Clinical comparative study of intravenous piperacillin sodium or injection of scutellaria compound in patients with pulmonary infection

In this survey, 60 patients with pulmonary infection (mainly nosocimial pneumonia) were divided into two groups randomly. 30 patients treated by injection of Scutelleria compound and 30 patients by intravenous piperacillin sodium as control. Before treatment there was no significant difference of clinical data between two groups. The total efficacy was evaluated after treatment for one week. 40%, 36.7% were marked effective in corresponding. 33.3%, 40% were effective and 26.7%, 23% were ineffective respectively. Total effective rates were 73.3% and 76.7% in corresponding group. Temperature was average decreased for 7.43 +/- 3.02 and 7.63 +/- 5.79 days, symptoms disappeared or relieved for 11.67 +/- 6.75 days and 11.53 +/- 7.30 days, leucocyte decreased to normal on 9.03 +/- 6.53 days and 10.13 +/- 6.23 days, roentgenographical shadows disappeared or became smaller for 16.1 +/- 7.02 days and 16.1 +/- 9.88 days in corresponding group. There were no side-effect of the functions of liver, kidney and medulla ossium in two groups. In piperacillin sodium group, fungal infection were found in 4 of 30 patients, but there was no any case suffered from fungal infection in injection of Scutelleria compound group. It was suggested that injection on Scutelleria compound is a hopeful preparation and should be studied further.     

LONG-TERM OUABAIN ADMINISTRATION DOES NOT ALTER BLOOD PRESSURE IN CONSCIOUS SPRAGUE-DAWLEY RATS

1. We tested the ability of ouabain to cause chronic hyper tension by continuously infusing ouabain for 28 days (mini-osmotic pump implantation; i.p.). The blood pressure and metabolic effects of sham (150 mmol/L NaCI; n= 12) or ouabain infusion (10 μg/kg per day; n= 14; 100 μg/kg per day; n = 14) were examined in conscious Sprague-Dawley rats. 2. Plasma ouabain concentrations measured after 28 days of ouabain infusion were as follows: sham, not detectable (n= 11); ouabain 10 μg/kg per day, 0.60 ± 0.07 nmol/L (n= 14); and ouabain 100 μg/kg per day, 7.17 ± 0.57 nmol/L (n= 14; P < 0.001). 3. Sham or ouabain infusion did not alter food intake, bodyweight, water intake or urine output in conscious rats. 4. Blood pressure was not altered by sham treatment. Ouabain at 10 μg/kg per day or 100 μg/kg per day did not produce consistent rises in blood pressure. Ouabain at 10 μg/kg per day increased blood pressure on treatment day 12 only (+ 6mmHg; P < 0.05), while at 100μg/kg per day blood pres sure increased on treatment days 16 (+ 9 mmHg; P < 0.05) and day 18 (+ 8mmHg; P < 0.05) only. There was no significant difference in blood pressure between sham and ouabain groups. 5. Renal blood flow was decreased in rats infused with ouabain at 10 μg/kg per day (2.0 ± 0.3 mL/min per 100 g body-weight; n= 5; P < 0.01) and 100 μg/kg per day (2.2 ± 0.4 mL/ min per 100 g bodyweight; n= 7; P < 0.05) compared with sham treatment (3.5 ± 0.2 mL/min per 100 g bodyweight; n= 6). Renal vascular resistance was increased in rats treated with ouabain at 10 μg/kg per day (65.5 ± 12.6 mmHg/mL per min per 100 g bodyweight; n= 5; P < 0.01) and 100 μg/kg per day (66.0 ± 15.6 mmHg/mL per min per 100 g bodyweight; n= 7; P < 0.05) compared with sham treatment (32.6 ± 2.5 mmHg/mL per min per 100 g bodyweight; n= 6). 6. High plasma concentrations of ouabain do not cause consistent increases in blood pressure in conscious Sprague-Dawley rats.     

Hemiparkinsonism in a patient with frontal meningioma.

We report on a 44-year-old woman with a right frontal meningioma, who presented with resting tremor, rigidity and bradykinesia in the left limbs. There were no other neurologic manifestations. A computed tomography scan demonstrated a huge high-density mass in the right frontal lobe and marked surrounding edema causing compression of the basal ganglia. Cerebral angiography showed a typical sunburst tumor stain and three feeding vessels from the bilateral middle meningeal arteries and the right callosomarginal artery. The pathologic diagnosis was transitional type meningioma. Before surgery, treatment with levodopa and bromocriptine was significantly effective in controlling hemiparkinsonism, which completely disappeared after surgical removal of the tumor. This outcome supports the notion that local compression due to edema may cause a functional disorder in the basal ganglia producing reversible contralateral parkinsonism.     

Compartmentalization of anterogradely and retrogradely transported organelles in axons and growth cones from chick optic tectum

Previous work suggests that organelles contacting microtubules in axons are in fast transport. Here, we examine the distribution of organelles contacting microtubules in growing axons and growth cones from chick optic tectum. Five axon segments, each 10 microns long, and 4 entire growth cones were reconstructed from serial electron micrographs of quick-frozen, freeze-substituted chick optic tectum. Organelles contacting microtubules in axons are evenly distributed along all microtubules. Smaller organelles, presumably in anterograde transport, are enclosed in fascicles of microtubules, while larger organelles in retrograde transport lie outside the fascicles. In contrast, organelles contacting microtubules are prevalent only in the most proximal parts of the growth cone, before the microtubule fascicles splay out more distally. The distance between noncontacting organelles and microtubules also becomes progressively greater, reaching a maximum in the mid- and more distal region of the growth cone. Contacts with microtubules of both the smaller, presumably anterogradely transported organelles, as well as the larger, presumably retrogradely transported organelles, abruptly become less frequent in the proximal midregion of the growth cone. It is therefore of possible significance in stopping and starting microtubule-based organelle transport that microtubules change from a straight to an undulating configuration in the midregion of the growth cone. The decrease in organelle binding to microtubules at the demarcations between the straight and undulating microtubule segments may depend on proteins or other local factors as well as the splaying out of the microtubule bundles.     

Randomized placebo-controlled trial comparing montelukast and cetirizine for treating perennial allergic rhinitis in children aged 2–6 yr

Leukotriene receptor antagonists (LTRAs) were recently added to the method of treating allergic rhinitis (AR). However, in children under 6 yr old, there has been no study about its efficacy in treating AR. We aim to compare the clinical efficacy of montelukast, cetirizine and placebo in the treatment of children from 2 to 6 yr old with perennial allergic rhinitis (PAR), to see if there are any significant differences. Sixty children were selected and treated with montelukast, or cetirizine, or placebo once daily. The efficacy of the three agents was compared with the Pediatric Rhinoconjunctivitis Quality of Life Questionnaire (PRQLQ) and Total Symptom Score (TSS) by diary. In addition, we also examined serum IgE, serum eosinophil cationic protein (ECP), blood eosinophil counts, nasal airway resistance (NAR) and eosinophil percentage in nasal smears. The results revealed that both montelukast and cetirizine were significantly efficacious compared with placebo in NAR, eosinophil percentage in nasal smears, PRQLQ, TSS and all symptom items except nasal itching, throat itching and tearing. For nasal itching, only cetirizine was significantly efficacious. On the other hand, for night sleep quality, montelukast was significantly superior to cetirizine.