Collagen synthesis as a marker for cell type in mouse 3T3 lines.

Collagen synthesis was applied as a test of the fibroblastic or endothelial origin of the 3T3 mouse lines. Swiss/3T3 lines and Balb/3T3 (clone A31) were compared with respect to the amounts and types of collagen synthesized. All lines symthesized collagen at relatively high and similar rates.

Aortosonography.

Ultrasound should be considered as the primary procedure of choice in the evaluation of the abdominal aorta. It is noninvasive and does not require injection of contrast material. Both normal and abnormal ultrasonic aortic patterns are usually so typical that independent confirmation is not needed unless surgery is anticipated.

Suprasternal notch echocardiography. Assessment of its clinical utility in pediatric cardiology.

Echocardiographic suprasternal relationships of the transverse aortic arch (TAA), right pulmonary artery (RPA) and left atrium (Y' LAD) were validated and angiographic-echocardiographic measurement correlations were made for each structure. Normal values were determined with respect to body surface area. In normals, regardless of age or body size, mean dimensional TAA/RPA ratio was 1.

South African multicentre study of metoprolol and propranolol in essential hypertension.

Ninety-three patients diagnosed as essential hypertensives, WHO stage I or II, entered this double-blind trial comparing 2 dose levels of CGP 2175-H 93/26 (metoprolol) with 2 doses of propranolol. Treatment on active medication was maintained for 6 weeks and was started after a 2-week washout and a 2-week placebo period. Twelve patients dropped out of the trial for reasons not related to the drugs and 1 patient was regarded as a therapeutic failure.

Superoxide anion and drug-induced hemolysis.

Superoxide anion, either generated during the autooxidation of dihydroxyfumaria acid or by the interaction of 1,4-naphthoquinone-2-sulfonate and intracellular hemoglobin in red cells pretreated with the intracellular superoxide dismutase inhibitor, diethyldithiocarbamate, produces structural changes in red cells hemoglobin and hypotonic lysis. No evidence for lipid peroxidation was found in red cells exposed to either 1,4 naphthoquinone-2-sulfonate in the presence of diethyldithiocarbamate or to dihydroxyfumaric acid, although the membranes of these cells exposed to either 1,4 naphthoquinone-2-sulfonate in the presence of diethyldithiocarbamate or to dihydroxyfumaric acid, although the membranes of these cells retained a green pigment. These results suggest that superoxide anion reacts with cellular hemoglobin to form hemoglobin breakdown products which bind to the red cell membrane and thereby increase the osmotic fragility of the cell.

Enzyme histochemistry of ovarina lipoid cell hyperplasia in a masculinized patient.

In an effort to better identify the specific steroids produced by histologically similar cells of certain ovarian tumors, a battery of histochemical assays was performed on a masculinizing tumor removed from a 21-year-old patient. Certain reactions were distinguished that seemed to be specific for the histologically classic luteinized stromal cell, and these reactions can be correlated with those obtained with Leydig and hilar cells. The apparent precursors of the interstitial cells (ISC) of this tumor, and to a lesser extent the immature ISC, possess unusually high cholinesterase activity, especially with the butyryl ester.

Left ventricular function in chronic renal failure.

Left ventricular function was studied in 14 patients with end-stage chronic renal failure using non-invasive methods (echocardiography and systolic time intervals). Patients were divided into 3 groups. Group 1 consisted of 5 patients who were normotensive at the time of study and group 2 of 7 patients who were hypertensive when studied.

Superoxide anion as a mediator of drug-induced oxidative hemolysis.

The superoxide dismutase inhibitor diethyldithiocarbamate (DDC) was utilized to study the toxic effect of 1,4-naphthoquinone 2-sulfonate (NQ), a structural analog of the hemolytic drug, menadione, on red cells. NQ was shown to react with hemoglobin and result in the generation of superoxide anion (O2-). Red cells treated with NQ were found to undergo a gradual disappearance of their oxyhemoglobin and also hemolyze.

Angiography after renal homotransplantation.

The role of angiography in the investigation of problems encountered among 181 patients who received renal transplants at the Johannesburg General Hospital is analysed. In all, 23 patients underwent arteriography or venography after transplantation for the investigation of problems such as renal dysfunction, hypertension and suspected renal vein or iliofemoral venous thrombosis.

Production of superoxide anion during the oxidation of hemoglobin by menadione.

Menadione in the presence of oxyhemoglobin will accelerate the formation of methemoglobin and result in the generation of superoxide anion. Menadione appears to oxidize slowly ferrohemoglobin to ferrihemoglobin, while forming menadione semiquinone in the process. Menadione semiquinone is known to react with molecular oxygen to yield superoxide anion.

Radioimmunoassay of procollagen in serum of patients with Paget's disease of bone.

A new radioimmunoassay for human procollagen showed that the sera of 46 of 50 untreated patients with Paget's disease of bone contained increased concentrations of procollagen protein as compared to normal adults. After therapy with disodium etidronate, all the elevated serum procollagen concentrations decreased significantly, falling to normal levels in 33 of 40 patients. The procollagen levels before and after treatment were coordinate with the values for urinary total hydroxyproline and serum alkaline phosphatase activity.

The mechanism of superoxide anion generation by the interaction of phenylhydrazine with hemoglobin.

The mechanism by which superoxide anion is generated by the interaction of phenylhydrazine with either oxy- or methemoglobin was investigated. Rather than superoxide anion generation resulting from an accelerated autooxidation of oxyhemoglobin, it was found that both oxy- and methemoglobin function as peroxidases toward phenylhydrazine with the resultant oxidation of this compound to phenyldiazine. Generation of phenyldiazine from the oxidation of phenylhydrazine by hemoglobin or by the hydrolysis and subsequent decarboxylation of methyl phenylazoformate (C6H5N=NCOOCH3) resulted in the production of superoxide anion.

Ultrasonic evaluation of the common bile duct.

The efficacy of ultrasound in detecting a tumor in the head of the pancreas as a cause of obstructive jaundice has been well established. With gray scale imaging, it is possible to visualize the biliary tract including the common bile duct, and thereby to differentiate between extrahepatic (obstructive) and intrahepatic (hepatocellular and cholestatic) jaundice in many cases.

Percutaneous needle endoscopy of renal cysts.

Direct visualization of the interior of renal cysts by means of an endoscope inserted through an ultrasonically guided needle in the flank has been performed satisfactorily in 12 patients. Useful information was obtained in all cases. While the procedure is still experimental, it appears promising and worthy of further evaluation.

Ultrasonic cholangiography. Gray-scale B-scan evaluation of the common bile duct.

Gray-scale B-scanning permits evaluation of major portions of the bile ducts, especially those with significant dilatation. Injection of contrast material containing microscopic air bubbles through a T-tube with simultaneous ultrasonography detected multiple echoes filling in the previously echo-free area which represented the common bile duct, outlining both the duct and portions of the major tributaries. Reflections could be obtained from stones within the duct.

Ultrasound evaluation of the thyroid.

Ultrasound provides a safe noninvasive means of imaging the thyroid gland. It affords a reliable method of distinguishing cystic masses from other types of hypofunctioning thyroid nodules that might require surgical exploration. Due to the reported small frequency of false positive ultrasonic diagnoses (i.

Combined use of ultrasound and nuclear medicine techniques in kidney disease.

Combined ultrasound and nuclear medicine procedures in the evaluation of urinary-tract disease are essentially limited to the kidneys. They are useful in the evaluation of patients with masses, renal failure, unilateral nonfunctioning kidney, trauma, and transplants. In our experience the combined use of these techniques has increased diagnostic accuracy and in many cases has obviated the need for more complex procedures associated with higher radiation doses.

Significance of exercise-induced second degree atrioventricular block.

A case of second degree, type II, atrioventricular block precipitated by exercise is presented. It is suggested that exercise and other vagolytic manoeuvres may be used as a means of differentiating type I from type II atrioventricular block: the conduction disturbance of type I improves with exercise, whereas that of type II deteriorates with exercise.