The origin and ultrastructural characteristics of corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF)-immunoreactive nerve fibers in the posterior pituitary of the rat

Summary A fine network of corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF)-immunopositive fibers was found in the posterior lobe of the pituitary of the rat. The intermediate and distal lobes were free of CRF-immunoreactivity. Varicose, terminal-like axons were frequently observed around capillary vessels. Surgical isolation of the paraventricular nuclei resulted in a complete disappearance of CRF-immunoreactive fibers from the posterior lobe. CRF-immunopositive fibers show the general characteristics of peptidergic axons. These ultrastructural observations support the idea that CRF is secreted into capillary vessels.     

显脉獐牙菜的单萜环烯醚甙

近年来,肝炎发病率高,青叶胆(Swertia mileensis)因此被大量采挖,野生青叶胆资源逐年减少。为发掘新药源,我们对云南产狭叶獐牙菜(S.angustifolia)和显脉獐牙菜(S.nervasa)的化学成分进行了研究。本文报道从中分离鉴定的4个单萜环烯醚甙Ⅰ—Ⅳ。Ⅰ、Ⅲ、Ⅳ分别为维哥罗甙(vegeloside)、獐牙菜甙(sweroside)和獐牙菜苦甙(swertiamarin),Ⅱ是Ⅰ的同分异构体,命名为显脉獐牙菜甙(nervoside)。显脉獐牙菜甙(Ⅱ)白色无定形粉末,味极苦。UVλ-_(max)~(EtOH):243nm(log ε-3.89)。IR v_(max)~(KBr) cm~(-1):3400、1700和1610,显示单萜环烯醚的特征吸收峰显脉獐牙菜;显脉獐牙菜甙;单萜环烯醚甙     

滇藏常绿杜鹃亚属的修订

常绿杜鹃亚属Subgenus Hymenanthes是由K.Koch（1872）根据Blume（1826）建立的Genus Hymenanthes改级组合而成。但长期以来人们一直沿用了Maximowicz（1870）所建立的、后由Koehne（1893）修订过的Subgenus Eurhododendron这一亚属名称,直到最近D.F.Chamberlain（1978,1979,1982）对该亚属的名称才作了正式订正。     

The vascularization of the neural stalk and the pars nervosa of the hypophysis in the toad,Bufo bufo (L.) (amphibia,anura)

The angioarchitecture of the neural stalk and the encephaloposthypophysial portal system of the hypophysis of the toad, Bufo bufo (L.), was studied using three different methods. The neural stalk is mainly supplied by branches of the arteria infundibularis superficialis which form a widemeshed vascular network. Dorsally this network continues into the plexus of the pars nervosa. The vascularization of the pars nervosa is made up of the encephalo-posthypophysial portal system. This portal system consists of a hypothalamic branch (=portion), a mesencephalic and a mesencephalicbulbar branch (=portion). The hypothalamic branch was found to drain the pars ventralis of the tuber cinereum as well as more dorsal regions of the diencephalon. The mesencephalic-bulbar trunk enters the hypothalamic branch. The resulting common stem of the encephalo-posthypophysial portal vein the curves around the retroinfundibular communicating artery, crosses its ventral side and runs caudally. The secondary capillary plexus of the pars nervosa is characterized by well defined capillary plexus of the pars nervosa is characterized by well defined capillary networks which are located at the periphery of the parenchyma of the pars nervosa, thus forming a rostral, dorsal and ventro-caudal net. The central region of the parenchyma of the pars nervosa is supplied only by main branches of the encephalo-postpophysial portal vein. The venous drainage of the pars nervosa is via the vena hypophysea transversa.     

EXAFS study on arsenic species and transformation in arsenic hyperaccumulator

Synchrotron radiation extended X-ray absorption fine structure (SR EXAFS) was employed to study the transformation of coordination environment and the redox speciation of arsenic in a newly discovered arsenic hyperaccumulator, Cretan brake (Pteris cretica L. var nervosa Thunb). It showed that the arsenic in the plant mainly coordinated with oxygen, except that some arsenic coordinated with S as As-GSH in root. The complexation of arsenic with GSH might not be the predominant detoxification mechanism in Cretan brake. Although some arsenic in root presented as As(V) in Na₂HAsO₄ treatments, most of arsenic in plant presented as As(III)-O in both treatments, indicating that As(V) tended to be reduced to As(III) after it was taken up into the root, and arsenic was kept as As(III) when it was transported to the above-ground tissues. The reduction of As(V) primarily proceeded in the root.     

Etiological overlap between obsessive‐compulsive disorder and anorexia nervosa: a longitudinal cohort,multigenerational family and twin study

Obsessive‐compulsive disorder (OCD) often co‐occurs with anorexia nervosa (AN), a comorbid profile that complicates the clinical management of both conditions. This population‐based study aimed to examine patterns of comorbidity, longitudinal risks, shared familial risks and shared genetic factors between OCD and AN at the population level. Participants were individuals with a diagnosis of OCD (N=19,814) or AN (N=8,462) in the Swedish National Patient Register between January 1992 and December 2009; their first‐, second‐ and third‐degree relatives; and population‐matched (1:10 ratio) unaffected comparison individuals and their relatives. Female twins from the population‐based Swedish Twin Register (N=8,550) were also included. Females with OCD had a 16‐fold increased risk of having a comorbid diagnosis of AN, whereas males with OCD had a 37‐fold increased risk. Longitudinal analyses showed that individuals first diagnosed with OCD had an increased risk for a later diagnosis of AN (risk ratio, RR=3.6), whereas individuals first diagnosed with AN had an even greater risk for a later diagnosis of OCD (RR=9.6). These longitudinal risks were about twice as high for males than for females. First‐ and second‐degree relatives of probands with OCD had an increased risk for AN, and the magnitude of this risk tended to increase with the degree of genetic relatedness. Bivariate twin models revealed a moderate but significant degree of genetic overlap between self‐reported OCD and AN diagnoses (r_a=0.52, 95% CI: 0.26‐0.81), but most of the genetic variance was disorder‐specific. The moderately high genetic correlation supports the idea that this frequently observed comorbid pattern is at least in part due to shared genetic factors, though disorder‐specific factors are more important. These results have implications for current gene‐searching efforts and for clinical practice.     

Rapid method for simultaneous determination of 20 components in Isodon nervosa by high‐performance liquid chromatography–electrospray ionisation tandem mass spectrometry

Introduction – Isodon nervosa is a commonly used traditional Chinese medicine including diterpenoids, phenolic acids, triterpenoids and volatile oil. Qualitative and quantitative analysis of multi‐components is important for its quality control. Objective – To establish a liquid chromatography–electrospray ionisation–mass spectrometry method for simultaneous analysis of 20 bioactive constituents of Isodon nervosa in different places of China and different parts of this herb. Methodology – The optimal chromatographic conditions were achieved on a C₁₈ column (250 × 4.6 mm, 5 µm) with with linear gradient elution with 0.1% aqueous formic acid : methanol containing 0.1% formic acid at a flow‐rate of 0.7 mL/min in 15 min. The identification and quantification of those analytes were achieved on a hybrid quadrupole linear ion trap mass spectrometer. Multiple‐reaction monitoring scanning was employed for quantification with switching electrospray ion source polarity between positive and negative modes in a single run. Full validation of the method was carried out (linearity, precision, accuracy, limit of detection and limit of quantification). Results – The results indicated that the method was simple, rapid, specific and reliable. The proposed method was successfully applied for the qualitative and quantitative analysis of 20 chemical compositions in Isodon nervosa samples. Conclusion – Twenty chemical compositions in 21 batches of wild and cultivated Isodon nervosa samples from different sources had great variation in the contents. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

显脉旋覆花化学成分的研究(英文)

从显脉旋覆花(Inula nervosaWall.)地上部分的75%乙醇提取物中分离到13个化合物,经波谱鉴定为紫菀酮(1),β-谷甾醇(2),α-菠菜甾醇(3),熊果酸(4),胡萝卜苷(5),bigelovin(6),loliolide(7),24S-乙基-5α-胆甾-7,22E-二烯-3α-醇-β-半乳糖苷(8),菠叶素(9),山萘酚(10),α-菠甾醇-3-O-β-D-葡萄糖苷(11),苄醇-β-D-葡萄糖苷(12)和2-苯乙醇-β-D-葡萄糖苷(13)。其中,化合物1~3和6~13为首次从该植物中分离得到。     

Neuroendocrine dysregulation of food intake in eating disorders

Anorexia nervosa (AN) and bulimia nervosa (BN) are psychiatric disorders characterized by abnormal eating behaviors and imbalance of energy homeostasis. Changes of both central and peripheral neuroendocrine substances involved in the modulation of food intake and energy expenditure have been described in acutely ill patients with eating disorders. This review selectively focuses on the most recent findings supporting abnormal changes in the physiology of some peripheral adipokines and gut-secreted peptides, brain-derived neurotrophic factor and endocannabinoids in patients with AN or BN. Literature data do suggest a dysregulation of these neuroendocrine feeding regulators but, at the moment, they do not allow to establish the state or trait-dependent nature of those aberrations. It has been proposed, although not definitively proved, that neuroendocrine alterations, even when secondary to malnutrition and/or to aberrant eating behaviors, might contribute to the genesis and the maintenance of some symptomatic aspects of AN and BN, thus affecting the course and the prognosis of these disorders. Future studies should clarify whether neuroendocrine alterations are part of the genetically transmitted biological vulnerability to eating disorders.