Amplifications of oncogeneerbB-2 and chromosome 20q in breast cancer determined by differentially competitive polymerase chain reaction

Summary A new method of measuring gene copy number in small samples of DNA was used to measure amplification of theerbB-2 gene and of chromosome 20q in breast cancers. This method, termed differentially competitive polymerase chain reaction (DC-PCR) combines the advantages of two other techniques for measuring amplification by PCR, namely differential PCR and competitive PCR. The DC-PCR methodology was evaluated for sensitivity and specificity by comparing amplification oferbB-2 measured by DC-PCR with that obtained by fluorescencein situ hybridization (FISH) for 42 cases or Southern blotting and/or slot blot analysis for 34 cases. There was over 90 percent concordance with both FISH and Southern blotting and/or slot blot analysis.DC-PCR was used to further characterize the newly described amplicon at chromosome 20q. By analyzing DNA from 10 breast cancer cell lines at 7 different loci, we identified a potential common region of amplification of approximately 5 centimorgans at chromosome 20q13 bordered by loci D20S52 and RMC20C001-S1. One hundred and seventeen cases of primary breast cancer were evaluated for amplification at these two loci. Amplification at one or more loci, defined as > 1.5 fold higher copy number than that of normal DNA, was found in 25 cases (21%). Sixteen cases were amplified at only one of the two probes (12 cases for RMC20C001-S1 and 4 cases for D20S52), suggesting that the target gene lies between the two markers or that there are two independent target genes within a small chromosome region.     

Metabolic and neuroanatomical correlates of barrel-rolling and oculoclonic convulsions induced by intraventricular endothelin-1: a novel peptidergic signaling mechanism in visuovestibular and oculomotor regulation?

The neuroactive peptide endothelin-1 has receptors distributed abundantly among subdivisions and nuclei of the visuovestibular and oculomotor systems. In previous work, we and others described the convulsive manifestations resulting from central injection of this neuropeptide, including nystagmus, oculoclonus, exophthalmos, tonic hindlimb extension, and a generalized repetitive motor disturbance called barrel-rolling. We applied the quantitative, autoradiographic [¹⁴C]deoxy-glucose method to examine the hypothesis that visuovestibular and oculomotor structures would become metabolically stimulated when endothelin was introduced into the brain via the ventricular system in conscious rats. Since previous work had demonstrated that hypermetabolic responses to endothelin in other neural systems were inhibited by an antagonist of neuronal calcium L-type channels, nimodipine, we further tested whether the increased function of vestibulooculomotor nuclei whose metabolic activity was sensitive to endothelin could be altered following nimodipine pretreatment via the ventricle. A single unilateral injection of endothelin (9 pmol in 3 l saline) into a lateral ventricle provoked significantly increased rates of glucose metabolism in 22 of 39 individual anatomical structures of the visuovestibular and oculomotor systems. Among those affected were the superficial stratum of the caudal superior colliculus (+25%), the optic tract bilaterally (+ 35 to 43%), the oculomotor cranial nerve nuclei (III, IV, VI; range of +21 to 47%), and the medial terminal nucleus of the accessory optic tract which harbors dense fields of endothelin binding sites (bilateral increase of +70 to 96%). Several other nuclei involved in the proprioceptive and visuovestibular disturbance caused by endothelin displayed increased metabolic activity, including the cuneate, gracile, sensory trigeminal, and prepositus hypoglossal nuclei, the vestibular subnuclear system, and the cerebellar flocculus. Identification of hypermetabolic responsivity to endothelin in these structures provides further information on the anatomical substrates mediating the behavioral phenomenology of endothelin-induced motor convulsions which involve the paroxysmal participation of the extraocular muscles and motor control systems producing barrel-rolling convulsions. Nimodipine pretreatment inhibited both the convulsive activity and the cerebral hypermetabolic responses to intraventricular endothelin. The results indicate that the neural systems sensitive to intraventricular endothelin become functionally active via a calcium-mediated process that may involve the neuropeptide as an intrinsic signaling molecule.     

固天泉胶囊水提液除杂工艺研究

目的:探讨大孔吸附树脂法、壳聚糖澄清法和乙醇沉淀法在固天泉胶囊水提液中除杂结果。方法:比较大孔吸附树脂法、乙醇沉淀法和壳聚糖澄清法所得到的浸膏得率及浸膏中人参皂苷Rg₁,Re的定性分析以及Rg₁、阿魏酸含量测定考察。结果:乙醇沉淀法所得的浸膏得率为17.2％,壳聚糖澄清法所得的浸膏得率为12.8％,大孔吸附树脂法所得的浸膏得率为3.1％,3种方法均能够较好地使水提液澄明,且后两者还能够在降低浸膏得率、保留有效成分、保证制剂稳定性方面优于前者,并能缩短生产周期,降低成本。结论:壳聚糖澄清试剂法较适合于固天泉胶囊水提液除杂工艺。     

纳洛酮治疗肺性脑病45例临床观察

目的：研究纳洛酮对肺性脑病患者的治疗效果。方法：68例出现肺性脑病的患者被随机分成两组。治疗组45例采用纳洛酮治疗，对照组23例采用尼可刹米和洛贝林治疗。结果：治疗组在8h内较对照组有较高的苏醒率，且苏醒所需时间短。8h后治疗组的心率、呼吸频率以及PaCO2的平均水平较对照组低，而PaO2较对照组高。结论：纳洛酮能有效地改善患者的通气，明显地加快肺性脑病患者的苏醒。     

临床药师对非典型肺炎(SARS)患者开展心理治疗的实践与思考

目的:弥补非典型肺炎临床治疗过程中药物治疗的不足。方法:通过将印有鼓励与祝福话语的药袋和小卡片以及象征吉祥如意的纸鹤送到患者身旁的方式开展心理治疗,并通过问卷调查的方法了解心理治疗的效果。结果:100％的患者认为,我们提供的这些心理关怀服务无论是对他(她)们的心理还是对其疾病的治疗皆产生了良好影响;96.9％的患者认为,我们的心理关怀服务是有必要的。结论:临床药师可以通过不同于临床医师、护士的方式参与疾病的治疗过程,成为临床心理治疗工作中的一分子。     

RP-HPLC法测普鲁托品在大鼠体内分布和排泄

目的　用反相高效液相色谱法 (RP HPLC)测定大鼠的尿、粪、肝和脑等组织中普鲁托品 (protopine ,Pro)的药物浓度 ,并对Pro在大鼠体内的分布和排泄过程进行研究。方法　流动相为甲醇、水和体积分数 2 0mol·L- 1 乙酸 (80∶2 0∶2 ) ,以ODS C1 8柱分离 ,紫外检测器检测 ,波长为 2 85nm ,生物样品在碱性条件下 ,经两次乙醚处理 ,可获得良好的分离效果。为全面了解Pro在大鼠体内的代谢过程 ,给大鼠尾静脉注射Pro 1 0mg·kg- 1 后 ,测定不同时间各组织中Pro的含量。结果　静脉给药后 ,Pro快速分布到肺、肾、脾、脑、小肠、心脏、脂肪、睾丸、肝脏、胃壁及骨骼肌、以肺、肾、脾、脑、肠组织中药物浓度较高 ,尤以肺组织浓度最高。药后 3h各组织中药物浓度下降 ,但睾丸中仍维持较高浓度。实验还发现 ,药后 5min即可测得尿中有原形药 ,1 2h尿中累积排泄量为给药量的 30 .2 1 % ,48h尿中累积排泄量为给药量的 36 87%。原形药经胆汁及粪排泄量不足 1 %。药后 5min及 1 5min血浆蛋白结合率均低于 5 %。结论　普鲁托品在大鼠体内广泛分布 ,部分经尿排泄 ,血浆蛋白结合率低