Survival of mouse embryos after freezing and thawing in the presence of erythritol

Eight-cell mouse embryos were frozen by using erythritol as the cryoprotective agent. The samples were cooled slowly (1 degree C/min) to temperatures between -15 and -75 degrees C before direct transfer into liquid nitrogen (-196 degrees C). The most effective concentration of erythritol for freezing of embryos was 0.6 M, and the optimal exposure time of embryos to 0.6 M erythritol at 0 degrees C prior to freezing appeared to be 60 min under the conditions used. The embryos in erythritol survived slow thawing (approximately 20 degrees C/min), only when cooled slowly to temperatures between -30 and -60 degrees C before transfer into liquid nitrogen, and survived rapid thawing (approximately 500 degrees C/min), only after transfer from -25 to -40 degrees C. The highest survival rates of slowly thawed embryos were obtained after transfer to -196 degrees C from -35 (63%) and -40 degrees C (64%), and the highest survival rates of rapidly thawed embryos were obtained after transfer from -30 degrees C (54%). Mouse embryos that survived freezing and thawing with erythritol as the cryoprotective agent were capable of developing to full-term fetuses.

Surgical treatment of anomalous origin of the left coronary artery from the pulmonary artery associated with tetralogy of Fallot

An 8-year-old boy with anomalous origin of the left coronary artery from the pulmonary artery associated with tetralogy of Fallot, which was definitely diagnosed preoperatively, was operated on with success. Direct implantation of the left coronary artery into the aorta following division of the left coronary artery from the pulmonary artery and, concomitantly, total repair for tetralogy of Fallot using an external valved conduit were performed. Postoperative cineangiogram revealed a hemodynamically well-repaired intracardiac condition and anterograde filling of the left coronary artery, compared with retrograde left coronary flow from intercoronary collateral vessels preoperatively. To the best of our knowledge, there is not a previously published report of anomalous origin of the left coronary artery from the pulmonary artery associated with tetralogy of Fallot that was treated surgically with success.

Surgical treatment of tetralogy of Fallot associated with congenital tricuspid insufficiency. A report of two cases

Among the congenital anomalies associated with tetralogy of Fallot, tricuspid insufficiency is rare. In two children with tetralogy of Fallot associated with congenital tricuspid insufficiency, one due to elongation of the anterior papillary muscle and resultant redundancy of the anterior cusp of the tricuspid valve and another due to dysplasia of the tricuspid valve, both tetralogy of Fallot and tricuspid insufficiency were corrected simultaneously with success. The etiologic factors, clinical manifestations and surgical implications of this combination of anomalies are discussed. It is emphasized that tricuspid regurgitation must be repaired simultaneously in order to avoid low cardiac output syndrome in the case of tetralogy of Fallot associated with tricuspid regurgitation, particularly in which pulmonary regurgitation might occur after relief of the outflow tract obstruction.

Peripheral lymphocyte count in untreated non-Hodgkin's lymphoma patients and their lymphographic findings

The relation between grades of foaminess in lumbar, iliac and inguinal nodes on bipedal lymphograms, and peripheral lymphocyte counts was assessed in patients with untreated non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. The lymphocyte counts were widely distributed in and around the normal range in patients with normal lymphographic findings, but in patients with increased grades of foaminess they were depressed to a marked degree. The decrease in peripheral lymphocyte counts in patients revealing no pathological grades of foaminess may be caused by the occult abdominal non-Hodgkin's lymphoma or may suggest the impending extension of the disease in these nodal chains.

Solubilization and partial purification of the Ca2+/Na+ antiporter from the plasma membrane of bovine heart

Vesicles derived from the plasma membrane of bovine heart muscle catalyze an uptake of 45Ca+ which is dependent on Na+ inside the vesicles and inhibited by external Na+ (Ki = 14 mM). The transporter was solubilized with 2% cholate at high ionic strength (0.5 M NaCl) in the presence of 2.4% soybean phospholipids. Appropriate dilution and sedimentation yielded a preparation of the transporter which could be reconstituted into liposomes. The proteoliposomes catalyzed Ca2+ uptake with a specific activity about 5 times higher than native vesicles. External Na+ inhibited Ca2+ uptake with a Ki of 50 mM. The uptake of Ca2+ was also inhibited when the Na+ gradient was collapsed with nigericin. Ca2+ uptake was stimulated when either valinomycin or dinitrophenol was added to the assay, in line with the known electrogenic nature of the transport system.

Biochemical studies on early cell surface antigen induced by vaccinia and cowpox viruses

The early cell surface antigen (ECSA) induced by vaccinia or cowpox virus infection was analysed by immunoprecipitation and SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), The components with a mol. wt. of about 40 000 (40 K) in vaccinia virus-infected cells and with a mol. wt. of about 43 000 (43 K) in cowpox virus-infected cells were specifically immunoprecipitated with anti-ECSA serum prepared by immunizing rabbits with rabbit kidney cells infected with a conditional lethal mutant. The 40 K and 43 K polypeptides were synthesized even in the presence of cytosine-I-beta-D-arabinofuranosyl-HCl (Ara C) and were detectable even in the cells pulse-labelled between I and 2 h p.i.

Comparative studies on LS antigens induced by vaccinia and cowpox viruses

The constituents of LS antigen from cells infected with vaccinia virus and with cowpox virus were compared by immunoprecipitation and SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). Antiserum to the LS antigen from cells infected with vaccinia virus reacted with at least five polypeptides in cells infected with either virus. Four of these polypeptides were similar sizes in cells infected with the two viruses. However, one major polypeptide with a mol. wt. of about 100 000 (100 K) detected in cells infected with vaccinia virus was not found in cells infected with cowpox virus. Conversely, a polypeptide with a mol. wt. of about 60 000 (60K) was detected only in cells infected with cowpox virus.

DC potential and K+ activity in experimental endolymphatic hydrops

No alteration in K+ activity of endolymph and perilymph was seen during development of endolymphatic hydrops in guinea pigs. The DC-potential was not changed during enlargement of endolymphatic space.

Effects of low temperatures on survival of frozen-thawed mouse embryos

Almost no damage to mouse morulae was observed between 0 and -40 degrees C, and freezing damage to embryos in DMSO, glycerol or ethylene glycol occurred after exposure to -60, -50 or -50 degrees C, respectively. Cooling embryos in DMSO or glycerol to temperatures below -50 to -60 degrees C increased freezing damage. To the contrary, in the presence of ethylene glycol, no more damage occurred after exposure to temperatures below -50 degrees C.

Ca2+ translocation in Ehrlich ascites tumor cells

Ca2+ uptake into Ehrlich ascites tumor cells was studied at 0 degrees C in the presence of mitochondrial inhibitors, conditions that minimized complications caused by sequestration of Ca2+ into organelles or by excretion. Under these conditions Ruthenium Red inhibited Ca2+ uptake, but other previously implicated ions, such as Pi or Mg2+, had no effect. Valinomycin either inhibited or slightly stimulated Ca2+ uptake depending on the presence of excess K+ on the outside or inside of the cell, respectively. Nigericin inhibited Ca2+ transport. Based on these data we propose an electrogenic uptake of Ca2+, possibly via a Ca2+/H+ antiport mechanism. The observation that glucose inhibited Ca2+ uptake suggested that in Ehrlich ascites tumor cells an energy-driven Ca2+ expulsion mechanism is operative, similar to that in erythrocytes. Plasma membrane preparations of ascites tumor cells were found to contain a Ca2+-dependent ATPase. These preparations, when incorporated into liposomes in an inside-out orientation, catalyzed an ATP-dependent uptake of Ca2+.