[Changes in and factors related to fatigue of in-home caregivers who utilize temporary nursing home assistance]

In order to understand the fatigue of in-home caregivers of the elderly and the remedical effects of temporary nursing home assistance (i.e., "respite care service"), pre- and post-service surveys were conducted on the Cumulative Fatigue Symptoms Index (CFSI) of 34 in-home caregivers who use the respite care service offered by a nursing home in Shizuoka, Japan. The results of these two surveys are as follows: 1) The physical fatigue of caregivers before using the respite service is higher, and caregiver's free time is related to their feelings of fatigue. 2) According to CFSI figures, chronic fatigue, general fatigue, anxiety, depression (p < 0.01), and irritability caused by excessive workload and reduced vitality (p < 0.05) were significantly reduced by the services given. 3) Twenty-seven caregivers, or 79% of the sample, showed some improvement, while the remaining 7 caregivers (21%) showed none. 4) Factors which may have affected the degree of fatigue recovery were shown, including reasons and days for using the respite service.

Protection of thyroid cancer cells by complement-regulatory factors

BACKGROUND

Clinical and experimental studies have suggested that complement activation may play a role in tumor cytotoxicity. Little information is available concerning the presence of complement activation and the localization of complement-regulatory factors in cells or tissues of malignant tumors. The aim of the present study was to examine, using immunohistochemistry and immunoelectron microscopy, whether the complement system is activated in tissues of thyroid carcinoma and whether thyroid carcinoma cells are protected from cell lysis by in situ complement activation.

METHODS

Fresh tissues were obtained by thyroidectomy from 15 patients with papillary carcinomas, 7 with follicular carcinomas, and 5 with follicular adenomas. In addition, five specimens of histologically normal thyroid tissue and five specimens of chronically inflamed tissue adjacent to thyroid neoplasms were studied. Immunohistochemical and immunoelectron microscopic localization of complement components, C3d and C5b-9, and the complement-regulatory factors, such as s-protein, decay-accelerating factor (CD55), membrane cofactor protein (CD46), complement receptor types 1 (CD35) and 2 (CD21), and protectin (CD59), were examined in these tissues.

RESULTS

The staining patterns of C3d, C5b-9, and s-protein were positive and homogeneous in the nonneoplastic and most neoplastic thyroid tissues. Immunoelectron microscopy showed these antigens were localized mainly on the subepithelial and vascular basement membranes and attached to the cell surface of thyroid follicular cells. Decay-accelerating factor (CD55) was present homogeneously on the basement membranes, on the basal cell border of the thyroid follicular cells, and often on the luminal surface of carcinoma cells. Both membrane cofactor protein (CD46) and protectin (CD59) were expressed strongly on the cell surface of almost all benign and malignant thyroid follicular cells. Membrane cofactor protein was expressed on both the basal and lateral membrane, showing cell-to-cell interaction, but rarely on the luminal surface, whereas protectin was expressed strongly on the luminal surface and often on the basal cell border but rarely on the lateral membrane. Neither complement receptor type 1 (CD35) nor complement receptor type 2 (CD21) was expressed on any thyroid follicular cells.

CONCLUSIONS

The present study confirmed the presence of complement activation with subsequent deposition of C3d and C5b-9 complexes in thyroid carcinomas. It also indicated that thyroid carcinoma cells are protected from cell lysis because of complement activation in multiple phases by complete coverage of the entire cell membrane surface with complement-regulatory factors. These findings were similar to those found in nonneoplastic thyroid follicular cells.

Expression of human tyrosine hydroxylase-chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) fusion gene in the brains of transgenic mice as examined by CAT immunocytochemistry

We have produced transgenic (Tg) mice carrying 5.0-kb fragment from the 5'-flanking region of the human tyrosine hydroxylase (hTH) gene fused to a reporter gene, chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) [Sasaoka et al. (1992) Mol Brain Res 16: 274-286]. In the brain of the Tg mice, CAT expression has been observed in catecholaminergic (CAnergic) neurons and also in non-CAnergic neurons. The aim of the present study is to examine in detail the cell-type specific expression of the hTH-CAT fusion gene in the brain of the Tg mice, by use of immunohistochemistry for CAT, TH, and aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase (AADC). CAT-immunoreactive cells were found in CAnergic brain regions which contained TH-positive cells, and also in non-CAnergic brain regions which contained no TH-labeled cells. The non-CAnergic brain regions that represented CAT-stained cells were further divided into two groups: (i) regions containing AADC-labeled cells, for example, bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, nucleus suprachiasmaticus, mammillary body, nucleus raphe dorsalis, inferior colliculus, and nucleus parabrachialis, and (ii) regions containing no AADC-positive cells, for example, main olfactory bulb (except A16), accessory olfactory bulb, nucleus olfactorius anterior, caudoputamen, septum, nucleus accumbens, hippocampus, medial nucleus of the amygdala, entorhinal cortex, nucleus supraopticus, and parasubiculum. The results indicate that the 5.0-kb DNA fragment flanking the 5' end of the hTH gene may contain the element(s) specific for neuron-specific TH expression but which may be insufficient to attenuate ectopic expression.

[Percutaneous renal cyst puncture with CO2 instillation therapy]

Ultrasound-guided percutaneous puncture of renal cysts replaced by CO2 was performed on 9 renal cysts of 6 patients from May 1993 through September 1993. Puncture and aspiration of cysts was performed using a 5.5 Fr one-step fluid drain kit (pig tail stent) under ultrasonography inspection. Aspirated volume of cyst contents was 15-292ml (mean 115 ml), and the instilled CO2 volume was 15-150 ml (mean 73 ml). All patients were checked by CT scan. In one month, the reduction rate of cyst volume was 46-84% (mean 69%) and lumbago, their chief complaint, was improved in all patients. No complications were observed in patients treated by CO2 instillation. Although long-term followup is needed to draw a definite conclusion, this therapy may be useful for benign renal cystic lesions.

[S antigen in retinas of royal college of surgeons rats: time course and retinal pigment epithelium transplant study]

Retinas of Royal College of Surgeons (RCS) rats were investigated immunocytochemically for the distribution of S antigen prior to and during the retinal disease process. RCS retinas onto which retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) had been transplanted were also immunostained with antibody for S antigen. At P2, weak immunostaining for S antigen was seen in neuroepithelium. At P22, the staining pattern outlined the entire photoreceptor layer. At P30, at the beginning of retinal degeneration, immunostaining for S antigen was considerably reduced in the degenerating photoreceptor outer segment. In the RCS retina at P90, immunostaining for S antigen was completely lost. However, retinas with transplanted RPE showed preserved immunocytochemical staining for S antigen at this late stage. These results suggest a loss of production of S antigen in degenerated retinal tissue, and that RPE transplantation helps to preserve S antigen in the RCS rat retina.

Inhibitory effects of salmon calcitonin on the tail-biting and scratching behavior induced by substance P and three excitatory amino acids

We have examined the effects of salmon calcitonin (SCT), injected into the cerebral ventricle (i.c.v.), on the tail-biting and scratching behavior induced by the intrathecal injection of different types of nociceptive agents, i.e., substance P, N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA), kainate (KA), and quisqualate (Quis). Tail-biting and scratching behavior induced by the 4 substances was significantly inhibited by SCT (i.c.v.) in the same manner: the dose-response curves were U-shaped, and the most effective dose was 0.1 IU/mouse in all cases. SCT did not, however, completely inhibit tail-biting and scratching behavior. At its most effective dose, the percent inhibition of substance P-, NMDA-, KA- and Quis-induced behavior were 77.9%, 40.2%, 49.4%, and 52.9%, respectively. These results suggest that SCT has the inhibitory effects of substance P- and glutamate receptor agonists-induced nociceptive response in vivo.

Role of brain ouabainlike compound in central nervous system-mediated natriuresis in rats

Intracerebroventricular infusion of artificial sodium-rich cerebrospinal fluid induces increases in blood pressure and urinary sodium excretion. To examine the role of brain ouabainlike compound in these central nervous system-mediated responses, we evaluated the effects of prior intracerebroventricular injection of the Fab fragments of digoxin-specific antibody (Digibind, 10 mg/mL, 10 microL) on changes in blood pressure and urinary sodium excretion after intracerebroventricular infusion of high-sodium (323 mmol/L, 150 microL/kg per 15 minutes) cerebrospinal fluid in anesthetized rats. Antiouabain action of Digibind was revealed by the inhibition of a contractile response to ouabain in guinea pig aorta. Similar significant increases in blood pressure were found in rats that received preinjection of Digibind (n = 14) compared with control rats that received injection of saline (n = 5) or normal sheep IgG (n = 8). In rats pretreated with Digibind the natriuretic responses to central high sodium were significantly diminished by 68% (P < .05) or 82% (P < .05) compared with rats treated with saline or normal IgG, respectively. In contrast, Digibind did not affect either pressor or natriuretic responses to intracerebroventricular angiotensin II (600 ng/30 microL per 10 minutes). These data indicate that Digibind significantly inhibits increases in renal sodium excretion in response to high central sodium and suggest that brain ouabainlike compound may be involved in central nervous system-mediated natriuresis with nonpressor mechanisms.

Neostriatal mosaic and type II Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase: an immunohistochemical study on the adult rat striatum

The present immunohistochemical study is concerned with the expression of type II Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase (CaM-kinase II), which is supposed to play an essential role in the intracellular Ca2+ signal transduction, in the striatum of adult rats. CaM-kinase II immunoreactivity was differentially concentrated in irregularly shaped compartments within the nucleus in a mosaic-like fashion. The compartment of heightened CaM-kinase II-immunolabeling corresponded to the extrastriosomal matrix visualized by calbindin-D28k-immunostaining. Light microscopic observation showed neurons immunoreactive for CaM-kinase II to be less densely distributed in the striosomes than in the matrix compartment. The present data suggest that these two striatal compartments may differ in an intracellular Ca(2+)-signaling process associated with protein phosphorylation.

Cryopreservation of in vitro-grown apical meristems of wasabi (Wasabia japonica) by vitrification and subsequent high plant regeneration

In vitro-grown apical meristems of wasabi (Wasabia japonica Matsumura) were successfully cryopreserved by vitrification. Excised apical meristems precultured on solidified M S medium containing 0.3M sucrose at 20°C for 1 day were loaded with a mixture of 2M glycerol and 0.4M sucrose for 20 min at 25°C. Cryoprotected meristems were then sufficiently dehydrated with a highly concentrated vitrification solution (designated PVS2) for 10 min at 25°C prior to a plunge into liquid nitrogen. After rapid warming, the meristems were expelled into 2 ml of 1.2M sucrose for 20 min and then plated on solidified culture medium. Successfully vitrified and warmed meristems remained green after plating, resumed growth within 3 days, and directly developed shoots within two weeks. The average rate of normal shoot formation amounted to about 80 to 90% in the cryopreserved meristems. This method was successfully applied to three other cultivars of wasabi. This vitrification procedure promises to become a routine method for cryopreserving meristems of wasabi.

HID-AB2.5-PAS and HID-PAS methods for the histochemical analyses of a variety of carbohydrates

The high iron diamine (HID) staining procedure was combined with alcian blue pH 2.5 (AB2.5) and periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) methods for the simultaneous demonstration of carbohydrates containing sulfate esters, carboxyl groups and oxidizable vicinal diols, whereas it was sequentially employed with PAS alone to differentiate sulfate esters from oxidizable vicinal diols. A variety of rat tissues and the epidermis of four fish species were utilized to test the specificity or selectivity of these methods. The HID-AB2.5-PAS sequence largely coloured carbohydrates containing sulfate esters, carboxyl groups and oxidizable vicinal diols in brownish black, turquoise and magenta shades respectively. The HID-PAS sequence coloured sulfate esters brownish black and oxidizable vicinal diols magenta. On the basis of the experimental and control studies on the both staining techniques, these staining methods could be postulated to represent efficient and useful techniques for precise histochemical analyses and simultaneous differentiations of a variety of carbohydrates in light microscopy.

Preferential activation of microsomal diacylglycerol/protein kinase C signaling during glucose treatment (De Novo phospholipid synthesis) of rat adipocytes

Glucose has been reported to increase the de novo synthesis of diacylglycerol (DAG) and translocate and activate protein kinase C (PKC) in rat adipocytes. Presently, we examined the major subcellular site of PKC translocation/activation in response to glucose-induced DAG. Glucose rapidly increased DAG content and PKC enzyme activity in microsomes, but not in plasma membranes or other membranes, during a 30-min treatment of rat adipocytes. This glucose-induced increase in microsomal DAG was attended by increases in immunoreactive PKC alpha, beta, and epsilon. Glucose-induced activation of DAG/PKC signaling in microsomes was not associated with a change in the translocation of Glut-4 transporters from microsomes to the plasma membrane, a biological response that is known to be stimulated by agonists, e.g., phorbol esters, which increase DAG/PKC signaling in plasma membranes, as well as in microsomes. In conclusion, an increase in de novo phospholipid synthesis, as occurs during glucose treatment of rat adipocytes, primarily activates DAG/PKC signaling in microsomes; moreover, this signaling response and biological consequences thereof may differ from those of agonists that primarily stimulate DAG/PKC signaling in the plasma membrane.

Effects of 2,5-dimethylpyrazine on plasma testosterone and polyamines- and acid phosphatase-levels in the rat prostate

The effects of 2,5-dimethylpyrazine (DMP) on plasma testosterone and levels of polyamines and acid phosphatase in the prostate of rat were studied. A high dose of DMP administered once daily for two weeks to juvenile male rats significantly decreased plasma testosterone and levels of polyamines and acid phosphatase in the prostate. These effects were not obtained by administration to mature male rats, and the inhibition was thus recognized to occur during the growth period. These findings suggest that a high dose of DMP inhibits the biosynthesis of polyamines and acid phosphatase in the prostate by decreasing the circulating testosterone level.

In vitro antibiotic susceptibilities of Borrelia isolates from erythema migrans lesion of Lyme disease patients in Japan

Antibiotic susceptibilities of twelve borrelial isolates from skin of patients with erythema migrans (EM) and ticks (Ixodes persulcatus and I. ovatus) in Japan were examined by in vitro microdilution MIC method and macrodilution MBC method. Nine EM isolates and 3 tick isolates were susceptible to amoxicillin, erythromycin, and minocycline. MICs for Japanese isolates were 0.038-0.30 microgram/ml, < 0.012 microgram/ml, and < 0.012-0.05 microgram/ml, respectively. MBCs were as follows: 0.038-0.88 microgram/ml, < 0.012-0.10 microgram/ml, and < 0.025-0.78 microgram/ml, respectively. These antibiotics could be recommended for treatment of patients in early stage of Lyme disease in Japan.

X-ray equatorial diffraction during ATP-induced Ca(2+)-free muscle contraction and the effect of ADP

We examined the equatorial X-ray diffraction of skinned fibers from rat psoas muscle in isometric contraction induced by photorelease of 1.1 mM ATP at 24 degrees C in the absence of Ca2+. At 15-20 ms after release of ATP, tension peaked at 21% of the maximum active tension. From the equatorial intensity ratio (I1,0/I1,1), we estimated the amount of myosin heads associated with actin filaments (A.M) at the tension peak. It was 32% of that in rigor and about half of that in the maximum contraction. ADP (0.7 mM) enhanced the contraction: tension peaked at 47% of the maximum at 25-30 ms. The estimated A.M at this peak was 50% of that in rigor, which was close to that in the maximum contraction. These results indicate that the association of myosin heads with the actin filaments in the Ca(2+)-free contraction is more than expected from the tension size, both in the absence and presence of ADP.

Serum neuron specific enolase level as a prognostic factor in non-small cell lung cancer

In 93 patients with inoperable non-small cell lung carcinoma who underwent chemotherapy including cisplatin, the prognostic value of 9 factors were determined using Cox's proportional hazard model. Univariate analysis revealed that patients with a performance status of grade 2 (p < 0.01) or 3 (p < 0.05), those with stage IV disease (p < 0.05), those with a serum neuron specific enolase (NSE) level > 7.0 ng/ml (p < 0.001), and those with a low serum albumin level (p < 0.05) had a significantly worse prognosis. Multivariate analysis showed that a performance status of 2 or 3 and a high NSE serum level were associated with a significantly worse prognosis. More attention should be paid to the serum NSE level in patients with non-small cell lung carcinoma, because it not only reflects the tumor volume, but is also a prognostic factor which is dependent on individual tumor characteristics.

Analysis of p53 gene mutations and loss of heterozygosity for loci on chromosome 9q in basal cell carcinoma

To determine the role of the p53 gene in the pathogenesis of basal cell carcinoma (BCC), we screened mutations of the gene in 11 cases of BCCs using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and single-stranded conformation polymorphism (SSCP). However, in all the coding exons of the gene analysed, no evidence suggesting the mutations were obtained. On the other hand, in 2 of 5 informative cases of our BCCs (40%) we found loss of heterozygosity (LOH) for loci on chromosome 9q31 which is linked to the Gorlin syndrome, that predisposes to BCC. Therefore, we suggest that a putative tumor suppressor gene on the region of 9q, but not p53 gene, plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of BCC, independent of race.

Effect of dexamethasone on the carbohydrate chains of the insulin receptor

Dexamethasone treatment of IM-9 lymphocytes and Fao hepatoma cells resulted in an increase in synthesis of the insulin receptor. The receptors synthesized after stimulation with the glucocorticoid had altered carbohydrate structure. The carbohydrate side chains of the insulin receptor were less branched on the dexamethasone-treated cells; i.e., the ratio of saccharides with three and four branches to those bearing only two branches was decreased. The predominant polymannose oligosaccharide after dexamethasone treatment was Man9GlcNAc (vs Man6GlcNAc in the control cell). Both of these changes are consistent with a less complete processing of the N-linked carbohydrate units and were not observed for the total cellular glycoproteins, whereas all glycoproteins manifested an increased sialylation in Fao cells after dexamethasone treatment. These data indicate that glucocorticoid treatment results in alterations in branching of carbohydrate side chains, in the size of polymannose chains and in sialylation of the insulin receptor.

[Occult CSF flow disturbance of patients with Alzheimer type dementia and vascular dementia--results from iotrolan CT-cisternography]

We report results of Iotrolan CT-cisternography on 41 demented patients (13 males and 28 females) to find "occult normal pressure hydrocephalus". These patients were suspected to have CSF flow disturbance from clinical symptoms and simple brain CT scan findings. Their average age, duration of dementia, and score of Hasegawa's dementia scale (HDS) were 76.2 years, 5.9 years, 9.5/32.5, respectively. Before performing CT-cisternography, clinical diagnosis for their dementia were vascular dementia in 18 patients, Alzheimer type dementia in 12, suspect of NPH in 5, and other diagnoses in 6. From the results of cisternography, we found 13 patients with CSF flow disturbance (contrast material remained in the ventricle more than 48 hours after injection), and 17 patients with normal CSF flow. The former showed lower scores of HDS, higher urinary incontinence scores and smaller areas of the interhemispheric fissure on CT scan than the latter. But the former showed no significant difference from the latter in the average age, duration of dementia and width of the ventricles.