Primary small cell carcinoma of the vagina with pulmonary metastasis: a case report.

Primary small cell carcinoma of the vagina is extremely rare; no standard treatment has been established despite it being highly aggressive. Here, the authors report on a 43-year-old patient who had a mass on the clitoris and no uterine or bilateral adnexal involvement. Vaginal wall biopsy revealed malignant small cell carcinoma. The carcinoma was composed of epithelial cells with round, hyperchromatic nuclei containing few distinct nucleoli, and scanty cytoplasm. Chest computerized axial tomography and pathological bronchoscopy revealed bilateral pulmonary metastases. She received radiotherapy combined with six cycles of chemotherapy (paclitaxel plus cisplatin), and achieved complete response, with complete suppression of the mass and lung metastases. There was no sign of tumor recurrence or distant metastases after 21 months of follow-up.

Risk factors for sporadic Vibrio parahaemolyticus gastroenteritis in east China: a matched case-control study.

SUMMARY To determine risk factors for sporadic Vibrio parahaemolyticus gastroenteritis, we conducted a population-based case-control study in sentinel hospital surveillance areas of Shanghai and Jiangsu province, China. Seventy-one patients with diarrhoea and confirmed V. parahaemolyticus infections were enrolled, and they were matched with 142 controls for gender, age and residential area. From the multivariable analysis, V. parahaemolyticus infections were associated with antibiotics taken during the 4 weeks prior to illness [odds ratio (OR) 7·6, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1·1­54·4)], frequent eating out (OR 3·3, 95% CI 1·0­10·4), and shellfish consumption (OR 3·4, 95% CI 1·0­11·1), with population-attributable fractions of 0·09, 0·24, and 0·14, respectively. Protective factors included keeping the aquatic products refrigerated (OR 0·4, 95% CI 0·2­1·0) and pork consumption (OR 0·2, 95% CI 0·1­0·9) [corrected] .

Chronic ophthalmoplegia with anti-GQ1b antibody.

Anti-GQ1b antibodies are typically found in patients with the Miller Fisher syndrome, all of whom will have, by definition, acute ophthalmoplegia. The authors describe three patients with chronic ophthalmoplegia in the presence of persistently high titers of immunoglobulin G anti-GQ1b antibody detected in an ELISA, one of whom improved with immunotherapy. Anti-GQ1b antibodies may be associated with some cases of chronic ophthalmoplegia of unknown cause.

Rapid immunostaining of live nerve for identification of sensory and motor fasciculi.

Six New Zealand white rabbits were anesthetized with pentobarbital, and sciatic nerves were exposed and cut at the mid thigh. Both proximal and distal ends were incubated directly with Blue-SAb in a micropipe of 5 mm diameter covering the nerve trunk ends for 30 minutes at room temperature. After removal of the micropipe, the nerve ends were washed with physiological saline. Blue-stained fasciculi, i.e., sensory fasciculi were seen among unstained ones under the operating microscope. This method requires no histological sections. Neural cells of the spinal cord and ganglion were cultured in RPM11640 medium containing Bright Blue. The growth and metabolism of the neural cells were tested by MTT assay and their morphology was observed. Statistical difference between the experiment and control groups was determined, indicating that Bright Blue had no effect on the neural cells and their repairing power. This rapid immunostaining technique offers a good approach for the identification and accurate coaptation of sensory fasciculi in peripheral nerve repair.

[Effect of leu-enkephalin in striatum on modulating cellular immune during electropuncture].

Zusanli points of rat were used to study the effect of acupuncture on the synthesis and release of endogenous leu-enkephalin (LEK) in modulating immune function as assayed by T lymphocyte proliferative response, i.e. the lymphocyte transformation test (LTT). The results are as follows: (1) LEK level in striatum was increased as LTT was enhanced by puncture. The latter effect could be inhibited by microinjection of naloxone into striatum. (2) Injection of LEK into striatum caused a significant enhancement of LTT, an effect being more powerful than did by electropuncture. (3) Following injection of LEK antiserum into striatum, electropuncture enhanced LTT was inhibited. The above results demonstrate that the LEK plays an important role in modulating cellular immune function during electropuncture, through its action in striatum either as a neurotransmitter or as a neuromodulator.

[Analysis of relative degree of the grey system on socioeconomic factors contributing to malaria transmission].

This paper reports relative degree of the grey system analysis on socioeconomic factors contributing to malaria transmission in Hainan province. The results indicated that the prior factors related to malaria transmission are economic conditions, primary health care, human behavior and culture. It is suggested that rebuilding primary health care and strengthening health propaganda would be advantageous to malaria control in these areas.

Alkaline phosphatase isozymes of serum and urine and urinary protein in young men before and after running 3 km.

Urine samples were collected from seven healthy male students 1 h before (control fraction) and 5-15 min (5-15 min fraction), 1 h (1-h fraction) and 3 h (3-h fraction) after running 3 km at a perceived exertion equal to approximately 15-17 Borg's scale. Venous blood was also collected from the subjects 1 h before and 1 h after the run. Urine was studied by measuring protein excretion, patterns of sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) of proteins, total alkaline phosphatase (ALP) excretion, intestinal alkaline phosphatase (IAP) excretion and ALP isozyme analysis by PAGE. Serum ALP was studied by measuring the total ALP activity and isozyme analysis by PAGE. The following results were observed: firstly, an increase was seen in the excretion of total protein, total ALP and IAP after the exercise. Statistical significance was seen in the first two of these parameters; secondly, albumin was the only detectable protein band in the control, 5-15 min and 3-h fraction by SDS-PAGE; thirdly, no significant changes were seen in total ALP activity and ALP isozymes in the serum; and fourthly, three to five ALP bands (bands 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, from the cathodal side) were detected in the zymograms of urinary ALP. Bands 1-3 were high molecular mass ALP. Bands 4 and 5 were intestine-like and liver-like ALP, respectively. An increase of ALP activity of high molecular mass ALP and/or decrease of that of band 5 or appearance of band 4 were seen in the 1-h fraction, in comparison to the control fraction.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Passive transfer of demyelination by serum or IgG from chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy patients.

Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP) is regarded as an autoimmune disorder, but no clearly defined autoimmune mechanism has been described. Although most patients respond to plasma exchange, no convincing role for autoantibodies has yet been demonstrated. In this study, we have successfully passively transferred disease using sera and purified IgG from 4 of 12 patients responsive to plasma exchange by bypassing the blood-nerve barrier by intraneural injection or opening it by activated T cells. The sera from CIDP patients or purified IgG produced marked conduction block and demyelination, but normal sera or IgG or that from patients with multiple sclerosis or other neuropathies did not. These observations strongly support an important role for anti-myelin/Schwann cell autoantibodies in the pathogenesis of CIDP at least in some patients.

P0 protein is a target antigen in chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy.

Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (CIDP) is widely regarded as an autoimmune disorder, although the autoantigen remains unknown. In this study, the sera of 21 CIDP patients were examined by immunofluorescence for antimyelin activity and by Western blotting for binding to myelin proteins. Six sera contained anti-P0 immunoglobulin G antibodies, and four of these caused conduction block and demyelination following intraneural injection in experimental animals. Absorption with P0 protein eliminated the demyelinating activity. These results show that P0 is an autoantigen in some patients with CIDP. Since P0 possesses powerful adhesion properties and is largely responsible for myelin compaction, the demonstration of demyelination by human anti-P0 antibodies provides new insight into this important and common immunopathological process.