Effects of cerulenin on the endogenous fatty acid synthetic activity in squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity.

PURPOSES: Inhibition of cerulenin on the endogenous fatty acid synthetic activities of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and normal oral mucosa was assayed. METHODS: Squamous cell carcinoma and normal oral mucosa were collected fresh from surgical specimens. The collected tissues were minced in RPMI 1640 and divided into 3 groups: cerulenin treated, dimethylsulfoxide treated, and control. The tissues were incubated in [1(2)-(14)C]acetic acid, sodium salt for the last 2.5 hours of the treatment at 37 degrees C in 5% CO(2). After labeling, total lipids were extracted and counted for (14)C by scintillation counting. RESULTS: Endogenous fatty acid synthetic activities of oral squamous cell caranoma in the cerulenin-treated group decreased by 19% at 1 hour, 64% at 2 hours, and 87% at 4 hours; remained nearly unchanged in the dimethylsulfoxide-treated group; and increased slightly in the control group. The oral mucosa tissues were only mildly affected by cerulenin in fatty acid synthesis. CONCLUSIONS: Cerulenin significantly inhibits fatty acid synthetic activity in squamous cell carcinoma and only mildly affected the oral mucosa, indicating that the fatty acid synthetic pathway may be exploited as a target for developing anticancer drugs.     

微血管减压术治疗舌咽神经痛16例临床分析

目的　研究舌咽神经痛 (glossopharyngealneuralgia,GPN)手术治疗的最佳术式 ,评估微血管减压手术(microvasculardecompression ,MVD)的效果、并发症和随访结果 ,探讨可能的治疗机制。方法　 2 0 0 0年 12月到2 0 0 3年 10月间 ,16例GPN患者接受了MVD ,无一例行神经根切断术。患者全部进行了电话或信件随访。结果　15例患者术后疼痛消失 ,1例患者为不典型GPN ,术后疼痛减轻。 1例患者术后出现轻度声音嘶哑和吞咽困难 ,1例患者出现偶发干咳。本组患者平均随访时间为 14 .1± 6 .3月 ,随访期间无一例复发。结论　MVD是治疗舌咽神经痛的一种安全、有效的手术方式 ,尤其适用于典型的GPN患者。     

A computerized system for image cephalometrics]

This system is composed of: (1) a perspective table, (2) TV camera, (3) a high-resolution image displayer, (4) a computer, (5) a laser printer The functions of this system are as follows: (1) It can perform cephalometries directly from image of X-ray film, (2) it can diagnose and analyse the deformity and provide treatment plan. This system is valuable for orthodontics and surgical orthodontics.     

Inhibitory effect of glycyrrhiza uralensis fish and chelidonium majus L on gastrocarcinogenesis induced by N-methyl-N′-nitron-N-nitrosoguanidine

In order to investigate the antagonistic effect of Glycyrrhiza Uralensis Fish (GUF) and Chelidonium maJus L (CML) on gastrccarcinogenesis induced by MNNG in Wastar rats, we treated the rats with MNNG alone (group 1) and with MNNG plus GUF and CML (group 2 and 3) respectively. The incidence of infiltrating adenocarcinoma of the glandular stomach and duodenum in group 2 was significantly lower than that in group 1 (26.7% vs. 67.8%). The differentiation and aggressivenees of carcinomas occured in group 2 were much better and mild than those in group 1. Present study also demonstrated that the inhibitory effect of CML on proliferation of human stomach carcinoma cell line MGC-803 was very remarkable; in addition, GUF and CML were able to antagonise the mutagenic activation of MNNG. These results suggest that GUF and CML may be empoyed in prevention of gastric carcinoma.     

Therapeutic effect of antioxidant on impaired neutrophil function after burns

The present study was carried out with the aim of elucidating the effect of administration of antioxidants vitamin E, Rubiside, and Rubiquinone on neutrophil function in burns. The experimental results showed that the survival rates of the animals were higher in antioxidant Rubiside and Rubiquinone treatment groups, as compared with control group 7 days post-burn. In the control group, Superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity of blood was markedly decreased, malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in serum were sharply increased, neutrophil chemiluminescence (PMN-CL), neutrophil (PMN) phagocytic rate and phagocytic index were markedly decreased (P less than 0.05) after fluid resuscitation for the observation period of 7 days, as compared with that before resuscitation. It was also found that significant negative correlation existed between MDA levels of serum and PMN phagocytic rate (P less than 0.01) in the control group. On the contrary, after the administration of antioxidant agent vitamin E, Rubiside or Rubiquinone in three different groups, SOD activity was markedly higher, MDA levels were markedly lower, and PMN-CL, PMN phagocytic rate were higher as compared with that of the control group. The experiment suggests that antioxidants could be used as an adjunct in the resuscitation of burn shock, especially in cases when resuscitation is delayed because of various reasons.     

Purification and chemical modification of porcine bone morphogenetic protein

Implantation of porcine bone morphogenetic protein (pBMP) in the muscle induces differentiation of mesenchymal-type cells and results in endochondral bone formation. pBMP was isolated from porcine demineralized bone matrix and purified by hydroxyapatite chromatography, Sephadex G75 gel filtration, preparative sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), preparative isoelectric focusing (IEF), and chromatofocusing fast protein liquid chromatography (FPLC). Porcine BMP has an MW of 26 K and a range of pI from 4.65 to 4.73 determined by SDS-PAGE and IEF, respectively. Reconstitution with the citrate buffer supernatant fraction enables as little as 50 micrograms of the soluble pBMP fractions to induce osteogenesis in an in vivo assay. Chemical modification studies indicate that the osteoinductive potential of the pBMP molecule depends on tyrosine, carboxyl groups, and disulfide bonds and can be increased by modification of sulfhydryl groups. Modification of arginine and tryptophan has no effect on bioactivity. By pepsin-limited proteolysis, fragments of pBMP with an MW of 6-14 K show definite, although reduced, BMP activity.