An analysis of the paradoxical effect of morphine on runway speed and food consumption

A previously reported paradigm in which rats run down a runway for food reward followed by morphine injection was analyzed to assess the utility of the paradigm in studies of opiate reinforcement. One experiment replicated the original report that post-trial morphine caused both an increase in runway speed and a decrease in food consumption (taste aversion) over successive trials, and showed in addition that the increase in runway speed did not occur as a result of food deprivation alone, but required the animals to have consumed food in the goal box. A second study using the quaternary opiate antagonist methyl naltrexone to block the peripheral effects of morphine suggested that the increase in runway speed has a peripheral locus while the taste aversion has a central one. A third experiment in which morphine was microinjected into either the lateral ventricle or the ventral tegmental area supported these observations, in that intracranial morphine failed to result in an increased runway speed, but did produce taste aversion after microinjection into either site. These findings also suggest that the increase in runway speed caused by post-trial morphine in this experiment has a peripheral locus of effect, which is probably distinct from the central effect that supports morphine self-administration and conditioned place preference. Offprint requests to: W.A.CorrigallThe views expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the Addiction Research Foundation     

Fractional flow reserve and complex coronary pathologic conditions.

Fractional flow reserve (FFR) is a well-validated index for assessing the physiologic significance of a coronary stenosis in most clinical conditions encountered in today's catheterisation laboratory. The aim of this paper is to provide a short overview of the theoretical background of the coronary pressure-derived FFR index and its clinical applicability in guiding complex coronary intervention procedures.     

Multi-locus analysis of HLA class II genes in DR2-positive IDDM haplotypes in Finland

Abstract: In this study we characterized the haplotypes found in IDDM patients that normally confer resistance to the disease in order to localize the polymorphisms relevant for the protection. We studied 15 DR2-positive subjects with IDDM for their DRB1, DRB5 and DQB1 genes using RFLP, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), oligonucleotide typing, and in some specific cases direct sequencing after allele-specific PCR. In addition we analyzed 39 DR2-positive, IDDM non-associated haplotypes representing those haplotypes that are not inherited to probands and hence are present only in healthy family members. The frequency of the DRB1*1501-DRB5*0101-DQB1*0602 haplotype was slightly decreased among diabetic patients (80% vs. 92%). In addition, two unconventional haplotypes DRB1*1501-DRB5*0101-DQB1*05031 and DRB1*1501-DRB5*0101-DQB1*0502 were found in patients with IDDM while all the control ones were conventional. The sequencing of the DQB1*0602 allele present in IDDM haplotypes showed no differences when compared to the controls. These results support the primary but not absolute role of DQ in the protection against IDDM. An additional role of factors centromeric to DQB1 gene was suggested by findings based on the biallelic TaqI RFLP polymorphism of the DQA2 gene. All DR2-DQB1*0602 IDDM haplotypes were associated with the 2.1-kb fragment while in the control group the 2.1-kb and 1.9-kb fragments were evenly distributed.     

Effect of metabolic cage housing on immunoglobulin A and corticosterone excretion in faeces and urine of young male rats

Six 8-week-old Sprague-Dawley rats were studied for 9 days divided into three periods of 3 days each: before transferral to metabolism cages, during metabolic cage housing and after return to their home cages. Faeces were collected daily when the animals were housed in their home cages and every 6 h when the animals were housed in metabolic cages during which time urine was also collected every 6 h. The rate of weight gain was slightly reduced during the 3 days in metabolic cages and the animals produced significantly larger amounts of faeces when housed in metabolic cages than when housed in their home cages. The total faecal excretion of corticosterone (nanograms excreted per hour per kilogram body weight) and immunoglobulin A (IgA) (milligrams excreted per hour per kg body weight) quantified by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) exhibited a clear diurnal rhythm in the metabolic cage. Urinary excretions of corticosterone and IgA also followed a clear diurnal cycle. The mean daily amounts of corticosterone excreted were not significantly affected by cage change and by housing in metabolic cages. However, the excretion of faecal IgA was significantly reduced during the 3 days after the period in metabolic cages. Taken together the results indicate that metabolic cage housing is mildly stressful for young adult male rats.     

Two sisters with Escobar syndrome

We report on 2 sisters with an autosomal-recessive multiple pterygium syndrome, type Escobar, consisting of multiple pterygia with severe contractures, short stature, and minor facial and external genital anomalies. The striking finding was severe muscular atrophy. We speculate that a neu-romuscular disorder is the underlying pathogenesis of Escobar syndrome. © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

重症肌无力患者雷公藤多甙治疗后周围血细胞免疫功能变化的研究

目的 探讨重症肌无力（MG）患者周围血细胞免疫功能变化及雷公藤多甙（TⅡ）治疗MG的免疫调节机制,方法 将52例MG患者随机分为TⅡ治疗组及非TⅡ治疗组,观察两组前后及40例正常对照血清白细胞介素－6（IL－6）、肿瘤坏死因子（TNF）及可溶性白细胞介素2受体（sIL-2R)水平。结果 TⅡ治疗组及非TⅡ治疗组治疗前血汪IL－6、TNF及sIL-2R水平分别显著高于正常对照组,TⅡ治疗组治疗后血清IL－6、TNF及sIL-2R的水平均较治疗前明显降低,而非TⅡ治疗组治疗前后血清IL－6、TNF及sIL-2R水平无显著性差别。结论 MG患者存在明显的细胞免疫功能紊乱,TⅡ治疗MG的免疫机制可能是通过抑制IL－6、TNF及sIL-2R产生而发挥。     

Comparison of intestinal anaphylactic reactions in sensitized mice challenged with untreated bovine milk and homogenized bovine milk

Outbred NMRI mice were sensitized for high IgE production either by subcutaneous injections of low doses of untreated bovine milk or homogenized bovine milk in combination with intraperitoneal injections of Freund's Complete Adjuvant or by oral administration of untreated or homogenized bovine milk without adjuvant. When analysed in murine passive cutaneous anaphylaxis test both types of milk resulted in production of reaginic antibodies against bovine milk proteins when given subcutaneously. When given orally, homogenized milk resulted in reagin production in 10 out of 14 mice, whereas untreated milk resulted in reagin production in only one out of 12 mice. The sensitized mice, and control mice, were orally challenged with either untreated milk, homogenized milk or 0.9% NaCl. Examination of the intestines 40 min after oral administration revealed that homogenized milk, contrary to untreated milk or 0.9% NaCl, resulted in a large increase in the mass of the proximal gut segment of mice sensitized orally with homogenized milk compared with control mice orally challenged with saline (P less than 0.001), and only mice both sensitized and challenged orally with homogenized milk showed degranulation of mast cells in the intestinal wall. By contrast, subcutaneously sensitized mice or mice sensitized orally with untreated bovine milk showed no significant intestinal reaction upon oral challenge with either homogenized or untreated bovine milk. These observations may indicate that the route of sensitization is of great importance when intestinal reactions are to be studied, and that homogenization of bovine milk may render the milk more aggressive with respect to its ability to induce intestinal reactions. The study indicates that mice may be an attractive experimental animal model for mimicking the intestinal anaphylactic reactions of cow milk-allergic humans.     

Thoracoscopic treatment of pleural empyema

From August 1991 to May 1997 46 patients with pleural empyema in the fibrinopurulent phase underwent thoracoscopic surgery. There were 36 men and 10 women with an average age of 47 years ranging from 18 to 84. The average operating time was 77 minutes. When only one thoracostomy drain was inserted, the drainage time was 8.5 days, if two or three drainage tubes were used it was 10.5 days. The average hospital stay was 18.1 day (range from 7 to 45). We observed ten complications. Four operations had to be converted to an open procedure because of massive thickening and fibrosis of the pleura. Three patients did not tolerate one lung ventilation, once the lung did not collapse due to technical reasons and in one patient each we observed a laceration of the parenchyma and bleeding from the parenchyma. In both cases the problem was dealt with thoracoscopically. We observed a recurrent pleural empyema in four patients which occurred between the 28th and 77th postoperative day. In summary, thoracoscopic surgery in patients with pleural empyema in the fibrinopurulent phase is an effective and well tolerated alternative to open thoracotomy.