The role of embryoid bodies in the development of germinogenous tumors of complex structure and of the teratoma]

250 germinal gonadal and extragonadal tumors were studied in children and adolescents under 16 years of age. Germinal tumours of complex structure were found in 42 patients and in 36 of them embryoid bodies of various types (full, not-full, amorphous) were distinguished. Certain features were revealed indicating the development of the immature teratoma by means of maturation of preexisting embryoid bodies. The arguments in favour of complex germinal tumour development due to the loss of maturation and differentiation capacity of one or several structural elements of the embryoid bodies are presented. The observation of mature, immature embryonal tissues and proliferating elements of the embryoid bodies in the composition of one and the same tumour may be explained by different biological potency of individual clones of atypical and primordial germinal cells which are the source of the development of these tumours.     

Dehydrogenase systems of different rat tissues in experimental alcoholism simulated by inhalation or forced intake of ethanol

It is shown that alcoholization of rats during 1.5 months by the inhalation of ethanol vapors with a long-term subsidence into narcotic sleep results in alcohol dependence and marked shifts in the ratio between the activity of malate and lactate dehydrogenases and a change in the isoenzyme spectrum of the latter. This leads to an enhancement of aerobic processes in the brain and skeletal muscle tissues and of anaerobic processes in the liver and myocardium. Semiforced alcoholization of rats during 11 months, with ethanol solution serving as the only soruce of liquid, moderately lowers the ethanol tolerance and does not affect the dehydrogenase activity in the tissues examined. The effects of ethanol on the activity of functionally associated enzyme systems of malate and lactate dehydrogenases are believed to depend on the method of alcoholization and the type of tissue. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 118, N ^o , 7, pp. 107–109, July, 1994 Presented by A. N. Klimov, Member of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences     

Generation of free oxygen radicals in the pathogenesis of experimental acute reflux pancreatitis

In dogs with acute reflux pancreatitis specific activity of superoxide dismutase in the pancreas rapidly increased (over 15 min). Activation of this enzyme by free oxygen radicals was demonstrated in in vitro experiments. Treatment with allopurinol prevented activation of superoxide dismutase. Our results indicate that superoxide ions are generated in the pancreas at the early stage of acute reflux pancreatitis due to activation of xanthine oxidase.     

Stability of UC-781, in Intestinal Mucosal Homogenates of the Rat,Rabbit, and Pig

Pharmaceutical Research -     

Treatment of long-term intravascular catheter-related bacteraemia with antibiotic lock: randomized, placebo-controlled trial

OBJECTIVES: The use of an antibiotic lock (AB-lock) for the treatment of catheter-related bloodstream infection (CRBSI) has been suggested, but randomized trials have never been performed. METHODS: A randomized, blinded, multicentre trial was set up to compare an AB-lock-containing vancomycin for Gram-positive or ceftazidime for Gram-negative bacteria-with placebo, in addition to parenteral AB therapy. We included only CRBSI from a long-term intravascular device (LTID) whether tunnelled or totally implanted. RESULTS: During 30 months, 174 patients with an LTID and bacteraemia were evaluated, of whom 85 had a CRBSI. Forty-six patients were included. Frequent reasons for exclusion were: catheter not vacant for >8-12 h/day for the AB-lock (n =10); yeast infection or mixed Gram-positive/negative infections (n =13); catheter removal preferred by the treating physician (n =7); and CRBSI <14 days after insertion or pocket/tunnel infection (n =10). Forty-four patients met the criteria for modified intention-to-treat analysis. The primary endpoint was failure to cure the CRBSI or relapse with the same strain. On study day 180 by Kaplan-Meier analysis, this occurred in 33% (seven of 21) in the AB-lock arm and in 57% (13 of 23) in the placebo arm (hazard ratio 0.55, P =0.10). A relapse with the same strain occurred in 9/23 with the placebo and 3/21 with the AB-lock (P =0.06). CONCLUSION: Future studies should take into account the barriers to the use of AB-lock observed in this study. Most importantly, shorter lock dwell times and broader spectrum locks (e.g. antiseptic) should be investigated to target a larger patient population.     

Pathogenesis of Hypertension in Diabetes

Reviews in Endocrine and Metabolic Disorders -     

Effect of a single ethanol administration on the behavior and the RNA-synthesizing activity of the cell nuclei of the cerebral cortex of the rat

A single intraperitoneal injection of ethanol (2 g/kg) disturbed the learning and performance of one trial passive avoidance task and decreased (by 14 %) the level of RNA-synthesizing activity of brain cortical synaptosomes in rats. The data obtained are discussed in accordance with the hypothesis that ethanol affects synaptic transmission in the central nervous system.