Lung carcinoma of sheep (jaagsiekte): tissue-bound precipitating antibodies.

Firmly bound IgG was examined and its activity was tested in spontaneous lung carcinoma of sheep (jaagsiekte). High levels of IgG were extracted by acid-glycine buffer (GB) at pH 2.8 from both the tumor tissue and normal lung, which were exhaustively prewashed by phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) at pH 7.4. The first acid-GB eluates of the normal or tumor tissue acted in the immunodiffusion test as precipitating antibodies against antigens of the first PBS eluate of the tumor tissue. In addition, free intracytoplasmic type A particles were observed in cell-free tumor extract.

Normal tissue response to localized deep microwave hyperthermia in the rabbit's prostate: a preclinical study.

Experiments were performed to determine the response of normal tissues of the rectal cavity and the prostate to localized 2.45 GHz microwave deep hyperthermia. Hyperthermia at 43 degrees C was delivered by means of a coaxial probe in the rectal cavity for 30 min. once or twice at an interval of 2 days. Normal tissues of the rectum, urinary bladder, and prostate were histologically examined up to three months after treatments. In almost all of the treated animals no tissue and organ injury resulted from localized deep hyperthermia at 43 degrees C. This treatment appears to be safe for the treatment of carcinoma of the prostate.

The enigma of parkinsonism in chronic borderline mercury intoxication, resolved by challenge with penicillamine.

A 47 year old female dentist suffered from hemiparkinsonism which had started eighteen months earlier and was manifested mainly by resting tremor and cogwheel rigidity. A baseline quantitative urinary mercury excretion was 46 micrograms/day. The patient was treated with chelating agent d-penicillamine for a week. Chelation therapy resulted in clinical improvement of parkinsonism and in dynamic changes in daily urinary mercury excretion with a prompt increase to 79 micrograms/day, a subsequent decline followed by increase in the mercury urinary excretion. After a week chelation therapy was stopped. During a follow-up period of five years, the neurological status remained unchanged after the initial penicillamine-induced improvement. This case may be evidence, therefore, of a rare clinical variant of elemental mercury intoxication associated with parkinsonism, in the absence of most classical neuropsychiatric signs of chronic mercurialism.

Early detection of tracheal damage in chickens by scanning electron microscopy.

Fifteen-day-old chickens were inoculated with effective doses of cultured Mycoplasma gallisepticum and treated with the antibiotic tiamulin or tylosin. Scanning electron microscopy was used to detect early and late damages in the tracheal mucosa of the affected birds. Edematous changes of various degrees were demonstrated as early as day 4 postinoculation. Catarrhal changes were observed at day 10 postinoculation, and obstruction of the tracheal lumen by mucofibrinous plugs was observed at day 10 or later postinoculation. Scanning electron microscopy was useful in early detection of inflammatory changes in the trachea of apparently healthy chicks.

Cell membrane activities and regeneration mechanisms as therapy mediators in moxibustion and acupuncture treatments: theoretical considerations.

Needling by acupuncture or heating by moxibustion, the major Chinese medicine modalities, include tissue destruction or increased permeability of cell membrane. Both action potential activities and the release of cellular metabolites responsible for regeneration occurs. These phenomena are eventually abolished by local and systemic inhibitory elements being metabolites or neurogenic. The inhibitory effect induced by the acupuncture and moxibustion and directed to the manipulation site of these modalities may affect other anatomical sites and reduce or prevent neoplastic growth and neuromuscular or cardiac membrane activity disturbances.

Scanning electron microscopy as a diagnostic procedure in giant cell arteritis.

Forty-five consecutive patients (32 women and 13 men) underwent biopsy of the temporal artery because of suspected giant cell arteritis. Their ages ranged from 38 to 84 years, mean 68.1 years. Five patients (11.1%) four of them women, were found to be affected by the disease. Their ages ranged from 54 to 80 years, mean 69 years. Clinical and laboratory findings included elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate, prolonged fever, continuous headache, sudden onset of unilateral blindness, intermittent mandibular claudication, severe anemia and myalgia. None of these, whether present in isolation or in various combinations, were of significant diagnostic value. All biopsies were examined both by light microscopy and by scanning electron microscopy. The former examination took about 5-7 days to complete, and the latter about 3 hours. Light microscopy studies showed that 46.6% of the arterial biopsies were normal, 42.3% were arteriosclerotic and 11.1% (5 specimens) were characteristic of giant cell arteritis. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that the biopsies obtained from all five patients found to have temporal arteritis displayed the "occlusive" pattern: the three-laminar appearance of the artery was markedly distorted or lost, the internal elastic lamina was barely detectable, and the densely hypertrophied media and intima filled the arterial lumen, virtually obliterating it. We conclude that scanning electron microscopy is a quick and accurate procedure for diagnosis of temporal arteritis and that positive findings may be taken as an indication for immediate steroid treatment.

Heterotransplantation of experimentally induced sheep lung adenomatosis into nude mice.

Male ICR nude mice inoculated subcutaneously with minced tissue obtained from pulmonary adenomatosis of sheep which was induced by RNA type-C retrovirus developed a transplant which contained cysts lined by a proliferative epithelium. These cysts showed several characteristics of the epithelial tumour cells of origin, such as high glycogen content and secretion of mucin. Microinvasion of epithelial cells from the adenomatous cysts into the stroma was observed. The stromal tissue demonstrated islets of cartilage. It was concluded that virus-induced pulmonary carcinoma of sheep can be transplanted and grown in nude mice.

Osmotic fragility of rat embryo red blood cells collected during intrauterine growth.

Whole blood was tapped from the embryos of anaesthetized pregnant New Zealand rats using a micropipette of approximately 250 microm diameter, inserted through the uterine wall via a 5-mm incision in the anterior abdominal wall. The procedure was repeated 3 times (days 15, 17 and 19 of fetal life) in the same pregnant rats, and thereafter, twice in the surviving newborns (days 14 and 30 of neonatal life). Osmotic fragility of the red blood cells (RBC), reticulocyte counts and haemoglobin values of each sample were analysed. The fragility curve of the fetuses showed the presence of 2 types of cell population: a fragile and a more resistant type. This was correlated with the number of immature RBC (reticulocytes) in the samples. Starch gel electrophoresis of the haemoglobin revealed 4 fractions in both the fetuses and newborn animals.

Differences in production of solid Landhscütz tumours in BALB/c and ICR mice.

Landschütz tumour cells in the ascitic form injected subcutaneously into BALB/c or ICR mice produce solid tumours which grow progressively in most ICR mice but regress in nearly all BALB/c mice. Solid tumours in the peritoneal wall (produced by intraperitoneal inoculation of ascitic cells and treatment with normal serum) grew in both strains, but were more invasive in ICR mice. Surgical interference in BALB/c mice with these tumours, allowing adhesion of tumour to skin or subcutaneous fascia, resulted in cessation of tumour growth or regression.

Solid intraperitoneal Landschütz tumour in mice: implications in cancer chemotherapy and immunology studies.

Multiple intraperitoneal injections of various normal sera into BALB/c mice inoculated intraperitoneally with Landschütz ascites tumour cells abrogated the development of ascitic syndrome in almost all the animals. In a large proportion of the survivors solid intraperitoneal tumours developed, composed of characteristic ascites tumour cells engulfed and encapsulated in connective tissue. The effect of serum on the development of the solid tumour was diminished if the donor had been immunized against mouse IgG. Inoculated animals treated with serum hyperimmune against mouse IgG showed accelerated ascitic tumour growth. Cyclophosphamide or arabinosylcytosine strongly inhibited growth of solid tumours. Simultaneous administration of arabinosylcytosine and its antagonist cycloheximide did not interrupt tumour growth.

Impulsive artistic creativity as a presentation of transient cognitive alterations.

A 27-year-old right-handed male mosaic artisan who had not shown any interest in drawing or artistic activity was admitted to the Department of Neurology for attacks of bizarre behavior and convulsive disorder. The patient reported feeling "waves" engulfing him during the attacks, leaving him floating helplessly. During some attacks, the patient impulsively initiated drawing activity. Interictal sleep-deprivation EEG showed a left frontotemporal focus of paroxysmal discharge. Brain tomography with SPECT showed low 99Tc-HMPAO uptake in the left frontoparietal region. Psychodiagnostic tests gave evidence of dysfunction of the left frontal region, with preference of the right hemisphere. It is suggested that the attacks of altered cognitive state were, in this case, provoked by spreading depression of the left hemisphere, while the integrative functions of the right hemisphere remained intact. Thus, the impulsive artistic creativity during the attacks may represent a "release phenomenon" of the complex visuospatial skills of the right (subdominant) hemisphere. This symptomatology of transient cognitive alterations is unique and, to the best of our knowledge, has not been previously reported.

L'homme qui rit: inappropriate laughter and release phenomena of the frontal subdominant lobe.

Witzelsucht and moria are time-honored neurobehavioral terms. Witzelsucht is a tendency to tell inappropriate jokes, and moria is euphoric behavior. Focal right-orbitofrontal parenchymal lesion is often the anatomical substrate for these behavioral attitudes. This case report presents a patient with a longstanding witzelsucht-moria behavior. Single photon emission computerized tomography (SPECT) showed hypoperfused right-frontoparietal area in the absence of structural damage.

Rejection of deeply implanted foreign body induced by acupuncture treatment in patient suffering intractable pains lasting ten years following traumatic injury to the left scapular region during a road accident.

Upper back pains lasting ten years were promptly improved in a 63 year old woman following the rejection of a forgotten foreign glass body, through a scar located over the left scapula, and treated by acupuncture. The patient insisted on having this treatment after unsuccessful prolonged and multi-disciplinary formal medical interventions culminating in preparations for exploratory surgery. The acupuncture directed to the scar induced an inflammatory reaction characterized by a sterile granulomatous reaction which surrounded a large piece of glass, apparently implanted in the soft tissue of the suprascapular area during a severe road accident which occurred ten years previously. The surgical intervention was avoided.

Serratia marcescens infected silk suture rejected by combined acupuncture, moxibustion and low-power laser therapy from the abdominal fascia.

Upper abdominal pains lasting 12 years after cholecystectomy, were improved in an 82-year-old woman following the rejection of indigestable silk surgical sutures induced by combined therapy of acupuncture, moxibustion and low-power laser beam irradiation directed to an old post-cholecystectomy scar. An inflammatory reaction followed by granulation tissue mass was developed. Embedded in the granulation tissue were the above mentioned silk sutures which finally were expelled through the skin at the operation scar. A surgical procedure suggested to the patient, in case of acupuncture therapy failure, was obviously avoided. Serratia-marcescens infection of the expelled material was bacteriologically defined.

Tension headache treated by anti-inflammatory drug injected into GB 20 acupuncture point.

The anti-inflammatory drug Voltaren (0-(36-dichlorophenyl)-amino acetate) is a relatively new substance in the systemic treatment of various pain inducing diseases related to the musculoskeletal elements. In order to achieve effective results, relatively high dosage, applied P.O.P.R. or I.M. should be used for prolonged periods. The acupuncture methods presented the eastern minded western physician with a detailed list of trigger points which may have abrogated certain painful symptoms when appropriately used by acupuncture maneuvers alone. In the present study the possibility of using the appropriate acupuncture point GB 20 for the injection of Voltaren, in an attempt to relieve stable and prolonged tension headaches, has been considered. Thus, acceptable and combined eastern-western treatment method, if found successful, may be evolved. GB 20 point has been selected because of its effective influence among others, on tension headaches, a highly common and most distressing syndrome poorly treated by conventional approaches in most clinics.

The contribution of thermo-moxibustion to surgical treatment in transplanted mouse mammary carcinoma.

BALB/C mice bearing progressive transplanted mammary carcinoma were treated by surgical removal of the tumor mass either with or without thermo-moxibustion, applied to the GV 14-point-equivalent. A surgical removal of the tumor, 14 days post-inoculation resulted in 61% of deaths compared with 90.0% of deaths in the sham operated control. By the addition of the thermo-moxibustion therapy, the mortality rate, in the surgically treated group was reduced to 37.5%. Surgical removal of the tumor mass at day 17 post-inoculation resulted in 70% death while surgery supported by thermo-moxibustion protected the animals to the range of 40% death. Surgical removal of the tumor mass followed by local heterologous immuno-therapy was very effective when applied 14 days post-inoculation (12.5% death only). However, the same procedures applied at day 17 post-inoculation were not effective (80% death). Surgery and moxibustion together were more effective than surgery alone. Surgery and immunotherapy were very effective when applied from day 14 post-inoculation. Thermo-moxibustion as the sole treatment was effective when applied either before or very close to the tumor cell inoculation (35% of death and 33% of death respectively, as compared to 61.7% death in the control). Thermo-moxibustion applied before and after tumor cell inoculation was more effective (15% death rate). Thermo-moxibustion either alone or in conjunction with surgery is a contribution to the protection of BALB/C mice against the early and the late development of mouse mammary carcinoma.