The effects of growth factors on Tenon''s capsule fibroblasts in serum-free culture

Recent studies from our laboratory have shown that in the mouse and rat nephron Ca2+ and Mg2+ are not reabsorbed in the medullary part of the thick ascending limb (mTAL) of Henle's loop. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether the absence of transepithelial Ca2+ and Mg2+ transport in the mouse mTAL is due to its relative low permeability to divalent cations. For this purpose, transepithelial ion net fluxes were measured by electron probe analysis in isolated perfused mouse mTAL segments, when the transepithelial potential difference (PDte.) was varied by chemical voltage clamp, during active NaCl transport inhibition by luminal furosemide. The results show that transepithelial Ca2+ and Mg2+ net fluxes in the mTAL are not driven by the transepithelial PDte. At zero voltage, a small but significant net secretion of Ca2+ into the tubular lumen was observed. With a high lumen-positive PDte generated by creating a transepithelial bath-to-lumen NaCl concentration gradient, no Ca2+ and Mg2+ reabsorption was noted; instead significant and sustained Ca2+ and Mg2+ net secretion occurred. When a lumen-positive PDte was generated in the absence of apical furosemide, but in the presence of a transepithelial bath-to-lumen NaCl concentration gradient, a huge Ca2+ net secretion and a lesser Mg2+ net secretion, not modified by ADH, were observed. Replacement of Na+ by K+ in the lumen perfusate induced, in the absence of PDte changes, important but reversible net secretions of Ca2+ and Mg2+. In conclusion, our results indicate that the passive permeability of the mouse mTAL to divalent cations is very low and not influenced by ADH. This nephron segment can secrete Ca2+ and Mg2+ into the luminal fluid under conditions which elicit large lumen-positive transepithelial potential differences. Given the impermeability of this epithelium to Ca2+ and Mg2+, the secretory processes would appear to be of cellular origin.     

Orbital volume measurement in the management of pure blowout fractures of the orbital floor

With the recent advent of accurate orbital volume assessment by computed tomography, a retrospective analysis was made of 31 patients with 'pure' blowout fracture of the orbital floor, managed either surgically or conservatively, to determine whether orbital volume measurement could provide an additional parameter of use in the management of such fractures. There was a significant difference in orbital volume discrepancy between patients managed surgically or conservatively suggesting that this investigation may be of use in decision making on surgical intervention in patients with orbital blowout fractures.     

Microcalorimetry for characterization of film formation and cure of coatings and adhesives

A new microcalorimeter with eight parallel channels using robust, low cost sensors for characterization of coatings and adhesives is described and first experiments on coatings and adhesives are presented. The calorimetric sensors are based on thin glass plates (20 mm × 20 mm, thickness 150 μm) with heater and thermocouple sputtered on the surfaces (calorimetric active area of about 9 mm²). The setup allows heating and cooling experiments as well as isothermal measurements in the temperature-modulated mode with up to eight sensors in parallel. The measured quantities are the real (C^′_p) and imaginary part (C^″_p) of the complex heat capacity (), the related absolute value of the heat capacity () and the heat flow . An industrial computer (NI PXI system) with specific software for calibration and data recording controls the electronic components. Sensors can be embedded in a temperature controlled oven (heating and cooling by Peltier elements) or alternatively in a climatic cabinet with controlled temperature and humidity.

The method has been applied successfully to monitoring of film formation of aqueous polymer dispersions (styrene-acrylate copolymer) and curing of coatings.     

Evaluation and treatment of the infected foot in a community teaching hospital

More inpatient hospital days are used for the care of diabetic foot infection than for any other diabetic sequela. Both the number of lower extremity amputations and the overall treatment cost of treating diabetic infections may be reduced by using a team approach in the care of the infected diabetic pedal wound. The authors propose an evaluation and treatment protocol of infected pedal ulcerations in an urban, community teaching institution when admitted to an established, multidisciplinary diabetic foot care team. The hospital course of 111 patients admitted with a primary diagnosis of infected pedal ulceration are retrospectively reviewed. Results revealed an average-length hospital stay of 7.4 days with a 96% limb-salvage rate. The authors suggest that in the treatment of the infected pedal wound, a diabetic foot care team with a well developed treatment protocol may yield a consistently favorable outcome and a cost-effective hospital course.     

Pseudolesions in liver sonography

Two different molecular forms of cholecystokinin (CCK) were studied with respect to their modulatory effect on non-MHC restricted or natural killer (NK) cell cytotoxicity. NK activity of peripheral blood mononuclear cells was found to be hardly affected by co-incubation with either CCK-8 or CCK-33 within a physiological concentration range against K-562 or Caco-2 tumour target cells. NK activity by lamina propria mononuclear cells isolated from histologically normal intestinal mucosa was found to be enhanced dose-dependently by incubation with CCK-8 in the 4-h assay against K-562, but not in the prolonged 18-h assay or against Caco-2 targets. In contrast, CCK-8 showed a tendency to inhibit NK activity in the prolonged 18-h assay against K-562; however, these alterations were not found to be statistically significant. CCK-33 was not found to modulate the NK activity of lamina propria mononuclear cells. It is suggested that NK activity by lamina propria mononuclear cells may be stimulated preferentially by CCK-8 because this molecular form of CCK in particular predominates in the nervous tissue of the intestinal mucosa.     

Hepatic toxicity associated with fluorouracil plus levamisole adjuvant therapy

PURPOSE: To determine the frequency and nature of hepatic toxicity associated with fluorouracil (5-FU) plus levamisole adjuvant therapy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: All patients had resection of stage II or stage III colon cancer and were randomized to receive observation only, levamisole alone, or 5-FU plus levamisole. Serial liver function studies were documented in 1,025 patients who did not develop recurrence during the year of therapy. RESULTS: One hundred forty-nine (39.6%) of 376 patients treated with 5-FU plus levamisole showed laboratory abnormalities consistent with hepatic toxicity, compared with 16.3% of 251 patients treated with levamisole alone and 16.1% of 398 untreated controls. Most common was elevation of alkaline phosphatase, frequently accompanied by elevations of transaminase or serum bilirubin. Characteristically, these changes were mild, not associated with symptoms, and resolved when therapy was stopped. In some instances, they were associated with elevated carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) tests or with fatty liver seen on computed tomographic (CT) scan or liver biopsy. CONCLUSION: Mild and reversible hepatotoxicity is a common consequence of 5-FU plus levamisole adjuvant therapy, but this is only rarely symptomatic. However, the oncologist should be alert to this phenomenon, since the associated laboratory and imaging findings may simulate those associated with hepatic metastasis.     

Transcranial Doppler ultrasound signals associated with prosthetic heart valves: an in vitro study

The application of transcranial Doppler (TCD) ultrasonography to asymptomatic prosthetic heart valve patients can result in detection of localized bursts of high intensity signals, similar to those caused by the passage of emboli. The origin of these signals is not known. In order to investigate this phenomenon in a simplified, more controllable environment, a TCD machine was used to record flow downstream from mechanical prosthetic heart valves in a mock circulatory loop. The model, which uses a saline solution seeded with silk particles (< 15 micrometers) as the circulatory fluid, recreates the principal hydrodynamic characteristics of the left heart and systemic circulation. Reproducibility of the system was established through repeated testing of a Monostrut valve. Three different mechanical valve types, (Monostrut, Medtronic Hall, St. Jude Medical) were tested over a range of simulated cardiac outputs, and the effect of valve size was investigated with four Omniscience tilting disc valves (21, 23, 25 and 29 mm). Average energy of the reflected Doppler signal was used to quantify the amount of high intensity Doppler signal, QTCD. TCD signals recorded in vitro were visually and aurally similar to those found in prosthetic heart valve patients. All valve types generated exponentially more QTCD with increasing simulated cardiac output. Differences amongst valve types were only significant at higher flow outputs, with the Monostrut valve producing the greatest QTCD. Larger valves consistently generated greater QTCD than smaller valves. In conclusion, TCD signals found in prosthetic heart valve patients can be reproduced, at least qualitatively, using a mock circulatory loop which does not incorporate the formed elements of blood.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Progesterone protects against lipid peroxidation following traumatic brain injury in rats

Large scale use of lysozyme for periplasmic release has been impeded by the cost of the pure enzyme and its subsequent presence as a contaminant in later downstream processing steps. In this paper, we discuss the use of lysozyme for pilot scale recovery of a periplasmic enzyme from E. coli. The effects of concentration of sucrose, lysozyme and cells on periplasmic enzyme release were examined. Lysozyme concentration can be reduced 5-fold from previous reports and a reduction in sucrose concentration from 20 to 15% (w/v) allows an improvement in centrifugal harvesting by reducing viscosity. High levels of release were still achieved using this technique and further improvements in yield were obtained by optimising other components of the releasing mixture. Results show that some release is still achieved in circumstances where no lysozyme use is possible. Results also indicate that a substantial proportion (up to 70%) of lysozyme remains bound to the cellular debris after its action and is removed with this material.     

Cat carotid body chemosensory discharge (in vitro) is insensitive to charybdotoxin

Charybdotoxin (ChTX), a venom protein, suppresses Ca2+-activated K+ (K+(Ca)) currents in the glomus cell of neonatal rat carotid body. If it works similarly for cat carotid body chemoreceptors, charybdotoxin is expected to stimulate the chemosensory discharge during normoxia, and particularly hypoxia and hypercapnia. We studied the effects of charybdotoxin (20-40 nM) in vitro (perfused/superfused) on the cat carotid chemosensory discharge, and simultaneously tissue PO2 (PtiO2), as a measure of positive control. ChTX (20 nM) only increased PtiO2 and decreased carotid chemosensory discharge during hypoxia, indicating vasodilation. We conclude that K+(Ca) channels do not appear to play a significant role in chemotransduction in the cat carotid body.