Rapid estimation of soluble fibrin monomer complexes by high performance liquid chromatography for the purpose of early detection of DIC

Hypercoagulability and DIC are characterized by the presence of SFMC in plasma. We have devised a more rapid method with a quantitative estimation of SFMC by use of HPLC. The normal percentage of SFMC of total fibrinogen content was 2.2 +/- 0.8% in plasma. On the other hand, the amount of SFMC in DIC patients showed a level of 6.8% to 16.7%. The level of SFMC in the third postoperative day after gastrointestinal surgery was between 2.3% and 6.1%. These moderately elevated SFMC levels were suggested to be due to the state of hypercoagulability. Thus, the measurement of SFMC with HPLC is a very useful method to analyze hypercoagulability and DIC.

Direct transfer of coliphage lambda DNA from Escherichia coli to cellular slime mold Dictyostelium discoideum

Dictyostelium discoideum myxamoebae were cultured with Escherichia coli cells infected with lambda phage in the presence of chloramphenicol. After eliminating the uningested bacteria by repeated centrifugation in a Percoll gradient, we examined the myxamoeba cytoplasm (not the food vacuole) for the presence of phage DNA. A significant amount of DNA extracted from the myxamoebae was hybridizable with purified phage lambda DNA, and capable of forming phage particles when packaged in vitro with phage lambda proteins. The EcoRI restriction maps of the phages recovered from the plaques were identical to that of the infecting phage. These results strongly suggest that phage DNA molecules were taken up by the cellular slime mold cells and that at least some fraction existed in intact form.

CYBEST model 3 automated cytologic screening system for uterine cancer utilizing image analysis processing

The improvements incorporated into the Model 3 version of CYBEST (Cyto-Biological Electronic Screening System) are highlighted. Following the successful development of a software-controlled automatic shading for a video system, the new Model 3 CYBEST contains a televisions scan system with a single-step, fine-resolution scan and strobe-light illumination in place of the two-step (coarse and fine) scan of Model 2. The automatic shading control is described in detail, as is the automated focusing system, which uses a touch-sensor to achieve a near-focus level and a differential adding algorithm to obtain exact focus. Improvements in the slide magazine and slide autochanger have quadrupled the number of slides that may be loaded into the machine at one time while increasing the speed of operation. CYBEST Model 3 has achieved our goal of rapid processing, requiring less than three minutes per specimen for final assessment as compared with the six minutes per specimen of Model 2. Field tests of Model 3 are currently under way, with a large number of smears prepared by our automated cell dispersion and monolayer smearing device (CYBEST-CDMS).

[Tissue concentration of 5-FU following pre-operative administration of FT-207]

Forty patients with gastric cancer and 30 patients with colon cancer were administered FT-207 prior to the operation. The relation between a total dose (4-88g) and tissue concentration of 5-FU was investigated and the following results were obtained. (5-FU concentration was measured with the method of Gas chromatography mas fragmentography) 1) The relation between total doses of FT-207 (x) and concentration of 5-FU in the tissue (y) was demonstrated by the formula: y = 0.00317x + 0.025 (gastric cancer) r = 0.519, p = 0.0001 y = 0.0019x + 0.043 (colon cancer) r = 0.641, p = 0.0001 2) In most of the patients with rectal cancer who received radiation therapy prior to the operation, 5-FU concentration in the tissue was extremely low. 3) 5-FU concentration showed no difference between the normal and metastatic lymph nodes, or among the lymph node groups. Administration methods (oral intake or suppository) had no influence on the concentration of 5-FU. 4) Among the organs, 5-FU concentration was higher in the following orders: liver, normal mucosa, lymph node, tumor, normal serosa. 5) In five autopsy cases, 5-FU concentration of the tissue show a great difference among them, and some cases showed 10 times as high concentration as others in the tissue of every organ.

Lipoprotein lipase activity in adipose tissue of streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats

Lipoprotein lipase activity of epididymal adipose tissue was measured in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Diabetic rats of 3, 10 and 34 days duration were examined. The enzyme activity in adipose tissue of diabetic rats was similar to that of control rats of the same ages, compared on the tissue weight basis. However, since adipose tissue weight was markedly reduced in rats with both acute and chronic diabetes, total enzyme activity in the whole tissue was very low in such animals regardless of the duration of diabetes. We wish to point out that contradictory results on the adipose tissue lipoprotein lipase activity in diabetic rats in the previous reports have arisen depending on differences in the methods chosen to express enzyme activity.

Experimental analysis of the ill effect of anomalous pancreaticobiliary ductal union

An ideal canine model of anomalous pancreaticobiliary ductal union, similar to a human anomaly, was devised. Direct anastomosis of the dorsal pancreatic duct and the choledochus was employed (dorsal pancreaticocholedochostomy). The ventral pancreatic duct was not manipulated. Cylindrical choledochal dilatation results in 13 out of 20 adult dogs and in 4 out of 6 puppies. Dilatation of the intrahepatic biliary tree and thickening of the choledochal wall in a hepatic direction were observed in high ratio among adult dogs. Puppies had less dilatation. The activation of pancreatic enzymes was studied in bile containing pancreatic juice. The proteolytic enzymes, trypsin and elastase were proven to be activated in the bile without the presence of enterokinase in the pancreaticocholedochostomy model. This would be the cause of the ill effects of refluxed pancreatic juice into bile in anomalous pancreaticobiliary ductal union.

Dielectric properties of spherical macroion suspensions

Dielectric properties of polystyrene latex suspended in aqueous media are investigated with special attention to the effect of volume fraction of the latex and salt concentration. The experimental data show the existence of two dispersions, one in the low-frequency range from 10(3) to 10(5) Hz. and the other in the high-frequcncy range from 10(5) to 10(7) Hz. In the salt-free system. both dispersions are of the Debye type and their relaxation limes arc insensitive to the volume fraction. Addition of H2SO4 to the suspension enlarges the magnitude of the low-frequency dispersion and reduces that of the high-frequency dispersion. whereas it does not affect the relaxation times. In the mixture of two species of counterions, e.g. H+ and Na(+), the low-frequency dispersion deviates from the Debye type. while the high-frequency dispersion docs not. From these facts, the high- and low-frequency dispersions are thought to be due to the radial and tangential components of the displacement current at the surface of the latex. The latter process is consistent with the Schwarz theory of the dielectric dispersion of colloidal suspensions.

The production of anomalous pancreaticobiliary ductal union in canine models

For the purpose of resolving the mechanism of the ill-effect of refluxed pancreatic juice, due to the anomalous pancreaticobiliary ductal union, canine models were produced. Mongrel adult dogs and puppies were used. Pancreatico-cholecystostomy was performed on 5 adult dogs and 5 puppies. Pancreatico-choledochostomy was performed on 10 adult dogs and 5 puppies. In both procedures, the cylindrical dilatation of the choledochus resulted. The pathological changes in the choledochus were very similar to the cylindrical choledochal dilatation in the human. Elastic fibers diminished universally and in some cases they vanished completely. The changes in the papilla of the bile duct were very slight. There were no cases with hardened papilla. The pathological changes were greater in the pancreatico-cholecystostomy. Enzymatic analysis of pancreatic juice in bile was very important in explaining the etiology. Amylase was proven to be very high throughout the cases, over 10,000 IU/1 by enzymatic assay. Trypsin and elastase were proven to be activated in pancreatico-cholecystostomy, naturally assuming the existence of enterokinase. They were aso proved to be activated in the pancreatico-choledochostomy, without the existence of enterokinase. Though the mechanism was not clear, the activated proteases were the actual cause of the ill-effect in this anomaly. Thus we have succeeded in producing the ideal animal models of the reflux of pancreatic juice into the bile duct in adult dogs and puppies.

Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis: atypical absence attacks as first symptom

Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis was diagnosed in a 10-year-old girl who had suffered from atypical absence attacks for 3 months; diagnosis was made after 5 months of these attacks. Characteristic EEG findings included diffuse spike and wave complexes of about 2.5 Hz associated with desynchronization during the absence attacks, and recruiting rhythm during the tonic seizure. As the lesion responsible for these EEG patterns originated in the brainstem, subcortical structures were probably affected early in the disease. The SSPE complexes may have originated chiefly in the brainstem since, in this case, they were recognized even during the period of absence attacks.