased oxidative stress and neuronal deficit) was investigated. Oligonol (60mg/kg) significantly modulated the extent of inflammation scores in the eye of SAMP8 mice. Examination of the mice indicated infection with mouse hepatitis virus and pinworm (Syphacia obvelata) in both males and females and with the intestinal protozoa (trichomonad) in males. A comparison of the two groups (using log-rank test) and the difference in the mean life span between groups (using Student's t-test) indicated significant differences in survival (p=0.043) and the mean life span (p=0.033) in male SAMP8 mice. Oligonol increased the mean life span and this was statistically significant. In the open-field locomotive test, the 7-week-old SAMP8 mice crossed more than 40 partitioned lines in 1min. At 48-week-old control untreated male SAMP8 crossed 2 lines. The Oligonol-treated 48-week-old male SAMP8 mice crossed 17 lines however. The improved locomotive activity was statistically significant even after 36weeks in the Oligonol-treated male SAMP8 but this was not the case throughout the time course of the study in the Oligonol-treated female SAMP8. Thus Oligonol treatment to SAMP8 mice modulated the severity of infection-dependent inflammation, prolonged life-span and significantly improved locomotive activity indicating potential benefit to aging-associated diseases such as Alzheimer's or Parkinson's diseases. This presents potential for further research to define infection-dependent inflammation associated with degenerative conditions and the molecular mechanism of dietary antioxidant protection.     

The problem of rickets in UK Asians

A large body of work relating to the occurrence of rickets in UK Asians is reviewed. Several theories of the aetiology of this condition are shown to be untenable: it is not exclusively a function of sunlight deprivation or of darker pigmentation; nor is it simply due to phytate-induced losses of calcium from the gut. Asian rickets, however, is associated with a high consumption of cereals, and experiments with rats have suggested a mechanism. In the absence of adequate vitamin D from sunlight, the low-calcium, high cereal intake of the UK Asian population may induce a state of mild secondary hyperparathyroidism which enhances the destruction of vitamin D and leads to a progressive reduction in vitamin D status and, ultimately, to the development of clinical rickets.     

Phospholipid determination in platelets,plasma and red cells of patients with chronic myeloproliferative disorders

Abstract: Red cell phospholipids (PLs) were assessed in 11 patients with essential thrombocythemia and 5 patients with polycythemia vera. Platelet and plasma PLs were also determined in 10 of these patients, and the results were compared with studies performed in 16 healthy volunteers. The amount of platelet PLs in patients was similar to controls (556 ± 90 nmol/10⁹cells, versus 481 ± 91 nmol/10⁹cells), as was the percentage of the main specimens of these compounds, including phosphatidylserine (11.1 ± 0.8%), which is relevant for platelet procoagulant activity. We did not find differences between red cell PLs of patients (300 ± 60 nmol/10⁹cells), versus controls (289 ± 71 nmol/10⁹cells), and the sphingomyelin/phosphatidylcholine ratio in these cells was the same in both groups (0.75 ± 0.1). Finally, we did not detect any alteration in the amount of plasma PLs specimens.     

精神病混合家系GRIK2基因多态性的关联研究

目的　在中国汉族人群混合家系中探讨GRIK2基因多态性与精神分裂症、心境障碍是否 关联。方法　采用PCR RFLP技术对GRIK2基因多态性rs6922753(T/C)和rs2227283(G/A)分型,进行 传递不平衡检验(TDT)。结果　(1)rs6922753多态性与精神分裂症(χ2=3.13,P>0.05)或心境障碍 (χ2=3.20,P>0.05)无关联,但在发病年龄≤25岁的患者中与两组疾病均相关联(P<0.05);(2) rs2227283多态性与精神分裂症(χ2=9.85,P<0.01)、心境障碍(χ2=13.50,P<0.01)呈显著关联;(3) 双位点TDT提示单体型TG、CA与精神分裂症、心境障碍相关联(P<0.05)。结论　在中国汉族人群 中GRIK2基因或邻近基因可能是精神分裂症和心境障碍的共同易患基因之一,并可能影响发病年龄。     

广泛性焦虑症与抑郁症患者免疫、内分泌及单胺递质的对照研究

目的探讨广泛性焦虑症(GAD)与抑郁症(MD)患者在免疫、内分泌和单胺递质方面的差异。方法 对30例GAD患者(焦虑症组)、38例MD患者(抑郁症组)在治疗(5-羟色胺再摄取抑制剂治疗6~8周)前后分别检测血清白细胞介素2(IL-2)、白细胞介素6(IL-6)、白细胞介素1β(IL-1β)、白细胞介素8(IL-8)、可溶性白细胞介素6受体(SIL-6R)、肿瘤坏死因子α(TNF-α)、皮质醇(CS)、促肾上腺皮质激素(ACTH)、肾上腺素(EPH)和去甲肾上腺素(NE)水平。选择30名年龄和性别与患者组相匹配的健康人为对照组。结果 (1)焦虑症组治疗前IL-8[(122±76)ng／L]、SIL-6R[(2 065±790)ng／L]水平均高于对照组(99±68)ng／L]、[(294±48)ng／L,IL-6水平为(1.6±0.7)ng／L,低于对照组[(5.3±2.7)ng／L],差异均有显著性意义(P<0.05);抑郁症组治疗前IL-2[(7.7±6.7)ng／L]、IL-8[(119±67)ng／L]、SIL-6R[(1308±371)ng／L]水平均高于对照组,差异均有显著性意义(均P<0.05)。经治疗后,焦虑症组IL-6[(4.3±1.2)ng／L]水平较治疗前升高,IL-8[(39±9)ng／L]水平较治疗前降低(P<0.05);抑郁症组IL-2[(2.4±1.2)ng／L]、IL-8[(47±15)ng／L]水平较治疗前降低(P<0.05);均接近于对照组水平(均P>0.05)。(2)焦虑症组治疗前ACIH[(49±28)ng／L]、EPH[(67±45)ng／     

隐性脊柱裂排尿功能异常的临床特征

目的：研究伴有排尿功能障碍的隐性脊柱裂患者临床特征。方法：总结41例有明显排尿功能障碍的隐性脊柱裂患者临床资料。以18岁为界，将患者分为儿童组和成人组，所有患者均接受X线检查，除4例儿童外，均接受普通尿流动力学检查。结果：儿童组发病高峰年龄在1～2岁，主要临床表现为持续性原发性遗尿，部分伴有尿频、尿急及轻度急迫性尿失禁现象；成人组发病高峰年龄在18～26岁，主要临床表现为尿频、尿急、排尿前踌躇、排尿困难、遗尿等。结论：隐性脊柱裂患者常有排尿功能异常表现，出现症状的高峰时间为出生后及青春发育期后。X线、CT、MRI和尿流动力学等检查在隐性脊柱裂排尿功能障碍的诊断和治疗方案制定中有重要地位。     

Sleep complaints and their relation with drug treatment in patients suffering from Parkinson's disease.

The aim of this research was to quantify sleep problems in patients suffering from Parkinson's disease by means of the new Parkinson's Disease Sleep Scale (PDSS) and to correlate such problems with the possible influence of current drug treatment. A total of 70 patients (36 men and 34 women) with a diagnosis of Parkinson's disease were enrolled. Their mean age was 69.7 +/- 8.2 years, and duration of disease was 7.4 +/- 4.8 years. All patients completed the PDSS and the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS Parts I-IV). Drug consumption and doses were registered. The mean score on the PDSS scale was 109.23 +/- 19.75 and on the UPDRS III scale was 25.24 +/- 11.35. The lowest scores were obtained in Item 3 (sleep fragmentation): 5.53 (2.46); and in Item 8 (nocturia): 5.75 (2.91). There was a weak correlation between the PDSS and UPDRS III (cc = -0.355, P = 0.003), PDSS and UPDRS I (cc = -0.272, P = 0.02), and PDSS and UPDRS IV (cc = -0.416, P < 0.001). Motor conditions, mental state, and drug complications influence sleep quality. Although this effect was significant, it was not of a great magnitude. Dopaminergic drugs did not increase daytime sleepiness. As a whole, sleep quality in patients who took dopaminergic agonists did not differ from that of patients who took levodopa in monotherapy.     

Post-Transplant Lymphoproliferative Disorders Occurring After Renal Transplantation in Adults: Report of 230 Cases From the French Registry

Post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorders (PTLD) are a rare but serious complication after organ transplantation. A French Registry of PTLD was set up in a nationwide population of kidney transplant recipients. We prospectively enrolled all adult kidney recipients developing PTLD between January 1, 1998, and December 31, 2003. We analyzed the incidence, risk and prognostic factors of PTLD by Kaplan-Meier and Cox analyses. Totally 230 cases of PTLD were referred to the French Registry. Cumulative incidence was 1.18% after 5 years. Older age (per year, AHR = 2.19, CI = 1.22-3.94) and recipient Epstein-Barr virus seronegativity (AHR = 3.01, CI = 1.57-5.08) were associated with an increased risk of PTLD. Patients with PTLD had a reduced survival rate (61% at 5 years). Graft PTLD had the best prognosis with an 81% survival rate after 5 years. Infection with hepatitis C or B virus (HCV or HBV), late-onset PTLD, multiple sites involvement and high Ann Arbor staging were risk factors for patient death. Use of azathioprine was associated with a poorer survival rate. PTLD incidence and risk factors in French recipients are in line with the international or American PTLD series. We highlighted the role of HBV or HCV in patient mortality and described the relevant prognosis factors for patients with post-transplant lymphoproliferations.     

Chromatic pattern-reversal electroretinograms (ChPERGs) are spared in multiple system atrophy compared with Parkinson’s disease

Abstract Idiopathic Parkinson’s disease (IPD) patients have abnormal visual evoked potentials (VEPs) and pattern electroretinograms (PERGs), attributed to dopaminergic transmission deficiency in visual pathway, probably the retina. VEP abnormalities are not reported in multiple system atrophy (MSA). The aim of this study was to investigate and compare chromatic (Ch) red-green (R-G) and blue-yellow (B-Y), and luminance yellow-black (Y-Bk) PERGs in patients with MSA and IPD. We investigated 6 MSA patients (mean age: 62±7.4 years) not undergoing any pharmacological treatment, as well as 12 early IPD patients (mean age: 60.1±8.3 years) and 12 age-matched normal observers. ChPERGs were recorded monocularly in response to full-field equiluminant R-G, B-Y and Y-Bk horizontal gratings. In MSA only responses to R-G stimuli showed minimal insignificant changes (slight but not significant amplitude reduction without any significant latency delay); no significant abnormality was detected for B-Y and luminance Y-Bk stimuli. By contrast, in IPD all responses were reduced in amplitude and delayed in latency, above all for B-Y stimuli. Present data indicate that both chromatic and achromatic PERGs are virtually unaffected in MSA, whereas in early IPD they are clearly impaired, suggesting different pathogenic retinal mechanisms and a useful simple tool for distinguishing MSA from IPD.