Coronary Splinting in Cardiogenic Shock

An 84-year-old woman experienced an acute anterior wall myocardial infarction complicated by cardiogenic shock. Coronary angiography demonstrated a subtotal occlusion of the proximal left anterior descending artery. Conventional percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty, including a 15-minute perfusion balloon dilatation resulted in a persistent intraluminal filling defect with high grade stenosis and ongoing ischemia and hypotension. Coronary splinting was performed, using an autoperfusion balloon to achieve a 6-hour dilatation of the vessel in conjunction with balloon aortic counterpulsation. The patient remained hemodynamically stable during this lengthy dilatation without ECG evidence of ischemia. Angiography postdilatation demonstrated a minor residual stenosis with no evidence of intraluminal thrombus. The patient was discharged 8 days later without congestive heart failure. Follow-up at 3 months demonstrated normal left ventricular function with no evidence of anterior wall infarction or ischemia by thallium imaging . (J Interven Cardiol 1996;9:65–67)     

Testosterone and androstanediol production by regenerating Leydig cells in the ethylene dimethane sulphonate-treated mature rat

Mature (60-65 day old) male Sprague-Dawley rats received a single intraperitoneal injection of ethylene dimethane sulphonate (EDS; 100 mg/kg) and were subsequently killed at various times from day 2 to day 40 post-treatment. Testes were removed from these animals and age-matched controls and utilized either for light and electron microscopical analyses or for in-vitro assessment of Leydig cell function. Interstitial cells were prepared by collagenase digestion and used to measure 125I-labelled human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) binding capacity and androgen production in the presence or absence of hCG or dibutyryl cyclic AMP (dbcAMP). At day 2 after EDS treatment, 125I-labelled hCG binding capacity was reduced to 10% of control values, while the production of testosterone and 5 alpha-androstane-3 alpha, 17 beta-diol (adiol) were non-detectable. Histological observations confirmed the lack of identifiable Leydig cells at day 2-16 after EDS treatment. Between days 24 and 40 post-treatment, Leydig cell regeneration occurred, as indicated by a rise in 125I-labelled hCG binding capacity, increased androgen production and the presence of histologically identifiable Leydig cells. A pattern of adiol production similar to that seen in the immature rat during Leydig cell development was observed with peak synthesis occurring at day 30 post-treatment. Adiol production fell to barely detectable levels by day 36 and remained low at day 40. It is concluded that the steroidogenic pattern of regenerating Leydig cells in the EDS-treated animal is similar to that of developing Leydig cells in the immature animal.     

Environmental and temperament assessments of children with Down's syndrome

ABSTRACT. This study was designed to investigate the family environment and the temperament of children with Down's syndrome (DS). Parents of 40 children with DS completed the Family Environmental Scale (FES). They also were asked to fill out the Temperament Assessment Battery for Children (TABC) for both the child with DS and the nearest same-sex sibling. A similar questionnaire of the TABC (teacher form) was sent to the children's teachers. The results of these investigations revealed that there were high scores in categories cohesion, expressiveness, achievement, moral/religious emphasis, organization and control on the FES, indicating that family members in the study cohort are relationship oriented, provide support for one another, emphasize ethical values and are able to express their feelings. Comparing TABC results between children with DS with their siblings, significant differences were observed in such categories as adaptability, approach/withdrawal and persistence . Control children were scoring higher in the adaptability and persistence categories, whereas children with DS achieved significantly higher scores than the control children in the approachiwithdrataal category.     

Developmental Phase Specificity and Dose-Response Effects of 2-Methoxyethanol in Rats

Methoxyethanol (ME) produces embryotoxic effects in rodents,rabbits, and nonhuman primates. Mechanistic evaluations of MEdysmorphogenesis have focused mainly on developmental insultsand chemical disposition in the mouse. These assessments inmice were based on developmental phase specificity (DPS) anddose response relationship (DRR) of ME. DPS and DRR indicatedtreatments for selectively inducing defects to study ME dispositionand expressed dysmorphogenesis. This study was conducted toestablish DPS and DRR of ME in the rat. DPS was determined byinjecting 500 mg ME/kg (6.6 mmol/kg) into the tail vein on GestationalDay (gd; sperm-positive day = gd 0) 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, or 15(n=6 dams/gd; saline controls on gd 12). On gd 20, embryolethalityincidence was 100% after gd 10 dosing; at gd 11 through 15,it was 50, 32, 15, 2, and 5%, respectively (control, 2%). Incidencesof external defects in live fetuses exposed on gd 11–15were 97, 98, 100, 44, and 0% and those of viscera were 100,62, 44, 10, and 0%, respectively. The predominant anomaliesobserved were ectrodactyly and renal agenesis. DRR was determinedon gd 13, when live embryos/litter and external malformations(ectro and syndactyly, micromelia) were maximal. Dams (n=8/dosegroup) were injected intravenously with 0, 100, 250, 350, or500 mg ME/kg. On gd 20, fetal defect rates were 0, 0, 82.5,83.0, and 100% at these concentrations, respectively. Basedon these studies, appropriate ME doses, times of maternal exposure,and critical phases of development in the rat model are availablefor reproducing selective defects to investigate biochemicaland pharmacokinetic determinants underlying their expression.     

Dibenzo[a,l]pyrene-induced DNA adduction, tumorigenicity, and Ki-ras oncogene mutations in strain A/J mouse lung

Dibenzo[a,l]pyrene (DB[a,l]P), an environmental polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, is the most potent carcinogen ever tested in mouse skin and rat mammary gland. In this study, DB[a,l]P was examined for DNA adduction, tumorigenicity, and induction of Ki-ras oncogene mutations in tumor DNA in strain A/J mouse lung. Groups of mice received a single i.p. injection of 0.3, 1.5, 3.0, or 6.0 mg/kg DB[a,l]P in tricaprylin. Following treatment, DNA adducts were measured at times between 1 and 28 days, while tumors were counted at 250 days and analyzed for the occurrence of point mutations in codons 12 and 61 of the Ki-ras oncogene. DB[a,l]P in strain A/J mouse lung induced six major and four minor DNA adducts. Maximal levels of adduction occurred between 5 and 10 days after injection followed by a gradual decrease. DB[a,l]P-DNA adducts in lung tissue were derived from both anti- and syn-11,12- dihydroxy-13,14-epoxy- 11,12,13,14-tetrahydrodibenzo[a,l]pyrene (DB[a,l]PDE) and both deoxyadenosine (dAdo) and deoxyguanosine (dGuo) residues in DNA as revealed by cochromatography. The major adduct was identified as a product of the reaction of an anti-DB[a,l]PDE with dAdo in DNA. DB[a,l]P induced significant numbers of lung adenomas in a dose- dependent manner, with the highest dose (6.0 mg/kg) yielding 16.1 adenomas/mouse. In tricaprylin-treated control animals, there were 0.67 adenomas/mouse. Based on the administered dose, DB[a,l]P was more active than other environmental carcinogens including benzo[a]pyrene. As a function of time-integrated DNA adduct levels, DB[a,l]P induced lung adenomas with about the same potency as other PAHs, suggesting that the adducts formed by DB[a,l]P are similar in carcinogenic potency to other PAHs in the strain A/J mouse lung model. Analysis of the Ki- ras mutation spectrum in DB[a,l]P-induced lung tumors revealed the predominant mutations to be G-->T transversions in the first base of codon 12, A-->G transitions in the second base of codon 12, and A-->T transversions in the second or third base of codon 61, concordant with the DNA adduct profile.      

角质细胞与成纤维细胞混合移植修复裸鼠全层皮肤缺损的初步报告

目的：利用组织工程原理探讨修复全层皮肤缺损的理想方式。方法：以裸鼠为动物模型,在皮肤全层缺损区域分别移植纤维蛋白胶(n=10),纤维蛋白胶角质细胞悬液（n=10）,纤维蛋白胶成纤维细胞悬液（n=10）以及纤维蛋白胶角质细胞成纤维细胞悬液（n=10）,术后每天对伤口进行大体观察,第5,7,10,14,21,35d,分别取材活检行组织学及免疫组织化学检查。结果：移植有角质细胞组（2和4组）的创面愈合快,术后10d组织学提示创面完全上皮化,抗人特异性HLA－1型抗原、抗involucrin染色和抗Ⅶ型胶原染色阳性证明新生上皮由移植的人角质细胞形成,抗involucrin染色阳性又证明角质细胞分化成熟有角质层形成,抗Laminin染色、抗Ⅶ型胶原染色阳性提示早期基底膜形成。组织学检查提示第4组新生上皮有许多类似皮钉样结构。结论：培养的角质细胞,成纤维细胞结合纤维蛋白胶移植到创面上后,可以形成复层分化良好、接近正常结构和功能的新生成肤组织。     

New discoveries and directions for medical, dental and dental hygiene research: low temperature atmospheric pressure plasma

Abstract:  The study of plasma integrates physics, chemistry, biology, and engineering, and has recently engaged medicine and dental hygiene in research efforts. The study of plasma holds promise for a myriad of applications ranging from lasers and electronics, hazardous waste management, decontamination, sterilization and disinfection of foods, soil, water, instruments, to medical uses in wound healing and treating certain types of tumours and cancers. Plasma represents a new state-of-the-art sterilization and disinfection treatment for certain oral and enviornmental pathogens, heat-sensitive materials, contaminated medical waste, hard and soft surfaces, and ventilation systems may assist health care facilities in the management of various health concerns. The role that Low Temperature Atmospheric Pressure Plasma (LTAPP) could play in the inactivation of pathogenic microorganisms might prove to be a new, faster, noncorrosive, more economical alternative, as well as support green healthcare.