丙型肝炎诊断试剂的研究

本文用分子生物学方法根据中国人HCV基因特点进行多肽合成,研究丙型肝炎C区、E区酶标试剂的临床应用以及与抗C 100-3试剂的比较,并以 RT双 PCR的方法建立了HCV RNA的检测试剂及临床应用。结果发现抗-CP试剂敏感性、特异性均优于抗C100-3,从临床检测结果看,在自然人群中感染率抗-CP为2.8％,抗C100-3为2.1％,特别在输血后肝炎中,抗 CP阳性率高达 71.7％～75.9％。因此提出对HCV的诊断确立与愈后判断各类试剂有各自的作用,不能只根据某一试剂的某一次结果而简单地否定 HCV感染。HCV RNA测定,建立了5’末端非编码区及非结构区(NS 1),采用双PCR观察结果抗-CP阳性者绝大多数为RNA阳性,并提示将有助于抗病毒药物疗效的观察指标。     

Evaluation of cellular viability by quantitative autoradiographic study of myocardial uptake of a fatty acid analogue in isoproterenol-induced focal rat heart necrosis

Previous studies led us to hypothesize that a fatty acid analogue, 15-p-iodophenyl--methyl pentadecanoic acid (IMPPA or BMIPP), which is taken up but not quickly metabolized by heart cells, would be a more suitable tracer of cellular viability than thallium-201. Biodistribution studies of 1-¹⁴C-IMPPA in conscious, freely moving rats showed that the concentration ratio of radioactivity in the heart with respect to the blood was about 8 for at least 60 min after intravenous administration, permitting its use as a putative tracer in these conscious, freely moving rats. Thereafter, the myocardial uptake of¹⁴C-IMPPA was studied in isoproterenol-treated rats (daily treatment for 10 days in order to induce cardiac hypertrophy and necrotic foci) with respect to control ones. Comparison of myocardial localizations by quantitative autoradiography of the uptake of²⁰¹Tl and¹⁴C-IMPPA with that of triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) staining enabled comparative evaluation of nutritional blood flow, localization and uptake of¹⁴C-IMPPA and necrotic foci size. Distributions of¹⁴C-IMPPA and²⁰¹1 T1 in control rats' hearts were homogeneous, like TTC staining. In infarcted hearts, areas of decreased¹⁴C-IMPPA uptake were nearly the same (100%±5%) as those unstained by TTC. These areas were larger than those showing a decrease in thallium uptake (about 70%±5% of the total scar size). Therefore, IMPPA seems to be a more accurate and sensitive indicator of necrosis localization compared with thallium. It may be a useful agent for assessment of myocardial viability by single photon emission tomography (SPET) imaging.     

Intraoperative defect in haemostasis in a child receiving valproic acid

This report describes the development of an intraoperative defect in haemostasis which occurred during surgery for lengthening of the heel cords and release of hip contractures in a patient receiving valproic acid. A review of the literature failed to find any other cases of a valproic acid-induced bleeding disorder occurring under anaesthesia and surgery. While recognized in the non-surgical literature, this case reports the first in which the development of a valproic acid-induced haemostatic defect occurred under anaesthesia. The subsequent course is discussed and some pathophysiological mechanisms are presented. It is suggested that for patients receiving valproic acid preoperative education should include PT/PTT, platelet and fibrinogen counts and bleeding time so that abnormal coagulation states can be recognized.     

Coexistence of GABA and glutamate in mossy fiber terminals of the primate hippocampus: an ultrastructural study.

One of the links in the trisynaptic circuit of the hippocampus is the synapse between the mossy fibre terminals of dentate granule cells and CA3 pyramidal cells of Ammon's horn. This synapse has been physiologically characterized as excitatory, and there is pharmacological and immunohistochemical evidence that mossy fibre terminals utilize glutamate as a neurotransmitter. This study demonstrates the presence of GABA-immunoreactivity in mossy fibre axons and terminals of the monkey at the electron microscopic level. We combined Golgi impregnation to identify CA3 pyramidal neurones, with postembedding immunocytochemistry to characterize the inputs to the identified cells. GABA immunoreactivity was present in mossy fibre terminals that made synaptic contact with complex embedded spines of identified Golgi-impregnated CA3 pyramidal neurones. GABA immunoreactivity could be demonstrated in serial sections of the same mossy fibre terminals by using 3 different antisera raised against GABA. In serial sections, the mossy fibre terminals were shown to be immunoreactive for both glutamate and GABA. In contrast, glutamate immunoreactivity but not GABA immunoreactivity was found in other terminals that did not have the morphological characteristics of mossy fibre terminals. GABA immunoreactivity in mossy fibre terminals was also demonstrated in a human surgical specimen of hippocampus. The coexistence of an "excitatory" amino acid and of an "inhibitory" amino acid in the same "excitatory" nerve terminal raises the possibility of corelease of the two transmitters, suggesting that the control of hippocampal neural activity is more complex than hitherto suspected.     

Creatine kinase isoenzyme (CK-BB) in combination to prostatic acid phosphatase measured by RIA in the diagnosis of prostatic cancer

Summary Creatine kinase isoenzyme (CK-BB) measured by mass was used to determine its value in the early diagnosis of prostatic cancer. Sera of patients with prostatic carcinoma of various stages (treated and untreated) were compared to normal male sera and sera of patients with benign hyperplasia of the prostate (BPH) with respect to CK-BB. The sera were simultaneously tested for PAP content. The sensitivity of the CK-BB-RIA was 1.63+/-0.08 g/l and reproducibility in the higher and lower concentration range 7.6% and 10.5%, respectively. CK-BB alone or in combination with PAP is no marker for early detection of prostatic cancer. In individual cases changes occurred similar to those found with a malignant growth of the prostate.     

Chemical modification of membrane proteins by brominated taurodehydrocholate in isolated hepatocytes; relationship to the uptake of cholate and of phalloidin and to the sensitivity of hepatocytes to phalloidin

Summary In vitro treatment of isolated rat hepatocytes with brominated taurodehydrocholic acid (BTC) reduced their sensitivity against phalloidin and inhibited the uptake of phalloidin as well as of cholate in an irreversible and concentration dependent manner. BTC was taken up itself by liver cells; this process was inhibited by 4,4-diisothiocyano 2,2-stilbene disulfonate (DIDS).When hepatocytes were incubated with ³⁵S-BTC their plasma membranes contained five labeled protein species with molecular weights of 67,000, 49,000, 38,000, 32,000 and 24,000 as shown by SDS-electrophoresis. No marked difference was observed when isolated plasma membranes from livers were directly treated with the affinity label. DIDS suppressed covalent binding of ³⁵S-BTC to membrane components drastically. Incubation of phalloidin insensitive AS-30D ascites hepatoma cells with ³⁵S-BTC did not result in a chemical modification of the above five proteins. This agrees with an earlier observation that hepatoma cells are unable to take up phalloidin and bile acids (Petzinger et al. 1979; Rufeger and Grundmann 1977; Kroker et al. 1978).Abbreviations used BTC brominated taurodehydrocholic acid - ³⁵S-BTC ³⁵S labeled brominated taurodehydrocholic acid - DIDS 4,4-diisothiocyano 2,2-stilbene disulfonate - [³H]DMP [³H]demethylphalloin This work was supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft     

Effect of acetylsalicylic acid on renal function in systemic lupus erythematosus

Summary Glomerular filtration rate (GFR;⁵¹Cr-EDTA clearance), serum creatinine concentration and urinary excretion of prostaglandins were measured in 8 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) before and after 2 weeks of treatment with acetylsalicylic acid (ASA). ASA 65 mg/kg or up to 4 g/daily was given as a sustained release preparation. The serum salicylate concentration ranged from 0.3 to 1.6 mmol/l. Serum creatinine after 1 and 2 weeks and GFR after 2 weeks of ASA treatment showed no significant changes. There was a clearcut decrease in urinary excretion of prostaglandins PGE₂ and PGF₂, by 44% and 50%, respectively. It is concluded that therapeutic doses of ASA do not cause deterioration of GFR in patients with SLE and normal or moderately reduced renal function.     

Effects of L-ascorbic acid supplementation on dieldrin toxicity in rats

Chronic dieldrin administration to rats (5 mg/kg/day) produced pathological changes in liver and kidney tissues. Dieldrin treated rats showed high levels of liver ascorbic acid and increased activities of inorganic pyrophosphatase in brain and glucose-6-phosphatase in liver. The activities of Mg²⁺-ATPase in liver and acetylcholinesterase in brain were decreased under toxic doses of dieldrin. L-Ascorbic acid supplements in treated animals could partially prevent the pathological alterations, as observed histologically in liver and kidney tissues. Administration of this vitamin could also prevent alterations in some enzyme activities produced by toxic dieldrin doses.     

Huntington's Disease — Imbalance of free amino acids in the cerebrospinal fluid of patients and offspring at-risk

Summary A total of 27 different amino acids were determined in the fasting, morning lumbar CSF of 12 patients with Huntington's Disease (HD), 8 at-risk offspring and 16 non-choreic control patients. A significant (P<0.001) decrease was observed for asparagine, isoleucine, leucine, phenylalanine, histidine, arginine, -aminoadipic acid and homocarnosine in patients with HD compared to the non-choreic controls. Only tyrosine was increased in HD. These alterations were to an extent more pronounced in 5 neurophysiologically conspicuous offspring. The alterations suggest that amino acid imbalance is an early metabolic disturbance in HD.

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Zusammenfassung Bei 12 Patienten mit manifester Huntingtonscher Krankheit (HD), 8 nicht erkrankten Nachkommen und 16 nicht choreatischen Kontrollpatienten wurden 27 verschiedene Aminosäuren im Liquor cerebrospinalis (nüchterner Lumballiquor) untersucht. Asparagin, Isoleucin, Leucin, Phenylalanin, Histidin, Arginin, -Aminoadipinsäure und Homocarnosin waren signifikant (P<0.001) erniedrigt bei Patienten gegenüber den Kontrollen. Diese Veränderungen waren bei 5 neurophysiologisch auffälligen Nachkommen teilweise ausgeprägter, was für eine frühzeitige metabolische Störung spricht. Tyrosin war als einzige Aminosäure erhöht. Die Veränderungen sprechen für eine Aminosäurenimbalanz bei Huntingtonscher Krankheit, deren Bedeutung besprochen wird.

     

"Hyperfrontal" distribution of the cerebral grey matter flow in resting wakefulness; on the functional anatomy of the conscious state

Regional cerebral blood flow was measured with the intra-arterial 133 Xenon clearance technique using a multidetector device in 11 patients undergoing carotid angiography (with normal findings). During the flow studies the patients were awake and strict resting conditions were observed. The patients did not move or speak, and sensory stimulation were kept at a minimum. It was confirmed that the distribution of the grey matter blood flow showed a hyperfrontal pattern, the flow in frontal regions being significantly (20-40%) higher than in postcentral, occipital and temporal regions. There were no technical factors or morphological features of the telencephalon which could explain this difference. It was also shown that the distribution of the white matter flow and the relative weight of the grey matter corresponded in general to hemisphere morphology. Since in normal nervous tissue the blood flow is regulated by the neuronal activity, the following interpretation is given of the main finding. The hyperfrontal flow distribution of the grey matter (cortical) flow during resting wakefulness shows that there is a high activity in frontal "efferent" (motor-behavior) regions. At the same time there is a low activity in post-central and temporal "afferent" (sensory-gnostic) cortical areas. The high frontal activity suggests that in the resting conscious state--unaccompanied by movements, speech or behavioral reactions--the brain is active with an anticipatiory "simulation of behavior". The low postcentral flow, on the other hand, may possibly be related to a global inhibition of the sensory input. Several clinical as well as general biologic arguments are forwarded to support this interpretation. It is further pointed out that the hyperfrontal distribution of the resting activity in the cerebral cortex correlates to the resting EEG, in which lower frequencies (the alpha rhythm) predominate in postcentral and temporal regions where there is a low flow/activity, and high frequencies in frontal areas where the blood flow is high. This is in agreement with the finding that the blood flow and metabolism of the brain correlate to the EEG frequency content.