Histochemical and immunocytochemical identification of alveolar type II epithelial cells isolated from fetal rat lung

Primary cultures of epithelial cells isolated from organotypic cultures of fetal (Days 18 through 22) rat lung have been characterized by histochemical and immunocytochemical parameters. Immunocytologic analysis with monoclonal antibodies to cytokeratins and with those to adult type II cells (JBR-1) demonstrated that the cell cultures were composed almost entirely of epithelial type II cells. Additional evidence that the cultures had the type II phenotype was obtained by Maclura pomifera lectin binding studies and by positive immunocytochemical demonstration of surfactant apoproteins. Comparison of cell cultures established from fetal lung at the early canalicular and saccular stages of rat lung development revealed that early fetal type II cells (Day 19) contained much glycogen and few lamellar bodies. The reverse was observed in type II cells isolated from fetal lungs at 21 days of gestation. Immunohistochemically determined surfactant apoproteins showed a similar developmental pattern to lamellar bodies. The cell cultures exhibited alkaline phosphatase activity, but this did not increase with development. Administration of dexamethasone to pregnant rats at 19 days gestation resulted in a significant loss of glycogen from fetal type II cells isolated 24 h later. This decrease in glycogen content was accompanied by an increase in the number of cells containing lamellar bodies. These findings indicate that freshly isolated fetal type II cells retain the morphologic features of the type II cells in vivo and provide a good system for the study of biochemical events occurring in these cells during specific stages of lung development.     

Clinical MR imaging with a Helmholtz-type surface coil

Limited-field-of-view radio-frequency receiver antennas provide improved near-field sensitivity for magnetic resonance imaging by decreasing the antenna volume. The Helmholtz-type surface coil, consisting of two flat rings, is an organ-encompassing antenna that takes advantage of this principle to yield an improved signal-to-noise ratio (S/N). The coil was tested in a group of 50 patients and 16 healthy volunteers. Images obtained with the Helmholtz coil demonstrated quantitatively superior S/N of 2.2-fold or greater than that of comparison body coil images, as well as qualitatively superior anatomic resolution.     

Professor Ahmed Shafik (1933–2007)

Most cases of anal abscess are caused by anal fistula and invasion of the surrounding tissues by a mixed colonic flora. Treatment consists of excision of the abscess and, in case of fistula, fistulectomy. Primary anorectal and perianal forms of actinomycosis are very rare and caused by actinomyces, as ubiquitous anaerobics bacterium. We report a case of perianal actinomycosis. The patient had a short history of painless perineal induration without fever and leukocytosis with normal results at routine blood examination. After excision, sulfur granules drained from the cavity and pathological investigations indicated perianal actinomycosis. Appropriate surgery and antibiotic treatment healed the perianal infection. After exclusion of possible diagnoses such as Crohn’s disease, tuberculosis and malignant growths, the rare case of perianal actinomycosis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of painless perianal masses.     

Current practice patterns in pancreatic surgery: Results of a multi-institutional analysis of seven large surgical departments in germany with 1454 pancreatic head resections, 1999 to 2004 (german advanced surgical treatment study group)

Despite decreasing mortality rates, morbidity is still high after pancreatic head resection. Comparative data in the United States and Europe show a relationship between hospital volume and mortality. Treatment strategies vary frequently, partially because of the lack of evidence-based data. We performed a multi-institutional analysis in Germany evaluating current numbers, indications, techniques, and complication rates of pancreatic head resection. Questionnaires were completed by seven high-volume surgical departments regarding quantitative and qualitative aspects of pancreatic head resections in the period from 1999 to 2004 (five prospective and two retrospective institutional databases). A total of 1454 pancreatic head resections (944 for malignancy) were reported. Mean annual hospital volume ranged from 14 to 52 (10 to 43 in malignancy). Mortality was between 1.1% and 4.8%, morbidity was between 24% and 46%, and pancreatic leakage was between 9% and 20%. In malignant disease, all centers perform standard lymphadenectomy and regard arterial infiltration as a contraindication for resection. However, the rate of portal vein resection varied from 0% to 28%. No consensus is seen on the type of surgery for malignancy and chronic pancreatitis. After resection for pancreatic cancer less than one fourth of the patients receive adjuvant therapy. The results of our analysis in Germany confirm that pancreatic head resection can be performed with low mortality in specialized units. Variations in indications, operative technique, and perioperative care may demonstrate the lack of evidence-based data and/or personal and institutional experience. The low number of patients receiving adjuvant therapy after resection of pancreatic cancer suggests that more efforts must be made to establish novel adjuvant therapies under randomized study conditions. Presented at the Forty-Sixth Annual Meeting of The Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract, Chicago, Illinois, May 14–18, 2005 (oral presentation).     

Longitudinal changes in nutritional habits of teenagers: differences in intake between schooldays and weekend days

Longitudinal changes in nutritional habits were studied in Dutch adolescents from 12 to 17 years of age (131 girls and 102 boys). The dietary differences on schooldays and weekend days are reported. In girls only small changes in nutritional habits were seen as they grew older. In boys there was a gradual increase in food intake with age. Overall, higher nutrient intakes could be seen on weekend days. The energy intake on weekend days was consistently higher for girls and boys in all age-groups. The proportional intakes of fat and sugar were rather high, especially on weekend days. The alcohol consumption increased with age for girls as well as boys, and was for some individuals extremely high (boys) on weekend days. The observed levels of intake compared with the recommendations showed a rather low intake of polyunsaturated fatty acids, polysaccharides and iron.     

Uroscopy in the 21st century: high-field NMR spectroscopy

From the experiments described, it can be seen that there are different research approaches that can be taken and these are summarized in Table 1. Whereas much scientific research is principally hypothesis led, there remains, nevertheless, an important place for exploratory research. High resolution NMR can measure, directly and simultaneously, a wide range of endogenous metabolites in biological fluids and has the unique capability of providing structural information on the metabolites detected. It has proved to be a powerful research tool with which to study inherited metabolic diseases, renal disease, drug metabolism, and toxicity, and can be used to monitor the effects of drug therapy. For instance, by using a library of experimental toxins one can map the metabolic profile of site-specific nephron injury. With this approach in man one could eventually take an unknown disease such as Balkan nephropathy and predict the initial site of tubular injury, the mode of injury and therefore the kind of toxin capable of producing that injury. NMR spectroscopic techniques are still advancing rapidly, with ever increasing sensitivity and sophistication of NMR pulse sequences to enhance structural elucidation in complex mixtures. Given the advances in directly coupled HPLC-NMR and even HPLC-NMR-mass spectroscopy it is likely that these technologies in conjunction with pattern recognition will make major contribution to our understanding of renal processes and provide new diagnostic insights in the 21st century.      

Becoming a mother — an analysis of women's experience of early motherhood

This paper presents the results of a qualitative study conducted by midwife researchers into women's experience of new motherhood. Data were collected using focus groups involving 55 first-time mothers and analysed using grounded theory method. The analysis produced six categories: 'realizing', 'unready', 'drained', 'aloneness', 'loss' and 'working it out'. The core category, 'becoming a mother', integrates all other categories and encapsulates the process of change experienced by women. Also explained are factors mediating the often distressing experience of becoming a mother. The analysis provides a conceptualization of early motherhood enabling the development of strategies for midwives, nurses and others helping women negotiate this challenge.     

105Changes in Nitric Oxide Levels After Deep Dermal injury in the Female,Red Duroc Pig (FRDP)

Introduction : Hypertrophic scar is a devastating sequel to burns and other tangential skin injuries. It follows deep dermal injuries and does not occur after superficial injuries. Nitric oxide (NO) plays many important roles in wound healing from inflammation to scar remodeling. Studies have shown that expression of nitric oxide synthase and nitric oxide production are decreased in human hypertrophic scar. However little is known about NO involvement in the early stages of hypertrophic scarring, because of the lack of an animal model. It was recently reported that the female red Duroc pig (FRDP) makes thick scar, which is similar to human hypertrophic scar. We hypothesized that NO production in wounds on the female, red Duroc pig is similar to that of human hypertrophic scar and that NO involvement in deep wounds is different from that in superficial wounds. Methods : Superficial (0.015” to 0.030”) and deep (0.045” to 0.060”) wounds were created on the backs of four FRDPs. Biopsies were collected at weeks 1.5, 4, 8 and 21 post wounding including samples of uninjured skin. Nitric oxide levels were measured with the Griess reaction assay and normalized with tissue protein level. Results : Superficial wounds healed with an invisible scar whereas the deep wounds healed with scar resembling mild hypertrophic scar. The thickness of the scars from the deep wounds was significantly greater than uninjured skin and healed superficial wounds (p < 0.01). NO levels were increased at 1.5 weeks in deep wounds compared to superficial wounds and uninjured skin (p < 0.05). At 8 weeks, NO levels in deep wounds had returned to the level of uninjured tissue and superficial wounds. By 21 weeks, NO levels had decreased significantly when compared to superficial wounds (p < 0.01). There were no differences in NO levels between uninjured skin and superficial wounds at any time point (p > 0.05). Conclusions : NO production is similar in late, deep wounds on the female, red Duroc pig to that reported in the literature for human hypertrophic scar further validating this animal model. NO production is quite different after deep wounds as compared to superficial wounds in the FRDP. Early elevation in nitric oxide production might account for excessive inflammation in deep wounds that become thick scars in the FRDP. Nitric oxide regulators and effects at early stages of scar formation should be elucidated further and the FRDP appears to be a useful model.     

Trichloroethylene inhibits uptake of 3H-5-hydroxytryptamine but not uptake of 3H-zimeldine or 3H-propranolol in isolated perfused rat lungs

Pulmonary uptake of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), zimeldine and propranolol were studied using the isolated perfused rat lung model. The 5-HT uptake was found to be attenuated by approximately 50 per cent in comparison to the control, when the lungs were ventilated with air containing 5,000 p.p.m. trichloroethylene. In experiments in which the active uptake of 5-HT was blocked with the selective 5-HT uptake inhibitor zimeldine (5 X 10(-6) M), the uptake of 5-HT decreased by 70 +/- 1.7 per cent (mean +/- S.E.M.). When trichloroethylene (5,000 p.p.m. and 18,000 p.p.m.) was added, no further decrease in uptake was noted. The uptake of 3H-zimeldine (10(-6) M) and 3H-propranolol (10(-6) M) was unaffected by ventilating the lungs with trichloroethylene. It is concluded that trichloroethylene inhibits the active uptake of 5-HT from the pulmonary circulation, but that it has no effect on the uptake of zimeldine or propranolol, which are taken up predominantly by passive diffusion.