Effect of excess thymidine on the growth of human melanoma cells transplanted in thymus deficient nude mice

The effect of thymidine (TdR) on the growth of a human melanoma transplanted in nude mice has been studied. It was found that the injection of 1 g/kg/h of TdR for at least 72 h is sufficient to suppress the growth of the melanoma cells. This inhibition lasts for the duration of the treatment, and causes no apparent toxicity to the host. Nude mice treated for 6--9 days with TdR survived 158 days after melanoma transplant versus 126 days for the controls.     

An evaluation of the effects of antimony and tin stabilizer on the fusion characteristics of PVC dryblends

Although the classification of lubricants can be misleading, the classification of their actions is not only possible but very useful. By considering the basic actions which affect PVC dryblend fusion, a better understading of the characteristics and advantages of additives can be realized. The antimony and tin stabilizers used in this study have been characterized by the affects on PVC dryblend fusion. Production extrusion results confirm the laboratory classifications.     

SIEVE CASCADOGRAPHY FOR CHARACTERIZING PARTICLE SHAPE MIXES OF POWDERS

Particle shape has a profound influence on the behavior of the particles present in powders, controlling the manner in which they react, segregate, flow, and agglomerate. The currently available technique of Fourier transformation to characterize particle shape is cumbersome and can be used only by a skilled operator. Recently developed, the Sieve Cascadograph is able to characterize the shape of particles in the 0.1 to 1.0 mm size range. Employing the principle that the residence time of a particle on a sieve is a function of the particle shape, the Cascadograph consists of a stack of sieves of identical size in a shaking device. An essentially monosize powder sample (closely sized on a regular sieve stack) of about 2 grams is placed in the topmost sieve, and shaking commenced. The weight of powder leaving the lowest sieve is measured as a function of time, and is used to produce a signature representative of the particle shape distribution in the powder sample. Theoretical analysis demonstrates that monosize, monoshape samples leave the lowest sieve at a rate given by the gamma function with respect to time. Preliminary experimental results prove that the Cascadograph results are reproducible, and that a 20-sieve Cascadograph has high resolving power.     

Intestinal lipid absorption: Evidence for an intrinsic defect of chylomicron secretion by normal rat distal intestine

Intracellular triglyceride accumulation and delayed chylomicron secretion were demonstrated in distal but not in proximal rat intestine following prolonged steady state fat absorption. After 1 and 4 hr of intraduodenal triolein infusion, the mucosal triglyceride content in distal intestinal segments was greatly increased compared with proximal segments. Electron microscopy at each time interval disclosed greater quantities of lipid droplets within the distal cells and these were much larger than the intracellular droplets in the proximal cells, some attaining an enormous size (9000 mum). When proximal and distal cells were compared at intervals after cessation of a 4 hr triolein infusion, the differences in intracellular lipid accumulation were also evident because, even after 6 hr the distal cells were still filled with large droplets, whereas the proximal cells were almost devoid of fat. These results indicate a basic cellular difference between proximal and distal intestine in the processing of fat and, in contrast to current concepts, suggest that defective chylomicron secretion is not necessarily associated with limited B-apoprotein availability.     

Paraganglioma of the cauda equina: a case report and review of the literature

The authors describe the technique of RARE sequences (Hennig, 1986) and their hydrographic application to urinary imaging, RARE urography. Heavily T2-weighted non-tomographic images of the urinary tract are obtained in less than 30 seconds, without contrast medium or ionizing radiation. The whole urinary tract is visualised on one image with a spatial resolution superior to that of sonography. The semiology of RARE urography is similar to that of the intravenous pyelogram. Silent kidneys are also visualised.     

Neuronal injury increases retrograde axonal transport of the neurotrophins to spinal sensory neurons and motor neurons via multiple receptor mechanisms

We investigated the retrograde axonal transport of 125I-labeled neurotrophins (NGF, BDNF, NT-3, and NT-4) from the sciatic nerve to dorsal root ganglion (DRG) sensory neurons and spinal motor neurons in normal rats or after neuronal injury. DRG neurons showed increased transport of all neurotrophins following crush injury to the sciatic nerve. This was maximal 1 day after sciatic nerve crush and returned to control levels after 7 days. 125I-BDNF transport from sciatic nerve was elevated with injection either proximal to the lesion or directly into the crush site and after transection of the dorsal roots. All neurotrophin transport was receptor-mediated and consistent with neurotrophin binding to the low-affinity neurotrophin receptor (LNR) or Trk receptors. However, transport of 125I-labeled wheat germ agglutinin also increased 1 day after sciatic nerve crush, showing that increased uptake and transport is a generalized response to injury in DRG sensory neurons. Spinal cord motor neurons also showed increased neurotrophin transport following sciatic nerve injury, although this was maximal after 3 days. The transport of 125I-NGF depended on the expression of LNR by injured motor neurons, as demonstrated by competition experiments with unlabeled neurotrophins. The absence of TrkA in normal motor neurons or after axotomy was confirmed by immunostaining and in situ hybridization. Thus, increased transport of neurotrophic factors after neuronal injury is due to multiple receptor-mediated mechanisms including general increases in axonal transport capacity.     

Prospects for estimating nucleotide divergence with RAPDs

The technique of random amplification of polymorphic DNA (RAPD), which is simply polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of genomic DNA by a single short oligonucleotide primer, produces complex patterns of anonymous polymorphic DNA fragments. The information provided by these banding patterns has proved to be of great utility for mapping and for verification of identity of bacterial strains. Here we consider whether the degree of similarity of the banding patterns can be used to estimate nucleotide diversity and nucleotide divergence. With haploid data, fragments generated by RAPD-PCR can be treated in a fashion very similar to that for restriction-fragment data. Amplification of diploid samples, on the other hand, requires consideration of the fact that presence of a band is dominant to absence of the band. After describing a method for estimating nucleotide divergence on the basis of diploid samples, we summarize the restrictions and criteria that must be met when RAPD data are used for estimating population genetic parameters.     

Thyroid hormones in diabetic ketoacidosis before and after therapy

Fifteen IDDM patients were evaluated for thyroid hormone abnormalities before and after control of diabetes mellitus/ketoacidosis. Blood sugar mean +/- SEM mg/dl on admission was 430 +/- 20.3 and after therapy fasting and post prandial blood sugar values were 120 +/- 14.5 and 150 +/- 20.2 respectively. GHb mean +/- SEM % on admission was 15.2 +/- 0.36. Serum T3 mean +/- SEM ng/dl of 0.36 +/- 0.04 was in hypothyroid range and rT3 mean +/- SEM ng/ml 0.40 +/- 0.6 was significantly raised (P < 0.001) before therapy. After metabolic control both T3 and rT3 became normal. T4 concentration mean +/- SEM meg/dl of 5.5 +/- 0.7 was well within normal range before therapy and rose to mean +/- SEM mcg/dl 8.8 +/- 0.5 after therapy (P < 0.01). TSH response to TRH was blunted in uncontrolled state. It is concluded that peripheral changes in T3, T4 and rT3 (low T3, high rT3 and low or normal T4) occurred in uncontrolled diabetic state during ketoacidosis. TSH response to TRH was blunted due to suppression of hypothalamic pituitary thyroid axis which takes more than a week for complete recovery.