Etiological investigation of acute post-transfusion non-A, non-B hepatitis in China

The etiology of acute post-transfusion hepatitis (PTH) non-A, non-B (NANB) in China was investigated with the combination of advanced techniques, including a second generation of enzyme immunoassay for detection of the antibodies to hepatitis C virus (anti-HCV), a reverse transcription and nested polymerase chain reaction (RT-nPCR) for HCV RNA, and a PCR for hepatitis B virus DNA. Of the 57 patients who were diagnosed as acute PTH-NANB, 46 (80.7%) were positive for anti-HCV and 41 (71.9%) had HCV RNA. Combining together, 53 (93.0%) were seropositive for anti-HCV and/or HCV RNA. Surprisingly, 18 of these with HCV markers were also positive for HBV DNA, although they were negative for HBsAg, suggesting that a portion of the patients with acute PTH NANB were coinfected by both HCV and HBV. In addition, 4 (7%) of the patients with acute PTH-NANB had no detectable HCV and HBV markers with the use of the above-mentioned techniques. These results indicate that etiologic agents(s) other than HCV and HBV may also cause acute PTH-NANB or that the current techniques may still not be sensitive enough to detect trace levels of HCV and HBV markers.

pp39mos is associated with p34cdc2 kinase in c-mosxe-transformed NIH 3T3 cells

We investigated the possible interactions between pp39mos and p34cdc2 kinase in NIH 3T3 cells transformed by c-mosxe. pp39mos is coprecipitated with p34cdc2 when using either anti-PSTAIR antibody or p13suc1-Sepharose beads. Likewise, p34cdc2 is coprecipitated with pp39mos when using anti-mos antibody. However, pp39mos was not present in histone H1 kinase-active p34cdc2 complexes precipitated with anti-p34cdc2 C-terminal peptide antibody even during metaphase of the cell cycle. The molar ratio of p34 to pp39mos in the p13suc1 complex is approximately 2:1. Consistent with the tight association between pp39mos and tubulin, tubulin was also present in equivalent amounts with pp39mos and p34 in the p13suc1 complex. This pp39mos-p34cdc2-tubulin complex may be important in transformation by the mos oncogene.

Correlation between the prevalence of serum HBV DNA and immunoserologic HBV markers in the subjects with or without hepatitis

The prevalence of serum HBV DNA, detected by polymerase chain reaction, and that of immunoserologic HBV markers (HBsAg, HBeAg, anti-HBs, and anti-HBc), determined by immunoassays, were compared among three groups of subjects: (A) chronic active hepatitis B patients, (B) chronic asymptomatic HBV carriers, and (C) normal individuals. Except five of the normal individuals, all of the subjects are positive for anti-HBc while some of them were also positive for other immunoserologic HBV markers, such as anti-HBs, HBsAg, and HBeAg. Serum HBV DNA were detected in 81% in group A, 52% in group B, and 20% in group C. In both group A and B, serum HBV DNA were detected in all the subjects with anti-HBc+/HBsAg+/HBeAg+. However, the percentage of seropositive HBV DNA in the subjects with anti-HBc+/HBsAg+ in Group A was much higher than that in Group B. Interestingly, the percent of serum HBV DNA+ in the individuals with anti-HBc+ only was markedly higher than that in the subjects with anti-HBc+/anti-HBs+ in both Group A and C, suggesting that anti-HBs may play a role in the inhibition of HBV replication and clearance of HBV virion from blood. Above serological profiles will provide important information concerning the significance of serum HBV DNA detection in judgement of HBV replication in the individuals with or without HBV infection. Cautions should be taken to clarify those so called normal individuals who have no symptoms of hepatitis B, no HBsAg in the sera and normal transaminase, but have HBV replication in their bodies.

Quantitative peroxidase-antiperoxidase complex-substrate mass determination in tissue sections by a dual wavelength method

The aim of this study was to develop a method of quantitating prostate-specific acid phosphatase (PSAP) in histologic sections of prostate tumor tissue labeled with the peroxidase-antiperoxidase (PAP) complex technique using diaminobenzidine (DAB) as a substrate. Studies of PAP-DAB- and hematoxylin-stained prostate tissue sections were performed with a black-and-white, computerized microscope image system. The mass of brown reaction product generated in PAP-DAB staining was the indicator of PSAP intensity. The mass of brown reaction product was determined by using a dual wavelength method in which two 10-nm bandpass filters, peaked at 450 and 510 nm in wavelength, were used. The wavelength-dependent ratio of mass absorptivity of PAP-DAB stain (brown product) and that of hematoxylin (blue product) were estimated at wavelengths of 450 and 510 nm by using slides stained with only PAP-DAB or hematoxylin. The accuracy of the mass measurements, investigated by relating the measurement to the true mass of the brown PAP-DAB product, is reported. There was no significant difference between the measurements at magnifications of 10x, 20x, 40x or 60x in the reproducibility investigation. The PSAP stain intensity was quantitatively determined by the difference of the PAP-DAB stain mass per pixel between the tumor and normal cell region. The relationship between the objective measurement and the conventional subjective grades is presented.

[Allergic asthma in Hubin rural area of Wujiang County in Suzhou]

An epidemiological investigation of allergic asthma was conducted in Hubin rural area of Wujiang county in Suzhou in 1984-1985. The prevalence rate found to be 7.8% (312/39951). The patients were seen in an Allergic Asthma Clinic (AAC) or found by village doctors under the guidance of a specialist from the AAC. They were treated with desensitizing therapy of acupoints and followed up for more than two years. It was found that after the therapy the seasonal attack of allergic asthma disappeared, the number of patients coming to the AAC for treatment decreased and 90% patients had their symptoms greatly improved.

Hepatitis B virus DNA in sera of virus carriers positive exclusively for antibodies to the hepatitis B core antigen

The prevalence of serum HBV DNA in individuals positive for anti-HBc alone was determined by the polymerase chain reaction in two groups with endemic HBV infection from Canton (group A) and Hainan (group B), provinces of China. Twenty-one out of 294 individuals in group A (7.2%) and 193 out of 1995 in group B (9.7%) were positive for anti-HBc but negative for other markers of ongoing or past HBV infection (HBsAg and anti-HBs). HBV DNA was detected in 6/21 sera in group A (28.6%) and 68/193 in group B (35.2%) in their initial serum specimen. One of the six HBV-DNA-positive individuals in group A became negative after 6 months and four of the 58 positive in group B became negative at 4 years of follow-up. All of the individuals remained positive for anti-HBc and negative for anti-HBs, but one of them became positive for HBsAg on follow-up. None of the anti-HBc- and HBV-DNA-positive subjects had symptoms of liver diseases. They were, therefore, defined as chronic asymptomatic HBV carriers with undetectable HBsAg. This type of carrier should be added to the typical HBsAg-positive carrier, who constitutes about 10-15% of the general Chinese population, to give a more complete estimate of asymptomatic HBV carriers in China.

[Effects of verticillatine on cerebral blood flow, cerebral vascular resistance and blood pressure in anesthetized dogs and cats]

The effects of verticillatine (Ver), hexamethonium (Hex) and nimodipine (Nim) on mean arterial pressure (MAP), cerebral blood flow (CBF) and cerebrovascular resistance (CVR) were determined in pentobarbital anesthetized animals using the method of electromagnetic flow meter in dogs and hydrogen clearance in cats. Ver or Nim iv induced significant reduction of MAP and CVR. CBF was increased in dogs and unaltered in cats. The Hex treated dogs and cats exhibited a fall of MAP and CBF with enhancement of CVR. In cats after middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO), regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) was reduced from 190 +/- 70 to 90 +/- 20 ml.kg-1.min-1. Ver and Nim iv caused similar changes of MAP and CVR to those before MCAO. The results suggest that Ver and Nim may have vasodilation effect and improve the cerebral circulation. Thus, they would be beneficial to patients suffering from hypertension.

[Pulsed-wave Doppler ultrasound evaluation of flow velocity waveforms of fetal umbilical artery and uterine artery as predictors of neonatal outcome]

A pulsed-wave doppler ultrasound system was used to record arterial flow velocity time waveforms from the fetal umbilical artery (UmA) and the branches of the uterine artery (UtA) in the placental bed in term pregnancies. The systolic-diastolic ratio (S/D) of flow velocity was measured as an index of peripheral resistance in the placental bed. The UmA S/D ratio was measured in 123 pregnant women between 37- less than 42 gestational weeks and the UtA S/D ratio was measured in 121 of them simultaneously. The cutoff value of an abnormal UmA S/D ratio was 3.0 or higher, and UtA S/D ratio 2.5 or higher. Furthermore, the neonatal poor outcome was observed more frequently in both the abnormal ratio groups than in both the normal ratio groups. The sensitivity of the UmA, and UtA S/D ratios to predict an adverse neonatal outcome was 72.7%, 27.3%, respectively. The data showed the abnormal UmA S/D and abnormal UtA S/D ratios were associated with the neonatal poor outcome, but the former was the better test for screening for adverse neonatal outcome.

[Identification of HBV infection in HBsAg-negative chronic active hepatitis with polymerase chain reaction]

To explore the etiological agent(s) of HBsAg negative chronic active hepatitis, serum HBV DNA was tested in thirty-six of such cases with polymerase chain reaction. In total, viral DNA was detected in 24 cases (67%), including 11 of the 12 cases with positive anti-HBc alone, four of the nine cases with positive anti-HBs and nine of the 15 cases without any HBV markers. The results suggest that in cases of HBsAg-negative chronic active hepatitis, the etiology may still be hepatitis B virus, especially in cases with positive anti-HBc. Furthermore, the cause of activated histology might be due to viral replication.

Changes in intracellular calcium of porcine sperm during in vitro incubation with seminal plasma and a capacitating medium

The intracellular free Ca2+ concentration in ejaculated, porcine sperm was determined with a fluorescent, Ca2(+)-specific probe, Fura 2. Following suspension of sperm in a medium capable of sustaining capacitation and the acrosome reaction, the intracellular [Ca2+] increased from an initial value of about 75 nM to a peak value of 130 nM, after about 4 to 5 h of incubation. Within this period of time, a peak value of 246 nM was attained when sperm was incubated in seminal plasma. Ca2+ uptake is presumably not associated with membrane potential-dependent channels. The results indicate that a pronounced increase in intracellular free Ca2+ occurs towards the end of the incubation period when rather synchronous acrosome reactions take place in the sperm population, either in capacitating medium or in seminal plasma.

[On the establishment and development of a resource of Chinese medicinal materials]

The author attempts to elucidate the concept, properties, tasks, scope, historical background and some problems in developing the Resource of Chinese Medicinal Materials, a comprehensive subject which deals with the development, utilization and management of resources of Chinese medicinal materials. The major aim is to provide more and better Chinese crude drugs for clinical and pharmaceutical purposes.

Studies of safe maximal daily dietary Se-intake in a seleniferous area in China. Part II: Relation between Se-intake and the manifestation of clinical signs and certain biochemical alterations in blood and urine

Selenosis occurs in areas of Enshi county because of the high Se content of the food. Morphological changes in finger-nails were used as the main criterion for clinical diagnosis of selenosis. Pathological nails were observed to occur almost only in adults, not at all in young children and very seldom in teenagers. Symptoms of selenosis in susceptible patients were found at or above an Se-intake of 910 micrograms/d, corresponding to a blood Se level of 1.05 mg/L. There was no evidence for an increased susceptibility to dental caries due to high Se consumption, and an increase in Se-intake seems unlikely to reduce the beneficial effects of fluoride on caries. No abnormalities of liver or heart were seen by supersonic B or electrocardiographic examinations. The biochemical investigations showed that with increasing whole blood Se the ratio of plasma Se to erythrocyte Se tended to decrease. As Se-intake increases to over 750 micrograms daily, the ratio decreases to near a minimal level. Reduced glutathione in whole blood decreases within a blood Se range of 1.01 to 2.28 micrograms in the high Se area. The amount of trimethylselenonium ion excreted in urine increased with the increase of urinary Se. Cases with prolonged prothrombin time occurred as blood Se increased to a level above 1 mg/L. The white blood cell count also increased significantly. Quantitative values were obtained only for ratio of plasma-Se to erythrocyte-Se for prothrombin time and for maintenance of nail Symptoms of susceptible patients. The overall results indicated that a daily Se-intake of 750-850 micrograms [corrected] might be the marginal level of safe intake. When other variable factors are also taken into consideration a daily Se-intake of 400 micrograms [corrected] is suggested as the maximum daily safe intake. At this level of Se-intake the corresponding approximate tissue Se levels are: whole blood 0.559 mg/L, plasma 0.327 mg/L, urine excretion 173 micrograms/d, hair 3.60 mg/kg, toe-nails 4.25 mg/kg, and finger-nails 4.70 mg/kg.

Studies of safe maximal daily dietary selenium intake in a seleniferous area in China. I. Selenium intake and tissue selenium levels of the inhabitants

Studies of marginal safe Se-intake have been carried out in a seleniferous section of China since 1985. Three areas with low, medium and high Se levels were selected for this study. The respective average daily Se-intake (mean +/- SE) was 70.5 +/- 4.8 micrograms, 194.7 +/- 22.9 micrograms and 1438.2 +/- 76.3 micrograms for males, and 62.0 +/- 3.6 micrograms, 198.1 +/- 23.8 micrograms and 1238.5 +/- 64.6 micrograms for females (average body weight: male 55 Kg, female 53 Kg). When the increasing rate of Se-intake was compared with the corresponding tissue-Se levels it was found that the whole blood Se-level reflected more closely the physiological range of Se-intake, while at higher Se-intakes it became less sensitive than the levels in hair, finger-nail and toe-nail, which were comparable to the sensitivity of urine. It is suggested that hair, finger- and toe-nail may all act as excretory organs when excess amounts of Se are ingested. Hair- and blood-Cd are somewhat higher in residents of the high Se area, but whether they have influenced human Se-metabolism at the high level of Se-intake is not yet known. Significant correlations on log-log plots were obtained between levels of daily Se-intake and whole blood r = 0.878), breast milk (r = 0.899) and 24-h-urine (r = 0.859). Highly significant correlations on log-log plots between levels of tissue were also obtained: urine Se--plasma Se (r = 0.968), whole blood Se--hair Se (r = 0.952), fingernail Se--toenail Se (r = 0.919), hair Se--fingernail Se (r = 0.914), hair Se--toenail Se (r = 0.891), whole blood Se--toenail Se (r = 0.849) and whole blood Se--fingernail Se (r = 0.836). The highly significant correlations found between the Se-intake and the tissue-Se level, and also between the Se levels of various tissues, could possibly conveniently be used to convert the known tissue-Se level to the corresponding Se-intake. Taken together with the wide range of Se-intakes and corresponding tissue-Se levels this would provide the necessary conditions for studying the marginal and maximal safe Se-intakes in humans.

A dye release assay for determination of lysostaphin activity

We describe a method for determination of lysostaphin activity using Remazol Brilliant Blue R (RBB)-dyed staphylococcal cells or RBB-dyed staphylococcal peptidoglycan as substrate. The dyed substrates are easy to prepare and are stable for at least 6 months. Soluble hydrolytic products released by lysostaphin are measured spectrophotometrically at 595 nm after the insoluble substrate is removed by filtration or centrifugation. The dye release assay is more sensitive and more accurate than the previously described turbidimetric assay.