[Antitumor effect of SN-38, active form of CPT-11, on human colorectal cancer cell line]

The in vitro sensitivity testing for four human colorectal cancer cell lines to seven chemotherapeutic drugs including CPT-11, derivative of camptothecin, and its active form SN-38 were determined. MTT assay revealed that SN-38 was the most active for all four cell lines tested and its IC50's were very close to its clinically achievable plasma concentration. Relationship between exposure time and cytocidal effect of SN-38 was also investigated using MTT assay, topoisomerase-I (Topo-I) immunoblot analysis and DNA relaxation-assay, showing that IC50 value, Topo-I protein and Topo-I activity were decreased soon after the administration of SN-38 and reached to the plateau level at 24 hours. We conclude that SN-38 is very potent for colorectal cancer and the optimal schedule of CPT-11 can be the more continuous form of administration capable of as long as 24 hours exposure of its active metabolite, SN-38.

Age at onset of Alzheimer's disease: relation to pattern of cognitive dysfunction and rate of decline

We examined the pattern of cognitive impairment and rate of cognitive and functional decline as a function of age at symptom onset in 127 patients with probable Alzheimer's disease (AD). At baseline, early-onset (before age 65) and late-onset groups were mildly and comparably impaired on the modified Mini-Mental State Examination (mMMS) and the Blessed Dementia Rating Scale-Part 1 (BDRS). Repeated-measures analysis of variance revealed significantly more rapid decline in early-onset subjects over a 2-year follow-up period. Multivariate linear regression analyses indicated that age at symptom onset strongly predicted rate of decline on the mMMS and the BDRS, even after controlling for symptom duration, gender, family history of dementia, and baseline mMMS and BDRS scores. Early- and late-onset AD subjects also differed in terms of pattern of performance on the mMMS. Early-onset subjects scored significantly lower than late-onset subjects on attentional items of the mMMS at baseline and follow-up. Conversely, late-onset subjects scored significantly lower than early-onset subjects on memory and naming items at baseline, and the two groups were comparable on these tasks at follow-up. Results provide longitudinal evidence of more rapid cognitive and functional decline in subjects with early-onset AD and suggest that early-onset AD may be characterized by predominant impairment of attentional skills.

[Adaptation study for biofilm of the urinary tract via highly complicated bladder model (biofilm model of the urinary tract)--experimental study using automatic simulator of the urinary antimicrobial agent concentration]

With the view of making an adaptation study for biofilm of the urinary tract, we devised a computer-controlled highly complicated bladder model (biofilm model of the urinary tract) that allowed the simulation of time-course changes in the urinary concentration of antimicrobial agents. Clarithromycin (CAM), which is reported to have an anti-biofilm action, was examined at urinary levels approximating clinical concentrations and its effect on biofilm was determined. The following results were obtained. 1) Ofloxacin (OFLX, 200 mg x 2/day, MIC; 8 micrograms/ml), which is active against Pseudomonas aruginosa, caused apparent microbial elimination from the model at 42 hours, but bacterial regrowth occurred 4 hours after withdrawal of this agent. No disappearance of the biofilm was noted with OFLX suggesting that this was the cause of bacterial regrowth. 2) The combination of OFLX (200 mg x 2/day) and CAM (MIC; > 128 micrograms/ml, 200 mg x 2/day) on anti-biofilm agent, with no effect on P. aeruginosa, eliminated bacteria from the bladder model more rapidly and prolonged the regrowth time to 10 hours after withdrawal of the antimicrobial agents. Disappearance of most of the biofilm and only slight microbial adhesion was noted. 3) The combination of OFLX (200 mg x 2/day) and CAM (400 mg x 3/day) caused microbial elimination from the bladder model with no regrowth at 30 hours after withdrawal of the antimicrobial agents. The biofilm disappeared completely and no microbial adhesion was noted. 4) CAM alone (400 mg x 3/day) allowed microbial recovery to the initial level within 48 hours after withdrawal, but led to disappearance of the biofilm and the adhesion of microbes without a glycocalyx. 5) These results suggest that the anti-biofilm action of CAM is dose-dependent, and that combined use of an appropriate antimicrobial agent and anti-biofilm agent like CAM may be effective for biofilm infections of the urinary tract.

Ultrasound bone densitometry of the os calcis in Japanese women

The velocity (SOS), attenuation slope (BUA) and stiffness index in the os calcis were measured using the 'Achilles' ultrasound bone densitometer (Lunar, Madison, WI). We evaluated the basic attributes of this ultrasound bone densitometer, and showed the age-related changes in ultrasound values in normal Japanese women. The precision was measured in vivo on ten occasions over a 2-week period in 5 subjects. The short-term precision errors (CVs) in vivo were 0.6% for stiffness index, 0.3% for SOS and 1.0% for BUA. Spine, femur neck and total body BMD using dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) were highly correlated with stiffness index (r = 0.80, 0.77 and 0.78, respectively) in 194 subjects. Ultrasound values for patients with osteoporosis were significantly lower than those for the normal controls. The Z-score compared with young normals was significantly higher for spine bone mineral density (-4.4) than for stiffness index (-3.5); BUA and SOS gave significantly lower Z-scores -2.9 and -3.0, respectively). Ultrasound values were also lower compared with age-matched normal controls. The Z-score for stiffness index (-2.1) was significantly superior to that for either SOS or BUA (-1.5). Age-related change in ultrasound values was evaluated in 842 normal women. There was a decline in stiffness index of about 24% from the values in young adulthood to those of women in their seventies, about 75% of which occurred from age 44-49 years onward. These findings seem to indicate that the menopause affected the change in ultrasound values.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Late phase II study of KW-2307 in advanced or recurrent breast cancer. KW-2307 Cooperative Study Group (Breast Cancer Section)]

A multi-institutional late phase II study of KW-2307 (vinorelbine), a new vinca alkaloid derivative, in advanced or recurrent breast cancer was conducted in 26 nationwide hospitals. KW-2307 was intravenously administered at a dose of 20 mg/m2 once weekly. Eighty among the enrolled 82 patients were eligible. The overall response rate was 30.0% (24/80) with 4 CR, 20 PR, 5 MR, 22 NC, 17 PD and 12 unevaluable patients. The major side effect was leucopenia, which was the dose-limiting factor in this study. Other subjective or objective side effects included general fatigue, nausea-vomiting, anorexia, paresthesia, fever and stomatitis, but none of them was serious.

Cytotoxic cells directed against placental cells detected in human habitual abortions by an in vitro terminal labeling assay

PROBLEM

From the clinical point of view, it has been proposed that an immunological imbalance between the mother and the fetus might exist in one of the mechanisms for human habitual abortion. However, in the definition of habitual abortion, we have no distinct immunological criteria for this clinical entity at the moment.

METHOD

We employed aborted placental cells as the target cells in an in vitro terminal labeling (IVTL) assay system, in which the cytotoxic activity of maternal peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) against the placental cell was examined.

RESULTS

Our results showed that the cytotoxic activity of maternal PBMCs was significantly higher in the habitual aborters (the mean target cell destruction: %TCD = 34.9%, N = 14) than that in the women with a normal first trimester (the mean % TCD = 8.9%, N = 14, P < .01). The results from the IVTL assay did not correlate with other assays using paternal lymphocytes as the target cells. The surface marker analyses revealed that CD16+ cells, CD14+ cells, and CD5+ cells were involved in the cytotoxic response against the placental cells in various degrees among the cases.

CONCLUSIONS

The above evidence suggests that a variety of cytotoxic cells participate in the phenomenon of human habitual abortion.

Elevation of the phospholipase A2 activity in peritoneal fluid cells from women with endometriosis

OBJECTIVE

To assess the prostaglandin (PG) production on peritoneal fluid (PF) cells, phospholipase A2 (PLA2) activity of those cells in women with endometriosis was measured and compared with that of women without endometriosis.

DESIGN

Prospective clinical controlled study.

PATIENTS

Women who underwent laparoscopy and were found either to have endometriosis (n = 15) or not (n = 9) were included in this study. Mononuclear cells obtained from the patients at laparoscopy were immediately separated by a Ficoll-Paque technique, lysed by nitrogen cavitation, and stored at -80 degrees C.

INTERVENTIONS

Phospholipase A2 activity was measured by Dole assay using 1-palmitoyl-2-[1-14C] palmitoyl phosphatidyl choline and assessed on a protein basis and a cell number basis.

RESULTS

There were at least four measurable kinds of PLA2 activity detected in the cells: two calcium-dependent pH optima 7.0 and 9.0 activities and two calcium-independent pH optima 7.5 and 8.5 activities. A calcium-dependent and pH optima 9.0 activity was the highest, and it was significantly higher in women with endometriosis when compared with those who did not have endometriosis.

CONCLUSION

These results indicate that the increase in the PGs in PF with endometriosis may be produced by PF cells in which PLA2 activity is elevated.

Staurosporine induces the outgrowth of neurites from the dorsal root ganglion of the chick embryo and PC12D cells

Staurosporine, a potent inhibitor of protein kinases, caused the rapid outgrowth of neurites from cultured dorsal root ganglia of chick embryos and from PC12D cells, a subline of PC12 cells. Treatment of dorsal root ganglia with 1 to 20 nM staurosporine resulted in the extensive outgrowth of neurites that were indistinguishable from those induced by NGF, as assessed by phase-contrast microscopy, electron microscopy and cytochemical staining of actin and tubulin. However, neurites generated from the ganglia in response to the higher concentrations of staurosporine (40-100 nM) seemed to have different characteristics, possibly as a result of the inhibition of cell migration from ganglia. The sequential changes in morphology of PC12D cells in response to staurosporine and to NGF were revealed by staining of actin. Ruffling membranes emerged at the margins of PC12D cells within 4 min after the addition of staurosporine or of NGF. From 10 min to 24 h after the addition of either compound, the ruffles were transformed into several projections that became growing neurites. The formation of ruffles and the outgrowth of neurites were both apparent at a concentration of staurosporine of 10 nM. The neurites that emerged from PC12D cells in response to staurosporine and in response to NGF were indistinguishable under the phase-contrast microscope and after staining of actin and tubulin. However, staurosporine never promoted survival of PC12D cells in serum-free conditions as that promoted by NGF. The observations indicate that staurosporine at nanomolar concentrations may reproduce the neurogenic changes that induced by NGF in primed neuronal cells, although it can not mimic the action of NGF that supports survival of neurons.

[Therapeutic study on biofilm of the urinary tract using a severely complicated bladder model (biofilm model of the urinary tract)--experimental study using an automatic simulator of urinary antimicrobial agent concentration, and clinical study]

For the purpose of conducting a therapeutic study on biofilm of the urinary tract, we devised a computer-controlled severely complicated bladder model (biofilm model of the urinary tract) enabling us to simulate the time-course of the concentration of antimicrobial agents in the urine. Using this model, we investigated clarithromycin (CAM), which has been reported to have anti-biofilm action, at concentrations close to its urinary levels at the time of clinical use in order to predict its effect on biofilm of the urinary tract. On the basis of those experimental results, we also conducted a clinical examination. The following results were obtained. 1. The action of ciprofloxacin (CPFX, MIC: 8 micrograms/ml) alone, which shows anti-P. aeruginosa activity, caused apparent elimination of P. aeruginosa from the model. However, regrowth of the microbes occurred when CPFX was removed from the bladder model. Moreover, the biofilm was not eliminated by the antimicrobial action of CPFX, and this was surmised to be the cause of the regrowth. 2. CAM (MIC: above 128 micrograms/ml), which has no anti-P. aeruginosa activity, was similarly tested as anti-biofilm agent when added alone to the biofilm model. The P. aeruginosa recovered to its initial concentration within 48 hours, but the biofilm disappeared due to the action of CAM. 3. The combined action of CPFX and CAM caused microbial elimination from the bladder model without microbial regrowth, even after these antimicrobial agents were removed from the bladder model. After the action of CPFX and CAM, the biofilm disappeared, and no microbial adherence was noted. 4. Measurement of time-course of the alginate content, which is the main component of P. aeruginosa biofilm, in the presence of CAM found that the alginate content decreased below the limit of detection after day 5. 5. The clinical study of complicated urinary tract infection revealed the microbial elimination rate and the efficacy rate to be higher in the combined CPFX-CAM administration group than in the CPFX-only administration group. 6. Based on the above results, we surmise that the combined use of an antimicrobial agent which is active against the causative microbe and anti-biofilm agent such as CAM will show some degree of efficacy in eliminating biofilm of the urinary tract.

Fatal respiratory failure due to polymyositis

A patient presenting as severe respiratory failure due to alveolar hypoventilation resulting from respiratory muscle weakness is described. Diagnosis of polymyositis was established by electromyography and muscle biopsy. Steroid therapy was initiated and it ameliorated respiratory failure remarkably. Selective respiratory muscle involvement due to polymyositis has been suggested in this patient. Although fatal respiratory failure is a very rare complication in polymyositis, polymyositis should be considered as one of underlying diseases causing severe respiratory failure.

[Study on MIC breakpoint and method of antimicrobial chemotherapy for moderately complicated urinary tract infection--study using an automatic simulator of urinary antimicrobial agent concentrations]

We experimentally investigated an efficient administrating method of antimicribials prior to the clinical treatment of complicated urinary tract infection without catheter. An experimental model of moderately complicated urinary tract infection, which can simulate changes in the urinary concentration of antimicrobials by means of previously reported computer control method, was used for the experiment. The following results were obtained. 1. At first, for complicated UTI cases without an indwelling catheter, an investigation was made of the clinical therapy results to determine the upper MIC range of bacteria, including isolated strains, that can be nearly eliminated following treatment, by the administration method. We then estimated the clinical breakpoint. 2. By adjusting the size of the diverticulum in a urinary bladder model, we prepared a model which gave comparatively good agreement between the clinical and experimental breakpoints. 3. The clinical therapy results revealed that by the clinical breakpoint was higher in degree of coverage of the MIC distribution of causative bacteria associated with a higher actual clinical elimination rate and a higher efficacy rate. 4. It was surmised that an efficient administration method for complicated UTI without an indwelling catheter can be established if the urinary bladder model and the following approach are applied: prior to clinical treatment it should be determined what would be high enough to cover 70% of the MIC distribution of the estimated causative bacteria of UTI, and then an administration method which would yield that concentration as the experimental breakpoint should be devised.

[Glucocorticoid therapy in renal diseases--its indication and therapeutic schedule]

Glucocorticoid therapy is used to treat renal diseases because of the two pharmacological actions, i.e anti-inflammatory and Immunosuppressive ones. Indications for steroid therapy in renal diseases are mainly primary and secondary nephritis and the nephrotic syndrome. These include minimal change nephrotic syndrome, membranous nephropathy, membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis, focal glomerular sclerosis, rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis, IgA nephropathy (in part), lupus nephritis, acute interstitial nephritis and so on. There are two routes of steroid administration, orally or intravenously, to treat nephritis and the nephrotic syndrome. The standard therapeutic regimen is the oral administration of prednisolone (PSL), which usually consists of initial high dose therapy (40-60 mg/day), subsequent withdrawal of steroids and maintenance therapy. As for intravenous administration, high dose injection of methylprednisolone (usually 1000 mg on three successive days) is utilized and followed by high dose oral PSL.

Effects of aldehyde dehydrogenase and glutathione on the degradation of (E)-4-hydroxy-2-nonenal and N-hexanal in rat liver

The relative contribution of the aldehyde dehydrogenase (EC 1.2.1.3, ALDH) and glutathione (GSH) conjugate system to the degradation of (E)-4-hydroxy-2-nonenal (4HN), a toxic breakdown product arising from lipid peroxidation, was investigated in rat liver. Significant increases in the contents of 4HN and hexanal (HA) and a decrease of ALDH but not alcohol dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.2, ADH) activity were recognized in rat liver following administration of carbon tetrachloride (3 ml/kg, p.o.). Hepatic ALDH activity was correlated with HA production (r = -0.82, P < 0.01) but not with 4HN. When lipid peroxidation was induced by t-butyl hydroperoxide, the ratio of HA to 4HN production in the liver of rats pretreated with the ALDH inhibitor, cyanamide (100 mg/kg, i.p.) was higher than that in controls, whereas the ratio was lower in the liver of rats pretreated with the glutathione-depleting agent, phorone (250 mg/kg, i.p.). These results suggest that 4HN in rat liver is metabolized by the GSH-conjugate system in preference to degradation by ALDH.

Urinary excretion of pyridinium crosslinks of collagen in oophorectomized women as markers for bone resorption

To detect increased bone resorption in estrogen-deficient women, the urinary excretion of hydroxylysylpyridinoline (HP) and lysylpyridinoline (LP), which are intermolecular crosslinkings of collagen fibers, were measured and their chronological changes were evaluated following oophorectomy. Seventy-five women were divided into three groups; 15 premenopausal women (mean age 44.0 years), 15 postmenopausal women (mean age 54.2 years) and 45 surgically menopausal women who had a normal menstrual cycle before surgery (mean age 42.2 years). There was a significant increase in HP and LP of the postmenopausal women (P < 0.001). In the oophorectomized women, both HP and LP were three times higher than those of premenopausal women within 1 year after oophorectomy, and decreased to the same level of the postmenopause between 2 and 3 years after surgery. In the six oophorectomized women after the administration of estrogen, HP and LP both decreased remarkably in all cases. The present study thus indicates that an increase of bone resorption which was evaluated by urinary HP and LP occurs in the early stage after oophorectomy. It may, therefore, be good to begin estrogen replacement therapy as soon as possible after oophorectomy.

Antiproliferative lymphokine production by human peripheral blood lymphocytes and lymph node lymphocytes detected by a modified double layer soft agarose clonogenic assay

The double layer soft agarose clonogenic assay using colony formation of target cells as an endpoint was adapted for the detection of antiproliferative lymphokine production from peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) and lymph node lymphocytes (LNL). The colony formation of cervical cancer cell lines, HeLa, CAC-1, and TMCC, in the upper layers was significantly inhibited by the inclusion of either PBL or LNL pretreated with PHA in the lower layers. Without stimulation by PHA, neither resident PBL nor LNL exhibited antiproliferative activity on the tumor cells in the upper layers. The antiproliferative activity against target cells increased in relation to the density of lymphocytes in the lower layers, and was dependent on protein synthesis by lymphocytes. Since the cell to cell contact between the effector cells and target cells is not possible in this assay, the reduction of colony formation should be attributed to soluble factor(s) that were secreted from the lymphocytes. Additionally, an antibody against IFN-gamma neutralized most of the antiproliferative activity, and equivalent levels of IFN-gamma were found to be present in the supernatant of PBL and LNL lower layers by a radioimmunoassay. The double layer soft agarose assay system should thus serve as a useful method for studying antiproliferative lymphokine production by lymphocytes.

Cognitive impairment after stroke: frequency, patterns, and relationship to functional abilities

Cognitive function was examined in 227 patients three months after admission to hospital for ischaemic stroke, and in 240 stroke-free controls, using 17 scored items that assessed memory, orientation, verbal skills, visuospatial ability, abstract reasoning, and attentional skills. After adjusting for demographic factors with standardised residual scores in all subjects, the fifth percentile was used for controls as the criterion for failure on each item. The mean (SD) number of failed items was 3.4 (3.6) for patients with stroke and 0.8 (1.3) for controls (p < 0.001). Cognitive impairment, defined as failure on any four or more items, occurred in 35.2% of patients with stroke and 3.8% of controls (p < 0.001). Cognitive domains most likely to be defective in stroke compared with control subjects were memory, orientation, language, and attention. Among patients with stroke, cognitive impairment was most frequently associated with major cortical syndromes and with infarctions in the left anterior and posterior cerebral artery territories. Functional impairment was greater with cognitive impairment, and dependent living after discharge either at home or nursing home was more likely (55.0% with, v 32.7% without cognitive impairment, p = 0.001). In a logistic model examining the risks related to dependent living after stroke, cognitive impairment was a significant independent correlate (odds ratio, OR = 2.4), after adjusting for age (OR = 5.2, 80 + v 60-70 years) and physical impairment (OR = 3.7, Barthel index < or = 40 v > 40). It is concluded that cognitive impairment occurs frequently after stroke, commonly involving memory, orientation, language, and attention. The presence of cognitive impairment in patients with strike has important functional consequences, independent of the effects of physical impairment. Studies of stroke outcome and intervention should take into account both cognitive and physical impairments.

Pathophysiological role of magnesium in familial Bartter's syndrome

We studied three siblings with Bartter's syndrome associated with hypomagnesemia; two of them showing marked hypomagnesemia and the other mild hypomagnesemia. Urinary potassium, sodium and chloride excretions were determined and distal fractional chloride reabsorption and free water clearance on water loading test were compared before and after magnesium supplementation. Baseline urinary potassium and magnesium excretions were elevated in spite of the decreased plasma levels, whereas distal fractional chloride reabsorption and free water clearance were depressed in all patients. Magnesium repletion resulted in significant decrease in urinary potassium, sodium and chloride and subsequent increase in plasma potassium in all patients. However, neither distal fractional chloride reabsorption nor free water clearance was affected. Hypomagnesemia may contribute to urinary potassium wasting and aggravate urinary sodium and chloride wasting in familial Bartter's syndrome by a mechanism independent of the defect in free-water formation by the active reabsorption of chloride in Henle's loop.

Antioxidative effects of black tea theaflavins and thearubigin on lipid peroxidation of rat liver homogenates induced by tert-butyl hydroperoxide

The antioxidative activity of theaflavins (TFs) and thearubigin (TR) purified from the infusion of black tea leaves was examined using the tert-butyl hydroperoxide-induced lipid peroxidation of rat liver homogenates. The concentrations which produced 50% inhibition of lipid peroxidation (IC50) by theaflavin (TF), theaflavin monogallate-A (TFM-A), and TR were 4.88 x 10(-4), 4.09 x 10(-4), and 4.95 x 10(-4%) (w/v), respectively. The anti-oxidative activity of these compounds was higher than that of glutathione, L(+)-ascorbic acid, dl-alpha-tocopherol, butylated hydroxytoluene, butyl hydroxyanisole, etc., but was lower than the activity of (-)-epicatechin gallate, (-)-epigallocatechin, and (-)-epigallocatechin gallate. As to the IC50 in molarity, the antioxidative activity of TFM-A was the second highest among all the samples used in this study. The antioxidative activity of lyophilized tea infusions was compared. The activity of black tea was about as potent as that of green tea. These results suggest that black tea infusion containing TFs and TR could inhibit lipid peroxidation in biological conditions in the same way as green tea infusion containing epicatechins.

Essential thrombocythemia terminating in acute leukemia with minimal myeloid differentiation--a brief review of recent literature

Essential thrombocythemia (ET), one of the chronic myeloproliferative disorders, is a clonal disorder of multipotent stem cells. Although most patients with ET have a prolonged benign course, a minority of patients may develop a blastic crisis similar to chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML). A case of ET terminating in blastic crisis 8 years after the initial diagnosis is presented. The blast cells were cytochemically and immunophenotypically consistent with the acute myelogenous leukemia with minimal myeloid differentiation subtype of the FAB classification. From the review of the literature on blastic transformation of ET, acute leukemia with an M4 or M7 phenotype occurred more frequently. In addition, three valuable factors to predict the leukemic transformation of ET appear to be karyotypic abnormalities, such as involvement of chromosome 21, previous therapies with a mutagenic potential, and the capability of bone marrow cells to form in vitro spontaneous colonies as in CML.

[Laboratory examination of contact factors]

The methods of measurement, clinical evaluation and application as molecular marker of contact factors are described. It is important to scrutinize the measurement methods and normal control of contact factors regularly in the institution. A slightly abnormal value and repeated measurement of APTT become valuable, which may reveal asymptomatic hereditary contact factor deficiencies. There is more thrombosis symptoms than bleeding in that cases. Acquired contact factors deficiency is recognized in disseminated intravascular coagulation or liver cirrhosis. Although the cases of the clinical application of molecular marker with contact factors is not enough, the diagnostic and therapeutical trials in hypercoagulopathy with sepsis are starting. There are many unknown clinical functions about contact factors, and careful assessment will be necessary in the previously reported cases of hereditary contact factors deficiency.

Dose-dependence of 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]-pyridine (PhIP) carcinogenicity in rats

The dose-dependence of 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo-[4,5-b]pyridine (PhIP) carcinogenicity was investigated in F344 rats of both sexes administered the heterocyclic amine in the diet at concentrations of 25 or 100 p.p.m. for up to 104 weeks. Incidences of mammary adenocarcinomas were 7% (2/30) for 25 p.p.m. and 47% (14 of 30 rats) for 100 p.p.m. in females and those of colon adenocarcinomas were 43% (13/30) for males and 13% (4/30) for females of the 100 p.p.m. groups. No mammary adenocarcinomas were induced in males and no colon carcinomas were observed in the 25 p.p.m. groups of either sex. Furthermore, development of lymphocytic leukemia was apparently enhanced by PhIP in males. In a separate experiment, dose-dependent induction of aberrant crypts in the large intestine, considered as preneoplastic lesions, was evident after 8 weeks feeding of PhIP-supplemented diet at doses of 25, 100 or 400 p.p.m. Thus a clear dose-dependency was demonstrated for both colon and mammary carcinogenesis. Since PhIP is a particularly abundant heterocyclic amine and its carcinogenic organotropism overlaps with the types of neoplasias most commonly observed in western countries, the compound may be extremely important with respect to human cancer development.

[Torsion of the middle lobe after right upper lobectomy: a case report]

Following right upper lobectomy for a pulmonary carcinoma, torsion of right middle lobe occurred. There have been few reports in the literature of pulmonary torsion after lobectomy. A 68-year-old man had a right upper lobectomy for pulmonary carcinoma. On the seventh day after right upper lobectomy, he got high fever. At the same time a roentgenogram of the chest showed complete opacification like ground-glass in the upper lung field. Gradually the opacification increased and hemosputum also appeared. Bronchoscopy revealed 90-degree torsion of the middle lobe. In the treatment with respirator (CV 2000), his clinical conditions improved.

Effects of organic and inorganic Ca(2+)-antagonists on acetylcholine-induced contraction in molluscan (Mytilus edulis) smooth muscle

1. Effect of Ca(2+)-antagonist on the contractile response to acetylcholine (ACh) in molluscan (Mytilus edulis) smooth muscle was investigated. 2. ACh-induced contraction was remarkably reduced by exposure to Ca(2+)-deprived medium. 3. The organic Ca(2+)-blockers, verapamil, diltiazem and nicardipine, reduced the concentration-response curve for ACh in a concentration-dependent manner. 4. The inorganic Ca(2+)-blockers, MnCl2, NiCl2, CoCl2 and CdCl2, also reduced the concentration-response curve for ACh concentration-dependently. 5. ACh significantly increased the amounts of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3) in the ABRM. 6. ACh-induced contraction in the ABRM might therefore be mediated through an influx of extracellular Ca2+ and Ca(2+)-release from IP3 sensitive intracellular pools.

Simple, rapid and simultaneous measurement of eight different types of carbamate pesticides in serum using liquid chromatography-atmospheric pressure chemical ionization mass spectrometry

We have developed a method for simultaneous analysis of methylcarbamate pesticides in serum with an acute pesticide intoxication. This is performed by liquid chromatography-atmospheric pressure chemical ionization mass spectrometry. Rapid detection of eight types of methylcarbamate pesticide can be achieved with this method, it only requires an extremely simple pre-treatment of the sample. The specificity of this method is equal to that of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, and it satisfies the clinical requirements for detection sensitivity and specificity. Although some problems with this analytical method remain to be solved, we consider it to be superior to any other analytical method previously reported.