[Pharmacognostical study on the Chinese drug gualouzi].

The Chinese drug gualouzi is taken from a variety of plants. In this paper, 22 kinds of gualouzi derived from 22 plants of Trichosanthes have been studied in their pharmacognostical characters and microproperties and accordingly divided into four types. Two keys are compiled based on the experimental results.


[Stability of shuang huanglian aerosol].

The contents of chlorogenic acid and baicalin in shuang huanglian aerosol were determined by HPLC. The process of chemical kinetics of the aerosol was studied by constant temperature acceleration tests, and the stability of the drug predicted. The results appeared close to those from the stored sample method. pH changes during degradation of the drug were also observed.


[Constituents of essential oils from leaves, stems, and fruits of Perilla frutescens (L.) Britt].

The constituents of essential oils obtained from the leaves, stems, and fruits of Perilla frutescens were analysed by GC-MS. 65 compounds including perilla aldehyde, perilla alcohol, trans-caryophyllene and hexadecanoic acid, etc. were identified. Their percentages in the oils were given.


[GC-MS analysis of essential oils in needles of Pinus in northeastern China].

The essential oils of five species of Pinus (P. densiflora, P. sylvestris var. mongolica, P. sylvestris var. sylvestriformis, P. tabulaeformis and P. takahasii) have been analysed by GC-MS. Fifty compounds have been identified.


[Ca2+ channel blocking effect of panaxadiol saponins and panaxatriol saponins of cultured cardiac cells].

It was found that PDS and PTS decreased the action potential parameters of the cultured myocardiocytes in a dosage-dependent way. The effects of PDS 1000 micrograms/ml, PTS 200 micrograms/ml were in correspondence with the known Ca2+ channel blocker Mn2+ 0.05 micrograms/ml. Washing out, administration of epinephrine 10 micrograms/ml or Ca2+ 80 micrograms/ml were able to reverse the action potential from inhibition. The above results indicate that both PDS and PTS have Ca2+ channel blockade action.


[Effect of radix Astragali and radix ginseng in enhancing the metabolism of human myocardial cells in vitro].

Our experiment indicated that in Radix Astragali and Radix Ginseng treated human myocardial cell cultures the level of LDH and SDH elevated in varying degrees and in Radix Ginseng treated cells the cAMP showed higher levels but in Radix Ginseng treated ones the same was not observed. This suggests that the metabolism of myocardial cells is enhanced by Radix Astragali or Radix Ginseng.


[Effect of sodium 18 beta-glycyrrhetate on experimental arrhythmia].

The effect of sodium 18 beta-glycyrrhetate (SGA) on experimental arrhythmia was investigated. The result shows that SGA strongly counteracts arrhythmia induced by chloroform of chloroform adrenaline, lengthens the appearance time of arrhythmia induced by CaCl2, slightly retards the heart rate of rats and rabbits, and partly antagonizes the acceleration effect of isoproterenol on rabbit hearts.


[Compatibility of Chinese drugs radix Aconiti carmichaeli with rhizoma Pinelliae].

To find out whether the Chinese drug Radix Aconiti Carmichaeli is compatible with another Chinese drug Rhizoma Pinelliae in preparation, the two medicinal herbs were made into different forms of decoctions. Experiments with these decoctions were carried out to observe the action on isolated hearts of toads and the ECG and acute toxicity on mice. The results showed that in terms of toxicity there was no marked increase in the mixed decoction as compared with the other two decoctions prepared from Radix Aconiti Carmichaeli and Rhizoma Pinelliae separately.


[A review on the chemical constituents of Annona plants].

The paper reviews the progress in the research on Annona plants, including the structure of chemical constituents, spectroscopic characteristics and physiological activities. A new kind of anticancer constituent is also introduced.


[Immunological identification of tiger-bone].

Anti-tiger sera were prepared by using tiger serum proteins to immunize the rabbits. Tiger-bone can be identified by the specific serological reaction between the anti-tiger sera and the tiger-bone proteins.


[Identification of morphology and inorganic elements of Eucommia ulmoides Oliv. produced in Sichuan by applying scanning electron microscope with energy dispersive X-ray analysis].

A research on the identification of morphology and inorganic elements of Eucommia ulmoides produced in Sichuan has been made by applying scanning electron microscope; energy dispersive X-ray analysis. Qualitative and semi-quantitative analyses of the inorganic elements in the observed areas have been obtained.


[A preliminary study on growing tempo of Ophisourus harti Boulenger].

Under experimental circumstances, the relationship between the growing tempo of Ophisourus harti and its age, fodder, outside temperature and humidity has surveyed. Suggestions have accordingly been made with regard to the rational utilization and protection of the resources.


[Thin layer chromatographic studies on radix Ginseng, fructus Schisandrae and radix Salviae miltiorrhizae in yixinfumai granules].

The main constituents of Radix Ginseng, Fructus Schisandrae and Radix Salviae Miltiorrhizae in Yixinfumai Granules were studied by TLC. It was found that ginsenoside got hydrolyzed while the drugs were being boiled together. The main constituents of Fructus Schisandrae were schizandrol A and B; and those of Radix Salviae Miltiorrhizae were tanshinone and protocatechuic aldehyde.


[Constituents of tannins from Euphorbia prostrata Ait].

Ten compounds have been isolated from Euphorbia prostrata and identified as gallic acid, corilagin, 1,2,3-tri-O-galloyl-D-glucose,geraniin,tellimagradin I, II, rugosin A, rugosin E, rugosin D and rugosin G on the basis of physicochemical and spectroscopic methods.


[Chemical studies on immunologically active polysaccharides of Ganoderma lucidum(Leyss. ex Fr.) Karst].

BN3B, the polysaccharide component of the fruit of Ganoderma lucidum, has been shown to have immune activity. From BN3B four homogeneous polysaccharides were separated and purified. Chemical studies on the main components BN3B1 and BN3B3 indicated that BM3B1 contained only glucose and should be a glucan containing beta-(1----6) and (1----3)glycoside bonds and that BN3B3 was an arabinogalactan containing beta-(1----6) and (1----3)glycoside bonds.


[Chemical constituents of Isodon albopilosus (C.Y. Wu et H.W. Li) Hara].

Five compounds have been isolated from the stems and leaves of Isodon albopilosus. On the basis of spectroscopic and chemical data, they were identified as macrocalyxin C, stearic acid, beta-sitosterol, ursolic acid and beta-sitosterol-beta-D-glucoside, respectively.


[Chemical constituents of Vaccinium scopulorum W.W. Smith].

Seven compounds were isolated from the radix of Vaccinium scopulorum. On the basis of spectral analysis, physico-chemical constants and derivative preparations, they were identified as beta-amyrin, 3-epi-ursolic acid, methyl maslinate, 3 beta-acetoxy-delta 7-cholest-7-ene, protocatechuic acid, ethyl n-hexacosanoate and ethyl n-tetracosanoate respectively.


[Relationship between serum level of zinc and copper and inhibitory effect of herba Asari oil on proliferation of granuloma induced by implantation of cotton pellets in rats].

Intraperitoneal injection of the essential oil of Asarum himalaicum and A. heterotropoides var. mandshuricum may inhibit the proliferation of granuloma induced by implantation of cotton pellets in rats. This action might be related to the reduction of blood serum zinc.


[Pharmacological study on spleen-stomach warming and analgesic actions of Aconitum carmichaeli Debx].

This study presents an observation of the anti-inflammatory effect of Aconitum carmichaeli decoction on water-immersion stress induced gastric ulcer in mice and 0.6 mol/L HCl induced gastric ulcer in rats. The observation showed that the decoction was resistant to the castor oil induced and Cassia angustifolia leaf induced experimental diarrhea in mice, and also had marked analgesic action. It is thus suggested that Aconitum carmichaeli is useful clinically as a spleen-stomach warming and analgesic agent in traditional Chinese medicine.


[A histochemical study of saikosaponins].

The root of Bupleurum chinese and B.scorzonerifolium was examined histochemically in order to clarify the distribution of saikosaponins in various tissues and parts of the root. By means of qualitative and quantitative analyses, saikosaponins, the bioactive principles in the root, were found to be abundant in the cortex outside the cambium and very little in the xylem of the root. It was also found that the thinner root hairs had the highest contents of saikosaponins, but decreased towards the thicker root head.


[A new method of identifying Chinese crude drugs by comparing the characteristic content patterns of their chemical constituents].

Using the characteristic patterns of contents of chemical constituents, Chinese crude drugs derived from closely relative species and their fakes can be clearly identified and the quality of these drugs can be roughly evaluated. In this paper, the identification of Qianghuo (Notopterygium spp.) was presented based on this new method.


[Analysis of chemical constituent of essential oil in Lonicera japonnica Thunb. cultivated on the northern plain of Henan Province].

The chemical constituents of the essential oil in the dry flower and fresh flower of Lonicera japonica were analyzed by the GC-MS-DS technique and the superimposition of authentic samples. 27 and 30 monoterpenoids and sesquiterpenoids were identified from the essential oil of the dry flower and fresh flower respectively. The major constituents have been found to be linalool, geraniol, aromadendrene and eugenol etc.


[Determination of total alkaloid in seedling bulbs of Fritillaria thunbergii Miq].

This paper reports the determination of total alkaloid in the seedling bulbs and cultivars of the traditional Chinese medicine Fritillaria thunbergii. The result shows that the content of total alkaloid reaches the standard value specified in Chinese Pharmacopeia, and thus is useful for further production of sexual propagation.


[Studies on sedative and anticonvulsion effects of differently processed rhizoma Typhon].

Mice were employed to study sedative and anticonvulsion effects of Rhizoma Typhon processed by different methods. The results showed that processed and raw Rhizoma Typhon had marked sedative effect and delayed convulsion time, caused by cardiazole and strychnine. Processed and raw Rhizoma Typhon had similar action. With the new processing method, similar sedative and anticonvulsion effects were obtained compared with the old processing method.


[Optimization of preparing technology for qiju dihuang oral liquid by orthogonal method].

L9(3)4 orthogonal experiment was performed to improve the clarity of Qiju Dihuang Oral Liquid. The result shows that the optimum pretreatment technology for the liquid includes alcohol concentration 75%, liquid pH 4.2 freezing temperature 3 degrees C and freezing time 48 hours.


[A new method of enveloping volatile oils in Chinese medicinal herbs with beta-cyclodextrin].

A comparison has been made of the enveloping rate of volatile oil by three different methods with beta-cyclodextrin. The result indicates that the saturated water solution enveloping method is very close to the gas-liquid enveloping method, P greater than 0.05, but the liquid-liquid enveloping method is apparently higher than the saturated water solution enveloping method, P less than 0.01.


[Constituents of the dry roots of Rehmannia glutinosa Libosch].

From the extract of dry roots of Rehmannia glutimosa, fatty acids, palmitic acid, beta-sitosterol, daucosterol and sulfur (Ss) cyclic compound were isolated and identified. The latter four were isolated for the first time.


[Nourishing yin action of the prepared rhizoma Rehmanniae].

The results of the experiment show that the prepared Rhizomae Rehmanniae can obviously improve the change of weight, quality of drinking water, urine and serum level of T3, T4 and AD of the hyperthyroid Yin deficient rats, and thus administers to the nourishing of Yin. The action of nourishing the kidney Yin is related with improving the serum level of AD in the body.


[Effect of mieyanling oral liquid on the immune responses in normal and cyclophosphamide treated mice].

It has been proved that Mieyanling in Vivo and in Vitro, can augment the lymphocyte transformation rate induced by PHA, Con-A or LPS in mice. The suppressed immune function caused by cyclophosphamide can also be significantly relieved by Mieyanling Oral Liquid.


[Inhibition of fructus Corni on experimental inflammation].

Fructus Corni (FC) decoction inhibits the increase of peritoneal capillary permeability by ip 0.7% acetic acid in mice, the proliferation of granuloma formed by implanting cotton pellets in rats, the swelling of mouse pinnea with xylene and the edema of hind paw induced by injection of fresh egg white 0.1 ml in rats. FC decreases the contents of ascorbic acid in adrenal, but has no marked effect on the contents of prostaglandin E in inflammatory tissue of rats. These results indicate that the inhibitory effect of FC on the inflammatory process may be related to pituitary-adrenal axis.


[Primary observation on antidotal effect of the Chinese drug mutong against fuzi].

Mutong can reduce Fuzi's toxicity markedly. This reducing effect is directly proportional to the dosage of Mutong within a certain range and the content of alkaloid in Fuzi drops clearly after Fuzi and Mutong are used in the same prescription.


[Quality of dihuang (Rehmannia spp.)].

In this paper, the contents of catalpol, water-extract and alcohol-extract materials, ash, total reducing sugar and inorganic elements in Dihuang from different habitats have been measured. The result shows that Huai Dihuang, the genuine drug, excels all those from other habitats in quality. The quality of commercial dry Dihuang may be related closely to the production area, storage time, etc.


[Identification of seven snake-drugs by iso-electric point].

This paper deals with the identification of seven snake-drugs by means of iso-electric point of protein. The experimental results show that different species of snake-drugs have different iso-electric points. The experimental data are accurate and easily reproducible (CV less than 0.5%). The difference of the averages of iso-electric points of the seven snake-drugs (P less than 0.01%) is extremely significant and thus provides a scientific criterion for the identification of peeled or powdered snake-drugs.


[Cytological observation on culture of embryo in vitro of Tripterygium hypoglaucum (level.) Hutch].

This paper for the first time reports the embryo culture in vitro of Tripterygium hypoglaucum. Callus, adventitious roots and adventitious protuberances were induced from the cultured embryos in vitro. Multi-buds at the excised embryo tip were also observed at the same time. Cytohistological examination showed (1) callus was histologically easy to be induced to form adventitious roots; (2) callus on the cotyledons was originated from the epidemical and subepidemical cells of the cotyledons, and the adventitious roots were originated from the disperse meristematic tissue or vascular tissue in the callus obtained from cultured excised embryos.


[Types of flowering branch of Magnolia denudata Desr. under high yield conditions].

The types of flowering branch of Magnolia denudata under high yield conditions were investigated. The action of axillary flowering branches on yield increase and the cultural techniques of promoting axillary flowering branch formation were evaluated. Under the same culturing conditions M. denudata var. dilutipurpurascens has hardly any axillary flowering branches.


[Anti-inflammatory effect of differently processed rhizoma Typhon] off.

Rat was employed to study the anti-inflammatory effect of Rhizoma Typhon processed by different methods. The result showed that processed and raw Rhizoma Typhon had similar action. With the new processing method similar anti-inflammatory effect was obtained compared with the old processing method.


[Uniform design for the best conditions of processing heixi in shenrong heixi pills] off.

Uniform design has been applied to select the optimum technological conditions for processing Heixi in Shenrong Heixi Pills, using the contents of the main constituent of Heixi SNS as the optimum target. The best technological conditions have thus been found.


[Preparation of sucking tablet of shengmei] off.

The Sucking Tablet of Shengmei is made from eight Chinese traditional drugs including Radix Adenophorae, Fructus Mume, etc. The effective rate of the tablet in treating chronic pharyngitis reaches up to 96 percent. The working mechanism related to the fact that the tablet is bacteria-resistant and helps to strengthen the body function. This paper presents the preparation process of the Sucking Tablet along with solutions for some problems encountered in the process and appropriate standards for quality control.


[Effective chemical constituents of Artemisia argyi Levl. et Vant for inhibition of platelet aggregation].

beta-Sitosterol and eupatilin were isolated and identified from Artemisia argyi. Both of them showed marked inhibition of platelet aggregation.


[Chemical constituents of the roots of Ostericum grosseserratum (Maxim.) Kitag].

This paper reports the isolation of eleven compounds from the roots of Ostericum grosseserratum, of which nine compounds were elucidated as myristic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, octacosanoic acid, succinic acid, beta-sitosterol, sitosterol-beta-D-glucoside, isoscopletin and sucrose. The results are helpful in the study of plant taxonomy.


[Chemical constituents of the leaves of Acanthopanax trifoliatus (Linn) Merr].

Nevadensin (A), kaur-16-en-19-oic acid (B), taraxerol (C) and taraxerol-acetate (D) were isolated from the leaves of Acanthopanax trifoliatus. A and B were isolated for the first time. Pharmacological experiments have shown that nevadensin possesses expectorant and antitussive actions.


[Isolation and identification of julibrotriterpennoidal lactone A from Albizia julibrissin Durazz].

Julibrotriterpennoidal lactone A was isolated from the cortex of Albizia julibrissin. Its structure (the C28----C21 lactone of, 3 beta, 16 beta, 21 beta-trihydroxy-delta 12-oleanen-28-oic acid) has been determined on the basis of spectral evidence (IR, 1HNMR, 13C NMR and MS).


[Determination of cinnamaldehyde in cortex Cinnamomi by CS-930 TLC scanner].

Cinnamaldehyde was extracted by chloroform from Cortex Cinnamomi and determined directly on a CS-930 TLC scanner. The method is simple and sensitive, and can serve as an index for checking the quality of Cortex Cinnamomi.


[Effects of artificial cultured Panax notoginseng cell on cardiovascular system].

Alcoholic extract from artificial cultured Panax notoginseng cell (SCC) ip has been found conducive to increasing the resistance of mice to anoxia. In vitro it helps to increase the outflow of coronary vessels, decrease the heart rate, inhibit the constriction of aortic strip stimulated by nor-epinephrine and relax spasmodic constriction of ileum smooth muscles markedly. SCC powder suspension on po administration can contract bleeding and coagulation time. The pharmacologic activities of SCC are similar to those of crude Panax notoginseng.


[Pharmacological study on Cordyceps sinensis (Berk.) Sacc. and ze-e Cordyceps].

The Ze-e Cordyceps is similar to the Cordyceps sinensis in such pharmacological actions as calming, enduring hypoxia, dilating trachea, male sex hormone action, antiphlogistic and toxicity, etc. It is thus suggested that the Ze-e Cordyceps may be used place of the Cordyceps sinensis in clinical practice.


[Studies of Rehmannia glutinosa Libosch. f. hueichingensis as a blood tonic].

We have studied the function of dried and prepared Rehmannia glutinosa f. hueichingensis in treating hemorrhagic anemic mice and in fostering bone marrow hematopoietic cells CFU-S, CFU-E. The results show that Rehmannia glutinosa f. hueichingensis can promote the recovery of blood deficient animals, RBC. Hb expedite the multiplication and differentiation of CFU-S, CFU-E, and thus proves markedly helpful to the generation of blood.


[Antioxidative effect of Chinese drugs].

The antioxidative effect of more than 50 ethanol extracts of Chinese drugs were studied on the air oxidation of linoleic acid. Several ethanol extracts such as Glycyrrhiza uralensis, Magnolia officinalis and Zingiber officinale etc., were found having stronger antioxidative effect.


A research agenda for pressure ulcer prevention.

The Agency for Health Care Policy and Research (AHCPR) Guideline Panel on Pressure Ulcers completed a comprehensive review of the literature related to the prediction and prevention of pressure ulcers in adults. On the basis of this review, the panel formulated a guideline for care. Additionally, the analysis of published research revealed gaps in knowledge, research issues, and methodological problems that need attention in future studies. The following were identified as focus areas for the future: research with pressure ulcers status as the outcome rather than other intermediate outcomes; studies of product and intervention efficacy; further delineation of pressure ulcer staging; refinement of risk assessment tools; and testing of risk-based multi-intervention trials.


Defining characteristics of the nursing diagnosis "high risk for impaired skin integrity".

Medical records were retrospectively reviewed to examine factors which may predict skin breakdown in the hospitalized adult patient. One-hundred fourteen (114) subjects were selected for the study, 60 who developed skin breakdown and 54 who did not. Results suggested that the factors which predict skin breakdown in the hospitalized patient are: age greater than 65 years, decreased level of consciousness, low activity level, low-grade fever, presence of infection, incontinence, poor nutritional intake, and an altered metabolic state.


Synthesis of research findings through meta-analysis.

Meta-analysis is an alternative, quantitative approach to the analysis and synthesis of multiple investigations of the same clinical question. The statistical approaches that have been developed since Glass coined the term meta-analysis in 1976 are discussed. Clinicians will find meta-analysis helpful when there are conflicting research findings about perplexing clinical problems.


Research basics: getting past gatekeepers.

In order to conduct research the investigator must first get beyond the "gatekeepers," the people who have the power or the influence to keep the research project from being investigated. Two factors that get researchers past gatekeepers are integrating some basic assumptions about all institutions and using selected practical strategies to gain entry. Basic assumptions include consideration of the institution as a dynamic social system encompassing territoriality issues, a resistance to change, and investment in maintaining good public relations. Practical strategies include communicating with the "right" people, "marketing" your proposal effectively, and creating a "win-win" situation.


Pressure ulcer incidence and severity in a community hospital.

In a study of 1320 adult patients admitted to a community hospital, there was a pressure ulcer incidence rate of 8.4%, with 3.2% of pressure ulcers present on admission. Of the 190 ulcers found, 63% (n = 120) were hospital acquired and were less severe than those present on admission. There was an average of 1.6 ulcers per patient; 56.3% (n = 107) were Stage I ulcers and 36.3% (n = 69) were Stage II ulcers. The most frequent sites were coccyx-sacral area, heels, and elbows. Preventive measures used most frequently were turning, special mattresses, and special skin care. After a pressure ulcer developed, the most frequently used treatment measures were special bed or mattress, frequent turning, and special ointments and dressings.


The role of functional imaging in neoplasms of the thyroid.

Iodine-123 and Iodine-131 have suitable physical properties that enable them to be used for functional imaging of the thyroid. Iodine-123 is used for routine testing for hyperthyroidism and thyroid nodules, whereas I-131, which has a longer half-life, is used for whole body imaging for detecting metastatic thyroid cancer in patients who have undergone thyroidectomy. The radionuclides of iodine are trapped and organified like nonradioactive iodine. In contrast, technetium as pertechnetate is trapped by the thyroid and can be used for imaging immediately after intravenous injection. There can be differences in scintiscans made in the same patient using radioiodine vs. technetium. Thallium is a useful adjuvant imaging agent for thyroid cancer. It should be stressed that correlation with the clinical findings and biochemical thyroid function tests are very important when evaluating thyroid scintiscans.


Proteoglycans in cell regulation.

Proteoglycans are a diverse group of proteins carrying one or more glycosaminoglycan side chains linked to the protein as O-glycosides. Our appreciation of these structures has matured from a curiosity about unusual structural glycoproteins, to confer upon them a central role in cell biology. The major classes of glycosaminoglycans are heparan sulfate and heparin, chondroitin and dermatan sulfates, keratan sulfate and hyaluronic acid. The latter is unique in that it does not contain sulfate residues, and appears to be synthesized, at least sometimes, free of a carrier protein. There is now a wealth of information on the ability of these structures to influence the growth and development of cells and tissues. Many direct and specific effects of proteoglycans will undoubtedly be found, and there are likely to be indirect effects of the glycosaminoglycans relating to their polyelectrolyte nature. Convincing arguments that biological activity resides in certain proteoglycan core proteins are also appearing. The following discussion concerns the role of proteoglycans in the regulation and action of autocrine and polypeptide growth factors, direct mitogenic and antimitogenic actions of glycosaminoglycans, the role of these structures in regulating gene expression, and the biological activities of proteoglycan core proteins. The probable role of proteoglycans in normal glomerular cell function, and in progressive renal disease, will be presented as a harbinger of the significant role we can expect them to play in diagnosis and therapy in the near future.


Biochemistry of alcoholic liver disease.

The biochemistry of alcohol liver disease as it relates to clinical medicine and experimental alcohol liver disease is presented. Clinical features are emphasized in the diagnosis of alcohol liver disease, particularly as it relates to staging the disease and predictors of prognosis. Currently, it is true that the biochemical diagnosis of alcohol liver disease is at best very limited in terms of the sensitivity tests and specificity of the test. It is particularly difficult to detect alcohol liver disease biochemically in the early stages when steatohepatitis is not severe. Consequently, 50% of the patients have already developed cirrhosis at the time they are diagnosed clinically. In this review indicators of malnutrition are emphasized because they have the strongest implications regarding survival during the acute hospitalization stage of the disease. They are also the best indicators of response to therapy during the recovery phase. With respect to experimental work on the pathogenesis of alcohol liver disease, it appears that necrosis is due to the inability to increase blood flow to compensate for increased oxygen utilization. The hypothesis that mitochondrial damage is the cause of liver cell damage is regarded as less important in the pathogenesis of necrosis. The shift in the redox state during alcohol metabolism accounts for the fatty change noted in the central lobular area of the liver in animals fed alcohol. Apparently, there is strong experimental evidence that highly reactive intermediates are important in the pathogenesis of liver damage due to the induction of the isozyme cytochrome P450 IIE1 by alcohol ingestion. This mechanism is enhanced by a diet high in polyunsaturated fatty acids.


Application of immunochemical assays to food analysis.

Immunochemical assays are powerful bioanalytical techniques with application to several areas in food science, including food analysis, microbiology, nutrition, food safety, food quality, and process control. In principle, immunochemical techniques can be applied to the analysis of any compound, with only one specific antibody needed that can be obtained either from laboratory animals or, when available, from commercial sources. A well-designed immunochemical assay can detect targeted compounds at levels as low as 10(-12) M. Immunochemical techniques require little or no sample pretreatment, making these analytical procedures relatively rapid. The initial cost of developing an immunoanalytical assay may be high, but when the procedure is well established, the cost per test is often a fraction of that for other analytical methods. For these reasons, immunoanalytical assays provide an attractive alternative for the food analyst who requires either inexpensive qualitative screening tests or reliable quantitative methods with a high degree of sensitivity. This review concentrates on the use of enzyme immunoassay to address analytical problems in food chemistry and the analysis of various food components.


Characteristics of antisweet substances, sweet proteins, and sweetness-inducing proteins.

Recent studies on structures and functions of sweetness-inhibiting substances (gymnemic acid, ziziphin, and gurmarin); sweet proteins (monellin, thaumatin and mabinlin); and taste-modifying proteins (miraculin and curculin) were reviewed. Several gymnemic acid homologues and gurmarin were purified from the leaves of Gymnema sylvestre and their structures were determined. Ziziphin was also purified from leaves of Ziziphus jujuba. Gymnemic acid and ziziphin are glycoside of triterpenes that suppress sweetness in human, while gurmarin is a peptide having antisweet activity in rat. Mabinlin is a heat-stable sweet protein. The whole amino acid sequence and the position of disulfide bridges of mabinlin were determined. Miraculin has the unusual property of modifying a sour taste into a sweet taste. Curculin elicits a sweet taste. In addition, water and sour substance elicit a sweet taste after curculin. Their amino acid sequences and subunit structures were determined. These proteins are expected to be used as low-calorie sweeteners.


Inhibition of enzymatic browning in foods and beverages.

Enzymatic browning is a major factor contributing to quality loss in foods and beverages. Sulfiting agents are used commonly to control browning; however, several negative attributes associated with sulfites have created the need for functional alternatives. Recent advances in the development of nonsulfite inhibitors of enzymatic browning are reviewed. The review focuses on compositions that are of practical relevance to food use.


Macromolecule replacers in food products.

Traditional macromolecules and other recently synthesized materials have been accepted by consumers for use as low-calorie replacements for fats and sugars in food products. These include carbohydrates such as polydextrose, maltodextrins, modified starches, gums, and fibers. Protein and lipid-based replacements, including fat analogs and emulsifiers, are also available and some have been approved for use in food products. This article presents the properties of each of the macromolecule replacers, some uses that have been reported in food products, and speculative thoughts regarding functionality. Because control of water in the food product, added solids, and the mouthfeel characteristics associated with microparticles are three of the critical functions that must be provided by replacers, effectiveness of usage from a sensory perspective is also considered.


Biology and biochemistry of the chemokines: a family of chemotactic and inflammatory cytokines.

Studies conducted in many laboratories over the past several years have resulted in the identification and initial characterization of a large superfamily of structurally and functionally related inflammatory cytokines. This superfamily currently includes 14 distinct members: platelet factor 4, beta-thromboglobulin, neutrophil activating peptide-1/interleukin-8, gro, IP-10, mig, ENA-78, macrophage inflammatory proteins-1 alpha and -1 beta, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1/JE, RANTES, HC-14, C-10, and I-309. Although numerous biological activities have been assigned to these molecules, a common theme is their ability to stimulate the chemotactic migration of distinct sets of cells, including neutrophils, monocytes, lymphocytes, and fibroblasts. Accumulating evidence indicates that these molecules play important roles in mediating cell recruitment and activation necessary for inflammation and the repair of tissue damage.


Computerized tomography of colonic diverticulitis.

In this review article, the value of computerized tomography (CT) vs. contrast enema (CE) in patients with acute diverticulitis is discussed. Acute diverticulitis is a frequent differential diagnosis in abdominal disease. Approximately 15 to 30% of all patients with diverticulosis develop diverticulitis, whereby approximately 21% of these must undergo surgery. The clinical as well as the radiographical differential diagnosis between diverticulosis and diverticulitis often poses a great problem. While the contrast enema demonstrates the changes of the intestinal lumen, the true extent of the inflammatory process cannot be estimated. Numerous studies have shown that CT is preferable in demonstrating the extent of pericolic inflammation, which is often underestimated with the contrast enema. Within the range of computer-tomographical symptoms, infiltration and colonic wall thickening show a high sensitivity. These CT symptoms are not pathognomonic. The differential diagnosis of the findings with CT is discussed.


US and CT evaluation of diffusely enlarged adrenal gland.

Normal adrenal gland contains an anteromodial ridge and two asymmetric wings. This results in the characteristic features of cross-sectional images in different levels of a section. When adrenal gland is diffusely enlarged, it initially becomes thickened. As it grows larger, it may stimulate a focal mass lesion or it may appear irregular in shape. However, the basic forms in different section planes are still somewhat maintained. In bilateral adrenal hyperplasia, the medulla may be seen as a highly echogenic linear structure on US and a high-density linear structure on CT. The other causes of diffuse adrenal enlargement are hemorrhage, infectious disease, infiltrating neoplastic disease, and congenital metabolic deficiency disease.


CT evaluation of the abdominal wall.

Computed tomography (CT) is a useful method for evaluating the abdominal wall. Pathology includes hernia, hematoma, infection and inflammation, tumor, and post-traumatic, post-operative, and miscellaneous conditions. The CT findings of these various abnormalities are presented.


Platelet-derived growth factor isoforms AA, AB, and BB differentially activate poly r(I):r(C)-induced genes in human fibroblast FS4 cells.

Polyribocytidylic-polyriboinosinic acid [poly r(I):r(C)]-inducible genes were isolated by a differential screening procedure from a human fibroblast cell (FS-4) cDNA bank. Among yet unidentified genes (gene 274), one codes for a protein with multiple finger motifs and has previously been detected in endothelial cells after tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) treatment (A20; Opipari et al., 1990), the second one codes for a variant of the I kappa B family (Haskill et al., 1991), and a third one for the Ca2+ ATPase (isoform 1). Platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) isoforms (AA, AB, and BB) stimulated the expression of these immediate-early genes. But the extent of the respective induction correlated neither with the number of the two receptors alpha or beta nor with the level of PDGF-stimulated receptor autophosphorylation on tyrosine. Although alpha-receptors were less abundant than beta-receptors (12,500 binding sites were estimated for PDGF-AA, KD 0.03 nM; 20,000 for PDGF-AB, KD 0.03 nM; 35,000 for PDGF-BB KD 0.16 nM) and tyrosine phosphorylation induced by PDGF-AA was significantly less than that evoked by PDGF-BB, some of the investigated genes were more strongly induced by PDGF-AA. We discuss how the differences in the biological potency of the PDGF isoforms may reside in different functions of the two receptors by activation of alternative signaling pathways.


Complementary DNA cloning and expression of Pit-1/GHF-1 from the domestic turkey.

The transition from egg laying to incubation activity in birds is associated with a dramatic rise in serum prolactin levels. To further our understanding of the regulation of prolactin gene expression in birds, a cDNA clone encoding turkey Pit-1/GHF-1 was isolated. The turkey cDNA, designated tPit-1/GHF-1, was 1,123 nucleotides in length and encoded a protein of 327 amino acids, including a conserved 80-amino-acid POU-specific domain and a 60-amino-acid POU homeodomain. tPit-1/GHF-1 POU-specific domain and POU-homeodomain showed 94-95% amino acid identity with the corresponding rat Pit-1/GHF-1 domains. At its amino terminus, tPit-1/GHF-1 contained a 26-amino-acid insertion comparable to that found in the rat variant isoform, Pit-1 beta. Two other insertions of 38 and 7 amino acids were present and were not found in the mammalian protein. Levels of tPit-1/GHF-1 mRNA in pituitary tissue were examined at different phases of the turkey reproductive cycle by Northern blotting. tPit-1/GHF-1 mRNA was expressed as a 3.5-kb transcript, whose abundance remained relatively constant throughout the reproductive cycle. Thus, the dramatic rise in prolactin mRNA, observed during hyperprolactinemia in incubating turkey hens, was not associated with a concomitant increase in tPit-1/GHF-1 gene expression.


Molecular cloning and functional characterization of chicken cathepsin D, a key enzyme for yolk formation.

Upon receptor-mediated endocytosis of very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) and vitellogenin into growing chicken oocytes, the protein moieties of these lipoproteins are proteolytically cleaved. Unlike the complete lysosomal degradation in somatic cells, enzymatic ligand breakdown in oocytes generates a characteristic set of polypeptides, which enter yolk storage compartments for subsequent utilization by the embryo. Here, we demonstrate directly that the catalyst for the intraoocytic processing of both apolipoprotein B and vitellogenin is cathepsin D. The enzyme was purified from oocytic yolk, preovulatory follicle homogenates, and liver by affinity chromatography. When plasma VLDL and vitellogenin were incubated with the purified enzyme, fragments indistinguishable from those found in yolk were generated from both precursors under identical, mildly acidic conditions. Amino-terminal sequencing of the pure enzyme demonstrated 88% identity with mammalian cathepsin Ds over 34 residues. On the basis of this information, a full-length clone specifying chicken preprocathepsin D was isolated from a chicken follicle cDNA library by screening with a human cathepsin D probe. Whereas previous studies have demonstrated that the receptors for lipoproteins in somatic cells and oocytes, respectively, of the chicken are the products of different genes, Southern and Northern blot hybridization experiments showed that the enzymes expressed in oocytes and liver are the product of a single gene, giving rise to a 3.3-kb transcript. The primary structure of the 335-residue mature protein suggests a high degree of conservation of known crucial features of aspartyl proteases; however, the absence of the so-called processing region and of an aromatic residue in a region thought to partake in catalysis raise questions with possible evolutionary implications.


Structure of the tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus) prolactin I gene.

The tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus) prolactin-I (PRL-I) gene has been cloned and sequenced. Its transcript (3,677 bases long) begins with a guanine and is organized in five exons and four introns like the other known prolactin genes. Analysis of the 1,555-bp 5'-flanking region suggests that pituitary-specific expression of the gene could be regulated through a trans-factor related to the mammalian pituitary-specific factor Pit-1. Two potential binding sites for such a factor were found in the first intron, suggesting a possible regulatory role for this region. Moreover, two potential Z-DNA regions are located at positions -837 to -812 and -246 to -179 from the transcription start site. These two regions could play an important role in the regulation of PRL gene expression.


Cloning, sequencing, and disruption of the gene encoding sterol C-14 reductase in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

A sterol C-14 reductase (erg24-1) mutant of Saccharomyces cerevisiae was selected in a fen1, fen2, suppressor background on the basis of nystatin resistance and ignosterol (ergosta-8,14-dienol) production. The erg24-1 allele segregated genetically as a single, recessive gene. The wild-type ERG24 gene was cloned by complementation onto a 12-kb fragment from a yeast genomic library, and subsequently subcloned onto a 2.4-kb fragment. This was sequenced and found to contain an open reading frame of 1,314 bp, predicting a polypeptide of 438 amino acids (M(r) 50,612). A 1,088-bp internal region of the ERG24 gene was excised, replaced with a LEU2 gene, and integrated into the chromosome of the parental strain, FP13D (fen1, fen2) by gene replacement. The ERG24 null mutant produced ergosta-8,14-dienol as the major sterol, indicating that the delta 8-7 isomerase, delta 5-desaturase and the delta 22-desaturase were inactive on sterols with the C14 = 15 double bond.


Sequence of the gene encoding the mitochondrial capsule selenoprotein of mouse sperm: identification of three in-phase TGA selenocysteine codons.

The mitochondrial selenoprotein is a major structural protein of the keratinous mitochondrial capsule in mammalian sperm, a structure that functions in shaping mitochondria into the helical sheath surrounding the flagellum. A cDNA clone (Kleene et al., 1990) was isolated previously encoding a protein whose predicted size and amino acid content of > 20% cysteine and proline closely resembled a selenoprotein in the bull mitochondrial capsule. The sequences of additional cDNAs and genomic DNA reported here reveal that the mouse mitochondrial capsule selenoprotein reading frame begins 54 codons further upstream than previously reported. Significantly, these 54 codons contain three in-phase UGA codons, which normally signify stop but encode selenocysteine in bacterial and mammalian selenoproteins. The coding region of the mitochondrial capsule selenoprotein gene is interrupted by a single intron. S1 mapping and primer extension demonstrate that the vast majority of MCS mRNAs are spliced using consensus 5' and 3' slice junctions in mammalian cells. However, two cDNAs have been identified that apparently represent rare mRNA variants produced by use of cryptic splice sites.


Recombinant human acid alpha-glucosidase generated in bacteria: antigenic, but enzymatically inactive.

Genetic deficiency of acid alpha-glucosidase (GAA) results in glycogen storage disease type II. To investigate whether we could generate a functional recombinant human GAA protein for future enzyme replacement therapy, we subcloned the GAA cDNA into the bacterial expression plasmid pMaI and analyzed the recombinant protein produced. This nonglycosylated recombinant human GAA was found to be antigenic by reacting with polyclonal rabbit antibody to human placental GAA using ELISA and Western techniques. However, the protein was not enzymatically active, suggesting that glycosylation may play a role in enzymatic function.


Specific DNA amplification utilizing the polymerase chain reaction and random oligonucleotide primers: application to the analysis of antigen receptor variable regions.

The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) allows rapid amplification of DNA of known sequence. In many situations, part of a genetic sequence is known, but adjacent sequences of interest are unknown. This is common in investigations of antigen receptor genes from B and T lymphocytes, which are composed of a constant region of known sequence and a variable region, for which the sequence may not be known. Herein is described a method to amplify DNA when sequence information is available for only one primer. This procedure utilizes a primer of known sequence in conjunction with a mixture of short random primers. Application of this method to the amplification of T-cell antigen receptor cDNA is described.


[Relative mortality trends for diabetes mellitus in the Brazilian state capitals, 1950-1985].

The article describes the trend of relative mortality from diabetes mellitus in the capitals of the Brazilian states and territories from 1950 to 1975 (by place of occurrence) and from 1977 to 1985 (deaths of inhabitants) on the basis of data obtained from the statistical yearbooks of Brazil and the Ministry of Health's mortality statistics. It also presents the importance of relative mortality from diabetes mellitus in each capital by sex and age group, starting with age 20. In the earlier time period this mortality was found to be on the rise at a rate of increase varying between 1.7 and 11.1 and with an average rate of increase of 3.4 for all capitals. In the latter period the rate ranged between 0.5 and 2.7, with an average rate of 1.5 for all capitals. The death rates were proportionally highest between the ages of 50 and 69, and were higher among women. The study also comments on underestimation of this mortality when the primary cause of death alone is considered.


[Genetic evidence of a species complex in Anopheles pseudopunctipennis pseudopunctipennis].

In light of inconsistencies in the pattern of malaria transmission within geographical areas inhabited by Anopheles pseudopunctipennis pseudopunctipennis, a study was carried out to investigate the possibility that this vector constitutes a species complex. Hybrid crossing studies, electrophoretic analysis of enzyme loci, and DNA restriction analysis were conducted on mosquitoes captured at nine sites in Mexico, Bolivia, and Peru. The sterility of generations resulting from cross-mating of Mexican female mosquitoes and South American male mosquitoes; the results of electrophoretic analysis, which showed differences at two loci; and a genetic distance value of 0.13 confirmed the existence of a species complex, probably produced by allopatric speciation. It is concluded that the geographic distribution of this newly discovered species complex should be defined, in view of its potential effect on malaria control.


Degradation of tauromustine (TCNU) in aqueous solutions.

The stability of tauromustine in buffered aqueous solutions was investigated over the pH range 0.9-7.5. The pH rate profile at zero buffer concentration has a specific acid catalytic region at pH below 2, a plateau of pH-independent degradation between pH 2 and 4, and shows a sharp increase in the degradation rate at pH above 4. The activation parameters, the solvent isotope effect and the effect of the dielectric constant on the degradation rate were determined, and possible degradation mechanisms were discussed. The effects of six cyclodextrin (CD) derivatives on the stability of tauromustine in aqueous buffer solutions were investigated. All the CDs tested had some stabilizing effect on the drug at pH 1.98 and 4.06 but they had little or no effect at pH 6.38. Hydroxypropyl-alpha-cyclodextrin (HP alpha CD) had the largest stabilizing effect. Tauromustine degraded about 25 to 50% slower in aqueous buffer solutions containing 2% HP alpha CD compared to buffer solutions containing no CD.


Chemical stability of insulin. 3. Influence of excipients, formulation, and pH.

The influence of auxiliary substances and pH on the chemical transformations of insulin in pharmaceutical formulation, including various hydrolytic and intermolecular cross-linking reactions, was studied. Bacteriostatic agents had a profound stabilizing effect--phenol > m-cresol > methylparaben--on deamidation as well as on insulin intermolecular cross-linking reactions. Of the isotonicity substances, NaCl generally had a stabilizing effect whereas glycerol and glucose led to increased chemical deterioration. Phenol and sodium chloride exerted their stabilizing effect through independent mechanisms. Zinc ions, in concentrations that promote association of insulin into hexamers, increase the stability, whereas higher zinc content had no further influence. Protamine gave rise to additional formation of covalent protamine-insulin products which increased with increasing protamine concentration. The impact of excipients on the chemical processes seems to be dictated mainly via an influence on the three-dimensional insulin structure. The effect of the physical state of the insulin on the chemical stability was also complex, suggesting an intricate dependence of intermolecular proximity of involved functional groups. At pH values below five and above eight, insulin degrades relatively fast. At acid pH, deamidation at residue A21 and covalent insulin dimerization dominates, whereas disulfide reactions leading to covalent polymerization and formation of A- and B-chains prevailed in alkaline medium. Structure-reactivity relationship is proposed to be a main determinant for the chemical transformation of insulin.


In vitro diffusion cell design and validation. II. Temperature, agitation and membrane effects on betamethasone 17-valerate permeation.

An in vitro permeation cell has been designed and validated for use in monitoring the transmembrane permeation of betamethasone 17-valerate. The design utilizes common laboratory equipment and incorporates as many beneficial features as possible from other designs. The importance of fully validating the hydrodynamic performance of the cell prior to experimentation is stressed. The cell was validated by monitoring the diffusion of betamethasone 17-valerate in isopropyl myristate solution into purified isopropyl myristate receptor phase at different temperatures, different agitation rates and through different synthetic and biological membranes. The results of the hydrodynamic validation agree with data from other researchers and show that the permeation cell is adequately sensitive to these experimental parameters. The results of the membrane evaluation allow appropriate selection of the barrier material for representative transdermal experiments to be conducted. While human and porcine stratum corneum/epidermis are similar in diffusive properties, hairless mouse skin appears to be the most convenient animal membrane for these studies. Although silicone and cellulose membranes appear to be useful in this application, porous filter membranes and egg-shell membranes are insufficiently discriminatory to betamethasone 17-valerate diffusion to provide useful in vitro permeation data.


[Teratology and epidemiology in the study of environmental teratogens].

The processes of cellular migration, cellular differentiation and cellular multiplication are studied, since these are the basic developmental processes upon which teratogenic agents act resulting in congenital malformations. We also carefully analyze the interactions between teratogen-embryo in order to establish adequate parameters for analysis of environmental teratogens, as well as experimental teratogenesis and epidemiology. Information on the pathogenesis of congenital malformations obtained from experimental teratology in an adequate biological model, can be extrapolated to the human. The etiology of congenital malformations resulting from environmental teratogens can only be elucidated through epidemiology, since there is species specificity. Such a study must fulfill the following prerequisites: diagnosis of the congenital malformation, ruling out genetic factors in the family tree and determination of the exact time of exposure to the possible teratogen during the pregnancy.


[Coverage of 4 health programs for pre-school children in marginal urban areas in Mexico City].

The aim this paper was to evaluate the coverage provided by four preschool child health programs (vaccinations, oral hydration therapy, healthy child care and sick child care). To make coverage operational, we designed indicators to compare the utilization of each program with the condition or health problems considered as needed. These results are part of a broad evaluative research called "Coverage and Quality of Primary Health Care" (CQPHC) carried out by the National Institute of Public Health (NIPH) in the State of Mexico in 1988. The population under study was a random sample of the total of preschool children detected in the household survey. We only analyzed data including children from 1-4 years to ensure that all studied children had completed the basic vaccination schemes. For the vaccination program, we observed a coverage of 47.7%, twice as much as that of the oral hydration program that only reached was 21.9%, whereas that of the sick child care program was 63.8%, the former being 2.0 times less than the latter. We can conclude that the different coverage found for each program is basically due to the lack socialization of the concept of need and to the extent of participation of the concept to make these services available to the population.


[Epidemic outbreak of viral meningitis caused by type 30 ECHO virus].

The clinical records of 15 children admitted to Hospital Infantile de México Federico Gómez with diagnosis of viral meningitis were reviewed. They were part of 19 patients admitted with this diagnosis during a 5 week period (March 22 to April 30, 1992) and represent a significant increase of aseptic meningitis compared with the same periods of previous years at Hospital Infantile de Mexico and in Mexico City where there is an ongoing epidemic outbreak of this entity. All the patients studied had spinal fluid findings consistent with viral meningitis and in 4 of them on ECHO virus type 30 was isolated at the Enterovirus Section of the CDC, Atlanta Georgia USA.


[Percentile curves of growth in macrosomic newborn infants in their first 2 years of life].

Between February 1989 to August 1991, 184 macrosomic newborns were somatometrically evaluated during their first 12 hours of age (weight above 4000 g and height above 52 cm). They have a longitudinal follow-up at the Growth Clinic, of the National Institute of Perinatology, in Mexico City, during their first two years of age. All the infants without exception were feeding only with breast milk or protein modificative milk. The ablactation were since the four months of age with the same nutritional pattern. The macrosomic newborn maintain a higher velocity of growth, as a logarithmic kind, at the first two years of age with early cephalotoracic inversion, with maintenance of a big corporal pattern. We conclude that is useful to count with specific growth curves for macrosomic infants since their speed and rhythm of growth are different than for the adequate birth and low birth weight infants and even the macrosomic children of diabetic mother.


[Effects of clonidine++ administration in children with familial short stature and retarded body growth].

The effect of chronic clonidine administration on the height velocity of two groups of children with short stature either familial (FSS) or with constitutional growth delay (CGD) is presented. The patients whose age ranged between 5 to 12 years had a height below the third percentile; otherwise they were healthy. Both groups received 100 micrograms/m2 of clonidine orally during 12 months. In the group with FSS there was an increase in height velocity from 3.6 +/- 0.6 cm/years pretreatment values to 5.1 +/- 0.9 cm/years. The group with CGD showed an increase from 3.6 +/- 0.7 cm/years to 6.5 +/- 3.4. No secondary reactions were observed. The possible impact of this treatment on final height is discussed.


[Rapid detection of neurologic morbidity in full term newborn infants].

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of the simplified method to detect neurological morbidity in newborn and to estimate the predictive parameter, i.e. sensitivity, specificity and predictive value. The sample consisted of 100 newborn infants from the Maternity Clinic of Hospital Regional Docente Trujillo-Perú, during the period from March to May 1990. All infants were born full-term, of normal delivery and Apgar score of greater than or equal to 7 at one minute, and no congenital malformation were present. Each one of the newborn was evaluated with a complete neurologic examination and the simplified method. Previously, the effects of population variables had been evaluated: the mean birth weight was 3277 g. (S.D. 435). Seventy one percent of the infants were between 38.5 and 39.5 weeks of gestational age. Eighty five percent of cases, showed on Apgar score from 8 to 10. The results allowed to determine that the sensitivity of the rapid neurological assessment was 0.70 specificity 0.75 and predictive value 0.75 (P less than 0.01). These findings suggest the usefulness and convenience of the method to detect neurological morbidity in full-term newborn infants.


[Whorls and spirals in scalp hair. Possible clinical implications].

The worl and cow-like shape scalp hair patterns. They are patterns considered normal and others aberrant. Because they are associated with disorders of early brain and craniofacial development, 300 newborn infants were studied. Only 6 had congenital malformation without anomaly scalp hair patterns associated. In the rest of newborn infants the location and direction of the whorls and cow-like were the same see in the children studied previously. Are necessary big series for affirm if really exist aberrant patterns.


[Septic thrombosis of cavernous sinuses. Report of 2 cases].

We report two male adolescents who developed septic thrombosis of the cavernous sinuses after manipulation of a furuncle on the nasal dorsum. We noted in both patients, besides the clinical findings of a generalized infectious process, palpebral edema, proptosis, ptosis, altered pupillary reactivity and bilateral III, IV and VI nerve palsies, as well as dysfunction of the ophthalmic branch of the fifth cranial nerve. One of the patients also had bacterial meningitis. Their cerebral angiograms demonstrated narrowing of the intracavernous portion of both internal carotid arteries. They improved with the antimicrobial treatment, but were left with ptosis and ocular palsies as sequelae. The adequate management of facial furuncle to prevent such a serious complication is emphasized.


[Bronchogenic cyst. Presentation of 2 cases and review of the literature].

The bronchogenic cyst is a congenital malformation of the tracheobronchial tree. It is not frequently seen in the pediatric population and had its origin around the sixth week of gestation when the bronchial development stops. Two cases of intraparenchymal bronchogenic cyst with lobar involvement of the right lung is presented. It was suspected after carefully examining and X-ray of the thorax and it was confirmed with ultrasonography and CT scan. There were no other associated malformations. The clinical and radiological diagnosis is extremely important for achieving the correct surgical procedure. This 2 patients was treated by thoracotomy and pulmonary lobectomy.


[Pelger-Huët anomaly and hereditary elliptocytosis in 2 siblings].

The Pelger-Huët anomaly (PHA) and the hereditary elliptocytosis (HE) are alterations affecting leukocytes and erythrocytes, respectively. Most of the affected individuals do not present clinic manifestations and are casually detected in the laboratory. The PHA and HE were described related to other hereditary and congenital conditions, but rarely have been found in the same individual. In this paper are reported discovery of the PHA and HE combined both in sister and brother, with global delay of development and peculiar physical characteristics. Blood smears of both showed an increase of bilobed neutrophils and elliptic erythrocytes. The family study showed two more members of the mother's branch affected with HE. The PHA could not be found in the parents, nor the other members of both branches. The early deaths or in uterus of three sibs of the propositus are appointed. The absence of the PHA in both parents of the affected individuals,--without discarding the illitimacy possibility--, can be explained by an incomplete genetic penetrance. The early or in uterus deaths of three sibs of the propositus seems possible that in some cases the combination of PHA and HE could be lethal. Possibly in Mexico this may be the first report of the presentation of the PHA and HE simultaneously in the same individual.


[Understanding and diagnosis of complex congenital cardiopathies. II].

Once the rules for understanding of complex congenital heart disease were reviewed in part I, the purpose in this second part is show how the clinical diagnosis is made. The first requirement is to separate patients into two groups: neonates and infants. A critical route based on five clue data: patient's age, presence or absence of cyanosis, presence or absence of myocardial failure, pulmonary blood flow estimated on x chest film, and presence of either right or left ventricular hypertrophy or both in ECG, is matched. This approach is helpful to reduce possibilities to diagnosis in congenital heart disease.


Combined effects of ethanol and protein deficiency on hepatic iron, zinc, manganese, and copper contents.

The present study has been performed in order to establish the relative and combined roles of ethanol and malnutrition on liver Fe, Zn, Cu, and Mn alterations in alcoholic male adult Wistar rats, and also the relationships between these alterations and histomorphometrically determined hepatocyte and nuclear areas, perivenular fibrotic rim area, and total amount of fat present in the liver. Four groups of 8 animals each were fed: (1) a nutritionally adequate diet (C); (2) a 36% ethanol-containing (as percent of energy), isocaloric diet (A); (3) a 2% protein-containing, isocaloric diet (PD); and (4) a 36% ethanol, 2% protein-containing, isocaloric diet (A-PD), respectively, following the Lieber-DeCarli model. Ethanol-fed, protein-deficient animals showed the highest liver Fe, and the lowest Zn and Cu values, although differences in liver Zn, Mn, and Cu values were not significantly different between PD and A-PD groups. Statistically significant differences of these parameters were observed between the A and the A-PD groups, and between the A and PD groups, except for liver iron. Except for liver Mn, differences between C and A groups were statistically significant. These alterations correlated with liver fibrosis and steatosis, serum albumin, and weight loss, except for liver Mn, which was not correlated with fibrosis or steatosis. Thus, protein deficiency seems to enhance ethanol-induced liver Fe, Zn, and Cu alterations, whereas protein deficiency, but not ethanol, seems to play a major role on liver Mn alterations.


An N-hydroxylated derivative of cyanamide that inhibits yeast aldehyde dehydrogenase.

A stable, N,O-dibenzoyl derivative (DBHC) of N-hydroxycyanamide, the latter the postulated bioactivation product of the alcohol deterrent agent, cyanamide, has been synthesized. DBHC was an effective inhibitor of yeast aldehyde dehydrogenase (AIDH) in vitro and inhibited this enzyme in a concentration-dependent manner with an IC50 of 25 microM. Hydrolysis of the benzoate moiety of DBHC with dilute NaOH gave rise to the formation of nitroxyl (HN = O), detected by gas chromatography as nitrous oxide (N2O), the end-product of nitroxyl dimerization and disproportionation. It is postulated that the nitroxyl liberated by esterase action on DBHC by yeast AIDH may be the reactive species that inhibits AIDH.


Adaptive changes of dopamine-D2 receptors in rat brain following ethanol withdrawal: a quantitative autoradiographic investigation.

The effect of subchronic treatment with two doses of ethanol (5 and 10 vol% drinking fluid) on the density of dopamine-D2 receptors was investigated at two different phases of withdrawal, namely 24 h and 5 days after the cessation of the ethanol application. The number of dopamine-D2 receptors was affected in regions receiving projections from both the substantia nigra as well as the ventral tegmentum. Twenty-four hours after the replacement of the ethanol solution by water, a dose-dependent decrease of D2 receptors was found in all regions (N. caudatus dorsalis, medialis and ventralis, N. accumbens lateralis and medialis, tuberculum olfactorium) and most of the analyzed planes [interaural 7.7-10.2 according to the atlas of Paxinos and Watson (35)]. At day 5 of withdrawal, the number of dopamine-D2 receptors of the animals treated with 5 vol% ethanol reached the level of water controls in most planes. In contrast, two- to three-fold higher numbers were detected in animals treated with the higher dose. Only in the most caudal parts of the investigated regions, was the number of receptors decreased with the higher dose. The mesocorticolimbic system seems to be less sensitive to the effects of ethanol than the nigrostriatal neurones. The findings of the present study suggest an increased activity of dopaminergic neurons with an adaptive reduction of dopamine-D2 receptors during the subchronic treatment with ethanol during the first day(s) of withdrawal. This phase is followed by a reduced turnover rate for up to 7 days (21). The reduced activity of dopaminergic neurones induces a compensatory increase of the number of receptors.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)


Binding of serotonergic ligands to brain membranes of alcohol-preferring AA and alcohol-avoiding ANA rats.

The alcohol-preferring AA rats have higher concentration of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) in the brain than the alcohol-avoiding ANA rats. In the present study, the 5-HT1, 5-HT2, and 5-HT3 receptors were studied with [3H]5-HT, [3H]ketanserin, and [3H]LY278584, respectively, in membrane homogenates from different brain regions of both rat lines using in vitro binding assays. No differences in the 5-HT1 and 5-HT2 receptor binding in the brainstem, hippocampus, frontal cortex, and hypothalamus or in the 5-HT3 receptor binding in the nucleus accumbens, amygdala, hippocampus, and frontal cortex were observed between the ethanol-naive animals of the rat lines. In rats given the opportunity to voluntarily consume alcohol, there was a tendency to increase 5-HT1 binding in the ANA rats, which tendency was, however, also found in their ethanol-naive controls subjected to the same handling and behavioral tests as the ethanol-experienced animals. The results do not, however, indicate that any genetic modifications of the 5-HT receptor-binding sites have occurred in the process of the selective breeding of AA and ANA rats for alcohol preference and avoidance, respectively.


Ethanol intake: effect on liver and brain mitochondrial function and acetaldehyde oxidation.

The effect of a chronic ethanol consumption by forcing rats to drink a 20% v/v ethanol solution as sole drinking fluid, for 3 months, was evaluated on: liver and brain mitochondrial function, the capacity of isolated mitochondria to oxidize acetaldehyde, as well as on the low Km mitochondrial AlDH activity, in rats. The O2 uptake by liver and brain mitochondria in the presence of glutamate + malate, succinate or ascorbate + TMPD, was measured polarographically with a Clark electrode. Acetaldehyde oxidation was measured by the disappearance rate in presence of the intact or disrupted mitochondria (AlDH activity) by gas chromatography. Results indicate that an ethanol intake of 11 g/kg b.wt. per day produce a significant reduction of the liver mitochondrial respiration tested with all the substrates used, including acetaldehyde. In contrast, the activity of AlDH in disrupted mitochondria remained unchanged. These results are in accord with the idea that a progressive deterioration of liver mitochondrial function appears with the increase in amount of ethanol consumed, and that alterations of acetaldehyde oxidation by intact mitochondria can be detected before an alteration of the AlDH activity. Concerning the brain, this ethanol consumption regimen did not affect the brain mitochondrial respiration tested with glutamate + malate, succinate or ascorbate + TMPD, but it induces an increase in acetaldehyde oxidation rate by intact brain mitochondria. The imposed increase in the cerebral aldehyde oxidizing capacity could reflect a principal biochemical mechanism underlying neural adaptation to ethanol.


Cimetidine as a scavenger of ethanol-induced free radicals.

Free radical generation and the mobilization of catalytic iron are important in the pathogenesis of alcohol-induced liver injury. Cimetidine is a free radical scavenger in thermal skin injury and cobra venom-induced lung injury, and was therefore investigated as a scavenger of ethanol-induced free radicals. In vitro cimetidine inhibited iron-mediated cleavage of DNA as well as the potentiation of such cleavage by bleomycin. Peroxidation of microsomes by xanthine-xanthine oxidase, acetaldehyde-xanthine oxidase, as well as by the addition of low-molecular weight iron chelates were inhibited (17-100%) by cimetidine (0.1-1 mM). Free radical generation due to ethanol in isolated rat hepatocytes was studied by measuring ethane and pentane production. Cimetidine (1 mM) significantly decreased ethane and pentane production due to ethanol: 1 mM (2.2 +/- 0.3 vs. 1.0 +/- 0.2 pmol ethane per 10(6) cells/h; p less than 0.01, 4.2 +/- 0.4 versus 1.6 +/- 0.3 pmole per 10(6) cells/h pentane; p less than 0.001). Similar inhibitions were observed in the isolated perfused liver. Studies of superoxide reduction of ferricytochrome-C as well as hydroxyl radical generation by Fe(+)+/EDTA/ascorbate revealed that cimetidine was an effective hydroxyl radical scavenger. In summary, in a variety of in vitro systems, as well as in isolated hepatocytes and perfused liver, cimetidine inhibits ethanol-induced free radical injury. These findings may warrant its investigation as a therapeutic agent.


Evaluating the palatability of alcohol for rats with measures of taste reactivity, consumption, and lick rate.

In two experiments, rats were presented with water and six concentrations of alcohol (0.5%, 3%, 6%, 9%, 12%, and 15%, v/v) under conditions of mild fluid deprivation. Their responses were measured using taste reactivity (fluids infused directly into the mouth), consumption, and lick rate (both in a voluntary drinking situation). Results in both experiments showed that the number of overall ingestive responses was relatively high and consistent across all alcohol concentrations and water; aversive responding was low for all solutions. During one-bottle, 10-min tests, rats consumed the three lowest concentrations of alcohol (0.5%, 3%, and 6%) and water at an equal level. There was an abrupt drop in the amount of alcohol consumed at 9% and a continued decrease at the two highest concentrations. Lick rates for alcohol (measured only in Experiment 2) fell into three general patterns: 0.5%, 3%, and 6% produced almost identical, negatively accelerating curves consistently above that of water which was linear; lick rates for 9% and 12% rose initially but, at approximately 2 min, became flat; the 15% solution produced a low lick rate throughout the 5-min period. There were significant correlations between lick rate and amount consumed but, contrary to expectations, no significant correlations were found between taste reactivity and the other two measures (consumption and lick rate). These results suggest that taste reactivity to alcohol solutions may be reflective of processes different from those that regulate licking behavior or actual consumption.


Differential inhibition by ethanol of norepinephrine- and clonidine-induced emesis in cats.

The effect of acute ethanol administration into the cerebral ventricles on the unanesthetized cat upon emesis produced by norepinephrine and clonidine injected similarly as well as upon emesis evoked by copper sulfate given orally was compared and investigated. Ethanol inhibited the norepinephrine- and clonidine-induced emesis. The inhibitory effect of ethanol occurred after a transient and inconsistent emetic action of the drug. Norepinephrine-induced emesis was about 12 times more sensitive than clonidine-induced emesis to the inhibitory effect of ethanol. In addition, norepinephrine-, but not clonidine-induced emesis was abolished after ablation of the area postrema. On the contrary, intracerebroventricular ethanol had virtually no effect on emesis caused by intragastric copper sulfate. The inhibitory effect of ethanol is ascribed to an action on alpha-2 adrenoceptors within the area postrema and on imidazoline-preferring sites and/or muscarinic cholinoceptors outside the area postrema, but not on the emetic region of the brainstem reticular formation. It follows then that ethanol can differentiate alpha-2 adrenoceptors from imidazoline-preferring sites and/or muscarinic cholinoceptors in the brain of the cat.


Ethanol decreases progesterone synthesis in human placental cells: mechanism of ethanol effect.

Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) is a set of signs and symptoms in offsprings born to mothers who abuse alcohol during pregnancy. We postulated that impairment in the placental endocrine function contribute to FAS. In this study, we examined in vitro effects of ethanol on the placental cells' (cytotrophoblast cells) capacity to synthesize progesterone. Cytotrophoblast cells were isolated from normal term placenta and were incubated (2 x 10(6)) with 20-, 30-, and 40-mM doses of ethanol for 6 h. Progesterone was measured in the incubate by RIA. The results showed that, at the 20-mM dose of ethanol, progesterone synthesis was significantly decreased (p less than 0.01), at the 30-mM dose level there was a further decrease of 20%. The differences between 30- and 40-mM ethanol dose levels were not significant. To determine the mechanism of ethanol effects on progesterone synthesis, cytotrophoblast cells were preincubated with 30 mM ethanol followed by 10 microliters of LDL (10 microliters LDL = 80 micrograms cholesterol) and vice versa. The results showed that ethanol effects on progesterone synthesis was dependent on whether ethanol was added prior to or following the addition of LDL in the medium. If ethanol was added in the medium prior to LDL, progesterone synthesis was decreased significantly (p greater than 0.01); however, when ethanol was added after the LDL, ethanol had no effect on progesterone synthesis. In the experiment where ethanol and LDL were added simultaneously in the medium, ethanol blunted the stimulatory effect of LDL on progesterone synthesis.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)


The effect of heparegen on antioxidant enzyme activities in ethanol-induced liver injury in rats.

SOD, CAT, GSH-Px, and sulfhydryl compounds MDA contents in liver of rats treated with heparegen for 7, 14, and 21 days after alcoholic liver injury have been investigated. After use of this drug, we found beneficial effects on GSH-Px activity, sulfhydryl compounds (total and nonprotein), and MDA content and a partially beneficial effect on SOD and CAT activities. These enzyme activities after 21 days of drug administration were restored. Furthermore, heparegen shortens the time necessary for the return of AIAT and GGTP to normal value. This enzymatic data are supported by histological studies in light microscopy.


Purification and properties of 4-halobenzoate-coenzyme A ligase from Pseudomonas sp. CBS3.

The bacterial strain Pseudomonas sp. CBS3 possesses a multi component enzyme system which converts 4-chlorobenzoate to 4-hydroxybenzoate. In the first step 4-chlorobenzoate is activated in a coenzyme A, ATP and Mg(2+)-dependent reaction to 4-chlorobenzoyl-coenzyme A. ATP is cleaved thereby into AMP and pyrophosphate. The involved 4-chlorobenzoate-coenzyme A ligase was purified to apparent homogeneity by a 6-step purification procedure. The native enzyme had an apparent molecular mass of 115000 Da and was composed of two identical polypeptide subunits of 57 kDa. The enzyme displayed an isoelectric point of 5.3. The maximal initial rate of catalysis was achieved in 100mM Tris/HCl or Tricine/NaOH buffer, pH 8.4, at 35 degrees C. Under these conditions the apparent Km values for ATP, coenzyme A and 4-chlorobenzoate were 2.4 to 3.5 mM, 0.11 to 0.19mM and 0.05 to 0.065mM, respectively. Vmax was 111.6 mumol/(min x mg protein). The N-terminal amino-acid sequence was determined. 4-Halobenzoates were preferentially converted to the corresponding thioesters. Therefore, the enzyme was named 4-halobenzoate-coenzyme A ligase.


Ethanol drinking patterns in a continuous-access operant situation: effects of ethanol concentration and response requirements.

Rats, initiated to self-administer ethanol with either a sucrose-substitution procedure or a secondary-conditioning procedure, were maintained in a continuous-access environmental system in which operant lever press responses were required to receive 10% ethanol and food reinforcement. Water available from a drinking tube was electronically monitored to detect licks. Total daily consumption and patterns of food, water, and ethanol responding were analyzed under conditions in which the concentration of ethanol presented as a reinforcer was either 10% or 20%, and the response requirement for ethanol reinforcement was either a fixed ratio 4 schedule or a fixed ratio 1 schedule. Either increasing the ethanol concentration or decreasing the response requirement resulted in an increase in total daily ethanol intake. There was no significant difference between initiation procedures. These results are similar to observations in studies using a limited-access operant situation. This increased ethanol intake resulted from a complex alteration in the daily ethanol drinking pattern. The greatest ethanol intakes were observed when both the ethanol concentration was increased and response requirement was decreased. This was predominantly the result of increasing the number of ethanol drinking bouts per day when the response requirement was decreased, and by decreasing individual bout size by less than half when the ethanol concentration was doubled. These studies indicate that concentration of the ethanol presented as the reinforcer and the response cost required for reinforcement are involved in regulating ethanol consumption in the continuous-access condition. Type of initiation did not appear to interact with these variables.


Inhibition of human mast cell tryptase by benzamidine derivatives.

Considerable circumstantial evidence has been provided by in vitro studies that tryptase (EC 3.4.21.59), a neutral serine proteinase stored in large amounts in mast cell granules, may play an important pathogenetic role in mast cell-dependent diseases. However, a definitive role has not yet been ascribed to this trypsin-like enzyme with restricted substrate specificity as natural or synthetic inhibitors of tryptase applicable for in vivo studies are not available so far. Therefore, we have studied structure-activity relationships for inhibition of tryptase by benzamidine derivatives, compounds known to be potent inhibitors of various trypsin-like enzymes. Among the benzamidine derivatives 4-amidinophenylpyruvic acid exerts a striking inhibitory activity with a Ki of 0.71 mumol/l. Several additional inhibitors of tryptase with Ki values in the micromolar range were found among bis-benzamidines. Derivatives of N alpha-arylsulfonyl-omega-amidinophenyl-alpha-aminoalkylcarboxylic acids are only weak inhibitors of tryptase, although members of this group are potent and selective inhibitors of several other trypsin-like enzymes. Comparison of the inhibition of tryptase and trypsin revealed that the affinities of the benzamidine derivatives to both proteinases are closely correlated (correlation coefficient r = 0.702; n = 37; p < 0.001). These results demonstrate that 4-amidinophenylpyruvic acid may be useful as a pharmacologic tool for the investigation of the (patho)physiological role of tryptase. In addition, benzamidine derivatives may be applicable to probe the active site topography of tryptase isoenzymes.


Prenatal ethanol exposure alters adrenocortical response to predictable and unpredictable stressors.

In the present study, effects of psychological stressors and stressor predictability on the adreno-cortical responses of animals exposed to ethanol in utero were examined. Male and female offspring from ethanol-exposed (E), pair-fed (PF), and ad lib-fed control (C) conditions were tested in adulthood. Separate sets of animals were exposed once daily for 5 consecutive days to either unpredictable (UNPRED) or predictable (PRED) restraint stress or to UNPRED novelty stress. On the fifth test day, blood samples for plasma corticosterone determination were taken either prior to stress (basal levels) or following stress. Males in all groups and C females had higher basal corticosterone levels if previously subjected to PRED restraint than if previously subjected to UNPRED restraint; E and PF females did not exhibit this differential responsiveness. Following restraint stress on the fifth test day, there were no significant differences in response to PRED and UNPRED restraint among E, PF, and C males. In contrast, C but not E or PF females exhibited a greater plasma corticosterone response to UNPRED than to PRED restraint. Following novelty stress, E males exhibited a significantly reduced plasma corticosterone response compared to PF and C males. For females, there was a trend for an increased corticoid response in E compared to PF females following novelty stress as well as a different pattern of response among groups from days 1 to 5 of testing. These data support and extend previous studies suggesting that, compared to PF and C animals, E animals may exhibit altered responses to stressors as well as deficits in the ability to use or respond to environmental cues.


Amino-acid sequence of the short subfragment-2 in adult chicken cardiac muscle myosin.

The amino-acid sequence of the short subfragment-2 in the amino-terminal portion of subfragment-2 derived from adult chicken ventricular muscle myosin was completely determined by direct protein analysis. Peptides fragmented by cyanogen bromide, lysyl endopeptidase and arginyl endopeptidase of S-carboxymethylated S-2 and peptides of large CNBr peptides cleaved by dilute formic acid were separated and sequenced. This short S-2 composed of 259 amino-acid residues was found highly conserved and contained hydrophobic and charged residue repeat units. Comparing this sequence with the partial nucleotide sequence of cDNA corresponding to short S-2 (Stewart A.F.R., et al. (1991) J. Mol. Evol. 33, 357-366), a 64 amino-acid residues extension towards the NH2 terminus and 9 residues differences were observed. Furthermore, this sequence is compared with those of rat, rabbit and human ventricular myosins, and 86.1%, 86.5%, 86.5% sequence identities are observed, respectively.


Sex differences in pattern of drinking.

Drinking patterns of male and female Long-Evans rats were compared during a 15-day drinking period. All animals were tested for preference for alcohol for 24 h during which food, water, and beer containing 5% ethanol were freely available. Animals drinking 50 ml or more of beer were chosen for the experiments. On days 1-5, animals were offered food, water, and beer containing 5% ethanol (v/v). On days 6-15, the concentration of ethanol in the beer was doubled to 10% (v/v). Preference ratios (beer/total fluid) were higher for females than males, and females consumed more grams of alcohol per unit of body weight. When alcohol concentration was doubled, females increased alcohol intake (g/kg), while males tended to titrate alcohol intake to levels consumed at 5% concentration. Female patterns of drinking differed from male patterns of drinking.


The limited access paradigm: description of one method.

Restricting access to alcohol to a short period daily causes rats, in effect, to drink on command. They usually begin drinking alcohol immediately when it is first made available each day and consume a rather constant amount during each access period. The procedure thus has a variety of useful applications. The specific method reported here in detail provides continual access to food and water, but access to unflavored 10% ethanol solution only 1 h/d, all in the home cage, and produces mean alcohol intakes from 0.5-1.0 g/kg in the access hour.


New analogues of Cucurbita maxima trypsin inhibitor III (CMTI III) with simplified structure.

Seven new analogues of trypsin inhibitor CMTI III were obtained by solid-phase peptide synthesis. Three analogues contained only two, instead of three, disulfide bridges, whereas the molecules of the next four analogues were shortened at the N- and/or C-terminus. The elimination of one disulfide bridge in CMTI III induces a decrease in the association equilibrium constants by 6-7 orders of magnitude, whereas the removal of one, two or three amino-acid residues at the N- and/or C-terminus does not significantly affect the activity.


Dihydropteridine reductase from Escherichia coli exhibits dihydrofolate reductase activity.

E. coli Dihydropteridine reductase, known to have a pterin-independent oxidoreductase activity with potassium ferricyanide as electron donor, has now been shown to possess also dihydrofolate reductase activity. The kinetic parameters for dihydrofolate reductase activity have been determined. The ratio of the three activities, dihydropteridine reductase, dihydrofolate reductase and pterin-independent oxidoreductase activity is 1.0, 0.05 and 4.3, respectively. The enzyme, a flavoprotein which is unstable in the presence of dithiothreitol, was shown to be a monomer with a molecular mass of 25.7 kDa. The apparent lack of discrimination between hydride transfer from the pyridine nucleotide to N5 of the pterin in the dihydropteridine reductase reaction and C6 of folate in the dihydrofolate reaction suggested that the FAD prosthetic group may be involved in the hydride transfers. The flavoprotein inhibitor N,N- dimethylpropargylamine inhibited the dihydropteridine reductase and oxidoreductase reactions differently and did not affect the dihydrofolate reductase activity however.


The influence of alcohol and sleep deprivation on stimulus evaluation.

The effects of alcohol and sleep deprivation on choice reaction time (RT) as a function of stimulus intensity, stimulus quality, and response compatibility were investigated. Fifty-four male subjects were assigned to one of three levels of alcohol (0.00, 0.07, or 0.10 BAC), and one of two levels of sleep deprivation (0 or 24 h). Stimulus intensity, stimulus quality, and response compatibility were varied (high or low), with RTs identified according to time on task. Significant main effects of each of the stimulus variables were present in baseline analysis, with low-level conditions producing longer RTs. Alcohol produced an overall slowing of RT. The combination of both treatments led to larger increases in RT for low stimulus quality. Sleep deprivation increased RT for high stimulus intensity. Alcohol increased RT for low stimulus intensity, but only when subjects were not sleep deprived. These results imply higher risk with degraded stimulus conditions, e.g., driving in settings of low visibility or at night.


Gender differences in ethanol oxidation and injury in the rat stomach.

A significant fraction of orally consumed ethanol is metabolized by the alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) enzyme present in the gastric mucosa. Human studies have shown that this "first pass metabolism" of ethanol correlates quite closely with gastric ADH activity which has been demonstrated to be greater in men than women. The present study was undertaken to determine if gender influences the magnitude of ethanol-induced injury in rat gastric mucosa and whether any differences can be linked to altered levels of ADH activity. Since prostaglandins (PGs) have been shown to markedly attenuate the severity of gastric injury induced by ethanol in the rat stomach, a further goal of this study was to determine whether the efficiency of PG's protective action was in any way influenced by gender. Accordingly, both male and female rats were pretreated subcutaneously with 16,16-dimethyl PGE2 (10 micrograms/kg) or saline 30 minutes prior to administering an oral dose of 50% ethanol in saline or saline alone. They were then sacrificed 5 minutes later. In a portion of animals (n = 6 per group), samples of mucosa from the glandular stomach were obtained and kinetic activity of ADH determined. In another portion of animals (n = 6 per group), gastric tissue samples from the glandular mucosa were examined by light microscopy and the magnitude of mucosal injury quantified. Alcohol-treated females showed significantly (p less than 0.05) less superficial and more deep mucosal injury than male counterparts. Further, ADH kinetic activity in female rats was significantly less than that observed in male counterparts of similar weight (83% of males; p less than 0.04).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)


Neurohypophysial vasopressin and oxytocin as influenced by (6R)-5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-alpha-biopterin in euhydrated and dehydrated rats.

Experiments were performed to test a possible role of (6R)-5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-alpha-biopterin dihydrochloride (BH4) in the neurohypophysial vasopressin and oxytocin content in euhydrated and dehydrated rats. Chronic treatment with BH4, administered to not dehydrated animals, was followed by a significant decrease of neurohypophysial vasopressin, but not of neurohypophysial oxytocin. In dehydrated animals the neurohypophysial vasopressin content decreased progressively; this process was not affected significantly by BH4. In rats dehydrated and treated simultaneously with BH4 the decrease of neurohypophysial oxytocin content was distinctly less marked.


Effects of morphine on acquisition and maintenance of ethanol and water intake patterns in rats.

Two experiments were conducted to assess the effects of chronic subcutaneous injections of morphine (1.0 mg/kg) or saline on the pattern and amount of sweetened ethanol and water intake in fluid restricted Long-Evans rats. Following daily injections, 2-h two-bottle choice tests were conducted with water and an ethanol solution (15% ethanol v/v in 5% sucrose w/v). During a 20-day acquisition phase (Experiment 1), ethanol intake patterns and amounts did not differ between saline (n = 6) and morphine (n = 6) groups. Both groups exhibited ethanol intake patterns that decreased exponentially throughout the session suggesting control by fluid restriction procedures. Morphine decreased water intake during initial periods of each session and increased intake during later periods. In Experiment 2, morphine and saline injections were reversed across three phases with the same rats. Morphine increased total ethanol consumption during the first few days of each 15-day phase, but the groups did not differ thereafter, and the initial increases produced no statistically significant group differences. Additionally, morphine augmented ethanol intake in early portions of sessions, while water intake was decreased and increased during early and later portions of each session, respectively. Analysis of the data from the last 5 days of each phase indicated that, when injected with morphine, the group which received saline during acquisition consumed significantly more ethanol solution than the group injected with morphine during acquisition. The effect on patterns of water and ethanol intake were observed, regardless of the drug injected during acquisition.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)


An investigation into the glycolipid metabolism of alpha-N-acetylgalactosaminidase-deficient fibroblasts using native and artificial glycolipids.

Deficient activity of lysosomal alpha-N-acetylgalactosaminidase represents a recently recognized lysosomal disorder whose neurologic manifestation in infancy is infantile neuroaxonal dystrophy. The lysosomal enzyme defect, inherited as an autosomal recessive trait, was first identified in the two brothers, GD and BD. Metabolic modification of glycolipids with terminal alpha-GalNAc was studied in fibroblasts from these patients. [Ceramide-3H]Forssman-glycosphingolipid (GSL), the fluorescent C6-NBD-lyso-Forssman-glycolipid (GL) and a 14C-labelled neoglycolipid containing the blood group A trisaccharide were synthesized and used as probes in degradation studies with cell homogenates and with cells in culture. Assays of each of these substrates with fibroblast homogenates of the patients demonstrated the profound deficiency of alpha-N-acetylgalactosaminidase activity compared with controls. Residual activities in the patients' fibroblast homogenates were detected with all glycolipid substrates; those amounted to 6.3 +/- 3.7% (BD) and 12.8 +/- 6.3% (GD) of the mean activity in controls for [3H]Forssman-GSL, and to 2.2 +/- 0.8% (BD) and 3.6 +/- 1.8% (GD) for C6-NBD-lyso-Forssman GL, respectively. alpha-N-Acetylgalactosaminidase deficiency in intact cells was confirmed by TLC analyses, which showed impaired glycolipid modification in cell extracts obtained following addition of [3H]Forssman GSL and C6-NBD-lyso-Forssman GL to the culture media of fibroblasts from the patients.


Prostaglandin D2 and E2 syntheses in rat Kupffer cells are antagonistically regulated by lipopolysaccharide and phorbol ester.

Prostaglandin-synthesizing activities were demonstrated in cell-free extracts of rat Kupffer cells and characterized. The enzymatic properties of PGH2 synthase were found to be similar to those of synthases present in other organs or cell types. The specific activity of the enzyme was not changed by substances that stimulate prostanoid release by intact Kupffer cells; however, it was reduced by pretreatment of the cells with glucocorticoid hormones. On the other hand, the activities of PGD2 and PGE2 synthase were influenced differently by the kind of cell stimulation. While pretreatment of the intact cells with endotoxin and/or inhibition of protein kinase C led to an enhanced PGE2 formation in cell-free extracts, exposure to agents that enhance protein kinase C-dependent signalling pathways, e.g. phagocytotic stimuli or phorbol ester, suppressed PGE2 synthase activity and, therefore, led to enhanced PGD2 synthesis. It is in line with this observation that in vitro activation of protein kinase C of Kupffer cells resulted in a reduced PGE2 and an enhanced PGD2 synthase activity.


Isolation and characterization of a non sex-specific lipoprotein from hemolymph of fresh water crab Potamon potamios.

A non sex-specific high density lipoprotein (HDL) was isolated from the hemolymph of male fresh water crab Potamon potamios. Antiserum against male lipoprotein precipitated a lipoprotein from ovigerous and non ovigerous females. The lipoprotein was isolated by a combination of KBr density gradient ultracentrifugation and gel filtration on Bio-Gel A-1.5m. Two yellow bands with hydrated density of 1.08 and 1.10 g x ml-1 were observed following density gradient ultracentrifugation. Native polyacrylamide electrophoresis showed a low- and a high-mobility band, staining with Sudan black. Both native bands were resolved to a single 128 kDa band in SDS-PAGE. The relative molecular masses of the two bands, as determined by gel filtration and native gradient gel electrophoresis, were 230 and 440 kDa, respectively. Since the lipid content was 50% and the molecular mass of the apoprotein was 128 kDa, we suggest that the lipoprotein is a monomer and a dimer. Chemical cross-linking experiments support this observation. The isoelectric point of the lipoprotein was pH 5.8. The amino-acid composition was also determined. The lipoprotein contained 50% lipids, with phospholipids being the predominant species (80%). Phosphatidylcholine (66%) and phosphatidylethanolamine (16%) were the predominant phospholipids. The fatty acid content of the lipoprotein was also determined. The lipoprotein contained 68% unsaturated fatty acids with oleate being the dominant species (35%).


Secondary fungal metabolites and their biological activities, II. Occurrence of antibiotic compounds in cultures of Armillaria ostoyae growing in the presence of an antagonistic fungus or host plant cells.

We found that in the presence of host plant cells or some antagonistic fungi, the highly forest-pathogenic basidiomycete Armillaria ostoyae is strongly stimulated to produce a series of toxic secondary metabolites which are capable of inhibiting the growth of the antagonist or of killing the plant cells still before cell contact. The chemical structures of the metabolites have been identified, of which two of them are new compounds. The time dependence and sites of synthesis in the mycelium have been determined in order to lay the foundation for future studies concerning the induction mechanism for the synthesis of the toxins.


Isolation and partial characterization of the outer dense fiber proteins from human spermatozoa.

Flagella of human spermatozoa were separated from the sperm head by sonication at 25 kHz and subsequent density gradient centrifugation in Percoll. For isolation of the outer dense fibers (ODF), the flagellar membrane and fibrous sheath were dissolved under reducing conditions in the cationic detergent cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) for 30, 60 and 90 min, respectively. The isolation steps were monitored by phase-contrast microscopy and electron microscopy. After SDS-PAGE and silver staining two protein bands at 55 and 67 kDa could be detected. An identification of these proteins as phosphoproteins, either with molybdate/methylgreen or rhodamine B, was not possible. The obtained results indicate that the ODF proteins might have more passive elastic than active function with respect to motility of spermatozoa.