Microvascular corrosion casting of normal tissue, transitional mucosa and adenocarcinoma in the human colon.

The microcirculatory architecture of normal tissue, transitional mucosa and adenocarcinoma of the human colon was investigated with microvascular corrosion casting (MVCC) combined with scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The study showed that the capillaries within the normal mucosa were arranged in a regular hexagonal pattern around the mucosal glands and that the microvessels of transitional mucosa mostly had lost the typical hexagonal pattern and become slightly wider in diameter. The microvessels in the tumor periphery were increased in number and disorganized, and presented large variation in morphology with claw-like formations, widened sinuses, diverticula and appendixoid patterns. Microvessels were lacking in the central areas of tumors. These morphological alterations may serve as additional indicators of tumor development.     

The Intubation Difficulty Scale (IDS): Proposal and Evaluation of a New Score Characterizing the Complexity of Endotracheal Intubation

Background: A quantitative scale of intubation difficulty would be useful for objectively comparing the complexity of endotracheal intubations. The authors have developed a quantitative score that can be used to evaluate intubating conditions and techniques with the aim of determining the relative values predictive factors of intubation difficulty and of the techniques used to decrease such difficulties.

Methods: An Intubation Difficulty Scale (IDS) was developed, based on parameters known to be associated with difficult intubation. It was then evaluated prospectively in a group of 311 consecutive prehospital intubations and 315 intubations in an operating room. In the operating room, the IDS was compared with two other parameters: the time to completion of intubation and the visual analog scale (VAS). Time was measured by an independent observer. Operators in both groups completed a checklist regarding the conditions of intubation.

Results: There is a good correlation between the IDS scale and the VAS assessment of difficulty and time to completion of intubation. VAS and time to completion have a significant but lesser correlation to each other. Comparison of IDS with operator-assessed subjective categorical impression of difficulty by Kruskall-Wallis was statistically significant.     

A study on plasma norepinephrine and epinephrine levels in TCM liver syndromes.

The levels of plasma norepinephrine (NE) and epinephrine (E) were determined by HPLC in 220 patients with various TCM liver syndromes, and in 96 healthy subjects as controls. The plasma NE and E contents were higher in patients with liver excess syndromes, including Ganqi Yujie (GQYJ [symbol: see text]) syndrome, Ganyang Shangkang (GYSK [symbol: see text]) syndrome, Ganhuo Shangyan (GHSY [symbol: see text]) syndrome, and Ganyang Huafeng (GYHF [symbol: see text]) syndrome; while they were lower in patients with liver deficiency syndromes, including Ganqixu (GQX [symbol: see text]) syndrome, Ganxuexu (GXX [symbol: see text]) syndrome, and Ganyinxu (GYX [symbol: see text]) syndrome. Futhermore, when Ganshen Yinxu (GSYX [symbol: see text]) syndrome was turned into GYSK and then into GYHF, the plasma NE and E contents increased in order of precedence; while when GQYJ was turned into Ganyu Pixu (GYPX [symbol: see text]) syndrome, both NE and E contents decreased. The results suggest that the plasma NE and E contents are reliable objective parameters for the study of pathophysiological basis of the liver excess and liver deficiency syndromes, and the liver-kidney and liver-spleen interrelated syndromes.     

Different effects of intracellular and extracellular TEA on voltage-dependent K currents of acutely isolated hippocampal CA1 neurons.

Tetraethylammonium (TEA) effects on K currents were examined on either side of the membrane of hippocampal CA1 neurons by means of whole-cell voltage-clamp recording and intracellular perfusion. Recording media contained ion channel blockers to allow the selective activation of voltage-dependent K currents which consisted of a rapidly decaying component (A-current) and a delayed component. Voltage protocols were applied to separate the A-current from the delayed component. Results show that 10 mM extracellular TEA suppressed 50 +/- 11% (S.D., n = 4) of the delayed current at different levels of depolarization but had little effect on the A-current. In contrast 10 mM TEA applied by intracellular perfusion suppressed the A-current by 42 +/- 10% (S.D., n = 4) in addition to inhibiting the delayed currently 55 +/- 15% (S.D., n = 4). Both the intracellular and extracellular actions of TEA on K currents showed no voltage- nor time-dependency. The results suggest that voltage-dependent transient current (A-current) is mediated through a separate group of ionic channels distinct from those that sustained the delayed current. Furthermore, the asymmetrical effects of intracellular and extracellular TEA on the transient current are similar to those described for the A-current in molluscan neurons. This observation supports the notion that the structure of the ion channel mediating the A-current is closely conserved across different species.     

A comparative study of pepsinogen (PG) and lactic acid dehydrogenase (LDH) activities and isoenzyme patterns in tissues from human primary gastric cancer, gastric cancer xenografts in nude mice and gastric cancer cell lines]

Tissue and cell homogenates were prepared for PG and LDH study from 20 samples of histologically proven gastric cancer (GC), 6 samples of gastric cancer xenografts (THPGC-1) of different passages (GCXG) and cultured cells of 3 different gastric cancer cell lines (GCCL). Normal gastric mucosa (NGM) was also obtained from the resected stomach far distant from the primary tumor and histologically tumor free. The results indicated that the expression of PG isoenzymes was low or absent and the PG activities were significantly decreased in GC, GCXG and GCCL as compared to NGM. The activity of LDH was also significantly increased in GC, GCXG and GCCL. In addition, there was a change in isoenzyme pattern in GC and GCXG in which isoenzyme type M was observed whereas isoenzyme type H was preponderent in NGM. The results show that the human gastric cancer xenograft, THPGC-1, has biological properties very similar to those of the primary tumor suggesting that THPGC-1 is a reliable model for the study of the molecular biology of human gastric cancer.     

Surgical treatment of primary small cell carcinoma of the esophagus. Clinical analysis of 11 cases]

545 cases of esophageal carcinoma were confirmed histologically and by esophagoscopic biopsy between Jan. 1982 and May 1990. Primary small cell carcinoma was identified in 19 cases. Of 11 patients confirmed operatively, 5 had oat cell carcinoma, 4 combined oat cell carcinoma and 2 intermediate cell carcinoma. The mean overall survival period was 13.9 months. The longest survival period was 27 months. The prognosis of primary small cell carcinoma was poorer than that of squamous carcinoma of the esophagus because of its propensity of spread and metastasis. Once the diagnosis of small cell carcinoma was established, surgery was undertaken as early as possible. For patients who had lymph node metastasis at the time of diagnosis, we recommended surgical treatment plus systemic chemotherapy after operation. To increase the resection rate, it is important to do chest CT scan, bronchiofiberscopy and B-type ultrasonography before operation.