Clinical and pathological aspects of filarial lymphedema and its management

Lymphatic filariasis, transmitted by mosquitoes is the commonest cause of lymphedema in endemic countries. Among 120 million infected people in 83 countries, up to 16 million have lymphedema. Microfilariae ingested by mosquitoes grow into infective larvae. These larvae entering humans after infected mosquito bites grow in the lymphatics to adult worms that cause damage to lymphatics resulting in dilatation of lymph vessels. This earliest pathology is demonstrated in adults as well as in children, by ultrasonography, lymphoscintigraphy and histopathology studies. Once established, this damage was thought to be irreversible. This lymphatic damage predisposes to bacterial infection that causes recurrent acute attacks of dermato-lymphangio-adenitis in the affected limbs. Bacteria, mainly streptococci gain entry into the lymphatics through 'entry lesions' in skin, like interdigital fungal infections, injuries, eczema or similar causes that disrupt integrity of skin. Attacks of dermato-lymphangio-adenitis aggravates lymphatic damage causing lymphedema, which gets worse with repeated acute attacks. Elephantiasis is a late manifestation of lymphatic filariasis, which apart from limbs may involve genitalia or breasts. Lymphedema management includes use of antifilarial drugs in early stages, treatment and prevention of acute attacks through 'limb-hygiene', antibiotics and antifungals where indicated, and physical measures to reduce the swelling. In selected cases surgery is helpful.     

Trypanosoma cruzi in non-human primates with a history of stillbirths: a retrospective study (Papio hamadryas spp.) and case report (Macaca fascicularis)

Background Congenital transmission of Trypanosoma cruzi has been described in humans and experimental work has been conducted with mice, but not with non‐human primates (NHPs). Methods We conducted a retrospective study of female baboons (Papio hamadryas spp.) naturally seropositive or seronegative for T. cruzi with history of fetal loss, and we report a stillbirth in a cynomolgus macaque (Macaca fascicularis) with placental T. cruzi amastigotes. Results There were no differences in menstrual cycle parameters and the number of fetal losses between seropositive and seronegative baboons with history of fetal loss. The amount of parasite DNA detected using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (Q‐PCR) in M. fascicularis placenta was within the range detected in infected baboon tissues. Conclusions There is no evidence that chronic maternal T. cruzi infection causes fetal loss in baboons. Q‐PCR is a useful diagnostic tool to study archived NHP placentas.     

Dental wear and oral pathology: possible evidence and consequences of habitual use of teeth in a Swedish Neolithic sample

Atypical wear and oral lesions were studied in the dental remains from the Middle Neolithic Pitted Ware Culture site Ajvide on the island of Gotland in the Baltic Sea. Teeth (n = 764) from 17 males and 11 females were examined microscopically to document unusual wear, assess wear patterns and oral lesions as evidence of habitual behavior, and determine their effect on the oral health of this population. Five atypical wear types were observed: occlusal facets, occlusal excessive load, labial vertical striae, labial horizontal striae, and interproximal striae. Three oral lesions were recorded: chipping, periapical lesions, and dental tilting. Results indicate that teeth were used in a habitual manner at Ajvide, based on the morphology and regularity of the patterns of atypical wear. Differences were observed between the sexes, indicating gender-related differences in the habitual use of teeth. Some wear categories showed a significant correlation with age, signifying increased or accumulated wear with age. Statistically significant positive correlations were found in the molars between occlusal excessive load wear and periapical lesions as well as tilting. Other apparent links were also observed between chipping and vertical striae as well as excessive load, although these were not significant. This suggests a relationship between dental wear and dental pathologies at this site, suggesting that habitual use of teeth indirectly affected the general oral health at the site. Wear patterns, furthermore, seem to mirror both frequent activities as well as single events.     

Recombinational Repair in Schizosaccharomyces pombe: A Role in Maintaining Genome Integrity

Recombinational DNA repair was first detected in budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiaeand was also studied in fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombeover the recent decade. The discovery of Sch. pombehomologs of the S. cerevisiae RAD52genes made it possible not only to identify and to clone their vertebrate counterparts, but also to study in detail the role of DNA recombination in certain cell processes. For instance, recombinational repair was shown to play a greater role in maintaining genome integrity in fission yeast and in vertebrates compared with S. cerevisiae. The present state of the problem of recombinational double-strand break repair in fission yeast is considered in this review with a focus on comparisons between Sch. pombeand higher eukaryotes. The role of double-strand break repair in maintaining genome stability is discussed.     

Ultrastructure of Necrotic Lesions in Nicotiana glutinosa Leaves Locally Infected with a Variant of Cucumber mosaic virus

CMV(Y/GM2)tr is a variant of Cucumber mosaic virus strain Y [CMV(Y)] which infects Nicotiana species, including N. glutinosa, to induce necrotic local lesions (NLLs) in inoculated leaves, although all other CMV strains including CMV(Y) systemically infect Nicotiana species. To investigate the morphological features of this unique host response in N. glutinosa leaves infected with CMV(Y/GM2)tr, the ultrastructure of cells surrounding completely collapsed NLLs in virus‐inoculated N. glutinosa leaves was compared with that of normal cells of mock‐inoculated N. glutinosa leaves. The changes, which have been reported in other several virus–host plant systems showing the hypersensitive response (HR), were frequently observed in cells surrounding the NLLs. Furthermore, clumping of the nuclear matrix within the nuclei, which is a feature of programmed cell death, also occurred in these cells. These results indicated that the HR‐like host response occurred at the fine structural level in the cells of N. glutinosa plants infected with CMV(Y/GM2)tr.     

Progressive formation of DNA lesions during treatment with anti-metabolites without incorporation of the drugs into DNA

Anti-metabolites, such as methotrexate, 5-fluoropyrimidines or hydroxyurea, induced progressive formation of DNA lesions. 5-Fluoropyrimidines induce DNA lesions either by incorporation of the drug into DNA or by a mechanism not involving incorporation. The second mechanism, not involving incorporation, is also seen with methotrexate and hydroxyurea. The three anti-metabolites have in common their ability to reduce intracellular levels of nucleotides, resulting in reduced efficiency of repair of DNA lesions. The lesions probably appear spontaneously, independently of the drug treatment.     

The origins and early elaboration of projectile technology

The ability of Homo sapiens to kill prey at a distance is arguably one of the catalysts for our current ecological dominance. Many researchers have suggested its origins lie in the African Middle Stone Age or the European Middle Palaeolithic (～300‐30 thousand years ago), but the perishable components of armatures rarely preserve. Most research on this subject therefore emphasises analysis of armature tip size, shape, and diagnostic impacts or residues. Other lines of evidence have included human skeletal anatomy or analyses of the species composition of faunal assemblages. Projectile Impact Marks (PIMs) on archaeofaunal remains offer an ideal complement to this work, but their potential has been restricted mainly to the later Eurasian zooarchaeological record. A review of current evidence and approaches shows that systematic PIM research could add much to our understanding of early projectile technology, especially in Africa.     

尼可地尔联合盐酸曲美他嗪治疗微血管性心绞痛的临床效果和安全性分析

目的:分析尼可地尔联合盐酸曲美他嗪治疗微血管性心绞痛的临床效果和安全性。方法:选择陕西省人民医院2013年1月-2017年1月收治的微血管性心绞痛患者518例为研究对象,根据入院顺序经随机数字表法分为对照组和研究组,对照组260例患者采用盐酸曲美他嗪进行治疗,研究组258例在对照组基础上联合尼可地尔进行治疗,对比两组患者的临床总有效率、内皮血管功能和不良反应发生率。结果:治疗后,研究组的总有效率[88.76%(229/258)]显著高于对照组[62.69%(163/260)](P0.05);治疗前,两组患者的一氧化氮(NO)、内皮素(ET-1)和C-反应蛋白(CRP)水平均无差异(P0.05);治疗后,两组患者的CRP、ET-1水平均低于治疗前,且研究组低于对照组(P0.05);NO水平均高于治疗前,且研究组高于对照组(P0.05);对照组患者在治疗后的总不良反应发生率为9.23%(24/260),与研究组[10.85%(28/258)]相比差异无统计学意义(P0.05)。结论:尼可地尔联合盐酸曲美他嗪较单用盐酸曲美他嗪治疗微血管性心绞痛的效果更好,其可显著改善患者内皮血管功能,且安全性与单用盐酸曲美他嗪相当。     

血清γ-谷氨酰转移酶与冠心病影响因素及血管病变严重程度的相关性研究

目的:探究血清γ-谷氨酰转移酶(GGT)水平与冠心病影响因素及患者血管病变严重程度之间的相关性。方法:选取2013年7月至2017年10月于我院经冠状动脉造影确诊为冠心病的61例患者为实验组,将其按照临床症状分为稳定性心绞痛组(下简称A组,20例)、不稳定性心绞痛组(下简称B组,21例)和急性心肌梗死组(下简称C组,20例),另选取同期于我院进行冠脉造影检查确诊为非冠心病的30例患者为对照组,检测和比较四组患者的空腹血糖(FBG)、总胆固醇(TC)、甘油三酯(TG)、收缩压(SBP)、舒张压(DBP)、尿酸等水平,而分析GGT与危险因素、冠脉Gensini评分的相关性。结果:(1)实验组患者血清FBG、TC、TG、SBP、DBP、尿酸水平均高于对照组患者,差异具有统计学意义(P0.05);(2)GGT水平与冠心病上述危险因素呈正相关性(r=0.236、0.351、0.316、0.239、0.301、0.395,P=0.035、0.000、0.000、0.034、0.001、0.000);(3)四组患者GGT及Gensini评分均按照C组B组A组对照组的趋势变化,且各组间对比差异具有统计学意义(P0.05);(4)冠心病患者血清GGT水平与Gensini评分呈正相关性(r=0.681,P=0.000)。结论:冠心病患者血清GGT水平与血清FBG、TC、TG、SBP、DBP、尿酸水平及血管病变的严重程度均呈显著正相关,其可能作为预测冠心病患者病变程度的参考指标。