Renal artery stenosis and ipsilateral renal cell carcinoma: description of an in situ partial nephrectomy and splenorenal arterial bypass

A case of a renal artery stenosis and ipsilateral renal cell carcinoma with long term results is reported. A 65-year-old man with renovascular hypertension, renal insufficiency, and nephrotic range proteinuria presented with an incidental renal cell carcinoma. Concomitant in situ left partial nephrectomy and splenorenal arterial bypass was achieved. The patient is doing well without evidence of malignancy, stable renal function, markedly improved proteinuria and stable blood pressure more than three years later. The techniques of this procedure are detailed and underscore the possibility of successful removal of a renal cell carcinoma with preservation of renal function despite renal artery stenosis.     

Effects of stenosis on non-newtonian flow of the blood in an artery

It has been shown that the resistance of flow and the wall shear increase with the size of the stenosis but these increases are comparatively small due to non-Newtonian behaviour of the blood indicating the usefulness of its rheological character in the functioning of the diseased arterial circulation.     

Free radical scavengers can modulate the DNA-damaging action of alloxan

Alloxan can generate diabetes in experimental animals and its action can be associated with the production of free radicals. It is therefore important to check how different substances often referred to as free radical scavengers may interact with alloxan, especially that some of these substance may show both pro- and antioxidant activities. Using the alkaline comet assay we showed that alloxan at concentrations 0.01-50 microM induced DNA damage in normal human lymphocytes in a dose-dependent manner. Treated cells were able to recover within a 120-min incubation. Vitamins C and E at 10 and 50 microM diminished the extent of DNA damage induced by 50 microM alloxan. Pre-treatment of the lymphocytes with a nitrone spin trap, alpha-(4-pyridil-1-oxide)- N-t-butylnitrone (POBN) or ebselen (2-phenyl-1,2-benzisoselenazol-3(2H)-one), which mimics glutathione peroxides, reduced the alloxan-evoked DNA damage. The cells exposed to alloxan and treated with formamidopyrimidine-DNA glycosylase (Fpg) and 3-methyladenine-DNA glycosylase II (AlkA), enzymes recognizing oxidized and alkylated bases, respectively, displayed greater extent of DNA damage than those not treated with these enzymes. The results confirmed that free radicals are involved in the formation of DNA lesions induced by alloxan. The results also suggest that alloxan can generate oxidized DNA bases with a preference for purines and contribute to their alkylation.     

Sex differences in weather sensitivity can cause habitat segregation: red deer as an example

Sex differences in habitat use (habitat segregation) are widespread in sexually dimorphic ungulates. A possible cause is that males are more sensitive to weather than females, leading to sex differences in sheltering behaviour (the 'weather sensitivity hypothesis'). However, this hypothesis has never been tested. We considered the allometric rates of net energy gain during times of cold weather and food shortage in a model. We argue that the higher absolute heat losses relative to intake rates of larger ungulates should indeed lead to higher weather sensitivity in males than in females. Furthermore, we tested the weather sensitivity hypothesis empirically in red deer, Cervus elaphus, on the Isle of Rum, U.K. We predicted that (1) use of relatively exposed, high-quality forage habitat should be negatively influenced by bad weather; and (2) this influence should be stronger in males. We found that bad weather (strong wind, low temperature, heavy rain) in winter and spring influenced use of high-quality forage habitat negatively in all deer; that adult males responded more strongly to low temperature and strong wind than did females; and that adult males foraged on windy days at better sheltered sites than did females. Thus, the weather sensitivity hypothesis is supported both theoretically and empirically. We suggest that the weather sensitivity hypothesis can potentially explain winter habitat segregation in a large number of ungulate species. Copyright 2000 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour.     

质粒治疗肢体动脉闭塞性疾病的安全性分析

肢体动脉血管闭塞性病是一种严重危害人类健康的疾病,许多病人最终要截肢,基因治疗为这类患带来了希望。利用肝细胞生长因子促进血管生成的作用,采用质粒作为载体对大鼠和故事片诉下肢动脉闭塞疾病模型进行治疗,效果良好。为探讨基因治疗的安全性问题,用绿色荧光蛋白报告基因研究质粒在体内的分布和表达,方法简便。通过制作冰冻切片观察绿色荧光蛋白在小鼠体内的表达情况发现局部注射质粒不会造成全身性扩散,表明该方法安全。     

Pulmonary artery hemodynamics with varying degrees of valvular stenosis: an in vitro study

The study was to investigate the effects of varying degrees of valvular stenosis on the hemodynamics of the main (MPA), left (LPA), and right (RPA) pulmonary arteries. Particle flow visualization was used to examine the flow patterns in a series of pulmonary artery models manufactured out of glass. These glass models were made based on the geometry of the porcine pulmonary arteries with dilatation in the MPA and LPA. Also, detailed pressure mappings in the models were conducted using a side-hole catheter. As the valve became stenotic, a jet-like flow was observed in the MPA. A higher degree of valvular stenosis corresponded to a narrower jet. This jet-like flow was noted to deflect away from the centerline and impinge on the roof of the dilated MPA. Additionally, a notable pressure gradient across the deflected jet-like flow in the direction of its radius of curvature was seen. Moreover, secondary flows started to appear in the dilated MPA. This suggested that the change in geometry in the MPA, due to its dilatation, had a marked effect on the pulmonary artery hemodynamics. In the LPA and RPA, the strengths of the secondary flows increased as the valve became more stenotic. The flow patterns observed in the LPA appeared to be more disturbed than in the RPA, due to the poststenotic, dilatation present in the LPA. Pressure recovery along the axial direction in the MPA was observed for all the stenotic valves studied. As the degree of valvular stenosis increased, the transvalvular energy loss increased. Moreover, it was observed that the energy loss decreased progressively as the flow traveled downstream. This tendency was consistent with the phenomenon of pressure recovery observed in the pressure measurement. The study demonstrates the importance of analyzing biological flows from a three-dimensional viewpoint.     

Calcium measurement in the periphery of an axon

Aequorin was microinjected into squid giant axons, the axons were stimulated, and the change in light emission was followed. This response was compared with that found when the axon, in addition to being microinjected with aequorin, is also injected with the dye phenol red. Large concentrations of phenol red injected into axons result in a high probability that photons emitted by aequorin, when it reacts with Ca in the core of the axoplasm, will be absorbed before they escape from the axon; photons produced by the aequorin reaction at the periphery of the axoplasm are much less likely to be absorbed. This technique thus favors observing changes in Cai taking place in the periphery of the axon. Stimulation in 50 mM Ca seawater of an aequorin-phenol red-injected axon at 180 s-1 for 1 min produces a scarcely detectable change in Cai; the addition of 2 mM cyanide (CN) to the seawater produces an easily measureable increase in Cai, suggesting that mitochondrial buffering in the periphery is substantial. Making the pH of the axoplasm of a normal axon alkaline with 30 mM NH4+ -50 mM Ca seawater, reduces the resting glow of the axon but results in an even more rapid increase in Cai with stimulation. In a phenol red-injected axon, this treatment results in a measureable response to stimulation in the absence of CN.     

Membrane components can modulate the substrate specificity of protein kinase C

The cationic amphiphile, cholesteryl-3-carboxyamidoethylene-trimethylammonium iodide, can alter the substrate specificity of protein kinase C (PKC). The phosphorylation of histone catalyzed by PKC requires the binding of the enzyme to phospholipid vesicles. This cationic amphiphile reduces both the binding of PKC to lipid and as a consequence its rate of phosphorylation of histone. In contrast, PKC bound to large unilamellar vesicles (LUVs) composed of 50 mol % POPS, 20 mol % POPC, and 30 mol % of this amphiphile catalyzes protamine sulfate phosphorylation by an almost 4 fold greater rate. This activation requires phosphatidylserine (PS) and is inhibited by Ca²⁺. The extent of activation is affected by the time of incubation of PKC with LUVs. This data suggests a novel mechanism by which PKC-dependent signal transduction pathways may be altered by altering the protein targets of this enzyme.     

Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome and rheumatic mitral stenosis: an uncommon coincidence that can cause severe hemodynamic disturbance

The combination of rheumatic mitral stenosis and Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome is a rare situation. In this case, we are reporting an 72-year-old man presenting with multi-organ failure due to the this combination and successfully treated with radiofrequency ablation during preexcitated atrial fibrillation.     

Reduction of voluntary alcohol consumption under the effects of prolonged-action zinc]

It was revealed that an involuntary rats' intoxication with 10% ethanol solution during 8 months caused a reduction of zinc content in the brain. A subcutaneous depot administration of highly dispersed zinc powder in a dose of 5 mg/kg reduced ethanol consumption under conditions of free choice for two weeks. This effect of the preparation was associated with normalization of zinc content and increase of a malondialdehyde level in the brain.     

Effects of the shape of stenosis on the resistance to blood flow through an artery

The effect of the shape of stenosis on the resistance to blood flow through an artery with mild local narrowing has been studied. It is shown that the resistance to flow decreases as the shape of stenosis changes and the maximum resistance is attained in the case of symmetric stenosis.