Colchicine in the treatment of the cutaneous manifestations of Behçet's disease

Five patients with Behçet's disease were satisfactorily treated with colchicine. Oral aphthosis, erythema nodosum-like lesions and genital erosions improved greatly within a month as did laboratory findings. We believe colchicine to be the first choice in the management of the cutaneous and ocular lesions of Behçet's disease.

Bullous pemphigoid associated with radiotherapy for esophageal carcinoma

The authors present a case of bullous pemphigoid occurring after radiotherapy for esophageal cancer which was histologically squamous cell carcinoma revealed by the postmortem examination. To our knowledge, such a coexistence may be the first case.

Determination and Confirmation of Identity of Aflatoxin M1 in Dairy Products: Collaborative Study

An international collaborative study involving 23 collaborators was conducted to test methods, improved over previous methods with respect to speed and solvent use, for the rapid determination and thin layer chromatographic (TLC) confirmation of aflatoxin M1 identity in dairy products. For the quantitative method, collaborators assayed samples of Couda and cheddar cheeses, powdered milk, and butter containing levels of M1 near the anticipated limit of determination. Statistical analysis of the study results indicated that the lower limit of determination and precision of this method were comparable to these parameters of methods previously approved for analysis for aflatoxin M1. A few collaborators found that M1 eluted early from cleanup columns with cheese and butter samples and that emulsions formed during powdered milk sample extraction. The reasons for these problems have been determined and remedies are provided. For the TLC confirmation of identity method, collaborators prepared trifluoroacetic acid derivatives of M1 on the plates after 2-dimensional development. Concentrations as low as 0.3 ng/g cheese and 1.0 ng/g powdered milk were determined in this study. As a result of this study, both methods have been adopted as official first action methods by the AOAC and as reference methods by IUPAC.

Beta-adrenoceptor blocking agents release catecholamines from rat adrenal medulla

When small doses of pindolol and propranolol (0.1 mg/kg and 5 mg/kg, respectively) were administered intraperitoneally to conscious normotensive Kyoto Wistar rats, acute hypotension occurred. However, these hypotensive effects diminished when the doses were increased to 5 mg/kg and 20 mg/kg, respectively. Unilateral adrenalectomy had no effect on these hypotensive effects but they were suppressed by bilateral adrenalectomy. Subsequently, marked and lasting hypotensive effects (20-35 mm Hg) were observed. In urethane-anaesthetized rats, intravenous infusions of the blocking agents produced a rise in blood pressure and an increase in the content of epinephrine, norepinephrine and dopamine in adrenal venous blood. These hypertensive actions were not seen in adrenalectomized rats. When rats were given 6-hydroxydopamine (2 micrograms/microliters) bilaterally at the C4 level of the spinal cord 7 days before or 5,7-dihydroxytryptamine (2 micrograms/microliters, after desmethylimipramine, 25 mg/kg i.p.), the catecholamine content of adrenal venous blood and the catecholamine releasing actions of these blocking agents decreased, but were not completely abolished. These results suggest that the lack of hypotensive effects with higher doses of beta-adrenoceptor blocking agents may have been due partly to the direct release of catecholamines from the adrenal medulla and partly to central noradrenergic or serotonergic nerve action.

[Effect of acebutolol, a cardioselective beta-adrenoceptor blocking agent, on the blood pressure in rats (author's transl)]

The effects of acebutolol, a cardioselective beta-adrenoceptor blocking agent, on the systolic blood pressure and heart rate were investigated in conscious Kyoto Wistar normotensive rats (WKY), spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and DOCA-NaCl hypertensive rats (DOCA rats) and the results compared with those of propranolol and practolol. In WKY and DOCA rats, the intraperitoneal administration of acebutolol, propranolol and practolol (0.5 approximately 20 mg/kg) produced a hypotensive action, however, these effects were observed only with restricted doses and there was no evidence of a dose-dependency. The heart rate was decreased by acebutolol and propranolol, but was increased by practolol which possesses an intrinsic sympathomimetic activity. In SHR, propranolol produced a dual action, a slight rise followed by a slight fall, the change not being significant, while practolol induced a slight hypertension. On the other hand, acebutolol in high doses induced a dose-dependent hypotensive action. The heart rate was markedly and dose-dependently decreased by these three agents. Thus, while propranolol and practolol produced hypotensive effects in WKY and DOCA rats, acebutolol produced hypotensive effects in WKY, SHR and DOCA rats. These results suggest that acebutolol is a beta-adrenoceptor blocking agent which possesses hypotensive activity in hypertensive rats.

Hypotensive action of OPC-1427, a new beta-adrenergic blocking agent in rats

8-Acetonyloxy-5-[3-(2-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-ethylamino)-2-hydroxypropoxyl]-3,4-dihydrocarbostyril (OPC-1427), is a newly synthesized cardioselective beta-adrenoceptor blocking agent and we examined the effects of this compound given intraperitoneally to consious Kyoto Wistar normotensive (WKR), spontaneous hypertensive (SHR) and DOCA-NCl hypertensive (DOCA rat) rats. The results were compared to findings with propranolol and practolol. OPC-1427 produced a significant hypotensive action in SHR and DOCA rats and this effect was less in WKR. With propranolol and practolol effective hypotensive effects were seen in WKR and DOCA rats but not in the SHR. The efficacy of the hypotensive action of these agents was propranolol greater than OPC-1427 = practolol in WKR, OPC-1427 greater than practolol in SHR, and OPC-1427 greater than practolol = propranolol in DOCA rats. Thus OPC-1427 appears to be a promising beta-adrenoceptor blocking agent which exerts a hypotensive state, as demonstrated in hypertensive rats.

Effects of the interpolated vibratory stimulation on the interdental dimension discrimination in normal and joint defect subjects

No significant differences in the interdental dimension discrimination (IDD) ability were found between normal and joint defect subjects. Furthermore, vibration onto the mandible gave similar effects on the nature of IDD in both subject groups. Thus, the muscle spindles of masticatory muscles may contribute to IDD, but temporomandibular receptors may not.

Experimental central hypertension produced by chemical degeneration of the locus coeruleus in the rat

The role of noradrenergic neurons originating from the locus coeruleus (LC) in blood pressure regulation was studied by stereotaxic administration of 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) into the LC in Wistar-Kyoto rats. The administration of 6-OHDA (12 micrograms/6 microliters) into the bilateral LC resulted in hypertension and tachycardia, which lasted for 12 days and gradually returned to the levels observed before administration. The systolic blood pressure and heart rate were 172 mmHg and 460 beats/min on the mean respectively, one day after administration. The induced hypertension and tachycardia were closely correlated with the depletion of norepinephrine (NE) content in the cortex and the medulla-pons in rats in a hypertensive state. The correlation between the NE content of the cortex and blood pressure was particularly marked (r = -0.793, p less than 0.02). Furthermore, destructive change of the LC was observed histologically in the hypertensive rats. They hypertension was completely prevented by pretreatment with desipramine before 6-OHDA administration. These findings suggest that 6-OHDA induced degeneration, probably mainly in the dorsal bundle originating from the LC and in the LC itself. It is suggested, therefore, that localized chemical degeneration of the bilateral LC causes hypertension and tachycardia as a consequence of denervation of the dorsal bundle of noradrenergic neurons originating from the LC.

[Effects of beta-(p-chlorophenyl)-GABA (baclofen) on response to noxious stimuli (author's transl)]

Effects of beta-(p-chlorophenyl)-GABA (baclofen), a muscle relaxant, on the response of mice and rats to various noxious stimuli were studied. In mice, 5 approximately 10 mg/kg i.p. of baclofen delayed the response time to tail-pinch and hot-plate stimuli but the relaxation was also apparent with this dose range. Mephenesin also delayed the response time to tail-pinch stimuli with the dose producing muscle relaxation. Baclofen, 3 mg/kg i.p., while producing no muscle relaxation, suppressed the acetic acid-induced writhing. The same effect, suppression of writhing and no muscle relaxation, was achieved with 50 mg/kg i.p. of mephenesin. In rats, baclofen (5 approximately 10 mg/kg i.p.) increased the response threshold in Randall-Selitto method and suppressed the bradykinin-induced symptoms, however, muscle relaxation was also produced with these same doses. Increase in response threshold in Randall-Selitto method was achieved with the dose of mephenesin producing muscle relaxation. The time courses of the depression of response to noxious stimuli and the muscle relaxation induced by baclofen and mephenesin were consistent in mice and rats. A small dose (3 mg/kg i.p. in mice, 2 mg/kg/h s.c. in rats) of baclofen reduced the antinociceptive effect of morphine but a larger dose (5 mg/kg i.p. in mice, 7 mg/kg/h s.c. in rats) of baclofen increased or did not alter the effect of morphine. It seems likely that the antinociceptive effect of baclofen may be nonspecific to analgesia.

[Estrogen receptor in human endometrium--energy requirement, stability and subunit structure-- (author's transl)]

1) In our previous paper, it was reported that in human endometrium the step of formation of nuclear receptor -estradiol complex was not temperature dependent but in rat uteri temperature dependent. In order to clarify whether this temperature dependency in rat uteri means an energy requirement for this step or not, experiments with 2,4 dinitrophenol as an energy uncoupler were done. Even when rat uteri or endometrium of women were incubated with 10 muc of 3H-estradiol and 10(-4)M of 2,4-dinitrophenol, 8S estrogen receptor-E2 complex in cytosol and 5S estrogen receptor-E2 complex in nuclear extract were recognized in both rat and woman. Namely, no evidence was recognized for this step to require activation energy in rat uterus as well as in human endometrium. 2) The cytosol fraction was prepared after human endometrium had been incubated with 3HE2 at 2 degrees C. Cytosol was analysed on sucross density gradient after heat treatment (at 10 degrees C, 31 degrees C or 37 degrees C). At 31 degrees C and 37 degrees C treatment, the 8S receptor peak was difficultly recognized. Namely, the 8S receptor-E2 complex was heat labile in cell free condition. This appears to be one of the reasons why 8S cytosol receptor was not visible in human endometrium incubated with 3HE2 at 37 degrees C. 3) When the cytosol fraction from the human endometrium was analysed on 3--20% linear sucrose gradient containing 0.4M KCl, the 8S peak diminished and about 4S peak appeared. This was considered to mean that 8S receptor in human endometrium was also split to a 4S binding unit at high salt condition and the 8S receptor in humans had also a subunit structure. 4) 8S receptor in cytosol and 5S receptor in nuclear fraction were recognized in one case of human endometrial carcinoma, but in another case both receptors were not recognized. 5) Estrogen binding protein in human serum was sedimented at 6S fraction by sucrose gradient.

[Studies on the RNA synthesized in the ovary of immature rats after HCG administration (author's transl)]

Although many researchers have reported that RNA synthesis in the ovary is enhanced by gonadotropin treatment, there are only a few papers concerning the character of newly synthesized RNA after gonadotropin treatment. In this paper, the RNA synthesized in the ovary of immature rats after HCG treatment was qualitatively studied. Immature female Sprague-Dawley rats were administered with 0.3 mc per rat of 3H-uridine at a certain time interval after injection of HCG (10 iu/rat) and the ovaries were subsequently isolated after 15, 30 or 60 minutes. RNA was extracted from the homogenate of the ovaries according to the hot phenol method after Scherrer and Darnell. The 3H-RNA thus extracted was treated with electrophoretically purified DNase to break down and remove DNA that mingled with it. The RNA solution ultimately obtained was analysed on a 3-20% sucrose gradient. The different fractions thus separated were then subjected to measurement of radioactivity and optical density at 260 mmug. The RNA extracted from the ovary of immature untreated rat labeled with 3H-uridine for 15 minutes showed a flat pattern of radioactivity from the top to the bottom fractions with low radioactivity. Otherwise, when labeled for one hour, the RNA showed a pattern of radioactivity like those of optical density at 260 mumu with peaks of r-RNAs and t-RNA. When the ovary was pulse-labeled with 3H-uridine for 15 minutes starting 2 hours after injection of HCG, the RNA with a large S value was synthesized and the pattern of variation in radioactivity was that of rising near the bottom fraction and declining with access to the top fraction. The results obtained by labeling for 15 minutes starting 40 hours after PMS administration were similar to those obtained in immature untreated rats. The patterns of radioactivity in RNA obtained by the labeling for 15 minutes starting 2 hours after HCG and 42 hours after PMS were similar to those starting 2 hours after only HCG injection. The patterns of radioactivity became similar to those of optical density at 260 mmu, when the ovaries were labeled for 30 or 60 minutes. From these results, it was suggested that the newly synthesized RNA 2 hours after HCG was constructed from m-RMA with rapid turn over and precursors of r-RNAs and t-RNA. This RNA synthesis was blocked by pretreatment with actinomycin but not by cycloheximide. From these results, it was suggested that enhancement in RNA polymerase activity or change in template capacity of DNA which would have an effect on RNA synthesis was not based on newly synthesized protein.