Orthogonal solid-phase synthesis of a monobiotinylated analog of Neuropeptide Y

Analogs of Neuropeptide Y (NPY) were synthesized with conventional Boc/benzyl protective group strategy. Instead of Asn⁷ in the native scquence, Boc-Lys(Alloc)-OH was incorporated. At the end of the synthesis the Alloc group was selectively removed by palladium-catalyzed hydrostannolysis and biotin coupled to the e-amino group of Lys⁷. After cleavage and characterization with plasma desorption mass spectrometry the N^e-7-biotinyl-[Lys⁷]-NPY and the nonbiotinylated analog [Lys⁷]-NPY were investigated as ligands to the NPY receptor from rat cerebral cortex. Both analogs were found to be high affinity ligands to the NPY receptor and bound with essentially the same affinity as unmodified NPY.     

Skeletal Muscle Adaptations to Physical Training in Type II (Non-insulin-dependent) Diabetes Mellitus

Seven middle-aged men with manifest type II diabetes mellitus underwent an endurance training programme for 10–15 weeks. The maximal aerobic capacity, as well as the endurance capacity, was improved by 10% (p<0.05). The intramuscular glycogen store increased by more than 80% (p<0.05) from 350 μmol/g dw (dry weight), and the activities of citrate synthase and 3-hydroxy-acyl-CoA dehydrogenase increased by more than 50% (p<0.05) and 30% (p<0.05). The activity of glycogen synthase was decreased by approximately 20% (p<0.05), whereas lactate dehydrogenase remained unchanged. Capillaries/fibre and fibre area increased by more than 50% (p<0.05) and 30% (p<0.05) leaving the area of supply constant. Training did not influence fasting blood lipids and glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin, oral glucose tolerance, and insulin response to an oral glucose load measured 72 hours post-exercise. It is concluded that patients with manifest type II diabetes, as normoglycaemic individuals, adapt to physical training. However, no persistent effect on glucohomeostasis and lipaemia is produced by short-term training in the diabetic patients.     

Cyclic hormonal replacement therapy after the menopause: Transdermal versus oral treatment

Summary In an open, randomized, comparative, between-patient trial, 45 postmenopausal women were treated for 4 months with cyclical transdermal oestradiol 0.05 mg per day or oral conjugated equine oestrogens 0.625 mg per day, in both cases, plus, medroxyprogesterone acetate 10 mg per day on the last 8 days of each cycle. Similar relief from postmenopausal symptoms was obtained with both treatments. Post-treatment histological evaluation of the endometrium did not reveal neoplastic or hyperplastic change in any patient.Early follicular-phase plasma oestradiol levels were observed only after transdermal oestradiol. There was a significant reduction in serum total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol in both treatment groups, with no difference between treatments, whereas serum triglyceride levels were decreased only by transdermal oestradiol. Plasma calcium and phosphorus fell significantly and serum intact parathyroid hormone rose significantly, with no difference between the therapies. No significant changes were observed in clotting factors.Transdermal oestradiol appears to be an effective and safe hormonal replacement therapy, and this route of administration may be responsible for the more useful action of the drug on serum lipids and plasma oestradiol levels.     

The pitfalls of the dexamethasone suppression test: A biological marker of endogenous depression?

In the past few years there have been numerous publications which have stressed the value of the dexamethasone suppression test (DST) as a diagnostic marker of endogenous depression. Our own studies in 333 psychiatric inpatients and 121 healthy subjects did not reveal a differential diagnostic use for the DST. This result is in good agreement with other results in the literature. Our data demonstrate that intervening variables such as severity of illness, weight loss, sleep disturbances, situational stress, drug and alcohol withdrawal, and the pharmacokinetics of dexamethasone have an important influence on DST results, regardless of the diagnostic classification.     

鼻内镜下等离子低温射频治疗常年性变应性鼻炎的临床观察

目的探讨鼻内镜下等离子低温射频治疗常年性变应性鼻炎(PAR)的疗效及其优越性。方法在鼻内镜下用等离子低温射频治疗PAR48例,按照海口会议修订的“过敏性鼻炎诊断和疗效评定标准”,用计分法分别评定其疗效。结果该组48例术后随访半年进行评价,其中显效27.1%(13/48),有效58.3%(28/48),无效14.6%(7/48),总有效率为85.4%。疗效评分显示治疗前平均总分为(9.58±1.69)分,治疗后为(5.63±1.15)分(P<0.05)。结论鼻内镜下等离子低温射频烧灼筛前神经终末区域治疗PAR,具有简便、安全等优点,短期效果显著,特别适用于临床上应用抗组胺类药物及鼻内应用糖皮质激素治疗效果不甚理想及由于各种原因不能长期接受抗组胺类药物及鼻内应用糖皮质激素治疗的患者;但长期疗效有待进一步研究。     

Short-term suppression of plasma free fatty acids fails to improve insulin sensitivity when intramyocellular lipid is elevated.

AIMS: Metabolic responses to manipulation of the plasma free fatty acid (FFA) concentration were assessed in six healthy men via cross-over design to determine whether FFAs independently influence insulin sensitivity. METHODS: Intramyocellular lipid (IMCL) was measured by proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy and insulin sensitivity via frequently sampled intravenous glucose tolerance test (IVGTT) after 67 h of two identical low carbohydrate/high fat (LC) diets which were used to elevate IMCL and plasma FFAs. To uncouple the influence of FFAs and IMCL on insulin sensitivity, FFAs were suppressed 30 min prior to and during IVGTT in one treatment [LC + nicotinic acid (NA)] by NA ingestion. RESULTS: Vastus lateralis IMCL was significantly elevated in LC (13.3 +/- 1.1 x 10(-3)) and LC + NA (13.5 +/- 1.1 x 10(-3)) (P < 0.01 for both), but was not different between conditions (P > 0.05). Plasma FFAs were raised in LC (0.79 +/- 0.08 mmol/l) and LC + NA (0.80 +/- 0.11 mmol/l) (P < 0.01 for both) and were significantly reduced by NA ingestion prior to (0.36 +/- 0.05 mmol/l, P < 0.01) and during IVGTT (P < 0.05) in LC + NA. Despite marked differences in plasma FFA availability, insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance were not different between LC and LC + NA (P > 0.05 for both). CONCLUSIONS: Plasma FFAs appear to exert no immediate effect on insulin sensitivity/glucose tolerance independent of their action on intracellular lipid moieties. Further research is required to elucidate the duration of FFA suppression required to restore insulin sensitivity following lipid-induced insulin resistance.     

高糖通过活化半胱氨酸天冬氨酸蛋白酶3途径诱导人腹膜间皮细胞凋亡

目的 探讨高糖损伤人腹膜间皮细胞(HPMC)的机制。方法 (1)分离培养HPMC,以细胞形态、免疫细胞化学染色作细胞鉴定;(2)第2代HPMC分别经含1.5%、2.5%、4.25%葡萄糖的M199培养基培养48h后(以正常M199培养基和含4.25%甘露醇的M199培养基为对照),检测HPMC caspase-3活性和HPMC凋亡情况;(3)分别用25μmol/L、50μmol/L、和100μmol/LZ-VAD.fmk和4.25%葡萄糖共同刺激体外培养的HPMC(以DMSO和4.25%葡萄糖为对照),流式细胞仪观察HPMC凋亡情况,同时检测50μmol/L Z-VAD.fmk组和葡萄糖对照组caspase-3活性。结果 (1)HPMC caspase-3活性和凋亡率与葡萄糖浓度呈正相关(r分别为0.9506和0.9868,P<0.01),且HPMC caspase-3活性与凋亡率呈正相关(r=0.9860,P<0.01)。与M199对照组相比,2.5%葡萄糖组和4.25%葡萄糖组HPMC caspase-3活性和凋亡率显著增加(P<0.05),而1.5%葡萄糖组及4.25%甘露醇组HPMC caspase-3活性和凋亡率无显著差异(P>0.05)。(2)4.25%葡萄糖组caspase-3活性显著高于4.25%甘露醇组(P<0.05),但4.25%甘露醇组caspase-3活性与对照组相比无显著差异(P>0.05)。(3)与对照组相比,Z-VAD,fmk组HPMC凋亡率(P<0.05)和caspase-3活性(P<0.05)显著下降,且HPMC凋亡率与Z-VAD.fmk呈负相关(r=-0.8836,P<0.01)。结论 (1)高糖能以     

128对不育夫妇血清、精浆抗精浆免疫抑制物抗体与精液检查关系的分析

我们检测了８９对生育夫妇和１２８对不育夫妇血清、精浆中抗精浆免疫抑制物抗体（ＳＰＩ—Ａｂ）的水平。结果表明，不育夫妇血清、精浆ＳＰＩＭ—Ａｂ的水平和检出率均明显高于生育组（Ｐ＜０．０１）；精浆ＳＰＩＭ—Ａｂ水平增高者的精子密度、精子活率、精子运动速度和ＳＰＩＭ活性均明显降低（Ｐ＜０．０１）。提示：ＳＰＩＭ—Ａｂ水平增加可能影响生育。     

高血糖对急性颅脑伤预后的影响

对ＩＣＵ收治的６１例急性闭合性颅脑伤患者入院２４ｈ血糖水平与急性期格拉斯哥昏迷评分、颅脑伤不同类型及预后进行分析。结果提示：格拉斯哥昏迷评分与血糖水平经回归分析呈显著负相关（ｒ＝－０．９６４，Ｐ＜０．０１）；不同类型颅脑伤患者以脑挫裂伤组血糖最高。高血糖组患者病死率明显高于非高血糖组，死亡组患者血糖明显高于恢复不良组及恢复良好组。作者认为，血糖测定有助于了解颅脑伤的严重程度，同时可以估计患者的预后，在颅脑伤的救治过程中加强血糖监测是必要的。     

Pathogenesis of progressive muscular dystrophy: studies on free radical metabolism in an animal model

Evidence to suggest the presence of abnormal metabolism of oxygen free radicals in progressive muscular dystrophy is presented using an animal model. In the superficial pectoral muscles of dystrophic chickens, enzyme activities regulating the metabolism of oxygen free radicals, i.e., catalase, superoxide dismutases and glutathione peroxidase, were significantly elevated within 1 week of hatching. Activities of related enzymes, i.e., glutathione reductase, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase were also elevated. In contrast, the specific activity of phosphofructokinase, the rate-limiting enzyme of the glycolytic pathway, was normal during the first 4-week period. These results suggest that there is an increased turnover of oxygen free radicals in the dystrophic muscle. This concept appears important in a further investigation of the pathogenesis and treatment of progressive muscular dystrophies.