Triterpene constituents from the stem bark of Pinus luchuensis and their DNA topoisomerase II inhibitory effect.

Nine lanostane and serratane-type triterpenes including two unknown compounds were isolated from the stem bark of Pinus luchuensis. These new compounds were characterized as 3-oxolanost-9(11)-ene-24S,25-diol (1) and 29-acetoxy-3beta-methoxyserrat-14-en-21alpha-ol (2) on the basis of spectroscopic evidence. Some of these triterpenes were tested for the inhibitory effect on DNA topoisomerase II activity. Compound 1 showed a slightly less potent inhibitory activity with an IC(50) value of 186 microM.

A multivariate analysis of blood vessel and lymph vessel invasion as predictors of ovarian and lymph node metastases in patients with cervical carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: To the authors' knowledge there are few available data regarding the influence of lymphovascular space invasion, which has been examined separately as two components (lymphatic vessel invasion [LVI] and blood vessel invasion [BVI]), in the metastasis of cervical carcinoma. METHODS: LVI and BVI, which include capillary vessel invasion, were reviewed retrospectively based on the histopathologic slides of 239 women with cervical carcinoma who were treated with radical hysterectomy. The correlation between lymph node and/or ovarian metastases and LVI, BVI, and other histopathologic factors was investigated by multiple logistic regression analysis. The influence of LVI and BVI on survival was examined by Cox regression analysis. RESULTS: The rate of incidence of LVI was higher than that of BVI in all stages of cervical carcinoma (P < 0.0001 for International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics Stage IB and Stage II disease and P < 0.05 for Stage III disease). The incidence rate of BVI increased as LVI became more prominent and there was a significant correlation between the two findings (P < 0.0001). BVI was more frequent in adenocarcinoma/adenosquamous carcinoma than in squamous cell carcinoma (P < 0.05). LVI (P < 0.0001) and parametrial invasion (P < 0.0001) were significantly related to lymph node metastasis on multivariate analysis. Conversely, BVI (P < 0.05) and parametrial invasion (P < 0.0025), as well as adenocarcinoma or adenosquamous carcinoma (P < 0.0005), were significantly related to ovarian metastasis on multivariate analysis. With regard to the prognostic significance of these components, it was found that BVI (hazards ratio [HR] = 2.0), ovarian metastasis (HR = 6.5), and lymph node metastasis (HR = 5.5) were significantly related to a poor prognosis in women with cervical carcinoma. CONCLUSIONS: Ovarian metastasis may occur via hematogenous spread of cervical carcinoma. The results of the current study suggest that BVI, including capillary vessels, that is diagnosed separately from LVI using hematoxylin and eosin stained sections may be an important prognostic factor for patients with cervical carcinoma.

New isomalabaricane triterpenes from the marine sponge Stelletta globostellata that induce morphological changes in rat fibroblasts.

Three new isomalabaricane triterpenes, 29-hydroxystelliferin D (2), 3-epi-29-hydroxystelliferin E (3), and 3-epi-29-hydroxystelliferin A (4), were isolated from the marine sponge Stelletta globostellata. Their structures, including absolute stereochemistry, were determined on the basis of spectral data and chemical methods. Rat fibroblasts treated with 0.2 microM of 2-4 exhibited unusual morphological characteristics, followed by death in 5 days.

Skin and epidural recording of spinal somatosensory evoked potentials following median nerve stimulation: correlation between the absence of spinal N13 and impaired pain sense.

A clinical lesion study and intraoperative epidural recordings were made to test the origin and clinical significance of the spinal N13 and P13 of somatosensory evoked potentials (SEP) that follow median nerve stimulation. Intraoperatively, the respective peak latencies of spinal P13 and N13 coincided with those of the N1 component of the dorsal cord potential and its phase reversed positivity. On both the ventral and dorsal sides of the cervical epidural space, maximal amplitude was at the C5 vertebral level to which nerve input from the C6 dermatome is the main contributor. The modality of sensory impairment in the hand dermatome was examined in selected patients with cervical lesions, who showed such normal conventional SEP components as Erb N9, far-field P9, P11, P14, N18 and cortical N20, with or without loss of spinal N13. Statistically, the loss of spinal N13 was associated with decrease of pain sensation in the C6 dermatome. This was interpreted as being due to damage to the central grey matter of the cord, including the dorsal horn. Our results suggest the spinal N13 and P13 originate from the same source in the C6 spinal cord segment and that they are good indicators for the detection of centromedullary cervical cord damage.

Generation of auditory brain stem responses (ABRs). I. Effects of injection of a local anesthetic (procaine HCI) into the trapezoid body of guinea pigs and cat.

Auditory brain stem potentials were recorded between the skull and a non-cephalic reference electrode in anesthetized guinea pigs before and after the injection of a local anesthetic agent (procaine HCI) into the trapezoid body from a ventral approach. All components except P1, N1 and P2 were affected; N2 was delayed; P3 and N3 were lost; P4 was both broadened in duration and shortened in latency; N4 was attenuated in amplitude. All of these changes were temporary and recovery of the components occurred. Identification of the altered components was aided by their latency and amplitude changes as a function of both stimulus intensity and rate. This study implicates the trapezoid body as contributing to the generation of auditory brain stem components beginning with N2.

Generation of auditory brain stem responses (ABRs). II. Effects of surgical section of the trapezoid body on the ABR in guinea pigs and cat.

Auditory brain stem potentials were recorded between the skull and a non-cephalic reference electrode in guinea pig and cat before and after midline section of the trapezoid body from a ventral approach. The ABR after complete section was altered: N2 was delayed, P3 and N3 were lost, P4 and N4 were shortened in latency but only N4 was attenuated in amplitude. With partial section of the trapezoid body the amplitude of P3 was linearly related to the extent of the section. Recordings from the surface of the trapezoid body before and after section revealed a loss of activity contralateral to the ear stimulated and a preservation of activity ipsilateral to the section. Binaural interaction in P4 and N4 was attenuated in a linear manner as a function of the extent of trapezoid body section. This study suggests that auditory brain stem structures contralateral to the midline of the trapezoid body generate components N2, P3, N3, N4, whereas auditory structures ipsilateral to the midline generate components P1, N1, P2 and P4.

Generation of auditory brain stem responses (ABRs). III. Effects of lesions of the superior olive, lateral lemniscus and inferior colliculus on the ABR in guinea pig.

Auditory brain stem potentials were recorded between the skull (vertex) and a non-cephalic reference in guinea pig before and after making discrete lesions of the auditory pathway in the pons and midbrain. Lesions of the superior olivary complex were accompanied by attenuation of P3 and N3 to contralateral input. Lesions of the lateral lemniscus were accompanied by attenuation of N3 to contralateral input. Lesions of the lateral portion of the pons adjacent to the lateral superior olivary nucleus were accompanied by attenuation of P4 to ipsilateral input. Lesions of the inferior colliculus were without effect on the ABR. These data are interpreted as supporting the hypothesis that each component of the ABR arises from a focal region of the brain stem auditory pathway.