Speed of growth of melanoma: statistical analysis of the average ages of patient groups

Based on data from 1,657 cases, the average age of patients with melanoma of the same type, level, resp. thickness was calculated. It was shown that the average age of the melanoma patients increased with progressive tumor growth, i.e., with increasing level and thickness. The time span for thin (less than 0.75 mm thickness), superficial spreading melanoma (SSM) to reach the level of a far-advanced tumor with a thickness of more than 3.00 mm was 7.8 years. For nodular melanomas (NM), the corresponding period was 9.5 years. Longer intervals were determined by analysis of the data according to tumor levels. The difference in the average age of patients with early invasive SSM (level II) as compared with patients with level V tumors was 11.4 years. Patients with level V NM were on the average 10.0 years older than patients with level III NM. Differences in the average age of patients with SSM or NM from one level to the other ranged between 3 and 4 years (median: 3.9 years). The differences in the thickness of the groups were similar (median: 3.1 years).     

激光联合注射曲安奈德治疗婴幼儿血管瘤的疗效分析

目的：分析激光联合注射曲安奈德治疗婴幼儿血管瘤的疗效。方法：将120例处于增殖期血管瘤患儿分成观察组和对照组各60例,观察组给予激光联合注射曲安奈德治疗,对照组采用激光治疗,比较两组患者的治疗疗效。结果：观察组和对照组的总有效率分别为96．7％和66．7％,两组比较具有显著差异,P〈0．05;对于表浅病灶,观察组治疗的有效率为96．8％,对照组为84．8％,两组之间无差异,P〉0．05;对于深部病灶,观察组和对照组的总有效率分别为96．6％和44．4％,具有显著差异（P〈0．05）。结论：激光联合注射曲安奈德治疗婴幼儿血管瘤具有较好的疗效,尤其对深部增殖期的血管瘤具有较好的效果,适合在临床推广应用。     

Identification of the site of sulfation of the fourth component of human complement

The alpha-chain of the fourth component of complement (C4) contains tyrosine sulfate (Karp, D.R. (1983) J. Biol. Chem. 258, 12745-12748). Here we have determined the site and stoichiometry of sulfation of C4 secreted by the human hepatoma-derived cell line Hep G2. C4 was labeled with [35S]sulfate and isolated from culture medium by immunoprecipitation. C4 digested with trypsin and chymotrypsin and analyzed by reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography contained a single sulfate-labeled peptide. Digestion of C4 with trypsin alone yielded two major sulfate-labeled peptides, suggesting that there may be some sequence variability in C4 near the site of sulfation. Sequential Edman degradation of tryptic peptides labeled with [3H]tyrosine and [35S]sulfate detected tyrosine residues at positions 5, 13, 16, and 18. Chymotrypsin cleaved 5 residues off the NH2-terminal end of tryptic peptides, yielding a peptide with tyrosine at positions 8, 11, and 13. Comparison of the position of tyrosine residues with the reported sequence of C4 identified the sites of sulfation as tyrosine residues at positions 738, 741, and 743 in the alpha-chain of C4. All 3 of these tyrosine residues appeared to be sulfated. When sulfation of C4 was partially inhibited by addition of catechol to culture medium, three different forms of the peptide were resolved by high-performance liquid chromatography, consistent with peptides containing 1, 2, or 3 sulfates. Comparison of the quantities of tyrosine and tyrosine sulfate in C4 which had been labeled with [3H]tyrosine and digested with Pronase also indicated that C4 contained an average of 2-3 residues of tyrosine sulfate/molecule. These results suggest that the biologically active form of the protein is sulfated.     

Fc receptors of endothelial cells of cardiac valves: comparison of IgG Fc binding activity of these receptors and of Fc receptors of group A streptococci

Normal human and rabbit sera, as well as IgG isolated from them, have proved to be capable of reacting with the cells of the valve endothelium of the human and bovine heart. As shown in this study, these reactions are linked with the presence of Fc receptors on the epithelial cells. This is confirmed by the positive reactions of the endothelial cells with the Fc fragments of IgG, as well as with pure antibodies to egg albumin and to group A streptococcal polysaccharide and their complexes. As revealed in this study, Fc receptors on endothelial cells and staphylococcal Fc receptors bind with the definite fraction of normal human serum IgG with, probably, more pronounced cytophil properties. This fraction is not linked with IgG subclasses. The suggestion may be made that the presence of IgG Fc binding activity in group A streptococci, coinciding with the binding activity of Fc receptors in some cells of the human body, is probably of importance for pathogenic streptococci, facilitating their successful invasion.     

Kinetics of reduction of the primary donor of photosystem II. Influence of pH in various preparations

The kinetics of reduction of P-680, oxidized by a flash, have been measured with chloroplasts treated with Tris, hydroxylamine or cholate, with PS-II particles from Phormidium (Tris-treated) and with subchloroplast particles prepared with digitonin or Triton. In all cases the electron transfer from D1 to P-680+ has similar rates, influenced similarly by pH and D1 has a one-electron capacity.     

36例妊娠性急性脂肪肝救治方法分析

目的探讨妊娠急性脂肪肝（acute fatty liver of pregnancy,AFLP）的有效治疗方法。方法回顾性分析36例AFIP的治疗方法,其中31例妊娠急性脂肪肝,首选剖宫产术终止妊娠,其次考虑阴道分娩。5例患者因为发生肝功能衰竭而采用MARS联合血浆置换治疗。结果31例的患者获得了良好的预后,尤其是5例AFLP肝功能衰竭患者均采用人工肝血浆置换疗法,均获痊愈。结论妊娠急性脂肪肝通过治疗,能获得良好的预后。     

Processing of the glycoprotein of feline immunodeficiency virus: effect of inhibitors of glycosylation.

The processing and transport of the envelope glycoprotein complex of feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) in the persistently infected Crandell feline kidney (CRFK) cell line were investigated. Pulse-chase analyses revealed that the glycoprotein is synthesized as a precursor with an Mr of 145,000 (gp145) and is quickly trimmed to a molecule with an Mr of 130,000 (gp130). Treatment of gp130 with endoglycosidase H (endo H) resulted in a protein with an Mr of 75,000, indicating that nearly half the weight of the gp130 precursor consists of endo H-sensitive glycans during biosynthesis. Chase periods of up to 8 h revealed intermediates during the further processing of this glycoprotein precursor. Initially, two minor protein species with apparent Mrs of 100,000 and 90,000 were detected along with gp130. At later chase times these two species appeared to migrate as a single dominant species with an Mr of 95,000 (gp95). Concomitant with the appearance of gp95 was another protein with an Mr of approximately 40,000 (gp40). Chase periods of up to 8 h revealed that approximately half of the precursor was processed into the gp95-gp40 complex within 4 h. gp95 was efficiently transported from the cell into the culture medium by 1 to 2 h after labeling, whereas gp40 was not observed to be released from infected CRFK cells. Analysis of the processing in the presence of monensin, castanospermine, and swainsonine also suggests the existence of these intermediates in the processing of this lentivirus glycoprotein. As with human immunodeficiency virus, virus produced in the presence of glucosidase inhibitors and reduced infectivity for T-lymphocyte cultures.     

200例下肢静脉造影分析

目的 分析下肢静脉疾病的分类,造影表现及造影对下肢静脉疾病的诊断价值。方法 对200例疑有下肢静脉疾病的患者进行常规或数字减影下肢静脉造影,根据造影表现进行分析。结果 200例307侧肢体下肢静脉造影结果：交通静脉瓣膜功能不全116侧肢体(37．8％),深静脉瓣膜功能不全39侧(12．7％),静脉阻塞性疾病85侧(27．7％),静脉瘤样病变6侧(1．9％),阴性61侧(19．9％);其中60岁以上老年患者124例197侧肢体中：静脉阻塞性疾病75侧(38．1％),交通静脉瓣膜功能不全69侧(35％),深静脉瓣膜功能不全21侧(10．7％),静脉瘤样病变3侧(1．5％),阴性29侧(14．7％)。结论 本组病例下肢静脉疾病中以静脉阻塞性疾病的比例较高(27．7％)与老年患者比例较高有关,其造影表现为各种治疗措施的选择提供可靠的依据。     

多发性抽动症的脑电图观察

目的:进一步探究脑电图对多发性抽动症患儿的辅助诊断价值。方法:本文对45例多发性抽动症患儿进行脑电图描记录,选择理想信号段进行分析。结果发现24例异常,异常率为53.3%。其中中度异常6例,占25%,脑波表现为在高幅δ、θ波长程阵发的背景上偶发尖波;轻度异常18例,占75%,表现背景脑波频率变慢,出现高幅δ、θ波及活动,伴短程出现;正常21例,较同年龄组的脑电图调节差,波形杂乱。结论:脑电图反映脑功能活动,通过计算机分析方法可提供更多信息,并且脑电图操作方便,无痛无创,易于被儿童接受,在多发性抽动症早期临床诊断中具有较高的应用价值。     

The mechanism of stabilization of the structure of nuclease-T by binding of ligands.

The rate of unfolding of Nuclease-T at pH 8,20 degrees was determined as a function of concentration of the ligands deoxythymidine 3',5'-diphosphate (pdTp) and Ca2+ on the basis of the rate of exchange between free fragment, Nuclease-T(50-149) and labeled fragment, Nuclease-T-(50-149) incorporated in the structure of nuclease-T (Taniuchi, H. (1973) J. Biol. Chem. 248, 5164-5174). The rate constant of unfolding of unliganded Nuclease-T' was 4.6 times 10-4s-1. Those of Nuclease-T' bound with pdTp, with Ca2+, and with both pdtp and Ca2+ were 9.0 times 10-5, 1.6 times 10-4, and 2.2 times 10-5s-1, respectively. The association constants of pdTp and Ca2+ with Nuclease-T' were found to be 1.0 times 10-4 and 2.0 times 10-2 m-1, respectively. Those of pdTp with Nuclease-T' plus Ca2+ and of Ca2+ with Nuclease-T' plus pdTp were 4 times 10-5 and 1.4 times 10-4M-1, respectively. The calculation of free energy change on the basis of the association constants shows that the magnitude of negative free energy change involved in the binding of either of the two ligands increases by approximately 2 kcal when the other ligand is already bound. There is a correlation between the free energy change and the specifically coupled with the cooperative interacions operating throught the three-dimensional structure resulting in strengthening of the interactions throughtout the structure, including those with the ligands, without a large change in conformation.     

Localization of glycoconjugates in tissues of mammals revealed by means of labeled lectins

Histochemical peculiarities on binding of castor-oil plant, soybean and lentil lectins with tissues of the mucous membrane in the stomach, small and large intestine have been studied in the human being, rat, mouse, as well as the lectins mentioned and the maize agglutinin with the nervous tissue of the rat cerebral tissue. The reactions are carried out with nonfixed cryostat and deparaffinized histological slices. Lectins labelled with horseradish peroxidase are used. Certain specific peculiarities and differences concerning the lectin binding with tissues of the organs studied are determined. Predominant binding is noted of the soybean lectin with parietal and mucin-producing cells of the stomach, with epitheliocytes of the duodenal glands, with the brush border of the epithelial cells of the intestinal villi. The lentil and castor-oil plant lectins make contours of the basal membrane epithelium in the stomach and intestine. The lentil lectin also reacts with the germinative centers of the stomach lymphatic nodules and the castor-oil plant agglutinin--with the brush border of the small intestine epitheliocytes. The lectins used are predominantly bound with neurons of the subcortical formations of the rat brain and cerebral cortex. By means of labelled lectins of lentil, soybean, and castor-oil plant it is possible to reveal certain modifications of the rat small intestine glycoconjugates produced by means of the immortelle extract.     

Detection of mosaicism in lymphocytes of parents of free trisomy 21 offspring

Down syndrome (DS) resulting from free trisomy 21 (FT21) has been largely associated with advanced maternal age. However, approximately 60% of FT21 cases are born to young couples. Thus, the etiological factors responsible for these FT21 children must differ from those proposed for maternal age-related FT21. These factors have not been defined. In this study, we analyzed the chromosomes of peripheral blood lymphocytes from three groups of couples aged ≤35 years, to identify chromosomal trisomies: Group I included 5 couples with normal offspring; Group II included 22 couples with one FT21 child; and Group III consisted of 3 couples with recurrent FT21. A total of 13,809 metaphases were analyzed with G-banding and 60,205 metaphases were analyzed with FISH using a 13/21 centromeric probe. Aneuploidy was significantly more frequent in Groups II and III. The frequencies of hyperdiploid cells were 0.19, 0.49 and 0.96% in Groups I–III, respectively. FISH analysis showed that trisomy 21 cell percentages were 0.08, 0.21 and 0.76 for Groups I–III, respectively, and were very similar to those obtained with G-banding. Trisomy 21 mosaicism was found in 2/22 couples with one FT21 offspring, and in 2/3 couples with recurrent FT21. Our data suggest that mosaicism is an important cause of FT21 offspring in young couples, and that aneuploidy is more frequent among couples with FT21 offspring. This may be related with age and other undetermined intrinsic and extrinsic factors.     

Cellular aspects of pathogenesis of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: Role of cardiomyocyte polyploidy and activation of nuclear antigen of the proliferating cell in myocardium

For a comparative analysis of cytomorphological characteristics of hypertrophied interventricular septum (IVS), both patients different ages with severe courses of obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (OHCMP) were examined, including children, and patients with essential arterial hypertension (EAH). The course of OHCMP in children as compared with adults was found to be characterized by considerable IVS hypertrophy that was accompanied by an acceleration of cardiomyocyte polyploidization. The mean ploidy level of cardiomyocytes in children with OHCMP was higher than in adult patients. The mean ploidy level of nuclei, the number of prolipherative cell nuclear antigen (PCNA)-positive nuclei, and the number of polyploid cardiomyocyte nuclei in adult patients with OHCMP were significantly higher statistically than in patients with EAH. The PCNA-positive labels in stromal cells were revealed only in patients with OHCMP. The obtained data indicate an important role of cardiomyocyte polyploidy and of activation of the proliferating cell nuclear antigen in development of myocardial hypertrophy in patients with OHCMP.     

Role of the kidney in the metabolism of apolipoprotein A-IV: influence of the type of proteinuria

Increased plasma concentrations of apolipoprotein A-IV (apoA-IV) in chronic renal disease suggest a metabolic role of the kidney for this antiatherogenic protein. Therefore, we investigated patients with various forms of proteinuria and found increased serum concentrations of apoA-IV in 124 nephrotic patients compared with 274 controls (mean 21.9 +/- 9.6 vs. 14.4 +/- 4.0 mg/dl; P < 0.001). Decreasing creatinine clearance showed a strong association with increasing apoA-IV levels. However, serum albumin levels significantly modulated apoA-IV levels in patients with low creatinine clearance, resulting in lower levels of apoA-IV in patients with low compared with high albumin levels (21.4 +/- 8.6 vs. 29.2 +/- 8.4 mg/dl; P = 0.0007). Furthermore, we investigated urinary apoA-IV levels in an additional 66 patients with a wide variety of proteinuria and 30 controls. Especially patients with a tubular type of proteinuria had significantly higher amounts of apoA-IV in urine than those with a pure glomerular type of proteinuria and controls (median 45, 14, and 0.6 ng/mg creatinine, respectively). We confirmed these results in affected members of a family with Dent's disease, who are characterized by an inherited protein reabsorption defect of the proximal tubular system. In summary, our data demonstrate that the increase of apoA-IV caused by renal impairment is significantly modulated by low levels of serum albumin as a measure for the severity of the nephrotic syndrome. From this investigation of apoA-IV in urine as well as earlier immunohistochemical studies, we conclude that apoA-IV is filtered through the normal glomerulus and is subsequently reabsorbed mainly by proximal tubular cells.     

Reflection of individual typological features in the structure of spatial interaction of EEG waves of various frequency ranges

The role of EEG β-, α-, and θ-activity in the formation of the structure of the spatial interaction of cortical formations and interhemispheric balance (IB), evaluated on the basis of the matrix of conditional probabilities, were studied in healthy test subjects occupied with oil refining. Preliminarity, the groups of test subjects with high (I), average (II), and low (III) adaptivity were distinguished. Individuals with a positive IB prevailed in groups I and II and among the test subjects with the length of service less than 20 years, and those with negative IB were in the majority in group III and among the test subjects with the length of service over 20 years. The structure of spatial interaction of EEG waves of test subjects with high and average adaptivity, as well as those with positive IB and length of service below 20 years, was determined mostly by α-activity. The spatial pattern of EEG of test subjects with low adaptivity, as well as those with negative IB and length of service above 20 years, was determined by the interaction of bioelectrical activity mainly in the α- and β-ranges.     

Composition of the regulators of bacterial autolysis

This work was aimed at studying the composition of agents regulating bacterial autolysis and isolated from the lysate of Bacillus subtilis 402, B. subtilis R2 and Micrococcus lysodeikticus biomass by extraction with 5% TCA followed by precipitation from the extract with 5 volumes of isopropanol. Fractions activating bacterial autolysis and fractions inhibiting it were found in all of the preparations after separation on Acrylex P-60. Fractions with a molecular mass below 12,600 D activated the autolysis whereas fractions with a molecular mass above 18,400 D inhibited it. The activity of fractions inhibiting the autolysis decreased while that of fractions activating the autolysis increased in the regulating agents isolated from B. subtilis cultures with the aging of the latter. The capability of the fractions to activate the autolysis correlated with the content of amino groups and phosphate in them whereas the capacity to inhibit the autolysis correlated with the content of reducing sugars in the fractions. The preparation of the fraction which activated the autolysis from B. subtilis R2 contained 18 amino acids with the predominance of alanine, glutamic acid, lysine and phenylalanine. Apparently, the regulating properties of the preparations are created with the aid of teichoic acids as well as peptidoglycan and protein fragments associated with the acids.     

Histochemical Detection of Carbohydrates of Blastocystis hominis

The carbohydrates of Blastocystis hominis were detected by histochemical techniques using light and electron microscopy. B. hominis, fixed with various fixatives, followed by treatment with detergents, were stained with periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) or alcian blue (AB). Intense PAS reactions were observed in cells fixed with glutaraldehyde or 1/2 Karnovsky fixative. The cells fixed with other fixatives showed weak or no reactions with PAS staining. Similar results were seen in the case of AB stain. These results indicated that, depending on the fixative used, B. hominis contained PAS- or AB-reactive carbohydrates. At the electron microscopic level, ultrathin sections of B. hominis were stained with periodic acid methenamine silver (PA-MS) or periodic acid thiocarbohydrazide-silver proteinate (PA-TCH-SP) staining techniques. Intense, positive reactions with PA-MS or PA-TCH-SP were observed on the central vacuole, Golgi apparatus, and cytoplasmic vesicles. The filamentous layer showed moderate reactions with PA-MS, whereas in PA-TCH-SP stain, it was stained more densely. The staining intensity of the central vacuole varied from cell to cell. The presence of membrane fusions of the cytoplasmic vesicles with the central vacuole indicated the accumulation of carbohydrates in the central vacuole.     

A study of features of the inheritance of latent autoimmune diabetes of adults (LADA)

A study of the genetic determination of latent autoimmune diabetes of adults (LADA) is conducted on data consisting of clinical and genealogical data on 51 patients with LADA, 400 patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (type 1 diabetes mellitus), and 504 patients with insulin-independent diabetes mellitus (type 2 diabetes mellitus), along with relatives of these patients (first degree of consanguinity). Testing of the Smith model revealed the genetic independence of LADA and both type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus. A study of genetic heterogeneity in accordance with the Smith model showed that LADA shares roughly the same number of common genes with type 1 diabetes mellitus and with type 2 diabetes mellitus, which also determines the clinical course of this form of diabetes. The inheritance of LADA is described by parameters of a polygenic threshold model. Within the framework of this model, it is found that genetic factors are responsible for 60.4% of the development of the disease.     

Electrophysiological investigation of the properties of acetylcholine receptors of frog sympathetic ganglionic neurons

Changes in membrane potential and conductance were studied in neurons of isolated sympathetic ganglia ofRana ridibunda during perfusion with cholinomimetics and cholinolytics. Activation of nicotinic (N) acetylcholine receptors by carbachol, suberyldicholine, and tetramethylammonium led to depolarization with an increase in conductance, whereas activation of muscarinic (M) acetylcholine receptors by perfusion with carbachol or 5-methylfurmethide, led to depolarization with a decrease or (less frequently) an increase in conductance. The M-cholinolytic atropine was shown to cause depolarization with an increase in conductance if perfusion with atropine was preceded by perfusion with carbachol.A. A. Bogomolets Institute of Physiology, Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian SSR, Kiev. Translated from Neirofiziologiya, Vol. 11, No. 5, pp. 475–482, September–October, 1979.     

A study of factors affecting the efficiency of electrofusion of enucleated eggs and cell-donors of nuclei

We studied the capacity of rabbit oocytes for electrofusion with morula blastomeres and fetal fibroblasts. The morula blastomeres fused with aging ooplasts more readily than the fetal fibroblasts: 92.9 versus 63.0%, p < 0.001. The fetal fibroblasts fused with young enucleated oocytes more efficiently than with the aging ones: 98.4 versus 63.0%, p < 0.001. Serum starvation of the fetal fibroblasts in DMEM medium for 7-14 days reduced their capacity for fusion with young ooplasts, as compared to that after starvation for 0-4 days: 67.2 versus 98.9%, p < 0.01). The increased time of "starvation" in an "impoverished" medium reduced the capacity of fetal fibroblasts with aging ooplasts as compared to the fibroblasts cultivated in the full medium and in the "impoverished" medium for one or two days: 64.5 versus 37.4%, p < 0.01. Hence, the efficiency of the fusion of the oocytes with nuclear donor cells depends on the age of the recipient oocyte, the origin of nuclear donor cells, and the conditions of cultivation.