Genotype and genetic variation of HCV infections with low-risk factors in Putian coastal regions, China.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is one of the leading causes of death and morbidity associated with liver disease. Risk factors identified for the transmission of HCV include contaminated blood products, intravenous drug use, body piercing, an infected mother at birth, sexual activity, and dental therapy, among others. However, the exact diversity of the HCV genotype and genetic variation among patients with low-risk factors is still unknown. In this study, we briefly described and analysed the genotype distribution and genetic variation of HCV infections with low-risk factors using molecular biology techniques. The results suggested that genotype 1b was predominant, followed by genotypes 2a and 1a. Genetic variations in the 5' UTR sequences of HCV were identified, including point mutations, deletions, and insertions. The frequency of genetic variations in 1b was higher than in 2a. This study provides considerable value for the prevention and treatment of liver disease caused by HCV among patients with low-risk factors and for the development of HCV diagnostic reagents and vaccines.

Nerve fibers containing dynorphin A in cerebral arteries.

Nerve fibers containing dynorphin (Dyn) A(1-17)-like immunoreactivity were identified around cerebral arteries of guinea pig. The immunoreactive nerve fibers were richly distributed in anterior and middle cerebral arteries, but sparsely in posterior cerebral and basilar arteries. Histofluorescent study showed that large and small cerebral arteries were abundantly innervated by monoamine nerve fibers. Pretreatment with 6-hydroxydopamine or reserpine reduced the concentration of Dyn A in the wall of arteries by about 60% and 30%, respectively. These results demonstrated that there exist Dyn A immunoreactive nerve fibers in cerebral arteries and Dyn A may coexist with monoamine in perivascular nerve fibers.

[Changes of central glucose metabolism following caudate stimulation produced analgesia in the rat--an autoradiographic deoxyglucose A study].

Sokoloff's 2-deoxyglucose (2-DG) autoradiographic technique was used to identify changes of glucose metabolic rate in the rat brain following unilateral stimulation of the head of the caudate nucleus. The results were as follows. The local glucose metabolic rate after noxious stimulation was increased in the somatosensory cortex, cingulate cortex, ventroposterior and parafascicular nucleus of the thalamus, septal area, habenular nucleus, head of caudate nucleus, periaqueductal gray (PAG) and dorsal raphe nucleus (P < 0.05). After stimulating the head of the caudate nucleus, the local glucose metabolic rate of nucleus raphe magnus (rm) and nucleus paragigantocellularis (pgcl) was increased significantly and that of the PAG and dorsal raphe nucleus had a tendency to increase, while stimulation of the head of caudate nucleus could partially abolish the increased glucose metabolic rate in the somatosensory cortex, cingulate cortex, ventroposterior and parafascicular nucleus of the thalamus, septal area and habenular nucleus as induced by noxious stimulation. These results suggest that caudate stimulation is able to depress the activation of some brain structures related to nociception and to activate those related to antinociception. The pgcl, rm, PAG and dorsal raphe nucleus might be the key structures participating in the caudate stimulation produced analgesia.