[Clinical analysis of Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada's disease and its association with HLA]

Clinical analysis of 34 patients with Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada's disease in Hunan Province showed that most patients had good visual prognosis following intensive corticosteroid therapy. A multivariate stepwise regression analysis indicated that visual acuity at the first visit, elapse of time before treatment began, duration of papilledema, and presence of ocular complications were significant factors for eventual visual acuity. HLA typing on 25 patients and 65 normal controls suggested that HLA-DR4 and DRW53 might be an immunogenetic background for the high incidence of the disease in oriental populations.

[The serogroup and serotype distribution of Leptospira in Sichuan Province from 1958-1987]

This paper summarized the serogroup and serotype distribution of 7,560 strains Leptospira in Sichuan province from 1958 to 1987. At present, Leptospira 16 serogroup and 35 serotype have been found. The Icterohaemorrhagiae group Lai type is the major and stable serogroup and serotype in patients. We have proved that Rodents insectivores and domestic animals are the main reservoir host. The former carries Icterohaemorrhagiae group and the latter carries Pomona group. The serotype carried on the reservoir animal Apodemus agrarius is mostly Icterohaemorrhagiae Lai and is the principal infection source of Leptospirosis in Sichuan province. In addition, this paper discussed the reason of main serogroup change, the possible role of frog as an infection source of Hebdomadis Leptospirosis.

Isolation and characterization of insoluble collagen of dog hearts

A procedure for isolating insoluble heart collagen has been developed. The method involves the use of defined optimal conditions of sonication that yield no thermal denaturation of the triple-helical structure nor disruption of the primary structure of the collagen molecules; this is followed by extraction of isolates with nondenaturing agents. The amino acid residues of the isolates are then reacted with dansyl chloride to allow determination of amino-terminal residues and quantification of the collagen. The method has several advantages over existing procedures: (i) There is no other method available for isolation of undenatured insoluble heart collagen in almost pure form (consists of 96% of type I collagen) and in a good yield. Sonication of tissue at or below 4 degrees C for a total of 120 s (15 s sonication repeated 8 times at 120-s intervals) yielded insoluble collagen fibers with 90% yield and a 20-fold purification as determined by the increase in Hyp content of the isolates. Extraction of these isolates with 0.6 M KCl and 1 M NaCl at 4 degrees C resulted in a 22-fold purification with 70% yield, while the classical extraction method with nondenaturing reagents yielded only 5-fold purification. (ii) There has been little study of the derivatization of an insoluble protein (collagen) with dansyl chloride. The Lys residues of collagen could be recovered as epsilon-Dns-Lys in 84% yield from a reverse-phase C-18 column by high-performance liquid chromatography. This assay allows measurement of 0.1-100 nmol epsilon-Dns-Lys. (iii) The method generates direct information concerning the quantity of collagen and its nature with respect to amino groups.

The rat vitamin D binding protein (Gc-globulin) gene. Structural analysis, functional and evolutionary correlations

The complete rat vitamin D binding protein (DBP) gene has been cloned and characterized. Genomic mapping suggests that there is only one copy of this gene in the haploid genome. The gene spans 35 kilobase pairs and contains 13 exons. All exons, exon/intron borders, and 2196 base pairs of 5'-flanking region have been sequenced. The transcription cap site, determined by primer extension analysis, is 62 base pairs upstream from the start of translation and predicts that an unusual TGTAAA motif may serve as a surrogate TATA. The promoter region contains about 50% nucleotide sequence similarity to the corresponding region of the partially characterized human DBP gene and is uniquely interrupted by a repetitive element. Although lacking in overall sequence similarity to the albumin (ALB) and alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) genes, the 5'-flanking region of the DBP gene contains a number of conserved segments which may correspond to critical proximal promoter elements in this gene family. The location of the introns in the coding region of the DBP gene is highly conserved when compared with the ALB and AFP genes. Detailed comparison of exon size and content confirms the previous prediction that the smaller size of the DBP protein results from loss of internal exons 12 and 13 from the DBP progenitor gene during its evolutionary divergence from ALB and AFP.

[Determination of glycyrrhetinic acid in radix Glycyrrhizae by TLC densitometry]

A TLC densitometric method for the determination of glycyrrhetinic acid in Radix Glycyrrhizae is described. The method is accurate, sensitive and simple. The recovery of glycyrrhetinic acid is 98.30% and the coefficient of variation of five samplings is 2.20%.

Association of HLA antigens with Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada syndrome in a Han Chinese population

Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada syndrome, or the uveomeningitis syndrome, is one of the most commonly identified types of endogenous uveitis diagnosed in China. Because its incidence is higher in Orientals than in whites, immunogenetic background [corrected] may be an important factor in its incidence. We performed HLA-A, -B, and -DR typing on 25 patients with Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada syndrome and on 65 healthy control subjects from the Han Chinese population. The results showed that HLA-DR4 and -Dw53 were closely associated with Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada syndrome (P less than .001 [relative risk = 16.0] and P less than .001 [relative risk = 34.2], respectively). This association is similar to that reported in patients with Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada syndrome in Japan, suggesting that DR4 and DRw53 may play important roles in the development of Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada syndrome in Oriental populations.

[Effects of yin-tonics and yang-tonics on serum thyroid hormone levels and thyroid hormone receptors of hepatic cell nucleus in hyperthyroxinemic and hypothyroxinemic rats]

Hyperthyroxinemia model was made by giving thyroid tablet suspension to Wistar rats and hypothyroxinemia model was made by thyroidectomy. We measured serum thyroid hormone levels by RIA and the parameters of triiodothyronine receptors in rat hepatic cell nucleus by radio-ligand binding assay: Maximal binding capacity (Bmax) and Dissociation constant (Kd). It is found that (1) Yin-tonics can lower serum thyroid hormone levels and Bmax of hepatic nuclear T3R of hyperthyroxinemia rat from 167.14 +/- 25.62 fmol/100 micrograms DNA to 98.98 +/- 15.24 fmol/100 micrograms DNA, P less than 0.001. (2) Both Yang-tonics I and II can raise serum thyroid hormone levels of hypothyroxinemia rats, but not Bmax of hepatic nuclear T3R. Yang-tonics I even lowers Bmax. All the Chinese herbs have no effect on the Kd of rat hepatic nuclear T3R. The results may have some value in studying the effects of Chinese medical drugs.

Peptidyl aminosteroids as potential new antiarrhythmic agents

The synthesis of peptidyl derivatives of the aminosteroid, amafalone (Am), is described. Six analogs were synthesized: the hydrochloride salts of Gly-Am (2) Ala-Gly-Am (3), D-Ala-Gly-Am (4), Pro-Am (6), Pro-Pro-Am (7), and D-Ala-Pro-Am (8). The peptide bonds were formed by the polymeric reagent method using polymeric hydroxybenzotriazole as the activating polymer. Peptidyl aminosteroids 2, 6, 7, and 8, when administered to rats intravenously, had protective antiarrhythmic effects similar to those of amafalone. By the oral route, less marked protection, in comparison to amafalone, was observed with 6, while 7 and 8 were disappointingly inactive.

Thymosin-like peptides as potential immunostimulants. Synthesis via the polymeric-reagent method

This paper reports our attempt at designing new immunostimulating peptides which are chemically related to the bioactive peptides thymosin alpha 1 and thymopentin. Three peptides were synthesized, Asp-Leu-Lys-Glu-Arg-Lys-Asp-Val-Tyr (3), Arg-Lys-Asp-Val-Tyr-Glu-Glu-Ala-Glu-Asn (2), and Asp-Leu-Lys-Glu-Arg-Lys-Asp-Val-Tyr-Glu-Glu-Ala-Glu-Asn (1), each of which contains the thymopentin sequence and portions of the bioactive sequence of thymosin alpha 1. Peptides 1-3 were assembled from selected blocked fragments that were synthesized by the polymeric-reagent method, using PHBT (polystyrene-bound 1-hydroxybenzotriazole) as the activating polymer. The ability of peptides 1-3 to enhance the activation (RNA synthesis) and proliferation (DNA synthesis) of human T lymphocytes was determined. In comparison to thymosin alpha 1, thymosin alpha 1 (15-28), and thymopentin, peptides 1-3 did not show significant enhancement of these processes.

Virological survey of rhesus monkeys in China

A virological survey of rhesus monkeys captured in China for 13 viruses and/or antibodies was performed. Antigens used were SFV, SF40, HSV-1, Sa11, measles, vaccinia, epidemic or simian hemorrhagic fever, Langat, Kunming, poliomyelitis, HIV, SV41 and rubella. Monkeys were from Sichuan, Hunan, Guizhou, Yunnan and Guangxi provinces. Antibody was detected to all the listed viruses except HIV, SV41 and rubella. Both SFV and SV40 were recovered from monkeys, but H. simiae, LCM and coxsackieviruses were not.

Extraterrestrial amino acids in Cretaceous/Tertiary boundary sediments at Stevns Klint, Denmark

Since the discovery nearly a decade ago that Cretaceous/Tertiary (K/T) boundary layers are greatly enriched in iridium, a rare element in the Earth's crust, there has been intense controversy on the relationship between this Ir anomaly and the massive extinction of organisms ranging from dinosaurs to marine plankton that characterizes the K/T boundary. Convincing evidence suggests that both the Ir spike and the extinction event were caused by the collision of a large bolide (greater than 10 km in diameter) with the Earth. Alternative explanations claim that extensive, violent volcanism can account for the Ir, and that other independent causes were responsible for the mass extinctions. We surmise that the collision of a massive extraterrestrial object with the Earth may have produced a unique organic chemical signature because certain meteorites, and probably comets, contain organic compounds which are either rare or non-existent on the Earth. In contrast, no organic compounds would be expected to be associated with volcanic processes. Here we find that K/T boundary sediments at Stevns Klint, Denmark, contain both alpha-amino-isobutyric acid [AIB,(CH3)2CNH2COOH] and racemic isovaline [ISOVAL, CH3CH2(CH3)CNH2COOH], two amino acids that are exceedingly rare on the Earth but which are major amino acids in carbonaceous chondrites. An extraterrestrial source is the most reasonable explanation for the presence of these amino acids.

ACE inhibitors in acute and chronic ischaemia: current status and future promise

1. Myocyte loss, reactive hypertrophy, dynamic ischaemia with 'stunning', and ventricular wall remodelling are all involved in the initiation and progression of myocardial failure which is ischaemic in origin. 2. The effects of ACE inhibitors to reduce preload and afterload has potentially salutary effects in these settings. Moreover, sulphyl containing ACE inhibitors may have further actions in reducing free radicals and their damage in the acute phases of these events. 3. These promising initial studies warrant further exploration.

The effect of coronary arterial pressure on myocardial distensibility. Absence of a "garden hose" effect during in-vivo conditions

The effect of the coronary perfusion pressure on myocardial distensibility was studied in 11 open-chest dogs. The left anterior descending coronary artery was cannulated, and coronary perfusion pressure and blood flow were measured. Regional myocardial segment length was measured using sonomicrometers. The temporal relationship between the phasic coronary pressure fall and change in myocardial segment length was analyzed during the early phase of coronary occlusion. Diastolic myocardial segment length was completely unaffected by the substantial fall in coronary pressure over a period of 9.3 +/- 0.8 s (20 +/- 2 heart beats). During this period, coronary pressure fell from 98 +/- 7 to 28 +/- 2 mm Hg. Subsequently, diastolic segment length increased, presumably due to ischemia rather than to a delayed compliance change. In order to differentiate between a possible long-time constant for coupling of the intravascular pressure to myocardial compliance versus a primary ischemic effect, regional cardiac contraction was abolished by an intracoronary potassium chloride infusion in three dogs. Coronary occlusion during regional cardioplegia produced no further segment length changes for a 1-min period, effectively excluding viscoelastic coupling time constants of up to 1 min. From these results we conclude that the coronary distending pressure does not contribute to passive myocardial properties over the physiological perfusion pressure range, and that the "garden hose" effect is not operative for the in vivo working heart.

[Different effects of selenium on proliferation of human lung adenocarcinoma cells and human embryonic lung diploid cells in vitro]

After treating human lung adenocarcinoma cells by Na2SeO3 (1 microgram/ml) for 24 hours, its mitotic index decreased by 50%. The reduction rate was directly proportional to selenite concentration (1-5 micrograms/ml). In the meantime, the labelling index, growth rate and progression of the cell cycle were also inhibited. In contrast to the above observation, there was no marked change in the cell count, mitotic index, labelling index and the average silver granule number in the human embryonic lung diploid cells treated by Na2SeO3 (1-5 micrograms/ml) for 1-3 days. When human embryonic lung diploid cells were mix-cultured with human lung adenocarcinoma cells in the presence of 5 micrograms/ml Na2SeO3 for 24 hours, the former maintained a normal morphology, while the lung cancer cells showed heavily vacuolated cytoplasms and distorted nuclei.

[Level of cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase isozyme in normal liver and hepatoma tissue and the effect of sodium selenite]

Sodium selenite in normal saline was administered intraperitoneally (1 mg/kg) into mice bearing ascitic hepatocarcinoma for 4 days. The cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase isozymes (type I and type II) in normal liver and hepatocarcinoma cells were separated and assayed. The results show that the level of type I/II is markedly higher in hepatocarcinoma than in the normal liver cells. Sodium selenite is able to reduce it towards the normal level. Further analysis shows that the chief function of sodium selenite is to reduce the raised level of type I/II in hepatocarcinoma cells which, in fact, is due to the increase of total amount of type I cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase. This paper presents the speculation that one of the mechanisms of the inhibitory effect of sodium selenite on carcinogenesis may be due to the selective action of this compound on the cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase isozymes in tumor cells, thus inhibiting cancer cell division and facilitating differentiation and reversion.