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Biomedical subjects

H B Li

Publications and source records attributed to H B Li.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Determination of vitamin B12 in pharmaceutical preparations by a highly sensitive fluorimetric method.

A fluorimetric method for the determination of vitamin B12 has been developed. The fluorescence emission was measured at lambda(ex)/lambda(em)275/305 nm in phosphate buffer solution (pH 7.0), and the experimental variables and possible interference were studied. The linear calibration range was 1.000 ng/mL to 100.0 ng/mL with a correlation coefficient of 0.9994 and a detection limit of 0.1 ng/mL. The method is rapid, simple and highly sensitive. It was used to determine vitamin B12 in pharmaceutical preparations. The recovery was 96%-98% and the relative standard deviation was in the range of 1.8%-2.7%. The results agreed with those obtained by spectrophotometry.

Culture Media↗

Human papillomavirus may be common within nasopharyngeal carcinoma of Caucasian Americans: investigation of Epstein-Barr virus and human papillomavirus in eastern and western nasopharyngeal carcinoma using ligation-dependent polymerase chain reaction.

BACKGROUND: Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), particularly those tumors endemic to the Far East, commonly harbor Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), thought to serve as an important oncogenic promoter. Human papillomavirus (HPV) is associated with a proportion of upper aerodigestive tract carcinomas. We hypothesized that HPV might also contribute to the pathogenesis of NPC, and we queried whether geographic and racial distinctions may be identified between NPC of the Far East versus those diagnosed in Caucasian American patients with regard to the interrelationship of histologic subtype and viral infection. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue (FFPET) from 30 patients (6 Caucasian Americans, 1 Chinese American, 14 and 9 patients from Korea and China, respectively) were studied using the ligation-dependent polymerase chain reaction (LD-PCR). These cases were histologically classified according to the World Health Organization (WHO) schema for NPC. Consensus target probes complementary to the L1 region of over 30 HPV types, as well as target probes complementary to EBER-1 (EBV-related nontranslated latency-associated RNA), were used to amplify target sequences. RESULTS: Seven of 30 NPC (23%) contained HPV sequences. There were 6 Caucasian American patients with NPC; 3 cases (50%) were HPV positive (HPV+). Two of these Caucasian Americans had WHO type I tumors: one was HPV+ and EBV negative (EBV-) and the other was HPV-/EBV+. The remaining Caucasian American NPCs were WHO-II/III tumors which tested as follows: two were coinfected with HPV and EBV, the other two contained EBER but not HPV sequences. The single Oriental American patient had a WHO-III NPC which was HPV-/EBV+. Of the Eastern NPC patients, 4 (1 WHO-I, 3 WHO-II/III) of 23 (17%) NPCs contained HPV sequences as well as EBV. Conclusion. Human papillomavirus appears to be uncommonly (17%) associated with NPC in patients from the Far East and was detected more often (50%) in NPC from American Caucasian patients. Some of these tumors conformed to our perceptions and expectations of NPC (eg, WHO-I tumors being EBV-/HPV+ and WHO-III tumors being EBV+/HPV-), but other tumors did not conform to these expectations (eg, WHO-III NPC occasionally harboring both HPV and EBV). There appears to be a broad profile in the relationship between HPV, EBV, and NPC histologic subtype. Unfortunately, the number of American Caucasian cases studied are too small to allow for strong conclusions.

Asian People↗

NMDA but not AMPA receptor antagonists impair the delay-interposed radial maze performance of rats.

The effects of the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonists CGS19755 and MK801 and the 2-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole-4-proprionic acid (AMPA) receptor antagonist YM90K on spatial working memory were investigated by using a delay-interposed radial-arm maze (RAM) task in rats. CGS19755 and MK801, at the largest dose that had no effect on the performance in the nondelayed RAM task, significantly decreased the initial correct response after the 5-min delay in the delay-interposed RAM task. In contrast, YM90K had no effect on the initial correct response and arm reentries in both the delay-interposed and nondelayed RAM task. CGS19755, MK801 and YM90K, at all doses tested, did not alter the running time in either the delayed or the nondelayed RAM tasks. These results suggest that spatial working memory can be impaired by a blockade of NMDA receptor function and that such impairment is particularly sensitive to delay interposition. The lack of effect of the AMPA receptor antagonist provides additional evidence of the importance of the NMDA subtype of the glutamate receptors in cognitive processes.

Animals↗

NMDA antagonists potentiate scopolamine-induced amnesic effect.

The effects of N-methyl-D-aspartate NMDA receptor antagonists on scopolamine-induced amnesia and on delay-interposed short-term memory performance were investigated using an 8-arm radial maze in rats. Scopolamine, a muscarinic antagonist, deteriorated the radial maze performance, while MK-801, an NMDA receptor channel blocker and CGS-19755, a competitive NMDA receptor antagonist, showed no obstruction to the spatial cognition in the non-delayed maze task. MK-801 (0.01-0.03 mg/kg, i.v.) and CGS-19755 (1-10 mg/kg, i.v.) significantly augmented scopolamine-induced deficit in the non-delayed maze task and impaired the short-term memory in the 5-min delay-interposed task. These results suggest that NMDA antagonists have a negative action on short-term memory and that the interaction between the NMDA and the central muscarinic system plays a role in modulating the cognitive function.

Amnesia↗

Pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic studies in rats of S-8-(2-Furyl)- and R-8-phenyl-2-(di-n-propylamino) tetralin, two novel 5-HT1A receptor agonists in-vitro with different properties in-vivo.

R- and S-8-(2-Furyl)- and R- and S-8-phenyl-2-(di-n-propylamino)tetralins (R- and S-LY-55 and R- and S-LY-49, respectively), novel enantiopure dipropylaminotetralins, have been screened as 5-HT1A receptor ligands. All had nanomolar affinities for 5-HT1A receptors and fully inhibited forskolin-stimulated adenylyl cyclase in-vitro (i.e. the four compounds appeared to be 5-HT1A agonists). It was also found that the enantiomers of LY-55 behaved as typical 5-HT1A receptor agonists in rats in-vivo by inducing a typical behavioural 5-HT syndrome, hypothermia and a decrease in 5-HT synthesis and turnover, indicating effects both on postsynaptic 5-HT1A receptors and somatodendritic 5-HT1A autoreceptors. In contrast, R- and S-LY-49 did not cause any 5-HT1A receptor-related effects in-vivo except for a partial inhibition of 5-HT synthesis after high doses. The 5-HT1A receptor antagonist WAY-100635 was shown to attenuate the R-LY-49-induced inhibition of 5-HT synthesis, indicating the compound to be a weak agonist at somatodendritic 5-HT1A autoreceptors. R-LY-49 at a high dose and with a long pre-treatment time interval inhibited the hypothermic and behavioural effects, but not the inhibition of 5-HT synthesis induced by the 5-HT1A receptor agonist R-8-hydroxy-(dipropylamino)tetralin (R-8-OH-DPAT). Taken together, these findings seem to indicate, that R-LY-49 is a weak partial agonist at 5-HT1A receptors. A comparative pharmacokinetic study showed that the enantiomers of LY-55 entered the brain rapidly after subcutaneous administration and reached peak brain tissue/plasma concentration ratios within 15-30 min of injection, whereas the brain concentrations of R-LY-49 increased slowly, reaching a relatively low peak brain tissue/plasma concentration ratio 90 min after injection despite their similar lipophilicity. The differences between the pharmacological activity of the two compounds in-vivo seem to be explained by their different abilities to cross the blood-brain barrier, and a weak agonistic activity of R-LY-49 on 5-HT1A receptors, both pre- and postsynaptically, compared with S-LY-55. Further studies are, however, needed for a deeper understanding of these differences.

Animals↗

Tacrine improves working memory deficit caused by permanent occlusion of bilateral common carotid arteries in rats.

Effect of tacrine, a cholinesterase inhibitor, on spatial acquisition deficit caused by permanent occlusion of bilateral common carotid arteries (2VO) was examined by using the conventional 8-arm and the 4-arm baited radial maze tasks in rats. Daily administration of tacrine (0.1 and 0.3 mg/kg, i.p.) 1 month after 2VO operation significantly improved the impaired spatial acquisition in the conventional maze task. This treatment also ameliorated the 2VO-induced working but not reference memory deficit in the 4-arm baited radial maze task. These results suggest that tacrine improvement of working memory deficit in the 2VO rats is due to stimulation of central cholinergic systems.

Animals↗

NMDA-but not AMPA-receptor antagonists augment scopolamine-induced spatial cognitive deficit of rats in a radial maze task.

The effect of NMDA and AMPA receptor antagonists on a scopolamine-induced spatial cognitive deficit was investigated in rats using an 8-arm radial maze. The NMDA antagonists, MK801 and CGS19755, robustly augmented scopolamine-induced deficits but had no effect on spatial cognition when administered alone. In contrast, augmentation of the scopolamine-induced deficits was not observed when the selective AMPA antagonist, YM90K, was administered with scopolamine. These results suggest that the NMDA but not AMPA subtypes of the ionotropic glutamate receptors play important roles in regulation of the central cholinergic function related to the spatial learning and memory processes.

Animals↗

Neuronal damage and decrease of central acetylcholine level following permanent occlusion of bilateral common carotid arteries in rat.

The neuronal damages and the changes in central acetylcholine (ACh) and choline (Ch) contents following permanent occlusion of bilateral common carotid arteries (2VO) of rats were investigated 1 and 4 months after the operation. Two types of neuronal damages were observed in the rats with permanent 2VO. The first type was the infarctions observed in the cerebral cortex and striatum. The infarction in the cortex and striatum was observed in 28.6 and 42.9% of the animals examined 1 month after permanent 2VO, respectively. These ratios did not change even when examined 4 months after permanent 2VO, suggesting that this type of neuronal damage is due to acute ischemic attacks. The second type was progressive neuronal damages observed in the hippocampus and white matter: the neuronal loss in the CA1 subfield appeared 4 months but not 1 month after permanent 2VO and the rarefaction of white matter which was observed 1 months after permanent 2VO and markedly increased 4 months after the operation. Moreover, ACh level significantly decreased in the striatum but not in the cortex, hippocampus or hypothalamus 1 month after permanent 2VO, while the ACh levels in the cortex, striatum and hypothalamus, and Ch levels in all the regions tested significantly decreased when tested 4 months after the operation. These changes did not accompany necrosis. These results suggest that the progressive neuronal degeneration and cholinergic dysfunction following the permanent 2VO are in part involved in chronic cerebral hypoperfusion-induced long-lasting cognition deficits in rats.

Acetylcholine↗

(R)-11-hydroxy- and (R)-11-hydroxy-10-methylaporphine: synthesis, pharmacology, and modeling of D2A and 5-HT1A receptor interactions.

(R)-11-Hydroxyaporphine (2) and (R)-11-hydroxy-10-methylaporphine (3) were synthesized from natural morphine by using new, short, and efficient synthetic sequences. The dopaminergic and serotonergic effects of 2 and 3 were evaluated by use of in vitro and in vivo test systems. The results indicate that 3 is a potent, selective, and efficacious 5-HT1A receptor agonist. In contrast, 2 is a partial 5-HT1A receptor agonist of low potency which has affinity also for central D1 and D2A receptors. The differences in pharmacological profiles were rationalized by modeling of ligand-receptor interactions using homology-based receptor models of the 5-HT1A and D2A receptor binding site. The selective and pronounced serotonergic effects of 3 appear to be due to the C10-methyl group, which is accommodated by a lipophilic pocket in the 5-HT1A receptor. In contrast, the C10-methyl group of 3 is not accommodated by the binding site model of the D2A receptor.

Adenylyl Cyclases↗

Three-dimensional quantitative structure-activity relationships of 5-HT receptor binding data for tetrahydropyridinylindole derivatives: a comparison of the Hansch and CoMFA methods.

A series of new derivatives of 3-(1,2,5,6-tetrahydropyridin-4-yl)indole (4-THPI) has been synthesized, and their dissociation constants at the 5-HT1A and 5-HT2 serotonin (5-HT) receptor subtypes have been determined. The new data were combined with similar binding data on a related set of THPI analogs reported previously (Taylor et al. Mol. Pharmacol. 1988, 34, 42-53) and used to develop 3-dimensional quantitative structure-activity relationships (3-D QSARs) for these compounds at the 5-HT1A and 5-HT2 receptor sites, by the method of comparative molecular field analysis (CoMFA). Since the previous study included several conventional QSARs obtained by Hansch analysis, and the new compounds in some cases fall within the congeneric series used in those analyses, we were able to make a direct comparison of the predictive capabilities of CoMFA and Hansch analysis using identical training and test data sets. The overall quality of actual predictions of activity by both methods appears to be about the same, as assessed by the root mean square (rms) residuals between actual and predicted pKi values. On the one hand, the compounds most poorly predicted by the Hansch analysis were 34, 35, and 37, while compounds 30-33 were relative poorly predicted by CoMFA. However, a clear advantage of CoMFA is the ability to include diversely substituted or noncongeneric analogs that must be omitted from conventional QSAR analysis. Using the entire data set of 45 THPI analogs reported here, pKi predictions for six additional compounds having 5-heteroarylindole substituents gave rms residuals of 0.46 and 0.36 for the 5-HT1A and 5-HT2 models, respectively; this is close to the experimental error of the binding data. The significance of the CoMFA field graphs in terms of molecular features required for activity and selectivity at these 5-HT receptor subtypes is discussed.

Animals↗

[Report of food poisoning by Salmonella hadar in China].

A food poisoning epidemic caused by Salmonella hadar was confirmed by epidemiologic investigation and laboratory examination Samonalle hadar had been detected in the specimens of food feces of patients. Many epidemics of food poisoning caused by Salmonall group of have been reported before, but that caused by the serogroup Hadar hereby reported organisms is the first of its hind in China. Attention should be paid by the public health authorities.

Animals↗

Endothelium-derived nitric oxide: role in vascular regulation and interaction with norepinephrine, endothelin and superoxide anion.

Endothelium-derived nitric oxide (EDNO) is an important vasodilator substance produced by the vascular endothelium. The present in vivo and in vitro study is aimed at evaluating its role in vascular regulation and its interactions with norepinephrine (NE), endothelin-1 (ET) and superoxide anion. In male anesthetized wistar rats, inhibition of the in vivo EDNO pathway with L-NAME (an established specific inhibitor of EDNO synthesis, 1-4 (mg/kg, iv bolus) provoked sustained, dose-dependent hypertensive responses (mean arterial pressure increased 45 +/- 1.5% over baseline for more than 60 minutes at a dose of 4 mg/kg, mean +/- Sx, which was completely reversed by L-arginine, the normal substrate for EDNO synthesis). In the in vitro study on rat aortic rings, blocking the endothelial production of EDNO with L-NAME (10(-4) M), caused the most prominent enhancement of the contractile responses to NE (increased maximal responses and lowered EC50), a smaller enhancement of contraction to ET and minimal modification of the vasoconstrictive effects of superoxide anion. L-arginine (10(-4) M), on the contrary, slightly attenuated the contraction to NE and ET but without the contraction to superoxide anion. The present study confirms that EDNO system represents one of the most important physiological depressor mechanisms in vivo, and indicates that EDNO is an important, differential antagonistic mechanism against the vasoconstrictors. It is also demonstrated that L-arginine availability is generally not the rate-limiting step in the in vivo generation of EDNO. The implications of the results were discussed.

Animals↗

Coexistence of somatostatin and neurotensin in amacrine cells of the chicken retina.

A comparison of previous immunocytochemical studies reveals a striking similarity in the morphologies of the populations of somatostatin-like and neurotensin-like immunoreactive amacrine cells in the chicken retina. A double-label analysis was performed to determine if these two neuroactive peptides coexist in chicken amacrine cells. An examination of retinal cryosections collected throughout the retina revealed that all labelled cells express both somatostatin- and neurotensin-like immunoreactivity. Therefore, these results indicate the presence of a single population of chicken amacrine cells whose members contain both of these neuroactive peptides.

Animals↗

Experiences in intravenous urokinase treatment of 100 acute myocardial infarction patients.

From 1980 to 1990 we treated 100 cases of AMI with i.v. urokinase (UK). According to the way of management and the dosage administered all these cases were divided into three groups: first stage of small dosage, second stage of trial big dosage, and third stage of comprehensive dosage. 36 patients of the first stage were treated with small dosage, 1-20,000 U b.i.d. for 1 week. 75% of the UK-treated and only 17% of the control group obtained relief of pain. Decrease of elevated ST reaching base line was 50 vs 8%, and FDP increased in 94%. 22 patients of the second stage were undergoing trial of big dosage. They were subdivided into larger dosage (more than 800,000 U) and smaller dosage (less than 300,000 U) groups. From the larger dosage group, 2 patients showed definite sign of recanalization, but unexpectedly 2 patients died of cardiac rupture. Since the recanalization rate of larger dosage group was 42.9%, but no case showed sign of recanalization in smaller dosage group, we are of the opinion that the dose of 800,000 U is rational for patients with symptoms' onset less than 3 h. Cardiac rupture was thought to be mostly due to reperfusion injury. Thus we designed the third stage of comprehensive dosage of UK. In this stage we used different dosage of UK and different ways of administration in 52 patients, based on the different symptoms' onset, so as to bring the effect of UK in full play. The aim of using UK is chiefly fibrinolysis as well as improvement of blood viscosity.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Aged↗

Double-label analyses of somatostatin's coexistence with enkephalin and gamma-aminobutyric acid in amacrine cells of the chicken retina.

Double-label analyses were performed to investigate somatostatin's coexistence with either enkephalin or gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in amacrine cells of the chicken retina. Double-label immunocytochemistry revealed that although some amacrine cells labelled only for somatostatin or enkephalin, approx. 81% and 85% of somatostatin-immunopositive cells in the center and periphery of the retina, respectively, were also enkephalin-immunoreactive. Somatostatin-immunocytochemistry combined with autoradiography of high-affinity [3H]GABA uptake revealed that approx. 18% of somatostatin-immunoreactive amacrine cells exhibit high-affinity uptake of [3H]GABA.

Animals↗

Localization of neuropeptide-immunoreactive neurons in the human retina.

Light microscopic immunocytochemistry was utilized to localize populations of neurons in the human retina immunoreactive for the following neuroactive peptides: substance P (SP), vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP), somatostatin (SOM) and LANT-6-(H-Lys-Asn-Pro-Tyr-Ile-Leu-OH), a hexapeptide which is identical to the C-terminal half of neurotensin except for the amino acid substitutions Lys/Arg and Asn/Arg. The majority of SP immunoreactive cells were amacrine cells whose pear-shaped or oval cell bodies (about 8 microns in diameter) were situated in the proximal parts of the inner nuclear layer. A small number of SP-stained somas (about 10-15 microns in diameter) were located in the ganglion cell layer and were designated as those of displaced amacrine cells. The SP-immunoreactive processes were distributed in sublamina 1, 3 and 5 with the most dense plexus being found in sublamina 3 of the inner layer. VIP-positive cell bodies (8-9 microns) were oval or pear-shaped and were situated in the innermost cell rows of inner nuclear layer. The majority of fine VIP-immunoreactive processes extended to sublamina 3 with only a few branches distributing in sublamina 1 of the inner plexiform layer. The SOM-stained cell bodies (10-11 microns) were round and were situated in the innermost cell rows of inner nuclear layer. SOM-positive processes were observed in sublamina 1 and 2 of the inner plexiform layer. The LANT-6 immunoreactive cell bodies (12-22 microns) were either oval-, round- or pyriform-shaped and were situated in ganglion cell layer.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗