Preparation of leukocyte-poor platelets by filtration

There is evidence that leukocyte contaminating red blood cells and platelet concentrates are responsible for refractoriness to platelet transfusions. The efficacy of a cotton-wool filter to remove leukocytes from red blood cells has been documented previously. The present study was designed to evaluate whether the cotton-wool filters can effectively remove leukocytes from platelet concentrates. Sixty pools of random-donor platelets and single-donor plateletpheresis products were filtered through a cotton-wool filter. The efficacy of filtration was determined by measuring the absolute numbers of leukocytes and platelets and subpopulations of mononuclear cells. The average platelet loss was 8% per pool of random platelets and 10% per plateletpheresis product. The average leukocyte removal was 99% from a pool of random platelets and plateletpheresis concentrates collected by CS-3000 and 90% from plateletpheresis concentrates harvested by single-stage COBE/IBM-2997. The filtration removed 100% of granulocytes, 95% of monocytes, 90% of B-lymphocytes, and 85% of T-lymphocytes. We conclude that filtration through a cotton-wool filter is an efficient and cost-effective method for preparation of leukocyte-poor platelets.     

Determination of serotonin and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid in guinea pig and human prostate using HPLC

The finding of significant numbers of endocrine-paracrine (EP) cells in the prostate glands of guinea pigs and man suggests that these cells may be important in the regulation or modulation of prostatic function. Serotonin is a biogenic amine common to most prostatic EP cells. In order to extend current knowledge relating to these cells, an assay was developed using high-performance liquid chromatography to quantitate serotonin and its metabolite 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) in guinea pig and human prostatic tissue extracts. Levels of serotonin and 5-HIAA in the guinea pig whole-gland preparation were 105.4 +/- 70.6 ng/g and 48.4 +/- 95.7 ng/g, respectively. Normal human prostatic tissue contained 1423.9 +/- 750.8 ng/g serotonin and 66.7 +/- 92.8 ng/g 5-HIAA. Recoveries ranged between 60 and 100%. The detection limits were 24 pg/injection for serotonin and 12 pg/injection for 5-HIAA. This assay provides an expeditious, specific and highly sensitive method for the simultaneous determination of monoamines in guinea pig and human prostatic tissue.     

复合干细胞生物陶瓷在裸鼠异位成骨中的评价

目的 研究h-BMP-2基因转染骨髓间充质干细胞(BMSCs)在复合煅烧骨、β-TCP或直接植入裸鼠股部后的成骨能力。方法 通过影像学、组织学和形态计量学等方法,观察未经诱导、OS液诱导和h-BMP-2基因转染BMSCs在复合煅烧骨,或多孔β-TCP后植入裸鼠皮下,或直接制成细胞悬液注入,在4、8、12周诱导成骨和材料降解情况。结果 在裸鼠皮下,单纯生物陶瓷不能诱导成骨,而复合了未诱导、OS液诱导和h-BMP-2基因转染BMSCs的生物陶瓷均能成骨,成骨量为h-BMP-2基因转染组>OS液诱导组>未经诱导组(P<0.05),B-TCP可随骨长入而降解;注入裸鼠肌肉的OS液诱导的和h-BMP-2转染的BMSCs均能诱导成骨,而未经诱导MSCs则不能成骨。结论 复合人BMP基因转染BMSCs的β-TCP是一种理想的骨修复材料。     

Lung function development in the first 2 yr of life is independent of allergic diseases by 2 yr

The aim of the study was to assess if lung function at birth predicts lung function at 2 yr and secondly, if lung function development was influenced by the common phenotypes of recurrent bronchial obstruction (rBO) or atopic eczema (AE) by 2 yr. Lung function was assessed at birth (n = 802) and at 2 yr within the prospective birth cohort study 'the Environment and Childhood Asthma Study' in Oslo. The 135 children with lung function measured at birth by tidal flow volume (TFV) loops and passive respiratory mechanics, who were included in a nested case-control study were reinvestigated at 2 yr with clinical examination, TFV loops (n = 90) (mean age 26.6 (3.7 s.d.) months), skin prick test and parental interview. Children were categorized into quartiles (lower, middle two, upper) according to time to peak tidal expiratory flow/total expiratory time (t(PTEF)/t(E)) at birth as well as clinical phenotype based on the presence of rBO and/or AE (ever) by 2 yr. The observed reduction in mean t(PTEF)/t(E) from birth to 2 yr within the quartiles, were not significantly different after controlling for 'regression to the mean'. t(PTEF)/t(E) at birth correlated significantly with t(PTEF)/t(E) at 2 yr, (r = 0.475, p < 0.001). Children with both rBO and AE by 2 yr had significantly lower t(PTEF)/t(E) at 2 yr (p = 0.002) and at birth (p = 0.027), compared with children with no rBO or AE. Clinical phenotype at 2 yr did not influence the change in t(PTEF)/t(E) from birth to 2 yr. This study demonstrates a clear tracking of lung function from birth, not influenced by rBO or AE by 2 yr.     

Chemically distinct rat olivocochlear neurons.

We have produced a neurochemical map of the cell bodies of origin of the cochlear efferent terminals in rat by combining glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD), choline acetyltransferase (ChAT), or calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) immunocytochemistry with retrograde transport of horseradish peroxidase. The locations of cochlear efferent cell bodies are in general agreement with the medial and lateral systems described by White and Warr (J. Comp. Neurol. 219:203-214, 1983) with some minor modifications. The lateral system consists of at least two pools of chemically distinct neurons located within the lateral superior olive (LSO) ipsilateral to the injected cochlea. One pool immunostains with an antibody to GAD while the other immunostains with antibodies to ChAT and to CGRP. The medial efferent system consists of periolivary neurons that are almost exclusively large and ChAT-positive but CGRP-negative. They are located both ipsilateral and contralateral to the cochlea they project to. There are a few GAD-positive small neurons in the medioventral and rostral periolivary regions that project ipsilaterally, but these may prove tobe ectopic neurons. The ipsilateral lateroventral periolivary region (LVPO) contains some efferent neurons, all of which are ChAT-positive but CGRP-negative. Additional cochlear efferent neurons, some of which are ChAT-positive and others GAD-positive, are present within and immediately dorsal to the fiber capsule surrounding the medial limb, and to a lesser extent the lateral limb, of the ipsilateral LSO. Not all GAD-positive or ChAT-positive olivary cells project to the cochlea. We have complemented the results in the brainstem by demonstrating two immunocytochemically distinct populations of efferent terminals in the cochlea simultaneously, one CGRP-positive and the other GAD-positive. Approximately equal numbers of boutons immunoreactive for both markers are present beneath inner hair cells throughout the entire length of the cochlea. Surprisingly high numbers of GAD-positive and CGRP-positive boutons are also present on outer hair cells, with each class having its spatially and morphologically distinct features. The lack of CGRP-positive periolivary cells that are retrogradely labeled by cochlear injections of HRP suggests that the lateral olivocochlear system sends projections to outer hair cells. Our results raise questions about species differences in the organization of targets of the lateral and medial olivocochlear systems.     

Impact of unilateral interposition sural nerve graft on the recovery of sexual function after radical prostatectomy in Japanese men: A preliminary study

PURPOSE: To determine the effect of an interposition nerve graft on sexual function after radical prostatectomy. METHODS: This study includes 64 patients, without hormonal therapy, who underwent a radical prostatectomy and intraoperative electrophysiological confirmation of cavernous nerve preservation. Twelve patients underwent a unilateral interposition sural nerve graft (UNG) for the resected neurovascular bundle. Twenty-one and 31 patients underwent bilateral nerve-sparing (BNS) and unilateral nerve-sparing (UNS) surgery without a nerve graft, respectively. As the age of patients was significantly younger in the UNG group than in the other groups, age-matched analysis also was conducted. Sexual function, evaluated by a self-administered questionnaire using the University of California Los Angeles-Prostate Cancer Index, was compared statistically among the three groups. RESULTS: In the age-matched analysis, the postoperative sexual function (SXF) score of the UNG group showed an intermediate level of recovery between those of the BNS and UNS groups at 12 months and reached the same level as the score at 12 months of the BNS group at 18 months postoperatively. The difference in the SXF score between the UNG and UNS groups began to appear after 6 months postoperatively and increased steadily with time. However, the background factors, such as the baseline SXF score, the usage rate of phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitors, and the rate of comorbidities were different between the UNG and UNS groups. CONCLUSIONS: The difference of the SXF score between the UNG and UNS groups increased with time after 6 months postoperatively. However, it might be difficult at present to attribute a better recovery of the SXF score to the nerve graft because of the difference in the background factors between the groups.     

Further evidence of preserved memory function in Alzheimer's disease

Memory performance of elderly patients in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease (DAT) was compared with that of elderly control subjects. In explicit tests of recognition memory, which involve conscious recollection, the DAT patients were grossly impaired. In implicit tests of anagram solution and wordstem completion, which do not require conscious recollection, the DAT patients were not impaired. These findings further support the idea that a separate memory system, episodic memory, underlies conscious recollection, that it is this system which is most commonly damaged in amnesia, and that memory systems not involving conscious recollection may be spared in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease.     

Urinary cyclic AMP response to bovine parathyroid hormone during treatment with neuroleptics

The urinary cyclic AMP response to bovine parathyroid hormone and urinary concentrating ability (max Uosm) after des-amino-D -arginine vasopressin were studies in nine volunteers and seven patients receiving long-term neuroleptic treatment. Max Uosm was lower in the patient group (770 ± 70 mosmol/kg) compared with the controls (948 ± 152 mosmol/kg) but the trend to a lower cAMP response to bovine PTH was not statistically significant. These results suggest that, although adenylate cyclase inhibition may contribute, other mechanisms are also important in the genesis of reduced uring concentrating ability in patients treated with psychotropic drugs.     

颌骨造釉细胞瘤64例临床分析

本文对我院１９５４－１９９０年收治的６４例颌骨造釉细胞瘤进行了回顾性分析，未发现１例恶性。特别是我们在长期工作实践中发现肿瘤与周围正常骨质有较明显的分界。遂于１９６３年开始试行颌骨内种瘤出术，至１９９０年６月已经成功地施了１２例，１例因手术时肿物巨大而且合并感染于术后１０年复发外，其余１１例术后随访年６个月－２７年，中位１２年１０个月均无复发。发种手术损伤小，方法简单，无损美容，预后性，特别是对颌