Generation of species-specific antihemoglobin antibodies by immunization with synthetic peptides of human hemoglobin

Four peptides (7–16 residues) representing nonconserved regions of human hemoglobin (Hb) were selected for synthesis by comparison of the amino acid sequence of human Hb with those of the most common domesticated animals. Mouse antisera resulting from immunization with the synthetic peptides were investigated for binding to a panel of animal Hbs using solid-phase radioimmunoassay (RIA). One of the peptides elicited antibodies which bound specifically to human Hb, but not to any Hb of the nonprimate animals tested. The results show that the peptide immunogen chosen on the basis of dissimilarity between regions of different species is useful for the generation of species-specific antibodies. Such antibodies could serve as valuable tools for clinical screening of fecal occult blood trait and for forensic identification of bloodstains of human origin.     

Age at acquisition of Helicobacter pylori in a pediatric Canadian First Nations population

Background. Few data exist regarding the epidem‐iology of Helicobacter pylori infections in aboriginal, including the First Nations (Indian) or Inuit (Eskimo) populations of North America. We have previously found 95% of the adults in Wasagamack, a First Nations community in Northeastern Manitoba, Canada, are seropositive for H. pylori. We aimed to determine the age at acquisition of H. pylori among the children of this community, and if any association existed with stool occult blood or demographic factors. Materials and Methods. We prospectively enrolled children resident in the Wasagamack First Nation in August 1999. A demographic questionnaire was administered. Stool was collected, frozen and batch analyzed by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for H. pylori antigen and for the presence of occult blood. Questionnaire data were analyzed and correlated with the presence or absence of H. pylori. Results. 163 (47%) of the estimated 350 children aged 6 weeks to 12 years, resident in the community were enrolled. Stool was positive for H. pylori in 92 (56%). By the second year of life 67% were positive for H. pylori. The youngest to test positive was 6 weeks old. There was no correlation of a positive H. pylori status with gender, presence of pets, serum Hgb, or stool occult blood. Forty‐three percent of H. pylori positive and 24% of H. pylori negative children were < 50th percentile for height (p = 0.024). Positive H. pylori status was associated with the use of indoor pail toileting (86/143) compared with outhouse toileting (6/20) (p = 0.01). Conclusions. In a community with widespread H. pylori infection, overcrowded housing and primitive toileting, H. pylori is acquired as early as 6 weeks of age, and by the second year of life 67% of children test positive for H. pylori.     

粪便DNA突变检测在快速筛选大肠癌中的应用

大肠癌是发病率和死亡率都很高的常见疾病, 对高危人群进行大规模的普查筛选, 可以降低大肠癌的发生率和死亡率。粪便DNA突变检测是新近发展的可用作大肠癌普查的技术, 与常规结肠镜检测和大便隐血实验相比, 具有特异性高、灵敏度高和易于被患者接受等优点。文章阐述了粪便DNA突变检测的相关基因、肿瘤特异性DNA提取方法和检测方法等, 并对其在快速筛选大肠癌中的应用进行了展望。大肠癌是发病率和死亡率都很高的常见疾病, 对高危人群进行大规模的普查筛选, 可以降低大肠癌的发生率和死亡率。粪便DNA突变检测是新近发展的可用作大肠癌普查的技术, 与常规结肠镜检测和大便隐血实验相比, 具有特异性高、灵敏度高和易于被患者接受等优点。文章阐述了粪便DNA突变检测的相关基因、肿瘤特异性DNA提取方法和检测方法等, 并对其在快速筛选大肠癌中的应用进行了展望。     

Colonoscopic surveillance of first-degree relatives of colorectal cancer patients in a faecal occult blood screening programme

Background: In some Italian areas, colonoscopic surveillance of first-degree relatives (FDRs) of colorectal cancer (CRC) patients is provided as a part of local population-based faecal occult blood test (FOBT) screening programmes. The objective of the present study was to assess the feasibility and early results of this surveillance model. Methods: Data from district screening centres were used to evaluate the process of identification and selection of eligible FDRs (residence in the Emilia-Romagna Region, age 40–75 years, no recent colonoscopy) of screen-detected CRC patients and the detected prevalence of disease. The probability for an FDR to undergo colonoscopy and to be diagnosed with CRC and advanced adenoma was estimated using the Kaplan–Meier method. The sex- and age-standardised ratio of detected prevalence to that expected based on results from a colonoscopy screening study of the Italian general population was estimated. Results: Between 2005 and 2011, 9319 FDRs of 2437 screen-detected CRC patients (3.8 per patient) were identified and contacted. Their likelihood of being eligible for, and accepting, colonoscopy was 0.11 (95% confidence interval: 0.11–0.12). Among the 926 subjects undergoing colonoscopy, the prevalence of previous negative screening FOBT was 63%. Eleven CRCs (1.2%) and 100 advanced adenomas (10.8%) were detected. The standardised ratio of detected prevalence to that expected was 0.91 (95% confidence interval: 0.19–2.66) for CRC and 1.48 (1.04–2.05) for advanced adenoma. Conclusions: The procedure of selection of FDRs was extremely ineffective. Due to previous negative screening tests, the prevalence of disease was less than expected. A population-based FOBT screening programme is a highly unsuitable setting for the provision of surveillance to FDRs of CRC patients.     

Participation in a government-subsidised colorectal cancer screening programme for asymptomatic individuals in Hong Kong

BackgroundA Government-subsidised colorectal cancer screening programme (CRCSP) was launched in Hong Kong. This study aimed to assess the participation rate in CRCSP among Chinese individuals between the ages of 50 and 75 years and to survey individuals’ reasons for declining to participate in the CRCSP.MethodsA cross-sectional study was performed. Asymptomatic Chinese individuals aged 50–75 years in Hong Kong who did not have a history of colorectal cancer were recruited. A survey was used to collect information about individuals’ participation in the CRCSP.ResultsThe survey was completed by 1317 participants. Of these, 432 (32.8%) joined the CRCSP and the remaining 885 participants (67.2%) did not join the CRCSP. The most common reason that participants provided for not joining the CRCSP was thinking that the screening was not necessary because they had no health problems (29.3%). Some (14.4%) of the participants claimed to lack information about the CRCSP and screening procedures. Some (12.5%) of them completed the screening before the CRCSP was launched, and the cost was covered by other sources.ConclusionThe participation in CRCSP for a screening among the Hong Kong population has generally increased, but obstacles to participating in screening programme remain.     

匹拉米洞法、邻联甲苯胺法和联苯胺法 检测林麝便隐血的比较

圈养林麝(Moschusberezovskii)长期受困于消化道类疾病,尤其是肠道炎症性疾病患病率和死亡率一直居高不下。粪便检测是评估野生动物消化系统是否存在出血情况的有效方法之一,并且在圈养林麝肠道健康状况评估及肠道炎症性疾病临床诊断等方面提供了一定的诊断依据。粪便隐血在消化道出血诊断中有广泛的临床诊断价值。基于此,本研究用新鲜的林麝血液进行稀释,来探究匹拉米洞法、邻联甲苯胺法和联苯胺法三种方法对林麝血液浓度的灵敏度范围。检测结果显示,匹拉米洞法的最低敏感性检测浓度为0.05 mg/L,敏感性范围远大于邻联甲苯胺法(0.40 mg/L)和联苯胺法(100.00 mg/L)。分别利用三种检测方法对林麝粪便潜血进行检测,比较检测结果的阳性率,结果显示,匹拉米洞法的检测效果优于其他两种方法,阳性率分别为匹拉米洞法检测法10.13%、邻联甲苯胺法检测法2.56%和联苯胺法检测法0,差异有诊断学意义(P 0.05)。而且在操作上,匹拉米洞法更加简便快捷。故在诊断林麝消化道出血时,采用匹拉米洞法进行林麝便隐血的检测更加准确便捷。     

氨甲环酸在老年股骨转子间骨折伤后早期的应用研究

摘要 目的：研究老年股骨转子间骨折伤后早期使用氨甲环酸（tranexamic acid,TXA）的有效性和安全性。方法：2021年4月到2021年8月选择在本院诊治的符合纳入标准的老年股骨转子间骨折患者70例作为研究对象,根据随机数字表法把患者分为TXA组与对照组各35例。TXA组于伤后6小时内静脉滴注TXA1g（与100 mL生理盐水配伍,半小时滴完）,对照组伤后6小时内静脉滴注生理盐水100 mL。观察指标：入院即刻及伤后第1、2天和术前清晨红细胞压积（Hct）、红细胞（RBC）、血红蛋白（Hb）、纤维蛋白原（FIB）、D-二聚体（D-Dimer）。术前2小时、术后2周查下肢静脉血管B超明确有无下肢深静脉血栓形成。观察记录术后伤口感染、伤后出血并发症发生情况。疗效指标包括术前隐性失血量、术前输血率。安全性指标为围手术期深静脉血栓发生率、术后伤口并发症发生率。结果：（1）两组患者伤后第1、2天和术前清晨红细胞压积、红细胞、血红蛋白水平和D-二聚体随时间延长逐渐降低,纤维蛋白原逐渐增加（P＜0.05）。伤后第1、2天和术前清晨TXA组红细胞压积、红细胞、血红蛋白水平均高于对照组（P＜0.001）。（2）伤后第1、2天和术前清晨两组隐性失血量随时间延长逐渐增加,TXA组隐性失血量均低于对照组（P＜0.001）。（3）TXA组术前输血率显著低于对照组（P＜0.001）。结论：TXA伤后早期应用可有效降低老年股骨转子间骨折患者术前的隐性失血量,降低术前输血率,不增加围手术期深静脉血栓发生率,且减少术后伤口并发症。     

Occult hepatitis C virus infection in patients with beta-thalassemia major: Is it a neglected and unexplained phenomenon?

Occult hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection (OCI) is described as the presence of viral genome in both hepatocytes and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) despite constant negative results on serum HCV RNA tests. Beta-thalassemia major (BTM) describes a group of inherited blood diseases. Patients with BTM require repeated blood transfusions, increasing the risk of exposure to infectious agents. We aimed to assess the prevalence of OCI in Iranian BTM patients and to identify the role of host factors in OCI positivity. A total of 181 BTM patients with HCV negative markers were selected. HCV RNA was tested in PBMCs using nested polymerase chain reaction assay. The positive samples were then genotyped via restriction fragment-length polymorphism (RFLP) and 5′-untranslated region sequencing. Six (3.3%) out of 181 BTM patients had viral HCV genomes in PBMC samples. Three (50.0%), two (33.3%), and one (16.7%) out of these six patients were infected with HCV-1b, HCV-1a, and HCV-3a, respectively. OCI positivity was significantly associated with the serum level of uric acid (P = 0.045) and ABO blood group (P = 0.032). Also, OCI patients had unfavorable IFNL3 rs12979860 TT, IFNL3 rs8099917 GG, IFNL3 rs12980275 GG, and IFNL4 ss469415590 ∆G/∆G genotypes. In conclusion, we indicated the low frequency of OCI in BTM patients. Nevertheless, more attention is warranted considering the importance of this infection. Also, further studies are necessary to determine the actual prevalence of OCI among BTM patients in Iran.     

Response of fecal cortisol to stress in captive chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes)

This study examined whether fecal cortisol could be used as an index of stress responses. The stress responsiveness of fecal cortisol was tested with a stressor known to stimulate adrenal activity, the stress of anesthesia. Daily fecal and urine samples were collected from four captive chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) before and after anesthetizations with Telazol^®/Ketasat^®. Tests of assay validity indicated that cortisol was measurable in chimpanzee fecal extracts. Fecal cortisol concentrations were significantly elevated 2 days after anesthetization, with elevations in seven of the eight treatments. The posttreatment peak was significantly greater than baseline values in three of the four subjects. Both fecal concentrations and proportionate increases in response to stress were significantly correlated with the corresponding values in urinary cortisol, confirming the stressfulness of these procedures and the stress responsiveness of fecal cortisol. These findings provide evidence for the application of fecal cortisol as a noninvasive index of physiologic stress in nonhuman primates. Am. J. Primatol. 44:57–69, 1998. © 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Attempted cleaning of bloodstains and its effect on the forensic luminol test.

The forensic luminol test has long been valued for its ability to detect trace amounts of blood that are invisible to the naked eye. This is the first quantitative study to determine the effect on the luminol test when an attempt is made to clean bloodstained tiles with a known interfering catalyst (bleach). Tiles covered with either wet or dry blood were tested, and either water or sodium hypochlorite solution (bleach) was used to clean the tiles. As expected, the chemiluminescence intensity produced when luminol was applied generally decreased with the number of times that a tile was cleaned with water, until the chemiluminescence was neither visible nor detectable. However, when the tiles were cleaned with bleach there was an initial drop in chemiluminescence intensity, followed by a rise to a consistently high value, visibly indistinguishable from that of blood. Examination of bleach drying time suggested that any interfering effect becomes negligible after 8 h.     

Occult hepatitis B virus infection among injecting drug users in the Central-West Region of Brazil

The prevalence of occult hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection was investigated in 149 hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) negative injecting drug users (IDUs) in the Central-West Region of Brazil. Of these individuals, 19 were positive for HBV DNA, resulting in an occult HBV infection prevalence of 12.7% (19/149); six of these 19 individuals had anti-HBV core and/or anti-HBV surface antibodies and 13 were negative for HBV markers. All IDUs with occult hepatitis B reported sexual and/or parenteral risk behaviours. All HBV DNA-positive samples were successfully genotyped. Genotype D was the most common (17/19), followed by genotype A (2/19). These findings reveal a high prevalence of occult HBV infection and the predominance of genotype D among IDUs in Brazil''s Central-West Region.     

A comparison of the presumptive luminol test for blood with four non-chemiluminescent forensic techniques.

Presumptive blood detection tests are used by forensic investigators to detect trace amounts of blood or to investigate suspicious stains. Through the years, a number of articles have been published on the popular techniques of the day. However, there is no single paper that critiques and compares the five most common presumptive blood detection tests currently in use: luminol, phenolphthalein (Kastle-Meyer), leucomalachite green, Hemastix and the forensic light source. The present authors aimed to compare the above techniques with regard to their sensitivity, ease of use and safety. The luminol test was determined to be the most sensitive of the techniques, while Hemastix is a suitable alternative when the luminol test is not appropriate.     

革兰阴性菌引起的血培养阳性标本直接细菌鉴定和药敏的应用

目的 评估血培养阳性标本直接细菌鉴定和药敏可行性.方法 将血培养瓶放入Bact/Alert 3D 60血培养系统进行培养筛选.选取78份含革兰阴性杆菌的阳性血培养瓶进行试验.抽取培养液,用BD真空分离管离心血细胞.在收集到足量菌液后,用VITEK-32革兰阴性菌鉴定药敏卡做直接鉴定药敏试验.用标准方法及亚培养后的鉴定药敏试验对直接鉴定药敏试验进行评估.结果 VITEK-32直接鉴定试验,78株中的74株(94.9％)准确鉴定,直接药敏试验标准符合率95.6％.KB法血标本直接药敏试验标准符合率96.2％,但微小错误率高于VITEK-32直接药敏法.结论 Bact/Alert血培养阳性标本直接VITEK-32细菌鉴定和药敏对革兰阴性菌是切实可行的,可大幅度缩短时间,为临床及时修正用药提供依据,具有较高的应用价值.     

Melengestrol acetate implant contraception in addax (Addax Nasomaculatus) and Arabian oryx (Oryx Leucoryx)

Melengestrol acetate (MGA) implants were used for contraception in three addax and three Arabian oryx females housed at the Saint Louis Zoo. Serum estradiol and progesterone or fecal estrogen and progestin analysis and ultrasonography of reproductive tracts were used for monitoring changes before, during, and after MGA treatment. Follicular development and irregular uterine fluid accumulation were detected in all females during MGA treatment. Although housed with an intact male for all or most of the contraceptive period, no pregnancies occurred. One female addax may have ovulated, based on sustained elevated progesterone levels, and another showed continued follicle development, as seen by fluctuating estradiol concentrations. Reversibility was documented in two of the three addax that resumed reproductive cycles post‐MGA‐implant removal, whereas the third, a peripubertal female, did not cycle before, during, or after treatment. Addax females were lost to further follow‐up after transfer to another institution, so the possibility of subsequent pregnancies is not known. All three Arabian oryx ovulated during the initial MGA treatment, but two of the three females had implants past the typical 2‐year efficacy period. They had regular ovulatory cycles after implant removal, with mean cycle length of 27.5±1.5 days and mean luteal phase duration of 15.2±0.7 days. Reversibility was further shown in all three oryx by pregnancies after placement with a male approximately 2 years after MGA implant removal. Two produced healthy calves, but the third died owing to an unrelated terminal illness in the mother. Zoo Biol 26:299–310, 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Patterns of anogenital swelling size and their endocrine correlates during ovulatory cycles and early pregnancy in free-ranging barbary macaques (Macaca sylvanus) of Gibraltar

In macaques and other cercopithecoid primates, large anogenital swellings (AS) are generally found only in those species in which reproduction is not seasonally restricted. In this respect, the Barbary macaque is unusual because while it shows a marked degree of reproductive seasonality, it also exhibits a striking, exaggerated swelling of the circumanal region and labia. Information on the characteristics of AS in female Barbary macaques is limited in that it is largely based on semiquantitative assessments of swelling size, and there are no data on endocrine parameters associated with AS during ovulatory cycles or early pregnancy. In the present study, we combined quantitative measurements of four swelling size parameters (AS width, height, and depth, and labial width) using a video-imaging technique with fecal estrogen and progestagen determinations in free-ranging females of the Gibraltar Barbary macaque population to 1) characterize the pattern of AS throughout the mating season and early gestation, and 2) examine the relationships among changes in swelling size and endocrine parameters. The patterns of all four swelling parameters correlated significantly with one another, although measures of AS depth and labial width were difficult to obtain. Using the product of AS height and width, the data demonstrate that the occurrence of AS is highly seasonal, with pronounced cyclical changes during the mating season and early pregnancy. Furthermore, the swelling cycles are characterized by progressive size increases from the early to the late follicular phase, in association with an elevated estrogen:progestagen (E:P) ratio, with ovulation occurring during the maximum swelling phase. The results also demonstrated a conspicuous postconception increase in swelling between days 18-30 of gestation. The postconception swellings were on average 80% of the size of that of the conception cycles, and were preceded by a large increase in fecal estrogen levels and the E:P ratio. This is the first study to characterize swelling patterns and their endocrine correlates during ovarian cycles and early pregnancy in naturally reproducing female Barbary macaques. The data provide a solid basis for further studies to explore sociosexual behavioral patterns and the functional significance of AS in this species.     

Seasonal Changes of Reproductive Behavior and Fecal Steroid Concentrations in Père David's Deer

From July 1997 to September 1997 and from March 1998 to July 1998, we studied reproductive behaviors of Père David's deer in Dafeng, China. During the field behavioral observations, we collected fresh voided fecal samples from the Père David's stags and hinds periodically and kept those samples under −20°C until laboratory analysis. We analyzed the fecal testosterone, estradiol, and progesterone concentrations in those samples using radioimmunoassay. During this study, we also recorded 17 types of male reproductive behaviors and nine types of female reproductive behaviors. Reproductive behaviors and the fecal steroid concentrations showed overt seasonal fluctuations. There were statistically significant correlations between some male reproductive behaviors, such as anogenital sniffing, urine sniffing, urine spraying, wallowing, bellowing, antler adorning, Antler swags mud, chasing, herding hinds, chin resting, mounting and copulating, with the fecal testosterone concentrations. These results suggested that seasonal reproductive behaviors in stags are strongly associated with circulating testosterone. We also found that some female reproductive behaviors fluctuate corresponding with changes in fecal estrogen concentrations. Although there was no direct evidence to confirm the correlations between female reproductive behaviors and fecal estrogen in our experiment, we could not rule out that reproductive activities of hinds were largely related to ovarian estrogen secretion, and estrogen is necessary for inducing female reproductive behaviors.     

Excretion of estrone,estradiol, and progesterone in the urine and feces of the female cotton-top tamarin (Saguinus oedipus oedipus)

The excretion of three gonadal steroids was studied in the urine and feces of female cotton-top tamarins (Saguinus oedipus oedipus). Each steroid, ¹⁴C-estrone, ¹⁴C-estradiol, and ¹⁴C-progesterone, was injected into a separate female cotton-top tamarin. Urine and feces were collected at 8 hr intervals for 5 days on the three tamarins. Samples were analyzed to determine the proportion of free and conjugated steroids. Steroid excretion patterns were determined by sequential ether extraction, enzyme hydrolysis, and chromatography. Labeled estrone was excreted in a slow and continuous manner into the urine (57%) and feces (43%) with 90% of the steroid conjugated. The nonconjugated form had an elution profile identical to ³H estrone, but the conjugated portion was not completely hydrolyzed by enzyme. Labeled estradiol was excreted primarily in the urine (87%) and was released rapidly. Over 90% of the injected ¹⁴C-estradiol was excreted in urine as a conjugate, of which 41% was converted to an estrone conjugate and the remaining 59% was excreted as a polar estradiol conjugate. Labeled progesterone was excreted primarily in the feces (95%), 61% of which was free steroid. Four to six individual peaks of radioactivity were found when using celite chromatography and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), indicating that progesterone is metabolized into several urinary and fecal metabolites. One of these peaks matched ³H-progesterone and others may be pregnanediols, pregnanetriols, and 17-hydroxyprogesterone. These steroidal excretion patterns help explain the atypical hormonal patterns seen during the tamarin ovarian cycle.     

Medium-Chain Fatty Acids Enhanced the Excretion of Fecal Cholesterol and Cholic Acid in C57BL/6J Mice Fed a Cholesterol-Rich Diet

The objective of the present study was to investigate the cholesterol-reducing effect of medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs) completed by elevated excretion of fecal neutral steroids and/or bile acids. Blood and liver lipid profiles, fecal neutral steroids, bile acids, and mRNA and protein expression of the genes relevant to cholesterol homeostasis were measured and analyzed in C57BL/6J mice fed a cholesterol-rich diet with 2% caprylic acid or capric acid for 12 weeks. Blood total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c) levels were reduced significantly as compared to diet with palmitic acid or stearic acid. Caprylic acid promoted the excretion of fecal neutral steroids, especially cholesterol. The excretion of fecal bile acids, mainly in the form of cholic acid was enhanced and accompanied by elevated expression of mRNA and the protein of hepatic cholesterol 7α-hydroxylase (CYP7A1). These results indicate that MCFAs can reduce blood cholesterol by promoting the excretion of fecal cholesterol and cholic acid.