Mechanical transients of single toad stomach smooth muscle cells. Effects of lowering temperature and extracellular calcium

Smooth muscle's slow, economical contractions may relate to the kinetics of the crossbridge cycle. We characterized the crossbridge cycle in smooth muscle by studying tension recovery in response to a small, rapid length change (i.e., tension transients) in single smooth muscle cells from the toad stomach (Bufo marinus). To confirm that these tension transients reflect crossbridge kinetics, we examined the effect of lowering cell temperature on the tension transient time course. Once this was confirmed, cells were exposed to low extracellular calcium [( Ca2+]o) to determine whether modulation of the cell's shortening velocity by changes in [Ca2+]o reflected the calcium sensitivity of one or more steps in the crossbridge cycle. Single smooth muscle cells were tied between an ultrasensitive force transducer and length displacement device after equilibration in temperature-controlled physiological saline having either a low (0.18 mM) or normal (1.8 mM) calcium concentration. At the peak of isometric force, after electrical stimulation, small, rapid (less than or equal to 1.8% cell length in 3.6 ms) step stretches and releases were imposed. At room temperature (20 degrees C) in normal [Ca2+]o, tension recovery after the length step was described by the sum of two exponentials with rates of 40-90 s-1 for the fast phase and 2-4 s-1 for the slow phase. In normal [Ca2+]o but at low temperature (10 degrees C), the fast tension recovery phase slowed (apparent Q10 = 1.9) for both stretches and releases whereas the slow tension recovery phase for a release was only moderately affected (apparent Q10 = 1.4) while unaffected for a stretch. Dynamic stiffness was determined throughout the time course of the tension transient to help correlate the tension transient phases with specific step(s) in the crossbridge cycle. The dissociation of tension and stiffness, during the fast tension recovery phase after a release, was interpreted as evidence that this recovery phase resulted from both the transition of crossbridges from a low- to high-force producing state as well as a transient detachment of crossbridges. From the temperature studies and dynamic stiffness measurements, the slow tension recovery phase most likely reflects the overall rate of crossbridge cycling. From the tension transient studies, it appears that crossbridges cycle slower and have a longer duty cycle in smooth muscle. In low [Ca2+]o at 20 degrees C, little effect was observed on the form or time course of the tension transients.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Neutralization of hemorrhagic snake venoms by sera of Trimeresurus flavoviridis (Habu), Herpestes edwardsii (mongoose) and Dinodon semicarinatus (Akamata)

The sera of T. flavoviridis (Habu), H. edwardsii (mongoose) and D. semicarinatus (Akamata, non-venomous snake) were tested for their capacity to neutralize 28 species of hemorrhagic snake venoms in vitro. The sera of these animals neutralized a variety of hemorrhagic venoms, suggesting a common structure for a hemorrhagic factor and a similar mechanism of neutralization for the antihemorrhagic factor in the sera. The serum of T. flavoviridis neutralized the lethal toxicity of the T. flavoviridis venom but could not neutralize those of the other hemorrhagic venoms at all. The sera of H. edwardsii and D. semicarinatus did not inhibit the activity of all hemorrhagic venoms.

Sudden infant death from atelectasis due to amniotic fluid aspiration

An infant girl, whose hands showed lobster-claw deformity, was found dead in her bed at 17 days of age. Macroscopic and microscopic examination of the lungs showed fatal atelectasis. The alveolar spaces were filled with fluid, epithelial cells, and squamous debris. These were the constituents of amniotic fluid aspirated before birth. The present case suggested that some sudden unexpected deaths in early infancy are delayed deaths caused by amniotic fluid aspiration.

Ozagrel hydrochloride monohydrate, a thromboxane synthase inhibitor, and its metabolites as inhibitors of hepatic microsomal drug metabolism

The change in the hepatic oxidative drug-metabolizing capacity in humans treated with ozagrel hydrochloride monohydrate (OZA), an imidazole derivative and a new thromboxane A2 synthase inhibitor, was studied and the inhibitory potencies of the metabolites of OZA (M-1 and M-2) on the mouse hepatic microsomal monooxygenase system in vitro were compared with that of OZA. In vitro, M-1 and M-2, which are the beta-oxidized form and the reduced form of OZA, respectively, inhibited aminopyrine N-demethylation, aniline hydroxylation and testosterone hydroxylations in mouse hepatic microsomes and produced type II difference spectra in the same manner as OZA. The kinetic data indicated that the inhibitory potencies and the affinities of these compounds for cytochrome P-450 were decreased in the order of M-2 greater than OZA greater than M-1. The ratio of 6 beta-hydroxycortisol (6 beta-OHF) to cortisol (F) in urine, used as an indicator of oxidative drug-metabolizing capacity in humans, did not change significantly during oral treatment with 400 mg/d of OZA, while the ratio decreased to 80-85% of the original level during treatment with 800 mg/d of OZA. Although the participation of the metabolites of OZA in the reduction of drug-metabolizing capacity in vivo is not yet clear, the results suggest that hepatic oxidative drug-metabolizing enzyme activities in humans are inhibited by treatment with a relatively high dose of OZA.

[Experimental study of tumor detection using 131I-labeled F (ab)2 fragments of monoclonal antibodies to CA 19-9 and CEA (IMACIS-1)]

To determine if IMACIS-1 might have the capability of specifically pinpointing an adenocarcinoma in the human lung, xenografts of adenocarcinomatous nude mice that were injected with IMACIS-1 have been evaluated by scintigraphy, and the IMACIS-1 biodistribution in the tissue measured after sacrifice. Results have revealed that scintigraphic images obtained twenty-four hours after the IMACIS-1 injection showed some activity in the area of the tumor. At seventy-two hours after the IMACIS-1 injection, tumoral radioactivity was only seen in mice with a large tumor. At ninety-two hours after injection, the animals were sacrificed and a biodistribution study was performed. The IMACIS-1 uptake was expressed in counts per minute per gram of tissue. The tissue-to-blood uptake ratio in mice with a large tumor was 8.4 in the viable part of the tumor, 27.2 in the necrotic part of the tumor, 3.0 in the liver, and 1.5 in the spleen, respectively. In contrast, the ratio in mice with a small tumor was 3.4 in the viable part and 18.3 in the necrotic part. Immunoperoxidase staining with either the anti CEA or the anti CA 19-9 antibody was strongly visible in the necrotic part of the tumor.

Effects of gene dosage on the expression of human growth hormone cDNA in Escherichia coli

Gene dosage effects on the foreign protein production in Escherichia coli have been analyzed with the expression vectors containing one, two and four tandemly arranged human growth hormone cDNAs under various culture conditions. In a limited synthetic culture medium, a proportional relationship was observed between the number of the integrated cDNA and the amount of human growth hormone produced. With a culture medium rich in the nutrients, however, no such relationship was observed. These results suggest that, under the limited culture conditions, high-level expression of a foreign gene can be achieved by tandemly joined multiple copies of cDNA.

[Radiation therapy in bone metastases from lung cancer]

The record of 73 patients with 153 sites of bone metastases from a lung cancer treated by radiation have been reviewed to evaluate the effectiveness of pain relief. Radiation therapy for bone metastases was found to be very effective. Sufficient symptomatic improvement was achieved in 94% of all patients, while 63% obtained almost complete pain relief that was sustained until death. Onset of a symptomatic response to radiotherapy was within less than 20 Gy in total dose in more than 80% of all patients. There were no significant differences in the frequency of pain relief among the various histological types of primary lung tumors.

[Experimental studies on the combined effect of radiation and UFT 1. Radiosensitizing effect of UFT under single X-ray exposure]

The combined effects of X-ray and UFT, which is a mixture of tegafur (FT) and uracil, were studied using C3H mouse mammary carcinoma. Tumors were irradiated with a single dose of 1,000 R, 2,000 R one week after intramuscular transplantation. UFT (FT 15mg/kg+Uracil 33.6mg/kg) was intragastrically administered 2 hours before irradiation. In the group treated by combination of UFT and 1,000 R, the dose modifying factor (DMF) of UFT was 1.28 on the tumor growth delay and 1.64 on the survival time. A decrease in pulmonary metastases was found in the group treated by combination of UFT and radiation. It is suggested that UFT is a useful oral drug for combined treatment with radiation.

[Cerebral cysticercosis: a case report with special reference to CT and MRI findings]

A case of cerebral cysticercosis was reported with special reference to CT and MRI findings. A 51-year-old man, who had traveled to Taiwan in 1984, was admitted to the hospital for further examination concerning right hemiconvulsion, on January 23, 1988. On admission, a slightly euphoric state and Foster Kennedy syndrome (left: optic atrophy, right: choked disc) were observed. CT scan revealed multiple cystic lesions with ring-like enhancement around basal cisterns. MRI showed intensity of cyst contents parallel to CSF (on T1 and T2 weighted images) and high intensity rim around the cysts (especially on T2 weighted image). An operation was performed and the cysts were almost totally removed. The cyst was confirmed pathologically as cysticercosis, but no scolex was found in it. Postoperative immunological study on the serum and CSF was negative. In the diagnosis of atypical cystic lesions around basal cisterns, cerebral cysticercosis, rare in Japan, should also be considered, and it was emphasized that MRI was very useful for the diagnosis of such cysts.

[Experimental studies concerning comparison of the effect on the intestine between antitumor agents and radiation]

Though radiotherapy combined with chemotherapy is used increasingly more frequently in the recent treatment of malignant tumors, very little is known about what dose of an antitumor agent equals what radiation dose in effect. We tried to determine those radiation doses which are required to produce the same effect as certain specific doses of antitumor agents (isoeffective dose) by studying the early effects of radiation and drugs chiefly on the intestine of dd strain mice. Parameters used were food consumption, body weight change, 3H-TdR radioactivity in the intestine and the labelling index of intestinal crypt cells. The results were as follows: 1) To determine that radiation dose which is equal to a drug dose (1/2 its LD50) in systemic effect, body weight change and food consumption were suggested to be useful parameters. 2) To determine that radiation dose which is equal to a drug dose in the effect on a specific organ, parameters suitable for the target cells must be selected. For evaluating the effect on the intestine, the labelling index of intestinal epithelium was a useful parameter. 3) The results of treatment with combined radiation and slight amounts of drugs suggested that the degree of aggravation of radiation injury due to drugs might vary with the time of drug administration. 4) Graphic representation of the severity of injury as indicated by parameters enabled us to grasp visually the characteristics of drugs.

Isolation of a novel prolactin-like cDNA clone from bovine placenta: occurrence of new family members

A novel cDNA clone that hybridized to bovine prolactin cDNA was isolated from a bovine (Bos taurus) placental cDNA library and the nucleotide sequence was analyzed. The cDNA clone, named bPLP-III, contained one open reading frame encoding a protein consisting of 239 amino acids. The amino-acid sequence of bPLP-III is 43 and 57% homologous to bovine preprolactin and a bovine prolactin-related protein, bPRC-I, respectively, but only 23% homologous to bovine pregrowth hormone. The predicted mature protein of bPLP-III is distinct from bovine placental lactogens in amino-acid composition, suggesting that bPLP-III is the clone for a new member of prolactin-related mRNA expressed in bovine placenta.

[A case of secretory carcinoma of the breast in a elderly Japanese woman]

We report a case of a secretory carcinoma of the breast in a 72-year-old woman with a long history of a left breast mass. Rapid growth and skin invasion of the tumor was noticed three months before a radical mastectomy was performed and a lung metastasis was found one month after the operation. A metastasis to the axillary nodes was noted in 6 of 9 resected specimens and a receptor assay of the estrogen and progesterone proved to be negative. This patient is the oldest case of a secretory carcinoma of the breast reported in Japan.

Primary structure of chicken pituitary prolactin deduced from the cDNA sequence. Conserved and specific amino acid residues in the domains of the prolactins

The perform of chicken prolactin (PRL) deduced from the cDNA sequence contains a signal peptide of 30 amino acid residues followed by a mature PRL of 199 residues. Chicken PRL shows 77, 68, 67, 58, and 31% identity of amino acid sequence with whale, human, ovine, rat, and salmon PRLs, respectively. Elucidation of the primary structure of avian PRL enabled extended analysis of the specific and conserved amino acid residues and domains of the PRL molecules. The mammalian, teleostean, and avian PRLs share 32 common residues, and these conserved residues are observed to cluster in four distinct domains (PD1 to PD4), corresponding to four of five conserved domains of the growth hormones. Of the 32 residues, 8 residues in the PD2 and PD4 domains, including 4 cysteines, are conserved by other members of the growth hormone family, which indicates that these 8 residues may be essential for common structural features of the gene family. On the other hand, 13 other residues distributed among all four domains are conserved almost exclusively in the PRLs, suggesting that these residues are indispensable for specific binding of the PRLs to their receptors.

[Epidemiological research on drinking of women. (Part 2). Effects of consciousness or attitude concerning about drinking and life events on drinking behavior]

Women drinkers are on the increase, in recent 20 years, according to greater participation of women in public affairs and the change of life style and so on. So, the consciousness or attitude of drinking or alcoholic beverages among women have been changed by the new customs of drinking. In this paper the relationship between women drinking behavior and their consciousness of drinking or life events, was investigated statistically using the data of sending questionnaires concerning about drinking behavior, consciousness and drinking history in Kusatsu city. The subject of investigation was 4,105 women who were aged 30 years and more, and 1,650 answers were available. Then the following findings were obtained; 1) The pattern of consumption of alcoholic beverages changed fairly from 1960, but in recent years, it seems to keep balance and yearly consumption of pure alcohol per adult has leveled off about 8 l. 2) Distribution of PAC (Pure Alcohol Consumption per year) of women exceeding the limit of a liter per year was against the logarithmic normal curve. The median value of PAC of women in Kusatsu was estimated about 0.55 l, and it seemed to be smaller than that of men. QFI (Quantity-Frequency Index) of women was large among those who were full-time workers being in their thirties and forties, and had mother of regular drinker who drank once and more a week. 3) The estimated ratio of excessive drinkers among women by adopting Ledermann's model was larger than the practical ratio. For estimating the women excessive drinkers accurately, it is necessary to use exact P.A.C. of women. 4) The 20 opinions concerning with drinking or alcoholic beverages were grouped into four basic consciousness by using the method of factor analysis. The 1st was 'necessity or values' of drinking, the 2nd was 'method or manner' for taking the pleasure of drinking and of correct drinking, the 3rd was 'regulation' of alcoholic slot machine, minor drinking or drunk and the 4th was 'harmfulness' of alcohol. The 'necessity' promoted drinking and the 'method' also promoted correct drinking but controlled QFI. The 'regulation' was common to all of women and the 'harmfulness' controlled drinking. 5) The life events, for women, such as entrance into a school of higher grade, employment, social activities, divorce, reemployment promoted drinking of women. And retirement, child birth, serious illness controlled drinking of women. Marriage promoted drinking when her husband was regular drinker or when she was infrequent or light drinker before marriage.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

A morphological and immunohistochemical study of lymphoid germinal centers in synovial and lymph node tissues from rheumatoid arthritis patients with special reference to complement components and their receptors

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is one of the immune complex (IC) diseases in which lymphoid germinal centers (GCs) are found in the synovial tissue. Simultaneously, patients with RA often show swelling of lymph nodes. The morphology and function of the lymph-node GCs in patients with RA is not clear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the differences in morphology and immunoreactions to complement (C) components, their receptors, and IgM-rheumatoid factor (RF) between synovial GCs and lymph-node GCs in RA. Furthermore, the relationship between these immunoreactive substances and follicular dendritic cells (FDCs) in GCs was investigated. The tissues examined were 41 RA synovial specimens, seven RA lymph nodes with massive lymphadenopathy, and 10 non-RA lymph nodes. The number of synovial GCs was relatively decreased in comparison with lymph-node GCs in RA, and the diameter of each synovial GC was smaller than that of each lymph-node GC. The synovial GCs were edematous and less cellular, and moreover, those from RF-seronegative cases were smaller than those from RF-seropositive cases. On the other hand, the lymph-node GCs in RA were larger, more cellular and hyperplastic, but contained more tingible-body macrophages (TBMs) and neutrophils. In the GCs of both synovial tissues and lymph nodes in RA, early C components (C1q, C4, C3c, C3d), IgM-RF, and C3b receptor (C3bR) and C3d receptor (C3dR) were expressed as a lacy network by light microscopy, and were demonstrated on the surfaces of FDCs and lymphocytes, and in the intercellular spaces by electron microscopy.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[An immunohistochemical study of endogenous estradiol and testosterone in human colo-rectal cancer tissues]

An immunohistochemical method (peroxidase antiperoxidase method) was carried out to examine the distribution of endogenous estradiol (E2) and testosterone (Te). One hundred and twenty four (48.2%) of 257 colo-rectal cancer cases, and 36.7% of male cases and 58.4% of female cases revealed E2-immunostain. This immunohistochemical reaction for E2 was found more frequently in female patients than in male patients, while Te-immunostain was found in 15 (17.6%) of 85 colo-rectal cancer cases. E2 and Te were demonstrated mainly in the cytoplasms and occasionally in the nuclei of cancer cells. Since E2 or Te-positive cancer cells were mainly distributed in the deeper or invasive portion of tissue sections, it might deserve further investigation to elucidate a certain relationship between cancer growth and endogenous sex-hormones.

Conserved and unique amino acid residues in the domains of the growth hormones. Flounder growth hormone deduced from the cDNA sequence has the minimal size in the growth hormone prolactin gene family

Growth hormone (GH), prolactin (PRL), and placental lactogen (PL) constitute a protein family whose genes are considered to have evolved from a common ancestral gene. GHs isolated from various vertebrate species are known to possess highly conserved structural and functional features. In the present study we have cloned and sequenced flounder growth hormone (fGH) cDNA to predict the primary structure of the hormone. The preprotein of fGH is composed of 190 amino acids, and mature fGH is found to be extraordinarily small, having 171 or 173 amino acid residues. The estimated molecular masses of mature fGH are 19.4 to 19.7 kDa. This minimal size of fGH enabled an extended analysis of the essential domains and of amino acid residues required in hormone-specific activities. fGH conserves and shares 37 residues with 20 other vertebrate GHs. These common residues are seen to cluster in five distinct domains (GD1 to GD5). In human PL (hPL), which has low growth-promoting activity, 35 of these 37 residues are conserved, while the other 2 residues in the GD1 domain (Arg-16 and Leu-20) are replaced by Gln and Ala, respectively. In a less active variant of human GH, hGH-V, only 1 residue (His-21) of the 37 residues is replaced by Tyr. Besides these 3 residues, 6 other residues unique to the GHs and some PLs, that is, Ala-24 (GD1), Ser-54 (GD2), Ser-78 (GD3), Leu-106, Leu-116, and Asp-122 (GD4), appear to be important for specific binding of the GHs. The GD5 domain, at the carboxyl-terminal ends of the GHs is considered to be involved mainly in the formation and stabilization of GH molecules.

Endogenous sex hormone and estrogen binding activity in thyroid cancer

The reactions of four anti-sex hormone (Estrone, Estradiol, Estriol and Testosterone) antisera were immunohistochemically examined in 109 cancerous and 80 normal and benign thyroid tissues. Four kinds of sex hormones were detected in the tumour cells of 61 cases (56%) of thyroid cancer and in the follicular epithelial cells of 4 cases (5%) of normal and benign thyroid tissues. Among the thyroid cancers, 54 female (61%) and 7 cases in males (33%) were positive for sex hormones. Furthermore, estrogen binding activity was screened histochemically in 36 thyroid tissues of various types, and detected not only in thyroid cancer (6/15 cases), but in normal and benign thyroid tissues (4/21 cases) as well. It was concluded that endogenous estradiol was located in thyroid cancers more frequently in females than in males and that there was estrogen binding activity in the cells of not only thyroid cancers, but also normal and benign thyroid tissues. This is the first report of the demonstration of endogenous sex hormones in thyroid cancer.

Malignant fibrous histiocytoma: similarities to the "fibrohistiocytoid cells" in chronic inflammation

Ultrastructural, enzyme histochemical and immunohistochemical studies were performed on tissue obtained from eight cases of malignant fibrous histiocytoma (MFH) and five cases of sacral decubitus ulcer. The MFH was composed of two major tumour cell types: fibroblast-like and histiocyte-like cells. Both cell types demonstrated abundant branching, fragmented rough endoplasmic reticulum (rER), many free ribosomes, occasional small mitochondria, an oval, elliptical or irregularly shaped nucleus with one or two prominent nucleoli and often a few dense bodies. However, pseudopodial projections, multivesicular bodies and phagosomes, common histiocyte organelles, were not seen. With little difference between cases or selection sites, the MFH cells reacted to acid phosphatase (AcP) and alpha-naphtyl butyrate esterase (ANBE) by enzyme histochemistry and with ferritin (Fer), alpha 1-antitrypsin (AT), alpha 1-antichymotrypsin (ACT), fibronectin (FN), HLA-DR, HLA-DP, Leu 10 and OKT 9 in immunohistochemical studies. MFH tumour cells did not immunostain with monocyte/macrophage markers (Leu M1, Leu M3, Mo 1, Mo 2 and Macrophage) although non-neoplastic histiocytes did react to these markers. In addition, granulation tissue, such as that found in sacral decubitus ulcers, was examined and the existence of a specific cell type called the "fibrohistiocytoid (FH) cell" was documented. The FH cell was short, spindle shaped and elliptical. Ultrastructurally, it had fragmented rER distributed in a branching pattern, dispersed free ribosomes, small mitochondria and a few dense bodies, but lacked diverse fused lysosomes and distinct pseudopodial cytoplasmic extensions. The FH cells reacted with AcP, alkaline phosphatase and ANBE but not with peroxidase using enzyme histochemistry and with Fer, AT, ACT, FN, HLA-DR, HLA-DP, Leu 10 and OKT 9 but not with monocyte/macrophage markers, C3d receptor, C3bi receptor in immunohistochemical studies. The FH cells had morphological, enzyme histochemical and immunohistochemical characteristics intermediate between fibroblasts and histiocytes. Similarities between MFH cells and the FH cells seen in chronic inflammation are discussed.

[Experimental studies of multiple fractions per day (MFD) at smaller doses than 2 Gy]

Effects of twice daily fractionations (B.I.D.) at smaller doses per fraction than 2 Gy on mammary carcinoma of C3H/He mouse (alpha/beta ratio = 15-20 Gy) were studied. Sixty percent doses of conventional fractionations (Q.D.) were irradiated twice daily with 4 hours interval. Though B.I.D. at 120 R, 150 R were less effective than Q.D. at 200 R, 250 R, B.I.D. at 180 R were more effective than Q.D. at 300 R, equivalent to the increments of the total doses. B.I.D. at smaller doses than "flexure dose" (not equal to 0.1 x alpha/beta) seemed to be less effective for tumors. Human tumors transplanted to nude mice might be useful to study therapeutic gain ratio.