検索

Red blood cell and plasma polyamines in umbilical and maternal blood at delivery were measured using high performance liquid chromatography. The concentration of each polyamine in red blood cells and plasma of umbilical blood was significantly higher than in maternal blood. Spermidine and spermine concentrations in fetal red blood cells decreased markedly with the progress of pregnancy. In addition, younger red blood cells contained more polyamines than older cells. Red blood cell polyamines are closely associated with the cell membrane. Plasma polyamine in umbilical blood reflect active fetal metabolism, whereas red blood cell polyamines mainly reflect alterations in erythropoiesis in bone marrow and may indicate the proliferation of the bone marrow.

Thalamic neurons projecting to both the head of the caudate nucleus and the premotor cortex in the cat were studied by the retrograde fluorescent double labeling technique. After injections of Evans blue into the caudate nucleus, and diamidino-phenylindol into the premotor cortex, a small number of double labeled neurons appeared in the ventral anterior, ventral lateral, anteromedial, rhomboid, central dorsal, central lateral, central medial, paracentral and parafascicular nuclei, in addition to numerous single-labeled neurons. This indicates that some neurons in the thalamic nuclei send bifurcating axons to both the head of the caudate nucleus and the premotor cortex. The caudatal projections of these thalamic neurons are organized in a topical manner.

Catecholamines were measured in the amniotic fluid and in the first voided newborn urine obtained from appropriate-for-date infants of term deliveries. Catecholamine values in the amniotic fluid and urine were nearly equal when expressed in terms of creatinine. Significant positive correlations were observed between the amniotic fluid and urine of norepinephrine and epinephrine. In normal cases (n = 32) that underwent uneventful vaginal delivery, the 95% confidence limits for norepinephrine and epinephrine in the amniotic fluid were 1.53 to 2.33 ng/ml and 0.16 to 0.30 ng/ml, respectively. In cases of moderate stress (n = 12), only norepinephrine showed significantly higher values than the normal cases, while in cases of severe stress (n = 12), norepinephrine became more significantly high, and epinephrine was found to be elevated significantly. A significant difference was noted in the incidence of fetal stress between the infants with more than and those with less than 2.30 ng/ml of norepinephrine, the upper limits of the normal 95% confidence limits. However, for epinephrine such a significant difference was not noted. It was concluded that amniotic fluid catecholamines are of fetal origin and reflect fetal sympathoadrenal activity directly, even during labor, and that their level may be a good indicator of fetal condition and stress.

Age-associated changes in methionine-enkephalin (ENK) and thyrotropin releasing hormone (TRH) concentrations, and their receptors were examined in discrete regions of the rat brain. The ENK and TRH concentrations in aged rats were nearly identical to those in young adult rats, except for a slightly lower TRH value in the hypothalamus of the aged rats. On the other hand, the ENK and TRH receptor levels in the cerebral cortex of aged rats was markedly lower than that of young adults rats. The results suggest that determinations of both neuropeptide and receptor levels are indispensable for evaluation of peptide-mediated neural systems in the central nervous system.

Vectorcardiograms were recorded with the Frank lead system using electrodes positioned at the level of the 5 th intercostal space with the subject in the supine position. Deep inspiration produced the following significant changes compared with deep expiration: (1) the maximum leftward forces of the P, QRS, and T vectors decreased, whereas the maximum anterior and posterior forces of the QRS and T vectors increased; (2) the maximum spatial QRS vector decreased in magnitude; (3) the maximum spatial P, QRS, and T vectors shifted vertically, posteriorly and vertically, and anteriorly, respectively; and (4) the spatial QRS-T angle increased remarkably. The spatial instantaneous QRS vectors were analyzed at 5 msec intervals in 35 of the 61 subjects. With inspiration, the 35- through 50-msec vectors shifted posteriorly with markedly reduced leftward forces and increased posterior forces. It was suggested that the respiration-related vectorcardiographic changes reflected cardiac anatomic positional change, distortion of lead-field potential by lung gases, and other mechanisms. Since the respiratory effect is potentially important for vectorcardiographic interpretation, vectorcardiograms should be recorded under identical respiratory status.

A 76-year old farmer ingested 100 g of chlorphenamidine (Galectron), a plant acaricle, for the purpose of suicide. Gastric lavage was performed and the patient survived. Methemoglobinemia was noted after emergency treatment and was still present at 20 hours after ingestion of the compound. The patient was lethargic for at least 50 hours. Moderate neutrophilic leukocytosis and kidney injury were observed.

A simple method is described for determing thyroxine binding proteins in human serum by electrophoresis at pH 8.6, using cellulose acetate membrane as the supporting medium. The procedure had high reliability in sera of normal subjects, pregnant women and patients with decreased thyroxine binding capacity of thyroxine binding globulin.

Cells from methylcholanthrene-induced tumor (MC-tumor), Ehrlich ascites cancer or mouse ascites hepatoma (MH-134) were subcutaneously implanted in dorsal area of mice to examine the specific cell mediated immunity following implantation. The migration index (MI) of lymphocytes was determined at various time periods after cell transplantation. The MI-activity increased under all three implantations, reached maximum at a certain period, decreased gradually and disappeared. The maximum MI-activity coincided with the proliferation period of the implanted tumor cells. This peak occurred on the tenth postimplantation day with MC-tumors, on the fifth day with Ehrlich ascites cancer and on the sixth day with MH-134 cancer. In lymphoid tissues of animals with MC-tumor and Ehrlich ascites cancer, strong MI-activity appeared early in the regional axillary lymph nodes, while weak activity was observed consistently in the distant mesenterial lymph nodes. The MI-activity of the splenic lymphoid cells resembled the axillary lymph nodes cell activity. The MI-activity of venous blood lymphoid cells was parallel to the average value of lymphoid cells of the spleen and axillary and mesenterial lymph nodes.

The relationship between muscle activity at the terminal region of the common bile duct and the duodenal muscle was examined in rabbits. The rhythmic muscle activity in the terminal region was synchronous with duodenal muscle activity. The activity of the latter muscle preceded the former. The activity at the terminal region synchronous with the rhythmic activity of the duodenal muscle sometimes disappeared spontaneously. The muscle activity of the ampulla and the spincter at the terminal region was sometimes independently lost. The conduction of excitation from the duodenal muscle to the terminal region appeared to be performed at several sites. The existence of a "conduction-shunt path" between the terminal region and the duodenum, as well as between the ampulla and the sphincter appeared probably. Some quantitative differences were found between the spincter, ampulla and duodenum in inhibitory effects to stimulation of splanchnic nerves and reflex effects and to excitatory effects of cholecystokinin-pancreoxymin and caerulein. These results seem to indicate that the sympathetic nerves and the intramural cholinergic neurones controlling these region carry out activities quantitatively different from each other.

HB surface antigen (HBs Ag) was detected using the enzyme-labelled antibody technique on routinely processed liver biopsy material fixed in Bouin's fixative and embedded in paraffin. Of 85 examined specimens, 45 cases were HBs Ag positive by both the immunofluorescent test and the enzyme labelled antibody technique. The remaining 40 cases were negative by both techniques. The specificity of HBs Ag detected by the enzyme-labelled antibody technique was confirmed by the blocking test using guinea pig specific HBs antibody. The results indicate that the enzyme-labelled antibody technique may be useful for detecting HBs Ag on routine paraffin sections.

Hepatitis B core antigen (HBc Ag) and hepatitis B surface antigen (HBs Ag) were detected in the liver tissue of a patient with chronic aggressive hepatitis by the immunofluorescent complement technique. The presence of anti-HBc was examined by the same method in 67 human sera previously tested for HBs Ag, anti-HBs and s-GPT levels. HBc Ag was localized mainly in the nucleus and sometimes in the cytoplasm of the hepatic cells. HBs Ag was found only in the cytoplasm. The focal area of HBc Ag positive hepatic cells seemed to correspond to the HBs Ag positive cells. Double staining demonstrated the simultaneous presence of HBs Ag and HBc Ag in individual cells. Anti-HBc positive serum was found in 46 (68.7%) cases. Forty-eight (71.6%) indicated a combination of HBs Ag and anti-HBc.

In order to approach human cancer immunotherapy, the author carried out the immunotherapy with BCG on mice having homotransplanted cancer, observed the posttransplantation results with lapse of time, conduced daily macrophage inhibition test (MI test) and found the immunotherapy to be effective. At the same time the MI test proved to be a useful criterion in determining the course of cancer progress and effectiveness of the immunotherapy.

Phosphate-binding protein(s) was found in the inner mitochondrial membrane of calf heart by Sephadex G-200 and G-25 gel filtration. The binding activity was inhibited by N-ethylmaleimide and competed by a large amount of cold phosphate. The amount of phosphate bound to the fraction was 29 nmoles per mg of protein. Affinity chromatography with phosphate-bound Sepharose 4B confirmed the presence of phosphate-binding protein(s) in the active fraction of mitochondrial membrane fractionated by gel filtration.

In order to formulate an early diagnostic method for acute rejection after kidney transplantation, macrophage migration inhibition test (MIT) was carried out with lapse of time after inbred rat kidney allotransplantation. The mean survival time of rat kidney allograft was found to be 7.07 +/- 1.34 days. On the other hand, in the group treated with rabbit anti-rat lymphocyte serum (ALS) the mean survival time was lengthened to 14.15 +/- 2.14 days (p less than 0.05). The corresponding antigen used for MIT was prepared with donor kidney by ultrasonication, and its protein concentration at 180 mug/ml was the most optimal as not to elicit non-specific inhibition of macrophages. In the control group, activity of macrophage inhibitory factor (MIF activity) turned positive 3 days after the transplantation, and it became strongly positive by 5 or 7 dyas at the period when rejection crisis appeared frequently. ALS-treated group showed a lower MIF activity than the control group (p less than 0.05) and on 7-12 dyas before rejection crisis appeared frequently, MIF activity became strongly positive. These findings suggest that this MIT is simple and will be proved to be useful in predicting the acute rejection as well as in controlling the immunosuppression.

Human adenovirus type 12 (Ad 12) was inoculated through subtentorial route into inbred newborn mice (C3H/BifB/Ki), and sequential changes of the brain and tumor induction were examined by histological and immunofluorescent methods. Two days after virus inoculation, Ad 12 specific tumor antigen (fluorescent T-antigen) appeared in the cells of ependymal and subventricular matrix layers, choroid plexuses and leptomeninges in the subtentorial as well as the supratentorial brains. After 10 days, these fluorescent positive cells decreased gradually in number but still remained focally beneath the ependyma. Sixty days later, early tumor nodules were detected in the same regions in which remained the fluorescent cells. After 107 days, neurological signs and well-developed tumors were noted in 25 of 63 (30.1%) mice examined. In the cerebellum, both of T-antigens and tumors were limited around the IVth ventricle, but not in the granular layers. Histomorphologically, the tumors were of primitive neuroectodermal origin and consisted of the cells resembling immature matrix cells in the subventricular zone. These findings strongly suggest that the virus has a selective affinity to the remaining matrix cells, but not to cerebellar granular cells, at least, in newborn mice.

Heterokaryon formation and Rous sarcoma virus (RSV)-induction were studied by fusion of RSV-transformed human embryonic cells with chick embryo fibroblasts in the presence of lysolecithin. Heterokaryon formation was observed by autoradiography. RSV-induction was identified by focus formation, electron microscopy and density gradient centrifugation of 3H-uridine-labeled particles. The most effective concentration of lysolecithin for virus induction was 10 mug/10(6) cells/0.1 ml. Efficiency of lysolecithin in virus induction was not less than that of ultraviolet-inactivated Sendai virus (UV-HVJ).

A cell line (HGC-27) was established by culture of the metastatic lymph node from a gastric cancer patient diagnosed histologically as undifferentiated carcinoma. HGC-27 cells were polygonal or short spindle-shaped and adhered to glass surfaces as a monolayer. The cells were probably derived from gastric cancer cells, as their origin from mesenchymal tissues can be excluded morphologically and enzyme-histochemically. Enzyme activities were generally negative or low, except for adenosine triphosphatase, lactic dehydrogenase and leucine aminopeptidase. These scanty findings might reflect the undifferentiated character of the original tumor cells. The cloning efficiency was 5.3% in liquid medium and 1.0% in soft agar. The doubling time was about 17 hr. Chromosomal analysis revealed a mode of 109 and 110 chromosomes.

A case with prolonged bacterial infection accompanied by an abnormal serum protein which migrated in the post-gamma region on electrophoresis is presented. The abnormal protein was identified as IgG with gamma-type light chain moiety. The patient suffered from prolonged pneumonia and cholecystitis, Bone marrow aspiration and skeletal x-rays did not indicate multiple myeloma.

Es wurde Untersuchungen an Mausen mit dem Rinder-Monokomponente-Insulin und der Rinder-a-Komponente durchgefGhrt, urn den Nachweis zu erbringen, ob das Monokomponente. Insulin oder die a-Komponente als ein Insulitis-erzeugendes Antigen dienen kann. Dabei wurden die Tiere mit den Substanzen, die jeweils mit Freund's complete adjuvant wiederholt verabreicht wurden, aktiv immunisiert und weiterhin untersucht auf eine dadurch bewirkte Insulitis. (1) Bei den mit dem Rinder-MonokomponenteInsulin sensibilisierten Gruppen kam die Insulitis bei 1 von 8 Fallen in der 20. Woche nach der ersten Sensibilisierung und bei 5 von 10 Fallen in der 28. Woche zur Erscheinung. (2) Bei den mit der a-Komponente behandelten Gruppen liet3 sich die Insulitis bei 0 von 9 Fallen in der 20. Woche nach dem Sensibilisierungsbeginn und auch bei 1 von 10 Fallen in der 28. Woche nachweisen. Diese Ergebnisse zeigen, dat3 das Monokomponente-Insulin als ein Insulitis-erzeugendes Antigen wirken kann. Dagegen war nur ein Fall von Insulitis befallen unter 19 Tieren, die mit der a-Komponente behandelt wurden.