The CLDN5 locus may be involved in the vulnerability to schizophrenia.

The present study was designed to detect three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) located on 22q11 that was thought as being of particularly importance for genetic research into schizophrenia. We recruited a total of 176 Chinese family trios of Han descent, consisting of mothers, fathers and affected offspring with schizophrenia for the genetic analysis. The transmission disequilibrium test (TDT) showed that of three SNPs, rs10314 in the 3'-untranslated region of the CLDN5 locus was associated with schizophrenia (chi(2) = 4.75, P = 0.029). The other two SNPs, rs1548359 present in the CDC45L locus centromeric of rs10314 and rs739371 in the 5'-flanking region of the CLDN5 locus, did not show such an association. The global chi-square (chi(2)) test showed that the 3-SNP haplotype system was not associated with schizophrenia although the 1-df test for individual haplotypes showed that the rs1548359(C)-rs10314(G)-rs739371(C) haplotype was excessively non-transmitted (chi(2) = 5.32, P = 0.02). Because the claudin proteins are a major component for barrier-forming tight junctions that could play a crucial role in response to changing natural, physiological and pathological conditions, the CLDN5 association with schizophrenia may be an important clue leading to look into a meeting point of genetic and environmental factors.     

The epidemiology and surveillance of blood lead in Taiwan (R.O.C.): A report on the PRESS-BLL project

 To monitor the lead hazards in industries and to investigate the prevalence of elevated blood lead levels (BLLs) in lead-exposed workers, a lead surveillance system (PRESS-BLLs) has been established and operated in Taiwan, Republic of China, since July 1993. A cohort of lead-exposed workers who received a periodic annual health examination at 55 accredited hospital laboratories was constructed. A total of 9807 separate BLL measurements were reported to the system in 1994. The mean BLL was 15.8 μg/dl in male workers and 11.6 μg/dl in female workers. The mean BLL of lead-exposed workers was significantly (P<0.05, z-test) higher than that of the general Taiwanese population (8.6 μg/dl for males and 6.7 μg/dl for females). In addition, the BLLs of 983 (10.0%) workers exceeded the regulatory action level (40 μg/dl for males; 30 μg/dl for females). The workplaces and homes of 57% of the workers with elevated BLLs were thoroughly investigated to determine the sources of lead contamination. These actions identified the causes of elevated BLLs and set up strategies to reduce workers’ lead exposure. The establishment of this occupational lead surveillance system represents a method for monitoring of lead hazards from occupational and environmental settings to prevent lead poisoning. The information acquired from the system can help in the setting up of a priority of prevention and the development of control measures. It is also useful for further monitoring of changes in the BLLs of the lead-exposed-worker cohort. The Health Department of Taiwan can use this information to evaluate the effectiveness of current industrial hygiene practice. Subjects with elevated BLLs have been medically treated and placed on long-term follow-up for sequelae. Received: 2 September 1996/Accepted: 29 November 1996     

大鼠脊髓缺血再灌流时脊髓神经元对躯体和内脏传入刺激的反应

５０只大鼠用乌拉坦麻醉，箭毒制动。通过阻断腹主动脉血流以模拟腰段脊髓的局部缺血和再灌流损伤，玻璃微电极记录Ｌ２节段脊髓单位放电（ＳＣＵＤｓ），观察缺血再灌流时脊髓神经元对腓神经刺激（ＰＮＶ），内脏大神经刺激（ＶＬＮＶ）及两者同时刺激（ＳＶ）的反应。结果在缺血前所记录的１３３个自发放电单位中，对３种刺激均产生兴奋（Ｅ）、抑制（Ｉ）及无反应（ＮＲ）３种形式的反应，表明大鼠Ｌ２节段脊髓存在躯体、内脏和躯体内脏反应性神经元，并有会聚和阻塞现象。在脊髓缺血再灌流时，神经元对ＰＮＶ、ＶＬＮＶ、ＳＶ也产生Ｅ、Ｉ、ＮＲ３种形式的反应，提示脊髓缺血再灌流时神经元对躯体和内脏传入刺激的反应形式不受影响；但缺血时ＳＣＵＤｓ对ＰＮＶ、ＶＬＮＶ产生反应的单位数减少，这表明脊髓缺血损伤时神经元对躯体和内脏传入刺激的反应性减弱，随着缺血损伤加重，脊髓神经元对躯体内脏信号的整合功能下降     

卡托普利对.OH所致异常血流动力学的保护作用

．ＯＨ生成液０．０５ｍｌ．１００ｇ＾－１经胶静脉注入心脏，可使麻醉大鼠的左心室收缩压力、左心室压力与心率乘积、左心室压力上升最大速率和左心室压力下降最大速率明显下降。     

外周血及移植肾内嗜酸性粒细胞变化的临床意义

为了解移植肾在急性排斥时外周血和移植肾内嗜酸性粒细胞（ＥＯ）变化的意义，动态观察３１例同种异体肾脏移植病人的外周血和移植肾内ＥＯ的变化。结果发现在急性排斥反应时，移植肾内ＥＯ数＞２％者占８０．９％，明显高于肾功能稳定时，Ｐ＜０．０１；重度排斥中血ＥＯ数＞４％者占８２．６％，明显高于肾功能稳定时和中度以下排斥者，Ｐ＜０．０１。结果认为，测定移植肾内的ＥＯ变化可以做为监测急性排斥反应的可靠指标，外周血中的ＥＯ明显增多常提示排斥反应较为严重。     

Blood flow variation and energy metabolism in the gastric mucosa following 7．5％ hypertonic saline resuscitation

Ｂｌｏｏｄｆｌｏｗｖａｒｉａｔｉｏｎａｎｄｅｎｅｒｇｙｍｅｔａｂｏｌｉｓｍｉｎｔｈｅｇａｓｔｒｉｃｍｕｃｏｓａｆｏｌｌｏｗｉｎｇ７．５％ｈｙｐｅｒｔｏｎｉｃｓａｌｉｎｅｒｅｓｕｓｃｉｔａｔｉｏｎＷａｎｇＪｕｎｙｉ（王俊义）；ＷｕＧｕｏｓｈｅｎｇ；（吴...     

Microvascular corrosion casting of normal tissue, transitional mucosa and adenocarcinoma in the human colon.

The microcirculatory architecture of normal tissue, transitional mucosa and adenocarcinoma of the human colon was investigated with microvascular corrosion casting (MVCC) combined with scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The study showed that the capillaries within the normal mucosa were arranged in a regular hexagonal pattern around the mucosal glands and that the microvessels of transitional mucosa mostly had lost the typical hexagonal pattern and become slightly wider in diameter. The microvessels in the tumor periphery were increased in number and disorganized, and presented large variation in morphology with claw-like formations, widened sinuses, diverticula and appendixoid patterns. Microvessels were lacking in the central areas of tumors. These morphological alterations may serve as additional indicators of tumor development.     

A Bronchial Response Comparison of Exercise and Methacholine in Asthmatic Subjects

The authors compared the inhaled methacholine and exercise responses in 22 stable unmedicated asthmatic patients. The exercise and methacholine challenges were performed at one to three week intervals. Bronchial responsiveness to methacholine was measured in relation to the concentration of methacholine (PC₂₀M). The response to exercise was expressed as the percentage of fall in FEV₁, from the pre-exercise FEV₁ The findings showed that 21 of 22 subjects demonstrated a fall in FEV₁, of more than 20% after methacholine challenge, while only 9/22 subjects experienced a similar decrease in FEV₁. All 9 of these positive response exercise cases completed three consecutive exercise challenges prior to the methacholine challenge. Of these cases, five were refractory to the repeated exercise challenge, and the PD₂₀M at the nonexercise stage was significantly lower than the postexercise state. In fact, the methacholine challenge sensitivity actually decreased (PD₂₀ increased) after repeated exercise. The authors concluded that methacholine seems to be a more sensitive bronchial provocation test than exercise. Second, only 55.6% of the exercise test-positive subjects were refractory to the second exercise challenge. Therefore, other factors besides the release of mediators should be considered in exercise induced asthma. Third, methacholine sensitivity actually decreased (PD₂₀ increases) after repeat exercise challenge.