The Synergistic Purgative Action of Aloe-emodin Anthrone and Rhein Anthrone in Mice: Synergism in Large Intestinal Propulsion and Water Secretion

This study aimed to explore the mechanism involved in the synergistic purgative action of aloe-emodin anthrone and rhein anthrone, the active metabolites of sennoside C. Aloe-emodin anthrone and rhein anthrone, and their equimolar mixture, induced excretion of an approximately equal number of faeces by intracaecal administration at a dose of 23.2 μmol kg^?1 in mice (= 10 standard dose). The number of wet faeces induced by aloe-emodin anthrone was less than those of rhein anthrone and the mixture. At the same dose, rhein anthrone and the mixture significantly stimulated large intestinal propulsion, though aloe-emodin anthrone had little stimulatory effect. Aloe-emodin anthrone and rhein anthrone decreased net water absorption but could not reverse it to the net secretion at 1/2 dose. The mixture significantly decreased net water absorption and reversed it to the net secretion at this dose. These anthrones did not stimulate mucus secretion in the colon at 1/2 dose. We concluded that the synergistic purgative effect of aloe-emodin anthrone and rhein anthrone in mice results from synergistic stimulation of large intestinal transit and large intestinal water secretion.     

2016年辽宁省本溪市明山区城郊接合部18~36月龄儿童生长发育状况及影响因素

目的 调查2016年辽宁省本溪市明山区城郊结合部儿童的营养状况及大运动发育状况,探寻其影响因素。 方法 调查2016年11-12月在辽宁省本溪市明山区卧龙卫生服务中心儿保科体检的所有18~36月龄儿童及其母亲,共计91组。测量儿童的身高、体重,计算年龄别身高(height-for-age Z-score, HAZ)、年龄别体重(weight-for-age Z-score, WAZ)和身高别体重(weight-for-height Z-score, WHZ)的Z评分。通过访谈调查儿童及其母亲的基本信息、儿童运动里程碑的达成情况、母乳喂养及辅食添加情况、家庭经济水平。 结果 儿童生长迟缓、低体重、消瘦的检出率分别为3.3%、2.2%、5.5%; 超重风险加超重的检出率为29.7%;大运动发育迟缓检出率为0%。剖宫产、人工喂养、中等家庭收入儿童的Z评分分别高于自然分娩、纯母乳及混合喂养、低高收入家庭儿童,差异均有统计学意义(P<0.01或P<0.05)。纯母乳喂养的儿童达到运动成长里程碑的时间早于混合和人工喂养的儿童,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。 结论 2016年本溪市城郊接合部儿童超重率较高,开展健康教育、鼓励自然分娩、提倡母乳喂养有助于该地区及类似地区儿童健康的生长发育。     

Transcutaneous Bilirubinometry

ABSTRACT. A total of 576 transcutaneous bilirubin measurements were performed on 336 Japanese full-term breast-fed newborn infants during the first twelve days of life. Our present study revealed that transcutaneous bilirubin measurements obtained from the forehead, chest, and sternum correlated well with serum bilirubin concentrations measured by AO bilirubinometer (0.910–0.922, p <0.001, n =576). The 95% confidence lmits were ±3.04 mg/dl for the forehead, ±2.85 mg/dl for the chest, and ±2.84 mg/dl for the sternum readings. The overall mean of values from the forehead, chest and sternum, when compared with individual means, was found to correlate better with serum bilirubin concentrations ( r =0.930, p <0.001, n =576) and improve the 95% confidence limits to ±2.68 mg/dl. These results demonstrated that the accuracy and reliability of TcB measurement could be increased further with multiple site measurement. The study clearly indicates that transcutaneous bilirubinometry is useful for clinical screening of serum bilirubin levels in Japanese full-term newborn infants.     

Epidemiology of school urinary screening over a 30 year period in Tokyo

BACKGROUND: A school urinary screening (SUS) system has been conducted for 30 years in Japan, but the cross-sectional data have never been reported or analyzed. The purpose of the present study was to analyze the data epidemiologically. METHODS: All elementary and junior high school children in public school in Tokyo who had SUS performed by the Tokyo Health Service Association from 1974 to 2002 (approx. 400,000-600,000 children per year) were involved. The cross-sectional data were analyzed with Pearson's correlation coefficient. RESULTS: During the first 10 years of SUS, the prevalence of abnormal urinalysis in both the first and second screenings varied widely, and the result of the second screening was affected by that of the first screening. The results of both first and second screening were highly correlated with the prevalence of hematuria, especially microhematuria, in both elementary and junior high school children. They were also correlated with the prevalence of proteinuria in junior high school children. Important factors that affected the prevalence of hematuria and/or proteinuria were reagent strips and sampling method of urinalysis. CONCLUSIONS: In order to validate SUS, attention should be paid to quality controls of the screening method, such as the selection of reagent strips, and the participants should be instructed to strictly adhere to the sampling method.     

Dual colour fluorescein analysis of peripheral blood T cells in auto-immune chronic active hepatitis

Both CD4 and CD8 T cells are subdivided into two phenotypically distinct sublineages via another two T cell markers, Leu-8 and CD11b antigens. The proportions of these four T cell subsets, CD4+Leu8+, CD4+Leu8-, CD8+11b+ and CD8+11b-, were studied in patients with auto-immune chronic active hepatitis (CAH) and compared with disease controls (hepatitis B surface antigen positive chronic active hepatitis) and healthy controls. We found that the proportion of CD4+Leu8+ cells was significantly reduced compared with controls (P less than 0.01), whereas those of the other cells were almost identical in all 3 groups. The absolute number of these CD4+Leu8+ cells was also lower than that of controls (P less than 0.01). Thus, the present study suggests that a reduced number of CD4+Leu8+ cells is associated with the aberrant immune response in auto-immune CAH.     

Time- Versus Frequency-Domain Analysis in Predicting Cycle Length of Inducible Ventricular Tachycardia After Myocardial Infarction

To determine whether time- and frequency-domain analyses differ in their ability to predict sustained ventricular tachycardia (VT) induced by programmed ventricular stimulation, 60 consecutive patients with myocardial infarction and 30 healthy control subjects were evaluated. Programmed ventricular stimulation using three extrastimuli and signal-averaged ECG recordings were performed in patients with myocardial infarction. Of the 60 patients, sustained monomorphic VT (SMVT) with cycle length (CL) ± 250 ms (slow SMVT) was inducible in 9, and SMVT with CL < 250 ms (fast SMVT) was inducible in 9. The durations of the filtered QRS (f-QRS) at each high-pass filter (25, 40, and 80 Hz) and the low amplitude signal (LAS) at 25-Hz high-pass filtering were significantly longer in the slow SMVT group than in the fast SMVT, no VT, or normal control group. The root-mean- square voltages at 25-Hz and 8Q-Hz high-pass filters in the slow SMVT group were significantly lower than in the fast SMVT, no VT, or normal control group. There was no significant difference in time- domain variables among fast SMVT, no VT, and normal control groups. The CL of the induced sustained VT was significantly correlated with the durations of f-QRS and LAS, Concerning frequency-domain variables (area ratio and factor of normality), there was no significant difference between slow and fast SMVT groups. Both the slow and fast SMVT groups had a significantly higher area ratio and a significantly lower factor of normality than the group with no VT or the normal control subjects. In conclusion, there were significant correlations between time-domain variables and CL of SMVT, while there was no correlation when using frequency-domain parameters.     

Pirfenidone prevents the progression of irreversible glomerular sclerotic lesions in rats

Summary: Pirfenidone (PFD) is a new drug which has been shown to prevent or even reverse the extracellular matrix accumulation in several organs. to examine the effect of PFD on the progressive glomerulosclerosis, we treated model rats with irreversible chronic renal disease per orally with 500 mg/kg bodyweight of PFD per day. the model rats were made by intravenous injection of anti-Thy-1 monoclonal antibody 1-22-3 at 1 h following unilateral nephrectomy, which results in chronic progressive glomerulosclerosis. Twenty-four hours later, 32 female Wistar rats were divided into two groups and were fed standard chow with (PFD group: P) or without PFD (control group: C). All rats were sacrificed on day 42. No significant difference in the bodyweight or the amount of chow intake was observed between the two groups. the remnant kidney was significantly ( P <0.05) heavier in C (2.11 ± 0.15 g) than in P (1.70 ± 0.13 g). This finding, together with light microscopic findings, showed that PFD administration resulted in the prevention of renal hypertrophy. On day 42, proteinuria in P (124.3 ± 31.9 mg/day) was significantly lower than in C (214.6 ± 8.1 mg/day), and P maintained significantly better renal function than C as judged by serum urea nitrogen and creatinine levels. Mean matrix score was less in P (178 ± 17) than in C (225 ± 22). Crescent formation was observed in 17% of glomeruli in P and in 35% in C. Tubulointerstitial lesions were also less severe in P. Furthermore, inflammation and sclerosis indices detected by immunohistochemistry (e.g. ED-1, OX8, TGF-beta α-smooth muscle actin, collagen type I, were less in P). These data suggest that PFD may be a promising agent for the prevention of progressive and irreversible glomerulosclerosis.     

EFFECT OF FUSARIC ACID (A DOPAMINE β-HYDROXYLASE INHIBITOR) ON PHAEOCHROMOCYTOMA

Fusaric acid, an inhibitor of dopamine beta-hydroxylase, which converts dopamine to noradrenaline, lowered the blood pressure and induced a subjective improvement in patients with phaeochromocytoma. These effects may be due either to an impairment of catecholamine biosynthesis or to a direct action on the blood vessels. The use of this drug in the treatment of patients with inoperable malignant phaeochromocytoma or neuroblastoma may improve symptoms and prolong survival.     

Cutaneous ultrastructural diagnosis of ceroid-lipofuscinosis

A skin biopsy from a 6-year-old girl was examined by electron microscopy and the diagnosis of ceroid-lipofuscinosis (CL) was confirmed. This has not been reported in the dermatology literature, because of the absence of specific skin manifestations. However, as we have shown, various cells of skin, including fibroblasts, Schwann cells, eccrine serous cells, endothelial cells and smooth muscle cells, accumulated characteristic substances to produce the finger print pattern (FPP) or the curvilinear profile (CLP) which are thought to be diagnostic for CL. Cutaneous ultrastructural research in such cases is important as asymptornatic skin disorders may exist in other congenital storage diseases.     

Nocturnal hypoxic stress activates invasive ability of monocytes in patients with obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome

Background and objective:   Obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSAS) is known to be a risk factor for cardiovascular events. However, the precise mechanism has not been fully elucidated. OSAS-induced hypoxic stress may promote the production of inflammatory cytokines and chemokines by monocytes, which has a crucial role in the development of atherosclerosis. In addition, adhesion to the vascular endothelium and transendothelial migration of monocytes are considered to induce atherosclerosis. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of hypoxic stress on the invasive ability of monocytes in OSAS.
Methods:   Twenty-one male patients with OSAS and 17 healthy male control subjects, who were matched for age and BMI, were enrolled. Venous blood samples were collected before and after sleep, and also after CPAP titration, for the purpose of monocyte isolation. The invasive ability of monocytes was evaluated by counting the number of invading cells using a BD BioCoat Matrigel Invasion Chamber.
Results:   The number of cells, which represents the invasive ability of monocytes, was significantly higher in patients with OSAS compared with control subjects, in the early morning ( P  < 0.001). In patients with OSAS, invasive ability in the early morning after sleep was significantly elevated as compared with that before sleep ( P  < 0.001), and was positively correlated with the oxygen desaturation index ( P  < 0.05). CPAP titration led to a decrease in the invasive ability ( P  < 0.001).
Conclusions:   These results indicate that OSAS-induced hypoxic stress activates the invasive ability of monocytes, and that the occurrence of this phenomenon during sleep may contribute to the development of atherosclerosis in OSAS.