Uptake of 1-beta-D-arabinofuranosylcytosine and prednisolone by synchronized human lymphoma cells

The cytotoxicity of many antitumor agents exhibits cell-cycle phase specificity. Using a human lymphoma cell line synchronized by thymidine block, we have investigated the differential uptake of radioactive 1-beta-D-arabinofuranosylcytosine (ara-C) and prednisolone in various phases of the cycle. Uptake of ara-C is highest during early S and declines steadily throughout the rest of the cycle. In comparison, prednisolone demonstrates no significant age-dependent difference in uptake although its cytotoxicity is cell cycle sensitive.     

The effect of neostigmine on suxamethonium induced neuromuscular block in the dog

The effects of neostigmine on suxamethonium induced neuromuscular block were investigated in the intact, anaesthetised dog using the train-of-four twitch to record neuromuscular activity. Marked antagonism of the block was observed when the train-of-four ratio was 0.38 and less. To avoid potentiating the block, the use of neostigmine is not recommended without first determining the state of neuromuscular activity with a peripheral nerve stimulator using train-of-four stimulation.     

The deiodination of thyroxine in hyperthyroid rats as determined by renal clearance of iodide

Other investigators have reported that whole body clearance of thyroxine (T4) is increased in hyperthyroid rats isotopically equilibrated with radioactive T4, using the 24 h post-injection serum T4 concentration in the clearance calculation. Data from this laboratory indicate that serum T4 concentration is lowest at this point yielding falsely high clearance values, particularly when high doses of T4 are injected. To investigate this problem further, two types of experiments were performed. First, rats were equilibrated with [125I]T4, 5 or 20 mug/day, and the urinary clearance of iodide derived from T4 (deiodinative clearance) was measured from 0-7 and 7-24 h after a T4 injection, using the T4 concentration in serum obtained at the midpoint of each urine collection period. Urine was then collected from the ureters for several 1 h periods during the 4th to 8th h following T4 injection, calculating clearances using the midpoint plasma T4 concentration. Second, normal rats were given a single dose of [125I]T4, 5 or 55 mug/rat, and deiodinative clearance was determined during the subsequent 0-7 and 7-24 h periods. The first experiment indicated that deiodinative clearance was significantly enhanced in rats equilibrated with the large dose of T4 under all conditions studied. In contrast, the clearance in normal rats given a single large dose of T4 was not significantly different from that of normal rats given a small dose of T4. These results support the view that T4 clearance is increased in hyperthyroidism, due in part to an increase in the deiodination of T4.     

Role of apoptosis in the regulation of virus-induced T cell responses, immune suppression, and memory

The binding of several biotinylated biologic probes was determined in sections of 20 surgical specimens of prostate cancer and of 21 biopsy specimens of hyperplastic prostate. Whereas neither the immunomodulatory, galactoside-specific lectin from Viscum album nor the human beta-galactoside-specific lectin (M(r) 14 kd) or its specific antibody discerned any remarkable differences, the lectin from Urtica dioica (UDA) and interleukin-2, the in vitro production of which is enhanced by this lectin, exhibited obvious preference for hyperplastic cells. In addition, the presence of binding sites for chemically synthesized blood group determinants was tested. Carcinoma cases revealed a higher percentage of binding of synthetic blood group trisaccharide H than hyperplasia cases. Due to these differences, diverse parameters, derived from measurement of integrated optical density (IOD) and from syntactic structure analysis, were correlated with the extent of binding of these biologic probes for the tumor cases. Primarily, parameters that are related to computation of a minimum spanning tree were significantly different in positive and negative cases for both UDA and interleukin-2. For the binding of blood group trisaccharide H the 5C exceeding rate, the 2CV deviation index and the distance of neighboring tumor cells with an IOD > 5 were clearly dissimilar. Our results thus suggest an extension of the panel of biologic probes for prostate cancer and substantiate the usefulness of correlations of binding of selected biologic probes to features derived from the assessment of IOD and syntactic structure analysis.     

EFFECTS OF DIFFERENT SALT CONTENTS ON SOME QUALITY CHARACTERISTICS DURING PROCESSING OF DRY‐CURED TURKISH PASTIRMA

ABSTRACT

This study examined the effects of different salt contents (3, 6 and 9%) during process stages on physicochemical, lipid oxidation and microbial quality of a dry‐cured meat product, past?rma, throughout 21 days of processing. Significant changes in moisture content, NaCl content, pH and water activity (a_w) were observed in past?rma after the third drying and pasting stages. There were significant decreases (P < 0.05) in objective color characteristics (L*, a* and b*) between raw material and final product for all past?rma samples. However, no significant effect of salt level (P > 0.05) was detected on L* and a*. Salt level significantly (P < 0.05) affected thiobarbituric acid‐reactive substances (TBARS) formation, which was lower in low‐salt past?rma samples, while the combination of salting, drying and pressing stages increased TBARS values in high‐salt past?rma samples. Higher salt content (6% and 9%) and last drying resulted in reduction of microbial count.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

Salt (NaCl) is an important agent in inhibiting microbial growth, reducing water activity and imparting a salty taste to dry‐cured meat products such as ham and past?rma. Salt content in past?rma varies from 5% to 10% in the final product and has an impact on product quality parameters. The effects of different NaCl contents (3, 6 and 9%) and processing stages on pH, water activity (a_w), color parameters, lipid oxidation and microbial count were studied during processing of past?rma. Low‐salt concentration had some negative impacts on past?rma characteristics, giving high a_w, pH and microbial count, but low Thiobarbituric acid‐reactive substances value and NaCl content. Drying, pressing and pasting with çemen mixture during past?rma processing had a positive impact on reduction of moisture, a_w and microbial count.

     

Primary closure of pharyngeal remnant after total laryngectomy and partial pharyngectomy: how much residual mucosa is sufficient?

After total laryngectomy with or without partial pharyngectomy, the remaining pharyngeal defect can be repaired either by primary closure or with additional tissue, depending on the amount of pharyngeal tissue remnant available. The aim of this study was to determine the minimum width of the pharyngeal remnant that could be safely closed primarily without causing difficulty in swallowing. A total of 52 consecutive patients who underwent total laryngectomy were entered into the study. The relaxed and stretched widths of the pharyngeal remnant were measured after removal of the specimen. The widths of the pharyngeal mucosa ranged from 1.5 to 5.0 cm relaxed (mean, 3.24 cm) and from 2.5 to 8.0 cm stretched (mean, 4.83 cm). All neopharynx was reconstructed by closing the pharynx primarily. Seven of the 52 patients developed recurrent tumor with concomitant dysphagia. Two of the 45 patients without recurrence presented with acute dysphagia from food bolus obstruction, and 1 patient developed benign inflammatory stricture following an episode of fish-bone impaction. The narrowest widths of the pharyngeal remnant in this group of 45 were 1.5 cm relaxed and 2.5 cm stretched. As these patients do not have swallowing difficulty, we conclude that in the absence of tumor recurrence, this amount of residual pharyngeal tissue is sufficient both for primary closure of the pharynx and in restoring swallowing function.