Early-onset alcoholism with conduct disorder: go/no go learning deficits, working memory capacity, and personality

BACKGROUND: Two studies were conducted to investigate the disinhibitory mechanisms that (1) discriminate early-onset alcoholism (EOA) with conduct disorder (CD; antisocial EOA) from a non-antisocial subtype of EOA and (2) are associated with novelty-seeking and low harm avoidance. METHODS: Young adults with antisocial EOA (n = 96), with non-antisocial EOA (without CD; n = 80), with CD alone (n = 50), and controls (n = 125) were given two go/no go tasks (one with monetary loss and the other with shock punishment), the Digit Span test (working memory capacity), and personality measures of harm avoidance, novelty-seeking/impulsivity, excitement-seeking, and negative affectivity. RESULTS: Study 1 revealed that antisocial EOA subjects had poor behavioral inhibition compared with non-antisocial EOAs and controls on both go/no go tasks and with the CD-alone group on the monetary-loss task. Low Digit Span scores accentuated poor inhibition in antisocial EOAs on the monetary loss, but not the shock task. EOA with low Digit Span was associated with higher hit rates on the shock task. Study 2 revealed that antisocial EOAs had high novelty-seeking/impulsivity and low harm avoidance compared with both non-antisocial EOAs and controls. Low harm avoidance was associated with poor inhibition with shock punishment, and this association was mediated by CD. For subjects with low Digit Span scores, novelty-seeking/impulsivity was associated with poor inhibition to monetary-loss punishment and higher hit rates to shock punishment. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest two disinhibitory mechanisms that distinguish antisocial from non-antisocial EOA: an increased sensitivity to reward in nonaversive contexts associated with novelty-seeking/impulsivity and a decreased sensitivity to punishment in aversive contexts associated with low harm avoidance. Results also suggest that EOA and novelty-seeking/impulsivity are associated with a greater response to rewards in those with low working memory capacity.     

Inhibition of Ca(2+) channels in mouse spermatogenic cells by male antifertility compounds from Tripterygium wilfordii Hook. f

The male antifertility effect of a water-chloroform extract (GTW) from the root xylem of Tripterygium wilfordii has attracted worldwide interest. In the present study, by using whole-cell recording, the effects of GTW and two isolated monomers from GTW, demethylzeylasteral and L-epicatechin, on the T-type Ca(2+) channels in mouse spermatogenic cells were investigated. The results showed that each of them concentration-dependently and partially reversibly inhibited T-type Ca(2+) current in the cells. The IC(50) of GTW and demethylzeylasteral were approximate, while L-epicatechin inhibited the channels at a much higher concentration. The voltage dependence of the inhibitory effect and the changes in activation and inactivation time constants after application of these compounds were also examined. These data suggest that the inhibition of T-type Ca(2+) currents could be responsible for the antifertility activity of these compounds.     

Comparison of different models of orientation selectivity based on distinct intracortical inhibition rules

Aim of this work is to present simple models of orientation selectivity in the visual cortex, which do not require massive computational effort. Three different models are compared, in order to gain deeper insight into the structure of cortical circuits generating inhibitory signals. All models represent a single hypercolumn. They differ as to the arrangement of inhibitory connections: in the first ("antiphase inhibition model") inhibition is in phase opposition with excitation, but with a similar orientation tuning; in the second ("in-phase inhibition model"), inhibition is in phase with excitation, but with larger orientation tuning. In these two models the orientation width of inhibition increases with contrast. Finally, a third model ("center-surround model") assumes that inhibition comes from the same cells providing excitation, hence the inhibition tuning is contrast-independent. All models, with suitable values of the intracortical synapse parameters, are able to mimic experimental results in the literature. A few differences are evident between the "center-surround model" and the other two, especially as to the dependence of cortical cell response on spatial frequency. The models can represent practical tools to test hypotheses on the disposition of cortical synapses avoiding massive computational efforts.     

Inhibitory effects of ammonia and urea on gill carbonic anhydrase enzyme activity of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

The effects of ammonia and urea on branchial carbonic anhydrase (CA) enzyme which plays a key role in ionoregulation, osmoregulation and acid-base balance of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) were investigated. CA activity of the control group for ammonia and urea was determined as 1285.7 ± 67.9 and 1261.7 ± 60.8 EU/mg protein, respectively. The CA enzyme activities of the other groups were measured at 1, 2 and 3 h after ammonia and urea applications. The corresponding activities of ammonia were 774.9 ± 68.8, 732.1 ± 48.6 and 768.1 ± 59.5 EU/mg protein, respectively and that of urea were 769.3 ± 58.9, 638.2 ± 47.7 and 1108.1 ± 61.1 EU/mg protein, respectively. The differences between the initial CA activities for the controls was not significantly (P > 0.01). The CA activities were significantly (P < 0.01) inhibited both in ammonia and urea group. However, the ammonia inhibited more than urea since there was significant differences between final values of gill CA activities.     

Crystallisation properties in stone forming and normal subjects' urine diluted using a standardised procedure to match the composition of urine in the distal part of the distal tubule and the middle part of the collecting duct

Using a standardised procedure, we assessed the crystallisation properties of calcium phosphate in urine with a composition matching that in the distal part of the distal tubules (DTd) and of calcium oxalate in urine with a composition matching that in the mid-collecting duct (CDm). We used 8-h urine samples collected between 2200 h and 0600 h with sodium azide as preservative. Urine from ten patients with recurrent CaOx stone formation and from ten normal subjects was used for the measurements. The DTd and CDm samples were obtained by diluting the voided 8-h urine to 3000 ml and 1750 ml per 1.73 m² body surface area, respectively. The nucleation was studied in DTd urine following supersaturation with CaP. The crystal size distribution was assessed with a Coulter counter both following supersaturation of DTd urine with CaP and of CDm urine with CaOx. The crystallisation of CaP in DTd urine as well as that of CaOx in CDm urine, in the presence of CaP crystals that had been precipitated in DTd urine, was measured with the isotope technique. The inhibition of CaOx and brushite crystal aggregation in standardised diluted aliquots of DTd and CDm urine was assessed spectrophotometrically as the rate of sedimentation. There was a slightly increased sedimentation rate and a lower initial absorbance in DTd urine from stone formers supersaturated with CaP. Although these findings might reflect a state of increased crystal aggregation in stone formers' urine, this could not be confirmed by crystal size measurements in the Coulter counter. The inhibition of brushite crystal aggregation in DTd urine was significantly in stone formers' urine than in normal subjects' urine (P < 0.001). Moreover, all inhibition values in DTd samples from stone formers were negative, suggesting a promoter effect on crystal aggregation. The inhibition of CaOx crystal aggregation in CDm urine also was significantly higher in CDm urine from normal subjects than in CDm urine from stone formers (P < 0.05). For all other variables the level was similar when urine samples from the two groups were compared. Although this series of crystallisation assessments was carried out on a small number of standardised diluted urine samples only, the results nevertheless emphasise a defect in aggregation inhibition as one important determinant for an abnormal calcium salt crystallisation in patients with recurrent stone formations. This difference obviously includes aggregation of both CaP crystals in DTd urine and CaOx crystals in CDm urine. The results also show that assessment of crystallisation properties of this kind can be carried out in standardised, diluted 8-h night urine samples, which accordingly can be used in the routine work-up of patients with calcium stone disease. Such an approach might prove useful in order to get information on the combined effects of the driving force of supersaturation and crystallisation modifying properties accomplished by urinary macromolecules and other modifying agents. Received: 14 September 2000 / Revised: 27 December 2000 / Accepted: 27 December 2000     

家蝇抗菌肽对弓形虫的抑制作用研究

目的研究家蝇抗菌肽对弓形虫速殖子的抑制作用。方法对家蝇幼虫针刺感染细菌，诱导其产生抗菌肽，以离心法提取其血淋巴中所含的抗菌肽。结果家蝇血淋巴中抗菌肽有杀伤弓形虫速殖子的作用。结论提取的血淋巴中含有抑制弓形虫的成分。     

钩芍降压颗粒治疗高血压病30例临床观察

钩芍降压颗粒治疗高血压病３０例临床观察张崇泉，刘柏炎，张炜宁本研究用钩芍降压颗粒治疗中老年高血压病，以观察其临床疗效，探讨其对左室舒张功能的影响。临床资料病例选择根据１９７９年全国心血管病流行病学研究及人群防治座谈会制定的标准，确诊为Ⅱ期高血压病并排...     

穴位注射配合中频电流药物离子导入治疗乳腺增生病临床观察

穴位注射配合中频电流药物离子导入治疗乳腺增生病临床观察陈延庆，吴晓彤，陈文斌，石文捷，李丽我们根据中医理论，采用穴位注射配合中频电流药物离子导入的方法治疗乳腺增生病８６例，并与４个服药组（消遥丸组、乳癖消组、天冬素片组。维生素Ｅ组）对照，现报告如下。...     

Antibacterial activity of four dentin bonding systems

The antibacterial action of bonding systems Gluma 2000, Syntac, Prisma Universal Bond 3, Scotchbond Multipurpose and Prime-Bond was tested against 32 strains of the caries-producing bacteria Streptococcus spp., Lactobacillus spp., Actinomyces spp., Porphyromonas spp. and Clostridium spp. An agar plate diffusion method was used with chlorhexidine as the positive control. Assays were performed in triplicate for each component (primer and adhesive) of the bonding systems. All the adhesives were found to inhibit bacterial growth but with differences in their spectra of action. The sum action of the Scotchbond Multipurpose components were most inhibitory and Prime-Bond was found to be the least effective system.     

Cholecystokinin-pancreozymin as a physiological mediator of gastric acid inhibition

Summary In conscious dogs with Thiry-Vella loops of duodenum and Heidenhain pouches, gastric acid secretion stimulated by gastrin pentapeptide was depressed by fat emulsion or N/10 HCl in the loop. In contrast, when intravenous methacholine was the acid stimulus, both acid and fat in the loop increased secretion. Both these changes in acid secretion were abolished by local anesthetization of the loop mucosa. Since injected cholecystokinin-pancreozymin preparations depress gastrin pentapeptide stimulated acid secretion and augment methacholine stimulated secretion, it is concluded that in our experiments the mediator of the observed alterations in gastric acid secretion could be cholecystokinin-pancreozymin liberated by the fat emulsion and acid from the loop mucosa.This work was supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health and National Science Foundation.