Volume 102  ·   Issue 06  ·  1989

To study the natural carrier of P. marneffei experiments were done in 16 Rhizomys pruinous senex, a species of bamboo rats trapped in various districts of Guangxi. The results of mycological cultivation demonstrated that the natural positive carrier rate of bamboo rats was 93.1%. Among the internal organs taken for culture, the lung had the highest positive rate, 87.5%; next in decreasing order was the liver (56.3%), spleen (56.3%) and mesentery lymph node (50%). Thus,it is reasonable to consider that bamboo rats are a reservoir host of P. marneffei. In this paper, the colony shape and microstruture of P. marneffei, isolated from bamboo rats, are described. A preliminary discussion is given on the epidemiological relations between bamboo rats and human Penicilliosis marneffei.

Cultured smooth muscle cells of rabbit aorta were studied by 125I labelled rabbit HDL3. Saturation curves, measured at 4 C, showed the presence of two different components: the low-affinity non-saturable binding portion and the high-affinity binding portion (Kd about 5.6×10-8 mol/L and Bmax about 0.321 pg/mg cell protein). Scatchard analyses of the high-affinity binding portion suggest the presence of single class binding sites. Binding of rabbit HDL3 to cultured smooth muscle cells was relatively resistant to trypsin or pronase, and independent to Ca2+. The binding rate of 125I-HDL3 to the smooth muscle cells was highest at 4 C and the optimal pH was 2. Additionally, presence of high concentration apoAI reduced 50% of the binding rate of 125I-HDL3, and 125I-HDL3, being pretreated (blocked) with rat anti-rabbit apoAI IgG of different concentrations lost 70% of its original binding rate with smooth muscle cells. The results suggest that rabbit aorta smooth muscle cells possess a specific binding sites for apoE-free HDL which recognizes apoAI as a ligand.

This paper evaluates the efficacy of the bacterial larvicide bacillus sphaericus strains BS-10 and C3-41, which are isolated in China, as well as BS2362 against larvae of Culex pipiens pallens in laboratory and under field conditions. The results indicate that C3-41 has the highest toxicity with LC50 at 0.0057 ppm and the bacterial formulations are more effective in light polluted water than in heavy polluted one, but the action of B. sphaericus could persist longer in more polluted water.

Injections of serotonin (5-HT) into the aortic arch of rats caused greater reductions of blood presure (BP) and less increases in renal vascular resistance (RVR) than that into jugular veins, in contrast to norepinephrine (NE) which tended to cause larger increases in BP and RVR by the intra-aortic route. Indomethacin (INDO) enhanced renal vasoconstrictor responses to NE, but did not affect those of 5-HT. These data support a central nervous system (CNS) hypotensive effect of 5-HT not shared by NE, and a less interaction with vasodilator prostaglandins for 5-HT, when compared with NE.

Clear cell sarcoma of the kidney (CCSK) is currently recognized as an entity different from other sarcomas of the kidney. It is also known as bone metastasizing renal tumor of childhood (BMRTC) because of its great tendency to occur in children and metastasize to bones. An exceptional case of CCSK in adult with bone metastasis is reported and the literature is reviewed.

Of ninety-eight patients with intracranial tumors examined by dynamic CT scanning, 66 were confirmed operatively and pathologically. Our study showed that: 1) Dynamic CT can be performed safely and easily in outpatients; 2) Acoustic neurinoma, meningioma, pituitary chromophobe adenoma, astrocytoma and metastatic tumor have varying levels of time-density curves; 3) The tissue-blood ratio (TBR) at peak time (TBRp) is a useful indicator of the vascularity of tumoral tissues, and analysis of the time-density curve combining with TBRp is helpful to the differential diagnosis of tumors; 4) Differential diagnosis between tumors and vascular abnormalities such as aneurysm and arteriovenous malformation could be made easily with dynamic CT.

One hundred and nine patients with mental disor- ders caused by Qigong psychophysical exercise devia- tion are studied. These patients were divided into schizophrenic type (47 cases) and neurotic type (62 cases) and were analyzed by standard psychiatric rat- ing scales and improved Minnesota multiphasic per- sonality inventory (MMPI). The results show that pa- tients with Qigong deviation presented abnormalities in perception, thinking, and behavior of varying degree. The clinical charateristics eould not be classi- fied into extent psychiatric disease units. Most of these patients manifested specific physical symptoms of Qigong deviation. The authors suggest that this kind of mild, benign mental disorder associated with the unique culture of our country be studied to contnbute to the study of the classification of mental disorders. Qigong triggered disorders usually normalized during short term follow-up.

This paper reports the real time B-mode Doppler scanning findings of the extracranial portion of carotid arterial system (CAS) in 182 healthy persons (119 males and 63 females). The results showed that the diameter of the lumen of common carotid artery (CCA), bifurcation of common carotid artery (BCCA) and internal carotid artery (ICA) was larger in males than in females; there was no relationship between the diameter of the lumen of CCA, BCCA and ICA and body height; the diameter of lumen of CCA increased with age; 29 cases of atherosclerosis of the arterial wall (11 lesions with thickening of intima, 16 with hard plaque, one with soft plaque and 5 with stenosis) were observed; and the incidence of positive findings of atherosclerotic lesion of extracranial portion of CAS in the 40-49 age group and 50-59 age group was only 4.2% and 4.8% respectively, while the incidence in those aged over 60 increased markedly to 26.5-41.7%. These suggested that incidence of atherosclerosis in extracranial portion of CAS was not low in healthy persons without any evidence of stroke. As atheromatous lesions may be related to the consequent onset of stroke in the future, follow-up study and repeated Doppler scanning arc necessary so as to observe the relationship between the location and severity of the lesion and the occurrence of cercbrovasculor disease. They may be helpful in determining the indication for carotid artery operation and also play a role in the prevention and treatment of CVD.

Carbon tetrachloride was used to induce cirrhosis in 81 Wistar rats. The animals were divided into three groups to receive end-to-side mesocaval shunt (MCS), end-to-side portacaval shunt (PCS) and Sham operation as control, respectively. Dynamic values of blood glucose and hormones for regulating glucose metabolism, SGPT, serum glycine conjugated cholic acid (CCA) and free serum amino acids were determined and compared with those obtained from 10 normal rats. The determinations suggested that the insulin level depended on the severity of hepatocellular damage with hyperglucagonemia after portasystemic shunt, and CCA was markedly elevated in MCS rats after interruption of the enterohepatic circulation. Changes of CCA were also influenced by hyperglucagonemia and poor liver function in PCS rats. Increase in the aromatic amino acids (AAA) level was related to the impaired hepatic function and hyperglucagonemia. However, decrease in the branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) level was not likely in response to the serum insulin level. Therefore, it is concluded that imbalance of serum amino acids has partial relationship with the derangement of glucose metabolic hormones.