Methamphetamine administration causes overexpression of nNOS in the mouse striatum

The accumulated evidence suggests that the overproduction of nitric oxide (NO) is involved in methamphetamine (METH)-induced neurotoxicity. Using NADPH-diaphorase histochemistry, neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) antibody immunohistochemistry, the possible overexpression of nNOS and iNOS was investigated in the brains of mice treated with METH. The number of positive cells or the density of positive fibers was assessed at 1 h, 24 h and 1 week after METH injections. There were no clear positive iNOS cells and fibers demonstrated in the brains of mice after METH treatment. In contrast, METH caused marked increases in nNOS in the striatum and hippocampus at 1 and 24 h post-treatment. The nNOS expression normalized by 1 week. There were no statistical changes in nNOS expression in the frontal cortex, the cerebellar cortex, nor in the substantia nigra. These results provide further support for the idea that NO is involved in the neurotoxic effects of METH.     

Satellite-cell-derived nerve growth factor and neurotrophin-3 are involved in noradrenergic sprouting in the dorsal root ganglia following peripheral nerve injury in the rat

Injury to a peripheral nerve induces in the dorsal root ganglia (DRG) sprouting of sympathetic and peptidergic terminals around large-diameter sensory neurons that project in the damaged nerve. This pathological change may be implicated in the chronic pain syndromes seen in some patients with peripheral nerve injury. The mechanisms underlying the sprouting are not known. Using in situ hybridization and immunohistochemical techniques, we have now found that nerve growth factor (NGF) and neurotrophin-3 (NT3) synthesis is upregulated in satellite cells surrounding neurons in lesioned DRG as early as 48 h after nerve injury. This response lasts for at least 2 months. Quantitative analysis showed that the levels of mRNAs for NT3 and NGF increased in ipsilateral but not contralateral DRG after nerve injury. Noradrenergic sprouting around the axotomized neurons was associated with p75-immunoreactive satellite cells. Further, antibodies specific to NGF or NT3, delivered by an osmotic mini-pump to the DRG via the lesioned L5 spinal nerve, significantly reduced noradrenergic sprouting. These results implicate satellite cell-derived neurotrophins in the induction of sympathetic sprouting following peripheral nerve injury.     

术后患者肠道吸收乳果糖、甘露醇的变化与创伤程度的关系

目的 测定手术后患者肠道对甘露醇和乳果糖吸收的变化,并研究这些变化与手术应激程度的关系。方法 用小剂量乳果糖（ｌａｃｔｕｌｏｓｅ,Ｌ,２ｇ）和甘露醇（ｍａｎｎｉｔｏｌ,Ｍ,１ｇ）的方法测定２０例腹部手术患者术前,术后第５第和１０天乳果糖／甘露醇比值（Ｌ／Ｍ比值）的变化。用急性生理和慢性健康状况评分方法Ⅱ（ＡＰＡＣＨＥⅡ）对患者的创伤程度进行评分。用带电化学检测器的高压液相色谱仪测定尿中的乳果糖和甘     

Early and delayed cardioprotection by heat stress is mediated by calcitonin gene-related peptide

Brief ischaemia or heat stress protects the myocardium against ischaemia-reperfusion injury. Heat stimulus evokes release of sensory nerve transmitters, including calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP). Since CGRP has been shown to play an important role in the mediation of ischaemic preconditioning, the present study examined whether early or delayed preconditioning induced by retrograde hyperthermic perfusion in vitro or by whole-body hyperthemia in vivo also involves endogenous CGRP. Isolated rat hearts were perfused in the Langendorff mode and subjected to 30 min global ischaemia and 30 min reperfusion. Heart rate, coronary flow, left ventricular pressure and its first derivatives (±dp/dt) were recorded and the CGRP-like immunoreactivity (CGRP-LI) content and the release of creatine kinase (CK) during reperfusion were measured. Retrograde hyperthermic perfusion (42 °C) for 5 min improved the recovery of cardiac function, decreased the release of CK and elevated the content of CGRP-LI in the coronary effluent. CGRP_8–37 (10^–7 mol/l), a selective CGRP receptor antagonist, abolished the cardioprotection by heat stress. Pretreatment with capsaicin (50 mg/kg s.c.), which specifically depletes sensory nerve transmitter content, abolished both the cardioprotection and the increased release of CGRP-LI. Whole-body hyperthermia (42 °C for 15 min) caused an increase in the plasma concentration of CGRP-LI. Early or delayed protection was shown in the hearts obtained from the animals subjected to whole-body hyperthermia 10 min or 48 h before the experiments. The early or delayed protection by heat stress was also abolished by pretreatment with capsaicin. The present study suggests that, in the rat, the early and delayed cardioprotection induced by heat stress involves endogenous CGRP. Received: 31 December 1998 / Accepted: 6 April 1999     

Poisoning by Datura leaves used as edible wild vegetables.

The causes of Datura intoxication include medication overdose, misuse of edible vegetables, deliberate abuse as a hallucinogen, homicidal or robbery and accidental intoxication from contaminated food. We report an incident of 14 people with Datura intoxication caused by ingesting wild Datura suaveolans for food. The incubation period was 15 to 30 min. The symptoms/signs were dizziness, dry mouth, flushed skin, palpitation, nausea, drowsiness, tachycardia, blurred vision, mydriasis, hyperthermia, disorientation, vomiting, agitation, delirium, urine retention, hypertension and coma. Three patients were hospitalized for 2-3 days. Thirteen persons received supportive fluid therapy. One patient did not receive medical therapy, he induced vomiting and drank a lot of water. Four patients presented with delirium/coma and 3 received physostigmine therapy with good response. One patient was intubated because of coma and respiratory depression. Three persons needed Foley catheterization for urine retention or coma status. One patient had a complication of urinary tract infection and antibiotic management. All patients recovered with no sequelae.     

控制性超排卵长、短方案在IVF-ET中的疗效比较

目的:比较促性腺激素释放激素激动剂(GnRHa)长、短方案控制性超排卵在体外受精-胚胎移植(IVF-ET)中的疗效。方法:将2001年7月-2002年4月因双侧输卵管梗阻IVF-ET的患者100人随机分为长方案组(50人)和短方案组(50人)进行超排卵。长方案组从使用促性腺激素(Gn)治疗前1月经周期黄体期(月经21天)使用GnRHa 0.3mg/d,至垂体完全降调节后加用Gn;短方案组从月经周期第2天开始用GnRHa0.1mg/d,同时加用Gn。当患者有3个以上卵泡直径>18mm时肌肉注射人绒毛膜促性腺激素(HCG),36小时后取卵行IVF,取卵48小时后行ET。结果:两组患者平均获卵数、受精率、卵裂率、优质胚胎率、移植胚胎数、临床妊娠率、胚胎种植率及流产率差异无显著性。而两者的Gn使用量有差别,短方案组少于长方案组,两组差异有显著性。两组用Gn第7天雌激素水平不同,短方案组明显高于长方案组,两者差异有显著性。结论:GnRHa长、短方案在IVF-ET中控制性超排卵效果相同,但所需Gn数量不同。