Effects of organophosphorus pesticides and their ozonation byproducts on gap junctional intercellular communication in rat liver cell line.

The effects of organophosphorus pesticides (OPs), oxons and their ozonation byproducts on gap junctional intercellular communication (GJIC) on cultured BRL cell line were investigated using scrape loading and dye transfer (SL/DT) technique. The neutral red uptake assay was used to identify the non-cytotoxic levels of diazinon, parathion and methyl-parathion applied to GJIC assay. The concentration-dependent inhibition of GJIC was observed over a range of 50-350 mg/l diazinon, parathion and methyl-parathion after 90 min incubation compared with the vehicle control. However, oxons and ozonation byproducts of OPs had no inhibition effect on GJIC at any of the concentrations tested. The inhibition of GJIC by OPs was reversible after removal of the tested pesticides followed by incubation with fresh medium. The present study suggested that the ozonation treatment could be used for the detoxification of drinking water and food crops contaminated with diazinon, parathion and methyl-parathion without formation of GJIC toxicity.     

维药白刺总生物碱的含量测定

目的研究维药白刺总生物碱在不同部位的含量变化。方法采用酸碱提取法提取总碱,以硫酸阿托品为对照品,酸性染料比色法测定白刺总生物碱的含量。结果西伯利亚白刺(Nitraria sibirica Pall.)总生物碱含量分别是:叶子0.570%、成熟果实0.022%、未成熟果实0.004%;唐古特白刺(Nitraria.tangutorum Bobr.)总生物碱含量分别是:叶中0.024%、成熟果实中0.021%、未成熟果实中0.019%。结论白刺叶总生物碱含量最高,成熟果实次之,而未成熟果实中生物碱含量最少。     

子宫输卵管碘油造影术在评价输卵管状况中的诊断价值

目的:评价子宫输卵管碘油造影(HSG)在检查不孕患者输卵管状况中的应用价值。方法:65例HSG检查异常的不孕患者,行腹腔镜检查术+输卵管美兰通液术,比较HSG结果与腹腔镜下检查结果。结果:HSG诊断输卵管积水的敏感度和特异度分别为92.00%和98.10%,诊断输卵管近段阻塞的敏感度和特异度分别为40.00%和93.91%,诊断输卵管伞部粘连的敏感度和特异度分别为62.16%和80.36%,诊断输卵管周围粘连(盆腔粘连)的敏感度和特异度分别为73.68%和31.430%。结论:HSG对输卵管积水有较高的诊断价值,对伞端粘连有中等意义的价值,对输卵管近端梗阻、输卵管周围粘连(盆腔粘连)的阳性预测价值较小。     

强脉冲光联合脉冲染料激光治疗鲜红斑痣的临床疗效分析

目的：探讨强脉冲光（IPL）联合脉冲染料激光（PDL）治疗紫红型和增厚型鲜红斑痣的治疗效果。方法：回顾性分析2004年7月-2007年6月在本院整形美容外科用强脉冲光联合脉冲染料激光治疗紫红型和增厚型鲜红斑痣的患者175例，总结其治疗方案、治疗次数、皮损性质等与疗效的关系以及不良反应的发生。结果：175例紫红型和增厚型患者分别先经IPL治疗3次，再用PDL治疗，治疗间隔2～3月，共经过4～8次的治疗，其治疗8次后总有效率和治愈率分别达到51．43％（90／175）和14．29％（25／175），且4～8次的治疗中，治疗次数越多，活疗效果越好（P〈0．05）。175例患者中，1．14％（2／175）出现增生性瘢痕，1．71％（3／175）出现色素减退，2．86％（5／175）出现色素沉着。结论：强脉冲光（IPL）联合脉；中染料激光（PDL）治疗紫红型和增厚型鲜红斑痣疗效可靠。并发症少、是目前治疗紫红型和增厚型鲜红癍痣的最常见的治疗方法。     

Side population cells in human cancers

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are found in multiple tumor types. While the presence of surface markers selectively expressed on CSCs are used to isolate these cells, no marker or pattern of makers are known to prospectively identify CSCs in many tumor types. In such cases exploitation of stem cell characteristics can be used to identify CSCs and one such characteristic is the capacity to extrude dyes such as Hoechst 33342. Cell that exclude this dye are referred to as side population (SP) cells. These cells share characteristics of CSCs, specifically, they are enriched for tumor initiating capacity, they express stem-like genes, and they are resistant to chemotherapeutic drugs. Dye exclusion is a valuable technique as it identifies a unique population of cells with stem-like characteristics.     

Flashlamp-excited dye laser therapy of idiopathic vulvodynia is safe and efficacious

Objective: The management of chronic vulvovaginal pain, not explicable on specific histologic grounds, presents a major problem in referral centers for lower genital tract diseases.Study design: This article reports on a two-step protocol in a sample of 175 medical nonresponders, drawn from a 2-year cohort of 725 women with vulvovaginal pain. The first maneuver was the use of a flashlamp-excited dye laser to selectively photocoagulate symptomatic subepithelial blood vessels in 168 women; the second was the microsurgical removal of chronically painful Bartholin's glands in 52 women not responsive or not suited to flashlamp-excited dye laser photothermolysis.Results: Dye laser response rates werer independent of whether patients manifested macroscopic focl of painful erythema (“vestibular adenitis”) or just colposcopically apparent hyperemia-ectasia of the individual blood vessels (“pruritic papillomatosis”) (55% vs 45% after a single surgical procedure; 76% vs 65% after serial retreatment; p not significant). Conversely, response rates were much lower among women in whom pressure on the Bartholin's glands produced sharp, lancinating pain (15% vs 66% after a single surgical procedure; 22% vs 93% after serial retreatment; p < 0.001). Forty-two (85%) of 50 patients with flashlamp-excited dye laser failure had deep pain; however, the impasse to progress was broken by gland removal. Final response rates were 92.5% (complete response 62%; partial response 30%) in the “surface-only” group and 80.3% in the “surface-plus-deep” group (χ² = 14.9; p < 0.001). The major complication was acute bacterial cellulitis, occurring in the first postoperative week. Modification of the treatment protocol to include topical antibiotics with an occlusive dressing reduced the cellulitis rate from 17.2% to 2.5%. In four women (1.8%) Koebner-like exophytic condylomas also developed within 1 month of flashlamp-excited dye laser surgery.Conclusion: The availability of a safe, efficacious, and relatively noninvasive treatment should reduce the need for resective surgery in most patients with idiopathic vulvodynia. 1995; 172; 1684–1701.)     

Novel After-loading Interstitial Photodynamic Therapy of Canine Transmissible Sarcoma with Photofrin II and Excimer Dye Laser

Novel after-loading interstitial photodynamic therapy was performed in a canine transmissible sarcoma (CTS) model, utilizing photofrin II and an excimer dye laser. First, photofrin II was injected intravenously at a dose of 5 mg/kg, then 48 h later, laser-proof plastic tubing was inserted into the CTS, followed by photoradiation of the tumor from the inside. The mean diameter of tumor necrosis rapidly increased in parallel with increase in total irradiation energy below 240 J/cm; the mean diameter of tumor necrosis was 20.7 mm at an energy of 120 J/cm, and 24.5 mm at 240 J/cm. Beyond 240 J/cm, the diameter gradually increased to 26 mm at 960 J/cm. As a side effect, cutaneous tissue showed a deep open ulcer at 240 J/cm, a shallow open ulcer at 180 J/cm, and a scar healing at 120 J/cm. The thermal effect of laser light is considered negligible below 480 J/cm.     

Emission ratiometry for simultaneous calcium and action potential measurements with coloaded dyes in rabbit hearts: reduction of motion and drift

INTRODUCTION: Optical measurements of the cardiac calcium transient (Ca) and transmembrane action potential (AP) may be performed simultaneously with emission ratiometry to lessen motion artifacts and photobleaching effects. We examined changes in emission spectrum in perfused rabbit hearts coloaded with Rh237 and a green-emitting Ca dye (Fluo-4 or Oregon Green BAPTA 1) to determine wavelength bands for emission ratiometry and to test whether ratiometry reduces motion artifacts and drift. METHODS AND RESULTS: A 488-nm laser illuminated hearts while a spectrofluorometer collected fluorescence from 489 to 838 nm at 1 kHz. Ratiometry with the Ca- and AP-insensitive emission band 663 to 685 nm (IS) as denominator and the Ca-sensitive band 510 to 532 nm as numerator lessened motion artifacts, which was quantified as a 1.4-fold increase in relative amplitude of the Ca (P < 0.05). Ratiometry with the AP-sensitive band 772 to 794 nm as denominator and the IS as numerator produced a 1.7-fold increase in relative amplitude of the AP (P < 0.05). The ratiometry decreased photobleaching-dependent drift by a factor of 0.6 (P < 0.05) for Ca and 0.45 (P < 0.05) for AP. CONCLUSION: Simultaneous Ca and AP emission ratiometry reduces motion artifacts and drift in hearts with coloaded dyes.     

Laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy for in vivo diagnosis of non-melanoma skin cancers

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy is a non-invasive technique previously used for detection of cancer in a variety of organ systems. The objective of this study was to determine whether in vivo laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy alone at the visible excitation wavelength of 410 nm could be used to detect non-melanoma skin cancers. STUDY DESIGN/MATERIALS AND METHODS: The system consisted of a nitrogen/dye laser tuned at 410 nm, an optical multichannel analyzer, and a fiber optic probe for excitation of tissue and collection of fluorescence emission. Two hundred and seventy nine measurements were performed from normal and abnormal tissues in 49 patients. Patients were classified as having either skin types I, II, or III. Biopsy of the abnormal tissues were then performed. Each measurement was assigned as either normal, basal cell carcinoma (BCC), squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), pre-cancerous, or benign. Total emission photon count was used as the discriminating index. A threshold value was calculated to separate normal tissue indices from indices of cancer tissues. The classification accuracy of each data point was determined using the threshold value. RESULTS: Cancers were classified 93, 89, and 78% correctly in patients with skin types I, II, and III, respectively. Normal tissues were classified 93, 88, and 50% correctly in patients with skin types I, II, and III, respectively. Using the same threshold, pre-cancerous spectra were classified 78 and 100% correctly in skin types I and III, respectively. Benign lesions were classified 100, 46, and 27% correctly in patient with skin types I, II, and III, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: In vivo laser induced fluorescence spectroscopy at 410 nm excitation and using the intensity of emission signal is effective for detection of BCC, SCC, and actinic keratosis, specially in patients with light colored skin.