Regulation of interleukin 6 expression in murine bone marrow stromal cells.

The regulation of interleukin 6 (IL-6) expression in the B-lymphocyte-supporting murine stromal cell line BMS2 has been examined in response to exogenous cytokines and chemical agents. Kinetic analyses of IL-6 mRNA induction and decay are presented together with analysis of the IL-6 biological activity. The cytokines tumor necrosis factor, interleukin 1 (alpha and beta), and transforming growth factor beta, as well as forskolin and dibutyryl cyclic AMP, all induce a transient rise in the steady-state level of IL-6 mRNA and an increased release of IL-6 protein. To study its regulation at the chromatin level, the murine IL-6 genomic gene has been cloned. Induction of IL-6 expression correlates with increased DNA nicking, consistent with increased topoisomerase I and endogenous nuclease activity. This finding is supported by kinetic analyses using camptothecin, a topoisomerase I inhibitor. We conclude that IL-6 regulation in murine stromal cells capable of supporting B-lymphopoiesis is comparable to that observed in human diploid fibroblasts.     

Non–rabies Lyssavirus human encephalitis from fruit bats: Australian bat Lyssavirus (pteropid Lyssavirus) infection

A 39-year-old woman died of encephalitis a few weeks after being scratched by fruit bats. Autopsy disclosed meningoencephalomyelitis, and revealed neuronal intracytoplasmic inclusions which had similarities to Negri bodies of rabies. Laboratory investigations detected a Lyssavirus type previously identified only in fruit bats. This appears to be the first human case of encephalitis due to this Lyssavirus type.     

Sodium-coupled glycine uptake by Ehrlich ascites tumor cells results in an increase in cell volume and plasma membrane channel activities.

The addition of 10 mM glycine to a physiological saline bathing Ehrlich ascites tumor cells is followed by a slow increase in cell volume that plateaus between 15 and 30 min at a level approximately equal to 17% greater than the control volume; this increase is not observed when glycine is added to cells suspended in a Na+-free saline. The results of studies using the patch-clamp technique in the cell-attached mode indicate that, 0.5-3 min after the addition of glycine to the bathing solution, there is a marked increase in the activity of single channels, which is almost all instances were previously present and operant in the plasma membrane. Successfully excised patches of membrane that contained a channel stimulated by glycine fell into two categories. Some became inactive within 15 sec in spite of the fact that the G omega seal remained intact. Others persisted for the lifetime of the seal. All of the persistent channels had an 11-fold selectivity for Cl- over K+ and a conductance of 23 pS when bathed by symmetrical 150 mM KCl solutions. Although the ionic specificities of the other channels have not been identified, there is reason to suspect that they might be K+ channels whose activities are dependent on factors lost when the patch is excised. Swelling induced by exposing these cells to a 50% hypotonic perfusate stimulated the activities of Cl- channels whose properties closely resemble those stimulated by the addition of glycine to the perfusate, strongly suggesting that the glycine-induced stimulation of Cl- channel activity is part of a volume-regulatory response to cell swelling. If the increase in channel activity induced by the addition of glycine to the perfusate is indeed a response to cell swelling, then this perfusate is indeed a response to cell swelling, then this volume-regulatory response must be extremely sensitive inasmuch as it appears to be "triggered" by an average increase in cell volume that does not exceed 5%.     

Good sleep, bad sleep: a meta-analysis of polysomnographic measures in insomnia, depression, and narcolepsy.

Primary insomnia, major depression, and narcolepsy are usually considered to be separate disorders, distinguished by different polysomnographic profiles. But do polysomnographic data provide adequate evidence to segregate the three disorders, or might they display fundamentally the same sleep disturbance, differing only in degree? To test the viability of these two alternate hypotheses, the authors performed a meta-analysis of controlled polysomnographic studies of these disorders. A summary measure of degree of sleep disturbance was constructed from five variables: wakefulness after sleep onset, percentage of stage 1 sleep, percentage of stage 3 + 4 sleep, rapid eye movement (REM) latency, and REM density. The results of available studies for each variable were combined using a weighted average of effect sizes. An overall "sleep disturbance index" was then calculated by combining the estimates for the five above listed variables. On both the individual measures and especially on the summary index, insomnia, depression, and narcolepsy were arrayed on a simple continuum of progressively more severe sleep disturbance--congruent with the clinical observation that these disorders display progressively more disturbed sleep. These findings suggest that sleep can be disturbed in only a limited number of ways: in evaluating sleep architecture, it may not be possible to elaborate much beyond a single axis of good-to-bad sleep. Thus, polysomnographic measures may not provide adequate evidence to classify insomnia, depression, and narcolepsy as separate entities.     

Lower olfactory threshold during the ovulatory phase of the menstrual cycle

We investigated whether olfactory detection threshold is correlated with phase of the menstrual cycle. Three hundred and thirty-two women 13-49 years old were tested once during either the follicular, ovulatory, luteal or menstrual phase, and 15 women 20-43 years old were tested at each of these phases across one complete cycle. In three non-cycling control groups subjects were each tested once; 83 post-menopausal women 47-86 years old, 60 pre-pubertal girls 5-12 years old, and 183 men 17-30 years old. Odor detection thresholds were determined using sniff bottles containing -log9.5 to -log6.0 concentrations of amyl acetate presented in ascending order. Thresholds differed significantly across the cycle and were lowest during the ovulatory and highest during the menstrual phase. Thresholds for all control groups were higher than for the cycling women during the ovulatory phase. The results confirm that olfactory threshold is related to phase of the menstrual cycle and thus possibly to hormonal state.     

携带肝细胞生长因子基因重组质粒在大鼠体内的组织分布研究

目的 研究携带肝细胞生长因子基因的重组质粒（pUDKH）经肌肉注射给药后在大鼠体内的组织分布及其与大鼠基因组DNA的整合情况。 方法 二级Wistar大鼠雌雄各20只，按体重和取样时间的不同随机分为12h、24h、3d、7d、14d、21d的各实验组（给予pUDKH，2．0mg／kg）和注射后3d取样的对照组（给予PBS，200ul／只），依次将各组大鼠摘眼球取血后脱臼处死，按脑、心、肺、胸腺、肝、肠系膜淋巴结（MLN）、脾、肾、生殖腺、左腿肌肉、右腿肌肉的顺序取样。经典酚／氯仿抽提法提取各组织总DNA，应用紫外分光光度计测定其浓度和纯度，PCR方法检测其中的D肌动蛋白基因；巢式PCR检测各组织总DNA中pUDKH的分布情况；ApnL I酶切分离pUDKH分布阳性各组织中的pUDKHDNA和基因组DNA，巢式PCR检测pUDKHDNA与基因组DNA的整合情况。 结果 各组织总DNA浓度与纯度均符合实验需要，并适于采用PCR或巢式PCR方法进行体内组织分布及基因组DNA整合情况检测。巢式PCR检测显示，在各时间点的右腿肌肉与外周血、注射后3和7d的肝脏、3和14d的生殖腺、7d的胸腺、7和14d的MLN与左腿肌肉等组织中pUDKH分布均呈阳性，而在各时间点的脑、心、肺、脾、肾等组织中pUDKH分布均呈阴性。pUDKH分布阳性的各组织中均未检测到pUDKHDNA与基因组DNA的整合。 结论 pUDKH经肌肉注射给药后，在各时间点大鼠体内各组织中呈现不同的分布谱。在pUDKH分布阳性的各组织中，pUDKHDNA与基因组DNA发生随机整合的概率较低。     

人白细胞介素12在哺乳动物细胞中的稳定表达及其生物活性的研究

目的采用遗传基因工程方法获得具有生物活性的人白细胞介素12,探索其治疗肿瘤和慢性肝炎的可行性。方法采用已克隆的国人IL-12基因序列,利用内部核糖体切入位点(IRES)完成IL-12P35、P40双亚基共表达载体的构建,通过转染CHODHFR缺陷细胞,双抗夹心ELISA法筛选阳性克隆,MTX加压扩增,PCR检测其基因整合,T淋巴细胞增殖和诱生γ干扰素实验检测其生物活性。结果获得了稳定高效表达人IL-12的工程细胞系,表达产物为70×103左右的糖蛋白。结论本研究得到的基因重组人IL-12具有良好的生物活性,有强的诱导产生γ干扰素的能力和诱导活化T淋巴细胞增殖能力。     

Patterns of upper gastrointestinal diseases based on endoscopy in the period 1998-2001

Upper gastrointestinal complaints are common in Kenya. Though these have remained unchanged over the last 20 years, the pattern of upper gastrointestinal disease on endoscopic examination seems to be changing. There appears to be progressive increase in oesophagitis and cancer of the stomach. Peptic ulcer disease has remained stable while Cancer of the oesophagus is still common. The paper intends to report on endoscopic findings at the Centre for Clinical Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) over the period October 1998 and May 2001. The sources of information are records made at the time of endoscopy and histology reports on biopsies taken. Seven hundred and sixty eight patients were endoscoped. The male to female ratio was 1.7:1 with mean age +/-SD of 40.8 +/-20.1 years and age range was 3 to 96 years. Majority of the patients had abnormal findings with gastritis being the most common ( 25.8%). It is concluded that gastritis is an important cause of morbidity in Kenya. Oesophagitis, mainly due to gastroesophageal reflux disease, seems to be on the increase. Gastric cancer is not as rare as previously thought and peptic ulcer disease is still common.