[Studies on early changes in myocardial electrolytes and histological reaction in isoproterenol-induced myocardial injury]

To determine morphological changes in the very early stage of damage and recovery of myocardial fibers in relation to electrolytes and water content in the myocardium, experimental myocardial infarcts were produced after injection of 75 mg/kg isoproterenol (Isp) to rats weighing 270 +/- 10 g. Electrolytes were examined by an atomic absorption spectrophotometer, and histologic examination was performed by light and electron microscopy. At 30 min after Isp injection, Ca and water contents of myocardium increased, but Mg decreased. These myocardial damages showed a maximum level from 6 to 12 h after injection of Isp. It consisted of reversible injury of muscle fibers represented by eosinophilic and fatty degeneration, intermingled with coagulation necrosis of fibers which was irreversible. Most of these eosinophilic degeneration fibers recovered to normal fibers between 12 h and 3 d after the injection. The chronological changes of Ca, Mg, and water contents were well correlated to the morphological early changes of myocardial fibers, and this experimental model by using Isp may be useful for examining the recovery of damaged myocardial tissue and estimating the effects of therapeutics.

Clonidine attenuates the carbachol-induced contractile and phosphatidylinositol responses of rat trachea

Although clonidine is known to affect vascular smooth muscle, its effects on airway smooth muscle are not fully understood. This study was designed to examine the effects of clonidine on carbachol-induced contractile and phosphatidylinositol responses of rat trachea. Clonidine, at a dose of 100 microM or greater, attenuated carbachol-induced contraction and the accumulation of carbachol-induced inositol monophosphate (IP1). Clonidine also attenuated the accumulation of aluminium fluoride-induced IP1. The concentration-effect relationship of IP1 accumulation was similar to that of carbachol-induced contraction; r = 0.797, P < 0.001. These results suggest that clonidine attenuates contractile responses, at least in part, through the inhibition of phospholipase C (coupled with G-proteins) in phosphatidylinositol responses.

Lysyl-tRNA synthetase of Bacillus stearothermophilus molecular cloning and expression of the gene

The gene of the lysyl-tRNA synthetase of Bacillus stearothermophilus NCA1503 was cloned and sequenced. The gene consists of 1485 bp nucleotides commencing with an ATG start codon and ending with a TAA stop codon, and encodes a polypeptide of 493 amino acids. The recombinant enzymes were expressed in E. coli using an expression plasmid containing the T7 RNA polymerase/promoter.

[A case of Sjögren's syndrome complicated with cryoglobulinemia, nephrogenic diabetes insipidus, and renal tubular acidosis]

A 68-year-old woman had been complained of xerostomia since she was 30 years old. Further symptoms of polyuria, polyposia and insomnia had been developed since she was 35 years old. The biopsy material from a minor salivary gland demonstrated the infiltration of lymphocytes into mesenchyme which was compatible with Sjögren's syndrome. She admitted to our hospital because of myalgia in bilateral gastrocnemius and petechiae in both lower extremities in addition to the complaints described above. Complete blood cell counts on admission revealed hemoglobin 9.7 g/dl, platelet count 12.5 x 10(4)/microliters, and white blood cell count 3,300/microliters. Marked polyuria, polyposia (more than 5,000 ml/day, respectively) and low urine gravity (1.005) were observed, although the serum creatinine level showed normal value. Serologic examination showed that the elevation of total serum protein concentration (9.5 g/dl) with marked elevation of serum IgG level (6,190 mg/dl). Her immunoglobulins contained cryoglobulin (cryocrit 20%), and immunoelectrophoresis demonstrated the existence of IgG-kappa monoclonal protein. A positive anti-nuclear antibody at 1:320 dilution, a positive rheumatoid factor and a positive antibody to SS-A (Ro) were also observed. The serial studies of blood gas analysis could not demonstrated the presence of metabolic acidosis. Together with the result of elevated plasma antidiuretic hormone level and results of vasopressin test, Fishberg's concentrating test and the tests of the overload of NH4Cl or bicarbonate, she was diagnosed Sjögren's syndrome with both diabetes insipidus and subclinical renal tubular acidosis. She was initially medicated with prednisolone (40 mg/day, orally), then she was given six courses of intravenous cyclophosphamide (750 mg/body/month).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Perioperative respiratory complications: current evidence and strategy discussed in 2017 JA symposium

Respiratory management during general anesthesia aims to safely secure the airway and maintain adequate ventilation to deliver oxygen to the vital organs, maintaining homeostasis even during surgery. Despite its clinical importance, anesthesiologists often encounter difficulties in properly managing respiration during the perioperative period, leading to severe respiratory complications. In this year's JA symposium, 5 editorial board members of Journal of Anesthesia (JA) who are experts in the field of respiratory management in anesthesia discussed the following topics: quitting smoking before surgery: exposure to passive smoke is damaging to children, ventilator-associated pneumonia, high inspiratory oxygen concentration and lung injury, aspiration pneumonia, and postoperative respiratory management strategy in patients with obstructive sleep apnea. We hope that this special article regarding this year's JA symposium may be useful for JA readers to manage clinical anesthesia on a daily basis.

Wheat germ agglutinin, concanavalin A, and lens culinalis agglutinin block the inhibitory effect of nerve growth factor on cell-free phosphorylation of Nsp100 in PC12h cells

It has been shown that in PC12 and its subclone PC12h treatment of the cells with nerve growth factor (NGF) induces a selective decrease in the incorporation of radioactive phosphate into a 100,000-dalton protein, designated in an earlier study as Nsp100, in the subsequent phosphorylation of soluble extracts from cells with (gamma-32P)ATP. In the present study, we show that plant lectins, wheat germ agglutinin (WGA), concanavalin A (Con A), and lens culinaris agglutinin (LCA), inhibit the action of NGF on Nsp100 phosphorylation in PC12h cells. Treatment of the cells with WGA, which binds to N-acetylglucosamine and sialic acid residues on glycoproteins, strongly blocked the inhibitory action of NGF on the protein phosphorylation. Con A and LCA, both of which recognize the same specific sugars (mannose, glucose), displayed only a moderate blocking effect. Unlike the native lectin, succinylated WGA, which has the ability to bind to N-acetylglucosamine but not to sialic acid residues, and other lectins examined in this study did not inhibit the action of NGF on Nsp100. WGA-mediated inhibition of NGF action was reversed by the addition of N-acetylglucosamine and by the addition of a much lower concentration of a sialoglycoprotein, mucin, into the culture. Since the binding of succinylated WGA to N-acetylglucosamine residues of cell-surface glycoconjugates is not sufficient to prevent the action of NGF, WGA might act on sialic acid residues of the NGF receptor molecule to effect the inhibition of biological actions of NGF.

Studies on new dehydropeptidase inhibitors. III. Biological properties of WS1358A1

WS1358A1, a novel inhibitor of renal dehydropeptidase (DHP), augmented the urinary recovery of a carbapenem antibiotic imipenem and improved its protective effect in experimental infections when simultaneously administered to mice with the antibiotic. WS1358A1 was a competitive DHP inhibitor with a Ki value of 1.6 x 10(-7) M.

Ethics roundtable debate: child with severe brain damage and an underlying brain tumour

A young person presents with a highly malignant brain tumour with hemiparesis and limited prognosis after resection. She then suffers an iatrogenic cardiac and respiratory arrest that results in profound anoxic encephalopathy. A difference in opinion between the treatment team and the parent is based on a question of futile therapy. Opinions from five intensivists from around the world explore the differences in ethical and legal issues. A Physician-ethicist comments on the various approaches.

An improved technique for the closure of ventricular septal defect in ventricular inversion

An improved technique for the closure of ventricular septal defect associated with ventricular inversion through the anatomically left ventricle is described. The technique consists of placing a patch completely on the anatomically right ventricular side with modified horizontal mattress sutures all around the defect. This technique was applied successfully in 2 patients with no ensuing conduction disturbance. The details of the technique are reported.

Determination of peptidoaminobenzophenone (2-o-chlorobenzoyl-4-chloro-N-methyl-N'-glycylglycinanilide) and its metabolites in human plasma by glass capillary gas chromatography negative ion chemical ionization mass spectrometry--1

A highly sensitive and selective glass capillary gas chromatographic negative ion chemical ionization mass spectrometric assay was developed to measure peptidoaminobenzophenone(2-o-chlorobenzoyl-4-chloro-N-methyl-N'-glycylglycinanilide) and its metabolites; chlorodiazepam, chlorodesmethyldiazepam and lorazepam in human plasma. As peptidoaminobenzophenone underwent pyrolysis during gas chromatography, it was converted to a thermally stable aminoquinolone. Internal standards for these compounds were the respective deuterium labelled compounds. Calibration curves were prepared for the range of 1-100 ng ml-1. Interference by endogenous substances was negligible in the isobutane negative ion chemical ionization mode in contrast to the electron impact or positive ion chemical ionization mode. This method was used to determine the plasma levels in humans following oral administration of two 5 mg doses.

Unusual splice sites in the E1A-E1B cotranscripts synthesized in adenovirus type 40-infected A549 cells

The adenovirus E1 DNA region consists of two transcription units, E1A and E1B. In this paper we report that the E1A-E1B cotranscripts containing sequences of both the E1A and E1B regions are synthesized during adenovirus type 40 (Ad40) infection of A549 cells. Cytoplasmic RNA was isolated from Ad40-infected A549 cells at 24, 72, and 100 h post infection (p.i.). The complementary (c) DNA was synthesized by reverse transcription using an oligo-dT primer and then amplified by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using primers derived from the E1A and E1B regions. The cDNAs thus amplified were sequenced either directly or after cloning into bacteriophage M13 vectors. Analysis of cDNA indicated that the E1A-E1B cotranscripts are synthesized at 72 h p.i., but not at 24 or 100 h p.i. Nucleotide sequences of three cDNAs of the E1A-E1B cotranscripts indicated that the cotranscripts originate from the E1A promoter and lack sequences for both the E1A poly(A) site and E1B cap site. The splices create open reading frames for E1A-E1B fused polypeptides around the E1A-E1B junctions in these mRNAs. Most interestingly, the sequence analysis showed that the 5' and 3' splice junctions in the two E1A-E1B cotranscripts do not conform to the splice consensus GT-AG rule. Our results thus suggest that factor(s) which lead to unusual splicing in the E1 mRNAs are present in Ad40-infected A549 cells.

Therapeutic or spontaneous Helicobacter pylori eradication can obscure magnifying narrow-band imaging of gastric tumors

BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIMS

We previously reported that narrow-band imaging with magnifying endoscopy (NBI-ME) revealed a unique "gastritis-like" appearance in approximately 40 % of early gastric cancers after Helicobacter pylori eradication. Because rates of gastric cancer are increasing in patients with non-persistent infection of H. pylori, we aimed to clarify contribution factors to obscure tumors after therapeutic or spontaneous eradication.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

NBI-ME findings were examined retrospectively in 194 differentiated-type adenocarcinomas from H. pylori-negative patients with prior eradication therapy (83 patients) or without prior eradication therapy (72 patients). A gastritis-like appearance under NBI-ME was defined as an orderly microsurface structure and/or loss of clear demarcation with resemblance to the adjacent, non-cancerous mucosa. The correlation of this phenomenon with the degree of atrophic gastritis, determined both histologically in the adjacent mucosa and endoscopically, was evaluated.

RESULTS

The tumor-obscuring gastritis-like appearance was observed in 42 % and 23 % of the patients in the H. pylori eradication and non-eradication groups, respectively. The development of this appearance was affected by the histological grade of atrophy (P = 0.003) and intestinal metaplasia (P < 0.001) on univariate analysis. Multivariate analysis revealed an odds ratio of 0.25 (95 % confidence interval 0.10 - 0.61, P = 0.002) for an endoscopically severe extent of atrophy, independently of eradication therapy.

CONCLUSIONS

An endoscopically mild or moderate extent of atrophy is associated with a gastritis-like appearance under NBI-ME in currently H. pylori-negative gastric cancers. Surveillance endoscopy should be performed carefully after successful eradication or spontaneous elimination of H. pylori, particularly in patients with non-severe atrophic background mucosa.

Effects of metoclopramide, a dopamine antagonist, on secretion of aldosterone and renin release in patients with primary aldosteronism

To assess the interaction between dopamine and aldosterone secretion in primary aldosteronism, the dopamine antagonist, metoclopramide (methoxy-2-chloro-5-procainamide), was given as an i.v. bolus (10 mg) to 5 patients with primary aldosteronism and 5 normal subjects treated with dexamethasone (2 mg/day) to eliminate an influence of ACTH. Metoclopramide increased plasma aldosterone concentration (PAC) in primary aldosteronism from 39.1 +/- 15.5 to 42.5 +/- 15.9 ng/100 ml (p less than 0.05) and also from 12.9 +/- 2.3 to 23.6 +/- 3.4 ng/100 ml (p less than 0.01) in normal subjects at 15 min. Plasma renin activity (PRA), and plasma concentrations of cortisol, potassium, and sodium did not significantly change with metoclopramide in either primary aldosteronism or normal subjects. Plasma prolactin increased by 12- and 20-fold in primary aldosteronism and in normal subjects, respectively, but there was no significant positive correlation between changes in PAC and in plasma prolactin in either primary aldosteronism or normal subjects. It is suggested that dopamine inhibits the secretion of aldosterone in primary aldosteronism as well as in normal subjects. It seems unlikely that dopamine affects the release of renin in primary aldosteronism.

Effects of misclassification and temporal change of response in food frequency on risk ratio

Misclassification and temporal changes of food consumption frequencies were estimated under the statistical models with some assumptions, and their effects on risk ratios were evaluated. Food frequencies of 27 items in 214 subjects were doubly measured by a questionnaire with 2 weeks interval, and those in 326 subjects were measured in 1989, 1993 and 1994. Median of probabilities of misclassification in responses among 27 food items was estimated to be 0.12. Medians of proportions of persons whose responses in 1989 were different from those after 5 years, were calculated to be 35% with misclassification and 27% without misclassification. For the true risk ratio of 3, medians of the risk ratios of dietary habits during 5 years, based on food frequencies measured at 1989, were observed to be 2.2 in case of responses with misclassification, and 1.7 in case of responses with misclassification and temporal changes. These suggested that the risk ratios of food frequencies would be seriously affected by misclassification and temporal changes in responses.

N-acetylcysteine attenuates TNF-alpha-dependent reduction of IL-4-induced Fc epsilon RII expression in human monocytes

We have previously shown that tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) reduces interleukin-4 (IL-4)-induced Fc epsilon RII expression in human monocytes. It has been shown that TNF-alpha activates nuclear transcriptional factors through the generation of reactive oxygen intermediates (ROIs), and antioxidant N-acetylcysteine (NAC) inhibits TNF-alpha-induced activation of nuclear transcriptional factors. Therefore, we hypothesized that TNF-alpha-dependent reduction of IL-4-induced Fc epsilon RII expression in monocytes might be mediated through the ROIs-activated mechanism. In the present study, to test our hypothesis, we examined the effect of NAC on TNF-alpha-dependent reduction of IL-4-induced Fc epsilon RII expression in human monocytes. NAC attenuated TNF-alpha-dependent reduction of IL-4-induced Fc epsilon RII expression by attenuating TNF-alpha-dependent reduction of Fc epsilon RII mRNA expression. Similarly, the structurally unrelated antioxidant, pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC), also effectively attenuated this-reduction. These results indicate that an ROIs-activated and antioxidant-sensitive mechanism might be involved in TNF-alpha-dependent reduction of IL-4-induced Fc epsilon RII expression in monocytes.

Synthesis of bis-netropsin-linked hydroxamic acids and their DNA cleavage properties in the presence of transition or lanthanide metal ions

Nobel hydroxamic acids containing bis-netropsin units coupled by polymethylenetether (BNHA) have been synthesized. BNHA-ferrous complexes sequence-specifically cleaved pBR322 DNA fragment whereas corresponding cerium complexes showed low-sequence specific cleavage pattern.

Antibodies to beta 2-microglobulin, the light-chain component of class I histocompatibility molecules, provide an activation signal to human lymphocytes

Antibodies to beta 2-microglobulin (beta 2m), the light-chain component of class I histocompatibility antigens, provide a strong co-stimulatory signal to human lymphocytes in the presence of phorbol ester. This activation signal requires a high concentration of antibody, whereas the effect on responses to a mitogenic lectin is exclusively inhibitory over a broad dose range. A rabbit polyclonal and a mouse monoclonal antibody to beta 2m were similarly co-stimulatory. Antibody to beta 2m was co-stimulatory with phorbol ester, but not calcium ionophore, suggesting that class I antigens play a role in the initiation of the 'first' signal of a recently described two-signal model of lymphocyte activation.

[Studies on early stage changes of peroxide lipid in isoproterenol-induced myocardial injury]

The amount of peroxide lipid in vivo in the early stage of the experimental model of myocardial infarction in a rat induced by the administration of isoproterenol (Isp) was measured as the value of malonic dialdehyde (MDA). The model of myocardial infarction was made by giving 75 mg/kg of Isp to the rat weighing 270 +/- 10 g. After the administration of Isp, the amounts of lipid in the serum and in the myocardial tissue were measured, and a blood chemistry test (glutamic oxaloacetic dehydrogenase, glutamic pyruvic transaminase, lactate dehydrogenase, free fatty acid, creatine kinase) was simultaneously carried out on the serum. The value of the amount of peroxide lipid in the serum began to elevate 3 h after the administration of Isp and reached a maximum value at 6 h. The value of the amount of peroxide lipid in the tissue began to elevate 30 min after the administration and reached a maximum at 3 h. Each blood chemistry disclosed the elevation 30 min after the administration. As mentioned above, the production of peroxide lipid in vivo on the myocardial disorder in the early stage after the administration of Isp and the biochemical changes showed a significant correlation. From these results it is suggested that the myocardial disorder induced by the administration of Isp has already developed at 30 min after the administration.

Biochemical evidence for existence of immunoreactive renin in human prolactinoma tissue

High activity of renin was demonstrated in human prolactinoma tissue. This activity was almost completely inhibited by specific antibody raised against human renal renin, indicating that it was not due to the nonspecific action of proteases. The specific activity of renin was 5.04 ng of angiotensin I generated/mg of protein per h, comparable to that of the pituitary tissue prepared from postmortem human subjects. The biochemical properties of the prolactinoma renin were generally similar to those of well-known kidney enzyme, such as molecular mass (Mr = 46,000), optimum pH (6.0), and glycoprotein nature. However, the isoelectric points (pI) of the prolactinoma renin (pI = 4.90, 5.04, 5.24 and 5.41) differed somewhat from those of plasma and kidney renins reported hitherto. These results indicate that true renin can be produced in human prolactinoma tissue.