A 50-kDa membrane protein mediates sialic acid-independent binding and infection of conjunctival cells by adenovirus type 37

The ocular tropism of adenovirus type 37 (Ad37) does not correlate with the wide distribution of the 46-kDa coxsackievirus and adenovirus receptor (CAR), the major receptor for most adenovirus serotypes. We previously found that Ad37 infects and binds well to conjunctival cells (Chang C), but poorly to lung epithelial (A549) cells that express CAR and hypothesized that this serotype uses a distinct receptor that is selectively expressed on conjunctival cells. To test this, we produced particles of a fiber-deleted Ad5 vector containing the Ad37 fiber protein. The "pseudotyped" vector infected Chang C cells better than A549 cells using a CAR-independent pathway. Ad37 binding was calcium-dependent and was abolished by protease digestion of cell surface proteins. Using a virus overlay protein blot assay (VOPBA), we detected calcium-dependent Ad37 binding to 50- and 60-kDa membrane proteins on permissive Chang C cells. In contrast, calcium-dependent binding was detected with only the 60-kDa protein on nonpermissive A549 cells. Ad19p, a closely related serotype that failed to bind to conjunctival cells, recognized the 60-kDa, but not the 50-kDa, protein. Ad37 has been reported to use sialic acid instead of CAR as a cell receptor on A549 cells. Pretreatment of Chang C cells with neuraminidase abolished Ad37 binding to only the 60-kDa protein, suggesting that sialic acid mediates Ad37 binding to the 60-kDa protein. The pseudotyped Ad37 vector was also able to infect neuraminidase-treated Chang C cells. Thus, subgroup D adenoviral binding to the 50-kDa protein is calcium-dependent and cell type- and serotype-specific, whereas binding to the 60-kDa protein is not necessary for infection of conjunctival cells. Together, these data suggest that the 50-kDa protein is the major receptor for Ad37 on conjunctival cells.     

Improved oocyte quality is obtained with follicle stimulating hormone alone than with follicle stimulating hormone/human menopausal gonadotrophin combination

The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of pure follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) with that of FSH/human menopausal gonadotrophin (HMG) combination in downregulated cycles. A total of 357 patients was evaluated retrospectively. Sixty percent of patients in the FSH group and 55% in the FSH/HMG group were new; the others were repeat patients. Ovulation was suppressed with leuprolide acetate in all patients, followed by either FSH (n = 218) or FSH/HMG (n = 119). There was no difference in patients' age, infertility factors, number of ampoules used, length of stimulation, oestradiol levels on day of human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG) administration, number of oocytes recovered or the number of embryos transferred. Also, nuclear maturity at aspiration and fertilization rates were not different between the two groups. FSH stimulation resulted in a significantly higher percentage of mature oocytes that showed the typical 'mature' morphological characteristics (P < 0.0001). The clinical pregnancy rates per transfer were 40 and 28% in patients stimulated with pure FSH and FSH/HMG respectively (P < 0.05). The significantly higher number of immature oocytes matured in vitro in the FSH/HMG group (P = 0.001) suggests a possible effect on in-vitro maturation, due to luteinizing hormone present in HMG. The difference in mature oocyte quality may be an important determinant in the higher pregnancy rates for the FSH- stimulated patients.      

Disseminated toxoplasmosis in cardiac transplantation.

The first case of disseminated toxoplasmosis following cardiac transplantation in the UK is described, with details of Toxoplasma antibody tests made on other cardiac transplant patients. Sixteen of 40 (39%) of recipients had Toxoplasma antibody before operation. Eleven of 30 (37%) of donors had Toxoplasma antibody. The were four occasions when a negative recipient received a heart from a positive donor. Three survived the immediate postoperative period and two became infected with toxoplasmosis. The implications of this are discussed. Disseminated toxoplasmosis appears much more often when heart muscle from a dye test positive donor is given to a dye test negative recipient. Antibiotic therapy is limited by the fact that the antitoxoplasma drugs available are static in their effect, and need to be given for prolonged periods postoperatively.     

The effect of indomethacin on the biochemical response to fracture stress in rats

After acclimatization to metabolic cages, groups of male Wistar rats were pretreated for 48 h with parenteral indomethacin to observe its effect on the biochemical response to femoral fracture stress. This trauma induced an average 2.3-fold rise in fibrinogen levels in all animals, which was maximal 24 h after injury. Indomethacin pretreatment caused a dose-related decrease in the plasma fibrinogen response 24 h after fracture: 1, 2, 10 or 20 mg/kg/day of drug reduced the response by approximately 3, 10, 13 and 23%. Fibrinogen levels in rats treated with high doses (10 and 20 mg/kg) of drug began to rise before fracture owing to intestinal ulceration. Plasma 11-hydroxycorticosteroids and urine total catecholamine levels did not respond to either indomethacin treatment or to fracture but levels of both compounds rose gradually during the experiment. Indomethacin is an inhibitor of prostaglandin synthesis and prostglandins may therefore be involved in the metabolic response to stress.     

Adjuvant activity of bacterial peptidoglycans on the production of delayed hypersensitivity and on antibody response

Purified peptidoglycans from various gram-negative bacteria can substitute for mycobacteria in Freund's type adjuvant. The effect of adjuvants on the production of delayed hypersensitivity in the guinea pig was studied with azobenzenearsonate? N? acetyl? L ? tyrosine as antigen. It was found that only a few μg of peptidoglycan per animal were needed. An adjuvant effect on antibody response to egg albumin was also obtained.     

Age dependent differences in stimulation and compensation of renal and biliary transport processes. Correlation to the physicochemical properties of the exerted substances

The relation between renal and biliary excretion of drugs was investigated in dependence on physicochemical factors, on age, and on repeated administration of hormones and xenobiotics for stimulation. Furthermore, the relation between molecular parameters of drugs and the degree of compensation of drug elimination after blockade of one excretion pathway (nephrectomy--NX, bile duct ligation--DL) was characterized. Experiments were performed on female 20-day and 55-day-old rats to demonstrate changes in the relationship between kidney and liver for drug elimination during ontogenesis. Finally it was tried to correlate the effect of a stimulation of elimination capacity of kidney and liver after repeated administration of hormones or xenobiotics and the physicochemical features of clearance substances tested. For estimation of physicochemical differences of the model substances a so called "rank coefficient" R (0-100) was used. It was calculated from molecular weight, lipophilicity, degree of ionization at pH 7.4, and protein binding rate. Compounds with low ranks (low values of molecular weight, lipophilicity, and protein binding, nearly completely ionic at pH 7.4) are eliminated first of all via urine. High ranks are typical of drugs preferentially eliminated into bile. Intermediate ranks (40-60) have been obtained for substances eliminated effectively both via kidney and liver. For these compounds only, a distinct compensation via the intact elimination route can be expected after blocking operations. Qualitative age differences could not be found. But there were differences concerning relation between acceleration of transport capacity of kidney and liver during postnatal maturation and physicochemical properties of the respective test substance.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

止泻散敷脐治疗婴幼儿腹泻100例

0　引言　腹泻乃小儿最常见病 ,尤以 2岁以下婴幼儿最为常见 .年龄越小 ,发病率越高 ,且多在夏、秋季发病 .小儿患病后惧怕打针 ,服药以及输液 ,给治疗带来一些困难 . 12 a来 ,我们用自拟的止泻散敷脐治疗婴幼儿泄泻 ,效果良好 .1　对象和方法1.1　对象　 1998- 0 6 / 1999- 10婴幼儿腹泻发病高峰期门诊病例 10 0 (男 6 6 ,女 34 )例 ,年龄 2月龄～ 5岁 .肠炎 5 8例 ,单纯消化不良 42例 . 6 7例曾多次治疗 ,33例初诊 .凡接受治疗之患儿 ,一律停止用其他药物 .1.2　方法　药物组成 :川椒 12 g,干姜 12 g,小茴香 12 g,白芷 2 0 g,吴茱萸 5 g,…     

Effect of postextrasystolic potentiation on amplitude and timing of regional left ventricular wall motion in ischaemic heart disease

In order to investigate the effects of postextrasystolic potentiation on left ventricular wall motion, the left ventriculograms of 30 patients were digitised frame by frame and regional movement demonstrated by contour displays. Postextrasystolic potentiation caused significant increases in end-diastolic volume, ejection fraction, and peak ejection and filling rates. The amplitude of normally moving segments increased by 5.7 +/- 2.3 mm, regardless of initial amplitude. Hypokinetic segments moved normally if the initial amplitude was greater than 5 mm, and there was a reduced or absent response if 4 mm or less. Four specific abnormalities of timing of motion were studied during isovolumic contraction, early ejection, and isovolumic relaxation. Their timing and extent were all unaffected in postextrasystolic beats. These results thus give no evidence for the entity "reversible asynergy". Rather, they suggest that the response of local wall motion to postextrasystolic potentiation depends only on basal amplitude and increased volume change in postextrasystolic beats.