[Rescue and prevention of serious systemic toxicity following local anesthesia to mucous membranes of tetracaine]

Tetracaine remains a popular agent in clinical for the purpose of local anesthesia to mucous membranes. Its potential for systemic absorption and resulting toxicity has been seldom emphasized. One case of fatality from tetracaine pharyngeal local anesthesia for fibro-laryngoscopic procedure is described. The pharmacologic basis, clinical features, rescue and prevention for systemic toxicity is discussed.

[Determination of IL-6 in serum and perilymph during inner ear immune response]

During secondary inner ear immune responses against keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH), to understand the change of interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels in perilymph and serum, IL-6 levels in perilymph and serum were investigated using an immunoassay. No IL-6 levels were detectable at Day 0 in perilymph. The earliest perilymph IL-6 levels were observed after 6 h, peaking at 24 h, and then decreasing gradually. IL-6 level remnants were detected at 7 days in perilymph. In contrast, during this observation period, low IL-6 levels were only detectable in perilymph from control ears, disappearing after 72 h. IL-6 levels don't change in serum. Previous study has identified the endolymphatic sac (ES) lags behind the earlier appearance of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) in the spiral modiolar vein and spiral ligament during immune response. The present study not only provides further support for the existence of an inner ear immune response which is regulated by cytokines, but also supports that cytokines controlling expression of adhesion molecules are released probably by cells which located out of ES.

[Pharmcognostial study on the Geranium wilfordii var. glandulosum]

First time has done pharmcognostical research on the Geranium wilfordii Maxim var. glandulosum Z. M. Tan, including microscopic identification, chemical qualitative test and bacteriostatic test.

[Studies on the fine structures of inner ear vessels in guinea pigs]

In order to investigate the characters of inner ear vessels using the microvascular corrosion casting technique and scanning electron microscope the three-dimensional spatial picture of the vessels in cochlear basilar membrane, utriculus, sacculus and three ampullae of guinea pig were observed. It was found that arteriole coils were present in the modiolus ampullae, utriculus and sacculus. The length of arterioles was therefore prolonged and could keep the blood supply in inner ear stable. The possibility of blood coagulation in these segments increased because the blood flow became slower here. Another character was that the capillary networks appeared denser in stria vascularis and central part of the crista, whereas the vessel meshes in basilar membrane of cochlea and in planum semiculatum of ampullae were looser. These findings suggested that the metabolism in stria vascularis and central part of the crista would be more prosperous than that in the basilar membrane and planum semiculatum of ampullae.

[Expression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 in immune response of the inner ear]

OBJECTIVE

To understand the role of intercellular adhesion molecule-1(ICAM-1) in the immune response of the inner ear.

METHODS

Inner ear immune response was induced in rats by inoculation of key-hole limpet hemocyanine(KLH) into the scala tympani of animals who had been systemically sensitized. Then the expression of ICAM-1 in the inner ear was examined by immunohistochemistry.

RESULTS

ICAM-1 was found in the epithelium of the spiral modiolar vein (SMV) with its collecting venules (CV) as early as 6 hours postchallenge. Expression of ICAM-1 was observed on the epithelium of the endolymphatic sac(ES) and perisaccular region at 12 hours. The intensity of ICAM-1 staining reached a maximum by 24 or 48 hours in these sites of the inner ear. By day 28, most specimens were devoid of significant staining for ICAM-1.

CONCLUSION

The study elucidates the important role of adhesion molecules in extravasation of inflammatory cells from the systemic circulation during an inner ear immune response. It also shows that cytokines controlling expression of adhesion molecules may be released by cells located outside of ES besides those cells in the ES.

[Prognostic value of basal hormone levels on ovarian reserve]

OBJECTIVE

To study the prognostic value of basal hormone levels on ovarian reserve during ovulation induction.

METHODS

Day 2 serum follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH) and estradiol (E2) levels of 112 ovulation induction cycles (60 infertile patients) were measured by radioimmunoassay. The relationship between basal hormone levels and numbers of dominant follicles and pregnancy rates were analysed.

RESULTS

Day 2 serum FSH > or = 15 IU/L predicted a poor response to ovarian stimulation, with fewer dominant follicles and lower pregnancy rate, so was day 2 serum E2 > or = 45 ng/L. Day 2 serum LH level was unrelated to pregnancy rate.

CONCLUSION

Day 2 FSH and E2 levels are useful in prognostic assessment of ovarian reserve.

[Discernment of the sensitized inner ear by peripheral immunocompetent lymphocytes]

OBJECTIVE

To understand the role of peripheral immunocompetent lymphocytes during an immune response in the inner ear.

METHODS

Sensitized lymphocytes from peripheral blood, neck lymph nodes and spleen from three groups of donor animals (group A was immunized intradermally with KLH and both inner ears were challenged with KLH; group B received only KLH intradermally without an inner ear challenge, and groups C were naive animals) were labelled with 51Cr and injected intravenously into recipients (all of which were immunized intradermally with right inner ears challenged with KLH). Twenty to twenty-four hours later, the temporal bones of recipients were assayed for radioactivity to detect the infiltration of labelled cells.

RESULTS

In group A and B, the right temporal bones showed higher radioactivity than the left temporal bones (P < 0.05). The highest labelling was detected in the right temporal bones of group A. The lowest migration of 51Cr-labelled cells to the inner ear was found in group C animals. The highest ratios between right (challenged) and left (unchallenged) were found in group A animals compared with those of group B and group C. The value was significantly higher in group A than in group B and C (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

The results showed that the inner ear comes under the immunosurveillance of the peripheral circulation in response to antigenic stimulation.

Expression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 in immune response of inner ear

To understand the role of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) in immune response of the inner ear, inner ear immune response was induced in rats by inoculation of keyhole limpet hemocyanine (KLH) into the scala tympani of the animals who had been systemically sensitized. The expression of ICAM-1 in the inner ear was immunohistochemically examined. ICAM-1 was found in the epithelium of the spiral modiolar vein (SMV) with its collecting venules (CVs) as early as 6 h after challenge. Expression of ICAM-1 was observed on the epithelium of the endolymphatic sac (ES) and perisaccular region at 12 h. The intensity of ICAM-1 staining reached its peak within 24-48 h in these sites of the inner ear. By day 28, most specimens were devoid of appreciable staining for ICAM-1. Our study demonstrates that adhesion molecules play an important role in extravasation of inflammatory cells from the systemic circulation in the process of inner ear immune response. It also shows that cytokines that control expression of adhesion molecules may be released by cells outside ES, besides those cells in the ES.

Cytomegalovirus infection in children's liver tissues

Immunoperoxidase histochemical assay with monoclonal antibody against human cytomaglovirus (HCMV) was used to detect immediate early antigen (IEA) and early antigen (EA) of HCMV infection in liver tissue of 72 pediatric cases (34 autopsies and 38 biopsies). The HCMV antigen was positive in 25% (18/27). Among them, 12 cases were both HCMV-IEA and EA positive; 4 were HCMV-IEA positive and 2 HCMV-EA positive only. Liver HCMV infection rate in neonates, the infants with the age < 1 year and > 1 year was 8.0%, 60.0%, and 14.8%, respectively, indicating that liver HCMV infection occurred at various ages. The liver HCMV infection rate in different diseases was 50.0% in infantile hepatitis syndrome; 70.0% in extrabiliary malformation, and 12.5% in other hepatopathies, suggesting that infantile hepatitis syndrome and extrabiliary malformation were related with HCMV infection in liver tissues.

Involvement of interleukin-2 in analgesia produced by Coriolus versicolor polysaccharide peptides

AIM

To study the role of interleukin-2 (IL-2) and mediobasal hypothalamus (MBH) in analgesia produced by Coriolus versicolor polysaccharide peptide (PSP).

METHODS

The IL-2 antiserum was injected i.c.v. or i.p. and the MBH was destroyed electrolytically.

RESULTS

PSP i.g. 1 g.kg-1.d-1 for 6 d increased the pain threshold in tail stimulation-vocalization test in rats. This PSP-produced analgesia was blocked by i.c.v., but not i.p., IL-2 antiserum and disappeared after electrolytic lesion of MBH.

CONCLUSION

The analgesia produced by PSP is mediated by IL-2 which is activated by PSP and interacts with IL-2 receptors in the MBH.

[Study on determination of composition of complex by multiwavelength R factor method]

The pure spectrum of the complex is obtained by R factor method to eliminate the absorbance of equilibrium concentration of residual reagent. The reagent concentration is determined by multiple linear regression method. As initial concentrations of metal and reagent are changed, and the stable constant is not changed, complex composition and its constant are acquired by means of trial method, in which the input parameters, m and n, are selected. Then the K value is calculated and the minimum value of the total derivation in K is found. By this method, the composition of complex in systems such as Pb-XO, Al-CAS and Zn-PAR are all to be 1:2.

[Application of ultra-short gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist protocol in controlled ovarian hyperstimulation]

OBJECTIVE

To study the effect of the ultra-short protocol of gonadotropin releasing hormone agonist (GnRH-a) combined with human menopausal gonadotropin (hMG) regimen for ovarian hyperstimulation.

METHODS

Setting clomiphene (CC)/human chronic gonadotropin (hCG) (50 cycles, 31 patients) and CC/hmg/hCG regimens (16 cycles, 16 patients who had failed in CC/hCG) as control groups, the ultra-short GnRH-a/hMG/hCG regimen (15 cycles, 15 patients who had failed in CC alone or CC/hMG regimens) as study group, the number of leading follicles, endometrial thickness, cervical mucus scores and hormone levels on the day of hCG administration, and the pregnancy rates were compared among of these three groups.

RESULTS

There was no premature luteotropic hormone (LH) surge in the ultra-short GnRH-a/hMG/hCG regimen group while there were three cycles in the CC/hMg/hCG group. The LH and progesterone (P) levels of ultra-short GnRH-a/hMG group on the day of hCG administration were lower than those of CC alone and CC/hMG groups. There were more leading follicles, greater endometrial thickness and cervical mucus score in the ultra-short GnRH-a/hMG group than those in CC alone and CC/hMG groups. The pregnancy rates per cycles in the three groups were similar.

CONCLUSION

The ultra-short GnRH-a/hMG regimen is a fairly good ovarian hyperstimulation regimen, especially for poor responders in CC alone or CC/hMG regimens.

Control of immunoglobulin gene rearrangements in developing B cells

The antigen receptor on B lymphocytes is the product of a series of gene rearrangements which ends when a functional receptor gene is assembled. Recent work has shown that the receptor-associated molecules Ig alpha and Ig beta provide the signals that lead to inhibition of further recombination. Furthermore, Ig beta has been implicated in initiating the last step of the recombination reaction.

Counterselection against D mu is mediated through immunoglobulin (Ig)alpha-Igbeta

The pre-B cell receptor is a key checkpoint regulator in developing B cells. Early events that are controlled by the pre-B cell receptor include positive selection for cells express membrane immunoglobulin heavy chains and negative selection against cells expressing truncated immunoglobulins that lack a complete variable region (D mu). Positive selection is known to be mediated by membrane immunoglobulin heavy chains through Ig alpha-Ig beta, whereas the mechanism for counterselection against D mu has not been determined. We have examined the role of the Ig alpha-Ig beta signal transducers in counterselection against D mu using mice that lack Ig beta. We found that D mu expression is not selected against in developing B cells in Ig beta mutant mice. Thus, the molecular mechanism for counterselection against D mu in pre-B cells resembles positive selection in that it requires interaction between mD mu and Ig alpha-Ig beta.

The B-cell-specific transcription coactivator OCA-B/OBF-1/Bob-1 is essential for normal production of immunoglobulin isotypes

OCA-B was initially identified as a B-cell-restricted coactivator that functions with octamer binding transcription factors (Oct-1 and Oct-2) to mediate efficient cell type-specific transcription of immunoglobulin promoters in vitro. Subsequent cloning studies led to identification of the coactivator as a single polypeptide, designated either as OCA-B (ref. 3), OBF-1 (ref. 4) or Bob-1 (ref. 5). OCA-B itself does not bind to DNA directly, but interacts with either Oct-1 or Oct-2 to potentiate transcriptional activation. To determine the biological role of OCA-B, we generated OCA-B-deficient mice by gene targeting. Mice lacking OCA-B undergo normal antigen-independent, B-cell differentiation, including appropriate expression of both immunoglobulin genes and other early B-cell-restricted genes. However, antigen-dependent maturation of B cells is greatly affected. The proliferative response to surface IgM crosslinking is impaired, and there is a severe deficiency in the production of secondary immunoglobulin isotypes including IgG1, IgG2a, IgG2b, IgG3, IgA and IgE in OCA-B-deficient B cells. This defect is not due to a failure of the isotype switching process, but rather to reduced levels of transcription from normally switched immunoglobulin heavy-chain loci. In accord with the defective isotype production, germinal centre formation is absent in these mutant mice.

[Experimental studies on effects of zinc and germanium on immune function and anti-oxidation in mice]

Zinc and germanium concentrations in serum, liver and muscle of mice, T-lymphocyte subgroup proportion, serum superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and malonodialdehyde (MDA) were determined to study whether there exist synergism or antagonism between zinc and germanium. Results showed there existed, to certain extent, competitive effects of serum zinc and germanium in mice. When concentration of serum zinc increased, that of germanium decreased, or vise versa. There existed certain relationship between zinc and germanium concentrations in serum and those in muscle and liver of mice, and between those and CD3 count and SOD activity. Immune function in mice was influenced and their T-lymphocyte subgroup proportion changed with changes in serum zinc and germanium concentrations. With increased germanium and decreased zinc serum concentrations, CD3 and CD1 counts decreased, CD8 count unchanged, and the ratio of CD1 to CD3 decreased, which showed certain antagonist effects of them as they operated together. But, no antagonism was observed in their anti-oxidant effects, SOD activity increased to varied extent, and the level of MDA decreased.

Regulation of an early developmental checkpoint in the B cell pathway by Ig beta

Many of the cell fate decisions in precursor B cells and more mature B cells are controlled by membrane immunoglobulin (Ig)M heavy chain (mu) and the Ig alpha-Ig beta signal transducers. The role of Ig beta in regulating early B cell development was examined in mice that lack Ig beta (Ig beta-/-). These mice had a complete block in B cell development at the immature CD43+B220+ stage. Immunoglobulin heavy chain diversity (DH) and joining (JH) segments rearranged, but variable (VH) to DJH recombination and immunoglobulin messenger RNA expression were compromised. These experiments define an unexpected, early requirement for Ig(beta) to produce B cells that can complete VDJH recombination.

[Investigation and experimental study on the standards and quality of leech pieces]

It has been confirmed by investigation that Whitmania pigra is the main medicinal breed of leech, and filiform pieces are the best for extraction. The quality of leech processed by 3 different methods has been studied qualitatively and quantitatively in terms of amounts of extraction, TLC, electrophoresis of protein and anti-thrombin action.

[Protective effects of prostacyclin on acute necrotizing pancreatitis and its renal damage in rats]

In a rat model with acute necrotizing pancreatitis (ANP), the administration of exogenous prostacyclin (PGI2) significantly increased the pancreatic and renal blood flow, brought the level of 6-keto-PGF1 alpha to TXB2 in renal vein blood back to normal, reduced the severity of pancreatic and renal histolcagic damage, decreased the mortality, and prolonged survival time. The study showed that exogenous PGI2 can increase pancreatic blood flow in rats with ANP, help to prevent ANP, and protect from renal damage following ANP.

[Involvement of vasopressinergic neurons of paraventricular nucleus in the electroacupuncture-induced inhibition of experimental visceral pain in rats]

It has been demonstrated in animal model of somatic pain that hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN) participates in acupuncture analgesia, probably by mediation of vasopressin release. The role of PVN in acupuncture analgesia for experimental visceral pain in rats was further investigated in the present study. Experimental results demonstrated that electroacupuncture could inhibit the writhing response, produced by intraperitoneal injection of antimonium potassium tartrate and this inhibitory effect could be enhanced by electrical stimulation of PVN, but decreased by electrolytical lesion of PVN, intracerebroventricular injection of vasopressin antiserum (14 microliters) or the vasopressin antagonist, d(CH2)5Tyr(Me)-AVP (500 ng/5 microliters). Intraperitoneal administration of the latter drug (10 micrograms/kg), however, was ineffective. The above experimental results suggest that vasopressinergic neurons in PVN also participate in the inhibition of visceral pain by electroacupuncture.

Transcription factor AP-2 activates gene expression of HTLV-I

The HTLV-I LTR contains three conserved regulatory elements known as 21 base pair repeats which are required for stimulation of gene expression by the transactivator protein tax. Mutagenesis indicates that the 21 bp repeats can be subdivided into three motifs, A, B and C, each of which influences the level of tax activation. The A site in the 21 bp repeat has strong homology with previously described binding sites for the transcription factor AP-2. We demonstrated that AP-2 mRNA was present in T-lymphocytes and that cellular factors from both non-transformed and transformed T-lymphocytes specifically bound to the consensus motif for AP-2 in each 21 bp. To determine the role of AP-2 in the regulation of the HTLV-I LTR gene expression, we used an AP-2 cDNA in DNA binding and transient expression assays. Gel retardation and methylation interference studies revealed that bacterially produced AP-2 bound specifically and with high affinity to all three 21 bp repeats, and that it required the core sequence AGGC for specific binding. Binding of AP-2 prevented the subsequent binding of members of the CREB/ATF family to an adjacent regulatory motif in the 21 bp repeat. Transfection of an AP-2 expression construct into T-lymphocytes activated gene expression from the HTLV-I LTR. At least two 21 bp repeats were required for high levels of AP-2 activation and mutagenesis of the AP-2 consensus binding sequences in the 21 bp repeats eliminate this activation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)