Studies on T cell subsets and functions in leprosy.

T cell subsets and T cell functions were explored in 31 leprosy patients with the following methods: determination of the percentages of the different T cell subpopulations defined by monoclonal antibodies directed at total T cells, helper T cells and suppressor/cytotoxic T cells; measurement of the in vitro proliferative responses to mitogens; study of the concanavalin A-induced suppressive activity, assessed on MLC; measurement of delayed-type hypersensitivity by skin testing. The confrontation between immunological lepromatous patients without type-2 reaction (erythema nodosum leprosum), (2) lepromatous patients without ENL (erythema nodosum leprosum), (2) lepromatous patients was recent ENL and (3) tuberculoid patients. Unexpectedly, groups 1 and 3, although differing strongly in their clinical status and their sensitivity to lepromin (absent in group 1 and strong in group 3), showed a similar immunological profile with a normal percentage of T cells and a normal distribution of T cells among the major T cell subset contrasting with a moderate decrease of proliferative responses to mitogens and impaired delayed-type hypersensitivity reactions. Concanavalin A-induced suppressive activity was type-2 reaction) strongly differed from both other groups, showing striking abnormalities other groups, showing striking abnormalities of the repartition of the T cell subsets, with increased percentages of helper T cells and decreased percentages of suppressor T cells, and elevated proliferative responses to mitogens. Concanavalin A-induced suppressive activity was reduced in most patients of this group. It is suggested that this imbalance between T cell subsets contributes to the occurrence of ENL reactions in lepromatous patients.     

Demonstration of a software package for the reconstruction of the dynamically changing structure of the human heart from cone beam X-ray projections

The Dynamic Spatial Reconstructor (DSR) is a device constructed at the Biodynamics Research Unit of the Mayo Clinic for (among other things) the visualization of the beating heart inside the intact thorax. The device consists of 28 rotating X-ray sources arranged on a circular arc at 6° intervals (total span 162°) and a matching set of 28 imaging systems. The whole thorax of the patient is projected onto the two-dimensional screen of the imaging systems by cone beams of X rays from the sources. All of the X-ray sources are switched on and off within a total period of 10 milliseconds. The Medical Image Processing Group at the State University of New York at Buffalo has developed a software package for the design and evaluation of algorithms to be used by the DSR. In this paper we illustrate the operation of the package and a particular algorithm for the reconstruction of the dynamically changing structure of the heart from data collected by the DSR.     

Hamstring graft tibial fixation: biomechanical properties of different linkage systems

This biomechanical study analyzed the mechanical properties of different linkage systems commonly used in hamstring tendon ACL reconstruction. Two kinds of tapes, 5-mm braided polyester (Mersilene) and 3-mm woven polyester (Orthotape), were connected to a particular staple in bovine bone sections in single- and double-loop constructs with five replicates of each. These constructs underwent straight pull tensile tests, residual tensile tests, and fatigue tests at a loading regime of 540,000 cycles at 25 Hz frequency, using an Instron tensile test machine. Protrusion heights of the constructs were measured. The double-loop Mersilene-Fastlok construct was weaker than either single-loop or double-loop Orthotape-Fastlok construct. The mean failure strength of double-loop Orthotape-Fastlok was 93% higher and its mean stiffness was 40% greater at failure than that of Mersilene-Fastlok. At a 150-N load Mersilene-Fastlok was stiffer, while at 300 N Orthotape-Fastlok was stiffer. The thickness of Orthotape-Fastlok resulted in 1 mm more device protrusion. In hamstring tendon ACL reconstructions with indirect fixation we advocate the use of woven polyester (Orthotape) with Fastlok as a linkage material over braided polyester (Mersilene) with Fastlok because of its superior strength and stiffness.     

Malaria epidemiology in a rural area of the Mekong Delta: a prospective community-based study

Over the past 10 years, the Mekong Delta region in Vietnam has experienced fast socio-economic development with subsequent changes in malaria vectors ecology. We conducted a 2-year prospective community-based study in a coastal rural area in the southern Mekong Delta to re-assess the malaria epidemiological situation and the dynamics of transmission. The incidence rate of clinical malaria, established on 558 individuals followed for 23 months by active case detection and biannual cross-sectional surveys, was 2.6/100 person-years. Over the 2-year study period, the parasite rate and malaria seroprevalence (Plasmodium falciparum and P. vivax) decreased significantly from 2.4% to almost 0%. Passive case detection (PCD) of clinical cases and serological follow-up of newborns carried out in a larger population confirmed the low and decreasing trend of malaria transmission. The majority of fever cases were seen in the private sector and most were unnecessarily treated with antimalarials. Training and involvement of the private sector in detection of malaria cases would greatly improve the quality of health care and health information system.     

人脂肪组织来源干细胞在心脏疾病治疗中的应用

目的:综述人脂肪组织来源干细胞的生物学特性及其在缺血性心脏病中的应用,分析不足,并在此基础上提出未来研究要解决的问题,以期为临床治疗提供依据。资料来源:应用计算机检索Blackwell、Elsevier、Pubmed数据库1980/2007期间脂肪源性干细胞与缺血性心脏病方面的文献,检索词为“bone mesenchymal stem cells,adipose derived stemcells,cardiomyocytes,ischemic heart disease”等。应用计算机检索中国期刊全文数据库1980/2007期间相关文献,检索词为“骨髓间充质干细胞,脂肪组织来源的干细胞,心肌细胞,缺血性心脏病”等。并手工查阅相关书籍。资料选择:对资料进行初步选择:①脂肪组织来源干细胞的生物学特性。②脂肪组织来源干细胞治疗缺血性心脏病。排除重复文献。资料提炼:共搜集到相关文章57篇,删除内容重复及与本文主题关系较远的文章,剩余41篇作为综述参考。资料综合:脂肪组织来源干细胞与同样起源于中胚层的骨髓基质细胞不仅具有非常相似的生物学特性,而且在细胞表面标志谱的表达方面也非常相近。并且脂肪组织来源广泛,取材方便,可获得的基质细胞数量大,易于培养扩增。有研究发现,脂肪组织来源干细胞体外培养不需要任何诱导便能分化成具有自律性的心肌细胞,使得脂肪组织来源干细胞治疗缺血性心脏病成为可能。结论:脂肪组织来源干细胞在取材和增殖方面较骨髓间充质干细胞有优势;脂肪组织来源干细胞能较好的诱导为心肌细胞,将为缺血性心脏病的治疗提供更广阔的前景。     

HPLC法测定血浆中六亚甲基二乙酰胺浓度

ＨＰＬＣ法测定血浆中六亚甲基二乙酰胺浓度赵玉喜，何晓英，蒋淼，谢景文，谢廷泉，任礼勤（兰州军区总医院药材科，兰州７３００５０）六亚甲基二乙酰胺（ｈｅｘａｍｅｔｈｙｌｅｎｅｂｉｓａｃｅｔａｍｉｄｅ，ＨＭＢＡ）是结构上与二甲基亚砜（ＤＭｓＯ）和Ｎ－甲基甲...     

Large spectrum of lissencephaly and pachygyria phenotypes resulting from de novo missense mutations in tubulin alpha 1A (TUBA1A)

We have recently reported a missense mutation in exon 4 of the tubulin alpha 1A (Tuba1a) gene in a hyperactive N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea (ENU) induced mouse mutant with abnormal lamination of the hippocampus. Neuroanatomical similarities between the Tuba1a mutant mouse and mice deficient for Doublecortin (Dcx) and Lis1 genes, and the well-established functional interaction between DCX and microtubules (MTs), led us to hypothesize that mutations in TUBA1A (TUBA3, previous symbol), the human homolog of Tuba1a, might give rise to cortical malformations. This hypothesis was subsequently confirmed by the identification of TUBA1A mutations in two patients with lissencephaly and pachygyria, respectively. Here we report additional TUBA1A mutations identified in six unrelated patients with a large spectrum of brain dysgeneses. The de novo occurrence was shown for all mutations, including one recurrent mutation (c.790C>T, p.R264C) detected in two patients, and two mutations that affect the same amino acid (c.1205G>A, p.R402H; c.1204C>T, p.R402C) detected in two other patients. Retrospective examination of MR images suggests that patients with TUBA1A mutations share not only cortical dysgenesis, but also cerebellar, hippocampal, corpus callosum, and brainstem abnormalities. Interestingly, the specific high level of Tuba1a expression throughout the period of central nervous system (CNS) development, shown by in situ hybridization using mouse embryos, is in accordance with the brain-restricted developmental phenotype caused by TUBA1A mutations. All together, these results, in combination with previously reported data, strengthen the relevance of the known interaction between MTs and DCX, and highlight the importance of the MTs/DCX complex in the neuronal migration process.     

Forest malaria in Vietnam: a challenge for control

Forest malaria is a complex but common phenomenon occurring in southeast Asia. We studied its epidemiology through a prospective community-based study in central Vietnam. A total of 585 individuals were followed for two years by active case detection and biannual cross-sectional surveys. The prevalence of antibodies to Plasmodium falciparum was constantly about 20% across surveys and the incidence rate of clinical episodes of P. falciparum malaria was 0.11/person-year. Multivariate analysis showed that regular forest activity was the main risk factor for clinical malaria and malaria infections. Untreated bed nets had a significant protective effect (60%), except for people regularly sleeping in the forest. The population-attributable fraction for regular forest activity was estimated to be 53%. Our results confirm the major role played by forest activity on the malaria burden in this area and provide the basis for targeting control activities to forest workers. New interventions based on insecticide-treated materials need to be urgently evaluated.     

CR3的Ⅰ结构域的克隆和在CHO细胞中的表达及配体结合特性的研究

研究白细胞整体合素ＣＲ３α亚基的Ⅰ结构域在配体结合中的作用。方法克隆ＣＤ１１ｂ的Ⅰ结构域，用重叠ＰＣＲ的方法将其与信号肽ＤＮＡ连接，克隆到表达载体ＰＥＥ６ＨＣＭＶ．ＧＳ，转化ＣＨＯ－Ｋ１细胞。表达的Ⅰ－结构域经ＳＰ－Ｓｅｐｈａｒｏｓｅ和ｍｏｎｏ－Ｓ柱纯化后，与Ｃ３ｂｉ进行配体结构实验。结果用ＳＤＳ－ＰＡＧＥ测得重组的Ⅰ结构域分子量为２９ＫＤ。重组的Ⅰ结构域可以与Ｃ３ｂｉ结合，Ｓｃａｔｃｈａｒｄ分析