Identification and characterization of mitochondria autoantigens in progressive systemic sclerosis: identity with the 72,000 dalton autoantigen in primary biliary cirrhosis

Sera from eight out of 62 (14.5%) patients with progressive systemic sclerosis (PSS) reacted by immunoblotting with a 72,000 dalton antigen and one, a patient with concomitant primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC), reacted with the 72,000 dalton and a 47,000 dalton antigen. Reactivity with these antigens was not seen with any of 111 control sera. The antigens with minor variations in m.w. were present in a variety of cultured cells and tissue homogenates from different species. Subcellular fractionation studies localized the antigens to the mitochondria. Of 19 sera from patients with other diseases selected for immunofluorescence staining for anti-mitochondria autoantibody, nine reacted with the 72,000 dalton antigen, seven reacted with both the 72,000 and 47,000 dalton antigens, and three reacted with the 47,000 dalton antigen. These results show that serum reactivity with the 72,000 dalton and 47,000 dalton mitochondria autoantigens is found with some patients with PSS. Because mitochondria autoantibodies that are reactive with the 72,000 dalton and 47,000 dalton polypeptides are also found in patients with PBC, the present finding provides additional support for the association of PSS with PBC. Prior absorption of rat liver homogenate with PBC sera removed PSS serum reactivity with a 63,000 dalton antigen, the equivalent 72,000 dalton antigen in rodents, and vice versa, showing that both PBC and PSS sera recognize the same antigen.     

妊娠合并甲状腺功能亢进症23 例临床分析

目的:探讨妊娠合并甲状腺功能亢进症的孕妇的妊娠结局,对母体造成的影响,抗甲状腺药物的使用情况及分娩方式。方法:对23例甲状腺功能亢进孕妇进行了回顾性分析,观察该病对孕妇的影响,对母儿造成的不良结局。结果:23例甲状腺功能亢进孕妇合并轻度妊娠高血压综合征的2例,中度4例,重度2例。合并心衰6例,合并胎膜早破5例,胎盘粘连2例,甲状腺危象1例,胎盘早剥1例,产后出血1例,前置胎盘1例。23例甲状腺功能亢进顺产6例,产钳1例,胎头吸引1例,剖宫产15例。出现早产9例,其中5例为医源性早产。胎儿宫内窘迫6例,死胎1例。结论:妊娠合并甲状腺功能亢进症常危及母婴健康,为降低母儿风险,孕前需很好地控制病情,孕期密切监控,合理治疗。     

剪形臂尾轮虫形态的时空变化及其与生态因子间的关系

对芜湖市镜湖和汀棠湖中剪形臂尾轮虫(Brachionus forficula)的发生及其形态特征进行了一年的观察,并分析了其与环境因子间的关系。结果表明,镜湖中,剪形臂尾轮虫出现于7月至10月,且仅存在短后棘刺型个体;2样点内,除了前外棘刺长以外,轮虫的其他各形态参数均随季节显著变化,形态参数的样点间差异也因季节的不同而异;轮虫的各形态参数均随pH的升高而延长,随过滤水体中叶绿素a含量和水体中总叶绿素a含量的升高而缩短;体长和体宽均随晶囊轮虫密度的升高而增大。汀棠湖中,短后棘刺型个体出现于6月至10月,而长后棘刺型个体仅出现于6月至8月;2种形态型个体同时存在时,长后棘刺型个体在种群中所占比例始终高于短后棘刺型个体,并与水温、水体中总叶绿素a含量以及枝角类、桡足类和晶囊轮虫的密度均呈显著的正相关;2样点轮虫短后棘刺型个体各形态参数均随季节显著变化;长后棘刺型个体在1号样点内仅前外棘刺和后棘刺长有显著变化,而2号样点内仅体长、体宽和后棘刺长有显著变化;2样点内长后棘刺型个体的体长、体宽以及前外棘刺和后棘刺均显著长于短后棘刺型个体;同一形态型个体形态参数的样点间差异因季节的不同而异;短后棘刺型个体的前外棘刺和后棘刺长均与水体中总叶绿素a含量呈显著的正相关,后者与过滤水体中叶绿素a含量和枝角类密度也呈显著的正相关;长后棘刺型个体的后棘刺长与桡足类密度呈显著正相关,前内棘刺长与水温、溶氧量和晶囊轮虫密度呈显著负相关。两湖泊内剪形臂尾轮虫的后棘刺长和体长之间均呈显著的正相关,提示其后棘刺的延长并不是对体长的异速增长。     

长刺萤叶甲属与短鞘萤叶甲属的外部形态扫描电镜观察

本文对长刺萤叶甲属和短鞘萤叶甲属的头部,口器,触角,体毛,刻点,前胸背板,鞘翅缘折,足的外部形态首次进行了扫描电镜观察,并对结果进行了分析,比较,发现纬度变化引起的形态变异不显著,而海拔的变化引起形态的适应性变化比较显著。因此,对两种不同海拔的萤叶甲进行形态比较,研究萤叶甲在不同地理环境下,其形态的适应性变化提供了有价值的依据。     

The effect of different krill meals fed to laboratory rats on their blood indices.

1. In 102 laboratory rats fed with (a) the krill standardized meal, (b) the krill meal with low chitin content, (c) the casein diet with D,L-methionine, (d) the casein diet with D,L-methionine supplemented with the krill carapace meal, (e) the casein diet with D,L-methionine supplemented with ash from the krill standardized meal and (f) the control diet--"Murigran" standard pelleted feed; the different blood indices were investigated. 2. The mean values of following indices: the number of erythrocytes and leucocytes, the percentage of leucocytes, the corpuscular haemoglobin concentration and red blood cell diameter were similar in all experimental and control groups. 3. The mean values of haematocrit and haemoglobin levels, the mean corpuscular thickness and volume were lower in rats fed with the casein diet with D,L-methionine supplemented with the krill carapace meal than in other groups. 4. All kinds of investigated indices were similar in rats fed with krill meal with low chitin contents, whose parents received the standardized krill meal and no sex differences have been shown here.     

Use of Stable, Sensitized Cells in Indirect Micro Hemagglutination Test for Amebiasis

Human "O" cells were fixed with pyruvic aldehyde, treated with tannic acid, and fixed with glutaraldehyde. The cells were sensitized with amoeba antigen and stored in a refrigerator. The sensitized cells were used periodically for the indirect hemagglutination test with a battery of sera from patients with intestinal amebiasis and confirmed and unconfirmed amebic liver abscess, and also from negative controls. The same battery was tested with cells sensitized with different batches of antigen and also with fresh sheep cells. None of the cells showed any reaction with negative control sera. The fixed cells remained sensitive and stable throughout the study. Reproducibility of the titers with the fixed cells within each day and from day to day was satisfactory. The titers with fixed human "O" cells were slightly lower than were the titers with fresh sheep cells. The advantages of using stable, sensitized cells are pointed out.     

Toxoplasma gondii: partial cross-protection among several strains of the parasite against congenital transmission in a rat model

Rats were immunized with cysts of two Toxoplasma strains or with RH strain tachyzoites prior to pregnancy. The litters of the 13 rats that received homologous challenges with cysts during pregnancy, were all protected, whereas of 173 rats that received heterologous challenges with cysts or oocysts, only 21 protected their litters. 38.3 and 17% of rats immunized with the RH and with complete strains respectively, and 57% of control rats challenged with cysts, transmitted the infection congenitally. The percentages when similar groups were challenged with oocysts, were 33.3, 48.2, and 56.2%, respectively. Immunization with cysts did not completely protect against challenge with oocysts, even if the same strain was used. The divergence of these results from the complete protection against congenital toxoplasmosis observed in immune women and ewes, might be due to the use of excessive challenge doses in the model.     

Distinct Associations between Hypertension and Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Male and Female Patients

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is highly associated with hypertension. However, the correlation between hypertension and OSA at different levels of severity and the influence of gender on that correlation are unclear. A total of 996 patients (776 males and 190 females) with OSA were recruited. The influence of gender on the correlation between hypertension and OSA at different stratifications of severity, based on the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI), was fully evaluated together with the major health risk factors obesity, age, and diabetes. Females with OSA were significantly older on average than males with OSA. Moreover, females had milder degrees of OSA on average than the extent of severity seen in males. The proportion of females with diabetes or hypertension was higher than that of males. The proportion of males with hypertension and obesity increased significantly with OSA, and age also increased with OSA. The percentage of females with hypertension at different degrees of OSA severity was stable at about 26% in the mild, moderate, and severe OSA groups. Among females, age was increased significantly in the moderate relative to the mild OSA group. Moreover, the proportion of obese subjects was increased significantly in the severe compared with the moderate OSA group. The proportions of males and females with diabetes were not significantly different among all OSA severity groups. An ordinal multivariate logistic regression analysis confirmed that hypertension, age, and obesity were associated with OSA severity in males, whereas only age and obesity were associated with OSA severity in females. Although the proportion of subjects with hypertension was higher in females with OSA than in males with OSA, the proportion of subjects with hypertension increased as the severity of OSA increased in males but not in females.     

Identification and characterization of eight porcine pancreatic proteinases, carboxypeptidase A and amylase after electrophoretic separation using specific substrates

Porcine pancreatic hydrolases in juice and homogenate surveyed by electrophoretic separation in agarose gel, at pH 8.6 and subsequently characterized using substrates of various specificity, either directly in the gel or after transfer to nitrocellulose (enzymoblotting) showed: Anodal and cathodal trypsin with Bz-Arg-pNA. Chymotrypsin A, B, and C with similar, but not identical, activities to Suc-Ala-Ala-Pro-Phe-pNA, Bz-Tyr-pNA, Suc-Phe-pNA and Ac-Phe-beta NE and with differences in their molecular weights and electrophoretical charges. Elastase I and protease E with Suc-(Ala)3-pNA and MeO-Suc-Ala-Ala-Pro-Val-pNA and elastase I also with elastin. Elastase II with the chymotrypsin substrates and with elastin. Carboxypeptidase A with CN-Phe. Amylase with blue starch polymer.     

DNA synthesis and nuclear division during formation of infection structures by bean rust uredospore germlings

Plectonema boryanum can grow in the dark with ribose, sucrose, mannitol, maltose, glucose, or fructose. Cell doubling times with 10 mM substrate are the following: 5 days with ribose, 6 days with sucrose or mannitol, 10 days with maltose, 12 days with glucose, and 13 days with fructose; with ribose plus 0.1% casamino acids it is 2.5 days. Dark-grown cells appear morphologically similar to light-grown cells. Cells grown in the dark for several years remain pigmented and resume photoautotrophic growth when placed in the light. Dim light (85 lux) increases the growth rate with ribose and with ribose plus casamino acids to nearlytwice that of the dark rate. In moderate light, growth takes place with ribose even in the presence of 1x10^-5 M DCMU.     

陆军青年军人心理素质与人格、心理健康的相关研究

目的：探讨陆军青年军人心理素质与人格、心理健康的关系。方法：整群抽取陆军青年官兵881名,采用军人心理素质量袁、艾森克人格问卷（EPQ）、症状自评量表（SCL-90）进行测评,进行方差分析和相关分析。结果：（1）陆军青年军人心理素质各因子分及总分与EPQ人格问卷中的E分呈显著正相关（p〈0．01）;与N分、P分呈显著负相关（p〈0．01）。高、中、低心理素质水平军人E、P、N得分比较有显著差异（p〈0．05）,表现为在E量表得分上高心理素质组〉中等心理素质组〉低心理素质组;而在P、N量表得分上则反之。（2）陆军青年军人心理素质各因子分及总分均与SCL-90各因子分和总均分呈显著负相关（p〈0．01）。高、中、低心理素质水平军人SCL-90各因子得分比较有显著差异（p〈0．05）,表现为低心理素质组〉中等心理素质组〉高心理素质组。结论：陆军青年军人心理素质与心理健康密切相关,心理素质越高,其心理健康水平也越高。     

Epitopes of peptide 43-88 of guinea pig myelin basic protein: localization with monoclonal antibodies

Two monoclonal antibodies, one raised by immunization with mouse myelin basic protein (MBP) and the second raised by immunization with peptide 68-88 of guinea pig MBP, were compared with respect to specificity. The former antibody (15.32) cross-reacted completely with rat, guinea pig, human, and bovine MBP. It also reacted with peptide 43-88 from each MBP. The latter antibody (22.17) was nonreactive with MBP, but cross-reacted with peptide 43-88 from rat, human, guinea pig, and bovine MBP. When tested with small peptides derived from peptide 43-88, antibody 22.17 reacted with an epitope in the C-terminal region. Antibody 15.32 reacted with an epitope in the N-terminal half of the peptide. The data show that 22.17 reacted with a unique epitope associated only with free peptide, whereas 15.32 recognized an epitope common to both peptide 43-88 and MBP.     

New data on aberrant spermatozoa in the ejaculate of Sus domesticus

This paper describes 16 new types of aberrant spermatozoa observed by scanning electron microscopy in the ejaculate of two healthy, sexually mature Landrace boars. The new anomalies observed were 1) spermatozoa with folded tail and abnormal head; 2) tailless spermatozoa with an abnormal connecting piece; 3) immature spermatozoa with two tails of the same length, fused and coiled; 4) spermatozoa with two tails of the same length, fused and coiled, and a small, rounded head; 5) spermatozoa with two fused tails and a wide head; 6) spermatozoa with three tails of the same length, fused and coiled; 7) immature spermatozoa with two heads and two fused tails; 8) spermatozoa with two heads, one at each tip of the tail; 9) spermatozoa with a short, folded tail and a triangular head; 10) spermatozoa with a short tail lacking the intermediate piece; 11) spermatozoa with a short tail, without the main piece and with a long intermediate piece; 12) spermatozoa with a short tail, without the main piece and with a rough head; 13) spermatozoa with small, rounded head; 14) spermatozoa with small, aberrant heads; 15) spermatozoa with small, bacillary heads; and 16) immature spermatozoa with tapering heads.     

Echocardiographic Findings in Patients With Normocalcemic Primary Hyperparathyroidism Compared With Findings in Hypercalcemic Primary Hyperparathyroid Patients and Control Subjects

ObjectiveThere are no data regarding echocardiographic parameters in patients with normocalcemic primary hyperparathyroidism (NCPHPT). We compared the echocardiographic findings in postmenopausal women with NCPHPT with those in patients with hypercalcemic primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) and controls.MethodsSeventeen consecutive Caucasian postmenopausal women with NCPHPT were compared with 20 women with hypercalcemic PHPT and 20 controls. Obesity, diabetes, kidney failure, and previous cardiovascular diseases were considered exclusion criteria. Each patient underwent biochemical evaluation, bone mineral density scan, and echocardiographic measurements. Patients with parathyroid disorders underwent kidney ultrasound evaluation.ResultsPatients with PHPT had significantly higher mean total serum calcium, ionized calcium, 24-hour urinary calcium, and parathyroid hormone and lower mean phosphorus levels compared with those in the controls (all P < .05). The only differences between patients with NCPHPT and PHPT were significantly lower mean total serum calcium, ionized calcium, and 24-hour urinary calcium and higher phosphorus levels in patients with NCPHPT (all P < .05). The only biochemical difference between patients with NCPHPT and the controls was a higher level of mean parathyroid hormone in patients with NCPHPT. There were no differences in cardiovascular risk factors between patients with NCPHPT and PHPT and the controls. Hypertension was the most frequent cardiovascular risk factor, diagnosed in 65% of patients with PHPT. This high prevalence was not statistically significant compared with that observed in patients with NCPHPT (59%) and in the controls (30%). Echocardiography parameters were not different between patients with NCPHPT and PHPT and the controls when subdivided according to the presence of hypertension (ANOVA followed by Bonferroni correction).ConclusionIn a population with a low cardiovascular risk, we found no differences in cardiovascular risk factors and echocardiographic parameters between patients with NCPHPT and PHPT and the controls.     

Human leukaemia-associated antigens expressed by acute myelocytic leukaemia cells and their detection by heterologous antisera.

Antisera against human acute myelocytic leukaemias were tested in complement-dependent in-vitro cytotocity tests against leukaemia cells and normal cells as targets. After absorption with erythrocytes and spleen cells from allogeneous donors the antisera reacted with leukaemia cells, but not with leukocytes from bone marrow and the peripheral blood of children in remission, lymphocytes from healthy donors, enriched B-lymphocytes, enriched T-lymphocytes, PHA-induced blasts and cord blood lymphocytes. Extensive cross reactions were obtained in the tests against leukaemia cells. The antisera reacted not only with AML cells, but also with ALL, CLL, and CML cells. It was possible to remove the cross-reactivity with ALL cells through absorption with ALL cells or with fetal tissue, and to remove the cross reactivity with CLL cells through absorption with CLL. A complete absorption of the anti-AML sera was possible with AML and CML cells. After absorption with fetal tissue and CLL cells the antisera showed exclusively specificity for myelocytic leukaemias. Thus, AML cells contain three leukaemia-associated membrane antigen components: an antigen of fetal origin, a "CLL-specific" antigen, and an antigen that occurs on myelocytic leukaemias.     

Expanding the armamentarium for the spondyloarthropathies

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a member of the family of spondyloarthropathies, which are inflammatory arthritides largely involving the axial skeleton and commonly accompanied by peripheral arthritis. Genetic factors, particularly the presence of HLA-B27, are major contributors to the susceptibility for AS. Despite some therapeutic advances, the treatment options for patients with AS and related disorders have been limited. Several lines of evidence have led to the hypothesis that patients with AS might benefit from treatment with tumor necrosis factor (TNF). Specifically, TNF concentrations are known to be significantly elevated in the synovium of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), in the inflamed gut of patients with inflammatory bowel disease, and in the inflamed sacroiliac joints of patients with AS. The anti-TNF agents have been shown to be of benefit in, and currently have indications for, RA (etanercept, infliximab, adalimumab), Crohn's disease (infliximab), and psoriatic arthritis (etanercept). Because the spondyloarthropathies share pathogenetic mechanisms with the above-specified disease states, studies have been conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of anti-TNF agents in several disorders, including AS. Data from clinical trials so far with infliximab and etanercept show that patients with AS and related disorders achieve significant improvement in clinical signs and symptoms based on validated outcomes measures. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can facilitate the early diagnosis of AS. Studies with infliximab using MRI together with updated scoring methods demonstrated significant decreases in associated spinal inflammation. TNF antagonist therapy is well tolerated in patients with AS, with a side effect profile consistent with the prior experience of patients with RA.     

The reactions of phenylglyoxal and related reagents with amino acids.

1. The reaction of phenylglyoxal (PGO), glyoxal (GO), and methylglyoxal (MGO) with amino acids were investigated at mild pH values at 25 degrees. These aldehydes reacted most rapidly with arginine and the rate of reaction increased with increasing pH values. Histidine, cystine, glycine, tryptophan, asparagine, glutamine, and lysine reacted with these aldehydes at significant but various rates, depending on the pH and the kind of the reagent used. The reactions with these amino acids seemed to involve both the alpha-amino groups and the side chain groups, and no significant reaction appeared to occur with the side chain alone except with those of arginine, lysine, and cysteine. These reagents were similarly reactive with the guanidinium group of arginine, but PGO appeared to be much less reactive with the epsilone-amino group of lysine than MGO and GO. The other ordinary amino acids were very much less reactive or did not react at all with these reagents, with the exception of cysteine. 2. Di-PGO-L-arginine was prepared from Nalpha-benzyloxycarbonyl-L-arginine, and di-PGO-methylguanidine from methylguanidine, and the stoichiometry of the reaction of two PGO molecules with one guanidino group was confirmed. A glyoxal derivative of L-arginine (GO-arginine) was prepared by reaction of glyoxal with arginine. GO-arginine was fairly unstable, especially at higher pH values. A similar derivative (MGO-arginine) was also found to be formed by reaction of MGO with L-arginine, and was similarly unstable. These derivatives, however, did not regenerate arginine upon acid hydrolysis.     

早期伤口切开对血循毒蛇咬伤患者预后的影响

目的探讨血循毒类毒蛇咬伤患者早期伤口切开对预后的影响。方法回顾性分析我院2011年3月~2014年3月诊治的血循毒类毒蛇咬伤患者223例的临床资料,总结并比较其临床特点及预后。结果本组患者轻度肿胀97例中,伤后12h内切开21例,未溃疡12例,Ⅰ°溃疡7例,Ⅱ°溃疡2例;晚期切开或未切开76例,未溃疡15例,Ⅰ°溃疡41例,Ⅱ°溃疡16例,Ⅲ°溃疡4例。中度肿胀患者85例中,伤后12h内切开32例,未溃疡8例,Ⅰ°溃疡21例,Ⅱ°溃疡2例,Ⅲ°溃疡1例;晚期切开或未切开53例,未溃疡6例,Ⅰ°溃疡16例,Ⅱ°溃疡24例,Ⅲ°溃疡7例。重度肿胀患者41例中,伤后12h内切开17例,Ⅰ°溃疡11例,Ⅱ°溃疡4例,Ⅲ°溃疡2例;晚期切开或未切开24例,Ⅰ°溃疡2例,Ⅱ°溃疡6例,Ⅲ°溃疡16例。在蛇伤后12h内切开的患者坏死溃疡的形成、肿胀程度的改善均明显优于晚期切开或未切开的患者,差异有显著统计学意义(P0.05)。结论随着患者凝血功能的改善,早期伤口切开对血循毒类毒蛇伤患者局部伤口状况有较好的改善作用。     

陆军青年军人心理素质与人格、心理健康的相关研究

目的:探讨陆军青年军人心理素质与人格、心理健康的关系。方法:整群抽取陆军青年官兵881名,采用军人心理素质量表、艾森克人格问卷(EPQ)、症状自评量表(SCL-90)进行测评,进行方差分析和相关分析。结果:(1)陆军青年军人心理素质各因子分及总分与EPQ人格问卷中的E分呈显著正相关(p<0.01);与N分、P分呈显著负相关(p<0.01)。高、中、低心理素质水平军人E、P、N得分比较有显著差异(p<0.05),表现为在E量表得分上高心理素质组>中等心理素质组>低心理素质组;而在P、N量表得分上则反之。(2)陆军青年军人心理素质各因子分及总分均与SCL-90各因子分和总均分呈显著负相关(p<0.01)。高、中、低心理素质水平军人SCL-90各因子得分比较有显著差异(p<0.05),表现为低心理素质组>中等心理素质组>高心理素质组。结论:陆军青年军人心理素质与心理健康密切相关,心理素质越高,其心理健康水平也越高。     

Immunochemical characterization of the anti-RNA antibodies found in scleroderma and systemic lupus erythematosus. I. Differences in reactivity with Poly (U) and Poly-(A) Poly (U).

In a previous study, all 40 sera from patients with scleroderma, 20 of 40 sera from SLE patients, but none of 40 sera from normal controls, were found to have antibodies to ssRNA. All scleroderma sera were also found to react with HSA-coupled uridine and UMP and their reaction with HSA-coupled uridine and UMP and their reaction with ssRNA could be inhibited by uracil, uridine, and UMP. To characterize further these uracil-specific anti-RNA antibodies found in scleroderma and compare them with the anti-RNA antibodies found in SLE, we tested their reactivity with Poly (U) and with Poly (A)-Poly (U) and all but one failed to react with Poly (A)-Poly (U). This same serum was the only one in which the reaction with Poly (U) could not be inhibited with uracil. Reactivity of SLE sera was strikingly different from that found in scleroderma sera. Seventeen of 34 SLE sera studied reacted with ssRNA but only four of these reacted with Poly (U). Conversely, two SLE sera that reacted with Poly (U) did not react with ssRNA. Fifteen reacted with Poly (A)-Poly (U) and only two of these failed to react with ssRNA. Five SLE sera which were reactive with ssRNA did not precipitate with Poly (A)-Poly (U). All SLE sera which reacted with Poly (U) could be inhibited with uracil, although less effectively than in scleroderma. Reactivity with Poly (A)-Poly )U) was not inhibited with uracil nor with adenosine. These findings confirm that antibodies to RNA that are found in scleroderma are directed to uracil and thus specific to ssRNA, whereas RNA antibodies found in SLE sera are heterogeneous and directed to either the base, to the site of union of the base and sugar moiety to the ribose backbone, or to the helical structure of double stranded RNA. These differences and the respective antigenic specificities of these anti-RNA antibodies found in scleroderma and SLE may be theoretically important.