The shell of the nucleus accumbens has a higher dopamine response compared with the core after non-contingent intravenous ethanol administration.

Dopamine increases in the nucleus accumbens after ethanol administration in rats, but the contributions of the core and shell subregions to this response are unclear. The goal of this study was to determine the effect of various doses of i.v. ethanol infusions on dopamine in these two subregions of the nucleus accumbens. Male Long-Evans rats were infused with either acute i.v. ethanol (0.5, 1.0, 1.5 g/kg), repeated i.v. ethanol (four 1.0 g/kg infusions resulting in a cumulative dose of 4.0 g/kg), or saline as a control for each condition. Dopamine and ethanol were measured in dialysate samples from each experiment. The in vivo extraction fraction for ethanol of probes was determined using i.v. 4-methylpyrazole, and was used to estimate peak brain ethanol concentrations after the infusions. The peak brain ethanol concentrations after the 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 g/kg ethanol infusions were estimated to be 20, 49 and 57 mM, respectively. A significant dopamine increase was observed for the 0.5 g/kg ethanol group when collapsed across subregions. However, both the 1.0 g/kg and 1.5 g/kg ethanol infusions produced significant increases in dopamine levels in the shell that were significantly higher than those in the core. An ethanol dose-response effect on dopamine in the shell was observed when saline controls, 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 g/kg groups were compared. For the cumulative-dosing study, the first, second, and fourth infusions resulted in significant increases in dopamine in the shell. However, these responses were not significantly different from one another. The results of this study show that the shell has a stronger response than the core to i.v. ethanol, that dopamine in the shell increases in a dose-dependent manner between 0.5-1.0 g/kg doses, but that the response to higher ethanol doses reaches a plateau.

Biliary atresia--bile acids and prostaglandin E2 in cell cultures of bile duct epithelia.

In a cell culture model of bile duct epithelial cells, the effect of prostaglandin E2, lithocholic acid and deoxycholic acid was studied. Bile acids and prostaglandin are administered postoperatively in biliary atresia empirically as choleretics. Prostaglandin E2 and the bile acids all had inhibitory effects on bile duct epithelial cells in culture. There is no clinical study proving the efficacy of either bile acids or prostaglandin E2 in biliary atresia. The negative results with these substances in cell cultures warrants reserve in their routine clinical use in biliary atresia.

[Duodenal atresia. Experiences with 145 patients]. / Duodenalatresie. Erfahrungen mit 145 Patienten.

145 children with duodenal atresia were operated on between 1971 and 1988. 57 were premature, 48 newborn, 11 toddlers and 5 older children. Once the immediate perioperative phase is overcome, the postoperative prognosis is determined only by the severity of associated anomalies. Most atresias were found to be located prepapillary. Trisomy 21, malrotations and vitium cordis were the most frequent associated anomalies. Relaparotomies were required in 21%, mostly because of adhesions.

The influence of various amino acids on the extrahepatic bile ducts in newborn mice--an experimental study.

Excess proline in adult animals is associated with extrahepatic biliary hyperplasia. Possible therapeutic application of this amino acid in biliary atresia was postulated. In order to test whether excess proline had an influence on the development of the extrahepatic bile ducts, pregnant mice were injected daily with various amino acids. One day and 1 week after delivery, the extrahepatic bile ducts of the newborn mice were studied and the number of epithelial cells per cross section was determined. Neither proline nor any other amino acid had an influence on the proliferation of extrahepatic bile ducts.

Characterization of human extrahepatic biliary duct epithelial cells in culture.

In order to study human bile duct cells in vitro, cystic ducts were obtained during cholecystectomy and treated with collagenase and mechanical abrasion to isolate biliary epithelial cells. The culture medium was supplemented with 50% of a bovine bile duct conditioned medium obtained by incubating minced bovine extrahepatic bile ducts for 24 hr in Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium. Cells grew in monolayer and showed contact inhibition at confluency. The epithelial origin of primary cultures was verified by their growth pattern, ultrastructure, and indirect immunofluorescence for cytokeratin. The cultures showed specific immunofluorescence for lysozyme, collagen types I, III, and IV, fibronectin, and laminin, but were negative for collagen type V and factor VIII-associated antigen. Thus, these cultures provide an experimental model for the in vitro study of biliary atresia and other bile duct diseases.

[Bile duct epithelium and bile duct atresia]. / Gallengangsepithel und Gallengangsatresie.

In order to investigate pathogenetic theories about the origins of biliary atresia, a model consisting of cell cultures of bile duct epithelium from the extrahepatic ducts of human and bovine origin is presented. The epithelial nature of the cultivated cells was documented by phase contrast microscopy, by electron microscopy and immunohistochemistry (anti-keratin). Inoculation studies of primary human cell cultures showed a cytopathic effect by light microscopy for all tested viruses (adeno, polio, herpes, rubella) except for reovirus type 3, for which a CPE was not demonstrable. A growth stimulating substrate for bile duct epithelial cells is described; among the purified growth factors epidermal growth factor was without effect (EGF), while cholecystokinin (CCK) led to an increase in cell numbers.

[193 cases of gastroschisis and omphalocele--postoperative results]. / 193 Fälle von Gastroschisis und Omphalozele--Postoperative Ergebnisse.

Treatment was applied to 97 cases of omphalocele and 96 cases of gastroschisis at the Dortmund Department of Paediatric Surgery over the past 20 years. The survival rate was 122. Follow-up checks were recently applied to 56 of those former patients, after nearly ten years had elapsed from surgery. Thirty-eight of these patients were clinically examined, while questionnaires were completed for the rest. Primary closures had been performed on 50 per cent of the cases, while the defects in the other children were closed in two stages, using dura implantation or silastic pouches, or were conservatively treated. Accompanying malformations were recorded from 21 per cent of the gastroschisis cases and from 28 per cent of those with omphalocele. Overall mortality accounted for 37 per cent, with mortality in the wake of receptive operations being as high as 40 to 50 per cent, the latter rate not depending on the primary approach. One and the same risk was found to exist for conservative treatment (applicable only to closed omphalocele) and primary surgical closure, as may be seen from statistical evaluation. The highest rate of relaparotomy occurred in the wake of dura implantation and use of silastic pouches.

[Esophageal replacement with resorbable vicryl tubes--an animal experiment study]. / Osophagusersatz mit resorbierbaren Vicryl-Schläuchen--Eine tierexperimentelle Untersuchung.

In order to study a novel resorbable oesophageal prosthesis, four centimetres of cervical oesophagus were replaced by a Vicryl tube in 26 dogs with an average weight of 16.9 kg. The implants were removed after 2, 4, 8 days and after 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 weeks. 19% of the animals died; not counting three dogs which were sacrificed earlier than planned, the overall lethality was 8%. Dehiscences occurred in 75%, of which 2/3 closed spontaneously within the first 10 days. Stenoses developed in 87%. All dogs had difficulty in swallowing. A fibrous tube with complete epithelial lining formed around the prosthesis within two weeks. Following this the prosthesis was lifted off and expelled per vias naturales.

[Cell cultures of the epithelium of the bile ducts: a possible model for the study of atresia of the bile ducts]. / Cultivos celulares del epitelio de conductos biliares: un posible modelo para el estudio de la atresia de vías biliares.

The pathogenic mechanism of biliary atresia is still unknown. Assuming that primary lesion is localized at the epithelial layer of the biliary ducts, authors describe a technique of culturing biliary duct cells in monolayer fashion. Light and electron microscopy demonstrate the epithelial origin of the cultured cells. These cells can be used to test some of the pathogenic theories in vitro hitherto proposed.

Cell cultures of bile duct epithelium and the pathogenesis of biliary atresia.

The pathogenesis of biliary atresia is unknown. The authors describe a technique for culturing extrahepatic bile duct epithelial cells of human and bovine origin in monolayer cell cultures. Light-, electron microscopy and immunohistological studies prove the epithelial nature of the cultured cells. Inoculation of the cells with reovirus 3 showed no destruction; adenovirus 6, herpes simplex and polio virus 1 and 2 destroyed the cells within 24 h. The cells produce a growth factor maintaining the integrity of the cells, even in the absence of serum.