A ten year study of medullary carcinoma of the breast

In this large series of patients treated for medullary carcinoma of the breast by radical mastectomy, the over-all five year survival rate was 63.7 per cent and the ten year survival rate, 49.5 per cent. Although survival was adversely affected by axillary lymph node involvement, there was an equal incidence of such involvement, there was an equal incidence of such involvement in tumors less than 4 centimeters compared with those greater than 4 centimeters in size; however, patients with tumors greater than 4 centimeters in size fared poorer categorically than did those with smaller lesions. Women in the premenopausal period had one-third of the cancers and had a significantly better survival rate than did those in the postmenopausal period, despite a similar incidence of axillary lymph node involvement. Medullary carcinoma is among the small group of malignant tumors of the breast that have distinctly better five and ten year survival rates than other more common varieties.     

Postintubation subglottic stenosis and cor pulmonale

In rats exposed to 400 revolutions (during 6 min and 40 sec) in rotating Noble-Collip drums essentially the same increase of the active form of hepatic glycogen phosphorylase as in animals studied 6 min and 40 sec after epinephrine (50 microgram/kg) or glucagon (100 microgram/kg), both i.v., was observed. However, in rats injured daily for 6 days, on day 7 this enzyme response was substantially blunted.     

Effect of split doses of N-methyl-N-nitrosourea on DNA repair synthesis in cultured mammalian cells

DNA repair was measured in human fibroblasts, mouse C3H 10 T 1/2 fibroblsts and rat hepatocytes by the non-semi-conservative incorporation of [3H]-TdR during DNA repair synthesis using liquid scintillation techniques. Confluent monolayers of these cells grown on cover slips were exposed to split doses (125 or 250 microgram/ml) of the mutagenic and carcinogenic alkylating agent MNU and DNA repair synthesis compared with that produced by a single dose (500 microgram/ml). No significant difference in DNA repair capacity was detected in the three cell lines treated with a single dose or split doses of MNU.     

Interleukin 1 beta synergises with interleukin 2 in the outgrowth of autologous tumour-reactive CD8+ effectors

Using peritoneal fluid or pleural effusion obtained from 20 patients with lung, ovarian or metastatic breast cancer, we separated tumour cells from malignant effusion-associated mononuclear cells (MEMNCs) using discontinuous Ficoll-Hypaque density gradients. CD3+ T lymphocytes represented the main population of MEMNCs. The mean +/- s.d. CD4/CD8 ratio of MEMNC suspensions was 1.18 +/- 0.40. MEMNCs proliferated and expanded in vitro with human interleukin 2 (IL-2) either as CD3+ CD8+ cells or as CD3+ CD4+ cells or as mixed populations of CD8+ and CD4+ cells. Preferential cytolytic activity against autologous tumour cells was demonstrated in IL-2-activated MEMNC cultures with excess CD3+ CD8+ cells. In contrast, effectors derived from IL-2-activated cultures with excess CD3+ CD4+ cells lysed both autologous and allogeneic tumour target cells. The addition on day 0 of interleukin 1 beta (IL-1 beta) to MEMNCs cultured in the presence of IL-2 was effective in promoting the growth of CD3+ CD8+ cells and augmenting the cytotoxicity against autologous tumour. Simultaneously, the production of gamma-interferon (IFN-gamma) was increased in these cultures. This is the first report suggesting that IL-1 beta synergises with IL-2 to induce autologous tumour-specific CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) within the MEMNC population. Selective enrichment in T-cell subsets by IL-1 beta may be useful in cellular adoptive immunotherapy using cells isolated from malignant effusions.     

Changes in myocardial A1 adenosine receptor and message levels during fetal development and postnatal maturation

Dysembryoplastic neuroepithelial tumor (DNT) is a recently described rare brain neoplasm with characteristic clinical and morphological features and favorable prognosis. We report here two cases of DNT. The first concerned a 12 years old girl who presented complex seizures preceded by acoustic aura (melodies). Computed tomography revealed a hypodense tumor measuring 2 x 2.5 cm in diameter, located paracortically in the left temporal lobe. The second tumor was removed from a 21-year-old man with partial complex seizures. Nine years earlier patient underwent neurosurgery with partial removal of the tumor The tumor's histopathologic diagnosis is unfortunately lacking. Computed and magnetic resonance imaging showed a mass occupying the cortex and paracortical areas of the anterior pole of the temporal lobe. Histologically, both tumors consisted of small, S-100 protein immunopositive oligodendrocyte-like cells (OLCs) arranged between synaptophysin- and, to a lesser degree, NFP-immunopositive axons (glioneuronal element). In the second case, an area of pilocytic astrocytoma-like appearance was also found, these cells were immunopositive for GFAP. The present study provides clinical, radiological and histological data, which may be helpful in differential diagnosis of this newly recognised brain tumor.     

The effect of unilateral destruction of the head of the caudate nucleus with kainic acid on the structure of the wakefulness-sleep cycle and the EEG in rats

The wakefulness-sleep cycle characteristics changes in Wistar line rats after unilateral lesions of the neuronal elements of the caudate nucleus head with kainic acid (at sparing the conducting ways going through this structure) were studied. It was shown that in 4 days after acid injection the share of the active wakefulness and light slow-wave sleep is significantly increased, whereas the percentage of the passive wakefulness, deep slow-wave stage, and paradoxal sleep (up to 80%) is reduced. The wakefulness-sleep cycle in rats is completely normalized on the 7th day after injection. The obtained data allow to consider the caudate nucleus as a modulator for wakefulness-sleep cycle, that is the structure involved in the motive activity regulation.