Morphology, distribution and its significance of intrahepatic HBV DNA in liver disease: a study by in situ hybridization

A biotin-labeled DNA probe specific for hepatitis B virus (HBV) nucleotide sequences was hybridized in situ to liver tissue of 129 cases with liver disease. It was found that HBV DNA was predominantly visualized in cytoplasm of hepatocytes in three patterns: cytoplasmic compact, discrete and inclusion pattern. Its distribution in parenchyma in the sections of specimens may be defined as lobular, focal and spotty. The detection of intrahepatic HBV DNA depended on two factors, at least in the present study: 1) liver disease activity; chronic active hepatitis (CAH) group had a significant higher prevalence (81%) as compared to cirrhosis, chronic lobular hepatitis (CLH), acute hepatitis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) groups; 2) HBV infection state: HBV DNA was more easily detected in HBeAg positive or intrahepatic HBcAg positive patients than in single HBsAg positive or anti-HBc cases. The findings that hepatocytes expressing HBV DNA, particularly in focal distribution, were closely related to hepatic necrosis sites suggested that HBV replication might occur in conjunction with hepatic necrosis.

Hepatocyte necrosis associated with HBV marker expression and T cytotoxic cells in situ in chronic hepatitis B

To explore the role of HBV antigen expression and monocyte infiltrate in situ in chronic hepatitis, HBV markers and compositions and number of monocytes in the liver of chronic hepatitis B were immunohistochemically located and identified, and correlated with hepatocyte necrosis. It was found that hepatic necrosis frequently took place in the centre or boundary of membranous HBsAg and/or HBcAg expression and the majority of monocytes accumulated in the necrotic areas showed CD8+ cell token in HBeAg-positive stage of chronic active hepatitis. On the other hand, with HBeAg positivity converted into HBeAg-negativity or anti-HBe-positivity, HBV antigen expression significantly declined, CD4+ cells remarkably increased as compared to HBeAg-positive status. These findings suggest that there may be distinct pathogenesis of hepatic necrosis in different stages of chronic HBV infection.

[The penetration of cephalosporins across the blood-brain barrier and its clinical significance]

The penetration of Cefuroxime (CXM), Ceftazidime (CTZ), Cefotaxime (CTX), Ceftizoxime (CZX), and Ceftriaxone (CTRX) across the blood-brain barrier was studied in 119 patients with or without meningitis after an intravenous injection of 2 grams. Cephalosporins were undetectable or their concentrations very low in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), when there was no inflammation in the meninges. On the contrary, the mean CSF concentrations of cephalosporins were 2.21-5.36 micrograms/ml and the CSF/serum ratios 3.73-31.80% in acute stage of purulent meningitis. The CSF levels of all the five cephalosporins were much higher than the mean MICs of the common pathogens of bacterial meningitis as well as that of Enterobacteriaceae. It is thus shown that these five new cephalosporins are useful for treatment of meningitis including those caused by gram-negative bacilli.

A preliminary study on expression and significance of pre-S1 protein in liver tissue of patients with HBV infection

Rabbit antiserum to Pre-S1 protein was used to establish peroxidase-antiperoxidase (PAP) and avidin-biotin-peroxidase complex (ABC) immunohistochemical techniques for detection of Pre-S1 protein in paraffin-embedded liver tissue. Pre-S1 protein could be expressed in hepatocyte cytoplasm and on membrane in some cases with chronic viral hepatitis, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and its expression was intimately associated with HBsAg, HBcAg in liver and HBV DNA in serum, indicating that pre-S1 protein may represent the essential component of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and also serve as one of the markers of HBV infection. The incidence of Pre-S1 protein was slightly lower in nontumorous liver of HCC than in other cases and Pre-S1 protein could not be detected in tumorous tissue of HCC suggesting that expression of pre-S1 protein may be suppressed in HCC cases.

Immunohistochemical research on HDV infection in Chinese patients with chronic liver disease

The prevalence of HDAg in the liver of Chinese patients with chronic hepatitis and hepatocellular carcinoma was determined by using direct immunofluorescence and immunoperoxidase. Six patients (6.3%) out of 95 HBsAg carriers with inflammatory liver disease and neoplasia were found to be HDAg positive. HDAg was shown in the liver of 6 patients (7.6%) among 79 patients with chronic hepatitis. The relative frequency of HDAg in cirrhosis-B, chronic active hepatitis B and chronic persistent hepatitis B was 14.3%, 7.1% and 5.9% respectively. These results suggest that a sizeable number of HBsAg carriers are superinfected with HDV. In view of the large amount of HBV carriers in China, the relative minor but distinct presence of HDV poses an important community health problem.

Double-blind crossover controlled study on antiepilepsirine

Antiepilepsirine (AES) is one of the derivatives of a Chinese folk prescription. It is a new antiepileptic drug (AED) synthesized in cooperation by Chinese medical and pharmaceutical workers. Pharmacological experiments on animal models prove that its antiepileptic action is marked, but there has been little evaluation of its clinical effects. We used the double-blind placebo-controlled crossover study which is generally acceptable as a proper method for new drug study. This study covered 58 epileptic children treated with classical AEDs and observed 6.5 months. Every patient took AES and placebo for 3 months each by random crossover on the basis of add-on therapy. The blood levels of AES and other antiepileptic drugs were determined regularly. The results show that there are no significant differences in clinical effects between AES and placebo in pediatric epilepsies as a whole, but AES is effective in tonic-clonic seizures (P less than 0.05), the most common type of seizure in the series. There are no significant differences in AED blood levels between the AES effective and ineffective groups. AES has no effect on the blood levels of other AEDs. AES is very safe, children given large doses (10 mg/kg/day) demonstrate no serious side-effects. It is suggested that there is potential improvement in patient psychological and cognitive status. This article also discusses the evaluation of new drugs for clinical effects, subject sampling, the criteria for efficacy evaluation and relationship between animal information and human outcome. The AES chemical structure is different from other well-known AEDs, this is a unique advantage.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Purification and characterization of a lysophospholipase from a macrophage-like cell line P388D1

Two lysophospholipase activities (designated I and II) were identified in the macrophage-like cell line P388D1. Lysophospholipase I was purified (8,500-fold) to homogeneity by DEAE-Sephacel, Sephadex G-75, Blue-Sepharose, and chromatofocusing chromatography. Lysophospholipase II was separated from the lysophospholipase I in the Blue-Sepharose step. The apparent molecular mass of lysophospholipase I and II are 27,000 and 28,000 daltons, respectively, determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Their pI values were 4.4 and 6.1 respectively, as determined by isoelectric focusing. Lysophospholipase I exhibited a broad pH optimum between 7.5-9.0. The double-reciprocal plot of the substrate dependence curve of the purified lysophospholipase I showed a break around the critical micelle concentration of the substrate (1-palmitoyl-sn-glycerol-3-phosphorylcholine). The apparent Km, determined from substrate concentrations above 10 microM was 22 microM, and the apparent Vmax was 1.3 mumol min-1mg-1. The purified enzyme did not have phospholipase A1, phospholipase A2, acyltransferase, or lysophospholipase-transacylase activity. No activity was detected toward triacylglycerol, diacylglycerol, p-nitrophenol acetate, p-nitrophenol palmitate, or cholesterol ester. The enzyme did, however, hydrolyze monoacylglycerol although at a rate 20-fold less than lysophospholipid, 0.06 mumol min-1mg-1. The lysophospholipase I was inhibited by fatty acids but not by glycerol-3-phosphorylcholine, glycerol-3-phosphorylethanolamine, or glyc-fjerol-3-phosphorylserine. A synthetic manoalide analogue 3(cis,cis,-7,10)hexadecadienyl-4-hydroxy-2-butenolide inhibited the enzyme with half-inhibition (IC50) at about 160 microM. Triton X-100 decreased the enzymatic activity, although this apparent inhibition can be explained by a "surface dilution" effect. The pure lysophospholipase I was stable for at least 5 months at -20 degrees C in the presence of glycerol and beta-mercaptoethanol. Lysophospholipid also demonstrated a protective effect during the later stage of purification.

Analysis of conjugated bile acids in human serum by high-performance liquid chromatography using post-column enzyme reaction and off-line fluorimetric determination

An assay for glycine and taurine conjugates of cholic (GC, TC), chenodeoxycholic (GCDC, TCDC), deoxycholic (GDC, TDC) and ursodeoxycholic (GUDC, TUDC) acids in human serum by high-performance liquid chromatography using an immobilized 3-alpha-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase post-column reaction and an off-line spectrofluorimetric detection is described. The detection limit is 0.2 microM. Recoveries of extraction and chromatographic analysis range from 89.50 to 91.68% and from 96.75 to 98.83%, respectively. The analysis in serum reveals a coefficient of variation for reproducibility between 16.2% for GC and 4.7% for TDC; inter-assay variability ranges between 4.06% for TCDC and 8.24% for TUDC.

Acetabuloplasty for congenital dislocation of the hip in children

A modified acetabuloplasty, which has been employed at our hospital since 1977, is described for the treatment of congenital dislocation of the hip in children. The procedure has been performed on a total of 74 hips in 61 children (average age 6.7 years), with satisfactory results obtained in 87.8% of hips. The technique, its indications, and pre- and postoperative management are detailed. The procedure possesses the advantages of both the shelf and Pemberton procedures and has proved to be an effective operation for older children with poor acetabular development. Our results show that, when performed correctly, this procedure is simple, safe, and effective.

Determination of metoprolol and two major metabolites in plasma and urine by column liquid chromatography and fluorometric detection

Metoprolol and its alpha-hydroxy metabolite were determined in plasma down to 2 nmol/l (S.D. 10-15%) after solvent extraction and bonded-phase liquid chromatography with fluorometric detection. The major metabolite with a carboxylic function was also measured in plasma when liquid-solid extraction on a column activated with dodecyl sulphate was applied. In urine the three components were assayed by direct injection of a diluted sample.

A method for screening penicillin G acylase-producing bacteria by means of 2-nitro-5-phenylacetaminobenzoic acid test paper

A simple, rapid assay for screening penicillin G acylase-producing bacteria is presented. The method is based on the formation of yellow 2-nitro-5-aminobenzoic acid by penicillin G acylase acting on 2-nitro-5-phenylacetaminobenzoic acid (NIPAB). NIPAB test paper is briefly applied to bacterial colonies on the agar surface, which are subsequently scored individually on the paper by color; bright yellow indicates the presence of penicillin G acylase, natural color its absence. The present method is suitable not only for screening penicillin G acylase-production by a variety of bacteria but also for detection from a large number of transformant colonies of clones containing a gene encoding for the enzyme.