Volume 100  ·   Issue 12  ·  1987

The ultrastructural features of skin-phase schistosomula of S japonicum, recovered from mouse at 0.5, 3 and 12 hours after penetration of cercariae were studied by transmission electron microscopy. Observation showed that during the development from 0.5 to 12 hours the fine structure of the digestive tract, head organ, osmoregulatory system and parenchyma had no visible changes. However, the ultrastructures of both the tegument and acetabular gland showed dramatic changes. In the tegument, loss of the remnant glycocalyx on the outer membrane and gradual formation of a heptalaminate outer membrane, occurred. Progressive extrusion of the granules in acetabular glands from the fundus through ducts to the surface leads to gradual emptying of the glands and ultimate gland collapse. The postacetabular glands precede the preacetabular glands in going through these changes.

Chronic neutrophilic leukemia is a rare myelo-proliferative disorder. The clinical features of the disease include markedly sustained peripheral mature neutrophilic leukocytosis, splenomegaly, increased leukocytic alkaline phosphatase, mature myeloid hyperplasia in bone marrow, absence of myelosclerosis and ph' chromosome, heavy neutrophilic infiltration in various organs, absence of fever, and infection or neoplasm. We present a case whose clinical findings included all these features. Many Gaucher like cells were found in the resected spleen specimen.

By using visual electrophysiological tests of ERG, EOG and VEP, we studied the visual function of juvenile retinoschisis in 11 patients. Twenty-two eyes in these patients showed abnormal ERGs characterized by reduced amplitudes of the b-wave and lowered b/a ratio. Abnormal EOGs were noticed in 20 eyes with flat curves in 4 eyes corresponding to the severity of the lesions. In abnormal VEPs of 13 eyes, N1 and P1 latencies in 8 eyes were delayed. The results of our study suggest that visual dysfunction caused by nerve fiber lesions involved all retinal layers.

To study the interaction in vitro between nonactivated alveolar macrophages (AM) with T. vulgaris, one of the main pathogens of farmer's lung in Hong-hua area, Hubei Province, cell cultures at different time intervals were observed by inverted microscope, light microscope and electron microscope. In addition, quantitative measurement of acid phosphatase in cultured cells was made with MPV-2 microscope photometer. The results showed that normal nonactivated AM can engulf T. vulgaris, but lysosomal enzymes can not rapidly digest these spores. Phagocytosis is conducive to the formation of multinuclear giant cells (p<0.05) and increases the acid phosphatase activity (p<0.01). These facts suggest that the pathogenesis of farmer's lung is closely related to the persistent presence of the spores of T. vulgaris in the lungs and to an increase in the synthesis and secretion of lysosomal enzymes in AM.

The caudal spinal trigeminal (CST) nucleus synapse consists of the pre- and postsynaptic membranes and synaptic cleft. The active sites of the synapse consists of the presynaptic membranes. There are accumulated dense substances on the pre- and postsynaptic membranes, especially on the latter. Occasionally, subsynaptic cytoplasmic dense bodies are seen in the postsynaptic element, and intersynaptic filaments are found within the synaptic clefts. Synaptic vesicles are located in the presynaptic terminals, Spherical, flat, granular and agranular synaptic vesicles are observed in presynaptic terminals. Numerous axon terminals, dendrites and axo-dendritic, axosomatic, axoaxonic and dendrodendritic synapses were identified in the CST nucleus. The dendrites were classified into type I (without synpatic vesicles) and type II (few synaptic vesicles). According to the vesicle shape, the nuclear synapses are divided into S (spherical), F (flat), S-F and F-S types. Among the observed synapses, about 20% were synaptic glomeruli. The functional significance of the synaptic pattern, glomeruli and vesicles in the CST nucleus are discussed.

Before and after the intravenous administration of Ligustrazini, hemorrheology, pulmonary hemodynamics and right cardiac function were studied in 49 patients with advanced cor pulmonale. It was found after one course of treatment that Ligustrazini had the effects of decreasing mean pulmonary arterial pressure and pulmonary vascular resistance, increasing cardiac output and improving right cardiac function and hemorrheologic quality. These findings indicate that Ligustrazini has the effects of vasodilation and improving hemorrheologic quality in advanced cor pulmonale due to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

The subclasses of mononuclear cell infiltrates and T cell activity in tumor tissue as weU as early decidua and placental villi were studied in situ to clarify the differences and similarities between tumor immunity and pregnancy immunity. Biopsies of mucosal specimens from patients with chronic gastritis and colitis were used as controls. It was found that there were numerous inactive T lymphocytes in tumor interstitium and decidua whereas there were numerous activated T cells in inflammatory mucosa, and there were hardly any lymphocytes in tumor parenchyma and villous tissue. In other words, there is no effector - target contact in tumor immunity and pregnancy immunity, indicating certain similarities between them.

In this study, 40 patients with angiographically documented coronary artery disease (CAD) and 17 control subjects underwent radionuclide ventriculography at rest and during semiuprlight bicycle exercise. In 14 of the 40 CAD patients, radionuclide exercise studies were repeated 20 minutes after 20 mg of sublingual nifedipine. During exercise, patients with right CAD had an abnormal right ventricular ejection fraction response. The change in right ventricular ejection fraction correlated with that in the left ventricular ejection fraction (r=0.44). Nifedipine improved both right and left ventricular response to exercise. This study suggests that in CAD, an abnormal right ventricular functional reserve is related to tight coronary artery disease and left ventricular dysfunction. Nifedipine improves right ventricular exercise performance.

An outbreak of type I Legionnaires' disease (LD) was confirmed etiologically and serologically. The morbidity was 38.2%. No significant correlation was found between incidence and sex, or age, or history of smoking. The case distribution showed a significant degree of housing (p<0.01). The possibility of infection through water and air contamination was eliminated. This paper shows evidence of person-to-person transmission. The infection may affect many body systems and lacks specific symptoms in our 39 LD cases.

This paper reports 6 cases of acute promyelocytic leukemia treated by all-trans retinoic acid (RA) with or without cytosine arabinoside (10 mg, IM, every 12 hours). All obtained complete remission. In vitro, bone marrow leukemic promyelocytes from these patients matured morphologically in suspension culture with RA (1-5 µm). No changes took place in the controls. Chloroacetate esterase, alpha-naphthyl acetate esterase stains and electron microscopic examination confirmed that RA-cultured cells differentiated into granulocytes with increased functional maturation (measured by nitroblue tetrazolium reduction). The data suggest that RA may be an effective drug in acute promyelocytic leukemia.