A novel herbal preparation desensitizes mesenteric afferents to bradykinin in the rat small intestine

Herbal preparations are evolving as promising agents for the treatment of functional gastrointestinal disorders which are considered to be secondary to visceral hypersensitivity. We aimed to determine whether a new combination of six herbal extracts reduces the sensitivity of intestinal afferents in rat. Male Wistar rats (250-350 g, n = 6 per group) were gavaged with either vehicle or 2.5, 5 or 10 mL kg(-1) of STW 5-II, a herbal preparation which contains six extracts. Two hours later, animals were anaesthetized and extracellular multi-unit mesenteric afferent nerve recordings were obtained in the proximal jejunum in vivo. Afferent discharge to 5-hydroxy-tryptamine (5-HT) (5, 10, 20 and 40 microg kg(-1), i.v.), luminal distension (0-60 mmHg) and bradykinin (BK) (15, 30 and 60 microg kg(-1), i.v.) was recorded. At baseline, spontaneous afferent discharge was not different following pretreatment with the various doses of STW 5-II compared with vehicle. The pressure-dependent increase in afferent discharge to intraluminal ramp distension and the dose-dependent increase in afferent firing following 5-HT were also uninfluenced by STW 5-II pretreatment. In contrast, the afferent nerve responses to 15, 30 and 60 microg kg(-1) of BK were reduced following 10 mL kg(-1) STW 5-II with peaks at 106 +/- 19, 153 +/- 22 and 156 +/- 25 imp s(-1) compared with 160 +/- 15, 228 +/- 14 and 220 +/- 16 imp s(-1) following vehicle pretreatment (mean +/- SEM, P < 0.05). Intestinal afferent sensitivity to BK which plays a prime role in nociception was reduced following STW 5-II. Thus, STW 5-II may be of therapeutic use for conditions that involve neuronal hypersensitivity and the release of BK in the intestine.

Protective effect of antagonist of high-mobility group box 1 on lipopolysaccharide-induced acute lung injury in mice

We explored the effects of recombinant A-box (rA-box), a specific blockade for endogenous high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) protein, on acute lung inflammation induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in vivo. Acute lung injury (ALI) was produced successfully by intratracheal administration of LPS (10 microg/mouse) in male BALB/c mice. rA-box (0.3, 0.6 mg/mouse, i.p.) was administered 30 min prior to or 2 h after LPS exposure. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) was obtained to measure chemokines, proinflammatory cytokines, total cell counts and proteins at the indicated time points. It was found that rA-box caused a significant reduction in the total cells and neutrophils in BALF, a significant reduction in the W/D ratio and protein leakage at 24 h after LPS challenge. In addition, rA-box was also believed to have downregulated the expression of LPS-induced chemokines (keratinocyte-derived chemokine) and proinflammatory cytokines, including early mediator TNF-a and late mediator HMGB1. These findings confirm the significant protection of rA-box against LPS-induced ALI, and the effect mechanism of rA-box was associated with decreasing the expression of chemokines and proinflammatory cytokines.

Trichosanthin, an extract of Trichosanthes kirilowii, effectively prevents acute rejection of major histocompatibility complex-mismatched mouse skin allograft

Trichosanthin is an active component extracted from the root tuber of the Chinese medicinal herb Trichosanthes kirilowii. Trichosanthin has abortifacient, anti-tumor, anti-HIV, and immunoregulatory functions. In the current study, we explored its potential effect on allograft rejection in a murine skin transplantation model across a fully mismatched major histocompatibility complex. It was found that treatment of recipient mice with trichosanthin (0.25 or 1 mg/kg, IP) significantly delayed allograft rejection. T cells that originated from recipients treated with trichosanthin were restimulated with donor-specific splenocytes showed a significantly reduced response compared with that of control recipients. In line with these results, the mRNA levels for interleukin (IL)-2 and interferon-gamma were decreased and the levels of IL-4 and IL-10 were increased in splenic T cells originating from trichosanthin-treated recipients. These results indicated that trichosanthin may have potential therapeutic value for transplantation rejection and other inflammatory diseases.

Postprandial blood glucose response to a standard test meal in insulin-requiring patients with diabetes treated with insulin lispro mix 50 or human insulin mix 50

AIM

To compare the 2-h postprandial blood glucose (PPBG) excursion following a standard test meal in insulin-requiring patients with diabetes treated twice daily with human insulin mix 50 vs. insulin lispro mix 50 (LM50).

METHODS

This was a multicentre, randomised, open-label, crossover comparison of two insulin treatments for two 12-week treatment periods in 120 Chinese patients. One- and 2-h PPBG and excursion values were obtained following a standardised test meal. Fasting blood glucose (FBG), haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), insulin dose, rate of hypoglycaemia and safety data were obtained. A crossover analysis using SAS Proc MIXED was employed.

RESULTS

Mean 2-h PPBG excursion decreased from 6.32 +/- 3.07 mmol/l at baseline to 3.47 +/- 2.97 mmol/l at end-point in the LM50 group, and from 6.31 +/- 2.88 at baseline to 5.02 +/- 3.32 mmol/l at end-point in the human insulin mix 50 group (p < 0.001). Two-hour PPBG (p = 0.004) and 1-h PPBG excursion (p < 0.001) were significantly lower with LM50 as compared with human insulin mix 50. Both treatment groups were equivalent for HbA1c control, 1-h PPBG and insulin dose requirements. Mean FBG was higher with LM50 than with human insulin mix 50 (p = 0.023). The overall incidence of treatment-emergent adverse events and hypoglycaemia rate per 30 days were similar between treatment groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Insulin lispro mix 50 provided better postprandial glycaemic control compared with human insulin mix 50 while providing the convenience of injecting immediately before meals. Both treatments were generally well tolerated by all randomly assigned patients.

Tuberculosis of the parotid gland: computed tomographic findings

BACKGROUND

Tuberculosis (TB) of the parotid gland is rare, even in endemic regions. Approximately 100 cases have been reported in the English literature. The computed tomographic (CT) features, however, have seldom been studied.

PURPOSE

To determine the diagnostic CT features of tuberculosis of the parotid gland.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

CT studies of four histologically proven cases of tuberculosis of the parotid gland were retrospectively reviewed.

RESULTS

A total of 15 enlarged lymph nodes were found in the superficial lobes of the parotid glands. The nodes were arranged linearly within the gland. Enhancement patterns included homogeneous enhancement (9/15, 60%), homogeneous enhancement with eccentric microcysts (3/15, 20%), and thick-walled rim enhancement with central lucency (3/15, 20%). Thickened adjacent fascial plane and platysma were seen in two patients. Ipsilateral cervical lymphadenopathy was seen in all patients.

CONCLUSION

In patients presenting with unilateral parotid nodules, TB should be considered when linearly arranged enhancing nodules are demonstrated in the superficial lobes of the glands on CT scan.

Streptozotocin (STZ) mediates acute upregulation of serum and pancreatic osteopontin (OPN): a novel islet-protective effect of OPN through inhibition of STZ-induced nitric oxide production

Osteopontin (OPN) is a secreted acidic phosphoprotein that binds to a cell-surface integrin-binding motif and is involved in many inflammatory and immune-modulating disorders. There is compelling evidence that soluble OPN can in a variety of situations help cells survive an otherwise lethal insult. In this study we show that OPN is localized in the rat pancreatic islets and ducts. Staining of pancreatic serial sections with islet hormone antibodies showed that all islet cells express OPN. Rats treated with a single dose of streptozotocin (STZ; 50 mg/kg) showed acute upregulation of serum OPN levels and pancreatic OPN mRNA and protein. Serum OPN dropped by the end of day 7 but was still higher than prediabetic levels. Pancreatic mRNA and protein showed a similar pattern. Twenty-four hours after STZ injection, the intensified OPN expression was localized towards the periphery of the islets and surrounded the remaining insulin-positive cells. To explore the significance of OPN acute upregulation, freshly isolated islets were pretreated with OPN (0.15-15 nM) before addition of STZ. OPN significantly reduced the STZ-induced NO levels in the islets through an Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD)-dependent reduction of inducible NO synthase (iNOS) mRNA levels. Addition of OPN to freshly isolated mildly diabetic islets (blood glucose <300 mg/dl) significantly improved their glucose-stimulated insulin secretion and reduced their NO levels. Next we investigated the regulation of OPN in beta-cells. When STZ (5 mM) was added to the beta-cell line RINm5F it significantly increased OPN mRNA levels within 6 h. To distinguish between the effect of STZ and high glucose on OPN transcription, RINm5F cells were transfected with luciferase-labeled rat OPN promoter and treated with STZ (0.05-5 mM) or with glucose (5-25 mM). STZ induced upregulation of OPN promoter activity within 3 h, while high glucose induced upregulation of OPN promoter activity after 48 h. Our data introduce OPN as a novel islet protein that is differentially regulated by STZ and glucose in the islets. OPN initial upregulation after diabetes induction was probably due to STZ-induced toxicity, while maintenance of the high OPN levels might be due to hyperglycemia. The acute induction of OPN after STZ-induced diabetes might represent an endogenous mechanism to protect the islets against STZ-induced cytotoxicity, partly via an RGD-dependent NO regulatory mechanism.

Item recognition is less impaired than recall and associative recognition in a patient with selective hippocampal damage

This article explores the recall, item recognition, and associative recognition memory of patient B.E., whose pattern of retrograde amnesia was reported by Kapur and Brooks (1999; Hippocampus 9:1-8). Structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has shown that B.E. has bilateral damage restricted to the hippocampus. The structural damage he had sustained was accompanied by bilateral hypoperfusion of the temporal lobe, revealed by positron emission tomography (PET), and which single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) suggested was greater in the left than the right temporal lobe. B.E. showed a global anterograde amnesia for verbal material, but he displayed some sparing of nonverbal item recognition relative to nonverbal recall and associative recognition. His performance on an item recognition task that used the remember/know procedure and another that involved repetition of the test phase, to reduce the difference between the familiarity of the targets and foils, suggested that his relatively spared nonverbal item recognition may have been mainly supported by familiarity. This finding is consistent with the view that the anterior temporal lobe, including the perirhinal cortex, can support familiarity-based memory judgments (Brown and Bashir, 2002; Philos Trans R Soc Lond B 357:1083-1095). B.E.'s data also highlight the importance of functional as well as structural scan information for interpreting the pattern of memory deficits shown by patients with selective hippocampal structural lesions.

Activation of fibronectin gene expression by hepatitis B virus x antigen

The development of fibrosis and cirrhosis during chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection correlates with the persistent expression of HBV x antigen (HBxAg), which acts in part, by stimulating selected signal transduction pathways, including nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kappa B). To identify NF-kappa B responsive genes that are differentially expressed in HBxAg-positive cells, HepG2 cells were stably transfected with HBxAg, and then with pZeoSV2 or pZeoSV2-I kappa B alpha. When RNAs from each culture were compared by PCR-select cDNA subtraction, fibronectin (FN) mRNA was shown to be strongly down-regulated by I kappa B alpha. Up-regulated expression of FN and co-expression between FN and HBxAg were observed in liver sections from HBV carriers that were stained for HBxAg and analysed for FN mRNA by in situ hybridization (ISH). In liver cell cultures, HBxAg increased the levels of FN mRNA and protein. This was because of the HBxAg-mediated trans-activation of the FN promoter, which was NF-kappa B-dependent. HBxAg also antagonized the repression of the FN promoter by the tumour suppressor, p53. Hence, the FN gene may be a natural target for HBxAg trans-activation, perhaps through activation of NF-kappa B and inactivation of p53, thereby contributing to the accumulation of FN in the liver over the course of chronic HBV infection.

Quantification of tumour response to radiotherapy

In 1979, the World Health Organization (WHO) established criteria based on tumour volume change for classifying response to therapy as (i) progressive disease (PD), (ii) partial recovery (PR), and (iii) no change (NC). Typically, the tumour volume is reported from diameter measurements, using the calliper method. Alternatively, the Cavalieri method provides unbiased volume estimates of any structure without assumptions about its shape. In this study, we applied the Cavalieri method in combination with point counting to investigate the changes in tumour volume in four patients with high grade glioma, using 3D MRI. In particular, the volume of tumour within the enhancement boundary, the enhancing abnormality (EA), was estimated from T(1) weighted images, and the volume of the non-enhancing abnormality, (NEA) enhancing abnormality, was estimated from T(2) relaxation time and magnetic transfer ratio tissue characterization maps. We compared changes in tumour volume estimated by the Cavalieri method with those obtained using the calliper method. Absolute tumour volume differed significantly between the two methods. Analysis of relative change in tumour volume, based on the WHO criteria, provided a different classification using the calliper and Cavalieri methods. The benefit of the Cavalieri method over the calliper method in the estimation of tumour volume is justified by the following factors. First, Cavalieri volume estimates are mathematically unbiased. Second, the Cavalieri method is highly efficient under an appropriate sampling density (i.e. EA volume estimates can be obtained with a coefficient of error no higher than 5% in 2-3 min). Third, the source of variation of the volume estimates due to disagreements between observers, and within observer, is much greater in the positioning of the calliper diameters than in the identification of the tumour boundaries when applying the Cavalieri method. Additionally, the error prediction formula, available to estimate the coefficient of error of Cavalieri volume estimates from the data, allows us to establish more precise classification criteria against which to identify potentially clinical significant changes in tumour volume.

Principal component regression analysis with SPSS

The paper introduces all indices of multicollinearity diagnoses, the basic principle of principal component regression and determination of 'best' equation method. The paper uses an example to describe how to do principal component regression analysis with SPSS 10.0: including all calculating processes of the principal component regression and all operations of linear regression, factor analysis, descriptives, compute variable and bivariate correlations procedures in SPSS 10.0. The principal component regression analysis can be used to overcome disturbance of the multicollinearity. The simplified, speeded up and accurate statistical effect is reached through the principal component regression analysis with SPSS.

Differential involvement of the hippocampus and temporal lobe cortices in rapid and slow learning of new semantic information

The present study examined the rapid and slow acquisition of new semantic information by two patients with differing brain pathology. A partial double dissociation was found between the patterns of new learning shown by these two patients. Rapid acquisition was impaired in a patient (YR) who had relatively selective hippocampal damage, but it was unimpaired in another patient (JL) who, according to structural MRI, had an intact hippocampus but damage to anterolateral temporal cortex accompanied by epileptic seizures. Slow acquisition was impaired in both patients, but was impaired to a much greater extent in JL. The dissociation suggests that the mechanisms underlying rapid and slow acquisition of new semantic information are at least partially separable. The findings indicate that rapid acquisition of semantic, as well as episodic information, is critically dependent on the hippocampus. However, they suggest that hippocampal processing is less important for the gradual acquisition of semantic information through repeated exposure, although it is probably necessary for normal levels of such learning to be achieved.

Cross-hybridization of closely related genes on high-density macroarrays

DNA macroarrays are used in many areas of molecular biology research for applications ranging from gene discovery to gene expression profiling. As an increasing number of specialized macroarrays containing genes related by function or pathway are becoming available, a question that needs to be addressed is the level of hybridization signal specificity between highly similar genes that can be achieved. We have examined the ability of our LifeGrid macroarrays to distinguish hybridization signals between closely related genes. We determined the level of cross-hybridization among genes ranging from 52% to 94% sequence identity. Fragments of genes fromfive protein families were arrayed onto nylonfilters. Thefilters were subsequently hybridized with a 33P-labeled probe prepared from a pool of synthetic mRNA transcripts containing a representative of each protein family. We found that fragments containing sequences with up to 94% sequence identity displayed relatively little cross-hybridization. We conclude that this macroarray system is very specific and that hybridization signals from closely related genes can be reliably measured.

Tomato yellow leaf curl China virus: monopartite genome organization and agroinfection of plants

The complete DNA sequence (2734 nucleotides) of the monopartite genome of tomato yellow leaf curl China virus (TYLCCNV), a begomovirus transmitted by the whitefly Bemisia tabaci, was determined. The circular genomic DNA contains six open reading frames (ORFs) encoding proteins of molecular weights >10 kDa, of which two (V1 and V2) are located on the virion-sense strand and four (C1, C2, C3 and C4) on the complementary-sense strand. The ORFs are comparable to those of other whitefly-transmitted begomoviruses with a monopartite genome and to those encoded by DNA-A of bipartite begomoviruses. Sequence comparisons with other geminiviruses showed that TYLCCNV belongs to Begomovirus from the Old World. No putative DNA-B genome was found. Nicotiana species and tomato plants agroinoculated with the TYLCCNV monopartite genome developed typical yellowing and leaf-curling symptoms. The cloned molecule carried all the information needed for virus replication and systemic infection of plants.

[Study on relationship between the reflux laryngitis and gastroesophageal reflux disease]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the relationship between reflux laryngitis and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GRED).

METHOD

130 Patients of refractory chronic laryngitis with upper endoscopy and ambulatory 24-hr esophageal pH-metry. The patients of gastroesophageal reflux disease were divided into two groups. Group A was treated with antacids and motile medications. Group B was control.

RESULT

45 (34.6%) gastroesophageal reflux disease were found in 130 cases. 21 cases(91.3%) were healed in group A. 3 of 22 cases (13.6%) were healed in control (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSION

The gastroesophageal reflux disease was an important cause of the reflux laryngitis which symptoms and signs can be healed by antacids and motile medications.

Friend of GATA-1 represses GATA-3-dependent activity in CD4+ T cells

The development of naive CD4+ T cells into a T helper (Th) 2 subset capable of producing interleukin (IL)-4, IL-5, and IL-13 involves a signal transducer and activator of transcription (Stat)6-dependent induction of GATA-3 expression, followed by Stat6-independent GATA-3 autoactivation. The friend of GATA (FOG)-1 protein regulates GATA transcription factor activity in several stages of hematopoietic development including erythrocyte and megakaryocyte differentiation, but whether FOG-1 regulates GATA-3 in T cells is uncertain. We show that FOG-1 can repress GATA-3-dependent activation of the IL-5 promoter in T cells. Also, FOG-1 overexpression during primary activation of naive T cells inhibited Th2 development in CD4+ T cells. FOG-1 fully repressed GATA-3-dependent Th2 development and GATA-3 autoactivation, but not Stat6-dependent induction of GATA-3. FOG-1 overexpression repressed development of Th2 cells from naive T cells, but did not reverse the phenotype of fully committed Th2 cells. Thus, FOG-1 may be one factor capable of regulating the Th2 development.

Remembering and knowing in a patient with preserved recognition and impaired recall

ROB is a patient who has a severe deficit in recalling recently presented verbal material following rupture and repair of an anterior communicating artery aneurysm [Hanley JR, Davies ADM, Downes J, Mayes A. Cognitive Neuropsychology 1994;11:543-78; Hanley JR, Davies ADM. In: Parkin A, editor. Case Studies in the Neuropsychology of Memory. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum, 1997. p. 111-26]. Despite this, her performance on tests of recognition memory is comfortably within the normal range. In the present series of experiments, we investigated whether or not ROB's performance on tests of recognition memory might be associated with a disproportionately large number of correct decisions made on the basis of familiarity rather than contextual retrieval [e.g. Mandler G. Psychological Review 1980;87:252-71]. Contrary to this hypothesis, the results showed that ROB made a high proportion of remember decisions relative to know decisions in recognition [cf. Gardiner JM. Memory & Cognition 1988;16:309-13] and produced a high recollection score when conscious recollection and familiarity were placed in opposition to one another [cf. Jacoby LL, Woloshyn V, Kelley C. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General 1989;118:115-25.]. ROB's recognition memory performance therefore appears to be qualitatively as well as quantitatively similar to that found in the normal population. As ROB has suffered damage to both the fornix and the anterior thalamus, the results of the present study are consistent with the claim that damage to the extended hippocampal system has a much more severe effect on recall than on recognition [Aggleton JP, Shaw C. Neuropsychologia 1996;34:51-62; Aggleton JP, Saunders RC. Memory 1997;5:49-71]. The present results provide no support, however, for the additional suggestion [Aggleton JP, Brown MW. Behavioral and Brain Sciences 1999;22:425-56.] that the extended hippocampal system is necessary for recognition memory decisions that are based on contextual retrieval.

[Use of intraoperative red blood cell salvage in the anterior stabile operation of spinal fracture]

OBJECTIVE

To observe the clinical results in the anterior stabile operation of spinal fracture using red blood salvage.

METHODS

Nineteen cases with spinal fracture were performed the anterior decompress operation. Blood cell salvage were used during operation. Other 20 cases were also reviewed as control group, who were received the same operation without blood cell salvage.

RESULTS

In the 19 cases, average volume of autologous transfusion was 536 ml. Only two cases had homologous transfusion requirements. In the control group, all cases needed homologous transfusion (averaged 947 ml).

CONCLUSION

In the anterior decompress operation, the intraoperative blood salvage is highly effective in reducing transfusion and also improves the security of operation.

[Determination of ofloxacin in urine by synchronous-derivative fluorimetry]

The internal hormones in human urine emit strong fluorescence and interfere with the determination of trace ofloxacin. However, the experiments indicate that synchronous-first order derivative fluorimetry can be applied to the determination of trace ofloxacin without interference. The linear range is 0.36-3.6 micrograms.mL-1, detection limit is 0.3 microgram.mL-1, RSD is less than 2.5% and the recovery is within the range of 101%-103%.

Measurement of the bioactivity of interleukin and tumour necrosis factor in synovial fluid of Kashin-Beck disease

We studied the bioactivity of interleukin (IL-1) and tumour necrosis factor (TNF) in the synovial fluid of 12 patients with Kashin-Beck disease (KBD), 8 patients with osteoarthritis (OA) and 8 normal controls. C57 female mouse T cell proliferation method was used to test the bioactivity of IL-1, and lethality method with L929 cells to test the bioactivity of TNF. The bioactivities of IL-1 and TNF in the synovial fluid from patients with KBD were higher than those in the synovial fluid of osteoarthritis and normal controls, indicating the participation of IL-1 and TNF in the pathogenesis of KBD.

Cocaine blocks HERG, but not KvLQT1+minK, potassium channels

Cocaine causes cardiac arrhythmias, sudden death, and occasionally long QT syndrome in humans. We investigated the effect of cocaine on the human K(+) channels HERG and KvLQT1+minK that encode native rapidly (I(Kr)) and slowly (I(Ks)) activating delayed rectifier K(+) channels in the heart. HERG and KvLQT1+minK channels were heterologously expressed in human embryonic kidney 293 cells, and whole-cell currents were recorded. Cocaine had no effect on KvLQT1+minK current in concentrations up to 200 microM. In contrast, cocaine reversibly blocked HERG current with half-maximal block of peak tail current of 7.2 microM. By using a protocol to quickly activate HERG channels, we found that cocaine block developed rapidly after channel activation. At 0 mV, the time constants for the development of block were 38.2 +/- 2.1, 15.2 +/- 0.8, and 6.9 +/- 1.1 ms in 10, 50 and 200 microM cocaine, respectively. Cocaine-blocked channels also recovered rapidly from block after repolarization. At -100 mV, recovery from block followed a biphasic time course with fast and slow time constants of 3.5 +/- 0.7 and 100.3 +/- 15.4 ms, respectively. Using N-methyl-cocaine, a permanently charged, membrane-impermeable cocaine analog, block of HERG channels rapidly developed when the drug was applied intracellularly through the patch pipette, suggesting that the cocaine binding site on the HERG protein is located on a cytoplasmic accessible domain. These results indicate that cocaine suppresses HERG, but not KvLQT1+minK, channels by preferentially blocking activated channels, that it unblocks upon repolarization, and does so with unique ultrarapid kinetics. Because the cocaine concentration range we studied is achieved in humans, HERG block may provide an additional mechanism for cocaine-induced arrhythmias and sudden death.

Disruption of T cell signaling networks and development by Grb2 haploid insufficiency

The developmental processes of positive and negative selection in the thymus shape the T cell antigen receptor (TCR) repertoire and require the integration of multiple signaling networks. These networks involve the efficient assembly of macromolecular complexes and are mediated by multimodular adaptor proteins that permit the functional integration of distinct signaling molecules. We show here that decreased expression of the adaptor protein Grb2 in Grb2+/- mice weakens TCR-induced c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and p38, but not extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), activation. In turn, this selective effect decreases the ability of thymocytes to undergo negative, but not positive, selection. We also show that there are differences in the signaling thresholds of the three mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) families. These differences may provide a mechanism by which quantitative differences in signal strength can alter the balance of downstream signaling pathways to induce the qualitatively distinct biological outcomes of proliferation, differentiation or apoptosis.

[Inquiries about methods of primary eye care and prevention of blindness]

OBJECTIVE

To inquire about the methods of developing primary eye care (PEC) and prevention of blindness.

METHODS

The methods of developing PEC and prevention of blindness in recent 10 years were analyzed retrospectively.

RESULTS

Five grades of PEC network were established. The training courses 1 007 times were held in Nantong, and the epidemiological survey of the blind was carried out for 6 817 259 people. The blind persons were 13 496 in number, and the prevalence of blindness was 0.20%. Cataract operations were performed on 83.16% of the treatable cataract blind persons. The successful rate of cataract surgery was 98.22%. Eight counties became the national advanced counties of prevention of blindness. Nantong city became the first national advanced city of prevention of blindness in 1997.

CONCLUSIONS

PEC is the basis of prevention of blindness. To bring PEC into line with the primary health care (PHC) is the key point of developing PEC. Affordable operation, promising quality of the operative procedure and combination of survey and treatment are the three essential factors of developing PEC and prevention of blindness. To create national advanced county and city is the motive force of developing prevention of blindness.

Functional analysis of two promoters for the human mitochondrial glycerol phosphate dehydrogenase gene

Mitochondrial glycerol phosphate dehydrogenase (mGPD) is abundant in the normal pancreatic insulin cell, but its level is lowered 50% by diabetes. To evaluate mGPD expression, we cloned and characterized the 5'-flanking region of the human mGPD gene. The gene has two alternative first exons and two promoters. The downstream promoter (B) is 10 times more active than the upstream promoter (A) in insulin-secreting cells (INS-1) and HeLa cells. Promoter B has higher activity in INS-1 than in non-beta cells. Deletion and mutation analysis suggested that a NRF-2 binding site at -94 to -101 and an E2F binding site at -208 to -215 are important regulatory cis elements in promoter B. Gel mobility shift assays indicated that the -94 to -101 region binds the NRF-2 protein. When INS-1 cells were maintained in the presence of high glucose (25 mm) for 7 days, mGPD was the only 1 of 6 enzyme activities lowered (53%). mGPD promoter B activity was reduced by 60% in INS-1 cells by the high glucose, but in HepG2 cells and HeLa cells, promoter B activity was unchanged or slightly increased. Deletion analysis indicated the glucose responsiveness was distributed across the region from -340 to -260 in promoter B. The results indicate that mGPD gene transcription in the beta cell is regulated differently from other cells and that decreased mGPD promoter B transcription is at least in part the cause of the decreased beta cell mGPD levels in diabetes.