Cycloheterophyllin Inhibits the Release of Glutamate from Nerve Terminals of the Rat Hippocampus.

The effect of cycloheterophyllin, a prenylflavone isolated from , on glutamate release was studied in the rat hippocampus using synaptosome and slice preparations. In rat hippocampal synaptosomes, cycloheterophyllin inhibited 4-aminopyridine (4-AP)-evoked glutamate release and elevation of intrasynaptosomal calcium levels. The inhibitory effect of cycloheterophyllin on 4-AP-evoked glutamate release was prevented in the presence of the vesicular transporter inhibitor, the N- and P/Q-type calcium channel blocker, and the protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor but was insensitive to the intracellular Ca release inhibitors, the protein kinase A inhibitor, and the mitogen-activated/extracellular signal-regulated kinase inhibitor.

Use of polymerase chain reaction for early detection and management of hepatitis C virus infection after needlestick injury.

Infection with hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a matter of great concern because of its potentially grave consequences. Instead of relying on the conventional anti-HCV antibody test to detect HCV infection after needlestick incidents, we used the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to achieve earlier detection, to manage a patient more effectively, and to exclude possible infection more quickly. Fourteen incidents were studied in which the source patients were positive for both the anti-HCV antibody and HCV RNA, and the exposed subjects were negative for anti-HCV antibody at the time of the incidents.