Impact of diagnostic immunohistochemistry on the recognition and management of two cases of thyroid cancer with protracted courses

This report presents two cancer cases with protracted courses in which diagnostic immunohistochemistry for thyroglobulin and/or calcitonin was performed several years after the original light microscopic interpretation. In both cases, diagnostic immunohistochemistry suggested significant changes in tumor classification. In light of current controversies and interpretive problems in this area, confirmatory tests for serum calcitonin and serum thyroglobulin and scans for iodine 131 uptake were performed. These confirmed the immunohistochemical evidence, and led to major changes in patient management. Several similar cases were found in the literature. In cancer cases with a protracted course, but with atypical or discordant clinical and/or pathologic features, diagnostic immunohistochemistry for thyroid markers may merit consideration because of the potential for meaningful changes in clinical management.     

C基因截短的HBV复制与包装

目的 探讨C基因截短型HBV变异体的复制与包装。方法 采用分子克隆、人工定点突变等技术构建C基因截短型HBV变异体质粒，用脂质体法转染HepG2细胞，提取细胞内及培养上清液中DNA分别进行Southem杂交，PCR及实时定量荧光PCR分析。结果 经DNA测序及酶切鉴定证实C基因截短型HBV质粒载体构建成功；C基因截短型HBV为复制缺损型，与辅助质粒共转染HepG2细胞，可在细胞内及培养上清液中检测到HBV各种DNA构型；DNA定量分析提示C基因截短型HBV的包装效率较野生型HBV提高3～40倍。结论 C基因截短型HBV变异体为复制缺损型，单独转染后不能在肝细胞内包装与复制，但在缺失包装信号ε的相应辅助病毒辅助下可有效复制并包装成子代病毒颗粒分泌到胞外，且包装效率大大提高。     

Identification of a gene disrupted by a microdeletion in a patient with X-linked retinitis pigmentosa (XLRP)

The gene for the most frequent from of X-linked retinitis pigmentosa (XLRP), RP3, has been assigned by genetic and physical mapping to a segment of less than 1000 kbp, which is flanked by the marker DXS1110 and the ornithine transcarbamylase (OTC) gene. In search of microdeletions, we have screened the DNA of 30 unrelated patients with XLRP by employing a representative set of YAC-derived DNA fragments that were generated by restriction enzyme digestion and PCR amplification. In one of these patients, a 6.4 kbp microdeletion was detected which was not present in the DNA of 444 male controls. A cosmid contig spanning the deletion was constructed and used to isolate cDNAs from retina-specific libraries. Exons corresponding to these expressed sequences as well as other putative exons were identified by sequencing more than 30 kbp of the critical region. So far, no point mutations in these putative exon sequences have been identified.      

Trisomy of the short arm of chromosome 8: Association with translocation between chromosomes 8 and 22 46,XY,22−,t(8p22q)+

The case of a retarded child with trisomy of the short arm of chromosome 8 associated with translocation between the short arm of chromosome 8 and the long arm of chromosome 22 is reported. Balanced translocation involving the same chromosomes was present in the mother and brother of the propositus. The specific chromosomes involved in the abnormality in this family were identified by use of fluorescence microscopy with quinacrine mustard staining, autoradiography and Giemsa banding. This appears to be the first case report of this anomaly, although trisomy of the short arm of chromosome 9 has been reported previously.     

The effect of Levamisole on peripheral blood lymphocyte subpopulations in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis.

Although Levamisole, an antihelmintic drug, has shown to have some modulatory effect on the immune response in clinical trials and experimental models, its mode of action remains obscure. In a group of fifteen patients with rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis receiving Levamisole on an intermittant regime, simultaneous determinations of the lymphocyte subpopulations were made prior to Levamisole administration and 3 months thereafter. No significant changes were observed either in the absolute or in the relative number of T- and B-cell populations, while a statistically significant reduction was found in the "null" cells. These findings suggest that the immune potentiating effect of Levamisole may at least partially be due to a maturation process of the "null" cells.     

Psychosis as a predictor of response to lithium maintenance treatment in bipolar affective disorder

Sixty-six bipolar I lithium clinic patients were studied for a history of psychotic symptoms at some time during the course of their illness. Agreement between different sources of information was calculated, and the patient population was divided into psychotic and non-psychotic subgroups. Probability of remaining well on lithium for the different subgroups was analyzed by the life table method. Psychosis during mania appeared to be associated with especially good early lithium prophylaxis.     

Renal nerve activity and exaggerated natriuresis in conscious spontaneously hypertensive rats

Exaggerated natriuresis upon volume loading occurs in both human and animal hypertension and is mainly due to suppressed tubular reabsorption. To explore whether altered renal sympathetic activity contributes to this response, conscious male spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) were exposed to isotonic saline loading in comparison with normotensive male Wistar Kyoto rats (WKR). After a 60 min control hydropenic period, during which mean arterial pressure, heart rate, renal sympathetic nerve activity and urinary sodium excretion were followed, a 60 min period of intravenous volume expansion with isotonic saline (0.2 ml/minx 100 g b. w.) was started followed by a 60 min hydropenic recovery period. Already during the control period sodium excretion was significantly higher in SHR. During the volume load and subsequent recovery period a clearly exaggerated natriuresis occurred in SHR compared with WKR. Further, volume loading reduced renal sympathetic nerve activity in all animals, but significantly more in SHR. Moreover, volume loading reduced mean arterial pressure and heart rate in both groups. It is suggested that the accentuated reflex inhibition of renal sympathetic activity in SHR upon volume loading emanates from cardiac mechanoreceptors and partly explains the exaggerated natriuresis in SHR. This augmented ‘volume’ reflex response is probably due to reduced systemic venous compliance in SHR with a consequently increased central filling and cardiac receptor activation.     

Initial organ localisation of blood-borne Candida albicans in a rat model of disseminated candidosis.

The rat was evaluated as an experimental model for disseminated candidosis by quantitating blood clearance and initial organ localisation of 3H-leucine-labelled Candida albicans after intravenous injection into the tail or portal vein. Viable or formalin-killed blastoconidia or viable blastoconidia with germ tubes were injected into experimental animals. Blood and tissue samples were obtained up to 24 h after injection and processed for liquid scintillation counting (to determine the distribution of labelled yeasts) and quantitation of viable organisms. Yeasts were cleared rapidly after intravenous (i.v.) injection by either route, i.e., < 5% of the radioactivity was detected in the blood after 5 min. The liver and lung were the major organs that sequestered blood-borne yeasts 1 h after tail vein injection (42.5 SD 15% and 41.4 SD 6.4% of labelled yeasts injected, respectively). However, injections via the portal vein resulted in trapping of the yeasts predominantly by the liver. Recovery of radioactivity and viable yeasts from all organs except the kidneys decreased with time. Overall, the results indicated that the rat might serve as a reliable model for short-term studies on organ distribution and thus contribute to our understanding of tissue trophism in candidosis.     

肝纤维化门静脉压力改变与血清ET-1/NO关系的实验研究

目的制作兔肝纤维化模型，观察血管活性物质与门静脉压力变化的关系。方法40只家兔采用口服硫代乙酰胺方法造模，分别于造模第8、12、16、20周时检测内皮素（ET-1）及NO浓度，超声观察胆囊壁及肝脏血流动力学指标，直接穿刺测量不同时期门静脉压力。分析血管活性物质与肝脏血流动力学指标及门静脉压力变化间的关系。结果胆囊壁增厚是肝纤维化阶段的二维超声表现；随着纤维化程度的加重，血清ET-1、NO浓度逐渐增加，且以ET-1／N0比值增加更为明显；门静脉内压力、肠系膜上动脉、脾动脉搏动指数（PI）随纤维化程度逐渐增加，实验组与对照组间差异有统计学意义（P〈0．05），且与ET-1／NO值呈正相关（P〈0．01）。结论通过超声可无创检测肝脏血流动力学变化，对肝纤维化临床诊断及治疗效果的观察，具有积极的作用。