High, vasopressin-reversible, immunoreactive somatostatin in specific hypothalamic nuclei of rats with diabetes insipidus (Brattleboro rats)

Somatostatin content was studied in brain nuclei and pituitary lobes of homozygous Brattleboro rats lacking vasopressin (DI rats) with and without vasopressin replacement, and their corresponding controls, heterozygous Brattleboro (HZ) rats and Long-Evans (LE) rats. High, vasopressin-reversible, somatostatin levels occurred in DI rats. The changes in somatostatin were localized to the nucleus periventricularis and to brain areas receiving somatostatin projections from this nucleus, including the eminentia mediana. In contrast, vasopressin administration failed to alter somatostatin levels in HZ rats. In brain areas not belonging to the somatostatin periventricular system, the peptide concentration in DI rats was not higher than that of LE controls. High somatostatin levels were present in the intermediate lobe of the pituitary gland. Somatostatin was higher in DI and HZ rats when compared to LE rats. In the posterior pituitary lobe, HZ rats had higher, and DI rats lower, somatostatin than control LE rats. These results suggest that rat brain and pituitary vasopressin and somatostatin systems are interrelated.     

Neuropathologic and morphometric studies in hereditary motor and sensory neuropathy type II with neurofilament accumulation

Histological, electron microscopic and morphometric data on sural nerve, muscle, and skin biopsies of three patients affected by autosomal dominant hereditary motor and sensory neuropathy type II with neurofilament accumulation, whose neurological, cardiological and electrophysiological data have been provided in a previous paper disclosed focally enlarged myelinated axons, due to aggregation of neurofilaments in sural nerves of all 3 biopsied patients, as well as densely packed clusters of filaments in occasional non-myelinated axons without axonal enlargement, in several fibroblasts and endothelial cells in muscle and particularly in skin. This accumulation of filaments was less pronounced in our patients' tissues than in autosomal-recessive GAN. No ultrastructural differences concerning the accumulated filaments appear to exist between the affected cells of our patients and GAN. Taken together, these findings best fit a hereditary motor and sensory neuropathy type II with focal accumulation of intra-axonal neurofilaments. This paper was in part presented at the 59^th Annual Meeting of the American Association of Neuropathologists St. Louis/MO, June 9–12, 1983.     

Unique role for the periplakin tail in intermediate filament association: specific binding to keratin 8 and vimentin

Plectin, desmoplakin, and the 230-kDa bullous pemphigoid antigen (BPAG1), members of the plakin family of proteins, are multifunctional cytolinkers, connecting the cytoskeletal structures to the cell adhesion complexes. Envoplakin and periplakin are components of the cornified envelope, but less is known about their role in tissues other than the stratified epithelium. Our tissue-wide survey utilizing RT-PCR revealed that periplakin, like plectin and desmoplakin, has a wide tissue distribution, but envoplakin expression is limited to certain tissues only, and BPAG1 is clearly specific for epidermal keratinocytes. Plectin, desmoplakin and BPAG1 are known to bind to the intermediate filaments through their C-terminal domains. The short C-terminal domain of periplakin is composed only of the linker domain, a region highly homologous between the plakin proteins. Here we demonstrate, through the use of yeast two-hybrid assay, a specific interaction of the periplakin linker domain with keratin 8 and vimentin. Co-expression of each plakin linker domain with keratin 8 revealed that periplakin and BPAG1 linkers co-localize with keratin signals in HaCaT cells, plectin and desmoplakin linkers were detected both in the nucleus and in cytoplasm together with the overexpressed keratin 8, while envoplakin linker localized independently into the nucleus. These results suggest that, in spite of its high homology and structural similarity with envoplakin, periplakin is functionally closer to the well-characterized plakin proteins plectin and desmoplakin, and thus may function tissue-wide as a scaffolding protein in intermediate filament assembly.     

Posterior subtenon injection of corticosteroids using polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) intravenous cannula

Injection of corticosteroids into the posterior subtenon space is a well established and highly effective modality in the treatment of intermediate uveitis. The conventional technique of posterior subtenon injection involves the use of a sharp tipped 26-gauge, 5/8 inch needle that must be inserted up to its hub to obtain adequate placement of the drug into the posterior subtenon space. With this technique the risk of perforation of the globe, although minimal, remains a potential complication. Herein is described a new technique for injection of corticosteroids into the posterior subtenon space using an intravenous cannula made of polytetrafluoroethylene (PFTE) that allows safer delivery of the drug into the posterior subtenon space.     

Discharge criteria from intensive care unit in brain injured patients

Summary Objective. We investigated the value of information on clinical features and intensity of treatment activity in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) in predicting the need for further interventions after a patient is discharged from the Intensive Care Unit. Our aim was to assess if this could aid in making decisions about transfer to an Immediate Care Unit (sub-ICU).Methods. We studied 39 patients with acute brain damage (traumatic or vascular causes). They ranged in age from 15 to 75 years and none had an associated spinal cord injury. The SAPS II, Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS), length of stay in ICU, duration of hospital stay and daily NEMS scores were recorded for each patient. We recorded the activities performed after transfer to an sICU, including complications that required active life-saving treatment. The role of each factor was assessed by using the odds ratio (OR), and with linear logistic regression.Findings. 8 of the 39 patients developed a complication in the Sub-ICU. A linear logistic regression analysis demonstrated that the principal features having significant predictive value were:a) age, with an increase in risk of over 10 times for patients that were older than 50 (p=0.011);b) SAPS II scores 50 points, with 24 times an increase in risk (p=0.002); andc) a GCS score 5 points, with an increase in risk of almost 7 times (p=0.024).Interpretation. Complications in Sub-ICU are less likely in patients younger than 50 and who have SAPS II and GCS scores within predetermined limits. These indices can help in making decisions about discharge of a patient from ICU to Sub-ICU.     

Electron microscopic observations of human sperm whole-mounts after extraction for nuclear matrix and intermediate filaments (NM-IF)

The extraction for nuclear matrix and intermediate filaments (NM-IF) is used to reveal, isolate and study these highly resistant structures in different cell types. We applied for the first time this chemical dissection to human spermatozoa and observed them as whole-mounts by unembedded electron microscopy. The general appearance of NM-IF extracted sperm cells was preserved, showing the intermediate filament-like properties of their cytoskeletal components. In most heads, a network was observed in subacrosomal position, consisting of hubs interconnected by filaments. It seemed to be overlaid on another, finer network. The neck retained its integrity, allowing observations of the three-dimensional structure of the segmented columns. More distally, axoneme and outer dense fibres were covered by submitochondrial cytoskeleton in the middle piece and fibrous sheath in the principal piece, with the annulus usually detached from the fibrous sheath. End piece microtubules were retained in most cells and showed a tendency of cohesion, remaining in a parallel bundle or forming flat sheets. In conclusion, our results provided additional structural details of human sperm cytoskeleton and demonstrated the advantages of combining different methodological approaches in ultrastructural research.     

5′-RS-1,5-二氧代-(5′-乙基-5′-羟基-2′H,5′H,6′H-6-氧代吡喃)-[3′,4′,f]-Δ6(8)-四氢中氮茚的合成工艺改进

目的改进喜树碱关键中间体5′-RS-1,5-二氧代-(5′-乙基-5′-羟基-2′H,5′H,6′H-6-氧代吡喃) -[3′,4′,f]-Δ6(8)-四氢中氮茚(1)的合成工艺.方法以6-氰基-1,1-亚乙二氧基-7-(1′-乙氧羰基)丙基-5-氧代-Δ6(8)-四氢中氮茚(2)为原料,经氢化和亚硝化、脱氮、混合金属催化氧化、环合及三氟乙酸脱保护反应得到目标产物.结果与结论新工艺简化了操作、缩短了反应时间,总产率达到了72.4%.     

有机磷农药的多毒性作用

有机磷农药（OP）在被用于植物保护和有害生物控制的同时，也对环境安全与职业健康构成威胁，本文综述了OP的毒作用及其对健康的危害机制。OP有很强的神经毒性，对脏器也有严重的毒作用。文中将OP的神经毒性分为急性毒性、中间综合征和迟发性毒性3种类型并进行了详细综述。     

INTERMEDIATE DOSE METHOTREXATE (IDM) IN CHILDHOOD ACUTE LYMPHOCYTIC LEUKEMIA IN NORWAY

Abstract. Moe, P. J., Seip, M. and Finne, P. H. (Departments of Paediatrics, Universities of Trondheim and Tromsø, Department of Paediatrics, Rikshospitalet, Oslo and Department of Paediatrics, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway). Intermediate dose methotrexate (IDM) in childhood acute lymphocytic leukemia in Norway. Acta Paediatr Scand, 70:73, 1981–Preliminary results of a national treatment program. The main objectives of this study were: 1. To determine whether early start of CNS prophylaxis with intrathecal methotrexate during induction treatment, followed by three courses of IDM plus intrathecal methotrexate after remission has been obtained, offers adequate protection against CNS-leukemia. 2. To determine whether the use of IDM with leukovorin rescue as “sanctuary” therapy following remission reduced the incidence of sanctuary relapse and thereby also the incidence of hematological relapse. It has proved possible to institute this program on a national basis with good results, even in small departments treating 0–3 new cases of leukemia a year. Sixty-six children (38 boys, 28 girls) with acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL), diagnosed in the years 1976-78, had received IDM while they were in complete primary remission. During the same period 13 additional cases of ALL were diagnosed in Norway, 4 (5% of 79 cases) of whom did not achieve complete remission, while 4 died early from infections, one received no treatment, and 4 were treated with other protocols. Life tables of patients in complete continuous remission (CCR) and survival tables are presented for standard risk patients and increased risk patients, respectively, and for all 66 together. Among these 66, 40 had been observed for 2½ years or more by January 1980. Of these 29 (72.5%) were still in CCR, and in 24 antileukemic treatment had been discontinued. So far there has been a total of 7 systemic, 2 CNS and 1 combined systemic and CNS relapses among the 66 cases diagnosed in the period 1976-78. No testicular or other sanctuary relapses have been seen among these 66 cases, nor among the remaining 13 cases with the diagnosis of ALL in childhood in Norway during the years 1976-78. The cessation rate of antileukemic treatment will probably be 70–75 % of all cases receiving IDM while in complete remission, and about 60 % of the total material diagnosed in 1976-78 as ALL in childhood in Norway.