The role of aspiration biopsy cytology in the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis

The experience at one institution concerning the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis by aspiration biopsy is reviewed. Twelve cases in which acid-fast bacilli were identified in pulmonary aspiration material are reported. The cytologic findings were confirmed by microbiologic culture in nine cases. The advantages of using aspiration biopsy cytology in the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis are discussed. In our experience we conclude that the use of aspiration biopsy cytology in the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis is not only accurate, but also offers several advantages that are important in patient care.

An automated analysis for superoxide dismutase enzyme activity

The pyrogallol autoxidation assay for superoxide dismutase was adapted for analysis by centrifugal analyzer. The precision of the enzymatic assay was estimated using bovine blood superoxide dismutase. Specific activity determined for human erythrocyte superoxide dismutase by the procedure agreed with previously reported determinations. Recovery of bovine blood superoxide dismutase from hemolysates provided a measure of proportional analytic error. Difficulties inherent in attempting to spectrophotometrically assay an enzyme catalyzing a reaction requiring a free radical substrate cannot be eliminated by an automated method. However, the centrifugal analyzer method makes routine enzymatic analysis for superoxide dismutase in numerous samples technically feasible. Moreover, automated analysis can conveniently include a standard such as bovine blood superoxide dismutase when enzyme levels in tissue extracts are assayed. These advantages make the method for assay of superoxide dismutase enzyme activity a useful procedure.

Mediastinal needle biopsy

A review of 52 consecutive needle biopsies of the mediastinum is presented. The aspirated material yielded cytologic and/or histologic diagnosis in 50 needle biopsies; two needle biopsies failed to yield adequate cellular material for diagnosis. All but two of the 50 patients had confirmation of the biopsy diagnosis by surgical, autopsy, or clinical correlation. In 32 patients, a 20-gauge needle was used for the biopsy. A larger-bore (17-gauge) needle with a cutting device was used in 20 cases to obtain more tissue for histologic diagnosis of benign or unusual malignant lesions. Despite the larger size of the needle, the rate of complications remained low.

Enzymatic assembly of slow reacting substance

When basophils or mast cells are stimulated by a specific antigen they release chemical mediators, including a potent bronchoconstrictor, slow reacting substance of anaphylaxis (SRS-A). The structure of SRS from a mouse mastocytoma and rat basophilic leukaemia (RBL-1) cells has been identified as a thioether or arachidonic acid and glutathione [not a thioether of cystene as was originally thought]. SRS has been named leukotriene (LT) C and may be formed by a novel lipoxygenase pathway which also synthesizes 5,6-oxido-7,9,11,14-icosatetraenoic acid (LTA) and 5,12-dihydroxy-6,8,10,14-icosatetraenoic acid (LTB). Homogenates of RBL-1 cells, when incubated with C-arachidonic acid, form 5-hydroxy-icosatetraenoic acid (5-HETE) and 5,12-dihydroxy- and 5,6-dihydroxy-icosatetraenoic acid. The latter is the spontaneous breakdown product of the labile intermediate LTA. Formation of both compounds is stimulated by calcium. We have now produced biologically active SRS in a cell-free system generated from RBL-1 cells. Glutathione was essential for SRS synthesis and calcium stimulated its formation.

Enzymatic formation of prostaglandin D2 by rat basophilic leukemia cells and normal rat mast cells

It has been shown that the major cyclooxygenase product in rat basophilic leukemia (RBL-1) cells and in normal rat mast cells is prostaglandin D2. In RBL-1 cells, prostaglandin D2 is isomerase activity was found in the 150 000 X g microsomal pellet as well as the supernatant fraction. Incubation of RBL-1 microsomes with arachidonic acid without cofactors yielded 17.5 +/- 2% prostaglandin E2 and 9.1 +/- 1.4% prostaglandin D2. The cyclooxygenase activity was enhanced (25%) by epinephrine and the addition of reduced glutathione led to a marked increase in prostaglandin D2 synthesis (3-fold). Incubations with arachidonic acid, glutathione and epinephrine gave the maximum conversion to prostaglandin D2, yielding 7 +/- 0.4% prostaglandin E2 and 35.6 +/- 3.5% prostaglandin D2. Incubations with [14C]prostaglandin H2 to bypass cyclooxygenase confirmed the presence and glutathione dependence of the prostaglandin D2 isomerase in the microsomal fraction and also revealed the presence of the same enzyme in the 150 000 X g supernant. In contrast to RBL-1 cells, incubations of microsomes and supernatant from normal rat mast cells with [14C]-arachidonic acid and [14C]prostaglandin H2 localized the prostaglandin D2 isomerase activity in the soluble fraction. Similar to the enzyme in the RBL-1 cells, the mast cell enzyme was glutathione dependent.

Nucleolar changes in senescing WI-38 cells

Changes in the area, dry mass and morphology of nucleoli were studied during in vitro aging of WI-38 cells. Interferometric methods were used for nucleolar dry mass determinations. The results show that there is (1) an increase in the fraction of cells with one large nucleolus per nucleus, 17% at population doubling 27.3 vs. 93% at population doubling 41.2, (2) an increase in mean nucleolar dry mass (583% at the last doubling), and (3) an increase in mean nucleolar area (236% at the last doubling) with in vitro senescence of WI-38 fibroblast cells. A strong correlation (r = 0.92) between nucleolar dry mass and nucleolar area was demonstrated.

Mutagenicity of some commercially available nitro compounds for Salmonella typhimurium

Benzoyl chloride and 53 commercially available aromatic heterocyclic and aliphatic nitro compounds were tested for mutagenicity in Salmonella typhimurium TA98 and TA100. 34 of 53 nitro compounds (64%) were mutagenic, 4 in TA100 only, 15 in TA98 only, and 15 in both strains. 13 of the heterocyclic derivatives of pyridine, indole, indazole, quinoline, and benzimidazole were mutagenic. 21 of 34 mutagenic nitro compounds were bactericidal. Nitromethane was the only aliphatic tested and was not mutagenic. Benzoyl chloride, a human carcinogen, was mutagenic for TA98.

Mutagenicity and antibacterial activity of hydroxamic acids

Hydroxamic acids demonstrated mutagenic and antibacterial activities. These activities appear to be dependent on the hydroxamic acid function and are probably due to the interaction with deoxyribonucleic acid.

Mutagenic activity of carcinogenic and noncarcinogenic nitrofurans and of urine of rats fed these compounds

The nitrofurans, 2-(2-furyl)-3-(5-nitro-2-furyl)acrylamide (AF-2), N-[4-(5-nitro-2-furyl)-2-thiazolyl]formamide (FANFT), nitrofurantoin, 5-nitro-2-furoic acid, 5-nitro-2-furamidoxime, 5-nitrofurfurylidene diacetate and the urine of rats fed these compounds, were assayed for mutagenic activity in Salmonella typhimurium strains TA100 and TA100FR1. All the nitrofurans were mutagenic in the order: AF-2 and FANFT greater than nitrofurantoin greater than 5-nitro-2-furamidoxime greater than 5-nitrofurfurylidene diacetate greater than 5-nitro-2-furoic acid. Strain TA100 was more sensitive than TA100FR1 to the mutagenic influence of these nitrofurans. Only the urine of rats fed AF-2, FANFT and nitrofurantoin had mutagenic activity. Again, TA100 was more sensitive than TA100FR1. The mutagenicity of the urine was not increased by treatment with beta-glucuronidase. AF-2, 2-amino-4-(5-nitro-2-furyl)thiazole (deformylated product of FANFT) and nitrofurantoin were excreted in the urine of rats fed these compounds; whereas the other nitrofurans were not excreted.

Epidemic pleurodynia (Bornholm disease) outbreak in Singapore. A clinical and virological study

In 1974, an outbreak of Bornholm disease occurred in Singapore. The period 1st May to 31st July was delineated for study. From the clinical presentation 53 patients were placed into two categories "typical Bornholm disease" and "atypical Bornholm disease". The clinical features of only those in the "typical Bornholm disease" group including those with positive Coxsackie B3 virus isolation were described. The virological studies, both faecal isolation for virus and serology were correlated with clinical diagnosis. Fever and characteristic abdominal or chest pain appear to be constant features of Bornholm disease. Positive faecal virus isolation are significantly high in the "typical Bornholm disease" group. Bornholm disease could be diagnosed clinically with fair accuracy. The importance of diagnosing Bornholm disease is emphasized.

A pneumatically operated femoral artery compressor

A readily assembled, inexpensive pneumatically operated femoral artery compressor for use in transfemoral arteriography is described. This device is effective in controlling post-procedure bleeding and oozing around the catheter during the procedure.

A new biopsy needle and its clinical use

A new aspirating and severing soft tissue biopsy needle that is small, disposable, relatively simple (3 components), and very thin-walled has been used percutaneously for many lesions of the chest, abdomen, pelvis, extremities, subcutaneous masses, and lytic spinal bodies. In the vase majority of instances, the tissue cores were sufficient for regular histologic cell block preparation. Among the 143 pulmonary biopsies, the diagnostic accuracy was 89 per cent. There were 16 cases of post-biopsy small pneumothorax, 6 cases of large pneumothorax, and 9 incidences of mild hemoptysis of no consequence. Of the 81 nonpulmonary biopsies, 71 (88 per cent) were diagnostically accurate; and there were no complications.

Enteric virus isolation in different cell cultures

The need for establishing an optimum tissue culture cell line for isolation of enteric viruses prompted a comparative study of cell lines for the isolation of enteric viruses from rectal swab specimens. The viruses isolated included all three types of poliovirus, 12 types of echovirus, seven types of group A and two of group B coxsackievirus, 24 strains of adenovirus, and eight untyped agents which probably represent new enteroviruses. One hundred positive isolations were made from 387 rectal swab specimens; 86 were obtained in human kidney cultures. This was almost twice the number obtained with monkey kidney and more than one-and-a-half times that obtained with human lung cells (WI-38). A diploid human epithelial cell line (Attleson) was tested and was found to be inferior to both monkey kidney and WI-38 cells for enteric viruses. Human kidney cells were particularly useful for group A coxsackieviruses and adenoviruses.