Presence and distribution of ghrelin-immunopositive cells in the chicken gastrointestinal tract

The presence and distribution patterns of ghrelin, a gastric acylated peptide, were studied in the entire gastrointestinal tract of the chicken (Gallus domesticus) using the peroxidase-antiperoxidase immunohistochemical method, western blot analysis and a specific antibody against the C-terminal region of rat ghrelin. Ghrelin-immunopositive cells were observed in the mucosal layer of all segments examined. The largest numbers of ghrelin-positive cells were located at the base of lobuli of the proventriculus gland, along villi of the intestines and in crypts of the duodenum. Lower numbers of ghrelin-immunostained cells were located in crypts of jejunum and ileum and only few ghrelin-immunostained cells were detected at the base of crypts of the large intestine. Closed and open types of cells were observed in all segments. Western blot analysis confirmed the presence of ghrelin-like protein in the entire chicken gastrointestinal tract. The anatomical distribution patterns and the morphological characteristics of chicken ghrelin-positive cells suggest that they are endocrine cells. Furthermore, it is concluded that ghrelin shows a high degree of preservation during evolution from non-mammalian vertebrates to mammals.     

An unusual variant of composite lymphoma: a short case report and review of the literature

We recently encountered an unusual case of composite lymphoma arising in a 73-year-old man with a history of follicular small cleaved cell lymphoma. The neoplasm was composed of follicular small cleaved cell lymphoma and nodular sclerosing Hodgkin disease within a single groin lymph node. In addition to morphologic evidence, the immunologic studies performed in this case demonstrated the simultaneous occurrence of 2 separate lymphocytic proliferations. To the best of our knowledge, only one such histologic type has been reported in the literature.1 Hodgkin lymphoma can develop in patients with non-Hodgkin disease and vice versa, especially after treatment. The simultaneous occurrence of Hodgkin disease and non-Hodgkin lymphoma in a single lymph node is extremely rare. In this article, the relationship between Hodgkin disease and non-Hodgkin lymphoma is explored, possible explanations for the occurrence of composite lymphoma are discussed, and the literature is reviewed.     

Orthopoxvirus DNA: strain differentiation by electrophoresis of restriction endonuclease fragmented virion DNA.

Procedures were developed for purifying intact intracytoplasmic poxvirus particles from infected cells and for isolating DNA from virions by equilibrium centrifugation in sodium diatrizoate density gradients. The buoyant density of twelve closely related orthopoxviruses purified in these gradients was determined to be 1.25 g/ml, and that of the isolated virion DNAs was 1.1 g/ml. Virion DNA from each of the 12 selected prototype and wild-type viruses was cleaved with three separate site-specific restriction endonucleases, Hin d III, Sal I, and Bam HI, and the fragments (molecular weights 0.5 × 10⁶ to 20 × 10⁶) were separated by agarose gel electrophoresis. Characteristic DNA fragment migration patterns observed in the gels permitted classification of the viruses. By comparing profiles of Hin d III cleaved DNAs we were able to group the viruses into 4 species: cowpox, vaccinia, monkeypox (2 isolates), and variola (8 isolates). Viruses from variola major infection could be differentiated from viruses from variola minor infection. Isolates within species (strains) were also differentiated, mainly by comparing the gel electrophoresis profiles of Sal I digested DNA from the viruses.     

Mediastinal hibernoma: a case report

Hibernomas are rare benign tumours that arise most often in adults from the remnants of fetal brown adipose tissue. They usually affect muscle and subcutaneous tissue and are asymptomatic and slow growing. The distribution of this tumour follows the sites of persistence of brown fat. Out of more then 100 cases described in the word literature only three hybernomas were mediastinal. A recent clinicopathological study of 170 cases from the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology confirmed the exceptionality of the intrathoracic location. This report describes a very rare case of mediastinal hibernoma in a young man.     

Multifunctional microcapsules for pancreatic islet cell entrapment: design,preparation and in vitro characterization

Great advances in cell transplantation have been made, including the recent, remarkable success in pancreatic islet transplantation for the treatment of type 1 diabetes mellitus. Unfortunately, the transplanted cells are very susceptible to oxidative stress that cause severe damage to either allo- or xenogeneic islets upon graft in diabetic patients. Consequently, the transplanted islet functional life span is significantly shortened. The aim of this study was to examine the possible effects of antioxidants on in vitro cultured adult rat islets, and to evaluate the effects of a prolonged-release formulation, in form of cellulose acetate (CA) microspheres, on Vitamin D(3) activity. Isolated rat islets, both free and entrapped in microspheres were treated with Vitamin D(3). The effects of the vitamin were studied at 3, 6 and 9 days of in vitro cell culture. According to insulin secretory patterns, treatment with Vitamin D(3) of both free and CA entrapped microspheres, increased the insulin output as compared to untreated controls. Such positive effects were confirmed under islet static incubation with glucose at day 6. These results suggest that pancreatic islets can be advantageously treated with anti-oxidising vitamins before implantation, and speculatively, with the help of special delivery systems, throughout the islet cell life span, in the post-transplant time period.     

Reliability of a single urine culture in establishing diagnosis of asymptomatic bacteriuria in adult males.

Fifty-nine asymptomatic men without catheters of ileal-loop bladders, who were attending a urology clinic and were incidentally discovered to have 100,000 or more Enterobacteriaceae per ml ("significant bacteriuria") in a clean voided urine sample, were prospectively evaluated. To identify these 59 patients, 5,876 urine samples, collected exclusively from men, had been subjected to quantitation and identification. A repeat urine culture performed on these patients invariably confirmed the results of the initial culture. The reproducibility of a single urine culture containing significant bacteriuria occurred independently of the tissue source of infection, as determined by the antibody-coated-bacteria immunofluorescence test. We conclude that a single urine culture obtained from a cooperative man can establish the diagnosis of asymptomatic bacteriuria.     

Ambient air and its potential effects on conception in vitro

Incidences of chemical air contamination (CAC) are common in assisted reproductive technology, but not reported in peer review format. Justified fear of car and industrial emissions clearly exists among reproductive specialists, but standards for air contents and gaseous emission limits have not been reported. Here, we describe air sampling methods and assay systems which can be applied to any laboratory or laboratory item. It was found that unfiltered outside air may be cleaner than high efficiency particulate air filtration (HEPA) filtered laboratory air or air obtained from incubators, due to accumulation of volatile organic compounds derived from adjacent spaces or specific laboratory products such as compressed CO2, sterile Petri dishes and other materials or devices known to release gaseous emissions. Specific groups of products such as anaesthetic gases, refrigerants, cleaning agents, hydrocarbons and aromatic compounds such as benzene and toluene are described. The latter were shown to accumulate specifically in incubators. Isopropyl alcohol was the most dominant product found, though it was not used by the laboratory staff. Concentrations of this agent were low in incubator air, indicating that it was probably absorbed by the water in the pan or by culture medium. Measures to counter CAC are proposed, including the use of activated carbon filters and oxidizing material placed in the central air handling systems, in separate free-standing units or even inside the incubators.