Contradictory to its effects on thrombin,C1-inhibitor reduces plasmin generation in the presence of thrombomodulin

Journal of Thrombosis and Thrombolysis - C1-inhibitor (C1INH) was shown to enhance thrombin generation (TG) in the presence of thrombomodulin (TM) by reducing production of activated protein C....     

Public health surveillance of non-infectious chronic diseases: the potential to detect rapid changes in disease burden

The usefulness of surveillance in relating chronic disease trends to recent changes in risk exposures is often questioned on the grounds that these trends respond slowly, reflecting long periods between aetiological exposures and clinical onset of disease. We challenge this preconception on the basis of a review of several important risk factors and diseases: alcohol and liver cirrhosis; tobacco and stroke, cardiovascular disease, and lung cancer; and oestrogens and endometrial cancer. Data from cohort, cross-sectional, and modelling studies demonstrate that the time between removal of exposures and the onset of decline in morbidity or mortality is not defined by the time between initial exposure and disease occurrence. Rather, the pattern of lifetime exposures (with recent exposures often having a dominant effect), the dynamics of the disease process, and the segment of the population with reduced exposures determine how soon the decline begins.     

FM sonography in diffuse liver disease: prospective assessment and blinded analysis

FM sonography - a signal-processing technique that uses frequency and phase information as well as amplitude data - shows promise in evaluation of patients with diffuse liver disease. In a prospective blinded review of 37 patients with biopsy-proved liver disease and 42 healthy volunteers, FM sonography was clearly superior to traditional amplitude-based (AM) sonography in distinguishing healthy from diseased subjects. Statistically significant differences were seen in accuracy (FM, 98.7%; AM, 84.8%), sensitivity (FM, 97.3%; AM, 70.3%), and negative predictive value (FM, 97.7%; AM, 78.8%). Our data also suggest that current FM sonographic techniques cannot differentiate among histologic findings associated with different hepatic parenchymal abnormalities. It is unclear, therefore, whether FM imaging can reduce the numbers of patients who require biopsy for diagnosis or the frequency of biopsy procedures in patients with known disease.     

用于筛选天然产物中脲酶抑制剂的脲酶活性测试方法的建立

抑制幽门螺杆菌产生的脲酶具有治疗胃炎和消化性溃疡的作用。用酚红指示剂和Ｂｅｒｔｈｅｌｏｔ试剂在９６孔培养板上检测重组脲酶活性，其灵敏度指标酚红法每ｍｇ酶蛋白引起的每分钟吸光度变化。△Ａ为６．９，而Ｂｅｒｔｈｅｌｏｔ法每ｍｇ酶蛋白引起的每分钟吸光度比值变化△Ａ为３１３。结果表明用Ｂｅｒｔｈｅｌｏｔ试剂检测重组脲酶活性适宜在９６孔培养板上大规模筛选天然产物中的脲酶抑制剂。     

Lung cancer in Newfoundland, Canada

In this study 1,466 cases of primary lung cancer diagnosed between 1974 and 1983 and reported to the Provincial Tumour Registry, were reviewed. The incidence of lung cancer in Newfoundland has been lower than that in Canada as a whole. The age-adjusted rates for Canadian males and females were 56 and 14 per 100,000 compared to 45 and 7 in Newfoundland. Census division rates showed no association with socioeconomic indicators. The rate in one census division was higher (63 vs 53) most probably because of the higher risk of men who worked in the St. Lawrence fluorspar mines. Although Newfoundland's current smoking rates (39% of men over 15 and 29% of women over 15) are high, this is not reflected in lung cancer rates. Smoking was not widely accepted in rural areas until the time of World War II, and Newfoundland's lower rates may be due to this delay in exposure.     

Mode and speed specificity of eccentric and concentric exercise training

This research was supported by a Duke University Research Council Grant. The purpose of this study was to examine mode and speed specificity of strength training by comparing concentric and eccentric isokinetic exercise of the quadriceps. Forty-eight healthy men (mean age = 23.9 years) were randomly assigned to one of three groups: concentric training (C), eccentric training (E), or control (K). Average force (in Newtons) of 3 concentric and of 3 eccentric quadriceps contractions on the KIN-COM(R) dynamometer at 60, 120, and 180 degrees /sec was evaluated prior to and following a 6 week period during which only the C and E groups trained. Training sessions (3/week) included 4 submaximal and 1 maximal warm-up followed by 10 maximal effort isokinetic contractions of the quadriceps at 120 degrees /sec for each leg. Group C subjects trained concentrically only while Group E subjects trained eccentrically only. A t-test for independent means showed no significant right/left differences. ANOVA and Scheffe's F-tests were then used to assess the differences in training effects among the 3 groups for the left leg only. Results showed that although Group C increased slightly in both concentric and eccentric force at all speeds, the gains were significant only for concentric force at 180 degrees /sec. Group E showed significant gains (p < 0.05) in eccentric force at all speeds but not in concentric force. The K group had no significant change in concentric or eccentric force at any speed. We conclude that the eccentric mode of isokinetic exercise has highly specific strength training effects while the concentric mode has less specific training effects. In addition, speed of exercise does not appear to have specific training effects. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 1989;11(2):70-75.