Removal/neutralization of hepatitis A virus during manufacture of high purity, solvent/detergent factor VIII concentrate

Recent reports have suggested an increased risk of type A viral hepatitis in hemophilic patients treated with high purity factor VIII concentrates prepared using ion exchange chromatography coupled with solvent/detergent treatment for inactivation of viruses. To determine the capacity for removal or inactivation of hepatitis A virus during the factor VIII manufacturing process, human plasma and various factor VIII production intermediates were spiked with cell culture-propagated virus and subjected to scaled down conditions mimicking the manufacture of solvent/detergent factor VIII. The combination of antibody-mediated neutralization, cryoprecipitation, anion exchange chromatography, and lyophilization in the absence of sucrose resulted in a minimal reduction of 5.5 to 8.55 log10 in the infectivity of hepatitis A virus.

Comparison of acute central nervous system and cardiovascular toxicity of 2-chloroprocaine and prilocaine in the rat

In this study, we compared the central nervous system and cardiovascular system toxicity of i.v. administered 0.5% 2-chloroprocaine (N = 10) and 0.5% prilocaine (N = 10) in lightly anaesthetised rats. Arterial blood pressure, ECG and EEG were continuously recorded. Prilocaine produced the predetermined toxic end-points (i.e. seizure activity on EEG, isoelectric EEG, cardiac arrhythmia on ECG, asystole on ECG) at significantly lower doses than 2-chloroprocaine (P < 0.05). The mean dose of prilocaine producing asystole was 166 mg.kg-1 (+/- 45 mg.kg-1, s.d.) vs. 255 mg.kg-1 (+/- 42 mg.kg-1) for 2-chloroprocaine (P < 0.01). The rate of decrease of mean arterial blood pressure during the infusion was significantly faster with prilocaine (P < 0.01). Typically, arrhythmias did not appear until just before asystole, suggesting that neither of the local anaesthetics possessed marker arrhythmogenic properties. It is concluded that prilocaine is slightly more toxic than 2-chloroprocaine in the rat, but that both local anaesthetics have a wide margin of safety. Doses producing seizure activity on the EEG (prilocaine 53 mg.kg-1 and 2-chloroprocaine 70 mg.kg-1, on average) are much higher than those used in clinical practice (usually < 10 mg.kg-1).

Comparison of propofol with thiopentone for treatment of bupivacaine-induced seizures in rats

Thirty Sprague-Dawley rats were paralysed with pancuronium and their lungs ventilated mechanically with 70% nitrous oxide and 0.5% halothane in oxygen. Bupivacaine 2 mg kg-1 min-1 was infused continuously i.v. until the animals died. At the onset of seizures, animals were given an i.v. bolus of propofol 1 mg kg-1 (n = 10), thiopentone 2 mg kg-1 (n = 10) or lipid vehicle (n = 10). Administration of propofol or thiopentone was repeated each time seizures restarted and lipid vehicle administrations were repeated at 2-min intervals until the electroencephalogram became isoelectric. All animals developed seizures, arrhythmias, isoelectric EEG and asystole. Administration of lipid vehicle induced no obvious changes in ongoing epileptiform activity. The initial doses of thiopentone and of propofol stopped epileptiform activity in all animals, usually within 6 s after administration. The seizure-free period after the initial administration of thiopentone and of propofol lasted, on average, 0.98 min and 1.72 min, respectively. We conclude that propofol may have value in treating seizures induced by bupivacaine.

A tobacco gene family for flower cell wall proteins with a proline-rich domain and a cysteine-rich domain

Flowering is known to be associated with the induction of many cell wall proteins. We report here five members of a tobacco gene family (CELP, Cys-rich extensin-like protein) whose mRNAs are found predominantly in flowers and encode extensin-like Pro-rich proteins. CELP mRNAs accumulate most abundantly in vascular and epidermal tissues of floral organs. In the pistil, CELP mRNAs also accumulate in a thin layer of cells between the transmitting tissue and the cortex of the style and in a surface layer of cells of the placenta in the ovary. This unique accumulation pattern of CELP mRNAs in the pistil suggests a possible role in pollination and fertilization processes. CELP genes encode a class of plant extracellular matrix proteins that have several distinct structural features: a Pro-rich extensin-like domain with Xaa-Pro3-7 motifs and Xaa-Pro doublets, a Cys-rich region, and a highly charged C terminus. The extensin-like domains in these proteins differ significantly in their length and these differences appear to be results of both long and short deletions within the coding regions of their genes. Furthermore, the number of charged amino acid residues in the C-terminal region varies among the CELPs. These structural differences may contribute to functional versatility in the CELPs. On the other hand, the Cys-rich domain is highly conserved among CELPs and the positions of the Cys residues are conserved, suggesting that this region may have a common functional role. The presence of a Pro-rich domain and a Cys-rich domain in these CELPs is reminiscent of a class of hydroxyproline-rich glycoproteins, solanaceous lectins, that are believed to be important in cell-cell recognition. The structure of these CELPs indicates that they may be multifunctional and that their genes may have arisen from recombinational events.

Ethanol enhances neurite outgrowth in primary cultures of rat cerebellar macroneurons

Effects of ethanol on neurite outgrowth and morphometry were investigated in primary cultures of rat cerebella. Cell cultures were prepared from cerebella on embryonic day 17 (E17) for treatment with a series of ethanol concentrations (50, 75, 100, 150 and 200 mM). Ethanol did not reduce neuronal survival or attachment to the substrate at any of the concentrations that were used. Treatment with 75 mM ethanol significantly enhanced neurite outgrowth. Measurements from dissociated cultures exposed to 75 mM ethanol immediately after plating showed a significant increase in the percentage of neurite-bearing cells after 8 and 24 h in vitro. Measurements of the area and perimeter of neuronal cell bodies in dissociated cell cultures showed that the cell bodies of ethanol-treated neurons were also larger than those of control neurons. Ethanol was also associated with significant increases in the total neuritic length per cell and in the length of the longest neurite in each cell. The mean number of neurite branches was also greater in the ethanol-treated neurons. Measurements from suspension cell cultures, in which dissociated cells were suspended overnight in the presence of 75 mM ethanol prior to plating, corroborated these results. These findings suggest that ethanol may have distinct effects on neurite initiation and outgrowth and branching. The cellular mechanisms involved and the functional significance of these effects are currently not known. The present results also indicated that high concentrations of ethanol (150-200 mM) and long periods of exposure (4-7 days) were required to produce toxic effects on neurons and glial cells in this system.

Physical studies of the hemocyanin of the marine gastropod, Kelletia kelleti (Forbes)

1. The hemocyanin of the Californian whelk, Kelletia kelleti, investigated at pH and ionic conditions close to physiological, has a molecular weight close to 9.0 x 10(6) and a sedimentation constant of 114S, characteristic of the di-decameric structure of molluscan hemocyanins. Light-scattering measurements at pH 8.0, 0.05 M Mg2+, 0.01 M Ca2+ gave a molecular weight of 9.0 +/- 0.6 x 10(6), and scanning transmission electron microscopy produced nearly the same particle mass of 9.22 +/- 0.50 x 10(6) daltons (Da). 2. Light-scattering measurements on the fully dissociated monomers in the presence of 8.0 M urea and at pHs 10.6 and 11.0 gave molecular weights of 4.50 x 10(5)-4.91 x 10(5), that are close to one-twentieth of the mass of the parent di-decameric hemocyanin assembly. 3. Changes in pH produced a bell-shaped molecular weight profile, with molecular weights close to 9.0 x 10(6) in the pH region of about 5.5-8.0, and progressive dissociation to 4.5 x 10(5) Da monomers in the region below pH 4.0 and above pH 9.0 or 10, depending on the absence or presence of stabilizing Mg2+ ions (0.01 M). 4. In the absence of divalent ions some aggregation of hemocyanin was found at pHs close to 5.0, with observed molecular weights above 10 x 10(6) (investigated at a hemocyanin concentration of 0.10 g/l). The early studies of Condie and Langer (Science 144, 1138-1140, 1964) had shown that Kelletia kelleti hemocynanin aggregates at acidic pHs close to the isoelectric point, forming linear polymers of the hemocyanin di-decamers.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Reduction mammaplasty]

Twenty-eight breasts of 15 patients with macromastia underwent reduction mammaplasty from 1982 to 1989. We followed up these patients postoperatively for 6 months to 7 years. The follow-up time for 8 patients was over 1 year, and 4 patients over 5 years. And 3 patients labored and lactated. These 15 patients were satisfied with this operative results. The operative technology was based on Pitange's method. This method improved the site of the nipple, transposition of nipple-areola complex, and design of dermal pedicle, so that it had better effects in the breast shape, breast fixation and incision scar concealed. We suggest that the purpose of macromastia treated in reducing volume, improving breast shape, preserving lactating function. This paper also discusses the methods for nipple site, nipple-areola complex transposition, breast resection and mastopexy.

Photodynamic therapy in the treatment of malignant tumours: an analysis of 540 cases

Malignant tumours (540 cases), including tumours of the lung, oesophagus, cardia, stomach, rectum, bladder, other urinary genital organs, face and mouth, eyes, ear, nose and throat (ENT), head and neck, breast and skin, were treated using photodynamic therapy (PDT) between 1982 and 1985 in Beijing. All of the cases were identified pathologically and the patients received haematoporphyrin derivative (HPD) (5 mg kg-1) intravenously 48-72 h prior to PDT. An argon-pumped dye laser emitting at 630 nm was used for the treatment. The results were as follows: complete response (CR) was obtained in 227 cases (42.1%), partial response (PR) was obtained in 114 cases (21.1%), mild response (MR) was obtained in 120 cases (22.2%) and 79 cases (14.6%) showed no response (NR). The effectiveness of PDT in the different organs was compared. HPD fluorescence was examined in 409 cases of malignant tumours: 344 lesions (84.1%) revealed red fluorescence (positive reaction), 32 gave an equivocal response and 33 gave a negative reaction. Positive fluorescence was seen in all types of malignant tumour in our study. Indications and limitations of PDT for the different organs are discussed and compared.

[Protective effect of extracts from Aloe vera L. var. chinensis (Haw.) Berg. on experimental hepatic lesions and a primary clinical study on the injection of in patients with hepatitis]

The injection(10-15 ml/kg/d, ip x 4), total glycoside (125-225 mg/kg/d, ip x (3-4); 600 mg/kg/d, ig x 3) and crystal III (120 mg/kg/d, ip x 4) of Aloe vera var. chinensis were found to be effective in lowering the elevated sGPT induced by CCl4, thioacetamide and D-aminogalactose in mice or rats. It was also observed that these agents could protect hepatic cells from the CCl4-induced injury. When dogs were given in with Aloe injection of 0.1 ml/kg/d x 180, no toxicity was noted. The total effective sGPT-lowering rate of Aloe injection on 38 patients of chronic hepatitis with positive HBsAg was 86.8%.

Hematoporphyrin derivative and laser photodynamical reaction in the diagnosis and treatment of malignant tumors

This paper reports the use of hematoporphyrin derivative (HpD) with laser activation in China for the diagnosis and treatment of various kinds of malignant neoplasms. Fluorescence observation for diagnosis was performed for 170 tumors. One hundred and fifty-one (88.8%) fluoresced visably upon excitation with either argon or He-Cd laser light. One hundred and thirty-nine malignant tumors in 136 patients were treated by this method. The percentage of all tumors responding to treatment was 80.6%. Partial to complete response were obtained in 51.1% of the tumors treated. The advantages and disadvantages of this method are discussed. It was found effective in treating various kinds of neoplasms located at different anatomical sites. The penetrating depth of the laser is shallow. This limits its effect and application. A search for new photosensitizing drugs and an increase in the penetrating depth of laser irradiation are urgent goals for further development of this technique.