Investigation of Role of Nitric Oxide in Protection from Bordetella pertussis Respiratory Challenge

The mechanism whereby whole-cell pertussis vaccines (WCV) confer protection against Bordetella pertussis is still not fully understood. We have previously reported that macrophage activation produced by vaccination with WCV is associated with induction of NO synthesis by macrophages in response to in vitro stimulation with B. pertussis antigens. To determine whether NO production is an effector of protection or simply a marker of activation, the susceptibility of inducible nitric oxide synthase (type II, iNOS) knockout mice to infection with B. pertussis was examined. We showed that iNOS knockout mice were more susceptible to B. pertussis respiratory challenge than wild-type mice. iNOS-deficient mice also developed a less effective protective response than wild-type mice after the same immunization with WCV. This suggests that NO plays an important role in effecting protection against B. pertussis challenge.     

Treatment of cross-bite of anterior teeth with rare earth magnetic appliance with double rails

In this paper, the rare earth magnets (Nd-Fe-B) were used for treatment of cross-bite of anterior teeth. Eight patients were selected. In an attempt to achieve the labial movement of upper anterior teeth, removable appliance with repelling magnetic force were used. The treatment results are satisfactory. The following facts were discussed: (1) the direction of the repelling magnetic force can be controlled well with the double rails; (2) the time for treatment was short and there was no manifestation of unfavorable reaction and (3) no adverse bioeffects have been reported in regard to the use of this kind of device.     

离体牙上釉珠的观测与临床意义

本文从12379枚离体牙上观测了釉珠的发生率、发生部位、形态、直径大小。结果釉珠的发生率为2.49％,以上颌第三磨牙发生率最高,下颌第一磨牙次之。最常发生的部位是在冠颈部的根分叉处,上颌磨牙的釉珠多呈园形,下颌磨牙釉珠多呈梭形。釉珠最大直径为3.2mm,最小为0.5mm,平均为1.56mm。结合文献认为釉珠是一种牙齿形态发育异常,它对牙周病的发生、发展、治疗与预后有重要影响,口腔科医师对这种牙齿形态变异应予以重视。     

Spermidine synthase of Escherichia coli: localization of the speE gene.

We have obtained Escherichia coli mutants lacking spermidine synthase (putrescine aminopropyltransferase) and have found that the mutated gene (speE) is located immediately upstream from the gene coding for S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase (speD); these genes are located at 2.7 minutes on the E. coli chromosome. Both genes are present in a 1795-base-pair fragment of E. coli DNA that was cloned into pBR322. Deletion of 105 bases upstream of speE caused a coordinate loss of both activities, indicating that speE and speD constitute a single operon. speE and speD have also been cloned separately in a high-expression vector; strains carrying these plasmids overproduce the respective enzymes.     

罂粟碱对大鼠单胺神经递质的影响

本文报道用高效液相色谱-电化学检测器方法,研究了罂粟碱对大鼠脑内及心脏单胺神经递质代谢的影响。结果表明:罂粟碱能显著增加大鼠纹状体及边缘区多巴胺代谢物二羟苯乙酸(DOPAC)和高香草酸(HVA),升高约50-70%。5-羟色胺代谢物5-羟吲哚醋酸(5HIAA)增加约30%,而对脑及心脏内的单胺递质本身含量未见有明显影响。     

Effect of gradual rise in plasma calcium concentration on the impairment of atrioventricular nodal conduction due to verapamil

The possible reversal by calcium of the inhibitory action of verapamil on the atrioventricular (AV) node was investigated in anesthetized, atropinized dogs, with cardiac pacing. The His bundle potentials were recorded by endocavitory electrode and the AV node effective refractory period measured by the extrastimulus method. Calcium infusion was effective against the impairment of AV nodal conduction induced by verapamil, provided it remained moderate: the gradual rise in the plasma calcium concentration counteracted the effects of an infusion of verapamil on conduction time and effective refractory period in the AV node, as long as it did not exceed 5 mmol/L. However, beyond this level, calcium appeared less and less capable of reversing the effects of verapamil. Thus, the protective action of calcium had a bell-shaped dose-response curve, with the optimum at 5 mmol/L. This biphasic influence is consistent with the opposite opinions previously given concerning the antagonism between calcium and calcium blockers, depending on whether hypercalcemia brought into play was mild or major. In any case, the prominent role played by calcium in the slow inward current in the AV node accounts for the antagonism, observed in vivo, between calcium and verapamil. The pacemaker activity of the sinoatrial (SA) node was less influenced by both calcium blocker and calcium.     

Functional recognition of the neuronal tyrosine hydroxylase cAMP regulatory element in different cell types.

Transient transfection of pLB2CAT constructs bearing short synthetic oligonucleotides derived either from the tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) promoter or other sources was used to examine functional cAMP regulatory element (CRE) activity in a variety of cell lines. The region containing only the putative TH CRE was found to be as or more effective in conferring cAMP responsiveness onto pLB2CAT (which employs the TK promoter) than the immediate 272 bp region of the TH promoter. Increases in CAT activity of 10- to 20-fold were observed in JEG-3 cells with a single insert of the TH CRE region (-31 to -54) in pLB2CAT, and the presence of a second insert generated only a modest further increase. This construct also responded to cAMP in 4 other cell lines tested but the degree of increase was less dramatic. Inserts containing the consensus 8 bp CRE motif embedded in other natural or artificial contexts served generally as weak functional CREs in all cell lines tested. In vitro analysis revealed that a specific protein-DNA complex apparently containing a single protein with a MW of 45-50 kDa was formed equally well with JEG-3 cell nuclear extract and CRE-bearing-TH and other fragments which produced dramatically different cAMP effects in vivo. These results suggest specificity in the effects of cAMP on different CREs which are dictated by contextual differences.     

国产头孢三嗪在急性感染病人中的药代动力学

静脉滴注国产头孢三嗪0.5～1克,治疗8例急性感染病人的药代动力学。静注后半小时用HPLC测得的平均血药浓度为100.75μg/ml,24小时的血药浓度为11.4μg/ml,国产头孢三嗪的药代动力学特点与国外同类产品基本一致。半衰期长,清除半衰期为8.8小时,可在血液和感染部位中保持较长时间的杀菌和抑菌浓度,总表观分布容积为13.0L/kg,表明药物在组织中的浓度高。本品用量小,每日1克1～2次即可达到疗效。5例慢性胆囊炎伴胆石症患者静滴头孢三嗪1克后,2小时胆汁的平均药物浓度为1022.8μg/ml,可作为治疗胆道感染的有效药物。     

中药“口康”含漱液体外抑菌试验和毒性试验研究

OBJECTIVE: To study the antibacterial activity of Chinese medicine kou-Kang mouthwash and its acute toxicity, and provide the basis of experiment and therapy for infectious diseases of the oral cavity. METHODS: Minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of kou-Kang mouthwash were determined by the agar dilution method, and the acute toxicity was done. RESULTS: The range of MIC kou-Kang mouthwash against 27 Gram negative bacterial were 0.03-1.0 g.ml-1. MIC50 was 0.125 g.ml-1 and MIC90 was 0.125-0.5 g.ml-1. The range of MIC kou-Kang mouthwash against 21 Gram positive bacterial was 0.008-0.5 g.ml-1. The range of MIC50 and MIC90 were 0.015-0.125 g.ml-1 and 0.015-0.5 g.ml-1, respectively. The value of MIC was 0.015 g.ml-1 against candidia albicans. The acute toxic test indicated that the maximum tolerance dose was 417.6 g.kg-1 and 210 times as much as the clinical dose a day. No death of animals or toxicity and side-effect occurred in the test. CONCLUSION: Kou-Kang mouthwash shows a potent antibacterial activity against various pathogens of the oral cavity. Its antibiotic activity against Gram positive bacteria was 2-8 times stronger than that against Gram negative bacteria. It has low toxicity and can be used in clinical application.