Expression of HBxAg in human chronic hepatitis,cirrhosis and primary hepatic carcinoma and its significance

The specimens of this study were obtained from 110 cases of chronic hepatitis,108cirrhosis and 110 primary hepatic carcinoma(PHC).Formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded seetions were stained by ABC method forHBxAg,and by PAP method for HRsAg and HBcAgOf the 110 cases of chronic hepatitis,72(65.5％)were positive HBxAg in the liver cells,66(60％)were postitive in HBsAg and 35(31.8％)in HBcAg.Among the 108 eases of drrhosis,84(77.8％)revealed to be HBxAg positive in the liver cells,73(67.6％)were demonstrated to beHBsAg-positive and 18(16.7％)were shown to be HBcAg-positive.Among the 110 eases of pri-mary hepatic carcinoma,64(58.2％)showed HBxAg-positive reaction in cancerous tissues.Therates of positive HRsAg and HBcAg in tumor tissues were 15.5％ and 10.9％,respectively.Six-ty-three(78.8％)of 80 cases of the non-cancerous hepatic tissues displayed HBxAg positivenessand the rates of positive HRsAg and HBcAg in the non-tumor tissues were 47(58.8％)and 21(2.6.3％),respectively.The above-mentioned results sugared that the detection rote of HBxAg inchronic hepatitis,cirrhosis and PHC was higher than that of HBsAg and HBcAg.This studydemonstrates a dose relationship between chronic hepatitis,cirrhosis,PHC and chronic persistentinfection of hepatitis B virus(HBV).Persistent chronic HBV infection plays an important role inthe pathogenesis of chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis and PHC.It is possible that the detection ofHBxAg with anti-HBx could be an additional new diagnostic marker for HBV infection.Howev-er,the role of HBxAg in the pathogenesis of chronic liver diseases needs to be furtherinvestigated.     

Interaction between recovery from behavioral asymmetries induced by hemivibrissotomy in the rat and the effects of apomorphine and amphetamine

Spontaneous and drug-induced turning behavior and thigmotactic scanning were tested either acutely (4-6 hr) or chronically (9 days) after unilateral removal of vibrissae in rats. Rats that were tested acutely scanned more with the intact vibrissae side. This asymmetry was reduced in rats that were tested chronically, indicating behavioral recovery. The indirect dopamine agonist amphetamine induced a reversed asymmetry after 9 days because the animals then scanned more with the side lacking the vibrissae. Postsynaptic doses of apomorphine administered to acutely tested rats induced more scanning with, and more turning toward, the intact vibrissae side. A negative correlation was found in the chronically tested rats between the asymmetry in spontaneous scanning and the asymmetry after apomorphine. Nonrecovered rats showed indications of a reversal after apomorphine. The results are discussed in relation to mechanisms of neural plasticity in the basal ganglia, such as receptor supersensitivity and changes in nigrostriatal afferents.     

Flavoxate hydrochloride for urinary urgency after pelvic radiotherapy: comparison of 600 mg versus 1200 mg daily dosages

This preliminary communication reports on a non-randomized pilot type trial of 34 females with urgency after pelvic radiotherapy who were treated with flavoxate hydrochloride for 4 weeks. A dosage of 600 mg/day was given to 21 patients and 1200 mg/day to 13 patients. Clinically, both regimens achieved comparable results. Urodynamically (first desire volume, bladder capacity and pressure at capacity) treatment with 1200 mg/day was significantly superior to 600 mg/day. Both schedules were equally well tolerated by patients and no treatment interruption occurred. A randomized double-blind trial comparing 600 and 1200 mg/day flavoxate hydrochloride is currently underway the results of which will be reported in due course.     

Compartmentalization of corticotropin-dependent steroidogenic factors in adrenal cortex: evidence for a post-translational cascade in stimulation of the cholesterol side-chain split.

A sensitive cell-free assay was developed for the analysis of corticotropin-dependent factors that stimulate the rate-limiting step of adrenal steroidogenesis. In this assay adrenal post-mitochondrial supernates from corticotropin-stimulated rats caused a 10- to 100-fold increase in the de novo synthesis of pregnenolone and progesterone. A similar stimulation was observed by corresponding fractions from Leydig cells and mouse Y-1 adrenal tumor cells, but not from rat liver. Subcellular fractionation of rat adrenal tissue showed several steroidogenic factors to be present in various compartments. Recombination of them produced highly synergistic effects. The activation of some components could also be demonstrated in vitro, suggesting a cascade of events possibly linking the cAMP-dependent phosphorylation pathway with the rate-limiting step. Cycloheximide prevented the production of these steroidogenic factors in vivo upon stimulation but had no effect in vitro, suggesting a post-translational cascade involved in the activation of the cholesterol side-chain split.     

Post-hospitalization followup appointment-keeping among the medically indigent

The purpose of this study was to measure followup appointment-keeping in patients discharged from a General Medicine Inpatient Service and to identify possible predictors of compliance. Patients were interviewed on hospital admission and all charts were reviewed on discharge. A subset of patients were interviewed by telephone an average of one month after first followup appointment date. The study was conducted in an urban public teaching hospital with hospital-based and community clinics. A convenience sample of 209 patients were selected from admissions to the General Medicine Inpatient Service over a three month period. Followup appointment-keeping was recorded on all 195 patients discharged alive. Seventy-five percent of patients had no medical insurance, public or private. A compliance rate of 60% (95% confidence interval: 53% to 67%) with first followup appointment was found. Variables associated with compliance and which retained independence on multiple logistic regression analysis, followed by adjusted odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) were: no copayment requirement, odds ratio 3.2 (1.6 to 6.3), single followup appointment 2.9 (1.4 to 5.9), apartment dwelling 3.2 (1.4 to 7.3) and non-primary care clinic appointment 2.3 (1.1 to 4.8). We conclude that health-care-delivery related factors such as no copayment requirements are strongly associated with appointment-keeping in a public hospital population.     

Evening vs morning isradipine sustained release in essential hypertension: a double-blind study with 24 h ambulatory monitoring.

A randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled study evaluated the effects on 24 h ambulatory blood pressure (ABP) of isradipine sustained release (I-SRO) administered once daily, in the morning (AM) or in the evening (PM). Eighteen uncomplicated essential hypertensives (10 men, mean age 55 +/- 6 years) with casual sitting DBP 96-110 mm Hg received, according to a triple-way crossover design, I-SRO 5 mg AM, or 5 mg PM, or placebo for 4 weeks. A 24 h ABP monitoring (Spacelabs 90207) was carried out at the end of each treatment. Twenty-four hour BP was 145.3/89.8 mm Hg after randomized placebo. AM and PM I-SRO significantly reduced 24 h BP, by 13.7/8.7 and 12.9/8.2 mm Hg respectively. Daytime (07.00 h-23.00 h) BP significantly decreased by 15.0/9.7 mm Hg with AM and 13.2/8.7 mm Hg with PM regimen; night-time BP (23.00 h-07.00 h) significantly decreased by 11.6/7.1 and 12.3/7.4 mm Hg, respectively. Nocturnal nadir BP values were 132.6/78.1 after randomized placebo, 120.9/71.4 after AM I-SRO and 121.0/72.4 mm Hg after PM I-SRO. Morning peak BP values were 154.6/96.9, 139.5/87.6 and 137.5/85.5 mm Hg, respectively. Mean BP values in the early morning hours (i.e. between 03.00 h and 08.00 h) were significantly decreased by 12.1/7.3 mm Hg after AM and 14.3/7.9 mm Hg after PM intake. No significant differences were detected in the BP lowering effect of the two I-SRO regimens.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Oral manifestations in 70 German HIV-infected women

OBJECTIVE: To describe the prevalence of oral lesions in HIV-infected women, and to determine the association of oral lesions with the level of immunosuppression and the route of transmission. PATIENTS: In a retrospective, cross-sectional study, a cohort of 70 HIV-infected women (median age: 32.5 y; median CD4⁺-cell count 262 per μl) comprising 18% of all HIV-infected individuals (n = 389) was selected in an outpatient clinic. Oral lesions strongly associated with HIV-infection were evaluated. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of oral lesions was 27/70 (39%). Among HIV-infected women with CD4⁺-cell counts <200 per μl, the prevalence was 65% (19/29); and with counts >200 per μl, the prevalence was 27% (11/41). The prevalence of candidiasis and hairy leukoplakia was similar among those infected heterosexually or by intravenous drug use. CONCLUSIONS: As reported in men, these findings demonstrate that oral lesions are common in HIV-infected women. Candidiasis is more likely to occur at low CD4⁺-cell counts, whereas no difference was seen regarding the level of immunosuppression and hairy leukoplakia. Interestingly, the route of transmission does not play a role regarding the presence of oral lesions among HIV-infected women.