Raymond syndrome (alternating abducent hemiplegia) caused by a small haematoma at the medial pontomedullary junction

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A monoclonal antibody that specifically reacts with human embryonal carcinomas, spermatogonia and oocytes is able to induce human EC cell death

We developed a mouse monoclonal antibody, 6E2 (IgG3), against a human embryonal carcinoma (EC) cell line, NCR-G3, that possesses totipotent differentiation capabilities. Culturing human EC cells in the presence of 6E2 causes their death. It has been shown that 6E2 kills EC cells dose dependently. In immunohistochemical examination with normal human germ cells, 6E2 reacted specifically with spermatogonia and oocytes. Among human germ cell tumor tissues on aceton-fixed frozen sections, 6E2 reacted with embryonal carcinomas, seminomas and dysgerminomas, but it did not react with choriocarcinomas or with yolk sac tumors. Consistently, in flow cytometric analysis of cultured human germ cell tumor cell lines, 6E2 reacted exclusively with EC cells including NCR-G3 cells. It was revealed, by preserving its antigenicity after treatment with periodic acid and tunicamycin and by radiolabeling cells followed by immunoprecipitation, that the molecule defined by 6E2 is a cell surface protein having a molecular weight of approximately 80 kDa. These data illustrate that the molecule defined by 6E2 links human germ cell tumors, especially embryonal carcinoma, seminoma and dysgerminoma, to their normal counterparts and that it may play a role in survival and proliferation of human EC cells.

[A case of mixed connective tissue disease associated with gastric cancer and cancer of the uterine cervix]

We report here a very rare case of MCTD complicating double cancer. A 43-year-old woman with suspected MCTD was admitted because of high fever and lymphadenopathy. The laboratory findings indicated high titers of speckled ANA, anti-RNP, DNA and Scl-70, but anti-Sm. SS-A and SS-B was not detected. Chest CT and Spirogram revealed lung fibrosis, restrictive ventilatory impairment, and decreased diffusion capacity. Biopsy specimen by gastric fiberscope s screening indicated II c advanced type of poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma. After subtotal gastrectomy, she had high fever, pleuritis, leukopenia, butterfly erythema and hypoxemia, which were improved by 30 mg/day of oral prednisolone. One year after from the last operation, she had contact bleeding, and squamous cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix was diagnosed. She had Raynaud's phenomenon 6 months after from hysterectomy.

[Noninvasive recording of pre-P wave related to sinus node electrical activity using P wave-triggered signal-averaging technique]

To determine whether the sinus node electrogram (SNE) could be detected noninvasively, a specially modified P wave-triggered signal-averaged electrocardiogram was recorded through the standard V1, V2 and V3 precordial leads in 39 patients. The data between 500 ms before and 300 ms after the trigger point were processed using a digital bandpass filter of 0.5 Hz (12 dB/oct)-20 Hz (18 dB/oct). Pre-P signals were observed just before the P wave resembling SNE recorded directly. Pre-P potential duration closely correlated with direct SACT (r = 0.856, P < 0.0005). Thus, it is believed that signals obtained by this new method would be related to sinus electrical activity and that it could be useful for noninvasive estimation of SACT.

Repetitive DNA sequence families in Hemitaxonus minomensis and H. athyrii (Hymenoptera; Tenthredinidae)

Families of the repetitive DNA sequences from Hemitaxonus minomensis and H. athyrii were characterized. pHMS family and pHME family in H. minomensis consist of tandemly arranged arrays whose basic repeat units are 260 bp and 330 bp, respectively. pHAE family in H. athyrii consists of a tandemly arranged array whose basic repeat unit is 330 bp. pHMS family and pHME family occupy approximately 4.8% and 0.07% of the genome of H. minomensis, respectively. By contrast, in H. athyrii, pHAE family comprise 0.04% of the genome. Nucleotide sequence comparison of these three repetitive families showed very little homology. Southern blot hybridization using six species of Hemitaxonus showed that these repetitive families are species specific.

[Isolation of alpha-streptococci with inhibitory activity against pathogens, in the oral cavity and the effect of tobacco and gargling on oral flora]

We investigated the distribution of oral alpha-streptococci with inhibitory activity against pathogens, which compose an oral defense mechanism. Detection rate of alpha-streptococci with inhibitory activity against S. pyogenes and S. aureus derived from the tonsil was higher than in other portions, the tongue, cheek, gingiva, or saliva. It has suggested that tonsillar bacterial flora are mainly a defense mechanism. The oral flora in healthy smokers was compared with healthy non-smokers to investigate the influence of tobacco on oral bacterial flora. The results showed that the detection rate of S. aureus in smokers was higher while that of alpha-streptococci with inhibitory activity against S. aureus was lower. However, the detection rate of alpha-streptococci with inhibitory activity against S. pyogenes in smokers was as high as in non-smokers. It is suggested that it was easy for S. aureus to adhere to the oral mucosa in smokers, and was considered to influence the strain which produces beta-lactamase for medical treatment. We investigated the influence of gargling on oral bacterial flora by comparing the amount of bacteria before and after gargling with popidine-iodine gargle and saline solution. It was shown that alpha-streptococci, a main component of normal oral flora were decreased after gargling in both smokers and non-smokers. Furthermore, it was shown that group A Streptococcus was not decreased after gargling, and it was concluded that use of gargle medicinal mouth wash in bacillus carriers should be studied further.

[A case of traumatic aneurysm of the thoracic aorta with severe chronic compression of the trachea]

A case of successfully treated traumatic aneurysm of the thoracic aorta with severe major air way compression was reported. A 38-year-old man, who had a history of blunt chest trauma in a traffic accident twenty years ago, complained of asthma-like coughing chest CT scan and angiogram showed a saccular aneurysm of desending aorta compressing the isthmus of the trachea and the esophagus severely. Resection of the aneurysm and prosthetic graft replacement was undertaken successfully with the aid of F-F bypass. The trachea and the esophagus were well decompressed and the patient recovered well with no complaints.

[Continent urinary diversion with the Florida pouch]

From October 1990 through June 1993, the Florida pouch, a continent urinary reservoir using the ascending colon and the dexter half of the transverse colon was constructed in 7 patients after cystectomy for invasive tumor. Concerning the length of the efferent limb, although 10 cm was adopted in the first three cases, we shortened it and finally considered 8 cm to be the adequate length. Although the capacity of the reservoir ranged from 90 ml to 180 ml immediately after operation, an increase of capacity by three times or more within three months after operation was seen. The patients performed self-catheterization 4-5 times during the day and 0-2 times at night for volumes ranging from 300 to 600 ml. Continent colonic urinary diversion did not appear to create either any significant acid-base changes or azotemia in patients with normal renal function. Every patient received both a serum value evaluation and an absorption test for vitamin B12 (Schilling test). Although there were no patients with a reduced serum vitamin B12 level, one patient showed a slightly low absorption value. Because there is a large quantity of vitamin B12 reserve in the liver, it must be emphasized that even when the entero-hepatic circulation has been injured by surgical interruption of the intestinal tract, it may be years before reduced serum vitamin B12 value become apparent. Accordingly, the vitamin B12 absorption test should be performed regardless of the ileal length incorporated into the resection.

Molecular organization of Chlorella vulgaris chromosome I: presence of telomeric repeats that are conserved in higher plants

The unicellular green alga Chlorella vulgaris (strain C-169) has a small genome (38.8 Mb) consisting of 16 chromosomes, which can be easily separated by CHEF gel electrophoresis. We have isolated and characterized the smallest chromosome (chromosome I, 980 kb) to elucidate the fundamental molecular organization of a plant-type chromosome. Restriction mapping and sequence analyses revealed that the telomeres of this chromosome consist of 5'-TTTAGGG repeats running from the centromere towards the termini; this sequence is identical to those reported for several higher plants. This sequence is reiterated approximately 70 times at both termini, although individual clones exhibited microheterogeneity in both sequence and copy number of the repeats. Subtelomeric sequences proximal to the termini were totally different from each other: on the left arm, unique sequence elements (14-20 bp) which were specific to chromosome I, form a repeat array of 1.7 kb, whereas a 1.0 kb sequence on the right arm contained a poly(A)-associated element immediately next to the telomeric repeats. This element is repeated several times on chromosome I and many times on all the other chromosomes of this organism.

Purification and immunochemical characteristics of NADPH-cytochrome P-450 oxidoreductase from tobacco cultured cells

NADPH-cytochrome P-450 oxidoreductase (EC 1.6.2.4) was purified from the microsomal fraction of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) BY2 cells by chromatography on two anion-exchange columns and 2',5' ADP-Sepharose 4B column. The purified enzyme showed a single protein band with a molecular weight of 79 kDa on SDS-PAGE and exhibited a typical flavoprotein redox spectrum, indicating the presence of an equimolar quantity of FAD and FMN. This enzyme followed Michaelis-Menten Kinetics with Km values of 24 microM for NADPH and 16 microM for cytochrome c. An in vitro reconstituted system of the purified reductase with a partially purified tobacco cytochrome P-450 preparation showed the cinnamic acid 4-hydroxylase activity at the rate of 14 pmol min-1 nmol-1 P-450 protein and with a purified rabbit P-4502C14 catalyzed N-demethylation of aminopyrine at the rate of 6 pmol min-1 nmol-1 P-450 protein. Polyclonal antibodies raised against the purified reductase reacted with tobacco reductase but not with yeast reductase on Western blot analysis. Anti-yeast reductase antibodies did not react with the tobacco reductase. This result indicate that the tobacco reductase was immunochemically different from the yeast reductase. The anti-tobacco reductase antibodies totally inhibited the tobacco reductase activity, but not the yeast reductase. Also, Western blot analyses using the anti-tobacco reductase antibodies revealed that leaves, roots and shoots of Nicotiana tabacum plants contained an equal amount of the reductase protein. From these results, it was suggested that there are different antibody binding sites, which certainly participate in enzyme activity, between tobacco and yeast reductase.

Cathepsin B generates the most common form of amyloid A (76 residues) as a degradation product from serum amyloid A

Amyloid A protein (AA), the chief constituent of reactive amyloid deposits, is derived from serum amyloid A (SAA) and most commonly corresponds to the amino-terminal 76 residues (AA76). Digestion of recombinant human SAA1 with a lysosomal thiol protease, cathepsin B, and analysis of the products by SDS-PAGE and amino-terminal sequencing revealed that AA76 was generated as a minor and transient degradation product. Digestion with neutrophil elastase generated intermediates different from AA76. This finding suggests that cathepsin B may play an important role in amyloid fibrilogenesis by converting SAA to AA.

Horizontal transmission of group-I ribozymes: viruses as a carrier of the introns

The nucleotide sequences of two self-splicing group I introns found in viruses that infect the eukaryotic green alga Chlorella were compared with those of 19 nuclear group I introns of 11 green algae, 1 red alga, 2 yeasts and 1 protist. The similarity ranging from 69.5% to 89.0% in any comparison strongly suggested a close relatedness of these introns. Since this kind of viruses infect algal cells residing in protists such as Paramecium, they may serve as a mediator to spread group I introns horizontally among organisms of different phylogenetic kingdoms.

Muscarinic M3 receptor-mediated release of gastrin from canine antral G cells in primary culture

The functional role of the cholinergic nervous system in regulating gastrin release was investigated using enriched canine antral G cells. Gastrin content was 30.1 +/- 2.9 pmol per well and basal gastrin release was 900 +/- 27 fmol per well (n = 45). Carbachol (10(-8) to 10(-5) M) dose-dependently stimulated gastrin release with a maximal stimulatory response achieved at a concentration of 10(-5) M (330% over basal). To characterize the muscarinic receptor which mediates gastrin release from antral G cells, we examined the effect of three muscarinic receptor antagonists on carbachol-stimulated gastrin release; atropine (nonselective muscarinic receptor antagonist), pirenzepine (M1 muscarinic receptor antagonist) and 4-DAMP (M3 muscarinic receptor antagonist). Atropine (10(-9) to 10(-6) M), pirenzepine (10(-8) to 10(-5) M) and 4-DAMP (10(-9) to 10(-6) M) had no effect on the basal gastrin release. However, carbachol (10(-5) M)-stimulated gastrin release was effectively inhibited by atropine and 4-DAMP with Ki values of 0.48 and 0.66 nM, respectively. Pirenzepine at a high concentration (10(-5) M) also inhibited carbachol-stimulated gastrin release with a Ki value of 46.3 nM. These results suggest that the cholinergic nervous system directly stimulates gastrin release via M3 muscarinic receptors located on antral G cells.

Intravenous calcitriol can increase bone mass in hemodialysis patients with osteitis fibrosa

Intravenous calcitriol administration (IVC) suppressed parathyroid hormone (PTH) secretion and improved osteitis fibrosa (OF) in long-term hemodialysis (HD) patients, although it did not increase the mineralized bone area or the mineral apposition rate. We observed the long-term effects of IVC on OF in 8 HD patients. Bone biopsy of 7 patients revealed increased bone turnover and decreased bone mass. One microgram of calcitriol was given intravenously three times weekly after each HD session for 12 months. The dose was adjusted to maintain the serum corrected calcium level at < 11.5 mg/dl. Dual-energy X-ray bone absorptiometry (DEXA), 3rd lumbar vertebra bone density by quantitative computed tomography (QCT), and biochemical data were taken before IVC, and after 6 and 12 months of IVC. Seven HD patients were given 0.5 microgram/day 1 alpha-cholecalcitriol as controls. The serum corrected calcium levels were 9.9 +/- 0.3 (mean +/- SE) and 11.1 +/- 0.2 mg/dl at 0 and 12 months, respectively (p = 0.06). The serum phosphate levels were 6.2 +/- 0.7 and 6.6 +/- 0.6 mg/day at 0 and 12 months, respectively (p = 0.56). The serum intact PTH levels were 928 +/- 281 and 617 +/- 192 (p = 0.016) at 0 and 12 months, respectively. The bone mass of the 3rd lumbar vertebra measured by QCT was 195 +/- 17 and 218 +/- 186 g/cm3 at 0 and 12 months, respectively (p = 0.156). The bone mass of the trunk measured by DEXA was 660 +/- 44 and 706 +/- 32 g and 0 and 12 months, respectively (p = 0.156). These parameters did not change in controls. Sequential bone biopsy in 3 cases also supported these changes. We conclude that IVC not only suppresses bone turnover, but that it also restores decreased bone mass in HD patients with OF.

Massive pericardial effusion in a patient with Hashimoto's thyroiditis: histological examination of underlying cardiomyopathy

An unusual case of a hypothyroid patient with huge pericardial effusion due to Hashimoto's thyroiditis is reported. Cardiac tamponade occurred during admission. Eight hundred milliliters of pericardial effusion was withdrawn by pericardiocentesis. Even after successful replacement of thyroid hormone, she had recurrent effusion two years later. Refractory pericardial effusion is a rare complication in treated hypothyroid patients. Underlying cardiomyopathy was presented with hemodynamic and histological examinations.

Time-dependent thickening of the intima in aortocoronary saphenous vein grafts: clinicopathological analysis of 24 patients

The present study was undertaken to investigate histological changes in aortocoronary saphenous vein grafts (SVGs) and the relationship between intimal thickening of the SVGs and the interval after grafting. The SVGs were divided into five groups according to the degree of intimal thickening and associated luminal narrowing: minimal thickening (0%-10% stenosis), slight thickening (11%-25% stenosis), slight-to-moderate thickening (26%-50% stenosis), moderate thickening (51%-75% stenosis), and severe thickening (76%-100% stenosis). SVGs showing minimal thickening had been implanted for 0-3 weeks, those with slight thickening for 2-13 weeks, those with slight-to-moderate thickening for 5-13 weeks, those with moderate thickening for 30-52 weeks, and those with severe thickening for 30-83 weeks. Thickening of the intima in SVGs (intimal hyperplasia) was time-dependent, and began as early as 2 weeks after the graft surgery. The change was diffuse and concentric, and observed from an aortic root to a coronary site. The major cell type involved in the intimal hyperplasia was the smooth muscle cell.

Catheter-related infections by Hansenula anomala in children

During August and September, 1992, we experienced 4 cases of Hansenula anomala (H. anomala, synonym Pichia anomala) fungemia in immunocompromised patients. Two patients had been suffering from a malignant disease, 3 of them had received broad-spectrum antibiotics and a central venous catheter (CVC) had been inserted in all of them. H. anomala was isolated as the sole pathogen from all 4 patients. Three of them responded favorably to fluconazole after withdrawal of the catheter, but one failed. H. anomala should be considered as a possible cause of catheter-related infections.

Assignments of the genes for rat pituitary adenylate cyclase activating polypeptide (Adcyap1) and its receptor subtypes (Adcyap1r1, Adcyap1r2, and Adcyap1r3)

Chromosomal assignments of the genes for rat pituitary adenylate cyclase activating polypeptide (Adcyap1) and all of its receptor subtypes (Adcyap1r1, Adcyap1r2, and Adcyap1r3) were performed by PCR analysis of somatic cell hybrid DNAs. Adcyap1r1, Adcyap1r2, and Adcyap1r3 were localized to rat chromosomes 9, 4, 8, and 4, respectively.

Effects of interleukin-1 and tumor necrosis factor on megakaryocytopoiesis: mechanism of reactive thrombocytosis

We studied the effects of interleukin-1 (IL-1) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) on mouse megakaryocytopoiesis to evaluate the role of these cytokines in reactive thrombocytosis associated with inflammation. Injections of IL-1 or TNF to mice induced a significant increase in the megakaryocyte progenitor cell (CFU-Meg) count in the spleen. When IL-1 and TNF were injected simultaneously, the splenic CFU-Meg count was remarkably increased compared with mice injected with either IL-1 (p < 0.003) or TNF (p < 0.001) alone. On the other hand, neither IL-1 nor TNF showed any megakaryocyte-potentiating or -stimulating effects in vitro. In the sera obtained 4 h after administration of IL-1, TNF or both, high megakaryocyte potentiating activities were found. Furthermore, an extremely high level of IL-6 was detected in the serum after administration of both IL-1 and TNF. These results strongly suggest that IL-1 and TNF stimulate megakaryocytopoiesis indirectly via other cytokine(s) induced from accessory cells, and that increased levels of IL-1 and TNF play important roles in the development of reactive thrombocytosis caused by inflammation.

Increased CSF C4d in demyelinating neuropathy indicates the radicular involvement

Plasma and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of C4d and the circulating immune complex (CIC) to C1q were measured in 12 patients with chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy and Guillain-Barré syndrome. CSF C4d values more than 2 SD from the mean of 8 cervical spongylosis cases were demonstrated in the patients with proximal demyelination. The CSF C4d probably originated from both intrathecal synthesis and the systemic circulation. CSF levels of C4d may serve as a sensitive indicator for the radicular involvement in demyelinating polyneuropathy.

Role of melatonin deficiency in the development of scoliosis in pinealectomised chickens

We studied the possible role of melatonin deficiency in experimentally-induced scoliosis. A total of 90 chickens underwent pinealectomy on the third day after hatching: 30 were treated with serotonin, 30 with melatonin and 30 received no therapy (control group). Scoliosis developed in all the control group, in 22 of the serotonin group, and in only 6 of the melatonin group. The six melatonin-treated chickens with scoliosis had less severe spinal deformities than those in the serotonin-treated group. There were lower blood melatonin concentrations in chickens with scoliosis than in those without. Our findings suggest that melatonin deficiency contributes to the aetiology of this experimental scoliosis, probably by interfering with the normally symmetrical growth of the proprioceptive system involving the paraspinal muscles and the spine.

Dissociated changes of frontal and parietal somatosensory evoked potentials in sleep

We studied the changes of frontal and parietal somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs) in the awake state versus different stages of sleep in 10 normal adult subjects. Frontal and parietal SEP components were affected differentially as sleep stages progressed. In general, the amplitudes of frontal components, notably P22, were increased in sleep, whereas the amplitudes of parietal components were decreased in sleep. A sensitive waveform change from the awake state to sleep was present in the frontal response, where a subtle notched negativity, termed "N40," was present only in the awake state and quickly dissipated in all stages of sleep, including stage 1. The amplitude changes from the awake state to stage 3/4 sleep were neither linear nor parallel among SEP components. The most discordant changes occurred in stage 3/4. The amplitudes for the frontal N18-P22-N30 complex and parietal N20-P26-N32 complex increased from stage 2 to stage 3/4, while those for frontal N30-fP40 and parietal N32-pP40 decreased. In contrast to these divergent amplitude changes, the latencies of all components except P14 and frontal N18 showed progressive prolongation from the awake state to slow-wave sleep. The SEP waveforms and latencies in REM sleep approximated those in the awake state, although amplitudes for frontal peaks still remained slightly higher and amplitudes for parietal peaks slightly lower. We postulate that interactions of excitatory and inhibitory phenomena are responsible for the component-dependent and sleep-stage-dependent amplitude enhancement or depression in sleep.

Role of melatonin deficiency in the development of scoliosis in pinealectomised chickens

We studied the possible role of melatonin deficiency in experimentally-induced scoliosis. A total of 90 chickens underwent pinealectomy on the third day after hatching: 30 were treated with serotonin, 30 with melatonin and 30 received no therapy (control group). Scoliosis developed in all the control group, in 22 of the serotonin group, and in only 6 of the melatonin group. The six melatonin-treated chickens with scoliosis had less severe spinal deformities than those in the serotonin-treated group. There were lower blood melatonin concentrations in chickens with scoliosis than in those without. Our findings suggest that melatonin deficiency contributes to the aetiology of this experimental scoliosis, probably by interfering with the normally symmetrical growth of the proprioceptive system involving the paraspinal muscles and the spine.