Immunohistochemical localization of glutathione peroxidase in infarcted human brain

This is the first report which demonstrates the presence of glutathione peroxidase in the autopsied brain of 5 patients without cerebral infarction and 21 patients with cerebral infarction by the indirect enzyme-labeled antibody technique with monoclonal antibody to human glutathione peroxidase. In 2 out of 5 patients without cerebral infarction, a weak reaction for glutathione peroxidase was demonstrated both in neurons and glia. In 6 patients who had died within 5 days after stroke, no staining was observed in infarcted brain tissue except in macrophages. In all 15 patients who had died more than 6 days after stroke, however, a reaction for glutathione peroxidase was demonstrated in the cytoplasm of glial cells in the marginal area around the infarction, and there was a patchy reaction in the cytoplasm of macrophages in the core lesion. These results suggest that glutathione peroxidase in glial cells of the marginal area around the infarction may play a protective role against lipid peroxidation after cerebral infarction, or alternatively, may be involved in the healing process after ischemia.

Photosensitive epilepsy in children

We performed a retrospective analysis of 17 children with photosensitive seizures (PSS) who had been followed for more than 3 years (mean: 9 years). PSS were verified in all patients by simultaneous video-EEG monitoring. The seizures were precipitated by flickering stroboscopes (14 patients) or were induced by patients themselves (3) with head-nodding in front of illumination, blinking at television or close viewing of striped patterns. PSS consisted of myoclonic seizures (eight patients), generalized tonic-clonic convulsions (5), partial seizures (3) or atypical absence (1). According to the International Classification of Epileptic Syndrome, three patients were classified as having severe myoclonic epilepsy in infancy and five as having juvenile myoclonic epilepsy. The remaining nine could not be categorized as any specific epileptic syndrome. Children with age of the onset of epilepsy at 7 years or younger tended to suffer intellectual deficit in addition to intractable seizures.

Temporal approach for reduction of zygomatic fractures. Clinical results and advantages of the technique

We have used closed reduction based on Gillies' method using an original Y-shaped zygomatic elevator in 50 cases after radiographic evaluation of the displacement by three directional radiography. No patients had residual restriction of mandibular motion, double vision or facial asymmetry. Radiography showed poor reduction in two cases, and displacement of the initial reduction in three. In all other cases, satisfactory results were achieved.

Potential of O6-methylguanine or O6-benzylguanine in the enhancement of chloroethylnitrosourea cytotoxicity on brain tumours

The purine analogues O6-methylguanine and O6-benzylguanine are well-known as a chemical modulator of the DNA repair enzyme O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase. Inactivation of the enzyme by O6-methylguanine or O6-benzylguanine is expected to enhance sensitivity of tumours to chloroethylnitrosoureas. We studied the effect of O6-methylguanine or O6-benzylguanine pretreatment on cytotoxicity of 1-(4-amino-2-methyl-5-pyrimidinyl)methyl-3- (2-chloroethyl)-3-nitrosourea hydrochloride (ACNU) in brain tumour cells and transplanted brain tumours. Two-hour exposure of O6-methylguanine at higher concentrations (500 microM, 1,000 microM) increased ACNU cytotoxicity by only 2 times in ACNU-resistant C6-1 brain tumour cells. O6-Benzylguanine at concentrations between 10 and 100 microM markedly enhanced the cytotoxic effect. The ACNU sensitivity of the tumour cels pretreated with O6-benzylguanine was 5-40 times that of the cells without O6-benzylguanine. Neither O6-methylguanine nor O6-benzylguanine appreciably enhanced ACNU cytotoxicity of 9 L cells, which were originally sensitive to ACNU. Intracarotid ACNU with O6-methylguanine or O6-benzylguanine decreased proliferating activity of transplanted C6-1 brain tumours significantly during 48 hours. O6-Benzylguanine pretreatment resulted in a greater degree of suppression for a long time. The C6-1 tumours treated only with intracarotid ACNU showed a transient inhibition and a rapid regrowth during 24 hours after the treatment. These results indicate that O6-methylguanine or O6-benzylguanine increases ACNU cytotoxicity and may be feasible for effective combination therapy with chloroethylnitrosourea in the chemotherapy of malignant brain tumours.

[Effects of pranidipine (OPC-13340), a novel 1,4-dihydropyridine derivative Ca-antagonist, on isolated porcine coronary contraction and acute myocardial ischemia in the pig]

Pranidipine (OPC-13340) is a novel, potent and long-acting 1,4-dihydropyridine derivative Ca-antagonist being developed for clinical use as an antihypertensive and antianginal drug. Pranidipine at concentrations of 10(-9) - 10(-6) M suppressed the contraction induced by serotonin (10(-8) - 10(-5) M) or histamine (10(-8) - 10(-4) M) in isolated porcine coronary arteries in a non-competitive and concentration-dependent manner. The potency of this effect of pranidipine was almost similar to that of nifedipine. In anesthetized open-chest pigs with coronary artery occlusion, pranidipine at a dose of 10 micrograms/kg, i.v. lowered blood pressure and increased heart rate, peak dP/dt and % segment shortening of the non-ischemic zone before occlusion. Pranidipine inhibited the ST elevation of the electrocardiogram and the increase in left ventricular end-diastolic pressure during ischemia. These results suggest that pranidipine might relieve symptoms via inhibition of coronary spasm and reduce myocardial ischemia due to reduction of both preload (left ventricular end-diastolic pressure) and afterload (blood pressure).

The increase of CD5LOW+NK cells in patients with multiple myeloma and plasmacytoma

CD5 antigen is present on all normal alpha beta T cells and some B cells. Human NK cells do not usually express CD5 antigen, but we found a novel subset of CD5LOW (low density of CD5) positive (CD5LOW+) natural killer cells (NK cells) in patients with multiple myeloma (MM) and plasmacytoma. To detect CD5LOW+NK cells, we examined the lymphocytes of 23 patients with MM and plasmacytoma by flow cytometry. Five out of 23 patients had CD5LOW+NK populations. These patients had many more NK cells than the other patients in the peripheral blood and bone marrow. The CD5LOW+NK cells had CD2, low density of CD8, CD16 and CD56, but no CD3, CD19, or CD20. Most of the CD5LOW+NK cells had HLA-DR, unlike the CD5-NK cells. Sorted CD5LOW+CD16+ populations were large granular lymphocytes (LGL). The CD5LOW+NK cells had some lytic activity on K562 cells in a 4-hour 51Cr release assay. Our results indicate that there is a novel subset of NK cells in some patients with MM and plasmacytoma and that CD5LOW+NK cells may be associated with NK cell activation.

Concentration of live retrovirus with a regenerated cellulose hollow fiber, BMM

A concentrated live retrovirus is required for in vitro experiments. A cuprammonium-regenerated cellulose hollow fiber, termed BMM, originally developed for biohazardous viral removal, was used to concentrate two different retroviruses, an ecotropic murine leukemia virus (MuLV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The BMM was useful for concentrating live virus suspension 10- to 30-fold from 500-1000 ml of culture supernatant. The ecotropic MuLV concentrated by BMM was demonstrated to be viable and biologically intact by XC plaque-forming assay and reverse transcriptase assay. The concentrated MuLV reached a much higher titer in the spleen in mice than the original one. The virus concentration assessed by p24 antigen for HIV was clearly higher than that of the original culture supernatant of HIV-infected cell lines. Since BMM hollow fibers trapped viruses by the sieving mechanism but not by adsorption, the viral particles were recovered by washing and the total live virus recovery rate was high, about 50%. Furthermore 60 min sufficed to handle 1000 ml of supernatant in the case of a filtration area of 0.03 m2. These results show that the BMM provides us with a rapid, safe and efficient method for concentrating live retroviruses.

Most compact hairpin-turn structure exerted by a short DNA fragment, d(GCGAAGC) in solution: an extraordinarily stable structure resistant to nucleases and heat

The three-dimensional structure of a short DNA fragment, d(GCGAAGC) exhibiting an extraordinarily stable hairpin structure was determined by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Two possible models were obtained by molecular modelling using distance and torsion constraints. Only one of these two models is the correct structure, which can clearly explain all the 1H chemical shifts. d(GCGAAGC) is folded back on itself between A4 and A5, and all the sugars in the fragment adopt the C2'-endo conformation. This compact molecule is stabilized by regular extensive base-stacking interaction within each B-form helical strand of G1C2G3A4 and A5G6C7, and by two G-C and one G3-A5 base pairs. The molecule is hard to differentiate into stem and loop regions, so that we classify it as a turn (hairpin-turn) structure experted by a single-stranded DNA. This highly stacked structure shows high thermostability and strong resistance against nucleases contained in E. coli extracts and in human serum.

Higher-order structure of bovine mitochondrial tRNA(Phe) lacking the 'conserved' GG and T psi CG sequences as inferred by enzymatic and chemical probing

Bovine mitochondrial (mt) phenylalanine tRNA (tRNA(Phe)), which lacks the 'conserved' GG and T psi YCG sequences, was efficiently purified by the selective hybridization method using a solid phase DNA probe. The entire nucleotide sequence of the tRNA, including modified nucleotides, was determined and its higher-order structure was investigated using RNaseT2 and chemical reagents as structural probes. The D and T loop regions as well as the anticodon loop region were accessible to RNaseT2, and the N-3 positions of cytidines present in the D and T loops were easily modified under the native conditions in the presence of 10mM Mg2+. On the other hand, the nucleotides present in the extra loop were protected from the chemical modification under the native conditions. From the results of these probing analyses and a comparison of the sequences of mitochondrial tRNA(Phe) genes from various organisms, it was inferred that bovine mt tRNA(Phe) lacks the D loop/T loop tertiary interactions, but does have the canonical extra loop/D stem interactions, which seem to be the main factor for bovine mt tRNA(Phe) to preserve its L-shaped higher-order structure.

[Study on the relationship between concentrations of 5-FU and PyNPase activity in tumor tissue during oral 5'-DFUR treatment in patients with advanced colorectal cancer]

Fifty-three patients with advanced colorectal cancer were given single oral doses of 5'-DFUR, 400 mg/body, preoperatively to assess the pharmacokinetics of 5'-DFUR in the patients with colorectal cancer and to investigate schedules for 5'-DFUR treatment. The time courses of PyNPase activity and 5-FU concentration in the resected tissue specimens were determined. This study indicated that: 1) High 5-FU concentration and PyNPase activity were noted in tumor tissue and lymph nodes. 2) Effective 5-FU concentration in tumor tissue was maintained even 24 hours after treatment. 3) Effective lymph node concentration of 5-FU was maintained even 8 hours after treatment. 4) PyNPase activity in tumor tissue was significantly higher than that in the normal intestinal mucosa (p < 0.05). These results suggest that 400 mg of 5'-DFUR at 8-hour intervals provides effective tissue concentrations of 5-FU for the treatment of patients with advanced colorectal cancer.

Recto-vagino-vestibuloplasty using a vagino-colonic flap with double colonic implantation for rectocloacal fistula

This technique was devised to obtain a good cosmetic appearance of the perineum and a functional neovagina, without any need for a dilator, by using a vaginocolonic flap marsupialized to the perineum and by creating a vestibule with noncornifying squamous epithelium. The technique was used to treat a 2 year old girl who had a single small orifice in the upper part of a featureless perineum, with a high-confluence rectocloacal fistula between a short urethra and double vagina, which was separated by a septum. A long inverted U-shaped flap at the posterior wall of the vagina was reversed to become the anterior wall of the distal vagina. The urogenital sinus (UGS) was preserved to serve as the urethra. The colon distal to the colostomy was divided into two loops; a segment of the distal loop was opened and trimmed to form a flap, and served as the posterior wall of the distal vagina. The proximal segment was pulled down to become the rectum. To construct the vestibule, a vertical midline incision was made from the fused labia minora to the perineum, cutting back the UGS. The anterior wall of the vagina, which was pulled through just behind the UGS, was divided vertically and sutured around the opened UGS and the suitably prepared labia minora. The posterior wall, which consisted of the colonic flap, was sutured to the incised perineal skin, creating a posterior commissure. At present, 2 1/2 years after the repair, the patient is dry between completely continent urinations and has little vaginal discharge.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Persistent isolated proximal renal tubular acidosis--a systemic disease with a distinct clinical entity

We describe a 16-year-old female with persistent isolated proximal renal tubular acidosis, cerebral calcification, mental retardation, band keratopathy, cataracts, glaucoma and short stature. Severe metabolic acidosis and hypokalaemia were linked to an abnormally low renal threshold for bicarbonate reabsorption (8 mmol/l). Maximal rates of urinary excretion of titratable acid and ammonium were normal; erythrocyte carbonic anhydrase II was normal. This rare case represents a systemic disease with a distinct clinical entity which may be transmitted by autosomal recessive inheritance.

Cardiac involvement of progressive muscular dystrophy (Becker type, Limb-girdle type and Fukuyama type) evaluated by radionuclide method

Tl-201 SPECT and Tc-99m-Human serum albumin (HSA) multigated radionuclide ventriculography were performed on 11 patients with progressive muscular dystrophy (Becker type 2, Fukuyama type 2, Limb-girdle type 7) to evaluate myocardial involvement. Hypoperfusion was detected in 8 patients on Tl-201 SPECT. Decreases in both systolic function (left ventricular ejection fraction; LVEF) and diastolic function (peak filling rate; PFR) were also seen in these patients. A high incidence of myocardial involvement of these kinds of progressive muscular dystrophy was suggested.

Species-specific expression of the hepatic renin gene

The catalytic reaction of renin, an aspartyl proteinase, with angiotensinogen is the rate-limiting step fo the renin-angiotensin system involved in the maintenance of blood pressure and electrolyte balance in mammals. We have characterized species-specific expression of the hepatic renin gene by RNase protection experiment, primer extension analysis, and promoter assay using an in vitro DNA transfection. RNase protection experiments revealed that the renin gene is expressed in rat liver, but neither in mouse nor in human. Primer extension analysis identified the putative promoter region of the rat renin gene, which contains TATAAAA sequence, a canonical regulatory DNA element. In order to test whether the upstream region of the renin gene with respect to the putative transcription initiation site is a functional promoter, we have examined the ability of the 5'-flanking sequences of the rat renin gene as well as the human and mouse genes to activate expression of a reporter gene containing the bacterial chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT)-coding sequences, by transient transfection assays. In transfected HepG2 cells, a hepatoma cell line, only the rat renin promoter was capable of driving the CAT gene expression. These results suggested that the rat-specific renin gene expression in the liver could be primarily determined by its promoter specificity.

Noninvasive detection of intracranial vascular lesions by recording blood flow sounds

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Transorbital blood flow sound recordings have the potential to be used for noninvasive detection of cerebral aneurysms and arteriovenous malformations. We describe our system and experience in detecting intracranial cerebrovascular disease.

METHODS

We investigated the noninvasive detection of intracranial vascular lesions by recording and analyzing the intracranial blood flow sounds. A new small transducer was placed on the unilateral eyelid to record the intracranial blood flow sounds, which were amplified and converted to digital data at a sampling frequency of 2000 Hz to provide a spectral analysis.

RESULTS

No spectral peaks were recorded in 30 healthy adults. Sharp peaks were recorded in 12 of 15 patients with unclipped aneurysms, and broad peaks were recorded in two patients with vasospasm after aneurysmal clipping and in all patients with severe intracranial internal carotid artery stenosis.

CONCLUSIONS

This noninvasive technique has the potential to be very useful in the detection of intracranial cerebrovascular disease, including aneurysm and arterial stenosis, and could be used in mass screening examinations.

Effect of Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide on Bacteroides fragilis abscess formation and mortality in mice

To study the mechanism of synergism between Bacteroides fragilis and Escherichia coli, the effect of sublethal dose of E. coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS) (25 micrograms/mouse) was checked on B. fragilis abscess formation. LPS was administered prior or after inoculum injection. No significant difference in the abscess size was observed at necropsy on day 6. However, all the groups receiving LPS showed higher incidence of recovery of additional intestinal bacteria (23.5-45.5%) from the abscess pus. When LPS was given 4 hr prior to inoculum administration, 83-100% mortality was observed. Detailed investigation showed autoclaved cecal contents alone could also cause similar mortality. Studies with stimulation of endogenous cytokines by E. coli LPS demonstrated induction of all of them within 3 hr in the blood stream with TNF-alpha demonstrating peak at 1 hr, IL-1 alpha and IL-6 at 4 hr and IFN-gamma between 6-9 hr with moderately high levels at 4 hr. This E. coli LPS-triggered cytokine cascade possibly gets further stimulated by injection of autoclaved cecal contents containing high concentration of endotoxins (1.6 x 10(5) EU/ml) contributed by dead bacteria and lead to the mortality of animals.

[Effects of liposome-entrapped E. coli endotoxin on lung pathophysiology in rats]

The effects of repeated intravenous injections of E. coli endotoxin (ETX)-containing liposomes (LP) on the development of emphysematous change in rats were examined. Male Wistar rats, weighting 150-200 g, were divided into 3 groups. Group 1; rats treated with phosphate buffered saline (PBS), Group 2; rats treated with liposome-entrapped PBS, Group 3; rats treated with liposome-entrapped ETX (10 mg/ml). In each group, 0.5 ml was injected intravenously once a week for 8 consecutive weeks. After 8 weeks, functional and morphometrical analyses of lungs were performed. Functional residual capacity (FRC), total lung capacity (TLC), and static compliance (Cst.) were measured using a pressure plethysmograph for small animals. Mean linear intercept (MLI) and internal surface area (ISA) were also determined. TLC did not differ among the 3 groups. In rats treated with liposome-entrapped ETX, Cst. corrected by body weight (Cst./body weight) was significantly increased compared with that in liposome-entrapped PBS-treated rats. Further more, MLI was larger than that of the other 2 groups and ISA was less than that of the liposome-entrapped PBS-treated rats. These results suggest that liposome-entrapped ETX induces emphysematous changes in rats.

Existence of nuclear-encoded 5S-rRNA in bovine mitochondria

A number of proteins functioning in mitochondria are synthesized in the cytoplasm and imported into the mitochondria via specific transport systems. In mammals, on the contrary, mitochondrial membranes have generally been considered to be impermeable to nucleic acids. However, here we show that an RNA with 120 nucleotides, the sequence of which is identical to that of the nuclear-encoded 5S RNA, exists in bovine mitochondria, although the mitochondrial genome encodes no 5S RNA gene. This RNA molecule was found to be retained in purified bovine mitochondria as well as in the mitoplasts, even after extensive treatment with an RNase, demonstrating that the 5S RNA is actually located inside the mitochondrial inner membrane. The 5S rRNA molecule was also shown to exist in mitochondria from rabbit and chicken.

Characterization of serine and leucine tRNAs in an asporogenic yeast Candida cylindracea and evolutionary implications of genes for tRNA(Ser)CAG responsible for translation of a non-universal genetic code

Five serine and three leucine isoaceptor tRNAs were purified from the asporogenic yeast Candida cylindracea, in which codon CUG is translated as serine instead of leucine, and their primary structures were determined. From the wobble hypothesis, it was assumed that one of the tRNA(Leu) species (Leu1), with the anticodon CmAA, corresponded to the UUG leucine codon, and that the remaining two leucine tRNAs (Leu2 and Leu3), with the same IAG anticodon sequence would decode the CUU, CUC and CUA codons as leucine, but not the CUG codon; this was clarified by an in vitro translation experiment with C.cylindracea using synthetic mRNAs containing the CUA or CUG codons. One of the serine tRNAs (Ser1) has already been demonstrated to have the anticodon CAG and to be responsible for translation of the codon CUG in C.cylindracea. Three of the other species of tRNA(Ser) (Ser2,3 and 4), with the anticodon sequences cm5UGA, IGA and CGA, can translate all four codons in the UCN codon box, while the remaining species (Ser5), with the anticodon GCU, corresponds to AGU and AGC serine codons. The gene sequences for these five serine and three leucine tRNAs were also determined, with the finding that only tRNA(Ser)CAG (Ser1) has an intron. At least five different types of tRNA(Ser)CAG genes exist in the genome of C.cylindracea. The nucleotide sequences of the flanking regions of these tRNA(Ser)CAG genes indicated that the tRNA(Ser)CAG gene has duplicated at least three times on the genome. The existence of multiple genes for tRNA(Ser)CAG on the genome may account for the observation that codon CUG is used very frequently in C.cylindracea. All of these tRNASerCAG genes contain the CCA sequence in their 3' termini, suggesting the possibility that during their multiplication process in the evolution of the C.cylindracea genome, the tRNA(Ser)CAG molecule was integrated into DNA via reverse transcription.

Unusual anticodon loop structure found in E.coli lysine tRNA

Although both tRNA(Lys) and tRNA(Glu) of E. coli possess similar anticodon loop sequences, with the same hypermodified nucleoside 5-methylaminomethyl-2-thiouridine (mnm5s2U) at the first position of their anticodons, the anticodon loop structures of these two tRNAs containing the modified nucleoside appear to be quite different as judged from the following observations. (1) The CD band derived from the mnm5s2U residue is negative for tRNA(Glu), but positive for tRNA(Lys). (2) The mnm5s2U monomer itself and the mnm5s2U-containing anticodon loop fragment of tRNA(Lys) show the same negative CD bands as that of tRNA(Glu). (3) The positive CD band of tRNA(Lys) changes to negative when the temperature is raised. (4) The reactivity of the mnm5s2U residue toward H2O2 is much lower for tRNA(Lys) than for tRNA(Glu). These features suggest that tRNA(Lys) has an unusual anticodon loop structure, in which the mnm5s2U residue takes a different conformation from that of tRNA(Glu); whereas the mnm5s2U base of tRNA(Glu) has no direct bonding with other bases and is accessible to a solvent, that of tRNA(Lys) exists as if in some way buried in its anticodon loop. The limited hydrolysis of both tRNAs by various RNases suggests that some differences exist in the higher order structures of tRNA(Lys) and tRNA(Glu). The influence of the unusual anticodon loop structure observed for tRNA(Lys) on its function in the translational process is also discussed.

Effects on EMG activities of elbow joint muscles by rapid head rotation movement in horizontal plane in man

Effects of voluntary rapid head rotation movement in horizontal plane on EMG activities of tonically contracting elbow extensor and flexor muscles were studied in five healthy subjects. Arm EMGs were averaged in relation to the EMG onset of the prime mover. M. sterno-cleidomastoideus (SCM). EMG variations could occur before SCM-EMG onset. Facilitatory and inhibitory effects were observed. They were not necessarily organized in reciprocal fashion but varied in every subject. We interpret the present findings as resulted from an incorporated part of the central motor program for head rotation which was specific to each subject.

Clinical features to predict hypoxia and/or hypercapnia in acute asthma attacks

Arterial blood gas data were correlated with clinical variables including patients' perception of dyspnea and spirometry in 79 episodes of acute asthma attacks. Among several variables that showed univariate significance with severity, only subjective degree of dyspnea rated on a modified Borg scale (MBS) remained predictive to discriminate the presence or absence of hypoxia/hypercapnia in multivariate analyses. MBS alone could predict the arterial blood gas status with accuracy of approximately 75%. Therefore, patients' sensation of dyspnea seemed to be an important factor in the evaluation of acute asthma in an emergency room.

Magnetic resonance imaging of bone marrow changes after irradiation

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES

Signal changes of irradiated bone marrow are thought to represent fatty change. However, more recent studies have indicated that other factors may contribute to these signal changes. We performed animal studies to investigate magnetic resonance (MR) signal change factors in correlation with histologic findings.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Forty-two male Wistar rats were given single doses (3, 8, and 20 Gy) of irradiation. Magnetic resonance imaging (1.5 T) was performed using spin-echo technique.

RESULTS

In the acute phase (days 1-3), the T1 time was prolonged, probably secondary to decreased cellularity and edema. After this phase, the irradiated marrow showed marked T1 and T2 shortening that correlated with hemorrhage. In the chronic phase (after day 10), fatty replacement, fibrosis, and regeneration were observed. T2 times were stable in spite of regeneration because of the susceptibility effect of hemosiderin.

CONCLUSION

The MR signal changes of irradiated marrow reflect not only fatty replacement, but hemorrhage as well.

[Evaluation of plasma prothrombin fragment 1+2 in healthy donors and thrombotic diseases]

We have evaluated plasma F1+2 values by enzyme immunoassay (Enzygnost F1+2; Behringwerke) in 80 healthy blood donors in various ages and compared to that from patients with DIC, thrombosis and oral anticoagulant therapy. The reference range of F1+2 from 35 donors with 20 to 29 age-group, was found 0.82 +/- 0.39 nM, whereas the range from 20 donors with 30 to 39 age-group showed higher F1+2 levels with 1.46 +/- 0.56nM (p < 0.001). F1+2 values from 15 donors with 40 to 49 age-group revealed similar with 30 to 39 age-group, while the range from 10 donors with 50 to 59 age-group was found much higher F1+2 levels with 2.16 +/- 0.80nM (p < 0.001). In patients with DIC, F1+2 levels were significantly higher than those in all healthy subjects (p < 0.01). In patients under stable oral anticoagulant therapy, F1+2 values were significantly lower than in healthy donors with any age-group (p < 0.001). On the contrary, in patients with thrombosis including 9 AMI and 4 DVT, the determination of F1+2 values appeared controversial. They were significantly higher than those in 20 age-group donors (p < 0.001), however, when compared with those in all healthy donors, it showed no statistical significance. These results suggest that evaluation of reference range of plasma F1+2 values is very important from the viewpoint of aging. In addition, F1+2 determination is clinically useful for monitoring of DIC and anticoagulant therapy.