Diagnostic significance of TCR gene clonal rearrangement analysis in early mycosis fungoides / 癌症

Mycosis fungoides (MF), the most common type of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, has various unspecific clinical and histological characteristics. Its early diagnosis is challenging. The application of T-cell receptor (TCR) gene clonal rearrangement to the diagnosis of MF has been widely studied. In this study, we used polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to investigate the diagnostic significance of detecting TCR-γ and -β gene clonal rearrangement in the early diagnosis of mycosis fungoides. PCR for TCR-γ and TCR-β gene rearrangement was performed on 19 patients with suspected early MF, 6 with typical MF, and 6 with chronic dermatitis. Of the 19 patients with suspected early MF, 13 had TCR-γ gene clonal rearrangement, whereas none had TCR-β gene clonal rearrangement. All patients with typical MF had TCR gene clonal rearrangement, in which 4 showed TCR-γ clonal rearrangement, 1 showed TCR-β gene clonal rearrangements, and 1 showed both. No patients with chronic dermatitis had TCR gene clonal rearrangement. These results indicate that TCR gene clonal rearrangement analysis is a useful tool in diagnosing early MF. TCR-γ gene is recommended to the routine analysis, whereas TCR-β gene has potential in combination toward intractable cases.

Prevalence of hypertension in the Guangxi Bai Ku Yao populations / 中华心血管病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the prevalence of hypertension and associated risk factors in the Guangxi Bai Ku Yao populations.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 1170 subjects of Bai Ku Yao aged 15 and over were surveyed by a stratified randomized cluster sampling. Blood pressure, body height, weight, waist circumference, serum lipid and apolipoprotein levels were measured, and body mass index (BMI) were calculated, matched 1173 subjects of Han Chinese from the same region served as control.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The standardized prevalence of hypertension in Bai Ku Yao was significantly lower than that in Han (11.53% vs.16.79%, P < 0.01). The mean levels of systolic, diastolic blood pressure, and pulse pressure in Bai Ku Yao were also significantly lower than those in Han [(115.7 +/- 16.3) vs. (120.0 +/- 16.3) mm Hg (1 mm Hg = 0.133 kPa), P < 0.01; (74.1 +/- 9.4) vs. (75.9 +/- 10.4) mm Hg, P < 0.01; and (41.6 +/- 12.0) vs. (44.2 +/- 11.2) mm Hg, P < 0.01; respectively]. Hypertension was positively correlated with male, age, physical activity, BMI, waist circumference, and the intakes of total energy, total fat, and sodium, and negatively associated with education level in both ethnic groups (P < 0.05 - 0.01), but was positively associated with alcohol consumption only in Han. The rates of awareness, treatment and control of hypertension were significantly lower in Bai Ku Yao than those in Han population [(11.81% vs. 21.76%), P < 0.05; (5.51% vs. 12.95%), P < 0.05; and (2.36% vs. 8.29%), P < 0.05; respectively].</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The prevalence of hypertension was significantly lower in Bai Ku Yao population than in Han population and diet, low sodium intake, life style, and genetic factors might be responsible for the lower hypertension prevalence in Bai Ku Yao population.</p>