The effect of timing of ondansetron administration in outpatients undergoing otolaryngologic surgery

A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study was designed to compare the relative efficacy of prophylactic ondansetron, 4 mg intravenously (IV), when administered before induction of anesthesia or at the end of surgery to an outpatient population at high risk of developing postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV). Patients undergoing otolaryngologic surgery were randomly assigned to one of three different treatment groups: Group 1 (placebo) received saline 5 mL prior to induction of anesthesia and again at the end of surgery; Group II received ondansetron 4 mg in 5 mL prior to induction of anesthesia and saline 5 mL at the end of surgery; and Group III received saline 5 mL prior to induction of anesthesia and ondansetron 4 mg at the end of surgery. All patients received the same general anesthetic technique. A standardized regimen of rescue antiemetics was administered in the recovery room to patients with > or = 2 emetic episodes or at the patients request for persistent nausea. Episodes of nausea and vomiting, as well as the need for rescue antiemetics, were recorded for 24 h after the operation. The incidences of nausea and emesis in the recovery room after prophylactic ondansetron, 4 mg IV, administered either before induction (68% and 20%, respectively) or at the end of surgery (60% and 4%, respectively) were not significantly decreased compared to the placebo control group (80% and 12%, respectively). However, when ondansetron was administered at the end of the operation, it significantly reduced the need for rescue antiemetics in the recovery room (36% vs 64% in the control group). The postanesthesia care unit and hospital discharge times were similar in all three study groups. One patients in Group II and one patient in Group III were hospitalized because of intractable symptoms related to PONV. After discharge from the ambulatory surgery unit, the incidence of nausea, vomiting, and the need for rescue antiemetic drugs were similar in all three treatment groups. In conclusion, ondansetron (4 mg IV) was more effective in reducing the need for rescue antiemetics in the recovery room when administered at the end versus prior to the start of otolaryngologic surgery. Therefore, when ondansetron is used for antiemetic prophylaxis in outpatients undergoing otolaryngologic procedures, it should be administered at the end of the operation rather than prior to induction of anesthesia.

Selective switch between latency and lytic replication of Kaposi's sarcoma herpesvirus and Epstein-Barr virus in dually infected body cavity lymphoma cells

The BC-1 cell line, derived from a body cavity-based, B-cell lymphoma, is dually infected with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV). In these studies, the relationships between these two gammaherpesviruses and BC-1 cells were characterized and compared. Single-cell cloning experiments suggested that all BC-1 cells contain both genomes. In more than 98% of cells, both viruses were latent. The two viruses could be differentially induced into their lytic cycles by chemicals. EBV was activated into DNA replication and late-gene expression by the phorbol ester tetradecanoyl phorbol acetate (TPA). KSHV was induced into DNA replication and late-gene expression by n-butyrate. Amplification of both EBV and KSHV DNAs was inhibited by phosphonoacetic acid. Induction of the KSHV lytic cycle by n-butyrate was accompanied by the disappearance of host-cell beta-actin mRNA. Induction of EBV by TPA was not accompanied by such an effect on host-cell gene expression. Induction of the KSHV lytic cycle by n-butyrate was associated with the expression of several novel polypeptides. Recognition of one of these, p40, served as the basis of development of an assay for antibodies to KSHV in the sera of infected patients. BC-1 cells released infectious EBV; however, there was no evidence for the release of encapsidated KSHV genomes by BC-1 cells, even though n-butyrate-treated cells contained numerous intranuclear nucleocapsids. The differential inducibility of these two herpesviruses in the same cell line points to the importance of viral factors in the switch from latency to lytic cycle.

gp120, a human immunodeficiency virus-1 coat protein, augments excitotoxic hippocampal injury in perinatal rats

Recent data suggest that gp120, a human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) coat glycoprotein that is secreted by HIV-infected cells, is neurotoxic, and that this toxicity is mediated, at least in part, by activation of N-methyl-D-aspartate-type excitatory amino acid receptors. To test this hypothesis in vivo, we examined the neurotoxicity of gp120 injected intrahippocampally, alone or co-injected with the selective excitatory amino acid agonist N-methyl-D-aspartate, in seven-day-old rats. Severity of injury in the lesioned hippocampus was assessed five days later, using three outcome measures: histopathology, hippocampal atrophy (derived from regional cross-sectional area measurements) and loss of [3H]glutamate receptor binding (based on in vitro autoradiography assays). To confirm that any observed effects were attributable to gp120 bioactivity, each group of experiments included controls that received equal amounts of heat-treated gp120. Gp120 (200 ng) elicited minimal focal pyramidal cell loss immediately adjacent to the injection track; there was no hippocampal atrophy or loss of [3H]glutamate binding. Co-injection of 50 ng gp120 with N-methyl-D-aspartate (5 nmol, threshold excitotoxic dose) increased the severity of hippocampal injury; hippocampal atrophy was greater in animals that received injections of 5 nmol N-methyl-D-aspartate in combination with 50 ng gp120 than in those that received either N-methyl-D-aspartate alone (5 nmol) or 5 nmol N-methyl-D-aspartate+50 ng heat-treated gp120 (mean+/-S.E.M. percentage reduction in injected hippocampal volume vs contralateral: N-methyl-D-aspartate, -19+/-3; N-methyl-D-aspartate+gp120, -26.8+/-2.1; N-methyl-D-aspartate+heat-treated gp120, -14.0+/-2.2; P<0.001, ANOVA). Treatment with the competitive N-methyl-D-aspartate antagonist 3-((RS)-2-carboxypiperazin-4-yl)-propyl-1-phosphonic acid (20mg/kg) markedly reduced the severity of injury elicited by the combination of gp120 with N-methyl-D-aspartate. These data support the hypothesis that locally secreted gp120 could exert neurotoxic effects, mediated by N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor activation, in vivo in the immature brain.

Effect of commercial dilating agents on laser flare-cell measurements

OBJECTIVE

To compare the effect of tropicamide alone and tropicamide-phenylephrine on anterior chamber flare and cell measurements obtained with a laser flare-cell meter.

DESIGN

Prospective study.

SETTING

Gimbel Eye Centre, Calgary.

SUBJECTS

Twenty white subjects (10 with blue irides and 10 with brown irides) aged 24 to 45 (mean 30.2) years without any known systemic or ocular disease.

INTERVENTIONS

Laser flare-cell measurements were obtained 30 minutes after pupillary dilation with 1% tropicamide in one eye and a combination drop of 0.8% tropicamide and 5% phenylephrine in the other eye. The average of five readings was taken for each eye.

OUTCOME MEASURES

Flare and cell measurements.

RESULTS

There was no statistically significant difference in flare photon count or cell count between the eyes dilated with tropicamide and those dilated with tropicamide-phenylephrine. In addition, iris colour was not found to have a significant effect on flare and cell measurements.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggest that pupillary dilation for laser flare-cell measurements can be done with either mydriatic agent in healthy white subjects of any eye colour without significant effects on the measurements. Further study is needed to determine whether the same is true in older subjects.

Differential production of interleukin-6 and its close relation to liver metastasis in clones from murine P815 mastocytoma

Interleukin-6 (IL-6)-producing abilities of plastic-adherent and plastic-non-adherent P815 clones were investigated in connection with the liver metastasis. Most adherent clones produced IL-6 at high level (over 10 ng/10(5) cells per 48 h), and they coincided with highly liver-metastatic clones. The remaining adherent and all the non-adherent clones tested produced IL-6 at low level (under 1.5 ng/10(5) cells), and they coincided with the low or non-liver-metastatic clones. The IL-6 production was greatly enhanced by IL-1 alpha, but not by IL-6, tumor necrosis factor-alpha or interferon-gamma.

Two 21-kilodalton components of the Epstein-Barr virus capsid antigen complex and their relationship to ZEBRA-associated protein p21 (ZAP21)

The viral capsid antigen complex of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), an important serodiagnostic marker of infection with the virus, consists of at least four components, with molecular masses of 150, 110, 40, and 21 kDa. Here we show that the 21-kDa component of the viral capsid antigen consists of products of two EBV genes, BFRF3 and BLRF2. Both products were expressed from late transcripts, were recognized by human antisera, and were present in virions. The BFRF3 product, but not that of BLRF2, fulfilled the definition of ZEBRA-associated protein p21 (ZAP21). In cells in which EBV was lytically replicating, BFRF3 protein was coimmunoprecipitated together with ZEBRA by a rabbit antiserum directed against amino acids 197 to 245 of BZLF1. In EBV-negative cells cotransfected with BZLF1 and BFRF3 expression vectors, BFRF3 was also coimmunoprecipitated with this antiserum. Although this antiserum could not detect BFRF3 on an immunoblot, it was able to immunoprecipitate BFRF3 in the absence of ZEBRA expression. The rabbit antiserum to amino acids 197 to 245 of BZLF1 was found to detect the same epitope at the carboxy end of BFRF3 as was recognized by rabbit antiserum to BFRF3 itself. Thus, coimmunoprecipitation of BFRF3 p21 with ZEBRA appeared to be due to cross-reactivity of the immunoprecipitating antiserum rather than to direct association of ZEBRA and BFRF3 p21.

Polyadenylylated nuclear RNA encoded by Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus

A newly recognized gamma herpesvirus known as Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) or human herpesvirus 8 (HHV8) is present in Kaposi sarcomas and body-cavity-based lymphomas. Here we identify a novel abundant 1.2-kb RNA, polyadenylated nuclear RNA (PAN RNA), encoded by the virus. The majority of cDNAs produced from poly(A)-selected RNA isolated from a human body cavity lymphoma cell line 48 hr after butyrate induction of KSHV lytic replication represented PAN RNA. Within PAN RNA were two 9 and 16 nt stretches with 89% and 94% identity to U1 RNA. A third stretch of 14 nt was 93% complementary to U1. The 5' upstream region of PAN RNA contained both proximal and distal sequence elements characteristic of regulatory regions of U snRNAs, whereas the 3' end was polyadenylylated. PAN RNA was transcribed by RNA polymerase II, lacked a trimethylguanosine cap, and did not associate with polyribosomes. PAN RNA formed a speckled pattern in the nucleus typical of U snRNAs and colocalized with Sm protein. Therefore, PAN represents a new type of RNA, possessing features of both U snRNA and mRNA.

[Effect of 764-3 and ligustrazine on collagen content of extrapulmonary arteries during chronic hypoxia]

OBJECTIVE

Effect of two antifibrotic Chinese drugs, 764-3 and ligustrazine, on collagen content in chronic hypoxic pulmonary hypertensive extrapulmonary arterial wall were examined.

METHODS

Since collagen contains more than 10% hydroxyproline by weight and in other proteins there are almost no hydroxyproline, collagen content was expressed as micrograms of hydroxyproline. Hydroxyproline was determined by calorimetric method after oxidized by chloramine T.

RESULTS

Both 764-3 and ligustrazine significantly inhibited the increase of pulmonary arterial pressure and elevation of hydroxyproline content in extrapulmonary arterial wall during chronic hypoxia.

CONCLUSIONS

764-3 and ligustrazine may be two hopeful therapeutic drugs for chronic hypoxic pulmonary hypertension.

In vivo CTL immunity can be elicited by in vitro reconstituted MHC/peptide complex

The use of peptides as a vaccine is a potentially powerful immunization strategy. We explored the possibility of inducing an efficient cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) mediated immune response in mice, using in vitro reconstituted major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I/peptide complexes as the immunogen. Recombinant derived H-2Kb and beta 2-microglobulin (beta 2m) were properly folded into an MHC class I complex using the vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV)-8mer from the natural nucleocapsid proteinN52-59 (RGYVYQGL), an immunodominant Kb epitope in C57BL/6 (B6) mice. After immunizing mice with the H-2Kb class I/VSV peptide complex and a subsequent in vitro stimulation with the VSV peptide alone, a specific CTL response was demonstrated. The method was also applicable to other peptides, for example, the Sendai virus (SV) peptideN324-332 (FAPGNYPAL). The CTL response was mediated by CD3+/CD8+ T cells and was shown to be allele specific, as only peptide loaded target cells expressing the H-2Kb allele could be recognized. It is of interest that extremely small amounts of injected MHC class I/peptide complex (i.e. 500 pg) could generate a measurable CTL response. The MHC class I/peptide complex had to be intact and properly folded to elicit an immune response, suggesting that the complex protected the peptide for internalization by antigen presenting cells (APCs) or for delivering to the proper site for peptide exchange on the cell surface of APCs. The described immunizing method can be routinely used to prime a CTL response by employing in vitro folded MHC class I/peptide complexes, without the use of adjuvants. It appears to be efficient, sensitive and specific. By using the recombinant protein system, unlimited amounts of MHC class I/peptide complex can be produced for immunization. Moreover, this protocol permits different in vitro combinations of allelic MHC class I molecules and peptide variants.

[Three-dimensional recons-truction of lumbar-sacral canal and its contents: experimental study]

In order to suit the needs of studies in spinal column surgery on three-dimensional spatial structure and morphology of lumbar-sacral canal and the nervous tissue within it, an experimental model was applied by the authors using lumbosacral specimens from two fresh young adult cadavers. Successive 2mm thick CTM screening was carried out from L3 to S2 vertebral bodies with an interval of 1mm. The serial two-dimensional CT photographical pictures so obtained were inputted into a computer and the three-dimensional images were reconstructed through a VIDAS image analysis system. The experimental results indicated that the three-dimensional images of reconstructed vertebral canal and the nervous tissue within it were lifelike. These images could not only reveal their three-dimensional structure and morphology, but also be cut and composed together at any direction and section by turning and transpositioning along X, Y and Z axes. The authors hold that the visual effect expressed by three-dimensional images reconstructed from two-dimensional pictures can play important role in stereomorphologic, biomechanical, and other studies in fields of anatomy, image analysis, and clinical medicine.

Antibodies to butyrate-inducible antigens of Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus in patients with HIV-1 infection

BACKGROUND

The recent identification in patients with Kaposi's sarcoma of DNA sequences with homology to gammaherpesviruses has led to the hypothesis that a newly identified virus, Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpeslike virus (KSHV), has a role in the pathogenesis of Kaposi's sarcoma. We developed serologic markers for KSHV infection.

METHODS

KSHV antigens were prepared from a cell line (BC-1) that contains the genomes of both KSHV and the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). We used immunoblot and immunofluorescence assays to examine serum samples from 102 patients with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection for antibodies to KSHV-associated proteins and to distinguish these antibodies from antibodies to EBV antigens. A positive serologic response was defined by the recognition of an antigenic polypeptide, p40, in n-butyrate-treated BC-1 cells and by the absence of p40 recognition in untreated BC-1 cells or EBV-infected, KSHV-negative cells. The detection by the immunofluorescence assay of 10 to 20 times more antigen-positive cells in n-butyrate-treated BC-1 cells than in untreated cells was considered a positive response.

RESULTS

Antibodies to the p40 antigen expressed by chemically treated BC-1 cells were identified in 32 of 48 HIV-1-infected patients with Kaposi's sarcoma (67 percent), as compared with only 7 of 54 HIV-1-infected patients without Kaposi's sarcoma (13 percent). These results were confirmed by an immunofluorescence assay. The positive predictive value of the serologic tests for Kaposi's sarcoma was 82 percent, and the negative predictive value 75 percent.

CONCLUSIONS

The presence of antibodies to a KSHV antigenic peptide correlates with the presence of Kaposi's sarcoma in a high-risk population and provides further evidence of an etiologic role for KSHV.

Effect of pharmacological dilation and constriction of pupil on corneal topography

A prospective study was undertaken to investigate the effect of pharmacological pupillary dilation and constriction on corneal topography. Corneal topography was performed using the EyeSys system on 28 normal subjects before and after pupil dilation, constriction, and then with the pupil intact (no medication). Our results show that both flattening and steepening of the corneal curvature were found in all three examination periods. The numbers of corneas with flattening and steepening in each examination period were compared and found not to be statistically different. Mean change of corneal flattening was compared with mean change of corneal steepening in each examination period and again no significant difference was found. These results indicate that the slight changes in corneal power and radius following pharmacological pupillary dilation or constriction may be due to either the inability to repeat by the subjects, or error by observers or instrument.

The relationship between adherence and liver metastatic ability in murine mastocytoma cell line

P815 murine mastocytoma cells were separated to plastic-adherent and -nonadherent cell populations by repetitive in vitro selections. Their abilities of experimental and spontaneous metastases were investigated in the syngeneic DBA/2 mice. While the plastic-adherent populations were found to be liver-metastatic, the plastic-nonadherent populations were liver-nonmetastatic. The inability of plastic-nonadherent P815 cells to metastasize to the liver did not mean that these cells were not tumorigeneic because they could metastasize to tissues and/or organs other than the liver. Hence it could be looked as inability for liver specific metastasis resulted from, or related to, the loss of plastic adhesiveness. By limiting dilution of plastic-adherent and -nonadherent P815 cells, two series of well comparable P815 clones were established: (1) plastic-adherent, liver-metastatic clone and (2) plastic-nonadherent, liver-nonmetastatic one. Since these two series of P815 clone are originated from a common parent line, they might be valuable in the study of the molecular mechanisms of liver specific metastasis and of the relations between liver metastasis and cell adhesiveness.

Anterior chamber fluid cultures following phacoemulsification and posterior chamber lens implantation

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

A randomized, prospective study was undertaken to evaluate the incidence of positive cultures in the anterior chamber following cataract surgery when using intracameral gentamicin compared with no antibiotic.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A total of 97 patients were enrolled-- 48 receiving gentamicin in the irrigating solution and 49 receiving no intracameral antibiotics (control group). Each cataract extraction was accomplished by phacoemulsification followed by intraocular lens implantation. At the end of surgery, o.1 ml of anterior chamber fluid from each case was collected and cultured.

RESULTS

All cultures were negative in the group receiving gentamicin. However, one positive culture occurred in the control group. There was no significant difference in the positive culture rate between the two groups (P = .52).

CONCLUSION

This study suggests that cataract extraction with phacoemulsification and intraocular lens implantation has greatly reduced the incidence of bacterial contamination of anterior chamber fluid, with or without the use of intracameral antibiotic.

Hypoxic-ischemic brain injury induces an acute microglial reaction in perinatal rats

Activated microglia may contribute to the progression of neuronal injury after a wide range of CNS insults. In this study, we used two complementary methods to evaluate acute changes in the morphology and regional distribution of microglia induced by a focal hypoxic-ischemic insult in 7-d-old (P7) rats. To elicit injury, P7 rats underwent right carotid ligation followed by 3 h of 8% O2 exposure; rats were killed 10 min to 5 d later (n > or = 3/group). A histochemical assay using Griffonia simplicifolia B4-isolectin enabled detection of both resting and activated microglia in tissue sections; vascular cells were also reactive. Activated microglia were also identified immunocytochemically using a macrophage-specific MAb, ED-1. In normal P7-12 brain, lectin, and ED-1 immunoreactive-activated microglia were concentrated in white matter; lectin-positive resting, ramified microglia were also detected throughout the gray and white matter. Subtle morphologic evidence of microglial activation was noted 10 min posthypoxia-ischemia in the lesioned right cerebral hemisphere; activated microglia began to accumulate within the next 4 h. Accumulation of lectin-positive activated microglia peaked at 2-4 d posthypoxia-ischemia. ED-1 immunoreactive-microglia were first noted 4 h after hypoxic-ischemic injury in the lesioned right hemisphere, and there was a corresponding increase in accumulation over the first 48 h posthypoxia-ischemia. In the left hemisphere, contralateral to the ligation, no increase in activated microglia were detected with either method. In brain sections where no neuronal injury was evident, activated microglia did not accumulate. These data demonstrate that perinatal hypoxic-ischemic brain injury induced rapid accumulation of activated microglia in hypoxic-ischemic forebrain.

Evidence that the antigen receptors of cytotoxic T lymphocytes interact with a common recognition pattern on the H-2Kb molecule

Recognition of class I MHC antigens involves interaction between TCRs of cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) and the two alpha helices of MHC molecules. Using a combined panel of H-2Kb mutants selected by either a CTL clone or MAbs, we have shown evidence that the TCRs of 59 Kb-specific CTL clones shared a common binding pattern on the H-2Kb molecule. Mutations of amino acid residues at the C-terminal regions, but not the N-terminal regions, of the alpha helices abrogated the recognition by the majority of the clones. The data suggests that TCRs predominantly recognize the class I MHC molecule with an orientation that is parallel to the beta-pleated strands and diagonal to the alpha helices.

Effects of wound architecture and suture technique on postoperative astigmatism

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

A prospective randomized investigation was performed to evaluate the effects of wound architecture and suture techniques on postoperative astigmatism after phacoemulsification and intraocular lens implantation.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Two hundred eyes with preexisting with-the-rule astigmatism were randomized into four groups: (1) sutureless scleral tunnel frown incision, (2) scleral tunnel frown incision with a horizontal suture, (3) scleral tunnel frown incision with both a horizontal and a running suture, and (4) posterior limbal acute beveled cataract incision with a running suture. All the incisions were placed in the vertical steep meridian.

RESULTS

Data were analyzed from 128 cases with 1-year follow-up. The results revealed that at the 2-month postoperative visit, preexisting astigmatism was significantly reduced in group 1 (P = .029) and significantly increased in groups 3 (P = .020) and 4 (P = .005). There was no significant change in group 2 (P = .06). By the 1-year postoperative visit, there was no significant difference in astigmatism from preoperative levels for all four groups. Vector analysis revealed no significant difference in the mean surgically induced cylinder at 1 year in all four groups. The number of eyes with induced against-the-rule astigmatism, however, was significantly higher than the number of eyes with induced with-the-rule astigmatism in all four groups (P <.01).

CONCLUSION

The authors found that sutured wounds placed in the vertical steep meridian may initially increase with-the-rule astigmatism, whereas nonsutured wounds placed in the vertical steep meridian may initially reduce with-the-rule astigmatism. By 1 year, however, a mean flattening of the vertical steep meridian was observed in the three groups with sutures as well as in the group without sutures.

Sex determination by polymerase chain reaction on mummies discovered at Taklamakan desert in 1912

Sex determination was performed by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) on eight adult mummies and one child mummy which were discovered at Taklamakan desert in 1912 and now belong to the Lüshun Museum in China. Archaeologically, these mummies were humans living in the seventh century, that is, more than 1300 years ago. Putative sex determination was performed based on external morphology for six of the eight adults, but it was impossible for the other two adults and one child mummy due to marked destruction on the external morphology. Hair, muscle and skin samples were then collected from each adult mummy, and skin and rib samples from the child mummy. Forty PCR cycles were performed as follows: denaturation at 94 degrees C for 40 s, annealing at 55 degrees C for 30 s and extension at 72 degrees C for 1 min. The primer and PCR reaction mixture were prepared according to the report by Witt and Erickson (M. Witt and R. P. Erikson, A rapid method for detection of Y-chromosomal DNA from dried blood specimens by the polymerase chain reaction. Hum. Genet., 82 (1989) 271-274)). Two different pairs of primer were used. One was X1, X2 (X1: 5'-AATCATCAAATGGAGATTTG-3'; X2: 5'-GTTCAGCTCTGTGAGTGAAA-3') to flanking the 170 bp fragment of the alphoid repeats on the human X chromosome, and the other was Y11, Y22 (Y11: 5'-ATGATAGAAACGGAAATATG-3'; Y22: 5'-AGTAGAATGCAAAGGGCTC-3') to flanking the 130 bp fragment of the alphoid repeats on the human Y chromosome. Extracted DNA solutions from mummy samples was purified using a spin column (T. Yoshii, K. Tamura, T. Taniguchi, K. Akiyama and I. Ishiyama, Water-soluble eumelanin as a PCR-inhibitor and a simple method for its removal. Jpn. J. Legal Med., 47 (1993) 323-329 (in Japanese with English abstract) for removing PCR-inhibitors, and bovine serum albumin (BSA) was employed to inhibit the remaining impurities even after the purification with the column. In six adult cases where the putative sex was determined from external morphology, the sex in five cases was consistent with that by PCR using hair, muscle, and skin samples, but the other one was inconsistent. In two adult cases where sex estimation was externally impossible, the sex was determined to be male because both X-specific and Y-specific bands were clearly detected. The child mummy was definitely male. This study shows that the sex determination was possible by the PCR method even with very ancient human samples > 1300 years old, that spin column was useful for removing impurities in the DNA solution from ancient human samples and that the BSA of optimum concentration suppressed the action of the PCR-inhibitory factors.

[The study of growth factors in human colostrum]

OBJECTIVE

To characterize and identify the growth factors in human colostrum and to evaluate the importance of breast-feeding.

METHODS

The activity of growth factors in human colostrum was determined by technique of 3H-TdR incorporation into cultured NIH-3T3 cells. The acid growth factor (CAGF) and basic growth factor (CBGF) were purified from human colostrum by a sequence of chromatography. The study of stability and SDS-PAGE was applied to identify the CAGF and CBGF.

RESULTS

0.5% (v/v) of human colostrum and 3.0% (v/v) of bovine serum had the same activity in stimulating DNA synthesis. The specific activity of human colostrum in stimulating DNA synthesis was 20 times greater than that of bovine serum. The activity of growth factors in human colostrum was higher than that in human milk or bovine colostrum, and only human colostrum contained two different kinds of growth factors--CAGF and CBGF.

CONCLUSIONS

Human colostrum contains two kinds of growth factors. CAGF is epidermal growth factor like (EGF-like) growth factor and the CBGF is platelet differentiation growth factor like (PDGF-like) growth factor. The effects of human colostrum on promoting baby growth and development is stronger than that of human milk and bovine colostrum.

[Increased expression of platelet-derived growth factor beta receptor gene in hypoxic rat lungs]

The changes of platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) beta receptor gene expression in hypoxic rats lungs was examined. Northern blots analysis revealed that normal lungs expression PDGF-beta receptor mRNA, with the longer of hypoxia the level of the mRNA increased rapidly. It reached a maximum at day 4, and was 1.34 fold as compared with the control (P < 0.05). Immunohistochemistry investigation showed that PDGF-beta receptor mainly distributed on smooth muscle cells and endothelial cells of middle and small arterial trees in rat lung. With hypoxia, the distribution of PDGF-beta receptors did not change, but it was more intense and reached a maximum at day 7, and was 2.40 fold as compared with the control (P < 0.05). The results suggested that increased expression of PDGF receptor gene may play a role in hypoxic pulmonary vascular remodeling.