Two case reports of pituitary adenoma associated with Toxoplasma gondii infection

The involvement of the pituitary in cases of toxoplasmosis has been described in the literature only rarely. This is the first report to describe pituitary adenoma in association with Toxoplasma gondii infection. The two patients were 43 and 19 year old women. Radiological examination revealed tumours in the sellar region. Microscopically, the tumours consisted of small homogeneous polygonal or round cells. Toxoplasma cysts were found among the tumour cells, a finding confirmed by Toxoplasma gondii specific antibody immunohistochemistry. The association between pituitary adenoma and toxoplasma raises the possibility that T gondii might be involved in the development of certain cases of pituitary adenoma.     

Serum protein media are important factors in the manual hexadimethrine bromide (polybrene) test, experience in China.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The use of the manual hexadimethrine bromide (polybrene) test in routine cross-matching after accurately detecting cell grouping and irregular antibodies is prevalent in China. This article reports the importance of serum protein mediums in the performance of the manual hexadimethrine bromide test. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Blood group O red blood cells and Blood group AB and Rh positive serum were collected at random from healthy blood donators, IgG anti-D serum separated from pregnant woman, then tested with each other by the manual hexadimethrine bromide methods in routine tests and some designed corresponding tests with IgG, IgM anti-D monoclonal diagnostic reagents and some serum protein components. RESULTS: Red blood cells that were adjusted to 3-5% suspension by normal saline then only added in 0.7 ml low ionic medium (LIM) and two drops of polybrene solution adhere to the surface of test tubes' bottom when centrifuged, so it was difficult to perform the next approach, but the adherence disappeared when red blood cells' concentrations exceeded 20-30%. Rh positive red blood cells coated by anti-D have the same phenomenon. This adherence can be prevented by serum medium diluted from 1:128 to 1:1024 times by normal saline and hemoglobin medium diluted from 1:32 to 1:128 times, but not by albumin or immunoglobulin medium. The denary logarithm values of the greatest inhibited dilutions of serum and hemoglobin elution between antibody sensitizing red blood cells and the same pre-sensitizing red blood cells tests were no significant difference (P value > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The whole serum or serum protein mediums are important factors that can influence successfully performance of the manual hexadimethrine bromide test. So appliance of the manual hexadimethrine bromide test to immunohematology laboratory, such as when performing titrations of serum or plasma, or when testing eluates for antibody activity, this adherence must be considered.     

优化原理与小动脉血流量─管径关系

作者假设血液为符合幂定律的非牛顿流体，对小动脉血管系统进行了详细的优化分析。导出了血流量与管径立方成正比的结论以及壁面切变率与管径无关的推论。此结果既包含了前人对于牛顿血流的研究成果，又能克服后者的不足，而与近期的生理测定一致。     

P2X receptors in trigeminal subnucleus caudalis modulate central sensitization in trigeminal subnucleus oralis

This study investigated the role of trigeminal subnucleus caudalis (Vc) P2X receptors in the mediation of central sensitization induced in nociceptive neurons in subnucleus oralis (Vo) by mustard oil (MO) application to the tooth pulp in anesthetized rats. MO application produced a long-lasting central sensitization reflected in neuroplastic changes (i.e., increases in neuronal mechanoreceptive field size and responses to innocuous and noxious mechanical stimuli) in Vo nociceptive neurons. Twenty minutes after MO application, the intrathecal (i.t.) administration to the rostral Vc of the selective P2X(1), P2X(3), and P2X(2/3) receptor antagonist, 2'-(or 3'-)O-trinitrophenyl-ATP (TNP-ATP), significantly and reversibly attenuated the MO-induced central sensitization for more than 15 min; saline administration had no effect. Administration to the rostral Vc of the selective P2X(1), P2X(3), and P2X(2/3) receptor agonist, alpha,beta-methylene ATP (alpha,beta-meATP, i.t.) produced abrupt and significant neuroplastic changes in Vo nociceptive neurons, followed by neuronal desensitization as evidenced by the ineffectiveness of a second i.t. application of alpha,beta-meATP and subsequent MO application to the pulp. Administration to the rostral Vc of the selective P2X(1) receptor agonist beta,gamma-methylene ATP (beta,gamma-meATP, i.t.) produced no significant neuroplastic changes per se and did not affect the subsequent MO-induced neuroplastic changes in Vo nociceptive neurons. These results suggest that P2X(3) and possibly also the P2X(2/3) receptor subtypes in Vc may play a role in the initiation and maintenance of central sensitization in Vo nociceptive neurons induced by MO application to the pulp.     

耳穴静态电测量中的瞬变响应

耳穴电参数时变关系实验表明，在测量起始ｔ＜２τ时，因瞬变作用，电位Ｅ（ｔ）和压降Ｕ（ｔ）为瞬态响应，响应函数呈指数关系，特征参数为弛豫时间τ，τ≈ＲＣ；ｔ＞２τ时，为时变间期。电路分析给出数学描述，并与耳穴和模拟实验结果较相符。提示，时变特征应以ｔ＞２τ后提取，静态电测量时，采样应避开瞬变期，可提高准确性。该工作对正确鉴别时变性和特征提取，全面认识耳穴电特性具有重要意义。     

Class II defective avian sarcoma viruses: Comparative analysis of genome structure

The genomes of class II avian sarcoma viruses PRCII, PRCII-p, PRCIV, and Fujinami sarcoma virus (FSV), were studied by oligonucleotide fingerprinting, heteroduplex mapping, and nucleic acid hybridization. All of these viruses are genetically defective and have a small RNA genome between 4.5 and 6.1 kilobases (kb) in length. They contain helper-related sequences at both the 5′- and 3′-ends, but most of the retroviral sequences in the middle of the genome are deleted. In place of this deleted information, a contiguous stretch of transformation-specific sequences, termed fps, is found. These putative oncogenic sequences are about 1.2 kb in PRCII, and those in PRCII-p and PRCIV are roughly 2.9 kb. From the analysis of oligonucleotides, it appears that the fps sequences of PRCII represent a subset of those of PRCII-p. Most of the additional sequences present in PRCII-p but absent from PRCII are at the 5′-half of fps. The helper-related sequences in PRCII and PRCII-p are almost indistinguishable, except that PRCII-p contains slightly more retroviral information at the 3′-end of the genome. Therefore, it is possible that PRCII has been derived by deletion from PRCII-p. By contrast, PRCII-p and PRCIV were found to contain identical fps sequences, but their helper-related sequences have diverged substantially. These two sarcoma viruses either represent two independent isolates or, if derived from a single isolate, they have undergone extensive mutation and recombination with diverse avian retroviruses. FSV was found to differ to a greater extent from other class II sarcoma viruses in both helper-related and fps sequences. The difference in fps sequences is localized in the 5′-half of that region. Considering the variation in fps among all members of class II avian sarcoma viruses, it appears that the 3′-half of that genetic region is more conserved than the 5′-half.     

Effects of temporomandibular joint stimulation on nociceptive and nonnociceptive neurons of the cat's trigeminal subnucleus caudalis (medullary dorsal horn)

1. The extracellular activity of 196 single neurons in subnucleus caudalis (medullary dorsal horn) of the trigeminal (V) spinal tract nucleus was examined in chloralose-anesthesized, paralyzed cats. Electrical, mechanical, and algesic chemical stimuli were applied to the exposed temporomandibular joint (TMJ) in order to activate TMJ afferents. Seventy-eight neurons were studied that responded to electrical stimulation of the TMJ at a mean latency of 9.9 +/- 4.8 (SD) ms. 2. All neurons with TMJ input received additional afferent input, predominantly from facial skin or intraoral sites. Caudalis neurons were classified on the basis of their cutaneous mechanoreceptive field properties as low-threshold mechanoreceptive (LTM), wide dynamic range (WDR), or nociceptive specific (NS); a few neurons unresponsive to cutaneous stimuli were responsive to manipulation of deep subcutaneous structures. A sample of caudalis neurons was tested for responsiveness to electrical TMJ stimulation after the mechanoreceptive field properties of the neurons were determined. In this sample, 24% of the LTM neurons, 29% of the WDR neurons, 36% of the NS neurons, and 57% of the neurons with input from deep structures were responsive to TMJ stimulation. The WDR and NS neurons with TMJ inputs had mechanoreceptive field properties and laminar locations in caudalis that were comparable to those previously described for cutaneous nociceptive neurons in caudalis; also in accordance with recent studies, 74% of the neurons tested showed convergence of tooth pulp and/or hypoglossal (XII) nerve afferent inputs. 3. In contrast to the LTM neurons, the WDR and NS neurons were especially responsive to intense mechanical and algesic chemical stimulation of the TMJ as well as to electrical stimulation of TMJ afferents. For example, 71% of the WDR and NS neurons excited by electrical stimulation of the TMJ afferents and tested for their responsiveness to injections of algesic chemicals (7% NaCl, KCl, bradykinin, histamine) into the TMJ responded to at least one of these chemicals. The temporal characteristics of these responses were quantified. 4. The TMJ afferent inputs to the WDR and NS neurons were considered to be predominantly of a nociceptive character because of (1) the long latency and high threshold of most TMJ-evoked responses, which are consistent with previous demonstrations that small-diameter afferents predominantly supply the TMJ and, (2) the preferential responsiveness to noxious mechanical and chemical stimulation of TMJ afferents of neurons which were functionally identified as cutaneous nociceptive neurons.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)