In order to clarify the cellular kinetics involved in progression of diabetic glomerulosclerosis, the epithelial cells of spontaneously diabetic WBN/Kob rats were investigated by labeling with the DNA precursor bromodeoxyuridine, which was histochemically stained using monoclonal antibody. The labeling index (number of labeled cells/number of cells counted) of glomeruli was constantly low (approximately 0.15%) and no significant variation could be demonstrated in control rats of the Wistar strain. In both control and diabetic rats, podocytes showed no evidence of mitosis. In contrast to capillary podocytes, the Bowman epithelial cells of diabetic rats showed increased labeling, often surrounding sclerotic capillaries. These observations suggest a critical role of Bowman's epithelial cells in the development of irreversibly sclerotic glomeruli in diabetic nephropathy.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Teratogenicity of Aino virus in the chick embryo.

Aino virus (JaNAr 28 strain), a possible agent of a congenital anomaly of calves, was inoculated into the yolk sac of chick embryos at a dose of 10(2), 10(3), 10(4) or 10(5) TCID50 0.2 ml-1 at four, six or eight days of incubation. At 21 days of incubation all the unhatched embryos or hatched chickens in the experimental and control groups were sacrificed for pathological examination. The incidence of hydranencephaly, cerebellar hypoplasia or agenesis and arthrogryposis or scoliosis was highest (85 per cent in the chicks inoculated with 10(3) TCID50 0.2 ml-1 at eight days of incubation. The lesions were very similar to those found in congenital abnormalities in calves suspected of a natural infection with Aino virus.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Improvement of peripheral circulation by low density lipoprotein adsorption.

Low density lipoprotein (LDL) was removed by repeated extracorporeal adsorption with a dextran sulphate cellulose column in 5 patients with clinical signs of poor peripheral circulation. The LDL apheresis was continued for 2 to 10 months, and symptoms such as cold or "heavy" legs, or intermittent claudication rapidly improved early in the treatment course in all 5 patients. Clearing of mentation occurred in 3, and recovery of kidney function was seen in 1 patient. These improvements occurred concomitant with a reduction in LDL level.

Aged↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Hepatic mesenchymal hamartoma associated with mesenchymal stem villous hyperplasia of the placenta.

A rare case of prenatally diagnosed hepatic mesenchymal hamartoma associated with mesenchymal stem villous hyperplasia of the placenta is presented and the literature reviewed. The placenta was noticed to have multiple cysts at 16 weeks' gestation and elevated maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein was present. Cystic liver masses were first detected in the fetus at 34 weeks' gestation. The liver mass showed a progressive enlargement during the third trimester and after birth, necessitating extended left hepatic trisegmentectomy at 3 months of age. Histological examination established the diagnosis of mesenchymal hamartoma of the liver and mesenchymal stem villous hyperplasia of the placenta. This is the first report of this association in which both lesions were diagnosed in utero and confirmed by histology after delivery. The likely pathogenesis of these strikingly similar lesions is discussed.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Difference in beta 2-microglobulin removal between cellulosic and synthetic polymer membrane dialyzers.

Several kinds of dialyzers, with highly permeable membranes (HPM), have been designed to specifically remove beta 2-microglobulin (BMG). To clarify their solute transport characteristics, nine types of HPM dialyzers were evaluated during in vivo and in vitro studies using human plasma and aqueous solutions. No BMG membrane adsorption and/or plugging was seen with cellulosic membrane dialyzers during in vitro experiments using human plasma. On the other hand, all synthetic polymer membrane dialyzers had adsorptive properties, and in a dialyzer with a polymethylmethacrylate membrane, a large amount of BMG was removed by adsorption alone. Dialyzers with cellulose triacetate and polyacrylonitril membranes showed higher values of BMG diffusive dialysance (greater than 20 ml/min) and sieving coefficient (greater than 0.9). From in vitro experiments using an aqueous solution containing several solutes with relatively small or middle molecular weights, all HPM dialyzers had a higher overall mass transfer coefficient than any conventional membrane dialyzer.

Blood Flow Velocity↗