Hybridization studies of cultured human pituitary prl and gh producing adenoma cells: Effects of thyrotropin-releasing hormone,somatostatin, and phorbol ester

The effects of the hypothalamic hormones, thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH), and somatostatin (SRIH), and of phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) on PRL and GH secretion and messenger RNA (mRNA) levels were analyzed in 10 GH and/or PRL producing adenomas after culturing the tumor cells in the presence of these secretagogues for 7 days. The expression of chromogranin A and B mRNAs was also examined. All four of the clinically diagnosed GH adenomas expressed or secreted both GH and PRL while four of six clinically diagnosed prolactinomas produced or secreted both PRL and GH. Prolactinomas had less than 10% of tumor cells expressing chromogranin A mRNA while more than 40% of the adenoma cells expressed chromogranin B mRNA. TRH stimulated PRL secretion and increased PRL mRNA levels while SRIH decreased GH secretion and mRNA expression in some cases. Unexpectedly, PMA stimulated PRL mRNA levels four- to sevenfold above control levels in two adenomas and generally stimulated chromogranin A and B mRNA expression but not GH mRNA, as determined by Northern hybridization and in situ hybridization analyses. These results indicate that cultured prolactinoma cells express significantly more chromogranin B mRNA than chromogranin A mRNA, and that PMA increases PRL mRNA expression in some prolactinomas, although the effect of PMA on various adenomas reflects the heterogeneity of these tumors with respect to protein kinase C stimulation.     

Spontaneous disruption of mycotic aneurysm involving innominate artery

We report a case of ruptured mycotic aneurysm involving innominate artery requiring an urgent surgical treatment. A 62-yr-old woman presented with fever and dyspnea. Previously, she was diagnosed with colon cancer and received right hemicolectomy and one cycle of adjuvant chemotherapy. On echocardiogram, pericardial effusion was noted and emergency pericardiocentesis was performed. CT scan revealed aortic aneurysm involving ascending aorta and innominate artery, and thrombi surrounding those structures. Patch repair of the defect in the ascending aorta and ringed Goretex graft to bypass the innominate and ascending aorta were performed. We believe that this is the first case of ruptured mycotic aneurysm involving innominate artery.     

Bronchial granular cell tumor with osteopontin and osteonectin expression: a case report

The case of a 52-year-old Japanese man with bronchial granular cell tumors with osteopontin and osteonectin expression is reported here because there have been few investigations of their expression in benign tumors. He was admitted because of sudden hematemesis. A bronchoscopic examination revealed a lobulated polypoid tumor located in the left and right bronchi. Histologically, most tumor cells had abundant granular eosinophilic cytoplasm and were immunoreactive for S-100, neuron-specific enolase (NSE), CD68 and vimentin. Moreover, osteopontin-positive tumor cells were randomly distributed in the tumor tissue, but few stromal cells were positive. In contrast, osteonectin was mainly expressed in the peripheral tumor cells and was also distributed in the stromal cells. Blood vessels at the tumor border in which osteonectin-positive tumor cells were distributed, proliferated moderately. These results suggest that osteopontin and osteonectin may play a role in the progression of granular cell tumors and in the interaction between the tumor and host or angiogenesis around the tumor, respectively.     

PCR strategy for identification and differentiation of small pox and other orthopoxviruses.

Rapid identification and differentiation of orthopoxviruses by PCR were achieved with primers based on genome sequences encoding the hemagglutinin (HA) protein, an infected-cell membrane antigen that distinguishes orthopoxviruses from other poxvirus genera. The initial identification step used a primer pair of consensus sequences for amplifying an HA DNA fragment from the three known North American orthopoxviruses (raccoonpox, skunkpox, and volepox viruses), and a second pair for amplifying virtually the entire HA open reading frame of the Eurasian-African orthopoxviruses (variola, vaccinia, cowpox, monkeypox, camelpox, ectromelia, and gerbilpox viruses). RsaI digest electropherograms of the amplified DNAs of the former subgroup provided species differentiation, and TaqI digests differentiated the Eurasian-African orthopoxviruses, including vaccinia virus from the vaccinia virus subspecies buffalopox virus. Endonuclease HhaI digest patterns distinguished smallpox variola major viruses from alastrim variola minor viruses. For the Eurasian-African orthopoxviruses, a confirmatory step that used a set of higher-sequence-homology primers was developed to provide sensitivity to discern individual virus HA DNAs from cross-contaminated orthopoxvirus DNA samples; TaqI and HhaI digestions of the individual amplified HA DNAs confirmed virus identity. Finally, a set of primers and modified PCR conditions were developed on the basis of base sequence differences within the HA genes of the 10 species, which enabled production of a single DNA fragment of a particular size that indicated the specific species.     

Cloning, expression and characterization of a murine-human chimeric antibody with specificity for pre-S2 surface antigen of hepatitis B virus

The cloning, expression and characterization of a murine-human chimeric antibody with specificity for the pre-S2 surface antigen (Ag) of hepatitis B virus (HBV) is described. The heavy and light chain variable region (VH and VL) genes encoding the murine monoclonal antibody (mAb) were isolated and combined with human γ 1 and κ constant region genes, respectively. The expression vectors containing the chimeric heavy and light chain genes were sequentially electroporated into murine Sp2/0 hybridoma cells and transfectomas secreting chimeric antibody were isolated. The chimeric antibody was purified and characterized by ELISA, Western analysis and competition immunoassay, demonstrating that the transfectoma functionally express and secrete murine-human chimeric antibody which retained the specificity and affinity of the parental murine mAb.     

涎腺癌肉瘤临床及病理分析

目的：探讨涎腺癌肉瘤的临床病理学特点及其鉴别诊断。方法：对3例涎腺癌肉瘤患者的临床资料进行回顾性研究并复习相关文献，对全部病例的组织学标本重新进行镜下观察。结果：涎腺癌肉瘤临床表现常为迅速增大的颜面部肿物并伴疼豢。光匀下组织学观察常可见肉瘤和癌两种成分并存，癌多为鳞状细胞癌和腺癌，肉瘤以骨或软骨肉瘤为主。结论：涎腺癌肉瘤的临床特点与涎腺其他恶性肿瘤较难区别，但涎腺癌肉瘤的恶性程度极高。     

Chromosome neighborhood composition determines translocation outcomes after exposure to high-dose radiation in primary cells

Radiation exposure is an occupational hazard for military personnel, some health care professionals, airport security screeners, and medical patients, with some individuals at risk for acute, high-dose exposures. Therefore, the biological effects of radiation, especially the potential for chromosome damage, are major occupational and health concerns. However, the biophysical mechanisms of chromosome instability subsequent to radiation-induced DNA damage are poorly understood. It is clear that interphase chromosomes occupy discrete structural and functional subnuclear domains, termed chromosome territories (CT), which may be organized into ‘neighborhoods’ comprising groups of specific CTs. We directly evaluated the relationship between chromosome positioning, neighborhood composition, and translocation partner choice in primary lymphocytes, using a cell-based system in which we could induce multiple, concentrated DNA breaks via high-dose irradiation. We critically evaluated mis-rejoining profiles and tested whether breaks occurring nearby were more likely to fuse than breaks occurring at a distance. We show that CT neighborhoods comprise heterologous chromosomes, within which inter-CT distances directly relate to translocation partner choice. These findings demonstrate that interphase chromosome arrangement is a principal factor in genomic instability outcomes in primary lymphocytes, providing a structural context for understanding the biological effects of radiation exposure, and the molecular etiology of tumor-specific translocation patterns.     

综合ICU中低年资护士培训方法探讨

目的探讨为综合ICU培养合格的护理人员的方法。方法根据ICU护士应具备的素质及低年资护士的特点,采用定期集中培训、一对一带教、参加护理查房等方法,对基础理论和基本技能进行强化,重点加强了ICU专科护理知识地训练。结果通过客观考核和主观考核,效果良好。结论经过为期12个月两个时段较规范的岗位培训,低年资护士能较好的适应ICU工作。     

Effect of aging on neuroglobin expression in rodent brain

Neuroglobin (Ngb), a recently discovered O2-binding heme protein related to hemoglobin and myoglobin, protects neurons from hypoxic-ischemic injury in vitro and in vivo. In immunostained mouse brain sections, we found widespread expression of Ngb protein in neurons, but not astrocytes, of several brain regions that are prominently involved in age-related neurodegenerative disorders. Western blots from young adult (3 month), middle-aged (12 month), and aged (24 month) rats showed an age-related decline in Ngb expression in cerebral neocortex, hippocampus, caudate-putamen, and cerebellum. Loss of this neuroprotective protein may have a role in increasing susceptibility to age-related neurological disorders.