Persistent left superior vena cava draining to left atrium with normal coronary sinus

In embryology, a persistent connection of the left superior vena cava to the left atrium rarely coexists with a coronary sinus. We herein report an unusual case of persistent left superior vena cava terminating in a left atrium with normal coronary sinus, which was revealed at the time of permanent pacemaker implantation after a second operation for recurrent left atrioventricular valve regurgitation. Because this anomaly had gone undiagnosed at the first operation, we were unable to diagnose it prior to the second operation, because the preoperative coronary angiogram clearly demonstrated a coronary sinus that was not dilated. We would have repaired the anomaly using a patch or other procedure had it been diagnosed before the second operation in order to prevent cyanosis or brain complications secondary to right-to-left shunting. One should always be on guard for this rare condition.     

Blockade of superoxide generation prevents high-affinity immunoglobulin E receptor-mediated release of allergic mediators by rat mast cell line and human basophils

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have shown that rat peritoneal mast cells and mast cell model rat basophilic leukaemia (RBL-2H3) cells generate intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) in response to antigen challenge. However, the physiological significance of the burst of ROS is poorly understood. OBJECTIVE: The present study was undertaken to investigate the role of superoxide anion in mediator release in rat and human cell systems. METHODS: RBL-2H3 cells were directly stimulated with anti-rat FcepsilonRI alpha-subunit monoclonal antibody (mAb). For the analysis of human cell system, leucocytes were isolated by dextran sedimentation from healthy volunteers or from patients, and challenged either with anti-human FcepsilonRI mAb or with the relevant antigens. Superoxide generation was determined by chemiluminescence-based methods. The releases of histamine and leukotrienes (LT)s were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorben assay (ELISA). RESULTS: Cross-linking of FcepsilonRI on RBL-2H3 cells or on human leucocytes from healthy donors by the anti-FcepsilonRI mAb resulted in a rapid generation of superoxide anion, as determined by chemiluminescence using superoxide-specific probes. Similarly, leucocytes from patients generated superoxide anion in response to the challenge with the relevant allergen but not with the irrelevant allergen. Furthermore, diphenyleneiodonium (DPI), a well-known inhibitor of flavoenzymes suppressed the superoxide generation and the release of histamine and LTC4 induced by the anti-FcepsilonRI mAb or by allergen in parallel. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that both RBL-2H3 cells and human basophils generate superoxide anion upon FcepsilonRI cross-linking either by antibody or by allergen challenge and that blockade of the generation prevents the release of allergic mediators. The findings strongly support the role of superoxide generation in the activation of mast cells and basophils under both physiological and pathological conditions. The findings suggest that drugs regulating the superoxide generation have potential therapeutic use for allergic disorders.     

The effect of protein restriction on the severity and recovery from ischemic renal failure

The effects of chronic dietary protein restriction on ischemic renal failure were evaluated in rats subjected to 90 min of bilateral renal clamping. The rats were kept on either 20% casein (regular) diet or casein-free (protein-free) diet 10 days before and 21 days after renal injury. Rats on regular protein diet showed higher levels of BUN and serum creatinine and had a lower inulin clearance (microliter/min/100 g BW) than animals on protein-free diet (289 +/- 34 vs 582 +/- 103, p less than 0.05) 2 days after ischemia. However, the inulin clearance measured 21 days following ischemia was significantly higher in rats on regular diet (1468 +/- 181) than those maintained on protein-free diet after ischemia (560 +/- 167). When unilateral 90 min ischemia was performed in rats on regular diet, the postischemic kidneys showed an incomplete recovery of the inulin clearance (226 +/- 35) compared to the contralateral kidney (900 +/- 116), 21 days after ischemia; whereas in rats on a protein-free diet the inulin clearance averaged 106 +/- 17 in the postischemic kidney and 345 +/- 41 in the right kidney. When left renal ischemia and contralateral nephrectomy were performed, the inulin clearance was 1149 +/- 74 in rats on regular diet and 534 +/- 60 in rats on protein-free diet, 21 days following renal insult. These results suggest that protein restriction can play a protective role against renal ischemia in an initial phase, but it limits the late recovery from ischemia. The presence of a normal contralateral kidney inhibits the functional recovery of the postischemic kidney and a contralateral nephrectomy produces a compensatory functional hypertrophy of the postischemic kidney, even in rats on a protein-free diet.     

Isolation and preliminary characterization of ACNU-resistant sublines of rat brain tumors in vivo.

Two variant cells lines resistant to the nitrosourea derivative ACNU ((1-4-amino-2-methyl-5-pyrimidinyl)-methyl-3-(2-chloroethyl)-3-nitrosourea hydrochloride), namely C6/ACNU and 9L/ACNU, were selected in vivo from rat brain tumors. Stable resistance to ACNU proved to be a characteristic of these cell lines, whether they were grown in vivo or in vitro. These cell lines exhibited a different pattern of cross-resistance to a wide range of chemotherapeutic agents with dissimilar chemical structures and mechanisms of action as compared with that of other ACNU-resistant cell lines established in vitro. Distinct cross-resistance was observed in both the C6/ACNU and 9L/ACNU cell lines to chloroethyl-nitrosoureas such as BCNU (carmustine), CCNU (lomustine), and methyl CCNU and, additionally, to vincristine, vinblastine, Adriamycin (doxorubicin), and arabinosylcytosine, but not to bleomycin, methotrexate, cis-platinum, and 5-fluorouracil. This might point to a multifactorial mechanism of drug resistance in ACNU-resistant cell lines derived from rat C6 and 9L brain tumor cells.     

Effect of smoking on fibronectin production by human amnion and placenta.

Fibronectin production from amnion and placental tissues was evaluated in pregnant woman smokers and nonsmokers in order to examine if there were alterations of fibronectin metabolism in intrauterine tissues. In both amnion and placental tissues, cycloheximide inhibited the fibronectin output indicating that it was being synthesized. Mean fibronectin output by amnion in pregnant woman smokers was significantly lower than that in pregnant woman nonsmokers. In contrast, in the placenta from pregnant woman smokers, the output was significantly higher than that in pregnant woman nonsmokers. The present observations indicate that smoking alters an important biochemical constituent in amnion and placenta, possible leading to some complications.     

Myocardial perfusion and clearance of 99mTc teboroxime assessed by SPECT]

99mTc teboroxime is a new myocardial imaging agent that has characteristics of high accumulation in the heart and rapid clearance. We performed tomographic teboroxime study and compared the findings with that of 201Tl. Myocardial teboroxime clearance was calculated by dynamic single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) using continuous repetitive rotation acquisition method. Teboroxime SPECT image was reconstructed by the three-minute data started from 4 minutes after injection. In 45 myocardial regions (15 patients), complete agreement between 201Tl and 99mTc teboroxime was obtained in 33 regions (73%), when the findings were classified as normal, ischemia and infarction. Significant delay in clearance was seen in the region of coronary stenosis (greater than or equal to 75%) compared with that in the control region (p = 0.0087 at rest, and p = 0.0385 at peak exercise by paired T test). Septum-to-lateral ratios of the clearance and myocardial initial count showed positive correlation (r = 0.743). Further clinical application of this radiopharmaceutical is expected as a new myocardial imaging agent.     

Immune activation during pregnancy in mice leads to dopaminergic hyperfunction and cognitive impairment in the offspring: a neurodevelopmental animal model of schizophrenia.

BACKGROUND: Maternal viral infection is associated with increased risk for schizophrenia. It is hypothesized that the maternal immune response to viruses may influence fetal brain development and lead to schizophrenia. METHODS: To mimic a viral infection, the synthetic double strand RNA polyriboinosinic-polyribocytidilic acid (poly I:C) was administered into pregnant mice. Behavioral evaluations (thigmotaxis, methamphetamine [MAP]-induced hyperactivity, novel-object recognition test [NORT]), sensorimotor gating (prepulse inhibition [PPI]), and biochemical evaluation of the dopaminergic function of the offspring of phosphate-buffered saline (PBS)-treated dams (PBS-mice) and that of poly I:C-treated dams (poly I:C-mice) were examined. RESULTS: In juveniles, no difference was found between the poly I:C-mice and PBS-mice. However, in adults, the poly I:C-mice exhibited attenuated thigmotaxis, greater response in MAP-induced (2 mg/kg) hyperlocomotion, deficits in PPI, and cognitive impairment in NORT compared with the PBS-mice. Cognitive impairment in the adult poly I:C-mice could be improved by subchronic administration of clozapine (5.0 mg/kg) but not haloperidol (.1 mg/kg). Increased dopamine (DA) turnover and decreased receptor binding of D2-like receptors, but not D1-like receptors, in the striatum were found in adult poly I:C-mice. CONCLUSIONS: Prenatal poly I:C administration causes maturation-dependent increased subcortical DA function and cognitive impairment in the offspring, indicating a neurodevelopmental animal model of schizophrenia.     

Reevaluation of optimum extraction condition for urinary organic acids using a stable isotope dilution technique]

We reevaluated the optimum conditions for analysis of 13 urinary organic acids using solvent extraction and GC/MS by the stable isotope dilution technique. The acids analyzed were uracil, and lactic, oxalic, 3-hydroxybutyric, succinic, fumaric, glutaric, adipic, pyroglutamic, 2-ketoglutaric, orotic, sebacic, and citric acids. Analytical recovery and accuracy for 13 organic acids ranged from 90 to 107% and from 1.6 to 13.7%, respectively. The optimal pH for most organic acids was 1-2, while that for oxalic and citric acids was 0.25, and that for 2-ketoglutaric and orotic acids was 0.5. The presence of urinary albumin decreased the extraction rates of organic acids, especially of orotic and citric acids; in slight albuminuria (0.5 g/l) the extraction recovery (the extraction rate with albumin/that without albumin) of orotic and citric acid was 38% and 67%, respectively, and in more marked albuminuria (5 g/l), 6% and 26%. Membrane pretreatment with Centricon-3 improved these extraction rates under the condition of albuminuria. Dehydration with the desiccant agent decreased urinary acid extraction rates, especially of uracil and orotic and citric acids. The extraction rates of these three organic acids was decreased in albuminuria and by the desiccant agent. Accurate quantitative analysis of urinary organic acids by the stable isotope dilution technique is necessary for routine examination conducted in clinical laboratories.