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Genomic in situ hybridization (GISH) offers a convenient and effective method for cytological detection, but can not determine the identity of the chromosomes involved. We integrated C-banding with GISH to identify Haynaldia villosa chromosomes in a wheat background. All chromosomes of H. villosa showed C-bands, either in telomeric regions or in both telomeric and centromeric regions, which allowed unequivocal identification of each H. villosa chromosome. The seven pairs of H. villosa chromosomes were differentiated as 1-7 according to their characteristic C-bands. Using a sequential C-banding and GISH technique, we have analyzed somatic cells of F3 plants from the amphiploid Triticum aestivum-H. villosa x 'Yangmai 158' hybrids. Three plants (94009/5-4,94009/5-8 and 94009/5-9) were shown to contain H. villosa chromosome(s). 94009/5-4 (2n = 45) had three H. villosa chromosomes (2, 3 and 4); 94009/5-8 (2n = 45) possessed one chromosome 4 and a pair of chromosome 5, and 94009/5-9 (2n = 43) was found to have one chromosome 6 of H. villosa. The combination of GISH with C-banding described here provides a direct comparison of the cytological and molecular landmarks. Such a technique is particularly useful for identifying and localizing alien chromatin and DNA sequences in plants.

The present study was designed to investigate the effects of 13-cis-retinoic acid (13-cis-RA) (100 micrograms/mouse/day) and androgen ablation (castration) alone and in combination on growth of a human prostatic carcinoma line (LNCaP) transplanted to athymic nude mice as an experimental model. The results of these studies suggest that; (1) androgen ablation (castration) significantly decreased the size of LNCaP xenograft as compared to untreated animals; (2) when 13-cis-RA was administered to nude mice carrying established tumors (0.51 +/- 0.04 cm3), the tumor size was significantly reduced as compared to untreated controls (0.65 +/- 0.06 cm3 versus 1.63 +/- 0.12 cm3). About 50% of the animals in this group showed xenografts necrosis followed by complete regression of tumors by five months; (3) the combination of androgen ablation and 13-cis-RA treatment to nude mice carrying tumors showed synergistic effect in decreasing the tumor size. These results indicate that combination therapies based on androgen ablation and retinoid administration may be a useful approach for the treatment of prostate cancer.

Serum and urine soluble interleukin-2 receptor (SIL-2R) levels were determined with ELISA method in 36 cases of nephrotic syndrome in order to investigate the significance of the change of SIL-2R level. The results showed the values in nephrotic stage group (n = 22) exceeded those in nephrotic stage remission group (n = 14, P < 0.01) and those in healthy controls (n = 20, P < 0.01). However, there was no difference of SIL-2R values either in serum or urine between nephrotic stage remission group and healthy controls (P > 0.05). Serum SIL-2R values were correlated with those of serum creatinine (r = 0.44, P < 0.01) and urine SIL-2R values were correlated with those of urine protein excretion (r = 0.48, P < 0.01). The study suggests that increased concentration of SIL-2R can serve as an indicator of nephrotic syndrome activation and/or exacerbation of renal dysfunction.

This paper presents a model of density-dependent selection in a continuously reproducing diploid population with two alleles at one locus. Using differential equations, we assume that the fertility of a mating pair is determined exclusively by the female. Genotypic fitness is defined as the average contribution of an individual of the genotype to the total population growth rate. The conditions for protected polymorphism are derived, and the most interesting new result is that genetic polymorphism does not necessarily require heterozygote superiority in fitness in diallelic one-locus systems if both fertility and viability selection are simultaneously operating in the population.

The experience with 212 transthoracic fine-needle aspiration biopsy cytology specimens of mass lesions of the lung at a small Canadian hospital is reviewed. The technique showed a sensitivity of 78.0%, a specificity of 85.7%, a positive predictive value of 98.5%, and a negative predictive value of 25.0% when the cytological diagnoses were compared with the final clinicopathological diagnoses listed in the patients' charts. There was only one false positive diagnosis of malignancy. Diagnoses based on cytology of the aspirates were compared with histological diagnoses in 127 cases and the accuracy of typing of the major groups of carcinoma was assessed. Distinction between small-cell carcinoma and non-small-cell carcinoma was usually accurate and fairly good correlation was achieved for all major types of carcinoma. The results for typing of the neoplasm are not as good as those from larger centres in the world. The technique is considered to be useful even in the setting of a small hospital.

This article details the basic mycologic features of yeast and mold-like fungi causing infections in humans. Concordant with the mycologic attributes delineating species identification, the pathogenic potential of mycotic agents is discussed with particular reference to intrinsic fungal virulence factors (e.g., exoenzymes) and host factors (e.g., neutrophil function, underlying disease) predisposing to colonization and infection.

Kidney tissue calcium content from 33 diagnostic human renal biopsies was measured to assess tissue calcium concentration early in the course of human renal disease. Renal calcium content was correlated significantly with serum creatinine (r = 0.71, P < 0.001), serum phosphate (r = 0.64, P < 0.001), and serum Ca x P product (r = 0.66, P < 0.001), but not with serum calcium (r = -0.17, P > 0.05). Threefold greater calcium content was measured in biopsied tissue than in normal renal tissue (315 +/- 169 vs 69 +/- 17 mg/kg renal tissue, P < 0.001). The mean level of serum phosphate and Ca x P product was higher in the patients with significant renal function impairment (Ser > 115 mumol/L) than in patients with normal renal function (1.76 +/- 0.33 mmol/L vs 1.29 +/- 0.18 mmol/L, P < 0.001; 43 +/- 4.7 vs 33 +/- 4.5 mmol 2/L2, P < 0.001, respectively). The mean serum calcium levels were not different in the two groups (1.97 +/- 0.24 mmol/L vs 2.07 +/- 0.16 mmol/L, P > 0.05). The results suggest that renal calcium deposition begins early in the course of various renal diseases, and hence may accelerate progression of chronic renal failure the severity of renal calcium deposition is correlated with hyperphosphatemia and with the level of renal impairment. Dietary phosphate restriction may be necessary early in the course of renal disease.

By means of reverse phase and ion-exchange high performance liquid chromatography, a neurotoxic peptide named huwentoxin-I was purified from the venom of the Chinese bird spider Selenocosmia huwena. The intraperitoneal and intracisternal LD50 in mice of the toxin were 0.70 mg/kg and 9.40 micrograms/kg, respectively. This toxin at the concentration of 1 x 10(-5) g/ml can irreversibly block the neuromuscular transmission of the isolated mouse phrenic nerve-diaphragm preparation in 13.4 +/- 1.3 min (mean +/- S.D., n = 5). The isoelectric point is 8.95 determined by isoelectric focusing electrophoresis. It consists of 33 amino acids including 6 Cys and 6 Lys determined by amino acid analysis. The complete amino sequence of huwentoxin-I was determined. The N-terminal and C-terminal residues were Ala and Leu, respectively. The primary structure showed partial homology with that of mu-agatoxins from the funnel-web spider Agelenopsis aperta.

Examination of frozen sections, which is frequently used to make diagnoses at the Plains Health Centre, Regina, is expensive in terms of manpower and resources of the pathology department and should be used judiciously. The authors analysed the pathology records from January to December 1990 and found that more than 10% of surgical specimens were submitted for frozen-section diagnosis. A correct diagnosis was made in 94.8% of cases, and in approximately 1% of cases the diagnosis was deferred until paraffin sections were examined. An incorrect diagnosis by frozen-section examination was made in 4.2% of cases. In 13.2% of cases, frozen-section examination was apparently performed for reasons that were not medically legitimate. In a further 14.9% of cases the value of frozen-section examination was questionable. Clinicians need to be educated about the correct role of frozen-section examination in patient management, especially in this era of restricted hospital budgets.

(+/-) Demethoxy-eleutherol and (+/-) demethoxy-eleutherin were synthesized for studying the relationship between structure and coronary dilation activity. The structures of the two compounds and intermediates were confirmed by means of IR, MS and 1HNMR. Preliminary pharmacological experiments showed no activity for the two compounds.

In order to evaluate the accuracy of blood flow measurement, the single-pass extraction, retention/wash-out and relative net uptake of 99mTc-teboroxime (SQ30217) and 201Tl were evaluated and compared in 20 isolated blood-perfused rabbit hearts at coronary flow rates ranging from 0.49 to 2.85 ml/g wet wt min-1. The average peak extraction of 201Tl (+/- s.d.) (0.67 +/- 0.11) marginally exceeded that of SQ30217 (0.62 +/- 0.12) (p = 0.06). Flow significantly affected the maximum net extraction of 201Tl and the 40-min net extractions of both 201Tl and SQ30217. Unexpectedly, the rate of 201Tl myocardial washout was significantly faster (p less than 0.05) than SQ30217 washout at all flow rates evaluated. Increasing coronary blood flow rate was associated with a more rapid clearance of both tracers from the myocardium (p less than 0.05 for both comparisons). The slope of the linear correlations between relative net SQ30217 uptake versus flow and relative net 201Tl uptake versus flow were found to be similar for up to 10 min after isotope injection. These data were interpreted to indicate that: 1. Thallium-201 might be slightly better extracted than SQ30217. 2. SQ30217 is cleared more slowly from the myocardium. 3. Thallium-201 and SQ30217 appear to be comparable tracers of myocardial perfusion for up to 10 min after injection under the single-pass conditions currently employed. 4. Additional studies are needed to clarify myocardial SQ30217 kinetics.

Muscopyridine (1) is one of the odoriferous constituents of natural musk. 1 was prepared previously in very low yield in multisteps. We report here one-step preparation of muscopyridine and its analogs by the cross-coupling method. The cyclocoupling is effected by slow dropwise addition of a THF solution of di-Grignard reagent under nitrogen to a well stirred mixture of an equimolar quantity of a dichloropyridine in THF containing a catalytic amount of Ni (dppp)Cl2. The reaction mixture is stirred at 35-40 degrees C for up to 20 h. Analogs 2, 3 and 4 have also been prepared by this method. The structure of these products and intermediates are determined by UV, IR, MS, and 1HNMR spectral data.

Nineteen patients with endometriosis were selected for investigation of luteal function as determined by serum progesterone (P) concentrations at different stages of the luteal phase, and by observation of basal body temperature (BBT) profiles and endometrial histological appearances. Sixteen cases were accompanied with infertility. All data were synchronized to the day of midcycle serum luteinizing hormone (LH) peak (D0) and analyzed accordingly. In the endometriosis group, mean serum P concentrations of early, mid luteal phases and the integrated P concentration of the whole luteal phase were significantly lower than in the control group. Five cases (26.3%) had low peak P values during mid-luteal phase and/or low integrated P levels. Delayed endometrial maturation was revealed in 10 of 16 cases (62.5%). Short luteal phase, as defined by BBT, was observed in 3 of 14 cases (21.4%). A total of 12 cases were screened for all three parameters, among them, ten (83.3%) had at least one abnormality and seven (58.3%) showed two aberrant results. In summary, the incidence of luteal phase defect was higher in the endometriosis group than in controls. The pathogenic mechanism of luteal phase defect and its role in infertility are discussed.

Twenty patients underwent endourethral urethroplasty with free prepuce graft in combination with transurethral resection of scar for posterior urethral stricture. Two-year follow-up showed that they had good continent and free voiding results. Problems about surgical technique were detailed. We conclude that a free full-thickness prepuce evenly patched by means of the tube balloon to the freshly prepared wound derived from the stricture is the key to surgical success.