[Gastrocystoplasty in adults and postoperative aciduria]

We performed augmentation gastrocystoplasty in five adult female patients with radiation cystitis after excising the injured bladder wall. The gastric segment was isolated from the body of the stomach with the right gastroepiploic vessels. The ureters were reimplanted into the gastric segment in 3 patients. Postoperatively, all patients were able to urinate from the urethra, although 1 patient needed reoperation for postoperative fistula. Since strongly acid urine developed after meal in all patients, they were placed on oral famotidine 40 mg/day. With this medication the urine pH was kept above 5. Follow-up ranged from 6 months to 3 years 2 months. In 3 patients the dosage of famotidine was gradually reduced without any symptoms. In the other 2 patients strongly acid urine caused symptoms despite the medication of famotidine. Of the 2 patients, one developed a small ulcer at the native bladder with occasional urethral pains and hematuria 7 months postoperatively. The ulcer and symptoms were improved by administration of omeprazole for 6 weeks. The other patient who consistently had mild stress incontinence complained of mild urethral and suprapubic pain. These results indicate that gastrocystoplasty is useful for radiation cystitis and postoperative complication secondary to strongly acid urine are controllable by administration of an acid secretion inhibitor.

Colocalization of growth hormone (GH) and glycoprotein subunit alpha in GH-producing pituitary adenomas in acromegalic patients

Thirty-one consecutive cases of pituitary adenoma in acromegalic patients were studied by immunohistochemistry. All adenomas contained cells immunoreactive with the anti-alpha-subunit of gonadotropic hormones (alpha; 0.6-53% of tumor cells) as well as with anti-growth hormone (GH; 4-74% of tumor cells). In serial section study, most cells immunoreactive with anti-alpha were identical to cells immunoreactive with anti-GH. There was a positive correlation between the percentages of cells immunoreactive for alpha in GH cells [alpha (%)/GH(%)] and those for prolactin (PRL) in immunoreactive tumor cells (PRL(%)/[PRL(%) + GH(%)]) in mixed GH cell-PRL cell adenomas, suggesting that the alpha-subunit may play a role in emergence of PRL cells.

Recombinant human glycosylated granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (rhG-CSF)-combined regimen for allogeneic bone marrow transplantation in refractory acute myeloid leukemia

Recombinant human glycosylated G-CSF (rhG-CSF) may stimulate proliferation of myeloid leukemia cells and thereby increase their susceptibility to anti-cancer agents. By in vitro colony assay, the rhG-CSF-responsive NFS-60 leukemic cell clones are more effectively killed by Ara C in the presence of rhG-CSF than in the absence of rhG-CSF, while the killing of the rhG-CSF-unresponsive HL-60 cell clones is unaffected by rhG-CSF. Leukemia cell colony forming units (L-CFU) derived from most AML patients demonstrate similar results to those of the NFS-60 cell clone when treated in vitro. Encouraged by these in vitro results, we used rhG-CSF as a component of a conditioning regimen for 15 relapsed AML patients who were receiving allogeneic BMT. The patients were conditioned with total body irradiation (TBI) and high-dose Ara C. rhG-CSF was infused continuously at a dose of 5 micrograms/kg/day from 24 h before the beginning of TBI to the end of Ara C therapy. Proliferation of the leukemia cells in vivo in response to rhG-CSF was confirmed in 7 of 14 patients tested and the combined use of rhG-CSF had no additional adverse effects. After BMT, four patients died of non-leukemic causes and three patients had leukemic relapse: the other eight patients have remained disease-free for 200-1600 (median 417) days. The actuarial probabilities of relapse and disease-free survival (DFS) at 4.4 years after BMT were 43.2% and 41.7%, respectively.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Effects of environmental parameters and composition of poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate)-graft-polyamine copolymers on the retention of rat lymphocyte subpopulations (B- and T-cells)

Retention behavior of rat lymphocyte subpopulations (B- and T-cells) was investigated on poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate)-graft-polyamine (HA) copolymers with various copolymer compositions. Separation mechanism of B- and T-cells was then evaluated by focusing on several parameters, such as pH, temperature, and ionic strength. The interaction of lymphocytes with HA surfaces was mainly through the electrostatic force from their retention profile at varying ionic strengths of the medium. Temperature also has a crucial effect on the response of lymphocytes toward pH-induced phase transition of polyamine grafts at the polymer interface with aqueous milieu. At 4 degrees C, both B- and T-cells showed minimal retention on HA surfaces at pH 8. At this pH, polyamine grafts existed in a compact conformation with a low degree of protonation. However, at pHs below 8, at which polyamine grafts existed in extended conformation, the resolution of B- and T-cells was achieved. In contrast, at 23 degrees C, the phase transition of polyamine grafts significantly influenced T-cell retention, resulting in a decrease in the retention of T-cells on HA with polyamine in a compact conformation. Consequently, preferential retention of B-cells was achieved under this condition. The polyamine content was found to be another important factor affecting the retention behavior of lymphocyte subpopulations. On HA copolymers with low polyamine content (HA7, HA10), conformational transition of polyamine grafts showed a significant influence for B-cell retention, although the influence decreased with increasing polyamine content. From the study estimating the effect of neuraminidase treatment of lymphocytes on their retention to HA surfaces, sialic acid residues on the plasma membrane surface of lymphocytes are suggested as feasible anionic sites showing electrostatic interaction with polyamine grafts.

Novel function of C4a anaphylatoxin. Release from monocytes of protein which inhibits monocyte chemotaxis

The complement C4-derived anaphylatoxin, C4a, possesses a strong chemotaxis inhibitory capacity to blood monocytes at concentrations as low as 10(-16) mol/L. In our study, treatment with carboxypeptidase B to convert it to C4a des Arg77 decreased the inhibitory activity to less than 1/1,000. The extraordinary inhibitory capacity of C4a suggests the presence of an amplification mechanism in this inhibition. Indeed, we found that the conditioned media of peripheral blood mononuclear cells or monocyte/macrophage lineage cell lines (U937 and THP-1 cells) preincubated with 10(-16) mol/L C4a for 5 minutes or more at 37 C possessed the inhibitory capacity 100,000-fold stronger than the original activity of C4a. The monocyte-derived chemotaxis inhibitory factor seemed monocyte-specific. This cell-derived factor was sensitive to treatment with trypsin and chymotrypsin and immunologically distinct from C4a. The apparent molecular size of the monocyte factor was estimated to be approximately 20 kd by gel filtration. These results indicate that C4a anaphylatoxin induces the release from monocytes of a protein with inhibitory activity for monocyte chemotaxis.

[Optimal way of administration of granulocyte colony stimulating factor in the treatment of urological cancer]

Granulocyte-Colony Stimulating Factor (G-CSF) was administered to patients with bladder cancer, ureteral cancer and testicular cancer following chemotherapy. Chemotherapy included 23 courses of M-VAC (Methotrexate, Vinblastine, Adriamycin, Cisplatin) therapy to patients with bladder cancer or ureteral cancer and 10 courses of EP (Etoposide, Cisplatin) therapy to patients with testicular cancer. During M-VAC chemotherapy, about a half of the patients experienced leukopenia below 3000/mm3 until the 11th day. Leukopenia failed to improve promptly when G-CSF was started after leukocytes decreased below 3000/mm3. On the other hand, 5-days of prophylactic administrations of G-CSF from the 9th day of M-VAC therapy were able to increase leukocytes promptly. In EP chemotherapy against testicular tumor, G-CSF was started on the 9th day and continued for 5 days. Leukocytes increased immediately and the average duration of leukopenia below 3000/mm3 was only 1.2 day. These results indicate that a short term of prophylactic administration of G-CSF following these chemotherapies is able to accelerate a recovery from leukopenia and decrease a risk of bacterial infection. G-CSF is proposed to be enrolled in the treatment of urological cancer for the improvement of safety and the outcome of therapy.

The production of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor and interleukin 6 by human bone marrow stromal cells in aplastic anemia

Stromal cells are known to produce granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) and interleukin 6 (IL-6). To assess the function of bone marrow stromal cells in the pathological state, we studied their in vitro ability to produce G-CSF and IL-6 in 9 patients with aplastic anemia and 5 normal volunteers, using an enzyme immunoassay method. Constitutive production of IL-6, but not G-CSF, was detected in almost all cases. Interestingly, the inducible production of G-CSF and IL-6 by stromal cells after stimulation with interleukin-1 and/or lipopolysaccharides was severely depressed in 3 patients with aplastic anemia. Our results may reflect poor hematopoietic activity in the bone marrow in some cases of aplastic anemia.

[Fertility after treatment for testicular tumor]

Thirty-four patients with stage 1 or stage 2A testicular tumor all survived 5 years after the treatment, whereas eighteen patients with stage 2B or 3 testicular tumor, including only nonseminomatous tumor, had a 5-year survival rate of less than 50%. Spermatogenesis returned to normal in 3 patients surviving 22 months after chemotherapy. Five patients who had undergone retroperitoneal lymph node dissection with division of the inferior mesenteric artery developed impaired ejaculation, whereas 3 patients who had undergone the operation without division of the inferior mesenteric artery had normal ejaculation. In 17 patients with right testicular tumor metastases were found in the para-aortic, paracaval and interaortocaval lymph nodes. On the other hand, in 4 patients with left testicular tumor metastases were limited to the para-aortic nodes. These results indicate that impaired spermatogenesis by conventional chemotherapy is reversible in patients with stage 1 or 2 testicular tumor, and patients with stage 1 tumor or stage 2 tumor with localized para-aortic metastases, not involving the inferior mesenteric artery, should undergo retroperitoneal lymph node dissection without division of the inferior mesenteric artery to preserve postoperative fertility.

[A case of flexion myelopathy with thoracic outlet syndrome]

A 26-year-old woman had the right shoulder pain, weakness in her right arm, and noticed coldness in her right arm when it is down. On examination, she had droopy shoulder dominantly in right side, weakness and paresthesia in her right upper limb in the distribution of C8-Th1. The thoracic outlet compression tests were positive in her right side. Angiography of the right subclavian artery and brachial plexography under Allen's position revealed compression at the thoracic outlet. A cervical MRI revealed localized atrophy of the spinal cord (right side dominant) at the level of C5-6 vertebral body. Her spinal cord and dural sac moved anteriorly in cervical flexion. Droopy shoulder may be a risk factor of thoracic outlet syndrome and also flexion myelopathy. Double crush nerve compression of lower motor neuron at anterior horn of the cord and at the thoracic outlet may have accelerated the symptoms.

Immunohistochemical study of the sympathetic and sensory innervation to the blood vessels of the dog forepaw

Immunohistochemical staining of arteries supplying the dog forepaw showed a dense distribution of nerve fibers which were immunoreactive to tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), neuropeptide Y (NPY), vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), substance P (SP), and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) around the vascular walls. The density of each immunoreactive fiber tended to increase in the peripheral branch of the vascular tree. Retrograde axonal tracing with Fast Blue from the artery revealed that these immunoreactive fibers originated from NPY-containing catecholaminergic as well as VIP/SP/CGRP-containing non-catecholaminergic neurons in the stellate ganglion and SP/CGRP-containing neurons in the dorsal root ganglia of segments C7 to Th1. After stellate ganglionectomy, TH-, NPY-, and, VIP-immunoreactive fibers disappeared completely from the arterial walls while approximately 40% of SP- and CGRP-immunoreactive fibers remained. The present results indicate that the artery of the dog forepaw receive triple innervation of adrenergic sympathetic, non-adrenergic sympathetic, and sensory fibers, and suggest that about 40% of SP- and CGRP-immunoreactive fibers are of sensory origin.

Adult T-cell leukemia developing during immunosuppressive treatment in a renal transplant recipient

We report a case of a 32-year-old male, an asymptomatic carrier of human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1), who underwent a renal transplantation and developed adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) during the course of posttransplant immunosuppressive treatment. He was treated with combination chemotherapies consisting of cyclophosphamide, vincristine, doxorubicin, prednisolone, cisplatin, cytosine arabinoside, etoposide, and methyl-prednisolone, without any improvement. Bestrabucil (KM2210), a conjugate of chlorambucil and estradiol, was administered as an alternative therapy; this therapy successfully suppressed his leukemic cell growth, and partial remission was achieved. Posttransplant immunosuppressive therapy with prednisolone, mizoribine, and cyclosporin A might have been the predominant cause of the transition from an asymptomatic HTLV-1 infection to overt ATL. A careful approach is required with HTLV-1 asymptomatic carriers who need organ transplantation followed by immunosuppressive treatment.

The role of protonation and conformational transition of polyamine grafts in platelet retention to polyamine-graft-PHEMA copolymer surfaces

Blood platelet retention on polyamine-graft-poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (PHEMA) copolymer (HA) surface was investigated, focusing on pH and ionic strength of the surrounding medium to elucidate the nature of ionic interaction between platelets and HA copolymer surfaces. The conformational transition of polyamine graft chain in response to the protonation degree of amino groups was demonstrated to be an important factor influencing platelet retention on HA surfaces. When the polyamine graft chain exists in an extended conformation, protonated amino groups distribute from the matrix interface into the aqueous interior, resulting in the effective ionic interaction with platelets to increase their retention on HA copolymer surfaces. The number of protonated amino groups in polyamine portions crucially affected platelet retention. Worth noticing is that an introduction of a small but definite amount of cationic sites on the polymer surface led to significantly minimized platelet retention. It is considered that the surface property of PHEMA was drastically changed to a non-adhesive surface by introducing a small amount of protonated amino groups.

Adhesion and proliferation of bovine aortic endothelial cells on monoamine- and diamine-containing polystyrene derivatives

Adhesion and proliferation of bovine aortic endothelial cells on polystyrene derivatives having monoamine or diamine side chain was investigated focusing on the chemical structure of amino groups. Copolymers, SE8.5, is composed of polystyrene with 8.5 mol% of monoamine side chains, and SED8, which is with 8 mol% of diamine side chains, were estimated to contain almost the same amount of protonated amino groups in bulk composition at physiological pH (pH 7.4). There observed significant difference in cellular spreading of attached endothelial cells between these two types of copolymer surfaces. Spreading-% of attached cells on SED8 surfaces was approximately 1.6 times greater than that on SE8.5 6 h after seeding. This difference in cellular spreading influenced to subsequent cell growth. Cellular growth on each polymer surface was featured by parameter k, which corresponds to the 'rate constant' of cellular proliferation. While the k-value for SE8.5 decreased with decreasing seeding density as well as the case for polystyrene, SED8 maintained a high k-value even at low seeding density as 2 x 10(3) cells/cm2. These results suggest that cells may recognize the difference in the chemical structure of amine side chains of SE and SED copolymers.

Complement C4-derived monocyte-directed chemotaxis-inhibitory factor. A molecular mechanism to cause polymorphonuclear leukocyte-predominant infiltration in rheumatoid arthritis synovial cavities

To reveal the mechanism of the lesser infiltration of monocytes in synovial cavities with rheumatoid arthritis despite the presence of chronic inflammation, the synovial fluid from 15 rheumatoid arthritis patients was analyzed with respect to leukocyte chemotaxis. The synovial fluid possessed strong chemotactic activity to polymorphonuclear leukocytes but rather suppressed one to monocytes. The synovial fluid contained two different inhibitory activities in monocyte chemotaxis. One, which also suppressed polymorphonuclear leukocyte chemotaxis, was identified as alpha 1 protease inhibitor. The other, with molecular weight of 8 kd, possessed the specificity to monocytes and shared the antigenicity with complement C4 but not with C3 or C5. A similar inhibitor was generated in normal human plasma when the classical pathway of the complement system was initiated with aggregated human IgG, while it was not when alternative pathway was initiated with zymosan. The small size factor in the synovial fluid, apparently derived from C4, seemed to be a cyto-directed factor that might block an early part of signal transduction system of monocytes in the chemotaxis. After removal of the small-size inhibitor, the synovial fluid exhibited chemotactic ability to monocytes. Therefore the apparent C4-derived factor might play a key role in the polymorphonuclear leukocyte-predominant infiltration in the synovial fluid of rheumatoid arthritis.

Target cell of leukemic transformation in acute megakaryoblastic leukemia

Acute megakaryoblastic leukemia (AMkL) is a newly defined acute leukemia in which the differentiation of proliferating blasts is arrested at the megakaryocytic precursor stage. In order to clarify whether a target cell of leukemic transformation in AMkL is a cell committed to megakaryocytic lineage, or a multipotential stem cell, we examined AMkL patients with regard to: a) the presence of myelodyplastic features in residual erythroid and granulocytic cells, b) coexistence of myeloperoxidase (MPO)-positive blasts with megakaryoblasts, and c) the presence of the same chromosomal abnormality in erythroid and granuloid colony-forming cells as seen in megakaryoblasts. Regarding the former two items, results were compared with those from megakaryoblastic crisis of chronic myelocytic leukemia (CML-MkBC) and transient myeloproliferative disorder in Down syndrome (DS-TMD), which are thought to be multipotential stem cell disorders. Among 18 patients with AMkL, three, all complicating myelofibrosis, had marked myelodysplastic changes of erythroid series and/or granulocytic series. In 4 out of 7 patients with CML-MkBC, 5 out of 8 patients with DS-TMD, and 7 out of 18 patients with AMkL, MPO-positive blasts, even though rare, were observed in addition to PPO-positive blasts. All except one of these patients with AMkL also showed complicating myelofibrosis. In one case of AMkL with myelofibrosis, chromosomal analysis of cultured cells of individual colonies revealed that all the analysable metaphases from both CFU-GM and BFU-E had the same chromosomal abnormality as megakaryoblasts. This study has clarified that a considerable proportion of AMkL cases, particularly those with complicating myelofibrosis or showing acute myelofibrosis, arise against the background of a multipotential stem cell disorder, even if blasts are exclusively megakaryocytic in phenotype.

Expression of granulocyte and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factors by human non-hematopoietic tumor cells

The expression of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) mRNA was studied in human non-hematopoietic tumors, including 18 cases of lung cancers 10 cases of stomach cancers, three cases of glioblastomas, and one case each of breast phyllode sarcoma, thyroid cancer, and hepatocellular carcinoma. Northern blot analysis detected G-CSF mRNA in two of the lung cancer cases, in one of the glioblastoma cases, and in both the breast phyllode sarcoma and hepatocellular carcinoma cases. Since G-CSF receptors were not detected on the tumor cells by 125I-G-CSF binding assay, G-CSF autocrine loop are probably not involved in the growth of these G-CSF-producing tumors. Interestingly, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) mRNA was concomitantly expressed in most of these G-CSF-producing tumors. No major gene deletions or rearrangements of G-CSF and GM-CSF genes were demonstrated by Southern blot analysis in the tumors expressing G-CSF and GM-CSF mRNAs except for one of the glioblastomas (G3) in which one chromosome 17 allele was deleted. Although the mechanism of the concomitant expression of G-CSF and GM-CSF mRNA is unknown, relatively high frequency of this phenomenon suggests the presence of common transcriptional factors acting on regulatory regions of G-CSF and GM-CSF genomes.

Separation of B and T lymphocytes by cellular adsorption chromatography with polyamine graft copolymers as column matrices. II. Recovery of adsorbed B cell enriched populations from the column

Poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate)-graft-polyamine copolymers were developed for column adsorbents for separating lymphocyte subpopulations collected from rat mesenteric lymph nodes. Bead-shaped adsorbents were prepared by coating poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate)-graft-polyamine copolymer on glass beads. Separation features of the column packed with poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate)-graft-polyamine copolymer-coated glass beads were evaluated under various operating conditions. Separation efficacy, AB/AT, was significantly affected by the infusion rate of lymphocyte suspension into the column, increasing with decreasing infusion rate. T cell purity in the column effluent was almost 95% at the infusion rate of 0.1 ml/min. The infusion rate was also found to affect the detachment of adsorbed lymphocytes from the poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate)-graft-polyamine copolymer surface by mechanical pipetting; lymphocytes adsorbed at a low infusion rate were able to be detached quantitatively by suspending the lymphocyte-adsorbed beads with gentle pipetting. The detached lymphocytes thus obtained were confirmed to be enriched in B cells 1.4 times the initial mixture of B and T cells. The addition of albumin in the medium was found to affect the processes of adsorption and recovery of lymphocyte.

Elimination of cellular active adhesion on microdomain-structured surface of graft-polyamine copolymers

To investigate the mechanisms involved in lymphocyte adsorption on poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate)-graft-polyamine copolymer, which is utilized as an adsorbent for cell separation, the role of cellular metabolism in lymphocyte adsorption on these copolymers was evaluated. We examined the effect of lowering environmental temperature and of the drug cytochalasin B that inhibits reorganization of microfilaments in cellular cytoskeletons on lymphocyte adsorption. Although the adsorption of lymphocytes on poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) was considerably reduced in the presence of cytochalasin B or by lowering temperature, no marked influence of these factors was observed for lymphocyte adsorption on poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate)-graft-polyamine copolymers. These results suggest that, in contrast to common plastics surfaces including poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate), the surface of poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate)-graft-polyamine copolymers does not stimulate or activate adsorbed lymphocytes.

In vivo release of cholecystokinin-like immunoreactivity in rat frontal cortex under freely moving conditions

Release of cholecystokinin-like immunoreactivity (CCK-LI) was measured in rat medial prefrontal cortex in vivo by brain dialysis and enzyme immunoassay under freely moving condition. Perfusion of 50 mM K+ resulted in the increase of CCK-LI in the dialysate. The data on high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) of the dialysate showed that the increase of the CCK-LI was mainly due to the increase of CCK octapeptide sulfate itself. In the preliminary experiments, we applied this brain dialysis method for determination of CCK-LI release with drug treatment. After treatment with sulpiride (i.p.), a D2 dopamine receptor antagonist, a significant increase of CCK-LI was observed, indicating that this brain dialysis technique is applicable to detect change in the level of CCK-LI release after a certain drug treatment.

Lethal form of fibuloulnar A/hypoplasia with renal abnormalities

The present report describes two sibs with lethal acrorenal developmental complex who were products of a nonconsanguinous marriage. Clinical and roentgenologic characteristics did not match any of the known types of fibuloulnar dysostosis. Distinct abnormalities included lethality at birth, facial anomalies, ear anomalies, symmetrical mesomelic shortness of long bones, fibular agenesis, normal vertebrae, oligosyndactyly of phalanges, congenital heart defect, and cystic or hypoplastic kidney. These cases suggest a new lethal form of recessively inherited fibuloulnar dysostosis with renal anomalies.

Separation of B and T lymphocytes by a hybrid field-flow fractionation/adhesion chromatography technique

A hybrid of the techniques of cellular adhesion chromatography and field-flow fractionation has been used for the effective separation of rat mesenteric B and T lymphocytes with nearly complete recovery of both cell species. Use of this hybrid technique also allows the relative binding strengths of cells to biomaterials and other surfaces to be rapidly and simply estimated. For the copolymer surface used here, B cells appear to bind with a force five times greater than T cells.

Quantitative evaluation of rat lymphocyte adsorption on microdomain structured surfaces of poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate)/polyamine

The adsorption behaviour of rat lymphocytes on poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate)-graft-polyamine (HA) copolymers was evaluated using a newly developed chromatographic method. The quantity of lymphocyte adsorption can be varied by regulating the polyamine content in the HA copolymer. A remarkable depression in lymphocyte adsorption was observed on the surface of HA copolymer, consisting of 7 wt% of polyamine graft and 93 wt% of poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (pHEMA) backbone. Further introduction of a polyamine graft on pHEMA resulted in the increase of lymphocyte retention on the copolymer surfaces. Lymphocytes adsorbed on HA copolymer surface retained their original round shape. Detailed analysis of the chromatogram showed that interaction of lymphocytes with HA copolymer was very much weaker than that with homopolymer of pHEMA or polyamine.

Separation of B- and T-lymphocytes by cellular adsorption chromatography using poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate)/polyamine graft copolymer as column adsorbent

A series of poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate)/polyamine graft copolymers (HA copolymers) were examined as an adsorbent for cellular adsorption chromatography in order to separate cell populations with high efficacy. The capability of each copolymer sample to selectively adsorb rat lymphocyte subpopulations (B-cells and T-cells) was evaluated by applying a lymphocyte suspension to a copolymer-coated glass bead column. A separation factor (AB/AT) greater than 5.0 was achieved for the HA copolymer, compared to 1.9 and 1.1 for homopolymers of poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) and of a polyamine (poly(N,N-diethylaminoethylstyrene], respectively. By loading a rat lymphocyte suspension containing B-cells (28%) and T-cells (72%) through the HA copolymer column, more than 60% of T-cells in 90% purity or more were recovered in the effluent.

Immunoaffinity chromatography of lymphocyte subpopulations using tert-amine derived matrices with adsorbed antibodies

New polymeric solid-phase matrices for cell affinity chromatography were prepared and their advantageous characteristics compared with conventional matrices were highlighted. These new matrices are derivatives of poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (PHEMA) containing a slight quantity of amino compounds as a co-monomer. They were applied to immunoaffinity selection between IgG+ and IgG- lymphocytes of the rat mesenteric lymph node. Simple physical adsorption was sufficient for anti-rat IgG antibodies to be immobilized on these matrices, allowing us to omit the laborious procedure of covalent-linking of antibodies on a matrix. As these matrices themselves showed extremely low non-specific adsorption of lymphocytes, a very dilute solution of antibody (0.02-0.08 mg/ml) was enough for column conditioning. This separation method gave IgG- lymphocytes of more than 90% purity and almost 95% yield within as short a time as 7 min. Further, IgG+ lymphocytes were obtained in good yield (80-90% of loaded number) by recovering the adsorbing cell fraction from the column by gentle pipetting of the matrix.

A new type of achondrogenesis

A new type of neonatal death dwarfism, resembling the achondrogenesis syndromes on clinical examination but presenting distinctive radiographic and microscopic features has been described. It presents another, new form of achondrogenesis.

Osteogenic sarcoma of the fourth thoracic vertebra. Long-term survival by chemotherapy only

A unique case of a 15-year-old boy with complete paraplegia due to the compression of osteogenic sarcoma at the fourth thoracic vertebra is presented. Because of the difficulty of surgical treatment, he was treated merely by the arterial infusion of Adriamycin (doxorubicin) and systemic chemotherapy in conformity with the cyclophosphamide, Oncovin (vincristine), methotrexate, phenylalanine mustard, Adriamycin (doxorubicin) ( COMPADRI )-III regimen. The patient regained normal function, and has been disease-free without any neurologic deficit for 6 years. There appears to be some hope for cure using chemotherapy only in otherwise unpromising patients.

Neutron dosimetry by the spark counting of tracks in boron-doped film

Thin cellulose nitrate films are doped with a boron compound. After thermal neutron irradiation, the films are etched in an aqueous solution of 10% NaOH, at 50 degrees C, for 1.5 hr, during which the 27 microns thick films are reduced to about 7 microns. The etch-pits caused by 10B(n, alpha)7Li reactions are punched twice at 600 V and then counted at 500 V. The ratio of the spark density to the thermal neutron fluence was found to be 1.0 X 10(-4) for a boron concentration of 1%. After due consideration of background counts, a thermal neutron dose of 0.3 mrem (3 X 10(-6) Sv) can be measured with this system.

Effect of microphase separated structure of polystyrene/polyamine graft copolymer on adhering rat platelets in vitro

Rat platelet adhesion on microphase separated surface of polystyrene/polyamine graft copolymers (SA copolymers) was investigated. Shapes of adhering platelet were very much changeable in response to the mode of microphase separation of SA copolymer surfaces. We assume that the microphase separated structure of SA copolyer may regulate the shape change of platelet through its effect on a redistribution of proteins and/or lipids present at the plasma membrane of platelets.

Effect of hydrophilic and hydrophobic microdomains on mode of interaction between block polymer and blood platelets

ABA-type block copolymers composed of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA), a hydrophilic monomer, and styrene (St), a hydrophobic monomer, were synthesized by the coupling reaction of telechelic oligomers used as prepolymers. These block copolymers may be represented as microphase-separated structures. It is therefore possible to change the balance between hydrophilicity and hydrophobicity in the level of an assembled order of macromolecules. In response to the relative composition of the copolymers, three typical morphological patterns were observed in electron microscopic photographs: dispersed domains of continuous St chains in the region of HEMA chains, alternate HEMA and St lamellae and finally, dispersed phases of continuous HEMA chains in the region of St chains. The effect of the hydrophilic and hydrophobic microdomains of the copolymers on the mode of interaction between polymers and platelets was studied by the microsphere column method. In the case of homopolymers and random copolymers, a significant degree of platelet adhesion and aggregation was observed. However, the degree of platelet adhesion and deformation was suppressed on the surfaces of the block copolymers containing 0.608 and 0.347 mole fractions of HEMA whose microdomains were hydrophilic-hydrophobic lamellae and isolated hydrophilic islands in hydrophobic areas, respectively. These results show that the microphase-separated structures were antithrombogenic and prevented platelet adhesion and deformation. On the basis of the results obtained, the interaction between platelets and polymer surfaces was described in terms of the effect of hydrophilic and hydrophobic microdomains.

[Radiological study of the accessory skeletal elements in the foot and ankle (author's transl)]

The accessory bones and ossification centers in the foot and ankle were studied in 3,460 radiographs of patients over 7 years of age who consulted our clinic for various reasons from January 1967 to December 1979. The patients comprised of 1,639 males and 1,821 females. The accessory ossicles commonly observed were os tibiale externum, os trigonum, and os peroneum in order of frequency. The os tibiale externum is the commonest accessory bones in the foot and is situated at the point where the tendon of the posterior tibial muscle inserts itself into navicular bone. This ossicle was found to be present in 733 out of 3,460 feet (21.3%). As some authors have pointed out, they are observed somewhat more frequently in females than in males. The os trigonum is an accessory bone which is situated behind the posterior process of the talus. This ossicle was found in 438 feet (12.7%). The os peroneum is a sesamoid in the long peroneal tendon where it bends toward the sole of the foot. This was found in 311 feet (9.0%). Other inconstant skeletal elements were less commonly observed. This os intermetatarseum which is usually located in the first, rarely in the fourth, intermetatarsal space, was found in 91 feet (2.6%). When studied meticulously, this ossicle is found more often than is generally believed. The os subfibulare, situated just under the lateral malleolus, was found in 71 feet (2.1%). The os supranaviculare, situated above the talonavicular joint, was found in 35 feet (1.0%). The os subtibiale, situated just under the medial malleolus, was found in 31 feet (0.9%). The os supratalare, situated above the neck of the talus, was found in 25 feet (0.9%). The calcaneus secundarius, surrounded by calcaneus, talus, os naviculare and os cuboideum, was found in 20 feet (0.6%). The os talotibiale, situated in front of the talocrural joint, was found in 16 feet (0.5%). The os sustentaculi, situated beside the sustentaculum tali, was found in 9 feet (0.3%). The talus accessorius, situated beside the trochlea tali, was found in 6 feet (0.2%). The os vesalianum, situated adjacent to the tuberositas ossis metatarsalis V, was found in 4 feet of the adult patients (0.1%). The talus secundarius, situated near the trochlea peronealis calcanei, was found in 3 feet (0.1%). The os intercuneiforme, located between first and second cuneiform and the navicular bone, was found in only one foot of a 33-year-old male (0.03%). This case may be the first observation in Japan of this extremely rare accessory ossicle. The majority of the patients who had these accessory bones in their feet and ankles seemed to have no clinical complaints. Identification of these ossicles is of importance because they may easily be mistaken as fragments of avulsion fractures. An extra center of ossification for the medical malleolus was observed in 11 feet of the children aged 8 to 11 years. The ossification center for the tuberositas ossis metatarsalis V was found in 56 feet of the adolescents...

New forms of neonatal death dwarfism. Report of 3 cases

The term Lethal Neonatal Dwarfism (Death Dwarfism) denotes bone dysplasias which always have a fatal outcome. Three different cases of "new" forms of death dwarfism are reported. A babygram should be a routine examination in all the cases of stillborn babies or those who die soon after the birth. If then the diagnosis cannot be established microscopic investigations of the growth cartilage should be performed.