Modafinil, d-amphetamine and placebo during 64 hours of sustained mental work. I. Effects on mood, fatigue, cognitive performance and body temperature

SUMMARY  Modafinil is an alerting substance that is considered safer than amphetamine with fewer side effects. Although modafinil has been used successfully to treat narcolepsy, relatively little is known about its ability to ameliorate fatigue and declines in mental performance due to sleep deprivation (SD) in a normal population. Forty-one military subjects received either 300 mg of modafinil, 20 mg of d-amphetamine, or placebo on 3 separate occasions during 64 hours of continuous cognitive work and sleep loss. Three drug treatments were given: at 23.30 hours and 05.30 hours during the first and second SD nights, respectively, and once at 15.30 hours during the third day of continuous work. Subjective estimates of mood, fatigue and sleepiness, as well as objective measures of reaction time, logical reasoning and short-term memory clearly showed better performance with both modafinil and amphetamine relative to placebo. Both modafinil and amphetamine maintained or increased body temperature compared to the natural circadian cycle observed in the placebo group. Also, from subject debriefs at the end of the study, modafinil elicited fewer side-effects than amphetamine, although more than the placebo group. Modafinil appears to be a good alternative to amphetamine for counteracting the debilitating mood and cognitive effects of sleep loss during sustained operations.     

Growth hormone secretion in children and adolescents with familial tall stature

Sixty-five patients (22 boys and 43 girls) presenting with familial tall stature were investigated with regard to growth hormone (GH) secretion, both physiological and after stimulation with thyrotropin releasing hormone (TRH) and growth hormone relasing hormone (GHRH). Plasma insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) was also measured. Two groups of patients were distinguished according to their physiological secretion of GH: a high secretory group (n=49) with a mean 24 h integrated concentration of GH (IC-GH) of 5.4±2.3 g/l per minute and a large number of peaks (5.1±1.6 in 24 h), and a low secretory group (n=16) with a mean 24 h IC-GH of 2.1±0.5 g/l per minute and few peaks (3.3±1.3 in 24h). Plasma IGF-I levels and GH peak values after the TRH test were significantly higher in the high secretory group. These results indicate that familial tall stature is the consequence either of hypersecretion of GH or of hypersensivity to this hormone (IGF-I levels being normal in spite of low GH levels).     

铬结合物在铬中毒性肝损害中的作用

目的了解各种铬结合物与肝损害的关系。方法在铬中毒性肝损害的大鼠模型中,采用ＳｅｐｈａｄｅｘＧ５０凝胶层析技术,对肝中铬结合物进行分离和测定。结果铬染毒大鼠肝组织中,除可检出高分子铬结合物（ＨＭＷＣｒ,相对分子质量（ＭＷ）７００００～１２５００）及低分子铬结合物（ＬＭＷＣｒ,ＭＷ１２５００～５００）外,还发现对照组未检出的小分子铬结合物（ＭＭＷＣｒ,ＭＷ＜５００）。随染毒时间延长,肝损害加重,三者肝中分布变化明显：ＨＭＷＣｒ由２２．２％增至３７．０％;ＭＭＷＣｒ由２．２％增至５．０％;ＬＭＷＣｒ则从７５．６％降至５８．０％。结论ＬＭＷＣｒ可能与铬的解毒有关;ＭＭＷＣｒ的出现并增多反映了机体形成ＬＭＷＣｒ能力的紧张;ＭＭＷＣｒ可能是攻击靶器官的主要活性因素。     

富锌鹌鹑蛋对儿童血锌铜钙营养的影响

目的了解富锌鹌鹑蛋对儿童生长发育和血清锌铜钙和其他生化的影响。方法在幼儿园挑选７３名４～４５岁全托健康儿童,随机分为两组,实验组３７例、对照组３６例,两组在同一膳食基础上,用称重法记录食物摄入量,实验组每人每日吃鹌鹑蛋５枚。对照组每人每日服１０％硫酸锌１０ｍｌ。结果两组儿童体格发育比较,实验组身高、体重、上臂肌围和三角肌皮皱厚度较实验前明显增加（Ｐ＜００５）,对照组身高、上臂围和三角肌皮皱厚度较前明显增加（Ｐ＜００５）,两组间体重身高无明显差异（Ｐ＞００５）,上臂肌围和三角肌皱厚度增加有组间差异（Ｐ＜００５）。实验后对照组血红蛋白下降,血清铜、游离原卟啉上升与实验组有显著差异（Ｐ＜００５）,实验组血红蛋白、游离原卟啉、血清铜变化不大。结论富锌鹌鹑蛋有益于儿童生长发育,对铁和血红蛋白影响小,硫酸锌可能干扰铁的吸收,营养状况好的儿童不宜盲目补锌。     

Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1)-induced inhibition of growth hormone secretion is associated with sleep suppression

The hypothalamic growth hormone (GH)-releasing hormone (GHRH) promotes non-rapid eye movement sleep (NREMS). Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) acts as a negative feedback in the somatotropic axis inhibiting GHRH and stimulating somatostatin. To determine whether this feedback alters sleep, rats and rabbits were injected intracerebroventricularly (i.c.v.) with IGF-1 (5.0 and 0.25 microgram, respectively) and the sleep-wake activity was studied. Compared to baseline (i.c.v. injection of physiological saline), IGF-1 elicited prompt suppressions in both NREMS and rapid eye movement sleep (REMS) in postinjection hour 1 in rats and rabbits. The intensity of NREMS (characterized by the slow wave activity of the EEG by means of fast-Fourier analysis) was significantly enhanced 7 to 11 h postinjection in rats. Plasma GH concentrations were measured in 30-min samples after i.c.v. IGF-1 injection in rats and a significant suppression of GH secretion was observed 30 min postinjection. The simultaneous inhibition of the somatotropic axis and sleep raises the possibility that the sleep alterations also result from an IGF-1-induced suppression of GHRH. The late increases in NREMS intensity are attributed to metabolic actions of IGF-1 or to a release of GHRH from the IGF-1-induced inhibition.     

几种生长因子在人表皮细胞无血清培养中的作用

目的为生长因子在烧伤创伤面的应用提供理论依据。方法采用无血清培养系统,以3H－TdR掺入法测定表皮生长因子（EGF）、牛垂体提取物（BPE）和乙醇胺（Etha）对人表皮细胞DNA合成的影响。结果EGF和BPE在无血清培养基中对培养表皮细胞DNA合成有明显的促进作用（P＜0．01）;Etha对培养表皮细胞DNA合成也有促进作用（P＜0．05）;EGF和Etha在本培养体系中具有协同作用（P＜0．05）。结论生长因子在烧伤创面的治疗中具有应用价值。     

生长因子抑制剂—通尿灵治疗前列腺增生症

目的　为了评价生长因子抑制剂非洲臀果木（Pygeumafricaum）提取物-通尿灵（Tadenan）治疗良性前列腺增生症的疗效。方法40例良性前列腺增生症患者2／d共服用通尿灵100mg,共8周。结果通尿灵可明显改善国际前列腺症状评分（IPSS）、最大尿流率（MFR）和残余尿量（P＜0．05～0．00l）,无明显副作用。结论通尿灵治疗前列腺增生症疗效肯定。     

Endothelial cell transplantation and growth behavior of the human corneal endothelium

Background: The human corneal endothelium has a limited proliferative capacity in vivo. Until now it has only been possible to replace damaged endothelium by transplantation of a donor cornea. After establishing methods for the isolation and in vitro cultivation of human corneal endothelial cells, transplantation of these cells my be an alternative therapeutic option. Materials and methods: In this review methods for the in vitro cultivation of human corneal endothelial cells and their transplantation on the Descemet membrane of donor corneas are described. Results: In vitro proliferation of human adult corneal endothelial cells was achieved by the development of defined cell culture conditions, including supplementation of culture medium with specified growth factors and substances. Dependent on the culture conditions, as well as independent of them, in vitro cultured endothelial cells showed phenotypic changes and different proliferative behavior. Thus, molecular biological examinations revealed a different expression pattern of growth factor receptors in fibroblast-like endothelial cells (dedifferentiated) compared to typical endothelial cells (differentiated). Moreover, the proliferative capacity of the cells differed, dependent on their corneal location. Cells isolated from the peripheral part of donor corneas have a higher proliferative capacity than cells obtained from the central part. The propagation of corneal endothelial cells in vitro offered the possibility of their transplantation on donor corneas in an in vitro model. After transplantation, these cells formed a monolayer whose morphology and cell density depended on the differentiation of the cells. DNA synthesis was predominantly detectable in cells of the corneal periphery. Conclusions: Our findings are the basis of the following hypothesis: the periphery of the cornea represents a regenerative zone of the corneal endothelium. The fact that early after transplantation corneal endothelial cells form a monolayer on the natural extracellular matrix (ECM), which shows contact inhibition, suggests that inhibitory factors are released by the Descemet membrane that influence the proliferation of the cells. Further studies on the regulation of the proliferation and differentiation of human corneal endothelial cells in vitro and after transplantation might offer the possibility to establish a selective procedure for the treatment of corneal endothelial cell loss in the near future.      

Retrospective prediction of birth weight by growth velocity curves during neonatal period

In this prospective study, birth weight of 304 babies born at Kamla Nehru Hospital Pune during study period was recorded. From these 304 babies, babies with birth weight above 2000 grams were selected (260 babies) to prepare growth velocity curves. Daily weight of these 260 babies was recorded for 30 days. The mean birth weight of study population was 2742.5 grams. Among the daily weight recorded babies, all the babies lost weight ranging from 92 to 218 grams (mean 121 grams) after birth. The weight loss continued upto 5 days. Days required to gain weight equal to birth weight ranged from 5 to 13 days. Total weight gain observed in 30 days was 734.7 grams. Predictive value of these curves was tested in 49 infants. Deviation upto 50 grams of predicted birth weight from actual birth weight was observed in 90% of babies on day-2, 79% on day-4, 65% on day-8 and 39% on day-30.     

Contractile and cytoskeletal proteins in urinary bladder smooth muscle from rats treated with epidermal growth factor

Systemic treatment with epidermal growth factor (EGF) induces growth of all wall layers in the urinary tract of pigs and rats. The present study was initiated to describe morphological and biochemical changes in the bladder smooth muscle from rats treated with EGF for 4 weeks. Eight-week-old female Wistar rats were treated with subcutaneous injections of vehicle (n=16) or EGF (n=8, 150 g/kg per day) for 4 weeks. After EGF treatment the bladders were increased in weight [74.4±0.4 vs 122.1±0.5 mg, P<0.001 (mean ± SEM)]. Sodium dedecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) analyses of six bladders from each group revealed that the total amounts of actin, myosin and desmin were statistically significantly increased by 62%, 61% and 154%, respectively. The relative amounts of actin and myosin were unchanged whereas the desmin to actin ratio was significantly increased — as previously described in rat bladder smooth muscle hypertrophy. Light and electron microscopy of two bladders from each group revealed increased wall thickness involving all wall layers. The smooth muscle fibres at a midventral bladder location seemed only slightly hypertrophic — some degree of hyperplasia was therefore suspected. In conclusion, EGF treatment for 4 weeks induced a net synthesis of contractile and cytoskeletal proteins in the urinary bladder smooth muscle.