[Acute infection of Toxoplasma gondii affects the level of oxygen free radicals in serum and testes of mice]

OBJECTIVE

To observe the impact of Toxoplasma gondii infection on the level of oxygen free radicals and antioxidant enzyme in serum and testes of mice.

METHODS

40 BALB/c male mice were randomly divided into four groups. Five mice from each group were injected intraperitoneally with 2.5 x 10(3) tachyzoites of T. gondii, the others received PBS. Mice were sacrificed on the 1st, 3rd, 5th, and 7th day after inoculation. Samples of serum and testes were collected to determine the content of oxygen free radicals and superoxide dismutase (SOD).

RESULTS

The concentration of the oxygen free radicals (NO, *OH, O2-) in serum and testes of the mice increased along with the days of infection. The concentration of SOD reached a peak on the 3rd day after the injection and then decreased. Both of oxygen free radicals and SOD showed a statistical difference with the control (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSION

Acute infection of T. gondii leads to n increase of oxygen free radicals and SOD in the serum and testes of mice.

[Research on traumatic brain real-time monitoring by near-infrared technology]

In order to monitoring the development of traumatic brain edema in vivo, a specifically designed optical parameters of tissue testing system with a mini-invasion bifurcated optical fiber probe and a fiber spectrometer was used to monitor the reduced scattering coefficient (mu's) of t he rat traumatic brain while the counterpart parameter, i. e. brain water content (BWC), was also measured. Acute rat regional brain trauma was applied according to Feeney's apparatus. The changes of brain edema were monitored by near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) technology and by measuring the water content of the brain. Experiment result showed that distinct brain edema in injured areas was found at 6 hours later after trauma, which reached a summit of severity at 24-72 hours later after trauma, then gradually declined. After using the dehydrant, the brain edema situation became better, and then, the edema occurred again whilet he medicamentosus effect of dehydrant was gradually lost. It can be showed that mu's had similar change profile with BWC and the two parameters were well linearly relative to each other. mu's is a good indicator for monitoring traumatic brain edema and t he medicamentosus effect of dehydrant. As a result near-infrared spectroscopy is a new feasible method of monitoring the development of traumatic brain edema in vivo.

[Role of HPV DNA detection and p16(INK4A) protein expression in diagnosis of endocervical adenocarcinoma]

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the significance of p16(INK4A) protein expression and positivity for HPV DNA in distinguishing between endocervical and endometrial adenocarcinoma.

METHODS

Expression of p16(INK4A) protein in 30 cases of endocervical adenocarcinoma and 10 cases of endometrial adenocarcinoma was assessed by immunohistochemistry. In-situ hybridization for human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA was also performed in 20 cases of endocervical adenocarcinoma and 10 cases of endometrial adenocarcinoma.

RESULTS

The positive rate for p16(INK4A) in endocervical adenocarcinoma was 70% (21/30), as compared with 30% (3/10) in endometrial adenocarcinoma. The tumor cells in endocervical adenocarcinoma showed diffuse and strong expression of p16(INK4A) protein with both cytoplasmic and nuclear staining. In contrast, the endometrial adenocarcinoma cells showed patchy and weak expression of p16(INK4A). On the other hand, HPV DNA (type 16 or 18) was detected by in-situ hybridization in 9 (45%) of the 20 cases of endocervical adenocarcinoma and none of the 10 cases of endometrial adenocarcinoma.

CONCLUSIONS

The expression of p16(INK4A) protein is significantly higher in endocervical adenocarcinoma than in endometrial adenocarcinoma. This expression pattern can serve as a useful immunohistochemical marker in the differential diagnosis. p16(INK4A) protein immunohistochemistry appears to be more sensitive than HPV DNA testing in distinguishing between endocervical and endometrial adenocarcinoma, especially in biopsy or curettage specimens.

Highly Regioselective Synthesis of Indene Derivatives Including an Allene Functional Group via Pd/C-Catalyzed Cyclization Reaction in Air

Indene derivatives including an allene functional group are readily prepared in moderate to excellent yields with high regioselectivity under very mild reaction conditions by the Pd/C-catalyzed reaction of propargylic compounds. The resulting products can be further elaborated using Pd-catalyzed annulation reactions.

Palladium-Catalyzed Carboannulation of Propargylic Carbonates and Nucleophiles to 2-Substituted Indenes

A new and efficient synthesis of 2-substituted indenes has been achieved via palladium-catalyzed carboannulation of propargylic carbonates with nucleophiles in good to excellent yields. A variety of nucleophiles were tolerated in this reaction.

Highly Regio- and Stereoselective Synthesis of Indene Derivatives via Electrophilic Cyclization

[reaction: see text] Indene or naphthalene derivatives are readily prepared in moderate to excellent yields with high regio- and stereoselectivity under very mild reaction conditions by the reaction of acetylenic malonates and ketones with I2, ICl, or NIS. The resulting iodides can be further elaborated using palladium-catalyzed coupling reactions.

Highly Regioselective Synthesis of 2,3-Disubstituted Indenes via a Novel Palladium-Catalyzed Cyclization Reaction of Propargylic Carbonates with Carbon Nucleophiles

Palladium-catalyzed reaction of propargylic carbonates with carbon nucleophiles offers an efficient, direct route to highly substituted indenes. The reaction conditions and the scope of the process are examined, and a possible mechanism is proposed. [reaction: see text]

Synthesis of 2-Substitued 3-Aroylindenes via Palladium-Catalyzed Carbonylative Cyclization of Diethyl 2-(2-(1-Alkynyl)phenyl)malonates with Aryl Halides

[reaction: see text] The palladium-catalyzed reaction of readily accessible diethyl 2-(2-(1-alkynyl)phenyl)malonates with aryl halides under a balloon pressure of CO produced 2-substitued 3-aroylindenes in good yields. The reaction is believed to proceed via cyclization of the alkyne containing a proximate nucleophilic center promoted by an acylpalladium complex.

Synthesis of Indenes via Palladium-Catalyzed Carboannulation of Diethyl 2-(2-(1-alkynyl)phenyl)malonate and Organic Halides

Highly substituted indenes have been prepared in good yields by the palladium-catalyzed carboannulation of diethyl 2-(2-(1-alkynyl)phenyl)malonate with aryl, benzylic, and alkenyl halides. The reaction conditions and the scope of the process were examined, and a possible mechanism is proposed.

[Ovarian tumors with endocrine function]

OBJECTIVE

To analyze the clinicopathological features of ovarian tumors with endocrine function.

METHODS

Twenty-four cases of ovarian tumor with endocrine manifestation were collected from the hospital. Their clinical presentation and histopathologic features were reviewed, along with a panel immunohistochemistry stainings (EnVision method). The antibodies were AE1/AE3, epithelial membrane antibody (EMA), alpha-inhibin, calretini and smooth myoglobin (SMA).

RESULTS

The main clinical endocrinological manifestations were related to an excess production of sex steroids. Histologically, the principle histological subtype of these tumors was ovarian sex cord-stroma tumors, including 13 cases ovarian type (8 granulosa cell tumors, 2 thecofibromas, 3 sclerosing stromal tumors), 7 cases testicular type (1 sertoli cell tumors, 5 sertoli-Leydig cell tumors, 1 Leydig cell tumor, and 2 cases of steroid cell tumor (NOS). Another 2 cases were ovarian epithelial tumors. Grossly, 50% (11/22) ovarian sex cord-stromal tumors were less than 5 cm in diameter. However, 4 tumors were quite larger, up to 18 cm in diameter. Most of these tumors were solid or solid-cystic and their cut surfaces were brown, pink, yellow or grey in color. The 2 primary ovarian epithelial tumors were larger, being 12 cm and 14 cm in diameter, respectively. Immunohistochemically, ovarian sex cord-stromal tumors showed positive staining for alpha-inhibin in all cases (22/22) and for calretinin in majority cases (18/22), and that the intensity of reactivity correlated with the degree of tumor differentiation. The non-neoplastic, luteinized stromal cells in 2 ovarian primary epithelial tumors also showed positive staining. Five cases of fibrothecomas and sclerosing stroma tumors were all positive for SMA. Although 6 of the 22 ovarian sex cord-stromal tumors were AE1/AE3 positive, all were EMA negative.

CONCLUSIONS

Most endocrinological syndromes in ovarian neoplasia reflect an overproduction of sex steroids, but the clinical manifestations do not correlate with the tumor histological subtypes. Most functional ovarian tumors are sex cord-stromal tumors and are usually of small to medium in size, but few are larger or giant. The size of the tumor does not correlate with the duration and the degree of clinical manifestations. Ovarian tumors of non-sex cord-stromal type may also be clinically functional. The immunohistochemical results suggests that alpha-inhibin and/or calretinin expression are useful markers in support of a diagnosis of sex cord-stromal tumor of the ovary. Although some of these tumors are AE1/AE3 positive, EMA negativity may be useful for the differential diagnosis with epithelial ovarian tumors.

[Serous adenocarcinoma of the endometrium]

From 1982 to 1992, 9 cases of clinical stage I serous adenocarcinoma of the endometrium were diagnosed and treated surgically in PUMC Hospital. Of these 9 patients, myometrial invasion occurred in 8 patients, lymphatic invasion in the myometrium was demonstrated in 7 patients and 6 patients were found to have extrauterine spread. The tumors studied in this paper confirmed the aggressive behavior of this particular histologic type of endometrial carcinoma. The pathological characteristics and differential diagnosis are presented.