Studies on the relationship between transaldolase activity and testosterone synthesis in Leydig cells of pubertalmice

Objective: To study the relationship between transaldolase activity, protein expression and testosterone synthesis in Leydig cells of pubertal mice. Methods: Leydig cells were cultured for 2 hours and 8 hours, to the Stimulation Group, hCG was added and to the Controls, only the vehicle. The testosterone concentration was then determined by enzyme-linked immunoadsordent assay (ELISA) and the transaldolase activity and protein expression by Western blot. Results: (1) Both the testosterone concentration and the transaldolase activity in both Stimulation Groups were significantly higher than those in the corresponding Controls (2 h: p<0.05-0.01; 8 h: P<0.001); (2) The ratios of the A isoform, the B isoform and the total transaldolase protein to β-actin between the Stimulation and Control Groups did not differ signifi-cantly. Conclusion: hCG stimulates the transaldolase activity as well as the testosterone synthesis in the Leydig cells of pubertal mice, indicating a positive relationship between them.     

Cellular expression of somatostatin in MAM-induced microencephaly in the rat.

Methylazoxymethanol acetate (MAM) is a mitotic inhibitor that has been used to selectively destroy neuroblasts at specific times during gestation. The administration of MAM results in a dose-dependent microencephaly. Following MAM treatment at 15 days of gestation, we have noted an increase in the level of SS immunoreactivity in the neocortex, as determined by radioimmunoassay. Northern blot analysis for preproSS mRNA revealed an increase in MAM-treated cortex. The cellular distribution of SS has been determined using in situ hybridization and immunocytochemistry. There was a 30% increase in the density of SS-immunoreactive neurons in the cortex of the MAM-treated animals. These data suggest that SS neurons in the cortex are spared following MAM treatment at GD 15.     

Relapsing bacterial meningitis in adults

Relapsing bacterial meningitis is a rare condition, diagnosedin eight patients between 1981 and 1993 at our institution.These accounted for 3.4% of 234 adult patients with blood and/orcerebrospinal fluid culture-proven bacterial meningitis. A reviewof the English-language literature from 1966 to the presentrevealed only five further adult cases of relapsing bacterialmeningitis with in-depth case histories. Of these 13 total patients,nine were female and four male, aged 17–61 years. Tenwere neurosurgical patients. Gram-negative bacilli, especiallyKlebsiella species, were the commonest micro-organisms identifiedfor both the initial episode and the relapse of infection. Threepatients died in the course of relapse. Four or more weeks ofantibiotic therapy may be needed to treat post-surgical patientswith Gram-negative bacillary meningitis. Even a normal cerebrospinalfluid study at the end of treatment of bacterial meningitisis not a guarantee of freedom from relapse.     

Vasopressin stimulation of NaCl transport in the medullary thick ascending limb of Henle's loop is decreased in aging mice

The maximal urinary osmolality that can be reached by the kidney is reduced with age. This may be due to impaired NaCl transport by the medullary thick ascending limb of Henle's loop, which is part of the renal concentrating mechanism and is modulated by antidiuretic hormone (ADH). We therefore tested in vitro a possible age-related change in the transport capacity and in the response of this nephron segment to ADH in young (1–2 months) and old (20–24 months) mice. The transepithelial potential difference (V _te) was significantly higher in young mice (+8.5±0.4 mV, n=13) than in old ones (+6.6±0.5 mV, n=17). Addition of 0.1 nmol.l^–1 ADH to the bath solution significantly increased V _te by 5.2±0.5 mV in the young and by 3.1±0.6 mV in the old animals. Application of dibutyryl-cAMP (0.1 mmol.1^–1) did not further increase the hormonal response in both groups. The ADH-mediated increase in the corresponding equivalent short-circuit current (I _SC = V _te/R_te) was twice as great in young mice as in old, indicating that the stimulation of NaCl transport by ADH across the medullary thick ascending limb is significantly reduced with age. These results suggest that the previously reported age-related defect in the urinary concentrating ability of the kidney is partly due to a decreased response of the medullary thick ascending limb to ADH.     

SEN病毒D亚型ORF1-C端基因的克隆、表达和鉴定

目的:获得SENV-D亚型ORF1-C端蛋白基因序列,并进行表达,为进一步研究及诊断、治疗应用奠定基础.方法:用PCR法从SENV阳性血清中获得SENV-DORF1C端基因,测序验证后,构建了pQE30-SENV-D重组表达质粒,并经过转化E.coli M15,IPTG诱导表达,Western blot分析表达结果.结果:获得了正确序列的SENV-D亚型ORF1-C端蛋白基因序列,表达出Mr约为38×103的蛋白.表达蛋白能与患者血清中相应的抗体结合,发生抗原抗体反应.结论:成功获得并表达了SENV-D-ORF1-C端蛋白,并经Western blot印迹法证实能与阳性血清中的抗体发生抗原抗体反应,有可能用于检测SENV-D抗体.为今后进一步研究有助于疫情监测及早期发现感染者的抗体奠定了坚实的基础.     

急性脑出血220例心电图分析

目的探讨脑出血急性期心电图异常的表现及特征。方法回顾分析220例住院各类急性脑出血患者的心电图资料,并分析其特点及与脑出血的关系。结果脑出血后继发心电图改变主要表现为ST-T改变和(或)心律失常。结论脑出血心电图异常与疾病的严重程度密切相关。心电图的异常可随脑血管病情的减轻而好转或消失,并对脑血管病情的预后有积极的意义。对高龄、高血压病等具缺血性心脏病的危险因素的人群,应加强监护。     

Total agenesis of the left pericardium. Description of a case

Total agenesia of the left pericardium is an uncommon congenital anomaly. The case of a 20-year-old male patient practising sports and complaining of atypical chest pain is described. The Authors point out the importance of the particular ECG and Rx findings obtained varying the patient's supine position. The fundamental role of chest CAT scanning as a non-invasive diagnosis technique is confirmed.     

LEMMA: A Language for Easy Medical Models Analysis

The quality of health care systems and processes is becoming a prominent problem and more and more efforts are devoted to define methodologies and tools to measure and assure quality of care. New methods are required to optimize health care processes to guarantee high quality standards within (limited) available resources. Resource optimizations able to preserve the quality of treatments require good models of medical processes. This paper presents LEMMA, a new notation to model medical processes. LEMMA provides physicians with intuitive graphical elements to design their models. At the same time a high level timed Petri net corresponding to the designed model is built automatically. In this way, LEMMA models are ascribed formal semantics and can be executed and analyzed automatically. The dual language approach followed in this paper allows physicians to gain all the benefits of formal methods without being proficient in them. Medical users manage simple graphical elements, while Petri nets ensure formality and validation capabilities. In this way LEMMA mixes formal and informal notations, overcoming the problems of both the approaches. The definition of the notation has been supported by the development of an environment to design LEMMA models. The environment, besides letting us experiment with the notation, has been employed to define and analyze real case studies.     

儿茶酚-邻-甲基转移酶基因多态性与强迫症

目的：探索儿茶酚-邻-甲基转移酶(COMT)基因多态性同强迫症临床特征的关系。方法：采用聚合酶链反应扩增技术与限制性片段长度多态(PCR-RFLP)测定120例强迫症(OCD)患者和130例健康对照者的基因型；根据Yale-Brown强迫量表评分将强迫症划分亚型。结果：强迫症患者COMT基因型与等位基因分布与健康对照者之间无显著差异；强迫行为组与强迫思想组的COMT基因型分布存在差异；G／A基因型多见于强迫行为组。结论：COMT基因多态可能对强迫症的发病没有直接的作用，但G／A基因型可能对症状是否表现为强迫动作有一定的影响。