An extremely rare complete bilateral duplication of inferior vena cava in a male cadaver: anatomy, embryology and clinical relevance.

The study presented an extremely rare case of real complete bilateral duplication of inferior vena cava (IVC) in a male cadaver which has never been reported before. Both IVC had approximately the same diameter. The right IVC drained into the right atrium; the left IVC continued as hemiazygos vein and drained into the superior vena cava. Three anastomotic venous channels, a cranial preaortic, a middle and a caudal retroaortic, joined both vessels. Multiple variations in the way of drainage of posterior intercostal veins, on both sides, were also present. The present report invalidates an old classification defining the two vessels when joined at the level of the renal veins as complete bilateral duplication of IVC. Although the presence of combination of venous variations is extremely rare, awareness of such variations is essential for clinical and surgical procedures to avoid misdiagnosis and surgical complications.

Curcumin ameliorates experimental autoimmune acute myocarditis in rats as evidenced by decrease in thioredoxin immunoreactivity.

This study was performed to investigate the effect of curcumin on cardiac myosin-induced autoimmune myocarditis in rats and the change in thioredoxin (TRX) immunoreactivity in cardiomyocytes following curcumin treatment. Twenty-four six-week-old male Wistar rats were randomly allocated into 4 groups of 6 rats each. Group I received neither curcumin nor myosin. Group II received an oral solution of 1 g/kg/day of curcumin daily, from day 1 to day 21. To induce myocarditis, animals of both group III and group IV were injected by 1 mg of porcine cardiac myosin on days 1 and 8. In addition, animals of group IV received an oral solution of 1 g/kg/day of curcumin daily, from day 1 to day 21. Serum levels of creatine phosphokinase, troponin-T, tumour necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-6 were estimated. Hearts were processed for histopathological and immunohistochemical studies. Serum biomarkers levels were significantly increased in myocarditis group as compared to other groups. The intake of curcumin significantly reduced the deviation in these markers. Sections of the wall of the heart from myocarditis group were characterised by inflammatory cell infiltration. Most of cardiomyocytes showed pyknotic nuclei and increased sarcoplasmic eosinophilia with strong immunoreactivity for TRX. Sections from myocarditis-curcumin group showed normal architecture with moderate immunoreactivity for TRX. The present study demonstrated that curcumin ameliorates acute myocarditis in rats and encouraged the estimation of serum level of TRX as a relevant indicator for the evaluation of the progress of acute myocarditis.

Collagen types I and II distribution: a relevant indicator for the functional properties of articular cartilage in immobilised and remobilised rabbit knee joints.

The objective of the present work was to study changes in collagen type I and type II distribution in the articular cartilage of immobilised and remobilised rabbit knee joints. Twenty-four adult male rabbits were divided into three groups. One of the groups was a control group with free movement. The right knee joints of animals of the other two groups were immobilised for 4 weeks, followed by a period of 10 weeks of remobilisation for animals of group 3. Collagen type I and type II in the articular cartilage of tibial medial condyle of the right knee joint were estimated immunohistochemically in all groups. A degenerative process was evident after 4 weeks of immobilisation of rabbit knee joint leading to a partial shift in the density of collagen composition from type II to type I. After a period of 10 weeks of remobilisation, regenerative processes, evidenced by a restoration of collagen type II to normal, proceeded on top of degenerative processes, evidenced by the significantly higher content of collagen type I compared with normal. The present study pointed to the importance of assessment of collagen distribution as a relevant indicator for the functional properties of articular cartilage in immobilised and remobilised joints.

Electron microscopic study on the effect of alternate-day hydrocortisone therapy on lymphocyte populations in rat spleen and lymph nodes.

The ultrastructural effects of 400 mg/M2/day of hydrocortisone sc, given alternatively from day 7 through day 19, were studied on the lymphocyte populations in the white pulp of the spleen and in the cortex of the mesenteric lymph nodes of the immunologically immature rat. Results were consistent with both a direct lytic effect of hydrocortisone on small lymphocytes of the nodular cortex of the mesenteric lymph nodes and an indirect effect on small lymphocytes of the periarterial lymphatic sheath (PALS) of the spleen supplied via the thymus. In contrast, medium-sized lymphocytes in the PALS appeared to be unaffected by hydrocortisone, while medium-sized lymphocytes of the nodular cortex of the mesenteric lymph nodes exhibited a temporary depletion of cytoplasmic organelles. Hydrocortisone appeared to depress protein synthesis in these latter cells. The decrease in numbers of lymphoblasts and plasmablasts observed in the nodular cortex of the mesenteric lymph nodes and the white pulp of the spleen is consistent with hydrocortisone interference with proliferation and differentiation of activated B cells.

Effect of alternate-day hydrocortisone therapy on the immunologically immature rat. I: Effect on blood cell count, immunoglobulin concentrations, and body and organ weights.

The effect of 400 mg/M2/day of hydrocortisone, given alternatively from day 7 to day 19, was studied in the immunologically immature rat, a steroid-sensitive species. Animals, sacrificed 2 days following the completion of treatment, suffered from an underweight thymus and spleen, leucocytosis, and peripheral lymphocytopenia, probably not due to redistribution of lymphocytes from blood to tissues. In addition, a significant decrease in serum IgM concentration, reflecting a deficit in primary immune response, was evidenced. Although the percentage of lymphocytes returned to normal in rats sacrificed 23 days after treatment, an overweight thymus and spleen and persistent leucocytosis may reflect a compensatory overactivity of the developing immune system. In contrast, serum IgM concentration increased, but to a value less than normal. An indirect effect of hydrocortisone on lymphocytes through its action on thymus, as well as a direct effect on B cells, is suggested. Unlike humans, alternate-day steroid therapy delayed the normal growth pattern of rat, with a defective rate of growth only during the treatment period.

Effect of alternate-day hydrocortisone therapy on the immunologically immature rat. II: Changes in T- and B-cell areas in spleen.

The histologic effect of 400 mg/M2/day of hydrocortisone, given alternatively from day 7 to day 19 after birth, was studied on the spleen of the immunologically immature rat. Two days after the cessation of treatment, the periarteriolar lymphatic sheaths were found to be largely depleted of small lymphocytes. Immunoperoxidase studies confirmed a depletion of T lymphocytes. The effects of hydrocortisone on the thymus seem to be more important than its direct lymphocytolytic effect in producing this splenic lesion. In contrast, no apparent change in the number of medium-sized B lymphocytes in the marginal zone was detected. Medium-sized B lymphocytes of the spleen, reported to be responsible for IgM synthesis, appeared to be subjected to a different mechanism of hydrocortisone action, other than lysis, resulting in a decrease in antibody production. Primary follicles were not seen in spleens of hydrocortisone-treated rats. Twenty-three days after treatment, spleens had a histologically normal appearance.

Effect of alternate-day hydrocortisone therapy on the immunologically immature rat. III: Changes in T- and B-cell areas in lymph nodes.

The histologic effects of the alternate-day hydrocortisone therapy (400 mg/M2 from day 7 to day 19 after birth) were studied on the mesenteric lymph nodes of immunologically immature rats. In rats sacrificed 2 days following the cessation of therapy, depletion of lymphocytes of the thymus-independent area was apparent. Smaller lymphocytes were more susceptible to the effect of hydrocortisone than larger ones. The absence of primary follicles, normally present at this age, suggested a possible retardation in development of the immune system. B lymphocytes appeared to be the target of the direct lymphocytolytic effect of hydrocortisone. In rats sacrificed 23 days following the treatment, immunological maturity was achieved, indicating the reversibility of the hydrocortisone effect.