[Progress on the study of ob gene].
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to Z Ding.
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OBJECTIVE: To study the surgical treatment of aortopulmonary septal defect. METHOD: From January 1983 to December 1996, 5 patients with aortopulmonary septal defect (APSD) (2 male and 3 female) aged from 6 to 34 years (mean 17.4 years) underwent surgical treatment. According to Mori's were classification, 5 patients belonged to type I, 2 type II and 1 type III. The diameters of the defect ranged from 1.0 to 3.0 cm. The operations were performed under moderate hypothermic cardiopulmonary bypass. Pulmonary artery incision was performed, in 3 patients while aortic incision in the other 2. All defects were repaired by Dacron patch. RESULT: There were no operative deaths and postoperative complications. During follow-up of 10 months to 12 years, no late complications and deaths were found. CONCLUSION: The operation should be done early as possible whenever the diagnosis is established. The surgical repair should be taken under cardiopulmonary bypass. To chose an incision on the aorta is more reasonable than on the pulmonary artery. The use the dacron patch can prevent stenosis and recanalization after operation.
Calcitonin is a peptide hormone with 32 amino acids. Natural calcitonins are presumably quite unstable in solution and numerous analogues of calcitonin had been synthesized to improve the stability. In the present paper, we report the investigation of the chemical stability of salmon calcitonin (sCT) analogues [Val1, Ala7]sCT, [Val1, Ala7, Ala30]sCT and [D-Ala30]sCT in aqueous solutions by reversed phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) and fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry (FAB-MS) methods. The degradation patterns of the sCT analogues showed a marked dependence on pH and temperature. Most of the degradation products in pH 9.0 solution of sCT and its analogues were identified by FAB-MS analysis. Results showed that the sCT analogues are more stable at pH 3.3 and pH 3.7 than at pH 6.0 and pH 9.0. Analogues without disulfide bridge [Val1, Ala7]sCT and [Val1, Ala7, Ala30]sCT showed higher chemical stability than sCT while [D-Ala30]sCT showed lower chemical stability than the native sCT.
Sulfatide induces leukocyte activation, which is thought to be mediated via L-selectin. Here we demonstrate that lymphocytes express a receptor for sulfatide distinct from L-selectin and that this receptor is involved in sulfatide-induced cell activation. While cell surface L-selectin expression was abolished by phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), lymphocytes retained the ability to bind sulfatide in liquid phase as well as in immobilized solid phase. The novel sulfatide receptor obtained from PMA-treated lymphocytes showed a molecular size of 65 kDa. Stimulation through this receptor triggered cytosolic free Ca2+ elevation and intercellular aggregation.
We tested the hypothesis that nitric oxide (NO) is involved in vascular nociception of physical stimuli in humans. Vascularly isolated hand vein segments of six healthy volunteers were pretreated with the NO synthase inhibitor, N(G)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME; 10(-7)-10(-4) M) and repeatedly subjected to noxious thermal (2 degrees C, 52 degrees C) or mechanical stimuli (balloon distention) and, for control, to the endogenous algetic bradykinin (10(-6) M). L-NAME prevented in a concentration-related manner the algesic action of bradykinin, but had no effect on pain evoked by heat, cold, or stretch. NO is therefore not a general chemical link in nociception.
OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted (1) to determine in vitro placental villous cytotrophoblast secretion of prostacyclin, prostaglandin E2, and endothelin-1, (2) to examine the effect of serum from normal and preeclamptic women on secretion of these vasoactive substances, and (3) to determine whether responses to these sera by cytotrophoblasts from preeclamptic pregnancies are different from those of normal pregnancies. STUDY DESIGN: Cytotrophoblasts isolated from human placentas collected at cesarean section from normal and preeclamptic women were incubated for 20 hours in 20% (vol/vol) sera from preeclamptic or gestational age-matched normal pregnant women. Levels of prostacyclin (measured as 6-keto-prostaglandin F1alpha), prostaglandin E2, and endothelin-1 were measured in cytotrophoblast supernatants. RESULTS: In normal pregnancy sera preeclamptic cytotrophoblasts secreted significantly lower amounts of prostacyclin and prostaglandin E2 but higher amounts of endothelin-1 than did normal cytotrophoblasts. In preeclamptic sera the abnormality of prostacyclin secretion by preeclamptic cytotrophoblasts was partially corrected, but there was no effect on prostaglandin E2 or endothelin-1 secretion. Preeclamptic sera had no effect on secretion by normal cytotrophoblasts. CONCLUSIONS: The differences between normal and preeclamptic cytotrophoblasts in prostacyclin, PGE2, and endothelin-1 secretion and in response to preeclamptic serum suggest altered arachidonic acid metabolism in preeclampsia.
The proximal portions of the left anterior descending (LAD) and left circumflex (LCx) coronary arteries are among the sites most predisposed to atherosclerotic disease. This predisposition might be a consequence of their location immediately distal to the left main (LM) coronary artery bifurcation, which may increase the susceptibility of these segments by promoting an adverse fluid dynamic environment within them. The detailed geometry of the bifurcation influences this environment and would therefore affect the susceptibility of the proximal daughter vessels to disease. This hypothesis was tested by examination of the relationship between the geometry of the LM bifurcation and the distribution of sudanophilia in the proximal portions of the LAD and LCx. The geometric parameters at the LM bifurcation, including all three angles and LM length, were obtained from multiangle photographs of 17 vascular casts by use of objective computer-based algorithms. A robust index, the relative proximal involvement (RPI), was developed to measure the localization of disease to the proximal portions of the daughter vessels. The RPI of the LAD segment correlated best with an interaction term that included the planarity of the LM bifurcation and the LCx-LAD branch angle (P = .013). In addition to supporting the concept of geometric risk factors, these observations also suggest that interactions between the hemodynamic influences of multiple geometric variables may play a role in the mediation of tissue susceptibility by geometric factors.
Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) was modified with copper ions (Cu2+) and malondialdehyde (MDA), and the differences were compared. The results show that both oxidative and MDA modification produce a decrease in free amino groups in LDL and enhance its electrophoretic mobility on agarose gel, and that these observations are linked. However, differences produced by the two forms of modification were observed. Oxidative modification of LDL involves free radical-mediated lipid peroxidation which produces large amounts of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) and conjugated dienes. In addition, vitamin E was reduced considerably and cholesterol lowered, and apolipoprotein B (apo B) fragmentation and aggregation were seen. Similar changes were not seen with MDA modification which does not involve lipid peroxidation. Fluorescence emission spectra of both forms of modified LDL show that emission intensity increases gradually as the modification progresses, but maximum emission wavelength and spectrum patterns are not the same. These findings may be of some significance in the study of the antigenicity, scavenger receptor multiplicity and toxic effects of modified LDL.
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The well established 'systemic' risk factors for atherosclerosis can explain only half of the variability in its occurrence. To account for some of the remaining variability, it was suggested that certain geometric features of atherosclerosis-prone segments ('geometric risk factors') can increase the likelihood of disease locally through their influence on the hemodynamic environment of the vessel wall. Since this mediation might elicit early morphological changes in the artery, relationships were sought between the histomorphometry and axial geometry of the left anterior descending (LAD) coronary arteries of 15 angiographically lesion-free human hearts obtained at autopsy. Geometric variables were quantified by image processing of multiplane angiograms of the hearts, and morphometry was obtained from transverse histologic sections at 91 sites. The results show that: (1) total intimal and medial area are negatively correlated with the distance from the site to the origin of the LAD; (2) the angle of the branch immediately proximal to the site is positively correlated with most of the intimal and medial variables, and appears to have a major influence on the intima; (3) the area ratio of the immediately proximal branch is correlated primarily with medial variables; and (4) local curvature is correlated only with the maximum thickness of the intima and media. These observations suggest that there are significant relationships between arterial geometry and vascular morphology prior to the development of frank disease.
The effect of liquid mechanical vibration on the adhesion of Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells to the internal glass surface of a pipette was studied using a 25 Hz vibration source. The maximum vibration amplitude was 1.06 mm (peak to peak) along the pipette direction. Relative movements between the pipette and yeast suspension in it were produced by vibration and reduced the cell adhesion. The reduction in adhesion was affected by both vibration amplitude and suspension pH. Analysis showed that in routine cell counts, cell adhesion to the pipette wall was a significant error source. The construction of a vibration device for routine cell count work appears feasible.
Chronic administration of clenbuterol, a beta 2-adrenergic agonist, attenuates the exercise training-induced improvement in muscle insulin resistance of the obese Zucker rat. The present study was conducted to determine whether clenbuterol also attenuates the increase in muscle GLUT-4 protein that occurs with exercise training and whether the action of clenbuterol is related to its ability to downregulate the beta-adrenergic receptors. Female obese Zucker rats were randomly assigned to one of the following four groups: control (CON, n = 7), clenbuterol (CL, n = 8), exercise training (TR, n = 8), and clenbuterol with exercise training (CL+TR, n = 8). Rats assigned to the training groups were run on a rodent motor-driven treadmill for 6-7 wk. Rats receiving clenbuterol were intubated with 0.8 mg/kg body weight 30 min before running each day. Red quadriceps (RQ) and white quadriceps (WQ) GLUT-4 protein concentrations of TR rats were significantly greater than those of CON and CL+TR rats. The RQ GLUT-4 protein concentration of the CL+TR rats was significantly greater than that of CON rats, but this difference did not occur in the WQ. GLUT-4 protein concentrations were not different between the CON and CL rats. The patterns of RQ and WQ GLUT-4 mRNA were similar to those of their respective GLUT-4 proteins. Rats receiving daily injections of propranolol (30 mg/kg body wt), a beta-adrenergic receptor antagonist, demonstrated no increase in GLUT-4 protein in RQ or WQ after 6 wk of exercise training. These results indicate that 1) clenbuterol can attenuate the increase in muscle GLUT-4 protein associated with exercise training and 2) this effect is likely mediated by a downregulation of the beta-adrenergic receptors.
Using a model to study vascular permeability under hydrostatically perfused bovine pulmonary artery endothelial cell (EC) monolayers and a software to automatically analyse cell morphological parameters in a computer image workstation, the effects of isoproterenol (IPN) on platelet-activating factor (PAF)-induced changes in EC monolayer permeability and cell morphological parameters were studied. Albumin has the fortifying effect on endothelial barrier function. After treatment of EC monolayer with 10(-8) mol/L PAF, trans-monolayer permeability increased, cell surface area decreased, and intercellular space enlarged. As pretreatment with 10(-4) mol/L IPN, PAF-induced EC permeability increment and morphological changes were blocked. The results suggest that EC contraction and intercellular gap expansion are important mechanisms for PAF-induced high vascular permeability. IPN inhibits the effects of PAF via stabilization of EC morphology and prevention of intercellular gap formation.
The high position of the nipple-areola is one of the complications of reduction mammaplasty. The technique of lower thoracic advancement flap reestablishes a new inframammary fold. The edge of the advanced inferior flap is sutured to the chest wall and the rib cage. The advantages of the technique is that the scar is hidden in the depth of the inframammary fold and is usually fairly in-conspicuous. The technique gives an increasingly natural looking of the breast. The operation is appealingly easy and safe. Figures illustrate the effectiveness of this technique.
Exogenous catecholamines have been proved to be active in the reduction of vascular permeability induced by various inflammatory mediators via beta-adrenoceptor activation, but it is not known whether an endogenous beta-adrenergic agonist has any effect. We studied it in skin and lung vessels. The results revealed that an intravenous bolus of isoproterenol (10 micrograms/kg) attenuated platelet-activating factor- and histamine-induced Evans blue dye extravasation in rat dorsal skin, while intraperitoneal administration of beta-adrenoceptor blocker propranolol (0.1 mg/kg) significantly increased the dye extravasation. Blockade of beta-adrenoceptor by propranolol for 12 h noticeably increased wet/dry lung weight ratio, lung water content, bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) protein concentration, leukocyte count, and lipoperoxide degradation product malondialdehyde (MDA) content. In isolated perfused lung in vitro, propranolol (2.5 micrograms/ml) had no obvious effects on lung weight gain, fluid filtration coefficient, and pulmonary vascular pressure during the 20-min perfusion compared with control. The results suggested that endogenous beta-adrenergic agonist is an important factor in the maintenance of vascular integrity and the quiescent state of leukocytes, indicating the antiinflammatory role of catecholamines in physiological states and critical illnesses.
The function of vascular endothelial cells has recently become a hot spot in biomedical research. This paper reports the deformation properties of cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells exposed to shear stress with the flow chamber. The umbilical vein endothelial cells were exposed to shear stress 0.6, 3.8 and 7.5 Pa for 12 h respectively. With microvideo recording and computerized morphologic analysis, the results demonstrated that the endothelial cells were elongated as a result of exposing to shear stress 3.8 or 7.5 Pa for 12 h. Their major axes were consistent with the flow direction. Furthermore the degree of elongation and orientation of endothelial cells depended on the shear stress and shear duration. The results were compared with those of three foreign laboratories; and the causes of agreement and difference were discussed. This study is the basic word for a series of future researches.
An assay was made on the bioactivity of the extracts of tangerine peel from Cinocitrus tangerina, orange peel from Citrus sinensis and mixed tangerine peel from Cinocitrus sp. against aphis Semia phis heraclei, Aphis craccivora, Uroleucon gobonis and Myzus persicae using residual film or topical method, and against mites Tetranychus viennensis and T. trancatus using slide-dip or immersion method. Test results show that these extracts have strong bioactivity against aphids and mites. The corrected mortality regression equations and LC50 (or LD50) of these extracts to pests are presented.
For those pregnant women with an abnormal pregnancy history, the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique was adopted to screening the serum toxoplasmosis DNA (TOX-DNA). Then tests were made for further evidence of TOX-DNA in the amnionic fluids TOX-DNA was examined in cases with blood TOX-DNA positive. Gamma glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) and alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) in the amnionic fluids were measured for reference, a antenatal diagnosis of the fetal congenital toxoplasmosis infection could thus be made. In the present paper, 9 out of 92 blood specimen were TOX-DNA positive, of the 9 cases, 5 had TOX-DNA and 4 had no TOX-DNA in the amnionic fluid tests. The results of follow-up examination in the 9 cases were in conformity with the ante natal diagnosis. This is an important procedure for diagnosis and prevention of maternal-fetal vertical infection of Toxoplasmosis.