广西蕨类植物孢子形态的研究Ⅲ.凤尾蕨科

利用光学显微镜和扫描电子显微镜对广西产凤尾蕨科及其近缘科蕨科、姬蕨科和碗蕨科5属9种植物的孢子形态进行了观察研究,详细描述了9种植物孢子的形态及表面纹饰特征.井栏边草、刺齿凤尾蕨、隆林凤尾蕨、剑叶凤尾蕨、林下凤尾蕨、蕨和碗蕨植物的孢子为三裂缝,辐射对称;极面观为钝三角形,赤道面观为半圆形或超半圆形;栗蕨和姬蕨植物孢子为...     

并行采集技术在老年人肝脏MR检查中的应用价值

目的探讨并行采集PAT技术（Parallel acquisition technique）对改善老年人肝脏磁共振扫描中出现的运动伪影的应用价值。方法对63例常规肝脏MRI检查出现呼吸运动伪影的老年患者（其中TrueFisp序列未出现明显伪影）,行iPAT技术扫描（TrueFisp冠状位、T1 Flash轴位）,对比常规序列扫描并评价iPAT技术对肝脏呼吸运动伪影消除的作用。三位磁共振专家对所得两组图像质量进行独立观察及评价,并进行对比分析。结果常规序列磁共振扫描63例肝脏呼吸运动伪影,其中Ⅰ、Ⅱ、Ⅲ和Ⅳ分别为0、15、33和15例,Ⅲ级以上影响诊断的病例共48例,占76%。采用iPAT技术扫描后,Ⅰ、Ⅱ、Ⅲ和Ⅳ分别为53、5、3和2例,Ⅲ级以下符合诊断要求的病例共58例,占92.1%,两者比较有显著差异（P〈0.05）。结论 iPAT技术可以明显缩短扫描的时间,在克服常规肝脏扫描中产生的呼吸运动伪影有明显的作用,可广泛应用于老年人肝脏常规检查产生的呼吸运动伪影校正中。     

Comparison of Influenza Outbreaks in the Republic of Kazakhstan and Russia Induced by 2009 Yearly New Variant of А(H1N1) Influenza Virus

The aim of the work is the comparison of the epidemiology of influenza and acute respiratory virus infections (ARVI) in the Republic of Kazakhstan with the corresponding influenza epidemic in Russia induced by influenza pandemic virus A/California/07/2009 in 2009.Data on influenza and ARVI from the Republic of Kazakhstan and Federal Center of influenza was collected and investigated over the course of several weeks from hospitalized patients with the same diagnosis among all population and in age groups on ...     

The relation between cartilage biomarkers (C2C,C1,2C,CS846, and CPII) and the long-term outcome of rheumatoid arthritis patients within the CAMERA trial

Introduction  

The aim of this study was to investigate whether serum biomarker levels of C2C, C1,2C, CS846, and CPII can predict the long-term course of disease activity and radiographic progression early in the disease course of rheumatoid arthritis (RA).     

Neonatal mortality levels for 193 countries in 2009 with trends since 1990: a systematic analysis of progress, projections, and priorities

Background

Historically, the main focus of studies of childhood mortality has been the infant and under-five mortality rates. Neonatal mortality (deaths <28 days of age) has received limited attention, although such deaths account for about 41% of all child deaths. To better assess progress, we developed annual estimates for neonatal mortality rates (NMRs) and neonatal deaths for 193 countries for the period 1990–2009 with forecasts into the future.

Methods and Findings

We compiled a database of mortality in neonates and children (<5 years) comprising 3,551 country-years of information. Reliable civil registration data from 1990 to 2009 were available for 38 countries. A statistical model was developed to estimate NMRs for the remaining 155 countries, 17 of which had no national data. Country consultation was undertaken to identify data inputs and review estimates. In 2009, an estimated 3.3 million babies died in the first month of life—compared with 4.6 million neonatal deaths in 1990—and more than half of all neonatal deaths occurred in five countries of the world (44% of global livebirths): India 27.8% (19.6% of global livebirths), Nigeria 7.2% (4.5%), Pakistan 6.9% (4.0%), China 6.4% (13.4%), and Democratic Republic of the Congo 4.6% (2.1%). Between 1990 and 2009, the global NMR declined by 28% from 33.2 deaths per 1,000 livebirths to 23.9. The proportion of child deaths that are in the neonatal period increased in all regions of the world, and globally is now 41%. While NMRs were halved in some regions of the world, Africa''s NMR only dropped 17.6% (43.6 to 35.9).

Conclusions

Neonatal mortality has declined in all world regions. Progress has been slowest in the regions with high NMRs. Global health programs need to address neonatal deaths more effectively if Millennium Development Goal 4 (two-thirds reduction in child mortality) is to be achieved. Please see later in the article for the Editors'' Summary     

HIV-2 Integrase Variation in Integrase Inhibitor-Na?ve Adults in Senegal,West Africa

Background

Antiretroviral therapy for HIV-2 infection is hampered by intrinsic resistance to many of the drugs used to treat HIV-1. Limited studies suggest that the integrase inhibitors (INIs) raltegravir and elvitegravir have potent activity against HIV-2 in culture and in infected patients. There is a paucity of data on genotypic variation in HIV-2 integrase that might confer intrinsic or transmitted INI resistance.

Methods

We PCR amplified and analyzed 122 HIV-2 integrase consensus sequences from 39 HIV-2–infected, INI-naive adults in Senegal, West Africa. We assessed genetic variation and canonical mutations known to confer INI-resistance in HIV-1.

Results

No amino acid-altering mutations were detected at sites known to be pivotal for INI resistance in HIV-1 (integrase positions 143, 148 and 155). Polymorphisms at several other HIV-1 INI resistance-associated sites were detected at positions 72, 95, 125, 154, 165, 201, 203, and 263 of the HIV-2 integrase protein.

Conclusion

Emerging genotypic and phenotypic data suggest that HIV-2 is susceptible to the new class of HIV integrase inhibitors. We hypothesize that intrinsic HIV-2 integrase variation at “secondary” HIV-1 INI-resistance sites may affect the genetic barrier to HIV-2 INI resistance. Further studies will be needed to assess INI efficacy as part of combination antiretroviral therapy in HIV-2–infected patients.     

Methicillin-susceptible ST398 Staphylococcus aureus responsible for bloodstream infections: an emerging human-adapted subclone?

In the course of an annual 3-month bloodstream infections (BSI) survey conducted during a four-year period in 31 healthcare institutions located in three noncontiguous French regions, we report 18 ST398 Staphylococcus aureus BSI. ST398 BSI incidence showed a seven-fold increase during the study period (0.002 per 1,000 patient days in 2007 vs. 0.014 in 2010). ST398 BSI isolates differed from the pig-borne multiresistant clone: 17/18 BSI isolates were methicillin susceptible and none was of t011, t034 or t108 pig-borne spa-types. ST398 BSI isolates had homogenous resistance patterns (15/18 with only Ery(r)) and prophagic content (all harboured the hlb-converting Sau3int phage). The clustering of BSI and pig-borne isolates by spa-typing and MLVA, the occurrence of Sau3int phage in BSI isolates and the lack of this phage in pig-borne isolates suggest that the emergence of BSI isolates could have arisen from horizontal transfer, at least of the Sau3int phage, in genetically diverse MSSA ST398 isolates. The acquisition of the phage likely plays a role in the increasing ability of the lysogenic ST398 isolates to colonize human. The mode of acquisition of the non pig-borne ST398 isolates by our 18 patients remains unclear. ST398 BSI were diagnosed in patients lacking livestock exposure and were significantly associated with digestive portals of entry (3/18 [16.7%] for ST398 vs. 19/767 [2.5%] for non ST398 BSI; p?=?.012). This raises the question of possible foodborne human infections. We suggest the need for active surveillance to study and control the spread of this human-adapted subclone increasingly isolated in the hospital setting.     

An inter-laboratory collaborative study by the Non-Genotoxic Carcinogen Study Group in Japan, on a cell transformation assay for tumour promoters using Bhas 42 cells

The Bhas promotion assay is a cell culture transformation assay designed as a sensitive and economical method for detecting the tumour-promoting activities of chemicals. In order to validate the transferability and applicability of this assay, an inter-laboratory collaborative study was conducted with the participation of 14 laboratories. After confirmation that these laboratories could obtain positive results with two tumour promoters, 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) and lithocholic acid (LCA), 12 coded chemicals were assayed. Each chemical was tested in four laboratories. For eight chemicals, all four laboratories obtained consistent results, and for two of the other four chemicals, only one of the four laboratories showed inconsistent results. Thus, the rate of consistency was high. During the study, several issues were raised, each of which were analysed step-by-step, leading to revision of the protocol of the original assay. Among these issues were the importance of careful maintenance of mother cultures and the adoption of test concentrations for toxic chemicals. In addition, it is suggested that three different types of chemicals show positive promoting activity in the assay. Those designated as T-type induced extreme growth enhancement, and included TPA, mezerein, PDD and insulin. LCA and okadaic acid belonged to the L-type category, in which transformed foci were induced at concentrations showing growth-inhibition. In contrast, M-type chemicals, progesterone, catechol and sodium saccharin, induced foci at concentrations with little or slight growth inhibition. The fact that different types of chemicals similarly induce transformed foci in the Bhas promotion assay may provide clues for elucidating mechanisms of tumour promotion.