Tannic acid-induced nucleolar changes in hepatocytes transplanted into syngeneic or xenogeneic host and in hepatocytes maintained in primary culture

In this study we have investigated the effect of a single dose of tannic acid, administered s.c., on the nucleolar ultrastructure of hepatocytes transplanted into a syngeneic or xenogeneic host in order to evaluate the validity of our hepatocyte transplantation system as an in vivo alternative to the use of whole animals to test for species and strain differences to the effects of hepatotoxins. Within 4-6 h following tannic acid injection, rat hepatocytes transplanted into the anterior chamber of eye and inguinal fat pads of rat and athymic nude mouse, showed changes of nucleolar components, with separation of ribonucleoprotein containing granules into discrete dark zones. These dark areas were surrounded by light areas consisting of granular and fibrillar components of the nucleolus. These changes were identical to tannic acid-induced nucleolar alterations in the homotopic liver. Hamster and rat hepatocytes xenotransplanted into athymic nude mice also displayed prominent nucleolar alterations in response to tannic acid. The similarity and extent of nucleolar alterations observed in transplanted hepatocytes and the in situ homotopic liver cells attest to the usefulness of the hepatocyte transplantation system for the evaluation of species differences in biological response to toxic/carcinogenic effects of xenobiotics.     

The popularization and application of cold storage red blood cells or whole blood at −80 °C of the Rh(D) negative patients in surgical operation

Summary The efficiency of cold storage red blood cells (CSRBC) or whole blood at −80 °C used in 27 Rh(D) negative patients during surgical operation was reported. The Rh(D) negative patients received the transfusion of CSRBC or whole blood stored at −80 °C for 180 to 360 days. The changes in the indexes, such as blood TB, DB, K⁺, Na⁺, BUN, Cr, urine protein (URPO), UOB, Hb, HCT, serum total protein, relative to hemolytic reaction and blood volume before and after transfusion were observed. The results showed that after transfusion of CSRBC or whole blood 27 cases were negative for urine protein and UOB, and the levels of BUN and Cr were normal (P>0.05). Blood TB, DB, Hb, and HCT were increased, while pH, blood K⁺ and blood Na⁺ was normal with the difference being not significant before and after operation (P>0.05). Plasma protein was decreased, but there was no significant difference before and after operation (P>0.05). It was suggested that CSRBC or whole blood at −80 °C could be safely infused to the Rh(D) negative patients without side effects during the surgical operation. YU Zhongqing, male, born in 1957, Technician in Charge     

Benign synovioma causing internal derangement of the knee. A report of nine cases

Nine pedunculated benign synoviomata causing mechanical symptoms similar to those of a torn meniscus are described. The average age of the patients was 34.4 years. During the period of study, 2254 meniscal lesions causing mechanical symptoms were identified, giving an incidence of one benign synovioma for every 250 meniscal lesions. All the lesions were removed arthroscopically with relief of symptoms.     

Growth factor pre-treatment differentially regulates phosphoinositide turnover downstream of lysophospholipid receptor and metabotropic glutamate receptors in cultured rat cerebrocortical astrocytes

Reactive gliosis is an aspect of neural plasticity and growth factor (GF) stimulation of astrocytes in vitro is widely regarded as a model system to study astrocyte plasticity. Astrocytes express receptors for several ligands including lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) and sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P), agonists for the G-protein-coupled lysophospholipid receptors (lpRs). Activation of lpRs by LPA or S1P leads to multiple pharmacological effects including the influx of calcium, phosphoinositide (PI) hydrolysis, phosphorylation of extracellular receptor regulated kinase (ERK), release of arachidonic acid, and induces mitogenesis. Treatment of astrocytes in vitro with a growth factor cocktail (containing epidermal growth factor [EGF], basic fibroblast growth factor [bFGF] and insulin) led to a marked attenuation of lpR-induced PI hydrolysis. In contrast, under identical conditions, GF treatment led to marked potentiation of PI hydrolysis downstream of activation of another abundantly expressed G-protein coupled receptor, mGluR5. Quantitative gene expression analysis of GF-treated or control astrocytes by TaqMan RT-PCR indicated that GF treatment did not change gene expression of lpa1 and s1p1, but increased gene expression of s1p5 which is expressed at very low levels in basal conditions. These results suggest that GF differentially affected PLC activation downstream of mGluR5 versus lpR activation and that the changes in mRNA levels of lpRs do not account for marked attenuation of agonist-induced phosphoinositide turnover.     

Short-Ti inversion-recovery pulse sequence: analysis and initial experience in cancer imaging

Inversion recovery (IR), commonly considered a pulse sequence capable of producing T1-weighted images with excellent display of normal anatomy, is versatile: The null point and peak time provide a useful, succinct summary of the properties of IR and its capacity for producing both T1- and T2-weighted images. Shortening of the inversion time (TI) and creation of a short-TI inversion-recovery (STIR) pulse sequence increases sensitivity to malignancy and other abnormalities by making the effects of prolonged T1 and T2 on signal intensity additive and by nulling the signal from fat. The authors examined over 300 patients with various malignancies and compared STIR images with T1- and T2-weighted images obtained at 0.5 T. In 43 cases, signal-difference-to-noise ratios (SD/Ns) were calculated between tumor, fat, and muscle. In general, STIR images demonstrated tumor as a conspicuously high-intensity area in a background of muted, discernible anatomic detail. The good contrast achieved with STIR sequences between tumor and fat (SD/N = 18.1) and tumor and muscle (SD/N = 12.9) consolidated into a single image the information contained separately on T1- and T2-weighted images, which facilitates efficient detection and localization of malignancy.     

Long-term effects of physiologic concentrations of dexamethasone on human bone-derived cells

Bone cells derived from human trabecular explants display osteoblastic features. We examined the modulation of alkaline phosphatase activity and cAMP production as the result of exposing trabecular explants to physiologic concentrations of dexamethasone for 4 weeks during cellular outgrowth and subculture. Cells treated with dexamethasone were observed to grow generally more slowly than control cells. Cells appeared larger and more polygonal, and staining for alkaline phosphatase was more intense in the dexamethasone-exposed cultures. There was a progressive increase in cellular PTH responsiveness with increasing duration of exposure of cells to dexamethasone. Cells grown for 6 weeks in 3 x 10(-8) M dexamethasone had a 10-fold increase in PTH-stimulated cyclic AMP accumulation. Dexamethasone-treated cells also had a significantly increased alkaline phosphatase activity. 1,25-(OH)2D3-stimulated alkaline phosphatase activity was increased approximately 20-fold. cAMP responses were significantly increased to PTH (21.7-fold), PGE1 (2.67-fold), and forskolin (4.81-fold), but not to cholera toxin. Dexamethasone-treated cells also had a mean decrease in 1,25-(OH)2D3-stimulated osteocalcin production to 26.2% of control values (p less than 0.001). Hydrocortisone treatment gave rise to similar effects but of smaller magnitude than those of dexamethasone. Testosterone did not have a significant effect on alkaline phosphatase activity or cAMP production. Skin fibroblasts showed a significant enhancement of alkaline phosphatase activity in response to dexamethasone, but of a much smaller magnitude than in bone cells. The phenotypic changes induced by long-term culture in dexamethasone are consistent with the promotion of a more differentiated osteoblastic phenotype.     

粉防己碱与牛磺酸合用对血小板聚集与血栓形成的影响

粉防己碱（Ｔｅｔ）和牛磺酸（Ｔａｕ）均能抑制ＡＤＰ、胶原和凝血酶诱导的大鼠血小板聚集及血栓形成。Ｔｅｔ抑制ＡＤＰ诱导聚集较强，Ｔａｕ则对胶原作用最明显，二药减半量合并应用时，较各药单用强     

大肝癌手术切除探讨（附16例分析）

报告16例大肝癌手术切除治疗效果，癌块直径>7cm。其中巨块型12例，癌块>10cm9例；癌块>14cm3例，均经病理证实。Ⅱ期切除3例，均经肝固有动脉结扎加插管注药化疗，肿块缩小后再手术，术后生存1年4例，2年3例，3年4例，4年1例，全组中位生存期24.1个月，并对大肝癌的手术适应证及术式选择等进行了探讨。     

Magnetic resonance imaging in full-term infants with repetitive focal seizures.

We report two full-term infants who developed repetitive focal seizures within the first 48 hours of life. Neither infant had predisposing factors and there were no abnormalities on a computed tomography (CT) scan performed on day 2 of life. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) performed during the second week of life showed a focal hemorrhagic infarction in both patients. We conclude that either an MRI or a contrast-enhanced CT scan should be obtained within 1 week in patients in whom the initial imaging technique failed to reveal a focal lesion, at which time a cerebral infarction can be diagnosed with greater sensitivity.     

Role of balloon angioplasty in the treatment of aortic coarctation.

Since the initial report of coarctation balloon angioplasty in 1982, several groups have used this technique for native coarctations in neonates, infants, and children and for postoperative recoarctations. However, recommendations for use of balloon angioplasty as a treatment procedure of choice are clouded by reports of aneurysm development at the site of coarctation. Here we review our experience as well as that published in the literature, including Valvuloplasty and Angioplasty of Congenital Anomalies Registry data, and present evidence in support of balloon angioplasty as a therapeutic procedure of choice for treating native and recurrent postoperative aortic coarctations. Balloon angioplasty of native aortic coarctations in 20 neonates and infants 1 year old or less reduced peak systolic pressure gradient across the coarctation from 40 +/- 12 mm Hg (mean +/- standard deviation) to 11 +/- 8 mm Hg (p less than 0.001); no patient required immediate surgical intervention. The residual gradient at follow-up (mean follow-up, 12 months) in 16 infants was 18 +/- 16 mm Hg, a significant improvement (p less than 0.01) compared with preangioplasty values. In none of the patients did an aneurysm develop. Recoarctation developed in 5 (31%) of the 16 infants and was successfully treated either by surgical resection (in 2) or by repeat balloon angioplasty (in 3). A comparison of mortality and recurrence rates between the balloon angioplasty and surgical groups was made with the help of data pooled from the literature published since 1980. The initial (7% versus 23%) and late (2% versus 25%) mortality and recoarctation (11% versus 18%) rates were higher (p less than 0.025) after surgical intervention than after balloon therapy. When only reports in which patients were operated on after 1979 were included in this type of analysis, the initial and late mortality rates remained higher (p less than 0.01) after operation than after angioplasty, and the recoarctation rates became similar (p greater than 0.1). Thirty-two children (greater than 1 year old) underwent balloon angioplasty of native coarctation with a resultant reduction in peak systolic pressure gradient from 48 +/- 19 mm Hg to 10 +/- 9 mm Hg (p less than 0.001), which continued to remain low (14 +/- 11 mm Hg; p less than 0.001) at follow-up catheterization in 24 children 13 months (mean) later. There were no immediate or late deaths. A small aneurysm developed in 1 patient (4%) but did not require intervention. Recoarctation developed in 2 patients (8%), and in both, repeat balloon angioplasty was performed with good results.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)