Cytotoxicity of urushiols isolated from sap of Korean lacquer tree (Rhus vernicifera stokes)

Cytotoxicities of four urushiols, congeners isolated from the sap of Korean lacquer tree (Rhus vernicifera Stokes), to 29 human cancer cell lines originated from 9 organs were evaluated. Their values of 50% growth inhibition were below 4 microg/ml, and showed cell line specific cytotoxicity. The present result is the first report on the cytotoxicity of urushiols suggesting that they would have an anticancer activity to human cancer cells.     

RP—HPLC测定清眩丸中欧前胡素的含量

目的：建立反相高效液相色谱测定清眩丸中欧前胡素含量的方法。方法：采用乙醇做溶剂,水浴加热回流提取。ＬＵＮＡ－Ｃ１８色谱柱分离测定,流动相为乙腈－水（５３∶４７）,流速１ｍＬ·ｍｉｎ－１,检测波长３００ｎｍ。结果：欧前胡素与其相邻峰的分离度是１５,理论板数按欧前胡素峰计算是１６１５５,欧前胡素对照品线性范围是１４６２～４８７５μｇ·ｍＬ－１,加样平均回收率９８０％。结论：用本文方法测定清眩丸中欧前胡素的含量,操作简便,结果准确。     

Post-parotitis myocarditis: case report

In November, 1993,M.G., a 6 year and 11 month-old girl, was admitted at Hospital Infantil Joana de Gusm?o--Florianópolis, SC, Brazil--with post-parotitis myocarditis and congestive heart failure. Three days after admission it was evidenced, on an echocardiogram, a thrombus in the left ventricle apex which, despite of correct treatment, embolized to iliac and small mesenteric arteries. Epidemic parotitis (mumps) is very common, being endemic around the world. Complications are rare and myocarditis, one of them, is more common than diagnosed because of its poor and benign manifestations, generally transient abnormalities of cardiac rhythm and conduction. This case was astonishing because of its rare subsequent event, that is, the formation of a ventricular mural thrombus during an acute myocarditis.     

Comparative Effects of N(omega)-L-Nitro-L-Arginine Methyl Ester and N(omega)-L-Nitro-L-Arginine Benzyl Ester in the Mesenteric Circulation of the Rat

Comparative effects of the nitric oxide (NO) synthase inhibitors, N(omega)-L-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester, and N(omega)-L-nitro-L-arginine benzyl ester on baseline arterial tone and on vasodilator responses to acetylcholine, isoproterenol, prostaglandin E(1), histamine, and nitroglycerin were investigated in the isolated mesenteric vascular bed of the rat. Under constant-flow conditions, intra-arterial (IA) injections of acetylcholine (100 ng--1 &mgr;g), isoproterenol (100 ng--1 &mgr;g), prostaglandin E(1) (0.3--3 &mgr;g), histamine (300 ng--3 &mgr;g), and nitroglycerin (100 ng--1 &mgr;g) caused dose-related decreases in mesenteric arterial perfusion pressure and decreases in systemic arterial pressure. Following administration of the NO synthase inhibitors, N(omega)-L-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester or N(omega)-L-nitro-L-arginine benzyl ester, mesenteric vascular resistance, and systemic arterial pressure were increased and mesenteric vasodilator responses to acetylcholine were significantly decreased, whereas N(omega)-L-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester and N(omega)-nitro-L-arginine benzyl ester did not significantly decrease vasodilator responses to nitroglycerin, histamine, isoproterenol, or prostaglandin E(1). The inhibitory effects of N(omega)-L-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester and N(omega)-L-nitro-L-arginine benzyl ester on vasodilator responses to acetylcholine suggest that acetylcholine-induced vasodilation in the mesenteric circulation of the rat is dependent on the release of NO from the endothelium. The increase in mesenteric vascular resistance following administration of N(omega)-L-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester and N(omega)-L-nitro-L-arginine benzyl ester suggest that tonic production of NO by the endothelium serves to maintain the mesenteric vascular bed of the rat in a dilated state.     

Comparison of flomoxef with latamoxef in the treatment of sepsis and/or Gram-negative bacteremia in adult patients

The safety and efficacy of flomoxef and latamoxef were compared in the treatment of hospitalized patients with sepsis and/or Gram-negative bacteremia in a prospective, open-labelled clinical trial. Patients were randomized to receive 1 to 2 g intravenous doses of either flomoxef every 6 to 12 h, or latamoxef every 8 to 12 h. Data from 21 patients given flomoxef and 23 patients given latamoxef were included in the evaluation of efficacy. Flomoxef produced clinical cure and satisfactory microbiological responses in 85.7% and 100% of patients, respectively. These results were similar to those obtained with latamoxef (87% and 100%, respectively). In addition, no significant difference was found in mean age, sex, severity of infection, distribution of pathogens and focus of infection between the two groups. However, the flomoxef group included more patients with ultimately fatal diseases. Six patients given flomoxef and two patients given latamoxef developed superinfections caused by yeast, enterococci and Pseudomonas aeruginosa in the urinary tract. Mild and reversible adverse reactions probably related to flomoxef and latamoxef were noted in 14.3% and 13% of patients, respectively. The results of this study demonstrated that flomoxef is a safe and effective antimicrobial agent in the treatment of patients with sepsis and/or Gram-negative bacteremia.     

Breast cancer vascularity: Color Doppler sonography and histopathology study

Summary In this prospective study, the authors examined 50 patients with breast tumors (malignant, n = 32; benign, n = 18) to investigate the correlation between color Doppler flow mapping and histopathological findings and to evaluate the clinical significance of color Doppler mapping. Among the 32 patients with breast cancer, color Doppler signals were detected in 24 patients (75%). The maximum flow velocities varied from 5 to 34 cm/sec, with 16 (67%) of them above 15 cm/sec. Among the 18 patients with benign tumors, color Doppler signals could be detected in 7 (39%). The maximum flow velocity varied from 3 to 30 cm/sec but was over 15 cm/sec in only two patients (28%). Histological studies revealed that color Doppler signals detected by Doppler sonography correlated with disordered neovascularization penetrating the lesion from its periphery, consisting of thin-walled blood vessels and large arteriovenous shunts. Although large tumors tend to have high Doppler flow, there is no significant correlation between the maximum flow velocity and tumor size. There is also no significant correlation between the detection of high flow color Doppler signals and the age, receptor status, tumor size, lymph node metastases, or clinical stage of patients with breast cancer. However, there is a positive association (p < 0.05) between nodal metastases and higher tumor flow velocity in T1 ( 2 cm) breast tumors, but not in larger tumors. It is concluded that color Doppler is useful in the assessment of tumor vascularity but is of limited value in the differentiation of benign from malignant lesions. However, the presence of color Doppler signals in Tl breast cancer suggesting early dissemination of the cancer might be of important clinical significance in detecting those small, apparently early, but aggressive tumors with poor prognosis.     

Osteoradionecrosis of the anterior cranium

Osteoradionecrosis occurs in approximately 10% to 15% of patients following radiation therapy for head and neck cancer. In these patients, it is most commonly reported in sites involving the mandible, but it has also been reported in the maxilla, sphenoid, and temporal bones. The majority of these cases are related to some type of trauma such as dental extraction or intraoral biopsies. However, approximately 40% of these entities occur spontaneously and are felt to be secondary to cell kill in intermediate tissues such as bone and periosteum. Our literature review yielded no previously reported cases of osteoradionecrosis involving the anterior cranium. The following two cases present patients who experienced osteoradionecrosis of their frontal bone flaps following subcranial approaches for tumor resection. Both patients suffered from carcinomas involving the ethmoid sinuses; one tumor was a moderately well-differentiated squamous cell carcinoma, the other a mucinous adenocarcinoma. One patient's radiation therapy consisted of external beam photons; the other patient received external beam neutrons. Treatment for these patients, as well as possible causative factors regarding their osteoradionecrosis, are discussed.     

Sequestration of type VI collagen in the pericellular microenvironment of adult chrondrocytes cultured in agarose

The chondron represents the chondrocyte and its pericellular microenvironment and plays an important role in the progression of osteoarthritis. Type VI collagen is preferentially localized in the pericellular microenvironment of adult articular cartilage and increases during osteoarthritis. In this study, we characterized the pericellular sequestration of type VI collagen in long-term chondrocyte-agarose cultures, and assessed the action of interleukin-1 on type VI collagen deposition and assembly. Immunohistochemical and biochemical analysis showed that cultured chondrocytes initiate type VI collagen sequestration immediately upon plating and continue pericellular matrix sequestration in a time dependent manner. Confocal microscopy confirmed the cell surface localization and pericellular accumulation of type VI collagen, while image analysis identified a 'cargo-net like' organization of type VI collagen around each chondrocyte. Quantitative analysis revealed a primary phase of rapid cell division and low levels of type VI collagen sequestration, followed by a secondary phase of relative growth stability and high levels of type VI collagen deposition. Interleukin-1 treated cultures showed increased sequestration and retention of type VI collagen in an expanded microenvironment surrounding the chondrocytes. The data suggests a role for type VI collagen in the differentiation of the pericellular microenvironment in vitro. The increased type VI collagen sequestration promoted by interleukin-1 was consistent with previous studies on osteoarthritic cartilage, and implies a functional role for type VI collagen in the chondron remodeling associated with cartilage degradation.     

Mechanism of activation of an N-ras oncogene of SW-1271 human lung carcinoma cells.

An N-ras-related transforming gene was detected in the human lung carcinoma cell line SW-1271 and molecularly cloned. The lesion responsible for its acquisition of transforming activity was localized to a single nucleotide transition from A to G in codon 61 of the predicted protein. This lesion in the second exon results in the substitution of arginine for glutamine at this position. These findings, together with previous studies, indicate that the activation of ras oncogenes in human tumors is most commonly due to point mutations at one of two major "hot spots" in the ras coding sequence.     

The psychology of consciousness.

All psychologic phenomena occur in consciousness. However, "consciousness" has two meanings: the faculty and the content of awareness. Traditional psychologies have largely concerned themselves with the content, neglecting the problem of the faculty, thus, limiting our understanding of human psyche. Study of meditation is a viable approach to the exploration of both meanings of consciousness. Meditation aims at a "cleansing" of the mind to reach, thereby, a content-free and conflict-free state--pure consciousness.