Synthesis and antiviral activity of 2-[α-nitro-β-aminovinyl]-hydroquinone and -p-benzoquinone

Translated from Khimiko-farmatsevitcheskii Zhurnal, Vol. 25, No. 4, pp. 35–37, April, 1991.     

Pituitary fossa: chemical shift effect in MR imaging

The effect of chemical shift on magnetic resonance (MR) imaging of the pituitary fossa was studied. Healthy volunteers underwent conventional MR imaging of the pituitary fossa and then imaging with the frequency-encoding gradient reversed or with the phase- and frequency-encoding gradients interchanged. Comparison of the image pairs in each subject showed that the thin, black stripe evident at the water-fat interface within the pituitary fossa was altered when the gradients were changed. Therefore, the low-intensity signal within the pituitary fossa is a chemical shift misregistration effect.     

Treatment of labile forms of diabetes mellitus by transplantation of cultured pancreatic islet cells

The authors presented data on the transplantation of human fetal and pig pancreatic islet cell cultures to 89 patients with type I diabetes mellitus of a labile course. Allo- and xeno-transplantations of pancreatic islet cell cultures in combination with exogenous insulin administration were shown to improve the patients' general status raising their working capacity. As a result of 118 islet cell transplantations hypoglycemic comas either stopped or became milder and were better corrected. Stabilization of metabolic processes was observed in the patients. Clinicobiochemical indices and subjective signs of diabetes stabilization were observed within 12-15 months after transplantation.     

Anulus fibrosus in bulging intervertebral disks

In this investigation the association of radial tears of the anulus fibrosus and bulging of the intervertebral disk was studied. An index of disk bulging was measured in sagittal anatomic sections in 149 lumbar disks from 31 cadavers. The indexes of disk bulging were correlated with stages of disk development and the presence of an annular tear. The largest disk-bulging indexes were always associated with radial tears of the anulus. Eighty-four percent of the disks with radial tears had disk-bulging indexes greater than 2.5 mm. Most normal adult disks had an index of less than 2.5 mm. The results challenge the concept that the anulus fibrosus is intact in bulging disks, although ruptured in herniated disks.