COMPARISON OF THE BEHAVIOUR OF A SOLUBLE AND A MEMBRANE-BOUND ENZYME IN TRANSECTED PERIPHERAL NERVES

Phosphoglucoisomerase (PGI), a soluble enzyme, and AChE, a membrane-bound enzyme were studied in transected peroneal nerves of dog and in isolated segments of these nerves. Although activities of both enzymes increased at the ends of transected nerves, marked differences in their behaviour were observed. The increment in AChE activity was much sharper than that of PGI and continued to grow with time whereas the increase in PGI developed fully within the initial hours after transection and did not change thereafter. In an isolated nerve segment AChE accumulated at both ends with a concomitant decrease in the middle part, whereas changes in PGI activity appeared only in the terminal parts, the rest of the nerve remaining at the normal level. The terminal increase of PGI did not, contrary to that of AChE, depend on the length of the isolated segment. The changes in PGI activity may be features of a local peritraumatic reaction whereas those of AChE indicate involvement of the whole segment along which the enzyme containing organelles are transported.     

Visualization of the cytoskeleton in Leydig cells in vitro

Summary Effect of LH, vinblastine and cytochalasin B on the cytoskeleton of cultured Leydig cells was investigated using monoclonal antibodies and fluorescence microscopy. After LH addition and treatment with cytoskeletal disrupting drugs, three main effects were observed: 1) increase of androgen level secreted by cultured mouse Leydig cells, 2) changes of cell-shape towards regular and rounded, 3) increase of ⁵,3-HSD activity. The results are discussed in respect to possible involvement of cytoskeleton in the regulation of steroidogenesis.     

Ultrasonographic and scintigraphic studies of "hot" autonomic thyroid nodules

Scintigraphic and gammagraphic (gamma-camera) techniques have been applied in diagnosing "hot" non-TSH dependent thyroid nodules. On the basis of frequent uneven accumulation of isotopic tracer observed in scintigraphic studies it was concluded that the structure of these nodules is heterogeneous. In some cases paradoxical patterns have been obtained following the dynamic tests of suppression and stimulation of the thyroid: after the administration of thyroid preparations paranodular thyroid tissue appears, while TSH administration causes an increase in the iodine uptake by the nodule. Ultrasonographic and gamma-camera studies have been carried out in 50 cases of "hot" autonomic thyroid nodules previously diagnosed by scintigraphy. Ultrasonographic studies revealed a weaker echogenicity in some cases and an intensified echo in the other. Sometimes by using this technique it was possible to demonstrate the occurrence of heterogeneous structures suggesting a cystic degeneration of the nodule. Paranodular thyroid tissue, invisible in scintigraphic scanning, could usually be observed by applying gamma-camera. It was concluded that both gamma camera and ultrasonographic studies confirm heterogeneous structure of intranodular tissue producing paradoxical patterns in scintigraphic scanning, with the latter technique usually aiding the detection of paranodular thyroid tissue without the necessity of application of the TSH test.     

Anaerobic bacteria detected in inflammatory conditions of the respiratory tract

In this study a participation of anaerobic bacteria in respiratory tract diseases is presented. Bronchial washings collected by ++fibrobronchoscope constituted material for the study. Immediately after collection the material was plated onto two media for aerobic bacteria (hemomedium) and anaerobic bacteria (anaeromedium). Then, the samples were centrifuged and a sediment was plated on solid media suitable for aerobic and anaerobic bacteria. Bacterial anaerobic isolates were identified by using API 20E and their sensitivity to antibiotics was tested. From the material described above the most frequently isolated anaerobic bacteria were such as: Streptococcus intermedius, Bacteroides melaninogenicus, Veilonella sp. Among aerobic bacteria the most frequently isolated were Gram-negative rods, Streptococcus faecalis, Branhamella catarrhalis. It is worth to underline that in about 25% of cases anaerobic bacteria were the only isolates.     

Biological role of endoreplication in the process of spermatogenesis inChara vulgaris L.

Summary During cell division in antheridial filaments ofChara vulgaris an increase in DNA content occurs in both shield cells and manubria within an antheridium, reaching 16C–64C and 8C–32C levels, respectively. Endoreplication ceases prior to the formation of spermatids and initiation of spermiogenesis, probably as a result of symplasmic isolation of the antheridium from the thallus. As the DNA content of the nuclei increases, the shield cells³H-leucine incorporation increases, and they grow intensively in the tangential plane. Translation decreases considerably after termination of shield cell growth. DNA content of mature manubria is half of that in shield cells, although their size is 10 times that of manubria. Translational activity of manubria also increases as DNA content rises and cells grow. However, during spermiogenesis, this activity remains at its maximum, which is associated with the secretory function of the manubria. Spermiogenesis is also accompanied by far-reaching ultrastructural changes within the manubrial cytoplasm.The level of endopolyploidy in both shield cells and manubria of antheridia formed in the spring is higher by one replication cycle, than in autumnal antheridia. AMO-1618, at a concentration of 10^–5M reduces the DNA content in the autumnal manubria. The higher the manubrial level of endopolyploidy in spermiogenesis, the greater their size, and the higher the translational activity and number of joined spermatids. The number of spermatozoids in the antheridium is also positively correlated with the internal volume of an antheridium, which is itself dependent on the endopolyploidy level of shield cells.The results obtained confirm the assumption that endoreplication favours the higher growth dynamics and potential translational activity, which occurs in the dynamic growth phase only in shield cells, while in manubria, i.e. cells producing substances necessary to spermatozoids development, it remains high until the end of spermiogenesis.     

Prognostic usefulness of certain defined indicators for achieving complete remission and survival of ANLL in adults: proposal of a prognostic scale

Retrospective analysis has included 323 patients with acute nonlymphocytic leukaemia. The comparable patient groups were treated since 1981, according to protocols used by the Polish Acute Leukaemia Group. The prognostic value for achieving complete remission and survival of 67 pre-treatment factors (42 quantitative and 25 qualitative) was evaluated. The most important 9 parameters were scored according to their prognostic value as follows: age, percent of blasts in bone marrow, peripheral blood blast count, morphological subtype, percent of granulocytes in bone marrow, percent of blasts with CD-15 antigen, thrombocyte count, spleen/liver enlargement, CSF protein levels. Proposed scoring system enables classification of ANLL patients to a standard and high risk groups.