Toosendanin induces outgrowth of neuronal processes and apoptosis in PC12 cells

In the present study, the effects of toosendanin on cell differentiation and apoptosis were investigated in PC12 cells. The results showed that after 24-48 h of culture in a medium containing toosendanin (approximately 1-10x10(-7) M), cell differentiation and outgrowth of neuronal processes were promoted. Combined treatment with toosendanin and a calcium channel blocker, nifedipine or omega-conotoxin GVIA, resulted in a significant inhibition of the toosendanin-induced effects. Pretreatment of PC12 cells with BAPTA-AM also inhibited the toosendanin-induced effects; however, these effects were not inhibited by pertussis toxin and H-7 in the medium. Toosendanin also induced cell apoptosis. Based on the DNA content determined by flow cytometric analysis, the number of apoptotic cells significantly increased when the incubation time in the toosendanin-containing medium was lasted up to 72 h. Toosendanin at a higher concentration (> or =1 x 10(-6) M) caused cell death while it had no effect on cell division at concentrations lower than 1 x 10(-7) M.     

Induction of apoptotic cell death in peripheral blood mononuclear and polymorphonuclear cells by an oral bacterium, Fusobacterium nucleatum

It is largely unknown why a variety of bacteria present in the oral cavity are capable of establishing themselves in the periodontal pockets of nonimmunocompromised individuals in the presence of competent immune effector cells. In this paper we present evidence for the immunosuppressive role of Fusobacterium nucleatum, a gram-negative oral bacterium which plays an important role in the generation of periodontal disease. Our studies indicate that the immunosuppressive role of F. nucleatum is largely due to the ability of this organism to induce apoptotic cell death in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and in polymorphonuclear cells (PMNs). F. nucleatum treatment induced apoptosis of PBMCs and PMNs as assessed by an increase in subdiploid DNA content determined by DNA fragmentation and terminal deoxynucleotidyltransferase-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end-labeling assays. The ability of F. nucleatum to induce apoptosis was abolished by either heat treatment or proteinase digestion but was retained after formaldehyde treatment, suggesting that a heat-labile surface protein component is responsible for bacterium-mediated cell apoptosis. The data also indicated that F. nucleatum-induced cell apoptosis requires activation of caspases and is protected by NF-kappaB. Possible mechanisms of F. nucleatum's role in the pathogenesis of periodontal disease are discussed.     

Primary malignant melanoma of the common bile duct

Biliary tract obstruction in a 30-year-old man was found to be caused by a malignant melanoma in the common bile duct. Melanin pigment was demonstrated by immunohistochemistry and electron microscopy. Extensive search for a primary malignant melanoma elsewhere was unsuccessful. No pigmented lesions had been removed previously. There were junctional changes in the mucosa of the common bile duct close to the tumor. The malignant melanoma in the common bile duct therefore is considered to be primary. Only one other case of primary malignant melanoma in the common bile duct has been described in the literature, whereas metastases to the major bile ducts in one autopsy study of malignant melanoma in the more common locations were found with a frequency of 6 per cent.     

A new haplogroup pattern displayed in Fujian Han in China

Human Y-chromosomal binary polymorphisms have been considered to preserve the paternal genetic legacy and provide evidence on human evolution and the genetic relationships among and demographic history of different populations. To reveal the genetic origin and immigration of the Fujian Han, 13 binary markers on the Y chromosome were used to screen Fujian Han by allele-specific polymerase chain reaction. The results indicated that the M₉G marker was highly prevalent (96.20%), suggesting a significant genetic drift. In addition, M₁₂₂C frequency was only 22.78%, and M₄₅A and M₁₀₃T were default. The distinctive haplogroup frequencies (H₁, H₅, and H_6/7/8) imply that the haplogroup pattern is a relatively ancestral and interim type. Received: October 13, 2001 / Accepted: December 3, 2001     

Importance of luxury flow for critically ill patients receiving a left ventricular assist system

The presence of a significant organ dysfunction does not immediately exclude patients from consideration for treatment with a left ventricular assist system (LVAS). However, in treating morbid circulatory shock patients with multiple organ failure, it is important to know the preoperative and postoperative factor or factors related to the recovery of the damaged organ function. In this study, we retrospectively analyzed patients receiving a LVAS at our institution and tried to determine the important factors related to the survival of patients with multisystem failure. Twenty-seven patients who underwent LVAS placement at Saitama Medical School Hospital between 1993 and 2003 were included in this study. The preoperative risk factors analyzed were renal dysfunction, respiratory dysfunction, hepatic dysfunction, the existence of active infection, and the combination of all four factors. As a postoperative factor, the pump flow index (mean LVAS pump flow during the first 2 weeks after LVAS surgery divided by the body surface area) was analyzed. None of the analyzed preoperative factors could predict survival after LVAS surgery, but a pump flow index of less than 2.5 l/min/m² had a significant relationship with death after LVAS surgery. Further analysis revealed that all the patients with a pump flow index of 3.0 l/min/m² or more could overcome preoperative organ dysfunction. Congestive heart failure patients with multisystem failure need luxury pump flow for successful LVAS surgery; this factor could be especially important in device selection and postoperative management.     

Intermediate filament expression by normal and diseased human corneal epithelium

Cicatricial conjunctivitis may be a sequel to systemic disorders (eg, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, cicatricial pemphigoid) or local disorders such as chemical burns. The cicatrisation is often associated with corneal epithelial changes that cause visual loss. These have been attributed to encroachment of the conjunctival epithelium over the cornea. However, the epithelial anomalies are poorly understood. We investigated the corneal epithelial changes in cicatricial conjunctivitis with an immunohistochemical study of intermediate filaments in normal and pathological specimens. Our results show that the normal corneal epithelium is immunoreactive for cytokeratin 3 (CK 3) but not cytokeratin 19 (CK 19), whereas normal conjunctival epithelium is CK 3 negative and CK 19 positive. Conjunctiva artificially transposed over the cornea (after therapeutic conjunctival flap reconstruction) retained the normal pattern of conjunctival cytokeratin expression (CK 3 negative, CK 19 positive). Conversely, the entire corneal epithelium exhibited the normal cytokeratin pattern (CK 3 positive, CK 19 negative) in 82% of Stevens-Johnson, 80% of cicatricial pemphigoid, and 69% of chemical burns specimens. The findings suggest that conjunctival encroachment is not responsible for the changes at the corneal surface in cicatricial conjunctivitis and that the abnormal corneal epithelium is derived from native corneal cells in these diseases.     

Impact of Dissection after Drug-Coated Balloon Treatment of De Novo Coronary Lesions: Angiographic and Clinical Outcomes

PurposeDissection after plain balloon angioplasty is required to achieve adequate luminal area; however, it is associated with a high risk of vascular events. This study aimed to examine the relationship between non-flow limiting coronary dissections and subsequent lumen loss and long-term clinical outcomes following successful drug-coated balloon (DCB) treatment of de novo coronary lesions.Materials and MethodsA total of 227 patients with good distal flow (Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction flow grade 3) following DCB treatment were retrospectively enrolled and stratified according to the presence or absence of a non-flow limiting dissection. The primary endpoint was late lumen loss (LLL) at 6-month angiography, and the secondary endpoint was target vessel failure (TVF, a composite of cardiac death, target vessel myocardial infarction, target vessel revascularization, and target vessel thrombosis).ResultsThe cohort consisted of 95 patients with and 132 patients without a dissection. There were no between-group differences in LLL (90.8%) returning for angiography at 6 months (0.05±0.19 mm in non-dissection and 0.05±0.30 mm in dissection group, p=0.886) or in TVF (6.8% in non-dissection and 8.4% in dissection group, p=0.799) at a median follow-up of 3.4 years. In a multivariate analysis, the presence of dissection and its severity were not associated with LLL or TVF. Almost dissections (93.9%) were completely healed, and there was no newly developed dissection at 6-month angiography.ConclusionThe presence of a dissection following successful DCB treatment of a de novo coronary lesion may not be associated with an increased risk of LLL or TVF (Impact of Drug-coated Balloon Treatment in de Novo Coronary Lesion; {"type":"clinical-trial","attrs":{"text":"NCT04619277","term_id":"NCT04619277"}}NCT04619277).     

Plasma secretin in response to pure bile salts and endogenous bile in man

The effect of exogenous bile salts on plasma concentrations of secretin was studied by infusion of chenodeoxycholate, cholate, glycocholate, and taurocholate into the duodenum of normal subjects. The effect of endogenous bile on plasma secretin was studied by ingestion of a liquid test meal, by reinfusion of postprandial duodenal aspirates with known contents of bile salts, and by stimulation of gallbladder contraction by cholecystokinin. Each experiment was performed in groups of seven subjects. The relative secretin-releasing potencies of glycocholate, cholate, taurocholate and chenodeoxycholate (2.25 mmol) were 1.01.31.93.2. Hydrochloric acid (0.5 mmol) was, on a molar basis, approximately ten times more potent than sodium cholate. The effect of taurocholate was diminished when a liquid meal was used as vehicle instead of saline. Endogenous bile did, in no circumstance, elicit release of secretin. It is concluded that although bile salts have the ability to stimulate secretin release, endogenous secretin release is of minor, if any, importance for secretin release when physiological conditions are approached.This study was supported by grants from the Danish Hospital Foundation for Medical Research, Region of Copenhagen, The Faroe Islands and Greenland (J.nr. 78/45 and 79/48) and Borgen Legatet.     

Diagnosis and taxonomy of periodical psychosis

The concept and taxonomy of periodic psychosis still remains in controversy for the past 100 years. In China, it was first reported by Ji, and thereafter various rinds of terminology and views were given by different authors. In the presentation, clinical investigation and follow up were carried out in 62 cases. In many of these cases, the so-called "periodic psychosis" or "phasophrenia" was early clinical features of schizophrenia or manic-depression. In those cases with apparent symptoms and signs of diencephalic function, differential diagnosis should be carried out from organic brain syndrome. In a small number of cases, their clinical manifestations, conforming to previous diagnostic criteria, might be an uncommon syndrome. It was concluded by the authors that until now periodic could be considered only as a clinical syndrome rather than a disease entity.     

催经止孕药Ru-486的临床药代动力学

应用高效液相色谱法(HPLC)研究了抗孕激素药,Ru-486的临床药代动力学。六名志愿受试者,一次口服Ru-486 50毫克后测得该药的药代动力学各项参数,血药半寿期t 1/2 33.0小时,一级消除速率常数Kel 0.021 hr~(-1),血药表观容积Vd 120.1 Liter,体内血药总廓清率Cl2.5 Liter/hr,药-时曲线下面积Auc 19825.1 ng/ml/hr。实验表明,服药后一小时血药浓度迅即达高峰,随后转入消除期,血浆药物浓度在消除相的头4～8小时消除较快,而后逐渐减慢,持续24小时,到48小时血药浓度已较低(0.15±0.07μg/ml)。