RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PLATELET CYTOSOLIC FREE CALCIUM CONCENTRATION AND PLASMA RENIN ACTIVITY

1. Plasma renin activity (PRA) and platelet cytosolic free calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i) were simultaneously determined in 18 untreated essential hypertensive subjects and 17 normotensive controls. A significant positive correlation was found between [Ca2+]i and PRA (slope = 42 nmol/l/ng/ml/h) in these 35 subjects. 2. Two determinations more than one week apart in nine subjects confirmed the parallel fluctuations of [Ca2+]i and PRA. A strict sodium restriction produced a progressive PRA elevation associated with a parallel rise in [Ca2+]i in one subject. 3. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that angiotensin II causes a concentration-dependent calcium mobilization.     

人血浆三尖杉酯碱高效液相色谱测定法

本文建立了在常温常速离心条件下进行样品预处理的人血浆三尖杉酯碱高效液相色谱荧光测定法。本法批内CV%为3.08～3.47%,批间CV%为4.36～5.28%,回收率范围为93.6～95%,标准曲线在12.5～500ng/ml范围内线性良好(r=0.998)。方法简单、快速、准确,适于临床应用。     

Recurrent lens binding and central island formations in a fast-responding orthokeratology lens wearer.

A 12-year-old girl with a history of fast myopia progression underwent advanced orthokeratology (ortho-k) treatment and suffered from recurrent lens binding and central corneal staining. The problem could not be fixed by lens fenestration and refitting with a less aggressive lens (three-zone ortho-k) design. After refitting with a lower target advanced ortho-k lens, these complications were no longer occurring, and the amount of power reduction was greater than expected considering the target designed for the refitted lenses. During the following 15 months of ortho-k lens wear, there was no clinically significant change to her refractive error. The patient and her parents were happy with the outcome, although the refractive error was not totally eliminated and she still needed to wear spectacles for clear vision. Possible etiologies of the complications are discussed.     

Expression of Fos in rat brain in relation to sodium appetite: furosemide and cerebroventricular renin

Two experiments were performed to investigate the relationship between the expression of sodium appetite and the appearance of Fos-like immunoreactivity (Fos-IR) in the brain of rats. In the first experiment, rats were depleted of sodium by treatment with furosemide 24 h prior to sacrifice and without access to either food or sodium solution. Some rats had access to distilled water, and others had no fluids available during the 24 h. All of the furosemide-treated rats showed Fos-IR in both the subfornical organ (SFO) and around the organum vasculosum laminae terminalis (OVLT). Rats with access to distilled water during the depletion period showed no Fos-IR in the supraoptic (SON) or paraventricular hypothalamic nuclei (PVN) and, in parallel behavioral studies, comparably-treated rats consumed only 0.3 M NaCl solution at the end of the 24 h. In rats that had no fluids during the deprivation period, only about one half showed Fos-IR in SON and PVN and, in parallel behavioral studies, comparably treated rats consumed both water and 0.3 M NaCI solution at the end of 24 h. In a second experiment, cerebroventricular administration of renin stimulated short latency intake of 0.3 M NaCI and water. The relative intakes of water and NaCl were comparable at a low dose of renin, but intake of water exceeded that of NaCl after higher doses. Renin induced Fos-IR in SFO, MnPO, peri-OVLT region, SON and PVN. Both Fos-IR and fluid intake were antagonized by administration of losartan, an angiotensin 11 type 1 receptor antagonist. Thus, only the circumventricular organs of the lamina terminalis showed Fos-IR during each natriorexigenic regimen in these studies. These data support the view that Ang 11 of both central and peripheral origin activates the SFO and/or peri-OVLT region and contributes to sodium appetite.     

Mutational analysis of immunoglobulin E-binding epitopes of β-casein and β-lactoglobulin showed a heterogeneous pattern of critical amino acids between individual patients and pooled sera

BACKGROUND: For immunotherapeutic approaches, 'critical' amino acids (AAs) within allergenic epitopes are replaced with alternate AAs to eliminate IgE antibody binding. OBJECTIVE: To determine the critical AAs for IgE binding in beta-casein and beta-lactoglobulin (BLG). METHODS: Peptides of 10-14 AAs in length were synthesized on a derivatized cellulose membrane with single AA substitutions (alanine or glycine) at each position. Membranes were incubated with a pool of sera from 15 cow's milk-allergic patients and individual sera from six of the 15 patients. In cases where no decrease in binding occurred with a single AA substitution, peptides with two AA substitutions were generated and labelled. RESULTS: Using pooled patient sera, single AA substitutions led to complete elimination of binding to six of 11 peptides for beta-casein and to all six peptides for BLG. Substituting two AAs led to an elimination of binding to four of the remaining five beta-casein epitopes. However, in three of the 11 modified beta-casein peptides and five of the six BLG peptides, no decrease in IgE binding occurred in at least one individual patient. For these patients, critical AAs other than those defined by the patient serum pool were identified, indicating a heterogeneous pattern of IgE recognition. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that AAs critical for IgE binding are more heterogeneous than initially defined by pooled milk-allergic patient sera. For future immunotherapeutic interventions with mutated peptides, critical AAs should also be identified with individual patient sera to account for heterogeneity of IgE binding between patients.     

Ameloblastoma of the mandible

Summary Three cases of the ameloblastoma, located periapically and interradicularly, which have similar radiographic appearances to odontogenic cysts are described. The ameloblastoma is locally invasive, rearely metastatic, and has a much higher recurrence rate than the odontogenic cysts after surgical intervention, nevertheless, it is classified as a benign odontogenic tumor of the jaws. In order to collect appropriate information for the diagnosis of an ameloblastoma which requires differentiation from odontogenic cyst, there are two basic categories we should observe. One is the clinical manifestations including age, history, signs and symptoms of the patient. The other is the radiographic pattern and configuration including location, size, shape, radiolucency, periphery, bony expansion, and relationship to the adjacent anatomic landmarks. On the basis of these considerations, it is of significant importance to provide an appropriate diagnosis derived from the differential diagnosis for guidance to a corresponding and successful surgical procedure.     

Extensive Aberrant Mongolian Spot

A 9-month-old male infant had generalized diffuse blue-gray pigmentation over most of his body, sparing the scalp, face, neck, palms, soles, periumbilical area, genital area, and nipples. Within the lesion, there were several conspicuous macules of considerably darker hue. Histologic examination revealed numerous dermal melanocytes. By 16 months of age, the child's blue-gray pigmentation had decreased substantially.     

Neural networks in the study of the brain

Neural networks are models of the brain and have been used within Artificial Intelligence to provide alternative explanations to the symbolic explanations of cognition in which one assumes that an intelligent system has certain explicit representations of some aspect of the world and uses these in intelligent behavior. Obviously, if neural networks are indeed good models of the brain, and give a satisfactory account of cognition, then they could be a valuable tool to neuroscientists. This article gives a brief overview of the various neural network models, and critically reviews their status as models of the brain and of cognition.     

PAF antagonistic activity of 2-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzoic acid glucose ester fromGentiana scabra

In order to find out anti-platelet activating factor (PAF) from natural resources, Korean medicinal plants used for the treatments of peripheral circulation disorders were tested for their possible protective effects on PAF-induced anaphylactic shock. From the above screening, the methanol extract ofGentiana scabra showed a potent antagonistic activity against PAF. Water suspension of the extract was partitioned with CH₂Cl₂ and EtOAc, successively. The EtOAc fraction which showed the highest activity was chromatographed on silica gel to yield 6 fractions. From the fraction which showed higher PAF-antagonistic activity than the other fractions, compound1 was isolated by recrystallization. On the basis of spectral data, compound1 was identified as 2-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzoic acid glucose ester. The compound prevented the mice from the PAF-induced death at a dose of 300 μg/mouse.     

A variety of microorganism species at the burn ward

From 1975 to 1987, 965 exudate cultures of burn wounds were done in 553 cases. 1205 colonies (28 species) of microorganisms were separated out from these patients. Among 1205 colonies, 1050 colonies (87.13%) were "common microorganism" included P. aeruginosa, E. coli, S. aureus, and P. vulgaris. There were mixed infection of P. aeruginosa and E. coli in 23.66-25.95% cases. In early stage P. aeruginosa (23.25%) was predominant and in late stage, S. aureus was predominant. The sensitivity of microorganisms to 18 kinds of antibiotics gradually decreased, year by year. The authors consider that reasonable use of antibiotics, early eschar excision and skin grafting play an important role in decreasing the occurrence of drug-fast bacteria and preventing cross infection.