ANTIHYPERTENSIVE EFFECTS OF MESULERGINE: FURTHER EVIDENCE FOR A PERIPHERAL SITE OF ACTION OF DOPAMINE AGONISTS

The cardiovascular effects of mesulergine were studied in anesthetized dogs. Intravenous (IV) administration (0.3 mg/kg) significantly decreased blood pressure in neurogenic hypertensive dogs without any change in heart rate. This effect was completely antagonized by IV administration of domperidone (0.5 mg/kg). Intracisternal administration of mesulergine (0.03, 0.3 and 3 mg/kg) did not produce any change in blood pressure. However, with the highest dose we observed a significant rise in heart rate during the first 2 min (which was probably nonspecific). These results suggest that mesulergine lowers blood pressure in sinoaortic-denervated dogs by means of a peripheral mechanism probably involving DA2 receptors. The findings confirm the potential interest of dopamine-receptor agonists as future antihypertensive agents.     

牵张刺激对大鼠骨髓间充质干细胞Ⅰ型和Ⅲ型胶原表达的影响

目的 研究机械刺激对大鼠骨髓间充质干细胞(bone marrow mesehchymal stem cells,BMSCs)分化的影响.方法 对大鼠BMSCs施以10%形变,1 Hz的周期性单向牵张刺激,并检测牵张不同时段后,其Ⅰ型、Ⅲ型胶原mRNA的表达和这2种蛋白的分泌.结果 牵张12 h后,BMSCs Ⅰ型胶原和Ⅲ型胶原mRNA的表达与对照组相比增高有显著差异,24 h后,种胶原蛋白的合成与对照组相比有统计学差别.结论 说明机械刺激可以促进BMSCs合成Ⅰ型胶原和Ⅲ型胶原蛋白.     

Endobronchial foreign bodies in Vietnamese adults are related to eating habits

Background and objective: A high percentage of bronchoscopically extracted foreign bodies in Ho Chi Minh City were pits of the sapote fruit, a finding previously unreported. This paper presents a review of foreign body extractions, which identifies the substances found, documents the diagnostic pathway and draws attention to the specific aspiration risk of the sapote pit. Methods: The records of 100 consecutive adults who were found to have a bronchial foreign body during flexible bronchoscopy were reviewed. Results: In 83% of patients, the foreign body extraction was performed more than 2 weeks after the aspiration had occurred. In only 34% of patients was the diagnosis of an aspirated foreign body considered early in the patient's clinical course. The most frequent foreign bodies found were sapote pits (41%), followed by small bones (38%). Foreign bodies were lodged more frequently in the right bronchial tree (64%). In 98% of patients, the foreign bodies were successfully removed with the flexible scope. There was one postoperative death, which was not ascribed to the procedure. Conclusions: Physicians need to consider foreign body aspirations when evaluating patients with recurrent pneumonia, unexplained cough or atelectasis. Awareness of this problem might lead to public health measures that could reduce the incidence of these aspirations.     

骨髓干细胞植入正常或慢性梗死心肌后短期内移植细胞的分布及可利用度

目的采用心肌内注射方法将骨髓间充质干细胞(BMSCs)植入到正常或慢性梗死心肌中后, 研究短期内植入细胞的分布和可利用度。方法采用选择性冠状动脉结扎方法建立大鼠慢性心肌梗死模型( n =9) 。1个月后, 采用心肌内注射方法将 111 铟 - 羟基喹啉 ( 111Indium- oxine, 111In) 同位素标记的自体 BMSCs (2×106/50μL)植入到慢性梗死心肌和正常对照心肌中( n =6) 。采用序列平面针孔闪烁扫描方法测定 BMSCs移植后 2 h、1 d、3 d、7 d 时的心肌 111In 的放射活性, 并计算植入细胞在心肌内的驻留率。于细胞移植术后第 7 天切取制备心脏横断面冷冻切片, 进行组织放射微成像(Micro- imaging)和组织病理学分析, 观察植入细胞在心肌内的分布情况。结果慢性心肌梗死(MI)组的心肌 111In 的放射活性在所有测定的时间点均显著高于正常对照组(P<0.01)。心肌放射强度实测值在经由各相应时间点 BMSCs细胞 111In 的自发泄漏率的体外标定值校正后, 计算得出植入的 BMSCs 细胞在慢性梗死心肌(MI 组)中的驻留率平均为 60%, 而在正常对照组心肌中细胞的驻留率只有 25%(P <0.01), 并在 7 d 的随访期中保持稳定。组织放射微成像和组织病理学分析都证实植入的 BMSCs 主要分布于由注射针头插入损伤或慢性心肌梗死所造成的纤维瘢痕组织中。结论心肌内细胞移植术后 7 d 内,被植入到慢性梗死心肌中的 BMSCs 细胞的可利用度高于被植入在正常心肌中的 BMSCs 细胞的可利用度。植入心肌内的 BMSCs 主要分布于由注射针头插入损伤和慢性心肌梗死导致的纤维瘢痕组织中。     

Novel APC-cleavage sites in FVa provide insights into mechanisms of action of APC and its cofactor protein S

Summary.  Background: Activated protein C (APC) inhibits factor Va (FVa) by cleaving at Arg306, Arg506 and Arg679. Protein S serves as cofactor, in particular for the Arg306 site, and a protein S-mediated relocation of the active site of APC closer to the membrane has been proposed as a mechanism. Recently, it was demonstrated that FVa, which was mutated at all three APC-cleavage sites (FVa-306Q/506Q/679Q), could still be cleaved by APC. These sites were close to Arg306 and Arg506 but not further defined. Objective: To identify and characterize the additional APC-cleavage sites in FVa. Methods: The cDNA for FV-306Q/506Q/679Q was used as a template to create FV variants with one or more possible cleavage sites being mutated. The FV variants were expressed and their sensitivity for APC characterized functionally and with Western blotting. Results: The additional APC-cleavage sites were located at Lys309, Arg313, Arg316, Arg317 and Arg505. FVa-306Q/309Q/313Q/316Q/317Q/505Q/506Q/679Q (denoted 8M-FVa) was APC resistant. To investigate individual sites, they were mutated back using 8M-FV as a template. The kinetics of APC-degradation of these variants demonstrated that protein S was equally efficient in enhancing the APC effect for all the novel sites. Conclusions: Multiple APC-cleavage sites close to Arg306 and a single site close to Arg506 were identified. Protein S was equally efficient as APC cofactor for all novel sites. The stimulation by protein S of the Arg505 cleavage argues against a specific protein S-mediated stimulation of cleavage at Arg306 due to relocation of the APC active site closer to the membrane.     

Angiomyofibroblastoma-like tumors (cellular angiofibroma)

Angiomyofibroblastoma-like tumor (cellular angiofibroma) is a rare, circumscribed, slow-growing mesenchymal tumor that occurs predominantly in the vulva, perineum, and pelvis of women. We report two cases of this tumor in men arising as paratesticular masses of the scrotum, summarize the history of this tumor, and discuss why efforts should be made to differentiate it from aggressive angiomyxoma. Recommended treatment is complete surgical excision with long-term follow up exams, as local recurrence may occur many years after resection of the lesion.     

Synthesis and characterization of indolicidin,a tryptophan-rich antimicrobial peptide from bovine neutrophils *

Indolicidin, a novel tryptophan-rich microbicidal tridecapeptide amide isolated originally from granules of bovine neutrophils, has been prepared by optimized manual and automated protocols of stepwise solid-phase synthesis with N^α-9-fluorenylmethyloxycarbonyl (Fmoc) amino acid derivatives. Both standard polystyrene (PS) and polyethylene glycol-polystyrene (PEG-PS) graft supports were used in combination with handles that provide C-terminal peptide amides: 5-(4-Fmoc-aminomethyl-3,5-dimethoxyphenoxy)valeric acid (PAL) or 5-(9-Fmoc-aminoxanthen-2-oxy)valeric acid (XAL). Final deprotection/cleavage was carried out with reagent K, trifluoroacetic acid–phenol–water–thioanisole–1,2-ethanedithiol (82.5:5:5:5:2.5), or reagent B, trifluoroacetic acid–phenol–water–tri(isopropyl)silane (88:5:5:2), and related cocktails. Initial purities as high as 93% were obtained immediately following cleavage. In the largest-scale synthesis carried out, 0.8 g of HPLC-purified indolicidin (> 99% pure) was obtained, representing a 39% overall yield based on C-terminal Arg(Pmc) anchored to PAL-PS-resin. The main synthetic product, and some by-products, were characterized by analytical high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), sequencing, and fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry (FABMS). The antimicrobial potencies of natural and synthetic indolicidin, as determined by in vitro antibacterial and antifungal assays, were identical. Further, the reactivities of natural and synthetic peptides with anti-indolicidin antibody were indistinguishable. © Munksgaard 1995.     

Week-Long High-Maintenance Dose Clopidogrel Regimen Achieves Better Platelet Aggregation Inhibition than a Standard Loading Dose before Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: Results of a Double-Blind, Randomized Clinical Trial

Background: Adequate platelet inhibition before percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) reduces periprocedural and long-term ischemic complications. Reduced response to clopidogrel has been associated with subsequent major adverse cardiovascular events. Strategies to optimize platelet inhibition pre-PCI are under investigation. This study evaluated the effect on platelet aggregation of four different dosing regimens of clopidogrel given before elective PCI in a randomized, prospective, double-blind, and placebo-controlled design.
Methods: One hundred twenty participants were randomized to one of four groups of clopidogrel: (a) 300 mg on the day prior to angiography; (b) 600 mg on the day prior to angiography; (c) 300 mg followed by 75 mg daily started 1 week prior to angiography; and (d) 300 mg followed by 150 mg daily started 1 week prior to angiography. Platelet aggregation was assessed by light transmission aggregometry (LTA) after stimulation with adenosine diphosphate 20 μM at baseline and at the time of diagnostic coronary angiography. The absolute change in platelet aggregation between these two time points was considered the main outcome measure.
Results: At the time of diagnostic coronary angiography, the 300-mg/150-mg daily regimen achieved the greatest decrease in platelet aggregation (37 ± 19%), while the 300 mg regimen provided the smallest (20 ± 22%), an absolute difference between the two groups of 17.2 ± 5.1% (P = 0.005).
Conclusions: A 300-mg loading dose of clopidogrel followed by 150 mg daily for 1 week prior to coronary angiography provides more effective platelet inhibition, as defined by LTA, compared to the standard 300-mg loading dose regimen at the time of coronary intervention.