Paraoxonase-1 (PON1) is an esterase and lactonase synthesized by the liver and found in the circulation associated with high-density lipoproteins. The physiological function of PON1 seems to be to degrade specific oxi...Paraoxonase-1 (PON1) is an esterase and lactonase synthesized by the liver and found in the circulation associated with high-density lipoproteins. The physiological function of PON1 seems to be to degrade specific oxidized cholesteryl esters and oxidized phospholipids in lipoproteins and cell membranes. PON1 is, therefore, an antioxidant enzyme. Alterations in circulating PON1 levels have been reported in a variety of diseases involving oxidative stress including chronic liver diseases. Measurement of serum PON1 activity has been proposed as a potential test for the evaluation of liver function. However, this measurement is still restricted to research and has not been extensively applied in routine clinical chemistry laboratories. The reason for this restriction is due to the problem that the substrate commonly used for PON1 measurement, paraoxon, is toxic and unstable. The recent development of new assays with non-toxic substrates makes this proposal closer to a practical development. The present editorial summarizes PON1 biochemistry and function, its involvement with chronic liver impairment, and some aspects related to the measurement of PON1 activity in circulation.展开更多
AIM:To investigate the utility of immunohistochemical(IHC) staining with an antibody to Mycobacterium tuberculosis(M.tuberculosis) for the diagnosis of intestinal tuberculosis(TB).METHODS:We retrospectively identified...AIM:To investigate the utility of immunohistochemical(IHC) staining with an antibody to Mycobacterium tuberculosis(M.tuberculosis) for the diagnosis of intestinal tuberculosis(TB).METHODS:We retrospectively identified 10 patients(4 males and 6 females;mean age = 65.1 ± 13.6 years) with intestinal TB.Clinical characteristics,including age,gender,underlying disease,and symptoms were obtained.Chest radiograph and laboratory tests,including sputum Ziehl-Neelsen(ZN) staining,M.tuberculosis culture,and sputum polymerase chain reaction(PCR) for tubercle bacilli DNA,as well as Tuberculin skin test(TST) and QuantiFERON-TB gold test(QFT),were examined.Colonoscopic records recorded on the basis of Sato's classification were also reviewed,in addition to data from intestinal biopsies examined for histopathological findings,including hematoxylin and eosin staining,and ZN staining,as well as M.tuberculosis culture,and PCR for tubercle bacilli DNA.For the present study,archived formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded(FFPE) intestinal tissue samples were immunohistochemically stained using a commercially available species-specific monoclonal antibody to the 38-kDa antigen of the M.tuberculosis complex.These sections were also stained with the pan-macrophage marker CD68 antibody.RESULTS:From the clinical data,we found that no patients were immunocompromised,and that the main symptoms were diarrhea and weight loss.Three patients displayed active pulmonary TB,six patients(60%) had a positive TST,and 4 patients(40%) had a positive QFT.Colonoscopic findings revealed that all patients had type 1 findings(linear ulcers in a circumferential arrangement or linear ulcers arranged circumferentially with mucosa showing multiple nodules),all of which were located in the right hemicolon and/or terminal ileum.Seven patients(70%) had concomitant healed lesions in the ileocecal area.No acid-fast bacilli were detected with ZN staining of the intestinal tissue samples,and both M.tuberculosis culture and PCR for tubercle bacilli DNA were negative in all samples.The histopathological data revealed that tuberculous granulomas were present in 4 cases(40%).IHC staining in archived FFPE samples with anti-M.tuberculosis monoclonal antibody revealed positive findings in 4 patients(40%);the same patients in which granulomas were detected by hematoxylin and eosin staining.M.tuberculosis antigens were found to be mostly intracellular,granular in pattern,and primarily located in the CD68 + macrophages of the granulomas.CONCLUSION:IHC staining with a monoclonal antibody to M.tuberculosis may be an efficient and simple diagnostic tool in addition to classic examination methods for the diagnosis of intestinal TB.展开更多
Animals can avoid predation by masquerading as objects that are not food to their predators. Alder moth Acronicta alni larvae go through an impressive ontogenetic change from masquerade to highly conspicuous appearanc...Animals can avoid predation by masquerading as objects that are not food to their predators. Alder moth Acronicta alni larvae go through an impressive ontogenetic change from masquerade to highly conspicuous appearance： early larval stages resemble bird droppings but in the last instar the larval coloration changes into striking yellow-and-black stripes. We hypothe- sized that such a change may be driven by differential predation favoring dissimilar anti-predator strategies in different life stages We show with a series of laboratory assays that larvae are distasteful to birds regardless of their developmental stage, suggesting that ontogenetic color change is not driven by the differential chemical defense. Birds showed higher variance in hesitation to- ward conspicuous prey; some individuals hesitated long time before attacking whereas all birds attacked instantly masqueraded prey. We also found that the activity level of the larvae increased with age, which fits to the fact that larvae need to move from foliage to pupation sites. In the field by using artificial larvae resembling the two life-history stages we found predation risk to vary during the season： In early summer larger yellow-and-black larvae were attacked most, whereas later in the summer small ＇bird-dropping-larvae＇ suffered the highest predation. We conclude that the ontogenetic switch from masquerading to aposema- tism is adaptive most likely because actively moving prey cannot mimic immotile objects and thus, aposematism during the ac- tive and vulnerable period when larvae are searching for pupation sites becomes beneficial展开更多
基金Supported by Fondo de Investigación Sanitaria,FIS 00/0232,02/0430, 05/1607the Instituto de Salud Carlos Ⅲ, C03/02,C03/08,G03/015the Generalitat de Catalunya,FI 05/00068
文摘Paraoxonase-1 (PON1) is an esterase and lactonase synthesized by the liver and found in the circulation associated with high-density lipoproteins. The physiological function of PON1 seems to be to degrade specific oxidized cholesteryl esters and oxidized phospholipids in lipoproteins and cell membranes. PON1 is, therefore, an antioxidant enzyme. Alterations in circulating PON1 levels have been reported in a variety of diseases involving oxidative stress including chronic liver diseases. Measurement of serum PON1 activity has been proposed as a potential test for the evaluation of liver function. However, this measurement is still restricted to research and has not been extensively applied in routine clinical chemistry laboratories. The reason for this restriction is due to the problem that the substrate commonly used for PON1 measurement, paraoxon, is toxic and unstable. The recent development of new assays with non-toxic substrates makes this proposal closer to a practical development. The present editorial summarizes PON1 biochemistry and function, its involvement with chronic liver impairment, and some aspects related to the measurement of PON1 activity in circulation.
文摘AIM:To investigate the utility of immunohistochemical(IHC) staining with an antibody to Mycobacterium tuberculosis(M.tuberculosis) for the diagnosis of intestinal tuberculosis(TB).METHODS:We retrospectively identified 10 patients(4 males and 6 females;mean age = 65.1 ± 13.6 years) with intestinal TB.Clinical characteristics,including age,gender,underlying disease,and symptoms were obtained.Chest radiograph and laboratory tests,including sputum Ziehl-Neelsen(ZN) staining,M.tuberculosis culture,and sputum polymerase chain reaction(PCR) for tubercle bacilli DNA,as well as Tuberculin skin test(TST) and QuantiFERON-TB gold test(QFT),were examined.Colonoscopic records recorded on the basis of Sato's classification were also reviewed,in addition to data from intestinal biopsies examined for histopathological findings,including hematoxylin and eosin staining,and ZN staining,as well as M.tuberculosis culture,and PCR for tubercle bacilli DNA.For the present study,archived formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded(FFPE) intestinal tissue samples were immunohistochemically stained using a commercially available species-specific monoclonal antibody to the 38-kDa antigen of the M.tuberculosis complex.These sections were also stained with the pan-macrophage marker CD68 antibody.RESULTS:From the clinical data,we found that no patients were immunocompromised,and that the main symptoms were diarrhea and weight loss.Three patients displayed active pulmonary TB,six patients(60%) had a positive TST,and 4 patients(40%) had a positive QFT.Colonoscopic findings revealed that all patients had type 1 findings(linear ulcers in a circumferential arrangement or linear ulcers arranged circumferentially with mucosa showing multiple nodules),all of which were located in the right hemicolon and/or terminal ileum.Seven patients(70%) had concomitant healed lesions in the ileocecal area.No acid-fast bacilli were detected with ZN staining of the intestinal tissue samples,and both M.tuberculosis culture and PCR for tubercle bacilli DNA were negative in all samples.The histopathological data revealed that tuberculous granulomas were present in 4 cases(40%).IHC staining in archived FFPE samples with anti-M.tuberculosis monoclonal antibody revealed positive findings in 4 patients(40%);the same patients in which granulomas were detected by hematoxylin and eosin staining.M.tuberculosis antigens were found to be mostly intracellular,granular in pattern,and primarily located in the CD68 + macrophages of the granulomas.CONCLUSION:IHC staining with a monoclonal antibody to M.tuberculosis may be an efficient and simple diagnostic tool in addition to classic examination methods for the diagnosis of intestinal TB.
文摘Animals can avoid predation by masquerading as objects that are not food to their predators. Alder moth Acronicta alni larvae go through an impressive ontogenetic change from masquerade to highly conspicuous appearance： early larval stages resemble bird droppings but in the last instar the larval coloration changes into striking yellow-and-black stripes. We hypothe- sized that such a change may be driven by differential predation favoring dissimilar anti-predator strategies in different life stages We show with a series of laboratory assays that larvae are distasteful to birds regardless of their developmental stage, suggesting that ontogenetic color change is not driven by the differential chemical defense. Birds showed higher variance in hesitation to- ward conspicuous prey; some individuals hesitated long time before attacking whereas all birds attacked instantly masqueraded prey. We also found that the activity level of the larvae increased with age, which fits to the fact that larvae need to move from foliage to pupation sites. In the field by using artificial larvae resembling the two life-history stages we found predation risk to vary during the season： In early summer larger yellow-and-black larvae were attacked most, whereas later in the summer small ＇bird-dropping-larvae＇ suffered the highest predation. We conclude that the ontogenetic switch from masquerading to aposema- tism is adaptive most likely because actively moving prey cannot mimic immotile objects and thus, aposematism during the ac- tive and vulnerable period when larvae are searching for pupation sites becomes beneficial
