Cytophotometric investigations on atypical epithelial cells of the human seminal vesicle

Normal seminal vesicles were studied histologically in 80, and by Feulgen’s cytophotometric method in 10 autopsied cases (males, 44–82 years of age). In every case large, hyperchromatic nuclei were found. By cytophotometry euploid polyploid atypia was also shown in every case, which is characteristic of benign hormonal dysplasia.     

Adenocarcinoma cervicis uteri. An appraisal of treatment results for a period of 40 years

A retrospective study was done in 316 patients with primary cervical adenocarcinoma treated at the Research Institute for Clinical and Experimental Oncology in Brno over a period of 40 years (1939-1978). The treatment results were compared to those in 2571 patients with epidermoid carcinomas of the uterine cervix treated at the Institute over the same period. The 5-year survival rate was significantly lower in adenocarcinoma patients (in Stage I patients, 77.8% vs. 84.5%, and, in the whole group, 60.8% vs. 70.3%). The assessment of the treatment results of this study has clearly showed that in cervical adenocarcinomas, surgery combined with radiotherapy was much more effective than radical radiotherapy alone (77.4% vs. 64.7%). In contrast to this, in epidermoid carcinomas the treatment results were better after radical radiotherapy (86.5% vs. 81.3%). Thus, in the prognosis of cervical adenocarcinomas the mass of the tumor, the size of the uterus, as well as the grading play a role. That means that primary cervical adenocarcinomas at early stages can be successfully treated by a combination of radical surgery and radiotherapy, while radiotherapy of advanced stages of this tumor is less successful.     

Dexamethasone inhibits food intake suppression induced by low doses of interleukin-1 beta administered intracerebroventricularly.

Intracerebroventricular (ICV) microinfusion of recombinant human interleukin-1 beta (rhIL-1 beta, 0.125 to 2.0 ng/rat) dose-dependently suppressed 2 h and nighttime food intake in rats. The following daytime food intake did not change or increased. ICV infusion of bovine serum albumin (BSA), or heat-treated rhIL-1 beta had no effect on food intake. Pretreatment with dexamethasone (200 micrograms/rat, intraperitoneal) blocked the food intake suppression induced by low doses of rhIL-1 beta. This ability of dexamethasone, a synthetic corticosteroid, may have potential therapeutic implications in acute and chronic pathological processes associated with increased levels of IL-1 and appetite suppression.     

Differences in the abilities of human tau isoforms to promote microtubule assembly.

Three isoforms of human tau protein were compared for their abilities to induce microtubule assembly. The three isoforms, tau 3 (tau containing three microtubule-binding domains), tau 4 (tau containing four microtubule-binding domains) and tau 4L (tau containing four microtubule binding domains plus a 58-amino-acid insert near the N-terminus) were expressed in E. coli and purified using ammonium sulfate precipitation, ion exchange, and size exclusion chromatography. All three isoforms induced microtubule assembly at micromolar concentrations and showed similar critical concentrations for assembly of 0.4-0.45 microM. However, tau 4 induced microtubule formation at a rate five- to tenfold faster than either tau 3 or tau 4L. The rate of microtubule elongation seen with tau 4 was twofold greater than with tau 3 or tau 4L, suggesting that the faster rate of microtubule assembly seen with tau 4 was due, at least in part, to faster elongation. Tau 4 induced a greater number of microtubules to form at steady state than did tau 3 or tau 4L. The microtubules generated with each tau isoform had similar steady-state length distributions and were equally susceptible to cold-induced disassembly. These results indicate that the additional microtubule-binding domain in tau 4 enhances microtubule assembly, while the 58-amino-acid insert negates the stimulatory effect of the fourth microtubule-binding domain.     

Immunoregulators in the nervous system

The nervous system, through the production of neuroregulators (neurotransmitters, neuromodulators and neuropeptides) can regulate specific immune system functions, while the immune system, through the production of immunoregulators (immunomodulators and immunopeptides) can regulate specific nervous system functions. This indicates a reciprocal communication between the nervous and immune systems. The presence of immunoregulators in the brain and cerebrospinal fluid is the result of local synthesis--by intrinsic and blood-derived macrophages, activated T-lymphocytes that cross the blood-brain barrier, endothelial cells of the cerebrovasculature, microglia, astrocytes, and neuronal components--and/or uptake from the peripheral blood through the blood-brain barrier (in specific cases) and circumventricular organs. Acute and chronic pathological processes (infection, inflammation, immunological reactions, malignancy, necrosis) stimulate the synthesis and release of immunoregulators in various cell systems. These immunoregulators have pivotal roles in the coordination of the host defense mechanisms and repair, and induce a series of immunological, endocrinological, metabolical and neurological responses. This review summarizes studies concerning immunoregulators--such as interleukins, tumor necrosis factor, interferons, transforming growth factors, thymic peptides, tuftsin, platelet activating factor, neuro-immunoregulators--in the nervous system. It also describes the monitoring of immunoregulators by the central nervous system (CNS) as part of the regulatory factors that induce neurological manifestations (e.g., fever, somnolence, appetite suppression, neuroendocrine alterations) frequently accompanying acute and chronic pathological processes.     

Electron microscopic immunocytochemical evidence for the existence of bidirectional synaptic connections between growth hormone-releasing hormone- and somatostatin-containing neurons in the hypothalamus of the rat

Synaptic contacts between growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH)- and somatostatin-containing neurons were demonstrated in the rat hypothalamus by a double-staining immunocytochemical method at the electron microscopic level. Somatostatin-immunoreactive nerve terminals synapse on GHRH-positive dendrites and cell bodies in the arcuate nucleus. A fine network of GHRH-immunopositive nerve terminals was observed at the light microscopic level in the rostral part of the periventricular nucleus and in the dorsal part of the arcuate nucleus around somatostatin-containing neuronal elements. With the electron microscope synaptic contact between GHRH-containing nerve terminals and somatostatin-containing dendrites are demonstrated. The reciprocal innervation between GHRH- and somatostatin-containing neurons that project to the median eminence and regulate growth hormone secretion must allow them to coordinate their activities.     

Discussing options between patients and health care professionals in genetic diagnosis: ethical and legal criteria

The specific characteristics of genetic data lead to ethical-legal conflicts in the framework of genetic diagnosis. Several international organisations, including UNESCO and the Council of Europe, have enacted rules referring to the use of genetic information. This paper discusses possible legal and ethical criteria that could be used in genetic testing.