Effect of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Thunbergia laurifolia</Emphasis>, a Thai natural product used to treat drug addiction,on cerebral activity detected by functional magnetic resonance imaging in the rat

Rationale Thunbergia laurifolia Linn. (TL) is an herbal medicine used to treat alcohol and drug addiction in Thai traditional medicine. A previous study demonstrated that an extract of TL increases rat striatal dopamine release in vitro. Objectives This study determined whether a methanol extract of TL altered rat brain region activity using in vivo functional nuclear magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in a manner consistent with the observed effects in vitro on dopamine release. Methods fMRI was performed on a 2.35-T Bruker MR system. MR images were acquired from rat brain using the rapid acquisition relaxation enhanced sequence (field of view 50 mm). The imaging parameters used for the anatomical scan yielded an in-plane spatial resolution of 0.2×0.2 mm. Consecutive single-slice functional imaging over the rat brain investigated the changes in signal intensity in various parts of the brains induced by TL (200 mg/kg, i.p.) or vehicle administration. Results These demonstrate that TL increased signal intensity in various brain areas such as nucleus accumbens, globus pallidus, amygdala, frontal cortex, caudate putamen and hippocampus. These are similar to those reported previously to show effects after either cocaine or amphetamine administration. Physiological variables were not affected by the injection of TL (200 mg/kg, i.p.), but there was a small decrease in arterial blood pressure. Conclusions The results indicate that TL increases significant neuronal activity in specific brain regions responsible for reward and locomotor behaviour (fixed-effect analysis); however, there is no significant difference between TL and vehicle-treated groups with random-effect analysis (population statistic). The active compound(s) in TL responsible for the pharmacological effects of TL remain to be identified.     

Impact of a novel cardioprotective agent on the ischaemia-reperfusion-induced Akt kinase activation

Cardioprotective effect of a free radical-scavenging compound (HO-3073) was examined during ischaemia-reperfusion (IR) in isolated heart perfusion system and its influence on the pro-survival Akt signalling pathway was addressed. Rat hearts were perfused according to the Langendorff method and subjected to a global 25-min ischaemia and 15, 45 and 90-min reperfusion either untreated or treated with HO-3073 (2, 5 and 10 microM) and/or wortmannin (100 nM, inhibitor of phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase). HO-3073 facilitated the recovery of myocardial energy metabolism as assessed by 31P NMR spectroscopy (creatine phosphate recovery in reperfusion was 76+/-5%, while in untreated hearts 32+/-4%). Functional performance of the hearts followed by a left ventricular balloon manometer was also markedly improved by HO-3073 administration (recovery of rate-pressure product related to normoxia was 47+/-3%, while in untreated hearts 12+/-3%). HO-3073 diminished the infarct size measured by TTC staining (29+/-6% as opposed to 64+/-7% in untreated ischaemia-reperfusion). HO-3073 also significantly attenuated lipid peroxidation (thiobarbituric acid reactive substances) and protein oxidation (protein carbonyl content) compared to untreated hearts. HO-3073 enhanced the ischaemia-reperfusion-triggered phosphorylation of Akt-1 (activation) and glycogen synthase kinase-3 beta (inactivation) as evidenced by Western blot analysis. Wortmannin co-administration neutralised the beneficial effects of HO-3073 on cardiac energetics, contractile function, infarct size, as well as Akt signalling. Our results first display that a radical-scavenging molecule possesses the ability to intensify the pro-survival functioning of phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase/Akt pathway, which is presumed to play an additive role in the cardioprotective properties of HO-3073.     

Analysis of burns caused by pre-filled gas canisters used for lamps or portable camping stoves

The use of pre-filled valveless gas canisters for lamps or camping stoves has caused a number of serious burn incidents. We performed a retrospective analysis of all of the patients who were victims of such incidents admitted to the Marseille Burn Centre between January 1990 and March 2004. There were a total of 21 patients burned in such conditions.

Adult males made up the majority of the victims of this sort. Lesions were often extensive (60% of the patients were burned over more than 10% of their body surface) and systematically deep. In order of frequency, burn locations were: the lower limbs, the upper limbs, the hands and the face. The incidents principally occurred during replacement of the canister near an open flame.

The marketing of a canister with a valve in order to avoid gas leaks did not cause the old canisters to be taken off the market. On the contrary, European Safety Standard EN417, updated in October 2003, validated the use of these valveless canisters.

The severity of the lesions caused and the existence of safe equivalent products requires the passage of a law that forbids valveless canisters.     

太阳能光电生产企业职业病危害控制效果评价

目的评价某太阳能光电生产企业职业病危害控制效果。方法采用职业卫生现场调查、职业卫生检测和职业健康检查等方法进行综合评价。结果化学毒物与噪声是该企业的主要职业病危害因素，化学毒物检测全部低于职业接触限值，噪声有1个点超过工作地点噪声声级的卫生限值，噪声作业点合格率为80％。结论该建设项目职业病危害因素的防护措施基本可行、有效。     

紫外分光光度法测定动物血清IgG含量方法的研究

目的建立一种操作简便,快速,灵敏度高,重复性好的测定动物血清IgG制品含量的方法。方法研究紫外分光光度法测定动物血清IgG含量的可行性,并将其与免疫单扩散法进行方法学的比较。结果相比免疫单扩散法,紫外分光光度法得到的结果稳定,线性相当好。结论紫外分光光度法可用于测定动物血清IgG制品含量,该测定方法数据稳定,线性关系好,准确性高,操作简便。     

KF／Al2O3催化烃化合成止咳酮的研究

目的通过催化烃基化反应最终合成止咳酮。方法在无溶剂条件下，以固体碱KF／Al2O3为催化剂．乙酰乙酸乙酯和苄氯进行固-液相烃化反应。结果烃化反应温度为60。C，总反应物与催化剂的摩尔比是1．18：1，烃化反应时间为1．5h。止咳酮总收率60％～65％。结论固体碱KF／Al2O3能有效催化止咳酮的烃基化反应。     

神经系统肿瘤恶性程度与其基因产物表达的不稳定性相关

用免疫组化法检测了１０例中枢神经系统肿瘤和１０例末梢神经系统肿瘤细胞中ＰＣＮ，Ａｂｃｌ－２，Ｆａｓ，ＢＭ－１，Ｒｂ和ｐ５３基因产物的表达。ＰＣＮＡ，ｂｃｌ－２，Ｆａａ，ＢＭ－１，Ｒｂ和ｐ５３在中枢神经系统肿瘤中分别有７，１，４，０，２，３，例阳性；而在末梢神经系统肿瘤中则各有４，５，１０，０，５，０例阳性。在两者之间存在基因产物表达上的差异。     

心内直视手术患者吗啡与芬太尼复合麻醉对血清皮质醇的影响

作者对先天性心脏病和风湿性心脏病患者在吗啡(0.5mg/kg)-安定(0.5 mg/kg)和芬太尼(50μg/kg)-安定(0.2mg/kg)麻醉下施行体外循环心内直视手术各10例.同时测定了皮质醇浓度及心率与收缩压之乘积(RPP)值.结果显示吗啡-安定麻醉时,在手术的不同时期,皮质醇均在正常值以上(643±188—651±133nmol/L),与对照值相比无显著差异(P>0.05);芬太尼-安定麻醉时,皮质醇在正常范围内(571±254-373±185nmol/L),与对照值相比,有显著差异(P<0.05),但两组RPP均小于12.000.以上两种麻醉在临床应用2300例次,都取得了满意的麻醉效果.     

高效液相色谱法测定肉中激素残留量

目的 :建立 HPL C法测定肉与肉制品中己烯雌酚、雌二醇、沙丁胺醇、戊酸雌二醇、苯甲酸雌二醇残留量的方法。方法 :样品经甲醇超声萃取、离心 ,提取液浓缩后经 0 .4 5μm FH滤膜过滤 ,进高效液相色谱分析。结果 :五种激素浓度与峰面积成正比的工作曲线 ,相关系数 r>0 .9999;其变异系数 CV≤ 0 .6 (n=6 ) ,检出限≤ 3.5 ng,回收率范围为 95 .4～ 10 2 .5 %。结论 :该法具有灵敏、准确、精密、样品处理简单 ,杂质干扰少等优点