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Objective: To analyze long-term prognosis and influencing factors of recurrence in vocal fold leukoplakia treated by endoscopic cordectomy with CO 2 laser. Methods: A retrospective review was conducted on 599 patients with vocal fold leukoplakia [566 males and 33 females, aged 17-84 years (median age 55 years)], undergoing endoscopic cordectomy by CO 2 laser under general anesthesia at the Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery of Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, from January 2000 to December 2023. The study analyzed the clinical features, pathological grade, surgical methods, postoperative voice function, recurrence, malignant changes and analyzed the long-term efficacy and and its influencing factors. The patients were followed up for a duration of 6-249 months postoperatively, with a median follow-up time of 48 months. SPSS 20.0 software was used for statistical analysis. Results: Among the 599 patients, the histopathological grades included simple squamous cell hyperplasia in ( n =264, 44.08%), mild dysplasia ( n =96, 16.03%), moderate dysplasia ( n =74, 12.35%), severe dysplasia( n =43, 7.81%), carcinoma in situ( n =35, 5.84%), and carcinoma in situ with microinvasion( n =87, 14.52%). The 3-year and 5-year overall recurrence rates were 12.91% and 16.00%, respectively. In patients with precancerous lesion, 3.91% of recurrences presented with an upgraded pathologic grade and 2.34% evolved into carcinoma. The risk of recurrence was higher in lesions involving the anterior commissure, larger lesions, significant reduction/absence of mucosal waves, neovascularization/suspected neovascularization, and pathology of dysplasia/carcinoma in situ/carcinoma in situ with microinvasion( F =44.76,21.54,11.55,8.78,23.20,respectively, P< 0.05). Additionally, patients with recurrent disease exhibited higher reflux symptom index scores compared to those without recurrence. Exophytic lesion characteristics and the inability to cease smoking postoperatively were identified as independent risk factors for recurrence with an upgraded pathological grade, with odds ratios of 8.675 and 11.380 times greater than those with non-exophytic lesions and successful smoking cessation, respectively. At the 6-months postoperative assessment, patients who underwent subepithelial cordectomy (typeⅠ) demonstrated a statistically significant increase in fundamental frequency ( t =-3.38, P <0.05), and while other voice acoustic parameters were not significantly different.Conversely, those who underwent transmuscular cordectomy (TypeⅢ) exhibited significant alterations in multiple voice acoustic parameters when compared to preoperative values ( P <0.05). Furthermore, postoperative vocal fold adhesions developed in 84 patients with 13 of these individuals requiring surgical intervention for adhesion release. Conclusions: Lesions involving the anterior commissure, larger lesions, pathology of dysplasia/carcinoma in situ/carcinoma in situ with microinfiltration, significant reduction/absence of vocal fold mucosal waves, and neovascularization visible under NBI are indicative of an increased risk of recurrence, whereas exophytic lesions and the inability to cease smoking postoperatively significantly increase the risk of recurrence with elevated pathologic grade. Recovery of postoperative voice quality is procedure-dependent, underscoring the importance of surgical approach selection in the management of vocal fold leukoplakia.

Although it has become a consensus in the field of colorectal surgery to perform radical tumor treatment and functional protection under the minimally invasive concept, there exist many controversies during clinical practice, including the concept of embryonic development of abdominal organs and membrane anatomy, the principle of membrane anatomy related to right hemicolectomy, D3 resection, and identification of the inner boundary. In this paper, we analyzed recently reported literature with high-level evidence and clinical data from the author's hospital to recognize and review the membrane anatomy-based laparoscopic assisted right hemicolectomy for right colon cancer, emphasizing the importance of priority of surgical dissection planes, vascular orientation, and full understanding of the fascial space, and proposing that the surgical planes should be dissected in the parietal-prerenal fascial space, and the incision should be 1 cm from the descending and horizontal part of the duodenum. The surgery should be performed according to a standard procedure with strict quality control. To identify the resection range of D3 dissection, it is necessary to establish a clinical, imaging, and pathological evaluation model for multiple factors or to apply indocyanine green and nano-carbon lymphatic tracer intraoperatively to guide precise lymph node dissection. We expect more high-level evidence of evidence-based medicine to prove the inner boundary of laparoscopic assisted radical right colectomy and a more rigorous consensus to be established.

Objective: To investigate the effect of different gestational weeks and psychological intervention on pregnancy outcome in patients with monochorionic twin pregnancy. Methods: The clinical data of 68 patients with monochorionic twin pregnancy in the middle and late pregnancy who were treated with radiofrequency ablation in the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from March 2017 to April 2021 were retrospectively analyzed, including 54 patients with single chorionic and single amniotic sac and 14 patients with single chorionic and double amniotic sac. Patients were divided into three groups according to the gestational weeks:<20 weeks ( n =36), 20-23 weeks ( n =17) and ≥24 weeks ( n =15); and were divided into intervention group ( n =40) and control group ( n =28) according to the preoperative psychological intervention. The pregnancy outcome of patients with different pregnancy reduction and the effect of psychological intervention on pregnancy outcome was analyzed. Results: The age of 68 patients was (30.2±4.6) years old, the gestational age was (22.2±3.2) weeks, and 60 cases (88.2%) were live births after fetal reduction. There were no significant difference in age [(31.8±4.7),(28.3±5.0),(30.3±4.0) years old] ( P =0.098), abortion rate, preterm birth rate, live birth rate, delivery mode, gestational week of preterm birth, gestational week of delivery, and neonatal weight between the two groups at different gestational weeks (all P >0.05). The ages of the intervention group and the control group were (30.6±4.7) and (29.4±4.0) years old ( P =0.352). After psychological intervention for 40 patients in the intervention group, the anxiety score after pregnancy reduction was reduced from (54.8±6.8) to (37.3±7.3) ( P <0.001), while the depression score decreased from (62.7±7.2) to (33.2±2.4) ( P <0.001). Compared with patients in the control group (12.5%, n =5), the proportion of postoperative discomfort in the intervention group was higher (53.6%, n =15) ( P <0.001). Compared with the control group, there were no statistically significant difference in the postoperative preterm birth rate, abortion rate, live birth rate, delivery mode, gestational week of preterm birth, gestational week of delivery, and neonatal weight in the intervention group (all P >0.05). Conclusions: Radiofrequency ablation is a safe and effective minimally invasive technique. For complex monochorionic twin pregnancies, early fetal reduction (<20 weeks) and preoperative psychological intervention can provide a solid guarantee for a good postoperative pregnancy outcome.

Objective: To investigate the long-term outcomes of patients with unilateral vocal fold paralysis resulting in dysphonia treated with lateral vocal fold autologous fat injection. To analyze the factors that may affect the long-term efficacy of the procedure. Methods: From July 2003 to June 2020, 163 patients (86 males and 77 females), aged 9-73 years (mean (34.50±12.94) years) with unilateral vocal fold paralysis resulting in dysphonia underwent transoral laryngoscopic injection of autologous fat into the lateral vocal folds. Subjective auditory perception assessment (GRBAS scale), objective acoustic assessment, voice handicap index (VHI) evaluation and stroboscopic laryngoscopy were compared before and after the surgery. Patients were followed up for 1 to 18 years, with median follow-up time of 6 years. SPSS 22.0 software was used for statistical analysis. Results: Of 163 patients, 17 patients (10.4%) had mild hoarseness (G1) and 146 patients (89.6%) had moderate to severe hoarseness (G2-3). Stroboscopic laryngoscopy revealed an arch-shaped vocal fold on the affected side, fixed in the paramedian position or abduction position, with obvious glottic closure fissure. Postoperatively, voice recovered to normal (G0) in 139 patients (85.3%), mild hoarseness (G1) in 18 patients (11.0%) and moderate hoarseness (G2) in 6 patients (3.7%). Of these, 131 patients (80.4%) showed significant improvement in hoarseness, 29 patients (17.8%) showed mild improvement and 3 patients (1.8%) showed no significant improvement in hoarseness. Objective acoustic parameters of Jitter, Shimmer, NHR and MPT improved significantly, as did VHI scores. Stroboscopic laryngoscopy showed medialization of the affected vocal folds, improved vocal fold closure and normal or nearly normal vocal fold mucosal waves. With a fat injection volume of 3.0-4.5 ml, the patient's subjective auditory perception scores of G, R, B and A improved more significantly within 3 months after surgery, and both VHI and MPT were significantly better since 1 year after surgery. With bilateral vocal fold injection, the B and A scores improved significantly from 1 month postoperatively compared to unilateral injections(unilateral vs. bilateral injection 1 month post-operation, t B scores =1.42, t A scores =1.51, P <0.05). Conclusions: The long-term efficacy of autologous fat injection in the paraglottic space for the treatment of unilateral vocal fold paralysis was stable. The efficacy of the surgery was related to the amount of fat injected, unilateral or bilateral of the injection.

Objective: To study voice changes in children after adenotonsillectomy or adenoidectomy and the relationship with the vocal tract structure. Methods: Fifty patients were recruited in this study prospectively, aged from 4 to 12 years old with the median age of 6. They were underwent adenotonsillectomy or adenoidectomy in Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University from July 2019 to August 2020. In the cases, there are 31 males and 19 females. Thirty-six patients underwent adenotonsillectomy and 14 patients underwent adenoidectomy alone. Twenty-two children (13 males, 9 females) with Ⅰ degree of bilateral tonsils without adenoid hypertrophy and no snoring were selected as normal controls. Adenoid and tonsil sizes were evaluated. Subjective changes of voice were recorded after surgery. Moreover, voice data including fundamental frequency(F0), jitter, shimmer, noise to harmonic ratio(NHR), maximum phonation time(MPT), formant frequencies(F1-F5) and bandwidths(B1-B5) of vowel/a/and/i/were analyzed before, 3 days and 1 month after surgery respectively.SPSS 23.0 was used for statistical analysis. Results: Thirty-six patients(72.0%,36/50) complained of postoperative voice changes. The incidence was inversely correlated with age. In children aged 4-6, 7-9, and 10-12, the incidence was 83.3%(25/30), 63.6%(7/11) and 44.4%(4/9) respectively. Voice changes appeared more common in children underwent adenotonsillectomy(77.8%,28/36) than in those underwent adenoidectomy alone(57.1%,8/14), but there was no statistical difference. After operation, for vowel/a/, MPT( Z =2.18, P =0.041) and F2( t =2.13, P =0.040) increased, B2( Z =2.04, P =0.041) and B4( Z =2.00, P =0.046) decreased. For vowel/i/, F2( t =2.035, P =0.050) and F4( t =4.44, P =0.0001) increased, B2( Z =2.36, P =0.019) decreased. Other acoustic parameters were not significantly different from those before surgery. The F2( r =-0.392, P =0.032) of vowel/a/and F2( r =-0.279, P =0.048) and F4 ( r =-0.401, P =0.028) of vowel/i/after adenotonsillectomy were significantly higher than those of adenoidectomy alone. Half of patients with postopertive voice changes can recover spontaneously 1 month after surgery. Conclusions: Voice changes in children underwent adenotonsillectomy or adenoidectomy might be related to their changes in formants and bandwidths. The effect of adenotonsillectomy on voice was more significant compared with that of adenoidectomy alone. The acoustic parameters did not change significantly after surgery except MPT.

Objective: To investigate the clinical characteristics, diagnosis, endoscopic surgical procedures, and therapeutic effect of blunt laryngeal trauma with arytenoid injury. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 12 patients who suffered blunt laryngeal trauma with laryngeal mucosa avulsion and arytenoid region injury at the Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Tongren Hospital from April 2007 to December 2018. Among the 12 patients, 10 were males, 2 were females, aged from 7 to 48 years old, with a median age of 21 years old. All patients were performed with transoral endoscopic laryngeal microsurgery under general anesthesia. Clinical characteristics, laryngoscopic signs, laryngeal CT, endoscopic surgical findings and procedures, and therapeutic effect were analyzed. The subjective and objective parameters of the voice quality of patients before and after surgery were compared using SPSS 22.0 statistical software by paired T test. Results: All patients had a history of obvious dysphonia immediately after trauma, accompanied by throat pain and hemoptysis without obvious dyspnea and dysphagia. Slight subcutaneous emphysema was found in 3 patients by physical examination. Laryngoscope revealed that 14 sides of vocal folds immobilized, arytenoid and/or ventricular region and posterior glottis mucosa were avulsed in 4 patients within 48 h of injury, and arytenoid cartilage was exposed in 4 sides. The arytenoid and ventricular regions were covered with thick pseudo-membrane or granulation, with abnormal structure in 8 patients with damage of more than 48 h. Intraoperative exploration revealed that there were 17 sides of arytenoid region (bilateral 5 cases, unilateral 7 cases) with varying degrees of injury. There was only limited laceration on three sides of the vocal folds. The lateral ventricular and vocal fold mucosae were avulsed vertically from the arytenoid region and arytenoid cartilage was exposed in 14 sides, among which 6 sides had abnormal arytenoid cartilage morphology and 8 sides had fracture displacement. Laryngeal CT showed irregular thickening of lateral glottis and/or supratroglottic structures in patients with vocal folds immobility, among which asymmetry of arytenoid cartilage structure on both sides in 3 cases and displacement in 2 cases were found. Restoration and microsuture of the fractured arytenoid, perichondrium and avulsion laryngeal mucosa under the direct laryngoscope were performed. The degree of dysphonia was significantly improved immediately after laryngeal microsurgery, the voice significantly improved in G, R, B, A, jitter, shimmer, NHR, and MPT three months after surgery( t =12.792, 12.792, 10.340, 3.276, 2.865, 3.781, 3.173, 3.090, respectively, P <0.05). Except for 1 patient with scar on vocal fold, all the other patients had normal laryngeal morphology and normal vocal fold movement. No laryngeal stenosis was found during the follow-up period. Conclusions: For patients with blunt laryngeal trauma, the injury of arytenoid region and arytenoid cartilage should be evaluated if there is obvious hoarseness, vocal fold immobility, avulsion of ventricular/vocal folds mucosa, or structural abnormality of arytenoid region under laryngoscopic examination. For highly suspected cases, microrphonosurgery under the direct laryngoscope should be performed as soon as possible, which can effectively reduce the occurrence of vocal fold movement disorders and laryngeal scar/stenosis, reconstruct the normal laryngeal structure, and restore the vocal function.

The focus on enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) is still the implementation of the concept at present, and remains in the stage of disordered and low-quality application because of its difficulties in operation, evaluation and repeatability. The main reason is lack of standard, feasible operation plan and process, which may lead to great heterogeneity and low quality. Therefore, It is urgent to explore and establish the quality control system of ERAS, including foundation, process, terminal and tracking quality control, so as to improve the validity, security, homogeneity and accessibility, and promote the further popularization and application. However, due to the conceptual, systematic, innovative and individual differences, the construction of ERAS standard quality control system will be faced with great difficulties and challenges. ERAS quality control platform and center can only be established gradually by hard work and a lot of researches.

Objective: To investigate the expression of marker proteins in vocal cord leukoplakia, and to find markers for the early stage of diagnosis and prognosis of precancerous lesions. Methods: The study included 119 cases, 68 cases of vocal cord leukoplakia (22 cases with epithelial simple hyperplasia, 46 cases with epithelial dysplasia), and 51 cases of vocal cords benign lesions(31 cases of vocal cord polyps, 20 cases of Reinke's edema). The expression of p53, Ki-67, p21, Survivin, p16, p27, PTEN, c-Myc and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in vocal cords leukoplakia were detected, vocal cord benign lesions (vocal cord polyps and Reinke's edema) acted as controls, comparing the expression differences of different pathological tissue. Data was analyzed by SPSS 22.0 software. Results: The expression of p53, p16, Ki-67, VEGF in vocal cord benign lesions and vocal cords leukoplakia with epithelial simple hyperplasia did not show significant differences. There was a grading increase in the positive expression of p53, Ki-67 in the vocal cord leukoplakia with epithelial dysplasia contrasting to those in vocal cord benign lesions and vocal cords leukoplakia with epithelial simple hyperplasia (p53: χ(2)=13.340, P =0.002, Ki-67: χ(2)=53.386, P =0.000). The expression of p27, PTEN, c-Myc in vocal cord benign lesions and vocal cords leukoplakia with epithelial dysplasia did not show significant differences. There was a grading increase in the positive expression of p21 Survivin in vocal cords leukoplakia with epithelial dysplasia contrasting to those in vocal cord benign lesions ( P <0.05). Expression of Survivin in vocal cords leukoplakia with mild-moderate epithelial dysplasia showed a significant increase than those in vocal cord benign lesions ( P <0.05). The positive expression grade of p21 showed a rising trend ( P =0.073) between the different grades of dysplasia. Conclusion: The positive expression grade of p53, Ki-67, p21 Survivin showed an increase in vocal cords leukoplakia with epithelial dysplasia contrasting to those in vocal cord benign lesions, which might be an implication for evaluating the diagnosis and prognosis of precancerous lesions. Expression of p21 was correlated to the degrees of dysplasia and expression of Survivin showed a significant difference in early stage of epithelial dysplasia contrasting to benign lesions.

Objective: To investigate the value of stroboscopy and narrow band imaging (NBI)endoscopy in the diagnosis of vocal cord leukoplakia. Methods: Two hundred and forty-six patients with vocal cord leukoplakia who underwent laryngeal microsurgery and diagnosed by histopathology were recruited between August 2014 and July 2016 in this retrospective study. The diagnostic accuracy of stroboscopy and narrow band imaging endoscopy in the diagnosis of vocal cord leukoplakia was compared. SPSS21.0 software was used to analyze the data. Results: A significantly positive correlation was found between the decrease grade of mucosal wave and the histopathological diagnosis( Spearman r =0.526, P <0.01). A significantly positive correlation was found between the lesion classified by detailed morphologic findings of epithelial microvessel and the histopathological diagnosis( Spearman r =0.480, P <0.01). The sensitivity of stroboscopy for detecting severe dysplasia, carcinoma and invasive carcinoma was 92.73%, higher than NBI endoscopy. The specificity of NBI endoscopy was 90.55%, higher than stroboscopy. The results of logistic regression analysis showed: the positive pathological type risk in the group with mucosal waves severely reduced and absent was 3.906 and 19.737 times higher than the group with mucosal waves slightly reduced. In the group with mucosal waves severely reduced and absent, significant difference was observed when combined use of NBI endoscopy( P <0.001, P =0.047). Conclusions: In the diagnosis of vocal cord leukoplakia, stroboscopy is useful for detecting severe dysplasia, carcinoma and invasive carcinoma with high sensitivity. In the group with mucosal waves severely reduced and absent, combined use of NBI endoscopy was able to improve the diagnostic accuracy.

The fifth national consensus conference on the management of Helicobacter pylori ( H . pylori ) infection organized by Chinese Medical Association, Chinese Society of Gastroenterology, H . pylori and Peptic Ulcer Study Group was held at Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province on December 15-16, 2016.More than 80 members of the study group and experts in the field of H . pylori research and gastroenterology attended the meeting.Consensus preparatory group was established to draft the related statements.The quality of evidence and strength of recommendation were evaluated by GRADE system.The Delphi method using an anonymous electronic system was adopted to develop the consensus of relevant statements.Expert advices about the established statements were firstly consulted through the emails.After two rounds of consultation, the preliminary statements of consensus were discussed and modified in the conference item by item.A total of 21 core members voted for the final version, which contained a total of 48 statements and was divided into 6 parts, including indications for H . pylori eradication, diagnosis, treatment, H . pylori and gastric cancer, H . pylori infection in special populations, H . pylori and gastrointestinal microbiota.

C. Nipponensis: Photoperiod is an important factor influencing many biological processes including population dynamics of many insect species in temperate zones. To determine the population response of Chrysoperla nipponensis under altered conditions (high temperature and short photoperiod) and to test whether the short photoperiod was suitable for artificial storage, the life table data of were collected at 25 °C under a long photoperiod, 15:9 h (L:D), and a short photoperiod, 9:15 h (L:D) and analyzed using the age-stage, two-sex life table approach. We found that developed faster under long photoperiod than under the short photoperiod. The shorter developmental time, higher fecundity, and higher proportion of females found during the long photoperiod resulted in higher intrinsic and net reproductive rates, but a shorter mean generation time and life expectancy compared to those reared during the short photoperiod. Individuals reared under the short photoperiod also had a high reproductive value. Population projection demonstrated that reared at long photoperiod would complete four generations in 150 d, while reared under short photoperiod would just be entering the second generation. Our results demonstrated that the different fitness values obtained for individuals by varying photoperiod lengths, were readily distinguishable when using the age-stage, two-sex life table., (© The Authors 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America.)

Objective: To investigate the clinical and pathological characteristics of vocal fold leukoplakia and influential factors of recurrence and malignancy. Method: The study included 555 cases of vocal fold leukoplakia. All patients received surgical treatment. The relationship between the clinical and pathological features, and influential factors of recurrence and malignancy were analyzed. Result: The pathological types included squamous epithelial simple hyperplasia in 58.0%, mild hyperplasia in 15.5%, moderate hyperplasia in 10.1%, severe hyperplasia and carcinoma in situ in 8.1%, infiltrative carcinoma in 8.3%. The different pathological types varied among different ages significantly( P <0.01). The tobacco and alcohol abuse had no relationship with pathological types( P >0.05). The more severe the pathology were, the more decreasing of the mucosal waves would be( P <0.01). The pathologic severity had an apparent correlation with p53 positivity and the level of p53 and Ki67 positivity. The p53 positive proportion may increase with the increasing pathological severity( P <0.01), so were the p53 and Ki67 positive levels( P <0.01).Among 232 cases of postoperation follow-ups, 83 cases(35.8%) relapsed while 8 cases(3.4%) malignancy. Bilateral lesions had a higher rate of relapse and malignancy than unilateral lesions(95% CI OR 0.378 ［0.197-0.723］， P <0.01). The relapse and malignancy had a relationship with the pathologic severity. The incidence of disease recurrence and malignancy were positively correlated with pathological severity( P <0.05). p16 positive patients relapsed for more times( P <0.01) and with an uprising tendency of relapse and malignancy（ P >0.05）. Conclusion: Pathological types of vocal fold leukoplakia are different. The older men, decreasing of mucosal wave of vocal folds and bilateral lesions were very important factors to predict disease severity. p53 and Ki67 positive rating and pathological severity were positively correlated. The bilateral lesions, pathological severity and p16 positivity had a tendency to increasing relapse and malignancy., Competing Interests: The authors of this article and the planning committee members and staff have no relevant financial relationships with commercial interests to disclose., (Copyright© by the Editorial Department of Journal of Clinical Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery.)

Clonal propagation is important for the survival and maintenance of the common reed Phragmites australis. Pot culture experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of lead (Pb) concentration (0, 500, 1500, 3000, 4500 mg·kg(-1) ) and water stress on the clonal reproductive ability of this species. The Pb concentration found in plant organs, in decreasing order, was roots >shoots >rhizomes. There was a negative relationship between the growth of clonal propagative modules (excluding axillary shoot buds) and Pb concentrations, which caused a decrease in biomass, rhizome growth and number of axillary and apical rhizome buds. Daughter axillary shoots exhibited a tolerance strategy, with no significant change in their number; the axillary and apical rhizome buds, daughter apical rhizome shoots and rhizomes exhibited compensatory growth during the late stage of Pb (excluding 4500 mg·kg(-1) ) treatment in a wet environment. Pb applications above 500 mg·kg(-1) reduced these parameters significantly in the drought treatment, except for the number of axillary shoot buds, which did not change. Our results indicate that clonal propagative resistance to Pb contamination can occur via tolerance strategies, compensatory growth and a Pb allocation strategy, enabling these reeds to maintain population stability in wet environments. However, clonal modular growth and reproductive ability were inhibited significantly by the interaction between drought and Pb, which would cause a decline in P. australis populations in a dry environment. Lead concentrations of 4500 and 500 mg·kg(-1) in soils might meet or exceed the Pb tolerance threshold of clonally propagated reeds in wet and dry environments, respectively., (© 2015 German Botanical Society and The Royal Botanical Society of the Netherlands.)

*White lupin (Lupinus albus) forms specialized cluster roots characterized by exudation of organic anions under phosphorus (P) deficiency. Here, the role of nitric oxide (NO) in P deficiency-induced cluster-root formation and citrate exudation was evaluated. *White lupin plants were treated with the NO donor sodium nitroprusside (SNP) and scavenger or inhibitor of NO synthase under conditions of P deficiency (0 muM) or P sufficiency (50 muM). *Phosphorus deficiency enhanced NO production in primary and lateral root tips, with a greater increase in cluster roots than in noncluster roots. NO concentrations decreased with cluster root development from the pre-emergent stage, through the juvenile stage, to the mature stage. The P deficiency-induced increase in NO production was inhibited by antagonists of NO synthase and xanthine oxidoreductase, suggesting the involvement of these enzymes in NO production. SNP markedly increased the number of cluster roots. Citrate exudation from different root segments in P-deficient roots was positively correlated with endogenous root NO concentrations. *These findings demonstrate differential patterns of NO production in white lupin, depending on root zone, developmental stage and P nutritional status. NO appears to play a regulatory role in the formation of cluster roots and citrate exudation in white lupin under conditions of P deficiency.

Galactosemia is a genetic disease with deficiency of galactose-1-uridyltransferase, resulting in the accumulation of galactose or galactose-1-phosphate in the blood and tissues. Rats were fed with normal rat chow and with a high-galactose diet for 4 weeks to give control and galactosemic groups, and their ovarian function was studied. The two groups of rats were injected with pregnant mare's serum gonadotrophin (PMSG) and were killed at different time points after human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) injection. The number of oocytes ovulated in the controls was significantly higher than in the galactosemic group. Morphometric studies of the ovaries also showed a higher number of corpora lutea in the controls. Western blot analysis of granulosa cells showed that the overall expressions of Fas and FasL were lower in the control group and their expressions of inhibitor of apoptosis proteins (IAPs) were higher than in the galactosemic group, especially at 8 h post hCG injection. TDT-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end-labeling (TUNEL) and immunohistochemical staining of ovarian sections with Ki-67 and IAPs showed more apoptotic granulosa cells in the galactosemic group and the expressions of IAPs in granulosa cells also confirmed the result of the Western blot. These findings support our hypothesis that ovarian dysfunction in galactosemic rats is due to increased apoptosis in granulosa cells of maturing follicles.

Phosphatases extracted from a human brain were resolved into two main groups, namely affi-gel blue-binding phosphatases and affi-gel blue-nonbinding phosphatases. Affi-gel blue binding phosphatases were further separated into four different phosphatase activities, designated P1-P4, and described previously. In the present study we describe the affi-gel blue-nonbinding phosphatases which were separated into seven different phosphatase activities, designated P5-P11 by poly-(L-lysine)-agarose and aminohexyl Sepharose 4B chromatographies. These seven phosphatase activities were active toward nonprotein phosphoester. P7-P11 and to some extent P5 could also dephosphorylate a phosphoprotein. They displayed different enzyme kinetics. On the basis of activity peak, the apparent molecular mass as estimated by Sephadex G-200 column chromatography for P5 was 49 kDa; P6, 32 kDa; P7, 150 kDa; P8, 250 kDa; P9, 165 kDa; P10, 90 kDa and P11, 165 kDa. Immunoblot analysis indicated that P8-P11 may belong to PP2B family, whereas P7 may associate with PP2A. The phosphatases P7-P11 were found to be effective in the dephosphorylation of Alzheimer's disease abnormally hyperphosphorylated tau. The resulting dephosphorylated tau regained its activity in promoting the microtubule assembly, suggesting that P7-P11 might regulate the phosphorylation of tau protein in the brain.

Background: Neurological sequelae and mental retardation may result from different etiological types of hydrocephalus. The aim of our study is to determine the intellectual development and the "shunt history" of these children with regard to the complications and revision rates., Methods: We reviewed the medical history of non-tumoral pediatric hydrocephalic patients who had received first shunt insertions between 1983 and 1997 and had been regularly followed up at the out-patient clinics of Taipei Veterans General Hospital. These patients were categorized into five different etiological groups. Their intelligence test scores and the surgical morbidity encountered over this period were used as the main outcome measures., Results: Out of the seventy-three patients, post-meningitis hydrocephalus patients had the significantly highest shunt revision rate (2.50 +/- 0.82, p = 0.01). They also showed retardation in IQ scores, but the different was not significant when compared with other groups. The results of IQ tests were not related to either the age of initial shunt insertion (p = 0.461) or revision rates (p = 0.292). For physical disabilities, post-meningitis hydrocephalic patients showed-highest incidence of epilepsy (40%) while hydrocephalic patients associated with myelomeningocele had the highest incidence of motor deficits (56.25%)., Conclusions: Childhood hydrocephalic patients had different developmental neuroimpairments with respect to different etiologies. This study provides information about the physical and mental outcome of post-operative hydrocephalic patients which is valuable to assist in counsel of their families.

Implication of protein phosphatases in Alzheimer disease led us to a systemic investigation of the identification of these enzyme activities in human brain. Human brain phosphatases eluted from DEAE-Sephacel with 0.22 M NaCl were resolved into two main groups by affi-gel blue chromatography, namely affi-gel blue-binding phosphatases and affi-gel blue-nonbinding phosphatases. Affi-gel blue-binding phosphatases were further separated into four different phosphatases, designated P1, P2, P3, and P4 by calmodulin-Sepharose 4B and poly-(L-lysine)-agarose chromatographies. These four phosphatases exhibited activities towards nonprotein phosphoester and two of them, P1 and P4, could dephosphorylate phosphoproteins. The activities of the four phosphatases differed in pH optimum, divalent metal ion requirements, sensitivities to various inhibitors and substrate affinities. The apparent molecular masses as estimated by gel-filtration for P1, P2, P3, and P4 were 97, 45, 42, and 125 kDa, respectively. P1 is markedly similar to PP2B from bovine brain and rabbit skeletal muscle. P4 was labeled with anti-PP2A antibody and may represent a new subtype of PP2A. P1 and P4 were also effective in dephosphorylating Alzheimer disease abnormally hyperphosphorylated tau (AD P-tau). The resulting dephosphorylated AD P-tau had its activity restored in promoting assembly of microtubules in vitro. These results suggest that P1 and P4 might be involved in the regulation of phosphorylation of tau in human brain, especially in neurodegenerative conditions like Alzheimer's disease which are characterized by the abnormal hyperphosphorylation of this protein.

Statement of Problem: Acrylic resin complete dentures exhibit certain unavoidable dimensional changes. Processing shrinkage and expansion due to water uptake are 2 important aspects influencing dimensional accuracy., Purpose: This study investigated linear dimensional changes and water sorption of dentures processed by dry and wet heat with different rates of cooling., Methods: Fine crosses marked on tinfoil inserts were placed at the incisive papilla and tuberosity regions of edentulous maxillary casts and incorporated into the dentures during polymerization by 3 processing techniques. A traveling microscope was used to measure the distances between the reference points to determine dimensional changes. Water uptake and content were determined by the mass changes of the dentures with an electronic balance. Data of linear dimensional change and water sorption were analyzed by multivariate analysis of variance and analysis of variance, respectively. Bonferroni simultaneous confidence intervals (95%) were applied for multiple comparison., Results: Dry heat-processed and water bath-processed acrylic resin dentures did not exhibit significant differences in shrinkage (0.42% to 0.58%) at water saturation. Amounts of water sorption of dentures processed by dry and wet heat (0.50 and 0.48 mass%, respectively) were not significantly different, and their associated expansion did not entirely compensate for the processing shrinkage. The initial water content of dry heat-processed dentures (1.77 mass%) was unexpectedly slightly higher than that of wet heat-processed dentures (1.68 mass%). The rate at which the dentures cooled did not affect their initial water content and subsequent water uptake., Conclusions: Water uptake of dry and wet heat-processed acrylic resin dentures after deflasking was in both cases low, and the dentures did not reveal significant differences in shrinkage at water saturation. Air oven-processed and water bath-processed acrylic resin dentures show similar dimensional shrinkage at water saturation.

Butein, a plant polyphenol, was shown to be a specific protein tyrosine kinase inhibitor. This compound inhibited not only the epidermal growth factor (EGF)-stimulated auto-phosphotyrosine level of EGF receptor in HepG2 cells but also tyrosine-specific protein kinase activities of EGF receptor (IC50 = 65 microM) and p60c-src (IC50 = 65 microM) in vitro. The inhibition was competitive to ATP and non-competitive to the phosphate acceptor, poly (Glu, Ala, Tyr) 6:3:1 for EGF receptor tyrosine kinase. In contrast, butein non-significantly inhibited the activities of serine- and threonine-specific protein kinases, such as protein kinase C (PKC) and cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA).

The usefulness of metabolic heat measurements in quantifying the response of a solid tumour to anticancer treatment was evaluated. The heat production characteristic of malignant tissues, as measured from human stomach, breast and liver cancer samples, was observed to be inconsistent, and its value could be higher or lower than that of its normal tissue of origin. The various thermal activity responses of an experimental rat hepatoma to hepatic artery ligation, cryotherapy, intra-arterial (i.a.) Adriamycin (2.4 mg/kg), i.a. Norcantharidin (0.5 mg/kg) were next studied. The tumour/liver (T/L) ratio of untreated tumour-bearing rats was 0.83 but this fell to a minimum at 24 h in both the hepatic artery ligation and the cryosurgery groups. In these two groups marked fluctuations in the heat production of normal liver occurred with poor recovery of the T/L ratio even at 2-3 weeks. In the Adriamycin group, the T/L ratio dropped to a minimum at 5 days, and in the Norcantharidin group, at 3 days. Minimal disturbances in the thermal activity of liver tissue occurred in these two chemotherapy groups and the T/L ratio recovered by 3 weeks. Norcantharidin appeared as efficacious as Adriamycin in the treatment of hepatoma when evaluated in terms of thermal activity.

In this study, norcantharidin was compared with adriamycin and mitomycin C for its inhibitory action in the growth of cultured human hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cells. The IC50 of adriamycin and mitomycin C on HepG2 cells was 7.3 microM and 27 microM, respectively, whereas the IC50 of norcantharidin for inhibiting the growth of HepG2 cells was as high as 1900 microM. After HepG2 tumor-bearing nude mice were treated with 12 daily intraperitoneal injections of norcantharidin (2 mg/kg), the increase in tumor size was significantly slower than that of untreated controls. The mean survival time of untreated tumor-bearing nude mice was 129 days, whereas in the tumor-bearing nude mice treated with norcantharidin, the mean survival time was significantly prolonged to 194 days (P < 0.0001). It is concluded that norcantharidin may have a potential role in the treatment of human hepatocellular carcinoma.

EGF receptor has been recognized to playing an important role in the regulation of normal and tumor cell growth. In this study, the transmodulatory effect of IFN gamma on EGF receptor of human hepatocellular carcinoma cell line HepG2 was investigated. The results demonstrated that IFN gamma was able to modulate EGF receptor of HepG2 cells by enhancing the tyrosine phosphorylation of the receptor. However, the effect appeared only if EGF was present, but not mediated by IFN gamma alone. No significant alteration was found in terms of the expression or the affinity of EGF receptor when HepG2 cells were treated with IFN gamma. In addition, EGF internalization in the cells was also not affected. Because IFN gamma is an inhibitory agent for the growth of HepG2 cells, this transmodulatory effect of IFN gamma on the tyrosine phosphorylation of EGF receptor might be associated with the inhibition of the growth of HepG2 cells.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the functional independence, intellectual performance and academic achievement of children treated for medulloblastoma at the Veterans General Hospital-Taipei. Adverse factors that it was thought would result in significant intellectual impairment were also studied. Nineteen patients with medulloblastoma located over the posterior fossa were enrolled in this study. Their mean age at tumor removal was 6.16 +/- 3.30 (range 2-14) years. Mean full intelligent quotient (FIQ) was 86.00 +/- 22.66, performance intelligent quotient (PIQ) was 85.29 +/- 21.23, and verbal intelligent quotient (VIQ) was 90.50 +/- 23.50. In 11 cases academic achievement at school was poor. Sixteen patients received radiation therapy after tumor removal. Significant negative correlations were noted between IQ and whole-brain irradiation dose (r = -0.72) and between IQ and years after radiation therapy (r = -0.63). The results indicate a need for ongoing attention and intervention to prevent, remedy or minimize deficits produced by the tumor itself and by the cancer treatment.

In this study, the effects of IFN gamma, TNF alpha and EGF on the expression of HLA class I antigen and the proliferation of human hepatocellular carcinoma-HepG2 cells were investigated. In response to IFN gamma or TNF alpha stimulation, the expression of HLA class I mRNA in HepG2 cells was increased by 2-4 fold. Cell surface HLA class I antigen was also increased, but in comparison, the increase was not as high as HLA class I mRNA expression. This is probably due to the limitation of protein translational and post-translational processing. The enhancing effect of EGF on cell surface HLA class I antigen could be noted but was not very significant. IFN gamma and TNF alpha could also inhibit the proliferation of HepG2 cells. Interestingly, the effect of EGF on the proliferation of HepG2 cells depended on its concentration. At low concentrations, EGF increased cell proliferation in terms of thymidine incorporation. However, if the concentration of EGF was relatively high, it could also exert an inhibitory effect on thymidine incorporation into HepG2 cells. The remarkable morphological alteration was observed when HepG2 cells were exposed to EGF at concentrations higher than 5 ng/ml. This morphological alteration might be associated with the inhibitory effect of EGF at high concentrations on the proliferation of HepG2 cells.

TNF alpha is known to exert multi-regulatory effects on normal and malignant cell functions by binding to the corresponding cell surface receptor. However, the existence of cross interaction between TNF alpha and EGF receptor has been proposed. In this study, we investigated the modulatory effect of TNF alpha on EGF receptor of a human hepatocellular carcinoma cell line-HepG2. The results suggested that TNF alpha was able to modulate the EGF receptor of HepG2 cells. The modulatory effect of TNF alpha on the EGF receptor of HepG2 cells exhibited its unique characteristics in comparison with the previous reports on other tumor cells. TNF alpha could also enhance the tyrosine phosphorylation of the EGF receptor of HepG2 cells. However, the effect appeared only if EGF was present, and was not mediated by TNF alpha alone. Therefore, the effect of TNF alpha on EGF receptor tyrosine phosphorylation in HepG2 cells was due to enhancing the receptor's response to EGF. TNF alpha was also able to reduce the affinity of the high-affinity receptor for EGF. However, there was no significant alteration in terms of the expression of EGF receptor, EGF internalization, or EGF degradation when HepG2 cells were treated with TNF alpha. Since TNF alpha is an inhibitory agent for HepG2 cell growth, this cross interaction between TNF alpha and EGF receptor may play a role in the inhibition of cell growth.

In this work, using the ECL Western blotting assay system, it was found that genistein, a specific tyrosine kinase inhibitor, was able to inhibit EGF-induced EGF receptor degradation and tyrosine phosphorylation in human hepatoma HepG2 cells. This inhibition was increased with increasing genistein concentration. With treatment of HepG2 cells with genistein at 37 degrees C for 30 min, the amount of internalized EGF, which was measured by the detection of the sorting of 125I-EGF in the cells, was remarkably decreased. Under the same conditions, in cells untreated with genistein, the degradation of EGF was significantly increased. After preincubation of HepG2 cells with and without genistein for 120 min at 37 degrees C, the ratio between degraded and released EGF was 16 and 24, respectively. These results suggest that EGF-induced internalization and degradation of EGF-EGF receptor complexes in HepG2 cells depend on EGF receptor tyrosine kinase activity.

In this work, a simple, sensitive, and non-isotopic assay system for the detection of EGF-induced EGF receptor degradation and tyrosine phosphorylation in intact cells is described. In this system, boiling Laemmli sample buffer was directly added to cultured Chang liver cells to stop the reactions in the cells stimulated by EGF and to make whole-cell extracts. The effects of EGF concentration and incubation time on the EGF-induced degradation and tyrosine phosphorylation of EGF receptor were successfully determined using monoclonal anti-EGF receptor, recombinant anti-phosphotyrosine peroxidase conjugate, and enhanced chemiluminescence (ECL) Western blotting assay system. Unlike other assay systems, the use of radioisotopes was avoided in this determination. The assay system is linear up to 100 micrograms sample protein from whole-cell extracts for the detection of EGF receptor and EGF-induced autophosphorylation. This assay may be easily adopted for identification of other growth factor receptors and phosphotyrosine-containing proteins in intact cells, using appropriate anti-growth factor receptor antibodies.

Epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor was detected in the human Chang liver and human hepatoma HepG2 cells. Both cell lines were found to be able to bind EGF. The expression of EGF receptor in Chang liver and HepG2 cells was 1.3 x 10(5) EGF receptors/cell and 1.8 x 10(5) EGF receptors/cell, respectively. In both cells, this receptor was identified by ECL Western blotting using monoclonal anti-EGF receptor antibody and by immunohistochemical assay using polyclonal anti-EGF receptor antibody. Some of internalized EGF was recycled in Chang liver cells, but not in HepG2 cells.

Objective: This paper was written after one of the authors treated a case by individual therapy using an interpreter, as patient and therapist spoke different languages. There is little literature on this subject, and this paper describes our findings and recommendations for using this approach., Method: A 15-year-old Chinese, Cantonese-speaking in-patient in Hong Kong was treated with individual psychodynamic psychotherapy by an English-speaking Caucasian psychotherapist. The Chinese interpreter attended each session, and therapy was supervised by a bilingual Chinese supervisor. The alternative was to not carry out any therapy, as there was no other therapist available., Results: The patient was treated for a total of 32 sessions. Issues involving language and culture differences between therapist and patient, issues of therapy in a triadic situation involving group dynamics, and specific therapy difficulties raised by the presence of the interpreter are discussed., Conclusion: Therapy was not as effective as hoped, but the patient made some improvements. Finding a suitable interpreter is difficult and their role must be well defined. A bilingual supervisor is also needed to monitor the translation as well as supervising the therapist. Psychotherapy through an interpreter is feasible but not ideal.

Norcantharidin is the demethylated form of Cantharidin, which is the active ingredient of the blister beetle, Mylabris, a long used Chinese traditional medicine. Though not well publicized outside China, Norcantharidin is known to possess significant anti-hepatoma activity, and is relatively free from side effects. In the present study, glucose oxidation in tumour and liver tissue slices harvested from hepatoma-bearing animals was quantified by measuring the radioactivity of 14C-labelled CO2 released from 14C-glucose in oxygen-enriched incubation medium. Results were expressed as a tumour/liver ratio. For comparison, treatments with Norcantharidin, Adriamycin and with hepatic artery ligation were studied. The mean tumour/liver ratio was 4.2 +/- 2.2 in untreated controls, but dropped significantly to 2.3 +/- 0.5 (p < 0.05) with intra-arterial Norcantharidin (0.5 mg/kg) and to 2.3 +/- 0.7 (p < 0.05) with intra-arterial Adriamycin (2.4 mg/kg), and to 2.2 +/- 0.7 (p < 0.05) with hepatic artery ligation. However, with intravenous Adriamycin at 2.4 mg/kg, the mean tumour/liver ratio was reduced to only 3.5 +/- 2.0 and was not significantly different from untreated controls. It is concluded that intra-arterial Norcantharidin is as effective as intraarterial Adriamycin and hepatic artery ligation in suppressing tumour glucose oxidative metabolism. These result simply that Norcantharidin may have a role to play in the chemotherapy of primary liver cancer.

The isolation and detailed characterization of a three-beta-globin gene (GloB) haplotype in the Sprague-Dawley (S-D) rat is described. An enriched library, lambda SDHelib, was screened with a human GloB probe, humbg44, and from which a beta minor gene, Rathbbz, was isolated, sequenced and characterized. A S-D rat GloB-specific probe, Ratbgze12, derived from the Rathbbz gene, was then used to screen a S-D rat genomic library, lambda SDglib. The clone T1510 was isolated and identified to include the entire Rathbbz gene and part of another GloB gene, Rathbby, which was 5' upstream from Rathbbz. Chromosomal walking upstream using the riboprobe, rnaT71, led to the isolation of an overlapping clone, Ta49, which was shown to include two full-length GloB genes; the most 5' was Rathbbx followed by Rathbby. Sequence data suggests that Rathbbx is a beta major gene, whereas Rathbby is a hybrid gene of Rathbbx and Rathbbz. Genomic hybridization confirmed this particular three-gene haplotype in the S-D rat. This haplotype, a1, may be the prototype of the GloB cluster in rat.

Plasma membrane proteins were extracted either from epididymal spermatozoa after incubation with ventral prostate gland secretion or from spermatozoa recovered from uteri of females mated with surgically treated males belonging to the following groups: TX (excision of all accessory sex glands, ASG), VPX (bilateral excision of ventral prostate), VP (bilateral excision of all ASG except the ventral prostate), and SH (sham-operated). Incubation of spermatozoa with ventral prostatic secretion resulted in an 11-fold increase in glycoprotein content of the plasma membrane, but total protein concentration remained unchanged. The in vivo study indicated that interactions of ASG secretions and spermatozoa were complicated by the presence of uterine secretions. Glycoprotein content was reduced in the presence of ventral prostatic secretions. SDS-PAGE profiles showed that both uterine and ASG secretions could modify proteins on the sperm surface. Enrichment of a 25-kD subunit was apparently effected by uterine secretions and further promoted by combined secretions of the ampullary gland, coagulating gland, dorsolateral prostate, and seminal vesicle, but was reduced by the ventral prostate. A number of other protein subunits appeared to be specifically modified by the ventral prostate, while other ASG secretions were also shown to alter the effects of the ventral prostate on the sperm surface.

Plasma membrane proteins were extracted either from epididymal sperm after incubation with ampullary gland secretion or from uterine sperm derived from surgically treated males belonging to the following groups: TX, excision of all accessory sex glands (ASG); AGX, bilateral excision of ampullary glands; AG, excision of all ASG except ampullary glands; and SH, sham-operated. Total membrane protein, glycoprotein, and SDS-PAGE of individual polypeptide subunits were quantified. After incubation with ampullary gland secretion, both protein and glycoprotein concentrations of epididymal sperm membrane were increased. The protein profile was also significantly altered, with the removal of the 43- and 71-kD subunits and the addition of the 36- and 50-kD subunits. The in vitro results confirmed this proteolytic effect of ampullary gland and other ASG on the 43- and 71-kD subunits, despite a reduction in membrane protein concentration. Modification of the 17-, 20-, 25-, 28-, 56-, and 66-kD proteins were also observed. This report is the first demonstration that the ampullary gland is capable of modifying proteins on the sperm surface.

The sensitivity of different brands of India ink for staining proteins blotted onto filter membranes is described. Proteins that are electro-blotted onto filter membranes show better retention than those dot-blotted alone. Higgins engrossing waterproof black ink No. 893 can detect protein at a concentration as low as 5 ng which is much more sensitive than Coomassie blue. The nitrocellulose membrane from S&S is ideal for blotting proteins and gives low levels of background staining. The sensitivity of protein staining is however, affected by the types of India ink, ink concentrations, staining times and membrane lots. India ink is also found to be useful for staining circulating immune complexes separated by SDS-PAGE and electro-blotted onto filter membranes.

Expression of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I antigen in Morris rat hepatoma 7777 and normal rat liver tissues was studied by immunohistochemical techniques, Western blot and radiobinding assay. It was found that hepatoma tissue displayed a pattern of enhanced MHC class I antigen expression compared with normal liver. This phenomenon may represent an uncommon pattern of MHC class I antigen expression of liver tumor. The influence of enhanced MHC class I antigen expression on the development and spread of tumors as well as the possible mechanisms of this enhancement are discussed.

1. Steady-state iodothyronine profiles in plasma are composed of thyroid gland-synthesized hormones (mainly thyroxine) and tissue iodothyronine metabolites (mainly triiodothyronine and reverse triiodothyronine) that have entered the bloodstream. The hormones circulate in noncovalently bound complexes with a panoply of carrier proteins. Transthyretin (TTR), the major high-affinity thyroid hormone binding protein in rat plasma, is formed in the liver. It is also actively and independently synthesized in choroid plexus, where its function as a chaperone of thyroid hormones from bloodstream to cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is undergoing close scrutiny by several groups of investigators. Because TTR has high-affinity binding sites for both thyroxine and retinol binding protein, its potential role as a mediator of combined thyroid hormone and retinoic acid availability in brain is of further interest. 2. While they are in the free state relative to their binding proteins, iodothyronines in the cerebral circulation are putatively subject to transport across both the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and choroid plexus CSF barrier (CSFB) before entering the brain. Previous autoradiographic studies had already indicated that after intravenous administration the transport mechanisms governing thyroxine and triiodothyronine entry into brain were probably similar, whereas those for reverse triiodothyronine were very different, although the basis for the difference was not established at that time. Intense labeling seen over brain ventricles after intravenous administration of all three iodothyronines suggested that all were subject to transport across the CSFB. 3. To evaluate the role of the BBB and CSFB in determining iodothyronine access to brain parenchyma, autoradiograms prepared after intravenous administration of [125I]-labeled hormones (revealing results of transport across both barriers) were compared with those prepared after intrathecal (icv) hormone injection (reflecting only their capacity to penetrate into the brain after successfully navigating the CSFB). 4. Those studies revealed that thyroxine and triiodothyronine were mainly transported across the BBB. They shared with reverse triiodothyronine a generally similar, limited pattern of penetration from CSF into the brain, with circumventricular organs likely to be the main recipients of iodothyronines (with or without retinol) transported across the CSFB. 5. Analysis of all of the images obtained after intravenous and icv hormone administration clarified the basis for the unique distribution of intravenously injected reverse triiodothyronine. The hormone is excluded by the BBB but may be subject to limited penetration into brain parenchyma via the CSF. 6. Overall the observations single out reverse triiodothyronine as the iodothyronine showing the most distinctive as well as the most limited pattern of transport from blood to brain.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Plasma membrane purified from Buffalo rat liver tissue not only had the ability to bind 125I-EGF (2.77 pg of EGF/mg of membrane protein), but also exhibited both high (Kd = 0.08 nM) and low (Kd = 5.67 nM) affinity receptors. However, the binding of EGF to hepatoma plasma membrane was insignificant. EGF receptor in plasma membrane from normal liver tissue was identified by ECL Western blotting using monoclonal anti-EGF receptor antibody and phosphorylated via the stimulation of EGF. This phosphorylation was inhibited by genistein, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor. However, these effects were not observed in hepatoma cell membrane. These results suggest that plasma membrane purified from normal rat liver tissue has a high level of functional EGF receptor, whereas, hepatoma plasma membrane lacks the receptor.

A detailed three-dimensional finite element model for radial keratotomy has been developed. The model includes the full load-bearing tunic of the eye and employs realistic geometry. Incisions are modeled explicitly, and material parameters are obtained from in vivo data. Calculated results obtained with the model are compared with data from two independent medical studies on radial keratotomy.

Based on the notion that regions of structural genes which encode critical domains of the corresponding proteins are highly conserved among closely related species, oligonucleotide primers were designed and used to amplify the alpha-globin sequence(s) of the Sprague-Dawley (SD) rat. Data of these amplified sequence constructs showed that two new rat alpha-globin specific sequences have been identified. Southern hybridization confirmed the presence of these sequences in the rat genome.

The experience of psychotherapy supervision of a group of trainee psychiatrists, in a university setting in Hong Kong, is reported from the supervisor's perspective. The trainees showed difficulties in this exercise. The cultural difference between the supervisor and the trainees, and that between the Western psychotherapy culture and the Chinese culture, is discussed. It is then followed by a description of what is seen as the trainees' resistance in the acceptance of psychotherapy and of the supervisor. This is considered to be one of the problems in the transcultural application of psychotherapy, and has to be overcome if this importation is to be successful.

2-Mercaptoethanol is a strong inhibitor of LADH. The inhibitory effect is likely due to the binding of the SH group to the enzymatic zinc ion. Various thiol compounds do not inhibit YADH and it is suggested that the zinc atoms involved in the catalytic mechanism of LADH and YADH may have different structural arrangements and that these zinc atoms in YADH may not be blocked by thiol compounds. Thiol compounds also quench the enhanced fluorescence of LADH-NADH in a pH-dependent manner. At pH 9.2, the binding of coenzyme to LADH is replaced by 2-mercaptoethanol, whilst at pH 7.3, it further quenches the fluorescence of NADH-LADH. This quenching of fluorescence is likely attributed to a conformational change and energy transfer upon binding of 2-mercaptoethanol to the LADH-NADH complex. Complete reversal of the inhibitory effect of thiol compounds on LADH can be obtained by dialysis.

The personal quality of the therapist is a key element in therapy. In the case of the minority therapist, the difference in language and cultural background offers the patient unique benefits. Value orientations amongst cultures are similar enough for the minority therapist to acculturate. Through acculturation, the therapist becomes aware of a new set of value orientations. This cultural objectivity better enables the therapist to help the mainstream patient to see alternatives in coping with stresses of life, and to fortify the patient's adaptive skills. Because Western psychiatry and psychotherapy are culture-bound, mainstream therapists may easily be "culturally addicted," whereas a minority therapist can maintain cultural neutrality. Advantages discussed include language independence, culture independence, positive transference and analogous experiences.

1. Whole blood was incubated in physiological conditions with a variety of modifiers capable of modifying hemoglobin. Some of these compounds have been considered as therapeutic agents for certain hemoglobinopathies such as sickle-cell disease. 2. The extent of modification on hemoglobin was estimated by electrophoresis and the red-cell morphology by scanning electron microscope. 3. Results indicated that carbamyl phosphate, aspirin and glutaryl-salicylamide had no observable effect, whereas cross-linkers in general produced drastic changes in red-cell morphology. 4. Dibromoaspirin, a very effective acetylating agent, produced abnormalities even in concentrations as low as 1 mM.

In this double-blind, four-week study, 28 chronic schizophrenic patients receiving neuroleptic medication plus the antiparkinsonian drug, benztropine mesylate, were either switched to placebo or maintained on benztropine. Patients withdrawn from benztropine reliably increased their overall scores on the Wechsler Memory Scale in comparison with the drug group. Sub-test scores suggest that deficits in attention and concentration were induced by treatment with benztropine. Psychotic decompensation appeared to develop simultaneously with extrapyramidal symptoms (EPS) in some patients, but only 14.2 per cent of the placebo group experienced extrapyramidal symptoms severe enough to require resumption of benztropine therapy. It is suggested that antiparkinsonian agents should be prescribed only if and when EPS occur.