The blood-brain barrier models to study apolipoprotein E genotypes in Alzheimer’s disease

Alzheimer’s disease(AD)is a neurodegenerative disease that is characterized by an age-dependent progressive decline of memory,impairment of cognitive functions and changes in personality and behavior.Despite the improvement in understanding of the mechanisms underlying the disease,AD remains an incurable complex disorder with multifaceted pathophysiology to date.Apolipoprotein E(ApoE)is the main cholesterol carrier in the brain that supports lipid transport between brain cells.The individuals carrying the APOE4 allele are known to be at increased risk of developing AD compared with those carrying the more common APOE3 allele.     

Glenoid labrum: preliminary work with use of radial-sequence MR imaging

The authors describe a magnetic resonance imaging method for examination of the glenoid labrum of the shoulder joint that utilizes a radial fast-imaging sequence. Seven shoulders were examined: a total of five in three healthy asymptomatic volunteers, one in a symptomatic patient not suspected of having a lesion of the glenoid labrum, and one in a patient with recurrent shoulder dislocation and surgical proof of an extensive tear of the labrum. The preliminary results suggest that this technique may advantageously demonstrate pathologic changes in the glenoid labrum and may contribute to the evaluation of the unstable and painful shoulder.     

Temporomandibular joint arthrography following surgical treatment of internal derangements

Arthrograms of the temporomandibular joint were obtained in 20 symptomatic joints that had previous reconstructive arthroplasty with disk repositioning because of internal derangements. Preoperative arthrograms were available for comparison in 18 joints. Symptoms resulting in a postoperative arthrogram included pain, limited ability to open the mouth, and clicking of the joints. Postoperative arthrographic findings included limited anterior translation of the condyle (90%), irregularity in outline of the intraarticular contrast agent (60%), a conical configuration of the posterior recess (25%), decreased size of the joint (28%), anterior displacement of the meniscus (25%), and perforated meniscus (15%). Many of these findings may have resulted from fibrosis and scarring, which may be a response to intraarticular bleeding. The mechanism by which the fibrosis causes the postsurgical arthrographic features is discussed.     

冠状动脉狭窄的16层螺旋CT造影检查

目的以常规X线冠状动脉造影为标准,评价16层螺旋CT（MSCT）无创性检查冠状动脉及诊断冠状动脉狭窄的价值。资料与方法65例临床初诊为冠心病,无冠状动脉成形术和搭桥术史的患者,在冠状动脉16层MSCT造影检查后,回顾性重建心电门控轴位图像,并采用容积成像（VR）、多平面重建（MPR）、曲面MPR、最大密度投影（MIP）等后处理方法,对所有冠状动脉及其分支进行重建,统计可供临床评价的、管径≥1．5mm的冠状动脉段,以选择性冠状动脉造影（SCA）为标准,对比分析MSCT诊断冠状动脉显著性狭窄（管腔平均直径缩小超过50％）的准确性。其中8例在检查前心率超过80次／min的患者使用了B受体阻滞剂。结果93％的冠状动脉节段和94％的冠状动脉主干可供评价,不能评价的主要原因分别为：心脏运动伪影（58％）,致密钙化（28％）和管腔显影不良（14％）。除外不能评价的冠状动脉,按节段和主干分类,MSCT诊断冠状动脉显著性狭窄的敏感性和特异性分别达到92％、98％和95％、97％。结论无需常规使用B受体阻滞剂,16层MSCT冠状动脉造影即可获得较好的图像质量用于诊断冠状动脉狭窄,是一种值得临床医师信赖的检查冠状动脉有无狭窄的非创伤性方法。     

Antibodies to tumor necrosis factor alpha prevent increases in cell replication in liver due to the potent peroxisome proliferator, WY- 14,643

Several structurally dissimilar hypolipidemic drugs, plasticizers and halogenated hydrocarbons induce peroxisomes in hepatocytes, and cause hepatocellular adenoma and carcinoma in rats and mice. The mechanism by which these agents act is unknown, although recent studies have suggested a link between increased cell proliferation and hepatic cancer caused by peroxisome proliferators. Here, we demonstrate that neutralizing antibodies to tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF alpha) block increases in protein kinase C and cell proliferation due to [4- chloro-6-(2,3-xylidino)-2-pyrimidinylthio]acetic acid (WY-14,643), a hypolipidemic drug and potent peroxisome proliferator that causes tumors. WY-14,643 moderately elevated the level of TNF alpha mRNA in the liver. TNF alpha was detected immunohistochemically exclusively in Kupffer cells. These results demonstrate that WY-14,643 acts as an indirect mitogen on hepatocytes via TNF alpha. We propose that the Kupffer cell, a major source of TNF alpha in the liver, is involved in the mechanism of the mitogenic effect of WY-14,643.      

Ketoacidosis at the diagnosis of type 1 (insulin dependent) diabetes mellitus is related to poor residual beta cell function. Childhood Diabetes in Finland Study Group

The determinants of the degree of metabolic decompensation at the diagnosis of type 1 (insulin dependent) diabetes mellitus (IDDM) and the possible role of diabetic ketoacidosis in the preservation and recovery of residual beta cell function were examined in 745 Finnish children and adolescents. Children younger than 2 years or older than 10 years of age were found to be more susceptible to diabetic ketoacidosis than children between 2 and 10 years of age (< 2 years: 53.3%; 2-10 years: 16.9%; > 10 years: 33.3%). Children from families with poor parental educational level had ketoacidosis more often than those from families with high parental educational level (24.4% v 16.9%). A serum C peptide concentration of 0.10 nmol/l or more was associated with a favourable metabolic situation. Low serum C peptide concentrations, high requirement of exogenous insulin, low prevalence of remission, and high glycated haemoglobin concentrations were observed during the follow up in the group of probands having diabetic ketoacidosis at the diagnosis of IDDM. Thus diabetic ketoacidosis at diagnosis is related to a decreased capacity for beta cell recovery after the clinical manifestation of IDDM in children.     

Standards for total body fat and fat-free mass in infants

Data on body composition in conjunction with reference centiles are helpful in identifying the severity of growth and nutritional disorders in infancy and for evaluating the adequacy of treatment given during this important period of rapid growth. Total body fat (TBF) and fat-free mass (FFM) were estimated from total body electrical conductivity (TBEC) measurements in 423 healthy term Caucasian infants, aged 14-379 days. Cross sectional age, weight, and length related centile standards are presented for TBF and FFM. Centiles were calculated using Altman's method, based on polynomial regression and modelling of the residual variation. The TBF percentage steeply increased during the first half year of life, and slowly declined beyond this age. Various simple TBEC derived anthropometric prediction equations for TBF and FFM are available to be used in conjunction with these standards. Regression equations for the P50 and the residual SD, depending on age, weight, or length, are provided for constructing centile charts and calculating standard deviation scores.