Risk factors for cerebral hemorrhage and cerebral infarction in a Japanese rural community

A ten-year follow-up study of stroke among residents 40 years and older in a rural community located on Shikoku Island, Japan, was completed in 1977. The response rate for the initial examinations was 85% of 920 males and 90% of 1,012 females. Seven hundred and seventy-two males and 901 females who were initially free of stroke were followed from July 1967 through June 1977. The incidence of all strokes was 10.47 per thousand person-years for males and 6.41 per thousand person-years for females. The statistically significant risk factors for stroke were age, male sex, elevated blood pressure, ECG abnormalities, and funduscopic abnormalities. Elevated blood pressure was the strongest risk factor and mean arterial pressure was the best predictive measure. Twice as high a proportion of strokes were subclassified as cerebral hemorrhage (26%) in this study as have been reported in comparable studies in the United States (12-15%). An inverse relationship between serum cholesterol levels and cerebral hemorrhage incidence, but not cerebral infarct, was observed. High alcohol intake was a risk factor for cerebral hemorrhage but not for cerebral infarct. No relationship between stroke and weight was observed despite the relationship of stroke to blood pressure and of weight to blood pressure.

Protection by sodium thiosulfate and thiourea against lethal toxicity of cis-diamminedichloroplatinum (II) in bacteria and mice

The protective effect of sodium thiosulfate and thiourea on the lethal toxicity of the antitumor drug, cis-diamminedichloroplatinum (II) (cis-DDP), was investigated in bacteria and mice. Initially, the agents capable of antagonizing bactericidal activity of cis-DDP were screened using WP2 uvra, a strain of E. coli sensitive to this drug. Of the ten sulfur-containing compounds tested, thiourea and sodium thiosulfate exhibited potent protecting effects against cis-DDP cytotoxicity in bacteria. Propylthiouracil and methimazole showed intermediate levels of such protection, but the other 6 compounds had little or no protective effects. Thiourea and sodium thiosulfate were then subjected to the acute lethal toxicity test in mice to assess their protective activity in vivo. We found that cis-DDP i.v. lethality against mice can be blocked almost completely by excess amounts of thiourea or sodium thiosulfate. Thiourea protected against cis-DDP toxicity with a narrow range among the effective doses, while sodium thiosulfate was protective with a remarkably wide range of effective doses. The effectiveness of sodium thiosulfate was also indicated in experiments in which the LD50 dose of cis-DDP (16 mg/kg) i.p. increased over the level of greater than 200 mg/kg with concomitant administration of sodium thiosulfate i.p.

Incidence of stroke in Shibata, Japan: 1976-1978

A stroke registry was established in Shibata City, Niigata Prefecture, Japan (population 75,000) in 1976. WHO recommendations for criteria were followed. This paper reports stroke incidence for the initial 3 years of the registry: 1976 through 1978. All living patients were examined clinically by a staff physician. Only patients with a diagnosis of first stroke were included in the study. Sensitivity of the referral system was estimated at 85 + %, comparable to that in American studies. Average annual incidence per 1,000 in resident greater than or equal to 20 years was 2.61 for all strokes (3.42 for males; 1.88 for females), 0.20 for subarachnoid hemorrhage, 0.61 for cerebral hemorrhage, 1.51 for cerebral infarction - rates similar to those reported 10-20 years previously for the United States. The male-female ratio, 2:1, reflected a high rate among males, low among females. Rats among Shibata males were higher than 1972 U.S. rates reported by the Epidemiologic Study Group; rates among Shibata females were lower than corresponding U.S. rates. Incidence of all strokes combined increased with age, the age relationship being strongest for cerebral infarction. No subarachnoid hemorrhage was observed in Shibata residents greater than or equal to 70 years of age.

Effect of bursal perfusate on IgG antibody production in incomplete surgically and hormonally bursectomised chickens

Bursa of Fabricius tissues of untreated four-week-old and of cyclophosphamide-treated 10-day-old chickens were cultured by a perfusion method and the perfusate used in a study on the enhancement of antibody production and conversion in chickens. The bursal perfusates were given to incompletely immunosuppressed chickens (surgical bursectomy or hormonal bursectomy) and to control chickens which were immunised with either sheep red blood cells or Brucella abortus. The results indicated that bursal perfusate was successful in accelerating the IgM production in surgically bursectomised chickens and in stimulating IgG production. We were able to stimulate IgG production in IgM producing hormonally bursectomised chickens and to shorten the latent period of antibody production against B abortus antigen in normal chickens.

Effects of pH on cytotoxicity of carboquone

To assess the effects of pH on the cytotoxicity of carboquone (CQ), use was made of the mouse tail skin and HeLa cells in culture. CQ had the most potent cytotoxic effect at pH 6 rather than at pH7 or 8. Regarding the interaction between 14C-CQ and HeLa cells, both the intracellular accumulation of free 14C-CQ and the ratio of bound 14C-CQ to total 14C-CQ uptake were enhanced at pH6. Among the fractionated biomolecules of DNA, RNA and protein, DNA was the most active in binding CQ, under the same conditions of pH. The 14C-CQ binding to nucleic acids at pH 6 was more apparent than was the binding to protein. Thus, the enhancement of CQ cytotoxicity at low pHs is probably due to an increase in the intracellular accumulation of free CQ as well as to an enhanced reactivity of CQ with DNA, within the ranges of a lower pH.

Suppression of allergic contact dermatitis by alpha-L-fucose

We observed that L-fucose could suppress the skin reaction of allergic contact dermatitis induced by dinitrochlorobenzene. This observation was ascertained by histological examination as well as by visual inspection. The degrees of the acanthosis and the spongiosis were significantly slighter in the skin lesions of guinea pigs that received L-fucose injection, than in those of control animals. The number of infiltrated mononuclear cells in epidermis and dermis in the skin lesions as much less in the animals received L-fucose injection than that in the skin lesions of control animals. On the other hand, L-fucose had no suppressive effect on irritant contact dermatitis induced by high concentration (4%) of dinitrochlorobenzene.

Selective localization and growth of Bifidobacterium bifidum in mouse tumors following intravenous administration

A strain of domestic bacteria, Bifidobacterium bifidum (Lac B), which is nonpathogenic and anerobic, selectively localized and proliferated in several types of mouse tumors following i.v. administration. None of the same bacilli could be detected in the tissues of healthy organs such as the liver, spleen, kidney, lung, blood, bone marrow, and muscle 48 or 96 hr after i.v. administration into tumor-bearing mice. Proliferation of Lac B in the tumor was artifically stimulated by i.p. administration of DDD-H-2s mice of a synthesized disaccharide, lactulose (4-O-beta-D-galactopyranosyl-D-fructofuranose), a sugar which is not metabolized by mammalian tissue cells. Lac B, which survices and proliferates selectively in the tumor following i.v. administration into the tumor-bearing host, should aid in diagnosis and selective therapy for cancer.

Antitumor effect of thermodifferential chemotherapy with carboquone on Ehrlich carcinoma

A thermodifferential chemotherapy, consisting of systemic administration of antitumor drug and local hyperthermia combined with general hypothermia, was examined and gave satisfactory antitumor results. In search of basic optimal conditions required, this therapeutic system was tested on Ehrlich tumor implanted in the hind limbs of mice. The results obtained were as follows: (a) From the viewpoint of either the antitumor effect or the adverse effect of the therapy, local hyperthermia at 41 degrees for 60 min combined with general hypothermia at 20 approximately 24 degrees was found to be the best thermodifferential condition. (b) The thermodifferential treatment alone without drug administration displayed little antitumor effect. (c) General hypothermia applied not only enhanced the antitumor effect of the drug in loco but also reduced general toxicity of the drug. In the present therapy, carboquone displayed the best antitumor effect among the drugs tested. This suggests that the potentiation of tumoricidal activity of carboquone under the acidic condition produced by cancer cell metabolism in hyperthermia was deeply involved in the effectiveness of this therapy.

Hydrophobic chromatography of prenyl transferases

Several prenyl transferases were examined with respect to their affinity for C0--C10 alkyl-Agarose columns. C10-alkyl Agarose was effective in adsorbing each of the prenyl transferases tested but only undecaprenyl pyrophosphate and octaprenyl pyrophosphate synthetases could be effectively eluted with Triton X-100.

Potentiation of anticancer effect of carboquone in vivo by glucose pretreatment

Anticancer effect of carboquone was notably potentiated in tumor-bearing mice when they were pretreated with 5% glucose solution in the system of blood flow-interrupting hyperthermic chemotherapy. It was further found by quantitative analysis that the potentiation was much greater than increase in the general toxicity of the drug by administration of glucose. Mitomycin-C, on the other hand, revealed no such marked effect though it is considerably similar to carboquone in chemical structure.

Suppression of cell-mediated immune reactions by monosaccharides

Various monosaccharides have been shown capable of inhibiting lymphokine activity in in vitro assay systems. In this study, we demonstrate that L-fucose can inhibit the ability of lymphokine-containing supernatants to induce skin reactions or cause reductions in the macrophage content of peritoneal exudates. Moreover, L-fucose can inhibit the cutaneous delayed hyoersensitivity reaction and the peritoneal macrophage disappearance reaction (MDR) induced by antigen in actively immunized guinea pigs. The effect of L-rhamnose, another sugar with in vitro inhibitory activity, was investigated in the MDR, and was also shown to be inhibitory. L-arabinose, which has no in vitro effects on lymphokines, had no suppressive effect on any of the in vivo systems studied. No monosaccharide inhibition of Arthus reactions or nonspecific inflammation could be found in these studies. The results demonstrate that monosaccharides capable of inhibiting lymphokine activity in vitro are effective in suppressing in vivo manifestations of cellular immunity.

Ascaris and eosinophil. II. Isolation and characterization of eosinophil chemotactic factor and neutrophil chemotactic factor of parasite in Ascaris antigen

In the previous study, we found an eosinophil chemotactic factor of the parasite (ECF-P) in extracts from the body cavity fluid of the Ascaris species. In this study, the physiochemical characteristics of ECF-P were determined in order to elucidate the relationship between ECF-P and Ascaris antigens. ECF-P was active in both in vivo and in vitro chemotactic assay systems and was found to be heat labile, nondialyzable, and stable to lyophilization. The estimated m.w. was approximately 30,000 daltons. The isoelectric point of ECF-P was 8.5. It was quite different from the Ascaris antigen in the same extract, or various Ascaris allergens that had been reported previously by other researchers. Furthermore, ECF-P did not show any activity in eliciting a guinea pig passive cutaneous anaphylaxis (PCA) reaction. From these experimental results, we concluded that ECF-P is not identical to Ascaris antigens. In addition, we found that the neutrophil chemotactic factor of the parasite (NCF-P), with at least two components, is present in the Ascaris extract, and is also heat labile and resistant to dialysis and lyophilization, but separable from coexistent ECF-P by reason of their different physiochemical properties.

Effect of bursectomy and thymectomy on Pasteurella multocida infection in chickens

The effects of various treatments on the immune response of chickens to vaccine prepared from Pasteurella multocida strain P1059 were investigated. The treatments, given on or before the day of hatching, consisted of surgical bursectomy (SB), hormonal bursectomy (HB), surgical thymectomy (ST) and X-irradiation (X). In chickens subjected to SB, SBX or HB before vaccination, the production of agglutinin and immunoglobulin was impaired, but the production of resistance against challenge was not. In chickens subjected to ST or STX before vaccination, the production of agglutinin and immunoglobulin was unimpaired, but the production of resistance against challenge was diminished. Protection was therefore thymus-dependent.

Studies on angiopathy due to carbon disulfide. Retinopathy and index of exposure dosages

The occurrences of retinopathy (microaneurysms/small dot hemorrhages) and the coded resting and postexercise ECG findings suggestive of coronary heart disease (CHD) were studied among 420 Japanese male workers exposed to carbon disulfide and 390 men not exposed to such a solvent. Retinopathy was detected in 24.4% of the exposed group and in 3.8% of the nonexposed group by color fundus photography. Among workers of the former group there was a significant correlation between retinopathy prevalences and the index of exposure dosages (r = 0.925, P less than 0.01). However, correlation between the prevalence of retinopathy and duration of exposure was not so high (r = 0.647, 0.10 less than P less than 0.25). The occurrences of coded resting and postexercise "coronary" ECG findings were not related to the index of exposure dosages. Some risk factors for CHD such as total serum cholesterol, triglycerides, beta-lipoproteins, blood pressure, obesity, and skinfold thickness were simultaneously studied. But these variables did not prove to be important in the development of angiopathy due to carbon disulfide, especially the so-called retinopathia sulfocarbonica.

Centrally mediated hyperglycemia by 6-aminonicotinamide

Some metabolic changes induced by the intraventricular administration of 6-aminonicotinamide (6-AN) were studied in mice. Five or ten microgram/animal of 6-AN produced a marked hyperglycemia, lowered glycogen content in the brain and liver, and reduced the adrenal epinephrine content. Adrenalectomy or hexamethonium prevented 6-AN-induced hyperglycemia and decrease of glycogen content in the liver but not in the brain. Decrease of adrenal epinephrine content induced by 6-AN was overcome by hexamethonium. Pretreatment with 6-AN (10 microgram/animal) markedly lowered the toxic action, but not the hypoglycemic action, of a large dose of insulin.

Effect of extracts of the bursa of Fabricius on IgG antibody production in hormonally bursectomized chickens

The effects of extracts of the bursa of Fabricius on the return to normal and greater than normal of antibody production in hormonally bursectomized chickens and on the switch-over of IgM antibody production to IgG antibody production was studied. Antibody production in hormonally bursectomized chickens treated with bursal extract was markedly increased as compared with bursectomized birds not given bursal extract and the IgG antibodies at three weeks was similar to that in normal immune chickens.

A neutrophil chemotactic factor and its inhibitor found in DNCB-induced skin inflammatory lesions

Neutrophil chemotactic factor(s) and their inhibitors were explored in the acute inflammatory skin lesions induced by the application of 4% DNCB solution with acetone in guinea pigs. Skin biopsies were taken periodically and tissue extracts were made from the biopsy specimens. Neutrophil chemotactic activity found in such extracts reached a peak at 12 to 24 hr after the induction of the inflammation, when the lesions were found to be infiltrated predominantly with neutrophils. After 24 hr, the activity gradually diminished. Physicochemical and antigenic characterization studies on the chemotactic substance indicated that the material was most likely the cleavage product of C3. On the other hand, inhibitors against the neutrophil chemotactic factor were found in the tissue extracts which were obtained from the lesions at a later stage (48 to 96 hr after the induction of the inflammatory reaction). These inhibitors blocked not only the complement-derived chemotactic activity but also that obtained from bacterial culture filtrates. They were heat labile and showed striking heterogeneity in size on Sephadex gel filtration.

Immunogenic activity of a ribosomal fraction obtained from Pasteurella multocida

The cells of P. multocida strain P-1059 were destroyed with the French pressure cell; the ribosomal fraction proven to be homogeneous by analytical ultracentrifugation was obtained from the product by centrifugal fractionation, zonal electrophoresis, and Sephadex G-200 gel filtration. The ribosomal fraction exhibited intense protective antigenicity in mice and chickens, but the lipopolysaccharide (endotoxin) and the other bacterial cell fraction obtained in this experiment did not. Sodium deoxycholate treatment of the ribosomal fraction resulted in only a 13% loss in immunological activity, and ribonuclease treatment caused a 60% loss of activity.

Polychlorinated biphenyl(s) as a promotor in experimental hepatocarcinogenesis in rats

The effects of dietary polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) on hepatocarcinogenesis in female rats of Donryu strain receiving 3'-methyl-4-dimethylaminoazobenzene (3'-Me-DAB) were investigated. Oral administration of PCBs after administration of 3'-Me-DAB resulted in a high incidence (64%) of hepatocarcinoma. In contrast, administration of a similar amount of PCBs before, or together with 3'-Me-DAB did not induce hepatic tumors. Administration of a slightly larger amount of PCBs alone did not induce liver tumors, while administration of a slightly larger amount of 3'-Me-DAB alone caused only a low incidence (13%) of hepatocarcinoma. These results strongly suggest that PCBs exert a potent promoting action in experimental azo dye hepatocarcinogenesis.

Effect of bursa Fabricius extracts on antibody production in bursectomized or bursal cell autografted chickens

Restoration and enhancement of immune response against BSA antigen was achieved by 5-day consecutive doses of BF estract from 4-5-week-old chickens, in birds which had been surgically bursectomized or given BF-cell autografts at 17 days of age. A similar 5-day treatment with other tissue extract, i.e. liver, spleen, pancreas or intestine, or with LPS of E. coli, in contrast, failed to provide such restoration or enhancement.