Embryonic platelet-activating factor: an indicator of embryo viability

BACKGROUND: A definitive need exists to identify a biomarker of embryonic viability. Platelet-activating factor (PAF) production by human embryos is related to pregnancy potential. METHODS: Conditioned embryo culture media were obtained following conventional IVF on day 3, with PAF levels and pregnancy outcomes correlated. RESULTS: Overall pregnancy rate was 68% (17/25) with a mean of 84.1 (+/- 8.5) pmol/l/embryo PAF level. PAF levels ranged from a 216.4 pmol/l/embryo (pregnant) to a 3.7 pmol/l/embryo (not pregnant). There was a significant difference (P < 0.05) in PAF content between pregnant (92.1 +/- 9.5 pmol/l/embryo) and non-pregnant groups (52.5 +/- 16.6 pmol/l/embryo). Patients were categorized into three groups based upon PAF levels: low (< or= 5 pmol/l/embryo); medium (51-100 pmol/l/embryo) and high (>100 pmol/l/embryo). The low (60%) group had a significantly (P < 0.05) lower pregnancy rate than either the medium (85%) or high (89%) groups. A receiver-operator characteristic curve predicted a cut-off limit of 45 pmol/l/embryo for PAF content in human embryo conditioned culture media. CONCLUSIONS: The data demonstrate a correlation between PAF levels in human embryo conditioned culture media and pregnancy outcome. Additionally, as embryonic PAF levels increase so does the corresponding pregnancy rate. Therefore, PAF may be used as an indicator of embryo viability and for predicting pregnancy outcome.     

非穿透性小梁切除术联合人羊膜植入临床观察

目的：观察非穿透性小梁切除术联合人羊膜植入的临床效果。方法：对18例（30眼）中、晚期开角型青光眼进行非穿透性小梁切除术联合人羊膜植入，术后观察视力、视野、眼压及滤过泡形成情况。结果：术后随访3－9月，视力、视野稳定，眼压≤20mmHg(1mmHg=0.133kPa)，滤过泡形成良好，并发症少。结论：非穿透性小梁切除术 联合人羊膜植入治疗开角型青光眼，能有效降低眼压，形成功能性滤过泡和并发症少等优点，是治疗开角型青光眼较理想的方法。     

Compensated low-dose 131I therapy of Graves' disease

To minimize the high rate of residual thyrotoxicosis encountered in low-dose 131I therapy of Graves' disease, we have treated 62 patients with a low-dose 131I protocol that includes a compensation for thyroid size. Dose varied between 40 muCi retained/g for glands of normal size to 100 muCi/g for glands of 100 g or greater. Mean dose was 51.9 muCi/g. At 1 year after therapy, 66.1% of subjects were euthyroid, 9.7% hypothyroid, and 24.2% hyperthyroid, a significant improvement (P less than 0.01) over our previous experience using 50 muCi/g independent of gland size. Several factors, other than 131I dose, which might influence the outcome of therapy, were investigated. Initial free thyroxine index observed before therapy was found to have prognostic significance. Hypothyroidism developed only in patients having an initial free thyroxine index of 22.5 or less (about 2.5 times the upper limit of normal in our laboratory).     

Interleukin-10 promoter polymorphisms in rheumatoid arthritis and Felty's syndrome

OBJECTIVE: To examine whether promoter polymorphisms associated with variation in interleukin-10 (IL-10) production are relevant to the development of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) or Felty's syndrome (FS). METHODS: DNA was obtained from 44 FS patients, 117 RA patients and 295 controls. The promoter region between -533 and - 1120 was amplified by polymerase chain reaction, and polymorphisms detected by restriction enzyme digest or sequence-specific oligonucleotide probing. RESULTS: We found no significant difference in allele or haplotype frequencies between the groups. CONCLUSION: There is no association between FS or RA and these recently identified IL-10 promoter polymorphisms. Other genetic or environmental factors could explain the alterations in IL-10 levels seen in these conditions.      

Purging of acute myeloid leukemic cells by ether lipids and hyperthermia

Ether lipids (EL) and hyperthermia have been shown to possess a relatively selective cytotoxicity to leukemic cells. In this study, the combined effects of EL (ET-18-OCH3, ET-16-NHCOCH3, or BM 41.440) and hyperthermia on the growth of hematopoietic progenitors, myeloid leukemic cell lines, and leukemic cells obtained from patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) were examined to determine if this combination resulted in a greater selective killing of leukemic cells than that achieved by either EL or heat alone. When the cells were treated simultaneously with EL (50 micrograms/mL) and hyperthermia (42 degrees C) for one hour, the killing of leukemic cell line cells was enhanced considerably. Among the three EL, however, the combination of ET-18-OCH3 and heat seemed to be the most cytotoxic to leukemic cell line cells with no effect on the growth of hematopoietic progenitors. An increase in the duration of treatment with ET-18-OCH3 to four hours with heat added during the last hour resulted in a further reduction of leukemic cell line cells while sparing 50% of hematopoietic progenitors after cryopreservation. The combined treatment with ET-18-OCH3 and heat also inhibited the growth of leukemic progenitors obtained from AML patients by 97% to 100%. These data indicate that the combined treatment with EL and hyperthermia might offer an efficient means to eliminate myeloid leukemic cells in vitro.