Cooperation between transcription factor AP-1 and NF-kappaB in the induction of interleukin-8 in human pancreatic adenocarcinoma cells by hypoxia

The expression of interleukin-8 (IL-8) has been shown to play an important role in the growth and metastasis of human pancreatic cancer. In the present study, we investigated the regulation of IL-8 gene expression by hypoxic environments. Exposure of the human pancreatic cancer cells COLO357 and FG to hypoxia in culture resulted in a time-dependent increase in steady-state levels of IL-8 mRNA and IL-8 protein secretion. The induction of IL-8 expression was correlated with transcriptional activation of the IL-8 gene. Deletion and point mutation analyses of the IL-8 promoter revealed that both AP-1 and NF-kappaB binding sites were necessary for IL-8 induction by hypoxia. Consistently, hypoxia induced both AP-1 and NF-kappaB activity. These data suggest that hypoxic environments upregulate the IL-8 gene via cooperation of NF-kappaB and AP-1 and contribute to the progression and metastasis of human pancreatic cancer.

Constitutive and inducible interleukin 8 expression by hypoxia and acidosis renders human pancreatic cancer cells more tumorigenic and metastatic

The role and regulation of interleukin 8 (IL-8) in the growth and metastasis of SG, FG, and L3.3 variants derived from COLO 357 human pancreatic cancer cells were determined. After orthotopic implantation in the pancreas of nude mice, SG cells produced the smallest tumors, whereas L3.3 cells produced the largest tumors. SG cells produced no liver metastasis, whereas FG cells produced numerous liver metastases, and L3.3 cells produced more and larger liver metastases. In vitro analysis of IL-8 expression indicated that SG cells expressed the lowest level of IL-8 gene expression as determined by both Northern blot analysis and ELISA, whereas L3.3 cells expressed the highest level of IL-8. Immunohistochemical analysis of tumor lesions indicated that IL-8 overexpression was predominant in the regions surrounding necrotic areas, where cells were exposed to low oxygen tension (hypoxia) and acidic pH. In vitro treatment of FG tumor cells with hypoxia or acidosis led to an increased expression of IL-8. To directly determine the role of IL-8 in the growth and metastasis of pancreatic cancer, FG cells were transfected with IL-8 sense or antisense oligonucleotide expression vectors. The neo-resistance gene-transfected FG cells were used as controls. Decreased IL-8 expression after transfection with IL-8 antisense oligonucleotide expression vector retarded the growth of FG cells in mice after intrapancreatic implantation, which correlated with decreased tumor angiogenesis. Our data demonstrated that hypoxia and acidosis contribute to the overexpression of IL-8, which in turn plays an important role in tumor angiogenesis and contributes significantly to the aggressive biology of human pancreatic cancer.

Active-oxygen scavenging activity of traditional nourishing-tonic herbal medicines and active constituents of Rhodiola sacra

The active-oxygen scavenging activity of 70 traditional herbal medicines used in China and Japan as nourishing tonics were evaluated by electron spin resonance (ESR) technique, in order to evaluate their effectiveness for anti-aging and to search for new active-oxygen scavengers from natural resources. Most of the 70 herbal medicines showed scavenging activity with various intensities. Areca catechu (methanol extract), Dendrobium plicatile (methanol extract), Juglans regia (water extract), Paeonia lactiflora (methanol extract), Psychotria serpens (water and methanol extracts), Rhodiola sacra (water and methanol extracts) and Uncaria rhynchophylla (water extract) especially showed strong scavenging activity against superoxide anion radical (*O2-), while J. regia (water and methanol extracts), Morus alba (water extract) and Schisandra chinensis (water extract) revealed strong scavenging activity against hydroxyl radical (HO*). In addition, the active-oxygen scavenging activities of 19 compounds isolated from R. sacra were also examined, and hydroquinone (1), caffeic acid (3), protocatechuic acid (6), gallic acid (7), (-)-epigallocatechin 3-O-gallate (8), 3-O-galloylepigallocatechin-(4beta-->8)-epigallocatechin+ ++ 3-O-gallate (10), heterodendrin (17) and gallic acid 4-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (19) were found to show mild or strong inhibitory activity against superoxide anion radical (*O2-), while 4-hydroxybenzoic acid (2), 3, 4-hydroxycinnamic acid (4), 6-8 and 19 inhibited hydroxyl radical (OH*). These active-oxygen scavengers may contribute, to different extents, to their anti-aging action.

[Changes of placental nitric oxide synthase in patients with pregnancy induced hypertension]

The objective of this study was to determine whether the expression of placental endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and/or inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) are changed in pregnancy induced hypertension (PIH). The placentas of 32 patients with PIH and 32 normal pregnancies were studied by immunohistochemistry (Avidin-Biotin-Complex method). The results showed there were eNOS and iNOS antigens in placental tissues from PIH and normal pregnancy. They were all localized in placental villi and syncytiotrophoblast cells. The expression of placenta eNOS decreased significantly in patients with PIH as compared with that of normal pregnancy. The expression of placenta eNOS in mild PIH was higher than that of moderate or severe PIH (P < 0.025, P < 0.005, respectively). There was a negative correlation between blood pressure and the expression of eNOS in placenta (P < 0.0005). There was no significant difference between the expression of iNOS in placenta with PIH and that in normal pregnancy. Also, there was no significant difference of the expression of iNOS in placenta between the mild and moderate PIH, or the mild and severe PIH. Furthermore, there was no correlation between blood pressure and the expression of iNOS in placenta with PIH. It is concluded that the decrease of the expression of eNOS in placenta may be associated with the pathogenesis of PIH.

Acteoside inhibits apoptosis in D-galactosamine and lipopolysaccharide-induced liver injury

We assessed the effect of acteoside, a naturally occurring antioxidative phenylethanoid, on hepatic apoptosis and the subsequent liver failure induced by D-Galactosamine (D-GalN) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS). A co-administration of D-GalN (700 mg/kg) and LPS (35 microg/kg) to mice evoked typical hepatic apoptosis characterized by DNA fragmentation and apoptotic body formation, resulting in fulminant hepatitis and lethality of mice. Pre-administration of acteoside at 10 or 50 mg/kg subcutaneously at 12 and 1 h prior to D-GalN/LPS intoxication significantly inhibited hepatic apoptosis, hepatitis and lethality. Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) secreted from LPS-stimulated macrophages is an important mediator of apoptosis in this model. Acteoside showed no apparent effect on the marked elevation of serum TNF-alpha, but it partially prevented in vitro TNF-alpha (100 ng/ml)-induced cell death in D-GalN (0.5 mM)-sensitized hepatocytes at the concentrations of 50, 100 and 200 microM. These results indicated that D-GalN/LPS-induced hepatic apoptosis can be blocked by an exogenous antioxidant, suggesting the involvement of reactive oxygen intermediates (ROIs) in TNF-alpha-dependent hepatic apoptosis.

Inhibitory effect of tetrahydroswertianolin on tumor necrosis factor-alpha-dependent hepatic apoptosis in mice

We investigated the effect of tetrahydroswertianolin (THS), a hepatoprotective agent from Swertia japonica, on tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha)-dependent hepatic apoptosis induced by D-galactosamine (D-GalN) (700 mg/kg, i.p.) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) (10 microg/kg, i.p.) in mice. Apoptotic symptoms were observed at the initial stage of liver damage. By 5 hr after intoxication, hepatic DNA fragmentation had risen to 2123%, with the value in untreated mice set at 100%, without a significant elevation of serum alanine transaminase (ALT) activity. There was a parallel increase in hepatocytes undergoing chromatin condensation and apoptotic body formation. By 8 hr after intoxication, serum ALT activity had risen to 3707 U/L. Pretreatment with THS (50 mg/kg, p.o.) at 18 and 2 hr before intoxication significantly reduced DNA fragmentation to 821% of that in untreated mice and prevented the emergence of chromatin condensation and apoptotic body formation. A significant and dose-dependent reduction in serum ALT activity at 8 hr also was observed with THS pretreatment. These effects of THS were different from those observed from pretreatment with glycyrrhizin (GCR), which is a clinically used hepatoprotective agent with membrane-stabilizing activity. GCR pretreatment (100 mg/kg, p.o.) did not inhibit hepatic DNA fragmentation (1588% of untreated mice), although this compound significantly protected against serum ALT elevation (1463 U/L). These data suggest that an inhibitory effect on the progression of hepatic apoptosis prior to liver injury may be involved in the hepatoprotective mechanisms of THS, whereas it appears that GCR affects the processes after apoptosis. In a separate experiment, we found that the concentration of serum TNF-alpha rose to 2016 pg/mL at 1 hr after intoxication of mice with D-GalN and LPS, but this increase was suppressed by THS pretreatment (10, 50, or 200 mg/kg, p.o.) to 716, 454, or 406 pg/mL, respectively. Further study with a reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction method showed that THS blocked TNF-alpha production at the transcriptional level. Because TNF-alpha is a critical mediator to elicit apoptosis in this model, the property of suppressing TNF-alpha production may be of prime importance for THS inhibition of hepatic apoptosis.

[The changes of serum estrogen, progesterone and the function of immune system in intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy]

OBJECTIVE

To explore the effects of estrogen, progesterone and the function of immune system on intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP).

METHODS

Fifty women with ICP and fifty normal pregnant women were enrolled in the study. The levels of their serum estradiol (E2) and progesterone (P) were measured and cellular immunity and humoral immunity were determined. Radioimmunoassay was used to detect the levels of E2 and P, and APAAP was used to detect cellular immunity.

RESULTS

(1) The level of estrodiol was significantly increased in ICP group than those of normal control group (25.89 +/- 6.85 micrograms/L, 16.92 +/- 4.98 micrograms/L, P < 0.01). (2) The level of CD8+ was decreased (19.06 +/- 1.93%, 26.43 +/- 2.89%) and the ratio of CD4+/CD8+ was increased significantly in ICP group than those of control group (2.23 +/- 0.38, 1.73 +/- 0.23, P < 0.05). (3) There were negative correlation between E2 and CD8+, and positive correlation between E2 and the ratio of CD4+/CD8+.

CONCLUSION

These results suggest that the high level of E2 of ICP patients may result in functional disorder of immune system by the means of estrogen receptor on CD8+. This may be a factor of ICP development.

[Weight gain pattern in normal pregnant women]

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to determine the maternal weight gain pattern of normal pregnant women.

METHODS

One thousand five hundred and sixty-two (1,562) women, with 11,059 records, received prenatal care and had their babies delivered at the Second Hospital of West China University of Medical Sciences during the period of Jan. 1-Dec. 31, 1995. All the women without complications and with their babies weighted between 2,500-3,999 g were included, and data was analyzed.

RESULTS

The average age was 26.49 +/- 3.02 and height 158.69 +/- 4.85 cm. The women were divided into three categories according to their prepregnant body mass index (BMI): underweight (< 16.75), normal weight (16.75-23.71) and overweight (> 23.71). The BMIs of each categories increased as gestational week approached to the term, with total BMI increase as 8.07, 5.37, 3.82 for underweight, normal weight and overweight, respectively.

CONCLUSION

BMI, calculated with weight and height, is more accurate to assess maternal weight gain than weight alone do, and above results and accompanied charts could be used to monitor maternal weight gain as a reference.

Hepatoprotective activity of phenylethanoids from Cistanche deserticola

Four phenylethanoids isolated from the stems of Cistanche deserticola, acteoside (1), 2'-acetylacteoside (2), isoacteoside (3) and tubuloside B (4), significantly suppressed NADPH/CCl4-induced lipid peroxidation in rat liver microsomes. Addition of them to primary cultured rat hepatocytes efficiently prevented cell damage induced by exposure to CCl4 or D-galactosamine (D-GalN). Acteoside (1) further showed pronounced anti-hepatotoxic activity against CCl4 in vivo.

Hepatoprotective principles of Swertia japonica Makino on D-galactosamine/lipopolysaccharide-induced liver injury in mice

The n-BuOH extract of Swertia japonica showed a significant hepatoprotective effect on D-galactosamine (D-GalN)/lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced liver injury in mice. The activity-guided fractionation led to the isolation of a new tetrahydroxanthone derivative, tetrahydroswertianolin (1), as well as two known iridoids, gentiopicroside (2) and sweroside (3). Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic methods and chemical reactions. Of the three compounds, 2 and 3 possessed mild hepatoprotective activity at a dose range of 25-50 mg/kg, whereas, 1 exhibited potent activity in a dose-dependent manner. The hepatoprotective effect of tetrahydroswertianolin (1) was stronger than that of glycyrrhizin which was used as a positive control.

Effect of phosphomonoesters, phosphodiesters, and phosphocreatine on glutamate uptake by synaptic vesicles

L-Glutamate, a major excitatory amino acid, plays an important role in learning and memory. L-Glutamate uptake into synaptic vesicles is an ATP-dependent process. Exposure of neurons to high, sustained extracellular concentrations of glutamate results in excitotoxicity. Elevated levels of phosphomonoesters (PMEs), phosphodiesters (PDEs), and phosphocreatine (PCr) have been reported in Alzheimer disease (AD). In this article, the effects of selected PMEs, PDEs, and PCr on vesicular L-[3H]glutamate uptake into isolated bovine synaptic vesicles are investigated. D-myo-Inositol-1-monophosphate (I1P), D-myo-inositol-2-monophosphate (I2P), sn-glycero-3-phosphate, (alpha-GP) and PCr significantly stimulated L-[3H]glutamate uptake into synaptic vesicles. Phosphoethanolamine (PE), phosphocholine (PC), L-phosphoserine (L-PS) sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (GPC), and sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine (GPE) had little or no effect on vesicular L-glutamate uptake. These observations suggested that the vesicular uptake of glutamate can be regulated by endogenous PMEs and PCr. The mechanism of activation by I1P, I2P, and alpha-GP appears to be stimulation of Mg(2+)-ATPase activity. These effects on vesicular glutamate uptake may be important in diseases in which the levels of these metabolites are altered, as they are in AD.

[Analysis on speciems of serum and urine in 66 cases of early leptospirosis by PCR and biotin-AMPPD hybridization]

We used polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and Biotin-AMPPD hybridization to detect leptospiral DNA in blood and urine samples in 66 patients at the early stage of leptospirosis. The results showed that PCR and Biotin-AMPPD hybridization not only ruled out the non-specific PCR amplification and increased the reliability for clinical specineus of leptospirosis but also raised the detecting sensibility (from 71.3% to 86.1%). The positive rates of PCR resulted from serum and urine showed no statistical difference; therefore urine sample is worthy of application and dissemination for detecting leptospires at the early stage of leptospirosis. Urine sample is easier for one to collect, preserve and has less intervention. The primers G1, G2 are optimal opplication of PCR in epdemic areas in China.

[Characterication of reference strains of L. interrogans in China by ISSP-PCR]

The gene polymorphism of the DNAs extracted from reference strains of L. interrogans in China was characterized by LSSP-PCR primered by G1 or G2, which were a pair of specific primers for L. interrogans. The fingerprinting produced by LSSP-PCR showed that serovar lai, serovar canicola, serovar pyrogens, serovar autumnalis, serovar australis, serovar linhai, serovar wolffi and serovar haemolytic have similar patterns, but serovar hebdomadis, serovar javanica, serovar ballum, serovar pomona, serovar spaidjin, serovar tarassov and serovar manahao I have different profiles. This result agreed with the classification of genetic species by Yasuda. The utilization of LSSP-PCR banding patterns in the identification of leptospries in blood samples also gained encouraging results. Compared with the routine methods in genetic species classification, LSSP-PCR has the advantages of rapidity, simplicity and low-cost. It appears to be a promising tool in studying such slowly growing bacteria as leptospires. Further exploration of LSSP-PCR in classification and identification of Leptospires is worthwhile.

Hepatoprotective effect of Hovenia dulcis THUNB. on experimental liver injuries induced by carbon tetrachloride or D-galactosamine/lipopolysaccharide

The hepatoprotective effects of the fruits of Hovenia dulcis THUNB. on chemically or immunologically induced experimental liver injury models were examined. The methanol extract showed significant hepatoprotective activity against CCl4-toxicity in rats and D-galactosamine (D-GalN)/lipopolysaccharide-induced liver injury in mice. The methanol extract also significantly protected against CCl4-toxicity in primary cultured rat hepatocytes. Hepatoprotective activity-guided fractionation and chemical analysis led to the isolation of an active constituent, (+)-ampelopsin (1) from the methanol extract.

Antioxidative effects of phenylethanoids from Cistanche deserticola

The acetone-H2O (9:1) extract from the stem of Cistanche deserticola showed a strong free radical scavenging activity. Nine major phenylethanoid compounds were isolated from this extract. They were identified by NMR as acteoside, isoacteoside, 2'-acetylacteoside, tubuloside B, echinacoside, tubuloside A, syringalide A 3'-alpha-rhamnopyranoside, cistanoside A and cistanoside F. All of these compounds showed stronger free radical scavenging activities than alpha-tocopherol on 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical and xanthine/xanthine oxidase (XOD) generated superoxide anion radical (O2-.). Among the nine compounds, isoacteoside and tubuloside B, whose caffeoyl moiety is at 6'-position of the glucose, showed an inhibitory effect on XOD. We further studied the effects of these phenylethanoids on the lipid peroxidation in rat liver microsomes induced by enzymatic and non-enzymatic methods. As expected, each of them exhibited significant inhibition on both ascorbic acid/Fe2+ and ADP/NADPH/Fe3+ induced lipid peroxidation in rat liver microsomes, which were more potent than alpha-tocopherol of caffeic acid. The antioxidative effect was found to be potentiated by an increase in the number of phenolic hydroxyl groups in the molecule.

Cloning and Expression of Chicken Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase Gamma

A 5,403 bp cDNA encoding chicken protein tyrosine phosphatase gamma (PTPgamma) was isolated and sequenced. The predicted open reading frame of 1,422 amino acids (aa) includes 742 aa of extracellular (EC) domain, 26 aa of transmembrane (TM) domain and 634 aa of intracellular domain. The chicken PTPgamma has a 86.7% aa identity to its human homolog and contains the carbonic anhydrase-like domain and fibronectin type III homologous regions in the EC domain, as well as the tandem linked catalytic sequences in the cytoplasmic domain. However, the chicken PTPgamma lacks 29 aa immediate downstream of the putative TM domain in comparison with its human counterpart. Northern analysis revealed the presence of two transcripts of 6.3 and 9.5 kb in various tissues. The cytoplasmic domain of the PTPgamma could be expressed as an enzymatically active form in SF9 insect cells. PTPgamma could also be expressed in normal and rsc-transformed NIH3T3 and Rat 1 cells as a gag-PTP fusion protein, but no detectable effects on growth and colony formation of these cells were observed. Copyright 1996 S. Karger AG, Basel

Phosphocreatine-dependent glutamate uptake by synaptic vesicles. A comparison with atp-dependent glutamate uptake

ATP-dependent uptake of glutamate into synaptic vesicles has been well documented. Stimulation of glutamate uptake into synaptic vesicles by other high-energy phosphates has not been described. In this paper, we examine the stimulation of phosphocreatine (PCr)-induced glutamate uptake and determine whether this stimulation is secondary to conversion of PCr to ATP. We found the following. 1) PCr stimulates glutamate uptake into synaptic vesicles in the absence of added ATP. 2) At a glutamate concentration of 50 microM, no concentration of added ATP could produce the degree of stimulation seen in the presence of PCr. 3) 0.5 mM iodoacetamide completely inhibits synaptic vesicle creatine kinase activity but does not inhibit PCr-stimulated glutamate uptake. 4) PCr-dependent glutamate uptake, unlike ATP-dependent uptake, is not magnesium- or chloride-dependent. 5) 0.5 mM N-ethylmaleimide, a selective H+-ATPase inhibitor, completely inhibits ATP-dependent glutamate uptake but only slightly inhibits PCr-dependent glutamate uptake. 6) PCr-dependent glutamate uptake is sensitive to valinomycin, a K+/H+ translocator, whereas the ATP-dependent uptake is not. Therefore, it appears that in addition to the well-known ATP-dependent glutamate uptake system, there is a previously unreported PCr-dependent glutamate uptake system in synaptic vesicles. The total glutamate uptake by synaptic vesicles is likely the sum of both ATP- and PCr-dependent glutamate uptake.

Two chimeric receptors of epidermal growth factor receptor and c-Ros that differ in their transmembrane domains have opposite effects on cell growth

Two chimeric receptors, ER1 and ER2, were constructed. ER1 contains the extracellular and transmembrane (TM) domains derived from epidermal growth factor receptor and the cytoplasmic domain from c-Ros; ER2 is identical to ER1 except that its TM domain is derived from c-Ros. Both chimeras can be activated by epidermal growth factor and are capable of activating or phosphorylating an array of cellular signaling proteins. Both chimeras promote colony formation in soft agar with about equal efficiency. Surprisingly, ER1 inhibits while ER2 stimulates cell growth on monolayer culture. Cell cycle analysis revealed that all phases, in particular the S and G2/M phases, of the cell cycle in ER1 cells were elongated whereas G1 phase of ER2 cells was shortened threefold. Comparison of signaling pathways mediated by the two chimeras revealed several differences. Several early signaling proteins are activated or phosphorylated to a higher extent in ER1 than in ER2 cells in response to epidermal growth factor. ER1 is less efficiently internalized and remains tyrosine phosphorylated for a longer time than ER2. However, phosphorylation of the 66-kDa She protein, activation of mitogen activated protein kinase, and induction of c-fos and c-jun occur either to a lesser extent or for a shorter time in ER1 cells. Cellular protein phosphorylation patterns are also different in ER1 and ER2 cells. In particular, a 190-kDa Shc-associated protein is tyrosine phosphorylated in ER2 but not in ER1 cells. Our results indicate that the TM domains have a profound effect on the signal transduction and biological activity of those chimeric receptors. The results also imply that sustained stimulation of ER1 due to its retarded internalization apparently triggers an inhibitory response that dominantly counteracts the receptor-mediated mitogenic signals. These two chimeras, expressed at similar levels in the same cell type but having opposite effects on cell growth, provide an ideal system to study the mechanism by which a protein tyrosine kinase inhibits cell growth.

[16S rRNA gene PCR-SSCP analysis of the reference strains from 15 serovars (14 serogroups) of pathogenic leptospires in China]

The DNAs of reference strains from 15 serovars (14 serogroups) of pathogenic leptospires in China were amplified with 16S rRNA gene primers, and then single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) of the products were analyzed in 12.5% nondenaturing mini polyacrylamide gel (containing 5% glycerol) combining with silver-staining. All products showed two bands on electrophoresis at different parameters of voltage or current and concentration of gel. It proved that serovar lai, serovar canicola, serovar pyrogenes, serovar autumnalis, serovar australis, serovar pomona, serovar linhai, serovar hebdomadis, serovar haemolytica, serovar wolffi and serovar paidjan have the identical pattern (Leptospira interrogans), while serovar javanica, serovar ballum, serovar tarassovi and serovar manhao I belong to another pattern (L. borgpetersenii). The result was consistent with the classification of genetic species by Yasuda et al (1987) and Ramadass et al (1992).

[Clinical value of measurement of serum creatine kinase BB and neuron specific enolase for small cell lung cancer]

Serum creatine kinase BB (CK-BB) and neuron specific enolase (NSE) were measured with chromatography-fluorometric method and ABC-ELISA in 20 patients with small cell lung cancer (SCLC), 30 patients with non small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), 25 patients with benign pulmonary diseases (BPD) and 30 healthy subjects (C). The results revealed that serum concentrations of CK-BB and NSE in SCLC were significantly greater than those in other three groups (P < 0.001). The mean values of CK-BB and NSE in SCLC, NSCLC, BPD, C were 30.2, 8.4, 6.3, 4.3 IU/L and 52.2, 12.7, 10.3, 9.2 ng/ml, respectively. If values above 9.5 IU/L (CK-BB) and 20.8 ng/ml (NSE) were considered abnormal, 70% and 80% of the values of CK-BB and NSE in SCLC were positive, respectively, which were higher than those in NSCLC (P < 0.005). The serum levels of CK-BB had linear correlation with those of NSE in SCLC (r = 0.7934, P < 0.001). By combined determination, the sensitivity and specificity were increased to 90% and 94% respectively. Therefore, the results suggest that serum CK-BB and NSE be diagnostic markers for SCLC. Concurrent determination may raise their value in clinical use.

[Analysis of risk factors of postpartum hemorrhage in rural women]

Sixty variables during pregnancy, labor and delivery of 951 rural women were analyzed to identify the risk factors of postpartum hemorrhage. The result showed that uterine atony (RR = 13.30, 95% CI = 8.23-21.50) and its related factors were the major risk factors of postpartum hemorrhage. The related factors included prolonged labor (3.49, 1.98-6.15), prolonged second stage of labor (2.72, 1.54-4.78), pregnancy induced hypertension (mild 2.35, 1.11-4.99; > or = moderate 3.04, 1.38-6.70), neonatal weight > or = 3.500 g (2.55, 1.66-3.91). Another category of postpartum hemorrhage risk factors were placental factors (6.32, 2.35-17.01), the third stage of labor > or = 10 minutes (2.65, 1.74-4.01), parity > or = 2 (2.61, 1.69-4.01) and maternal age > or = 30 (2.19, 1.13-4.24). The authors recommends that the stress should be put on the management of labor and delivery, to prevent and management of postpartum hemorrhage, through training the birth attendants to promote their ability to prevent and manage uterine atony and correct management of labor and delivery.

[Determination of pancreatic blood flow at the early stage of acute haemorrhagic necrotizing pancreatitis induced by sodium taurocholate in rats]

Acute haemorrhagic necrotizing pancreatitis was induced by injecting 5% sodium taurocholate (Na-Tc) directly into the common biliopancreatic duct in rats. In control group 0.9% NaCl was used. The activity of serum lipase and amylase distinctly increased at 3 h and went up to the maximum at 12 h after injection of Na-Tc. The pancreatic blood flow and tissue perfusion per gram increased apparently at 1 h and decreased at 12 h after injection of Na-Tc by using the fractional indicator distribution technique with 86RbCl. The results demonstrated that the early stage of acute haemorrhagic necrotizing pancreatitis induced by Na-Tc in rats was still a primary inflammatory response.

[Effect of phospholipase A2 on pancreatic parenchymal necrosis in acute pancreatitis in rats]

The effect and mechanism of phospholipase A2 (PLA2) on pancreatic parenchymal necrosis in acute pancreatitis (AP) in rats were studied. Normal saline (NS), PLA2, phosphatidylcholine (PC), and PLA2 mixed PC were respectively injected into the biliopancreatic duct of the rat. The mixture of PLA2 and PC was found to result in necrotizing AP in the rat in 12 hours after injection of the reagent. The lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) percentage in the amount of PC and LPC and the extent of pancreatic necrosis in this group increased much more significantly than those in other three groups (over about 4 and 15 times). There is evidently positive correlation (r = 0.9001, P less than 0.01) between LPC percentage and necrosis extent. The intraductal injection of PLA2, as well as NS or PC, failed to induce severe morphological changes in the pancreases. These results suggest that PC in bile is necessary in the pathogenesis of biliary pancreatitis and that LPC originated from bile PC by PLA2 may be the initiator in pancreatic parenchymal necrosis in AP.

[Intrapartum fetal monitoring by electrocardiography]

To study the diagnostic values of intrapartum fetal electrocardiography (FECG) and cardiotocography (CTG), 68 patients in labor were monitored at random. One-min Apgar score was chosen as the gold standard. The specificity (87.1%) and accuracy (86.8%) of FECG were found better than those of CTG (54.5% and 57.4% respectively). Fetal hypoxia and acidosis was firstly manifested by shortened P-R interval, FHR deceleration and increase in the T wave amplitude. It suggested that FECG can be a reliable diagnostic method following CTG screening.