Volume 96  ·   Issue 03  ·  1983

The effect of traditional Chinese medicine (Thyroid Tumor Pill) on the secretory function and ultrastructure of experimentally produced goiters and normal rat thyroid glands is studied. By determination of T4 with RIA, significant decreases were seen in rats given the pill, both in normal animals and those with experimentally produced goiters. Histologic alterations were also striking. The authors believe that the main component of the prescription, Thallus Laminariae seu Eckloniae 昆布 played a role in these effects and that the pill should be appreciated in terms of both thyroid hormone regulation and clinical therapy.

95 cases of early peripheral bronchogenic adenocarcinoma were studied both radiologically and pathologically. Vacuole sign was found in 28 (29.5%). The vacuole-like shadow seen on the X-rays may be explained by contrast between the dense tumor tissue and centrally located fibrous tissue intermingled with small amounts of cancer tissue. This vacuole sign is considered a useful X-ray sign for diagnosis of early pulmonary adenocarcinoma and bronchiolar-alveolar cell carcinoma.

An adult case of Cushing's syndrome is reported. X-ray film shows a tumor mass in the right middle mediastinum. The 24 hour urinary 17-Hydroxycorticosteroid is high and is not suppreLssed by large dose dexamethasone. The patient died of infectious shock due to bronchopneumonia and colitis. Histologically no microadenoma is found in the pituitary. Basophils have Crooke's changes. The fascicular zones of the bilateral cortices appear to have diffuse hyperplasia The thymoma is epithelial cell carcinoma. Therefore Cushing's syndrome in this case is due to excessive ectopic ACTH. Fibrin thrombi are also found in the small blood vessels of the kidney, thymus as well as other tissues.

Two cases of primary aldosteranism are reported with a brief review of the literature. Preoperative balance studies suggest negative potassium balance and hypopotassemia with high sodium intake unless supplementary high potassium was provided. Sodium restriction prevents renal excretion of potassium and masks many of the usual biochemical disturbances of the disease. In some mild cases, hypertension may be the only clinical manifestation, but if the kidneys exhibit normal sodium conservation and respond to sodium loading with high potassium excretion, this suggests aldosterone hypersecretion. Spironolactone competes with aldosterone's action at renal tubule level correcting all of these defects in primary hyperaldosteronism. In some cases it must be carefully differentiated from secondary hyperaldosteronism with renal vascular hypertension. The latter usually exhibits high plasma renin activity with increased angiotensin II levels. Spironolactone theoretically alleviates the biochemical abnormalities with no effects on hypertension. Selective use of isotope renograms and differential renal function tests or subperitoneal air insufflation with renal arteriography may be helpful.

Pentagastrin stimulated gastric secretory tests (PSGST) were performed in 31 normal subjects and 569 patients with various gastro- duodenal diseas.es The mean basal acid output (BAO) and peak acid output (PAO) were higher in patients wi.th duodenal ulcer and[ combined ulcers, lower in patients with chronic atrophic gastritis and gastric carcinoma as compared with normal;s. The PSGST results in patients with chronic superficial gastritis and gastric ulcer were similar to those in normal subjects. Pa- tients with stomal ulcer had a higher PAO than those without stomal ulcer. The clinical value and significance of the test are discussed.

This paper describes the results of the use of acupuncture needle sphenoidal electrodes in 2,000 cases. In 155 suspected cases of psychomotor epilepsy sphenoidal electrodes, as compared with scalp electrodes can raise the positive incidence by 30.33%. In 765 suspected cases of generalized epilepsy they can raise the positive incidence by only 15.16% but are helpful in immediate differentiation between primary and secondary generalized seizures. In 851 cases of nonparoxysmal diseases they are useful in depicting the organic nature of the disease or in giving more precise localization of the lesion. Our 18 year experience shows that acupuncture needle sphenoidal electrodes are simple, safe, reliable and good for routine EEG use. Four illustrative cases were appended.

This paper describes the ultrastruotural surface configurations of 5 cases with bone and joint tumors and tumorous conditions, observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The study of pleomorphism of malignant bone tumor cells and their surface ultrastructures shows that there is increased cell surface activity to meet heightened malignancy metabolism. Osteoid osteoma and pigmented villonodular synovitis have no malignant tendencies, according to their surface ultrastructure. SEM iS valuable in investigating tumor cell surface ultrastructure and the intercellular substances and in differentiating malignant bone and joint tumors from benign ones and tumorous conditions.

Cardiovascular diseases have become one of the major health problems in China in recent years. Stastistics from 4 urban Beijing districts showed that the mortality rate of heart diseases increased from 71/100,000 in 1958 to 141/100,000 in 1979 and that of the cerebrovascular diseases from 107/100,000 to 152/100,000. Cardiovascular diseases accounted for 52.6% of all deaths in Beijing in 1979. Cardiovascular epidemiology and community control programs for management and prevention of major cardiovascular diseases are making steady progress in our country. Further development of international exchange and collaboration in cardiovascular epidemiology will be emphasized in the coming years.

This paper reports 715 cases of primary cutaneous amyloidosis, among which are 33 rare poikiloderma-like cutaneous amyloidosis and 71 new seborrheic dermatitis-like cutaneous amyloidosis. The characteristics of early lesions and the regularity of their occurrence and development are noted. The types described in the literature may only be different developmental stages of the ordinary type. The newly demonstrated 4-5 paralell yellowish band-like lesions over the lower back need further study. There are protein abnormalities and blood lipids, especially triglycerides are increased. The neutral fat in the amyloid deposits is proved by histochemical staining. The increase in triglycerides and skin specimen fatty acid content is shown by infrared spectrophotometry and neutral fat thin layer chromatography. These suggest that metabolic disturbance of lipids and proteins may have something to do with the pathogenesis of the disease. Family history shows autosomal dominant inheritance with higher but incomplete penetrance in the ordinary type and autosomal recessive inheritance in the PCA type.

The SPAIF technic has been used for rapid detection of salmonellae in foodstuffs. Parallel testing with SPAIF, conventional immunolfluoresence technic (CIF) and routine culture isolation was carried out on 2,250 samples of 10 food categories showing SPAIF superiority over CIF on the following grounds. Stained smears easier to read, postenriched culture unnecessary, higher sensitivity and specificity, easier to perform. The SPAIF has a much higher salmonella detection rate than routine culture. A total of 17,310 samples of 3 main kinds of food are SPAIF screened showing that SPAIF can be easily applied in regional or district bacteriologic laboratories.