Somatostatin Receptor Localization of Pancreatic Endocrine Tumors

n = 39) than conventional imaging studies (MRI, n = 25; CT, n = 13); 23 of 24 patients had positive octreotide scintigraphy, 17 of 24 had positive MRI-scans, and 12 of 24 patients had positive CT scans. It was concluded that ¹¹¹ In-octreotide scintigraphy combined with conventional imaging improves the preoperative localization of presumably tumorous lesions in patients with gastroenterohepatic endocrine tumors.     

Bioavailability of 1-deamino-8-D-arginine vasopressin with an enzyme inhibitor (aprotinin) from the small intestine in healthy volunteers

Objective: The bioavailability of an aqueous solution of 1-deamino-8-D-arginine vasopressin (dDAVP), with and without an enzyme inhibitor, was studied in six healthy, male volunteers aged 19–34 years, followed for 8 h after each drug administration. Methods: For i.v. administration the subjects received 4 μg dDAVP. For intestinal administration 500 μg dDAVP was administered directly, in two separate sessions, in the first part of the duodenum via a triple-lumen channel tube. In one session a solution of isotonic polyethylene glycol (PEG) was given as a continuous enteral perfusion. In the other session a solution of PEG and aprotinin was administered enterally at the constant rate of 5 ml⋅min⁻¹ for 4 h. Plasma dDAVP was measured using a specific, sensitive radioimmunoassay and intestinal juice was collected for measurement of lipase, chymotrypsin and pH every 30 min for 5 h. Results: The intestinal chymotrypsin activity was decreased after perfusion of aprotinin while the lipase activity was not modified. After i.v. administration, the half-life of elimination of dDAVP was 1.56 h and plasma clearance 1.24 ml⋅min⋅kg⁻¹. The mean bioavailability after duodenal administration of dDAVP + aprotinin was 0.46% compared with 0.09% after duodenal administration of dDAVP alone. The bioavailability of dDAVP after direct duodenal administration of an aqueous solution was similar to that after swallowing a tablet in a previous study and increased 5 times when given together with a perfusion of an enzyme inhibitor. Received: 27 October 1995/Accepted in revised form: 26 February 1996     

Consequences of fluid absorption during transurethral resection of the prostate using distilled water or glycine 1.5 per cent

This prospective and randomized study compared the consequences of two irrigating fluids, distilled water and glycine for transurethral prostatectomy. Forty-nine consecutive unselected patients undergoing transurethral resection of the prostate with spinal anaesthesia were investigated. The irrigating fluid was either distilled water (group A, 24 patients) or glycine 1.5 per cent (group B, 25 patients). The absorption of irrigating fluid was measured, all surgical events and any clinical signs of TURP syndrome during and after surgery were recorded. Early signs of TURP syndrome were observed in one patient in group A and in four in group B without further consequence. From all the biological variables, only plasma protein concentration, haematocrit, free plasma haemoglobin and free bilirubin concentrations were found to have changed. Plasma protein concentration and haematocrit decreased significantly during and after surgery in the two groups. Free plasma haemoglobin increased significantly with time: a significantly higher concentration was observed in group A than group B. Free bilirubin concentration increased with time in the two groups and was statistically greater in group A. With the two irrigating fluids, we observed a significant amount of haemolysis and haemodilution without clinical consequences. A low irrigating fluid pressure, a short resection time, and the use of spinal anaesthesia seems to us to be essential. Close observation of patients following transurethral prostatectomy is needed but the choice of the irrigating fluid does not seem to be important. Cette étude prospective et randomisée a comparé les conséquences de deux liquides d’irrigation, l’eau distillée et le glycocolle au cours de la chirurgie prostatique par voie basse. Quarante-neuf patients consécutifs, non sélectionnés, bénéficiant d’une résection transuréthrale de prostate sous rachianesthésie, sont étudiés. Le liquide d’irrigation est soil l’eau distillée (groupe A, 24 patients), soit le glycocolle à 1.5 pour cent (groupe B, 25 patients). L’absorption des liquides d’irrigation, les incidents chirurgicaux et les signes cliniques du syndrome de réabsorption sont systématiquement notés. Des signes caractéristiques du syndrome de réabsorption sont observés dans un cas dans le groupe A et dans quatre cos dans le groupe B sans conséquence ultérieure. Seuls la protidémie, l’hématocrite, l’hémoglobine plasmatique libre et la bilirubine libre changent significativement. L’hémoglobine plasmatique libre augmente significativement dans les deux groupes, avec un taux plasmatique significativement plus élevé dans le groupe A. Avec les deux liquides d’irrigation, on observe une hémolyse et une hémodilution sans conséquence clinique. Un temps de résection court, un faible niveau de pression d’irrigation, l’utilisation de l’anesthésie rachidienne nous semblent trés importants. Une surveillance clinique et biologique attentive pendant et après la résection transuréthrale de prostate sont nécessaires; en revanche, le choix du liquide d’irrigation ne semble pas l’élément essentiel.     

Determination of hepatitis C virus genotype by Pyrosequencing

A simple sequencing-based assay is described for genotyping of hepatitis C virus (HCV). RT-PCR was employed to amplify a 237-nucleotide-long fragment from the 5' untranslated region (UTR) of the genome using one biotinylated and one normal primer. Subsequent to capture of the PCR products on streptavidin-coated beads, single-stranded DNA separation, and hybridization of sequencing primer, Pyrosequencing was performed. The genotype of 98 samples out of which 77 samples were from American veterans and 21 samples were from Iran was determined. The samples from the American veterans contained six different subtypes, while five subtypes were found in Iranian samples. For rapid population-specific HCV subtyping, a multiplex assay was developed. This study demonstrates the suitability of this technology for low-cost, high throughput and accurate microbial genotyping.     

Initiation of stress protein synthesis in the myocardium of coronary patients

We studied myocardial biopsy specimens from the right atrium of cardiological patients with different degree of cardiac ischemia obtained during surgery. No inducible HSP70 stress proteins were detected in atrial cardiomyocytes of patients with the WPW syndrome without signs of ischemic injuries of the heart. These proteins were detected in the myocardium of coronary patients. Their expression was more intense in patients with coronary disease paralleled by the development of myocardial dyskinesia. Two-dimensional electrophoresis showed only acid HSP70 but no alkaline isoforms in coronary patients even with pronounced dyskinesia. Presumably, alkaline HSP70 isoforms are present in the myocardium directly involved in the dyskinesia zone.Translated from Byulleten Eksperimentalnoi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 138, No. 10, pp. 412–415, October, 2004     

Genetic load caused by variation in the amount of rDNA in a wasp

Extensive variation in the size of the short (heterochromatic) arm of chromosome 14 was found in the wasp Trypoxylon (Trypargilum) albitarse. Ten different variants were differentiated by size and C-banding pattern. Fluorescent in-situ hybridization (FISH) revealed that ribosomal DNA in this species is clustered in the darkly C-banded parts of the heterochromatic short arm of chromosome 14. On this basis, we got an indirect estimate of the amount of rDNA from the area of these dark C-bands. The significant absence in males of the three chromosome variants with lower amounts of rDNA indicates that these three variants are lethal in this sex, and suggests the existence of a threshold marking the minimum amount of rDNA which is tolerable in haploidy. This implies about 4% genetic load in the population caused by variation in rDNA amount. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Interaction of Arc with CaM kinase II and stimulation of neurite extension by Arc in neuroblastoma cells expressing CaM kinase II

We investigated the relationship between Arc (activity-regulated cytoskeleton-associated protein) and Ca(2+)/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaM kinase II). Arc and CaM kinase II were concentrated in the postsynaptic density. These proteins were accumulated after electroconvulsive treatment. Arc increased about 2.5-fold within 30 min and was maintained at this level for 8h after the stimulation. CaM kinase II also increased within 30 min and remained at this level for at least 24h. The interaction of Arc with CaM kinase II was demonstrated using GST-Arc fusion protein, and confirmed in neuroblastoma cells by immunoprecipitation. We examined the function of Arc by introducing Arc cDNA into neuroblastoma cells expressing CaM kinase II. The cells expressing both Arc and CaM kinase II had longer neurites than those expressing CaM kinase II alone. Arc itself did not promote neurite outgrowth. The growth of neurites by Arc was completely blocked by treatment with KN62, an inhibitor of CaM kinases. These results indicated that Arc potentiated the action of CaM kinase II for neurite extension.