Symptomatic liver cyst: Special reference to surgical management

We conducted a retrospective study of 14 patients with symptomatic liver cysts to evaluate current therapeutic interventions for this condition. Abdominal pain (n = 7) or abdominal mass (n = 5) were the most frequent presentations. Three patients also had renal cyst. Percutaneous aspiration with ethanol sclerotheraphy was carried out in 4 patients and all cysts so treated diminished in size, with relief of the symptoms. One patient was treated by aspiration only and re-retension occurred. Cystectomy was performed in 2 patients, unroofing in 5, and fenestration in 2 patients. All patients gained relief of symptoms, with no recurrence of symptoms. Computed tomography revealed that the cysts were diminished or were no longer observable after all the treatments. Our experience indicates that unroofing, fenestration, and cystectomy are safe and suitable procedures for treatment of the condition. Ethanol sclerotherapy may be a feasible alternative to surgical intervention in selected patients. Received for publication on July 23, 1997; accepted on Dec. 25, 1997     

Ethanol regulated preference in rats

A series of experiments evaluated the determinants of preference for mixtures of ethanol plus sucrose relative to sucrose in rats. One dipper served 10% ethanol mixed with 10% sucrose, and the second dipper served 10% sucrose. Lever presses operated each dipper according to a variable-interval 5-s schedule. In three experiments the subjects were given pre-session meals of sucrose (2.5–20 ml) or sucrose (20 ml) plus chow (5 or 10 g). Pre-session meals decreased responding maintained by sucrose but not responding maintained by ethanol mixture. In two experiments body weight was varied from 85% to 125% of the initial free-feeding values. Increases in body weight, like pre-session meals, decreased responding reinforced by sucrose, but typically did not decrease responding reinforced by ethanol mixture. Throughout most of the study, ethanol consumption remained at about 1.25 ml per half hour session (3–4 g/kg per 30 min). For example, pre-session access to ethanol mixture decreased within-session ethanol consumption, but total consumption, counting both sources, remained about 1.25 ml/session. The within-session patterns of responding also differed. Responding reinforced by ethanol mix decreased as a function of ethanol consumption, whereas responding reinforced by sucrose was relatively constant throughout the session. The simplest explanation of the results is that ethanol's pharmacological consequences regulated preference.     

耐酸性运动发酵单胞菌的筛选和酒精发酵条件的优化

通过酸性平板筛选,在作者所在实验室保藏的运动发酵单胞菌中,得到一株能在pH4.5时进行酒精发酵的菌株,其酒精产量为66.7g/L,与原菌株在pH6.5时的相同.通过单因素实验和正交实验,对该菌在酸性条件下的酒精发酵条件进行了优化.结果表明,在发酵温度为30～35℃,pH4.5,初糖质量浓度150g/L,酵母膏质量浓度4g/L,蛋白胨质量浓度为2g/L时,该菌的酒精产量达到最大,为71.7g/L.     

生物代谢过程的热力学研究——乙醇生成的理论转化率及代谢能级特征

根据生物代谢状态方程和代谢反应一般表达式,解析由葡萄糖生成乙醇的生物代谢过程。结果表明,该过程是一个可达到热力学最大可能性的过程,该代谢过程的热力学最大可能性转化率为51.1%,方程的解与依据代谢途径直接核算的结果一致,说明这些代谢途径已实现了热力学上的最大可能性。研究表明由葡萄糖生成乙醇的代谢过程具有非连续的能级特征。研究结果为深入解析代谢过程的物理意义奠定了基础。     

Proteasome inhibitor model of Parkinson's disease in mice is confounded by neurotoxicity of the ethanol vehicle.

Defects in the ubiquitin-proteasome system have been implicated in Parkinson's Disease (PD). Recently, a rat model of PD was developed using a synthetic proteasome inhibitor (PSI), (Z-lle-Glu(OtBu)-Ala-Leu-al). We attempted to transfer this model to mouse studies, where genetics can be more readily investigated due to the availability of genetically modified mice. We treated C57BL/6 (B6) mice with six intraperitoneal injections of 6 mg/kg PSI in 50 mul of 70% ethanol over a 2-week-period. We found significant decreases in nigrostriatal dopamine in PSI-treated mice compared with saline-treated mice. However, we observed similar decreases in the ethanol-treated vehicle control group. Administration of ethanol alone led to significant long-term alterations in dopamine levels. Ethanol significantly eclipses the effects of PSI in the dopamine system, and therefore is a confounding vehicle for this model.     

Chronic ethanol intake may delay the onset of gossypol-induced infertility in the male rat

Summary. Parameters were obtained from the reproductive organs of ethanol-fed, gossypol-treated Sprague Dawley rats. The experimental animals were fed either on a normal (15.17%) or low protein (8.00%) diet. Measurements included reproductive organ weights, seminal characteristics, serum concentration of testosterone and histological, stereological and histomorphometric evaluation of the testis. The testis size, length and diameter of the seminiferous tubule had the least values in the protein-malnourished, gossy-pol-treated rats (3.01±0.26 g, 0.56 ± 0.03 m, 281.34±11.30 μn), in comparison to corresponding animals which had received ethanol simultaneously with gossypol (3.40 ± 0.25, 0.71±0.06m, 314.42 ± 11.61 μn). As gossypol and ethanol are both associated with reduced reproductive capacity, this unexpected but interesting finding lends support to the hypothesis that either a normal dietary protein or ethanol consumption may modify the action of gossypol on body tissues, including the testis. This effect, presumably mediated through changes caused to the bioavailability of gossypol, modifies its antifertility activity. The present observation further highlights the need to consider the concurrent administration of other drugs, such as alcohol, and the nutritional status in the evaluation of gossypol for various potential uses.     

POSITIVE INTERACTION OF ETHANOL AND KAVA RESIN IN MICE

1. The lipid soluble extract of the psychoactive beverage kava has hypnosedative properties which can be measured by the length of time that the righting reflex is lost. 2. Ethanol and the lipid soluble extract (kava resin) have been shown greatly to increase each others hypnotic action in mice. Ethanol also increases the toxicity of kava markedly. 3. This interaction of kava and alcohol has important clinical and social consequences since, in contrast to traditional usage, kava is now often taken in conjunction with alcoholic drinks.