Effect of interhemispheric sections of the hypothalamus on milk-ejection bursts of supraoptic oxytocin neurones during bilateral and unilateral suckling in the rat

The burst activity of oxytocin neurones was recorded from the supraoptic nucleus of lactating rats with or without interhemispheric sectioning of the hypothalamus during bilateral or unilateral suckling. The results showed that extensive interhemispheric sectioning did not abolish the burst of oxytocin neurones during bilateral and contralateral suckling (100% of 25 neurones and 95% of 20 neurones, respectively), but significantly reduced the number of oxytocin neurones that showed the burst during ipsilateral suckling (5.3% of 19 neurones). To orientate the crossing site of the signals for bilateral synchronization of the bursts of oxytocin neurones, interhemispheric sectioning of the rostral or caudal hypothalamus was attempted, but either sectioning partially blocked the occurrence of the bursts during ipsilateral suckling. These results suggest that there are two separate gates located on different sides of the hypothalamus and that the neural connections between the gates seem distributed diffusely.

Galactorrhoea and amenorrhoea due to an intradural neurinoma originating from a thoracic intercostal nerve radicle

A 42-year-old woman had galactorrhoea and amenorrhoea. Four years previously she complained of sensory disturbance of her legs, with galt disturbance. Serum PRL level was 1408 mU/l. Magnetic resonance imaging showed a spindle-shaped mass in the spinal canal at the level of the ninth thoracic vertebra. The tumour was removed and histologically was found to be a neurinoma originating from the right ninth intercostal nerve radicle. Soon after the operation, galactorrhoea, amenorrhoea and neurological symptoms disappeared. Prolactin levels normalized at 346 mU/l. These findings indicate that hyperprolactinaemia occurred as a result of the stimulation of afferent fibres from an intercostal nerve in a patient with intradural neurinoma of the intercostal nerve radicle.

Aggressive natural killer (NK) cell lymphoma: report of a pediatric case and review of the literature

We report a rare pediatric case of aggressive natural killer (NK) cell lymphoma, characterized by acute onset hepatosplenomegaly and respiratory distress, and infiltration by large granular lymphocytes with the phenotype of CD3-CD16-CD56+. The patient has remained in complete remission after short-pulse intensive chemotherapy, and myeloablative therapy followed by allogeneic bone marrow transplantation. We compare our case with 7 other children with NK cell leukemia reported from other institutions.

Responsiveness of smooth muscle in the lower urinary tract of rabbits to various agonists

1. We compared the responsiveness of smooth muscle in the lower urinary tract and prostate from rabbits to the agonists noradrenaline, phenylephrine, clonidine, acetylcholine, prostaglandin F2 alpha, and histamine. 2. These agonists contracted smooth muscle in the lower urinary tract and prostate. In terms of maximal developed tension, contractile responses to the agonists were produced in the following order of potency: acetylcholine > prostaglandin F2 alpha > histamine > or = phenylephrine > or = noradrenaline > clonidine in the urinary bladder body; acetylcholine = noradrenaline = phenylephrine > prostaglandin F2 alpha > histamine > or = clonidine in the urinary bladder base; noradrenaline > or = phenylephrine > or = clonidine > acetyl-choline > prostaglandin F2 alpha > or = histamine in the urethra; and noradrenaline > or = phenylephrine > histamine = acetylcholine = clonidine = prostaglandin F2 alpha in the prostate. 3. These results suggest that considerable responsiveness variation occurs in the lower urinary tract and prostate and support the idea that the urinary bladder body is primarily governed by cholinergic mechanisms (parasympathetic nerves), whereas the urethra and prostate are regulated by alpha 1-adrenergic mechanisms (sympathetic nerves) and the bladder base by both.

Renal effect of YM435, a new dopamine D1 receptor agonist, in anesthetized dogs

The renal effects of YM435 ((-)-(S)-4-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-7,8-dihydroxy -1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline hydrochloride hydrate), a dopamine D1 receptor agonist, were investigated in anesthetized dogs. Intravenous infusion of YM435 (0.1-3 micrograms/kg per min) increased renal blood flow and decreased mean blood pressure in a dose-dependent manner with little effect on heart rate. Glomerular filtration rate, urine flow and urinary sodium excretion were concomitantly increased. The renal effect of YM435 by intravenous infusion at 0.3 microgram/kg per min was completely blocked by treatment with the selective dopamine D1 receptor antagonist SCH 23390 (7-chloro-8-hydroxy-3-methyl-1-phenyl-2,3,4,5-tetrahydro-(1H)-3-benzazep ine hydrochloride). Furthermore, intravenous infusion of YM435 (0.3 microgram/kg per min) reversed the angiotensin II-induced decreases in renal blood flow, glomerular filtration rate, urine flow and urinary sodium excretion, and prevented the decrease in renal blood flow, glomerular filtration rate and urine flow induced by renal nerve stimulation and platelet-activating factor (PAF). These results suggest that intravenous administration of YM435 produces renal vasodilating and diuretic/natriuretic effects by stimulation of dopamine D1 receptors, and demonstrate that YM435 can inhibit angiotensin II-, renal nerve stimulation- and PAF-induced renal dysfunction.

[Syndrome of inappropriate secretion of antidiuretic hormone associated with miliary tuberculosis]

An 82-year-old man with the chief complaint of anorexia was referred on suspicion of pulmonary tuberculosis. He had undergone thyroidectomy because of thyroid cancer 5 years ago, had taken levothyroxine sodium, and had kept plasma level of thyroidal hormone within normal range. He had never pointed out hyponatremia. On laboratory findings on admission, serum natrium level was 125 mEq/l. A chest X-ray film showed the infiltration in both lower lung fields, and a chest CT scan revealed a miliary pattern in both lungs. Tubercle bacilli were detected from the sputum by the Ziehl-Neelsen staining. Antituberculous drugs were started. On 5th hospital day, he developed consciousness disturbance, and the serum level of natrium and osmolarity was 103 mEq/l and 250 mOsm /kgH2O, respectively, while plasma ADH level was increased to 5.9 pg/ml, and urine level of natrium and osmolarity was 123 mEq/l and 394 mOsm/kgH2O, respectively. His mental disturbance and hyponatremia gradually improved by supplementing NaCl. We diagnosed this case as SIADH associated with miliary tuberculosis. SIADH should be considered when hyponatremia was occurred in the case of miliary tuberculosis.

Co-secretion of parathyroid hormone and parathyroid-hormone-related protein via a regulated pathway in human parathyroid adenoma cells

Parathyroid-hormone-related protein (PTHrP) is widely expressed not only in malignant tumors but also in both epithelial and nonepithelial cells of normal tissues. Secreted PTHrP is suspected to act as a paracrine or autocrine regulator. However, little is known about its secretory pathway. To cast light on this question, we studied the intracytoplasmic distribution of parathyroid hormone (PTH) and PTHrP immunohistochemically and immunoelectron microscopically in 10 surgically resected parathyroid adenomas. Double immunostaining was performed using anti-PTH antibody and a newly established anti-PTHrP antibody to reveal the relationship between their two distributions. Additional examination by cell immunoblot assay was performed to determine whether both PTH and PTHrP are secreted simultaneously. Both PTH and PTHrP were actually secreted from individual parathyroid cells simultaneously on cell immunoblot assay. Immunohistochemically, there were two different types of adenoma cells, i.e., one positive only for PTH and the other positive for both PTH and PTHrP. PTH was distributed linearly or fine granularly along the cytoplasmic membrane, whereas PTHrP was distributed diffusely or coarse granularly in the cytoplasm. The intracytoplasmic distributions of PTH and PTHrP often overlapped. Immunoelectron microscopical examination demonstrated that PTHrP co-localized with PTH in the same secretory granules. The results clearly demonstrated that PTHrP can be co-secreted with PTH via a regulated pathway using secretory granules.

Hemodynamic characterization of YM435, a novel dopamine DA1 receptor agonist, in anesthetized dogs

The cardiovascular effects of YM435, a dopamine DA1 receptor agonist, were compared with those of dopamine in open-chest anesthetized dogs. Intravenous infusion of YM435 (0.1-3 microg/kg/min) increased renal blood flow and cardiac output and reduced renal vascular resistance and total peripheral vascular resistance, with a decrease in mean blood pressure, in a dose-dependent manner, with little change in heart rate. At 1 microg/kg/min i.v., renal blood flow increased by 20 +/- 7%, cardiac output increased by 14 +/- 6%, renal vascular resistance decreased by 22 +/- 4%, total peripheral vascular resistance decreased by 18 +/- 4%, and mean blood pressure decreased by 7 +/- 1%. The striking difference between the cardiovascular effects of YM435 and those of dopamine was that YM435 caused no vasoconstriction or increase in heart rate, even at high doses. The cardiovascular effects of YM435 (1 microg/kg/min i.v.) were almost completely inhibited by treatment with SCH 23390, a selective dopamine DA1 receptor antagonist. Furthermore, intravenous infusion of YM435 (0.1-3 microg/kg/min) dose-dependently reversed the increase in blood pressure and renal vascular resistance induced by angiotensin II or norepinephrine in closed-chest anesthetized dogs. Our results demonstrate that intravenous infusion of YM435 produces dose-dependent renal vasodilating and hypotensive effects by stimulation of dopamine DA1 receptors and suggest that YM435 may be useful for the parenteral treatment of acute elevation of blood pressure.

Changes of behavior and monoamine metabolites in the rat brain after repeated methamphetamine administration: effects of duration of repeated administration

1. The authors studied the mechanism of the reverse-tolerance phenomenon caused by long-term administration of central stimulant drugs. Methamphetamine(MAP) was chronically administered to rats, and the reverse-tolerance phenomenon was studied in terms of behavioral changes and changes in monoamine metabolites, the latter being examined by in vivo microdialysis of the extracellular compartment of the corpus-striatum. The authors also studied [3H]SCH23390 and [3H]spiperone binding to striatal membranes after chronic MAP administration. 2. MAP(4 mg/kg) or saline was administered intraperitoneally once daily to male rats. In Groups 1 and 2, 10 and 30 injections of MAP were given, respectively. In Groups 3 and 4, animals received 10 and 30 injections of saline as controls. One week after the final injection, all rats were challenged with 4 mg/kg MAP. 3. Groups 1 and 2 displayed more intense stereotypy than Groups 3 and 4, indicating that behavioral sensitization had been achieved in the former. Dopamine(DA) levels increased rapidly in response to MAP challenge in all groups, with the increases in Groups 1 and 2 being more marked than that in Groups 3 and 4. Group 1 showed greater persistence and a higher rate of DA increase than Group 2. 4. The number of D1 and D2 dopamine receptors did not change after the repeated MAP administration. 5. The rate of increase in DA release induced by MAP was dependent on the duration of repeated administration, and there was no correlation between the intensity of stereotypy and the rate of increase in DA release induced by MAP. These findings suggest that enhancement in DA release is unlikely to be the sole cause of behavioral sensitization.

Acoustic characteristics of the piriform fossa in models and humans

The piriform fossa forms the bottom part of the pharynx and acts as a pair of side branches of the vocal tract. Because of its obscure form and function, the piriform fossa has usually been neglected in the current speech production models. This study examines the geometric and acoustic characteristics of the piriform fossa by means of MRI-based mechanical modeling, in-vivo experiments and numerical computations. Volumetric MRI data showed that the piriform fossa is 2.1 to 2.9 cm3 in volume and 1.6 to 2.0 cm in depth for four Japanese subjects (three males and one female). The results obtained from mechanical models showed that the piriform fossa contributes strong troughs, i.e., spectral minima, to speech spectra in a region of 4 to 5 kHz. The antiresonances were identified with increasing frequency when water was injected into the piriform fossa of human subjects in in-vivo experiments. Antiresonances obtained from the experiments and simulations were confirmed to be consistent with those in natural speech within 5%. Acoustic measurements and simulations showed that the influence of the piriform fossa extends to the lower vowel formants in addition to the local troughs. This global effect can be explained by the location of the fossa near the glottal end of the vocal tract.

Chromosome Y microsatellites: population genetic and evolutionary aspects

By means of a multicenter study, a large number of males have been characterized for Y-chromosome specific short tandem repeats (STRs) or microsatellites. A complete summary of the allele frequency distributions for these Y-STRs is presented in the Appendix. This manuscript describes in more detail some of the population genetic and evolutionary aspects for a restricted set of seven chromosome Y STRs in a selected number of population samples. For all the chromosome Y STRs markedly different region-specific allele frequency distributions were observed, also when closely related populations were compared. Haplotype analyses using AMOVA showed that when four different European male groups (Germans, Dutch, Swiss, Italians) were compared, less than 10% of the total genetic variability was due to differences between these populations. Nevertheless, these pairwise comparisons revealed significant differences between most population pairs. Assuming a step-wise mutation model and a mutation frequency of 0.21%, it was estimated that chromosome Y STR-based evolutionary lines of descent can be reliably inferred over a time-span of only 1950 generations (or about 49,000 years). This reduces the reliability of the inference of population affinities to a historical, rather than evolutionary time scale. This is best illustrated by the construction of a human evolutionary tree based on chromosome Y STRs in which most of the branches connect in a markedly different way compared with trees based on classical protein polymorphisms and/or mtDNA sequence variation. Thus, the chromosome Y STRs seem to be very useful in comparing closely related populations which cannot probably be separated by e.g. autosomal STRs. However, in order to be used in an evolutionary context they need to be combined with more stable Y-polymorphisms e.g. base-substitutions.

Evaluation of Y-chromosomal STRs: a multicenter study

A multicenter study has been carried out to characterize 13 polymorphic short tandem repeat (STR) systems located on the male specific part of the human Y chromosome (DYS19, DYS288, DYS385, DYS388, DYS389I/II, DYS390, DYS391, DYS392, DYS393, YCAI, YCAII, YCAIII, DXYS156Y). Amplification parameters and electrophoresis protocols including multiplex approaches were compiled. The typing of non-recombining Y loci with uniparental inheritance requires special attention to population substructuring due to prevalent male lineages. To assess the extent of these subheterogeneities up to 3825 unrelated males were typed in up to 48 population samples for the respective loci. A consistent repeat based nomenclature for most of the loci has been introduced. Moreover we have estimated the average mutation rate for DYS19 in 626 confirmed fatherson pairs as 3.2 x 10(-3) (95% confidence interval limits of 0.00041-0.00677), a value which can also be expected for other Y-STR loci with similar repeat structure. Recommendations are given for the forensic application of a basic set of 7 STRs (DYS19, DYS3891, DYS389II, DYS390, DYS391, DYS392, DYS393) for standard Y-haplotyping in forensic and paternity casework. We recommend further the inclusion of the highly polymorphic bilocal Y-STRs DYS385, YCAII, YCAIII for a nearly complete individualisation of almost any given unrelated male individual. Together, these results suggest that Y-STR loci are useful markers to identify males and male lineages in forensic practice.

[The possibilities and problems of a home setting hospice service for a patient living alone]

We provided home care service for a patient in the terminal stage of lung cancer. This patient had some difficulties, such as living by himself, having little financial means, and unable to use welfare programs because of the age restrictions of certain institutions. We, however, arranged the home care the patient wanted by carefully making contact with the health and welfare institutions involved. Through this case, we reported the possibilities and problems of a home setting hospice service for a patient living alone.

The Chemical Relationship between Fungus and Beetles on Ponderosa Pine

Volatile components of Cryptoporus volvatus attracting three pine beetles (Ischnodactylus loripes, Alphitophagus plagiatus, Bolitophagus felix, family Tenebrionidae) were isolated and found to be a mixture of two monoterpenes and an aliphatic hydrocarbon by means of GC-MS. The attractivity of the fungus for the beetles can be induced by synergistic action of (+)-isopinocamphone, (+)-trans-pinocarveol, and 1,3E , 5Z -undecatriene.

Improved thermodynamic parameters and helix initiation factor to predict stability of DNA duplexes

To improve the previous DNA/DNA nearest-neighbor parameters, thermodynamic parameters (deltaH degrees, deltaS degrees and deltaG degrees) of 50 DNA/DNA duplexes were measured. Enthalpy change of a helix initiation factor is also considered though the parameters reported recently did not contain the factor. A helix initiation factor for DNA/DNA duplex determined here was the same as that of RNA/RNA duplex (deltaG degrees(37) = 3.4 kcal/mol). The improved nearest-neighbor parameters reproduced not only these 50 experimental values used here but also 15 other experimental values obtained in different studies. Comparing deltaG degrees(37) values of DNA/DNA nearest-neighbor parameters obtained here with those of RNA/RNA and RNA/DNA, RNA/RNA duplex was generally the most stable of the three kinds of duplexes with the same nearest-neighbor sequences. Which is more stable between DNA/DNA and RNA/DNA duplexes is sequence dependent.

Radiotherapy of T1 and T2 glottic cancer: analysis of anterior commissure involvement

From January 1984 to December 1993, 184 patients with previously untreated T1 and T2 (UICC 1987) laryngeal glottic cancer underwent radiotherapy at Hyogo Medical Center for Adults. The prognostic variables analyzed included sex, age, smoking index, T stage, tumor size, tumor type, gross anterior commissure involvement (gross ACI), histological differentiation, administered dose, TDF, overall treatment time, chemotherapy, initial response, and the dose required to achieve CR. Both univariate and multivariate analyses were performed. The T stage, tumor size, and gross ACI were significant variables in univariate analysis, while the tumor type and gross ACI were significant on multivariate analysis. The 5-year recurrence-free survival of patients with gross ACI was significantly worse than that of those without ACI (57.6% vs. 89.9%). Among gross ACI patients, the recurrence-free survival of those treated with 70-72 Gy was superior to that of those receiving 60-62 Gy, suggesting that at least 70 Gy was necessary to control such diseases.

Acoustic characteristics of the human paranasal sinuses derived from transmission characteristic measurement and morphological observation

This paper reports on the acoustic characteristics of the paranasal sinuses as determined from transmission characteristic measurements and morphological examinations. A new experimental approach was developed to explore the correspondence between antiresonance frequencies and the causal resonators [J. Dang and K. Honda, J. Acoust. Soc. Jpn. (E) 17, 93-99 (1996)], and it was adopted to determine the antiresonance frequency of each sinus cavity. In this study, the antiresonance frequencies and the locations of the sinus openings were estimated from transmission characteristics of the nasal tract for three subjects, and then MRI-based morphological data for the subjects were used to relate each antiresonance frequency to its causal sinus cavity. The results indicate that each of the three major sinuses, i.e., the sphenoidal, maxillary, and frontal sinuses, contributes its own antiresonances to the transmission characteristics of the nasal tract. The estimated antiresonance frequencies were compared with computed natural frequencies of Helmholtz resonators, and the differences were within 10% for the sinuses. On the basis of the frequency distribution of the sinus antiresonance, the acoustic characteristics of the paranasal sinuses were modeled by four Helmholtz resonators. The simulation with the four-zero model showed that the paranasal sinuses not only introduce antiresonances in the transfer function, but also change the spectral shape of the nasal formants.

Rapid and clear detection of ABO genotypes by simultaneous PCR-RFLP method

We reported a new approach of ABO genotyping by a polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism method. Instead of amplifying the loci containing the positions of nucleotides 258 and 700 of cDNA of the A transferase separately, we successfully amplified these 2 loci together in one reaction mixture using 2 sets of primers. The amplified DNA products were digested at the same time with restriction enzymes Kpn I and Alu I. The digested DNA products were then separated by electrophoresis on polyacrylamide gel. In addition, we evaluated the influence of various amplification parameters (concentration of template DNA, primers, Taq DNA polymerase, MgCl2, and number of cycles). In particular, high Mg2+ concentration (3.5 mM) made effective amplification of this locus without producing any unspecific band. By using that optimized condition for PCR, together with a simultaneous approach, our study proved to be time saving, more economic, and convenient in interpreting the results.

Cellular signaling and proliferative action of AVP in mesangium of SHR: effect of low density lipoprotein

The present study was undertaken to determine whether low density lipoprotein (LDL) modulates the cellular action of arginine vasopressin (AVP) in cultured glomerular mesangial cells of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and normotensive Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKY). The AVP-induced cellular signal transduction, including inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3) production, fura-2 intracellular calcium measurements and cellular alkalinization, was significantly greater in cells of SHR than those of WKY. This is based on an increase in AVP V1 receptor number in cells of the SHR. Also, the AVP activation of mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase and [3H]thymidine incorporation was significantly exaggerated in cells of SHR compared with those of WKY. LDL at a concentration of 10 micrograms/ml augmented the cellular signaling and proliferative action of AVP in cells of WKY, but not in those of SHR. Since [3H]AVP receptor binding was not affected by the LDL pretreatment, LDL modulates the signal transduction between a location distal to the AVP receptors and proximal from the production of IP3 and diacylglycerol. These results indicate that an increase in AVP receptor capacity has a profound effect on the AVP-induced cellular signaling and proliferation, and that LDL has a slight alteration on the action of AVP in glomerular mesangial cells of SHR.

Aberrant expression of a hemidesmosomal protein, bullous pemphigoid antigen 2, in human squamous cell carcinoma

Through yet unidentified mechanisms, squamous epithelial cells become committed to terminal differentiation after detachment from the basement membrane. In squamous cell carcinoma, these mechanisms seem to be disturbed. A murine monoclonal antibody, designated NCC-Lu-226 (IgG1, K), which recognizes an antigen expressed in basal cells of squamous epithelium at the epithelio-connective tissue border, was obtained. A cDNA clone encoding the antigen was isolated from a cDNA library by immunoselection. DNA sequencing and a database search revealed that this cDNA clone was identical to a hemidesmosomal transmembrane protein, bullous pemphigoid antigen 2 (BPA-2; also known as BPAG2, BP180, or type XVII collagen). Immunoelectron microscopy validated the specific reactivity of this monoclonal antibody with skin hemidesmosomes. Enhanced expression and abnormal distribution of BPA-2 was revealed immunohistochemically in various precancerous and cancerous tissues, including solar keratosis (4 of 5), Bowen's disease (3 of 5), invasive squamous cell carcinoma (7 of 7) of the skin, and squamous cell carcinoma of the lung (14 of 14), esophagus (12 of 13), and cervix (14 of 17). The specific expression of BPA-2 protein in squamous cell carcinoma was confirmed by RT-PCR and Northern hybridization. BPA-2 has possible phosphorylation sites and is actually phosphorylated in cultured keratinocytes and squamous cell carcinoma. The aberrant expression of BPA-2 may reflect dysfunction of the hemidesmosome that occurs as a relatively early event in multistep carcinogenesis of squamous epithelium.