Bioavailability of bropirimine 250 mg tablet in dogs: effect of food

The postprandial effect on the bioavailability of bropirimine in dogs after oral administration of bropirimine tablets (Bropirimine 250 mg Tablet) was investigated. At a dose of 500 mg bropirimine (two tablets of bropirimine 250 mg), the maximum plasma concentration under the postprandial condition was about twice that observed under the fasting condition, and the area under the plasma concentration vs time curve under the postprandial condition was also twice that under the fasting condition. The absolute oral bioavailabilities of bropirimine were 41.1% under the fasting condition and 83.5% under the postprandial condition. It is considered that the longer gastric residence time and larger volume of the gastric fluid induced by food-intake caused the increase in dissolution of bropirimine which increased the bioavailability after oral dosing of bropirimine 250-mg tablets.

Significantly increased maternal and fetal IgG autoantibody levels to 52 kD Ro (SS-A) and La(SS-B) in complete congenital heart block

Antibodies to Ro(SS-A) are an important laboratory parameter of congenital heart block (CHB), but the maternal presence of anti-Ro(SS-A) antibodies does not always lead to this fetal acquired autoimmune disease. The current study investigated quantitative and qualitative differences of anti-52, -60 kD Ro(SS-A), 0La(SS-B) and -U1RNP(-C, -A, -68 kD) autoantibodies (either IgG or IgM) in sera derived from 16 infants with CHB and their mothers compared to eight healthy anti-Ro(SS-A) positive infants (controls) born to SLE mothers. No serum sample contained IgM auto-antibodies of the specificities investigated. Anti-60, 52 kD Ro(SS-A) and La(SS-B) IgG antibodies coincided in 9/16 CHB cases, exclusively (P < 0.05). Associated anti-52 kD Ro(SS-A) and -La(SS-B) IgG antibodies were detected in 14/16 CHB and in 3/8 control cases (P < 0.05). Anti-U1RNP 68 kD antibodies occurred in 1/16 CHB infants and in 4/8 controls. In general, newborn and maternal antibody patterns and reactivities were similar in all cases investigated. The fetal CHB sera contained significantly higher IgG levels of anti-52 kD Ro(SS-A) (P < 0.005) and -La(S-B) (P < 0.015) compared to control samples. Sera from mothers with CHB children had significantly higher levels of anti-52 kD Ro(SS-A) (P < 0.015) and -La(SS-B) (P < 0.015) IgG antibodies than those of the control group. Thus, the coincidence of anti-52 kD, -60 kD Ro(SS-A) and -La(SS-B) IgG antibodies as well as significantly increased levels of antibodies to 52 kD Ro(SS-A) and La(SS-B) are associated with evidence of complete congenital heart block. The data suggest that the known associated humoral autoimmune findings are exclusively of maternal origin.

The frequencies of disease names with the natural language used in the hospital information system

The statistical behavior of disease names referred by physicians with the natural language in a large hospital information system is little known despite the theoretical and practical interest. To address this issue, we reviewed and investigated the usage-frequencies of 18,274 disease names, 10,288 for outpatient care and 7986 for inpatient care, referred from October 1983 to June 1992 with the notation of the natural language in Japanese by the use of the registration-retrieval system of disease names at Fukui Medical School, Japan. Consequently, we found that the investigated distributions did not conform to the Poisson distribution, but conformed well to the Polya-Eggenberger distribution in both cases of outpatient and inpatient care. It implies that the disease names with the natural language are possibly referred by physicians with some interrelations.

Spontaneous mutant frequency of lacZ gene in spleen of transgenic mouse increases with age

Spontaneous mutant frequency of lacZ gene in spleen of transgenic MutaTM mouse was examined at different ages. It was (3.2 +/- 1.3 (SD)) x 10(-5) at newborn and increased almost linearly with age up to (8.3 +/- 1.8) x 10(-5) at one year. Since the mutation of the gene is not likely to be subject to selection in vivo, the data support the idea that spontaneous mutation takes place throughout aging process and accumulates with age if not selected out by cell death.

[Relations between autonomic dysfunction and skin sympathetic nerve activity in Guillain-Barré syndrome: a microneurographical assessment]

We investigated the skin sympathetic nerve activity (SSNA) in 4 patients with Guillain-Barré syndrome (CBS) using microneurography. All patients showed transient hypertension, tachycardia and palmoplantar hyperhidrosis in the acute phase of illness, but these symptoms disappeared in the chronic phase. Microelectrode recordings of SSNA performed at the median nerve in the acute phase when hypertension, tachycardia and palmoplantar hyperhidrosis were present and then in the recovery phase. In the acute phase, the level of SSNA was significantly higher than the control levels obtained from 16 healthy subjects, while in the chronic recovery phase the SSNA showed no significant difference from that of the control. The correlation between the SSNA and corresponding changes in the sweat rate and skin blood flow was kept constant both in the acute phase and chronic phase. These findings suggest that the sympathetic nerve dysfunction observed in the acute phase of GBS is partly the consequence of hyperactivity of the skin sympathetic nerve.

In vitro fertilization and development of immature and mature bovine oocytes cryopreserved by ethylene glycol with sucrose

Immature and mature bovine oocytes were frozen slowly in 1.8 M ethylene glycol (EG) with different concentrations of sucrose (0, 0.1, and 0.2 M). After thawing and dilution of the cryoprotectant by a one-step procedure, the survival of the oocytes was assessed morphologically and also by in vitro fertilization and culture. Sucrose had no effect on the survival and fertilization rates of frozen-thawed oocytes. However, higher cleavage rates of frozen-thawed immature oocytes were obtained with 0.2 M sucrose used in combination with EG. Moreover, none of the immature oocytes frozen in EG without sucrose developed into blastocysts, but about 1% of immature oocytes frozen with sucrose developed into blastocysts. The cleavage rates of mature oocytes frozen in EG were significantly lower with sucrose than without sucrose. However, no significant difference was observed in the development to blastocysts. Transfer of four blastocysts derived from frozen-thawed immature oocytes into two recipient heifers resulted in one pregnancy.

A high degree of sequence homology in the putative carbohydrate recognition domains of pokeweed mitogen and wheat germ agglutinin: poly-N-acetyllactosamine-binding lectins from different species

The complete amino acid sequence of a poly-N-acetyllactosamine-binding pokeweed mitogen 4 (Pa-4) was determined using a protein sequencer. After digestion of Pa-4 with endoproteinase Lys-C, Asp-N, Arg-C or Glu-C, the resulting peptides were separated by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and then subjected to sequence analysis using a protein sequencer. The complete amino acid sequence of Pa-4 was found to exhibit a high degree of homology with that of wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) regarding their overall sequences and the spatial arrangement of cysteine-glycine. Furthermore, the amino acid residues of WGA directly involved in carbohydrate-binding sites were found in the homologous region in Pa-4. This is the first report to show that lectins from different plant families (Phytolaccaceae for Pa-4 and Gramineae for WGA) possess homologous primary sequences.

In vivo assessment of glucose metabolism in hepatocellular carcinoma with FDG-PET

The present study was designed to assess glucose metabolism in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with PET and [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) and to compare the results with the measured in vitro enzymatic activity of glucose metabolism and the histologic grading of HCC.

METHODS

Dynamic FDG-PET scans were obtained in 17 preoperative patients with HCC. From the serial tissue and arterial radioactivities obtained by dynamic PET, FDG kinetic rate constants (K1 to k4) were obtained. The standardized uptake value (SUV) was also determined from the images acquired 48 to 60 min after FDG administration. These PET results were compared with hexokinase and glucose-6-phosphatase (G6Pase) activities and histologic grading of HCC in surgically resected tumor materials. According to histologic grading, the tumors were divided into low-grade and high-grade HCCs.

RESULTS

The k3 and SUV of high-grade HCCs were significantly higher than those of low-grade HCCs (p < 0.005, each). In addition, high correlations were observed between the hexokinase activities and these two parameters (r = 0.715 0.768, respectively). In some HCCs, relatively high G6Pase activities and k4 values modified tumor FDG uptake.

CONCLUSION

FDG PET is a valuable method for assessing glucose metabolism and histologic grading of HCC.

Degree of external force to the left ventricle determines hemodynamic response to nitroprusside in failing hearts: comparison with the response to dobutamine

Vasodilators frequently, although not always, increase cardiac output (CO) in patients with congestive heart failure (CHF) despite a decrease in left ventricular (LV) diastolic pressure. In patients with CHF, vasodilator-induced decrease in LV diastolic pressure without decrease in "preload" plays an important role in the vasodilator-induced increase in CO failure that may be caused by a vasodilator-induced reduction in external force to the LV. To clarify the hypothesis that a hemodynamic response to vasodilators depends on the degree of external force to the LV in failing hearts before drug administration and to examine whether the degree of the external force also affects a hemodynamic response to positive inotropic agents, we produced in 17 dogs two different conditions of LV dysfunction with high LV end-diastolic pressure (EDP: > or = 15 mm Hg), i.e., 1 with high right ventricular (RV) EDP (condition 1) and the other with lower RVEDP than condition 1 (condition 2), and compared hemodynamic effects of nitroprusside or dobutamine between these two conditions. Condition 1 was produced by the injection of a small dose of microspheres into the left coronary artery and intravenous infusion of dextran. Condition 2 was produced only by the injection of a large dose of microspheres. The nitroprusside-induced decrease in LVEDP was associated with a greater decrease in RVEDP and lesser decreases in mean left atrial pressure and LV end-diastolic diameter in condition 1 than in condition 2. CO increased in condition 1; however, CO then decreased in condition 2. The nitroprusside-induced changes in CO inversely correlated with those in RVEDP (r = 0.65, p < 0.05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Bone mineral density of the lumbar spine and its relation to biological and lifestyle factors in middle-aged and aged Japanese women (Part 3). Relationships of physical fitness and lifestyle factors to bone mineral density in premenopausal and postmenopausal women]

We recruited community-dwelling women for participation in a study to investigate the effects of risk factors in lifestyle on bone mineral density (BMD). The subjects were 177 women aged 35 years and over living in a rural area in Fukui Prefecture. Their BMD of the lumbar spine (L2-L4) was determined by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). In addition to measurements of height, body weight and grip strength, the lifestyles of the women, including physical load in work, sporting activities, smoking habits, calcium intake, and history of bone fracture were interviewed in detail. Adjusted for age, the BMD significantly correlated to body weight (r = 0.337, p < 0.05 for premenopausal women and r = 0.289, p < 0.01 for postmenopausal women) and body mass index (kg/m2) (r = 0.291, p < 0.05 for premenopausal women and r = 0.190, p < 0.05 for postmenopausal women). These results indicated the lower body weight to be a risk factor for the osteoporotic process in middle-aged and aged women. With respect to the grip strength as a physical fitness indicator, a significant correlation coefficient (r = 0.267, p < 0.01) with BMD was obtained for postmenopausal women independent of age and body weight. In univariate analysis, BMD showed no significant correlations with sporting activities, smoking habits, lower back pain and history of bone fracture for either premenopausal women or postmenopausal women.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Overexpression of human lipoprotein lipase protects diabetic transgenic mice from diabetic hypertriglyceridemia and hypercholesterolemia

We investigated the role of the overexpression of lipoprotein lipase (LPL) in lipoprotein abnormalities in transgenic mice with streptozotocin-induced diabetes mellitus. Before the induction of diabetes, LPL activity was 4.6-fold in skeletal muscle and 2.0-fold higher in the heart in transgenic mice than in their nontransgenic littermates. LPL activity in skeletal muscles in diabetic nontransgenic mice and cardiac LPL activity in diabetic nontransgenic and transgenic mice were decreased. Body weights were similarly reduced, and no appreciable amount of adipose tissue was observed in diabetes in both groups. The plasma triglyceride level was lower in diabetic transgenic mice than in diabetic nontransgenic mice (33.2 +/- 22.5 versus 185.3 +/- 57.4 mg/dL). Induction of diabetes was associated with a significant increase in the plasma cholesterol level in nontransgenic mice (90.0 +/- 11.1 versus 163.9 +/- 39.3 mg/dL) but much less in transgenic mice. Our results indicate that overexpression of LPL in transgenic mice inhibited diabetes-associated hypertriglyceridemia and hypercholesterolemia but did not affect the loss of body weight induced by diabetes.

[Development of infection with Aspergillus flavus in woman being treated for allergic pulmonary Aspergillosis caused by Aspergillus fumigatus]

A 36-year-old woman who raised plants in a large greenhouse came to our hospital because of a cough and purulent sputum. A chest X-ray film showed infiltrative shadows in the left middle lung field. Aspergillus fumigatus was isolated from samples of sputum and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid obtained from the left B5. Biopsy specimens revealed hyphae elements of aspergillus species and eosinophils in a plug of viscous material. Also, eosinophils and lymphocytes had infiltrated through bronchial epithelium without aspergillus species. She was given a diagnosis of allergic aspergillosis caused by Aspergillus fumigatus. Fluconazole was given and her symptoms and infiltrative shadows improved. Seventy days after treatment with fluconazole began, her symptoms recurred along with an abnormal shadow in the left upper lung field on a chest x-ray film. Aspergillus flavus, but not Aspergillus fumigatus, was isolated from samples of sputum and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid obtained from the left lung (S1+2). Biopsy specimens of the lung showed eosinophilic pneumonia. She was treated with itraconazole and her symptoms and abnormal radiographic shadows disappeared. She had no asthmatic attack or central bronchiectasis du ring the illness. This was a case of allergic pulmonary aspergillosis without asthmatic symptoms. It is interesting that one species of aspergillus was replaced by another during treatment.

Delayed posterior interosseous nerve palsy

A rare case of delayed posterior interosseous nerve palsy that developed 39 years after an unreduced anterior dislocation of the radial head is reported. The posterior interosseous nerve was compressed and narrowed at the arcade of Frohse. Radial head resection and release of the arcade was done. The paralysis continued to recover 6 weeks after operation. The nerve, at the arcade of Frohse, was susceptible to compression by the dislocated radial head, especially in the supinated position. Repeated supination and pronation movement over time may have led to developmental changes that caused the delayed nerve palsy.

[Phenotypic heterogeneity in Japanese Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease type 1A patients with PMP-22 gene duplication]

We studied phenotypic heterogeneity in 18 Japanese patients with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease type 1A (CMT1A) with PMP-22 gene duplication, together with heterogeneity of duplication size. In order to detect the duplication of PMP-22 gene region, the PMP-22 cDNA and a polymorphic marker VAW409R3 were used as probes for Southern blot analysis. As the clinical phenotypes, we assessed the degree of foot deformity, muscular weakness and atrophy, tendon reflexes, sensory impairment and electrophysiologic and sural nerve biopsy findings. Although the degree of muscular weakness and atrophy was slightly more severe in the advanced age, there was a patient with calf hypertrophy in the older age or a patient with marked muscular atrophy of the leg in the younger age. The incidence of foot deformities and sensory impairment was high and these phenotypes did not relate to aging. Diminished or absent tendon reflexes and slowing of motor conduction velocities were commonly seen, but the motor conduction velocity varied greatly among the patients. The clinical phenotypes were extensively variable among the CMT 1A patients with the same gene mutation of PMP-22 gene duplication, suggesting that there is a factor other than PMP-22 gene duplication, which influences phenotypic manifestation in CMT 1A.

The distribution of TM-316-associated surface antigen on polymorphonuclear leucocytes: an immunoelectron microscopic study

It has been established that MoAb TM-316 recognizes an epitope on leucocytes and specifically inhibits the chemotactic behavior of leucocytes. In the present paper, the distribution of this epitope on the cell surface and in intracellular organelles was studied by immunoelectron microscopy. Leucocytes separated from the blood of healthy men and from synovial fluid from patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis were used. They were fixed with a mixture containing paraformaldehyde, glutaraldehyde and picric acid. As the second antibody, goat anti-mouse IgM conjugated to 10 nm gold colloids was employed. In normal specimens, the epitope was found to some extent on the cytoplasmic membrane of neutrophilic leucocytes, but it was only sparsely distributed on eosinophilic and basophilic leucocytes. On activated neutrophilic leucocytes, obtained from the synovial fluid of rheumatoid arthritis patients, the immunolabeling was markedly increased. The number of sites where the epitope occurs on the surface of leucocytes is thus associated with the cell type, and also with the level of activation of the leucocytes. In order to investigate the processing of the antigen, the intracellular localization of the epitope in the neutrophilic leucocytes was also studied. The epitope recognized by TM-316 was also detected in/on the characteristic granules and Golgi stacks.

Mapping of cyclosporin A binding sites in cyclophilin A by using synthetic peptides

In order to map cyclosporin A (CsA) binding sites of cyclophilin (CyP), we synthesized the complete set of overlapping 157 octapeptides corresponding to human CyP A using the multi-pin peptide synthesis system. The pin-coupled synthetic octapeptides were examined in terms of binding ability to CsA by a modification of the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Significant binding of CsA was detected with 35 synthetic N alpha-acetylated octapeptides possessing the N-terminal amino acids corresponding to the residues in positions 24-26, 42-44, 69-73, 75, 76, 89-91, 102, 116, 124-131, 144-151 and 152 in human CyP A, respectively. Other eight octapeptides showed moderate CsA binding activity. The distinct binding of octapeptides covering the C-terminal region of the CyP A was particularly significant. These data are to be compared with the information provided by X-ray and NMR studies on the CsA binding sites and furnish thus a test of the reported method. The present study also gave added insight into the CsA interaction sites of CyP.

Age-related changes in cellular localization and enzymatic activities of cathepsins B, L and D in the rat trigeminal ganglion neuron

Altered localization and cellular level of three distinct lysosomal proteinases, cathepsins B (CB), L (CL), and D (CD), with aging were investigated in the rat trigeminal ganglion (TG) by immunohistochemical and quantitative analyses. At the light microscopic level, the intracytoplasmic distribution of these three enzymes was found to change with aging: These lysosomal proteinases in the TG of young rats (2-3 months of age) were widely and evenly distributed throughout the cytoplasm as coarse intracytoplasmic granules, whereas they were localized at focal cytoplasmic sites of the TG neurons of aged rats (28-31 months of age) as coarse aggregates. A similar distribution was observed with a major lysosomal membrane sialoglycoprotein having an apparent molecular mass of 107 kDa (LGP107). The cellular distribution of the three cathepsins as well as LGP107 in the TG neurons of aged rats corresponded well with that of autofluorescent lipofuscin. At the electron microscopic level, the age-related redistribution of these cathepsins in the TG neurons was found to be due to their great accumulation in autolysosomes localized at the focal perinuclear sites. The cellular levels of CB and CL determined by activity measurement in the TG of the young rats were 1.8 and 1.7 times as much as those of the aged rats respectively. In contrast, no significant difference was observed between the CD activities in the two age groups. These results strongly suggest that age related changes in localization and cellular level of CB, CL, and CD in TG neurons are closely linked with the increased formation of autolysosomes and lipofuscins, which is the most ubiquitous age-related cytological alteration.

Isolation and sequencing of two cDNA clones encoding rat spleen cathepsin E and analysis of the activation of purified procathepsin E

Cathepsin E (CE) is an intracellular, nonlysosomal aspartic proteinase consisting of two identical subunits with a molecular mass of approximately 42 kDa and has a unique subcellular distribution in various rat tissues. In this study, we determined the complete amino acid sequence of rat spleen CE and examined the activation mechanism of the proenzyme purified from this tissue. Two cDNA clones encoding rat CE, termed pTN05 and pTN1, were isolated. Comparison of the amino acid sequences predicted from the respective cDNA sequences revealed that they were essentially identical, except that pTN1 lacked a sequence corresponding to residues Tyr293-Pro325 of the longer cDNA clone (pTN05). Based on the structural analysis of purified enzyme forms, the CE precursor was found to comprise a signal peptide, a prosequence, and a mature protein region of 19, 39, and 337 (pTN05) or 304 (pTN1) residues, respectively. Despite a high degree of similarity in the overall structure of CE between rat and other mammalian species, the first 11 residues in the NH2-terminal sequence of rat mature enzyme were significantly different from those of other species. The purified pro-CE was analyzed for its conversion to the mature form. The results indicated that the maximal conversion occurred at pH 3.0-4.0 in a temperature- and time-dependent manner by autocatalytic cleavage at the site between Phe39-Ser40. This conversion was highly dependent on the protein concentrations of pro-CE and delayed by the presence of exogenous substrates, suggesting the predominance of intermolecular reaction for its conversion to the mature form.

Activated liver macrophages in human liver diseases

Immunohistochemical analysis using monoclonal antibodies specific for cells of monocyte/macrophage lineage reveals that resident liver macrophages have a phenotype distinct from that of monocytes or activated liver macrophages. Liver macrophages consist of heterogeneous cell populations in maturation (matured 25F9-positive and immature 25F9-negative) but the ratio of two populations is constant in normal and diseased livers. The expression of CD14 is down-regulated in resident liver macrophages as compared to that in monocytes, while the expression of 25F9 is up-regulated. On the other hand, the expressions of CD14 and Fc gamma RI are up-regulated in activated liver macrophages in viral and autoimmune hepatitis. In vitro culture of monocytes in medium without cytokines induces the phenotype similar to that of resident liver macrophages. Addition of macrophage-colony stimulating factor or interferon-gamma into the culture medium induces the expression of Fc gamma RI, the phenotype of which resembles that of activated liver macrophages. These results suggest that liver macrophages consist of heterogeneous cell populations and that both phenotype and function are affected by the local milieu of cytokines.

[Clinical effects and immunological analysis of intraabdominal and intrapleural injection of lentinan for malignant ascites and pleural effusion of gastric carcinoma]

Twenty-one patients with malignant peritoneal or pleural effusions of gastric carcinomas were treated with intracavitary injection of lentinan (LNT). LNT was injected at a dosage of 4 mg/week for 4 weeks. In total, fifteen (71%) of twenty-one patients demonstrated clinical responses. Toxicity caused a high fever in only one case. LAK and ATK activities induced from peritoneal exudate cells (PEC) after culture with autologous tumor and interleukin-2 were examined before and after LNT injection. ATK activity was augmented, but LAK activity was reduced after LNT injection. These results indicate that intracavitary injection of LNT is a useful treatment for malignant effusions, and that LNT augments the induction of cytotoxic T-lymphocytes.

A quick and simple technique for selective control of hepatic arterial bleeding

A quick and simple technique for the selective control of hepatic arterial inflow is described for hepatic resections or hepatic hilar lymph node dissection which allows arterial hemostasis without causing splanchnic congestion.

Basal release of endothelium-derived nitric oxide plays an important role in the prevention of afterload mismatch in acute left ventricular dysfunction

The basal release of endothelium-derived nitric oxide (EDNO) is considered to play an important role in regulating the vascular tone in normal subjects; however, its role in the presence of acute heart failure is unknown. This study was designed to clarify the role of a basal release of EDNO in the presence of acute heart failure. Acute ischemic left ventricular (LV) dysfunction was produced in 22 dogs by coronary microembolization. After the embolization, only saline solution was intravenously infused for sixty minutes in 10 dogs. In another 12 dogs, NG-monomethyl-L-arginine (L-NMMA), which is known to inhibit the formation of EDNO in the vascular endothelium, was intravenously infused at a rate of 20 micrograms/kg/minute for sixty minutes. Infusion of saline solution did not produce any changes in hemodynamic variables. Infusion of L-NMMA caused increases in mean aortic pressure, systemic vascular resistance, and LV end-diastolic pressure without changes in the LV peak + and - dP/dt (time constant) of LV pressure fall, and these changes were associated with a giant "v" wave in the tracing of left atrial pressure and a decrease in cardiac output. The basal release of EDNO may play an important role in the prevention of afterload elevation, subsequent cardiac output reduction, and afterload mismatch in the presence of acute heart failure.