Infant influenza

Reports on the symptoms of infant influenza (less than 1 year of age) are very few. From 1989 to 1996, 105 infants with influenza were examined. The symptoms, nutrition and source of infection of the 105 patients were investigated in Sakuma Pediatric Clinic and viral studies were performed at the Kitakyushu City Institute of Environmental Sciences. The symptoms of patients under 6 months old are very mild, with a low maximum body temperature and a short duration of fever. Other complications are few. The symptoms gradually become more severe with each month of age. The ratio of patients displaying a diphasic fever with two peak temperatures increases with each month of age. Over 50% of patients over 9 months old have this diphasic fever with two peak temperatures. It is inconclusive whether an anti-infective factor in human milk exists or not. Of the 105 patients in this study, 28 were under 4 months of age; of these 28, all but 3 were infected by family members.     

β肾上腺素能受体激动剂对离体大鼠肺泡液体清除率的作用

目的探讨β1肾上腺素能受体激动剂地诺帕明、β2肾上腺素能受体激动剂特布他林、β3肾上腺素能受体激动剂BRL37344对离体大鼠肺泡液体清除率(AFC)的作用及机制。方法5%白蛋白等渗生理盐水溶液和不同药物混合后灌注到离体大鼠的肺泡腔内,根据灌注前及其孵育1h后白蛋白浓度的变化来计算大鼠AFC。结果基础AFC为6.9%±2.2%,地诺帕明、特布他林、BRL37344可显著提高AFC(分别为17.1%±2.4%、19.5%±1.2%、19.9%±2.5%)。β1肾上腺素能受体阻滞剂Atenolol可完全抑制地诺帕明提高AFC(6.1%±0.9%)的作用,但不能阻滞特布他林和BRL37344的作用。β2肾上腺素能受体阻滞剂ICI118551完全抑制了特布他林和BRL37344提高AFC(分别为5.7%±0.6%和7.8%±2.6%)的作用,部分抑制了地诺帕明的作用(AFC为12.7%±1.8%)。β3肾上腺素能受体阻滞剂SR59230A部分抑制了BRL37344和特布他林的作用(AFC分别为13.8%±3.1%和14.5%±3.4%),但不能阻滞地诺帕明的作用。结论地诺帕明、特布他林、BRL37344可以显著提高大鼠的AFC。但地诺帕明和特布他林是分别通过β1、β2肾上腺素能受体起作用;而BRL37344可能是通过β2肾上腺素能受体调节的。ICI118551和SR59230A可能分别具有抑制β1或β2肾上腺素能受体的作用。     

Effects of Nonanal,trans-2-Nonenal and 4-Hydroxy-2,3-trans-nonenal on Cyclooxygenase and 12-Lipoxygenase Metabolism of Arachidonic Acid in Rabbit Platelets

The effects of nonanal, trans-2-nonenal and 4-hydroxy-2,3-trans-nonenal on the formation of thromboxane B₂ (TXB₂), 12-hydroxy-5,8,10-heptadecatrienoic acid (HHT) and 12-hydroxy-5,8,10,14-eicosatetraenoic acid (12-HETE) from exogenous arachidonic acid in washed rabbit platelets were examined. Nonanal and trans-2-nonenal at concentrations ranging from 0.25 to 2 μm inhibited TXB₂, HHT and 12-HETE formation, reducing the amounts of these three arachidonic acid metabolites by 50% at nonanal and trans-2-nonenal concentrations of approximately 0.25 μm. The inhibition of TXB₂, HHT and 12-HETE formation induced by 4-hydroxy-2,3-trans-nonenal (50% inhibition by 4-hydroxy-2,3-trans-nonenal at a concentration of approximately 100 μm) was 400 times weaker than that induced by nonanal and trans-2-nonenal. These results suggest that nonanal and trans-2-nonenal can be modulators of platelet arachidonic acid metabolism by affecting the activity of cyclooxygenase and 12-lipoxygenase.     

Deficiency of endogenous prostanoids in gastric and duodenal ulcer diseases

The levels of prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂), 6-keto-prostaglandin F₁α (PGF₁α) and thromboxane B₂ (TXB₂) in endoscopic biopsy specimens from the gastric and duodenal mucosa of healthy volunteers and ulcer patients were measured by radio-immunoassay. The PGE₂ and PGF₁α levels in the mucosa of the corpus of the stomach were lower and the TXB₂ level was higher in 10 patients with gastric ulcer in the corpus than in the 16 healthy subjects. The PGE₂ level in the antral mucosa of 14 patients with gastric ulcer in the antrum was lower than in the controls. In 18 patients with duodenal ulcer, PGE₂ deficiency was more widespread in the entire gastric and duodenal mucosa while the reduced PGF₁α level was limited in the gastric corpus. Lower levels of PGE₂ in patients with antral or duodenal ulcer and of PGE₂ and PGF₁α in patients with corpus ulcer in the anatomical mucosal area including the ulcer site may predispose the mucosa to ulceration.     

Induction of the Conversion of Xanthine Dehydrogenase to Oxidase in Rabbit Liver by Cu2+, Zn2+ and Selenium Ions

Abstract— Effects of Cu²⁺, Zn²⁺, Fe²⁺ and selenium ions on the conversion of xanthine dehydrogenase to oxidase in rabbit liver were examined. Under basal conditions, xanthine oxidase activity represented only 16% of the total xanthine oxidase plus dehydrogenase activity. Cu²⁺ (2–10 μm ), Zn²⁺ (5–30 μm ) and selenium ions (5–100 μm ) brought about the conversion of xanthine dehydrogenase to oxidase in a dose-dependent manner. The concentrations of Cu²⁺, Zn²⁺ and selenium ions required for increasing xanthine oxidase activity by 50% was approximately 4, 10 and 20 μm , respectively. On the other hand, Fe²⁺ had no effect on the conversion of the enzyme up to 100 μm . These results suggest that Cu²⁺, Zn²⁺ and selenium ions have the potential to modulate the conversion of xanthine dehydrogenase to oxidase in rabbit liver.     

Prolonged silent periods produced by magnetic cortical stimulation in patients with cerebellar ataxia

Abstract Magnetic cortical stimulation can produce silent periods (SP) following excitatory motor responses. The SP in eight patients with cerebellar ataxia was examined. The onset latency of the SP in hand muscles after magnetic cortical stimulation was not different from that in control subjects. The duration of the SP was longer than that in control subjects, but the difference was not significant statistically. The end latency of the SP in patients with cerebellar ataxia was more prolonged than that in control subjects. Therefore, the inhibitory function may be enhanced in patients with cerebellar ataxia.