High plasma microfibrillar-associated protein 4 is associated with reduced surgical repair in abdominal aortic aneurysms

ObjectiveIdentifying biomarkers for abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) could prove beneficial in prognosis of AAA and thus the selection for treatment. Microfibrillar-associated protein 4 (MFAP4) is an extracellular matrix protein that is highly expressed in aorta. MFAP4 is involved in several tissue remodeling-related diseases. We aimed to investigate the potential role of plasma MFAP4 (pMFAP4) as a biomarker of AAA.MethodsPlasma samples and data were obtained for 504 male AAA patients and 188 controls in the Viborg Vascular (VIVA) screening trial. The pMFAP4 levels were measured by Alphalisa. The Mann-Whitney U test assessed differences in pMFAP4 levels between the presence and absence of different exposures of interest. The correlation between pMFAP4 and aorta growth rate were investigated through spearman's correlation analysis. Immunohistochemistry and multiple logistic regression adjusted for potential confounders assessed the association between pMFAP4 and AAA. Multiple linear regression assessed the correlation between pMFAP4 and aorta growth rate. Cox regression and competing risk regression were used to investigate the correlation between AAA patients with upper tertile pMFAP4 and the risk of undergoing later surgical repair.ResultsA significant negative correlation between pMFAP4 and aorta growth rate was observed using spearman's correlation analysis (ρ = −0.14; P = .0074). However, this finding did not reach significance when applying multiple linear regression. A tendency of decreased pMFAP4 was observed in AAA using immunohistochemistry. Competing risk regression adjusted for potential confounders indicated that patients with upper tertile pMFAP4 had a hazard ratio of 0.51 (P = .001) for risk of undergoing later surgical repair.ConclusionsHigh levels of pMFAP4 are associated with a decreased likelihood of receiving surgical repair in AAA. This observation warrants confirmation in an independent cohort.     

Use of biomimetic microtissue spheroids and specific growth factor supplementation to improve tenocyte differentiation and adaptation to a collagen-based scaffold in vitro

Tenocytes represent a valuable source of cells for the purposes of tendon tissue engineering and regenerative medicine and as such, should possess a high degree of tenogenic differentiation prior to their use in vivo in order to achieve maximal efficacy. In the current report, we identify an efficient means by which to maintain differentiated tenocytes in vitro by employing the hanging drop technique in combination with defined growth media supplements. Equine tenocytes retained a more differentiated state when cultured as scaffold-free microtissue spheroids in low serum-containing medium supplemented with l-ascorbic acid 2-phosphate, insulin and transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1. This was made evident by significant increases in the expression levels of pro-tenogenic markers collagen type I (COL1A2), collagen type III (COL3A1), scleraxis (SCX) and tenomodulin (TNMD), as well as by enhanced levels of collagen type I and tenomodulin protein. Furthermore, tenocytes cultured under these conditions demonstrated a typical spindle-like morphology and when embedded in collagen gels, became highly aligned with respect to the orientation of the collagen structure following their migration out from the microtissue spheroids. Our findings therefore provide evidence to support the use of a biomimetic microtissue approach to culturing tenocytes and that in combination with the defined growth media described, can improve their differentiation status and functional repopulation of collagen matrix.     

Bone and joint alterations in acromegaly

Growth hormone (GH) is fundamental for the maintenance of bone mass and metabolism both during childhood and in adulthood. This effect is due to a complex interaction between circulating GH and IGF-I produced peripherally. In vitro data and experimental animal models have clarified many of the regulatory mechanisms underlying the characteristic skeletal changes occurring in acromegaly. This review focuses on the effects of GH excess on bone metabolism and mass in acromegalic patients and, in particular, on the influence of factors such as hypogonadism, gender, age and therapy on bone metabolism and arthropathy.     

钛对大肠杆菌生长影响的实验研究

以草酸钛钾溶液为受试物，用无菌操作法在不同浓度试验水样及不含钛的对照水样中加入大肠杆菌稀释液1ml（含菌300个），观察6小时和1－7天的细菌生长情况。结果各受试组与对照组比较，10.0mg／L和1．0mg／L组接触6小时至7天大肠杆菌生长均有明显的抑制作用；0．1mg／L组接触6－24小时显示抑制作用，但第4天开始菌落减少的速度比对照组缓慢。提示钛对大肠杆菌的生长有抑制作用，其作用阈浓度为1．0mg／L，阈下浓度为0，1mg／L。     

国产rhGH的免疫原性及其对临床疗效的影响

目的　通过测定生长激素缺乏症 (GHD)患儿用国产重组人生长激素 (recom bined hum angrowth horm one,rh GH)治疗时血清生长激素抗体 (GH- Ab)水平及其结合特性 ,探讨 rh GH的免疫原性及其对疗效的影响。方法　对 6 1例 (男 49例 ,女 12例 ) GHD患儿用国产 rh GH治疗 ,每晚睡前皮下注射 rh GH 0 .1IU /kg共6个月 ;用放射免疫法测定治疗期间患儿血清 GH- Ab水平和滴度 ,并计算抗体结合容量、亲和常数 (Ka)。结果　48%患儿 (2 9/6 1)用药后 3个月血清 GH - Ab呈阳性至试验结束时仍未消失 ,其中 2 0例抗体为弱阳性 (结合率 <10 % ) ,9例呈强阳性 (结合率 >15 % ) ;5 2 %患儿 (32 /6 1)治疗期间抗体为阴性 ;血清 GH- Ab的结合容量、Ka及滴度均为低水平 ,分别为 (0 .1～ 4.8) pmol/L、(1.7× 10 7～ 6 .5× 10 8) L /mol和 1∶ 4～ 1∶ 8。GH- Ab阳性患儿治疗后的身高、身高增长速率及身高落后于正常 SD值的变化与同期阴性者比较无统计学差异 (P>0 .0 5 )。结论　本试验所用国产 rh GH对 GHD患儿身高增长具有确切的促进作用 ,其免疫原性所导致产生的 GH - Ab未对患儿体格线性增长产生负性影响     

Nasal fractures in children

Summary A group of thirty children with nasal fractures was evaluated retrospectively by means of a questionnaire and hospital records. Age at the time of injury ranged from age 3 to 12 (mean = 8.6) years and mean follow-up period was 9 years. Eight patients reported some degree of nasal obstruction post reduction, but only one patient required submucous resection and two patients underwent septorhinoplasty for appearance. No patients reported class III malocclusion, or required orthodontic treatment or maxillofacial corrective surgery for maxillary hypoplasia. We concluded that a childhood nasal fracture treated by closed reduction does not have deleterious effects on facial or nasal growth.This work was supported in part by the Brigham Surgical Group Foundation, Inc., Boston, Massachusetts, USA     

Renal growth after neonatal urinary tract infection

This study presents the result of 12–21 years' follow-up in a group of children with neonatal urinary tract infection (onset within 1 month after birth) in whom early renal growth retardation was noted without concomitant classical renal scarring. In all cases the neonatal infection was diagnosed and treated within a few days of onset and the patients were closely supervised thereafter. Renal length, parenchymal thickness and area were measured at urography. At first follow-up (22 children, mean age 4.1 years) a significant reduction of renal parenchymal thickness was noted. Long-term follow-up (18 patients, mean age 17 years) demonstrated a normalization of renal size in the entire group, although less complete in the subgroup with reflux. There were two major findings in the present study. Firstly, renal growth retardation was seen after neonatal infection, both with and without reflux. Secondly, normalization of renal size in previously small kidneys was demonstrated, suggesting that growth retardation can be a reversible phenomenon. The tendency for such normalization was slightly more marked in children without reflux. Reduction of parenchymal thickness without calyceal deformity, therefore, does not necessarily mean irreversible damage, and differentiation between permanent scarring and temporary growth retardation can thus only be made at later follow-up, possibly not until after puberty. The demonstration of renal growth retardation in spite of early diagnosis and treatment emphasizes the great vulnerability of the kidney in the newborn.     

用逆转录—聚合酶链反应法对类胰岛素生长因子cDNA的扩增

逆转录-聚合酶链反应(RT-PCR)法是将PCR方法与逆转录法结合应用,可快速高效地扩增某一基因的全cDNA。类胰岛素生长因子-I(IGF-I)在人染色体中只有一个基因,全长超过45kb,并有内含子,其cDNA却只有几百个bp,为了表达得到IGF-I,本文利用RT-PCR方法,从胎肝提出的混合mRNA中,筛选并扩增了IGF-I的cDNA。经过分子克隆与测序,证明不需制备胎肝cDNA库,即可快速获得IGF-I的cDNA。