Constitutive Secretion of Interleukin-6 by Human Decidual Stromal Cells in Culture. Regulatory Effect of Progesterone

PROBLEM : Although several studies have demonstrated that decidual stromal cells (DSC) can secrete cytokines in culture, none of these studies documented the purity of the cultures. Since other cells of the decidua, such as macrophages and epithelial cells, also produce cytokines, it is important to ensure purity of the culture so that cytokine production can be ascribed with confidence to DSC. METHOD : DSC from early human pregnancies were highly purified and maintained in culture. Basal secretion by these cells of IL-6, together with other cytokines considered critical for pregnancy (IL-1β, TNFα and IFNγ), was measured with immunological techniques. RESULTS : We found that DSC in culture produce insignificant quantities of IL-1β, TNFá and IFNΓ, but appreciable amounts of IL-6. The production of this later cytokine was, however, inhibited by the effect of progesterone. CONCLUSIONS : Basal production of IL-6 by DSC may be involved in physiological functions at the maternal-fetal interface. Nevertheless, the secretion of this cytokine is regulated by progesterone, probably to prevent excessive production of this cytokine from triggering an inflammatory response that might compromise pregnancy.     

An Analysis of Nasal Irritation Thresholds Using a New Solvation Equation

In the present paper we have developed a quantitative structure-activityrelationship (QSAR) equation for nasal pungency caused by nonreactivevolatile organic compounds (VOCs). Our QSAR was developed uponpreviously published nasal pungency thresholds in anosmics,i.e., patients lacking a sense of smell and thus respondingonly to sensory irritation evoked by trigeminal nerve stimulation.The reported solvation equation, which fits the data with considerableprecision, describes sensory potency in terms of interactionvia electron pairs, dipolarity/polarizability, hydrogen bondacidity and basicity, and hydrophobicity. It correspondinglysuggests relevant physicochemical properties of the biophasewhere the sensory response is brought about. The equation impliesthat in the range of molecular size where nonreactive VOCs canproduce any pungency, transport from the air to the biophasestrictly determines potency. In this respect, the potency ofnasal pungency shares characteristics with the ability of VOCsto cause narcosis and anesthesia.     

青少年和成年人无症状阻生智齿干预措施的疗效评价

目的评价在青少年和成人中拔除与保留无症状阻生智齿的效果.方法计算机检索Cochrane口腔健康组资料库(至2004年8月4日),Cochrane中心临床对照试验资料库(CENTRAL),Ovid-MEDLINE(1966～2004年8月4日),PubMed(1966～2004年8月4日)和EMBASE(1974～2004年8月4日).检索无语种限制.同时对主要相关杂志进行手检,并尽力获取正在进行和未发表的研究.纳入比较预防性拔除与保留阻生智齿效果的全部随机对照或临床对照研究.由3位作者分别独立评价所检出文献的相关性、真实性并提取数据,如有不确定性,联系作者以获取关于随机和失访的更多信息.对所有试验均进行了质量评价.结果共纳入3个研究,其中2个已完成的随机对照试验评价了青少年预防性拔除智齿对切牙拥挤的影响,另1个随机对照试验正在进行,但研究者不能提供任何资料,他们准备近期发表文章,如是,其资料将被纳入本评价的更新中.已完成的2个研究结局判断指标不同,不能进行数据合并.结论没有证据支持或反对常规预防性拔除成年人无症状阻生智齿,有一些可靠的证据表明在青少年预防性拔除阻生智齿既不能减少也不能预防切牙拥挤.     

Leiomyosarcoma of the Right Atrium Masked by a Covering Thrombus: Conflicting Results of Echocardiography and Transvenous Biopsy—In Favor of Echocardiography

A 62-year-old woman was admitted for the evaluation of pedal edema and ascitis. Echocardiography revealed a right atrial (RA) mass invading the interatrial septum and extending into the inferior vena cava (IVC). Contrast enhanced computerized tomography scan excluded extravascular involvement. An organized thrombus was diagnosed by transvenous endomyocardial biopsy. The patient was treated with continuous intravenous heparin, and died soon after from hepatic failure. Postmortem histologic examination revealed a leiomyosarcoma surrounded by a thrombus involving RA, IVC, and hepatic veins. Endomyocardial biopsy played a misleading role that affected patient's management.     

Analysis of Rabbit Vascular Responses to DBI,an Ingol Derivative Isolated from Euphorbia canariensis

We have analysed the effects of 7,12-O-diacetyl-8-O-benzoil-2,3-diepiingol (DBI), an ingol derivative isolated from E. canariensis, on isometric tension developed by isolated rabbit basilar and carotid arteries. Concentration-response curves to DBI (10^?8 - 3 × 10^?5 m) were obtained cumulatively in both arteries at resting tension and active tone (KC1, 50 mm). At resting tension, DBI induced a concentration-dependent contraction, which was not inhibited in Ca²⁺-free medium. H7 (1-(5-isoquinoline sulphonyl)-2-methylpiperazine dichloride) (10^?4 m) inhibited the DBI-induced contraction both in basilar and in carotid arteries. Calmidazolium (10^?4 m) inhibited the maximum contraction of the carotid artery to DBI, and completely abolished the response in the basilar artery. In pre-contracted basilar arteries DBI induced a concentration-dependent relaxation that was not modified by incubation with N^G-nitro-l-arginine (l-NOARG; 10^?5 m) or indomethacin (10^?5 m). In the carotid artery with active tone DBI induced further contractions, which were not significantly modified by l-NOARG (10^?5 m) and were potentiated by indomethacin (10^?5 m). These results suggest that DBI contracts rabbit basilar and carotid arteries by a mechanism that is independent of extracellular Ca²⁺ and involves the participation both of protein kinase C and of calmodulin. DBI relaxes basilar but not carotid arteries by a mechanism independent of the liberation of nitric oxide and prostacyclin. In the carotid artery prostacyclin but not nitric oxide partially counteracts the contractile action of DBI.     

Incidence and outcome of diabetic cerebral oedema in childhood: Are there predictors?

Objective: Information regarding cerebral oedema in diabetic children with ketoacidosis does not point to any causal factor or any predictor of outcome. Cases of diabetic ketoacidosis resulting in cerebral oedema at Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, over the last 20 years were reviewed.
Methodology: The study was divided into two 10-year periods during which different fluid protocols were used. During the earlier period dehydration was corrected rapidly (over six h) with a fluid isotonic for sodium. During the latter period rehydration was over 24 h using half-normal saline.
Results: A similar number of patients developed cerebral oedema in the two periods (six of 3134 vs six of 3373). Only half of the patients (six) developed cerebral oedema during their initial presentation of diabetes mellitus. The age range was similar (1 to 15 years) with eight males and four females. Survival from cerebral oedema (four of 12) was not predicted by demographic or biochemical findings, including initial biochemistry, age, duration of ketoacidosis and the management protocols.
Conclusions: This study suggests that the rate of salt and water replacement in diabetic ketoacidosis are not key determinants of the appearance of cerebral oedema. No factors predictive of survival from cerebral oedema have been identified, though this is a rare entity and case numbers were small. Nevertheless, current protocols at Royal Children's Hospital and most other centres utilize slow rates of rehydration with isotonic saline fluids. Further review in 5–10 years may determine whether this protocol is effective in reducing rates of cerebral oedema complicating diabetic ketoacidosis.     

Case Report: Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia in Chronic Granulocytic Leukemia

A patient with chronic granulocytic leukemia developed autoimmune hemolytic anemia. He was found to have a cold agglutinin and a nonspecific warmpanagglutinin. Therapy with prednisone appeared to control the hemolyticcrisis and did not affect the granulocytic process. The patient died of bronchopneumonia, and at autopsy no other neoplasm was found.

Submitted on March 2, 1967 Accepted on April 17, 1967