Effects of cilostazol on lipid and fatty acid metabolism

Abstract Cilostazol is a selective inhibitor of phosphodiesterase III with anti-platelet-aggregatory and vasodilating properties. Randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials in 2702 patients with intermittent claudication demonstrated that cilostazol significantly increased walking distances compared with placebo. Furthermore, the agent has beneficial effects on the serum lipid profile and fatty acid composition in plasma. Consequently, cilostazol may be useful to prevent atherosclerosis from progressing by ameliorating lipid and fatty acid metabolism.     

小儿肝的年龄解剖学研究

分六个年龄组观察了180个(男98,女82)小儿肝的形态、度量、位置及体表投影.小儿肝相对较大,右叶大于左叶,下界位置较低并逐渐上移.在右锁骨中线的肋弓下一般均可触到.小儿肝重随其年龄(身高)的增长而增长,其增长速度相对较慢,尤以Ⅶ组小儿更明显.     

Determination of glucokinase and hexokinase activity in liver extracts previously purified on Molselect G-50 dextran gel

Hexokinase and glucokinase activity in the supernatant of a rabbit liver homogenate obtained at 18,000g was determined by a spectrophotometric method. Preliminary purification to remove low-molecular-weight components by gel filtration on Molselect G-50 dextran was shown to prevent reduction of NADP unconnected with the hexokinase reaction.Presented by Academician of the Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR V. S. Il'in.Translated from Byulleten' Éksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 82, No. 7, pp. 891–892, July, 1976.     

应用聚合酶链反应技术检测肝组织中的HBV－DNA

采用聚合酶链反应（ＰＣＲ）技术，对４２例肝活切组织石蜡切片中乙型肝炎病毒（ＨＢＶ）ＤＮＡ进行检测，并与乙肝表面抗原（ＨＢｓＡｇ）的免疫组织化学及血清学检测进行比较，ＨＢＶ－ＰＣＲ阳性率为７３．８％，高于组织及血清ＨＢｓＡｇ阳性率（分别为５９．５％和５０．０％）。３例病理形态呈肝炎改变，而血清ＨＢｓＡｇ（─）的肝组织中有２例检出ＨＢＶ－ＤＮＡ，提示ＰＣＲ的高度敏感性和准确性。８３．３％的门脉性肝硬变和８７．５％的肝细胞癌组织中ＨＢＶ－ＰＣＲ呈阳性，进一步证实了上述两病与ＨＢＶ的关系密切。我们还发现肝细胞淤胆患者ＨＢＶ感染率较高，ＨＢＶ－ＤＮＡ及组织ＨＢｓＡｇ阳性比例各为６／９和４／８。     

Assessment of HBV persistent infection in an adult population in Taiwan

In order to study the prevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) in the adult population of Taiwan, we screened for the presence of HBV DNA in 205 blood samples from adult (20-59-year-old) volunteers. According to the serological markers of HBV, samples were divided into three groups: group I (173 subjects) was negative for both HBsAg and HBeAg; group II (14 subjects) was positive for both HBsAg and HBeAg; and group III consisted of 18 subjects who were HBsAg-positive but HBeAg-negative. Plasma HBV DNA was not detected in group I, but it was found in 85.7% and 11.8% of samples in group II and group III, respectively. A free-form HBV DNA was found in 14.3% of the leukocyte samples in group II. Furthermore, an integrated form of HBV DNA was detected in the leukocytes of two cases of group I who remained healthy based on clinical data. HBV DNA was also detected in the spermatozoa and liver cells of one of the cases.     

Reduction of FK-506 requirements by combination with polyethylene glycol superoxide dismutase in orthotopic rat liver transplantation

Reperfusion after ischemia results in endothelial cell injury and Kupffer cell activation. Inflammatory cytokines thus released can induce major histocompatibility complex antigens and increase the immunogenecity of the graft. An orthotopic rat liver allotransplant model was used to test the hypothesis that prevention of reperfusion injury by infusion of polyethylene glycol superoxide dismutase (PEG-SOD) would result in long-term allograft survival in the presence of subthreshold immunosuppressive dosages. ACI rats were used as donors, and Lewis strain rats as recipients. Orthotopic liver transplantation was initially performed to identify a subthreshold dose of the immunosuppressant FK-506, which would be unable to extend survival longer than control untreated rats with this strain combination. After testing three intramuscular FK-506 doses of 0.04, 0.08, and 0.16 mg/kg, it was observed that an FK-506 dose of 0.04 mg/kg/day for 14 days was unable to extend survival longer than in untreated recipients. This dose of FK-506 was used in combination with PEG-SOD at doses of 1000, 3000, 10,000, or 30,000 units. Recipient animals were treated intravenously with PEG-SOD as a loading dose to facilitate tissue penetration on day 1, and beginning on the day of transplantation, every 2 days for the duration of the study. Results of histologic studies and mean survival time were compared in untreated recipients and in rats treated with PEG-SOD plus 0.04 mg/kg/day FK-506. Mean survival time was increased significantly in these animals (p < 0.007) to 40.6 ± 25.6 days as compared with either untreated rats (10.0 ± 2.7 days) or rats treated with 0.04 mg/kg FK-506 alone (13.7 ± 4.2 days). Histologic examination demonstrated a significant reduction in the cellular infiltrate in rats treated with PEG-SOD plus FK-506, as compared with recipients treated with either agent alone or left untreated. Our results therefore suggest a potential approach to reducing immunosuppression in transplantation. (J ALLERGY CLIN IMMUNOL 1995;95:1276-81.)     

An Animal Model for the Study of the Function of Pregnancy-Specific Beta1 Glycoprotein and Pregnancy Zone Protein: A Review*

ABSTRACT: Two pregnancy-associated murine proteins, PAMP-1 and PAMP-2, have been found to be immunologically cross-reacting analogues to the human proteins pregnancy zone protein (PZP) and pregnancy-specific beta₁-glycoprotien (SP-1), respectively. In this study, the physiochemical and biological properties of the proteins are compared and the effect on pregnancy of administration of monospecific antibodies against the proteins is reported.     

The results of the interference of nitrates and vitamin E in the metabolism in the connective tissue of rat''s liver

We examined 72 female Wistar rats which were divided into 6 groups. The animals were administered sodium nitrate (V), vitamin E or both compounds at the same time. In order to estimate the interference of nitrates in the presence of vitamin E with the metabolism of rat's liver, we determined the composition and the amount of glycosoaminoglycans (GAGs). It was stated that the total amount of GAGs increased in livers of all rats. Basing on all fractions of the examined GAGs it was determined that the most significant differences between individual groups appeared in the amount of heparane sulphate (HS). The results obtained confirmed the fact of the changes taking place in the picture of liver GAGs in the process of ageing of the examined animals. The results obtained, however, allowed to state the normalising influence of vitamin E on the quantitative composition of GAGs of rats which drank nitrates.