STD epidemiologic analysis at national surveillance spots in the period 1987-1990

This article summarizes surveillance data of STDs at 16 urban monitoring centers in 1987-1990. During the four year period, 125,493 STD cases were reported. The average annual incidence was 77.80/100,000. Because the rate of increase in females (65.85% per year) was greater than that in males (36.81% per year), the male-to-female ratio fell from 2.39:1 (1987) to 1.34:1 (1990). The number of STD cases reported from all centers tended to increase, and the overall rate of increase was 46.61% per year. The major disease was gonorrhea, with a constituent ratio of 59.22% (1990). However, condyloma acuminatum and nongonococcal urethritis had greater rates of increase (105.03% and 85.14% per year, respectively). The 20-39 year age group accounted for 82.10% of total cases, for STD patients were mostly in the sexually active population. The STD incidence among self-employed businessmen (1206.06/100,000, in 1990) was highest among professional populations. According to analysis of different regions, STD incidence was highest in the southern cities (203.00/100,000, 1990). The greatest rate of increase of STDs was in Yangtze River Valley cities, where the average annual rate of increase was 71.41%.

[Experimental study of the murine monoclonal antibodies of anti-human osteogenic sarcoma]

In the present experiment, cellular suspension, extracted from osteogenic sarcoma tissue removed from patients in operation, was used to immunize BABL/cmouse. The immunized murine spleen cells and murine myeloma cells were fused. The three lines of the hybridoma cells were produced by fusion and were screened by the method of PAP immunoperoxidase. Three hybridomas (MOG 1, MOF 6, MoC 4) reacted with osteogenic sarcoma but not with the normal synovium. MOF 6 reacted with rhabdomyosarcoma, fibrosarcoma, undifferentiated round cell sarcoma and melanoma but not with other tumors and normal tissues. MOG 1 and MOC 4 reacted with more tumors and tissues. The subclasses of MOF 6 and MOG 1 were identified. Both antibodies are IgG 1. Ascites developed in 10 days after two hybridomas were injected respectively into the murine peritoneal cavities. By more extensive research, the monoclonal antibodies may be used in many clinical and experimental works.

Sodium channel binding and anticonvulsant activities of hydantoins containing conformationally constrained 5-phenyl substituents

As a preliminary investigation of the importance of the aromatic ring orientation in interactions of 5-phenylhydantoins with the anticonvulsant site on the neuronal voltage-sensitive sodium channel, two isomeric hydantoins containing conformationally constrained phenyl rings and their monocyclic analogues were synthesized. One, a spirohydantoin (2) derived from alpha-tetralone, contains the plane of the phenyl ring in an orientation approximately perpendicular to that for the hydantoin ring. The other, a tricyclic hydantoin (4) derived from tetrahydroisoquinoline, contains the plane of the phenyl ring in an orientation roughly coplanar with that for the hydantoin ring. These compounds were evaluated in sodium channel binding and whole animal (mice) anticonvulsant assays. In both assays, 4 was significantly more potent than 2, suggesting that the anticonvulsant receptor site on the voltage-sensitive sodium channel may require a specific aromatic ring orientation.

Studies of immunoglobulin and T cell receptor gene rearrangement in cutaneous B and T cell lymphomas

We report two patients with cutaneous B and T cell lymphomas, respectively, in which DNA rearrangement studies were instrumental in establishing a diagnosis. In each case clinical, histopathologic, and immunologic criteria were not sufficient to establish a definitive tissue classification. The use of DNA gene rearrangement studies in the analysis of cutaneous lymphomas is discussed.

Sodium channel binding and anticonvulsant activities for the enantiomers of a bicyclic 2,4-oxazolidinedione and monocyclic models

Racemic 7-phenyl-9,10-dioxo-1-aza-8-oxabicyclo[5.2.1]decane (1), a bicyclic 2,4-oxazolidinedione that we previously reported was a possible sodium channel anticonvulsant, was resolved into its enantiomeric forms, the absolute configurations were determined, and the stereoisomers were evaluated for relative sodium channel binding and whole animal anticonvulsant activities. Similar studies were carried out with two monocyclic models, 5-ethyl-5-phenyl-2,4-oxazolidinedione (2) and 5-ethyl-3-methyl-5-phenyl-2,4-oxazolidinedione (3). None of these isomers exhibited stereoselective effects in the sodium channel assay, and only modest enantioselectivities were observed for 2 and 3 in the anticonvulsant assays. (R)-(-)-1 was, however, 4 times more toxic than (S)-(+)-1 in the rotorod test, and due to its larger protective index, (S)-(+)-1 exhibited greater therapeutic potential than either (R)-(-)-1 or racemic 1.

Neovascular glaucoma and vitreous hemorrhage following cataract surgery in patients with diabetes mellitus

The potential complications of cataract surgery in the general population are well known. In addition, cataract extraction in the patient with diabetes mellitus is associated with other potential complications common to this disease: neovascular glaucoma and acceleration of proliferative diabetic retinopathy with or without vitreous hemorrhage. We analyzed the records of 154 patients with diabetes mellitus who had undergone standard intracapsular cataract extraction in one eye only with the other eye serving as the unoperated control eye. We were able to determine the status of the diabetic retinopathy before the operation and to note the development of vitreous hemorrhage and rubeosis iridis/neovascular glaucoma after the operation. If either event occurred within six weeks of the surgery, it was considered to be a complication of the cataract extraction. Intracapsular cataract extraction in this diabetic population, without regard of the preoperative status of the retinopathy, was associated with a statistically significant incidence of postoperative rubeosis iridis/neovascular glaucoma (7.8% vs 0%). In patients with preoperative active proliferative diabetic retinopathy, the risk of developing postoperative rubeosis iridis/neovascular glaucoma was even higher (40% vs 0%). There was also a statistically significant incidence of vitreous hemorrhage after surgery in eyes with no diabetic retinopathy or background diabetic retinopathy (6.5% vs 0%). In patients with active proliferative diabetic retinopathy, there was an increased incidence of vitreous hemorrhage after surgery (20% vs 6.5%), but this was not statistically significant due to the small number of patients studied. Possible explanations for these findings are explored and therapeutic and prophylactic measures recommended.

Amyloid arthropathy: possible association with chondrocalcinosis

Three patients with symptomatic articular or periarticular amyloidosis associated with chondrocalcinosis are reported. None of these patients had evidence of dysproteinemia which has been considered the primary predisposing factor in amyloid arthropathy. The clinical features of these patients are described and possible pathogenesis discussed.

The unusual Favorskii-Nazarov reaction of dicyclopropyl ketone

Dicyclopropyl ketone under Favorskii-Nazarov reaction conditions neither gave tetracyclopropylethylene glycol nor 1,1,4,4-tetracyclopropyl-1,4-butanediol by ether incorporation as expected. The hitherto unknown 1,1,5-tricyclopropyl-1-hydroxypentan-5-one is obtained, presumably through the intermediacy of a dianion which nucleophilically attacks the neutral ketone through the cleavage of the cyclopropyl bond.