Blood preservation. XXXIV. DHA maintains 2,3-DPG and its adverse effect on ATP is reversed with extra phosphate

We have found that the addition of 10 mM inorganic phosphate to DHA in CPD-adenine maintains ATP levels at normal or higher than normal values for six weeks of storage. 2,3-DPG values are slightly lowered by the extra phosphate, but are still maintained at approximately half normal for four weeks by the DHA. The addition of a higher phosphate concentration, 20 mM, to DHA produced lower levels of ATP and 2,3-DPG than those observed with 10 mM phosphate, although both levels were better than in the CPD-adenine control. pH values in this experiment were lowest in the three preservatives containing DHA, probably indicating increased lactate production due to metabolism of this triose sugar, in addition to dextrose present in CPD.     

Differentiation of natural killer (NK) cells from human primitive marrow progenitors in a stroma-based long-term culture system: identification of a CD34+7+ NK progenitor

We have recently described a marrow stroma-dependent long-term culture system that supports differentiation of CD34+ human marrow primitive progenitors into natural killer (NK) cells. We postulate that CD7 expression may be an early event in commitment of hematopoietic progenitors to the NK lineage. Here we compare the characteristics of CD34+7- and CD34+7+ marrow cells cultivated in the stroma-based NK culture system. These CD34+ populations were further compared with a marrow derived, more committed, CD34-7+ progenitor to emphasize the continuum of NK development and to highlight differences between progenitors in our assays. No progenitor proliferated when plated in media without stroma, underscoring the importance of stroma in NK differentiation. Plating progenitor populations in interleukin-2 containing media directly on preestablished, allogeneic, irradiated marrow stroma for 5 weeks resulted in CD56+CD3- NK cells; however, characteristics of the cultured populations differed. Fold expansion and cloning efficiency of the CD34+7+ population, determined by a functional limiting dilution assay was significantly higher than of the CD34+7- or CD34+7+ populations. This suggests that the CD34+7+ population is highly enriched for an NK progenitor and a possible intermediate in NK lineage differentiation. Further dividing the CD34+7+ population by the relative fluorescence of CD7 into CD34+7+dim and CD34+7+bright populations showed that the CD34+7+bright population exhibited a significantly higher cloning frequency than parallel experiments with CD34+7+dim cells (11.8% +/- 2.4% v 2.4% +/- 0.7%, n = 6; P = .005). Plating of the more primitive CD34+7- population in a transwell system (which separates progenitors from stroma by a microporous membrane) prevents differentiation into NK cells. In contrast, plating of CD34+7+ progenitors in transwells resulted in generation of NK cells. These data suggest that primitive, but not more mature NK progenitors may require direct contact with stroma for the initial differentiation steps. Finally, differentiation of the NK progenitors in this stroma-dependent model results in expression of CD2 not present on any of the starting populations. This observation suggests that marrow stroma can stimulate CD2 expression on NK progenitors in a previously undescribed fashion that may be analogous to the thymic effect on CD2 expression in immature T lymphocytes. These observations identify early steps in the commitment of primitive marrow CD34+ hematopoietic progenitors to a lymphoid lineage and underscore the importance of coexpression of CD7 with CD34 as an early lymphoid commitment characteristic and direct progenitor-stroma interactions in this process.     

Prague women's drinking before and after the 'velvet revolution' of 1989: a longitudinal study

Results are presented of a follow-up study in which a representative sample of 608 Prague women aged 20–49 years in 1987 at first interview was re-interviewed in 1992 3 years after the revolution that ended the 41 years of the Communist era in Czechoslovakia. The average yearly consumption of alcohol in the followed-up female sample increased between 1987–92 from a reported 3.6 litres to 4.8 litres. The percentage of heavier drinkers (with average daily consumption of over 20 g alcohol) increased from 7.2% to 14.0%. The women expressed increased tolerance of drunkenness in their attitudes to drinking. The consumption increase was mainly due to increased drinking frequency of spirits and to increased quantity of beer consumed per occasion. The consumption increase was largest in women working as free-lance and the newly emerging self-employed women; economically inactive women did not increase their consumption. Women who reported a positive impact of the socio-political changes on their personal lives and an expansion of social contacts also reported larger than average consumption increases. A coincidence of stressful, possibly self-inflicted, life events and increased alcohol use was observed and interpreted as probably a two-way influence.     

Subtle gastric abnormalities in a canine model: detection with low-dose imaging with storage phosphors and its equivalence to conventional radiography

The authors compared low-dose (32% of standard exposure) storage phosphor digital imaging (system resolution: 0.2-mm pixels, 10 bits) with isovoltage 75-kVp conventional radiography (standard exposure) in the detection of subtle simulated gastric abnormalities by using air contrast barium studies. Subtle simulated abnormalities (3-7-mm polyps, 4-15-mm ulcer craters, 4-11-mm-diameter edema, and 11-12-mm linear ulcers) were produced in resected canine stomachs. Receiver operating characteristic analysis of 1,800 observations by six readers indicated that the digital images with and without high-frequency edge enhancement were equivalent to conventional radiographs (mean receiver operating characteristic areas [+/- standard deviation]: 0.76 +/- 0.06, 0.78 +/- 0.04, and 0.77 +/- 0.04, respectively). The accuracy of the diagnosis was equivalent for all three modalities. The following mean accuracies of negative and positive responses, respectively, for unenhanced digital, edge-enhanced digital, and conventional images were determined: 0.71 +/- 0.05 and 0.41 +/- 0.07, 0.71 +/- 0.04 and 0.51 +/- 0.09, and 0.68 +/- 0.04 and 0.43 +/- 0.05. It was concluded that low-dose storage phosphor air-contrast barium studies were equivalent to conventional radiography in the detection of subtle gastric abnormalities.     

髓核内注射预TGF-β1防软骨终板退行性变的实验研究

目的 探讨髓核内注射转化生长因子-β1(transforming growth factor-β1,TGF-β1)对预防椎间失稳后软骨终板退行性变的作用.方法 选用6月龄日本大耳白兔36只,随机分为对照组和预防组,每组18只.所有实验动物均制作为腰5-6、腰6-7椎间失稳模型.对照组不予任何处理.预防组在完成椎间失稳手术后立即于同一切口通过侧后方入路显露腰5~6、腰6-7椎间盘,并行髓核内注射TGF-β1.于术后3、6个月各取8只进行HE染色及Mankin评分.结果 术后3、6个月预防组较对照组软骨终板退行性变明显减缓(P＜0.05,P＜0.01).结论 髓核内注射TGF-β1对椎间失稳后软骨终板退行性变具有明显的预防作用.     

Neonatal treatment with 192 IgG-saporin produces long-term forebrain cholinergic deficits and reduces dendritic branching and spine density of neocortical pyramidal neurons

The role of basal forebrain-derived cholinergic afferents in the development of neocortex was studied in postnatal rats. Newborn rat pups received intraventricular injections of 192 IgG-saporin. Following survival periods ranging from 2 days to 6 months, the brains were processed to document the cholinergic lesion and to examine morphological consequences. Immunocytochemistry for choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) and in situ hybridization for ChAT mRNA demonstrate a loss of approximately 75% of the cholinergic neurons in the medial septum and nucleus of the diagonal band of Broca in the basal forebrain. In situ hybridization for glutamic acid decarboxylase mRNA reveals no loss of basal forebrain GABAergic neurons. Acetylcholinesterase histochemistry demonstrates a marked reduction of the cholinergic axons in neocortex. Cholinergic axons are reduced throughout the cortical layers; this reduction is more marked in medial than in lateral cortical areas. The thickness of neocortex is reduced by approximately 10%. Retrograde labeling of layer V cortico-collicular pyramidal cells reveals a reduction in cell body size and also a reduction in numbers of branches of apical dendrites. Spine densities on apical dendrites are reduced by approximately 20-25% in 192 IgG- saporin-treated cases; no change was detected in number of spines on basal dendrites. These results indicate a developmental or maintenance role for cholinergic afferents to cerebral cortical neurons.