Biological activity of synthetic analogs of serum thymic factor*

A series of analogs of serum thymic factor (Facteur Thymique Sérique; FTS) devoid of C- and N-terminal few residues were synthesized and their ability to induce Thy-1 (θ) antigen in vitro on mouse T lymphocyte precursors was examined. The pentapeptide moiety (Lys-Ser-Gln-Gly-Gly) seems to be important for the expression of agonistic activity. Some of the short chain peptides showed antagonistic properties. Synergistic activation by two inactive analogs was observed.     

Activities of Four Enzymes in Blood Serum Determined Simultaneously in Patients with Malignancy before Radical Surgery

The activities of serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP), glutamicoxaloacetic transaminase (GOT), glutamic pyruvic transaminase(GPT) and lactate de-hydrogenase (LDH) were determined simultaneouslyin a group of healthy subjects (351) and in groups of patientswith carcinoma of the lung (379), the stomach (797), the cervix(293), the breast (865), the liver (30) and the pancreas (6)before radical operation. In general, LDH gave the highest rateof positivity of the four enzymes and the activity of this enzymeabove the upper limit of the normal range (M+2SD) was foundin 44.9, 24.1, 19.1 and 13.0% of the patients with carcinomaof the lung, the stomach, the breast and the cervix, respectively. In the patients with adenocarcinoma of the lung, the positivityof serum LDH activity before surgery was shown to increase withthe size of the radically resected tumor. In the two other carcinomas,however, the serum enzyme with the highest rate of positivitywas not LDH but GOT and ALP in pancreatic carcinoma and GOTin hepatocellular carcinoma. As for the rate of independentelevation of serum enzyme activity, LDH exhibited the highestpercentage in all the carcinomas examined, with the exceptionof pancreatic carcinoma in which ALP showed the highest rate.Combined assays of these four enzyme activities gave positivityrates of 100%, 93.3%, 56.5%, 35.9%, 25.4% and 25.3% in carcinomaof the pancreas, the liver, the lung, the stomach, the breastand the cervix, respectively, demonstrating the practical diagnosticvalue of this combined assay system.     

Left Atrial Catheter Ablation Promotes Vasoconstriction of the Right Coronary Artery

Background: Multiple cardiac ganglia are present in the left atrial (LA) region, and marked changes in autonomic nervous activity can occur after left atrial catheter ablation (CA) for atrial fibrillation (AF). Vasospastic angina involving the inferior wall of the left ventricle has been reported as a complication shortly after LACA.
Methods: We studied 20 patients with drug-refractory AF who underwent LACA, performed to encircle the left- and right-sided pulmonary veins, 1 to 2 cm from their ostia under fluoroscopic guidance. Quantitative coronary angiography was performed before and after LACA, and we analyzed the minimal lesion diameter (MLD) of the proximal segment of the coronary arteries, and the basal tone, the baseline percent constriction versus maximal dilation after nitroglycerin administration.
Results: No significant difference was observed in MLD or basal tone of the left coronary arteries after LACA. However, in the right coronary artery (RCA), the basal MLD was smaller (P < 0.01) and the basal tone was greater (P< 0.05) after than before LACA. No correlation was found between the baseline MLD or tone of the RCA and total amount of radiofrequency energy delivered or procedure duration. In 75% of RCA, the baseline MLD was smaller after than before LACA, which was significantly higher (P < 0.01) than observed in the left coronary arteries (38%).
Conclusion: Vasoconstriction was promoted in the RCA shortly after LACA, which may explain the variant angina reported after LACA.     

AFLP分析唐古特大黄、掌叶大黄和药用大黄的亲缘关系研究

目的研究《中国药典》2005年版收载蓼科大黄属3种大黄(唐古特大黄、掌叶大黄和药用大黄)的亲缘关系。方法对3种大黄44份样品进行AFLP分析,同时利用NTSYSpc-2.11F软件分析其亲缘关系。结果8对选择性扩增引物中,扩增得到1 255条稳定清晰的条带,其中多态性条带1 209条,多态性带占总带数的96.2%。将44份大黄样品分为2组2个亚组。四川若尔盖唐古特大黄聚为第一组,第二组分为两个亚组,分别为药用大黄和掌叶大黄。另外,大黄的AFLP分子标记谱带显示,3种大黄和不同来源的大黄样品间除了具有共有带外,还有一些特异带,说明种间甚至不同来源的样品间有一定程度的特异性。结论《中国药典》规定的3种正品大黄中,药用大黄和掌叶大黄亲缘关系较唐古特大黄近,表明利用AFLP技术分析3种大黄的亲缘关系可行。     

Serum Lipids in Patients With Carcinoma and Benign Diseases of the Breast

The serum levels of total triacylglycerol, cholesterol and phospholipidsin 121 patients with breast carcinoma, 61 patients with benignbreast diseases and 145 healthy females were studied especiallyin relation to their alteration by aging. At all age levels the patients with breast carcinoma had significantlyhigher concentrations of serum triacylglycerol than those withbenign breast diseases. In carcinoma patients a gradual increasein the levels of serum cholesterol was observed with age, showingthe same tendency as healthy females. Increases in serum phospholipidswere observed with age in patients with carcinoma and benigndiseases of the breast but were not statistically significantin comparison with those of healthy controls.     

The Predominant Contribution of Oligopeptide Transporter PepT1 to Intestinal Absorption of β-Lactam Antibiotics in the Rat Small Intestine

Although recent evidence suggests that certain β-lactam antibiotics are absorbed via a specific transport mechanism, its nature is unclear. To confirm whether peptide transport in the rat can be largely ascribed to the intestinal oligopeptide transporter PepT1, the transporter has been functionally characterized and its significance in the intestinal absorption of β-lactam antibiotics was evaluated. For evaluation of transport activity complementary RNA (cRNA) of rat PepT1 was synthesized in-vitro and expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes. cRNA induced uptake of several β-lactam antibiotics and the dipeptide [¹⁴C]glycylsarcosine; this was specifically inhibited by various dipeptides and tripeptides but not by their constituent amino acids or by terra- or pentapeptides. The transport activity of PepT1 for β-lactam antibiotics correlated well with their in-vivo intestinal transport and absorption. Furthermore, mutual inhibitory effects on uptake were observed between glycylsarcosine and β-lactam antibiotics. Hybrid depletion of the functional expression of rat PepT1 in oocytes injected with rat intestinal epithelial total mRNA was studied using an antisense oligonucleotide corresponding to the 5′-coding region of PepT1. In oocytes injected with rat mRNA pre-hybridized with the antisense oligonucleotide against rat PepT1, the uptake of [¹⁴C]glycylsarcosine was almost completely abolished, whereas its uptake was not influenced by a sense oligonucleotide for the same region of PepT1. Similarly, the uptake of β-lactam antibiotics was also reduced by the antisense oligonucleotide against rat PepT1. These results demonstrate that the intestinal proton-coupled oligopeptide transporter PepT1 plays a predominant role in the carrier-mediated intestinal absorption of β-lactam antibiotics and native oligopeptides in the rat.     

Protective Effects of Local Hypothermia in Vitrectomy Under Fluctuating Intraocular Pressure

The effects of local hypothermia on the blood-aqueous barrier and retina were investigated in experimental vitrectomy under wide-ranging fluctuations of intraocular pressure.After anesthetized albino rabbits had undergone closed vitrectomy, their vitreous cavities were continuously irrigated for 60 minutes. Perfusion pressures were fluctuated alternately between 10 and 80 mmHg. The rabbits were divided into two groups in accordance with their intraocular perfusion temperatures: 8°C and 22°C. Electroretinograms were taken both before and after the irrigation. Protein and prostaglandin E₂(PGE₂) concentrations in the aqueous humor were measured on the 1st and 7th postoperative days. Histologic examination was performed on the eyes enucleated on the same days.There were no significant differences in either a- or b-wave amplitudes between the 8°C and 22°C groups. Both aqueous protein and PGE₂concentrations were significantly higher in the 22°C group than in the 8°C group on the 1st postoperative day. Histologically, the ciliary body showed remarkably more stromal edema in the 22°C group than in the 8°C group. The severity of the retinal damage did not seem to differ between the two groups.Local hypothermia during vitrectomy under fluctuating intraocular pressure inhibits the breakdown of the blood-aqueous barrier in the early postoperative stages.     

Phase I and Preliminary Phase II Studies on Aclacinomycin A in Patients with Acute Leukemia

Eight patients with acute nonlymphocytic leukemia (ANLL) andfive patients with acute lymphocytic leukemia were treated withaclacinomycin A. It was given daily by one-hour infusion indoses ranging from 0.33 to 0.70 mg/kg for seven to 20 days withoutother antileukemic agents. Two patients with ANLL achieved completeremission and one with ANLL achieved partial remission. Itsmajor toxic effects were myelosuppression and gastrointestinalsymptoms.