Thymidine labeling index in breast tumors

The relationship between primary tumor proliferative activity and clinical and pathologic characteristics was analyzed in relation to menopausal status in 32 patients with malignant or benign breast disease. The thymidine labeling index (TLI) showed significantly higher median values in the cancer patients (3.48 per cent) than in the patients with benign diseases (1.02 per cent). TLI was not significantly affected by delayed incubation at room temperature for about 1 hour. In the breast cancer patients, TLI did not significantly correlate to tumor size, the presence of axillary lymph node metastasis or pathologic nuclear grading. The only significant difference was limited to the breast cancer patients without axillary lymph node metastasis in relation to menopausal status; the TLI in the premenopausal patients (5.10 per cent) was significantly higher (p<0.05) than that in the postmenopausal patients (2.28 per cent). These data thus suggest that among premenopausal patients without axillary lymph node metastasis, those with a high TLI could be potential candidates for adjuvant chemotherapy.     

Synthesis and thermal properties of poly(arylene-1,2,4-oxadiazole)s with flexible,linear alkoxymethyl side branches

Poly(arylene-1,2,4-oxadiazole)s (PAOs) bearing flexible, linear side chains, 3a - c , were prepared by solution cyclodehydration of their precursors, poly(arylene acyloylamide oxime)s (PAAs), 2a - c , which were synthesized by solution polycondensation of 2,5-bis(n-alkoxymethyl)-terephthaldiamide oximes (DIS-TADO), 1a - c , with terephthaloyl dichloride (TPC). The length of the n-alkoxy group was varied from methoxy via butoxy to octyloxy. The reduction of the phase transition temperatures and the enhancement of the solubilities of 3a - c were greatly affected by the length of the side chains. PAOs with longer side chains, 3b and 3c , are nematic type liquid-crystalline polymers.     

Uroscopy in the 21st century: high-field NMR spectroscopy

From the experiments described, it can be seen that there are different research approaches that can be taken and these are summarized in Table 1. Whereas much scientific research is principally hypothesis led, there remains, nevertheless, an important place for exploratory research. High resolution NMR can measure, directly and simultaneously, a wide range of endogenous metabolites in biological fluids and has the unique capability of providing structural information on the metabolites detected. It has proved to be a powerful research tool with which to study inherited metabolic diseases, renal disease, drug metabolism, and toxicity, and can be used to monitor the effects of drug therapy. For instance, by using a library of experimental toxins one can map the metabolic profile of site-specific nephron injury. With this approach in man one could eventually take an unknown disease such as Balkan nephropathy and predict the initial site of tubular injury, the mode of injury and therefore the kind of toxin capable of producing that injury. NMR spectroscopic techniques are still advancing rapidly, with ever increasing sensitivity and sophistication of NMR pulse sequences to enhance structural elucidation in complex mixtures. Given the advances in directly coupled HPLC-NMR and even HPLC-NMR-mass spectroscopy it is likely that these technologies in conjunction with pattern recognition will make major contribution to our understanding of renal processes and provide new diagnostic insights in the 21st century.      

45,X/46,X dic (Y) mosaicism in a phenotypic male.

Cytogenetic analysis, confirmed by in situ hybridisation studies, showed a mosaic 45,X/46,X dic (Y) (q12) karyotype in a 14 year old boy who was initially diagnosed as having Noonan''s syndrome. He made an early response to recombinant growth hormone; this suggests that this treatment may improve final height.     

Intestinal bacterial metabolism of flavonoids and its relation to some biological activities

Flavonoid glycosides were metabolized to phenolic acids via aglycones by human intestinal microflora producing α-rhamnosidase, exo-β-glucosidase, endo-β-glucosidase and/or β-glucuronidase. Rutin, hesperidin, naringin and poncirin were transformed to their aglycones by the bacteria producing α-rhamnosidase and β-glucosidase or endo-β-glucosidase, and baicalin, puerarin and daidzin were transformed to their aglycones by the bacteria producing β-glucuronidase, C-glycosidase and β-glycosidase, respectively. Anti-platelet activity and cytotoxicity of the metabolites of flavonoid glycosides by human intestinal bacteria were more effective than those of the parental compounds. 3,4-Dihydroxyphenylacetic acid and 4-hydroxyl-phenylacetic acid were more effective than rutin and quercetin on anti-platelet aggregation activity. 2,4,6-Trihydroxybenzaldehyde, quercetin and ponciretin were more effective than rutin and ponciretin on the cytotoxicity for tumor cell lines. We insist that these flavonoid glycosides should be natural prodrugs.