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The isotope $^{220}\mathrm{Pa}$ produced in the reaction $^{40}\mathrm{Ar}+^{187}\mathrm{Re}$ at a beam energy of 198.7 MeV was reinvestigated via the $\ensuremath{\alpha}$-spectroscopic method. A new $\ensuremath{\alpha}$-decaying state in $^{220}\mathrm{Pa}$ has been observed with an energy ${E}_{\ensuremath{\alpha}}=9664(40)\phantom{\rule{0.28em}{0ex}}\mathrm{keV}$ and with a half-life ${T}_{1/2}={233}_{\ensuremath{-}56}^{+108}\phantom{\rule{0.28em}{0ex}}\mathrm{ns}$. The spin parity of the state is tentatively suggested to be (${3}^{\ensuremath{-}}$). The $\ensuremath{\alpha}$ energy and half-life of the (${1}^{\ensuremath{-}}$) ground state are measured to be ${E}_{\ensuremath{\alpha}}=9548(30)\phantom{\rule{0.28em}{0ex}}\mathrm{keV}$ and ${T}_{1/2}=0.75(8)\phantom{\rule{0.28em}{0ex}}\ensuremath{\mu}\mathrm{s}$, respectively. The reduced $\ensuremath{\alpha}$ width, inferred from the present data, fits well into the systematics for $N=129$ isotones.

A new α-emitting isotope ^{214}U, produced by the fusion-evaporation reaction ^{182}W(^{36}Ar,4n)^{214}U, was identified by employing the gas-filled recoil separator SHANS and the recoil-α correlation technique. More precise α-decay properties of even-even nuclei ^{216,218}U were also measured in the reactions of ^{40}Ar, ^{40}Ca beams with ^{180,182,184}W targets. By combining the experimental data, improved α-decay reduced widths δ^{2} for the even-even Po-Pu nuclei in the vicinity of the magic neutron number N=126 are deduced. Their systematic trends are discussed in terms of the N_{p}N_{n} scheme in order to study the influence of proton-neutron interaction on α decay in this region of nuclei. It is strikingly found that the reduced widths of ^{214,216}U are significantly enhanced by a factor of two as compared with the N_{p}N_{n} systematics for the 84≤Z≤90 and N126 even-even nuclei. The abnormal enhancement is interpreted by the strong monopole interaction between the valence protons and neutrons occupying the π1f_{7/2} and ν1f_{5/2} spin-orbit partner orbits, which is supported by the large-scale shell model calculation.

One 24 years old female patient who suffered extremely severe burn in the third trimester of pregnancy was admitted to the Department of Burns and Skin Repair Surgery of the Third Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University on 9th May, 2015. Intrauterine distress occurred after injury and stillbirth was confirmed within 12 hours. In cooperation with the obstetrician, the labor was induced on post injury day (PID) 5. Septic shock and multiple organ dysfunction syndrome occurred on PID 8. Through treatments including anti-infection, ventilator-assisted ventilation, cardiotonic diuresis, and escharectomy and skin grafting, the patient was finally cured. This case indicates that it is crucial to grasp the right time and choose a reasonable induction of labor to deal with stillbirth. The scheme of transvaginal induction of labor after shock is a worthy question to explore. The main characteristics of this patient include the extreme paroxysmal changes in breath, circulation, and urine volume within 24 hours after induced labor, which should be monitored dynamically for effective and timely adjustment of respiratory circulation support. This may be another key point for the rescue of this type of patient. To seize the opportunities to perform escharectomy, cover the wound with xenogenic skin graft, and perform skin grafting in time for wound repair remain the top priority.2015年5月9日，温州医科大学附属第三医院烧伤与皮肤修复外科收治1例24岁妊娠晚期特重度烧伤女性患者。患者在伤后即出现胎儿宫内窘迫，于伤后第12 h确诊死胎，通过与产科医师合作，在伤后5 d引产成功。伤后8 d，患者出现脓毒症休克、多器官功能障碍综合征，经抗感染、呼吸机辅助通气、强心利尿、切削痂＋皮片移植等治疗，患者最终痊愈。该病例提示把握适当时机、选择合理引产方式，果断处理死胎极其关键；休克期过后经阴道引产的方案，值得探讨；引产后24 h内极端、阵发的呼吸、循环及尿量变化为本例患者主要特点，动态关注并及时有效调整呼吸循环支持，有可能为该类患者救治的另一关键；尽可能抓住时机切削痂、覆盖异种皮，及时行皮肤移植修复创面则是重中之重。.

A new, very short-lived neutron-deficient isotope ^{222}Np was produced in the complete-fusion reaction ^{187}Re(^{40}Ar,5n)^{222}Np, and observed at the gas-filled recoil separator SHANS. The new isotope ^{222}Np was identified by employing a recoil-α correlation measurement, and six α-decay chains were established for it. The decay properties of ^{222}Np with E_{α}=10016(33) keV and T_{1/2}=380_{-110}^{+260} ns were determined experimentally. The α-decay systematics of Np isotopes is improved by adding the new data for ^{222}Np, which validates the N=126 shell effect in Np isotopes. The evolution of the N=126 shell closure is discussed in the neutron-deficient nuclei up to Np within the framework of α-decay reduced width.

EB病毒阳性滤泡性淋巴瘤（follicular lymphoma, FL）是一种罕见的B细胞淋巴瘤，在同一级别的FL中，EB病毒阳性与EB病毒阴性的FL，在形态学和免疫表型上难以区分，EB病毒编码的小RNA（EBER）检测尤为重要。且大多数EB病毒阳性FL的患者更易进展为更高级别的FL或弥漫性大B细胞淋巴瘤。该文报道1例淋巴结EB病毒阳性FL。镜下形态、免疫组织化学染色及荧光原位杂交检测均符合FL，特殊之处在于EBER只表达于肿瘤性滤泡内的细胞。最终诊断为淋巴结EB病毒阳性的FL。.

Carbon fiber composite is widely used in aero industries and on automobile body panel due to its high strength and light weight. In order to achieve even better fuel economy, various sandwich panels with different core structures are being studied.

A new short-lived neutron-deficient isotope ^{220}Np was synthesized in the fusion-evaporation reaction ^{185}Re(^{40}Ar,5n)^{220}Np at the gas-filled recoil separator SHANS. Based on the measurement of the correlated α-decay chains, the decay properties of ^{220}Np with E_{α}=10040(18) keV and T_{1/2}=25_{-7}^{+14} μs were determined, which are in good agreement with theoretical predictions. From the new experimental results coupled with the recently reported α-decay data of ^{219,223}Np, the α-decay systematics for Np isotopes around N=126 was established, which allows us for the first time to test the robustness of the N=126 shell closure in Z=93 Np isotopes. The results also indicate that, in the region of nuclei with Z≥83, the proton drip line has been reached for all odd-Z isotopes up to Np.

Five patients with primary malignancies in the pterygopalatine fossa (PPF) and infra temporal fossa (ITF) were enrolled in this retrospective study between January 2012 and January 2018. After malignancies proven by biopsy and evaluation with CT and MRI scan, all patients received modified maxillary swing (MMS) approach for extirpation of malignant tumors in the PPF and ITF under general anesthesia. En bloc resection with wide surgical margins was successfully performed in all cases. Negative margins were observed in 4 cases and positive margins were found in one patient with adenoid cystic carcinoma who received postoperative radiotherapy. The most common complication was facial numbness. During the follow-up period (range 12 to 57 months), one patient suffered from recurrence while others did not. The advantages of MMS include wide surgical field, full exposure and easy manipulation. The MMS approach is expected to become an standard method for monobloc resection of malignancies in the PPF and ITF.回顾性分析2012年1月至2018年1月于湖南省肿瘤医院头颈外科就诊的5例翼腭窝及颞下窝原发恶性肿瘤患者资料（3例女性，2例男性，年龄13~67岁），患者均经术前活检确诊为恶性肿瘤，颅底CT和MRI检查评估后，接受全身麻醉下改良上颌骨外旋入路切除手术。5例患者均一次性整块切除肿瘤。4例患者切缘阴性，1例腺样囊性癌患者神经切缘阳性并接受术后放疗。术后常见并发症为面部皮肤麻木。随访时间12~57个月，无死亡病例。1例患者肿瘤于颞下窝处复发，于外院再次手术切除；其余患者均无复发。改良上颌骨外旋入路具有术野宽敞，暴露好，便于直视下操作等优点，可为翼腭窝及颞下窝原发恶性肿瘤整块切除提供新的解决方案。.

Under the background of increasing penetration rate of new energy, the risk level of power system is getting higher and higher. Identifying the key branches of the system quickly and accurately is of great significance for improving the stability of power grid operation and preventing the occurrence of blackouts. This paper models the uncertain factors after the new energy is connected and establishes a grid risk assessment system. Based on the probabilistic power flow calculation, the comprehensive system risk index under the decommissioning of each branch is obtained as the branch importance through five indicators like power flow fluctuation risk and line active power over-limit risk The improved IEEE-39 node system is used as an example for simulation calculation. The results verify the effectiveness of this method, which can distinguish the importance of branches, and provide references for safety early warning and differentiated planning.

The construction of the core backbone grid affects the ability of the power system to resist disasters and failures. However, traditional construction methods favor stable water and thermal power sources, which are no longer in line with the development trend of modern power systems. After new energy is connected to the core backbone grid, how to balance the system risk and the economic benefits it brings needs to be solved urgently. This paper takes the maximum profit-to-risk ratio as the objective function, and constructs the core backbone grid by a step-by-step method. The results of the improved IEEE 188 node calculation example show that the method proposed in this paper can effectively distinguish the key branch and nodes of the system. The core backbone grid structure constructed can ensure the stability of the system and improve the economy of the disaster-resistant system through the access of new energy units.

To investigate the effect of long non-coding RNA URHC on the proliferation, apoptosis and invasion of colorectal cancer cells.The expression of lncRNA-URHC in tissues and cells was tested by Real-time quantitative PCR. The expression of lncRNA-URHC was down-regulated by RNA interference (siRNA). The Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method was used to detect the interference efficiency. Cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8), flow cytometry, and transwell were used to detect the effect of lncRNA-URHC on the proliferation, apoptosis and invasion of colorectal cancer cells. The effect of lncRNA-URHC on epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-related markers was detected by Western blot.LncRNA-URHC expression was significantly increased in colorectal cancer cells compared with normal cells, and the expression of lncRNA-URHC in colorectal cancer cells was higher than that in the normal cell. After down-regulated the expression of lncRNA-URHC, the proliferation and invasion of colorectal cancer cells were decreased, while cells apoptosis was promoted. Down-regulation of lncRNA-URHC could enhance the expression of E-cadherin and reduce the expression of N-cadherin, vimentin and snail.Down-regulation of lncRNA-URHC can inhibit the progression of colorectal cancer.

Ecological models are effective tools for simulating the distribution of global carbon sources and sinks. However, these models often suffer from substantial biases due to inaccurate simulations of complex ecological processes. We introduce a set of scaling factors (parameters) to an ecological model on the basis of plant functional type (PFT) and latitudes. A global carbon assimilation system (GCAS-DOM) is developed by employing a dual optimization method (DOM) to invert the time-dependent ecological model parameter state and the net carbon flux state simultaneously. We use GCAS-DOM to estimate the global distribution of the CO2 flux on 1° × 1° grid cells for the period from 2001 to 2007. Results show that land and ocean absorb −3.63 ± 0.50 and −1.82 ± 0.16 Pg C yr−1, respectively. North America, Europe and China contribute −0.98 ± 0.15, −0.42 ± 0.08 and −0.20 ± 0.29 Pg C yr−1, respectively. The uncertainties in the flux after optimization by GCAS-DOM have been remarkably reduced by more than 60%. Through parameter optimization, GCAS-DOM can provide improved estimates of the carbon flux for each PFT. Coniferous forest (−0.97 ± 0.27 Pg C yr−1) is the largest contributor to the global carbon sink. Fluxes of once-dominant deciduous forest generated by the Boreal Ecosystems Productivity Simulator (BEPS) are reduced to −0.78 ± 0.23 Pg C yr−1, the third largest carbon sink.

For patients with gastrointestinal dysfunction or failure, although parenteral nutrition can maintain nutrition and save their lives, lack of food stimulus during the fasting period can cause abnormal secretion of gastrointestinal fluid, bile, and pancreatic juice, which may result in the abnormal secretion of a series of enzymes and lead to the development of various liver diseases. Recent research has focused on the prevention and treatment of such diseases, and this article reviews the research advances in recent years.对于胃肠道功能障碍或衰竭者来说，胃肠外营养虽可以维持患者营养、挽救患者生命，但是禁食期间缺乏食物的刺激可使胃肠液、胆汁、胰液分泌异常，从而导致一系列酶的分泌异常，进而导致各种肝病的发生，近年的研究主要集中在对其的预防与治疗方面，现对近年来这方面的研究进展进行综述。.

This study aims to explore the treatment of methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection by using meta-analysis method.Pubmed/Medline, ScienceDirect, CNKI and Wanfang database were comprehensively searched to obtain the randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on linezolid and vancomycin in the treatment of MRSA infections. We extracted features and information of included studies and selected appropriate effect models based on the heterogeneity test results. The funnel plot was used to analyze publication bias.A total of seven RCTs including 5376 cases met the inclusion criteria. Meta-analysis showed that the clinical cure rate of linezolid group was higher than that of vancomycin group after treatment (OR = 1.85; 95% CI: 1.33-2.59, p0.001) and follow-up (OR = 1.49; 95% CI: 1.17-1.91, p=0.001). In the microbiologically evaluable patients, end of therapy (EOT) MRSA clearance rate, and test of cure (TOC) MRSA clearance rate of linezolid were superior to those of vancomycin.Based on the combined analysis of randomized controlled trials, the efficacy of linezolid should be better than that of vancomycin in the treatment of infections caused by MRSA, but conclusions still need to be further validated by more well-designed RCTs of a large sample.

Ultrafine silicon carbide (SiC) powders were surface-modified using ethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) combined with ethylene glycol. SiC suspensions with favorable rheological properties, low viscosity, and high solid loading were successfully obtained. The mechanisms of the compound surface modification for SiC powders as well as the influences of the compound surface modification not only on functional groups and charge state of the surface for SiC powders but also on the rheological properties of SiC suspensions were investigated in the present study. The results show that under alkaline conditions and acidic conditions, the surface charge states of SiC powders were [Si-OCH2CH2O]− and [Si-OCH2CH2OH2]+, respectively. The absolute value of zeta potential reached the maximum value of 22.69 mV at pH 11. Additionally, with added 1 wt% TEOS and 3 wt% ethylene glycol, the SiC suspensions exhibited good rheological properties, low viscosity and high stability due to the steric hindrance and electrostatic repulsion of...

To compare the effects on wound bed of deep burn following eschar excision with different wound management in rabbits.Eighteen full-thickness burns models of Japanese white rabbits were established. They were randomly divided into 3 groups of traditional dressing, biological dressing and negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) (n=6 each), according to the random number table. Eschar excision was performed three days later. The wound bed was observed and wound tissue was harvested for counting the quantity of bacteria, tissue dry wet ratio, measuring the level of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-6, the amount of collagen fibers and the microvessel density instantly and again seven days later. Statistical analyses were performed.The NPWT group was better than other groups by observing the wound bed. The quantity of bacteria of traditional dressing group, biological dressing group and NPWT group at the time point of seven days after escharectomy turned out to be (9.4±1.5)×10(4,) (8.1±2.7)×10(4,) (3.9±0.7)×10(4) cfu/g, the NPWT group was significantly lower than traditional dressing group and biological dressing group (both P0.05), and all lower than that at the time point of the day when escharectomy was performed (576.9±169.5)×10(4,) (589.9±99.6)×10(4,) (583.0±160.4)×10(4) cfu/g ( all P0.05). There were no statistically significant differences among three groups at two time points in tissue dry wet ratio (all P0.05). The IL-6 of biological dressing group was higher than that of traditional dressing group at the time point of seven days after the eschar excision was performed[(94±10) vs (76±8) ng/L, P0.05]. The amount of collagen fibers of three group at the time point of seven days after escharectomy turned out to be (60±9), (55±12), (77±17). The NPWT group was significantly higher than traditional dressing group and biological dressing group (P0.05), and all higher than that at the time point of the day when escharectomy was performed[(39±6), (39±11), (38±6)](all P0.05). The microvessel density of three groups at the time point of seven days after escharectomy turned out to be (42±6), (53±4), (82±10). The NPWT group was higher than that of the other two groups, and biological dressing group was higher than that of traditional dressing group (all P0.05). The biological dressing group and NPWT group were both higher than that of the day when the eschar excision was performed (36±5) and (36±5) (P0.05).NPWT is the optimal selection for wound to inhibit the growth of bacteria, promote the accumulation of collagen and tissue vascularization. But these managements have similar effects on reducing tissue edema and inflammatory reaction.

To explore the effects of different fluid resuscitation regimens on oxygen metabolism during shock stage of burn injury in swine.Twelve Bama miniature swines were divided into crystal and colloid group (Group 1) and Parkland group (Group 2) according to the random number table. The swine models of burns shock were established. The fluid resuscitation was begun at post injury hour (PIH) 2 according to Chinese formulation or Parkland's formulation, respectively. The blood pressure, urine volume, heart rate, central venous pressure (CVP), pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP) were recorded. The liquid volume was calculated at the first and second PIH 24. The changes in oxygen delivery (DO2), oxygen consumption (VO2), oxygen extraction (O2Ext) and D-lactate (D-LA) were determined before injury and at PIH 4, 8, 24, and 48. Statistical analyses were performed.There were no statistical differences between the two groups in blood pressure, urine volume, heart rate, CVP, PCWP in every interval (all P0.05). The resuscitation liquid volume in the two groups during the first and second PIH 24 conformed to the domestic consensus. The VO2 at PIH 8 was significantly higher than that of pre-burn in both groups [(190±29) vs (83±42) L·min(-1)·m(-2,) (149±33) vs (85±15) L·min(-1)·m(-2,) both P0.05], and the VO2 at PIH 8 was significantly higher in Group 1 than that in Group 2 (P0.05). The DO2 at PIH 24 in Group 1 was significantly lower than that in Group 2 [(686±72) vs (853±81) L·min(-1)·m(-2,) P0.05]. There were no significant differences between the two groups in O2Ext at any time points (all P0.05). The D-LA at PIH 8 was significantly higher in Group 1 than that in Group 2 [(53±4) vs (45±6) mmol/L, P0.05].There are no significant differences in the resuscitation effects of the crystal and colloid resuscitation regimen and Parkland's formulation on oxygen metabolism during shock stage of burn injury in swine.

6H-SiC single crystals have been successfully grown on (1015) plane seed by sublimation method. High density stacking faults (SFs) were observed by transmission synchrotron radiation X-ray topography. Based on the invisibility criteria of stacking faults, the displacement vectors of most SFs were determined to be the type of 1/6[1120]. Laser scanning confocal microscopy (LSCM) was used to observe the etching morphology of (0115) wafer. The etching steps of SFs were found and their density decreased from 3.6×103 cm-1 to 2.0×102 cm-1 along the projection direction. The inclination angles of the SFs etching step plane to (10-15) plane were measured by line scanning of LSCM. It was found that the inclination angles decreased from 20° to 10° along the projection direction. Different etching characteristics of SFs along radial direction of 6H-SiC (1015) wafer should be attributed to different displacement vectors and different stacking fault energies for these stacking faults. (© 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Systematic experimental work was conducted to investigate the solids acceleration length in a 0.10 m i. d., 16 m long circulating fluidized bed (CFB) riser with fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) particles over a wide range of operating conditions. A more feasible method is proposed to determine the acceleration length from the measured axial profiles of pressure gradient (or apparent solids holdup). With this new method and large amounts of experimental results, a clear picture of the variation of the acceleration length with both solids circulating rate and superficial gas velocity is obtained. It is found that the acceleration length increases generally with increasing solids flow rate and/or decreasing gas velocity. However, the particular variation patterns of the acceleration length with operating conditions are quite different in different operation ranges. Especially under the conditions near or at the accumulative choking, the acceleration length extends rapidly with increasing solids flow rate and/or decreasing gas velocity, and sometimes takes up the whole riser height. Reasonable explanations are provided for the observed variation patterns of the acceleration length.

The effect of fluorine substitution on the geometrical orientations and the reaction pathways of CH3CH2(a) and CF3CH2(a) on Ag(111) was investigated using temperature programmed reaction spectroscopy (TPRS) and reflection−absorption infrared spectroscopy (RAIRS). The CH3CH2(a) species couple to form C4H10(g) while CF3CH2(a) undergoes β-fluorine elimination to give CF2CH2(g). On the basis of the RAIRS data, the molecular axis of CH3CH2(a) is oriented nearly perpendicular to the surface while that of CF3CH2(a) lies much nearer the surface due to the interaction between a fluorine atom and the Ag(111) surface. We propose that anchoring of CF3CH2(a) by both Ag−C and Ag···F interactions increases the activation energy of CF3CH2(a) migration compared to CH3CH2(a) migration and, thus, suppresses migratory coupling and facilitates β-fluorine elimination.

Crystal defects of two synthesized diamonds doped with boron and phosphorus are compared by synchrotron radiation topography (SRT). The crystal defects in the specimen are mainly dislocations. The dislocations are assembled in bundles in the cone-shape and distributed in the directions approximately towards to and . The Burgers vectors of most of the dislocations are parallel to [202] and oblique to the dislocations, showing that the dislocations are of mixed type. The features of the crystal defects are quite different in several aspects compared with the diamonds without phosphorous doping. The ionic radius of phosphorous is 118.75 percent larger than that of carbon and intensive distortion may occur near the phosphorous ions. The dislocations thus originated in bundles to release the stress caused by the phosphorous doping.

A combined ligand- and target-based approach was used to analyse the interaction models of Cryptosporidium parvum inosine 5’-monophosphate dehydrogenase (CpIMPDH) with selective inhibitors. First, a ligand-based pharmacophore model was generated from 20 NAD+ competitive CpIMPDH inhibitors with the HipHop module. The characteristic of the NAD+ binding site of CpIMPDH was then described, and the binding modes of the representative inhibitors were studied by molecular docking. The combination of the pharmacophore model and the docking results allowed us to evaluate the pharmacophore features and structural information of the NAD+ binding site of CpIMPDH. This research supports the proposal of an interaction model inside the NAD+ binding site of CpIMPDH, consisting of four key interaction points: two hydrophobic-aromatic groups, a hydrophobic-aliphatic group and a hydrogen bond donor. This study also provides guidance for the design of more potent CpIMPDH inhibitors for the treatment of Cryptosporidium infections.

Ecological models are effective tools to simulate the distribution of global carbon sources and sinks. However, these models often suffer from substantial biases due to inaccurate simulations of complex ecological processes. We introduce a set of scaling factors (parameters) to an ecological model on the basis of plant functional type (PFT) and latitudes. A global carbon assimilation system (GCAS-DOM) is developed by employing a Dual Optimization Method (DOM) to invert the time-dependent ecological model parameter state and the net carbon flux state simultaneously. We use GCAS-DOM to estimate the global distribution of the CO2 flux on 1° ×1° grid cells for the period from 2000 to 2007. Results show that land and ocean absorb −3.69 ± 0.49 Pg C year−1 and −1.91 ± 0.16 Pg C year−1, respectively. North America, Europe and China contribut −0.96 ± 0.15 Pg C year−1, −0.42 ± 0.08 Pg C year−1 and −0.21 ± 0.28 Pg C year−1, respectively. The uncertainties in the flux after optimization by GCAS-DOM have been remarkably reduced by more than 60%. Through parameter optimization, GCAS-DOM can provide improved estimates of the carbon flux for each PFT. Coniferous forest (−0.97 ± 0.27 Pg C year−1) is the largest contributor to the global carbon sink. Fluxes of once-dominant deciduous forest generated by BEPS is reduced to −0.79 ± 0.22 Pg C year−1, being the third largest carbon sink.

Objective: To investigate the expression of apoptosis-inducing ligand and receptor molecules in patients with MS. Background: Dysregulation of apoptosis may induce autoimmune conditions, possibly through inadequate termination of immune responses, and could be of importance for pathogenesis of MS. Methods: Messenger RNA (mRNA) levels of two apoptosis-related members of the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor family, Fas and TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) receptor 2 (TRAIL-R 2 ), and their ligands, Fas ligand (FasL) and TRAIL, were quantified by competitive reverse transcription PCR in unstimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells in 47 untreated patients with MS and 46 control subjects. Results: The expression of FasL was increased in patients with MS compared with healthy control subjects. Analysis of clinical subgroups revealed that the increase was marked in relapsing-remitting MS, being especially high in remission ( p = 0.0002), but less so in chronic progressive MS ( p = 0.14). Compared with healthy control subjects, TRAIL mRNA levels were also upregulated in patients with MS ( p = 0.0001) but did not differ between clinical subgroups. The expression of TRAIL-R 2 was slightly elevated in patients with MS ( p = 0.02) whereas the expression of Fas was similar in patients and control subjects. The ratio of expression levels for two isoforms of TRAIL-R 2 , TRICK2a and TRICK2b, in patients with MS differed from healthy control subjects ( p = 0.04). Conclusions: There was increased expression of both FasL and TRAIL in peripheral blood lymphocytes. It remains to be determined whether this increased expression represents a disease-promoting autoimmune process or is merely the effect of a secondary compensatory mechanism that downregulates the inflammatory response.

Myasthenia gravis (MG) is characterized by T cell-dependent autoantibodies to the acetylcholine receptor on the post-synaptic membrane of the neuromuscular junction. The production of autoantibodies is regulated by T cells via cytokines. To investigate the involvement of interferon gamma (IFN-gamma), tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin-4 (IL-4) and interleukin-10 (IL-10) in MG, the mRNA levels of these cytokines in peripheral blood mononuclear cells without stimulation in vitro were quantified by competitive reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction technique. The mRNA level of TNF-alpha was significantly lower (P = 0.0004) in the overall group of MG patients compared with controls. IL-10 was also lower in MG patients (P = 0.008), most markedly in non-thymectomized patients (P = 0.016). There were no significant differences in IFN-gamma and IL-4 between patients and healthy controls, but the mRNA levels of IL-4 in non-thymectomized patients was significantly lower than in controls (P = 0.02) and in thymectomized patients (P = 0.03). These results, reflecting the in vivo expression pattern of these cytokines in the periphery, suggest an altered cytokine expression at the systemic level in MG.

Background Ischaemic cerebrovascular disease (ICVD) is a heterogeneous syndrome to which different genetic factors may contribute. We have investigated the distribution of alleles of the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) gene, which has been suggested to be of possible importance in ischaemic stroke or cardiovascular disease, in groups of patients with ischaemic stroke and carotid artery stenosis (CS). Materials and methods One hundred and thirty patients with ischaemic stroke and 68 patients with more than 50% stenosis of the internal carotid artery were investigated and compared with age- and sex-matched healthy control subjects. Alleles of an insertion/deletion polymorphism of the ACE gene were determined by one-stage polymerase chain reaction and visualized on agarose gels. Results There was a significant difference (P

Methods A biallelic polymorphism of the methylenetretrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene, reported to influence the plasma level of homocysteine (Hcy), was investigated for a possible role in influencing the risk of ischaemic cerebrovascular disease (ICVD) and occlusive atherosclerosis in 126 patients with ischaemic stroke and 70 patients with internal carotid artery (ICA) stenosis. Results Only minor differences were observed between different groups of patients and control subjects. Although 47% of ICA stenosis patients had increased plasma Hcy, the MTHFR genotype did not correlate with levels of either Hcy, folic acid or vitamin B12. In addition, the MTHFR genotype did not affect Hcy levels, even in the presence of low blood folate. Conclusion We conclude that this common MTHFR gene polymorphism does not exert a significant influence on the risk of developing ICVD or ICA stenosis, and does not cause the increased level of Hcy observed in ICA stenosis.