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.     

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.     

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。     

Hepatic expression of interferon-α in chronic hepatitis B virus infection

Hepatic expression of interferon- (IFN-) was examined by immunohistochemistry in 90 Chinese patients (M/F 67:23, age: 14–69) with a spectrum of hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related chronic liver diseases. Immunoreactive IFN- was detected in sinusoidal cells in 79 patients (88%) and in mononuclear cells in 59 patients (65.6%). Patients with active liver diseases (chronic active hepatitis, active cirrhosis,N=55) had a higher level of IFN- expression compared to patients with inactive histology (N=35; sinusoidal cells,P<0.01; mononuclear cells,P<0.01). Cytoplasmic HBsAg, nuclear HBcAg, and cytoplasmic HBcAg were detected in 79 (88%), 42 (47%), and 23 (27%) patients respectively. Expression of IFN- in mononuclear cells correlated with the expression of cytoplasmic HBcAg (P<0.05) but not with nuclear HBcAg or cytoplasmic HBsAg. When the patients were divided into four different phases according to the natural history of chronic HBV infection, patients in the active liver disease phase had higher IFN- expression compared to the immunotolerant and late phase patients (P<0.01). Using double immunohistochemical staining, both IFN- and cytoplasmic HBcAg were frequently detected near inflammatory infiltrates but no correlation existed between the hepatic expression of HBsAg and IFN-. These data indicate that IFN- is expressed in the liver in HBV-related active liver diseases and that the reported suboptimal production of IFN- by PBMC in HBV-related chronic active liver diseases may be due to a redistribution of the IFN--producing mononuclear cells into the liver, the site of inflammation.     

A Prospective,Randomized Comparison of Modified Pulmonary Vein Isolation Versus Conventional Pulmonary Vein Isolation in Patients with Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation

Modified Pulmonary Vein Isolation in AF Ablation. Introduction: Pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) is the primary ablation therapy in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). We hypothesized that high dominant frequency (DF) sites (AF nests during sinus rhythm [SR]) adjacent to the PV ostia are associated with the atrial substrate that maintains AF, and PVI incorporating the high‐frequency AF nests may have a higher efficacy. Methods and Results: In a prospective and randomized comparison, 126 symptomatic paroxysmal AF patients that underwent PVI were enrolled. We compared the efficacy of a modified PVI (ablation line: 1.0–1.5 cm from the PV ostium with encircling the AF nests [spectral analysis with DF >70 Hz during SR, Group II]) versus the anatomy‐guided conventional PVI (Group I). In Group II, the DF value along the PV ostium was lower than 70 Hz after the PVI. The primary endpoint was the freedom from symptomatic atrial arrhythmias after a single procedure. We also followed the autonomic function by a time‐domain analysis of the heart rate variability. In both groups, AF nests were observed and electric isolation was successfully obtained in all patients. With a mean duration of 16 ± 6.1 months of follow‐up, Group II had a higher single procedure efficacy without drugs (78.7% vs 66.1%, log‐rank test: P = 0.02), and fewer repeat procedures (6.6% vs 23%; P = 0.04), as compared to Group I. Conclusion: PVI incorporating the high frequency AF nests adjacent to the PV ostia had a better single procedure efficacy. (J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol, Vol. 23, pp. 1155–1162, November 2012)