Free radicals as carcinogens and their quenchers as anticarcinogens.

An oxygen dependent signal was detected, late in the 1950s by electron spin resonance (ESR) in a saline solution of hematoporphyrin (Hp) excited by light. This signal expressed a free radical consisting of 'some kind of an association between Hp and oxygen', that Smaller et al. called 'oxyradical' (HpOO.

Identification of glucagon binding sites on smooth muscle tissue of dog intestine. Quantification by means of ultrastructural autoradiography.

125I-glucagon binding sites have been detected and quantified on the intestinal smooth muscle cells of the dog by means of ultrastructural autoradiographic methods. These binding sites are located mainly in the plasmalema. The present findings established a morphological correlation with the physiological data concerning the spasmolytic function of the glucagon on the intestinal wall.

Quantitative and ultrastructural alterations in the lamina propria and Sertoli cells in human cryptorchid testes.

A quantitative and ultrastructural study was performed on biopsies of human cryptorchid testes to investigate lesions in the lamina propria and Sertoli cells. Prepubertal cryptorchid testes (1-9 years of age) were classified into four groups: Type 1, testes with minimal lesions; Type II, testes with a moderate decrease in tubule diameter and spermatogonal number; Type III, testes with Sertoli cell hypoplasia and a marked reduction in tubule diameter and spermatogonal number; and Type IV, testes with Sertoli cell hyperplasia and a variable reduction in spermatogonal number. An increase in thickness of the lamina propria was found in Type II and III testes from 5 years of age onwards.

Reduction of chromosomal damage by bleomycin in lymphocytes from subjects supplemented with carotenoids. Relevance in bleomycin tumour chemotherapy. Preliminary results.

In a one year-study, 9 healthy human donors were being supplemented with beta-carotene (BC) plus canthaxanthin (CX), to determine the effect of carotenoids on chromosomal damage (micronuclei) induced in the donors' lymphocyte cell cultures by exposure to bleomycin (BLM), an antineoplastic drug that has been shown to produce chromosomal aberrations through the production of free radicals. The first four months monitoring data, including determination of carotenoid blood levels, are here reported. These data show that carotenoid supplementation significantly decrease (up to 50%) the formation of micronuclei induced by BLM in human lymphocyte cell cultures.

Multinucleate epithelial cells in the ductuli efferentes of human epididymis.

The histological and ultrastructural study of the ductuli efferentes in epididymides from 40 adult men revealed the occurrence of multinucleate epithelial cells in all specimens. These cells appeared in the luminal protrusions of epithelial folds and correspond to either principal or ciliated cells. The ultrastructure of their cytoplasm did not differ from that of their respective mononucleate cells.

Brain metastases: surgical versus conservative treatment.

A comparative study on surgical versus conservative brain metastases treatment has been carried out. Patients have been divided in seven groups by means of treatment modalities. Follow-up, has been carried out taking into consideration mean survival time and quality life in particular, evaluated by means of Order's classes.

Laminin, type IV collagen, and fibronectin in normal and cryptorchid human testes. An immunohistochemical study.

An immunohistochemical study of laminin, type IV collagen, and fibronectin was carried out in the testes of normal men and in the cryptorchid and contralateral scrotal testes of cryptorchid men from 2 to 40 years of age. The integrated optical density (IOD) per unit area of the lamina propria was measured in the immunostained sections. Fibronectin was found throughout the thickness of the lamina propria of the seminiferous tubules and in the interstitial connective tissue.

Photobiological effects in Saccharomyces cerevisiae induced by the monofunctional furocoumarin 4,4',6-trimethylangelicin (TMA) and the bifunctional furocoumarin 8-methoxypsoralen (8-MOP).

Recently, the monofunctional furocoumarin 4,4',6-trimethylangelicin (TMA) has been proposed for photochemotherapeutic use. In order to assess its genotoxic potential, the photobiological (genetic) effects of TMA were studied in a diploid strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (D7) and compared to those of the bifunctional furocoumarin 8-methoxypsoralen (8-MOP). At equimolar concentrations, the induction of lethal effects by TMA in the presence of equal 365-nm radiation was higher than that exerted by 8-MOP.

Auxiliary liver by transplanted frozen-thawed hepatocytes.

Among the therapeutic alternatives to orthotopic liver transplantation, hepatocyte transplantation (HT) offers the best potential in a number of liver diseases, mainly inborn errors of metabolism. Nevertheless, HT presents several inconveniences such as the scarce knowledge of the functionality of the transplanted hepatocytes, which has given rise to controversy about the specificity or unspecificity of the transplant, and the lack of a suitable system for preserving the cells. This study was designed to test a system for cryopreserving hepatocytes and to assess their functionality over prolonged periods after their ectopic transplantation.

Histochemistry and ultrastructure of nerve fibres and contractile cells in the tunica albuginea of the rat testis.

Whole-mounted preparations of the tunica albuginea of the rat testis were studied using light microscopy techniques for demonstration of cholinergic nerve fibres (Karnovski-Root method), catecholaminergic nerve fibres (De la Torre's method) and actin filaments (avidin-biotin-peroxidase method). An ultrastructural study of different regions of the albuginea was also performed. Cholinergic fibres were seen to penetrate into the albuginea with the testicular artery to form a broad network in the mediastinum testis, many fibres ending beneath the rete testis epithelium.

Cancer chemoprevention by supplemental carotenoids and synergism with retinol in mastodynia treatment.

Cancer chemoprevention with beta-carotene (BC), canthaxanthin (CX) and retinol-BC is reported with respect to skin, breast, gastric, colon carcinogeneses induced by benzo(a)pyrene (BP) with or without ultra violet radiation (UV-A, UV-B), dimethylbenzathracene (DMBA) +/- UVB, P-UVA, N-methyl-N'-N-nitro-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG), dimethylhydrazine (DMH), and with respect to transplanted tumours. When animals were loaded with carotenoid supplementation one month before the carcinogenic induction (continued throughout the experiment), cancer prevention was observed up to 60-100%. The absence of provitamin A-activity in CX shows the carotenoid antioxidant property.

In vitro reactivity of dog cavernous carotid artery to stretch and adrenergic stimulation.

The reactivity of the dog cavernous carotid artery to stretch, field electrical stimulation, and norepinephrine was studied using arterial segments under isometric conditions. Light microscopy revealed that this artery is of muscular type and its external surface is covered by venous endothelium, and fluorescence microscopy showed a dense adrenergic innervation. On stretch, arteries exhibited an immediate, transient contraction (phasic response) and a late, maintained contraction (tonic response) that were unaffected by tetrodotoxin (10(-6) M) or endothelium removal but were reduced by the inhibitors of cyclooxygenase indomethacin (10(-6) M), acetylsalicylic acid (3 x 10(-5) M), or meclofenamate (10(-5) M).

Acquired cystic transformation of the rete testis secondary to renal failure.

The histologic study of testicular specimens from 218 consecutive autopsies revealed a cystic transformation of the rete testis in 26 men. Serial sections of the testes, epididymides, and spermatic cords of these men were studied by light microscopy. In 15 cases, the rete testis dilation was caused by obstruction of the epididymis.

[Anesthesia for shoulder surgery. Comparison of anesthesiologic problems and technics].

We evaluated the ability of general, regional (interscalene block) and balanced anaesthesia (interscalene block supplemented by general anaesthesia) to manage the problems of shoulder surgery. Our results show that general anaesthesia is not adequate. Interscalene block provides intra and postoperative analgesia, allows an early realization of the postoperative rehabilitation programme and quickens the recovery of shoulder function.

Cancer chemoprevention by supplemental carotenoids in animals and humans.

Experiments were carried out in mice demonstrating that dietary carotenoids (beta-carotene or canthaxanthin), starting before cancer initiation and continuing throughout the experiment, have a protective effect against indirect skin carcinogenesis induced by benzo[a]pyrene +/- UVA and breast cancer induced by 8-methoxypsoralen + UVA. Experiments in rats demonstrated that carotenoids also prevent the direct gastric carcinogenesis induced by N-methyl-N'-nitro-nitroso-guanidine. Recently, prevention by beta-carotene against colon cancer induced in mice by dimethylhydrazine, another indirect carcinogen, was confirmed by others.

Beta-carotene supplementation associated with intermittent retinol administration in the treatment of premenopausal mastodynia.

Twenty-five women, 23-41 year old, suffering from premestrual cyclical mastodynia linked or otherwise to benign breast disease (BBD), with moderate or severe pain at least seven days before each menstrual period, were treated with daily beta-carotene (BC) supplementation associated with intermittent administration of retinol (all-trans-retinol 300,000 IU per day). In this therapy retinol was given for 7 days immediately before each menstrual period. After 6 months' treatment, the results revealed marked reduction in breast pain, and sometime recovery, in 23-41 year old women with no toxic side effects.

Liver growth factor purified from human plasma is an albumin-bilirubin complex.

We have reported that a liver growth factor isolated from plasma of partially hepatectomized rats is an albumin-bilirubin complex. In this paper, we characterize the liver growth factor purified from subjects with hepatitis (h-LGF). This factor increases synthesis of DNA in a dose-dependent manner both in vivo in mouse hepatocytes, with a dose of maximal stimulation of 150 ng of h-LGF/mouse, and in vitro in rat liver cell culture, with maximal effect at 7.

[Muscular rigidity caused by alfentanil: prevention].

We studied three groups of 30 patients each, undergoing minor orthopaedic surgery, anaesthetized with alfentanil (30 micrograms/kg bolus followed by an infusion of 0.3 micrograms/kg/min), thiopental 3 mg/kg and 70% N2O via facial mask. Patients in group I were treated, three minutes before induction, with vecuronium 0.

Mechanics of arteries forming the carotid rete of goat and cattle.

To determine the mechanics of arteries forming the carotid rete mirabile of goat and cattle, the wall tension-circumference length relationship was recorded isometrically in isolated retial arteries of 350-600 microns in external diameter under relaxed and potassium-activated conditions. The results are compared to those of pial arteries of similar size. In relaxed retial and cerebral vessels, tension-length relationship had nonlinear characteristics and the incremental elastic modulus rose as the circumference length increased, the modulus being lower in retial than in pial arteries.

Secondary amyloidosis of the testis: an electron microscopic and histochemical study.

A histochemical and ultrastructural study of the testes, epididymides and spermatic cords from 6 adult men with amyloidosis secondary to several diseases is described. Amyloid fibrils, consisting mainly of AA protein, were deposited in the walls of blood vessels of the testis, epididymis and spermatic cord, as well as in the tunica propria of the seminiferous tubules. The seminiferous epithelium showed slight hypospermatogenesis.

Proliferative activity of human spermatogonia from fetal period to senility measured by cytophotometric DNA quantification.

The proliferative activity of human spermatogonia from the fetal period to senility was studied by means of cytophotometric quantification of the nuclear DNA content in histological sections. Proliferating spermatogonia that were replicating or had replicated their DNA (DNA content between 2.5c and 4.