The effect of age on plasma zinc uptake and taste acuity

Plasma uptake of a 25 mg oral dose of zinc was measured at 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4 h postdose in 16 elderly (mean age = 7.25 yr) and 12 young (mean age = 24.0 yr) subjects selected from a group of 62 healthy nonsmokers. Elderly and young subjects were divided into two groups based upon low or high detection thresholds for solutions of sodium chloride and sucrose. Mean fasting concentrations of plasma zinc were almost identical for the two age groups. Plasma response to a zinc dose was lower (p less than 0.05) in the elderly compared to that in the young, as indicated by plasma zinc levels at hours 2 and 3 postdose and by total area under the response curve. Moderate but significant age-associated increases in detection thresholds for both sodium chloride and sucrose were found; taste thresholds were not correlated to plasma uptake of the zinc dose in either age group.     

柱切换HPLC法研究米托蒽醌毫微粒冻干静脉注射剂的药代动力学

建立了血浆中米托蒽醌的柱切换高效液相色谱测定法,测定和比较了米托蒽醌溶液型注射剂和毫微粒冻干静脉注射剂在家兔体内的血药曲线,并研究比较了二者的药代动力学参数。米托恩醌毫微粒冻干注射剂使米托蒽醌在血中浓度大为降低,血中分布容积增大了近5倍,体内平均驻留时间延长了2倍多。表明米托蒽醌毫微粒有明显的体内长效作用,结合其体内分布试验研究结果,表明其具有明显肝靶向分布作用。     

人工牛黄的光解

人工牛黄是广泛用于中成药配方的中药代用品。本文用漫反射光谱法研究了人工牛黄样品在人工光源照射下发生颜色变化的光解规律:在三种光源下,其光解均属二步表观一级反应动力学,即光解曲线是由两段斜率不同的直线组成,初期的光解速度较其后的快2倍左右;不同光源下,紫外灯光解速度最快,荧光高压汞灯次之,碘钨灯最慢;表观光解常数与光波长有关,但基本不随光强度和照射时间乘积改变。而光解时间则与光强度成反比。从得到的动力学方程可预测不同条件下的褪色时间。研究表明,人工牛黄复方中,发生光解的主要成分是胆红素,其余成分不发生引起颜色变化的光解,但在第二步反应中对胆红素的光解有明显影响。     

Pathogenesis of shigella diarrhea. VII. Evidence for a cell membrane toxin receptor involving β1 {arrow} 4-linked N-acetyl-D-glucosamine oligomers

The binding of ShigeUa dysenteriae 1 cytotoxin to HeLa cells in culture and to isolated rat liver cell membranes was studied by means of an indirect consumption assay of toxicity from the medium, or by determination of cytotoxicity to the HeLa cell monolayer. Both liver cell membranes and HeLa cells removed toxicity from the medium during incubation, in contrast to WI-38 and Y-1 mouse adrenal tumor cells, both of which neither bound nor were affected by the toxin. Uptake of toxin was directly related to concentration of membranes added, time,and temperature, and indirectly related to the ionic strength of the buffer used. The chemical nature of the membrane receptor was characterized by using three principal approaches: (a) enzymatic sensitivity; (b) competitive inhibition and (c) receptor blockade studies. The receptor was destroyed by proteolytic enzymes, phospholipases (which markedly altered the gross appearance of the membrane preparation) and by lysozyme, but not by a variety of other enzymes. Of 28 carbohydrate and glycoprotein haptens studied, including cholera toxin and ganglioside, only the chitin oligosaccharide lysozyme substrates, per N-acetylated chitotriose, chitotetraose, and chitopentaose were effective competitive inhibitors. Greatest inhibition was found with the trimer, N, N’, N” triacetyl chitotriose. Of three lectins studied as possible receptor blockers, including phytohemagglutinin, concanavalin A, and wheat germ agglutinin, only the latter, which is known to possess specific binding affinity for N, N’, N” triacetyl chitotriose, was able to block toxin uptake. Evidence from all three approaches indicate, therefore, existence of a glycoprotein toxin receptor on mammalian cells, with involvement of oligomeric β1{arrow}4-1inked N-acetyl glucosamine in the receptor. This receptor is clearly distinct from the G(M1) ganglioside thought to be involved in the binding of cholera toxin to the cell membrane of a variety of cell types susceptible to its action.     

Use of high-resolution proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy for rapid multi-component analysis of urine

Numerous low-Mr metabolites--including creatinine, citrate, hippurate, glucose, ketone bodies, and various amino acids--have been identified in 400- and 500-MHz proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR) spectra of intact human urine. The presence of many of these was related to the specific condition of the donors: humans in different physiological states (resting, fasting, or post-exercise) and pathological conditions (e.g., diabetes mellitus, cadmium-induced renal dysfunction). We have also monitored the metabolism of simple nonendogenous compounds (methanol and ethanol) and of acetaminophen. The pH-dependencies of the NMR chemical shifts of some urine components are reported. Our studies show that high-resolution 1H NMR spectroscopy provides a fast, simple method for "fingerprint" identification of urinary compounds. In some cases, analytes can be quantified by standard additions or by comparing integrated peak areas for the metabolites with those for creatinine. Determinations of creatinine by 1H NMR spectroscopy compared well with those by an independent chemical assay based on the Jaffé reaction.     

Recurrent meningococcal meningitis with occult CSF leak.

Recurrent meningococcal meningitis was associated with a slow CSF leak in a 24-year-old man. Unique features of the case included isolation of meningococcal group 29E. We speculate that an association exists between subclinical CSF leaks and sporadic cases of meningitis.