Effects of pentylenetetrazol-induced seizures on dopamine and norepinephrine levels and on glucose utilization in various brain regions of the developing rat

Levels of dopamine and norepinephrine were measured in seven brain areas after 60 min of sustained seizure activity induced by intraperitoneal repetitive timed administrations of pentylenetetrazol in rats at 10, 14, 17 and 21 days of postnatal life. The tissue levels of norepinephrine were markedly reduced in the majority of brain structures, except for striatum at 10 and 14 days. Conversely, dopamine concentrations increased in many areas and at various ages, except in cerebral cortex at 10 and 14 days and in midbrain between 14 and 21 days. PTZ seizures induced marked increases over control levels in the rates of glucose utilization, measured by the quantitative autoradiographic [14C]2-deoxyglucose method, in all dopamine- and norepinephrine-innervated areas studied at 10 and 14 days, except in cerebellar cortex at both ages and in frontal cortex and anteroventral thalamus at 14 days. At 17 and 21 days, glucose utilization remained increased over control levels in some areas, mainly in catecholaminergic cell groupings such as substantia nigra, ventral tegmental area and locus coeruleus, but was significantly reduced in cortex, caudate nucleus and thalamus, and similar to control rates in other regions. The present results suggest that pentylenetetrazol-induced seizures lead to a simultaneous increase in functional activity of norepinephrine neurons and an inhibition of dopaminergic-mediated neurons. They also confirm the maturation of connections, of metabolic activity and of neurotransmitter interaction within the brain, occurring mainly during the third week of postnatal life, paralleled by an increased selective vulnerability of some regions to this kind of insult.     

Multiple reference tissue method for contrast agent arterial input function estimation.

A precise contrast agent (CA) arterial input function (AIF) is important for accurate quantitative analysis of dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE)-MRI. This paper proposes a method to estimate the AIF using the dynamic data from multiple reference tissues, assuming that their AIFs have the same shape, with a possible difference in bolus arrival time. By minimizing a cost function, one can simultaneously estimate the parameters and underlying AIF of the reference tissues. The method is computationally efficient and the estimated AIF is smooth and can have higher temporal resolution than the original data. Simulations suggest that this method can provide a reliable estimate of the AIF for DCE-MRI data with a moderate signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and temporal resolution, and its performance increases significantly as the SNR and temporal resolution increase. As demonstrated by its clinical application, sufficient reference tissues can be easily obtained from normal tissues and subregions segmented from a tumor region of interest (ROI), which suggests this method can be generally applied to cancer-based DCE-MRI studies to estimate the AIF. This method is applicable to general kinetic models in DCE-MRI, as well as other CE imaging modalities.     

Correlation of serum HCV RNA and alanine aminotransferase levels in chronic hepatitis C patients during treatment with ribavirin

to evaluate the effect of ribavirin on serum hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels, 22 patients with chronic HCV infection were treated with oral ribavirin 1200 mg daily in three divided doses for 4 weeks. At the end of 4 weeks treatment, the serum ALT decreased in all but one patient and became normal in three individuals. The mean pretreatment serum ALT was reduced significantly from 193 ± 45 i.u./L to 95 ± 16 i.u./L after 4 weeks therapy (P= 0.009). However, 8 weeks after cessation of treatment, the serum ALT rose to a mean value of 154 ± 21 i.u./L. The mean pretreatment serum HCV RNA was not significantly decreased at the end of 4 weeks treatment (7.0 × 10⁵vs 4.1 × 10⁵ copies/mL, P > 0.05). However, serum HCV RNA levels were decreased in 12 and increased in 10 patients at the end of 4 weeks therapy. Eight weeks after cessation of therapy, the serum HCV RNA of 22 patients rose to a mean value of 4.9 ± 10⁵ copies/mL. Six patients who continued to have elevated serum ALT and positive HCV RNA after the initial 4 weeks treatment received oral ribavirin at the same dosage for an additional 24 weeks. The serum ALT again decreased in all six patients during therapy, but rose to pretreatment values by 8 weeks after cessation of the treatment. In addition, no significant changes were noted in the mean serum HCV RNA levels during and after 24 weeks of ribavirin therapy. Our results indicate that oral ribavirin only transiently lowered serum ALT values and did not efficiently suppress HCV synthesis in patients with chronic hepatitits C infection.     

进驻高原官兵跟骨定量超声测定及尿DPD改变观察

目的探讨平原地区官兵进驻高原地区后骨代谢变化。方法采用UBIS 30 0 0型定量超声仪 ,对 1 1 5名官兵跟骨进行定量超声测定 ,同时用化学发光免疫法测定尿脱氧吡啶酚 (DPD)排泄浓度。将进驻高原地区 2个月后的测定结果与返回平原 2个月后的测定结果进行对比分析。结果进驻高原地区官兵跟骨超声振幅衰减 (BUA)、超声声速 (SOS)和刚度 (STI)各年龄段均较返回平原组显著降低 (P <0 .0 1 )。尿DPD排泄浓度高原组 2 0岁以下和 2 1～ 30岁年龄段分别为 (2 1 0 .79± 78.6 9)nmol·L 1和 (4 1 6 .995± 33.80 )nmol·L 1高于平原组的 (1 34.5 1± 98.96 )nmol·L 1和 (1 2 1 .2 0± 6 6 .87)nmol·L 1(P <0 .0 1 ) ,30～ 4 0岁和 4 0岁以上年龄段也有差异 (P <0 .0 5 )。结论平原地区官兵进驻高原 2个月后 ,因受高原缺氧等因素的影响 ,可导致骨代谢异常 ,骨吸收增加。提示 ,进驻高原地区前应及时进行预防治疗 ,避免骨质疏松的发生。     

荧光定量PCR检测女性商业性性工作者性传播感染

目的：了解女性商业性性工作者(FSWs)沙眼衣原体(Ct)、淋球菌(NG)、单纯疱疹病毒(HSV)及人乳头瘤病毒(HPV)等常见性传播感染(STI)的患病情况。方法：选取深圳市收容教育所2002年11～12月因卖淫而收容教育的130例FSWs作为研究对象，采用荧光定量PCR(FQ—PCR)检测宫颈分泌物Ct、NG、HSV及HPV感染。结果：FQ—PCR检测130例FSWs宫颈分泌物的Ct阳性检出率为32．3％、NG阳性检出率为16．2％、HSV为5．4％、HPV6／11、HPV16和HPV18分别为7．7％、23．8％和12．3％。STI总的阳性检出率为60．8％，混合感染率为25．4％。结论：女性商业性性工作者的STI患病率高，应引起足够重视。     

玻璃体出血与视网膜脱离的超声鉴别诊断

对眼底镜下可证实的12只视网膜脱离眼和15只玻璃体出血眼进行了眼科超声波A图像、B图像的形态学、动力学及衰减定量分析。发现二者除形态学差异外,动力学和衰减定量也有差异,因此认为三种方法结合起来对于玻璃体出血和视网膜脱离的鉴别诊断更有临床价值。     

实时荧光定量RT-PCR检测良性前列腺增生与前列腺癌相关基因表达的临床意义

目的应用实时荧光定量RT-PCR检测良性前列腺增生（BPH）与前列腺癌相关基因表达。方法通过实时荧光定量RT-PCR对9个前列腺癌相关基因（KLK3、KLK2、KLK11，pim-1，hepsin，PSMA，AR，p27，IGF-1）在前列腺正常组织、BPH组织和癌组织（PCa）定量表达，分析其特异性的差异。结果检测9个选定相关基因中发现KLK2，pim-1，AR和IGF-1在这3种组织中的表达差异有统计学意义（P＜0．01）。结论KLK2，pim-1，AR和IGF-1作为前列腺癌组织特异性的分子标记物组合，有望提高前列腺癌早期诊断的准确性。     

Quantitative imaging of magnetization transfer using an inversion recovery sequence.

A new imaging method has been developed for quantitatively measuring magnetization transfer (MT). It uses a simple inversion recovery sequence, although one with very short (milliseconds) inversion times, and thus can be implemented on clinical imaging systems with little modification to existing pulse sequences. The sequence requires an inversion pulse with a length much longer than T(2m) (typically 10 micros) and much shorter than T(2f) (typically tens of ms) and 1/k(mf) (typically tens of ms), where T(2m) and T(2f) are the transverse relaxation times of the immobile macromolecular and free water protons, respectively, and k(mf) is the rate of MT between these populations. The resultant NMR signal is sensitive to MT when this inversion pulse affects the mobile and immobile proton pools to different degrees and by appropriate analysis of the signals obtained for different inversion times, quantitative information can be derived on the macromolecular content and exchange rates within the sample. The method has been used in conjunction with echo planar imaging to produce maps of the spatial distribution of the macromolecular content and MT rate in cross-linked bovine serum albumin. Comparisons between this method and other quantitative MT techniques are discussed.     

两种苯并二氮杂(艹卓)类镇静催眠药中毒的定量检测方法

目的：建立两种苯并二氮杂类镇静催眠药(地西泮、氯硝西泮)中毒的定量检测分析方法。方法：以乙醚提取血清中的上述两种药物，采用紫外分光光度法进行光谱扫描和测定。结果：此方法中用乙醚提取效果较佳，且提取回收率稳定；又经动物实验证明本方法能排除体内因素和药物间的干扰。结论：该方法分离效果好，定量分析准确，适用于上述两种药物临床中毒时的定性定量分析。     

红黄通脉冲剂总黄酮含量测定

红黄冲剂为中药研究室研制的一个新的保健药。主要原料为黄芩茎叶及山楂叶，其有效成份为黄酮类化合物，本文报道了红黄冲剂总黄酮含量测定方法的研究。