EFFECTS OF I.V. LIGNOCAINE ON AIRWAY REFLEXES ELICITED BY IRRITATION OF THE TRACHEAL MUCOSA IN HUMANS ANAESTHETIZED WITH ENFLURANE

We have investigated the effects of bolus administration oflignocaine 1.5 mg kg^–1 i.v. on respiratory responses toairway irritation induced by instillation of distilled waterinto the trachea in 10 patients anaesthetized with enflurane(1.5% end-tidal). Before administration of lignocaine, airwayirritation elicited not only the cough reflex, but also otherrespiratory reflexes such as expiration, apnoea and spasmodicpanting. Immediately after administration of i.v. lignocaine,when plasma concentrations of lignocaine exceeded 4.7 µgml^–1, tracheal irritation elicited only brief apnoea.Other reflex responses were suppressed completely; they recoveredgradually with progressive decrease in plasma concentrationof lignocaine. The apnoeic reflex was not eliminated at plasmalignocaine concentrations greater than 7.0 ug ml^–1, whereasthe expiration reflex, cough reflex and spasmodic panting wereeliminated effectively by plasma concentrations of lignocainegreater than 3.5, 2.8 and 2.2 ug ml^–1, respectively.     

Anatomical Investigation of 39 Cases of Congenital Duplication in Calves

Abstract The anatomical features of congenital duplication in the bovine calf encountered in 39 cases over eleven years in Hokkaido were investigated macroscopically. Among the animals studied, 14 were male, 20 female and 5 of unknown gender, and the anomaly was noted in 35 Holstein-Friesians, 3 Japanese Blacks and 1 Hereford.
The duplications observed in this study were classified by four types: free asymmetrical, 4 (all 4 acardius); attached symmetrical, 25 (14 cranial duplication, 2 dipygus, 2 dicephalus dipygus, 5 thoracopagus, and 2 pygopagus); attached asymmetrical, 6 (1 parasitic dipygus, 4 notomelia, and 1 pygomelia); and miscellaneous, 4. The four acardii were holoacardii amorphi covered with skin and hair. Cranial duplication was subdivided into five types based on the number of eyes and ears. In symmetrical twins the anterior part of the body was affected in 16 out of 25 cases (64%), the posterior part in 2 out of 25 (8%) and both the anterior and posterior in 7 out of 25 (28%). All were mirror-image duplicates on the various planes, and in some the internal organs had a center of symmetry. All four notomeli calves were female. Among the miscellaneous duplications, three were of the genital organs (male 1, and female 2) and one was a spinal cord duplication.     

Acidosis and raised norepinephrine levels are associated with exercise dyspnoea in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis

Background and objective:   Exertional dyspnoea limits patients with IPF in their activities of daily living. The mechanism, however, has not been elucidated. This study tested the hypothesis in IPF that exertional dyspnoea correlates with cardiopulmonary exercise responses, specifically changes in arterial blood pH and plasma norepinephrine (NE).
Methods:   Cardiopulmonary exercise testing with measurements of dyspnoea (Borg scale), plasma NE, plasma lactate and arterial blood gases were performed in 29 patients with IPF and in nine controls.
Results:   Both groups showed obvious break points in dyspnoea changes during exercise. In IPF, an abrupt change in the Borg scale, pH, PaCO₂ and plasma NE occurred in the late exercise phase after the 'break point'. Compared with controls, patients with IPF had significantly higher HCO₃^- levels and physiologic dead space/tidal volume during exercise. In IPF, during both exercise phases, the dyspnoea slope (ΔBorg scale/Δminute ventilation) correlated with the pH slope (ΔpH/Δoxygen uptake) (before the break point: r  = −0.537, P  = 0.0022; r  = −0.886, P  < 0.0001, after the break point) and the NE slope (ΔNE/Δoxygen uptake) (before the break point: r  = 0.481, P  = 0.0075; R  = 0.784, P  < 0.0001, after the break point).
Conclusions:   In patients with IPF, exercise-induced acidosis and increases in circulating NE levels were associated with intensity of exertional dyspnoea.     

CCl4诱发galectin-3基因敲除鼠急性肝损伤中GRP78和BAD表达

目的观察半乳糖凝集素-3(galectin-3)基因敲除鼠肝脏中GRP78和BAD表达,探讨急性肝损伤中galectin-3抗凋亡作用。方法制备GRP78和BADDNA探针,分别利用Western和Northern杂交技术检测在CCl4损伤galectin-3基因敲除鼠肝组织中GRP78和BAD蛋白和mRNA表达。结果成功构建PTS1-BAD和PTS1-GRP78扩增质粒。GRP78蛋白主要定位在微粒体中,galectin-3 / 小鼠经CCl4处理6-14h后,肝脏GRP78表达上调至高峰,而后恢复正常;在galectin-3-/-小鼠中,CCl4处理后GRP78表达水平未见变化。正常或者CCl4处理的galectin-3 / 和-/-小鼠中GRP78 mRNA表达未见显著差别。galectin-3 / 鼠中主要定位在微粒体中在CCl4处理前后未见BAD蛋白在细胞浆和微粒体中表达。galectin-3-/-中BAD主要定位在肝细胞浆和微粒体,CCl4处理前后表达升高。BAD mRNA 1.6kb片段在galectin-3 / 和-/-小鼠经CCl4处理前后均没有变化,但0.9kb片段galectin-3 / 和-/-小鼠经CCl4处理后表达降低。结论CCl4可诱导肝脏mRNA降解,该过程中参与细胞凋亡的蛋白质表达升高。galectin-3 / 小鼠CCl4处理后肝细胞凋亡以内质网应急途径为主,而galectin-3-/-则以线粒体为主。在肝细胞中galectin-3对线粒体凋亡和内质网应急途径均有抑制作用。     

CCl4诱发galectin-3基因敲除鼠急性肝损伤的实验研究

目的研究四氯化碳(CCl4)诱发急性肝损伤中半乳凝素3(galectin-3)作用及相关线粒体抗凋亡途径。方法利用PCR和Northern印迹杂交确认galectin-3 / 和galectin-3-/-遗传背景及galectin-3表达,HE组织切片和ELISA分别检测肝细胞形态和谷草转氨酶(AST)活性,采用Western印迹杂交检测CYP2E1、CYP1A2、Bid和PUMA蛋白表达。结果遗传背景正确galectin-3 / 小鼠肝脏经CCl4作用后galectin-3mRNA表达和血清AST水平升高而后下降、肝脏表现水肿和坏死等形态学改变,galectin-3 / 小鼠肝细胞坏死和血清AST水平高于galectin-3-/-小鼠。细胞色素氧化酶CYP2E1和CYP1A2主要存在于微粒体中,CCl4毒性作用降低其表达水平。Bid蛋白主要定位在细胞浆和线粒体中,CCl4诱导下线粒体中22kd和15kdBid升高,galectin-3 / 鼠表现升高显著。PUMA蛋白主要定位于细胞浆,galectin-3 / 鼠中表达水平高于对应基因缺陷鼠,CCl4降低其表达。结论CCl4毒性对galectin-3 / 和galectin-3-/-小鼠可产生以细胞色素氧化酶降低、AST水平升高、细胞水肿或坏死等肝损伤,galectin-3基因缺损可减轻CCl4肝毒性,该生物学现象可能与galectin-3抗凋亡作用有关,急性肝细胞损伤中galectin-3作用与线粒体途径中Bid和PUMA表达无显著相关。     

Immunogenicity of the whole antigen and glycoprotein I of varicella-zoster virus (VZV) and the VZV skin test antigen

Specific cellular immunity against the whole antigen and glycoprotein I (gp I) of varicella-zoster virus (VZV) and the skin test antigen were determined for 13 healthy immune adults to compare the immunogenicity of these antigens using a lymphoproliferative assay. The stimulation index values (mean ± s.d.) were 16.4 ± 11.2 against the whole VZV antigen, 4.2 ± 2.9 against the VZV skin test antigen and 1.1 ±0.5 against gp I. The immunogenicity of the skin test antigen, which mainly contains gp III and gp IV, appears to be more favorable than that of gp I alone, but to be weaker than that of the whole VZV antigen.     

Persistence of the Supracardinal Veins in Two Calves

Abstract Malformations of the caudal vena cava were found in two male Holstein-Friesian calves. Cases 1 and 2 were clinically diagnosed as arthritis and intestinal atresia, respectively. Both calves died soon after birth. Case 1: The common trunk, which consisted of the right and left common iliac veins, ran forward just beneath the vertebral column passing through the aortic hiatus, and then entering the coronary sinus by way of the left azygos vein. The other venous trunk originated from the junction of the right and left renal veins and ran normally thereafter. Reduction of the cervical vertebrae, and hypoplasia of the colon, thymus and hypophysis were also observed. Case 2: The common trunk received a renal vein from the horseshoe kidney, passed through the diaphragm on the right side of the aortic hiatus of normal case and emptied into the cranial vena cava by way of the right azygos vein. The hepatic veins passed separately through the foramen venae cavae and entered the right atrium. An abnormal aorta was detached and hung from the vertebral column. Atresia coli, cryptorchidism and wry tail were also observed. The above findings showed that the left supracardinal vein in Case 1 and the right one in Case 2 had existed during their embryological life.     

Galectin-3在CCl4所致肝损伤的保护作用

目的探讨Galectin-3在CC l4所致急性肝损伤中的作用。方法选择ICR系的雄性Galectin-3基因敲除型(Gal-3(-/-))和其野生型(Gal(+/+))小鼠,一次灌胃给予CC l4,观察给药后10 h、24 h、48 h和72 h的肝组织病理改变和检测其血清谷草转氨酶(AST)和谷丙转氨酶(ALT)活性。结果与Gal(+/+)型鼠比较,CC l4对Gal-3(-/-)型鼠的肝组织病理损伤出现时间早、损伤重。Gal-3(-/-)型鼠在CC l4灌胃后10 h和24 h的血清ALT活性及CC l4灌胃后10 h的血清AST活性与Gal(+/+)型鼠比较有显著升高。结论Galectin-3蛋白在CC l4致急性肝损伤中具有保护作用。     

Fine Structure of Unmyelinated Nerves in Neonatal Skin

The fine structure of unmyelinated cutaneous nerve fibers in newborns was examined in lesions of adnexal polyp of neonatal skin. In the neonatal cutaneous nerves, unmyelinated fibers outnumbered myelinated ones. The unmyelinated fibers consisted of Schwann cells, axons and basal lamina. Their ultrastructural organization was basically similar to that in the adult skin. However, some of the unmyelinated fibers contained axonal bundles which suggested a state of cytoarchitectural immaturity or incomplete growth. Phagocytosis of melanosomes by Schwann cells was also observed.