Significance of chloride channel activation in the gamma-aminobutyric acid induced growth hormone secretion in the neonatal rat pituitary

Growth hormone (GH) secretion of the neonatal pituitary is stimulated by tau-aminobutyric acid (GABA) (1,2). Since in most cases GABA is known to act by increasing postsynaptic membrane permeability to chloride ions we tested the importance of chloride channel activation in the GH stimulatory effect of GABA in the neonatal pituitary. In the absence of chloride in the superfusion medium GABA was without effect on GH secretion of the neonatal pituitaries and its effect was attenuated by chloride channel inhibitors. The effect of growth hormone releasing hormone (GHRH) on GH secretion was attenuated in the chloride-free media, but it was not affected by simultaneous administration of chloride channel blockers. The present study indicates that GH stimulatory effect of GABA in the neonatal pituitaries might involve chloride channel activation probably resulting in secondary activation of calcium channels.     

Initial experiences with the MR "magnitude contrast angiography of the lower extremities

45 patients with occlusive peripheral vascular disease were examined by MR angiography in a retrospective study. A FISP 3D sequence was used by acquiring a rephased and a dephased data set. The individual slices were post-processed by using a maximum-intensity-projection algorithm. The MRA results of the popliteal and tibioperoneal arteries were compared to conventional or digital angiography. In comparing these techniques MR angiography cannot be accepted for pre- and postoperative staging of patients with occlusive peripheral vascular disease. In future new MRA techniques may be useful in postoperative staging of patients with peripheral vascular stenosis.     

Longer treatment with vasoactive drugs to prevent early variceal rebleeding in cirrhosis

Bleeding oesophageal varices (BOV), resulting from portal hypertension, can prove fatal. Not only is it important to stop the initial bleeding, which may lead to hypovolaemic shock, but also to treat this condition in the longer term, and, consequently, the prevention of rebleeding needs to be addressed. This review highlights the current findings on the haemostatic drug, terlipressin, focusing particular attention on the potential for longer-term treatment strategies in the prevention of rebleeding. The efficacy of terlipressin in treating acute BOV, its low incidence of severe side-effects (comparable to those of somatostatin) and its favourable comparison with sclerotherapy in the prevention of early rebleeds, all indicate the potential for terlipressin administration to be extended to 5 days in the longer-term treatment of BOV. In addition, terlipressin administration, in conjunction with sclerotherapy, can significantly reduce the likelihood of rebleeding compared with sclerotherapy alone and further supports its potential use in the longer-term treatment of BOV.     

高速钢W6Mo5Cr4V2的脱磷试验

在３０ｋｇ感应炉上用ＣａＯ－Ｎａ２ＣＯ３－ＣａＦ２－ＦｅｘＯ（ＭｏＯ３）渣、ＭｏＣｌ６粉剂和Ａｌ－Ｃａ合金作脱磷剂对高速钢Ｗ６Ｍｏ５Ｃｒ４Ｖ２进行脱磷试验。结果表明，ＣａＯ－Ｎａ２ＣＯ３－ＣａＦ２－ＦｅｘＯ渣的脱磷效果最好，一般脱磷率可达２６％￣５６％。     

Prognostic factors of early sequelae and fatal outcome of Japanese encephalitis

A clinical case control study to identify prognostic factors present at hospital admission associated with early sequelae and fatal outcome of acute Japanese encephalitis (JE) was carried out in Gusi county, Henan Province, central China from June to September 1991. A total of 70 patients with laboratory-confirmed acute JE were studied, of whom 3 cases died and 33 cases had neurological or psychiatric sequelae at the end of three months follow-up. The results showed that acute JE at younger age, with higher body temperature, high white cell count in CSF, and deep coma present at hospital admission were markers for unfavorable outcomes (sequelae or fatal). A history of the vaccination was not correlated with the early sequelae and fatal outcome of the disease. The paper suggests that early diagnosis and treatment and universal JE vaccination for all susceptible populations are keys for decreasing incidence of sequelae and fatal outcome of acute JE.     

Multiexponential T2 relaxation in Fricke agarose gels: implications for NMR dosimetry

NMR relaxation times T1 and T2 of agarose and Fricke agarose gels have been measured in the range 17-51 MHz. The analysis of the spin echo curves indicates a multiexponential behaviour, characterized by three components, at all the examined frequencies. The relative T2 values, ranging from a few to a hundred milliseconds, can be attributed to different species of water molecules present in the gel. Two of these components are characterized by relaxation rates R2a and R2b, more sensitive than R1 to gamma irradiation, the sensitivity S being S(R1) = 0.066 s-1 Gy-1, S(R2a) = 0.088 s-1 Gy-1, S(R2b) = 0.17 s-1 Gy-1. The three T2 values decrease as a function of frequency, but no gain in dose sensitivity is obtained by changing the working frequency in the examined range. The relaxivity of agarose gels containing ferrous or ferric ions has also been measured and found to be different from those of the corresponding solutions in the absence of agarose. Thus it was possible to estimate the irradiation yield from three independent parameters, R1, R2a and R2b. No effect of the dose rate or of the source energy has been observed for any of these parameters.     

Electron-beam CT scanning for detection of coronary calcification and prediction of coronary heart disease

Electron-beam or ultrafast computerized tomographic (CT) scanning provides a convenient and sensitive means of detecting coronary calcification, which is an early index of atherosclerosis. The procedure has strong negative predictive power for the presence of coronary artery disease, but a limited ability to predict disease severity. However, preliminary indications are that it is as good or better than conventional risk factors in this respect. Although further validation is needed before electron-beam CT can be regarded as an established method of detecting presymptomatic coronary atherosclerosis, the procedure has potential in this context.