Analysis of two IL-4 promoter polymorphisms in a cohort of atopic and asthmatic subjects

The Th2 cytokine interleukin 4 (IL-4) has been identified as having a central role in driving the inflammatory immune responses which are present in atopic airway disease. This study examined the distribution of two putative IL-4 promoter polymorphisms (-285 C-T and -81 A-G) in groups of patients with severe and moderate asthma, non-asthmatic atopy and control subjects. Neither polymorphism was identified in any of the samples tested. The data suggest that either the polymorphisms are present at very low frequencies or are artefacts of the B cell lines from which they were identified.     

用小波变换提取视觉诱发电位信号

视觉诱发电位（ＶＥＰ）信号的动态提取及处理具有重要的临床意义。通过硬件采集的ＶＥＰ信号经过叠加平均处理后仍含有大量背景噪声，不能直接用于诊断分析。小波变换是一种新兴时频分析方法，适于分析非平稳信号。在我们研制的视觉生理地形图系统中，成功地用它从背景噪声中提取出ＶＥＰ信号，完成信号的预处理。     

Case report: human herpesvirus 7 associated fatal encephalitis in a peripheral blood stem cell transplant recipient

Previous studies have suggested a neuroinvasive and neuropersistent potential of human herpesvirus 7 (HHV-7). In this report, a case of fatal encephalitis is described and its association with HHV-7 infection is discussed. An 8-year-old girl received a peripheral blood stem cell transplant for relapsed acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. The post-transplant period was uneventful and a course of intrathecal chemotherapy was given on Day-30. On Day-41, she developed acute encephalopathy with diplopia and nystagmus. She ran a rapid downhill course and succumbed despite antiviral treatment. The only positive pathological finding was the multiple microscopic foci of haemorrhage associated with neuronal degeneration detected in the brain stem. All microbiological investigations were negative, except for the presence of HHV-7 DNA in cerebrospinal fluid and brain stem tissue samples.     

Gene therapy of cancer based on interleukin 12

Tumor formation and growth depends mainly on the inability of the organism to elicit a potent immune response, and on the formation of new blood vessels that enable tumor nutrition. Interleukin-12 (IL-12) therapy can target both processes. And IL-12-based gene therapy may restrict IL-12 production to the relevant site in order to obtain enhanced antitumor activity and reduced toxicity. In the clinical setting, IL-12 gene transfer can be used either to improve the pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic profile of the cytokine, to transduce dendritic cells or to enhance the efficiency of antitumor vaccination. It can also synergize with other procedures involving the simultaneous transfer of other transgenes or non-gene based strategies. The strong anti-tumoral power shown in many different animal models has not been found in early clinical trials in which cancer patients were treated by peritumoral injections of autologous fibroblasts producing IL-12, intratumoral injections of an adenoviral vector encoding human IL-12 genes, or intratumoral injection of autologous dendritic cells transduced ex vivo with this same adenoviral vector. However, these trials have set the proof-of-concept that local production of IL-12 inside a tumor can stimulate tumor infiltration by effector immune cells and that in some cases it is followed by tumor regression. From the many questions that arise after these disappointing results the most relevant concerns the duration and intensity of transgene expression and the capability to monitor this topics in vivo. New vectors that might achieve regulated, long-term production of this cytokine might have better results and merit clinical testing.     

Lymphocyte subsets in Heymann nephritis

Altered ratios of T lymphocyte subsets have recently been reported in some forms of glomerulonephritis, including membranous glomerulonephritis. Heymann nephritis is a model of membranous glomerulonephritis that can be induced in susceptible strains of rat by a single subcutaneous injection of renal tubular antigen in Freund's complete adjuvant. Monoclonal antibodies were used to identify cytotoxic/suppressor and helper/inducer T cells in the blood, spleen, peripheral lymph nodes, and, where relevant, the lymph node draining the antigen injection site in susceptible and nonsusceptible rat strains before and after immunization with renal tubular antigen. A marked interstrain variation in the proportions of T lymphocyte subsets was found, but this did not segregate strains that are susceptible to Heymann nephritis induction from those that are resistant. Neither the development of Heymann nephritis in susceptible strains or immunization of resistant strains with renal tubular antigen was associated with any specific alteration in the T lymphocyte subpopulations.     

前列腺增生症趋于年轻化的探讨

目的:探讨不同年龄组前列腺增生症的检出率及原因,以达到早发现,早预防,早治疗的目的.方法:应用Acuson 128xp超声显像仪诊断前列腺增生症.结果:前列腺增生症检出率:35岁～39岁纽1053例,检出8例(0.76%);40岁～44岁组1550例,检出30例(1.68%);45岁～49岁组2855例,检出486例(17.0%);50岁～54岁组2784例,检出715例(25.7%);55岁～59岁2924例,检出1231例(37.5%);60岁～64岁组2450例,检出1521例(62.1%);65岁～69岁组1241例,检出826例(66.6%);70岁～74岁组1118例,检出711例(63.6%);≥75岁组588例,检出293例(49.8%).结论:前列腺增生症并非老年人特有疾病,似有年轻化趋势.     

Potential impact of hormonal male contraception: cross-cultural implications for development of novel preparations

The prospect of a hormonal male contraceptive is no longer distant. Data on the potential impact of this improvement in contraceptive provision, however, is limited, particularly between different cultures. We have therefore carried out a multi-centre study to assess men's attitudes to proposed novel hormonal methods. Questionnaire-based structured interviews were administered to men in Edinburgh, Cape Town, Shanghai and Hong Kong. Approximately 450 men were interviewed in Edinburgh, Shanghai and Hong Kong, and a slightly larger group (n = 493) in Cape Town to give samples (n > 150) of black, coloured and white men. Knowledge of existing male and female methods of contraception was high in all centres and groups. The majority of men welcomed a new hormonal method of contraception, 44-83% stating that they would use a male contraceptive pill. Overall, a pill was more acceptable than an injectable form (most popularly given at 3-6 month intervals); long-acting implants were least so except in Shanghai. Familiarity with comparable female methods appeared to influence acceptability, for both oral and injectable methods. Hong Kong was the only centre where a male method (condom) was currently the most commonly used; men there appeared to rate the convenience of condoms highly while being least likely to think that they provided effective protection against pregnancy compared to other centres, and were least enthusiastic about novel male methods. The acceptability of potential male hormonal methods of contraception was high in some groups but showed wide variability, determining factors including cultural background and current contraceptive usage. These results suggest that the emerging emphasis that men should have greater involvement in family planning will be substantiated when appropriate contraceptive methods become available.