[Effect of TCM on plasma beta-endorphin and placental endocrine in threatened abortion]

OBJECTIVE

To explore the effect of TCM on plasma beta-endorphin (beta-EP) and placental endocrine function in patients of threatened abortions (TA).

METHODS

Changes of plasma beta-EP, gonadotrophin releasing hormone (GnRH), human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG), progesterone (P4) levels were measured with RIA in 40 cases of TA with a history of recurrent spontaneous abortion treated with Chinese herbal medicine for reinforcing Kidney and Qi, hemostasis and antiabortion. And the results were compared with those of normal early pregnant women and patients with incomplete abortion as control.

RESULTS

The plasma beta-EP level in TA was significantly higher than that in normal pregnant women, P < 0.01. On the contrary, plasma GnRH, HCG and P4 were obviously lower in TA as compared with those of the normal cases, P < 0.01. After treatment, 36 of the 40 patients succeeded in the continuity of pregnancy, their symptoms of TA disappeared, and the above-mentioned four criteria measured at 10-12th week of gestation were similar to those of normal cases, P > 0.05.

CONCLUSION

TCM treatment can regulate plasma beta-EP and placental endocrine function in threatened abortion.

The alternation of optokinetic responses driven by moving stimuli in humans

When the two eyes were exposed dichoptically to two oppositely moving patterns, the alternating OKN was elicited, in which the eye movements tracked the two moving stimuli alternately. In the present experiment, two oppositely moving stimuli were periodically exchanged between the eyes, the results showed that the alternation of OKN direction was not affected by this exchange. It suggests that alternating OKN was not controlled by rivalry between the two eyes but between two perceived motion patterns.

Application of acupuncture and moxibustion for keeping shape

On the basis of TCM diferentiation, the authors have treated 359 adult female cases of non-obesity with undesirable body shape by combined application of body acupuncture and moxibustion and auricular acupuncture, and achieved quite good remoulding and orthopedic results, suggesting that acupuncture and moxibustion can very effectively regulate the somatotypic indexes of body weight, circumference of the chest, loin, hip and thigh, the ratio of the loin to hip, sebum thickness, obesity degree, body mass index and body fat percentage of the cases in the overweight group and orthopedic groups 1, 2. It is therefore concluded that acupuncture and moxibustion is a good therapy for obtaining a graceful body shape.

A new method for estimating the risk ratio in studies using case-parental control design

The authors describe a new simple noniterative, yet efficient method to estimate the risk ratio in studies using case-parental control design. The new method is compared with two other noniterative methods, Khoury's method and Flanders and Khoury's method, and with a maximum likelihood-based method of Schaid and Sommer. The authors found that the variance of the new estimation method is usually smaller than that of Khoury's method or Flanders and Khoury's method and that it is slightly larger than that of the maximum likelihood-based method of Schaid and Sommer. Despite the slightly large variance of the new estimator compared with that of the maximum likelihood-based method, the simplicity of the new estimator and its variance makes the new method appealing. When genotypic information for only one parent is available, the authors also describe a method to estimate the risk ratio without assuming Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium or random mating. A simple formula for the variance of the estimator is given.

[A study of cytokines in pathogenesis of thyroid-related immune orbitopathy]

OBJECTIVE

To explore the pathogenesis of thyroid-related immune orbitopathy (TRIO).

METHODS

Human orbital fibroblasts were cultured in vitro and immunohistochemical techniques were used to study cytokines that induce effect on HLA-II antigen expression of orbital fibroblasts.

RESULTS

It is shown that interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), interleukin-1 (IL-1) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) could induce the expression of orbital fibroblast HLA-II antigens. The induced effect of IFN-gamma is of good linear correlations with time and concentration.

CONCLUSION

HLA-II antigen expression can be induced by IFN-gamma, IL-1 and TNF. In the course of immune reaction and pathogenesis of TRIO, cytokines play important roles.

Structure reassignment of the major isomer from the Diels-Alder reaction of acryloyl chloride and 4,5,6,6a-tetrahydropentalene

After hydrogenation and hydrolysis, the two adducts formed from the Diels-Alder reaction of acryloyl chloride and 4,5,6,6a-tetrahydropentalene were originally assigned 7-exo- and 7-endo-carboxylic acid structures 3 and 4. Based on unexpected results in using these acids as starting materials for a superacid carbocation study, a reinvestigation of these structural assignments was carried out. From an extensive series of 2D NMR experiments, we conclude that 4 is correctly assigned, but that the other isomer is the 9-endo carboxylic acid 8. The formation of these two isomers (out of eight possible modes of addition) can be rationalized. Finally, an X-ray study of 8 was carried out as a final proof of structure.Key words: Diels-Alder reaction, facial selectivity, regioselectivity, X-ray structure, MO calculation.

Neural network mosaic model for pupillary responses to spatial stimuli

A neural network mosaic model was developed to investigate the spatial-temporal properties of the human pupillary control system. It was based on the double-layer neural network model developed by Cannon and Robinson and the pupillary dual-path model developed by Sun and Stark. The neural network portion of the model received its input from a sensor array and consisted of a retina-like two-dimensional neuronal layer. The dual-path portion of the model was composed of interconnections of the neurons that formed a mosaic of AC transient and DC sustained paths. The spatial aggregates of the AC and DC signals were input to the AC and DC summing neurons, respectively. Finally, the weighted sum of the aggregate AC and DC signals provided the output for driving the pupillary response. An important property of the model was that it could adaptively learn from training samples by adjustment of the weights. The neural network mosaic model showed excellent performance in simulating both the traditional pupillary phenomena and the new spatial stimulation findings such as responses to change in stimulus pattern and shift of light spot. Moreover, the model could also be used for the diagnosis of clinical deficits and image processing in machine vision.

Increase of lipid hydroperoxides in the rat liver and kidney after administering ferric nitrilotriacetate

Two hours after an intraperitoneal injection of ferric nitrilotriacetate to rats at a dose of 15 mg of Fe/kg of body weight, the level of lipid hydroperoxides, which was determined by a specific method involving chemical conversion into 1-naphthyldiphenylphosphine oxide and HPLC, had increased significantly in the liver (from 190.1 +/- 58.8 of the control to 467.1 +/- 175.8 pmol/mg of protein) and kidney (from 181.8 +/- 52.3 of the control to 405.9 +/- 22.7 pmol/mg of protein). These results demonstrate that oxidative stress was transiently increased by an iron overload in these tissues.

[The manifestations of 496 cases with thyroid-related immune orbitopathy and normal thyroid function]

OBJECTIVE

To observe the clinical manifestations of thyroid-related immune orbitopathy (TRIO) with normal thyroid function.

METHODS

496 cases with TRIO were collected from 1973 to 1994 and their clinical manifestations were analyzed.

RESULTS

The clinical manifestations showed that males are more than females. The disease occurred in middle aged persons with unilateral exophthalmos as the primary early manifestation. Most of the cases had the signs of eyelids and extraocular muscle involvement.

CONCLUSIONS

The thyroid-related immune orbitopathy with normal thyroid function can be named thyroid-related immune orbitopathy-II. The clinical characteristics of this disease are unilateral, of signs of eyelids, exophthalmos and enlargement of eye muscles. The pseudo-tumors of the orbit are mainly considered for differential diagnosis.

-6A promoter variant of angiotensinogen and blood pressure variation in Canadian Oji-Cree

We previously reported significant associations between variation in the AGT gene at codon 235 and both systolic pressure and hypertension in Canadian Oji-Cree. Recently, Inoue et al suggested that the AGT T235 variant was not causative, but was rather in linkage disequilibrium with a variant in the AGT promoter, namely -6A, that was associated with increased in vitro expression of angiotensinogen and was thus a strong candidate to be the functional basis of the previously observed associations. We genotyped 518 adult Oji-Cree for the AGT promoter polymorphism and tested for its association with blood pressure and hypertension. We found that the frequency of the -6A variant was 0.85 in the Oji-Cree, which is much higher than the frequency observed in other human samples. We also found strong linkage disequilibrium between the AGT -6A and T235 variants. However, genetic variation of the AGT promoter was only marginally associated with variation in systolic pressure, with a trend to significantly higher systolic pressure seen in AGT -6A/A homozygotes than in subjects with other genotypes. In addition, genetic variation of the AGT promoter tended to be associated with a diagnosis of hypertension. Despite the very high prevalence of -6A, our native sample was essentially normotensive. Our findings are consistent with a marginally deleterious effect of the AGT -6A allele on blood pressure, but linkage disequilibrium with another causative variant cannot be ruled out in this sample of aboriginal Canadians.

Higher T-wave amplitude associated with better prognosis in patients receiving thrombolytic therapy for acute myocardial infarction (a GUSTO-I substudy). Global Utilization of Streptokinase and Tissue plasminogen Activator for Occluded Coronary Arteries

Increased T-wave amplitude is one of the earliest electrocardiographic (ECG) changes following coronary artery occlusion. Therefore, higher T waves in the presenting electrocardiogram should represent earlier time to treatment and thus be associated with lower mortality following thrombolytic therapy. However, T-wave amplitude has never been evaluated as a prognostic marker in this setting. We examined clinical outcomes in 3,317 patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) who underwent thrombolysis in the Global Utilization of Streptokinase and t-PA for Occluded Coronary Arteries (GUSTO-I) Study. Patients were classified as either those with high T waves or those with low T waves. Higher T waves were defined as those >98th percentile of the upper limit of normal. T-wave amplitude was also evaluated as a continuous variable according to infarct location (maximum T-wave amplitude) and as the amount of excess T-wave amplitude above normal (excess T-wave amplitude). Patients with higher T waves had lower 30-day mortality than those without (5.2% vs 8.6%, p = 0.001) and were less likely to develop congestive heart failure (15% vs 24%, p <0.001) or cardiogenic shock (6.1% vs 8.6%, p = 0.023). Higher maximum T-wave amplitude and excess T-wave amplitude were predictive of lower 30-day mortality (chi-square = 67, p <0.001 and chi-square = 33, p <0.001, respectively). These differences remain significant after controlling for other prognostic baseline ECG variables. In addition, T-wave amplitude added prognostic significance after controlling for time to treatment. T-wave amplitude, an often-overlooked component of the electrocardiogram, can add significant prognostic information in initial evaluation of patients with AMI.

[Magnetic resonant imaging diagnosis and differential diagnosis in choroidal melanoma]

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the diagnostic value of magnetic resonant imaging (MRI) for choroidal melanoma.

METHODS

12 cases of choroidal melanoma were diagnosed by means of B-ultra-sonography, computed tomography (CT), MRI and pathology.

RESULTS

The MRI features of melanoma were: T(1)WI shows high signal, and T(2)WI shows low signal.

CONCLUSION

Besides B-ultra-sonography and CT, MRI is also valuable in the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of choroidal melanoma.

Seven new microcystins possessing two L-glutamic acid units, isolated from Anabaena sp. strain 186

Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry has been applied to the structure assignment of seven new microcystins (1-7), obtained from cultured Anabaena sp. strain 186. The seven new microcystins contain the dehydroalanine (Dha) or L-Ser unit instead of the N-methyldehydroalanine unit and the L-Glu and/or its delta-methyl ester [E(OMe)] units at the two variable L-amino acid units, and the structures were assigned as [Dha7]microcystin-E(OMe)E(OMe) (1), [D-Asp3,Dha7]microcystin-E(OMe)E(OMe) (2), [L-Ser7]microcystin-E(OMe)E(OMe) (3), [D-Asp3,L-Ser7]microcystin-E(OMe)E(OMe) (4), [Dha7]microcystin-EE(OMe) (5), [D-Asp3,Dha7]microcystin-EE(OMe) (6), and [L-Ser7]microcystin-EE(OMe) (7). These microcystins are the first examples containing dicarboxylic amino acids at the two variable L-amino acid units in microcystins.

Pooling strategies for establishing physical genome maps using FISH

Often, in biological studies, it is necessary to identify an organism's chromosomes. In some organisms the individual chromosomes can be identified by staining procedures while many other species have a very large number of chromosomes, often of similar size, which defy identification by traditional staining methods. We have devised strategies, based on fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH), which allow the assignment of a preset number of probes to each chromosome without prior chromosome identification. By hybridizing mixtures of probes labeled with different colored fluorescent molecules, the chromosomal origin of each probe can be determined.

[Emergency measures on drinking water sanitation for mitigation of flood and waterlogging disasters]

This article reports the emergency measures for mitigation during flood and waterlogging disasters to ensure drinking water sanitation and to prevent infectious disease outbreaks. Five preparatory and preventive measures for flood and waterlogging disasters include the construction of dual-purpose water supply installation for ordinary and disaster use, the storage of qualified technicians and materials (or their inventories), and the formulation of predetermination programme for disaster relief, ect.

[The antiobesity effect of acupuncture and it's influence on water and salt metabolism]

For the purpose of understanding the antiobesity effect of acupuncture and it's influence on water and salt metabolism in the patients suffering from simple obesity, we have observed the changes of symptoms and signs, obesity indices, blood sodium, blood potassium, mOsm of plasma and urinary aldosterone before and after acupuncture treatment in 75 patients with simple obesity (12 cases with edema, 33 cases without edema). The results showed that the total effective rate of antiobesity treatment for one month was 89.3%. Before acupuncture the concentrations of blood sodium and aldosterone of the patients with edema were significantly higher than those of normal persons or the patients without edema, but the concentration of blood potassium and mOsm of plasma of the patients with edema were significantly lower than those of normal persons or the patients without edema. After acupuncture treatment the concentrations of blood sodium and aldosterone decreased markedly and the concentration of blood potassium and mOsm of plasma increased remarkably in the patients with edema. It indicated that acupuncture treatment not only had a good antiobesity effect, but also improved the water and salt metabolism of the patients with obesity by the regulation of nervous system and body fluid.

Common genomic variation in the APOC3 promoter associated with variation in plasma lipoproteins

We hypothesized that common genomic variation that affected the expression and/or function of the products of the APOC3, APOE, FABP2, and PON1 genes would be associated with variation in biochemical phenotypes in a previously unstudied human sample. We determined genotypes of functional genomic variants of APOC3, APOE, FABP2, and PON1 in 509 adult aboriginal Canadians from an isolated community in Northern Ontario. We tested for genotype associations with plasma lipoprotein traits. We found that (1) common variation at nucleotide -455 of the APOC3 promoter was associated with variation in plasma triglycerides (P = .006) and (2) common variation of APOE determining plasma isoforms of apo E was associated with variation in plasma apo B (P = .009). Analysis of subjects classed by APOC3 markers showed that homozygosity for presence of a C at nucleotide -455 and a T at nucleotide -482 was associated with significantly increased plasma triglycerides in both men and women. Furthermore, this allele was approximately twice as frequent in subjects within the highest quartile of plasma triglycerides as in subjects within the lowest quartile. Since the DNA variation detected by the APOC3 markers affects in vitro expression of the gene product, it is possible that the marker itself caused the associations. However, the associations could also have resulted from linkage disequilibrium with other functional variants in APOC3 or the closely linked APOA1 and/or APOA4 genes.

[The properties of protease from Bacillus sphaericus C3-41]

The production and properties of protease from Bacillus sphaericus strain C3-41 were reported in this paper. It was found out that the secrete of extracellular protease began at the exponential phase, reached a maximum at the early phase of sporangium and then decrease rapidly. The production conditions of the protease have been studied. The protease preparation was purified by salting out with ammonium sulfate and by chromatography fractionating on Sephadex G-100. The purified enzyme have a specific activity of 6741.5 U/mg protein and a molecular weight of 42,000. The optimal activities of the protease were around pH11.0 and at 4 degrees C respectively. The enzyme was stable at pH5.0-12.0. The proteolytic activity was inhibited by phenylmethylsulphony fluoride (PMSF) and EDTA, but not by IAA, SA and DTT. The activity was inhibited in the presence of Al3+, Hg2+, Fe3+, Cu2+ and Fe2+. The enzyme was sensitive to higher temperature, but was quite stable in the presence of Ca2+.

Recruitment of individually (all-or-none) responding cells, rather than amplitude enhancement, is the single-cell mechanism subserving the dose-responsive activation of intracellular calcium second messenger signaling by the human luteinizing-hormone receptor

We have investigated at the single-cell level how the human LH receptor mediates a dose-responsive increase in intracellular free calcium-ion concentrations ([Ca2+]i). In human embryonic kidney cells (293 cells) stably transfected with the full-length human LH receptor cDNA. Intact dimeric LH, but not LH beta- or alpha-subunits, evoked specific [Ca2+]i signals. High-resolution fluorescence (fura-2) video-microscopy demonstrated cell-to-cell variability in [Ca2+]i signaling responses in individual cells, viz., an all-or-none spike (9%), spike-and-plateau (25%), or plateau (52%) types of temporal signal. Oscillatory [Ca2+]i responses were observed in 12-14% of LH-stimulated cells unrelated to LH concentration. The LH dose-response originated by higher concentrations of LH recruiting more individually responding cells (rather than altering [Ca2+]i signal amplitude), and eliciting a [Ca2+]i rise more rapidly, i.e., at reduced latency. Cobalt did not abolish the LH-stimulated [Ca2+]i spike-and-plateau response, but decreased the percentage of cells with a plateau pattern. Quench experiments demonstrated influx of Mn2+ following the [Ca2+]i spike, thus directly documenting divalent cation inflow during the plateau phase. Adenylyl-cyclase activation with forskolin or treatment with a cAMP analog failed to elicit the biphasic [Ca2+]i response, and pertussis toxin (PTX) did not alter LH-stimulated [Ca2+]i signaling. However, overnight preincubation with LH reduced the percentage of [Ca2+]i-responding cells following re-exposure to LH to 5.7% (vs 72% in control), suggesting LH-induced desensitization of the LH-receptor directed [Ca2+]i signal. In summary, the present studies of human LH receptor signal transduction at the single-cell level show that increasing concentrations of LH achieve a dose-dependent intracellular Ca2+ signaling response by recruiting an increasing number of [Ca2+]i-responding cells, while concomitantly decreasing the temporal latency of the biphasic [Ca2+]i signal without altering the amplitude of its spike phase. Prolonged exposure to LH appears to desensitize the LH receptor-driven [Ca2+]i signal.

cis-2,3-Di-tert-butylcyclopropanones

The preparation of the strained cis-2,3-di-tert-butylcyclopropanone 2 from the acyclic compound, α,α′-dibromodineopentyl ketone 1, using a previously reported methodology, is dramatic evidence of both the existence of oxyallyl intermediates in the mechanism of this reaction, and of the integrity with which oxyallyls ring-close to cyclopropanones by a disrotatory route. Because of the bulky cis substituents, cyclopropanone 2 exhibits a number of unusual spectroscopic features (as compared to the trans isomer 5). With the aid of ab initio calculations on 2 and 5, it can be shown that the C2—C3 bond in 2 interacts with the carbonyl π-orbitals, thus causing the carbonyl oxygen to bend 12° out of the plane; this interaction is absent in 5 and the latter has a planar carbonyl group. As with other cyclopropanones, 2 can be photochemically decarbonylated. This process itself appears to be stereospecific even though highly strained alkenes are produced. Cyclopropanone 2 is thermally rearranged to the trans isomer 5 and the kinetics for this are reported; our favoured mechanism involves oxyallyl intermediates. Other reactions of 2 also appear to proceed through these oxyallyl species; for example, alcohols initially add to 2 to give α-alkoxy ends, solutions of 2 enter into very facile diene cycloadditions, and the dimerization of neat 2 also appears to involve these oxyallyl species. Keywords: cyclopropanones, oxyallyl, stereomutation, stereospecific decarbonylation, nonplanar carbonyl.

[Frozen-preserved tarsus of eyelid from new born in the repair of palpebral defect]

In order to repair palpebral defects resulted from various causes, frozen tarsus of eyelid from newborn was used. From Jan. 1993 to Feb. 1995, the frozen preserved tarsus of eyelid from new-born was used to repair the palpebral defect in 10 cases. These defects were resulted following operation in traumatic defect in 5 cases, tramatic defect in 3 cases and congenital defect in 2 cases. After 3 month to 3 years follow-up, no refection reaction was found and no complication was occurred. The external appearance following repair was good. The overall successful rate was 100%. It was suggested that the frozen preserved tarsus from new-born was a safe and reliable material in the repair of palpebral defects.