Brain Angiotensin II Receptor Subtypes and the Control of Luteinizing Hormone and Prolactin Secretion in Female Rats

The present experiments examined the role of the two recently identified angiotensin II (Ang II) receptor subtypes, AT, and AT(2) , in the central nervous system regulation of luteinizing hormone (LH) and prolactin secretion in estrogen- and progesterone-treated ovariectomized rats. In this animal model, intracerebroventricular (icv) injection of Ang II stimulates LH and inhibits prolactin release. The specific Ang II receptor subtype antagonists losartan (AT(1) ) or PD123177 (AT(2) ) were administered (icv) in various doses (10 ng to 1,000 ng) 10 min prior to icv injection of Ang II (100 ng). Control animals were pretreated with artificial cerebrospinal fluid prior to Ang II administration. Blood samples for LH and prolactin determinations were taken from conscious, freely-moving rats prior to and following injection of the antagonists and Ang II. Water intake was measured. Ang ll-induced water intake was attenuated 62% by 1,000 ng losartan; water intake was not affected by lower doses of losartan or by any dose of PD123177. Ang ll-induced stimulation of LH release was abolished by the 1,000 ng doses of losartan and PD123177 and attenuated by the 500 ng doses of both drugs. Lower doses did not affect Ang ll-induced LH secretion. Ang ll-induced inhibition of prolactin release was significantly reduced by the 1,000 ng doses of both losartan and PD123177. Lower doses of either drug did not affect the Ang II inhibition of prolactin release. Previous studies had shown that Ang II administration into the anterior hypothalamus-medial preoptic (AHPO) area stimulated LH release. This brain area contains AT(1) receptors. To investigate the potential brain site where the AT(2) receptor may influence LH release, Ang II was injected into the locus ceruleus, a brain nucleus which contains predominately the AT(2) receptor subtype. Ang II administration into the locus ceruleus was paired with an injection of artificial cerebrospinal fluid or Ang II into the AHPO area. Injection of Ang II into the AHPO area stimulated LH release. Injection into the locus ceruleus did not affect LH secretion, nor did it modify the rise in LH elicited by administration of Ang II into the AHPO area. Plasma levels of prolactin were not altered by any of these injections. Taken together, these data demonstrate that, in estrogen- and progesterone-treated female rats, icv Ang ll-induced water intake is mediated by the AT, receptor subtype, while Ang ll-induced changes in LH and prolactin secretion appear to be mediated by both the AT(2) and AT(2) receptor subtypes. The latter observations are one of the first suggesting a potential function for the AT(2) subtype in vivo, although the physiological relevance of this observation, as well as the site of action for the effects on LH and prolactin, remain to be established.     

Differential regulation of neuropeptide Y mRNA expression in the arcuate nucleus and locus coeruleus by stress and antidepressants

In rats, circulating corticosterone and insulin are involved in regulation of the hypothalamic neuropeptide Y (NPY) system, which in turn, is involved in regulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. Since the HPA axis and stress responsivity is altered in diseases such as depression, we investigated interactions between the effects of stress and antidepressant drug treatment on arcuate nucleus and locus coeruleus NPY mRNA expressions using in-situ hybridization histochemistry. After acute (2 h) and repeated immobilization (2 h daily, for 14 days), plasma concentrations of corticosterone increased, and those of insulin decreased. The expression of NPY mRNA was significantly increased in the arcuate nucleus, but was unchanged in the locus coeruleus following acute and repeated immobilization. Adrenalectomized rats with systemic corticosterone replacement (ADX+CORT), whose corticosterone concentration was maintained at approximately 50-100 ng/ml during repeated stress, showed a decrease in plasma insulin and an increase in arcuate nucleus NPY mRNA similar to that observed in sham rats, suggesting that changes in NPY mRNA levels are more closely tied to circulating insulin than to circulating corticosterone. In contrast, locus coeruleus NPY mRNA expressions in ADX+CORT rats were significantly higher than those in sham rats after repeated stress. Desmethylimipramine (DMI) treatment for 24 days did not affect basal plasma concentrations of corticosterone or insulin, or arcuate nucleus NPY mRNA expressions, but significantly decreased basal levels of locus coeruleus NPY mRNA compared to saline-treated rats. After repeated immobilization (2 h daily, for 4 days), DMI significantly reduced the stress-induced rise in locus coeruleus NPY mRNA levels, but potentiated the stress-induced rise in arcuate nucleus NPY mRNA expression. These results demonstrate that: (1) the increase in arcuate nucleus NPY mRNA expressions in stressed rats closely follows the decrease in plasma concentrations of insulin; (2) increases in NPY mRNA expressions occur in the absence of changes in plasma corticosterone; and (3) desipramine treatment potentiated the effect of stress on arcuate nucleus NPY mRNA expressions, but blocked the repeated stress-induced increase in locus coeruleus NPY mRNA expressions. Thus, NPY mRNA expression in the arcuate nucleus and the locus coeruleus is sensitive to the effects of stress and to the antidepressant drug desipramine, but the arcuate nucleus NPY system is regulated by different mechanisms than the locus coeruleus NPY system. The results provide further evidence for the importance of circulating insulin in the regulation of the arcuate nucleus NPY system.     

踝足矫形器矫治脑瘫患儿尖足初步疗效分析

目的对痉挛型脑瘫患儿踝足矫形器配戴前后的尖足改善情况进行量化评定。方法对24例痉挛型脑瘫患儿(48足)配戴矫形器6个月后进行疗效评定。结果48只尖足均得到了明显改善,其中显效25%,好转64.6%,无变化10.4%,与配戴踝足矫形器前比较差异有显著意义(P<0.01)。在尖足改善的同时,患儿的站立和步行能力均得到了提高。结论踝足矫形器在纠正脑瘫患儿尖足、提高下肢运动功能方面有积极的作用。     

Anti fi larial potential of the fruits and leaves extracts of Pongamia pinnata on cattle filarial parasite Setaria cervi

The effect of aqueous and alcohol extracts of the fruits and leaves of Pongamia pinnata (Linn.) Merr. (Syn. Pongamia glabra Vent, leguminosae) on the spontaneous movements of both the whole worm and the nerve-muscle preparation of Setaria cervi and on the survival of micro fi lariae in vitro was studied. The aqueous and alcohol extracts of fruits and the alcohol extract of leaves caused an inhibition of spontaneous movements of the whole worm and the nerve-muscle preparation of S. cervi. The initial stimulatory effect was not observed with the aqueous extract of fruits on the nerve-muscle preparation. The concentration required to inhibit the movements of the whole worm preparation was 250 micro g/mL for aqueous, 120 micro g/mL for alcohol extract of fruits and 270 microgram/mL for alcohol extracts of the leaves. The concentrations of P. pinnata extracts required to produce an equivalent effect on the nerve-muscle preparation were 25 micro g/mL, 5 micro g/mL and 20 micro g/mL, respectively, suggesting a cuticular permeability barrier.     

低温等离子体促进人牙龈上皮细胞在钛表面的黏附

目的研究低温等离子体（NTAP）处理人牙龈上皮细胞（HGECs）后的生物学行为。方法将HGECs传代培养，待生长活性最佳的第3~5代细胞，消化重悬后经NTAP处理适当时间（0，10，20， 30，60 s）后，接种在钛盘表面，加入口腔角质细胞培养基（OKM），1%双抗、5%CO₂和37 °C孵箱条件下培养不同时间（4，12，24，48 h）贴壁生长，每组中各培养时间设置5个复孔。使用细胞计数试剂盒-8（CCK-8）评估各组黏附细胞的数量；扫描电子显微镜（SEM）观察各组细胞在钛片表面的形态；实时荧光定量聚合酶链式反应（qRT-PCR）检测各组细胞层粘连蛋白α3（Laminin α3）、整合素蛋白β4（Integrin β4）和网蛋白（Plectin）黏附相关基因的表达情况以及Western blot观察各组细胞黏附相关蛋白表达的变化情况。结果在0~20 s内，随着NTAP作用时间的增加，细胞的黏附数量增加；但在20~60 s内，随着作用时间的增加，细胞的黏附数量逐渐减少：证明NTAP处理时间为20 s时最有利于HGECs在钛表面的黏附。CCK-8显示：在设定的培养时间下（20 s），随着培养时间延长，对照组和NTAP组细胞在钛表面的黏附数量增加。与对照组相比，在各培养时间点NTAP组细胞在钛表面的黏附数量更多（P<0.05）。SEM显示：NTAP组细胞在钛表面更明显地表现出不规则的多边形、突起与伪足较多及更大的细胞扩散面积。qRT-PCR显示：NTAP组细胞在钛表面的Lamininα3、Integrin β4和 Plectin黏附相关基因表达都高于对照组（P<0.05）。Western blot也证实：NTAP组细胞在钛表面上Laminin α3、Integrin β4和Plectin黏附相关蛋白的表达均高于对照组。结论HGECs受NTAP处理后，结果表明20 s的作用时间能最大程度增加细胞在钛表面的黏附数量和改变黏附形态，同时能够显著上调Laminin α3、Integrin β4和Plectin黏附相关基因和蛋白的表达，进而能促进HGECs对钛表面的生物封闭作用。     

新生儿败血症继发血小板减少症(附26例报道)

本文对26例败血症继发血小板减少症的观察、治疗结果表明,血小板减少症在新生儿败血症中的发生率高,是导致新生儿败血症死亡的重要因素之一.动态观察血小板计数,对败血症的诊断、治疗效果的判断以及预后估计均有帮助。根据临床表现,我们分别给予静脉滴注新鲜血、血浆、低分子右旋糖酐、激素等治疗,均获得较为满意效果。     

MPP+对体外培养的中脑多巴胺能神经元活性的影响

目的　探讨 1 甲基 4 苯基吡啶 (MPP+ )对体外培养的中脑多巴胺能神经元的影响。方法　将不同浓度的MPP+ 加入体外培养的中脑多巴胺能神经元培养液中 ,分别测定 [3H]多巴胺和 [3H]胆碱摄取能力及细胞内的多巴胺含量 ,并进行酪氨酸羟化酶(TH)免疫细胞化学染色。结果　MPP+ 对体外培养的中脑多巴胺能神经元的 [3H]多巴胺摄取力有明显的抑制作用 (P <0 0 5 ) ;但对[3H]胆碱摄取力无抑制作用 (P >0 0 5 ) ;这种抑制作用在未抑制胶质细胞组明显强于抑制胶质细胞组 (P <0 0 5 ) ;加用MPP+ 后中脑多巴胺能神经元细胞内的多巴胺含量明显减少 (P <0 0 5 ) ,TH阳性细胞明显减少 (P <0 0 5 )。结论　MPP+ 对体外培养的中脑多巴胺能神经元活性有明显的抑制作用