Volume 107  ·   Issue 10  ·  1994

We reported the efficacy of interval hysteroscopic tubal catherization and hydrotubation for three months in 54 infertile women with tubal obstruction (102 fallopian tubes). By comparison of HSGs before and after treatment, 86 of 102 tubes (84%) showed the improvement of tubal patency (P<0.01). 56 tubes were patent (54.9%). This method is effective for partially patent tubes (87.5%), intramural tubal obstruction (62.5%), and the obstruction at the distal portion of the fallopian tube (13.3). One -12 month follow-up after treatment, 12 of 35 women whose tubes became completely patent achieved intrauterine pregnancies.

The gingiva samples were obtained from 40 patients with chronic periodontitis after flap operation and 20 cases having healthy gingiva after ectopic wisdom tooth extraction. We investigated the oxytalan fibers by light microscopy (LM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results demonstrated that under normal conditions numerous oxytalan fibers were widely and evenly distributed throughout the periodontal tissues. There was marked degeneration of the oxytalan fibers in chronic peridontitis. The predominant features were disintegration, fragmentation or disappearance of the oxytalan fibers under the basement membrane. Around the blood vessels, the oxytalan fibers decreased in density with fragmentation of the fibers and sometimes they disappeared almost completely. These results indicated that degeneration and destruction of the oxytalan fibers were closely correlated with the chronic periodontitis process, leading to reduced function occlusion of teeth.

The distribution of calcitonin gene-related peptidergic (CGRP) nerve endings in rat nasal mucosa was investigated with immunocytochemical technique (ABC method). The results showed that CGRP endings had a robust localization along the walls of arterioles, venules and around the acini of glands, with the endings near the wall of arterioles being most strongly stained. The typical morphology of CGRP endings could be recognized as multistage-branched terminals with rosary varicosities. CGRP immunoreactive neurons were also found in the trigeminal ganglion (TG). Supported by morphological evidence, we suggest that CGRP endings in rat nasal mucosa are the peripheral fibers originating from the ganglion cells in TG. These fibers may be involved in the perception of mucosal stimuli and the propagation of nerve impulse to the central terminals and will thus release CGRP in the brain stem. There is also possibility that CGRP may be peripherally released following local stimulation in the nasal mucosa and exert influences on the mucosal functions.

87 patients with pulmonary space-occupied lesions of the peripheral type which were either adhesive or close to pleura were examined using ultrasonography. Of them, 64 cases of lung cancers and 23 of benign lesions were then confirmed by histopathology. Five sonographic features, including configuration, echogenicity patterns, bronchial air phase in foci, margin, and pleural involvement, were significantly different between malignant and benign diseases (P<0.01). The differential ultrasonography used in this series showed a sensitivity of 61% (14/23), a specificity of 95% (61/64), and an accuracy of 86% (75/87). The results of the study demonstrate that the ultrasonography is helpful in differentiating malignant and benign peripheral lung lesions near the plerua.

The in vivo effects of a single dose of levo-praziquantel, 75 mg/kg in PEG 400, on the tegumental surface of adult S. japonicum were compared with the effects of a single dose (150 mg/kg) of the mixed isomer preparation, using scanning and transmission electron microscope. Worms were recovered from mice at 10 min, 30 min, 1 hr, 4 hr, 12 hr, 24 hr and 48 hr after treatment. After 10 min exposure to either compound, the tegumental folds and sensory organelles were swollen and the tegument vacuolated. After 12-24 hr, the surface was eroded and exfoliated with exposure of intrategumental and/or subtegumental tissues and attachment of leukocytes to the denuded areas. Vehicle controls were normal throughout the time period examined. These studies demonstrate that the levo isomer of praziquantel causes acute structural damage to the tegument similar to that seen with the mixed isomer preparation.

Forty adult New Zealand rabbits were used in this experiment. Four rabbits served as control and the rest 36 being divided into 3 groups, each of which was fixed respectively with methylmethacrylate, titanium alloy and stainless steel plate on the left intact tibiae. The cortical bone beneath the plate was harvested at 2, 4, 8 and 12 weeks after operation and observed by means of using transmission electron microscope. The major ultrastructural changes after internal fixation with different stiffness plates were alteration of osteocyte life cycle, perilacunar matrix and disorder of osteoblast and osteoblast coupling. The greater the stiffness of the plate, the greater the ultrastructural change.

The main effects of hepatic vascular exclusion (HVE) on the body are hemodynamic changes and metabolic disorders. We developed a new technique--atrioportacaval shunt (APCS) both to increase the blood--return volume and to decompress the portal system and the inferior vena cava below the occlusion during HVE in canine. Experimental results showed that HVE-APCS is characteristic of simplicity and safety. During HVE-APCS central venous pressure (CVP), mean arterial pressure (MAP), mean pulmonary arterial pressure (MPAP), pulmonary capillary wedged pressure (PCWP) and pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) remained almost stable while cardiac output (CO) decreased by 34.5-45.6% and systemic vascular resistance (SVR) increased by 46.8-65.7%. The recirculation injury to ischemic liver was mild owing to concomitant decompression of the portal system. It may be concluded that HVE-APCS is an ideal method to control the bleeding from the major hepatic veins and retrohepatic vena cava.

Ten patients with SDAT received the ECP therapy. The examination of Hasegawa's Dementia Scale (HDS), single photor emission computed tomography (SPECT) brain imaging, and some biochemical parameters in blood and CSF were selected to evaluate the effect of ECP for SDAT. After ECP treatment, the average HDS score of the patients increased, the value of P was close to 0.05; and the cortical cerebellar ratios of SPECT brain scan, the superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and the concentrations of somatostatin-like immunoreactivity (SLI), dynorphin AL-13 (Dyn Al-13) in blood and/or CSF were significantly elevated. The results indicated that ECP could not only improve cerebral blood flow, but also make a notable impact on biological active substances in blood and CSF. It is suggested that ECP is beneficial to SDAT patients.

To assess the value of intravascular ultrasound in detecting carotid atherosclerosis, we compared the ultrasound images of 48 carotid artery segments from autopsies with their histological findings. The results showed that by intravascular ultrasonography one could distinguish between elastic and muscular tissues of arteries, determine the lesions of fibroelastosis and calcified plaques on arterial wall, and precisely measure the wall thickness, inner and outer diameter, luminal area and cross-sectional area of arteries with a high correlation between the data measured from ultrasonography and histological study (r values were 0.98, 0.97, 0.97, 0.96 and 0.96, respectively). This study suggests that intravascular ultrasound might be effectively used for morphological study and detection of atherosclerotic lesions in vivo.

In present study, we examined the effects of NG-nitro-L-arginine (LNNA), an inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase (NOS), and/or methylene blue (MB), a blocker of guanylate cyclase on the vasodilator response of isolated rat arteries including aorta and mesenteric artery to calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) by in vitro vasoconstriction experiment, and the effect of LNNA on the depressor action of CGRP by in vivo hemodynamic experiment. Furthermore, the effect of CGRP on NOS activity and cyclic guanylate monophosphate (cGMP) content were also examined by NOS activity assay and radioimmunoassay (RIA), respectively. The results showed that LNNA and/or MB significantly decreased, but not abolished, the vasodilator response of isolated rat aorta and mesenteric artery to CGRP. The depressor effect of CGRP on LNNA-induced hypertensive rats (LHR) was obviously weaker than that on spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR), renal hypertensive rats (RHR) and normotensive rats (NWR). In addition, CGRP (0.5 nmol/kg) increased the NOS activity of rat aorta tissue by 1.3 times (P<0.05) and resulted in an increase of cGMP content of aorta (1.27 times, P<0.05) and myocardium (1.38 times, P<0.05). The results suggested that NO is involved in the action of CGRP.