Melatonin treatment for rhythm disorder

Abstract We tried melatonin treatment in two patients with non-24 h sleep-wake syndrome, who did not respond to treatments by vitamin B₁₂, bright light therapy, or hypnotics. In one patient, melatonin 5–10 mg improved difficulty in falling asleep and in waking, although it failed to improve the sleep-wake rhythm. In another patient, melatonin 3 mg successfully changed the sleep-wake rhythm from free-running pattern to delayed sleep phase pattern. However, melatonin re-administration after a 4-month drug-free interval failed to improve his free-running sleep-wake rhythm. These results suggest that melatonin acted as a sleep inducer in one patient and as a phase setter in the other, although the effect on the latter patient was transient.     

食管癌3p24等位基因LOH及其扩增产物克隆的研究

目的；研究3p24EAβMD位点与食管癌的关系。为寻找该位点附近可能存在的抑癌基因奠定基础。方法：采用PCR—RFLP法检测45例食管癌患者3p24位点杂合缺失情况。并对该片段进行克隆。结果：在22例食管癌信息个体中共检出9例杂合缺失。并通过序列分析可知变化为点突变。结论：3p24EAβMD较高的杂合缺失率显示该位点附近可能存在潜在的抑癌基因。     

CD24 expression on human keratinocytes

Abstract: CD24 or Nectadrin is a cell surface glycoprotein expressed in pre-B lymphocytes, T lymphocytes, neurons, muscle cells and carcinoma cells. Its function is not completely known, but it has been suggested that it is involved in cell adhesion and signalling. CD24 has recently been identified as the human molecule homologous to the murine heat-stable antigen (HSA). HSA is expressed by murine keratinocytes and delivers costimulatory signals in T-cell activation. Long-term cultures of normal human keratinocytes (HKC) were obtained from skin of human female breast sections and either left untreated or were treated with phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA) at 10–100 ng/ml, calcium 0.5–2 mM or IFN-γ 100–1000 U/ml, for 24–48 h. Using RT-PCR and flow cytometry we showed that HKC express low levels of CD24 even under basal conditions, and the treatment with calcium, PMA or IFN-γ increased levels of CD24 mRNA and protein. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report to measure CD24 expression and production by cultured HKC in basal conditions and after stimulation. Further studies are needed to determine biological and therapeutical relevance of these findings.     

Detection of HLA-A*24 null alleles by DNA typing methods

Abstract: A number of cases have been identified (seven unrelated individuals from the Northern Ireland bone marrow donor registry and two family groups) where an HLA-A*24 allele fails to express the normal HLA-A24 antigen. Family information has revealed common haplotypes with respect to each non-expressed allele indicating that the occurrence of these mutations has been a recent event. Two methods for the clinical typing of these alleles have been evaluated - PCR-SSOP and PCR-SSCP analysis.     

Ambulatory 24-hour esophageal pH monitoring

If 24-hour esophageal pH monitoring is to be a useful diagnostic tool, it must reliably discriminate gastroesophageal reflux patients despite daily variations in distal esophageal acid exposure. To address this issue, we studied 53 subjects (14 healthy normals, 14 esophagitis patients, and 25 patients with atypical symptoms) with two ambulatory pH tests performed within 10 days of each other. Intrasubject reproducibility of 12 pH parameters to discriminate the presence of abnormal acid reflux was determined. As a group, the parameters of percent time with pH<4 (total, upright, recumbent) were most reproducible (80%). Therefore, a subject was defined as having gastroesophageal reflux disease if at least one of these three values were abnormal. Intrasubject reproducibility for the diagnosis of reflux disease was 89% for the entire sample. Among subsets, the reproducibility was 93% for the normals and esophagitis patients and 84% for the atypical symptom patients. Total percent time with pH<4 was the single most discriminate pH parameter (85%) and nearly equaled that of the three combined parameters (89%). The intrasubject variability of this parameter was determined by the mean ±2sd of the relative differences between the two test results for all 53 subjects. Total percent time with pH<4 may vary between tests by a factor of 3.2-fold or less (218% higher to 69% lower). We conclude: (1) ambulatory 24-hr esophageal monitoring is a reproducible test for the diagnosis of gastroesophageal reflux disease; and (2) the large intrastudy variability in 24-hr total acid exposure may limit this test's usefulness as a measurement of therapeutic improvement.Supported, in part, by Public Health Services Grant AM 34200-01A1 from NIADDIK.     

基于非标准协议无线通信的个人健康监护系统设计

基于非标准协议的短距离无线通信，具有成本低、易开发、低功耗的优点，非常适用于小范围内的数据传输。提出一种基于非标准无线通信芯片nRF24L01的个人健康监护系统设计方案，并将其与现有的、基于标准协议无线通信的个人健康监护系统进行比较。结果表明：基于非标准协议无线通信的个人健康监护系统具有效率高、功耗低、通信性能好的特点。     

Impact of Ingested Liquids on 24-Hour Ambulatory pH Tests

A prospective investigation of the impact ofingested liquids on 24-hr pH test scores was conducted.Eighty-two patients contributed 142 samples. The liquidsused were coffee/tea (N = 35), water (N = 32), fruit juice (N = 29), cola (N = 34), and beer (N =12). The pH of cola, juice, and beer are approximately3.0. The parameters studied included: total test time,total drink time, total minutes of pH < 4.0 during drink, minutes of pH < 4.0 10 min beforedrink, and minutes of pH < 4.0 10 min followingdrink. Analysis was performed using one-way ANOVA andrepeated measures. Age of patients, total test time, and total time pH < 4.0 were notsignificantly different (P > 0.05). The total time toconsume the drink was significantly greater (P <0.05) for beer than all other liquids. The total time(7.7 ± 6.0 min) pH < 4.0 for cola wassignificantly different (P < 0.023) than beer (3.3± 3.7 min), tea/coffee (1.4 ± 6.5 min),and water (1.1 ± 2.5 min). The percentage oftotal time pH < 4.0 was not significantly different (P >0.05) among any of the liquids. The percentage of timepH < 4.0 during the drink was the highest for cola(63 ± 47%) and juice (51 ± 57%); water,coffee/tea, and beer were not significantly different (P> 0.05). Although the impact of cola and juice werethe greatest, none of these had an impact that exceeded0.5%. The lack of impact of beer appears to be due to the increased period of time it takes toconsume. We conclude that the impact of ingested fluidsis minimal and can probably be disregarded in mostpatient groups.     

Characteristics of β-endorphin-induced histamine release from rat serosal mast cells Comparison with neurotensin,dynorphin and compound 48/80

Summary Rat peritoneal mast cells were exposed to the neurohormone and basic opioid peptide -endorphin. -Endorphin induced a dose-dependent release of histamine from the mast cells. A significant histamine release was found at 5 mol/l of -endorphin and maximal release (35% of total) at 20 mol/l. The histamine release process was very rapid and terminated within 30 s at 37°C, and in this sense is very similar to the histamine release induced by compound 48/80 or neurotensin. The histamine release was temperature-dependent showing an optimum release around 30°C, and it was independent of available extracellular calcium, but was inhibited in the presence of high extracellular calcium concentrations. Naloxone, only in very high concentrations (10 mmol/l), inhibited the release, and the very same concentration also inhibited the neurotensin — as well as the compound 48/80-induced histamine release. Cromoglycate and benzalkoniumchloride, a 48/80 antagonist, both produced a progressive dose-dependent inhibition of -endorphin-, neurotensin- as well as compound 48/80-induced histamine release. Taken together, the findings indicate that the opioid peptide -endorphin induces a selective, energy-dependent release of histamine from peritoneal rat mast cells. The pattern of release has much in common with that of compound 48/80 and other basic peptides, such as neurotensin and substance P. In addition this pattern of release is similar to that induced by dynorphin. Send offprint requests to Anita Sydbom at the above address