Ventrally emigrating neural tube cells migrate into the developing vestibulocochlear nerve and otic vesicle

Virtually all cell types in the inner ear develop from the cells of the otic vesicle. The otic vesicle is formed by the invagination of non-neural ectodermal cells known as the otic placode. We investigated whether a recently described cell population, originating from the ventral part of the hindbrain neural tube known as the ventrally emigrating neural tube (VENT) cells, also contributes cells to the otic vesicle. The ventral hindbrain neural tube cells were labeled with the fluorescent vital dye DiI or replication-deficient retroviruses containing the LacZ gene in chick embryos on embryonic day 2, after the emigration of neural crest from this region. One day later, the labeled cells were detected only in the hindbrain neural tube. Shortly thereafter, the labeled cells began to appear in the eighth (vestibulocochlear) cranial nerve and otic vesicle. From embryonic day 3.5-5, the labeled cells were detected in the major derivatives of the otic vesicle, i.e. the endolymphatic duct, semicircular canals, utricle, saccule, cochlea, and vestibulocochlear ganglion. That the emigrated cells originated from the ventral part of the hindbrain neural tube was confirmed by focal application of DiI impregnated filter paper and with quail chimeras. It is concluded that, in addition to the otic placode cells, the otic vesicle also contains the ventrally emigrating neural tube cells, and that both cell populations contribute to the structures and cell types in the inner ear. It is well known that inductive signals from the hindbrain are required for the morphogenesis of the inner ear. The migration of the hindbrain neural tube cells into the otic vesicle raises the possibility that the inductive effect of the hindbrain might be mediated, at least in part, by the ventrally emigrating neural tube cells and that, therefore, a mechanism exists that involves cells rather than diffusible molecules only.     

The value of pretreatment clinical and biochemical parameters in patients with newly diagnosed untreated prostate carcinoma and no indications for bone metastases on the bone scintigram

Between 10% and 25% of patients with newly diagnosed prostate cancer without bone metastases at the time of diagnosis will develop metastases during follow-up. To determine the value of clinical and biochemical parameters for assessment of prognosis at the time of diagnosis, a retrospective study was performed in 124 consecutive patients with newly diagnosed prostate cancer without bone metastases. The mean follow-up was 41 months, during which time 36 patients died and 15 patients developed metastases. Bone scans were classified from 0 (=normal) through 2 (=abnormal, but not typical for metastases) and were correlated with age, alkaline phosphatase (AP), prostate-specific antigen (PSA), tumour grade, T-stage and N-stage. In patients with a class 2 scan, additional roentgenograms and follow-up were used to exclude metastases at initial stage. All parameters, including therapy, were finally correlated with the development of metastases and survival. For survival 38 patients with proven metastases were used as controls. For all parameters tested, no statistically significant differences were found between the three bone scan classifications. The interval between diagnosis and the development of metastases ranged from 12 to 72 months. For the risk of development of metastases only PSA was found to be a significant correlate (P=0.0075). However, when tumour stages were clustered in limited disease (T0–2) and extensive disease (T3–4), the incidence of metastases was significantly higher in patients with extensive disease than in those with limited disease (P=0.0021). Finally, age, PSA and Anderson classification were found to be significant correlates of survival, but in stepwise analysis PSA was selected as the most prognostic variable (P<0.0001). In contrast with a typical pattern of metastases on bone scintigraphy, an abnormal scan (class 1 and 2) at the time of diagnosis is not a poor prognostic parameter of the risk of death. In conclusion, in patients with prostate cancer without bone metastases at the time of diagnosis, pretreatment PSA and tumour stage can be used for the assessment of risk of development of metastases during follow-up and survival. For this purpose, tumour stage should be clustered in limited and extensive disease. Received 14 April and in revised form 9 June 1997     

全肠外营养对老年晚期消化系统恶性肿瘤病人生存期的影响

目的:评估全肠外营养(TPN)对老年晚期消化系统恶性肿瘤病人生存期的影响。方法:回顾性分析121例老年晚期消化系统恶性肿瘤病人TPN治疗后的生存期。结果:TPN治疗后,患者生存期不同程度延长,为9～126天,平均68.1天,多数在两月左右。结论:TPN可延长老年晚期消化系统恶性肿瘤病人的生存期。     

Length of the third stage of labor at term pregnancies is shorter if placenta is located at fundus: prospective study

AIM: To investigate how the location of the placenta at term pregnancies affects the duration of the third stage of labor and to discuss the possible mechanisms affecting the duration of the third stage. We believe that this is the first prospective study comparing the duration of the third stage of labor according to placental location. METHODS: The placental implantation was determined as anterior (n = 78), posterior (n = 59), or fundal (n = 64) by ultrasound, in 201 women with singleton pregnancies. After delivery of the newborn, oxytocin infusion was routinely given. Duration of the third stage of labor was compared by anova. P < 0.05 was determined as significant. RESULTS: The duration of the third stage of labor was 10.36 +/- 5.94 min, 10.44 +/- 5.35 min, and 8.12 +/- 4.25 min with placentas located anteriorly, posteriorly, and fundal, respectively. The length of the third stage was significantly shorter in the fundal placenta group. CONCLUSION: In this study, the length of the third stage of labor was approximately 2 min shorter with placentas located at the fundus compared to the other two groups. The mechanism responsible for shorter duration may be the bipolar separation of fundal placentas in contrast to usual unipolar down-up separation of anterior or posterior placentas. Another contributing factor may be the use of oxytocin infusion for the management of the third stage, however this should be investigated by further studies by using real time ultrasonography.     

Lithium increases slow wave sleep: possible mediation by brain 5-HT2 receptors?

The effect of lithium on slow wave sleep (SWS) was studied in ten normal male volunteers using home based cassette sleep recording and automatic sleep stage analysis. Lithium increased SWS, an effect consisten with a reduction in brain 5-HT₂ receptor function.     

Effects of opiates on the growth of neuron-enriched cultures from chick embryonic brain

Neuron-enriched cultures derived from 6-day-old chick embryo cerebral hemispheres were treated with morphine or methadone, 10(-5) M or 10(-6) M, on days 4-6 or 6-8 in culture and were evaluated morphologically and biochemically at day 9 using phase contrast microscopy and choline acetyltransferase activity (ChAT) as a cholinergic marker. The treatment of the cultures with morphine markedly affected their growth pattern; specifically, we observed an increased number of flat cells presumptively glia, and aggregates sided by flat cells and devoid of thick bundles of neuritic processes that normally characterize neuron-enriched cultures. These morphologic changes were reflected in a drastic decrease of ChAT activity in cultures treated from day 4 to day 6 but not from 6 to 8. In contrast to morphine, exposure to 10(-6) M methadone from day 4 to day 6 resulted in reduced ChAT activity but the growth pattern of the cultures remained morphologically intact. We suggest that morphine exerts a general neurotoxic effect whereas methadone may affect some specific cholinergic function.     

人胚呼吸道上皮细胞非时序DNA合成

为研究和比较化学致癌物对人呼吸道上皮细胞和纤维母细胞的损伤及损伤后DNA修复合成的差异,作者用直接致癌物4-硝基喹啉-1-氧化物(4-NQO)和间接致癌物3,4-苯并芘(BaP)处理人胚鼻咽、气管上皮细胞和纤维母细胞,用放射自显影术测定这3种细胞的非时序脱氧核糖核酸合成(UDS)。用4-NQO处理后,这3种细胞的UDS均呈明显的剂量依赖(dose dePendency)关系,但气管和鼻咽上皮细胞UDS平均分别是纤维母细胞的3.0和2.4倍。用BaP处理后,气管和鼻咽上皮细胞UDS呈现明显的剂量依赖关系,而纤维母细胞未见这种关系。气管和鼻咽上皮细胞的UDS平均分别是纤维母细胞的8.6和3.0倍。     

麦胚提取物对辐射损伤修复的实验研究

目的 研究麦胚提取物对小鼠辐射损伤修复的调节和保护作用。方法 采用辐射前或辐射同时饲喂一定量的麦胚提取物，观察小鼠经X射线一次性全身照射后的临床症状、30d存活率、骨髓微核率、外周血白细胞总数在不同时间的变化。结果 与对照组(单纯照射)比较，饲喂麦胚提取物可使小鼠的头面部皮肤、小肠黏膜、肾脏损伤症状得到明显改善；30d存活率为86．17％(P＜0．01)，提高存活率41．79％，保护系数为1．72；骨髓微核率4．62‰；比对照组(12．14‰)降低(P＜0．01)；外周血白细胞总数在7，13，20，30d均显回升(P＜0.05，P＜0．01，P＜0．01，P＜0．01)。结论 麦胚提取物对小鼠辐射损伤修复有一定程度的调节和保护作用，对于辅助肿瘤放射治疗具有重要意义。     

Development and Intrauterine Fate of Normal and Abnormal Human Conceptuses

Using the data from the Kyoto Collection of Human Embryos, three main topics related to normal and abnormal development of human embryos are discussed. 1) Wide variability was noted in developmental stage of human embryos at any given gestational age. This was true not only for the estimated ovulation age but also for ‘coital’ age in single coital cases. Such diversity in human prenatal development may be, at least in part, ‘normal’ biological variability and it should be taken into account when assessing the teratogenic risk of environmental agents to human embryos. 2) At the early postimplantation period prior to major organogenesis, the percentage of morphologically abnormal embryos is high (> 30%), which supports the clinical finding that a substantially large proportion of human conceptuses are eliminated at an early stage of pregnancy, often without the knowledge of the mother. The fate of undifferentiated abnormal embryos is not certain and should be studied. 3) Life-table estimates for normal and abnormal human conceptuses showed that more than 10% of all embryos recognizable at 5 weeks gestation are malformed or ‘potentially’ malformed. Because of selective intrauterine death of malformed embryos and fetuses, the proportion of the malformed drops to 2.4% by age 8 weeks and 1% at term. The cumulative intrauterine mortality rate of malformed conceptuses was estimated to be 93%, while the corresponding rate for normal conceptuses was 18%.     

人胚胎胃肠及胰腺D细胞发生的研究

用免疫细胞化学方法研究人胚胎各时期胃肠胰的Ｄ细胞发生及其形态与功能的关系。结果发现：Ｄ细胞最早出现于６周零５天胚的十二指肠，７周零３天胚的胰、胃、空肠，７周零６天胚的回肠，８周零４天胎的结肠及１０周零５天胎的阑尾；细胞密度在胚期低，胎期逐增，至胎晚期又依次在胰、胃窦、十二指肠、胃体、空肠、回肠、升结肠及阑尾中降低，且肠绒毛顶端可见衰老的Ｄ细胞。提示胚胎Ｄ细胞的发生与胃肠胰的发育有关。