Effects of Sclerocarya birroea Hochst. extract on some metabolic activities in the rat

The decoction of Sclerocarya birroea Hochst. shows hypoglycaemic effects, an increase in plasma IRI in normal rats and an incremented oral-glucose tolerance. The decoction is also active against diet-induced hypercholesterolaemia.     

Expression of the β‐adhesin part of HRgpA in Sprague Dawley rats induces a specific antibody response

The β‐adhesin part of the Porphyromonas gingivalis W50 (ATCC 53978) protease HRgpA was cloned in an eukaryotic expression vector and expressed in COS‐7 cells. The monoclonal antibody MAb (61BG1.3), specific for the hemagglutinating domain of β‐adhesin, recognized the expressed β‐adhesin in the transfected cells both by immunoblot and immunofluorescence. Sprague Dawley rats were immunized intramuscularly with β‐adhesin encoding expression plasmid and expression plasmid without β‐adhesin insert. Skeletal muscle tissue at the site of immunization in the β‐adhesin immunized animals was shown to express this protein. The immunization induced a β‐adhesin‐specific antibody response. Sera from the immunized animals were tested for hemagglutination inhibiting activity. Due to high natural inhibiting activity in all rat sera tested, no increased hemagglutination inhibition was detected in sera from the β‐adhesin immunized animals.     

无国界医生在救援中备灾的重要性

无国界医生致力于应对天灾和战祸所引起的人道医疗危机。灾后实时爆发的人道医疗危机包括急性的外科创伤问题和基础医疗系统的破坏导致疫症发生。本文介绍了无国界医生的救援经验以及专业的备灾体系。     

左旋布比卡因复合舒芬太尼或芬太尼在分娩硬膜外自控镇痛的应用

目的探讨左旋布比卡因复合舒芬太尼硬膜外自控镇痛（PCEA）用于分娩镇痛的临床效果及安全性。方法随机选择120例美国标准协会（ASA）I-Ⅱ级初产妇，随机分为舒芬太尼组（A组）、芬太尼组（B组）、无镇痛组（C组），每组40例。A组和B组采用PCEA，C组不给予镇痛药物。观察各组不同时段视觉模拟评分（VAS）和不良反应的发生，同时记录3组产程时间、分娩方式、缩宫使用情况、产后出血量、新生儿Apgar评分。结果A、B2组和C组在PCEA20、60min及宫口开全时VAS差异有统计学意义（P〈0.05）；PCEA5min，A、B2组VAS差异有统计学意义（P〈0.05），2组Bromage评分、不良反应差异无统计学意义（P〉0.05）。3组产程时间、分娩方式、产后出血量、新生儿Apgar评分比较差异均无统计学意义（P〉0.05）。结论左旋布比卡因复合舒芬太尼或芬太尼用于分娩镇痛安全有效，对母婴无明显不良影响。     

Movement-related potential measures of different modes of movement selection in Parkinson's disease

Movement-related potentials were recorded preceding self-paced voluntary movements in patients with Parkinson's disease and in healthy subjects of the same age group. We compared the Readiness Potential preceding joystick movements in a fixed direction and preceding joystick movements in freely selected directions. In normal subjects the Readiness Potential amplitude was higher preceding freely selected movements than preceding movements in a fixed direction. The Readiness Potential in Parkinson patients failed to be modified by the different modes of movement selection. The modulation of the Readiness Potential by different ways of preparing for movement might be due to the supplementary motor area (SMA) being more strongly engaged by tasks requiring internal control of movements than by tasks that are externally structured. The results suggest that this task-dependent variation of SMA activity is reduced in Parkinson's disease. A failing capacity to adapt SMA activity to different task demands has previously been suggested by evidence from positron emission tomography studies using similar tasks.     

Regulation of neuronal differentiation in neuron-enriched primary cultures from embryonic rat cerebra by platelet activating factor and the structurally related glycerol ether lipid, dodecylglycerol.

Primary cultures enriched in neurons dissociated from embryonic rat cerebra were used to demonstrate that platelet activating factor and the structurally related ether glycerolipid, dodecylglycerol, are readily taken up in small amounts by neurons and that they stimulate the differentiation of neurons. The stimulation of neuronal differentiation was observed as a precocious development of axon-like extensions which correlated with a concentration-dependent increase in neuronal-specific enzyme activities. This stimulation of morphological and neurochemical factors by either platelet activating factor or dodecylglycerol was almost completely abolished by triazolam, a known inhibitor of platelet activating factor function. Neither platelet activating factor nor dodecylglycerol at the concentrations used to achieve stimulation of neuronal differentiation compromised the plasma membrane, as indicated by the lack of leakage of cytoplasmic lactic acid dehydrogenase.     

Immunogenicity study of low-dose administration of hepatitis B virus vaccine in newborn infants: A cost reduction trial

Different doses of hepatitis B virus vaccine—prepared by Korea Green Cross Corporation, were given to healthy infants born to HBsAg-negative mothers at birth, 1 and 6 months of age. A dose of 2 μg was administered intradermally in Group A and, in the three other groups, the vaccine was given intramuscularly (i.m.). An adequate follow-up observation was possible for 9 months after birth in 22, 25, 23 and 21 infants in Groups A, B, C and D, respecvely.
Group C (5 μg, i.m.) produced seroconversion most rapidly, showing the highest rate (96%) at 9 months of age. The lowest seroconversion rate (5%) was found at the age of 1 month in Group A subjects, but the rate increased to 91% after a booster dose was given at 6 months of age.
While it can be concluded that a 5 μg i.m. dose of vaccine at 0, 1 and 6 months of age is optimum for the immunization of infants in efficacy and economy, a 2 μg intradermal dose can also be considered as an immunogenic and economical regimen, though the immune response is slower and a special technique is required for immunization.     

Synthesis of a new carrier for immunization: polytuftsin

Sequential poly(Arg-Thr-Lys-Pro) consisting mainly of the repeat of tuftsin Thr-Lys-Pro-Arg was synthesized by condensing the p-nitrophenyl ester of Arg(HCI)-Thr-Lys-(2-CI-Z)-Pro in the presence of HOBt . Two haptenic sequences of the Pre-S region of hepatitis B virus antigen (10–26 and 39–55) were prepared by solid phase and coupled to polytuftsin via glutaraldehyde. The peptides, either free or coupled to polytuftsin, were administrated to mice and the antisera were assayed by ELISA . Coupling the peptides to the polypeptide significantly improved the anti-peptide antibody titer in Freund complete adjuvant or in NaCI 0.9%. Cross-reaction between antibodies induced by the peptides and the native protein was also improved. Polytuftsin alone is very poorly immunogenic.     

MicroRNAs及其在泌尿系肿瘤的研究进展

microRNAs（miRNAs）是一类分布十分广泛的内源性非编码RNA,在动物、植物、病毒中广泛存在。miRNAs与肿瘤的发生发展预后有关,并在肿瘤的增殖、分化及调亡等方面有重要的作用。结合最近相关文献,本文就miRNAs与泌尿系肿瘤方面的进展作简要概述。