Herbert H. Spencer

Viable vein graft preservation

Homologous vein grafts are becoming increasingly useful in patients without suitable autologous saphenous veins for peripheral arterial bypass procedures [4, 81. However, fresh veins are the only tissue that has been used successfully in homograft vascular reconstruction in terms of long-term patency [4]. The advantages of a reliable method of long-term storage of viable vein segments and the ultimate creation of a vein “bank” are therefore apparent. Dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) is a low molecular weight compound that diffuses readily across cell membranes [2] and has been shown to be an effective cryoprotectant avoiding cellular dehydration, a major cause of cell death during freezing [2]. The DMSO has been used for successful cryopreservation of other tissues [3, 61, but has not been utilized for vein graft preservation. This study assesses a method for the longterm preservation of viable vein segments by freezing in liquid nitrogen with DMSO cryopreservation.

Erythrocytes: pits and vacuoles as seen with transmission and scanning electron microscopy.

Vacuoles containing inclusions were observed by transmission electron microscopy in erythrocytes of a splenectomized patient with hemoglobin Ann Arbor. The membranes of these vacuoles became fused with the surface membrane of the red cell, thus opening the vacuoles and exposing their contents to the outside. These vacuoles when they have become thus attached to the cell membrane of the erythrocyte are responsible for the pits observed with scanning electron microscopy.

Chromosome polyploidization in human leukocyte cultures treated with streptonigrin and cyclophosphamide.

Treatment of cultured human peripheral blood leukocytes with streptonigrin or cyclophosphamide resulted in morphologic chromosomal changes, as well as polyploid and endoreduplicated mitoses. Polyploidy was present in 11% of cells treated with streptonigrin and in 15% of cells treated with cyclophosphamide. These findings, together with recent data showing polyploidization in normal human leukocytes induced in vivo and in vitro with chemotherapeutic agents and ionizing radiations, suggest that polyploidy and endoreduplication of chromosomes as reported in acute leukemia, might to a large extent be the result of concomitantly administered therapy.

Comparison of chlorambucil and streptonigrin (NSC-45383) in the treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Forty‐nine men with progressive chronic lymphocytic leukemia were treated with chlorambucil 0.2 mg/kg/day orally or streptonigrin 0.004 mg/kg/day orally for a minimum of six weeks in a double‐blind study. Dosage modifications were frequently necessary to achieve maximum drug effect and prevent serious toxicity. Eighteen of 24 patients treated with chlorambucil (75%) and 21 of 25 patients treated with streptonigrin (84%) showed some objective response. The difference was not statistically significant. The incidence of bone marrow depression was comparable. Significantly more patients treated with streptonigrin had mild to moderate gastrointestinal toxicity.

Large unit red cell cryopreservation with hydroxyethyl starch

Abstract Full units of red blood cells frozen with 14% hydroxyethyl starch (HES) yield cell recoveries near 97% and saline stabilities greater than 80%. Potassium leaves the cells during the freeze-thaw cycle and increases the extracellular concentration of this ion to near 35 meq/l. Unwashed cells (those with plasma present) and saline washed cells yield similar results. Storage of the thawed red cells at 4 °C for up to 48 hr causes little change in the cells. Examination by electron microscopy of samples from thawed units reveals some red cells with portions of their membrane missing. We believe this represents damage from the freeze-thaw cycle and also that all free supernatant hemoglobin does not arise from completely lysed cells.

Comparison of chlorambucil and streptonigrin (NSC-45383) in the treatment of malignant lymphomas†

Forty‐three patients with progressive, disseminated Hodgkins disease and 68 patients with other lymphomas were treated with chlorambucil 0.2 mg/kg/day orally or streptonigrin 0.004 mg/kg/day orally for a minimum of 6 weeks in a double‐blind study. In the Hodgkins group, 12 of the 23 (52%) patients receiving chlorambucil and 6 of the 20 (32%) patients receiving streptonigrin showed objective responses. In the lymphosarcoma group, which included giant follicular lymphoma, reticulum cell sarcoma, and mycosis fungoides, 12 of the 35 (34%) treated with chlorambucil and 11 of the 33 (34%) treated with streptonigrin, showed objective responses. Chlorambucil and streptonigrin seem to be equally effective in the treatment of Hodgkins disease and other lymphomas. The most common forms of drug toxicity consisted of bone marrow depression and gastrointestinal symptoms. Leucopenia occurred in two‐thirds of patients treated with either drug. The incidence of gastrointestinal toxicity and thrombocytopenia was significantly higher in patients treated with streptonigrin.

The effect of plasma on hydroxyethyl starch-preserved red cells

Summary Red blood cells frozen with 14% HES in 30-ml aliquots yield saline stabilities near 75%. When the cells are washed with 0.9% NaCl before freezing the saline stabilities increase to 83% (82.9 ± 1.5). The cell recoveries (near 98%) and the levels of supernatant hemoglobin (300 ± 25 mg%) remain nearly unchanged. The reduced saline stabilities are believed caused by the plasma or a plasma component since resuspending saline-washed red cells in autologous plasma gives stabilities identical to the unwashed cells. The improvement in saline stabilities by washing the red blood cells to remove the plasma occurs throughout a hematocrit range of 20–50%. Prefreeze washing could provide a method of improving the quality of HES-preserved red blood cells.

The effects of chloramphenicol on mitosis of phytohemagglutinin stimulated human leukocytes

Abstract Lymphocyte transformation to blast cells induced by phytohemagglutinin was not inhibited by chloramphenicol in cultures. Chloramphenicol induced a decrease in the mitotic index in 6 out of 10 normal subjects, and these 6 individuals showed increased polyploidy in 4 day cultures. These 6 individuals were all positive to the tuberculin skin test. In 4 out of 10 individuals the chloramphenicol treated cultures showed no diminution of mitotic index, and no evidence of polyploidy in 4 day cultures. These 4 individuals were negative to the tuberculin skin test.

Polyploidy and Endoreduplication in Nonleukemic Patients

REISMAN, Zuelzer and Mitani1 described polyploidy and endoreduplication of chromosomes in a patient being treated for acute leukemia. They ascribed these abnormalities to a primary chromosomal diso...

Cytogenetic Studies of Normal and Cleft-Palate Epitheliums in Mice

This study investigated teratogenic activity on a cellular level through analysis of the cytogenetic complex in cleft-palate epithelial cells from the progenies of mice treated with cortisone. Analysis showed no detectable aberration from a normal chromosomal complement.