Voluntary consumption of NaCl,KCl, CaCl2, and NH4Cl solutions by 28 mouse strains

Male mice from 28 inbred strains (129P3/J, A/J, AKR/J, BALB/cByJ, BUB/BnJ, C3H/HeJ, C57BL/6J, C57L/J, CAST/Ei, CBA/J, CE/J, DBA/2J, FVB/NJ, I/LnJ, KK/H1J, LP/J, NOD/LtJ, NZB/B1NJ, P/J, PL/J, RBF/DnJ, RF/J, RIIIS/J, SEA/GnJ, SJL/J, SM/J, SPRET/Ei, and SWR/J) were tested with NaCl (75–450 mM), KCl (30–300 mM), CaCl₂ (3–100 mM), and NH4Cl (10–300 mM) solutions using two-bottle preference tests with water as the second choice. For each mineral, there was a wide range of strain variation in solution intakes and preferences. This variation had a substantial genetic component as assessed using heritability estimates. In most cases, the strain means were continuously distributed; however, strains with deviating high or low intakes or preferences were also observed. The associations among the responses to different minerals were only modest, suggesting distinct genetic controls of sodium, potassium, calcium, and ammonium consumption. These results provide a valuable resource for investigators who wish to identify genes involved in the regulation of mineral consumption and balance.     

A retrospective study of long-term psychosocial consequences and satisfaction after carrier testing in childhood in an autosomal recessive disease: aspartylglucosaminuria

Genetic carrier testing of children is usually not recommended. However, there are no data concerning long-term psychological consequences, experience, and satisfaction of those tested as well as their recall of the test results. We evaluated these items retrospectively 10–24 years after carrier testing performed in childhood. Study material comprised 25 families with aspatylglucosaminuria (AGU), an autosomal recessive disorder, with 35 healthy sibs from all parts of Finland tested for carriership during childhood between 1973 and 1987. Of these sibs, 25 participated in our study. The questionnaire comprised multiple-choice and open-ended questions. The psychosocial well-being of the study subjects measured by the RAND 36 item Health Survey 1.0 (RAND) was, in general, at least as good as that of controls, and showed no significant differences between carriers and non-carriers (p>0.154). All tested individuals were satisfied with the fact that they had been tested and stated that the decision to perform carrier testing on a child can be made by the parents. Of the 25 tested, 23 knew and understood their test result correctly at the time of our study. Most of the tested individuals (60%) stated that the best time for carrier testing would be in the childhood or in the teen years.
This study indicates that carrier testing in childhood for an autosomal recessive disorder (AGU) had caused no measurable disturbance of quality of life in adulthood, and those tested reported being satisfied. However, we do not recommend testing in childhood, as the result is not needed prior to the time for reproductive decisions.     

血糖感应型胰岛素给药智能载体的研究进展

胰岛素控制释放高分子载体系统一直是国内外科技工作者的研究热点 ,迄今已经研究报道了多种具有不同工作原理的血糖感应型胰岛素给药智能载体。本文基于国内外大量研究文献 ,综述了血糖感应型胰岛素控制释放智能化高分子载体的研究进展。     

Carrier Frequency of the Bloom SyndromeblmMutation in the Ashkenazi Jewish Population

Bloom syndrome is more common in individuals of Ashkenazi Jewish descent than in any other population, and one particular mutation in the Bloom syndrome gene,blm^Ash,is homozygous in nearly all Ashkenazi Jewish persons with Bloom syndrome. We have determined the frequency ofblm^Ashin 1491 Ashkenazi Jewish persons with no known history of Bloom syndrome and found that 1 in 107 persons was heterozygous. Although not common, genetic screening for Bloom syndrome is feasible in this population.     

Differences in gallstone structure in primary common bile duct lithiasis and gallbladder lithiasis

Summary Some differences between gallbladder lithiasis and primary common bile duct lithiasis are described. Microbiological cultures and biochemical analyses were carried out on the bile of two groups of patients: 27 suffering from gallbladder and 5 from primary common duct lithiasis. The microstructure and composition of gallstones were also examined by polarized light microscopy and X-ray diffraction. Women predominated in gallbladder lithiasis but not in primary common duct lithiasis group (P<0.05) and body weight was higher in the former group (P<0.02). Primary common duct lithiasis patients had a higher, although not significant, incidence of duodenal diverticulosis (P=0.15), and a higher incidence ofE. coli-positive cultures in bile (P<0.001). No significant difference in the biochemical composition of the bile was found between the groups. Brown pigment stones predominated in primary common duct lithiasis, while cholesterol stones did in gallbladder and secondary common duct lithiasis (P<0.0001). Stones formed in the gallbladder generally show linear, radial growths of cholesterol crystals, while those from the common duct present a polystratified, concentric deposition of microgranules composed mainly of pigmentary salts.These differences should be taken into account as additional criteria in the differential diagnosis between primary and secondary common duct lithiasis, as the classical criteria for diagnosing of the former greatly underestimate its actual incidence. The distinction between primary and secondary common duct lithiasis is of practical significance, since each entity requires different treatment.Abbreviations CBD common bile duct - CBDL common bile duct lithiasis - ERCP endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography - GBL gallbladder lithiasis - HDL high density lipoproteins - PCBDL primary common bile duct lithiasis - SCBDL secondary common bile duct lithiasis - SGOT serum glutamic-oxalacetic transaminase - SGPT serum glutamic-pyruvic transaminase     

Chemical Characterization of Macrophage Cytotoxicity Factor,Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor,T-Helper Cell-Replacing Factor and Colony-Stimulating Factor from Culture Supernatants of Concanavalin A-Stimulated Murine Spleen Cells

Supernatants from Concanavalin A-stimulated murine spleen cells were subjected to hydrophobic interaction chromatography on phenyl-Sepharose. Macrophage cytotoxicity factor (MCF), macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF), T-helper cell-replacing factor (TRF) and colony-stimulating factor (CSF) were bound at high ionic strength and were released stepwise at low ionic strength. CSF thus could be separated from MCF, MIF and TRF and the bulk of other proteins. Chromatography of pools containing MCF, MIF and TRF on Sephadex did not lead to a separation of the three activities which were all found in a molecular weight range of 25.000-55.000. Isoelectric focusing of these pools in pH range from 4 to 9 gave two peaks for MCF at pH 8.2 and 7.2, whereas MIF activity focused from pH 4.5 to 5.5. TRF activity was found in a single sharp peak at pH 5.3. The results demonstrate that the four biological activities can be distinguished on a chemical basis and are accessible for purification and chemical characterization.     

Assessing the Impact of Salt Reduction Initiatives on the Chronic Disease Burden of Singapore

Globally, many countries are facing an increasing burden of chronic disease due to ageing populations, of which cardiovascular disease forms a large proportion. Excess dietary sodium contributes to cardiovascular disease risk and requires intervention at a population level. This study aimed to quantify the impact of several salt reduction initiatives on population health over a 30-year horizon using GeoDEMOS, a population model from Singapore. Four interventions were modelled in four demographic groups in 2020 for a total of 16 intervention scenarios. The effect of 0.5, 2.0, and 4.0 g/day reductions in daily salt consumption, along with adherence to the World Health Organization guidelines of a maximum of 5.0 g of salt each day, was modelled in the entire population, including the overweight and obese, the elderly, and diabetics. In each scenario, the number of averted incident cases of acute myocardial infarction and stroke, along with the disability-adjusted life years up to 2050, was monitored. We found 4.0 g/day reductions in salt consumption were the most effective when implemented across the entire population, resulting in 24,000 averted incident cases of cardiovascular disease and 215,000 disability-adjusted life years over 30 years. This is a large figure when compared with the 29,200 projected annual incident cases of cardiovascular disease in 2050. When targeted at specific high-risk demographic groups, the largest effects were observed in the overweight and obese, with the same intervention yielding 10,500 averted incident cases of cardiovascular disease and 91,500 disability-adjusted life years. Quantifying the benefits of salt reduction initiatives revealed a significant impact when administered across the entire population or the overweight and obese. Health promotion efforts directed toward sustainably reducing salt consumption will help to lower the chronic disease burden on the healthcare system in years to come.     

Is there an abnormal fasting duodenogastric reflux in nonulcer dyspepsia?

A quantitatively and/or qualitatively abnormal duodenogastric reflux (DGR) could be involved in the pathogenesis of nonulcer dyspepsia (NUD). The aims of this prospective study were to look for (1) a pathological DGR profile during fasting and (2) an eventual correlation between DGR profile and clinical symptoms. Twenty-six NUD patients were investigated. Seven other operated patients with a surgical procedure facilitating DGR episodes and 27 healthy volunteers served as control groups. A clinical score was determined for each patient from a standardized questionnaire. Gastric aspiration was performed for 6 hr in fasting subjects. The aspirates were pooled into 17 samples. In each sample the concentration and the output of total bile acids was determined. If the concentration was larger than 30 mol/liter in pooled samples, the concentrations of free bile acids and the distribution of the conjugated bile acids was determined. The percentage of aliquots with a total bile acid concentration larger than 50 mol/liter (without upper limit), and the percentage with a concentration larger than 2500 mol/liter was also obtained. No significant difference was demonstrated between the healthy volunteers and NUD patients, whatever the parameter considered. However, there was a significant increase in each of the quantitative parameters for the group of operated patients in comparison with the NUD patient group. No significant correlation was found between the clinical score and the DGR profile in NUD patients. Apparently, DGR episodes do not play a primary role in the pathogenesis of NUD.Part of this work was presented at the 4th European Symposium on Gastrointestinal Motility, Krakow, Poland. September 22–24, 1988.Hepatogastroenterology, 35:178, 1988 (abstract).     

The Effects of Permeation Enhancers on the Surface Morphology of the Rat Nasal Mucosa: A Scanning Electron Microscopy Study

A rat model has been developed to compare relative morphological changes in the nasal mucosa after exposure to potential membrane permeation enhancers. Scanning electron microscopy was used to characterize gross structural and specific cellular changes following exposure. Micrographs of the rat nasal mucosa were scored in four categories: (1) mucosal surface integrity, (2) ciliary morphology, (3) mucus/extracellular debris, and (4) presence of red blood cells. The order of increasing morphological damage resulting from a 5-min exposure to each surfactant was 0.5% Solulan C-24 0.5% Solulan C-24/0.5% sodium tauro-24,25-dihydrofusidate (STDHF) < 0.5% STDHF < 1.0% STDHF 1.0% Laureth-9 < 1.0% sodium taurodeoxycholate 1.0% sodium deoxycholate. The changes observed in the mucosal morphology after exposure to the various surfactants are in general agreement with data in the literature. This model is able to compare rapidly the relative morphological effects on the mucosal membrane of different nasal formulations.