Immunohistochemical and immunoelectron microscopical characterization of cerebrovascular and senile plaque amyloid in aged dogs'' brains

Immunohistochemical and immunoelectron microscopical studies were carried out on 28 aged dogs' brains. Amyloid deposits were seen in the arteries and capillaries in the leptomeninges and in superficial areas of the cortices in 19 (67.9%) of the 28 dogs (10-22 years of age). Immunohistochemically, these amyloid deposits were reactive for anti-beta/A4 antibody. Additionally, a variable number of parenchymal deposits with diffuse beta/A4-immunoreactivity (diffuse plaques) was also noted throughout the cerebral cortex in 24/28 dogs (85.7%). However, these plaque lesions were undetectable in Congo red staining. Electron microscopically, amyloid fibrils, measuring 10 nm in width, were located mainly in the tunica media of the arteries, and in less involved vessels they tended to be present among collagen fibres in the adventitia and smooth muscle cells in the outer layer of the media. The plaque lesions appeared to contain sparse aggregations of amyloid fibrils. In immunoelectron microscopical examinations, all amyloid fibrils in both blood vessels and plaques were selectively labelled by gold particles. These findings indicate that aged dogs can provide a useful experimental model for research into the beta/A4-type of cerebral amyloidosis commonly seen in Alzheimer's disease.     

Tityus perijanensis González-Sponga (Scorpiones, Buthidae): molecular assessment of its geographical distribution and venom lethality of Venezuelan populations.

An extensive field survey allowed us to expand the geographical distribution of the scorpion Tityus perijanensis in the Perijá range, western Zulia State, Venezuela, including areas where adult cases of severe scorpionism have been reported. 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene sequencing, DL(50) determination, and native PAGE suggest low genetic and venom proteomic divergence across the distribution range. The results also indicate phylogenetic divergence between T. perijanensis and T. discrepans, the species prevalent in northcentral Venezuela. T. perijanensis venom lethality (0.91-0.94 mg/kg) is comparable to that of the Brazilian T. serrulatus and ranks highest among toxic Venezuelan Tityus studied so far. The data indicate that the Perijá range should be included amongst the endemic areas of scorpionism of Venezuela and Colombia.     

MMP-2、TIMP-2与碱烧伤后角膜新生血管形成的实验研究

目的:探讨基质金属蛋白酶-2(MMP-2)、基质金属蛋白酶-2组织型抑制剂(TIMP-2)在碱烧伤大鼠角膜新生血管(CNV)形成中的表达和意义。方法:采用碱烧伤大鼠角膜建立CNV模型,摘除角膜作病理切片,多形核白细胞(PMN)记数;免疫组化法检测MMP-2、TIMP-2的表达。结果:烧伤后1d角膜缘PMN开始增多,到CNV7d组PMN增加最明显,此后逐渐减少;免疫组化显示:MMP-2在CNV中阳性表达逐渐增加,于7d表达最明显,此后随炎性细胞的减少而减弱,21d后几乎无表达;TIMP-2则于早期变化不明显,7d表达开始升高,14d达高峰。结论:烧伤后CNV形成早期,MMP-2活性增高,继而TIMP-2表达增加,使MMP-2活性受抑,基底膜降解受阻,新生血管延伸停滞;CNV形成中,MMP-2的表达增加,并与角膜的炎性反应程度一致,PMN浸润可能是CNV形成的关键因素。     

Open, Double-Blind and Long-Term Study of Vigabatrin in Chronic Epilepsy

We performed an open, double-blind, and long-term study of vigabatrin (gamma-vinyl-GABA, GVG) in patients with treatment-resistant epilepsy who were receiving only one or at most two standard antiepileptic drugs (AEDs). The novel design included a parallel, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase that minimized the number of patients receiving placebo and allowed determination of the optimum dose of GVG for each patient before initiation of the double-blind phase. The study was divided into four phases. The first phase was a 6-week period of baseline observation. In the second phase, GVG was added openly to previous AEDs for 8 weeks. During the first 2 weeks of this phase, the dose of GVG was increased weekly and then, in the absence of adverse effects, was held constant for the next 6 weeks. At the end of this open phase, seizure frequency during the 6 weeks of constant treatment was compared with the baseline seizure frequency for each patient. Patients who experienced reduction greater than 50% in the frequency of any seizure type during the open phase were defined as responders. These responders were then entered into the third and double-blind phase, in which they were randomly allocated wither to continue active GVG treatment or placebo for 8 weeks. Thirty-three patients entered the study; 31 of 33 patients completed the initial open phase. Twenty patients achieved a reduction greater than or equal to 50% in the frequency of one or more seizure types and were eligible for the double-blind phase; 10 were randomized to continue GVG and 10 were randomized to placebo.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

酶联免疫吸附试验、间接荧光抗体试验、间接免疫过氧化物酶染色试验诊断人体旋毛虫病的初步研究

用ELISA、IFA和IIP试验检测11例旋毛虫病人血清特异性抗体,阳性率分别为72.72％、81.82％和81.82%。它们之间无统计学差异,3项试验结果间存在良好一致性。 同时检测了30份健康献血员血清和20例其他寄生虫病人血清(包括华支睾吸虫病、四川肺吸虫病、日本血吸虫病、包虫病和阿米巴肝脓肿),旋毛虫病人组的ELISA、IFA和IIP阳性率明显为高。 由于3项免疫学试验均具有较好的特异性和灵敏性,故可以单独或联合用于人体旋毛虫病的诊断和流行病学调查。     

Stimulation by mitogens and neuronal membranes of lymphocytes from patients with motor neurone disease

Stimulation of lymphocytes from motor neurone disease patients by either concanavalin A or PHA was shown to be significantly depressed relative to that from normal controls, as assayed by incorporation of [3H]thymidine or [3H]leucine or by glucose uptake. Corresponding significant differences were not shown by assays based upon incorporation of [3H]uridine or of lactate release. Lymphocytes from 4 out of 14 motor neurone disease patients showed a blastogenic response to membranes from rat spinal cord cells, compared with those from 0 out of 9 normal controls. These results not only suggest the possibility of an impaired cellular immune control in MND patients but also indicate the presence of lymphocytes sensitised specifically to neuronal membrane components.     

益肾调督针法对实验大鼠脑梗死恢复期TNF-α、IL-6和IL-8的影响

目的 观察益肾调督针法对脑梗死恢复期治疗及预防再梗的作用机制。方法 将实验大鼠随机分为对照组、模型组、益肾调督针法组、常规针法组和非穴针刺组各10例，用血栓栓塞法制备局灶性脑梗死模型，观察治疗前后大鼠神经功能改变，应用双抗体夹心ELISA法分别测定各组大鼠血清中TNF-α、IL-6和IL-8的含量。结果 治疗前后大鼠神经功能评分以益。肾调督针法组及常规针法组有效，差异具有显著性（P〈0．01）；模型组大鼠血清中TNF．仅、IL-6和IL．8含量较对照组明显升高（P〈0．01），施予针刺治疗后各针法组含量均有不同程度的下降。结论 益肾调督针法可以有效地抑制TNF-α、IL-6和IL-8的表达．从而在脑梗死恢复期治疗及预防再梗方面发挥作用。     

卡维地洛对不稳定型心绞痛患者血浆炎症因子的影响

目的观察卡维地洛对不稳定型心绞痛（UAP）患者高敏C反应蛋白（hs-CRP）、白介素-6（IL-6）及细胞间可溶性黏附分子1（sICAM-1）水平的影响。方法UAP患者62例采用完全随机化方法分成对照组（n=30）和治疗组（n=32）,在常规抗血小板、扩血管治疗基础上,对照组予美托洛尔（12.5mg,2次/d×3d）口服,治疗组服卡维地洛（6.25mg,2次/d×3d）,在治疗前后分别测定hs-CRP、IL-6、sICAM-1值。结果对照组和治疗组在治疗前hs-CRP、IL-6、sICAM-1均无显著性差异;用药后两组3指标均较用药前显著降低（P<0.05）;治疗组在用药后IL-6、sI-CAM-1显著低于对照组（P<0.05）。同时,用药后两组患者的心率、血压、心肌耗氧量均较用药前显著降低（P<0.05）,治疗组的心肌耗氧量显著低于对照组（P<0.05）。结论卡维地洛可显著降低UAP患者的炎症因子IL-6、sICMA-1水平。     

Immune reactivity towards insulin, its amyloid and protein S100B in blood sera of Parkinson's disease patients

Peripheral immune responses can be sensitive indicators of disease pathology. We evaluated the autoimmune reactions to endocrine (insulin) and astrocytical (S100B) biomarkers in the blood sera of 26 Parkinson's disease (PD) patients compared with controls by using ELISA. We found a statistically significant increase of the autoimmune responses to both antigens in PD patients compared with controls with a mean increase of 70% and 50% in the autoimmune reactions towards insulin and S100B, respectively. Heterogeneity of the immune responses observed in patients may reflect the modulating effect of multiple variables associated with neurodegeneration and also changes in the basic mechanisms of individual autoimmune reactivity. We did not detect any pronounced immune reactions towards insulin amyloid fibrils and oligomers in PD patients, indicating that an amyloid-specific conformational epitope is not involved in immune recognition of this amyloid type, while sequential epitope of native insulin is hidden within the amyloid structures. Immune reactions towards S100B and insulin may reflect the neurodegenerative brain damaging processes and impaired insulin homeostasis occurring in PD.