不同病原学结果血流感染脓毒症患者PT、NLR、PCT/ALB的变化及其与预后的关系研究

摘要 目的：探讨不同病原学结果血流感染（BSI）脓毒症患者凝血酶原时间（PT）、中性粒细胞/淋巴细胞比值（NLR）、降钙素原/白蛋白（PCT/ALB）的变化及其与预后的关系。方法：选取2021年1月～2023年3月复旦大学附属上海市第五人民医院收治的BSI脓毒症患者130例,根据不同病原学结果分为真菌组11例、革兰阳性菌（G⁺菌）组49例、革兰阴性菌（G^-菌）组70例。根据28d临床结局将BSI脓毒症患者分为死亡组36例和存活组94例。检测并计算PT、NLR、PCT/ALB。采用多因素Logistic回归分析影响BSI脓毒症患者预后的因素,采用受试者工作特征（ROC）曲线分析PT、NLR、PCT/ALB对BSI脓毒症患者死亡的预测价值。结果：G^-菌组PT长于真菌组、G⁺菌组,NLR、PCT/ALB高于真菌组、G⁺菌组（P＜0.05）,真菌组与G⁺菌组PT、NLR、PCT/ALB比较无差异（P＞0.05）。多因素Logistic回归分析显示脓毒性休克、PT延长,序贯器官衰竭评估（SOFA）评分升高、急性生理和慢性健康评估Ⅱ（APACHEⅡ）评分升高、NLR升高、PCT/ALB升高为影响BSI脓毒症患者预后的独立危险因素（P＜0.05）。ROC曲线分析显示PT、NLR、PCT/ALB联合预测BSI脓毒症患者死亡的曲线下面积为0.897,大于PT、NLR、PCT/ALB单独预测（P＜0.05）。结论：相比真菌和G⁺菌,G^-菌BSI脓毒症患者PT、NLR、PCT/ALB明显升高,且PT、NLR、PCT/ALB升高是影响BSI脓毒症患者预后的独立危险因素,三者联合对BSI脓毒症患者预后的预测价值较高。     

NLR、25-（OH）D3、IL-6、PCT与重症肺炎支原体肺炎患儿免疫功能和预后不良的关系研究

摘要 目的：探讨中性粒细胞与淋巴细胞比值（NLR）、25-羟维生素D3 [25-（OH）D3]、白细胞介素-6（IL-6）、降钙素原（PCT）与重症肺炎支原体肺炎（MMP）患儿免疫功能和预后不良的关系。方法：选取2019年2月至2021年12月我院收治的106例重症MMP患儿作为重症组,同期收治的101例轻症MMP患儿（轻症组）作为对照。检测外周血中性粒细胞计数、淋巴细胞计数、T淋巴细胞亚群以及血清25-（OH）D3、IL-6、PCT水平,计算NLR。分析NLR、25-（OH）D3、IL-6、PCT与T淋巴细胞亚群的相关性。重症MMP患儿治疗后随访半年,根据重症MMP患儿的预后情况分为预后良好组（75例）和预后不良组（31例）,多因素Logistic回归分析影响重症MMP患儿预后的因素。结果：重症组NLR、IL-6、PCT水平,CD8⁺高于轻症组（P＜0.05）,25-（OH）D3水平、CD3⁺、CD4⁺、CD4⁺/CD8⁺低于轻症组（P＜0.05）。NLR、IL-6、PCT水平与CD3⁺、CD4⁺、CD4⁺/CD8⁺呈负相关（P＜0.05）,与CD8⁺呈正相关（P＜0.05）;25-（OH）D3与CD3⁺、CD4⁺、CD4⁺/CD8⁺呈正相关（P＜0.05）,与CD8⁺呈负相关（P＜0.05）。多因素Logistic回归分析显示：肺大片实变影、NLR（较高）、IL-6（较高）、PCT（较高）是重症MPP患儿预后不良的危险因素（P＜0.05）,25-（OH）D3（较高）是保护因素（P＜0.05）。结论：重症MMP患儿NLR、IL-6、PCT水平升高,25-（OH）D3水平降低,且与细胞免疫功能低下以及预后不良有关,检测NLR、IL-6、PCT、25-（OH）D3有助于评估重症MMP患儿的预后。     

血培养阳性报警时间联合降钙素原、中性粒细胞/淋巴细胞比值对大肠埃希菌血流感染患者死亡风险的预测价值

摘要 目的：探讨血培养阳性报警时间（TTP）联合降钙素原（PCT）、中性粒细胞/淋巴细胞比值（NLR）对大肠埃希菌血流感染（BSI）患者死亡风险的预测价值。方法：选取2020年1月～2022年6月我院收治的223例大肠埃希菌BSI患者,根据入院后28 d内是否死亡分为死亡组和存活组。收集患者临床资料和血培养TTP,检测PCT、NLR。采用多因素Logistic回归分析大肠埃希菌BSI患者死亡的影响因素。采用受试者工作特征（ROC）曲线分析TTP、PCT、NLR对大肠埃希菌BSI患者死亡风险的预测价值。结果：223例大肠埃希菌BSI患者入院后28 d内死亡率为30.04％（67/223）。死亡组TTP短于存活组,PCT、NLR高于存活组（P均＜0.001）。多因素Logistic回归分析显示,年龄增加、入住重症监护病房（ICU）、气管插管/切开、PCT升高、NLR升高为大肠埃希菌BSI患者死亡的独立危险因素,TTP延长为独立保护因素（P＜0.05）。ROC曲线分析显示,TTP、PCT、NLR联合预测大肠埃希菌BSI患者死亡的曲线下面积大于各指标单独预测。结论：TTP缩短和PCT、NLR升高与大肠埃希菌BSI患者死亡风险增加相关,TTP、PCT、NLR联合预测大肠埃希菌BSI患者死亡风险的价值较高。     

细菌性血流感染所致脓毒症患者血清PCT、APOM、sTREM-1与预后的关系研究

摘要 目的：探讨细菌性血流感染（BSI）所致脓毒症患者血清降钙素原（PCT）、载脂蛋白M（APOM）、可溶性髓系细胞触发受体-1（sTREM-1）与预后的关系。方法：选取2021年1月～2023年10月首都医科大学附属北京朝阳医院收治的细菌性BSI所致脓毒症患者185例（脓毒症组）,根据28d内预后情况分为死亡组（61例）和存活组（124例）,另选取同期体检健康志愿者87例（对照组）。采用电化学发光法检测血清PCT水平,酶联免疫吸附法检测血清APOM、sTREM-1水平。单因素及多因素Logistic回归模型分析影响细菌性BSI所致脓毒症患者预后的因素。受试者工作特征（ROC）曲线分析血清PCT、APOM、sTREM-1对细菌性BSI所致脓毒症患者预后的预测价值。结果：与对照组比较,脓毒症组血清PCT、sTREM-1水平升高,APOM水平降低（P＜0.05）。185例细菌性BSI所致脓毒症患者28d死亡死亡率为32.97%（61/185）。与存活组比较,死亡组血清PCT、sTREM-1水平升高,APOM水平降低（P＜0.05）。多因素分析结果显示：革兰阴性菌感染、脓毒性休克、中性粒细胞/淋巴细胞比值（NLR）升高、序贯器官衰竭评估（SOFA）评分增加、急性生理和慢性健康评估Ⅱ（APACHEⅡ）评分增加、血清PCT升高和sTREM-1升高为细菌性BSI所致脓毒症患者死亡的独立危险因素,血清APOM升高为独立保护因素（P＜0.05）。血清PCT、APOM、sTREM-1联合检测预测细菌性BSI所致脓毒症患者死亡的曲线下面积为0.908,大于血清PCT、APOM、sTREM-1单独检测预测的0.785、0.779、0.783。结论：细菌性BSI所致脓毒症患者血清PCT、sTREM-1水平升高和APOM水平降低与预后不良的发生有关,血清PCT、APOM、sTREM-1联合检测对细菌性BSI所致脓毒症患者死亡有较高的预测价值。     

2型糖尿病并发肺结核患者PCT、HMGB1、CD4+/CD8+比值与继发肺部感染的关系

摘要 目的：探讨2型糖尿病并发肺结核患者降钙素原（PCT）、高迁移率族蛋白1（HMGB1）、CD4⁺/CD8⁺比值与继发肺部感染的关系。方法：选择2019年1月至2022年6月四川大学华西医院呼吸与危重症医学科收治的97例2型糖尿病并发肺结核患者,根据入院治疗时是否继发肺部感染分为肺部感染组（53例）及非肺部感染组（44例）。检测两组血清PCT、HMGB1水平以及外周血CD4⁺/CD8⁺比值。单因素和多因素Logistic回归分析2型糖尿病并发肺结核患者继发肺部感染的因素。受试者工作特征（ROC）曲线分析PCT、HMGB1和CD4⁺/CD8⁺比值预测2型糖尿病并发肺结核患者继发肺部感染的价值。结果：肺部感染组血清PCT、HMGB1水平高于非肺部感染组（P＜0.05）,外周血CD4⁺/CD8⁺比值低于非肺部感染组（P＜0.05）。糖化血红蛋白及血清PCT、HMGB1水平升高是2型糖尿病并发肺结核患者继发肺部感染的危险因素（P＜0.05）,高CD4⁺/CD8⁺比值是保护因素（P＜0.05）。PCT、HMGB1、CD4⁺/CD8⁺比值预测2型糖尿病并发肺结核患者继发肺部感染的曲线下面积为0.719、0.761、0.738,联合PCT、HMGB1和CD4⁺/CD8⁺比值预测的曲线下面积为0.878,高于各指标单独预测。结论：2型糖尿病并发肺结核患者血清PCT、HMGB1水平增高,外周血CD4⁺/CD8⁺比值降低,均与继发肺部感染有关,PCT、HMGB1联合CD4⁺/CD8⁺比值可辅助预测2型糖尿病并发肺结核患者继发肺部感染的风险。     

2017-2019年某某医院ICU患者痰液病原菌分布及耐药性分析

摘要 目的：探究医院ICU患者痰液病原菌分布,并就其耐药性进行分析,以期为临床经验性选择抗生素治疗提供必要的细菌学依据。方法：选择2017年1月至2019年12月于北京中医医院顺义医院入住ICU的84例患者为研究对象,采集其痰液标本,并实施细菌学培养和药敏学试验。结果：（1）84例患者合计提取菌株91种,其中G^-杆菌45种,占比49.45 %,G⁺菌36种,占比39.56 %,真菌10种,占比10.99 %;（2）分析显示亚胺培南对G^-杆菌的敏感性较好,万古霉素对G⁺菌的敏感性较好,尚未发现耐万古霉素的肠球菌和葡萄球菌出现。结论：ICU患者痰液病原菌类型较多,其中以G^-杆菌为主,病原菌呈现多重耐药性,亚胺培南对G^-杆菌敏感性较好,万古霉素对G⁺菌敏感性较好。     

急性阑尾炎患者术后切口感染的病原菌分析及NLR、PCT、CRP联合检测的预测价值研究

摘要 目的：分析急性阑尾炎（AA）患者术后切口感染的病原菌并探讨中性粒细胞与淋巴细胞比值（NLR）、降钙素原（PCT）、C反应蛋白（CRP）联合检测的预测价值。方法：选取2020年1月～2022年9月青岛大学附属医院收治的379例接受腹腔镜或开腹手术的AA患者,根据是否发生术后切口感染分为感染组和非感染组,收集AA患者临床资料并检测NLR、PCT、CRP水平。分析术后切口感染AA患者病原菌分布情况,采用单因素和多因素Logistic回归分析AA患者术后切口感染的影响因素,采用受试者工作特征（ROC）曲线分析NLR、PCT、CRP对AA患者术后切口感染的预测价值。结果：379例AA患者术后切口感染发生率为12.40%（47/379）,47例术后切口感染AA患者切口分泌物共检测出75株病原菌,革兰氏阳性菌和革兰氏阴性菌分别占比42.67%（32/75）、57.33%（43/75）。感染组NLR、PCT、CRP水平高于非感染组（P＜0.05）。多因素Logistic回归分析显示,年龄≥60岁、病程≥24 h、阑尾化脓或坏疽及穿孔、开腹手术、留置引流管和血清NLR、PCT、CRP升高为AA患者术后切口感染的独立危险因素,预防性应用抗菌药物为其独立保护因素（P＜0.05）。ROC曲线分析显示,NLR、PCT、CRP联合预测AA患者术后切口感染的曲线下面积大于NLR、PCT、CRP单独预测。结论：术后切口感染AA患者病原菌以革兰氏阴性菌为主,术前NLR、PCT、CRP水平升高与AA患者术后切口感染密切相关,三者联合预测AA患者术后切口感染的价值较高。     

Stanford A型主动脉夹层孙氏手术患者术后血流感染的影响因素及术前PCT、IL-6、D-D的预测价值研究

摘要 目的：分析Stanford A型主动脉夹层（AD）孙氏手术患者术后血流感染（BSI）的影响因素,并探讨术前血清降钙素原（PCT）、白细胞介素-6（IL-6）、D-二聚体（D-D）对术后发生BSI的预测价值。方法：选取2019年1月～2022年1月贵州医科大学附属医院收治的236例接受孙氏手术的Stanford A型AD患者,根据术后是否BSI分为BSI组和非BSI组。收集患者基础资料和实验室指标,采用多因素Logistic回归分析Stanford A型AD孙氏手术患者术后发生BSI的影响因素,采用受试者工作特征（ROC）曲线分析血清PCT、IL-6、D-D水平对Stanford A型AD孙氏手术患者术后发生BSI的预测价值。结果：BSI组年龄≥60岁、糖尿病史、机械通气、气管切开、人工瓣膜植入比例和术后24 h引流量、血清C反应蛋白、PCT、IL-6、D-D水平高于非BSI组,手术时间、心包纵隔管保留时间长于非BSI组（P＜0.05）。多因素Logistic回归分析显示,年龄≥60岁、糖尿病史、机械通气、气管切开、术后24 h引流量上升,血清PCT、IL-6、D-D水平上升为Stanford A型AD孙氏手术患者术后发生BSI的危险因素（P＜0.05）。ROC曲线分析显示,血清PCT、IL-6、D-D三项联合预测的Stanford A型AD孙氏手术患者术后发生BSI的曲线下面积大于单独预测。结论：年龄、糖尿病史、机械通气、气管切开、术后24 h引流量、血清PCT、IL-6、D-D水平是Stanford A型AD孙氏手术患者术后发生BSI的影响因素,术前血清PCT、IL-6、D-D水平可作为Stanford A型AD孙氏手术患者术后发生BSI的辅助预测指标。     

急性高容量血液稀释联合控制性低中心静脉压对脊柱后路手术患者炎症免疫调节及血液保护作用研究

摘要 目的：探讨急性高容量血液稀释（AHH）联合控制性低中心静脉压（CLCVP）对脊柱后路手术患者炎症、免疫调节、血液保护的作用。方法：选择2020年1月至2022年12月于南京鼓楼医院行脊柱后路手术的120例患者作为研究对象,根据随机数字表法分为对照组、AHH组、AHH+CLCVP组,每组各40例。对照组给予乳酸钠林格氏液血液稀释,AHH组给予AHH血液管理,AHH+ CLCVP组给予AHH联合CLCVP血液管理。比较三组围术期指标、血流动力学指标、炎症因子指标、免疫功能指标的变化情况。结果： AHH+CLCVP组术中出血量、悬浮红细胞输注量低于AHH组和对照组（P＜0.05）,AHH组术中出血量、悬浮红细胞输注量低于对照组（P＜0.05）。与T1时间点相比,三组心率（HR）于手术开始后60 min（T2）~术毕（T3）先升高后降低（P＜0.05）,平均动脉压（MAP）先降低后升高（P＜0.05）,对照组和AHH组中心静脉压（CVP）于T2~T3先升高后降低（P＜0.05）,AHH+CLCVP组T0~T3 CVP保持稳定水平（P＞0.05）。AHH+CLCVP组T2~T3 HR低于AHH组和对照组（P＜0.05）,MAP高于AHH组和对照组（P＜0.05）,CVP低于AHH组和对照组（P＜0.05）,AHH组T2~T3 HR低于对照组（P＜0.05）,MAP高于对照组（P＜0.05）。与T1时间相比,三组血清降钙素原（PCT）、C反应蛋白（CRP）、白细胞介素-6（IL-6）水平、外周血CD8⁺于T2~术后24 h（T4）先升高后降低（P＜0.05）,外周血CD3⁺、CD4⁺、CD4⁺/CD8⁺于T2~T4先降低后升高（P＜0.05）。AHH+CLCVP组T2~T4血清PCT、CRP、IL-6水平、外周血CD8⁺低于AHH组和对照组（P＜0.05）,外周血CD3⁺、CD4⁺、CD4⁺/CD8⁺高于AHH组和对照组（P＜0.05）,AHH组T2~T4血清PCT、CRP、IL-6水平、外周血CD8⁺低于对照组（P＜0.05）,外周血CD3⁺、CD4⁺、CD4⁺/CD8⁺高于对照组（P＜0.05）。结论：AHH联合CLCVP可稳定脊柱后路手术患者血流动力学,减少术中出血量和输血量,降低炎症反应,提高免疫功能。     

舒芬太尼联合地佐辛自控镇痛对经腹子宫切除术后患者应激反应、免疫功能和炎症因子的影响

摘要 目的：探讨舒芬太尼联合地佐辛自控镇痛对经腹子宫切除术后患者应激反应、免疫功能和炎症因子的影响。方法：选择2020年4月~2021年8月期间来我院接受经腹子宫切除术的患者78例。根据随机数字表法将患者分为对照组（接受舒芬太尼自控镇痛）和观察组（接受舒芬太尼联合地佐辛自控镇痛）,各为39例。观察并对比两组镇静镇痛情况[视觉疼痛模拟（VAS）评分和Ramsay镇静评分]、应激反应[去甲肾上腺素(NE) 、肾上腺素(E) 和皮质醇(Cor) ]、免疫功能[CD3⁺、CD4⁺、CD8⁺,计算CD4⁺/CD8⁺]和炎症因子[白介素-2（IL-2）、白介素-6（IL-6）、C反应蛋白（CRP）、肿瘤坏死因子-α（TNF-α）],同时记录两种镇痛方案的安全性。结果：两组术后6 h、术后24 h、术后48 h VAS评分先升高后下降,其中观察组术后24 h、术后48 h VAS评分均低于对照组同一时点（P<0.05）。两组术后6 h、术后24 h、术后48 h Ramsay镇静评分不同时间点组内及组间对比,差异无统计学意义（P>0.05）。两组镇痛48 h后血清NE、E、Cor水平升高,但观察组镇痛48 h后血清NE、E、Cor水平低于对照组同一时间点（P<0.05）。两组镇痛48 h后血清IL-2、IL-6、CRP、TNF-α水平升高,但观察组镇痛48 h后血清IL-2、IL-6、CRP、TNF-α水平低于对照组同一时间点（P<0.05）。两组镇痛48 h后CD8⁺升高,CD3⁺、CD4⁺、CD4⁺/CD8⁺下降,但观察组的变化幅度小于对照组（P<0.05）。两组不良反应发生率对比无统计学差异（P>0.05）。结论：经腹子宫切除术后患者采用舒芬太尼联合地佐辛自控镇痛,镇静、镇痛作用显著,同时还可减轻机体炎性损伤和应激反应,促进免疫功能恢复。     

Bonding, biophilia, biosynergy, and the future of primates in the wild

Human and nonhuman primates bond with one another in countless ways, and the results are varied and vital to the individuals and species involved. The manifesto that is the basis for the collection of essays in which this commentary is included proposes that the "human/nonhuman bonds that arise in primatological research and practice deserve and demand study and research." An essential corollary of this proposal is that the primatologists themselves must be studied. The aim of this essay is to explore the influence of human/nonhuman primate bonding on conservation practice and on the future of primates in the wild. This commentary applies the author's professional experience as a conservation psychologist and his research on the impact of profound interspecies bonds on human worldviews, attitudes, and behavior. It examines two general categories of bonds: those driven by Biophilia (human fascination with life) and those influenced by Biosynergy (mutual enrichment of life). It is the author's premise that biosynergy promotes complex collaborative interspecies bonds that broaden the conservationist's desire to enhance synergy among all organisms in an ecosystem. Conversely, biophilia induces relatively simple unidirectional bonds between humans and other animals that deepen the conservationist's desire to understand and protect certain species. This contrast raises some crucial questions. Do biophilia-driven bonds between conservationists and their favorite primates blind them to the synergistic needs of all species and impair their ability to work for sustained preservation of threatened habitat? Does biosynergy-based human/nature bonding enhance focus on conservation as an ecological science and thus ignore species-specific factors crucial to assure survival of endangered primates? How can both types of bonds be optimally applied to the conservation of wildlife and wilderness?     

Distribution of Cu, Zn, and Fe in the soluble fraction of the kidney in normal, copper-poisoned, and thiomolybdate-treated sheep

Twenty-seven sheep were used in two experiments to study the distribution of copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), and iron (Fe) in the kidney cytosol of control, Cu-loaded, and thiomolybdate (TM)-treated sheep. A comparison was made of the patterns of distribution on Sephadex G-75 of Cu, Zn, and Fe from the cytosol of fresh and frozen kidneys and after thawing of frozen cytosol. In both Cu-dosed and TM-treated sheep, the absolute level of Cu increased in the cytosol, but the percent of Cu decreased. The percent recovery of Cu from the frozen kidney was comparable to that from fresh kidney, but the extraction of Cu from the supernatant of frozen cytosol was approximately 10% less. This was due to a loss of Cu in a precipitate that formed when the frozen cytosol was thawed. Most of the Cu in the cytosol from the kidney of Cu-loaded sheep was in a metallothionein (MT)-like protein fraction and was trichloroacetic acid (TCA) soluble. In contrast, that from the cytosol of TM-treated sheep was mostly in a high molecular weight fraction that was TCA insoluble. The chromatograms obtained from cytosol derived from frozen kidneys, or cytosol that had itself been frozen, contained a similar distribution of Cu, Zn, and Fe, but the peak heights were lower in the latter samples.     

Stress,adaptation, and speciation in the evolution of the blind mole rat,Spalax, in Israel

Environmental stress played a major role in the evolution of the blind mole rat superspecies Spalax ehrenbergi, affecting its adaptive evolution and ecological speciation underground. Spalax is safeguarded all of its life underground from aboveground climatic fluctuations and predators. However, it encounters multiple stresses in its underground burrows including darkness, energetics, hypoxia, hypercapnia, food scarcity, and pathogenicity. Consequently, it evolved adaptive genomic, proteomic, and phenomic complexes to cope with those stresses. Here I describe some of these adaptive complexes, and their theoretical and applied perspectives. Spalax mosaic molecular and organismal evolution involves reductions or regressions coupled with expansions or progressions caused by evolutionary tinkering and natural genetic engineering. Speciation of Spalax in Israel occurred in the Pleistocene, during the last 2.00–2.35 Mya, generating four species associated intimately with four climatic regimes with increasing aridity stress southwards and eastwards representing an ecological speciational adaptive trend: (Spalax golani, 2n = 54 → S. galili, 2n = 52 → S. carmeli, 2n = 58 → S. judaei, 2n = 60). Darwinian ecological speciation occurred gradually with relatively little genetic change by Robertsonian chromosomal and genic mutations. Spalax genome sequencing has just been completed. It involves multiple adaptive complexes to life underground and is an evolutionary model to a few hundred underground mammals. It involves great promise in the future for medicine, space flight, and deep-sea diving.     

Selenium,cadmium, lead,and mercury concentrations in human breast milk,in placenta,maternal blood,and the blood of the newborn

The concentrations of the trace elements Cd, Hg, Pb, and Se during the perinatal period in human placenta and in the blood of the mother and the newborn (cord blood) were determined. Breast milk (colostrum and mature milk) was also included to permit correlations between the different compartments. For Cd, a placental barrier exists, in accord with previous observations. For Pb, a strong correlation between the concentrations in the blood of the mother and of the newborn was found. The concentration of Hg was in most cases below low the detection limit. Its concentration in colostrum was higher than in the mature milk. The results for Se reflect the knowledge about an essential trace element. Strong positive correlations were noted between maternal blood and cord blood and maternal milk. Anodic stripping voltammetry (DPASV) was used for the determination of Cd and Pb, cold vapor AAS (CVAAS) for the determination of Hg, and instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) for the determination of Se.     

Reversibility of Propranolol-Induced Changes in the Biosynthesis of Monoacylglycerol, Diacylglycerol, Triacylglycerol, and Phospholipids in the Retina

Abstract: The biosynthesis and metabolism of phospholipids and neutral glycerides were studied in the bovine retina. Radioactive glycerol was used as a precursor. Phentolamine and d - and dl -propranolol were found to produce similar effects on lipid metabolism in the retina. Marked stimulation of phosphatidylinositol (PhI) synthesis and maximal inhibition of phosphatidylcholine (PhC), diacylglycerol (DG), and triacylglycerol (TG) formation were observed within 5 min after exposure to 0.5 m M dl -propranolol. Pulse-chase experiments showed a high turnover rate in DG and a reversibility of the propranolol-induced changes produced during the synthesis of PhC, TG, DG, monoacylglycerol (MG), and phosphatidylserine. All reversals of the drug-induced biosynthetic profiles approached control values 60 min after incubation in drug-free medium. However, complete reversal was not achieved in any of the cases under these conditions. Propranolol appeared to inhibit both the formation of DG from phosphatidic acid and the further metabolism of DG, probably to MG. Phosphatidylethanolamine biosynthesis showed some recovery from this inhibition. Synthesis of Phi was greatly stimulated by preincubation with propranolol and was further enhanced by reincubation in the presence of propranolol. However, this effect was not reversed by reincubation without the drug. The active de novo biosynthesis of retinal phospholipids and glycerides is a very dynamic pathway that may be redirected by amphiphilic drugs. In addition, the partial reversal of modifications induced in the flux of [2-³H]glycerol through the lipids can occur during short-term reincubations of retinas in drug-free medium.     

Content and Concentration of Taurine,Hypotaurine, and Zinc in the Retina,the Hippocampus,and the Dentate Gyrus of the Rat at Various Postnatal Days

Taurine and zinc possess neurotrophic and neuroprotective properties, and they have been demonstrated to interact in the central nervous system (CNS). The aim of this work was to determine taurine, hypotaurine, and zinc levels during postnatal development and any possible significant correlation between them in selective areas of the CNS with differential taurine level regulation and intrinsic capacity to proliferate. Taurine and hypotaurine content (nM/region) and concentration (nM/mg protein) and total zinc levels were determined in the retina, hippocampus, and dentate gyrus of the rat at postnatal days 5, 10, 15, 20, 30, and 50. Taurine and hypotaurine increased during development in the retina without significant correlation between them. In the hippocampus there was a progressive decrease, and in the dentate gyrus there was an initial increase and a posterior decrease of taurine and hypotaurine levels. Correlation between the two amino acids was observed at P10, P15, and P50 for the hippocampus and at P15, P30, and P50 for the dentate gyrus. The variations in total zinc levels followed a biphasic behavior, with an early decrease and later increase. Significant and positive correlation of zinc and taurine was only observed in the hippocampus at P30 and P50 and negative in the dentate gyrus at P30. No significant correlation was obtained for the retina. The maintenance of taurine levels in specific CNS areas does not seem to be related to the availability of the precursor, hypotaurine, which might have a role by itself. There are critical postnatal periods during which there is a preservation of taurine, hypotaurine, or zinc levels. It seems that these requirements could be related to zinc-taurine interactions.     

Notch signaling in the mammalian respiratory system,specifically the trachea and lungs,in development,homeostasis, regeneration,and disease

The respiratory system has ideal tissue structure and cell types for efficient gas exchange to intake oxygen and release carbon dioxide. This complex system develops through orchestrated intercellular signaling among various cell types, such as club, ciliated, basal, neuroendocrine, AT1, AT2, endothelial, and smooth muscle cells. Notch signaling is a highly conserved cell–cell signaling pathway ideally suited for very short-range cellular communication because Notch signals are transmitted by direct contact with an adjacent cell. Enthusiastic efforts by Notch researchers over the last two decades have led to the identification of critical roles of this signaling pathway during development, homeostasis, and regeneration of the respiratory system. The dysregulation of Notch signaling results in a wide range of respiratory diseases such as pulmonary artery hypertension (PAH), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), interstitial pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), and lung cancer. Thus, a deep understanding of the biological functions of Notch signaling will help identify novel treatment targets in various respiratory diseases.