Cytokine profiles of stimulated blood lymphocytes in asthmatic and healthy adolescents across the school year

T cell cytokines play an important role in mediating airway inflammation in asthma. The predominance of a Th2 cytokine profile, particularly interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-5, is associated with the pathogenesis and course of asthma. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that a stressful life event alters the pattern of cytokine release in asthmatic individuals. Thirteen healthy controls and 21 asthmatic adolescents gave blood samples three times over a semester: midsemester, during the week of final examinations, and 2-3 weeks after examinations. Interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), IL-2, IL-4, and IL-5 were measured from supernatants of cells stimulated with PHA/PMA for 24 h. Cells from asthmatic subjects released significantly more IL-5 during the examination and postexamination periods, whereas cells from healthy controls released significantly more IL-2 during the midsemester and examination periods, thereby indicating a bias for a Th2-like pattern in asthmatics and a Th1-like pattern in healthy controls. IL-4 and IL-5 production showed a marked decrease during and after examinations in healthy controls, whereas this decline was absent in asthmatics. The ratios of IFN-gamma:IL-4 and IFN-gamma:IL-5 also revealed significant changes in the profile of cytokine release across the semester. These results indicate differential cytokine responses in asthmatics that may become pronounced during periods of cellular activation.     

Coronary bypass in vascular patients: a relatively high-risk procedure

A premise of cardiac risk stratification is that the added risk of coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is offset by the improved safety of subsequent vascular reconstruction (VR). We questioned if elective CABG is patients with severe peripheral vascular disease (PVD) is a relatively high-risk procedure. A cohort study of 680 elective CABG patients from January 1993 to December 1994 was performed using three mutually exclusive outcomes of complication-free survival, morbidity, and mortality. Patient characteristic, operative, and outcome data were prospectively collected. Retrospective review determined that 58 patients had either a standard indication for or a history of VR. Overall CABG mortality was 2.5%, with statistically similar but relatively higher rates for PVD as compared to non-PVD patients. In contrast, major morbidity occurred at rates 3.6-fold higher in PVD patients (39.7%) than in disease-free patients (16.7%) after adjustment for the effects of patient and operative variables (odds ratio [OR] 3.67, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.93-6.99). CABG morbidity in the PVD patient was most likely in those patients with aortoiliac (OR 9.51, CI 3.20-28.27) and aortic aneurysmal (OR 5.24, CI 1.28-21.41) disease types. CABG in PVD patients is associated with significant major morbidity. Such morbidity may preclude or alter the timing of subsequent VR.     

2Mbit/s高速信令链路在移动通信七号信令网中的应用

通过对2Mbit/s高速信令链路原理、特点的介绍，阐明了该技术在现阶段使用的实际意义，并给出了2Mbit/s高速信令链路在移动通信七号信令网中的应用。     

降低丙烯酰胺晶体中水份的探讨

本文介绍了如何通过控制结晶时间和离心速率获得低水分的丙烯酰胺晶体，给出了最佳生产工艺条件。     

桥梁支座的更换

桥梁支座是桥梁上、下部结构的连接点。由于交通运输的需要,交通不能中断或应尽量缩短中断时间,因此,对桥梁支座的更换方案选择显得极其重要。以某工程为例,详细叙述了整体更换桥梁支座的施工方案选择、施工方法及要点。     

用纳米棒ZnO作模板生长无支撑的AlN纳米晶

用金属有机物气相外延在纳米棒ZnO模板上沉积AlN薄膜.SEM测试表明该薄膜形成了一种倾倒纳米棒的表面.而GIXRD测试进一步证实它是纤锌矿结构的AlN,晶粒尺度约为12nm,接近于ZnO纳米棒的直径(30nm).这意味着纳米棒结构的ZnO能限制AlN的横向生长.此外,高温下用H2刻蚀ZnO直接在生长中实现了外延层的剥离.最终得到了无支撑的AlN纳米晶,完整无破损的区域约为1cm×1cm.定义这个生长机制为"生长-刻蚀-合并"过程.