运动训练对雄性大鼠垂体─性腺轴功能的影响

本研究通过使用自己制造的大鼠流动水游泳池，对雄性大鼠进行了６周递增负荷的游泳训练，以此来探讨运动训练对大鼠垂体－性腺轴功能的影响，结果显示：与安静对照大鼠相比，训练大鼠的一般状态较差，血清睾酮水平显著降低（Ｐ＜０．０５），血清睾酮／皮质酮比值平均降低了３０％以上；而血清ＬＨ和ＦＳＨ水平未见明显变化。通过对大鼠睾丸组织ＬＨ／ＣＧ受体的测定，显示运动训练虽未引起其最大结合量的改变，却能使其解离常数显著升高（Ｐ＜０．０５）。提示此种训练可能通过降低睾丸ＬＨ／ＣＧ受体对垂体分泌ＬＨ的亲和力，从而影响睾酮的合成。     

白术茯苓汤及其配伍对脾虚大鼠胃肠激素的影响

目的：探讨益气健脾方剂治疗脾虚证的配伍规律。方法：采用苦寒泻下法复制大鼠脾虚模型，运用放射免疫分析法（RIA）检测白术茯苓汤及其与补气药。行气药及除湿药的不同配伍对脾虚大鼠胃泌素（GAS）、胃动素（MTL）及血管活性肠肽（VIP）的含量影响。结果：与正常对照组比较，脾虚模型大鼠GAS、MTL降低（P＜0．01），VIP升高（P＜0．01）；与自然恢复组比较，各治疗组以上部分或全部指标均有不同程度的改善，其中，以综合配伍组改善作用最优。结论：白术茯苓汤的脾虚大鼠胃肠激素的紊乱的某些指标，有一定的改善作用，综合配合组以上指标的改善，优于白术茯苓汤组及其余各配伍组，说明中医关于复方配伍的理论与实践，有其科学价值。     

精神分裂症患者血清 T3、T4 含量测定分析

目的　探讨精神分裂症患者血清三碘甲状腺原氨酸 (T3 )、甲状腺素 (T4 )的含量变化。方法　采用放射免疫法测定 2 0 3例精神分裂症患者和 15 6例正常健康人血清T3 、T4 含量 ,并进行比较。结果　精神分裂症组血清T3 、T4 均低于健康对照组 (P <0 .0 1或P <0 .0 5 ) ,男、女无显著差异 (P >0 .0 5 )。结论　精神分裂症可影响垂体 甲状腺轴系统 ,使内分泌调节功能紊乱     

Raised intracranial pressure,the syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion,and arginine vasopressin in tuberculous meningitis

Intracranial pressure (ICP) monitored shortly after admission over a period of 1 h in 31 children with tuberculous meningitis (TBM) was significantly higher (median 22.5 mm Hg, range 8.4–50.9 mmHg) in 19 children with laboratory evidence of the syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion (SIADH) than in 12 children without such evidence (median 16.2 mmHg, range 5.8–42.5 mmHg; P = 0.027). Neither plasma nor cerebrospinal fluid arginine vasopressin (AVP) was related to ICP (r = 0.33 and 0.13 respectively). Mean arterial pressure (MAP) was measured in 23 children and a moderate correlation was found with plasma AVP (r = 0.62; P = 0.0019). In TBM, plasma AVP may be secreted as a response to raised ICP in an effort to raise MAP and maintain cerebral perfusion pressure. In this setting excess fluid may be inappropriately retained, leading to hyponatremia and hypo-osmolemia.     

Neuronal projections to the medial preoptic area of the sheep,with special reference to monoaminergic afferents: Immunohistochemical and retrograde tract tracing studies

The preoptic area contains most of the luteinizing hormone releasing hormone immunoreactive neurons and numerous monoaminergic afferents whose cell origins are unknown in sheep. Using tract tracing methods with a specific retrograde fluorescent tracer, fluorogold, we examined the cells of origin of afferents to the medial preoptic area in sheep. Among the retrogradely labeled neurons, immunohistochemistry for tyrosine hydroxylase, dopamine-β-hydroxylase, phenylethanolamine N-methyltransferase, and serotonin was used to characterize catecholamine and serotonin fluorogold labeled neurons. Most of the afferents came from the ipsilateral side to the injection site. It was observed that the medial preoptic area received major inputs from the diagonal band of Broca, the lateral septum, the thalamic paraventricular nucleus, the lateral hypothalamus, the area dorsolateral to the third ventricle, the perimamillary area, the amygdala, and the ventral part of the hippocampus. Other numerous, scattered, retrogradely labeled neurons were observed in the ventral part of the preoptic area, the vascular organ of the lamina terminalis, the ventromedial part of the hypothalamus, the periventricular area, the area lateral to the interpeduncular nucleus, and the dorsal vagal complex. Noradrenergic afferents came from the complex of the locus coeruleus (A6/A7 groups) and from the ventro-lateral medulla (group A1). However, dopaminergic and adrenergic neuronal groups retrogradely labeled with fluorogold were not observed. Serotoninergic fluorogold labeled neurons belonged to the medial raphe nucleus (B8, B5) and to the serotoninergic group situated lateral to the interpeduncular nucleus (S4). In the light of these anatomical data we hypothesize that these afferents have a role in the regulation of several functions of the preoptic area, particularly those related to reproduction. Accordingly these afferents could be involved in the control of luteinizing hormone releasing hormone (LHRH) pulsatility or of preovulatory LHRH surge.     

Post-translational processing of thyrotropin-releasing hormone precursor in rat brain: identification of 3 novel peptides derived from pro TRH

The sequence of rat hypothalamic pro-thyrotropin releasing hormone, deduced by sequencing of cDNA, in addition to 5 TRH progenitor genitor sequences contains leader, trailer and 4 intervening sequences separated by paired basic amino acid sequences. We have developed radioimmunoassays to synthetic peptides corresponding to portions of these cryptic proTRH sequences and have used these assays to identify and partially characterize proTRH peptides, distinct from TRH, in extracts of rat brain. Two of these peptides correspond closely in size to one intervening sequence and the car☐y-terminal sequence of proTRH. Three other peptides correspond to the intact amino-terminal leader sequence and two peptides formed by a further cleavage of the leader sequence at an internal paired basic amino acid sequence.     

Natural history of parathyroid function and calcium metabolism after kidney transplantation: a single-centre study.

BACKGROUND: The natural history of parathyroid function after successful renal transplantation (RT) and the factors predisposing to persistent hyperparathyroidism (HPT) are not well established. A better knowledge of these data may be helpful in the development of algorithms for optimal surveillance and treatment of HPT after successful RT. Our aim was to evaluate the post-transplant natural history of parathyroid function and calcium metabolism in patients with a functional renal graft and to identify risk factors for persistent HPT. METHODS: Charts of 1165 allograft kidney recipients transplanted between 1989 and 2000 were reviewed. Patients with an intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH) level available at the time of transplantation were identified. The charts of the latter patients were checked for a variety of demographic and clinical data, and all determinations of the iPTH concentration available since transplantation were recorded. Serum levels of calcium, phosphorus, alkaline phosphatases and creatinine, concurrently determined, were also registered. RESULTS: After an initial fall, iPTH levels showed a slow but steady decline towards the upper normal limit. The prevalence of persistent HPT, defined as an iPTH level > or =2.5 times the upper normal limit or the need for parathyroidectomy following transplantation, remained stable at approximately 17% up to 4 years after transplantation. Patients with persistent HPT had significantly elevated serum levels of iPTH, calcium and phosphorus at the time of RT, and had spent a longer time on dialysis. Post-transplant iPTH levels correlated significantly with transplant kidney function. CONCLUSION: Kidney transplant recipients with a high iPTH and calcium x phosphate product at the time of transplantation are at risk for persistent HPT especially when renal function is suboptimal. Therapy for persistent HPT, if considered, should be initiated 3 months post-transplantation since further spontaneous improvement of parathyroid function thereafter is limited.     

Retrospective study on stage B prostate cancer in the Hokuriku District, Japan

BACKGROUND: The present study was conducted to investigate how patients with clinically localized prostate cancer were treated in the Hokuriku District, Japan. METHODS: Medical records of 536 patients with stage B prostate cancer were retrospectively reviewed. The patients were diagnosed and treated at four university hospitals and 32 collaborating hospitals in the Hokuriku District. RESULTS: Because their medical records were incomplete and/or they not available for follow up, 79 cases were excluded from this study. Conservative treatment with hormone therapy was used for 248 cases. Radical prostatectomy was performed in 199 cases, only 27 of whom underwent surgical monotherapy. There was no significant difference in disease-specific survival rates between the hormone (69.0%) and surgery group (83.2%) after 110 months. Results of the analysis of disease-specific survival rates according to histologic grade showed that patients with poorly differentiated cancers treated with hormone therapy were the only subset with significant differences when compared against the other patients. CONCLUSION: The value of prostatectomy alone or added was marginal in terms of survival. Only patients with poorly differentiated cancer might benefit from prostatectomy.     

Ghrelin does not stimulate gastrointestinal motility and gastric emptying: an experimental study of conscious dogs

Ghrelin is a peptide that was discovered in endocrine cells of the stomach. However, its action in regulating the fasted and fed motor activity of the digestive tract is not fully understood. In the present study, we examined the effects of an intravenous (i.v.) injection of canine ghrelin on the physiological fasted and fed motor activities in the stomach, duodenum, jejunum and colon of freely moving conscious dogs. An i.v. injection of canine ghrelin released growth hormone in a dose-dependent manner; however, it did not stimulate the motor activity of the digestive tract in either the fasted or the fed state. Moreover, an i.v. injection of high-dose canine ghrelin significantly reduced the motility index in the gastric body in the fasted state. Ghrelin did not accelerate gastric emptying, either. These results differ from previous reports dealing with rodents. It is significant that such results were obtained in research with dogs, which are larger animals.