[Analysis of natural history and long-term follow-up of 59 patients with obliterative pulmonary hypertension (OPH)]

The diagnosis of OPH was made by clinical and hemodynamic data in 59 patients, including 30 cases of unexplained pulmonary hypertension, 26 cases of pulmonary embolism and 3 others. The survival curve showed that the two-year survival rate of the patients was 76.72%, and the five-year rate was 63.37%. The single correlation factors influencing prognosis were the interval from onset of symptoms to diagnosis (course), cardiac function, PaO2, SaO2, cause of disease, pulmonary artery pressure and right atrial pressure. The outcome of long-term treatment (mean 4.2 years) in 15 patients with OPH was as follows: remarkable improvement in 8 cases, amelioration in 3, no change in 2 and deterioration in 2. The total effective rate was 73.33%. The importance of anticoagulant therapy and the use of nifedipine are discussed.

Characterization of the humoral response induced by a peptide corresponding to variable domain IV of the major outer membrane protein of Chlamydia trachomatis serovar E

A 30-amino-acid peptide corresponding to variable domain IV (VD IV) of the major outer membrane protein of Chlamydia trachomatis serovar E was conjugated to keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH) and used to immunize mice. The resulting antisera (anti-KLH-VD IV sera) recognized all 15 serovars of C. trachomatis when assayed by indirect immunofluorescence and Western blotting. Probing of overlapping hexameric peptides representing VD IV with mouse anti-KLH-VD IV sera revealed that two main regions of the peptide were recognized by the antisera, the N terminus of the peptide, which contains B-complex-specific epitopes, and the middle region of the peptide, which contains a species-conserved domain. When used in an in vitro neutralization assay, these antisera were able to neutralize mainly serovars in the B complex. These data provide evidence that a linear peptide corresponding to VD IV can induce in vitro protection from C. trachomatis infectivity that is subspecies specific.

Metabolism of trans,trans-muconaldehyde by aldehyde and alcohol dehydrogenases: identification of a novel metabolite

The metabolism of trans,trans-muconaldehyde (MA), a highly reactive alpha,beta-unsaturated dialdehyde, was examined in vitro using purified yeast alcohol and aldehyde dehydrogenases (ADH and ALDH, respectively). In the presence of NAD(+)-fortified ALDH, the mono-oxidation product (acid/aldehyde) was the primary metabolite formed with trace amounts of the dioxidation product (trans,trans-muconic acid). In NADH-fortified reactions with ADH, both the mono- and direduction products (hydroxy/aldehyde and dihydroxy, respectively) were readily detected. Oxidation and reduction products of MA were formed in incubates containing both dehydrogenases together with either NAD+ or NADH. Unexpectedly, an additional metabolite was detected, which was a major product in both NAD(+)- and NADH-fortified systems containing ALDH and ADH in combination and whose formation could be inhibited by pyrazole (an ADH inhibitor). ALDH-mediated oxidation of a synthetic standard of the hydroxy/aldehyde derivative of MA resulted in formation of this new metabolite, which was also a major product formed by rat hepatocytes incubated with MA. Using HPLC/photodiode array detection, the new metabolite was found to cochromatograph and have a uv spectrum identical to that of a synthetic standard of the hydroxy/acid derivative of MA. The metabolite was confirmed as the hydroxy/acid derivative of MA after preparative HPLC, TMS derivatization, and GC/MS analysis. The hydroxy/acid metabolite was not formed during ADH-mediated reduction of the mono-oxidation product of MA, suggesting that this metabolite was formed by yeast dehydrogenases via a primary reduction of MA and subsequent oxidation of the hydroxy/aldehyde to the hydroxy/acid. These data show that the hydroxy/acid derivative is a novel metabolite of MA, which arises from the interaction of both oxidative and reductive routes of metabolism.

Functional and structural mapping of Chlamydia trachomatis species-specific major outer membrane protein epitopes by use of neutralizing monoclonal antibodies

Three monoclonal antibodies (MAbs), E4, L1-4, and L1-24, to the major outer membrane protein (MOMP) of Chlamydia trachomatis were identified that neutralized in vitro the infectivity of members of the B- and C-related complex as well as the mouse pneumonitis strain. MAbs L1-4, L1-24, and E4 gave a strong signal in an indirect immunofluorescence assay and/or Western immunoblot with all serovars of the lymphogranuloma venereum and trachoma biovars and a weak signal with the mouse biovar. In addition, C. psittaci and C. pneumoniae were also weakly recognized by MAbs L1-4 and L1-24. As determined by the technique of pneumoniae were also weakly recognized by MAbs L1-4 and L1-24. As determined by by the technique of overlapping peptides, all three MAbs showed reactivity to variable domain (VD) IV of MOMP. While all three MAbs had different recognition patterns, all strongly bound to the peptides TLNPTI and LNPTIA within the species-conserved region of VD IV. MAb E4 also recognized the peptide SATAIF in the subspecies region of VD IV. Peptides corresponding to VD IV of MOMP were synthesized and used in competitive inhibition experiments to determine the functional location of the epitope recognized by these three MAbs. Both the serological and neutralizing activities of MAb E4 were inhibited by the peptides ATAIFDTTTLNPTIAG and FDTTTLNPTIAG; however, none of the peptides made to the VD IV region blocked the neutralizing activity of MAbs L1-4 and L1-24. Therefore, the neutralizable domain of the epitope recognized by MAb E4 is contiguous and may be an important candidate for inclusion in a subunit vaccine.

[Nuclear DNA assay in gynecologic malignant tumors and its clinical significance]

This paper analyzes the nuclear DNA content in 80 gynecologic tumors by microspectrophotometry and correlates the results of ovarian malignant tumors with the clinico-pathologic features of the tumor. The DNA content and the percentage of nuclei with over octaploid were significantly higher in gynecologic malignant tumors and ovarian germ cell tumors than in gynecologic benign tumors and ovarian epidermic tumors. The percentage of nuclei with over octaploid was significantly higher in advanced than in early tumors. It seems that DNA content assay may be helpful in the pathological diagnosis of gynecologic tumors.

[Preliminary infection source of downy mildew of Corydalis yanhusuo W. T. Wang]

The downy mildew of Corydalis yanhusuo caused by Peronospora corydalis usually brings about devastating harm in Anhui Province. In the past, it was generally held that the spores in diseased remains buried in soil were the main source of preliminary infection. But, according to our test, it is the mycelia in tubers that are mainly the preliminary infections source.

[Androgen-like and anabolic action of Antheraea pernyi Guerin-Meneville Pas]

It has been found that the ethyl acetate extract isolated from Antheraea pernyi Pas is able to increase the weight of prostate-semina and levator ani muscle-bulbocavarnosus muscle of castrated mice. In addition, the extract also accelerates the growth of younger male mice and enhances the contents of RNA, DNA and protein in the liver tissue of mice. It has been determined that beta-ecdysone is one of the effective constituents for the androgen-like and anabolic action.

[Effects of chronoacupuncture na ja fa on gastric acid secretion, plasma gastrin and prostaglandin E1 in patients with peptic ulcer]

Observations on gastric acid secretion, plasma gastrin and prostaglandin E1 in patients with peptic ulcer disease were made after giving acupuncture with Na Ja Fa. The relationship between the chosen points and their effects was also discussed so as to provide more evidence to evaluate and practice the traditional chronoacupuncture more accurately. The results of this experiment were: (1) The gastric acid output of patients with peptic ulcer disease was decreased, while the plasma gastrin and prostaglandin E1 were increased after puncturing with Na Ja Fa. This reveals that the decrease of acid output was not caused by the change of plasma gastrin, however the plasma prostaglandin E1 may be involved in this process. (2) By using points on Stomach and Spleen meridians, there was a better inhibiting effect in acid output than treating the points of other meridians. This showed that using chronoacupuncture should include choosing points according to differentiation and only by laying stress on the relative specialization of the actions of these points one could expect improvement in efficiency. (3) There were no obvious differences between the standard opening points and the group of points which changed to opening points by Dr Shan Yu Tang. This proves that these two groups of points do have some similar functions and are both effective for clinical use.

[Chemical constituents of Agapetes obouata S. H. Huong]

Six compounds were isolated from Agapetes obouata. On the basis of physico-chemical constants and spectral analysis they were identified as friedelin (I), fernenal (II), beta-sitosterol (III), daucosterol (IV), beta-sitosterol glucutonide (V) and n-tridecane (VI) respectively.

[Purification and characterization of beta-N-acetyl hexosaminidase from Aspergillus tamarii]

A beta-N-acetylhexosaminidase from mycelium-free culture filtrate of Asp tamarii S215 was purified to PAGE homogenous by ammonium sulfate and polyethylene glycol fractionation precipitation followed by Sephadex G-50 desalt, DEAE-Sephadex A-25 chromatography, hydroxyapatite chromatography and DEAE-Sephadex A-25 rechromatography with 170-fold purification and 24.7% recovery. The ratio of the beta-GlcNAcase and beta-GalNAcase was 2.5 and remained constant throughout the purification. The Mr estimated with concentration gradient PAGE was 140,000 and subunit Mr determined with SDS-PAGE was 72,000, the number of subunit were 2. The pI was 4.2 determined by PAGIEF. The optimum pH was 5.5-6.5 and 5.0-6.0 for beta-GlcNAcase and beta-GalNAcase respectively with stable pH range 5.5-8.3 for both. The optimum temperature was 60 degrees C for beta-GlcNAcase and beta-GalNAcase. The residual activity of beta-GlcNAcase was 52.7% after treated at 50 degrees C for 8 h and it was 44.9% for beta-GalNAcase. The residual activities of both were down to 1% after treated at 62 degrees C for 10 min. The activity was slightly activated by Mn2+ or Fe2+, while strongly inhibited by Hg2+ and slightly by Ag+, Cu2+, Pb2+, Cd2+ or Zn2+. Analyses of amino acids composition showed that the beta-HexNAcase contained about 24.2% acidic amino acids and 14.9% basic amino acids and only 0.6% methionine.

Base changes at position 792 of Escherichia coli 16S rRNA affect assembly of 70S ribosomes

To investigate the function of base 792 of 16S rRNA in 30S ribosomes of Escherichia coli, the wild-type (adenine) residue was changed to guanine, cytosine, or uracil by oligonucleotide-directed mutagenesis. Each base change conferred a unique phenotype on the cells. Cells containing plasmid pKK3535 with G792 or T792 showed no difference in generation time in LB broth containing ampicillin, whereas cells with C792 exhibited a 20% increase in generation time in this medium. To study the effect on cell growth of a homogeneous population of mutant ribosomes, the mutations were cloned into the 16S rRNA gene on pKK3535 carrying a spectinomycin-resistance marker (thymine at position 1192), and the cells were grown with spectinomycin. Cells containing G792 or C792 showed 16% and 56% increases in generation time, respectively, and a concomitant decrease in 35S assimilation into proteins. Cells with T792 did not grow in spectinomycin-containing medium. Maxicell analyses indicated decreasing ability to form 70S ribosomes from 30S subunits containing guanine, cytosine, or uracil at position 792 in 16S rRNA. It appeared that C792-containing 30S ribosomes had lost the ability to bind initiation factor 3.

[Epidemiologic survey of migraine in six cities of China]

A door-to-door survey was carried out in six cities of China. A total of 63,195 individuals were sampled during 1983 to determine the prevalence of major neurological disorders including migraine. The survey involved a complete census, together with a pretested interview and brief screening examination with a high level of sensitivity for detecting individuals with migraine. All those with responses suggestive of severe headaches were requested to be examined by a senior neurologist using defined clinical criteria to establish the final diagnosis. Based on 396 prevalent cases of migraine, the crude and age-adjusted (to the 1960) total population of the United States point prevalence rate were 6.3 per 1000, and 5.4 per 1000 respectively. The prevalence among the females was nearly 3.5 times the figure for the males. For individuals above the age of 40, the age-specific prevalence rate declined with increasing age. The survey was followed by a case-control pairs matched by age, sex and geographic regions. A family history with "similar headache" seemed to be a significant risk factor while smoking and alcohol consumption appeared to be other relevant factors associated with the occurrence of migraine were also investigated. It seemed to the authors that the most frequently associated factors were psychological and hormonal factors.