中药葛根及其同属植物的资源利用和评价

对我国葛属（ＰｕｅｒａｒｉａＤＣ，）９种和１变种植物进行了调查研究，认为目前国内市售中药葛根的主流品种为野葛Ｐ，ｌｏｂａｔａ（Ｗｉｌｌｄ．）Ｏｈｗｉ和粉葛Ｐ．ｔｈｏｍｓｏｎｉｉ）Ｂｅｎｔｈ．。野葛在我国大部份省区都有分布，资源最为丰富；粉葛在广西载培历史悠久；其他种主要分布在西南地区，并有少数种在当地作中药葛根用。从成分分析结果看，野葛的葛根素（ｐｕｅｒａｒｉｎ）及总黄酮含量显著高于本属其它植物，粉葛次之。除野葛和粉葛外其他种均不宜作葛根药用。峨嵋葛Ｐ．ｏｍｅｉｅｎｓｉｓＷａｎｇｅｔＴａｎｇ是个有争议的种，我们比较了化学成分的含量，其结果与粉葛相近，而与山葛藤有所区别，有待进一步研究。     

Citrate alterations in primary and metastatic human prostatic adenocarcinomas: 1H magnetic resonance spectroscopy and biochemical study

The objectives of this study were to quantitatively verify the low levels of citrate previously observed in primary human prostatic adenocarcinomas and to determine whether citrate was further reduced in metastatic prostatic cancer. This was accomplished by comparison of citrate concentrations of DU 145 xenografts (a poorly differentiated human prostatic adenocarcinoma cell line grown in nude mice) with concentrations in primary human adenocarcinomas. Following in vivo ¹H NMR studies of DU 145 xenografts, citrate concentrations of DU 145 xenografts and surgically removed primary prostatic adenocarcinoma tissue were determined by quantitative high resolution ¹H NMR and enzymatic assay. The most significant findings of this study were that citrate concentrations in primary human adenocarcinomas (3.74 ± 0.19 μmolJg wet weight) were significantly lower than those observed for normal and benign hyperplastic (BPH) prostatic tissues. Furthermore there was a further ten-fold reduction of citrate associated with DU 145 xenografts (0.31 ± 0.028 μmoleJg wet weight) compared with primary prostatic cancer. DU 145 xenografts also exhibited higher levels of uridine diphosphosugars and choline containing metabolites relative to primary prostatic adenocarcinomas. These findings support the hypothesis that citrate is low in primary prostatic cancer and further reduced in metastatic disease.     

Infection with Borna disease virus: molecular and immunobiological characterization of the agent.

Borna disease virus (BDV), which seems to be distinct from all other known viruses, exhibits a unique mechanism of pathogenesis. This review highlights several aspects of the biology of infection with this virus and summarizes the preliminary characterization of the agent. Studies on BDV may help to illuminate several important areas of neurobiology, including the mechanisms regulating the replication of a new type of RNA virus in the nuclei of neural cells, the neuroinvasiveness and neurotropism of such viruses, their T cell-mediated immunopathology, tolerance in newborn animals to persistent viral infection of the central nervous system, and behavioral diseases and eating disorders induced by such agents.     

Effect of head elevation on intracranial pressure, cerebral perfusion pressure, and cerebral blood flow in head-injured patients.

The traditional practice of elevating the head in order to lower intracranial pressure (ICP) in head-injured patients has been challenged in recent years. Some investigators argue that patients with intracranial hypertension should be placed in a horizontal position, the rationale being that this will increase the cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP) and thereby improve cerebral blood flow (CBF). However, ICP is generally significantly higher when the patient is in the horizontal position. This study was undertaken to clarify the issue of optimal head position in the care of head-injured patients. The effect of 0 degree and 30 degrees head elevation on ICP, CPP, CBF, mean carotid pressure, and other cerebral and systemic physiological parameters was studied in 22 head-injured patients. The mean carotid pressure was significantly lower when the patient's head was elevated at 30 degrees than at 0 degrees (84.3 +/- 14.5 mm Hg vs. 89.5 +/- 14.6 mm Hg), as was the mean ICP (14.1 +/- 6.7 mm Hg vs. 19.7 +/- 8.3 mm Hg). There was no statistically significant change in CPP, CBF, cerebral metabolic rate of oxygen, arteriovenous difference of lactate, or cerebrovascular resistance associated with the change in head position. The data indicate that head elevation to 30 degrees significantly reduced ICP in the majority of the 22 patients without reducing CPP or CBF.     

Hidden risks for pneumonia in Malawi

Domestic smoke exposure and early HIV infection are critical but unseen risk factors for pneumonia. This paper reviews how recent research in Malawi and elsewhere contributes to an understanding of the possible immunological mechanisms underlying these risks.     

Parathyroid variants: US evaluation

High-resolution (10-MHz) ultrasonography was performed in 181 patients with primary or secondary hyperparathyroidism during a 4-year period and evaluated retrospectively. Thirty-seven unusual-appearing parathyroid tumors were found among 235 parathyroid glands identified as abnormal. There was pathologic correlation in 36. The typical appearance of parathyroid adenoma was that of an oval hypoechoic or anechoic lesion in the neck, aligned in a craniocaudal direction and often posterior to the thyroid. Morphologic variations from the norm included giant size (n = 11) (4.6%), cystic changes in a solid tumor (n = 9) (3.8%), calcified glands (n = 6[in three patients]) (2.5%), a multilobulated configuration (n = 5) (2.1%), an inhomogeneous pattern (n = 5) (2.1%), and a parathyroid cyst (n = 1) (0.4%). Recognizing the abnormal parathyroid variants can increase the diagnostic accuracy of sonographic examination.     

Seat restraint use,previous driving history,and non-fatal injury: quantifying the risks

AIMS—To quantify the increased risk of non-fatal injury when children travel unrestrained in a car, and to identify other preventable risk factors.METHODS—Case-control study of 78 children presenting to an accident and emergency (A&E) department having sustained an injury while travelling in a car, and 97 children attending an A&E outpatient clinic with conditions unrelated to road traffic accidents.RESULTS—Seat restraint was associated with a 93% lower risk of child accident injury. A driver with points on the licence was over five times more likely to have had an accident resulting in child injury than a driver without points. Child accident injury was also associated with the driver''s accident history.CONCLUSIONS—These data allow the effect of achieving new target levels of seat restraint use to be estimated. Strategies aimed at reducing the risk of further accident among drivers with a history of accident may have a beneficial impact on childhood accident injuries.     

Serological evidence of Japanese encephalitis virus activity in Bihar

Serum samples from 404 pigs originating from eight districts of Bihar were examined for haemagglutination-inhibiting and complement fixing antibodies of Japanese Encephalitis, Dengue-2, West Nile and Chikungunya viruses. Japanese Encephalitis viral infection was found to be widely prevalent compared to other arboviruses tested. RElatively large number of pigs had antibodies to JEV only (i.e. monoconverters). High geometric mean titre to JEV was observed. These observations appear to be of epidemiologic significance to the 1978 epidemic of encephalitis in Bihar. Epidemic of encephalitis was reported in 1978 from several states of India including Bihar. The only evidence of the activity of Japanese Encephalitis in Bihar came from Khan and Banerjee who found neutralizing antibodies in ardeid birds from Asansol - Dhanbad regions. Evidences are presented in this paper on the prevalence of Japanese Encephalitis in eight districts including Dhanbad of Bihar.