Perinatal lung development following maternal exposure to methylmercuric chloride

Mercury ingested from dietary sources has potent neurotoxic and teratogenic effects. Initial studies have shown that mercury may also affect fetal lung development. Since these pulmonary effects may play a role in subsequent neonatal morbidity and mortality due to compromising of the development of the lung, mercury effects in fetal and neonatal lung were investigated. Methylmercuric chloride (MMC), 1,000 ppm (15 mg/kg of body weight), was administered via an intragastric tube to timed-pregnant Swiss/Webster mice on day 9 of gestation. Lungs from fetuses on gestational day 18 and from neonates on days 1, 5, or 10 after birth were studied. Significant changes in MMC-exposed lungs compared to controls occurred at postnatal day 1. At this time, lung weight per gram body weight increased, phospholipid content per gram of lung or per microgram of DNA decreased, while DNA per gram of lung increased. Methylmercury appears to have delayed lung maturation. Cuboidal epithelial cells in alveolar tubules contained conspicuous glycogen deposits, and differentiation of alveolar type II cells was adversely affected. These results suggest that prenatal exposure to methylmercury may be detrimental to lung development, specifically to the initiation of surfactant synthesis, by delaying the normal pattern of maturation of the alveolar type II cells within the lungs. Pediatr Pulmonol. 1994; 17:11–21 . © 1994 Wiley-Liss. Inc.     

Evaluation of neural fold fusion and coincident initiation of spinal cord occlusion in the chick embryo.

Although it is known that rapid expansion of the vertebrate brain begins near the time that the spinal neurocoel is occluded, it still remains unknown when occlusion occurs in relation to neurulation. Since both morphogenetic events are critical for normal brain growth, it is important to decipher the temporal relationship between the two processes. This study assessed the temporal relationship of the two events with the rationale that if it could be demonstrated that occlusion occurs coincident with the completion of neurulation, then it could be argued that factors shown to direct neurulation could also initiate occlusion. Nearly 600 chick embryos (stages 9- through 12+) were cultured atop egg-agar, the caudal extent of neurulation determined, the cranial five pairs of somites removed and the neurocoels assessed for occlusion. In stage 9- through 10- chicks, neurulation of the spinal cord is incomplete. Stages 10 through 12+ exhibit neurulation and occlusion from the 8th to 19th somites. When lateral tissues were removed in embryos 8 through 10-, the neural folds became dysraphic whereas in embryos stage 10 and older, the folds remained fused dorsomedially and occluded. The only surgical manipulation that was found to prevent occlusion was elimination of the lateral tissues responsible for elevation and closure of the neural folds. Analysis of particular components of the lateral tissues essential for convergence, by treating embryos (n = 75) with chemicals known to degrade tissue-tissue bonds or specific components of the perineural matrix, indicated that more than 75% of the embryos treated with EDTA, EDTA plus Ca2+, trypsin, collagenase, or hyaluronidase exhibited little or no effect on convergence, dorsomedial fusion, and concomitant occlusion.     

A Hemodynamically Responsive Antitachycardia System: Theoretical Bases for Design

Current antitachycardia systems such as the automatic implantable cardioverter/defibrillator (AICD), detect tachyarrhythmias primarily by sensing rate and thereby perform inadequately in differentiating hemodynamically stable from unstable arrhythmias. As a result, these devices may discharge during stable tachycardias (such as sinus tachycardia), causing discomfort to the patient and depleting the device's limited energy supply. If a parameter which could reflect the particular hemodynamic state of a tachycardia were incorporated into the sensing algorithm of these systems, function may be more hemodynamically precise and discharge specificity may be improved.     

人骨形态发生蛋白-2基因转染脂肪源性间充质干细胞的成骨研究

目的 探讨人骨形态发生蛋白-2（hBMP-2）基因修饰的人脂肪源性间充质干细胞（ADSCs）的成骨能力及基因转染对ADSCs成骨分化的生物学调控。方法 流式细胞技术鉴定从人脂肪组织中提取的细胞为间充质来源的干细胞。将ADSCs转染hBMP＋2基因，免疫沉淀＋Western blotting法和酶联免疫吸附试验（ELISA）检测hBMP-2表达，确定hBMP-2表达量及表达稳定性，碱性磷酸酶（ALP）染色、ALP定量测定、钙结节染色及RT—PCR分析hBMP-2基因转染对ADSCs向成骨细胞转化的调控，并将转基因细胞注入裸鼠股部肌内，通过X线及组织学检查观察体内成骨情况。结果 流式细胞术证实从脂肪中提取的细胞为间充质来源的干细胞。转基因后免疫沉淀＋Western blotting法和ELISA法显示转染hBMP-2的ADSCs具有较高且稳定的hBMP-2的表达，转染21d后表达量无明显降低。ALP染色、ALP定量测定、钙结节染色及RT—PCR发现转基因ADSCs向成骨细胞方向发生分化。裸鼠肌内注射转基因细胞后2周即显示有异位骨形成，4周明显增多，对照组无骨组织形成。结论 转染hBMP-2基因的ADSCs在持续稳定高表达目的蛋白的同时，自身向成骨细胞发生分化，并在裸鼠体内形成异位骨。因此，ADSCs有望作为新的基因工程种子细胞。     

''Organoid'' thymoma: a well-differentiated variant with distinctive clinicopathological features

The present paper describes the clinical, histological and immunohistochemical features of five cases of 'organoid' thymoma. The histological hallmark of this lesion is the prominent and diffuse 'organoid' pattern, defined by the presence of several areas of medullary differentiation. These areas, which are strictly reminiscent of the medullary area of the normal thymus, are scattered within a neoplastic tissue resembling the thymus cortex, the overall appearance mimicking that of normal thymus. All cases shared common clinical features; they were non-invasive or minimally invasive tumours arising in young or middle-aged female patients. Although the incidence of 'organoid' thymoma is low (5.2% in our series), our morphological, immunohistochemical and clinical data suggest that this peculiar tumour may represent a well-differentiated variant of thymoma, with low-grade aggressiveness and a distinct clinicopathological profile.     

丙烯酰胺对大鼠胚胎神经细胞分化的影响

用细胞微团培养法研究丙烯酰胺对大鼠胚胎神经细胞分化的影响。结果表明，当细胞培养物中丙烯酰胺浓度大于６０μｇ／ｍｌ时，可明显抑制细胞分化，表现为细胞集落数目减少，细胞表面突起和集落间神经纤维束减少，细胞形态改变。其半数分化抑制浓度（ＩＣｄ５０）为７５μｇ／ｍｌ，半数存活抑制浓度（ＩＣｖ５０）为９０μｇ／ｍｌ，两者较为接近。认为丙烯酰胺对细胞分化的抑制作用可能被其细胞毒作用所掩盖，其致畸作用不可忽视。     

Differentiation of a primitive neuroectodermal tumor into a benign ganglioglioma

We describe a case of cerebellar neuroblastoma with histologic documentation of maturation into a ganglioglioma sixteen months later. Only chemotherapy was administered following the initial surgery and the child is well and disease-free three years following her final surgical procedure. The outcome of this patient supports previous hypotheses that the cerebellar neuroblastoma may be a less malignant tumor than its other primitive neuroectodermal posterior fossa counterparts. Furthermore, this case suggests a role for second-look surgery in the management of selected pediatric brain tumors.     

仿冒进口白兰地酒类快速鉴别方法初探

本文通过对南海市查获的仿冒干邑白兰地的检验，发现其pH值、酒精度、甲醇、杂醇油含量与真品的差别具有统计学显著性意义；伪品的蒸馏残留物不同于真品；部分伪品的色泽来自无机染料，为我国食品卫生标准所禁用。     

The relationship between histopathological findings in oral squamous cell carcinoma and FDG uptake on PET

Objectives It is known that, in fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose Positron Emission Tomography (FDG PET) for the diagnosis of oral cancer, FDG uptake may vary even among different cases of the same squamous cell carcinoma. However, the details of this phenomenon have not yet been elucidated. In this study, we analyzed the relationship between histopathological findings in oral squamous cell cancer and PET findings on FDG uptake. Methods We examined 45 patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma who had undergone FDG PET before treatment. FDG uptake was assessed by a standardized uptake value (SUV) calculated according to the PET-measured tissue concentration of FDG, the administered dose of radionuclide, and the body weight of the patient. The relationship between the mean SUV and each of the following parameters was examined: histological grade of malignancy, degree of cell differentiation, size and/or local extent of the primary lesion, and cell density of the tumor. Results The mean SUV of FDG uptake did not depend on the histological grade of malignancy or on the degree of cell differentiation, but tended to be greater the larger the primary lesion. SUV also depended on cell density, increasing with the percentage of tumor parenchyma. Conclusions It is concluded that cancer cell density greatly influences the SUV of FDG, in that a tumor with fewer cellular elements in cancer tissue tends to become a false negative.     

2型糖尿病(消渴病)微观辨证的临床研究

目的　为糖尿病的临床辨证、治疗用药提供客观依据和帮助。方法　观察 2型糖尿病 (消渴病 ,diabetesmellitus)不同证型患者各 30例 ,正常对照组 30例 ,检测血清一氧化氮 (NO)、血浆α -颗粒膜蛋白 (GMP 14 0 )、血浆D -二聚体 (D D)、血清白细胞介素 - 6 (IL 6 )这些微观指标的变化 ,探讨其与中医辨证分型的关系。结果　①血清NO值在各组中的变化是阴虚热盛组 >正常对照组>气阴两虚组 >气滞血瘀组 ,每两组间具有显著性差异 (P <0 0 5 ) ,其中气滞血瘀组与其它 3组具有非常显著性差异 (P <0 0 1)。②糖尿病各组患者血浆GMP 14 0、D D值均较正常对照组有非常显著性增高 (P <0 0 1) ,在糖尿病组各证型中 ,呈阴虚热盛组 <气阴两虚组 <气滞血瘀组变化趋势 ,且血浆GMP 14 0和D D的变化呈正相关 (r=0 6 6 )。③血清IL 6在糖尿病组较正常对照组升高 ,其变化呈阴虚热盛组 <气阴两虚组 <气滞血瘀组趋势 ,每两组间具有非常显著性差异 (P <0 0 1)。结论　糖尿病发病以正气不足为内在依据。随着病程的进展 ,脾肾亏虚及血瘀加重是必然趋势。治疗应重视补脾肾和活血化瘀