Mammalian calcitonin cells: retrospect and prospect

In this review we aim to provide an overview of the published reports on the morphology, position, population, distribution and origin of calcitonin cells. Also, we have included a brief historical note and the experimental studies which demonstrate the effects on calcitonin cell function.     

Bacterial anatomy in retrospect and prospect

Progress in bacterial anatomy over a period of about 15 years is reviewed. In particular, attention is paid to developments in which the Department of Electron Microscopy and Molecular Cytology was involved. Past and present problems in bacterial anatomy as well as approaches to their solution are discussed.     

“试管婴儿”技术30年——回顾和展望

1978年第一例试管婴儿诞生以及随后近30多年来该领域不断取得的突破性进展,促进了以体外受精为基础的辅助生殖技术在临床的广泛应用,并取得了很好的疗效。本文将系统回顾近30多年来辅助生殖技术在临床和实验室两方面建立的包括:控制性超排卵、序贯培养、精子胞浆内注射以及植入前遗传学诊断和筛查等主要技术突破,并对医源性多胎、新技术的安全性等目前存在的主要问题及可能的解决方案进行探讨。     

Angiotensin, thirst, and sodium appetite: retrospect and prospect.

The fact that drinking in response to some hypovolemic stimuli was attenuated by nephrectomy but not by ureteric ligation led to the suggestion that the renal renin-angiotensin system may play a role in hypovolemic thirst. The isolation of a thirst factor from the kidney and the demonstration that this substance was renin supported the hypothesis. Subsequently, it was shown that the effects of renin on drinking were mediated through angiotensin II, which proved to be a potent dipsogenic substance when administered systemically or injected directly into the brain. Recently, it has been shown that angiotensin II, infused intravenously or through the carotid artery at rates that produce increases in plasma angiotensin II levels similar to those that occur in mild sodium depletion, causes the water-replete animal to drink. This discovery establishes that angiotensin is a physiological stimulus to drinking but it leaves open the question of the extent of the involvement of renal renin in normal thirst. Other unsolved problems are the role of cerebral isorenin in angiotensin thirst and its relationship with renal renin, and in view of its stimulating action on sodium intake when infused into the brain, whether angiotensin plays a significant role in sodium appetite.     

Radiation litigation in retrospect

Most of the radiation litigation filed against the United States pursuant to the Federal Tort Claims Act has been defended by asserting federal sovereign immunity or by proving that the plaintiff's injury is unrelated to his radiation exposure. This paper reports that the second defense is best advanced by comprehensive pretrial investigation of the plaintiff's claim, which frequently results in voluntary dismissal of the legal action.