Psychological,situational, and gender predictors of cardiovascular reactivity to stress: A multivariate approach

This study examined whether relationships between anger expression, hostility, social evaluative anxiety, and a presumed mechanism for coronary heart disease development, cardiovascular reactivity (CVR) to stress, are moderated by stress situation and gender and whether such relationships are attenuated by inadequate assessments. Subjects (47 men, 47 women) were assigned randomly to either a Harassment or a Social Evaluation condition, under which they performed a reaction time task. SBP, DBP, and HR measures were recorded during baseline and task. Multiple regression analyses indicated that expressed anger was related to CVR only among men in the Harassment condition; that hostile men who express anger showed the most CVR across situations, and that the traits assessed here did not predict CVR among women. Results suggest that assessments of coronary-risk and interventions to reduce risk may need to take into account attitudes, styles of emotional expression, environmental factors, and gender.This research was supported in part by an NIMH predoctoral fellowship (F31MH09836) awarded to John W. Burns and by a grant from the American Heart Association (89-01-3G) awarded to Edward S. Katkin.     

Anorexia Induced by the Parasitic Nematode, Nippostrongylus brasiliensis: Effects on NPY and CRF Gene Expression in the Rat Hypothalamus

Infections of the gastrointestinal nematode, Nippostrongylus brasiliensis, in the laboratory rat result in a characteristic biphasic anorexia which is followed by hyperphagia once the worm burden has been cleared. Despite the importance of parasite-induced anorexia, relatively little is known of the underlying mechanisms. We have investigated the involvement of the central appetite drive in this anorexia by studying the gene expression of two neuropeptides with opposing actions on energy balance, NPY and CRF. Gene expression was assessed by in situ hybridization at 2, 8 and 16 days post-infection (p.i.) in infected rats, in uninfected controls, and in a group with food intake restricted to match that taken voluntarily by the parasitized animals. The sampling intervals corresponded to each of the two phases of maximum anorexia and the period of compensatory hyperphagia. Surprisingly, we found that increases in NPY gene expression in the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus (ARC) accompany anorexia in rats infected with N. brasiliensis; there was a significant relationship between degree of anorexia and induction of NPY mRNA after 8 days of infection. Furthermore, ARC NPY mRNA levels in parasitized animals were similar to those in pair-fed individuals with food intake restricted to match the infected rats. The number of larvae used to establish the infection affected both the degree of anorexia and the level of NPY mRNA at 8 days p.i. in a dose-dependent manner. NPY gene expression remained elevated in infected rats during at least the initial stages of compensatory hyperphagia. This suggests that animals detect a state of energy deficit during the early stages of the infection, yet do not feed, but become hyperphagic coincident with worm loss. The failure of anorectic parasitized animals to feed in response to activation of the NPYergic system makes this a novel system in which to study the regulation of hypothalamic NPY by physiological challenge. There were no significant differences in CRF gene expression between the groups at any of the sampling intervals.     

The use of locally-delivered chlorhexidine in the treatment of periodontitis. Clinical results*

Abstract. Since the advent of a nondegradable controlled local delivery of antibiotics in 1979, several second generation systems have been developed. Second generation systems have attempted to improve on the early system. Chlorhexidine has been used effectively for over 30 years as an antiseptic. In the early 1970s, chlorhexidine gluconate was incorporated at 0.2% into mouthrinses in Europe and in 1986 it was incorporated at 0.12%, in a mouthrinse in the United States. Since these mouthrinses were effective in reducing the supragingival flora, had a high safety margin, and had no reported bacterial resistance, chlorhexidine offered a therapeutic advantage for a local delivery system. This system was developed and studied. This report will discuss this new biodegradable system containing chlorhexidine gluconate as the active agent (PerioChip^®). Parmacokinetics of the system and a review of the multicenter studies in Europe and the United States are discussed. In these randomized clinical trials the chlorhexidine chip has been shown to enhance the effects of scaling and root planing. Chlorhexidine chip in conjunction with scaling and root planing, when compared to scaling and root planing alone, has shown significant improvement in probing pocket depth reduction, probing attachment level and bleeding on probing. This delivery system, in combination with scaling and root planing, has also resulted in significantly more probing depth reductions of 2 mm or more. The system is safe and efficacious. Placement of the chip is usually done in less than 1 min, it requires no retention system, biodegrades, and does not require a follow-up dental appointment.     

Tyrosine hydroxylase and serotonin containing cells in embryonic rat rhombencephalon: a whole-mount immunocytochemical study

Rhombencephala from rat embryos were processed as whole-mounts for immunocytochemical detection of monoaminergic cell populations, using antibodies to tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and serotonin (5-HT). Specific advantages of the whole-mount technique over the classical serial-section method were that even isolated immunoreactive (IR) cells could be detected easily, and three-dimensional relationships could be ascertained without the need for serial reconstruction. Embryos between embryonic days (E) 12 and 16 (the day following nocturnal mating being considered as E1) were used in this study. Both TH and 5-HT immunoreactivities were already detectable at E12, even in the smallest embryos (crown-rump length: 6 mm), but there was a striking difference in the number and regional distribution of these two types of IR cells. TH was expressed in several cell groups located in the rostral rhombencephalon (the presumed anlage of the A4-7 complex) as well as in the caudal rhombencephalon (the presumed anlagen of groups A1-2 and C1-3), whereas 5-HT was expressed in very few cells located near the rostral border of the rhombencephalon (presumed anlage of the B4-9 complex). Although the three-dimensional distribution of the TH-IR cell groups underwent some modifications during the period studied, its general pattern remained relatively stable after E12. This contrasted with the sequential appearance of the 5-HT-IR cell groups and their spatial transformations during this period. Using the rhombencephalic isthmus as a landmark, we found that conspicuous 5-HT-IR fibre bundles penetrated into the mesencephalon from E13 onwards, but that the 5-HT IR cell bodies were exclusively located caudal to the borderline between the mesencephalon and the rhombencephalon (the rhombencephalic isthmus). We therefore suggest the term "rostral rhombencephalic raphe nuclei" for the rostral 5-HT cell groups instead of "mesencephalic raphe nuclei," which is a misnomer. Close spatial association between TH and 5-HT-IR elements was observed mainly in the caudal rhombencephalon, where 5-HT-IR fibres coursed through an area containing numerous TH-IR cell bodies (the presumed anlagen of groups A1-2 and C1-3).     

Polysialic acid, a unique glycan that is developmentally regulated by two polysialyltransferases, PST and STX, in the central nervous system: From biosynthesis to function

Polysialic acid is a developmentally regulated carbohydrate composed of a linear homopolymer of a-2,a-linked sialic acid residues. This unique glycan is mainly attached to the neural cell adhesion molecule (N-CAM) and implicated in many morphogenic events of the neural cells by modulating the adhesive property of N-CAM. Recently, the cDNA that encodes polysialyltransferase, which is responsible for the polysialylation of N-CAM, was successfully cloned from three mammalian species. This review focuses on the molecular cloning of human polysialyltransferase, designated PST. it then describes the number of enzymes actually required for the polysialylation of N-CAM using an in vitro polysialyltransferase assay. Comparisons between PST and another polysialyltransferase, sialyltransferase X (STX), are made and it Is demonstrated that both enzymes can independently form polysiatic acid In vitro , but that during neural development they coordinately but distinctly synthesize polysialic acid on N-CAM. The role of polysialic acid in the central nervous system is also discussed. Finally, evidence that the two polysialyltransferases, PST and STX, apparently have distinct roles in the development of neural cells is provided by using a neurite outgrowth assay.     

应用微阵列初步分析髓母细胞瘤的基因表达谱

目的　应用微阵列技术研究髓母细胞瘤的分子发病机理。方法　收集新鲜髓母细胞瘤 4例及正常脑组织 1份的组织标本 ,提取总 RNA,逆转录成 32 P标记的 c DNA探针 ,与 Atlas人肿瘤芯片杂交 ,通过放射自显影获得基因谱 ,应用 Atlas Image TM1.0 1a分析。结果　与正常脑组织相比 ,髓母细胞瘤下调基因 6个 ,上调基因 35个 ;逆转录 -聚合酶链反应技术验证结果与芯片检测结果相符。除少数基因外 ,大部分基因的表达趋势与肿瘤生物学特性相符。结论　髓母细胞瘤是与星形细胞起源胶质瘤具有不同分子发病机理的多基因病变 ,不同基因之间可能存在复杂的相互作用和联系 ,值得进一步研究。     

DNA microarray analysis reveals novel gene expression profiles in collagen-induced arthritis

Global gene expression was analyzed in early and late collagen-induced arthritis (CIA). Of 8734 cDNAs analyzed, 330 were induced and 55 downregulated greater than twofold in early or late disease. Hierarchical clustering of these 385 cDNAs demonstrated five distinct expression patterns differentiating early from late disease and correlating with histopathologic changes in the paw. Of the 385 cDNAs, 185 are known, characterized genes, the majority of which are not described as playing a role in arthritis. However, several of these genes are involved in pathological processes relating to arthritis, including apoptosis, inflammation, and cellular proliferation. One interesting gene, follistatin-like gene, is highly expressed along the margin of contact between inflammatory synovial pannus and eroding bone, suggesting a role in joint destruction. These results demonstrate that global gene expression profiles distinguish early and late CIA and reveal several genes novel to arthritis the further characterization of which will advance our understanding of arthritis.     

人FascDNA的克隆及其在大肠杆菌中表达的研究

为获得高质量及充足的Ｆａｓ蛋白，采用ＰＣＲ技术调整Ｆａｓ基因的开放阅读框架，使之与生物素化蛋白基因阅读框架一致；缺失了ＦａｓｃＤＮＡ基因的起始密码子并增加一个大肠杆菌偏性终止密码子，构建ＦａｓｃＤＮＡ和生物素化融合原核表达质粒ＰｉｎＰｏｉｎｔ－Ｆａｓ。将重组质粒转入大肠杆菌ＨＢ１０１，经５００ｍｍｏｌＩＰＴＧ在３７℃条件下诱导４ｈ，ＳＤＳ－ＰＡＧＥ及Ｗｅｓｔｅｒｎ印迹检测融合蛋白在大肠杆菌得以高效表达，表达量为细菌总蛋白的１３．８％。用亲和层析树脂对生物素化融合蛋白进行亲和层析纯化，得到Ｆａｓ重组的蛋白，且表达的Ｆａｓ融合蛋白具有抗体结合活性。此蛋白的表达成功将解决Ｆａｓ膜蛋白不易提取的难题，为深入研究Ｆａｓ提供了良好材料来源