草珊瑚中的一个新倍半萜内酯

草珊瑚为金粟兰科植物Sarcandra glabra(Thumb.)Nakai的全株,又名接骨金粟兰、肿节风、九节风、九节茶、接骨木等。有清热祛风,散瘀接骨之功效,民间用于治疗肺炎、凤湿性关节炎等。近年来做成制剂治疗溃疡病、癌症等。已报导的化学成分有延胡索酸、琥珀酸及异白蜡树定(isofraxidin)等。今从草珊瑚叶中分得一个新的倍半萜内酯,本文鉴定其结构为(—)-istanbulin A。     

Serum Amino Acid Concentrations in Patients Receiving Total Parenteral Nutrition with an Amino Acid Plus Dextrose Mixture

The results of monitoring the serum amino acid concentrations during three infusion regimens using a 5:4 mixture of 70% glucose and the synthetic L-amino acid solution, Synthamin 17 (Travasol) are reported. Twelve stabilized patients received continuous total parenteral nutrition (TPN), eight of whom were subsequently placed on a second regimen of cyclical feeding. A separate group of five patients was infused with amino acids, both with and without simultaneous glucose. The serum amino acid concentrations indicated that the supply of valine, leucine, isoleucine, lysine, and histidine, and the synthesis of taurine from the infused methionine was suboptimal, particularly if the period of TPN was prolonged. The synthesis of tyrosine from phenylalanine appeared to be inversely proportional to the infusion rate of the TPN mixture, in particular the glucose component, resulting in depressed tyrosine and increased phenylalanine concentrations in serum during continuous iv nutrition. Cyclical infusions, on the other hand, permitted the tyrosine and phenylalanine concentrations to return to normal during the noninfusion stage of the cycle. Amino acid measurements enabled us to design an amino acids additive mixture which normalized the serum concentrations in three long-term home parenteral nutrition patients. As a result of these investigations serum amino acid measurements are used routinely to monitor the efficacy of TPN and accommodate any specific amino acid requirements of individual patients. (Journal of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition 8: 535–541, 1984)     

MALIGNANT HYPERTHERMIA IN BELGIAN LANDRACE PIGS RESTED OR EXCERCISED BEFORE EXPOSURE TO HALOTHANE

Thirteen of 31 Belgian Landrace pigs developed malignant hyperthermia(MH) after breathing halothane. A short period of exercise 1h before the administration of the triggering agent increasedthe incidence of the syndrome to 100% in eight similar pigs.Clinical symptoms were more marked and developed more rapidlyin the exercised pigs. All the reacting pigs became typicallyacidotic, developed rigor and died. Serum Na⁺, K+, Ca2⁺, c.p.k.,l.d.h. and protein concentrations were increased to a variableextent during the reaction and there was an increase in p.c.v.also. No hyper-glycaemia was detected in pigs which were restedbefore receiving halothane. Four of the eight exercised pigsbecame markedly hyperglycaemic and plasma noradrenaline increasedto higher values. Phosphocreatine and ATP decreased to low valuesand lactate increased in the muscles of all pigs which reacted.At the time of death, muscle glycogen had decreased significantlyin the rested, but not in the exercised, MH pigs. ^*Present address: ARC Meat Research Institute, Langford, BristolBS18 7DY.     

Solid phase red cell adherence immunoassay for anti-HIV 1: a simple, rapid, and accurate method for donor screening

In technically developed countries in which acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a risk to the recipients of blood or tissue, it is mandatory to screen the donor for evidence of HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) infection. Current tests, based on enzyme-linked immunoassay, are time-consuming and expensive and as such are unsuitable for developing countries. We describe a second generation test using anti-human IgG coupled to red cells as the indicator of antibody having reacted with test antigen (1). The test is complete within ten minutes, simple to perform and to read and has 100% sensitivity and 99% specificity compared with Western blot. It is ideal for the rapid screening of organ donors and for the screening of blood donors where cost is a major consideration.     

TREATMENT OF COLD URTICARIA

Background. The etiology of cold contact urticaria is unknown and the therapy is therefore usually rather disappointing. Methods. This study reports therapeutic data on 42 patients with cold urticaria treated with a combination of terbutaline (3 × 5 mg a week, later 3 × 2.5 mg) and aminophylline-containing drugs (3 × 150 mg). Results. Complete remission of the urticarial response was achieved in 37 of the 42 patients. Conclusions. The therapy was tolerated relatively well and the results are promising.     

Anxiety sensitivity, trait anxiety, and the anxiety disorders

The recent debates and commentaries about the construct validity of the Anxiety Sensitivity Index (ASI) suggest several issues that remain to be resolved. First, the factor structure of the ASI remains to be clarified. Second, the distinction between this instrument and measures of trait anxiety has yet to be elucidated. A third issue concerns the extent to which the ASI and the trait version of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-T) can discriminate between panic disorder and other anxiety disorders. These issues were investigated by administering the ASI and the STAI-T to 142 spider-phobic college students and 93 psychiatric outpatients. In both samples, the ASI was found to be unifactorial. When the pool of ASI and STAI-T items was subjected to a factor analysis with oblique rotation, both samples yielded a two-factor solution. The STAI-T items were responsible for almost all the salient loadings on the first factor, and the ASI items were responsible for almost all the salient loadings on the second factor. In both samples the correlation between the factors was .39. These results suggest that the ASI is not simply a measure of trait anxiety. Items that are particularly important in defining the ASI concern the fear of bodily sensations. Fear of the social consequences of anxiety played a minor role in this factor. Panic-disordered patients were differentiated from patients with other anxiety disorders by ASI items pertaining to fear and catastrophic misinterpretation of bodily sensations. The full-scale score and item responses of the STAI-T were unable to differentiate between the anxiety groups. The findings support the construct validity of the ASI and the recent cognitive models of panic disorder. The results also suggest that a three-item version of the ASI may be used for the diagnosis of panic disorder.