Hyperlipidemia induced by a cholesterol-rich diet aggravates necrotizing pancreatitis in rats

The aim of the present study was to investigate whether hyperlipidemia can cause acute pancreatitis or alter its severity. Male Wistar rats were fed a 3% cholesterol-enriched diet or a normal diet for 16 weeks. Edematous and necrotizing pancreatitis was induced with 3x75 mug/kg body weight of cholecystokinin s.c. and 2x2 g/kg body weight of L-arginine i.p., respectively, in separate groups of normal and hyperlipidemic rats. The severity of the pancreatitis was assessed. We studied the influence of hyperlipidemia on the formation of oxygen-derived free radicals, endogenous scavengers, nitric oxide synthases (NOS), peroxynitrite (ONOO(-)), heat shock protein 72 (HSP72) and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappaB) activation in the pancreas during acute edematous and necrotizing pancreatitis. Hyperlipidemia did not worsen edematous, but aggravated necrotizing pancreatitis. The cholesterol-enriched diet significantly reduced the catalase and Mn-superoxide dismutase (SOD) and constitutive NOS (cNOS) activities and increased the inducible NOS (iNOS) in the pancreas relative to those in the rats on the normal diet. The pancreatic nitrotyrosine level, as a marker of ONOO(-), and the NF-kappaB DNA-binding activity in the pancreas, were significantly elevated in the cholesterol-fed rats. The pancreatic HSP72 expression during necrotizing pancreatitis was not influenced by the hyperlipidemia. The pancreatic Mn-SOD, Cu, Zn-SOD, glutathione peroxidase, total glutathione and cNOS activities were significantly reduced, while the catalase, iNOS and NF-kappaB DNA-binding activities were significantly increased in the animals with necrotizing pancreatitis on the cholesterol diet as compared with those with pancreatitis and receiving the normal diet. Hyperlipidemia induced with this cholesterol-enriched diet leads to decreases in endogenous scavenger and cNOS activities, results in iNOS and NF-kappaB activation and stimulates ONOO(-) generation in the pancreas, which may be responsible for the aggravation of acute necrotizing pancreatitis.     

Drug safety and tolerability in prophylactic migraine treatment

Introduction: Migraine is a frequent, disabling primary headache disorder, whose pathomechanism is not yet fully understood. Prophylactic treatment is advisable for migraineurs with severe or highly frequent attacks, which impair the quality of life.

Areas covered: The different types of prophylactic migraine drugs are discussed, with particular regard to potential adverse effects and safety issues. β-Adrenergic blockers, antiepileptic drugs and calcium-channel blockers are drugs widely used for migraine prevention, whereas complementary medicine and onabotulinumtoxin A can be used in selected cases.

Expert opinion: The background of the recurrence and chronification of migraine attacks has not been fully clarified, and causative preventive therapy is therefore not currently available. The tolerability and adverse effects of the currently used medications often limit their use. β-Adrenergic receptor blockers may induce adverse cardiovascular events, whereas flunarizine is frequently associated with a weight gain and depression. As most migraine sufferers are young women of child-bearing age, the use of valproate is limited. Topiramate is associated with central nervous system-related side effects. There is a need for future development of pathomechanism-based preventive drugs, and personalized therapy tailored to the patient.     

2019—2020年哈密市蚊虫种类分布及携带病毒调查

目的　了解新疆维吾尔自治区哈密市蚊虫种类及病毒携带情况,并鉴定该市尖音库蚊所属亚种。方法　分别于2019、2020年7月中旬,在新疆维吾尔自治区哈密市伊州区、伊吾县、巴里坤县采用诱蚊灯法捕捉蚊虫,鉴定所捕获蚊虫种属及尖音库蚊种属。采用逆转录PCR技术检测捕获蚊虫携带黄病毒属、甲病毒属、布尼亚病毒属、流行性乙型脑炎病毒、辽宁病毒、Tahyna病毒、蜱传脑炎病毒及西尼罗病毒情况。结果　在哈密市伊州区、伊吾县、巴里坤县共捕获蚊虫1 496只,分属于3属3种。尖音库蚊为优势蚊种,占所捕获蚊虫总数的65.91%（986只）;其次为里海伊蚊,占30.55%（457只）;阿拉斯加脉毛蚊最少,仅占3.54%（53只）。所捕获尖音库蚊经雄蚊尾器鉴定为尖音库蚊指名亚种。经逆转录PCR法检测,所捕获蚊虫黄病毒属、甲病毒属、布尼亚病毒属、流行性乙型脑炎病毒、辽宁病毒、Tahyna病毒、蜱传脑炎及西尼罗病毒均为阴性。结论　2019—2020年哈密市存在尖音库蚊、里海伊蚊、阿拉斯加脉毛蚊3种蚊虫,以尖音库蚊为优势蚊种;所捕获尖音库蚊均为指名亚种,未发现蚊类携带相关虫媒病毒。     

对无菌试验培养基灵敏度试验法准确性的初步研究

目的：研究《中国生物制品规程》(2000年版)(简称《规程》)中需氧菌和厌氧菌无菌试验培养基灵敏度试验法及真菌无菌试验培养基灵敏度试验法的准确性。方法：按照《规程》中需氧菌和厌氧菌无菌试验培养基灵敏度试验法及真菌无菌试验培养基灵敏度试验法，同时采用平皿[乙型溶血性链球菌采用血琼脂平皿，短芽孢杆菌采用营养琼脂平皿，生孢子梭状芽孢杆菌(简称生孢梭菌)采用硫乙醇酸盐软固体琼脂平皿(厌氧培养)，白色念珠菌采用真菌培养基琼脂平皿]计数法，在相同稀释度及培养温度条件下平行进行1mL菌液的菌落形成单位(Colony Forming Units，CFU)计数。将菌液稀释至与标准比浊管相同之浓度，然后作10倍系列稀释。将稀释度为10^-6～10^-8的短芽孢杆菌、10^-6～10^-8的生孢梭菌，10^-7～10^-9的乙型溶血性链球菌菌液各1mL，分别接种到9mL硫乙醇酸盐培养基中；将稀释度为10^-5～10^-7的白色念珠菌菌液各1mL，分别接种到9mL真菌培养基。每个稀释度至少接种3管，用未接种培养基作对照。将接种短芽孢杆菌的培养基，置35℃培养5d，接种生孢梭菌或乙型溶血性链球菌的培养基，置35℃培养3d，接种白色念珠菌的培养基，置25℃培养5d，同时重复3次试验，记录结果。用每个菌种，按照需氧菌和厌氧菌无菌试验培养基灵敏度试验法及真菌无菌试验培养基灵敏度试验法重复进行3次灵敏度试验。结果：按照《规程》中需氧菌和厌氧菌无菌试验培养基灵敏度试验法及真菌无菌试验培养基灵敏度试验法，同一种培养基，用同一质控菌种重复3次灵敏度试验，结果往往不同，尤其是用乙型溶血性链球菌进行质控时，更为明显。平皿CFU计数与比浊菌数常有显著差异。结论：《规程》中需氧菌和厌氧菌无菌试验培养基灵敏度试验法及真菌无菌试验培养基灵敏度试验法准确性欠佳。     

Post-partum prolongation of the atrial repolarization in rabbit.

Female sexual steroids are known to modify the expression of various K+ channels and thus they can alter cardiac repolarization. In the present work, using conventional microelectrode techniques, action potential characteristics were studied in atrial myocardium isolated from virgin, late pregnant, early (1-3 days) post-partum and late (2-3 weeks) post-partum rabbits. No changes in action potential configuration were observed during pregnancy. However, the duration, overshoot and amplitude of action potentials were significantly increased in the early (1-3 days) post-partum period. Resting potential and maximum rate of depolarization remained unchanged. The observed changes were transient, normal action potential characteristics were obtained at weeks 2-3 post-partum. 4-aminopyridine (1 mmol L(-1)). caused a marked lengthening of action potential duration in all preparations obtained from non-pregnant and pregnant rabbits, whereas this 4-aminopyridine-induced prolongation was moderate in those preparations excised from the hearts of early post-partum animals. Action potential configuration was not affected by pinacidil (10 micromol L(-1)) or glibenclamide (5 micromol L(-1)) in non-pregnant or pregnant animals. In preparations obtained from early post-partum rabbits, pinacidil significantly shortened action potential duration, which was reverted by glibenclamide. The lengthening of action potential duration together with the decreased sensitivity to 4-aminopyridine observed in early post-partum animals may probably be caused by reduction of the transient outward K+ current at this stage. The results also suggest that electrophysiological alterations in the early post-partum period may probably be more pronounced than those associated with pregnancy itself.     

Osteochondral plugs: Autogenousosteochondral mosaicplasty for the treatment of focal chondral and osteochondral articular defects

A new method of treating articular chondral defects and Osteochondritis Dissecans with autogenous osteochondral plugs is described. Following animal trials in 1991, the technique has been used by the authors in 204 patients in Hungary and 31 in the United States with good to excellent results based on clinical examination, follow-up arthroscopy, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and computed tomography (CT) scans. The procedure can be done open, or arthroscopically in the case of smaller lesions, with newly designed and commercially available instruments. The patients have been followed at set intervals and evaluated by use of modified Hospital for Special Surgery Score (HSS), Cincinnati (condylar and patella), Bandi (donor), and Hanover (talus) scoring systems. These studies show that patients improve during the first year and then retain their good to excellent scores. Nineteen biopsies from the treated femoral condyles at various intervals up to 2.5 years show progressive and consistent evidence of deep matrix integration at the recipient donor interface.     

Nonlinear and linear EEG complexity changes caused by gustatory stimuli in anorexia nervosa.

The objective of the present study was to investigate the effects of pleasant and unpleasant gustatory stimuli on nonlinear and linear complexity measures of the EEG in healthy controls and in anorexia nervosa (AN) patients. The subjects were exposed to unpleasant (bitter tea) and pleasant (chocolate) gustatory stimuli for 2 min. Multichannel EEG was recorded and the dimensional complexity (point-correlation dimension) and Omega complexity were calculated from the EEG epochs corresponding to the above taste conditions. In AN patients lower-dimensional complexity was observed in the majority of recording sites than that seen in controls, independent of taste conditions. Higher Omega complexity was seen in control subjects in the left side irrespective of taste effects. No such hemispheric difference was observed in AN. The lower-dimensional complexity seen in AN patients may be caused by long-lasting effects of malnutrition. The lack of a significant Omega complexity change in response to exposure of sweet taste in the left side seen in AN patients may correspond to a decreased sensitivity to such stimuli in these subjects.     

Experience with the "Oxford" type uni-condylar meniscus- and surface replacing knee prosthesis. Preliminary report]

Authors report on the first implantation of a new type of an unicondylar meniscus and surface replacing knee prosthesis in this country. After a brief literary review the prosthesis, the instruments developed for the implantation, the indications and the early favourable results of their two operations are described.     

Radiologic evaluation of gastrointestinal leiomyosarcomatosis

A 68-year-old woman who had previously undergone small intestinal resection because of leiomyosarcoma was referred to our clinic with epigastric pain. A double-contrast barium study and the subsequent abdominopelvic CT and abdominal MRI examinations demonstrated multiple extraluminal growing tumors arising from the walls of stomach, small bowell, and colon. A CT-guided aspiration biopsy revealed malignant mesenchymal tumor. The presence of disseminated intra-abdominal masses without concomitant ascites and invasion of tissue planes on CT in a patient operated on prior because of a leiomyosarcoma led to the diagnosis of gastrointestinal leiomyosarcomatosis. In this report we discuss the radiological approach to this rare entity. Received 29 April 1996; Revision received 4 November 1996; Accepted 21 January 1997