Observations on pathological and histochemical changes in piglet livers infected with Taenia saginata asiatica

To study the pathological and histochemical characteristics of lesions in piglet livers infected with Taenia saginata asiatica (T. saginata asiatica) throughout the different stages, piglets were fed with eggs of T. saginata asiatica and raised in isolation in an animal center to establish the T. saginata asiatica infection model with normal piglets as control. The pathological changes in the piglet livers were observed after the infection using liver sections stained with hematoxylin and eosin. Histochemical methods were used to check the changes in lipid, glycogen and protein content in the liver. The data collected by image analysis were analyzed statistically with Statistical Package for the Social Science. The results show that T. saginata asiatica-exposed piglets were indeed infected. Inflammatory reactions began on the fourth day and progressed rapidly. Kupffer cell hyperplasia, hepatic hydropic degeneration and ballooning degeneration were found in the 10th–20th days after infection. Hepatic central veins and hepatic sinusoids were dilated and congested. Spotty necrosis occurred in some local liver tissues. In the 40th–60th days, granulomatous reactions and mild hepatocirrhosis were the main lesions. In the 70th–80th days, hepatocirrhosis and bile duct proliferation were observed in the liver. In the different stages, lipid drops were increased while glycogen and protein levels were decreased to some degree. There was a significant difference in metabolism between the infected group and the control group (P < 0.01). It is concluded that pigs are the favorable intermediate host of T. saginata asiatica and its infection can result in serious pathological and histochemical lesions in host organs. Translated from Journal of Guiyang Medical College, 2006, 31(4): 296–300 [译自: 贵阳医学院学报]     

Evaluation of Syva's enzyme immunoassay for the detection of Chlamydia trachomatis in urogenital specimens.

A newly developed microwell enzyme immunosorbent assay (EIA) system by Syva Company (Palo Alto, CA) can detect Chlamydia trachomatis in < 3 hr. It uses a polyclonal antibody to chlamydial lipopolysaccharide and end points are determined with a spectrophotometer. Three clinical trial sites (University of California Medical Center, San Francisco, CA; University of Washington, Seattle, WA; and Louisiana State University Medical Center, New Orleans, LA), compared this EIA with tissue culture (TC) for identifying Chlamydia in urogenital specimens. Overall prevalence by TC was 10.4% (136 of 1306). When tests were compared with TC (using vials or microtiter plates and a fluorescent antibody stain), we found an EIA sensitivity of 93.4% (127 of 136) and a specificity of 98.1% (1148 of 1170). This EIA has a performance profile that is, at the very least, comparable with other nonculture methods for diagnosing genital tract infections with C. trachomatis.     

改良输液网及输液流程在临床输液中的应用

静脉输液治疗因其疗效快、刺激性小等优点,在抢救、治疗病人过程中发挥着非常重要的作用,故在护理工作中应用最为广泛[1]。其操作时间受多种因素影响,传统方法操作存在一次排气不成功、微量气泡残留等问题[1,2]。从2005年10月起对输液网进行了改良,并简化了输液流程,经10个月70     

Impact of patient characteristics on performance of nucleic acid amplification tests and DNA probe for detection of Chlamydia trachomatis in women with genital infections

The performance of nucleic acid amplified tests (NAAT) for Chlamydia trachomatis at the cervix and in urine was examined in 3,551 women, and the impacts of clinical findings (age, endocervical and urethral inflammation, menses, and gonococcal coinfection) were assessed. Ligase chain reaction (LCR) and first-generation uniplex PCR were studied relative to an unamplified DNA probe (PACE2) and to an expanded, independent diagnostic reference standard. Relative to the expanded standard, cervical or urine LCR was generally the most sensitive test in most subgroups. Increased detection by NAAT of cervical C. trachomatis over PACE2 was highest among women without mucopurulent endocervical discharge versus those with (relative increase in positivity with cervical LCR, 46%) and among women > or =20 years old versus younger women (relative increase in positivity with cervical LCR, 45%). The sensitivity of cervical PCR was highest when mucopurulent endocervical discharge was present (84%) and highest for cervical LCR when cervical gonococcal coinfection was detected (91%). Urethral inflammation was associated with higher sensitivities of urine LCR (86 compared to 70% when inflammation was absent) and PCR (82 compared to 62% when inflammation was absent). Menses had no effect on test performance. The effects of patient characteristics on test specificities were less pronounced and were closely related to observed sensitivities. These findings support expanded use of NAAT for screening and diagnosis of C. trachomatis in diverse clinical populations of women.     

Is urine leukocyte esterase test a useful screening method to predict Chlamydia trachomatis infection in women?

We evaluated the use of the leukocyte esterase test (LET) on first-catch urine specimens from women as a screening test to predict infection with Chlamydia trachomatis. For diagnosis, we used Abbott's ligase chain reaction (LCR) on urine specimens and isolation by tissue culture (TC) on cervical brushes. Of 4,053 women attending sexually transmitted disease and family planning clinics, 4.3% (n = 174) were positive by TC and 5.9% (n = 239) were positive by LCR. When LET was compared to TC, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value were 54.0, 67.0, 6.8, and 97.0%, respectively. The corresponding performance of LET versus LCR was 53.1, 67.3, 10.1, and 95.8%. Almost half of the laboratory-confirmed chlamydial infections were negative by LET. The low specificity probably reflects multiple causes of pyuria in women and results in a low positive predictive value. LET is neither sensitive nor specific as a predictor of chlamydial infection and cannot be recommended for use as a screening test for C. trachomatis with first-catch urine samples from females from low- or moderate-prevalence populations.     

Linking Clients from HIV Antibody Counseling and Testing to Prevention Services

The effectiveness of HIV antibody counseling and testing as a prevention intervention is limited: persons testing seronegative do not usually change their risk behaviors, some actually increase their risk behaviors, and decreases in risk behaviors are usually short-lived. Referrals to additional prevention and other needed services are therefore recommended, although the extent and determinants of referral provision for persons testing seronegative are unknown. We assessed the prevalence of referrals and the association between risk behaviors and prevention referrals among seronegatives. We reviewed HIV testing and referral data on all persons receiving confidential seronegative test results in San Francisco (SF) in the first 10 months of 1995 (n = 5,595), and gathered more detailed referral information at the municipal STD clinic from November 1995 through May 1996 (n = 747). The overall prevalence of referrals was low: a referral was given to 19.1% of the SF sample and 10.6% of the STD clinic sample; 15.4% of the SF sample and 5.9% of the STD clinic sample received a prevention referral. Injection drug users (IDUs) were the most likely to receive a prevention referral (48.5% of SF IDUs, 36.4% of STD clinic IDUs); men having sex with men and women with high-risk partners were also more likely to get a prevention referral than others. For SF IDUs, unsafe sex and needle sharing were not associated with an increased likelihood of receiving a prevention referral. Opportunities to link high-risk clients from counseling and testing to HIV prevention services are being missed. The referral component of HIV counseling and testing should be improved.     

Co-expression of guanine-nucleotide exchange factor DOCK180 and ELMO1 in ovarian cancer cells

目的 寻找卵巢癌细胞中鸟嘌呤核苷交换因子Dock 180与Elmo1呈相互协同作用的依据.方法 采用Westem blot检测人卵巢癌组织、良性肿瘤组织及正常卵巢组织中的Dock 180与Elmo1的表达水平；免疫组化检测卵巢癌组织中Dock 180与Elmol的分布；免疫荧光检测Dock180与Elmo1在卵巢癌细胞SKOV3中的定位分布；检测Dock180表达缺失的SKOV3细胞中内源性Elmo1的表达水平.结果 Dock 180与Elmo1在人卵巢癌组织中的表达水平呈明显正相关(r=0.829,P＜0.05),在卵巢癌组织中二者的表达水平显著高于卵巢良性肿瘤组织组和卵巢正常组织组(P＜0.05)[Dock180:(1.054±0.114)、(0.518 ±0.126)、(0.425±0.072); Elmo1:(0.864 ±0.114)、(0.374±0.076)、(0.300±0.105)].免疫组化及细胞化学染色均显示二者在人卵巢癌组织和细胞内的分布具有一致性.而且在Dock180表达缺失细胞中,Elmol的表达水平也同时降低.结论 Dock180与Elmo1在促进卵巢癌的癌变过程中可能具有相互协同作用.     

The Effect of Thigh Muscle Reconditioning by Electrical Stimulation on Urodynamic Activity in SCI Patients

ABSTRACT

Various forms of electrical stimulation are being used more frequently for bladder and muscle rehabilitation following spinal injury. Fifteen patients with spinal cord injury underwent a four to eight week period of thigh muscle reconditioning by surface electrical stimulation. The accumulated effects of this program on bladder function were assessed by urodynamic evaluation before and after the test period. Seven patients had beneficial changes of either an increase in bladder capacity and/or a decrease in bladder pressure. Six patients had a decrease in bladder capacity and/or an increase in bladder pressure, although two of these six patients had resolution of spinal shock. Two patients with detrusor areflexia had no changes in pressure or capacity. There was no change in the basic urodynamic patterns, only the parameters of bladder capacity and pressure. Increasing the use of electrical stimulation for rehabilitation of the spinal cord population might alter bladder function, although not consistently. One should, therefore, be aware of these changes when setting up such rehabilitation programs.     

健康人群血清骨钙素影响因素的研究 —— 以北京市海淀区为例

目的了解健康人群血清OC的变化及与能量代谢的关系。方法根据排除标准筛选115名受试者(男60人,女55人),用电化学发光法和终点法检测血清OC,能量代谢指标水平,并分析血清OC与TC、TG、HDL-C、LDL-C、FINS、FPG、HOMA-IR之间的关系。结果绝经后女性OC水平与男性、绝经前女性差异存在统计学意义(P0.05)。相关性分析中,男、女性年龄与血清OC之间均呈显著负相关(r_男=-0.517和r_女=-0.568)。男、女性BMI与血清OC之间均呈显著负相关(r_男=-0.286和r_女=-0.453)。男性HDL-C与血清OC之间呈显著正相关(rHDL-C=0.271)。女性TG与血清OC之间呈显著负相关(r_(TG)=-0.340);女性HDL-C与血清OC之间呈显著正相关(rHDL-C=0.275)。男性FINS、HOMA-IR与血清OC之间呈显著负相关(r_(FINS)=-0.295,rHOMA-IR=-0.28)。女性FPG、FINS、HOMA-IR与血清OC之间无显著相关性。结论在选取的受试者中,绝经后女性血清OC水平明显低于绝经前女性,绝经后女性出现肥胖较明显。年龄、BMI与血清OC呈显著负相关,即血清OC可能导致肥胖。血清OC与机体能量代谢相关。