High brachial artery bifurcation: a report of 2 cases

High division of the brachial artery was observed in two cadavers, during routine dissection of upper extremities. In the first case, the brachial artery of the right upper extremity was divided into its two terminal branches immediately after passing between the lateral and medial roots of the median nerve and just below the origin of the profunda brachii artery. The lateral branch was the radial artery, located in the space normally occupied by the brachial artery and the medial one was the ulnar artery. In the second case, the brachial artery was divided into its two terminal branches just below the origin of the profunda brachii artery. Accurate knowledge of the relationships and course of these major arterial conduits and particularly of their variational patterns, is of considerable practical importance in the conduct of reperative surgery in the arm, forearm and hand.     

Microsatellite markers in leukaemia and lymphoma: comments on a timely topic

Microsatellites are unique highly polymorphic and informative genetic markers dispersed in the human genome. Their detection by PCR is rapid and a wide variety of DNA sources including archival material are available for diagnostic purposes. Microsatellite typing of haematological neoplasms may be applied to the search for loss of heterozygosity at loci possibly harbouring tumour suppressor genes, for example in acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. The technique may detect submicroscopical chromosomal deletions which are not visible in the leukaemic karyotype. RER+ tumours exhibiting microsatellite instability appear to be rare among haematological cancers with the possible exception of lymphoid tumours in immunosuppressed patients and lymphomas derived from mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue. An X-chromosomal microsatellite near the human androgen receptor gene (HUMARA) may be used for clonal X-inactivation analysis. Microsatellites therefore represent a collection of powerful genetic markers suitable to tackle questions relevant to basic research and clinical problems in leukaemia and lymphoma.     

Cure of malignant ascites and generation of protective immunity by monoclonal antibody-targeted activation of a glucuronide prodrug in rats

We examined the in vivo efficacy of targeting beta-glucuronidase (betaG) to activate a glucuronide prodrug (BHAMG) of p-hydroxyaniline mustard (pHAM) at hepatoma ascites in Sprague-Dawley rats. Injection i.p. of 500 microg RH1-betaG, a conjugate formed between recombinant betaG and monoclonal antibody RH1 with specificity for an antigen expressed on AS-30D rat hepatoma cells, into rats bearing AS-30D ascites resulted in the accumulation of 54 microg conjugate per 10(9) tumor cells after 2 hr. Ascites fluid and serum contained 0.53 and 0 microg/ml, respectively, RH1-betaG 2 hr after injection of the conjugate. Conjugate binding to AS-30D cells was heterogeneous and non-saturated, as determined by flow cytometry. BHAMG was less toxic than pHAM to SD rats based on measures of animal mortality, weight loss and hematological toxicity. Treatment of rats bearing established hepatoma ascites with 500 microg RH1-betaG followed 2 hr later with a single i.p. injection of 30 mg/kg BHAMG or 3 i.p. injections of 10 mg/kg BHAMG 2, 3 and 4 hr later resulted in the cure of 6/8 and 8/8 animals, respectively. Treatment with BHAMG or pHAM alone did not produce cures, whereas treatment with a control antibody-betaG conjugate and BHAMG produced significantly greater hematological toxicity compared to treatment with RH1-betaG and BHAMG. All cured rats were completely protected from rechallenge with 2 x 10(7) AS-30D cells, indicating that successful treatment of animals induced protective immunity.     

Synthesis and analysis of transformer-isolated converters

A systematic and straightforward procedure is developed for the synthesis and analysis of transformer-isolated power converters. The procedure can be used to determine the ranges of duty-ratio over which the transformer-isolated power converters of a given class can be operated without transformer saturation. The procedure can also be used to study the dependence of the power converter switch stresses on duty-ratios. This information is useful in the selection of the transformer-isolated power converter most suitable for a given application and in the design of this power converter with minimum switch stresses, high power density, and low cost     

Synthesis,characterization and ion exchange properties of zirconium(IV) tungstoiodophosphate,a new cation exchanger

Zirconium(IV) tungstoiodophosphate has been synthesized under a variety of conditions. The most chemically and thermally stable sample is prepared by adding a mixture of aqueous solutions of 0·5 mol L⁻¹ sodium tungstate, potassium iodate and 1 mol L⁻¹ orthophosphoric acid to aqueous solution of 0·1 mol L⁻¹ zirconium(IV) oxychloride. Its ion exchange capacity for Na⁺ and K⁺ was found to be 2·20 and 2·35 meq g⁻¹ dry exchanger, respectively. The material has been characterized on the basis of chemical composition, pH titration, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and thermogravimetric analysis. The effect on the exchange capacity of drying the exchanger at different temperatures has been studied. The analytical importance of the material has been established by quantitative separation of Pb²⁺ from other metal ions.     

Diversity of pituitary cells in primary cell culture. An immunocytochemical study

A bioassay system for rapid detection of carcinogenic agents has been developed using male Fischer 344 rats to bridge the gap between long-term carcinogenicity tests and short-term screening assays. The system, called the medium-term liver bioassay, is fundamentally based on the 2-stage hypothesis of tumor production, employing initiation by diethylnitrosamine (200 mg/kg, i.p.) in the first stage and test chemical administration during the second, in combination with two-thirds partial hepatectomy. It requires only 8 wk for animal experimentation and a further few weeks for quantitative analysis of immunohistochemically demonstrated glutathione S-transferase placental form positive hepatic foci. A total of 291 chemicals/substances have already been analyzed in our laboratory. Among 63 chemicals that were proved to be carcinogenic in the liver of rat and/or mouse, 57 (90%) gave positive results irrespective of their mutagenicity. Negative compounds include peroxisome proliferators and tamoxifen. Even nonhepatocarcinogens were positive at a rate of 24%. Eighty-six percent (12/14) of mouse liver carcinogens were also positive. On the other hand, only 2 out of 45 noncarcinogens showed very weak positivity. Thus, the efficacy of the system for hepatocarcinogens has been well established. This bioassay is increasingly regarded as an appropriate alternative test for carcinogenicity risk assessment and is practically used for a rapid evaluation of hepatocarcinogenicity of chemicals.