Dose-response differences in the ability of ramipril to improve retention in diabetic mice

Ramipril blocks the conversion of angiotensin I to II. The literature indicates that diabetes is often associated with mild impairment of learning and memory. The study reports the effects of ramipril on memory retention in diabetic and non-diabetic mice. Mice were made diabetic by an injection of streptozocin. After overt signs of diabetes were present, diabetic or vehicle-treated mice were partially trained on a footshock active avoidance task. Immediately after training, ramipril (0.5–1.5 mg/kg s.c.) was administered and retention was tested by continuing training one week later until mice avoided footshock on five out of six trails. The results indicate that ramipril enhanced retention of both diabetic and control mice but it required about 5 times as much ramipril in diabetic as control mice to achieve the same effect on retention. Increased sensitivity to angiotensin II may play a role in cognitive impairment in diabetes.     

Characteristics of antibody responses induced in mice by protein allergens

Whereas many foreign proteins are immunogenic, only a proportion is also allergenic, having the capacity to induce the quality of immune response necessary to support the production of IgE antibody. We have demonstrated previously that intraperitoneal administration to mice of proteins such as ovalbumin (OVA) or the industrial enzyme A. oryzae lipase, which possess significant allergenic potential, stimulates the production of both IgG and IgE antibody. Identical exposure to bovine serum albumin (BSA), a protein with limited potential to cause immediate respiratory or gastrointestinal hypersensitivity reactions, induced IgG responses only. In the current investigations, the quality of immune responses induced following exposure to these proteins via mucosal tissue (intranasal) has been compared with those provoked following administration via a non-mucosal (intraperitoneal) route of exposure. Intranasal or intraperitoneal administration of BSA, OVA or A. oryzae lipase elicited in each case vigorous IgG and IgG1 antibody responses. For all three proteins, at every concentration tested, and via both routes of exposure, IgG1 antibody titres paralleled closely IgG titres. However, the three materials displayed a differential potential to provoke IgE responses and this correlated with their known allergenic potential in humans. Thus, OVA and A. oryzae lipase stimulated strong IgE antibody responses, whereas BSA provoked low titre IgE only at the highest concentration tested (5% administered intraperitoneally). The quality of induced responses was not affected by the route of exposure. It would appear, therefore, that the stimulation of IgG and IgG1 antibody responses is a reflection of protein immunogenicity whereas protein allergenicity is associated with the induction of strong IgE responses.     

蛇毒治疗不能解释肺动脉高压的研究

本通过对不能解释的肺动脉高压患，进行右心导管测定肺动脉平均压（ＰＡＭＰ）作为主要对照指标，观察蛇毒制品（精制溶栓酶）的急性药物试验和近期药物试验。发现该药物在近期有理想的降低ＰＡＭＰ作用，症状及胸片、超声心动图异常也明显取得改善，提示其可能为治疗该病的理想药物。     

Inter-rater reliability of the original and modified Barthel Index,and a comparison with the Functional Independence Measure

The Barthel Index (BI), the Modified Barthel Index (MBI) and the Functional Independence Measure (FIM) are all widely used by occupational therapists as assessment tools for clinical decision-making and outcome measurement. All of these tools have demonstrated validity and the BI and the FIM have demonstrated inter-rater reliability. The MBI has been modified to increase sensitivity; however, there have been no publications on the inter-rater reliability of this tool following the changes. The purpose of this research was to examine the inter-rater reliability of two versions of the Barthel Index, and draw some comparisons between this assessment tool and the FIM. Twenty-five patients with neurological and orthopaedic conditions were assessed by three occupational therapists using the three tools. The method of analysis selected was percentage agreement and intraclass correlation coefficient. The results indicated that both the original and modified versions of the Barthel Index possess good inter-rater reliability. As all three tools have demonstrated adequate reliability and validity, it is suggested that clinicians select the most sensitive tool that best meets their clinical needs, and use this assessment tool in its standardized format.     

重症胰腺炎动物模型制作及发病机理的研究

为探讨胰腺炎的发病机理，作者采用大鼠（ｎ＝５８只）十二指肠结扎法和犬（ｎ＝４６条）胰管内注射自身胆汁法制作重症胰腺炎的动物模型。该模型接近人类急性胰腺炎的发病因素，方法可靠，操作简便，费用便宜。前者适用于小动物实验，后者宜于大动物实验。作者认为胰管内压力增高和微生物是急性胰腺炎的重要条件；胰酶激活始动时间早在胰管内胆汁和肠液的反流后，胰酶激活的主要部位在腺泡细胞。     

胆汁反流性胃炎的胃运动功能研究

目的:探讨胃排空改变以及胃窦平滑肌电节律紊乱在胆汁反流性胃炎发病中的可能机制。方法:对59例有慢性上消化道症状的慢性胃炎病人,根据胃镜下可见显著胆汁反流,胃液呈深黄色或深绿色,胃液pH≥3.0,甘胆酸浓度>58μg/ml,胃粘膜病理积分>9,判断为病理性胆汁反流(部分病人经:显象进一步证实)。胃镜下未见胆汁反流,胃液清亮,其余指标均未达上述标准者判断为非胆汁反流性。选出18例胆汁反流性胃炎病人(BRG组)和17例非胆汁反流性胃炎病人(NRG组),上述检查正常的10名健康志愿者(HC组)作为对照受检者进食一份双核素标记的标准餐,用照相机以1帧/2分钟连续动态照相120分钟,部分受试者又在空腹时检测胃窦肌电。结果:BRG组有明显的固、液体双相排空延迟,以固相延滞期(SLP)延长较为突出,而固体半排空时间(HSET)延长在很大程度上受到SLP延长的影响:NRG组仅有HSET显著延长。进一步胃电检测结果表明,各组间平均慢渡频率(MSWF)无显著性差异,出现胃电节律失常(DRM)在各组的分布为HC组1/7、NRG组3/10和BRG组7/13,严重程度BRG>NRG>HC。结论:胆汁反流性胃炎者有较严重的胃窦功能不良,且胃肌电可予进一步证实,胃底和十二指肠动力异常也可能与胆汁反流性胃炎的发病有关。     

Procedural memory stimulation in Alzheimer's disease: impact of a training programme

The study evaluates the efficacy of a procedural memory stimulation programme in mild and mild-moderate Alzheimer's disease (AD). Twenty basic and instrumental activities of daily living have been selected, and divided into two groups, comparable for difficulty. Ten normal elderly subjects (age 68.0±4.8 years; MMSE score: 28.7±0.9; education: 7.6±3.5 years) were asked to perform the two groups of daily activities and the time required to perform the tasks of each group was recorded and used as a reference. Ten mild and mild-moderate AD patients (age 77.2±5.3 years; MMSE score: 19.8±3.5; education: 7.3±4.7 years) without major behavioural disturbances constituted the experimental group. Patients were evaluated in all 20 daily activities and the time employed was recorded at baseline and after a 3-week training (1 h/d, 5 d/week) period. Five patients were trained during the 3 weeks on half of the 20 daily activities and the other five patients were trained on the remainder. This procedure was adopted in order to detect separately the improvement in "trained" and "not trained" activities, allowing to control better the effects of the intervention. The assessment of the functional impact of the training was directly measured, through the variation of time employed to perform tasks before and after training. After 3 weeks of training a significant improvement was observed for the trained activities, from 3.6 to 1.9 standard deviations below the performance of the normal elderly controls ( P <0.05). AD patients improved also in not-trained activities from 3.5 to 2.7 standard deviations below the controls'performance ( P <0.05). The rehabilitation of activities of daily living through developing procedural memory strategies may be effective in mild and mild-moderate AD patients.     

左室肥厚对急性心肌梗塞时心肌酶的影响

通过２０例有左室肥厚和２３例无左室肥厚患者发生急性心肌梗塞时ＣＰＫ值的比较，发现在梗塞部位相同的情况下，心肌肥厚组的酶值水平高于非心肌肥厚组（１３．２±４．８比９．０±４．６Ｕ／ＬＰ＜０．０１），这可能与肥厚组酶活力增强和心肌梗塞体积增大有关。     

Glutathione effects on vitamin D metabolism in control and streptozotocin diabetic rat

The circulating concentration of 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol [1,25-(OH)₂D₃] is a physiologic index of enzymatic activity of the renal 1-hydroxylase of 25-hydroxychole-calciferol (25-OH-D₃). Hydroxylation of 25-OH-D₃ and circulating 1,25-(OH)₂D₃ are decreased in the streptozotocin diabetic rat. We previously found that activity of another redox enzyme system, cytosolic superoxide dismutase, also decreased in streptozotocin diabetes, can be restored by treatment with glutathione. In the present experiment we tested the effect of glutathione treatment on vitamin D metabolism in control and diabetic rats. Enteral glutathione increased circulating 1,25-(OH)₂D₃ and decreased 25-OH-D₃ in both control and diabetic animals. These results suggest that exogenous glutathione increases 25-OH-D₃ 1-hydroxylation both under basal conditions in the normal animal and in diabetes-induced depression.     

磺胺噻二嗪硫酮衍生物的合成及其抑菌活性

利用药物化学骈合原理设计并合成了一系列新的３，５－二取代１，３，５－噻二嗪－２－硫酮类化合物，其结构经红外光谱，紫外光谱及元素分析证实，抑菌活性试验显示了良好的抑菌活性。