L-Ala-substituted rat galanin analogs distinguish between hypothalamic and jejunal galanin receptor subtypes

In order to explore which amino acids or which blocks of amino acids in the 29 amino acid neuropeptide galanin are important for recognition of the endogenous ligand by galanin receptor subtypes present in the jejunum and in the hypothalamus, respectively, we have carried out L-Ala substitutions of individual amino acids or of blocks of amino acids in the rat galanin sequence and examined the binding of the obtained analogs to the rat hypothalamic and jejunal galanin receptor subtypes. This study reveals that the galanin sequence YLLGPH^9–14 is essential for recognition of galanin by both the rat hypothalamic and jejunal galanin receptor subtypes. Substitution of the N-terminal amino acids, GWTL^1–4, leads to total loss of affinity of galanin for both hypothalamic and jejunal galanin receptors. The α-helical C-terminal amino acid (25–29) part of galanin has no greater influence on the affinity of galanin to the hypothalamic galanin receptor subtype. L-Ala substitution of the C-terminal amino acids of galanin KHGLT^25–29 shows, however, that this C-terminal motif is essential for the recognition by the jejunal galanin receptor subtype, whereas amino acids in the middle portion of galanin NSAG^5–8 are of importance for binding to the hypothalamic but not to the jejunal receptor. [Ala^5–8] Galanin thus has a more than 100-fold higher affinity to jejunal receptor than to the hypothalamic receptor, while [Ala^25–29] galanin has a more than 100-fold higher affinity for the hypothalamic than for jejunal galanin receptor subtypes. pH dependence of the galanin binding to these receptor subtypes is also different. © Munksgaard 1997.     

The aberrant behavior checklist with children and adolescents with dual diagnosis

The Aberrant Behavior Checklist (ABC; Aman, Singh, Stewart, & Field, 1985a, 1985b) is a 58-item third-party informant rating scale originally developed for institutionalized, low-functioning adolescents and adults. The present study investigated the appropriateness of the scale for youngsters with dual diagnosis of mental retardation and psychiatric disturbance. Over a period of 2 1/2 years, 204 patients (199 after data reduction) from a child psychiatry unit were rated twice daily by direct care staff. Data analysis addressed internal consistency, interrater reliability, criterion validity, and robustness of the factor structure. Internal consistency was satisfactory with alpha coefficients ranging from .82 to .94. Interrater reliability varied between subscales but was relatively low (Pearson correlations between .39 to .61). In terms of its criterion validity, the ABC was sensitive to psychiatric diagnoses and age and the original 5-factor structure was robust (congruence coefficients ranged between .80 to .89). Yet, only a relatively small proportion of the variance (31.5%) was explained by factor analysis indicating possible limitations of the ABC for this population. Given the paucity of assessment instruments for this particular population and the difficulty involved in developing new population-specific instruments, the ABC can be recommended for children and adolescents with dual diagnosis.     

Health Experience of Compressed Air Workers during Construction of the Mass Transit Railway in Hong Kong

This paper reports the health experience of compressed air workersduring construction of the Island Line Section of the Mass TransitRailway in Hong Kong. The requirements of CIRIA's Code of Practiceincluding specifications of the Blackpool Tables for decompressionprocedures and the employment of doctors to monitor the healthof exposed workers by regular examination were prescribed bylocal legislation. Over a 3 year period there were 394 716 man-decompressionsfrom pressures between 1 and 3-5 kg/cm² with 2032 cases of acutedecompression sickness giving a bends rate of 0-52 per cent.The epidemiology followed the usual pattern of increase in bendsrate with increase in pressure and length of shift and withage. Most attacks occurred within a short period after decompressionand the majority of limb pains affected the leg. There werealso 10 cases of barotrauma and 22 cases of dysbaric osteonecrosisof which 7 resulted in some disability. The low incidence ofillness was an index of the effectiveness of the Code of Practiceas applied to a large scale compressed air work operation butthe toll of dysbarism, albeit small, underlines the problemthat there are as yet no decompression procedures which willprotect all men at all times and indicates the need for furtherresearch and work-site evaluation. Requests for reprints should be addressed to: W. K. Lo, Occupational Health Division, Labour Department Headquarters, Harbour Building, 38 Pier Road, Central Hong Kong.     

Localized pachydermodactyly in tuberous sclerosis

Pachydermodactyly refers to a rare form of digital fibromatosis involving the proximal portions of the fingers. There are only nine cases reported in the literature, ill idiopathic and occurring in young men. We report a 5-year-old Chinese boy with tuberous sclerosis who presented with localized pachydermodactyly since birth. This congenital form of pachydermodactyly may represent an additional cutaneous sign of tuberous sclerosis.     

Changes of hepatic and systemic haemodynamics following somatostatin administration in patients with hepatitis B-related cirrhosis

Abstract Somatostatin has been used to effectively control acute variceal haemorrhage, with conjectured mechanisms on portal hypertension. We, therefore, evaluated the effects of somatostatin on hepatic and systemic haemodynamics in 15 patients with hepatitis B-related cirrhosis and portal hypertension. All patients received an intravenous, continuous infusion of somatostatin 250 μg/h, following a bolus injection of 250 μg. In systemic haemodynamics, the mean arterial pressure (MAP) increased ( P < 0.05), associated with a reflex bradycardia within 3 min following bolus injections, compared with basal values. The right atrial pressure, pulmonary capillary wedge pressure, inferior vena cava pressure, cardiac index, and systemic vascular resistance remained unaffected after drug infusion. In hepatic haemodynamics, the wedge hepatic vein pressure remained unchanged after drug administration. However, there was an increase in free hepatic vein pressure (FHVP; P < 0.05), and a trend toward a decrease in the hepatic vein pressure gradient (HVPG; P = 0.063), within 3 min after bolus injection. Furthermore, the hepatic blood flow decreased significantly at 10 and 30 min after somatostatin infusion ( P < 0.05). The effective sinusoidal perfusion assessed by indocyanine green infusion also decreased progressively at 10 min ( P = 0.057) and 30 min ( P < 0.05). We concluded that somatostatin, at the dose used in this study, caused a transient and bolus-related vasoconstrictive effect, resulting in increases in MAP and FHVP, a decrease in heart rate, and a trend toward lower HVPG. In addition, somatostatin reduced the hepatic blood flow and effective sinusoidal perfusion which may be hazardous to cirrhotic patients during variceal haemorrhage.     

Molecular characterization of the gene encoding H antigen in Escherichia coli and development of a PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism test for identification of E. coli O157:H7 and O157:NM.

Recent outbreaks of disease caused by Escherichia coli O157:H7 have focused much attention on this newly emerged pathogen. Identification of the H7 flagellar antigen is critical for the confirmation of E. coli O157:H7; however, clinical isolates are frequently nonmotile and do not produce detectable H antigen. To further characterize nonmotile isolates (designated NM), we developed a PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) test to identify and characterize the gene encoding the H antigen (fliC) in E. coli. The entire coding sequence of fliC was amplified by PCR, the amplicon was restricted with RsaI, and the restriction fragment pattern was examined after gel electrophoresis. Two hundred eighty E. coli isolates representing serotypes O157:H7 and O157:NM, flagellar antigen H7 groups associated with other O serogroups, and all other flagellar antigen groups were analyzed. A single restriction pattern (pattern A) was identified for O157:H7 isolates, O157:NM isolates that produced Shiga toxin (formerly Shiga-like toxin or verotoxin), and 16 of 18 O55:H7 isolates. Flagellar antigen group H7 isolates of non-O157 serotypes had one of three banding patterns distinct from pattern A. A wide variety of patterns were found among isolates of the other 52 flagellar antigen groups; however, none was identical to the O157:H7 pattern. Thirteen of 15 nonmotile strains that did not produce the A pattern had patterns that matched those of other known H groups. The PCR-RFLP in conjunction with O serogroup determination will be useful in identifying E. coli O157:H7 and related strains that do not express immunoreactive H antigen and could be expanded to include other clinically important E. coli strains.     

麝香保心丸治疗冠心病心绞痛临床疗效观察

目的 :观测麝香保心丸治疗冠心病心绞痛的疗效。方法 :将 2 0 0例冠心病心绞痛的患者随机分析治疗组 12 0例 ,对照组 80例 ,治疗组口服麝香保心丸 ,每次 2片 ,每日 3次 ,对照组口服单硝酸异酯脂 ,每次 2 0mg ,每日 2次。 结果 :麝香保心丸可显著改善冠心病心绞痛临床症状 ,显著改善心电图 ,缺血总面积。总的症状疗效 :治疗组为 83% ,对照组为6 1% ,(P <0 .0 5 ) ,心电图疗效 :治疗组为 74 % ,对照组为 4 6 % (P <0 .0 5 )。结论 :麝香保心丸治疗冠心病心绞痛优于单硝酸异山梨酯。     

运动与负荷对大鼠骨形态影响的无偏体视学观察

为探讨运动对青少年长骨发育的机理,本研究以大鼠作为实验模型,使生长期大鼠进行不同强度的跑台运动,同时结合悬吊和负重模型,采用体视学全视野无偏采样方法对不同强度运动和不同形式机械负荷的生长期大鼠骨量、骨结构、骨代谢等形态参数进行测试分析,取得运动与负荷对大鼠长骨发育影响的系列结果,为儿童少年生长发育状况的评价、运动和其它干预手段的选择以及运动处方的制订等提供部分依据。