Personality differences in the Munich Personality Test between patients with major depression and panic disorder

This study attempted to determine whether patients with major depression and panic disorder could be differentiated by personality features, measured by the Munich Personality Test (MPT). One of the six MPT personality dimensions, `rigidity', was developed in relation to the `melancholic type of personality', which may be a specific personality feature of depressive subjects. We therefore hypothesized that the MPT might be sensitive to possible personality differences between patients with major depression and panic disorder. Sixty-six patients with major depression and 27 patients with panic disorder, taken from consecutive intakes at an outpatient unit, were compared in terms of six personality dimensions of the MPT. The results demonstrated that rigidity could significantly differentiate the two patient groups, even after the possible confounding effects on the personality assessments were statistically partialled out. The MPT was suggested to be powerful for describing distinctive personality features of depressive subjects from anxiety subjects.     

Eye Movements during Perception of Pictures in Chronic Schizophrenia

Using a device of our own built eye movements during the perception of some pictures were examined in 24 chronic schizophrenic and 20 normal subjects. While they were shown each of 4 pictures for 30 seconds, we plotted the points on which the subject's eyes fixed for a short time and observed their traces. We also recorded EOG during the eye closure for 17 cases of these schizophrenic subjects. Additional observations and comparison of eye movements during the perception with EOG findings led to the following conclusions: 1. Concerning the degree of diffusion of the eye's fixation points, the moving range of the gaze in chronic schizophrenics was much more limited than in normal subjects. 2. There was observed rather large number appearance of the small rapid eye movements with closed eyes in the schizophrenic subjects who showed limited moving range of eye's fixation points. Chronic schizophrenic patients probably look at a certain part vaguely. This may be due to their decreased motivation and lack of interest in trying to get information about the pictures and to cognize them.     

HPLC-studies on nonmercapt-mercapt conversion of human serum albumin

Human mercaptalbumin (HMA) and nonmercaptalbumin (HNA) could be separated by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) at neutral pH. Using HPLC, the present authors found the nonmercapt-mercapt conversion (HNA ← HMA) during hemodialysis and the mercapt-nonmercapt conversion (HMA ← HNA) after hemodialysis in chronic renal failure, indicating HMA as the covalent carrier protein for sulfur-containing amino acids.     

Characteristics of obese children with low content of arachidonic acid in plasma lipids

BACKGROUND: Although there have been many studies on the relationship between obesity and long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (LCPUFA), the results and their interpretation are controversial, especially in children. Arachidonic acid (AA), the product of n-6 LCPUFA, is reported to be related to insulin resistance. The purpose of the present paper was to investigate the LCPUFA profile in obese children and mechanisms that contribute to reduced AA content. METHOD: An age- and sex-matched control study was performed. The study subjects were 59 obese children (mean age, 11.8 years) and 53 healthy non-obese children (mean age, 12.5 years). The study parameters included anthropometric measurements, serum lipids, leptin and fatty acid composition in plasma. RESULTS: Plasma fatty acids in obese children had lower linoleic acid (P < 0.0001) and higher dihomo-gamma-linolenic acid (P = 0.0004) than those in non-obese children. In all subjects combined, delta-6 desaturase (D6D) index (ratios of [C 18:3n-6+C 20:2n-6]/C 20:4n-6 or C 20:4n-6/C 18: 2n-6) correlated with leptin (P < 0.0001). There was no significant difference in AA content between obese and non-obese. However, the AA content was low (相似文献   

Stromal cell-derived factor-1α improves infarcted heart function through angiogenesis in mice

BACKGROUND: Local delivery of stromal cell-derived factor-1alpha (SDF-1) has been demonstrated to improve hind limb ischemia through enhanced neovascularization in animals. It was hypothesized that local administration of SDF-1 also contributes to neovascularization of ischemic heart. METHOD: Acute myocardial infarction was created by left coronary artery ligation in C57BL/6J mice. Immediately after infarction induction, mice were treated by injection directly into the center of ischemic myocardium either with saline (control group) or SDF-1 (SDF-1 group). Cardiac function was measured on echocardiogram 2 and 4 weeks after infarction. On week 4 mice were killed to evaluate infarction size and capillary vessel density. To determine the contribution of bone marrow cells to angiogenesis, the same procedures were performed on C57BL/6J chimeric mice reconstituted with green fluorescent protein-positive bone marrow cells. RESULTS: Fractional shortening was greater in the SDF-1 group at 4 weeks (0.31 +/- 0.06% vs 0.23 +/- 0.03%, P = 0.037). The infarct area was smaller in the SDF-1 group compared to the control group (9.31 +/- 2.76% vs 18.07 +/- 5.69%, P = 0.028). Green fluorescent protein-positive cells accumulated predominantly at the peri-infarction site, and were located with the capillary vessels. Capillary vessel density was significantly increased in the SDF-1 group (13.08 +/- 4.11 vessels/mm(2) vs 34.50 +/- 7.59 vessels/mm(2), P = 0.014). CONCLUSIONS: SDF-1 protects against deterioration of cardiac function after acute myocardial infarction by promoting angiogenesis. The safety and long-term prognosis of this treatment remains to be determined.     

Utility of immunohistochemical detection of prostate-specific Ets for the diagnosis of benign and malignant prostatic epithelial lesions

BACKGROUND: Human prostate-specific Ets (hPSE) belongs to the Ets family. It regulates the proliferation, differentiation, and development of prostate epithelial cells. A recent study showed that hPSE can be detected in normal glands but not in cell lines established from prostate cancer (PCA), suggesting a translational disorder of hPSE from mRNA to protein in PCA. Immunohistochemical detection of hPSE could therefore be another method of differential diagnosis of PCA from other proliferative conditions in the prostate. METHODS: An immunohistochemical detection of hPSE was carried out on the whole mounted prostatectomy specimen obtained from 19 cases with PCA. RESULTS: Basal and secretory luminar cells showed a diffuse cytoplasmic staining for hPSE in normal glands, hyperplastic glands, and prostate intraepithelial neoplasia lesions. Whereas approximately 30% of PCA lesions showed a negative staining for hPSE, the positive rate for hPSE between PCA and benign glands or prostate intraepithelial neoplasia (PIN), was statistically significant (P < 0.05). Staining intensities in normal glands, hyperplastic glands, and PIN lesions were similar, but generally stronger than those in PCA lesions. CONCLUSIONS: Negative immunoreactivity for hPSE strongly suggests malignancy in the prostate glands. Decreased immunoreactivities of glands for hPSE could suggest PCA.     

1H-n.m.r. studies on cross-relaxation phenomena in bovine mercaptalbumin (BMA) solution and partially hydrolyzed bovine plasma albumin (BPA*) gel

Bovine plasma albumin Fr. V(BPA) contains small amounts of proteolytic enzyme which catalyzes a very limited cleavage of BPA in the F-form near pH 3.8, resulting in the formation of partially hydrolyzed BPA(BPA*). BPA* had a tendency to form a transparent gel at pD 4.0 (pD range of the F-form) above 7%. Highly purified proteolytic enzyme-free bovine mercaptalbumin (BMA) was in a transparent solution at pD 4.0 even at 12.4%. after 5 days incubation at 35°. Cross-relaxation times (T_IS) between irradiated protein protons and observed protons, such as side chain and water protons, were studied on BMA solution and BPA*-gel. T_IS values of BMA solution, obtained by the saturation transfer (SATUR) and inversion recovery (INVER) methods, were a single kind of T_IS for each side chain. Those of BPA*-gel by the SATUR method indicated the presence of two kinds of T_IS, that is, short and long T_IS values for each side chain. However, those by the INVER method showed a single kind of T_IS for each side chain, corresponding to the long T_IS value by the SATUR method. The short T_IS values of BPA*-gel, observed by the SATUR method, may be due to immobile joint parts of fibrous BPA* aggregates. T_IS values from protein to water protons (T_IS(HDO)) in BPA*-gel, obtained by the INVER method, were far shorter than those in BMA solution, indicating a large amount of hydration of BPA* and rapid exchange between bound and bulk water in the gel state.     

The effects of 2-Bromopropane on Viability and Testosterone Production Ability of Rat Leydig Cells in Primary Culture

Epidemiological surveys and animal experiments have shown that 2-bromopropane induces oligozoospermia in exposed workers and inhibits spermatogensis in laboratory animals. However, the mechanism by which 2-bromopropane exerts its effects is unknown. To this end, we examined the formation of testosterone by the Leydig cells and their survival of these cells in the presence of different concentrations of 2-bromopropane in vitro. Leydig cells were isolated following vascular perfusion, enzymatic dissociation and Percoll gradient centrifugation techniques. The cells were cultured in culture dishes. After 8 h, different cultures were exposed to 2-bromopropane at concentrations of 0.01 mmol/L, 0.10 mmol/L and 1.00 mmol/L. In order to stimulate Leydig cells to secrete testosterone, human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) was also added. Cell viability was determined using the trypan blue dye exclusion test and cell numbers were counted by hemocytometer. Testosterone secretion was detected by radioimmunoassay. The cell viability decreased after exposure to 2-bromopropane in a dose-dependent way, but no morphological change was observed. The cell number decreased in the 2-bromopropane-treated cultures. The secretion of testosterone did not manifest detectable changes in the culture treated with 0.10 mmol/L and 0.01 mmol/L of 2-bromopropane; however, it decreased significantly (P<0.02) in the presence of 1.00 mmol/L. Therefore, our results strongly suggest that 2-bromopropane may exert its cytotoxic effects on Leydig cells in vitro. We speculate that the decrease in the numbers of Leydig cells caused by 2-bromopropane was mediated by a feedback mechanism resulting from a lower testosterone concentration.     

Early sigmoid colon carcinoma developed from a pedunculated polyp

A 60‐year‐old man underwent routine colonoscopy, and was noted to have a pedunculated polyp in the sigmoid colon. The pathologic diagnosis was adenoma, and due to patient’s personal circumstances, the lesion was left untreated. The colonoscopic examination was repeated 4 years and 11 months later, to find that the polyp had transformed into an elevated lesion with irregularly depressed surface. The patient was diagnosed as having early sigmoid cancer, and underwent sigmoidectomy. The histologic examination of the excised specimen revealed well‐differentiated adenocarcinoma with invasion into the submucosal layer. Through studying the natural course of colon cancer, it has become known that the advanced cancers commonly develop from polyps with short pedicles (sessile polyps). This case represents an early sigmoid cancer developed from a pedunculated polyp, which differs from the current mainstream concept of ‘polyp‐cancer sequence of colon cancer.’     

Stage–specific antigens of Hymenolepis microstoma recognized in BALB/c mice

Antigenicity of eggs (oncospheres), cysticercoids and adults (with immature segments only) of the bile duct tapeworm Hymenolepsis microstoma was analysed using immunoblotting techniques and indirect immunofluorescent antibody (IFA) techniques with immune sera of BALB/c mice (i) infected with different doses of cysticercoids, (ii) during patent or prepatent infection with the lumen phase of the parasite or (iii) sensitized with live or dead eggs. Antibody responses detected by IFA test and immunoblotting showed that antigenicity of eggs (oncospheres) differed from that of cysticercoids and adults. Single worm infections were sufficient to stimulate antibody responses. Mice which had patent infection showed strong antibody responses to all three (egg (oncosphere), cysticercoid, adult) antigens, while mice given two prepatent infections showed some antibody responses to cysticercoid and adult antigens only. Although the normal intermediate hosts of this parasite are arthropods, antibodies to some major egg (oncosphere) antigens were produced in mice given eggs of this parasite orally, either through inoculation of eggs or ingestion of faeces contaminated with eggs. Antibodies were not produced in mice dosed with non-viable eggs. The results are consistent with the hypothesis that cestode parasites express phase- (or stage-) specific antigens.