Breast lesions: differential diagnosis using digital subtraction angiography

To evaluate its potential for differentiating benign from malignant breast lesions, digital subtraction angiography of the breast (DSAB) was performed in 23 women with mammographic evidence of disease, and the results were compared with surgical biopsy findings. The DSAB technique employed breast immobilization with modest compression and bolus injection; following the injection of contrast material, 30-40 sequential subtraction images were obtained over a 5-minute interval. The average technical settings were 50 k Vp and 10 mAs, resulting in an estimated radiation dose to the breast of 0.05 mrad (0.5 mu Gy) per exposure. DSAB consistently demonstrated retention of contrast material and abnormal vasculature in malignant lesions but not in benign lesions. In the 22 breast lesions for which there was histopathologic correlation, DSAB correctly categorized eight of nine malignant and 11 of 13 benign lesions. Although this series is small, the initial results of DSAB suggest its potential for differentiating benign from malignant lesions.     

Interleukin-10 suppresses human immunodeficiency virus-1 replication in vitro in cells of the monocyte/macrophage lineage

The cytokine interleukin-10 (IL-10) has been implicated in the pathogenesis of a number of disease states, including Epstein-Barr virus and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) infections. In the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), it has been suggested that IL-10 may have a deleterious effect by suppressing cell-mediated immunity. However, there are few data on its direct effects on HIV-1 replication. In the present study, we have found that recombinant human IL-10 (rhIL-10), present during days 0 through 2, potently inhibits HIV production in elutriated monocyte/macrophage (M/M) cultures with a 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) of approximately 0.03 U/mL. This effect did not appear to be caused by toxicity to M/M because there was no change in cell viability, ability to phagocytose latex beads, or protein synthesis as measured by [3H]-leucine incorporation, at doses of rhIL-10 that inhibit viral replication. In addition, lipopolysaccharide-induced production of IL-1 beta, IL-6, or tumor necrosis factor-alpha was not affected at these doses, nor were human mononuclear cell proliferative responses to phytohemagglutinin, OKT3 antibody, or tetanus toxoid. HIV-1 replication was similarly decreased by rhIL-10 in the monocytoid line U937 without signs of cellular toxicity. However, these effects required much higher concentrations of rhIL-10, and viral production was only partially suppressed. rhIL-10 also slightly inhibited HIV-induced cytopathicity in ATH-8, a tetanus toxoid-specific, retrovirally immortalized T-cell line, but had no effect on HIV replication in the H9 and MOLT-4 T cell lines. Thus, rhIL- 10 appears to inhibit HIV replication predominantly in cells of the M/M lineage. This effect may serve to reduce viral production in patients with AIDS. However, additional studies will be needed to more precisely define its physiologic role in this disease.     

Pharmacology of the coronary circulation

Canadian Journal of Anesthesia/Journal canadien d'anesthésie -     

Alterations of Fas-pathway genes associated with nodal metastasis in non-small cell lung cancer

Many types of cancer cells are resistant to Fas-mediated apoptosis by several mechanisms, including the mutations of the genes involved in Fas-mediated apoptosis. In this study, to explore the possibility that the mutations of the genes involved in the proximal pathway of Fas-mediated apoptosis (Fas, FADD, caspase 8 and caspase 10) are involved in cancer metastasis, we have analysed somatic mutation and deletion of these genes in 80 non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLCs) with (n=43) and without (n=37) metastasis to the regional lymph nodes. We found 12 mutations (four Fas, four FADD, and four caspase 10 mutations) in 11 of 80 NSCLCs (13.8%). Interestingly, of these mutations, most mutations (10 out of 12) were detected in the NSCLCs with metastasis, and the frequency in the metastasis lesions (23%) was higher than that in the primary lesions of the NSCLCs without metastasis (5.4%). Furthermore, transfection study revealed that the tumor-derived mutants have decreased apoptosis inductions compared to the wild types. These data suggest that the inactivating mutations of the genes in the proximal pathway of Fas-mediated apoptosis may lead to a decreased cancer cell death and play a role in the metastasis of NSCLC.     

通腑法治疗慢性阻塞性肺疾病继发缺氧性肺动脉高压疗效观察

目的观察中药通腑煎剂对缺氧性肺动脉高压的影响。方法将患者60例随机分为两组,在西医常规治疗的基础上,治疗组30例服用通腑煎剂,对照组30例服用合心爽。结果治疗组在咳嗽、咯痰、紫绀、大便困难、缺氧及血流变指标改善方面优于对照组;两组治疗后PAPs均显著下降。结论通腑煎剂能够降低缺氧性肺动脉高压,纠正缺氧,改善症状和血液流变学状态。     

解郁丸对慢性应激大鼠行为和不同脑区单胺氧化酶的影响

目的 观察解郁丸对慢性应激抑郁模型大鼠的行为,以及下丘脑、海马和前额叶皮层单胺氧化酶的影响,探讨其可能的抗抑郁机制。方法 采用慢性不可预见性应激造成大鼠抑郁模型,运用开场法和糖水消耗实验测定动物行为,用荧光法测定慢性应激抑郁模型大鼠下丘脑、海马和前额叶皮层单胺氧化酶的活性。结果 慢性应激大鼠的水平和垂直活动得分和糖水消耗量下降;下丘脑、海马和前额叶皮层单胺氧化酶的活性增高。解郁丸可提高慢性应激大鼠的水平和垂直活动得分,增加糖水消耗量。53mg/kg,106mg/kg,212mg/kg的解郁丸连续给药21d后,大鼠海马单胺氧化酶-A（MAO-A）活性抑制率分别是10.81%、20.93%和21.51%;对下丘脑MAO-A活性抑制率分别是12.21%,17.28%和21.10%;而对前额叶皮层MAO-A活性抑制率,在剂量为106mg/kg和212mg/kg分别是18.78%,16.08%。解中组和解高组对海马单胺氧化酶-B（MAO-B）抑制率分别是24.25%,32.33%;对前额叶皮层MAO-B抑制率分别是6.24%,10.40%。解低组、解中组和解高组对慢性应激大鼠下丘脑MAO-B活性抑制率分别是12.96%,19.32%和17.66%。结论 解郁丸的抗抑郁作用可能与降低慢性应激大鼠下丘脑、海马和前额叶皮层的单胺氧化酶活性有关。