(Na+ + K+)-ATPase and opsin in retinas of RCS dystrophic rats: time course study

Retinas of Royal College of Surgeons (RCS) dystrophic rats were investigated immunocytochemically for the distribution of the membrane-bound enzyme (Na+ + K+)-ATPase and the photo-pigment opsin prior to and during the retinal disease process. Retinas of 11 day-old dystrophic and control Long Evans rats showed (Na+ + K+)-ATPase immunostain most dense in the outer nuclear layer (ONL) and inner plexiform layer (IPL). Also, in these retinas, immunostaining for opsin was dense along rod inner segments (RIS) and on plasmalemma of ONL cell bodies and several cell bodies in the inner nuclear layer (INL). In retinas of control rats at 30 days and later, less dense (Na+ + K+)-ATPase immunostain was detected in the ONL than at 11 days and opsin-immunostained ROS were also detected. However, (Na+ + K+)-ATPase immunostained RIS were shorter in retinas of 30 day-old dystrophic than in retinas of age-matched control rats and an opsin-immunostained debris zone was also observed in dystrophic retinas. In retinas of 60 day-old dystrophic rats, the opsin-immunostained debris zone was more prominent than at 30 days, while the few ONL cell bodies immunostained for both proteins. Also, the outer IPL of 60 day-old dystrophic rat retinas immunostained more densely for (Na+ + K+)-ATPase than the inner IPL. In 120 day-old dystrophic rat retinas, (Na+ + K+)-ATPase immunostain was detected in the INL and IPL, while opsin staining was demonstrated only in the debris zone. This opsin-immunostained debris disappeared in a central-to-peripheral gradient. (Na+ + K+)-ATPase immunostain was still present in the INL and IPL in retinas and the optic nerve of one year-old RCS dystrophic rats; however, opsin was restricted to a few surviving cell bodies in the peripheral retina.

[Study of Ag-NOR, SCE and micronucleus in peripheral blood lymphocyte of chromate producers]

Ag-NOR, SCE and micronucleus test of peripheral blood lymphocyte obtained from 31 chromate producers had been studied. We found that (1) in the workers who had been exposed over eight years, the frequency of Ag-NOR, Ag-AA and SCE were 6.905 +/- 1.100, 0.380 +/- 0.652 and 8.190 +/- 3.727, but in the control group, 6.512 +/- 1.595, 0.215 +/- 0.529 and 7.171 +/- 2.683, respectively. So there was considerably significant difference between the exposed and the unexposed (P less than 0.01); (2) the frequency of micronuclei was 3.71 +/- 1.419% in the exposed group; however, in the control group it was 0.333 +/- 0.479%. So there was also remarkably significant difference between them (P less than 0.001). The observations lead the authors to conclude that the genetic material of the workers who have been working over eight years may be damaged because of being exposed to chromate.

[Spindle cell lipoma--light and electron microscopic studies of two cases]

Two spindle cell lipomas, one in the subcutis of the posterior neck and the other in the deeper site of the right supraclavicular fossa below the brachial plexus, were studied by light and electron microscopy. Both were histologically composed of a mixture of mature lipocytes and uniform spindle cells within mucinous matrix associated with scattered birefringent collagen fibers. Ultrastructural observation revealed lipid droplets and discontinuous extracellular lamina in the small part of the spindle cells, indicating the earliest differentiation towards adipocyte.

raf involvement in the simultaneous genetic transfer of the radioresistant and transforming phenotypes

We examined a human Alu+ mouse tertiary transformant derived from a noncancerous skin fibroblast cell line which exhibits the unique characteristic of being resistant to the killing effects of ionizing radiation. This transformed cell line was found to contain activated human c-raf-1, and demonstrated an increased level of radioresistance indicating the simultaneous transfer of both the transforming and radiation-resistant phenotypes. We have also found a relationship between the presence of activated oncogenes, specifically those with serine/threonine kinase activity and the radioresistant phenotype.

[The relationship between changing of anti-HAV in population and prevalence of hepatitis A]

Hepatitis A was prevalent in 43 villages of the suburbs of Jinan, Shandong Province in 1986. The annual morbidity rate was 1,104.46/100,000. The authors studied the development of anti-HAV among children of under 14 years of age during the early epidemic and post-epidemic periods, compared the prevalence of anti-HAV between epidemic and non-epidemic villages, and analysed the types of HAV infection. The positive rate of anti-HAV was 35.42% during the early epidemic period and was 82.1% during the post-epidemic period, while it was 79.75% in non-epidemic villages. The result indicates that, in rural area, hepatitis A is chiefly influenced by the prevalence of anti-HAV in the population. If it remains at about 80%, the occurrence of an epidemic can be prevented. The ratio of clinical, subclinical and apparent infection during the epidemic was 1:0.75:0.81.

Identification of partial mutational sites in human mitochondrial DNA in the Chinese and its significance

A simple method for the identification of mutational sites in human mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) was described. It was based on the human Cambridge sequence as a relative standard sequence and a single base pair substitution in mtDNA as a unique mutational form. The partial mutational sites can be determined using this method which was characterized by combining the restriction mapping with the analysis for the table of human mtDNA potential mutational sites with rapidity and simplicity. In the meanwhile, six mtDNA mutational sites found in Chinese population were identified by means of this method.

Pressor response to endothelin in guinea pigs

Endothelin (ET), an endothelium-derived vasoconstrictor peptide, was injected into the jugular vein (i.v.) of guinea pigs anesthetized with urethane. Blood pressure was measured from a cannula inserted into the carotid artery. All experiments were carried out after treatment with adrenergic and cholinergic antagonists. ET showed a potent, dose-dependent pressor action in guinea pigs. However, the initial, transient depressor response which is observed in rats was not produced in guinea pigs. Nicardipine (0.1 mg/kg), a dihydropyridine Ca2+-channel blocker, significantly inhibited the ET-induced pressor response. These results suggest that ET causes a potent pressor response, which appears to be related to the activation of Ca2+ channels.

[Preliminary application of the immunogold-silver staining technique in diagnosing thromboangiitis obliterans]

In this paper we reported the preliminary application of immunogold-silver staining (IGSS) technique in immunopathological diagnosis of thromboangiitis obliterans (TAO). We used IGSS technique to detect the immune complexes deposit in the vascular walls (18 cases) and the anti-vascular autoantibody in serum (28 cases) of TAO patients. The immune complexes deposited in tissue were found in 100%, and the anti-vascular autoantibody in 86% of TAO patients. The results of IGSS technique were compared with that of immunofluorescent staining, immunoenzyme staining and avidin-biotin-peroxidase complex staining techniques. It was demonstrated that both the sensitivity and specificity of IGSS technique were significantly higher than those of other techniques.

Primary glomerulonephritis in China. Analysis of 1001 cases

The morphologic classification and clinical spectrum of 1,001 cases of primary glomerulonephritis (GN) in Jinling Hospital during 1980-1988 were analysed. It was found that the incidence of mesangial type lesion including mesangial proliferative GN, IgA nephropathy and IgM nephropathy ranks first (21.5%, 32.1% and 10.1% respectively), which is not only the commonest cause of patients clinically manifesting nephrotic syndrome and gross hematuria but also the predominant type of nephritis causing uremia and hypertension.

[Screening of strains producing extracellular catechol 1,2-dioxygenase and fermentation conditions]

Two strains of Pseudomonus sp. having the extracellular catechol 1, 2-dioxygenase activity were selected from 112 bacterial strains. The conditions for enzyme production of the strains were examined. The optimal temperature and pH for enzyme formation were 30 degrees C and pH 6.8-7.0 respectively. Enzyme formation was enhanced by sodium benzoate, and was markedly inhibited by glucose, maltose and glycerol. Ammoniacal nitrogen sources were essential for cell growth and enzyme production. Sodium succinate was an effective inducer for enzyme formation. When the organism was grown in 0.15% sodium benzoate medium (pH 6.8-7.0) at 30 degrees C for 72 hours, about 10 units of catechol 1,2 dioxygenase per ml was obtained.

Modal propagation characteristics of radially stratified and D-shaped metallic optical fibers

The eigenvalue equation is formulated for a general three-layered radially stratified metallic optical fiber waveguide and solved numerically using the zoom search method. The result is shown to be applicable to the common D-shaped fiber, which bears no similarity to a concentric stratum but may be converted as such through the Mobius conformal representation. The theoretical prediction agrees well with our experimental measurements, and the method should be proved valuable for optimizing metallic fiber design relationships.

[Pathological classification and clinical characteristics of primary glomerulonephritis in China: bioptic study of 1001 cases]

The pathological classification and clinical characteristics of 1001 cases of primary glomerulonephritis seen in Jinling Hospital between 1980 and 1987 were analysed. It was found that the incidence of mesangial proliferative GN (including IgA nephropathy) ranks first. This was the commonest type in the cases of nephrotic syndrome, renal hypertension and chronic renal failure. On the other hand, minimal changes and membranous nephropathy, the usual types of GN causing nephrotic syndrome in Western literature are not so common in our series. It is suggested that Mesangial proliferative glomerulonephritis, especially IgA nephropathy, should be stressed as the chief type of GN that needs further research.

Comparison of health habits of military personnel with civilian populations

The relationship between health habits and health status has gained attention in the literature in recent decades. In this report, the health habits of a particular occupational group--the military--are compared with those of the civilian population, and the extent to which the health habits of the military personnel are associated with their health status is examined. Responses to two surveys conducted in 1985 were analyzed by age group, sex, race, and educational level. The comparisons involved six of the seven health habits included in the Alameda study. Military personnel, because they are younger and their lives are more regimented, excel in meeting weight standards for the services and engaging in desirable levels of physical activity. Smoking habits of military personnel were less favorable than those of the civilians. An examination of the health status of the military for the year preceding the survey suggested that some health habits have immediate manifestations, but the impact of others may not be evident until later in life.

[Long-term observations on cervical carcinoma IIb patients with preoperative intra-arterial chemotherapy]

Seventy-four cases of cervical carcinoma IIb were treated by radical surgery. Among them 38 patients had received additionally preoperative intra-arterial chemotherapy. The ten and five-year survival rate of those receiving preoperative intra-arterial chemotherapy were 62.5 and 73.3% respectively, while in the group without preoperative intra arterial chemotherapy, the ten and five-year survival rate were 21.4 and 38.9% respectively. The pathological picture of them were studied. The tissue destruction was found more severe and the cellular immune reactions around the tumor foci increased in cases receiving preoperative chemotherapy as compared with those without. The mechanism of tissue reactions related to chemotherapy was discussed.

[Surface ultrastructure of familial gastrointestinal adenomatosis]

Fourty-one adenomas from 13 cases of familial gastrointestinal adenomatosis, with 6 samples of normal colonic mucosa, 4 well differentiated adenocarcinomas and 2 villous adenomas as control, were examined by scanning electron microscopy. The surface feature of the adenomas was classified into three types: tubular, branching and irregular, based mainly on the irregularity of the enlarged and distorted crypts. There is close relationship between surface architecture and inner histologic pattern, especially the degree of atypia. The more irregular the surface architecture, the higher the atypia in histology. Those of tubular type are mostly tubular adenomas with mild dysplasia, while the majority of branching type are villous or villous-tubular adenomas with moderate or severe dysplasia. Irregular type usually implies malignant transformation. The results suggest that the observation and evaluation of the surface structure of familial adenomatosis be of great value, as a supplementary procedure, in identifying premalignancy and early malignancy in adenoma-carcinoma sequence.

An electrodeless measuring technique for determining conductivity of biological tissues at radio frequencies

An electrodeless measuring technique for determining the conductivity of biological tissues at radio frequencies is described. The technique is based on measuring magnetic power dissipation in a conducting sample using a tuned circuit when the sample is immersed in a time-varying magnetic field. Theory regarding the measurements is presented. Consideration for coil design is given. Coil construction and measurement techniques are described in detail. The technique has three advantages: errors resulting from electrode lead inductance are completely removed; contacts between tissue surfaces and electrode surfaces are not needed; and maintaining water content and concentration of pH solution inside the tissues during measurements becomes easily facilitated. With the technique, conductivity values of dog kidney at room temperature were obtained in good agreement with previous work.

Purification and kinetics of mouse liver fructose 6-phosphate, 2-kinase

The mouse liver fructose 6-phosphate, 2-kinase was purified by ultracentrifugation, polyethylene glycol precipitation, and subsequently by chromatography on DEAE-Sephadex, Blue-Sepharose and phasphocellulose columns. Gel filtration and SDS polyacrylamide electrophoresis showed that the enzyme has a molecular weight of 110,000 with two identical subunits. Mg2+ is essential for its activity. The activation of the enzyme by Mg2+ showed a positive cooperativity. The substrate saturation curve for fructose 6-phosphate was sigmoidal and for ATP was hyperbolic. The Km's for ATP increased with decrease in concentrations of fructose 6-phosphate indicating that the sequence for the substrates binding was in an ordered mechanism with respect to fructose 6-phosphate prior to ATP. An ionizable residue at the active site with pKa 9.5 was essential for the ATP binding and the pKa shifted to 9.8 after the binding of ATP.

[Familial gastro-intestinal adenomatosis]

Twenty-seven cases of familial gastro-intestinal adenomatosis are reported. There was no difference in pathology between 11 cases with familial involvement and 16 cases without. Juvenile, lymphoid as well as hyperplastic polyps coexisting with adenomas were found in a few cases. The risk of developing cancer in adenomas of 0.5 cm, 0.5-0.9 cm, 1.0-1.9 cm and 2.0 cm were 0%, 1.1%, 9% and 75%, respectively. Size seems to be the most critical and reliable indicator of malignant transformation. Proctectomy and colectomy of distal colon combined with removal of the adenomas equal to or larger than 1.0 cm through endoscope might be the better surgical intervention to avoid carcinomatous change. The term "familial polyposis coli" is suggested to be designated as "familial gastro-intestinal adenomatosis".

Mitochondrial DNA polymorphism in Chinese

Human mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) restriction endonuclease fragment patterns were analyzed using placenta DNA isolated from 273 individuals representing four different nationalities, the Han, the Uygur, the Kazakh and the Hui populations. Thirty-eight fragment patterns (morphs) were observed with the enzyme ApaI, BamHI, EcoRI, HindIII, HinfI, HhaI, HapII, KpnI, Mbol, PstI, PvuII, SacI, ScaL and XhoI. Fourteen new morphs, including some only existing in individual racial and national populations were observed, which indicates that there is a significant difference in the distribution of mtDNA morphs among various national and racial populations. By comparison with the mtDNA sequences in primate species, some mtDNA ancestral morphs were found to be retained in Oriental population today. This result provided indirect evidence that Asia may be one of the human original sources. Genetic distances among four national populations computed and employed in construction of an average linkage tree suggested that the Uygur and the Kazakh populations combined to form a branch at first, then the Han and the Hui came together to form another one, and at last, these two branches converged into a stem. Again, it was found that the internal variation within the Uygur and the Kazakh populations was greater than that within the Han and the Hui populations. These results showed a relationship among the four different national populations in China based on the molecular level.

Propagation characteristics of guided waves in stratified metallic optical waveguides

An eigenvalue equation is derived for stratified metallic optical slab waveguides with any number of layers. The equation is solved using the numerical zoom analysis (NZA) method. The analysis is applied to various metallic optical slabs and the propagation characteristics of the guided waves are determined, which may be useful for optimizing the design parameters. It is found possible, with proper optimization, to design a polarizer having hundreds of decibels of extinction ratio at. the cost of a fraction of a decibel of insertion loss. Examples of optimizations with respect to wavelength, relative refractive indices, core/clad geometries, etc. are demonstrated for slabs with single or double metal layers. Guidelines for determining the metal film thickness have been formulated and tabulated for many useful metals.

Altered low density lipoprotein receptor regulation is associated with cholesteryl ester accumulation in Simian virus 40 transformed rodent fibroblast cell lines

Several SV40 transformed REF52 cell lines were found to accumulate 5 to 10 times more cholesteryl esters compared to their parent line REF52 when cultured in 10% serum. Under this culture condition, the cholesteryl ester to phospholipid ratio was 0.4:1 and 2.0:1 to 3.8:1 for normal and SV40 transformed cells, respectively. The mechanism underlying cholesteryl ester accumulation in SV40 transformed lines was investigated. We found that 1) the rate of the de novo cholesterol and cholesteryl ester synthesis was roughly equal in normal and transformed derivatives; 2) the accumulation of cholesteryl esters in the transformants would not occur when cultured in lipoprotein-deficient medium and reappeared upon their return to low density lipoprotein-containing medium; 3) the transformants expressed twice as many low density lipoprotein receptors and were less sensitive to LDL-induced receptor down regulation compared to their nontransformed counterparts. The results indicate that SV40 transformed lines exhibited an accelerated lipid uptake from the culture medium due to an altered regulation of low density lipoprotein receptor activity.

[Application of monoclonal antibody OC 125 in gynecological oncology]

This study was undertaken to determine whether the measurement of CA125 could effect an early diagnosis and a method for monitoring the course of gynecologic tumors. CA 125 in serum of 195 patients, including 15 apparently healthy women; 39 benign gynecologic tumors; 2 borderline ovarian tumors; 139 malignancies were measured by CENTOCOR cancer antigen 125 kits. Diagnosis of all patients was confirmed by pathology. None of the healthy women; 10% of benign tumors; 78% of epithelial ovarian cancers; 31% of endometrial adenocarcinomas and one out of five adenocarcinoma of uterine cervix had CA 125 level over 65 U/ml. In addition, 23 cases of ovarian cancer were monitored serially up to 9 months. In more than 80% of these patients, CA 125 levels were correlated with the regression or progression of the disease. The significance of this assay for early diagnosis and monitoring the course of ovarian cancer is discussed. It is considered that CA 125 is a promising and useful antigenic marker for monitoring the course of ovarian cancers.

Response of spinach and kidney bean plants to nitrogen dioxide

Different responses of spinach and kidney bean plants to various concentrations of NO(2) in the light and in the dark were shown. Spinach is more resistant than NO(2) than kidney bean. It is not only due to its greater tolerance to NO(2)(-) accumulated in leaves, but also to its stronger ability to metabolize NO(2)(-). The injury of spinach induced by the exposure to high concentration NO(2) in the light was not caused by the accumulation of NO(2)(-), but concerned the large amount of accumulated NH(3). The primary causes of NH(3) accumulation were that the activity of nitrite reductase was not affected by the fumigation on the one hand, and the activities of glutamine synthetase and glutamate synthase were inhibited on the other.

Thalassemia in the Silk Road region of China

This paper summarizes data obtained during a screening program involving 11,563 persons from the Silk Road region in China. The mean incidence of thalassemia is 1.62% with an increase from east to west. The incidence in the Hui population (3.01%) is higher than in Kazaks (2.92%), and in Uygur (2.22%). The Han population also has a higher incidence (0.98%) than seen for other regions in Northern China. The thalassemias observed are classified into seven groups; beta-thalassemia accounts for 89.48% of the total, and alpha-thalassemia for 10.52%.

[Treatment of 63 advanced ovarian carcinomas]

62 patients with advanced epithelial ovarian adenocarcinoma (37 stage III, 4 stage IV and 22 recurrent lesions) were treated in our hospital from 1977 to 1981, 38 patients underwent surgery. 25 with inoperable tumor initially received preoperative chemotherapy (VCF protocol: vincristine + cyclophosphamide + fluorouracil chiefly) followed by surgery. The response rate of chemotherapy was 48%. Apart from 1 progressive tumor during chemotherapy, 24/25 were explored. There were 10/24 with residual tumor less than 2 cm in diameter, giving a resection rate of 41.7% as compared with the resection rate of 42.1% (16/38) in the operation group. It is shown that the preoperative chemotherapy improves the resection rate. 44 patients received postoperative chemotherapy and 12, radiotherapy combined with chemotherapy or radiotherapy only. The overall 2.3 and 5 year survival rates of these 63 patients were 39.7%, 31.7% and 23.8%. The 2 and 3 year survivals were 41.9% and 32.3% in 31 patients with postoperative chemotherapy using VCF protocol. The results indicate that VCF protocol is effective for advanced epithelial ovarian cancer, especially patients with residual tumor less than 2 cm in size. Chemotherapy with more than 3 courses has better effect.