Electron microscopical demonstration of horseradish peroxidase by use of tetramethylbenzidine as chromogen and sodium tungstate as stabilizer (TMB-ST method): a tracing method with high sensitivity and well preserved ultrastructural tissue.

Until now methods using tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) for electron microscopy (TMB-EM methods) are all unable to provide a maximum demonstration of transported horseradish peroxidase (HRP) while maintaining good ultrastructural tissue preservation. In order to solve this problem, we have attempted to adapt a newly developed, highly sensitive TMB method using sodium tungstate (ST) as the stabilizer (TMB-ST method) for HRP electron microscopic retrograde and anterograde fiber tracing. The present study shows that the TMB-ST method combined with diaminobenzidine-cobalt (DAB-Co) is more sensitive than existing TMB-EM methods and that ultrastructural details are well preserved with this combined method. The resultant reaction product complex after osmication is stable and is observed as characteristic crystal-like structures which are extremely electron dense and often aggregated into clumps. In contrast, the TMB-ST method without the DAB-Co step frequently produces a moderate electron-dense reaction product. Therefore, we recommend the TMB-ST method combined with DAB-Co for HRP electron microscopy.     

Hemangioma of the adrenal gland. Apropos of a case

A case of adrenal hemangioma is reported, displayed by computed tomography and confirmed by pathologic investigation. This rare tumor poses a difficult diagnostic challenge and rejoins the problem of incidentally discovered adrenal masses.     

Immunopathological study on the uterine spiral arteries in pregnancy-induced hypertension]

The uterine spiral arteries were studied by the immunohistochemical ABC method in 30 cases of Pregnancy Induced Hypertension (PIH) and 10 cases of normal pregnant women. Depositions of IgM and/or C3 on the vessel wall were significantly observed only in PIH cases (15 cases, 50.0%; P < 0.05). Depositions of IgG were seen in 5 cases of PIH 16.7% showing significantly decrease. (P < 0.001), as compared with the normal pregnant women (9 cases, 90.0%). The results suggest that PIH is related to chronic rejection reaction resulting possibly from the decrease of local immunosuppression in pregnancy. Meanwhile the positive stain of IgG, IgM and C3 seen in the nuclei of decidual cells in some of PIH cases were discussed.     

Rules for differentiating symptoms and signs of the heart-qi deficiency syndrome

344 cases of Heart-Qi Deficiency Syndrome (HQDS) including 19 Kinds of disease were observed to explore the rule of differentiation of symptoms and signs for HQDS. The results showed that the common symptoms of HQDS were weakness, shortness of breath, and palpitation, etc. According to with or without complicated cardiovascular diseases, the patients were divided into two groups: group A with cardiovascular diseases, group B without that. In group A, the symptoms and signs of HQDS were the most frequent and early clinical manifestations, the associated symptoms and signs were blood stasis and attack of water-evil, etc. In group B, in whom often associated with nervous and emotional symptoms such as insomnia, dreamfulness, and amnesia, etc., which was due to the disturbance of emotional activities of heart. In order to avoid diagnostic confusion, the authors suggest that the HQDS patients with cardiovascular diseases would be diagnosed as HQDS; on the other hand, the HQDS patients without cardiovascular diseases would be diagnosed as disturbance of emotional activities of heart.     

Supraventricular tachycardia complicated by acute myocardial ischemia induced by atropine injection. Report of a clinical case]

The authors report a case of supraventricular tachyarrhythmia complicated by severe myocardial ischemia after IV injection of Atropine in a 37 years old woman, without known coronary artery disease. She had an ECG with sinusal bradycardia (40/min) and she was on the waiting list for to be submitted to surgical intervention on the lumbar spine.