海风藤的原植物——腺鳞蒟与山药的比较研究

本文对模式产地的山药Piper haneei Maxim, var, hancei Maxim,和腺鳞蒟P. kancei Maxim var. squamiglanduferum Fan var. nov.进行了原植物形态特征和花序轴、花序梗、茎、叶的显微特征以及化学成分的TLC及UV比较。挥发油的GC—MS研究共鉴定出38个成分,其中28个是胡椒属植物中首次报道的成分。结果证明了在福建长期以来被认为是山药的腺鳞蒟与模式产地的山药有较大差别,尤其是腺鳞蒟叶上表面有腺鳞,是迄今为止第1个发现具有腺鳞的胡椒属植物。据此把腺鳞蒟作为新变种从山药中分出。腺鳞药是福建南部海风藤主要来源之一。     

Pulsed-injection method for blood flow velocity measurement in intraarterial digital subtraction angiography

The pulsed-injection method for measuring the velocity of blood flow in intraarterial digital subtraction angiography is described. With this technique, contrast material is injected at a pulsing frequency as high as 15 Hz, so that two or more boluses can be imaged simultaneously. The velocity of flow is determined by measuring the spacing between the boluses and multiplying it by the pulsing frequency. Results of tests with phantoms correlate well with flow measurements obtained with a graduated cylinder for velocities ranging from 8 to 60 cm/sec. The potential of the method for time-dependent velocity measurement has been demonstrated with simulated pulsatile flows.     

Functional inactivation in mice of the gene for the interleukin-3 (IL- 3)-specific receptor beta-chain: implications for IL-3 function and the mechanism of receptor transmodulation in hematopoietic cells

The receptors for granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM- CSF) and interleukin-3 and -5 (IL-3, IL-5) share a common signaling subunit (beta c). However, in the mouse, IL-3 can also use an alternative IL-3-specific receptor beta-chain (beta IL-3). To assess the relative contributions of beta c and beta IL-3 to IL-3 receptor formation and function, mice were generated in which the beta IL-3 gene was functionally inactivated by replacement of exons 9-13 with a neomycin resistance cassette. Bone marrow cells from these mice displayed a lower affinity IL-3 receptor than normal and were hyporesponsive to IL-3, but the mice displayed no obvious hematopoietic abnormalities. The data suggested that beta c and beta IL-3 are normally coexpressed on IL-3-responsive cells and have identical qualitative signaling capacities. Receptor transmodulation studies on bone marrow cells from wild-type, beta c -/-, and beta IL-3 -/- mice showed that the previously described hierarchical pattern of transmodulation was dependent on the relative numbers of both beta IL-3 and beta c receptor chains and also provided evidence for an unexpected interaction between beta c chains and G-CSF and M-CSF receptors.     

Analgesic Effect of Oral Glucose in Neonates

The International Association for the Study of Pain, has defined pain as “an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience connected with actual or potential tissue damage or described in terms of such damage”. It was thought that the newborn baby does not experience pain because of incompletely developed nervous system. However, it has been shown that neurological system known to be associated with pain transmission and modulation, is intact and functional. A study was conducted in our center to study the analgesic effect of administration of oral glucose in various concentrations, in neonates undergoing heel punctures, for collection of blood for investigations. This was compared with the analgesic effects of breast milk (which contains lactose). 125 full term normal neonates with no history of birth asphyxia or underlying neurological abnormality, requiring heel punctures for collection of blood for various investigations were selected for the study. They were matched for gestational age, birth weight and sex distribution and divided into 5 groups of 25 each. One group comprised control subjects and was administered sterile water. 3 groups were administered 1 ml of varying strengths of glucose solutions i.e. 10%, 25% and 50% respectively. The last group was given 1 ml of expressed breast milk (EBM). Prior to heel pricks, state of arousal, baseline heart rate (HR) and transcutaneous oxygen saturation (SpO₂) were recorded by pulse oximeter in each neonate. Autolet, a mechanical device for capillary sampling, was used for heel pricks to give equal strength of painful stimulus in each procedure. Audio tape recorder was used to record the cry. The oral solution was administered slowly over 30 seconds by means of a syringe placed in the mouth. Heel puncture was done after 2 minutes, taking all aseptic precautions. HR and SpO₂ were monitored using pulse oximeter. Pain response was assessed, by recording duration of crying, change in HR, change in SpO₂ and facial action score after the procedure. Mean duration of cry and total cry over 5 minutes was significantly less in groups given 25% and 50% glucose solutions as compared to the control group and babies given EBM. Difference in mean increase in HR, fall in SpO₂ were statistically significant between control group, EBM group and neonates given 25% and 50% glucose solutions respectively. Compared to control group, all other administered solutions (10%, 25%, 50% glucose and EBM) were found to reduce physiological and behavioral responses in neonates undergoing heel punctures. 25% and 50% glucose solutions were found to have maximal analgesic effect and both were found to be equally effective. EBM and 10% glucose solution have an equal analgesic effect but less than 25% or 50% glucose. This simple, cheap and safe method of oral analgesia can be easily used in neonates undergoing heel prick procedures during routine neonatal care.Key Words: Analgesic effect, Breast milk, Glucose, Neonates     

Penetrating eye injuries in rural New South Wales

Purpose: To determine the epidemiology and outcomes of penetrating eye injuries in a rural Australian setting. Methods: A retrospective study of an 11 year period to identify 77 cases of penetrating eye injury in Lismore, New South Wales. Results: The commonest cause of penetrating eye injury was fencing wire followed by hammering metal. The average age was 32.6 years, and males were involved in 88% of cases. A final visual acuity of 6/12 or better was achieved in 61% of cases. Enucleation was performed in 14%. Visual outcome was best for wounds involving the cornea only. Conclusions: Penetrating eye injuries are potentially devastating to vision, but with modern surgical techniques patients are likely to achieve reasonable vision. Prevention requires education to ensure adequate protective measures are taken in potentially hazardous settings.     

盾叶薯蓣薯蓣皂甙元含量与气候因素的相关性研究

以简单相关、多元回归及逐步回归分析等方法研究我国湖南湖北等27个县的盾叶薯蓣皂甙元含量与七个气候生态因子的关系。结果表明:1.年降水量和年平均5 cm土温为影响盾叶薯蓣皂甙元含量的主要因素;2.盾叶薯蓣皂甙元合成与积累的最适气候生态条件为:年降水量:800～900 mm,以850 mm最佳;年平均5 cm处土温:15～17℃,以16℃最佳。     

Serum albumin and survival in CAPD patients: the implications of concentration trends over time

HYPOTHESIS: Trends in serum albumin concentration over time provide a better prediction of clinical outcome in CAPD patients than a single mean value. METHODS: This was a retrospective review of outcome at 36 months in 225 adult CAPD patients. Mean serum albumin was determined for the first (SA1) and second (SA2) 6 months of treatment and patients grouped according to SA1 (group I, > 37; group II, 34-37; group III, < 34 g/l) and according to the change in serum albumin (delta SA) between the first and second 6 months (increased/static or decreased). Patient (PS) and technique (TS) survival were determined by Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. The effect of SA1 and delta SA on survival were determined in a multivariate Cox regression analysis model that included age and presence or absence of a systemic disease. RESULTS: By SA1 group, PS and TS survival at 36 months were 94 and 76% (group I), 64 and 53% (group II) and 70 and 52% (group III). If delta SA increased/remained static, then SA1 did not predict PS (group I, 100%; group II, 96%; group III, 74%; P = n.s.) or TS (group I, 72%; group II, 63%; group III, 65%; P = n.s.). If delta SA decreased, PS was worse in groups II and III, both as compared to group I (PS group I, 88%; group II, 52%; group III, 34%; P = 0.02) and as compared to the groups II and III when delta SA increased (PS group II, 74 vs 52%, P = 0.05; group III, 82 vs 34%, P = 0.005) The same trend was seen for TS. In the multivariate Cox regression model, age, direction of change in serum albumin, and presence of a multisystem disease were significant predictors of survival, whereas SA1 was not. CONCLUSION: Early hypoalbuminaemia in CAPD only predicts a worse patient and technique survival if mean serum albumin decreases further from the first to second 6 months of dialysis therapy. Change in serum albumin between the first and second 6 months of CAPD and the mean serum albumin over the first 6 months together offer better discrimination of outcome than either alone.      

Low-dose flying spot digital radiography of the chest: sensitivity studies

Standard film examinations of the chest were compared with low-dose flying spot digital radiographic examinations obtained with a prototype unit in 174 patients. Analysis of pooled data from a double-blind study of 120 patients showed that film was more sensitive than digital images in the detection of pulmonary parenchymal abnormalities, that is, abnormal opacities, atelectasis, scar, and interstitial lung disease (P less than .05). Analysis of pooled data from a side-by-side study of 54 patients showed that the digital images were more sensitive than film in the detection of normal mediastinal and pleural soft-tissue contours, including the azygoesophageal recess, paraspinal line, and vertebral disk spaces (P less than .05). However, film was more sensitive than digital images in the detection of abnormalities of the lung, including scar, interstitial lung disease, septal lines, and the presence of vascular catheters (P less than .05). These findings suggest that low-dose flying spot digital radiography of the chest, as performed with this specific prototype unit, is not adequate to replace film in the detection of abnormalities of the lung parenchyma.     

Pharmacokinetics of activated protein C in guinea pigs

Protein C is a vitamin K-dependent zymogen of the serine protease, activated protein C (APC), an important regulatory enzyme in hemostasis. In view of the potential of human APC as an anticoagulant and profibrinolytic agent, the pharmacokinetics and tissue distribution of APC were studied in guinea pigs. The plasma elimination of a trace dose of 125I-APC was biphasic following an initial rapid elimination of approximately 15% of the injected dose within 1 to 2 minutes. This rapid removal of 125I-APC from the circulation was found to be a result of an association with the liver regardless of the route of injection. Essentially identical results were obtained with active site-blocked forms of APC generated with either diisopropylfluorophosphate or D- phenylalanyl-L-prolyl-L-arginine chloromethyl ketone, which indicates that the active site was not essential for the liver association. Accumulation of all three forms of APC in the liver peaked at 30 minutes and then declined as increasing amounts of degraded radiolabeled material appeared in the gastrointestinal tract and urine. Removal of the gamma-carboxyglutamic acid (gla) domain of diisopropylphosphoryl-APC resulted in a 50% reduction in the association with liver and an accumulation in the kidneys. Protein C and protein S were cleared from the circulation at rates approximately one-half and one-fourth, respectively, that of APC. Both in vitro and in vivo, APC was found to form complexes with protease inhibitors present in guinea pig plasma. Complex formation resulted in a more rapid disappearance of the enzymatic activity of APC than elimination of the protein moiety. These findings indicate two distinct mechanisms for the elimination of APC. One mechanism involves reaction with plasma protease inhibitors and subsequent elimination by specific hepatic receptors. The other mechanism involves the direct catabolism of APC by the liver via a pathway that is nonsaturable over a substantial dose range and independent of the active site. This pattern of elimination is distinctly different from that observed with the homologous coagulation enzymes thrombin, factor IXa, and factor Xa.