Specificity and implications of ring chromosomes and dicentrics in benign mixed salivary gland tumours.

Among 61 human pleomorphic adenomas subjected to chromosomal study by banding methods, two rare cases were detected, one having a dicentric marker chromosome and the other a ring chromosome included in the stemline karyotype. Excepting meningiomas, such marker types have previously only been observed in different types of malignant neoplasms. However, as in meningiomas, the occurrence of dicentrics or rings has no implications as regards the question of malignancy.

Advantages of a new polyvinyl chloride double-lumen tube in thoracic surgery.

Double-lumen endobronchial tubes offer many advantages during thoracic operations. However, technical problems with tube placement and potentially life-threatening complications have discouraged widespread use of standard double-lumen tubes. Some of these problems may be reduced with a new polyvinyl chloride (PVC) double-lumen tube.

Cysteine sulfinic acid uptake in cultured neuronal and glial cells.

The presence of an efficient high affinity uptake system for L-CSA has been demonstrated in cultured neuronal and glial cells of various types. In neurons and most glial cells L-CSA uptake is inhibited by acidic amino acids, L-glutamate and L-aspartate and requires sodium ions; however the sodium dependence varies from one cell type to the other. The characteristics of the uptake system change during cell maturation, especially in astroblasts.

Effect of alfentanil and fentanyl on recovery from brief anaesthesia.

One hundred female patients were allocated randomly to receive either no analgesic supplementation to methohexitone, nitrous oxide in oxygen anaesthesia, or supplements of fentanyl 1.5 micrograms kg-1 or alfentanil 8, 12 or 16 micrograms kg-1. No differences were seen in the time to recover consciousness, regain orientation or manipulate shapes into a box.

[Value of C-reactive protein in neonatal bacterial infections].

C reactive protein (CRP) levels were measured in the serum of 2 groups of neonates before and after the 12th hour of life. One group consisted of controls, the other of children with neonatal sepsis. The means (+/- standard error) for CRP serum level were 6 +/- 0.

[Treatment of menopausal hot flushes with a nonhormonal medication, veralipride].

The value of veralipride in menopausal disorders is no longer questionable and has been documented by a number of studies. The purpose of this paper is to study the clinical effectiveness and to look for the biological consequences of three months therapy with veralipride. To achieve this, a thorough biological study (hematology, glucids, lipids, hepatic and renal function) was done in 21 patients with a menopausal syndrome before and after taking veralipride for three months.

Alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma: a cytogenetic and correlated cytological and histological study.

A correlative, histologic and cytologic study of seven cases of alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma and chromosome analysis using the G-banding technique (in case 1) is presented. The histologic pattern was characterized by pseudo-alveolar structures, separated by fibrous septa. Primitive, dark, round cells predominated, but differentiated rhabdomyoblasts were found in all cases, and so were multi-nucleated giant cells.

On double-minutes and their origin in a benign human neoplasm, a mixed salivary gland tumour.

The cytogenetical observations in the first double-minute (DM)-positive benign neoplasm, a human pleomorphic adenoma, are described. It is suggested that in the present adenoma the first DM was formed from a structurally and/or functionally specialized segment of the long arm of a chromosome No 12. If so, the results also indicate a close relation between chromosome regions preferentially involved in structural rearrangements in a certain tumour type and chromosome regions with the potential capacity to become released and behave and function as DMs.

Glutamine and glutamate transport in cultured neuronal and glial cells.

The uptake of L-glutamine in neuronal and glial cultures derived from rat cerebral hemispheres was found to be mediated by a low affinity-high capacity mechanism which was concentrative in both cell types; the calculated Km and Vmax were twice as high in glial than in neuronal cultures. In contrast L-glutamate was taken up by a high affinity system which was particularly efficient and concentrative in the glial cells. Different transport mechanisms for L-glutamine appeared to operate in the two cell types: L-glutamine uptake in neurons was sodium-dependent, specifically inhibited by L-glutamine but not affected by high potassium concentrations in the external medium; on the other hand, glial glutamine transport was decreased when potassium concentration increased, was sodium-independent and significantly inhibited by 3 structurally related amino acids.

Chromosome analysis and sister chromatid exchange in encephalo-trigeminal angiodysplasia.

A female, aged 32, with facial birthmarks and suffering migraine headaches and a slight hemiparesis was examined with isotope scanning, CT and angiography. She was found to have a massive, unilateral angiodysplasia, transforming the right cerebral hemisphere into an expanding vascular sponge-like structure. There was a family history of red facial birthmarks.

Lye ingestion. Clinical patterns and therapeutic implications.

Conventional treatment of caustic esophagitis consists of early endoscopy to the first site of injury followed by antibiotic and steroid therapy, with early mechanical dilatation to prevent stricture formation. The failure of this approach in two recent patients led us to review our overall experience with the management of patients who had ingested lye or other caustic substances. Of 42 patients treated at the Santa Clara Valley Medical Center between 1970 and 1980, seven sustained severe esophageal burns.

Rapid immunochemical determination of plasma fibronectin with a centrifugal analyzer.

We report a turbidimetric procedure, using commercially available reagents, for the determination of plasma fibronectin with an unmodified centrifugal analyser. Fixed-time kinetic readings at 340 nm were taken at 60 and 720 s. A wide range of concentration (up to 1000 mg/l) can be measured.

Adenoid cystic carcinoma: a third type of human salivary gland neoplasms characterized cytogenetically by reciprocal translocations.

Using G-banding technique, the chromosomes were studied in four consecutive preparations from cultured material from a human adenoid cystic carcinoma of the submandibular gland. The results indicated that the carcinoma had originated with a normal diploid stemline, and that reciprocal translocations played a predominant role in development of an abnormal stemline. The propensity of developing variant cells, as well as an abnormal stemline, characterized by various types of reciprocal translocations, was found to be a property shared by two other types of salivary gland neoplasms studied by banding techniques, namely the pleomorphic adenoma and the acinic cell tumour.

Establishment of attached and non-attached cell lines from an uncommon human glioma.

A New cell line, U-706, established from an uncommon human glioma (possibly giant-cell glioblastoma) is reported in this communication. The tumor gave rise to two permanent sublines, one attached (U-706M) and one non-attached (U-706S) cell line. The growth characteristics, chromosome banding pattern, electronmicroscopic picture and cell surface characteristics of the two sublines are described.

Pneumothorax: a therapeutic update.

The traditional treatment of pneumothorax has been with a chest tube and hospitalization. A series of 35 patients with 41 pneumothoraces treated on an outpatient basis is presented here. A no.