[Superoxide dismutase and hyperbaric oxygen therapy of the patient with rheumatoid arthritis]

Cu, Zn-SOD values were measured by enzyme immunoassay in the synovial fluid, leukocytes in the synovial fluid, synovial membrane, and leukocytes in blood of the patients with rheumatoid arthritis. SOD activity, lipoperoxide value in serum, ESR, and Lansbury's index of the patients with rheumatoid arthritis under hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy were also investigated. SOD values of synovial fluid and of leukocytes in synovial fluid from rheumatoid arthritis group were found to be higher than those from osteoarthritis group. No significant difference was found the SOD values in leukocytes of blood and synovial membrane between two groups. In the patients with rheumatoid arthritis under HBO therapy the SOD activity was increased, whereas lipoperoxide values was decreased. Furthermore, ESR and Lansbury's index showed a remarkable recovery. These results suggest that HBO therapy may be an effective treatment for the patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Erythrocyte membrane fluidity decreased in uremic hemodialyzed patients

Erythrocyte membrane fluidity was studied by means of electron spin resonance in 15 uremic, hemodialyzed patients and 14 normal subjects. Erythrocyte membrane fluidity determined using a 16-nitroxide stearic acid spin label probe was of a significantly lower level in the uremic patients, when compared with normal control subjects. Alterations in molar ratios of membrane free cholesterol to phospholipid are probably not a principal factor contributing to this change in fluidity. Significant decreases of phosphatidylcholine and molar ratios of phosphatidylcholine to sphingomyelin were noted in the erythrocyte membrane of uremic patients, and these alterations may relate to the fluidity change.

Immunohistochemical distribution of glucagon, substance P and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide in hepatic vasculature of the rat

The distribution of immunoreactive glucagon, substance P (SP) and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP)-like structures was investigated in the rat liver, with special reference to the hepatic vasculature by means of the indirect immunofluorescence method. Immunoreactive structures of glucagon were seen in the walls of the portal vein, hepatic artery and hepatic vein, but not in the central vein. Immunoreactive glucagon was localized in the smooth muscle cells of these blood vessels. SP and VIP-like immunoreactive (SPI and VIPI) structures were seen in the neuronal elements. In the porta hepatis, thick, compact SPI and VIPI fibers, which were dissociated from their fiber bundles, reached the tunica adventitia where they were distributed. No SPI and VIPI structures were seen in the tunica media or the tunica interna. No SPI- and VIPI-containing cell bodies could be detected in the liver. These observations suggest that these peptides may have an important role in the neural regulation of hepatic hemodynamics.

CT-aided volumetry and prognosis in cervical carcinoma

Since January 1981, 128 CT evaluations were systematically applied to 85 patients of histologically proven squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix uteri before and after external irradiation (i.e., at the beginning of intracavitary therapy). CT-measured cervical mass volume and mass-pelvic wall distance were analyzed in relation to prognosis, namely, local control at one year after irradiation and three-year survival. Regardless of clinical stage, CT-measured volume and mass-pelvic wall distance were revealed to be closely related to prognosis. In 46 patients whose cervical mass volume regressed to less than 48 cm3 after external irradiation, 44 (95.6%) were locally controlled for more than a year, and the three-year actuarial survival of this group was 71.6 + 6.2%. On the contrary, in those whose volume was over 48 cm3 at the end of external irradiation, only 3 out of 18 were locally controlled, and the three-year survival was 7.4 + 6.0. Mass-pelvic wall distance was also related to tumor control. CT was found to provide fairly objective, reproducible information for detecting the high-risk subgroup in cervical carcinoma under uniform treatment conditions.

A "supralethal dose phenomenon" revealed by cancer of the maxillary sinus

In this paper a so-called "supralethal dose phenomenon" is reported. Two groups of patients, all of whom were carrying proved squamous cell carcinoma of the same clinical stage in their maxillary sinuses, were compared after radiotherapy in our department. The radiotherapies applied to the two groups were very similar in terms of fraction number, treatment period, dose distribution and immobilization technique, but differed in dose, i.e., 5,500 cGy for one group of 9 patients and 5,750 cGy for the other group of 20 patients. The five-year survival rates of the two groups were 8/9 and 10/20, respectively, and the difference was statistically significant (p less than 0.05). All patients were observed for at least five years. Except for tumor stage, the status of the patients in the two groups, including primary site of the tumor in the sinus, patients' age and cause of death for the failed cases, are also discussed in detail.

Immunoreactive glucagon in the smooth muscle cells of the rat cerebral artery: an immunohistochemical analysis

The presence of immunoreactive glucagon (IRG) in a smooth muscle of the cerebral arteries of rats was demonstrated immunohistochemically using two antisera against pancreatic glucagon, OAL -123 and Unger 's 30K . Based on the results and on our previous radioimmunoassay and gel filtration study, the smooth muscle cells of the blood vessels may be one of the extrapancreatic sources of IRG in the plasma.

[Changes in index-F and index-delta 4P in normal pregnancy, labor and the puerperium]

Index-F and index-delta 4P (cortisol and progesterone which are not bound to corticosteroid-binding globulin (CBG) in the umbilical cord vein and the maternal blood were determined during pregnancy, at delivery and puerperium. Index-F and index-delta 4P were calculated as the total cortisol or total progesterone X% unbound to CBG divided by 100. The level of index-F showed a gradual rise during pregnancy, and in late pregnancy reached about 1.5 times as high as that of non-pregnant women, whereas the total cortisol level was about 3.3 times. Near delivery, index-F was almost completely stable, but at delivery, it increased suddenly in proportion to the rise in the total cortisol level. This rise is probably due to stress. In the umbilical cord vein blood, the level of index-F was 1.5 times higher than that in the maternal plasma before delivery; however the total cortisol level was lower than that of the maternal plasma. The levels of both index-delta 4P and total progesterone showed a gradual increase during pregnancy in parallel, and each value in late pregnancy was about 4.5 to 4.9 times that of early pregnant women. At or near delivery, the level of index-delta 4P was almost stable and no decrease occurred. In the umbilical cord vein plasma, the levels of index-delta 4P and total progesterone were extremely high. However, the meaning of these results isn't clear.

Metabolic dependence of the fluidity of intact erythrocyte membrane

The motion of spin labeled phosphatidylcholine embedded in the lipid bilayer of erythrocyte membrane increased in association with metabolic ATP-depletion. The fluidity change was reversed by subsequent ATP-replenishment. However, levels of cellular 1,2-diacylglycerol, GSH or intracellular Ca2+ contributed little to the fluidity change. Temperature dependence of the fluidity indicated the disappearance of inflection points in ATP-depleted cells, thereby suggesting alterations in protein-lipid interactions. The fluidity change was also reproduced with oxidizing agents which cross-link spectrin. We suggest that the lipid phase state of membrane is maintained by protein-lipid interactions which depend on the metabolic state of the cells, particularly ATP levels.

Neurons in the superior colliculus of echo-locating bats respond to ultrasonic signals

Using conventional electrophysiological techniques, we demonstrate that neurons in the superior colliculus of the big brown bat (Eptesicus fuscus) respond to ultrasonic signals. Most response properties of these neurons are very similar to neurons of the inferior colliculus in the same bat.

Mapping of the auditory area in the cerebellar vermis and hemispheres of the mustache bat, Pteronotus parnellii parnellii

Microelectrode mapping of the auditory areas in the cerebellar vermis and hemispheres of mustache bats, Pteronotus parnellii parnellii, reveals that a large area of the bat's cerebellum contains units responding to acoustic signals. A study of frequency tuning of isolated units shows that there are two large groups of auditory units. The units of one group are sharply tuned to a very narrow band of frequency with BFs between 60 and 64 kHz. The units of the other group are broadly tuned, with BFs between 47 and 59 kHz. These two groups of units are probably involved in processing the predominant CF and FM portions of the bat's orientation sounds during echolocation.

Lower levels of erythrocyte membrane fluidity in diabetic patients. A spin label study

The dynamic properties of intact erythrocyte membrane in diabetic patients were investigated by means of electron spin resonance using three stearic acid spin labels (SAL): 5-, 12-, and 16-SAL. Significantly lower levels of erythrocyte membrane fluidity were revealed with 16-SAL as a probe in diabetic patients when compared with normal controls. However, there were no significant differences in fluidity values using 5- or 12-SAL between the two groups. Therefore, it became obvious that the decrease in fluidity was located in deeper sites (hydrophobic region) of the erythrocyte double membrane in diabetic patients. It was strongly suggested that changes in the membrane cholesterol to phospholipid molar ratios are not a principal factor contributing to the fluidity change. A significant increase of sphingomyelin and decrease of phosphatidylethanolamine were found in the erythrocyte membrane of diabetic patients and an alteration in membrane phospholipid classes and their acyl-chains could conceivably be related to the fluidity change. There were no significant correlations between change in membrane fluidity and most plasma lipids, plasma lecithin-cholesterol acyl-transferase activities, erythrocyte glycosylated hemoglobin, erythrocyte adenosine triphosphate, fasting blood glucose or duration of the disease. Plasma cholesterol of high-density lipoprotein showed a significant negative correlation with the membrane fluidity values. Some of the possible factors contributing to and the significance of the lower levels of erythrocyte membrane fluidity were discussed in conjunction with both metabolic and clinical aspects in diabetic patients.

Gastric mucosal blood distribution and its changes in the healing process of gastric ulcer

Changes in gastric mucosal blood volume in the healing process of ulcers were investigated by organ reflectance spectrophotometry performed during endoscopy. Spectra were taken from 24 regions in the stomach in 42 patients with gastric ulcers located at the angle of the stomach. Fifty-one patients with no gastric lesions were used as normal controls. In patients with active gastric ulcers, mucosal blood volume decreased significantly in most regions in the stomach. During the healing process, mucosal blood volume returned to the same levels as those of the controls. On the other hand, mucosal blood volume around the gastric ulcer increased significantly as compared with that of surrounding mucosal at the healing stage. The rise in mucosal blood volume of the ulcer margin at the healing stage (H2 stage) was 33% in cases where gastric ulcers healed within 3 mo, and 2% in cases where the gastric ulcer failed to heal after 3 mo of therapy. It was concluded that the mucosal blood volume changes during the healing process of gastric ulcer and that an increased blood supply to the ulcer margin at the healing stage has a strong effect on the healing periods of ulcer. The reduction of mucosal blood volume at the active stage of the ulcer may also be implicated in the pathogenesis of gastric ulcers.