Carboplatin-radiation interaction in squamous cell carcinoma cell lines.

Chemoradiotherapy has been considered one of the most promising improvements in the treatment of advanced head and neck cancer. This article describes in vitro chemosensitivity to carboplatin in five squamous cell carcinoma cell lines established from head and neck cancers and in one vulvar squamous cell carcinoma cell line. Sensitivity to carboplatin was found to vary markedly when using the 96-well plate clonogenic assay and continuous drug exposure. The difference in carboplatin response between the most sensitive and the most resistant cell lines was fourfold. No cross-resistance was observed between inherent radiosensitivity and chemosensitivity. Effects of concomitant use of carboplatin and radiation were further investigated in the two cell lines that were found to be most sensitive to carboplatin. The drug was administered 1 hour before acute radiation doses, and an additive effect was observed in both cell lines.     

Light bodies in human pituitary adenomas

Summary Light bodies are large cytoplasmic granules originally described in the gonadotrophic cells of the rat pituitary gland. In order to determine whether similar bodies occur in the human anterior pituitary gland, 89 pituitary adenomas and periadenomatous tissue from 20 cases were examined by transmission electron microscopy. Double membrane bound bodies with filamentous internal structure identical to rodent light bodies were identified in 10 hormone-producing adenomas: 5 PRL, 1 PRL-GH, 2 GH, and 2 ACTH-producing tumours. No light bodies were found in the remaining 79 tumours nor in the pituitary cells in periadenomatous tissue from 20 cases. These results show that some human pituitary adenomas may contain light bodies identical to those seen in gonadotrophs of rat pituitary.Abbreviations PRL prolactin - GH growth hormone - ACTH adenocorticotropic hormone - FSH follicle-stimulating hormone - LH luteinizing hormone     

Ultrastructure and chromogranin A immunogold labelling of ECL cell carcinoids

Poorly differentiated neuroendocrine cells can be difficult to recognise. Sensitive methods are needed to label cells that have lost their ultrastructural features and have reduced concentrations of neuroendocrine markers. In gastric neoplasms, enterochromaffin-like cells might dedifferentiate and lose their characteristic granules and secretory vesicles, making detection of such cells increasingly difficult. However, chromogranin A (CgA) immunogold labelling could provide sensitive and specific detection of gastric neuroendocrine cells. We present ultrastructural findings, CgA immunogold labelling as well as conventional immunohistochemical findings of two human enterochromaffin-like cell carcinoids. Electron-dense granules of poorly differentiated cells were less intensely labelled than granules in well-differentiated cells. Granules with atypical shape as well as punctuate granules previously found in neuroendocrine neoplasms were also CgA labelled. The CgA labelling efficacy after antigen retrieval in an alkaline solution was higher after heating in an autoclave at 135 degrees C compared to a microwave at 100 degrees C for both granules and secretory vesicles without significant deterioration of the ultrastructure. In conclusion, the use of CgA immunogold labelling could ensure a specific classification of cells with neuroendocrine granules and be a supplement to immunohistochemical examination of poorly differentiated tumours.     

Cytologic features of papillary-cystic variant of acinic-cell adenocarcinoma: A case report

A case of papillary-cystic variant of acinic-cell adenocarcinoma is described. The cytologic findings differed significantly from the classic features of this tumor with smears showing large monolayer sheets and small papillary groups, no acinic structures or naked tumor cell nuclei, sparse cell dissociation and many vacuolated cells. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Immunohistochemical localization of syndecan-1 in normal and pathological human uterine cervix

Expression of syndecan-1, a cell surface proteoglycan that binds growth factors and extracellular matrix components, was studied in normal and pathological human uterine cervix using immunohistochemical methods. Normal cervical squamous epithelium showed positive staining for syndecan-1 in all cell layers, except the basal cell layer, whereas endocervical columnar epithelium stained weakly. In non-neoplastic reactive lesions, metaplastic squamous cells were positive for syndecan-1, whereas columnar cells showed weak or negative staining. In cervical condylomas, cells showing koilocytotic atypia were positive for syndecan-1. The progression of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) grade I to grade III was associated with reduced syndecan-1 expression and localization of syndecan-1 to more superficial cell layers. In squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs), syndecan-1 expression correlated with histological differentiation, being absent from most poorly differentiated tumours. The results suggest that loss of syndecan-1 from atypical cells is an early event during cervical carcinogenesis and show a close association of syndecan-1 expression with preserved epithelial morphology and differentiation.     

Cutaneous Responses to Allergen after Local Pretreatment with Beta-Adrenoceptor Stimulating and Blocking Agents

beta-Adrenoceptor stimulating agents possess anti-allergic effects in vitro and in vivo. To study the mechanism of action further we compared in 10 atopic subjects the effects on allergen-induced cutaneous reactions of intradermally (i.d.) injected prenalterol (1-10 microgram) terbutaline (2.5-250 ng) and KWD 2131 (100 ng-2.5 microgram), i.e. compounds with preferential actions on beta 1-, beta 2-adrenoceptors and on beta-adrenoceptors not fitting this classification. All injections were given according to a double-blind design. Terbutaline and KWD 2131 produced a dose-dependent inhibition of the skin reactions induced by injecting horse dander allergen 5 min later. Terbutaline was about 20 times as potent as KWD 2131 whereas prenalterol was inactive. Propranolol fully blocked the anti-allergic effect produced by terbutaline. The results suggest that the cutaneous anti-allergic effect of beta-adrenoceptor-stimulating drugs is mediated via activation of beta 2-adrenoceptors, possibly on the mast cell, resulting in inhibition of mediator release.     

Negotiating Gender in Everyday Life: Toward a Conceptual Model of Gender Dysphoria in Adolescents

Archives of Sexual Behavior - A growing number of adolescents are seeking medical care to alleviate gender dysphoria (GD). This qualitative study explored the subjective experiences of GD among...     

Prospective randomized comparison of endonasal endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy and external dacryocystorhinostomy

Objectives and Study Design: The advent of the rigid endonasal endoscope and the development of functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS) technique have awakened interest in an endonasal endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy (EESC-DCR) in treating nasolacrimal obstruction. This prospective, randomized study compares EESC-DCR with traditional external dacryocystorhinostomy (EXT-DCR) for their success rates, surgical duration, and postoperative symptoms. Patients and Methods: Sixty-four cases in 60 patients with primary acquired nasolacrimal sac or duct obstruction were divided into two subgroups by symptoms (simple epiphora/ chronic dacryocystitis). These patients were randomized within both subgroups into two operation groups. Altogether 32 EESC-DCRs and 32 EXT-DCRs were performed. The final follow-up visit was at 1 year. The patency of the lacrimal passage was investigated by irrigation and patients were questioned about their symptoms. Results: The success rate at 1 year after surgery was 75% for EESC-DCR and 91% for EXT-DCR after primary surgery. The difference was not statistically significant (P = .18). The success rate after secondary surgery with a follow-up time of 1 year was 97% in both study groups. The average duration for EESC-DCR was 38 minutes, and 78 minutes for EXT-DCR, (P < .001). Conclusions: EXT-DCR, when compared with EESC-DCR, appears to give a higher, although not statistically significant, primary success rate, but the secondary success rates are equal, indicating that these two different DCR techniques are acceptable alternatives.     

Real-time perfusion adenosine stress echocardiography in the coronary care unit: a feasible bedside tool for predicting coronary artery stenosis in patients with acute coronary syndrome.

Myocardial contrast echocardiography using power modulation real-time perfusion (RTP) is an appealing method for bedside risk stratification of patients with acute coronary syndrome. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the accuracy in predicting significant coronary stenosis of a bedside RTP adenosine stress protocol in patients with acute coronary syndrome. METHODS: Prior to coronary angiography, 36 consecutive in-patients with acute coronary syndrome underwent a bedside adenosine stress echocardiography with RTP in the coronary care unit. Visual assessment of both perfusion and wall motion was made, comparing rest and hyperaemia images. Each segment was attributed to one of the three main coronary vessel areas. RESULTS: The sensitivity of predicting significant stenosis was 87, 83 and 81% for left anterior descending, circumflex and right posterior descending areas, respectively. Specificity was 69, 67 and 60%, respectively. The positive predictive values were 83, 79 and 74%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: RTP using adenosine is a feasible bedside tool in predicting the area of significant coronary stenosis and could be helpful as a bedside decision-making tool in the clinical setting. More studies are required to assess the clinical value of RTP adenosine stress echocardiography.