Biochemical Mapping of Peptidyl-Glycine α-Amidation Activity in the Rat CNS

Peptidyl-glycine alpha-amidation enzyme activity has been measured in 36 nuclei or areas in the rat CNS and pituitary using D-Tyr-Phe-Gly as the substrate. The distribution of this enzyme is highly uneven, with highest activity levels (greater than 30 pmol/mg of protein/h) in hypothalamic nuclei, substantia grisea centralis, and nucleus ruber; moderate activity levels (10-30 pmol/mg of protein/h) in globus pallidus, septum, midbrain, pons, medulla oblongata, and cervical spinal cord; and low activity levels (1-10 pmol/mg of protein/h) in other telencephalic and thalamic structures. Almost no alpha-amidation activity (less than 0.5 pmol/mg of protein/h) was detected in cerebellar cortex. The Km values in several brain regions are of the same order.     

Cytochemical changes in hepatocytes of rats with endotoxemia or sepsis: localization of fibronectin, calcium, and enzymes

Bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is known to be implicated in the pathogenesis of endotoxemia and septic shock. The liver is the first vital organ to exhibit pathological alterations in shock. The present studies include immunoelectron microscopic localization of tissue fibronectin and cytochemical localization of calcium and enzymes in hepatocytes of animals with LPS-induced endotoxemia or cecal ligation-induced septic shock. The results showed increased staining of fibronectin in the basal (perisinusoidal) surfaces and in the cisternae of rough endoplasmic reticulum and the Golgi complex of hepatocytes in rats with endotoxemia or septic shock. Intracellular calcium content was significantly increased in the LPS-treated or septic rats. Calcium pyroantimonate precipitate was deposited predominantly on the outer surfaces of the RER of hepatocytes. In addition, diminution or depletion of glycogen, reduction of catalase-containing peroxisomes, increase of G-6-Pase activity, and depletion of cytochrome c oxidase in many mitochondria were also observed in hepatocytes of experimental animals. The overall results suggest that LPS stimulates: (a) hepatic synthesis and secretion of fibronectin; (b) uptake of calcium by hepatocytes; and (c) G-6-Pase activity. LPS treatment also leads to reduced numbers of peroxisomes and depletion of cytochrome c oxidase.     

Applied anatomy of the anterolateral femoral flap

A study of the source of the blood supply to the anterolateral femoral flap was carried out on 42 lower limbs of adult cadavers (among them 35 cadavers with injection of red latex and 1 with india ink into the arteries and 6 vascular cast specimens), and the surface locations of the vascular pedicle were detected on 50 healthy adults. It was found that the descending branch of the lateral circumflex femoral vessel was an ideal axial vessel. There are constant perforating branches of the myocutaneous artery or cutaneous branches from the intermuscular space to the anterolateral femoral skin. The area extends about 12 x 30 cm. Within the flap, the anterior branch of the anterolateral cutaneous nerve of the high is located. This flap has been widely used for free transplantation in China since 1983 with satisfactory results.     

Collagen autoimmunity and arthritis

Collagen-induced arthritis in animals is an example of polyarthritis that sufficiently resembles human rheumatoid arthritis to be used as a model. It is caused by immunizing susceptible animals with type II collagen isolated from articular cartilage. Susceptibility is genetically determined and linked to the major histocompatibility locus. It is important because some human arthritis is also associated with major histocompatibility genes and may be caused or aggravated by the presence of autoimmunity to normal cartilage components. Collagen-induced arthritis is also important because it is an example of immunologically mediated joint destruction, which may share some of the mechanisms present in human disease. Although it is caused by autoimmunity to collagen, susceptibility and responsiveness to type II collagen are not completely correlated, and there are examples of animals with high levels of collagen immunity who do not develop arthritis. The initial lesion appears to be the deposition of an antibody on the surface of articular cartilage, which precedes development of overt arthritis by several days. Disease can be readily transferred with specific antibody. Arthritogenic antibodies appear to have restricted epitope specificity, which may partially explain the disparities between responsiveness to immunization with collagen and susceptibility to arthritis, but precise delineation of the epitopes involved has not yet been accomplished. Complement activation also appears to be intimately involved since the disease correlates with the presence of high levels of complement-binding IgG isotypes, and passive transfer is possible only into complement-sufficient recipients. Inflammation progresses rapidly so that cartilage destruction and marginal erosion develop over a period of a few days. Collagen-induced arthritis offers a unique opportunity to study autoimmune-mediated arthritis in which the inducing antigen is well characterized and readily available. Analysis of the disease has permitted the proposal of a schema for its pathogenesis.     

酸雨对翅荚木的生理反应及其机理的研究

本文指出了酸雨对翅荚木细胞透性、pH值、等电点、耐酸力均有显著的影响。其影响是随酸雨pH值的下降和浸没时间的延长而增加。发芽种子的抗坏血酸氧化酶、多酚氧化酶的活性,呼吸强度和可溶性糖、粗脂肪和蛋白质的含量,也是随酸雨pH值的下降而降低。叶绿素总量、叶绿素a,b和a/b的比值,pH 5处理与对照无差异,低于pH4以下的处理叶绿素a含量则大幅度减少。叶绿素b含量则较稳定。根系的活力也是随酸雨pH值下降而急剧减少。酸雨对翅荚木种子的发芽率、出苗率及胚和幼苗的生长,都表现有不同程度的抑制效应,酸雨对叶片的伤害,也是随酸雨pH值的降低、喷洒次数的增多和浸没时间的延长而加重。     

+G_z暴露时,家兔心率和心水平动脉压关系的研究

在动物离心机上测定了7只轻度麻醉家免暴露于+G_Z时心、眼水平动脉压和心率的变化。+G_Z作用5-12s时、心水平动脉压(HABP)降至最低水平,然后开始代偿性回升。当+G_Z增大到一定值时,于加速度达峰值后,HABP降为0 mmHg、并在峰值后5.5±1.7s降到最大负值,继之代偿性升为正值,并常再度降为负值。我们称HABP的这种变化状态为“临界状态”。+G_Z暴露时,心率以两种型式发生改变:第一种,随着G值增大,心率发生不同程度增快,当加速度达某一G值时,心率突然减慢至2次/秒左右;第二种,当G值≥3时,在暴露过程中,心率逐渐减慢,并在某一G值,心率减慢到2次/秒左右。心率和HABP关系密切。当HABP达临界状态时,心率减慢至2次/秒左右并出现明显节律不整。以心率减慢到2次/秒左右作为家免+G_Z耐力终点是合适的,该指标规律性强,重复性好,实验方法对动物无损伤又易实施。按此标准,测得7只家免的+G_Z耐力为4.85±0.47G。     

DNA拓扑异构酶Ⅰ生物学活性的比较研究

测定了3T3细胞、人和大鼠一些组织中DNA拓扑异构酶Ⅰ的活性;估计了核酸内切酶对拓扑酶Ⅰ松弛活性测定的干扰程度;发现增殖组织全细胞抽提液中酶比活高于正常分化组织,而且在异常增殖组织中酶比活的增高更为显著。     

长吻鮠精巢发育的分期及精子的发生和形成

长吻鮠精巢的发育分为精原细胞增殖期、精母细胞生长期、精母细胞成熟期、精子细胞出现期,精子完全成熟期和精子退化吸收期。精巢的后1/3不产生也不贮存精子,精子的发生和形成经过精原细胞、精母细胞、精子细胞到精子的一系列过程。精原细胞有两种类型。精子无顶体,有中心粒帽,中片长,核凹窝和线粒体发达,鞭毛具侧鳍。