Effect of AQSD resulted from Neiguan needling in cardiovascular disease. Analysis of 112 cases.
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Acupuncture Therapy↗
Biomedical subjects
R Zhang
Publications and source records attributed to R Zhang.
Structural and functional analysis of synaptic transmission between identified leech neurones in culture.
The fine structure and physiological properties of chemical synapses that develop between identified leech neurones in culture have been studied by electron microscopy and by quantal analysis. Earlier work has shown that the transmitter liberated by isolated Retzius cells, serotonin, evokes chloride-dependent inhibitory post-synaptic potentials (i.p.s.p.s) in P sensory cells, and also in Retzius cells. When pairs of Retzius cells or Retzius and P sensory cells were placed in close apposition in culture for a few days, their somata extended numerous fine processes which came into contact and interdigitated. In the region of interdigitation, only narrow spaces, approximately 20-25 nm wide separated the membranes. The appearance of the cytoplasm of the two neurones was distinctive: in particular, Retzius cells contained agranular vesicles, as well as abundant dense core vesicles which were not as prevalent in P cells. Structures resembling synapses developed by 4 days, with characteristic vesicles clustered in terminals of the Retzius cell apposed to the post-synaptic membrane. In the presence of raised Mg or lowered Ca in the culture medium, the i.p.s.p. in the P cell evoked by an impulse in the Retzius cell became diminished in amplitude. The time-to-peak and half-time of decay were unchanged. Under these conditions, with repeated stimulation, quantal fluctuations of these post-synaptic potentials and failures were observed. In addition, there occurred spontaneous events which resembled miniature synaptic potentials and had amplitudes and time courses similar to those of the unitary events evoked by presynaptic impulses. The amplitudes of evoked synaptic potentials in raised Mg were distributed in accord with the Poisson equation. The agreement was good when either the spontaneous miniature potentials or the failures of evoked release were used to calculate m, the mean number of quanta per trial. With larger values of m the results were distributed as predicted by the binomial equation. These morphological and electrophysiological experiments together indicate that the inhibitory potentials observed in P cells result from quantal units of transmitter released by presynaptic terminals of the Retzius cell which are in close apposition to the post-synaptic membrane.
Action Potentials↗
Insulin secretion and metabolic changes in maturity onset diabetes mellitus and glucose intolerance.
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Adult↗
Surgical treatment of carcinoma of the lung: report of 340 cases.
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Adult↗
Capillary electrophoresis and capillary chromatography: theoretical analogies and practical differences.
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Chemical Phenomena↗
Role of hydroxyl containing residues in the intracellular region of rat bradykinin B(2) receptor in signal transduction, receptor internalization, and resensitization.
In past reports we illustrated the importance of Y131, Y322, and T137 within the intracellular (IC) face of the rat bradykinin B2 receptor (rBKB2R) for signal transduction and receptor maintenance (Prado et al. [1997] J. Biol. Chem. 272:14638-14642; Prado et al. [1998] J. Biol. Chem. 273:33548-33555). In this report, we mutate the remaining hydroxyl possessing residues located within the rBKB2R IC region. Exchange of S139A (IC2) or T239V (IC3) did not affect BK activated phosphatidylinositol (PI) turnover or receptor internalization. Chimeric exchange of the last 34 amino acids of BKB2R C-terminus with the corresponding 34 amino acids of the rat angiotensin II AT1a receptor (rAT1aR), both containing an S/T cluster, resulted in a mutant with normal endocytosis and BK activated PI turnover. A more selective chimera of these S/T clusters, with an exchange of BKB2R (333-351) with a rAT1aR fragment (326-342), resulted in a receptor with a retarded internalization but a normal BK activated PI turnover. Subsequent mutation of rBKB2R T344V showed little change in receptor uptake but a pronounced loss of BK activated PI turnover. The mutation of S335A, S341A, S348A, and S350A resulted in very poor receptor internalization and loss of activated PI turnover. Closer examination of this serine cluster illustrated that the replacement of S348A led to poor internalization; whereas the retention of S348 and mutation of S341A resulted in a receptor with a much greater internalization than WT. These and other results suggest that the presence of S348 promotes internalization while the presence of S341 dampens it. Conversely, S341 and S350 proved important for receptor signaling. In sum, our results illustrate that the distal C-terminus including its S/T cluster is important for both rBKB2R internalization and signal transduction. Individual S/T residues within this cluster appear involved in either signal transmission or receptor uptake capacity. However, replacement of the entire distal tail region with the corresponding rAT1aR sequence, also containing an S/T cluster, enables the BKB2R/AT1aR chimera to act in a very similar manner to wild type rBKB2R.
Amino Acid Sequence↗
Depth profile of free volume in a mixture and copolymers of poly(N-vinyl-pyrrolidone) and poly(ethylene glycol) studied by positron annihilation spectroscopy.
Effect of hydrogen bonding on the depth profile of the free-volume in a mixture (weight ratio of 65:35) of poly(N-vinyl-pyrrolidone) (PVP) and poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) and the copolymers of vinyl pyrrolidone with poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PVP-PEGDA) and monomethacrylate (PVP-PEGMMA) was studied using positron annihilation spectroscopy. Doppler broadening energy spectra of annihilation radiation and positron annihilation lifetime were measured as a function of positron incident energy (0-30 keV). Significant variations of the free-volume depth profile in terms of the S parameter, ortho-positronium lifetime, intensity, and lifetime distribution are observed as a result of the hydrogen-bonding replacement of covalent bonds. The polymer mixture with hydrogen bonding through two sides of PEG short chains has a larger free volume and a wider distribution than the comb-structured PVP-PEGMMA and the network structured PVP-PEGDA. A longer ortho-positronium lifetime is observed near the surface than in the bulk. This is interpreted in terms of surface effect, free volume, and hydrogen bonding for drug delivery applications of polymeric materials.
Drug Carriers↗
Oxidation of eugenol by purified human term placental peroxidase.
The oxidation of eugenol by purified human term placental peroxidase (HTPP) was examined. Spectral analyses indicated that, similar to horseradish peroxidase, HTPP is capable of catalyzing the oxidation of eugenol. The accumulated stable product in the reaction medium due to eugenol oxidation by HTPP was tentatively identified as quinone methide of eugenol (EQM). The EQM formation exhibited a pH optimum of 8.0 and was dependent on incubation time, amount of HTPP and the concentration of both eugenol and hydrogen peroxide. The specific activity of approx 2.8 micromoles of EQM/min/mg protein was observed with different preparations of HTPP. The EQM formation was significantly suppressed by glutathione and ascorbic acid. The classical peroxidase inhibitors viz. potassium cyanide and sodium azide blocked the reaction in a concentration manner. Collectively, the results suggest that eugenol may undergo peroxidative metabolism in human placenta.
Eugenol↗
Prolongation of heterotopic heart allograft survival by portal venous injection of alloantigen: the role of hepatic nonparenchymal cells.
The induction of immune hyporesponsiveness in transplantation is a complex interaction between the immune system and the alloantigen. The route by which an antigen is introduced to the immune system plays an important role in the immune response. Antigen delivered via the portal circulation has the ability to induce T-cell hyporesponsiveness. In this study we examined the mechanism responsible for the induction of hyporesponsiveness by assessing immune response following portal vein (pv) injection of donor alloantigen. C57B1/6 mice were immunized via pv with splenic mononuclear cells (SMNC) from BALB/c mice. The recipient immune response was assessed in vivo by murine heterotopic heart transplant survival. SMNC and hepatic nonparenchymal cells (NPC) were isolated from pv immunized animals and used as regulatory cells in a one-way mixed lymphocyte culture (MLC) as a measure of in vitro recipient responder SMNC proliferation. Survival of murine heterotopic heart transplants was prolonged following pv injection of alloantigen (p < .04 compared to nonimmunized or systemically immunized mice). Stimulation of responder SMNCs isolated from pv immunized mice resulted in an antigen-specific hyporesponsiveness (p < .05 compared with nonimmunized or systemically immunized mice). Cocultures of responder SMNCs from nonimmunized (naive) mice with hepatic NPC from previously pv immunized mice resulted in attenuation of T-cell proliferation in MLR following stimulation with donor alloantigen (p < .05 compared to coculture with NPC from nonimmunized mice or SMNC from pv immunized mice). These data would suggest that the hepatic NPC plays an important role in the regulation of the immune response. With further identification of cell subtypes responsible for induction of hyporesponsiveness, future therapies may be directed at these specific targets, thereby minimizing the harmful side effects of current immunosuppressive therapies.
Animals↗
Analysis of cost and assessment of computerized patient record systems in Japan based on questionnaire survey.
PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to clarify the implementation and maintenance costs of a computerized patient record (CPR) system by means of a questionnaire survey. Moreover, the benefits of CPR systems were evaluated to determine their contribution to enhancing the quality of medical care and hospital management. METHODS: Data were collected by a questionnaire survey mailed out to participants. RESULTS: The per-bed mean cost for implementation was 14,308 dollars (range: 3538-38,077 dollars). The mean annual maintenance cost for the CPR system was 457,615 dollars (range: 39,769-2,307,692 dollars). The multivariate analysis (Hayashi's Quantification Type I) revealed high partial correlation coefficients between implementation cost and the CPR system maker. In addition, the multiple correlation coefficient for four factors (CPR system maker, number of servers, institution type and implementation date) in predicting implementation cost was 0.798. Over 60% of respondents replied that their satisfaction with the CPR system was 'very high' or 'high.' Eighty-two percent of the hospitals responded positively that CPR systems improve the quality of medical care, and 70% felt that the systems help prevent medical errors. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate that the maker of CPR system, number of servers, institution type and implementation date had a strong influence on per-bed implementation costs in that order. Finally, it was found that CPR systems were considered effective for hospital administration and medical examinations, based on the high assessments of the results of installing a CPR system.
Costs and Cost Analysis↗
In vivo measurement of cortical bone lead using polarized x rays.
An x-ray fluorescence system which utilizes polarized radiation to measure lead in vivo in human subjects is described. The minimum detection limit is approximately 6.4 ppm wet weight lead in the cortex of the tibia with 4 mm of overlying soft tissue. This appears to be adequate for assessing lead stores in lead-toxic preschool children. The measurement requires 16.5 min and is associated with an effective equivalent whole body dose to the subject of 2.5 muSv. The system, its calibration and its validation are described herein.
Bone and Bones↗
A recombinant fowlpox virus vaccine expressing glycoprotein B gene from CVI988/Rispens strain of MDV: protection studies in different chickens.
Recombinant fowlpox virus (rFPV) was constructed to express glycoprotein B (gB) gene from CVI988/Rispens strain of Marek's disease virus (MDV). The rFPV-gB/R alone and in combination with herpesvirus of turkey (HVT) preparations were evaluated for their protective efficacy against challenge with very virulent MDV strains Md5 and RB1B in different chickens. The rFPV-gB/R alone induced protection comparable to that by HVT vaccines in both Ab- SPF chickens and Ab+ production chickens. Significant protective synergism was observed in one of these two types of commercial production chickens when rFPV-gB/R was combined with HVT of either cell-associated or cell-free preparations. Immunogenesis studies showed that rFPV-gB/R, just like conventional vaccines, significantly reduced the level of viremia, splenocytes infection and feather follicle shedding of challenge virus in vaccinated chickens.
Animals↗
Cervical myelopathy due to chronic vitamin B12 deficiency or herniated cervical disc or both.
OBJECTIVE: A female patient with diagnosis of combined system degeneration due to vitamin B12 deficiency and multi-level cervical disc herniation underwent a comprehensive neurophysiologic tests. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Central conduction time (CCT) was calculated after recording of the SSEPs from cervical, brainstem, and parietal sensory cortex to peripheral stimulation. RESULTS: The CCT between the lower cervical spine and brainstem was 3.63 msec and 3.41 msec for left and right side. All values were within the normal range. The visual EPs and brain-stem auditory EPs were also normal. The MR imaging of the cervical region was remarkable for multi-level degenerative changes as well as osteophyte formation at C4-7 segments causing canal stenosis. CONCLUSIONS: It is possible that her symptoms are related to two separate chronic problems. The first is history of B12 deficiency, causing a subacute systems degeneration syndrome. The second is evidence of a cervical spondylotic myelopathy.
Cervical Vertebrae↗
The effect of beta-cyclodextrins as buffer additives on the (capillary) electrophoretic separation of peptides and proteins.
Electrophoretic and chromatographic experiments performed under straightforward conditions do not always provide satisfactory resolution. An obvious approach, then, is to manipulate the magnitude of relevant separation parameters, such as charge (zeta potential), size, and hydrophobicity, all of which can be accomplished by complex formation. This alternative has been studied with both a neutral, an anionic, and a cationic derivative of beta-cyclodextrin in an attempt to increase the resolution of peptides and proteins in free-zone electrophoresis utilizing the capillary format. The investigation showed that charged beta-cyclodextrins are suitable for this purpose. As expected, the effect seems to be most significant for substances with a small net surface charge, i.e., low mobility. Consequently, it may be advantageous to choose a pH of the buffer that is not far from the isoelectric point of the solutes. It should be emphasized that changes in the electropherograms observed upon addition of any complexing agent to the buffer may involve improvement or worsening of the resolution. Only by experimentation can one determine whether complexation with cyclodextrins favors resolution, since our knowledge about the interactions taking place is limited. However, if a positively (negatively) charged beta-cyclodextrin decreases the resolution of an acidic (basic) protein, one can expect theoretically, a negatively (positively) charged beta-cyclodextrin to increase the resolution, as was verified experimentally. The difference in mobility between two peaks caused by the complexation with cyclodextrins need not be larger than 2-3% for satisfactory resolution because the peaks are sharp. We have introduced a new definition for the resolution of two very adjacent peaks--the most common and interesting case in real-world analyses--that does not require measurement of peak widths.
Amino Acids↗