Lipid metabolism and occurrence of post-percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty restenosis: role of cholesteryl ester transfer protein and paraoxonase/arylesterase

Summary.  Plasma lipid metabolic and transfer processes have recently been suggested to play an important role in the development of early restenosis, a major complication of percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA); in particular, the common variants of genes for cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) and paraoxonase (PONA) have been implicated. We had the opportunity to investigate this question in a large, prospective cohort characterized by quantitative coronary angiography in all subjects. The CETP-Taq IB (intron 1), CETP-Msp I (intron 8), and PONA-Alw I (exon 2) polymorphisms were characterized in a cohort of 779 patients of whom 342 ('cases') had developed restenosis (as defined by > 50% loss of lumen compared with immediate postprocedure results) at repeat angiography at 6 months post PTCA. Selected frequencies for CETP B1 and B2 alleles (absence/presence of Taq IB site) were 0.65 and 0.35 (cases) and 0.65 and 0.35 (controls), respectively; frequencies for CETP M1 and M2 alleles (absence/presence of Msp I site) were 0.20 and 0.80 (cases), 0.21 and 0.79 (controls), respectively; frequencies for PONA A and B alleles (absence/presence of Alw I site) were 0.73 and 0.27 (cases), 0.72 and 0.28 (controls), respectively. All observed genotype frequencies were in Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium. There was no evidence for gene–gene interaction, or an association between genotype and restenosis or degree of lumen loss (adjusted for covariates). Our data, collected in the largest study of its kind so far, indicate that the common variants for CETP and PONA are not associated with incidence of restenosis after PTCA, and are therefore not useful markers for risk assessment.     

血清唾液酸对血液病临床价值的初步报告

报道64例各类血液病患血清唾液酸（SA）值的测定，并与84例健康对照组进行比较。结果经统计学分析：病例组（631．5±130．3μg/ml），病例组中的ANLL（672．6±98．38μg/ml），ALL（630．8±29．3μg/ml），CML－A（617．5±122．7μg/ml），MM（606．0±138．7μg/ml四组与对照组比较，差异有极显意义（P＜0．01）；各病型组SA阳性率明显高于健康对照组，表明SA值的测定对恶性血液病的诊断有一定的临床意义。     

An epidemiological study of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) isolated from medical staff, inpatients, and hospital environment in one ward at our hospital.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is one of the most important causative microorganisms for nosocomial infections. Recently, the incidence of isolation of MRSA has been increasing every year in Japan and is, notably, much more frequently found in inpatients than in outpatients. Therefore, we have done epidemiological studies of MRSA isolated from medical staff, inpatients, and the hospital environment in one ward of our hospital. Thereafter, we examined the antibiotic susceptibility (ABPC, DMPPC, CET, CMZ, IPM, GM, MINO, OFLX, EM, CLDM, VCM), phage typing, and coagulase typing of these MRSA. MRSA were isolated more frequently from anterior nares of inpatients than from doctors and nurses. MRSA were isolated more frequently from the environment near carriers of MRSA. Coagulase type II and phage type N.T. (not typable) were the dominant types of MRSA in our hospital (69% and 61%). MRSA strains were resistant to most antibiotics with a few exceptions (VCM, IPM, CMZ, CET). The high isolation frequency of MRSA in our hospital seems to suggest that inpatients who are carrying MRSA spread MRSA throughout the hospital environment and that the anterior nares of inpatients are the major MRSA harbor.     

RESULTS OF EXTERNAL BEAM RADIOTHERAPY IN 448 PATIENTS WITH CLINICALLY LOCALIZED ADENOCARCINOMA OF THE PROSTATE

The results of external beam radiotherapy for clinically localized adenocarcinorna of the prostate in 448 patients treated in the period 1980–90 were reviewed. The average follow up was 4.9 years. The patients were aged 44–87 years (median 69 years) and all had histopathological evidence of adenocarcinoma by needle biopsy or transurethral resection of prostate. The histopathological grading was: 127 G₁; 154 G₂; 127 G₃; 12 G₄; 28 G_x. Clinical staging according to TNM (American Urological Association) was: 29 T₀ (A2); 4 T₁ (B1); 173 T₂ (B2); 176 T₃ (C1); 63 T₄ (C2); 3 T_x. Routine surgical pelvic lymph node staging was not performed but patients had radiological (computerized tomography scan or lymphogram) nodal staging: 350 N₀; 22 N₁; 12 N₂; 64 N_x. High energy linear accelerator external beam radiotherapy was given by multiple fields to total doses of 50–70 Gy (median 60 Gy). The majority of patients (307, 69%) was treated by a uniform policy under the care of one radiation oncologist (HM). The rates of local and distant failure at 5 years were 10% (s.e. = 2%) and 42% (s.e. = 3%), respectively. The late complication rate at 5 years was 25% (s.e. = 2%), comprising mild 16%, moderate 7% and severe 1.3%. The 5 year overall survival rate was 64% (s.e. = 2%) and the cancer-specific survival rate was 74% (s.e. = 3%). Both histological grade and clinical stage were strongly predictive of overall survival and distant failure. Only histological grade was predictive of local failure. Treatment with external beam radiotherapy for this common cancer resulted in survival and disease control rates that compare favourably with other published radiotherapy series and has been accompanied by acceptably low morbidity.     

A simple model describes large individual differences in simultaneous colour contrast

We report experimental evidence for substantial individual differences in the susceptibility to simultaneous colour contrast. Interestingly, we found that not only the general amount of colour induction varies across observers, but also the general shape of the curves describing asymmetric matching data. A simple model based on von Kries adaptation and crispening describes the data rather well when we regard its free parameters as observer specific. We argue that the von Kries component reflects the action of a temporal adaptation mechanism, while the crispening component describes the action of the instantaneous, purely spatial mechanism most appropriately labeled simultaneous colour contrast. An interesting consequence of this view is that traditional ideas about the general characteristics of simultaneous contrast must be considered as misleading. According to Kirschmann’s 4th law, for instance, the simultaneous contrast effect should increase with increasing saturation of the surround, but crispening predicts the converse. Based on this reasoning, we offer a plausible explanation for the mixed evidence on the validity of Kirschmann’s 4th law. We also argue that simultaneous contrast, the crispening effect, Meyer’s effect and the gamut expansion effect are just different names for the same basic phenomenon.     

A -243A-->G polymorphism upstream of the gene encoding GAD65 associates with lower levels of body mass index and glycaemia in a population-based sample of 5857 middle-aged White subjects.

AIMS: The glutamate decarboxylase gene (GAD2) encodes GAD65, an enzyme catalysing the production of the gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) which interacts with neuropeptide Y to stimulate food intake. It has been suggested that in pancreatic islets, GABA serves as a functional regulator of pancreatic hormone release. Conflicting results have been reported concerning the potential impact of GAD2 variation on estimates of energy metabolism. The aim of this study was to elucidate potential associations between the GAD2-243A-->G polymorphism and levels of body mass index (BMI) and estimates of glycaemia. METHODS: Using high-throughput chip-based matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry, the GAD2-243A-->G (rs2236418) polymorphism was genotyped in a population-based sample (Inter99) of 5857 middle-aged, unrelated Danish White subjects. RESULTS: The G-allele was associated with modestly lower BMI (P = 0.01). In a case-control study of obesity, the G-allele frequency in 2582 participants with BMI < 25 kg/m2 was 19.5% (18.4-20.6) compared with 17.1% (15.5-18.8) in 968 participants having BMI > or = 30 kg/m2 (P = 0.03), odds ratio 0.9 (0.7-1.0). Of the 5857 subjects, GG carriers had lower fasting plasma glucose levels (mmol/l) [AA (n = 3859) 5.6 +/- 0.8; AG (n = 1792) 5.5 +/- 0.8; GG (n = 206) 5.5 +/- 0.8, P = 0.008] and lower 30-min oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT)-related plasma glucose levels (AA 8.7 +/- 1.9; AG 8.6 +/- 1.9; GG 8.6 +/- 2.0, P = 0.04), adjusted for sex, age and BMI. Analysing subjects who were both normoglycaemic and glucose tolerant (n = 4431) GG carriers still had lower fasting plasma glucose concentrations: AA (n = 2895) 5.3 +/- 0.4; AG (n = 1383) 5.3 +/- 0.4; GG (n = 153) 5.2 +/- 0.4 (P = 9.10(-5)). CONCLUSION: The present study suggests that the GAD2-243A-->G polymorphism in a population of middle-aged White people associates with a modest reduction in BMI and fasting and OGTT-related plasma glucose levels.     

MULTICENTER STUDY DESIGN OF THE EX VIVO EVALUATION OF ENDOCYTOSCOPY IN ESOPHAGEAL SQUAMOUS CELL CARCINOMA

Optical technological innovations enable us to visualize cellular nuclei endoscopically. Herein is described a protocol design for a multicenter study for the ex vivo evaluation of endocytoscopy. The present study was performed by the Endoscopy Forum Japan study group.     

脑梗死后早发性癫(癎)发作临床特点分析

目的:探讨脑梗死(CI)后早发性癫癎发作(EES)的临床特点。方法:对2643例确诊为CI患者的临床资料进行回顾性研究。结果:CI后EES的发生率为4.58%,女性高于男性(P<0.05);婴幼儿及未成年人高于成年人(P<0.01)和老年人(P<0.01);累及皮质的发生率高于未累及皮质的(P<0.01);EES作为CI首发症状者占49.59%,24h内出现者占76.03%,1周内出现者占94.21%,仅有5.79%在第2周出现;局灶性发作占65.29%,全面性发作占34.71%;给予AEDs治疗发作均可控制,伴有EES的患者病死率高于不伴有者(P<0.05)。结论:CI后EES较为常见,女性多于男性,未成年人的发生率高于成年人及老年人,与梗死部位有关,以局灶性发作为主,抗癫癎治疗有效,临床预后较差。     

不同方法治疗特殊部位白癜风疗效的比较

目的通过不同方法治疗特殊部位白癜风的疗效观察,以便筛选出对不同部位白癜风的最佳治疗方法.方法随机将l 22例(375区白斑)特殊部位白癜风患者分为5组,移植微型毛胚组42例,磨削去除白斑组52例,毛囊刮取物注射组35例,液氮冷冻起疱去除白斑组30例,外用药物治疗组45例.观察其疗效,对各组病例统一疗效标准判断,统计学处理.结果移植微型毛胚组总有效率97.1 %,磨削去除白斑组总有效率94.7 %,毛囊刮取物注射组总有效率59.7 %,液氮冷冻起疱去除白斑组总有效率57.1%,外用药物治疗组总有效率45.5 %.经统计学处理,各组之间比较,差异有非常显著性意义(χ^2＝111.77,P＜0.005).结论特殊部位白癜风的治疗,目前仍是一个棘手的问题,上述所介绍的方法无疑是在实践中切实可行的方法,各有特色,可以根据不同部位,酌情选择最佳方法,也可以联合应用,相互补充,提高疗效.