[Angiomyolipoma of the kidney: report of three cases and a statistical study of 194 cases in Japan]

Three cases of renal angiomyolipoma are reported. The first case was a 53-year-old female with the complaint of left flank pain. In both cases selective angiography revealed a renal tumor, and computerized tomography disclosed a renal mass with low density corresponding to the fat tissue. From several examinations these two cases were preoperatively diagnosed as renal angiomyolipoma and nephrectomy was performed. Histopathological diagnosis was renal angiomyolipoma. The third case was a 64-year-old female with the complaints of left flank pain and macrohematuria. In this case computerized tomography revealed a renal mass which did not have a low density area. The possibility of renal cell carcinoma was considered and nephrectomy was performed. Histological diagnosis was renal angiomyolipoma which was primarily composed of smooth muscle cells. The first case had a calcified lesion in the brain. But there was no evidence of tuberous sclerosis in the following two cases. Some problems in diagnosis and treatment of renal angiomyolipoma are presented, and a statistical study is made on 194 reported cases of renal angiomyolipoma in Japan.

Visual fixation of caloric nystagmus with special reference to a new index

The effects of visual fixation upon caloric nystagmus were computed in each parameter as a measure. The percentage reduction established with slow-phase velocity best distinguished normal from abnormal visual fixation at the line of 60%. However, if a +/- 5% safety margin is taken into account, 11 of 176 ears showed false-negatives. The number of nystagmus beats in normals decreased markedly during the period of fixation. In abnormals, the number of nystagmus beats increased definitely during the fixation period. Based on this fact, the product of slow-phase velocity multiplied by the number of nystagmus beats was assessed as the fixation-suppression index. As a result, 11 ears showing false-negative slow-phase velocity decreased to 2 ears. Thus, this modified fixation-suppression index seems to be an appropriate parameter to separate normal from abnormal fixation-suppression of caloric nystagmus.

Observation of cytochemical alkaline phosphatase activity on the plasma membrane of cultured rat hepatocytes by backscattered electron imaging

Distribution of alkaline phosphatase (ALPase) activity on the plasma membrane of rat hepatocytes in primary monolayer culture was observed using the backscattered electron image (BEI) mode. Apparent reaction product was seen in hepatocytes cultured for 48 or 72 hours in a concentration of 8 X 10(5) cells per ml, and those cultured for 72 or 96 hours in a concentration of 6 or 4 X 10(5) cells per ml. The reaction product was observed as scattered fine dots, as spots, and as bands along the cell edge, with high contrast in flattened polyhedral hepatocytes forming cell trabeculae. The deposition of the reaction product was generally more abundant at the periphery of the cell trabeculae. X-ray microanalysis revealed that the reaction product contains both lead and phosphorus as real ALPase reaction product. In transmission electron microscopy, the reaction product was exclusively localized on the external surface of the plasma membrane. However, the plasma membrane adjoining the culture substratum was devoid of the reaction product. Further, the highest biochemical ALPase activity appeared in earlier culture stages when the density of cultured cells was larger. Thus, during a few days of culture, ALPase activity increases on the plasma membrane predominantly at the periphery of the hepatocyte trabeculae. This increase in the activity might be related to the mechanism of preserving the cell shape.

[A case of anorectal malignant melanoma with liver metastasis reduced subjective symptoms by transcatheter arterial embolization]

We report a 56-year-old female with anorectal malignant melanoma reduced subjective symptoms by transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE). She had five-month history of melena and epigastric fullness. The physical examination revealed anorectal tumor and hepatomegaly. Pathological examination of the tumor and liver CT scan showed anoreectal malignant melanoma with liver metastasis. Surgical excision of the anorectal lesion and TAE against the liver metastasis improved subjective symptoms remarkably. Liver CT scan after TAE showed necrosis of the metastatic tumors. TAE is effective for palliative treatment of liver metastasis of anorectal malignant melanoma.

Effect of castration and testosterone replacement on high glucose 6-phosphatase activity in principal cells of the mouse epididymis

Glucose 6-phosphatase activity is higher in the principal cell than in other cell types in the terminal segment and caudal half of the middle segment of the mouse epididymis. Effect of castration and testosterone replacement on the high enzyme activity in the principal cell was studied in the terminal segment and the caudal half of the middle segment (cytochemical study), and in the whole epididymis (biochemical study). Ten, 20, or 30 days after castration, the abundant amount of reaction product seen in principal cells from intact control animals decreased to the level in basal cells, halo cells, and smooth muscle cells. However, in animals treated with testosterone following castration, the reaction product in principal cells remained abundant. Changes in the biochemical activity after castration or testosterone administration following castration paralleled the cytochemical results. Thus, the high activity in the principal cell is under the control of testosterone.

Cytochemical glucose-6-phosphatase activity in the cells of mouse pancreas and submandibular gland

Ultrastructural localization of glucose-6-phosphatase activity was studied in the cells of the pancreas and submandibular gland of the mouse using a incubation medium modified from that of Wachstein & Meisel (1956). In pancreatic acinar cells, the reaction product for the enzyme activity was not found even after 90 min of incubation with three changes of the medium. However, the reaction product was localized in the endoplasmic reticulum and nuclear envelope of all other cell types composing the pancreas and submandibular gland. The reaction product appeared in moderate to abundant amounts in acinar cells and striated duct cells of the submandibular gland, and in the B cells, A and D cells of the pancreatic islet, but it was scarce in other cell types.

Disposition of fractionated 3H-heparin in rats

To evaluate the disposition of fractionated 3H-heparin, high affinity fraction (fraction A) and low affinity fraction (fraction NA) to protamine were prepared in this study from commercial 3H-heparin by affinity chromatography on protamine-Sepharose and gel filtration chromatography. Following intravenous administration of fraction A to rats, it seemed that the radioactivity in plasma declined one-exponentially with time to a pseudo-steady-state level, and 20.5% of dose was excreted in urine in 5 h. However, following the administration of fraction NA to rats, the plasma radioactivity curve was different from that of fraction A, and 69.8% of dose was excreted in urine in 5 h. It was found that fraction A and fraction NA had the distinctly different disposition characteristics in the body. Additionally, whole-body autoradiography with fraction A showed that the liver, bone marrow, kidney cortex, salivary gland and intestine played an important role in the distribution of it. It was suggested by gel filtration chromatography and affinity chromatography that the main material of the radioactivity excreted in urine in 5 h has the same properties as that of the administered heparin fraction.

The change of disposition kinetics for thiourea accompanied by growth in mice

The whole blood levels and whole-body autoradiography following intravenous administration of thiourea, which is considered to covalently bind to the macromolecules in the body, were investigated in 1-day-old, 1-week-old, 3-week-old and 8-week-old mice in order to clarify the change of disposition kinetics accompanied by growth. The total body clearance for thiourea was remarkably lower in 1-day-old and 1-week-old mice than in more aged mice. The lower metabolic clearance as well as renal clearance in 1-day-old and 1-week-old mice seemed to be responsible for this observation. The whole-body autoradiograms obtained at 60 min following intravenous administration of 14C-thiourea showed the homogeneous distribution of radioactivity throughout the body in 1-day-old and 1-week-old mice and the high radioactivity localized in the liver and lung in more aged mice. This remarkable difference was assumed to be brought about by the difference in quantity of the macromolecules in the liver and lung which can covalently bind with thiourea. This assumption was supported by the result of gel filtration on Sephadex G-10 of the liver and lung homogenates.

The change of disposition kinetics for creatinine and urea accompanied by growth in mice

In order to clarify the change of disposition kinetics accompanied by growth, the whole-blood levels and whole-body autoradiography following intravenous administration of creatinine and urea, which are considered to pass through the water-filled pores of biological membranes easily, were investigated in 1-day-old, 1-week-old, 3-week-old and 8-week-old mice. For both creatinine and urea, the total body clearance was considerably lower in 1-day-old and 1-week-old mice than in more aged mice. Relatively lower renal clearance (i.e. rather incomplete renal function) in 1-day-old and 1-week-old mice was considered to be the major reason for this observation. Moreover, the lower metabolic clearance also seemed to be the cause in the case of urea, because the expiratory excretion of 14CO2 following the intravenous administration of 14C-urea was almost negligible in 1-day-old and 1-week-old mice in contrast to more aged (16-21%). The whole-body autoradiograms obtained following intravenous administration of 14C-creatinine indicated that creatinine was more rapidly transferred from blood to muscle in 1-day-old and 1-week-old mice, especially in 1-day-old mice, than in more aged mice. This might be caused by the difference in muscular blood flow rate or muscular cell membrane permeability to creatinine.

Effects of afterload reduction on global left ventricular and regional myocardial functions in the isolated canine heart with stenosis of a coronary arterial branch

We examined the effects of graded reduction of afterload on the global left ventricular and regional myocardial functions as well as coronary hemodynamics in hearts with regional ischemia. We used isolated, paced canine hearts that were loaded with a hydraulic system that simulated the aortic input impedance of the dog's arterial tree. The loading conditions could be quantitatively and sequentially changed by the reduction of the systemic vascular resistance of the hydraulic system, while the preload was kept constant using a variable-height reservoir connected to the left atrium. The heart was perfused with arterial blood from a support dog. Mean coronary perfusion pressure was maintained equal to mean aortic pressure (AoP) by a servo-controlled pump. Then, the left circumflex branch was constricted to an approximate 50% flow reduction of the preischemic control condition. The myocardial lengths at ischemic and nonischemic regions were measured with two pairs of ultrasonic crystals. In the hearts without ischemia, cardiac output continued to increase, from 535 +/- 14 to 1181 +/- 74 ml/min (p less than 0.01), as mean AoP decreased fom 111 +/- 4 to 52 +/- 3 mm Hg (p less than 0.01), although mean coronary blood flow decreased by approximately 50%. During regional ischemia, at control pressures, performance of the ischemic region diminished from 0.94 +/- 0.15 to 0.77 +/- 0.15 mm (p less than 0.05). With a small decrease in afterload, from 98 +/- 6 to 86 +/- 3 mm Hg, performance improved slightly as in the normal region. With a larger reduction in afterload, from 86 +/- 3 to 55 +/- 6 mm Hg, performance of the ischemic region decreased from 0.77 +/- 0.15 to 0.61 +/- 0.15 mm (p less than 0.05) while cardiac output increased. Thus, there appears to be a bimodal change in performance: a baseline performance, perfusion pressure-mediated decrease and a second, afterload-modulated change.

Binding and internalization of 125I-glucagon in hepatocytes of intact mouse liver. An autoradiographic study

Localization of labeled material in hepatocytes of intact mouse liver injected via the portal vein with 125I-glucagon was studied. At 3 minutes after pulse injection of the labeled glucagon, most grains were localized associated with the plasma membrane. At 10 min after the injection, the grains were distributed throughout the cytoplasm and did not appear localized exclusively in any specific cell organelles. At 20 min after the injection, the labeled material appeared decreased, and was not yet localized exclusively in any specific cell organelles. Thus, in hepatocytes of intact liver, labeled glucagon is internalized more rapidly than in freshly isolated hepatocytes (Barazzone et al. 1980), and there appear to be no cell organelles in which internalized glucagon is preferentially localized.