Laboratory investigation: Effects of propofol on the systemic inflammatory response during aortic surgery

PURPOSE: A laboratory investigation was undertaken to assess the effects of propofol on renal function, through modulation of the systemic inflammatory response, in an in vivo experimental model of aortic surgery in comparison with sevoflurane. METHODS: Twenty young male piglets were anesthetized with either propofol 4 mg.kg(-1).hr(-1) (n = 10) or sevoflurane 1.5% end-tidal concentration (n = 10). Animals were subjected to aorta-aortic bypass with suprarenal aortic clamping for 30 min. At specific intervals (basal -before the start of surgery; reperfusion 15 min after unclamping the aorta; at 24, 48 and 72 hr after surgery, and on the seventh day after surgery) the levels of the following were determined: plasma creatinine, renal myeloperoxidase, tumour necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin 1-ss, and interferon-gamma; kidney superoxide anion and its detoxifying enzyme superoxidase dismutase, kidney malondialdehyde and the activity of inducible nitric oxide synthase. Seven days after surgery, the animals were anesthetized using the described techniques, and after blood withdrawal and kidney sampling they were sacrificed. RESULTS: In comparison with sevoflurane, propofol was associated with a lower concentration of plasma creatinine (P < 0.05) together with lower concentrations of myeloperoxidase, tumour necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin 1-ss, interferon-gamma, superoxide anion and superoxidase dismutase, malondialdehyde and inducible nitric oxide synthase (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: In an experimental model of aortic reconstructive surgery, and compared with sevoflurane, propofol anesthesia is associated with less neutrophil infiltration, lower plasma proinflammatory cytokine levels, lower production of oxygen free radicals, less lipid peroxidation, and reduced inducible nitric oxide synthase activity. These observations suggest a possible renal protective effect of propofol in this surgical setting.     

碘伏清洗外耳道的效果观察

目的 探讨碘伏清洗外耳道的效果。方法 将耳部疾病患者100例（127耳）随机分为观察组和对照组各50例，观察组采用0．5％碘伏液清洗外耳道，对照组采用3％过氧化氩液清洗外耳道。两组其他操作方法相同。结果 两组治疗效果比较，差异无显著性意义（P〉0．05），但观察组外耳道清洗后耳痛发生率显著低于对照组（P〈0．01）。结论 0．5％碘伏液清洗外耳疗效较好，对皮肤黏膜无刺激，可减轻患者痛苦，是比较满意的外耳道洗耳液。     

系统性红斑狼疮患者淋巴细胞亚群早期凋亡的初步研究

目的：检测系统性红斑狼疮(SLE)患者外周血单个核细胞(PBMC)中不同细胞亚群发生凋亡的情况，并初步分析其在SLE发病机制中的意义。方法：取28例SLE患者和性别年龄与之相匹配的20个正常对照者。采用淋巴细胞亚群标志、Annexin-V及碘化丙啶三色荧光标记、流式细胞术检测细胞的早期凋亡。结果：SLE患者体内CD3^ T细胞、CD4^ T细胞和CD8^ T细胞的凋亡百分率均显著高于正常对照组(P＜0．05)。同时，SLE患者T淋巴细胞的死亡百分率也高于正常人。经激素治疗一定时间后，这些细胞亚群的凋亡率会进一步升高(P＜0．01)，但CD4／CD8比值恢复至接近正常人。SLE患考体内CDl9^ B淋巴细胞的凋亡或死亡百分率和正常对照组相比均无明显差别，激素治疗对B细胞凋亡和死亡的影响亦不显著。结论：在SLE患者体内主要是T淋巴细胞凋亡增加，但SLE患者淋巴细胞数目减少不仅仅是因为细胞凋亡所致，死亡细胞数目明显升高也是其中一个重要原因。激素治疗可诱导SLE患者T淋巴细胞进一步发生凋亡，并使T细胞亚群比例有所改善。     

A prospective study of the association of cerebrospinal fluid monoamine metabolite levels with lethality of suicide attempts in patients with bipolar disorder

Objectives:  Bipolar disorder is a severe illness that is associated with suicidal behavior. A biological predictor of highly lethal suicide attempts in patients with bipolar disorder would be valuable. We hypothesized that cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) monoamine metabolite levels are related to lethality of suicide attempts in bipolar patients and examined the relation between CSF 5-hydroxyindolacetic acid (5-HIAA), homovanillic acid (HVA), and 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol (MHPG) levels and maximum lethality of suicide attempts at baseline and during a 2-year follow up.
Methods:  Twenty-seven bipolar depressed patients participated in the study. Demographic and clinical parameters were examined and recorded. Lumbar punctures were performed and CSF 5-HIAA, HVA, and MHPG were assayed by high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection. Following discharge, patients were evaluated after 3 months, 1 year, and 2 years. Each follow-up interview included an in-depth assessment of suicidal behavior during the intervening time period.
Results:  Six subjects made suicide attempts during the 2-year follow-up. Bipolar patients who attempted suicide during the follow-up period had higher aggression and hostility scale scores compared to bipolar subjects who did not make a suicide attempt during the follow-up period. CSF 5-HIAA, HVA, and MHPG levels were negatively correlated with the maximum lethality of suicide attempts during the 2-year follow-up period.
Conclusions:  Our finding is the first observation that CSF monoamine metabolite levels may be predictors of lethality of suicide attempts in patients with bipolar disorder. Further studies are necessary to answer the question whether CSF monoamine metabolite levels are clinically useful biochemical predictors of highly lethal suicide attempts or completed suicides.     

Antioxidant and glutathione-related enzymatic activities in rat sciatic nerve

The present work tries to establish the antioxidant capacity of the peripheral nervous tissue of the rat, in terms of the enzymatic activities present in this tissue that either prevent the formation of activated species as the semiquinone radical (DT-diaphorase), protect against activated oxygen species (superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase), conjugate natural toxic products or xenobiotics (glutathione S-transferases, especially the activity conjugating 4-hydroxy-nonenal), or complete the glutathione system metabolism (glutathione disulfide reductase, γ-glutamyl transpeptidase). All the activities studied are lower in this tissue than they are in liver, except for γ-glutamyl transpeptidase. The relevance of the results obtained and its possible relationship with different neuropathies is discussed. It is concluded that the peripheral nervous tissue is by far less protected than the liver against oxidative damage.     

Melatonin reduces nitric oxide synthase activity in rat hypothalamus

Abstract: In this report, rat hypothalamic nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activity is shown to be partially inhibited by physiological concentrations of the pineal hormone melatonin. In vitro studies demonstrate that 1 nM melatonin, which approximates the physiological concentration of the hormone at night, significantly inhibited NOS activity. In vivo studies show that administering melatonin or collecting the hypothalamus from animals at night, when endogenous melatonin levels are elevated, results in a significant decrease of NOS activity. Results also show that calmodulin may be involved in this process since its presence in the incubation medium prevents the inhibitory effect of melatonin on NOS activity.     

Immunology

A selection of interesting papers that were published in the two months before our press date in major journals most likely to report significant results in immunology.     

Serotonin 5- HT (2C) receptor knockout mice: autoradiographic analysis of multiple serotonin receptors.

Quantitative receptor autoradiography was used to study possible alterations of the densities of multiple serotonin (5-HT) receptor subtypes and of serotonin transporter in the brain of 5-HT(2C) receptor knockout mice. The radioligands employed were [(3)H]citalopram, [(3)H]WAY100,635, [(3)H]8-OH-DPAT, [(3)H]GR125743, [(3)H]sumatriptan, [(3)H]MDL100,907, [(125)I](+/-)DOI, [(3)H]mesulergine, [(3)H]5-HT, [(3)H]GR113808, and [(3)H]5-CT. As expected, radioligands that label 5-HT(2C) receptors showed a complete absence of labeling in mutant mice choroid plexus and significantly reduced densities in other brain regions expressing 5-HT(2C) receptors. With the rest of the radioligands, no significant alterations in the densities of labeled sites were found in any brain region. In situ hybridization showed no changes in 5-HT(2A) receptor and serotonin transporter mRNA levels, whereas 5-HT(2C) receptor mRNA levels were reduced in certain brain regions. The present results indicate that the mouse serotonergic system does not exhibit compensatory up- or down-regulation of the majority of its components (serotonin transporter and most 5-HT receptor subtypes) in response to the absence of 5-HT(2C) receptors.