The "suspicious" gynecologic smear

"Suspicious" gynecologic smears from 842 patients over a seven-year period were analyzed for their causes and outcomes. The frequency of the cytologic diagnosis of "suspicious" ranged between 0.5% in 1979 and 1.44% in 1975 of all smears examined. Review of the smears showed that this classification was used to report a variety of conditions, including equivocal possible precancerous changes as well as the presence of severe inflammation, degenerative or atrophic changes, abnormal glandular cells and metaplasia. The cytologic follow-up, following anti-inflammatory or hormonal therapy, showed a conversion to negative findings in 65.1% of all cases, usually within 12 months. In 294 cases, histologic analysis became necessary, revealing precancerous changes or cancer in 147 patients (17.5% of the study group). Smears of postmenopausal women with suspicious glandular or endometrial cells received special analysis. Significant numbers of such cases had histologic findings positive for malignancy (20% of smears with glandular cells and 21.3% with endometrial cells), as did also smears showing post-irradiative changes (34.6%) or atrophic and degenerative changes (17.1%). Therefore, "suspicious" smears in these groups were considered to indicate an increased risk of malignancy. A regimen for the proper management of cases with "suspicious" smears has been established.     

12 beta-dehydrogenation of bile acids by Clostridium paraputrificum, C. tertium, and C. difficile and epimerization at carbon-12 of deoxycholic acid by cocultivation with 12 alpha-dehydrogenating Eubacterium lentum.

12 beta-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenating activities were detected in 13 strains of Clostridium paraputrificum, 1 strain of C. tertium, and 1 strain of C. difficile, together with a 3 alpha- and 3 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase system in many strains. Redox reactions a C-12 of disubstituted and trisubstituted bile acids were performed unspecifically by representative strains of C. paraputrificum. 3 alpha,12 beta-, 3 beta,12 beta-Dihydroxy-, 3 alpha, 7 alpha, 12 beta-trihydroxy-, and 3-keto,12 beta-hydroxy-5 beta-cholanoic acids, so far not known as bacterial bile acid metabolites, were identified. Epimerization of the 12 alpha-hydroxyl group of deoxycholate via the 12-keto intermediate was achieved by cocultivation of C. paraputrificum and Eubacterium lentum, elaborating a 12 alpha-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase only. In addition, epimerization at C-12 was demonstrated with mixed human fecal cultures.     

DNA Polymorphism of the major histocompatibility class I genes and their association with serologically defined haplotypes

DNA of unrelated persons as well as members of families that were totally or partially homozygous or completely heterozygous on the loci of the major histocompatibility class I genes has been isolated from peripheral blood lymphocytes and blot hybridized with the class I pseudogene pHLA 12.4 probe. The autoradiographic DNA patterns were discussed and compared with well-defined serological features. Positive associations with serologically typed alleles had been demonstrated for HLA-A1,11 ; -A2; -A3; -B7; -B14; -B35;-Bw41; and -Cw5.     

12 beta-dehydrogenation of bile acids by Clostridium paraputrificum, C. tertium, and C. difficile and epimerization at carbon-12 of deoxycholic acid by cocultivation with 12 alpha-dehydrogenating Eubacterium lentum

12 beta-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenating activities were detected in 13 strains of Clostridium paraputrificum, 1 strain of C. tertium, and 1 strain of C. difficile, together with a 3 alpha- and 3 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase system in many strains. Redox reactions a C-12 of disubstituted and trisubstituted bile acids were performed unspecifically by representative strains of C. paraputrificum. 3 alpha,12 beta-, 3 beta,12 beta-Dihydroxy-, 3 alpha, 7 alpha, 12 beta-trihydroxy-, and 3-keto,12 beta-hydroxy-5 beta-cholanoic acids, so far not known as bacterial bile acid metabolites, were identified. Epimerization of the 12 alpha-hydroxyl group of deoxycholate via the 12-keto intermediate was achieved by cocultivation of C. paraputrificum and Eubacterium lentum, elaborating a 12 alpha-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase only. In addition, epimerization at C-12 was demonstrated with mixed human fecal cultures.     

Correlation between limitation of growth ofPachysolen tannophilus on D-xylose with the formation of ethanol and other products

The formation of ethanol, xylitol, ribitol, arabitol and acetic acid from D-xylose byPachysolen tannophilus correlated with the limitation of growth. The correlation was consistent with these products being secondary metabolites.Issued as NRCC Publication Number 24259.     

Influence of testosterone on ventilation and chemosensitivity in male subjects

There is increasing evidence that men have higher ventilatory responses to chemical stimuli than age-matched women and that certain disorders of respiratory rhythmicity, particularly sleep apnea, occur more commonly in men. Accordingly, we studied the influence of the male hormone, testosterone, on the control of breathing. Twelve hypogonadal males were studied at least 30 (mean +/- SE: 69.7 +/- 8.9) days after discontinuing testosterone replacement and again following hormone administration. In each subject plasma testosterone concentration, metabolic rate [O2 consumption (VO2) and CO2 production (VCO2)], minute ventilation (VE), and chemosensitivity [hypoxic (HVR) and hypercapnic (HCVR) ventilatory responses] were determined on and off hormone replacement. With testosterone administration VO2 increased from 248 +/- 15 to 276 +/- 18 ml/min (P less than 0.05), with VCO2 showing a similar but nonsignificant trend. This was associated with an increase in VE from 8.41 +/- 0.78 to 9.91 +/- 0.75 l/min (P less than 0.05) but no change in PCO2. The HVR, expressed as A, increased 44% with hormone replacement from a value of 122 +/- 23 to 176 +/- 28 (P less than 0.01), whereas the HCVR was minimally affected by testosterone administration. These findings may in part explain the previously described differences between male and female subjects in hypoxic sensitivity.     

Self-Renewal Capacity and Clonal Succession of Haemopoietic Stem Cells In Long-Term Bone Marrow Culture

Abstract. The CFU-s proliferative potential varied greatly during long-term cultivation. Most of the CFU-s in the cultures were represented by cells with low renewal capacity. Pre-CFU-s cells capable of producing multipotential colonies in methylcellulose, which contained CFU-s with a high proliferative potential, were identified in the culture. In cultivation of a mixture of cells of different karyotype their ratio changed rapidly from week to week. the findings were consistent with the hypothesis that haemopoietic stem cells are maintained in the culture by the products of a small number of clones which arise and decline in succession, and that pre-CFU-s, but not the CFU-s themselves, are clonogenic progenitors.     

Inhibitory effects of somatostatin on growth and differentiation in cultured intestinal mucosa

The effect of somatostatin on mucosal DNA, protein and brush border enzymes was studied in organ cultured rabbit jejunum and ileum. Compared to control cultures, somatostatin reduced the biopsy DNA and protein content in parallel in the jejunum, but was ineffective in the ileum. This was probably due to a direct growth inhibition, since DNA and brush border enzyme activity from desquamated cells in the postculture medium were unaffected. In addition, a direct inhibition of jejunal villous cell differentiation by somatostatin was reflected in a significant decrease of sucrase, maltase and alkaline phosphatase activity. In the ileum, only the specific activity of alkaline phosphatase was reduced. The key enzyme of cholesterol synthesis, HMG-CoA-reductase, was measured as an intracellular enzyme control and was not influenced by the hormone. The high somatostatin concentrations necessary to achieve the effects are not an artefact of hormone degradation during culture, as shown by radioimmunoassay, and suggest a local or "paracrine" rather than systemic, inhibitory action of somatostatin on intestinal growth and differentiation.