[Both 987P and F41 fimbriae produced by the same enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli strain isolated from a piglet with diarrhea]

An enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli strain isolated from a piglet with diarrhea was examined for the presence of fimbriea 987P and F41 by a direct agglutination (with MAbs), an indirect immunofluorescence technique (MAbs as first antibodies), SDS-PAGE and Western blots (antisera IgG as probes). Results of these techniques revealed that both 987P and F41 fimbrial adhesins were produced by the same strain, not by separate ones.

The G gamma:A gamma ratios in the fetal hemoglobin of newborns of the Man ethnic group and their gamma-globin gene arrangements

The G gamma:A gamma ratios of Hb F were determined in 331 newborn babies of the Man ethnic group in Liaoning Province, P.R. China, using polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis; in 27 cases they were also determined by reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography. The results showed that a high G gamma value (> 80%) was present in four cases (1.21%) and low G gamma values (30-48%) in six cases (1.81%); not a single case with the A gamma T [A gamma 75(E19)Ile->Thr] chain was found. Gene mapping analysis demonstrated that two babies with high G gamma values had the -G gamma-G gamma-/-G gamma-A gamma- (0.60%), and two others the -G gamma-AG gamma-A gamma-/-G gamma-A gamma- (0.60%) arrangements. Two of the four babies with low G gamma values were identified as -A gamma-A gamma-/-G gamma-A gamma- (0.60%) and the other two as -GA gamma-/-G gamma-A gamma- (0.60%). The genotype -A gamma-A gamma- has not been reported before in Chinese.

DNA repair rates mapped along the human PGK1 gene at nucleotide resolution

The repair of cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers (CPDs), DNA lesions induced by ultraviolet light, was studied at nucleotide resolution. Human fibroblasts were irradiated with ultraviolet light and allowed to repair. The DNA was enzymatically cleaved at the CPDs, and the induced breaks along the promoter and exon 1 of the PGK1 gene were mapped by ligation-mediated polymerase chain reaction. Repair rates within the nontranscribed strand varied as much as 15-fold, depending on nucleotide position. Preferential repair of the transcribed strand began just downstream of the transcription start site but was most pronounced beginning at nucleotide +140 in exon 1. The promoter contained two slowly repaired regions that coincided with two transcription factor binding sites.

[Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of two morphologically homogenous forms of famotidine per os in Chinese healthy volunteers]

The lg C of famotidine (Fam) A and B forms in plasma vs time curve following a single oral dose of 40 mg showed an one-compartment open model in 5 healthy volunteers. The T1/2Ke of Fam A and B forms = 3.06 and 3.48 h, Tmax = 2.96 and 2.68 h, The Cmax = 115 and 145 ng.ml-1, AUC = 811 and 1190 h.ng.ml-1, respectively. No significant difference was found in the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties between Fam A and B forms. The mathematical model describing the whole course of blood concentration of Fam A and B forms in relation to inhibiting effects on gastric acid were: E (A) = 100.C2.04/(C2.04 + 15.0(2.04)) and E (B) = 100.C1.67/(C1.67 + 14.0(1.67)). Predication of blood drug concentration from pharmacodynamics or vice versa became possible using the mathematical equations.

Simple high-performance liquid chromatographic method for the determination of captopril in biological fluids

A rapid, simple and sensitive column-switching high-performance liquid chromatographic procedure for the determination of captopril in plasma and urine had been developed. p-Bromophenacyl bromide was used as a derivatizing reagent to react with captopril to form a product that showed ultraviolet-absorbing properties. For plasma samples the protein was removed with 6% perchloric acid before injection. The urine samples were directly injected into the chromatograph. The column-switching system was equipped with a pre-column (5 cm x 0.5 cm I.D.) packed with muBondapak C18 (37-50 microns) and an analytical column (15 cm x 0.5 cm I.D.) packed with YWG-C18, 10 microns. Impurities were washed from the pre-column with 0.2% acetic acid and the retained substances were eluted into the analytical column with acetonitrile-water-acetic acid (35:65:0.4, v/v). Captopril was detected at 260 nm. The calibration curve was linear in the range 20-1000 ng/ml for plasma and 10-200 micrograms/ml for urine. The recoveries averaged 103.2 and 99.5% for plasma and urine, respectively. The coefficients of variation were all less than 10%.

[Absorption of ceftizoxime from peritoneal dialysate and its pharmacokinetics in chronic kidney failure patients]

The pharmacokinetics of ceftizoxime (Cef) and its diffusivity across the peritoneal membrane were studied in 10 chronic kidney failure patients undergoing continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis. Cef was determined by HPLC. The results showed that the disposition of Cef could be described with a 2-compartment open model after 1 g intravenous infusion. VD = 20 +/- 5 L, AUC = 1237 +/- 327 micrograms.ml-1.h. T1/2 beta = 16.9 +/- 4.5 h, which was much longer than that of patients with normal renal function. Therefore, the regulation of dose regimen was necessary when treating patients with renal failure. Cef was partly eliminated by peritoneal dialysis with the ClD of 2.9 +/- 1.0 ml.min-1. The bidirectional exchange of Cef was seen between blood and dialysate. It is more suitable to describe the diffusive characteristics of Cef from dialysate (or blood) into blood (or dialysate) with a zero order constant rate model. The absorption percentage of Cef after 0.5 g instilled with peritoneal dialysate was 90.4 +/- 7.0%.

[Cell morphometric analysis in oral submucous fibrosis, leukoplakia and squamous cell carcinoma]

The morphometry of the cells and the nuclei in the spinous cells of oral epithelium in 48 specimens were studied by interactive image analysis system (IBAS-II). Five groups, normal mucosa, oral submucous fibrosis (OSF), leukoplakia, epithelial dysplasia and squamous cell carcinoma, were included. The result showed a progressive reduction in the dimensions (area, perimeter, all kinds of diameter) of the cells from normal mucosa, through OSF, leukoplakia, dysplasia to carcinoma (P < 0.01), while the dimensions of the nuclei did not show significant differences among the groups (P > 0.05), except the minimum diameter, but the nuclear cytoplasmic ratio showed a progressive increase (P < 0.01). The shape factors (form factor [PE] and contour index [CI]) seemed to be less helpful in identification. It indicated that the decrease of cell area of the spinous cell could reflect a malignant progress, and nuclear cytoplasmic ratio might be an objective feature to distinguish carcinoma from other lesions. The result also suggested that the pathological grade of OSF is between normal mucosa and mild epithelial dysplasia.

Pulmonary artery involvement in aorto-arteritis. An analysis of DSA

Angiographic features of the pulmonary artery were studied in 24 patients with aortoarteritis (Takayasu's arteritis) by digital subtraction angiography. The pulmonary artery involvement was found in nine cases (37.5%). The right side was involved in eight and the left side in five cases. The right pulmonary artery was involved in two cases, the lobar artery in six, the segmental artery in six, and subsegmental as well as peripheral branches in four. The angiographic features were stenosis and/or occlusion as were the changes of the systemic arteries in aorto-arteritis. The aorta and its main branches were involved in all nine patients, but the severity of pulmonary vascular changes was not always related to the systemic vascular changes. Bronchial angiography demonstrated enlarged and tortuous bronchial arteries in four cases. Lung ECT revealed abnormalities in four cases.

Treatment of functional headache with Chinese herbal inhalant--a report of 496 cases

Headaches of the neurofunctional type, blood vascular type, neuro-vascular type, and musculotonic type are commonly encountered clinically. The authors report a nasal inhalant of Chinese herbal drugs which has been effective in the treatment of these varieties of headache.

[Study on the discrimination of bacteria by gas chromatographic profiles of cellular monosaccharides]

A procedure for obtaining gas chromatographic (GC) profiles of bacterial cellular monosaccharides was described. Some of the unknown component peaks in these profiles were identified. And, based on the complete linkage cluster analysis with the Euclidean distance coefficient, the interpretation of the resulting cellular monosaccharides of bacteria were performed by mini-computer. By means of this method, the discrimination of 5 species (24 strains) of aerobic endospore-forming bacteria. The results showed that there were defined differences between the profiles of cellular monosaccharides of B. anthracis and B. cereus. This procedure has provided a useful method for the classification and identification of microorganisms, for their physiological and biochemical studies, and for studies on their subcellular components.