Detection and persistence of specific IgA antibodies in serum of patients with hepatitis A by capture radioimmunoassay

The serum immunoglobulin A (IgA) response to hepatitis A virus (HAV) was investigated with a sensitive capture radioimmunoassay. In serial serum samples drawn from 15 patients with viral hepatitis A, IgA anti-HAV antibodies reached their highest titer between 1-2 weeks after onset and peak titers ranged from 10,000-20,000. Serum samples were available from six patients 30-32 months after onset of illness. These samples were all positive for IgA anti-HAV and some had titers similar to peak titers during illness. However, the height of the titration curves, expressed as the binding ratio (BR) at a dilution of 1/1000, was in all cases significantly lower at 30-32 months than during acute illness and early convalescence. The significance of the persistence of the IgA anti-HAV and possible reasons for the change in the BR are discussed.     

Acquired α2 macroglobulin on the surface of human lymphoblastoid cells

The molecular nature of the membrane antigen that is acquired from FCS-containing media by human lymphoblastoid cells has been investigated. The presence of bovine α₂, macroglobulin on the surface of Namalva cells was demonstrated by radioimmunoassay using specific antisera. Alternatively, cell-bound bovine α₂,M could be detected by the more sensitive heterophile rosette assay described previously. Namalva cells grown in NHS-containing media acquired bovine α₂ M upon subsequent incubation with the purified protein in a dose- and time-dependent way. Acquisition of α₂ M was demonstrated using both viable and formaldehyde-fixed cells. Purified fetuin, which carries a heterophile epitope shared with bovine α₂ M as well as with other glycoproteins, failed to bind with the membrane of Namalva cells. The possible role of acquired α₂ macroglobulin on cells has been discussed.     

咪鲜胺对大鼠甲状腺功能亚慢性损伤的研究

目的：为了解咪鲜胺对哺乳动物甲状腺功能的亚慢性损伤情况。方法：用大鼠作为动物模型测定其血清T3、T4、TSH和rT3。结果：高剂量组T4及中、高剂量组rT3水平降低。结论：在亚慢性染毒实验中，咪鲜胺对哺乳动物甲状腺功能确有损伤，其机理尚有待进一步的研究。     

Vasopressin and oxytocin in the rat spinal cord: distribution and origins in comparison to [Met]enkephalin, dynorphin and related opioids and their irresponsiveness to stimuli modulating neurohypophyseal secretion

Immunoreactive-vasopressin, -oxytocin, -dynorphin, -dynorphin-(1-8), -alpha-neo-endorphin and -[Met]enkephalin were, in each case, present in greater concentrations in dorsal as compared to ventral, and lumbo-sacral as compared to cervico-thoracic, spinal cord. These differences were significantly more pronounced for vasopressin and oxytocin than for the other peptides. Lesions of the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus depleted levels of immunoreactive-vasopressin and -oxytocin throughout the cord whereas levels of the opioid peptides therein were unaffected. In contrast, destruction of either the supraoptic or suprachiasmatic nucleus failed to change the content of immunoreactive-vasopressin, -oxytocin or any of the opioid peptides in the cord. Dehydration for 3 days depressed levels of immunoreactive-vasopressin, -oxytocin and -dynorphin in the neurointermediate lobe of the pituitary. In distinction, the levels of these were not modified in the spinal cord. Further, treatment with the synthetic corticosteroid, dexamethasone, elevated levels of immunoreactive-vasopressin, -oxytocin and -dynorphin in the neurointermediate pituitary whereas these were unaffected in the spinal cord. It is concluded that vasopressin and oxytocin in the spinal cord are predominantly derived from the paraventricular nucleus, localized in dorsal lumbo-sacral regions of the cord and insensitive to endocrinological manipulations. These pools may, thus, be modulated differently from their counterparts in the neurohypophysis and have a differing role, possibly in the control of the primary processing, autonomic or motor junctions. Further, there is no evidence from these or our prior studies for a close interrelationship of spinal cord vasopressin with dynorphin-related peptides (or oxytocin with [Met]enkephalin), likewise in contrast to the neurohypophysis.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Increased metabolism to dihydrodigoxin after intake of a microencapsulated formulation of digoxin

Summary A capsule preparation containing small, enteric-coated granules of digoxin was developed to prevent acid hydrolysis of the drug in the stomach and to diminish the variation in plasma glycoside concentration during the intervals between doses. The absorption and metabolism of tritiated digoxin after a single oral loading dose of this formulation (Formulation C) were compared to those after ingestion of a digoxin solution (Formulation S) by 8 healthy men. Drug concentrations were measured by radioimmunoassay (RIA) and liquid chromatography (LC). The percentage of the digoxin dose excreted in the urine during 72 h, as measured by RIA, was significantly lower after the capsule (20.5±2.0% vs 36.2±3.0% after S, mean±SEM) but total urinary radioactivity after the two treatments was similar (C 35.3±5.2 and S 41.2±2.6%; p>0.05). The discrepancy was mainly due to significantly greater excretion of dihydrodigoxin after the capsule ( 12.8%, range 0–28.6% of the dose) than after the digoxin solution ( 5.4%, range 0–14.5%). Dihydrodigoxin was not measured by the RIA. The recovery of hydrolysis metabolites (LC) was greater during the first 24 h after S (2.3±0.6% vs 0.9±0.3% after C; p<0.05). The peak plasma concentration of digoxin (RIA) was significantly reduced and delayed after intake of C (2.5±0.4 nmol/l at 3.8±0.3 h vs. 8.3±0.8 nmol/l at 0.9±0.1 h after S), and so was the shortening of electromechanical systole at 1.5 h, 2.5 h, and 3 h. Thus, the enteric-coated digoxin preparation delayed the absorption and reduced the hydrolysis of the glycoside, but it also carried the drawback of reducing digoxin availability, mainly because of increased metabolism to dihydrodigoxin.     

肝病患者血清IV型胶原、透明质酸及甘胆酸检测的价值

为探讨肝病患者血清IV型胶原、透明质酸和甘胆酸水平与肝纤维素化及肝损害的关系,采用放射免疫分析法对163例肝病患者及60例正常对照组进行上述3项指标的检测。结果：肝病患者的3项测值均增高,分组统计结果显示增高的程度与肝纤维化的严重程度平行。结论:对肝病患者进行血清IV型胶原、透明质酸、甘胆酸动态联检有重要的临床意义。     

The major allergen content of allergenic preparations reflects their biological activity

The content of major allergens in biologically standardized allergenic preparations of birch, mite (Der p) , cat, Alternaria (Alt a) and ragweed (Amb e) was determined. It was found fairly constant between species , i.e. varied within a factor of 2, with the exception of Alt a 1 in Alternaria alternata extract. This variation is allowed by authorities between different batches prepared from the same species of allergen. The method for biological standardization (BS) prescribed in the Nordic Guidelines has, for common inhalant allergens, been shown to give reproducible results between regions of Europe. However, it is difficult to define patients suitable for BS of most food allergens as well as less common inhalant allergens. Therefore we propose that, in the future, BS is replaced by determination of well-established major allergens and that 1 ng of major allergen is given the value of 1 Biological Unit.
Clinical aspects
Clinicians have had difficulties in understanding differences and similarities between units used by manufacturers for labelling of allergenic extracts. Biological standardization is time-consuming and expensive. Probably therefore, and to avoid comparison with extracts prepared by other manufacturers, most manufacturers have used their own units and few of them have used the biological units as defined by the Nordic Guidelines or FDA. Determination of the amount of major allergen by ELISA is simple and cheap. However, the biological relevance of major allergen content has not been established. Our results clearly indicate the possibility of replacing biological units by major allergen content, provided the composition of allergens is adequate. The major allergen content can easily be declared by all manufacturers. In the future, manufacturers should be forced to declare the major allergen content, thus making it easier for clinicians to compare extracts from different suppliers.     

大理地区正常人血清TT_3、TT_4水平

对比大理地区健康汉族人与白族人血清总三碘甲状腺原氨酸（ＴＴ３）、总甲状腺素（ＴＴ４）含量,建立本地区健康人ＴＴ３、ＴＴ４正常参考值。方法：对１００７例健康人（汉族６９１例,白族３１６例）进行血清ＴＴ３、ＴＴ４、ＲＩＡ检测。结果：健康汉族人与白族人血清ＴＴ３、ＴＴ４测定值相近,经统计学处理无显著性差异（Ｐ＞００５）;６０～７５岁年龄组的健康老年人血清ＴＴ３、ＴＴ４含量比其他年龄组明显降低（Ｐ＜００１）。结论：经检测得出的各年龄ＴＴ３、ＴＴ４水平,不论白族或汉族,男性或女性,均可作为正常参考值;６０岁以上健康老人ＴＴ３、ＴＴ４含量低于其他年龄是老年人正常的生理变化。     

非甲状腺疾病患者的甲状腺功能变化及其临床意义

目的：研究甲状腺功能测定在非甲状腺疾病中的临床应用价值。方法：对４５８例非甲状腺疾病患者进行血清ＦＴ３、ＦＴ４、ＴＴ３、ＴＴ４、ｒＴ３、ＴＳＨ放射免疫测定（ＲＩＡ）。结果：各非甲状腺疾病组与正常对照组比较,ＦＴ３、ＴＴ３明显降低（Ｐ＜００１）,ｒＴ３明显增高（Ｐ＜００１）,肾脏疾病组ＦＴ４、ＴＴ４明显降低（Ｐ＜００１）。结论：非甲状腺疾病患者测定血清甲状腺激素水平,可作为临床判断病情轻重,疗效观察和估价预后的重要参考指标。     

马鬃蛇醇提物对大鼠血清性激素水平的影响

目的：研究马鬃蛇醇提物对大鼠血清性激素水平的影响。方法：用放射免疫法测定大鼠血清中睾酮、雌二醇及FSH含量。结果：马鬃蛇醇提物可提高正常雄性大鼠血清睾酮（T）水平，对环磷酰胺所致雄性大鼠生殖统损伤引起的睾酮水平下降也有提高趋势；对环磷酰胺所致雌性大鼠系统损上起的雌二醇水平下降有明显的提高作用，对正常雌性大鼠血清雌二醇（E2）有一定的升高趋势；对FSH有一定的降低作用，结论：马鬃蛇醇提物可提高大鼠血清T、E2水平，有降低FSH水平趋势，提示有性激素样作用。