Peripheral airway cell differentiation in human lung cancer cell lines

Clara cells and type II pneumocytes are the progenitor cells of the bronchioles and alveoli, respectively. These peripheral airway cells (PAC) contain characteristic cytoplasmic structures and express surfactant associated proteins. PAC cell markers are expressed by many pulmonary adenocarcinomas having papillary and/or lepidic growth patterns, which are characteristics of the bronchioloalveolar and papillary subtypes. We investigated the expression of PAC markers in a panel of 41 lung cancer cell lines. Ultrastructural studies demonstrated the presence of cytoplasmic structures characteristic of Clara cells or of type II pneumocytes in 9 of 34 (26%) non-small cell lung cancer cell lines, including 7 of 17 (41%) adenocarcinomas, one squamous cell carcinoma, and one large cell carcinoma. Of interest, the cytoplasmic structures were present in 5 of 6 (83%) cell lines initiated from papillolepidic adenocarcinomas. In addition, we examined the lines for expression of the surfactant associated proteins SP-A, SP-B, and SP-C. Eight of the nine cell lines containing cytoplasmic inclusions characteristic of PAC cells also expressed protein and/or RNA of SP-A, the major surfactant associated protein. Five of these lines expressed SP-B RNA (either constitutively or after dexamethasone induction), while a single line expressed SP-C only after dexamethasone induction. None of six small cell lung cancer cell lines examined expressed any of the PAC markers. Thus, PAC markers are expressed frequently (but not exclusively) in pulmonary adenocarcinoma cell lines, especially in those initiated from tumors having papillolepidic growth patterns. The establishment and identification of multiple cell lines expressing PAC features provide an important new resource for biological and preclinical therapeutic studies.     

Occult cerebral vascular malformations: high-field MR imaging

Occult cerebral vascular malformations (OCVMs) have characteristic appearances on high-field magnetic resonance (MR) images. These consist of circumscribed regions of low intensity, most prominent on T2-weighted images and representing hemosiderin deposits. Interspersed within most of these lesions are multiple areas of various signal intensity patterns, which correspond to hematomas in different stages of evolution and to fibrous regions containing calcium as well as hemosiderin. Forty-six lesions were found in 19 patients (34 supratentorial and 12 infratentorial). The supratentorial lesions tended to be subcortical or periventricular. Computed tomography depicted 24 of the 46 lesions demonstrated by high-field MR. Comparison of images obtained with both low-field MR (0.12 T and 0.35 T) and high-field MR (1.5 T) revealed that high-field MR imaging was superior in depicting OCVMs. High-field MR appears to be both sensitive and specific for OCVMs and may obviate the need for possible biopsy of these lesions.     

Effects of buspirone and diazepam, alone and in combination with alcohol, on skilled performance and evoked potentials

Effects of buspirone, 10 and 20 mg, and diazepam, 10 mg, on skilled performance and evoked responses, as well as their interactions with 0.8 g/kg of alcohol were investigated in 24 healthy men. Alcohol, 0.8 g/kg, caused the greatest performance impairment, followed closely by diazepam. Both doses of buspirone had lesser effects. Buspirone had primarily sedative effects which were short lasting, whereas diazepam impaired tracking and body balance in addition to being sedative. Both anxiolytics showed only slight additive interactions with the present dose of alcohol. A strong drug effect and a lesser but significant alcohol and a drug/alcohol interaction effect were seen on evoked potentials. Diazepam effects on evoked potentials were similar to alcohol, whereas buspirone in some instances appeared to reverse the alcohol effect. Pharmacokinetics of buspirone and diazepam were not significantly affected by concomitant administration of alcohol. The psychomotor side effect profile of a single anxiolytic dose of buspirone is preferable to a single 10-mg dose of diazepam.     

myc family DNA amplification in 107 tumors and tumor cell lines from patients with small cell lung cancer treated with different combination chemotherapy regimens.

We studied 107 specimens (38 tumors and 69 tumor cell lines) from 90 patients with small cell lung cancer to determine the characteristics and clinical situations of patients from whom tumor cell lines could be established and the myc family DNA copy number. The proportion of extensive stage small cell lung cancer patients from whom a tumor cell line could be established prior to the initiation of therapy increased during the 10 years of the study (P less than 0.001). Amplification of one of the myc family genes occurred in 3 of 40 (8%) of the untreated patient specimens compared to 19 of 67 (28%) of the treated patient specimens (P = 0.01). The myc family DNA amplification occurred in 17 of 54 (31%) of the specimens from patients treated with cyclophosphamide-based combinations and 2 of 13 (15%) of the specimens from patients treated with etoposide/cisplatin (P = 0.25). Both tumors and tumor cell lines were obtained from 17 patients with small cell lung cancer and the myc family DNA copy number was similar in 16 of the 17 patients. We conclude that: (a) myc family DNA amplification occurs more commonly in specimens from treated than untreated patients (b) there are no prominent differences in the frequency of amplification following treatment with different chemotherapy regimens; and (c) myc family DNA amplification is similar in tumors and tumor cell lines from the same patients.     

Kell blood group activity of gram-negative bacteria

To understand better the relationships between blood-group antigens and bacterial constituents, examples of 23 gram-negative bacteria (representing the 10 genera Citrobacter, Edwardsiella, Enterobacter, Escherichia, Klebsiella, Proteus, Pseudomonas, Salmonella, Serratia, and Shigella) were tested for the presence of Kl-like antigens by hemagglutination-inhibition (HAI) assays against both IgG and IgM anti-Kl. Saline-suspended whole organisms, cell-free culture media, and disrupted organisms were used to test for such antigens in, on, and secreted by the microorganisms examined. Disrupted organisms of an isolate of Shigella sonnei nonspecifically inhibited IgG anti-Kl as well as IgG antibodies of the specificities Kpb, Fya, S, and c. However, only Escherichia coli 0125:B15, subtype 12808, had specific K1-like activity (no activity with other IgG [(k, Kpb, Jka, Fya, S, c] and IgM [A, B, M, P1] antibodies). Disrupted organisms inhibited IgM but not IgG anti-K1 in the HAI assay. A second subtype, E. coli 0125:B15, subtype 12809, exhibited no K1-like activity. These findings support the report of K1 activity in cell-free broth cultures of E. coli 0125:B15 (subtype unspecified). Thus, although not all E. coli 0125:B15 possesses K1-like activity, the finding of such activity in at least one E. coli subtype confirms the idea that bacterial components may play a role in the production of naturally occurring antibodies directed against non-ABO red cell antigens.     

Anaphylaxis after treatment with recombinant factor VIII

BACKGROUND: Treatment of hemophilia patients with recombinant factor VIII concentrates has not previously been associated with anaphylaxis. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: A 5-week-old boy with severe hemophilia A developed dyspnea, cyanosis, hypotension, and a diffuse urticarial rash following treatment with a recombinant factor VIII (Recombinate). To identify the cause of anaphylaxis in this patient, the vial lot was examined for the presence of endotoxin, and a checkerboard immunoblotting technique was used to test serum and/or plasma samples from the patient and mother for the presence of antibodies (IgA, IgG, IgE, and IgM) to Recombinate-related antigens (recombinant factor VIII, von Willebrand factor, human serum albumin, Chinese hamster ovary proteins, bovine serum albumin, mouse monoclonal anti-human factor VIII, polyethylene glycol 3350), and to ethylene oxide, the agent used to sterilize the infusion equipment. RESULTS: No immune response directed against the Recombinate-related antigens or ethylene oxide that could be associated with the anaphylactic reaction was identified. Endotoxin was not present upon rabbit pyrogen testing of the therapeutic product. CONCLUSION: These studies failed to show any association between Recombinate and the onset of the allergic reaction. This seems to be the first reported case of anaphylaxis following the infusion of a recombinant form of factor VIII concentrate.     

Survivin与Caspase-3在妊娠期高血压疾病患者胎盘组织中的表达及意义

目的：研究凋亡相关蛋白Survivin（生存素）和Caspase-3（半胱氨酸蛋白酶-3）在妊娠高血压疾病（HDCP）患者胎盘细胞中的表达情况,探讨其与HDCP发生发展的相关性,为进一步明确HDCP的发病机制提供研究依据。方法：随机选取60例HDCP患者（其中子痫前期轻度28例,子痫前期重度32例,分别为轻度组、重度组）胎盘组织和30例健康孕妇（对照组）胎盘组织,采用免疫组化S—P法检测胎盘组织中Sur-vivin和Caspase-3的表达,并用图像分析系统对染色结果进行分析。结果：①Survivin在重度组表达显著低于轻度组及对照组,差异有显著性（P〈0.01）;轻度组与对照组比较,无显著性差异（P〉0.05）;②Caspase-3表达在轻度组与重度组显著高于对照组,差异均有显著性（P〈0.01）;重度组高于轻度组,差异有显著性（P〈0.01）。③Survivin与Caspase-3在两组胎盘组织中表达呈负相关（R=-0.413,P〈0.01）。结论：在HDCP患者胎盘组织中Survivin表达下调、Caspase-3表达上调,HDCP的发病机制可能与Survivin及Cas-pase-3表达变化有关。     

乌审旗3000名妇女宫颈癌筛查结果分析

目的：了解乌审旗妇女宫颈癌及癌前病变的发病现状,探讨子宫颈液基细胞学（Thinprep paptest,TCT）结合阴道镜检查的诊断价值。方法：对3 000名乌审旗妇女进行TCT筛查,对TCT阳性（细胞学TBS分类为不典型鳞状细胞以上）的妇女进行阴道镜及镜下多点活组织检查（活检）,分析TCT阳性者的阴道镜检查及活检结果,比较TCT阳性者中不同年龄段患者的活检结果。结果：3 000名受检者中,TCT阳性537例（17.9%）,其中经活检证实为宫颈上皮内瘤变（cervical intraepthelial neoplasia,CIN）190例（6.3%）,宫颈浸润癌2例（0.07%）,537例TCT阳性者中,阴道镜检查正常264例（49.2%）,其中活检结果为CIN34例,阴道镜的假阴性率为12.9%,异常273例（50.8%）,其中活检结果为湿疣34例,CIN或浸润癌158例,阴道镜与活检的诊断符合率达70.3%（192/273）。TCT为轻度鳞状上皮内病变、高度鳞状上皮内病变、鳞状细胞癌的病例与活检的诊断符合率分别为50.4%,88.3%和2/2,假阳性率则分别为49.6%、11%和0。537例TCT阳性者中,2030岁组、3140岁组,4147岁组的CIN检出率分别为33.7%、44.5%2、6.7%（P〈0.05）。结论：乌审旗妇女CIN的发生率高,是宫颈癌的高发人群。TCT结合阴道镜检查是较好的宫颈癌筛查手段之一。     

不明原因慢性咳嗽诊治现状及分析

目的:研究和探讨不明原因慢性咳嗽的诊治现状。方法:对我院呼吸科门诊2006年1月~2008年12月间诊治的138例不明原因慢性咳嗽患者的病因诊断、治疗情况进行分析研究,对相关数据进行统计学处理。结果:138例不明原因慢性咳嗽按病因分类,鼻后滴流综合征(PNDS)最多,占35.5%,咳嗽变异型哮喘(CVA)占27.5%,胃—食管返流性咳嗽(GERC)占12.3%,嗜酸粒细胞性支气管炎(EB)占10.9%,变应性咳嗽(AC)占8.7%,感冒后咳嗽占5.1%。其中116例被误诊,误诊率84.1%,确诊后121例经治疗1~8周治愈,治愈率87.7%。结论:不明原因慢性咳嗽易被疏忽和误诊,明确病因诊断,规范治疗是关键。     

Antagonism of Ethanol Intoxication in Rats by Inhibitors of Phenylethanolamine N-Methyltransferase

The probable involvement of brain epinephrine in the expression of the acute sedative and intoxicating effects of ethanol and pentobarbital is demonstrated. Two selective inhibitors of phenylethanolamine N-methyltransferase (PNMT), LY134046 and LY78335, proved to be potent and long-lasting antagonists of ethanol intoxication in rats. Acute antagonism of pentobarbital-induced intoxication was observed with LY134046. The present results are compatible with a role for central epinephrine synthesis in ethanol and pentobarbital-induced sedation and intoxication in rats.