T and B cell responses to myelin-oligodendrocyte glycoprotein in multiple sclerosis

The pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis (MS) is believed to involve an autoimmune component directed against the myelin sheath. One potential target Ag for such autoimmune attack is the myelin-oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) because an anti-MOG mAb has profound influence on the course of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, which to some extent represents an experimental model of MS. Using single cell assays, we have evaluated T and B cell reactivities to MOG in MS patients and controls. T cell reactivity was estimated by counting the number of cells that secreted IFN-gamma in response to MOG, whereas B cell reactivity was estimated by enumerating cells secreting antibodies that bound to MOG. MOG reactive T cells were detected in the peripheral blood of the majority of the 16 MS patients examined (mean 1/7299 mononuclear cells), but infrequently and at lower numbers in samples from neurologic controls. MOG-reactive T cells were more frequent among MS patients' cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) mononuclear cells (mean 1/450 cells). The T cell response to MOG was evidently MHC class II restricted, because Fab fragments of a rabbit polyclonal anti HLA-DR antibodies abrogated the Ag-induced increase in number of cells that secreted IFN-gamma, as analyzed on CSF and PBMC from three patients with MS. Anti-MOG IgG antibody-secreting cells were detected in blood in 8 of 16 MS patients (mean 1/25,641 cells), but they were also strongly accumulated in CSF, being detected in 8 of 10 MS patients examined (mean 1/265 cells), while rarely found in controls. The findings imply that MOG may represent a pathogenetically important target Ag in MS.

[Differentiation of Magnolia denudata Desr. flower buds]

The article gives the results of an observation on the differentiation of Magnolia denudata buds. In Huaining County, Anhui Province, differentiation of the buds starts at the beginning of May. By the end of June the differentiation of various parts of the flower is completed. The process takes about 50 days. The differentiation of buds goes on at a fairly fast speed and in a fairly uniform way. Based on the results of the observation, the authors advise that application of fertilizer, especially the top application should not be late. The beginning of March is a very important time for the development of buds in length and size, and for the final harvest as well. The proper time to pick the flower buds comes when they are fully developed before the perianth appears.

A survey analysis of the status of influent reproductive age women in Shanghai--a survey report

Characteristics of the female transient population of reproductive age in Shanghai, China, are assessed using data from an October 1988 survey. "Not only did this survey supply large quantities of basic data on the floating population for the Shanghai government and related departments, but [it] was also very enlightening for our research into how to make a good job of family planning administration for China's urban-rural floating population."

Prolongation of the yeast life span by the v-Ha-RAS oncogene

The budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae has a finite life span that is defined by the number of times the cell divides. The patterns of expression of certain genes change in a specific manner during the life span, implying that at least some of the manifestations of the ageing process are subject to gene regulation. It has now been determined that the controlled expression of the RAS oncogene in yeast increases the longevity of this organism, indicating that, conversely, a defined alteration in the activity of a single gene can extend this organism's life span. The results suggest that there is a balance between life-span extension and growth arrest when RAS is expressed. Inasmuch as the homologues of RAS in yeast function to integrate cell metabolism with the cell cycle, these studies raise the possibility that this integrative function may also apply to the co-ordination of successive cell cycles during the life span.

[Identification of 10 kinds of Zanthoxylum by pyrolysis GC]

In this paper, pyrolysis GC was applied to differentiate and fingerprint 10 kinds of Zanthoxylum on an OV-101 capillary column. Analytical conditions with this column, operating temperature, pyrolysis time and peak identifications are discussed.

The cyclic voltammetric study of iron-tallysomycin in the absence and presence of DNA

Cyclic voltammetric studies on iron-tallysomycin complexes have been conducted with and without the presence of calf thymus DNA. Fe(II)-TLM samples exhibit a cyclic voltammogram with only a reduction peak at -230 +/- 5 mV vs Ag/AgCl. The addition of DNA substrate causes the shift of this reduction peak to -140 +/- 10 mV vs Ag/AgCl. This large shift in the positive direction implies that the regeneration of Fe(II)-TLM through the reduction of Fe(III)-TLM is facilitated with the aid of DNA. It also implies that the metal-binding/oxygen-activation domain may be directly involved in the formation of iron-tallysomycin-DNA ternary complex. Air oxidation of Fe(II)-TLM produces an activated intermediate with the following CV characteristics, Ipc/Ipa = 0.90; delta E = 65 mV; Ereduction peak = -100 mV vs Ag/AgCl. Addition of DNA abolishes the redox peaks of this voltammogram, signifying inactivation of the activated species through reaction with substrate. Air oxidation of preformed Fe(II)-TLM-DNA complex did not give a discernable cyclic voltammogram, nor did preformed Fe(III)-TLM and Fe(III)-TLM-DNA samples.

Antibody HMB-45 identifies the cells of blue nevi. An immunohistochemical study on paraffin sections

Sixteen cases of blue nevi were investigated using the anti-melanoma specific antibody HMB-45. This antibody has been found to react with junctional but not with intradermal nevus cells, and with fetal and neonatal, but not with adult, melanocytes. Our study shows that HMB-45 also reacts with cells of the blue nevus, a unique type of intradermal nevus. The origin of blue nevus cells is controversial, and the results of this study support the hypothesis that blue nevus cells are not of purely melanocytic or Schwannian origin, but are derived from a precursor cell that has some common features of both melanocyte and Schwann cell.

[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.

Indoor radon and lung cancer in China

Radon has long been known to contribute to risk of lung cancer, especially in undergound miners who are exposed to large amounts of the carcinogen. Recently, however, lower amounts of radon present in living areas have been suggested as an important cause of lung cancer. In an effort to clarify the relationship of low amounts of radon with lung cancer risk, we placed alpha-track radon detectors in the homes of 308 women with newly diagnosed lung cancer and 356 randomly selected female control subjects of similar age. Measurements were taken after 1 year. All study participants were part of the general population of Shenyang, People's Republic of China, an industrial city in the northeast part of the country that has one of the world's highest rates of lung cancer in women. The median time of residence in the homes was 24 years. The median household radon level was 2.3 pCi/L of air; 20% of the levels were greater than 4 pCi/L. Radon levels tended to be higher in single-story houses or on the first floor of multiple-story dwellings, and they were also higher in houses with increased levels of indoor air pollution from coal-burning stoves. However, the levels were not higher in homes of women who developed lung cancer than in homes of controls, nor did lung cancer risk increase with increasing radon level. No association between radon and lung cancer was observed regardless of cigarette-smoking status, except for a nonsignificant trend among heavy smokers. No positive associations of lung cancer cell type with radon were observed, except for a nonsignificant excess risk of small cell cancers among the more heavily exposed residents. Our data suggest that projections from surveys of miners exposed to high radon levels may have overestimated the overall risks of lung cancer associated with levels typically seen in homes in this Chinese city. However, further studies in other population groups are needed to clarify the carcinogenic potential of indoor radon.

Lanthanide(III)-phosphatidic acid complexes: binding site heterogeneity and phase separation

The luminescent lanthanides are potentially useful probes of cation-induced events involving phospholipid membranes. In this work, the spectroscopic properties of Tb3+, Ce3+ and Eu3+ are shown to be complementary in defining three forms of complex with phosphatidic acid vesicles. Ce3+, in particular, is useful for studying dilute cation-lipid complexes because it has strong excitation bands in the near ultraviolet. In addition to providing a means for detecting chemically distinct forms of lanthanide-lipid complexes, the luminescence can be used to monitor cation-induced lateral segregation. Ce3+ to Tb3+ energy transfer was observed at lanthanide levels as low as 1:1000 Ln3+/phosphatidic acid, indicating clustering or phase separation. Initial clustering occurs on a subsecond timescale, followed by a much slower aggregation continuing for several minutes to hours. Addition of a chelator results in slow release of the lanthanides. In the case of the dioleoylphosphatidic acid complexes, release is bimodal and indicative of cation entrapment; dimyristoylphosphatidic acid complexes exhibit this behavior only at high temperatures. These observations are consistent with the relative tendencies of these two lipids to form the HII phase. This work sets the foundation for experiments designed to determine the size of nucleation sites for cation-induced events such as intramembrane inverted micelle formation and membrane fusion.

[A preliminary report on the investigation of medicinal plant resources in the Liupan Mountains of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region]

In this paper, 423 species of medicinal plants belonging to 94 families in Liupan Mountains of Ningzia Hui Autonomous Region have been reported, of which 403 species belonging to 79 families are medicinal spermatophytes. The paper may serve as a reference for medical authorities in developing and utilizing plant resources.

Endoscopic versus operative gastrostomy: final results of a prospective randomized trial

This study compared operative gastrostomy (OG) (by surgeons) with endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) (by physicians) in a prospective randomized fashion to determine whether one technique was superior. PEG (Sachs-Vine) and OG (Stamm) were done using local anesthesia. Patients were assessed for complications, mortality, tube function, and cost. Groups were equally matched for indications and underlying disease. Fifty-seven had OG and 64 had attempted PEG. Complications occurred in 26% of OG patients and 9% died. Complications occurred in 25% of PEG patients and 12% died. Tube feeding was initiated in both groups within a mean of 29 (24 to 72) hours of the gastrostomy placement. OG cost $1675 and PEG $979 to perform. Twenty-one PEG patients required endoscopic tube change which raised their total cost to $1574. We conclude there is no difference between OG (using local anesthesia) and PEG with regard to morbidity, mortality, or tube function. The endoscopic technique does appear to have economic advantage.

Smoking, air pollution, and the high rates of lung cancer in Shenyang, China

A case-control study involving interviews with 1,249 patients with lung cancer and 1,345 population-based controls was conducted in Shenyang, an industrial city in northeastern China, where mortality rates are high among men and women. Cigarette smoking was found to be the principal cause of lung cancer in this population, accounting for 55% of the lung cancers in males and 37% in females. The attributable risk percentage among females is high compared to elsewhere in China, largely because of a higher prevalence of smoking among women. After adjustment for smoking, there were also significant increases in lung cancer risk associated with several measures of exposure to air pollutants. Risks were twice as high among those who reported smoky outdoor environments, and increased in proportion to years of sleeping on beds heated by coal-burning stoves (kang), and to an overall index of indoor air pollution. Threefold increases in lung cancer risk were found among men who worked in the nonferrous smelting industry, where heavy exposures to inorganic arsenic have been reported. The associations with both smoking and indoor air pollution were stronger for squamous cell and small cell carcinomas than for adenocarcinoma of the lung. Risks due to smoking or air pollution were not greatly altered by adjustment for consumption of fresh vegetables or sources of beta carotene or retinol, prior chronic lung diseases, or education level. The findings suggest that smoking and environmental pollution combine to account for the elevated rates of lung cancer mortality in Shenyang.

Association of RFLP of HLA class I genes with Chinese ankylosing spondylitis patients

By serum typing, it is indicated that HLA B27 may be associated with the susceptibility to ankylosing spondylitis (AS). We analyzed DNA restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) in 28 Chinese AS patients and 99 healthy controls, using a 1.4 Kb HLA class I cDNA probe. The results showed that the frequencies of the 8.1 Kb EcoRI, 5.2 Kb EcoRI and 21.9 Kb XbaI fragments were found to be significantly increased in affected patients (P less than 0.0001, P = 0.0015, respectively), but that of 19.2 Kb XbaI fragment was decreased (P = 0.0021). The data suggest that AS may be a polygenic disease; furthermore, B27 and 8.1 Kb EcoRI band may be two different factors responsible for the susceptibility or just in linkage disequilibrium with the susceptible gene(s).

Extensive diversity of branched-RNA-linked multicopy single-stranded DNAs in clinical strains of Escherichia coli

Recently it was shown that a clinical strain of Escherichia coli contains a reverse transcriptase that is essential for the synthesis of a branched-RNA-linked multicopy single-stranded DNA (msDNA). We now have examined 113 independent clinical isolates of E. coli for the existence of msDNA and found that 7 strains contained msDNA. Four of them were further analyzed by hybridization analysis, which indicated that three of the msDNAs were different, having little sequence homology. When the reverse transcriptase gene associated with one of these msDNAs was used as a probe, it did not hybridize with chromosomal DNA from the other strains containing msDNA. These results indicate that some clinical E. coli strains carry their own unique msDNA-synthesizing systems; msDNAs produced by these systems have little, if any, sequence homology in their RNA and DNA molecules and the reverse transcriptases required for the production of msDNA also have little sequence similarity. Such extensive diversity of the msDNA-synthesizing systems supports the notion that they were acquired by the E. coli genome late during the evolution of E. coli.

Improved brain metabolism with fructose 1-6 diphosphate during insulin-induced hypoglycemic coma

The effect of fructose 1-6 diphosphate (FDP) on brain metabolism and brain function was investigated in hypoglycemic rabbits. The electroencephalogram and differences in oxygen content of arterial and cerebral venous blood were used as indicators for brain metabolic activity. Hypoglycemic coma was induced and maintained for 1 hour by insulin administration. At the onset of isoelectric EEG, six rabbits were treated with FDP and five rabbits received 0.9% saline. The animals were killed by an overdose of barbiturate 60 minutes after hypoglycemic recovery with glucose. FDP-treated rabbits had lower arterial glucose concentration after 40 minutes of treatment (p less than .05) and a significantly greater difference between the oxygen content of arterial and venous blood after 40 minutes (p less than .01), and after 60 minutes (p less than .025) of FDP infusion than saline-treated rabbits. FDP-treated rabbits also had a lower cerebral glucose-oxygen index than did saline-treated rabbits (p less than .005, after 20 and 40 minutes of FDP infusion). FDP administration was followed by a return of EEG activity during hypoglycemia, whereas saline produced no such effect. After glucose infusion, EEG activity was improved in FDP-treated rabbits; in saline-treated rabbits, minimal or no EEG activity was observed. The data suggest the possibility that, at the doses given in this study, FDP is taken up and used as a metabolic substrate by the brain.

On the coordination of La3+ by phosphatidylserine

In a recent study by Bentz, J., D. Alford, J. Cohen, and N. Düzgünes (1988. Biophys. J. 53:593-607), La3+ was found to be more effective than Ca2+ in causing nonleaky fusion of phosphatidylserine vesicles. It was proposed that this difference in fusion efficiency may be due, in part, to a difference in coordination of the two cations. That is, Ca2+ was presumed to bind to the lipid phosphate, whereas La3+ was proposed to be coordinated by the serine carboxylate and amine. 31P and 13C NMR results presented here demonstrate that the lanthanides, Tb3+ and La3+, are coordinated by the phosphodiester and carboxylate moieties of phosphatidylserine. Tb3+-Phosphatidylserine optical experiments suggest that the serine amine does not coordinate the lanthanide below pH 10, at least not while the membrane has a net negative surface charge. Although these observations disagree with the structural details proposed by Bentz et al. (1988), they are not in conflict with their general fusion mechanism. The work presented here also demonstrates that La3+ affects the inner surface phosphodiesters differently than those on the outer surface of phosphatidylserine vesicles. The vesicles studied are of an intermediate size, having diameters on the order of 150-200 nm. The cation appears to have a more immediate effect on the packing of the crowded headgroups on the inner surface. Higher levels of bound La3+ on the outer surface may be required to induce the same changes in headgroup conformation.

Reverse transcriptase in a clinical strain of Escherichia coli: production of branched RNA-linked msDNA

Branched RNA-linked multicopy single-stranded DNA (msDNA) originally detected in myxobacteria has now been found in a clinical isolate of Escherichia coli. Although lacking homology in the primary structure, the E. coli msDNA is similar in secondary structure to the myxobacterial msDNA's, including the 2',5'-phosphodiester linkage between RNA and DNA. A chromosomal DNA fragment responsible for the production of msDNA was cloned in an E. coli K12 strain; its DNA sequence revealed an open reading frame (ORF) of 586 amino acid residues. The ORF shows sequence similarity with retroviral reverse transcriptases and ribonuclease H. Disruption of the ORF blocked msDNA production, indicating that this gene is essential for msDNA synthesis.

Clinical manifestations and diagnosis of acute pyrethroid poisoning

This article reviews 573 cases of acute pyrethroid poisoning reported in the Chinese medical literatures during 1983-1988. There were 325 cases of acute deltamethrin poisoning (occupational 158, accidental 167), 196 patients of acute fenvalerate poisoning (occupational 63, accidental 133, including 2 cases of ingestive fenvalerate-organophosphate mixture poisoning), 45 cases of acute cypermethrin poisoning (occupational 6, accidental 39) and 7 cases of other pyrethroid poisoning (occupational 2, accidental 5). The clinical manifestations have been reviewed and analysed. The diagnosis, gradation and differential diagnosis of occupational acute pyrethroid poisoning have been discussed.

Effects of pyrethroid insecticides on subjects engaged in packaging pyrethroids

A health survey was conducted on 199 workers engaged in dividing and packaging pyrethroids. The subjects were exposed to fenvalerate at 0.012-0.055 mg/m3 and deltamethrin at 0.005-0.012 mg/m3 in the air with simultaneous skin contact for 0.5-4.5 months. Burning sensations and tightness or numbness on the face appeared in two thirds of the subjects and one third had sniffs and sneezes. Abnormal facial sensations, dizziness, fatigue, and miliary red papules on the skin were more evident in summer than in winter. Neither abnormalities in other organs or systems nor symptoms or signs of acute pyrethroid poisoning were found by interviews, examinations, and laboratory tests. There was no significant difference in plasma levels of NA, cAMP, and cGMP between the examined subjects and the control group. The urine concentration of fenvalerate in the study group ranged from 1.02 to 18.6 micrograms/l; deltamethrin in the urine was present in trace amounts.

[In vivo metastasis of human tumor transplant in T and NK cell immune-deficient mice]

Beige-nude mice with combined T and NK cell deficiency were produced by introducing "nu" gene into the beige mice of C57BL/6 background. The beige-nude mice were characterized by morphological features, level and activity of the NK cell in spleen and peripheral blood. NK cell level of the beige-nude mice was higher than the beige mice and similar to the ordinary nude mice though its NK cell activity was markedly lower than the nude mice. Human lung adenocarcinoma (PAa) was transplanted subcutaneously to the beige-nude mice and nude mice of BALB/cA background. No metastasis was found in BALB/cA nude mice (0/7), while in beige-nude mice, spontaneous lymph node metastasis rate was 36.3% (4/11). It should be noted that the transplanted PAa metastasized to lungs, which had never been seen in BALB/cA nude mice in previous experiments. The increase of metastatic rate is correlated with the relative low NK cell activity of the beige-nude mice. Our observation is that the beige-nude mice could be a suitable experimental model for in vivo study on metastatic behavior of the human tumors.

[Different effects of selenium on proliferation of human lung adenocarcinoma cells and human embryonic lung diploid cells in vitro]

After treating human lung adenocarcinoma cells by Na2SeO3 (1 microgram/ml) for 24 hours, its mitotic index decreased by 50%. The reduction rate was directly proportional to selenite concentration (1-5 micrograms/ml). In the meantime, the labelling index, growth rate and progression of the cell cycle were also inhibited. In contrast to the above observation, there was no marked change in the cell count, mitotic index, labelling index and the average silver granule number in the human embryonic lung diploid cells treated by Na2SeO3 (1-5 micrograms/ml) for 1-3 days. When human embryonic lung diploid cells were mix-cultured with human lung adenocarcinoma cells in the presence of 5 micrograms/ml Na2SeO3 for 24 hours, the former maintained a normal morphology, while the lung cancer cells showed heavily vacuolated cytoplasms and distorted nuclei.

Chymopapain-induced hypersensitivity following chemonucleolysis

This study describes the changes in chymopapain-specific IgE antibody levels in patients following chemonucleolysis with Chymodiactin. Using the ChymoFAST method, chymopapain-specific IgE values were studied in 91 patients prior to and for 2 months post-Chymodiactin chemonucleolysis. A total of 8.8% (17/91) developed IgE levels greater than or equal to 0.06 IU/ml. Those patients with detectable IgE levels prior to chemonucleolysis were more likely than those with nondetectable preinjection levels (36.4% versus 4%) to develop chymopapain-specific IgE levels greater than or equal to 0.06 IU/ml.

A preoperative chymopapain sensitivity test for chemonucleolysis candidates

A fluorescence enzyme immunoassay (ChymoFAST test) for the quantitation of chymopapain-specific IgE antibody concentration in human serum is described. The IgE antibody is recognized as the major immunologic mediator for anaphylactic reactions. Serum chymopapain-specific IgE levels serve as an objective screening method for identifying patients most likely to tolerate chymopapain, thereby minimizing associated risks. Preoperative sera obtained from 11,658 chemonucleolysis candidates were tested, of which 0.94% (110/11,658) were found to be positive. Good predictive values for both positive and negative findings are evident based on 4776 postmarketing surveillances obtained from the surgeons.