To compare the performance of the four latest models of glucose meters in capillary blood glucose monitoring during pregnancy.
208 pregnant women with gestational diabetes were recruited. Each ...subject had simultaneous capillary glucose monitoring by two study glucose meters and venous plasma glucose assay. The performance of four glucose meters was compared using error grid analysis (EGA) and the agreement between the meter readings and plasma glucose by Bland-Altman plot analysis.
Elite, Advantage II and CareSens had more than 90% of readings in the acceptable target range of EGA. CareSens had the lowest mean bias by Bland-Altman analysis while Advantage II had the highest proportion of readings within 5% difference from plasma glucose. Readings from all glucose meters except Optium were not influenced by the change in maternal hematocrit levels.
The performance of four study glucose meters appeared very similar.
The prostacyclin mimetic cicaprost increased phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1 and 2 (ERK1/2) in Chinese hamster ovary cells transiently expressing human (hIP-CHO) or mouse ...prostacyclin (mIP-CHO) receptors, but not in human neuroblastoma SK–N–SH cells or rat/mouse neuroblastoma-glioma NG108-15 cells which endogenously express IP receptors. Cicaprost stimulated ERK1/2 activity in hIP-CHO and mIP-CHO cells with EC
50 values of 60 and 83 nM, respectively, and this response was significantly inhibited by protein kinase C inhibitors and agents which elevate cyclic AMP. A poor correlation was discovered between the level of ERK1/2 activity and the ability of agents to increase or decrease cyclic AMP production. The potent inhibitory effect of 3-isobutyl-1-methyl xanthine on cicaprost-stimulated phospho-ERK1/2 may be due to inhibition of phosphoinositide 3-kinase. Therefore, IP receptor-mediated activation of ERK1/2 in CHO cells occurs through a G
q/11/protein kinase C-dependent and a phosphoinoside 3-kinase-dependent process which is insensitive to IP receptor-generated cyclic AMP.
This study was to assess whether fine needle aspiration (FNA) or core biopsy would allow diagnosis of mucinous carcinoma of breast. In 37 mucinous carcinoma in 34 patients, 20 lesions had FNA and 24 ...lesions with core biopsy. FNA achieved a sensitivity of 66.7% in diagnosis of malignant lesions and 56% sensitivity in diagnosis of mucinous carcinoma. Core biopsy achieved 100% sensitivity and accuracy in the diagnosis of malignant lesions and mucinous carcinoma.
Fish in polluted coastal habitats commonly suffer simultaneous exposure to both hypoxia and xenobiotics. Although the adaptive molecular responses to each stress have been described, little is known ...about the interaction between the signaling pathways mediating these responses. Previous studies in mammalian hepatoma cell lines have shown that hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)- and/or aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR)-activated gene expression is suppressed following co-exposure to hypoxia and the hallmark AhR ligand 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-
p-dioxin (TCDD). However, whether similar crosstalk exists in the non-tumor liver tissues of fish and whether other non-TCDD ligands also play the same inhibitory role in this crosstalk remain unknown. Here, the
in vivo hepatic mRNA expression profiles of multiple hypoxia- and AhR-responsive genes (later gene expression
=
mRNA expression of the gene) were examined in the orange-spotted grouper (
Epinephelus coioides) upon single and combined exposures to hypoxia and benzo
apyrene (B
aP). Combined exposure enhanced hypoxia-induced gene expression but did not significantly alter B
aP-induced gene expression. Protein carbonyl content was markedly elevated in fish subjected to combined exposure, indicating accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Application of diethyldithiocarbamate (DDC) to hypoxia-treated grouper liver explants similarly exaggerated hypoxia-induced gene expression as in the combined stress tissues
in vivo. These observations suggest that ROS derived from the combined hypoxia and B
aP stress have a role in enhancing hypoxia-induced gene expression.
A newly developed severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)-specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was further validated to confirm cutoff values and evaluate its diagnostic performance ...with clinical samples. In parallel, an immunochromatographic test was also evaluated. A total of 227 clinical serum specimens collected from SARS patients were used in the study, together with 385 samples from healthy donors. By use of an immunofluorescent (IF) test as the "gold standard", both the ELISA and the immunochromatographic test were able to detect immunoglobulin G antibodies to SARS not only from late-convalescent-stage samples (>21 days from the onset of clinical symptoms), as previously established, but also from early-acute-phase samples (1 to 10 days from onset). The ELISA, using an optical density (OD) of 0.25 as its cutoff value, produced the best sensitivity while maintaining high specificity. It detected SARS-specific antibodies in 58, 70, 75, and 95%, respectively, of the four groups of samples collected from patients 1 to 10 days, 11 to 20 days, 21 to 30 days, and more than 30 days after the onset of clinical symptoms. Similarly, the immunochromatographic test detected SARS-specific antibodies in 55, 68, 81, and 79% of the four groups, respectively. The overall specificities for the ELISA and the rapid test were 99.5 and 97.7%, respectively. Although the positive correlation observed between the ELISA OD values and the IF titers was moderate (r = 0.6915; P < 0.001), the detection rates of both the ELISA and the rapid test were found well in agreement with the IF titers.
Newborn infants with intra-abdominal inflammation/sepsis often present with nonspecific signs in the early stages of the disease, but can rapidly develop life-threatening complications. A reliable ...'early' biomarker would be invaluable.
To evaluate the effectiveness of neutrophil CD64 as an 'early' biomarker of intra-abdominal inflammation/sepsis.
Blood was collected from newborns with suspected intra-abdominal pathology for neutrophil CD64 and C-reactive protein (CRP) determination at the onset of clinical presentation and 24 h later. They were classified into three groups: intra-abdominal inflammation/sepsis (group 1), extra-abdominal sepsis (group 2) and nonsepsis (group 3). Between-group comparisons were made by Kruskal-Wallis and χ(2) tests. Receiver-operating characteristic curves and diagnostic utilities for single and combination of tests were determined.
310 infants were recruited (102, 34 and 174 in groups 1, 2 and 3, respectively). CD64 (conventional cutoff = 6,010 antibody-PE molecules bound/cell) had substantially better sensitivity (0.81 vs. 0.56) and negative predictive value (0.90 vs. 0.79) for diagnosing intra-abdominal sepsis than CRP, at presentation. Pairing CD64 with routine abdominal radiograph (AXR) substantially increased the sensitivity and negative predictive value for group 1 to 0.99 and 0.99, respectively. By adjusting the CD64 cutoff to 12,500 units, a substantial improvement in specificity could be achieved (0.62 to 0.80) without significantly compromising sensitivity (0.99 to 0.97).
CD64 is a sensitive and 'early' biomarker for diagnosing intra-abdominal inflammation/sepsis. Intra-abdominal catastrophes, including necrotizing enterocolitis, intestinal necrosis, perforation and peritonitis can confidently be excluded using CD64 and AXR early in the course of the disease.
Abstract CD209 (DC-SIGN) is an important C-type lectin which acts a receptor of many pathogens. The single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) −336A>G in the CD209 promoter has been demonstrated to ...regulate promoter activity and to be associated with several important infectious diseases, such as human immunodeficiency virus–1 (HIV-1), Mycobacterium tuberculosis , and Dengue fever. CD209 facilitates severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)–coronavirus spike protein-bearing pseudotype driven infection of permissive cells in vitro . In keeping with previously published findings, our in vitro studies confirmed that this SNP modulates gene promoter activity. Genetic association analysis of this SNP with clinico-pathologic outcomes in 824 serologic confirmed SARS patients showed that the −336AG/GG genotype SARS patients was associated with lower standardized lactate-dehydrogenase (LDH) levels compared with the −336AA patients ( p = 0.014, odds ratio = 0.40). High LDH levels are known to be an independent predictor for poor clinical outcome, probably related to tissue destruction from immune hyperactivity. Hence, SARS patients with the CD209 −336 AA genotype carry a 60% chance of having a poorer prognosis. This association is in keeping with the role of CD209 in modulating immune response to viral infection. The relevance of these findings for other infectious diseases and inflammatory conditions would be worth investigating.
AIM： To characterize the gastric myoelectric activity （GMA） and intra-abdominal pressure changes induced by emetic stimuli （apomorphine and cisplatin） in the ferret. METHODS： GMA and intra-abdominal ...pressure were recorded in conscious, unrestrained ferrets surgically implanted with radiotelemetry transmitters. Animals were challenged with apomorphine （0.25 mg/kg sc） and cisplatin （10 mg/kg ip）, and the emetic response was quantified via direct observation and intra-abdominal pressure recording for 1 and 4 h, respectively. The GMA was analyzed by spectral analysis; the parameters used to characterize the GMA were the dominant frequency （DF） and the repartition of spectral power in the bradygastric, normogastric and tachygastric frequency ranges. RESULTS： Retches were identified on the intraabdominal pressure trace as peaks 0.30 ± 1.01 s in duration and 59.57 ± 2.74 mmHg in amplitude, vomit peaks were longer （0.82 ± 0.06 s, P 〈 0.01） and reached a higher pressure （87.73 ± 8.12 mmHg, P 〈 0.001）. The number of retches and vomits quantified via direct observation apomorphine： 65.5 ± 11.8 retches ± vomits （R＋V）, cisplatin： 202.6 ± 64.1 R＋V and intra-abdominal pressure （apomorphine： 68.3± 13.7 R＋V, n = 8; cisplatin： 219.0 ± 69.2 R＋V, n = 8） were correlated （r = 0.97, P 〈 0.0001） and the timing of emesis was consistent between the 2 methods. Apomorphine induced a decrease in normogastria from 45.48% ± 4.35% to 36.70 ± 4.34% （n = 8, P 〈 0.05） but the DF of the slow waves was not changed 8.95 ± 0.25 counts/rain （cpm） vs 8.68 ± 0.35 cpm, n = 8, P 〉 0.05. Cisplatin induced a decrease in normogastria from 55.83% ± 4.30% to 29.22% ± 5.16% and an increase in bradygastria from 14.28% ± 2.32% to 31.19% ± 8.33% （n = 8, P 〈 0.001） but the DF （9.14 ± 0.13 cpm） remained unchanged （P 〉 0.05）. The GMA changes induced by cisplatin preceded the emetic response as normogastria was reduced for 1 h before the onset of emesis （57.61% ± 5.66% to 39.91% ± 5.74%, n = 6, P 〈 0.05）. Peri-emesis analysis revealed that the GMA was significantly disturbed during and immediately after, but not immediately before, the emetic episodes. CONCLUSION： The induction of emesis is reliably associated with a disrupted GMA, but changes may also occur prior to and following the emetic response.
CD209 (DC-SIGN) is an important C-type lectin which acts a receptor of many pathogens. The single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) a336A>G in the CD209 promoter has been demonstrated to regulate ...promoter activity and to be associated with several important infectious diseases, such as human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1), Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and Dengue fever. CD209 facilitates severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)-coronavirus spike protein-bearing pseudotype driven infection of permissive cells in vitro. In keeping with previously published findings, our in vitro studies confirmed that this SNP modulates gene promoter activity. Genetic association analysis of this SNP with clinico-pathologic outcomes in 824 serologic confirmed SARS patients showed that the a336AG/GG genotype SARS patients was associated with lower standardized lactate-dehydrogenase (LDH) levels compared with the a336AA patients (p = 0.014, odds ratio = 0.40). High LDH levels are known to be an independent predictor for poor clinical outcome, probably related to tissue destruction from immune hyperactivity. Hence, SARS patients with the CD209 a336 AA genotype carry a 60% chance of having a poorer prognosis. This association is in keeping with the role of CD209 in modulating immune response to viral infection. The relevance of these findings for other infectious diseases and inflammatory conditions would be worth investigating.
PDF
