Laryngeal pleomorphic rhabdomyosarcoma

A case of an extremely unusual tumor of the larynx, pleomorphic rhabdomyosarcoma, is presented with a review of literature. This is the fifth case of this malignancy described in the larynx in the English language literature. A histopathological diagnosis was made with immunohistochemistry and electron microscopy. In contrast to other reported cases, the tumor in the present case had a very aggressive behavior. Despite radical surgery involving total laryngectomy and neck dissection followed by radiation therapy, the patient died of disease 8 months following treatment. Received: 14 March 1997 / Accepted: 23 January 1998     

Immediate ultrastructural effects of endothelin-1 on rabbit basilar artery

Summary In this study intra-arterial Endothelin-1 was applied to rabbit basilar arteries and morphological findings were compared between two groups who were either perfusion fixed or immersion fixed. We planned to establish the quantitative dimension of the drug-induced morphological alterations, independent of the fixation technique's effect.There was an abundance of collagenous fibres deposited among the smooth muscle cells which was not observed in control arteries and after immersion fixation. These degenerative changes are similar to the finding following subarachnoid haemorrhage. The only fixation-related difference was the fact that lamina elastica interna was not corrugated in the perfusion fixation group.It is concluded that, the observed changes in the connective tissue of the arterial wall alter the passive elastic properties and so affect the degree of the response to the vasoactive messengers.     

Molecular characterisation of two mumps virus genotypes circulating during an epidemic in Lithuania from 1998 to 2000

Summary.  An epidemic of mumps in Lithuania started in December 1998 and continued until May 2000. The total registered number of cases was about 11.000 of a total of 3,7 million inhabitants in Lithuania (29,7 cases/10000). Virus- containing samples were collected from 80 patients treated at the hospital of Kaunas from October 1999 until the end of the epidemic. Out of the 80 patients with parotitis, meningitis was observed in 11 patients and orchitis in 22 of 69 male patients. Twenty-seven virus strains were genotyped by nucleotide sequencing of the small hydrophobic (SH) protein gene, and the 57 amino acid sequences of the gene were deduced. Twenty-five virus strains belonged to the C genotype and two were of the D genotype. By phylogenetic analysis the virus strains causing meningitis grouped in a separate cluster, designated C1, within the C genotype. Another group of ten of the 25 genotype C strains exhibited an amino acid triplet at amino acid positions 28 to 30 of the protein, consisting of valine, alanine and serine, instead of the previously recognised valine, valine and serine combination of genotype C. The amino acid alanine at position 29 was found in combination with the amino acid serine at position 48. This variant was designated C2 and it was associated with parotitis. The amino acid alanine at position 29 and serine in position 48 of the C2 genotype may constitute a marker of low neurovirulence compared to other genotype C strains. Received July 9, 2001 Accepted October 23, 2001     

Microcirculation in the upper trapezius muscle during varying levels of static contraction,fatigue and recovery in healthy women —a study using percutaneous laser-Doppler flowmetry and surface electromyography

Summary Microcirculation in the upper portion of the trapezius muscle was measured percutaneously by continuous laser-Doppler flowmetry (LDF) during two 10-min series of alternating 1-min periods of static contraction and rest determined electromyographically (EMG). Stepwise increased contraction was induced by keeping the arms straight and elevated at 30, 60, 90 and 135°, which was repeated with a 1-kg load carried in each hand. Thereafter, fatigue and recovery were recorded while the subject kept her arms straight and elevated at 45° carrying the 1-kg hand load as long as possible, followed by rest with arms hanging and no load. A group of 16 healthy women of different ages was studied. Signal processing was done on line using a 386 SX computer. The LDF- and root-mean-square (rms) EMG signals were normalized. Spectrum analyses of EMG mean power frequency (MPF) and median spectrum frequency were performed. The rms-EMG increased significantly with an increase in the calculated shoulder torque (r=0.75). Accumulated local fatigue was indicated by a decrease in MPF with increased shoulder angle and added load (r = –0.54). Blood flow increased with increased shoulder angle (r=0.82, with hand loadr=0.62) and with increased shoulder torque (r=0.72), and also showed a significant increase with increased EMG activity (r=0.74). The LDF showed a negative correlation to MPF (r= –0.67), with increased values when MPF was lowered. During the endurance test, a moderate increase of LDF occurred which reached its maximum during the 1st min of recovery. Then, a slow return to the base level was recorded. The ability to increase the flow in the microcirculation with increasing muscle load was not diminished with age.     

Pneumatised superior turbinate: a common anatomic variation?

Summary Anatomic variations are important in preendoscopic CT evaluation of the paranasal sinuses. In this study, we investigated whether the superior turbinate could become pneumatised like the middle turbinate, pneumatisation of which is well-known. Images of 52 patients who underwent CT examination prior to endoscopic sinus surgery and who had normally aerated posterior ethmoidal cells and an unobscured nasal cavity were retrospectively evaluated. The patients were 12–68 years old (median age, 35 years); 28 were women and 24 were men. Pneumatisation of the superior turbinates was graded in two groups as minimal or marked. Pneumatisation was evident in 25 patients (48%). 13 unilateral (25%), 8 bilateral (15%) pneumatisations were detected in the group graded as minimal, whereas 1 unilateral and 3 bilateral pneumatisations were present in the markedly (8%) pneumatised group of patients. Superior turbinates were seemingly aerated through the posterior ethmoid cells. The superior turbinates can be pneumatised as the middle turbinate is a not frequent anatomic variation that should be taken into account in preendoscopic CT evaluation of the paranasal sinuses.

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La pneumatisation du cornet nasal supérieur : une variation anatomique courante ?

Résumé Les variations anatomiques sont importantes à connaitre dans le cadre du bilan tomodensitométrique précédant une chirurgie endoscopique des sinus paranasaux. Dans cette étude, nous avons recherché si le cornet nasal supérieur pouvait être pneumatisé comme l'est le cornet nasal moyen, entité anatomique bien connue. Les images de 52 patients ayant eu une tomodensitométrie avant chirurgie endoscopique et montrant des cellules ethmoïdales postérieures normalement pneumatisées et une cavité nasale nonopaque, ont été évaluées rétrospectivement. Les patients, 28 femmes et 24 hommes, étaient âgés de 12 à 68 ans (moyenne : 35 ans). La pneumatisation du cornet nasal supérieur a été classée en deux groupes; minime et prononçée. Cette pneumatisation était patente chez 25 patients (48 %). Treize pneumatisations unilatérales (25 %) et 8 pneumatisations bilatérales (15 %) furent retrouvées dans le groupe présentant une pneumatisation minime alors que 1 pneumatisation unilatérale et 3 bilatérales (8 %) étaient présentes dans le groupe dont la pneumatisation était plus marquée. Les cornets nasaux supérieurs semblaient être aérés par les cellules ethmoïdales postérieures. Les cornets nasaux supérieurs peuvent être pneumatisés, comme le sont les cornets nasaux moyens, avec une fréquence non-exceptionnelle. Cette variation anatomique mérite d'être prise en considération dans le bilan tomodensitométrique précédant toute chirurgie endoscopique des sinus paranasaux.

     

Spontaneous contractions and stretch-evoked responses of isolated lymph nodes

Summary In this study the spontaneous activities of prescapular lymph nodes, which were isolated from calves, goats and sheep and mesenteric lymph nodes of guinea-pigs were recorded and analysed in the frequency domain. Stretch-evoked contractions of the mesenteric lymph nodes were also recorded and their frequency characteristics analysed.The preparations were placed in a Krebs solution which was kept at 37° C and bubbled continuously with a mixture of 95% O₂ and 5% CO₂. The tension changes occurring in the lymph nodes were recorded. The patterns obtained were initially transformed into numerical values which were then used to obtain autocorrelation functions and power spectra, according to the time series analysis method. A passive stretch of 100 s duration was applied to the mesenteric lymph nodes and the responses were examined using the transient response-frequency characteristics method.It was observed that prescapular and mesenteric lymph nodes had spontaneous activities due to the contractions of the smooth muscles within the nodes. A frequency analysis of these contractions indicated that at least three contractile components were responsible for the contractions; these components contract within the frequency bands of 0.01–0.04 Hz, 0.05–0.07 Hz and 0.09–0.14 Hz respectively. It was also observed that the spontaneous activities could be regulated and synchronized by stretch. It is suggested that these contractions of the lymph nodes play an essential role in lymph propulsion within the nodes.     

Substance P and calcitonin gene-related peptide: immunohistochemical localisation and microvascular effects in rabbit skeletal muscle

Summary 1. The distribution and microvascular effects of substance P (SP) and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) were studied in the rabbit tenuissimus muscle using immunohistochemistry and intravital microscopy. 2. Individual fibers within nerve bundles and along blood vessels in the muscle were found to be immunoreactive (IR) for both SP and CGRP, thus showing an apparently complete coexistence for these peptides. In dorsal root ganglia most SP-positive cells were also CGRP-IR, but the latter cells were somewhat more numerous than SP-IR cells. 3. When applied topically to the muscle, both SP and CGRP increased blood flow in a dose-dependent manner, but CGRP was more potent and caused responses of longer duration. Both SP and CGRP dilated transverse arterioles, but they had little or no effect on the smaller terminal arterioles. This resulted in a redistribution of blood flow to the connective tissue adjacent to the muscle. 4. SP, but not CGRP, elicited vigorous vasomotion in larger arterioles and caused the formation of aggregates of platelets and leukocytes in the venules. Neither flow increase, nor vasomotion or aggregate formation were influenced by pretreatment of the animals with mepyramine, cimetidine or indomethacin. Capsaicin (1 M) had a powerful effect on transverse arterioles resembling that of both SP and CGRP. 5. It is concluded that some of the vascular effects hitherto ascribed to SP on the basis of nerve stimulation and application of capsaicin might, at least in part, be due to release of CGRP. Send offprint requests to: A. Ohlen, Department of Physiology, Karolinska Institutet, S-104 01 Stockholm, Sweden     

The effect of acute zimeldine and alaproclate administration on the acquisition of two-way active avoidance: Comparison with other antidepressant agents,test of selectivity and sub-chronic studies

The dose-dependent effect of acute zimeldine and alaproclate treatment upon the acquisition of two-way and one-way active avoidance in the rat was studied in a single-session and in a repeated-sessions design. Zimeldine (5–20 mg/kg, IP), but not alaproclate, caused disruptions of two-way avoidance acquisition. Acquisition deficits were also caused by citalopram and fluoxetine but not the other antidepressant drugs tested. Zimeldine, but not alaproclate or desipramine, caused a slight but non-significant impairment of one-way active avoidance; neither zimeldine nor alaproclate produced any effects upon fear conditioning and retention testing. The long-term action of p-chloroamphetamine (2×10 mg/kg) antagonised the acute zimeldine effect totally, and chronic treatment with zimeldine (15 days, 1×50 mol/kg) and chlorimipramine (15 days, 2×10 mol/kg) also caused some partial blockade of the two-way avoidance deficit. These data seem to suggest some involvement of serotonin (5-HT) in the observed disruptions of two-way active avoidance caused by acute zimeldine treatment.     

Carbamazepine-induced sperm disorders can be associated with the altered expressions of testicular KCNJ11/miR-let-7a and spermatozoal CFTR/miR-27a

Male infertility is a global health problem, and the underlying molecular mechanisms are not clearly known. Ion channels and microRNAs (miRNAs), known to function in many vital functions in cells, have been shown to play a significant role in male infertility through changes in their expressions. The study aimed to evaluate the alterations of testicular and/or spermatozoal potassium voltage-gated channel subfamily J member 11 (KCNJ11), Cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR), miR-let-7a and miR-27a expressions in carbamazepine-related male infertility. Here, we showed that carbamazepine reduced sperm motility, increased abnormal sperm morphology, and impaired hormonal balance as well as increased relative testis weight and decreased relative seminal vesicle weight. On the other hand, downregulated KCNJ11 and upregulated miR-let-7a expressions were determined in testis (p < .05). Also, downregulated KCNJ11 and upregulated CFTR and miR-27a expressions were found in spermatozoa (p < .05). Interestingly, altered testicular KCNJ11 and miR-let-7a expressions were correlated with decreased sperm motility and elevated sperm tail defect. Besides, spermatozoal CFTR and miR-27a expressions positively correlated with sperm tail defects. The results indicated a significant relationship between ion channel and/or miRNA expression alterations and impaired sperm parameters due to carbamazepine usage.