Aromatase and steroid sulfatase mRNA expression in fine needle aspirates from benign and malignant breast disorders

The fine needle aspiration (FNA) test is a convenient and tolerable technique with minimal invasion that is accepted by most women.Local estrogen synthesis depends mainly on the aromatase and steroid sulfatase pathways that are believed to play important roles in breast carcinogenesis.However,little is known about the level of aromatase and steroid sulfatase mRNA expression in FNA samples which contain only small amounts of tissue.The nested Q-PCR assay has been proven to be a highly sensitive and specific method to assess the aromatase expression of breast tissue.In this study,aromatase and steroid sulfatase mRNA expression in 74 patients with benign or malignant disorders was evaluated and compared using nested Q-PCR and non-nested Q-PCR assays.The expression levels were analyzed and correlated with clinical parameters.No difference in the aromatase expression levels between nested and non-nested Q-PCR was noticed.Age and aromatase mRNA expression level were two independent risk factors for breast cancer (P=0.04 and P=0.00,respectively),while menopausal status and steroid sulfatase mRNA expression levels were not associated with breast cancer.This study showed that both nested and non-nested Q-PCR assays were effective methods for research using FNA breast samples.     

孤独症脑调控康复与效果评估研究?

基于新兴脑调控技术,针对孤独症核心异常,对将重复经颅磁刺激(repetitive transcranial magnetic atimulation,rTMS)和神经反馈技术(neurofeedback,NFB)应用于孤独症康复的作用机制和效果进行了深入研究.首先利用视觉认知任务,结合量化脑电(qEEG)分析方法,对与高级认知机制密切相关的皮层Gamma脑电节律在孤独症组和正常组之间进行比较和分析,进一步开展rTMS调控Gamma节律的效果和机制研究;同时,利用ERP视觉实验任务,对孤独症组和正常组的视觉认知机制进行比较研究,并在此基础上开展利用rTMS调控孤独症视觉认知机制的研究;基于孤独症存在脑电Gamma节律异常的这一特征,本文进一步开展了以"40Hz Gamma"脑电信号为操作条件的孤独症神经反馈干预研究.通过设置神经反馈(NFB)方案,来训练孤独症被试对Gamma节律脑电活动的自我控制和调节能力,通过强化和维持Gamma节律脑电活动来改善孤独症的高级认知功能.研究结果表明,rTMS和NFB能够以无损伤的方式,实现对孤独症异常认知和生理机制的调控,改善孤独症异常脑功能,进而减少孤独症的行为异常.     

17例肝移植新肝早期凝血功能障碍的处理

目的探讨肝移植新肝早期凝血功能障碍的处理.方法17例肝硬化或肝豆状核变性病人在全麻下行活体部分供肝或尸肝移植.全身麻醉采用静注咪唑安定0.1mg/kg,丙泊酚1mg/kg,芬太尼0.3μg/kg及维库溴铵0.15mg/kg行气管插管后,接呼吸机间歇正压通气(IPPV)并加呼气末正压通气(PEEP)5cmH2O.术中除持续监测循环、呼吸、体温变化外,间断监测生化、血常规及凝血指标.凝血指标包括激活全血凝血时间(ACT)、凝血酶原时间(PT)、凝血酶时间(TT)、部分凝血活酶时间(APTT)、纤维蛋白原(Fbg)和血小板(PLT)的量.结果与无肝前期相比,无肝期及新肝早期存在严重凝血功能障碍(P<0.05).结论在严密监测凝血指标的前提下,采用血制品的输入如新鲜冰冻血浆、冷沉淀、血小板、凝血酶原复合物及使用血液回收机自体血回输,抑肽酶持续微泵注射,应用少量鱼精蛋白等综合措施能有效纠正新肝早期凝血功能障碍,有条件时用血栓弹力描记仪更有助于指导凝血功能的纠正.     

强迫症与焦虑症患者防御方式对照研究

目的比较强迫症与焦虑症患者的心理防御方式的特点异同。方法选取强迫症、焦虑症患者各60例，采用防御方式问卷（DSQ）对所有受试者进行评定。结果二组患者成熟型、中间型、不成熟型防御方式及掩饰因子得分差异无统计学意义，强迫症组患者潜意显现，退缩和解除三种防御方式得分高于焦虑症组（P〈0．05）其余防御方式得分二组间差异无统计学意义。结论强迫症与焦虑症患者均过渡使用中间型及不成熟型防御方式，同时强迫症患者较焦虑症患者更多使用潜意显现、退缩和解除方式来应对内心冲突。     

1949年以前中医舌诊学术发展历程的探究

宋以前虽然有关于疾病中舌部症状的描述,但并没有形成舌诊.金代,舌苔异常被作为伤寒病中一个具有辨证意义的主症,奠定了舌诊的基础.元代出现的舌诊专著是为了证明当时的外感病新学说"火热论"而建立的诊断方法.但是,在很长一段时间内,研究舌诊的医家们却力图用已经成为外感病治疗模式的六经辨证来研究、发展舌诊.直到温病学派成熟,建立了卫气营血辨证的舌诊方法后,外感病舌诊才从六经辨证的束缚中解放出来.舌诊得以从诊断外感病扩展到诊断内伤病,理论环节是建立了舌的脏腑分部学说,技术环节是确立了舌色与脏腑、气血、津液之间的联系.这一学术转化在清末完成.清末与民国时期,舌诊被作为中西医汇通的典范,进行了较深入的研究.中西医汇通学派的研究对舌诊的推广和应用起到了十分重要的作用.     

物理疗法干预睡眠障碍研究进展

物理疗法是干预睡眠、提高人群睡眠质量的重要手段。对物理因子中光、声、温度、振动、电磁场、压力刺激手段来改善睡眠的办法进行了综述：总结了各物理因子手段改善睡眠的效应和机制,介绍了基于物理因子治疗睡眠疾病的国内外研究进展和相关物理治疗仪器、设备。为制定科学合理的睡眠障碍物理疗治方案提供理论依据。     

Chitotriosidase: the yin and yang

The enzyme chitotriosidase (ChT), the human analogue of chitinases from non-vertebrate species, is one of the most abundant and indicative proteins secreted by activated macrophages. Its enzymatic activity is elevated in serum of patients suffering from Gaucher’s disease type 1 and in some other inherited lysosomal storage disorders, as well as in diseases in which macrophages are activated. The last decade has witnessed the appearance of a substantial number of studies attempting to unravel its cellular functions, which have yet not been fully defined. A great deal of progress has been made in the study of the physiological roles of ChT. This review is looks at the key areas of investigations addressed to further illuminate whether ChT activation might have different functional meanings in various diseases. Received 7 June 2006; received after revision 24 July 2006; accepted 21 September 2006     

Oncogenic mechanisms in myeloproliferative disorders

Myeloproliferative disorders (MPDs) are clonal haematopoietic malignancies involving the abnormal proliferation of myeloid lineages. The World Health Organisation (WHO) classification of haematopoietic malignancies distinguishes MPDs from myelodysplastic/ myeloproliferative disorders and systemic mastocytosis. These malignancies frequently involve constitutive tyrosine kinase activity, resulting from either oncogenic fusion protein production or from point mutations. Chronic myelogenous leukaemia is the model used for studies of the consequences of such molecular defects. However, the heterogeneity of the clinical course of MPDs should be seen in a more rationale conceptual framework, including the many molecular events associated with these diseases. This review focuses on the various tyrosine kinase-related molecular mechanisms underlying both MPDs and rare diseases with myeloproliferative features. We pay particular attention to the newly identified JAK2 V617F mutation in polycythaemia vera, essential thrombocythaemia and idiopathic myelofibrosis and deal with disease heterogeneity and putative additional molecular mechanisms. Received 9 June 2006; received after revision 28 July 2006; accepted 11 September 2006     

Sleep and sleep disturbances: biological basis and clinical implications

Sleep is a neurochemical process involving sleep promoting and arousal centers in the brain. Sleep performs an essential restorative function and facilitates memory consolidation in humans. The remarkably standardized bouts of consolidated sleep at night and daytime wakefulness reflect an interaction between the homeostatic sleep need that is manifested by increase in sleep propensity after sleep deprivation and decrease during sleep and the circadian pacemaker. Melatonin, the hormone produced nocturnally by the pineal gland, serves as a time cue and sleep-anticipating signal. A close interaction exists between the sleep-wake, melatonin, core temperature, blood pressure, immune and hormonal rhythms leading to optimization of the internal temporal order. With age the robustness of the circadian system decreases and the prevalence of sleep disorders, particularly insomnia, increases. Deviant sleep patterns are associated with increased risks of morbidity, poor quality of life and mortality. Current sleep pharmacotherapies treat insufficient sleep quantity, but fail to improve daytime functioning. New treatment modalities for sleep disorders that will also improve daytime functioning remain a scientific and medical challenge.     

Prion: the chameleon protein

From Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) to variant CJD through Gerstmann-Str?ussler-Scheinker syndrome, kuru and fatal familial insomnia, the journey leading to current understanding of the basic aspects of human prion diseases has been full of unexpected, but often dramatic and always fascinating twists. Recent progress in modeling prion diseases and characterization of the various prion protein forms reveal that such a wide spectrum of the diseases is associated with the chameleon-like conformational features of prions.