Inheritance of hydronephrosis in the inbred mouse strain DDD

The mode of inheritance of hydronephrosis was investigated by crossing inbred DDD mice having a high incidence of hydronephrosis and C57BL/6 mice having normal kidneys. In the males, incidences of hydronephrosis in F1 animals were intermediate between the two parental strains at a rate of 32.6% in (DDD x C57BL/6)F1 and 23.4% in reciprocal F1. The same tendency was observed in F2 male animals. In BCF1 males, the number of affected mice was higher in (C57BL/6 x DDD) F1 x DDD (72.4%) than in (DDD x C57BL/6)F1 x C57BL/6 (11.1%). A few affected mice were found among the females of hybrids F1, F2 and BCF1. These results suggested that hydronephrosis in the DDD strain of mice was controlled by polygenes, and that male hormones may have some effect on the occurrence of hydronephrosis.

Prognosis of primary hepatocellular carcinoma

Prognosis of 600 consecutive patients with hepatocellular carcinoma was analyzed in relation to treatment. They were divided into three stages based on four parameters of advanced disease: ascites, tumor greater than 50% of the two-dimensional size of the liver, serum albumin below 3 gm per dl, and serum bilirubin above 3 mg per dl. Stage I had none of these signs; Stage II one or two signs, and Stage III three or all signs. Of 600 patients, 98 had resection, 333 had nonsurgical treatment (158 treated by intraarterial chemotherapy, 94 systemic chemotherapy, 77 transcatheter embolization, and 4 others) and 169 no treatment. The median survival of untreated patients was only 1.6 months from diagnosis, and no untreated Stage III patient lived more than 3 months; there was a median survival of 0.7 month. Surgically treated patients lived significantly longer than nonsurgical patients of comparable stages; median survival was 19.6 months in the former and 2.8 months in the latter. Whereas Stage I patients did fairly well without treatment, chemotherapy significantly prolonged survival of patients of Stages II and III. These results suggest that early diagnosis and hepatic resection improve prognosis in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma in the areas where this cancer frequently emerges unicentrically. In view of the generally poor prognosis, liver transplantation is recommended when resection is not possible or indicated, and before extrahepatic metastasis occurs.

Diabetic scleredema

Many skin lesions are specific for diabetes mellitus. Necrobiosis lipoidica, lipoatrophy and idiopathic bullae (bullosis diabeticorum) are usually associated with diabetes. However, diabetic scleredema has not been noticed by internists, although dermatologists have paid attention to such a cutaneous manifestation. We reported a clinical case of a female diabetic patient aged 15 who had been afflicted with diabetic scleredema. She had been treated with insulin since 5 years of age. She noticed stiffness of the skin in April 1980. Skin biopsy showed thickness of the dermis and accumulation of acid mucopolysaccharide. After control of blood glucose with continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) and administration of tocopherol acetate and hyaluronidase, the skin lesion improved. Etiology of diabetic scleredema is unknown. Such skin lesion which is observed frequently in insulin dependent obese patients is different from a category of scleredema of Buschke.

Characteristics of auto-antibodies to bovine TSH in the serum of two patients with Graves' disease

In this report we describe the characteristics of auto-antibodies to bovine TSH (bTSH) detected in the serum of 2 females among 102 patients with Graves' disease. These patients had never been injected with bTSH. One patient had high LATS activity and high bTSH binding activity after isotope therapy. The other patient showed no detectable LATS activity. Interestingly, the antibody showed a specifically high binding activity for the labelled TSH preparation purified by receptor. The auto-antibody could be demonstrated by the double antibody method, polyethylene glycol method, and by gel-filtration. The antibody was polyclonal immunoglobulin G (IgG). Because the binding of [125I]bTSH with the patient's antibody was inhibited by pituitary extracts from mammalian species other than human, this antibody may cross-react with bovine, rat, dog, rabbit and whale TSH. Although the incidence of the antibody in Graves' disease is low and the pathological significance remains obscure, the existence of this antibody in the serum of patients may suggest that autoimmune mechanisms may involve not only the thyroid but also the pituitary in Graves' disease.

Saltatory conduction revealed by unidimensional latency-topography of peripheral nerve impulse

The ventral or dorsal root of the rat was placed on 12 electrodes arranged side by side at 0.4 mm intervals. Impulse conduction along the fiber was displayed using unidimensional latency-topography, which corresponds to the relation between latency and electrode distance. The relation revealed step-like displacement, which implies saltatory conduction of the impulse. Since the distance between the plateaux correspond to internodal length, the conduction velocity could be calculated from the length and the time differences between plateaux. It was found from 36 observations that : (i) mean internodal length was 0.92 +/- 0.13 mm (range 0.70--1.25 mm); (ii) mean conduction velocity was 76.1 +/- 20.7 m/s; and (iii) the correlation coefficient of conduction velocity and internodal length was statistically significant at r = 0.38 (P less than 0.025), so the longer the internodal length, the higher the conduction velocity.

Studies on Brugia pahangi in inbred hamsters. 1. Susceptibility of inbred GN and APG hamsters

The susceptibility of inbred GN and APG hamsters to Brugia pahangi infection was studied. Male GN hamsters infected subcutaneously with 100 infective larvae showed 100% patency with the average prepatent period of 69 days. The average microfilarial density was 148/40 c.mm at 26 weeks and reached 1,000/40 c.mm at days 280. The rate of adult recovery was as high as 36%. Most worms were recovered from the heart and lungs (46%) and testes (40%). The male GN hamster-B. pahangi model could be a good substitution for the jird-B. pahangi model. Female GN and male APG hamsters seemed to be less susceptible than male GN hamsters. However, they could still be a better alternative to outbred hamsters due to their high rates of patency (92 and 100%), relatively high microfilarial densities (31 and 39/40 c.mm at 26 weeks) and reasonable rates of adult recovery (23.5 and 17.2%).

Morphological and physiological changes in dissociated adult frog muscle fibres after prolonged culturing

Adult frog (Rana temporaria) muscle fibres, denervated in vivo, were dissociated and maintained in culture for several weeks. Light and electron microscopical studies showed that the fibres developed striated muscle sprouts. These sprouts were in cytoplasmic continuity with the parent muscle fibre. To judge by the presence of miniature endplate potentials, embryonic Xenopus laevis neurons were able to form functional neuromuscular junctions, both on the muscle sprouts and on the parent fibre. In addition to the usual depolarizing action potentials, the cultured fibres, with or without sprouts, showed slow hyperpolarizing regenerative responses. These hyperpolarizing action potentials were triggered when the membrane potential reached about -120 mV and their 'peak' amplitude was at about -230 mV. It is concluded that new skeletal muscle fibres can be formed from outgrowths of adult muscle fibres, and that these sprouts can accept motor innervation.

[Experimental studies on pancreatic islet xenotransplantation--effect of irradiation on xenografts survival]

The purpose of the present study was to assess the effect of Total Body Irradiation (TBI) and Total Lymphoid Irradiation (TLI) on pancreatic islet xenografts survival. Wistar rats rendered diabetic by intravenous injection of streptozotocin were used as recipients. Golden hamsters were used as islet donors. Pancreatic islets were isolated by the collagenase digestion method. Twelve hundred islet were transplanted into the portal vein of diabetic rats. In untreated controls, the mean graft survival time was 2.9 +/- 0.6 days (n = 7). In TBI of 400 rad treated group, three out of 9 recipients accepted islet xenografts for more than 80 days. TLI of 1200 rad also significantly prolonged graft survival period (30.3 +/- 11.7 days, n = 7, p less than 0.01). Rat anti-hamster lymphocytotoxic antibody titers began to rise on the second day after islets xenografting in untreated and TLI of 400 rad treated recipients. While, elevation of cytotoxic antibody titers was completely suppressed in spite of occurrence of the rejection in TLI of 800 and 1200 rad treated recipients. This may indicate that xenograft rejection in TLI of 800 and 1200rad treated recipients was mediated by cellular immunity rather than humoral immunity.

Direct coronal CT scanning for the body

A direct coronal CT scanning technique for the trunk, named "Quasi-Coronal" CT, is presented and its usefulness demonstrated with clinical examples. Patients are placed in the lateral position on a wide plate laid on the scanner bed and instructed to assume various special postures. An important concept of this technique is to obtain the tomograms in which target organs with predominant longitudinal orientation are directly imaged in the coronal plane. An analysis of artifacts due to "Out of Field" objects is presented. When properly performed, "Quasi-Coronal" CT can provide useful additional information, despite having some limitations.

Arterioportal shunts on dynamic computed tomography

Thirty-two patients, 20 with hepatocellular carcinoma and 12 with liver cirrhosis, were examined by dynamic computed tomography (CT) using intravenous bolus injection of contrast medium and by celiac angiography. Dynamic CT disclosed arterioportal shunting in four cases of hepatocellular carcinoma and in one of cirrhosis. In three of the former, the arterioportal shunt was adjacent to a mass lesion on CT, suggesting tumor invasion into the portal branch. In one with hepatocellular carcinoma, the shunt was remote from the mass. In the case with cirrhosis, there was no mass. In these last two cases, the shunt might have been caused by prior percutaneous needle puncture. In another case of hepatocellular carcinoma, celiac angiography but not CT demonstrated an arterioportal shunt. Thus, dynamic CT was diagnostic in five of six cases of arteriographically demonstrated arterioportal shunts.

Hydronephrosis in the inbred mouse strain DDD

The inbred mouse strain DDD was found to have an extremely high incidence of hydronephrosis (37/37 in adult males and 12/32 in adult females). The hydronephrosis was classified as open with no definite cause for obstruction. The condition was either unilateral in the right kidney or bilateral. Another feature of the hydronephrotic kidney was circulatory failure. Hydronephrosis in strain DDD mice is considered to be a useful experimental animal model with additional possible use, in investigating disturbances of renal haemodynamics and function.

Ipsilateral disturbance of taste due to pontine haemorrhage

A patient with haemorrhage in the right tegmentum of the pons demonstrated ipsilateral disturbance of taste on both the anterior two-thirds and posterior one-third of the tongue. The contralateral medial lemniscus was not disturbed, contrary to the early descriptions that the secondary gustatory neurons from the nucleus of the solitary tract cross and turn upwards in the pons through the contralateral medial lemniscus. This finding would accord with the concept of the pontine taste area which receives ipsilaterally the secondary gustatory neurons from the anterior pole of the nucleus of the solitary tract.

Potentiation of the chemotherapeutic effect of 5-fluorouracil by combination with guanosine 5'-monophosphate

The chemotherapeutic effect of the 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)-guanosine 5'-monophosphate (GMP) combination in various mouse tumor systems was compared with that of 5-FU monotherapy. Antitumor activity of 5-FU against L-1210 leukemia was potentiated without increasing its toxicity to the host when GMP at 30-100 mg/kg/day was injected simultaneously with 5-FU. Any time interval between the administrations of 5-FU and GMP diminished the increase in survival. Moreover, the combination of 5-FU and GMP at 100 mg/kg/day produced marked antitumor effects in the P-388 leukemia, ascites sarcoma 180, and Ehrlich ascites carcinoma systems. GMP also potentiated the antitumor activity of 5-FU in solid tumor systems (adenocarcinoma 755 and Lewis lung carcinoma) when given by intravenous injection, but not intraperitoneal injection. The therapeutic effect of 5-FU on various murine tumors was markedly potentiated by GMP at 100 mg/kg/day or less without increasing the toxicity to the host.

Effects of intra- and extrahepatic portal systemic shunts on insulin metabolism

To study the effects of intra- and extrahepatic portal-systemic shunts on insulin degradation, 11 patients with liver cirrhosis and 7 noncirrhotic patients with liver disease were studied with percutaneous transhepatic catheterization. Insulin levels in portal and peripheral blood were measured simultaneously for 1-2 hr after intravenous administration of glucose. The degrees of intra- and extrahepatic portal-systemic shunting were measured with this technique using 131I-macroaggregated albumin and 99mTc-macroaggregated albumin. The amount of insulin secreted and insulin degraded were assessed from the areas under blood concentration curves for portal and peripheral blood. Insulin degradation was significantly reduced in cirrhotics compared to noncirrhotics with liver disease, although there was no difference in the amount of insulin secreted between these two groups. It was also correlated significantly with the degree of intrahepatic shunting but not with the degree of extrahepatic shunting. These results suggest that intrahepatic shunting plays an important role in the reduction of insulin degradation in cirrhosis.

Distribution of filipin-sterol complexes on cultured muscle cells: cell-substratum contact areas associated with acetylcholine receptor clusters

Specialized areas within broad, close, cell-substratum contacts seen with reflection interference contrast microscopy in cultures of Xenopus embryonic muscle cells were studied. These areas usually contained a distinct pattern of light and dark spots suggesting that the closeness of apposition between the membrane and the substratum was irregular. They coincided with areas containing acetylcholine receptor clusters identified by fluorescence labeled alpha-bungarotoxin. Freeze-fracture of the cells confirmed these observations. The membrane in these areas was highly convoluted and contained aggregates of large P-face intramembrane particles (probably representing acetylcholine receptors). If cells were fixed and then treated with the sterol-specific antibiotic filipin before fracturing, the pattern of filipin-sterol complex distribution closely followed the pattern of cell-substratum contact. Filipin-sterol complexes were in low density in the regions where the membrane contained clustered intramembrane particles. These membrane regions were away from the substratum (bright white areas in reflection interference contrast; depressions of the P-face in freeze-fracture). Filipin-sterol complexes were also in reduced density where the membrane was very close to the substratum (dark areas in reflection interference contrast; bulges of the P-face in freeze-fracture). These areas were not associated with clustered acetylcholine receptors (aggregated particles). This result suggests that filipin treatment causes little or no artefact in either acetylcholine receptor distribution or membrane topography of fixed cells and that the distribution of filipin-sterol complexes may closely parallel the microheterogeneity of membranes that exist in living cells.

Effects of electrical constants on conduction velocity of action potentials measured with unidimensional latency-topography in frog skeletal muscle fibers

Conduction velocity (CV) of an action potential recorded from a single muscle fiber of the frog was measured with a new method, unidimensional latency-topography, and electrical membrane constants were determined for the same muscle fiber. CV = 1.96 +/- 0.27 m/sec (n = 52) at about 20 degrees C. Temperature coefficient of CV: Q10 = 2.0. Electrical membrane constants in the same muscle fibers (n = 52): lambda = 3.25 +/- 0.83 mm, tau = 33.4 +/- 14.3 msec, Cm = 6.09 +/- 2.13 mu F/cm2, D = 129.4 +/- 28.9 micron (mean +/- S.D.). The CV decreased linearly with increment of time constant, tau, and membrane capacity per unit area, Cm. The space constant, lambda, and the fiber diameter of the muscle fiber, D, did not correlate with CV. It was concluded that the T-system, which contributes largely to membrane capacity, has a great influence on the CV.

Inhibitory and excitatory synapses in crayfish stretch receptor organs studied with direct rapid-freezing and freeze-substitution

Crayfish abdominal stretch receptor organs are innervated by inhibitory (GABA) and excitatory (glutamate) synapses. Previous studies with aldehyde fixation showed that synaptic vesicles in the inhibitory synapse are flat and small, whereas those in the excitatory synapse are rounder and larger. We have reexamined these inhibitory and excitatory synapses by using direct rapid-freezing and freeze-substitution in order to preserve synaptic structure closer to its living state. Fine details of synaptic structure appear to be better preserved by this method. Synaptic vesicles in inhibitory as well as excitatory synapses are round, so the conventional flattened shape of vesicles in the inhibitory synapse must depend on some aspect of aldehyde processing. However, the average size of vesicles in the inhibitory synapse is significantly smaller than that of vesicles in the excitatory synapse, so synaptic vesicle size is regarded as having functional significance.

[Clinical studies on cefmetazole in respiratory infections]

Cefmetazole (CMZ) was used for the treatment of respiratory infections in 10 cases; six cases of bronchopneumonia, 2 cases of acute exacerbation of chronic pulmonary emphysema or bronchitis disease, 1 case of acute exacerbation of chronic respiratory failure and 1 case of lung abscess. CMZ was administered by intravenous drip infusion at a daily dose of 2 to 4 g for 5 to 24 days. Intramuscular injection of gentamicin was combined in 2 cases. Clinical results were as follows; excellent in 6 cases, good in 2 cases, fair in 1 case and poor in 1 case. As to the side effects of the drug, allergic reaction with fever and eosinophilia was observed in 1 case. This side effect disappeared immediately after cessation of CMZ. In view of the above, CMZ may be considered to be a clinically useful antibiotic against respiratory infections.

[Pharmacokinetic studies of piperacillin after 4 g or 8 g intravenous injection in human healthy volunteers]

The pharmacokinetics of piperacillin (PIPC) after intravenous injection of 4 g and 8 g was studied on healthy volunteers, and the following results were obtained. 1. Serum concentrations of PIPC were measured, and simulation curves were obtained by using 2-compartment model. PIPC has been found to produce higher serum level soon after intravenous administration and it was rapidly eliminated. 2. In the view of pharmacokinetic parameter and peripheral compartment level of PIPC, it was estimated that distribution of PIPC of various tissues was prompt after administration. 3. PIPC was excreted rapidly, and approximately 100% excretion was observed up to 8 hours after instillation of 8 g PIPC for 2 hours. No accumulation of PIPC was noted.

Effect of interferon on the production of HBsAg and induction of an antiviral state in human hepatoma cell line PLC/PRF/5

The effects of human alpha and beta interferons (IFN) on the production of HBsAG by PLC/PRF/5 cells, an HBsAg-producing human hepatoma cell line, were studied in the exponential and stationary phases of cell growth. When exponential phase cells were treated with 100 or 1,000 U of IFN per ml for 48 hr. the amount of HBsAg in the culture medium decreased. The number of cells and the synthesis of DNA and proteins were also reduced by the IFN treatment. These results suggested that IFN did not affect the production of HBsAg specifically in exponential phase cells. When cells in the stationary phase were similarly treated with IFN, HbsAg production was not inhibited nor did the number of cells decrease. To examine the antiviral state induced by IFN in PLC/PRF/5, induction of 2'5'-oligo (A) synthetase and susceptibility to two kinds of viruses were examined. The 2'5'-oligo (A) synthetase activity was increased in an IFN-dose dependent manner. Susceptibility to vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) and encephalomyocarditis virus (EMCV) was decreased by treatment with 10 and 100 U of IFN per ml for 20 hr. It was concluded that IFN-alpha and IFN-beta induce 2'5'-oligo (A) synthetase and the antiviral state, but do not inhibit HBsAg production by PLC/PRF/5 cells.

Comparison of mammary tumorigenesis between litters in relation to mammary tumor virus antigenic expression in the milk of C3H/He mice

As a possible step to estimate the relationship between mammary tumor virus (MTV) and mammary tumorigenesis in mice, MTV antigenic expression in mother's milk and spontaneous mammary tumorigenesis in their daughters were compared between the 1st, the 2nd and the 3rd litters of the highly inbred strains of C3H/H3 mice with low mammary tumor incidence. While MTV antigenic expression was detected in all undiluted samples at each litter by immunodiffusion test, the amount of antigen as measured by the single radial immunodiffusion method was increased with increasing litter numbers. On the other hand, the development of preneoplastic mammary hyperplastic alveolar nodules was different little between litters and mammary tumor incidence by 13 months of age was very low with no difference in all litters. The pattern of estrous cycles and plasma prolactin level were also similar in each litter. The results suggest that spontaneous mammary tumorigenesis in mice is not always affected quantitatively by the amount of MTV when endocrine and genetical conditions are similar.

Antihypertensive actions of isoprenoids

Specific features of antihypertensive action of two new isoprenoid compounds, i.e. 5-nicotinooxymethyl -gamma - tocopherylnicotinate (NNT) and decaprenoic ethylester (EDP) were studied in rats. NNT and EDP were very similar to each other in their pharmacological features as far as we studied. Both NNT and EDP did not affect blood pressure in normotensive animals but significantly reduced blood pressure in SHR and DOCA/salt hypertensive animals in the acute studies with single dosing of 1 to 10 mg/kg (p.o.). Their antihypertensive action was mild but long-lasting and cumulated by the repeated administration. The chronic administration of NNT and EDP at oral doses of 0.2 and 2 mg/kg once a day completely suppressed the development of hypertension in rats unilaterally nephrectomized and treated with DOCA/salt and in SHR which were unilaterally ureter-ligated to accelerate the progress of their genetic hypertension. The mechanism of their antihypertensive action remains to be solved.

Clinicopathological study on plasma cell osteomyelitis

Clinicopathological findings of a case of chronic plasma cell osteomyelitis of a sixteen years old Japanese boy who underwent surgery under the diagnosis of malignant bone tumor of the proximal tibial metaphysis, have been presented. Sixty-one cases of chronic plasma cell osteomyelitis including this case were reviewed. The authors described that is is necessary to make a careful differentiation between these cases and solitary myeloma clinically and microscopically.