Desensitization of acetylcholine induced inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate formation in neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells following repetitive acetylcholine stimulations

In this study, the desensitization of acetylcholine-induced inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate [I(1,4,5)P₃] formation, upon short-time prestimulations, was investigated in cultures of human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells. Four repeated stimulations for 10 seconds with 10 μM acetylcholine were necessary to induce a desensitization of the I(1,4,5)P₃ formation. The desensitization was observed 4 hours after the initiation of repetitive stimulations. The same effect was obtained by a single prestimulation with 1 mM acetylcholine. Preincubation of the cells with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) markedly down-regulated the acetylcholine-induced I(1,4,5)P₃ formation. However, the protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitors H7 and staurosporine did not influence the desensitization induced by four repeated stimulations with 20 μM acetylcholine. These results indicate that the signal transduction can be desensitized following repeated stimulations with sub-maximal concentrations of receptor agonist and although activation of PKC can induce the same down-regulation, PKC is most likely not involved in the desensitization induced by repetitive acetylcholine-stimulations.     

Meiotic and cytoplasmic maturation of oocytes collected in stimulated cycles is asynchronous

Oocytes collected in stimulated cycles are more readily fertilizedafter preincubation than are oocytes inseminated immediatelyafter collection. It has not been ascertained, however, whetherthis increase in the fertilization rate is due to extrusionof the first polar body (meiotic maturation) during this period,or to some conclusive cytoplasmic maturation subsequent to thepolar body extrusion. When analysing oocytes with a polar body(n = 14) by transmission electron microscopy, differences wereobserved in the appearance of cytoplasmic features which werecorrelated to the total durations both of systemic human chorionicgonadotrophin influence before collection and of oocyte culture.These differences were manifested as a delayed formation inaggregates of the smooth endoplamic reticulum in the ooplasmof oocytes having a polar body and might have signified a cytoplasmicmaturation. The degree of synchrony in the oocytes varied andthis could explain why some oocytes can be fertilized when inseminatedshortly after collection and others not until 8 h or even moreafter collection. Thus, although meiotic and cytoplasmic maturationis likely to be synchronized at ovulation of an oocyte in anatural cycle, they appear to be mainly asynchronous in oocytescollected in stimulated cycles.     

Molecular analysis in Japanese patients with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease: DGGE analysis for PMP22, MPZ,and Cx32/GJB1 mutations

Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT) is a heterogeneous disorder and is traditionally classified into two major types, CMT type 1 (CMT1) and CMT type 2 (CMT2). Most CMT1 patients are associated with the duplication of 17p11.2-p12 (CMT1A duplication) and small numbers of patients have mutations of the peripheral myelin protein 22 (PMP22), myelin protein zero (MPZ), connexin 32 (Cx32/GJB1), and early growth response 2 (EGR2) genes. Some mutations of MPZ and Cx32 were also associated with the clinical CMT2 phenotype. We constructed denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) analysis as a screening method for PMP22, MPZ, and Cx32 mutations and studied 161 CMT patients without CMT1A duplication. We detected 27 mutations of three genes including 15 novel mutations; six of PMP22, three of MPZ, and six of Cx32. We finally identified 21 causative mutations in 22 unrelated patients and five polymorphic mutations. Eighteen of 22 patients carrying PMP22, MPZ, or Cx32 mutations presented with CMT1 and four of them with MPZ or Cx32 mutations presented with the CMT2 phenotype. DGGE analysis was sensitive for screening for those gene mutations, but causative gene mutation was not identified in many of the Japanese patients with CMT, especially with CMT1. Other candidate genes should be studied to elucidate the genetic basis of Japanese CMT patients.     

Primary malignant melanoma of the common bile duct

Biliary tract obstruction in a 30-year-old man was found to be caused by a malignant melanoma in the common bile duct. Melanin pigment was demonstrated by immunohistochemistry and electron microscopy. Extensive search for a primary malignant melanoma elsewhere was unsuccessful. No pigmented lesions had been removed previously. There were junctional changes in the mucosa of the common bile duct close to the tumor. The malignant melanoma in the common bile duct therefore is considered to be primary. Only one other case of primary malignant melanoma in the common bile duct has been described in the literature, whereas metastases to the major bile ducts in one autopsy study of malignant melanoma in the more common locations were found with a frequency of 6 per cent.     

Radiographic quantification of alveolar bone level changes

The "random burst" theory has recently been proposed as an explanation of the pattern of periodontal disease progression. The theory predicts that the progression of bone loss at individual sites is not dependent upon previous bone loss and age. A longitudinal radiographic study was designed to test this hypothesis, and to describe the changes in bone level over 2 years in a group of 180 subjects (18-68 years of age) who were not under systematic periodontal treatment. The results indicated that 94% of the sites did not show significant changes in the alveolar bone level during the observation period. The mean annual bone loss for the total population was 0.11 mm. By regressing longitudinal bone loss upon age, it was shown that the rate of bone loss increased rapidly between 33 and 56 years of age while a different pattern was shown for the age intervals 18-32 and 57-68 years. Also, the rate of bone loss increased with increasing initial bone loss. This was less evident in the oldest age group. It was concluded that the progression of bone loss in the present material is consistent with a "burst" theory. However, the progression did not occur randomly with regard to previous loss of alveolar bone and time.     

The “Scandinavian Star” ferry disaster 1990 -a challenge to forensic odontology

Summary With 158 victims, the fire on board the Scandinavian Star was one of the world's worst ferry disasters. A team of identification experts, including dentists, were employed to secure evidence for identification and to remove the victims from the ferry. Four parallel teams, each with 2 dentists, examined and autopsied the victims at the Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of Oslo. Using the INTERPOL Disaster Victim Identification forms and aided by computers, all victims were identified within 17 days. Dental identity could be established in 107 cases (68%).     

Steady-state kinetics of imipramine in patients

Steady-state plasma level kinetics were studied in 76 patients given imipramine (IP) 150 to 225 mg/day for 2–5 weeks. IP was given in three divided doses at 8.00 a.m., 1.00 p.m. and 5.00 p.m. Plasma concentrations of IP and its active metabolite desipramine (DMI) were determined by quantitative in situ thin-layer chromatography. The plasma levels of IP and DMI showed pronounced flucutations throughout the day with a ratio of about 2 between highest and lowest level. Patients with steady-state levels of IP and/or DMI below 50 g/l reached this within 1 week of treatment. Patients with higher steady-state levels reached steady-state concentrations within 2–3 weeks. There were some intraindividual fluctuations in plasma levels from week to week after steady state had been reached (coefficient of variation: 10–20%). Interindividually, the steady-state levels corrected to a dose of 3.5 mg/kg per day varied considerably: IP: 6–356 g/l, DMI: 24–659 g/l and IP+DMI: 58–809 g/l. The steady-state plasma levels showed a skew distribution that became normal by logarithmic transformation. The IP/DMI ratio ranged from 0.07 to 5.5 with a median value of 0.47. Compared to data from amitriptyline treated patients the IP/DMI ratios had significantly lower median value and larger variation than the corresponding plasma level ratios of amitriptyline/nortriptyline. Several statistically significant differences in steady-state levels between age groups were found. For IP: Women aged 30–39 had lower levels than women aged 20–29, 40–49, and 50–59, and men aged 50–59 and 60–65; men aged 30–39 had lower levels than men aged 60–65. For DMI: Women aged 30–39 had lower levels than women aged 50–59.     

Method for Dissection of Mesenteric Metastases in Mid-gut Carcinoid Tumors

With adequate medical management the midgut carcinoid tumor generally is an indolent malignancy associated with substantial life expectancy and appreciable life quality, even in the presence of liver metastases and significant tumor burden. Abdominal complications may occur in this entity of carcinoids owing to entrapment of intestines and encasement of mesenteric vessels by mesenteric metastases and associated marked mesenteric fibrosis. This may be the cause of abdominal pain, disabling diarrhea, weight loss to the extent of malnutrition, and eventually the risk of death with acute or chronic intestinal obstruction or intestinal gangrene. Operative removal of the mesentericointestinal lesion is often indicated to prevent or treat these complications but may be technically difficult when mesenteric metastases extend in the vicinity of major vessels in the mesenteric root. At laparotomy 56 patients with advanced midgut carcinoids underwent removal of the mesenteric tumor with a method for preserving the mesenteric vessels. This was feasible by mobilizing and releasing the right colon and mesenteric root from posterior adhesions, identifying the mesenteric artery below the pancreas, and free-dissecting this artery on the tumor capsule in the mobilized mesentery. Dissection was successful even with tumors initially judged inoperable unless tumor growth completely surrounded the mesenteric vessels or extended retroperitoneally. One patient was subjected to distal intestinal artery bypass. Symptom relief was been substantial and often of long duration after mesenteric tumor removal in patients who prior to surgery often had threatening intestinal ischemia. Patients with advanced midgut carcinoids may benefit markedly from dissectional removal of mesenteric tumors, which (conceivably better than conventional wedge resection) preserves the length of the remaining intestine.     

The prevalence of respiratory symptoms and asthma among school children in three different areas of Norway

The role of exposure to ambient air pollution has been a topic of interest as a potential risk factor for respiratory symptoms and asthma. We expected that the prevalence rates would vary in Norway between the capital, Oslo, the mountainous area Hallingdal and the industrial area Odda. Surveys were conducted in school children, aged 6-16 years, in; Oslo (n=2577), Hallingdal (n=1177) and Odda (n=831). The parent-reported prevalence of wheeze in past year was almost similar in Oslo (13. 1 (95% CI 11. 7-14. 5)) and Upper Hallingdal (14. 2 (13. 1–15. 3)), but lower in Odda (9. 0 (7. 0–11. 0)). The findings for severe respiratory symptoms were almost equal. The age patters within each area differed. The risk of wheeze ever (p < 0.001) and wheeze in past year (p=0.04) decreased with increasing age in Odda, while there was an increase in the risk of exercise induced wheeze in Oslo (p=0.02) and Hallingdal (p < 0.001). The lifetime prevalence of asthma was lowest in Odda (5. 4 (3. 8–7. 0)) compared to Oslo (9. 4 (8. 2–10. 6)) and Hallingdal (8. 5 (6. 8–10. 2)). There was a positive association between physical activity and wheeze in past year. The results do not support the hypothesis that respiratory morbidity is more common in urban than rural areas, age and physical activity can influence the prevalence rates of respiratory symptoms in school children.