Methimazole Slows Hepatocyte Streaming in Rats

Hepatocytes are hypothesized to continuallystream from the portal tract to the terminal hepaticvein. By this model, when a cell divides, one of itsprogeny replaces the dividing ancestor and the other is displaced into a more remote location. Thepresent experiment aims to demonstrate thathypothyroidism affects liver cell turnover. Thirty maleadult rats were divided into two groups. One receivedmethimazole for two weeks and the other served as control.Each rat was injected intraperitoneally with 18.5 KBq[³H]thymidine/g body weight. Rats were killedafter 1 hr and two and four weeks. Autoradiography was done. The distance of the labeled cells fromthe portal tract was measured. The mean TSH levels ofthe methimazole-treated group and controls were 1.45 and0.25 mM/liter, respectively (P < 0.01). Hepatocyte streaming was lower in hypothyroid (1.8m/day) than in untreated rats (2.5 m/day) (P< 0.01). The respective labeling indices 1 hr afterlabeling were 0.9% and 1.24% (P < 0.05). We concludethat hypothyroidism diminishes hepatocyte and littoral cellturnover and slows down their streaming.     

Impedance cardiographic monitoring during pericardiocentesis: comparison with echocardiography

OBJECTIVE: Thoracic impedance cardiography (TIC) is a noninvasive method which has proved to be useful in monitoring the haemodynamic status of the patients. In this study, we evaluated the TIC findings in patients with pericardial effusion and cardiac tamponade. METHODS AND RESULTS: The study consisted of patients with pericardial effusion with (group A) or without (group B) cardiac tamponade (CT). The stroke volume, cardiac output and ejection fraction was measured by both echocardiography and TIC. The measurements were done at baseline in both groups and following pericardiocentesis in group A. The variables were compared by linear regression analysis, paired sample's t test and chi-square test. The study included 32 patients. Group A consisted of 16 patients and group B of 14 patients. Two patients were excluded from comparisons because of insufficient quality of the echocardiographic examination. There were no significant differences between group A and B with regard to demographic features. Both echocardiographic and TIC measurements at baseline revealed decreased cardiac output, EDV and SV in group A and EF was not different. Linear regression analysis revealed that echocardiography and TIC were in significant correlation with regard to cardiac output, enddiastolic volume, stroke volume (p < 0.01) but not ejection fraction (p = 0.8910). The correlation was also present after pericardiocentesis. CONCLUSIONS: TIC can be safely used in patients with pericardial effusion. It provides suggestive data for the diagnosis of CT and can be used as a means of monitoring the results of the pericardiocentesis.     

Thrombotic complications associated with stem cell transplantation

Thrombotic complications are common in stem cell transplantation (SCT) recipients and endothelial cell injury is a dominant contributing factor to the hemostatic impairments. Endothelial cells line the vascular bed and each vascular bed has a unique structural and functional properties. Therefore, understanding of these properties may hold important clues to site-specific diagnostics and therapeutics. The two most common thrombotic manifestations related to SCT, veno-occlusive disease (VOD) and thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA), are characterized by small vessel thrombosis in the microcirculation. In diffuse alveolar hemorrhage (DAH), although the clinical presentation is hemorrhagic, autopsy findings and mice experiments imply a thrombotic etiology. In the present review, the pathogenesis and treatment options of these three microcirculation thromboses are discussed.     

Terpolymerization of polar vinyl monomers with butadiene and styrene in the presence of Lewis acids

Terpolymerizations of polar vinyl monomers, acrylonitrile, methyl acrylate, or methyl methacrylate with butadiene and styrene in the presence of ethylaluminium dichloride, zinc chloride, or other Lewis acids were carried out. The yield and the contents in monomer units of the terpolymer and the yields of the polar vinyl monomer/butadiene 1,4-cycloaddition byproduct formed in these systems were determined. Butadiene conversions in the above terpolymerizations and 1,4-cycloaddition side reactions were related to those in the copolymerization and 1,4-cycloaddition proceeding in corresponding binary systems without styrene. The results are discussed in terms of a radical polymerization and a polar 1,4-cycloaddition mechanisms.