The effects of an alpha-glucoside hydrolase inhibitor on glycemia and the absorption of sucrose in man determined using a tracer method

Acarbose, an alpha-glucosidase inhibitor, lowers the glycemic excursion following the ingestion of carbohydrates, in particular, sucrose. This was confirmed with increasing doses of acarbose (0, 50, and 100 mg) and the causes investigated. The absorption of the glucose moiety of sucrose was determined from plasma tracer concentrations when overnight-fasted normal subjects received a 100-g oral sucrose load labeled with sucrose [(1-14C]glucose and a simultaneous intravenous infusion of [3-3H]glucose. As the dose of acarbose given with the sucrose load was increased from 0 to 100 mg, the percentage of the load appearing in the peripheral circulation decreased from 90% to 62%. Malabsorption was confirmed by the appearance of breath hydrogen. Simultaneously, absorption time increased from 243 to 411 min. Maximal glycemic excursions were therefore lowered from 64 to 31 mg/dl. The plasma concentrations of gastric inhibitory polypeptide and insulin decreased with the acarbose dose so that the fractional disappearance rate of glucose also decreased. However, the concentrations of glucagon-like immunoreactivity (GLI) rose, confirming the ileal appearance of malabsorbed sucrose.

Acycloguanosine therapy of the localized form of herpes simplex virus infection in a low-birth-weight infant

It is known that the localized form of herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection does not always show a good prognosis. A preterm infant who evidenced skin and tongue lesions, caused by HSV type 1, was treated by acycloguanosine. The result was satisfactory without any complications. Therefore, a localized form of HSV infection of the newborn infant, even though the patient has a low-birth-weight, should be treated by the drug immediately after the observation of the positive HSV culture.

Local T cell subsets in mumps meningitis

In the acute phase of mumps meningitis, more than 85% of the cells in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) were OKT 3 positive, while 76% of the peripheral mononuclear cells (PMN) were OKT 3 positive. The ratio of OKT 4:8 positive cells in CSF was significantly lower than that in PMN, showing that suppressor/cytotoxic T cells had selectively accumulated in CSF. In addition, 58% of CSF cells were immune associated (Ia) positive, probably activated T cells.

Studies on amelanotic melanoma with the fluorescence method (Falck and Hillarp) and biochemical analysis of 5-S-cysteinyldopa in the tissues

Histochemical findings of primary and metastatic amelanotic melanomas were shown by the formaldehyde-induced fluorescence method (Falck and Hillarp). All or some of the amelanotic melanoma cells were discovered to emit green specific fluorescence. Results of the determination of 5-S-cysteinyldopa and DOPA in amelanotic melanoma tissues indicated that the specific fluorescence emitted by these cells is primarily due to the presence of 5-S-cysteinyldopa. The values of 5-S-cysteinyldopa in these tissues were lower than those in melanotic melanoma, but were approximately the same as those in pigmented nevus. When unpigmented tumors were histopathologically revealed to be malignant, amelanotic melanoma could be definitely diagnosed by the fluorescence method of Falck and Hillarp and the biochemical analysis of 5-S-cysteinyldopa in the tissues.

Cysteinyldopa isomers and dopa in lesions and urine of Japanese patients with malignant melanoma

Cysteinyldopas and Dopa in the urine and tissues of Japanese melanoma patients were investigated quantitatively by means of high-performance liquid chromatography. Cysteinyldopa isomers were detected in the urine of eumelanic Japanese patients. The amount (X +/- SD%) of each isomer of cysteinyldopa in the urine was 80.26 +/- 4.66% in 5-S-cysteinyldopa, 9.39 +/- 1.64% in 2-S-cysteinyldopa, 7.07 +/- 3.33% in 2, 5-S, S-dicysteinyldopa, and 3.28 +/- 1.43% in 6-S-cysteinyldopa. The amount of cysteinyldopa in melanoma tissues was 26-314 times more than that of Dopa. The amount (X +/- SD%) of cysteinyldopa in the tissues was 80.34 +/- 1.75% in 5-S-cysteinyldopa, 11.06 +/- 1.91% in 2-S-cysteinyldopa, 6.27 +/- 1.43% in 2, 5-S, S-dicysteinyldopa, and 2.34 +/- 0.61% in 6-S-cysteinyldopa. The fact that the percentages of each isomer of cysteinyldopa in the urine and in the tissues were approximately constant suggests that the cysteinyldopas secreted from melanoma cells were excreted into the urine without being metabolized.

[Study on distribution to oral tissues of long acting amoxicillin]

The distribution of L-AMPC, a newly developed long acting amoxicillin granules, was studied in oral tissues using New Zealand White rabbits. The antibiotic was dosed at 20 mg/kg and the tissue concentrations were measured in the tongue, gingiva, submaxillary gland, cervical lymph node and the parotid gland. Amoxicillin concentrations in liver and kidney were monitored for reference and urinary recovery was measured over 5 hours. All tissue concentrations were both high and persistent whereas amoxicillin concentrations in kidney and liver were high and low, respectively, the observation consistent with the published data for amoxicillin.

The effect of rectal administration of insulin on the short-term treatment of alloxan-diabetic dogs

Six alloxan-diabetic dogs with fasting plasma glucose levels above 200 mg/100 mL were treated with rectal administration of insulin suppositories twice a day for 6--9 days. The effectiveness was compared with that of subcutaneous insulin injections. In three diabetic dogs with fasting plasma glucose levels below 300 mg/100 mL, both insulin suppository at a dose of 20 U (2.3 U/kg) and subcutaneous insulin at a dose of 0.2 U/kg showed a similar effect in reducing fasting glucose levels and daily urinary glucose amounts. In dogs with higher fasting glucose levels, 0.5 U of subcutaneous insulin/kg is less effective in reducing fasting glucose than 50 U (5.2 U/kg) suppositories, in spite of the same effects on daily urinary glucose output. Postprandial glucose responses were significantly lessened with rectal administration of insulin suppositories. The integrated area of increase in peripheral insulin concentration after subcutaneous infection of 0.2 or 0.5 U insulin/kg was significantly greater than that after rectal administration of an insulin suppository (2.3 or 5.2 U/kg, respectively). These results indicate that diabetes could be controlled by the daily rectal administration of an insulin suppository instead of the conventional subcutaneous injection.

Local immunity in mumps meningitis

Titers of antibodies to mumps and measles virus and interferon activity were measured in sera and CSF obtained from 15 children with mumps meningitis. Antibody to mumps virus was found in 11 of 15 CSF samples. Evaluation of the CSF-serum ratio for antibodies to both viruses showed a substantially higher ratio for antibody to mumps virus. The ratio of IgG/IgM antibody activity to mumps virus was greater in CSF than in sera. These results could be attributed to antibody synthesis, particularly IgG, in the CNS. Titers of antibodies to mumps virus in CSF increased rapidly, reaching a peak four to ten days from onset of meningitis, and swiftly decreased thereafter. During the acute phase, interferon activity was found in almost all cases ranging from 16 to 128 IU/mL in sera, and 4 to 16 IU/mL in CSF. In cases of mumps meningitis that followed the usual clinical course, interferon disappeared within a week, whereas it persisted in the CSF in cases of persistent pleocytosis.

Changes of the rotavirus concentration in faeces during the course of acute gastroenteritis as determined by the immune adherence hemagglutination test

Concentrations of rotavirus were studied in serially sampled faecal specimens from 55 patients with acute gastroenteritis, utilizing the immune adherence hemagglutination (IAHA) test. Rotavirus antigen was detected in 45 (82%) out of 55 cases. In the faeces which were positive for rotavirus antigen, the concentrations reached their maximum titer shortly after the onset of the illness and diminished gradually until the 9th day.

Analysis of the inhibitory effect of peritoneal macrophages on the spread of herpes simplex virus

Peritoneal macrophages obtained from mice after an intraperitoneal injection of tryptose peptone inhibited the development of herpes simplex virus type 2 plaques in syngeneic mouse embryonic fibroblasts. In contrast, peritoneal macrophages, spleen cells, and thymocytes from untreated mice showed only a minimal inhibitory effect on the development of viral plaques. The effect was age dependent. Macrophages from 2 and 3-week-old mice showed weaker functions, requiring a larger number of cells for an equivalent reduction of plaques and virus yield than those from adult mice. When macrophages were treated with procaine, their phagocytic activity was completely abolished. However the procaine-treated macrophages still could inhibit the development of viral plaques. Peritoneal macrophages did not show any increased cytotoxicity against herpes simplex virus-infected cells; plaque inhibition might rather be attributable to their cytostatic effects on target cells.

Course of rotavirus gastroenteritis in a closed community

There were 3 outbreaks of rotavirus gastroenteritis accompanied by milky-white stools in a closed community of 21 children in Japan during a 2-year period. Several different clinical courses were observed as a result of clinical, serological, and virological observations.

Counterregulatory system in an artificial endocrine pancreas. Glucose infusion algorithm

An artificial endocrine pancreas has been developed by adding a glucose infusion system to the artificial beta cell system. In this computer algorithm, glucose is infused on the basis of proportional and derivative actions to blood glucose concentration with the time delay constant between blood withdrawal and initiation of glucose infusion. When glucose was infused on the basis of proportional action with a 20-minute time delay, the prompt restoration to normoglycemia from the hypoglycemic state with a smaller amount of glucose was shown in depancreatized dogs. These results indicate that the artificial endocrine pancreas thus prepared is not only a useful device to safely control blood glucose, but also is an efficient research tool for the analysis of the blood glucose regulatory mechanism.

Acute infantile gastroenteritis caused by rotavirus in Japan

We had an outbreak of acute infantile gastroenteritis accompanied by milky-white stool (called Hakuri in Japanese) during the winters of 1976 and 1977. Stool specimens collected from 72 cases of Hakuri were studied by negative-staining electron microscopy. Rotavirus was detected with a very high frequency (89%). Rotavirus obtained from one of the patients was isolated and passaged in cultures of primary human embryonic kidney cells. Viral antigens could be detected in the cytoplasm of the cells by indirect immuno-fluorescence. The fluorescence-positive cells increased in number with repeated passage. Serum anti-viral activities in 11 patients were titrated by indirect immuno-fluorescence, using the cells infected with the passaged rotavirus. All 11 patients developed IgM responses in the convalescent phase. However, in 4 of the 11 patients, no IgG responses were detected even 2--3 weeks after the onset of illness. The reinfection which has occasionally be seen in our country may be related to these poor IgG responses.

Pagetoid malignant melanoma and lentigo maligna melanoma of toe. A study with the fluorescence method (Falck and Hillarp)

Two cases of malignant melanoma on the toe of middle-aged women were examined chiefly by the fluorescence method of Falck and Hillarp. In one of the patients, histopathology of the pigmented tumor on the left middle toe was a Pagetoid (superficial spreading) melanoma in situ, and the subungual granulomatous lesion on the right great toe in the other patient was a lentigo maligna melanoma. On fluorescence microscopy, characteristic findings of the pigment cells lying in the epidermis of both types may be summarized as follows: In the Pagetoid melanoma, the melanoma cells are ovoid, lack dendritic processes, and emit specific yellow fluorescence. In the lentigo maligna melanoma, the pigment cells clearly show dendritic processes, and emit specific green fluorescence.

Meningeal exudate cells in vaccinia meningitis of mice: role of local T cells

Intracerebral inoculation of vaccinia virus into adult DDD mice produced intensive meningitis several days after infection. The inflammatory reaction could be quantitated by counting cells obtained from this inflammatory lesion. The local virus titer increased until day 5 and subsequently decreased rapidly with time. Concomitant with this titer decrease, numerous meningeal exudate cells appeared in the lesion. The cytotoxic activity of these cells against vaccinia virus infected cells was studied after removal of glass-adherent cells. The results showed that these meningeal exudate cells possessed cytotoxic activity against the virus-infected cells and moreover inhibited plaque formation by vaccinia virus. The magnitude of this activity was much larger than that of spleen cells obtained from the same animals. After treatment with antithymocyte serum, or with antitheta serum plus complement, the meningeal cells lost their inhibitory activity, suggesting that the cells which exerted the effect were mainly T lymphocytes. The meningeal exudate cells obtained on day 7 postinfection were further characterized. A greater part, approximately 80%, of the cell population was composed of theta-positive cells. Less than 1% carried immunoglobulin, 7% possessed neither theta antigen nor immunoglobulin on the surface, and 12% represented glass-adherent cells.

Melanin-producing cells seen in neurofibromatous lesions of Recklinghausen's disease -- a study with fluorescence method (Falck and Hillarp)

A case diagnosed to have the lesion of pachydermatocele type of Recklinghausen's disease in a 28-year-old female was studied mainly by means of fluorescence method (Falck and Hillarp). Histopathological examination revealed that the lesion was composed of Ota's nevus-like changes in the epidermis to the middermis and of proliferation of neurofibromatous tissues coexisting with melanin-producing cells in the lower dermis to the subcutaneous adipose tissue. Melanin-producing cells in the neurofibromatous lesion were shown by fluorescence method to have characteristics of nevus cells rather than of melanocytes. Innervation of monoaminergic and cholinergic nerves was not found to the arteries in neurofibromas. These findings are thought to suggest that the abnormalities of not only Schwannian cells and melanocytes of neural crest origin but also of nevus cells and autonomous nerves of neural crest origin are related with the pathogenesis of pachydermatocele type of Recklinghausen's disease.

Studies on live attenuated mumps vaccine. II. Follow-up study on the efficacy of Biken Vaccine

Clinical and serological follow-ups were made on 18 children for 3 years and on another 18 children for 4 years, after immunization against mumps by attenuated mumps vaccine; Biken vaccine. To evaluate the protective efficacy of the vaccine, matched controls were studied during the same period. Serological examinations revealed that 77% of the vaccinees and 93% of the controls were infected with mumps after close contacts with mumps patients. Regular mumps was contracted by 88% of the controls, but none of the vaccinees. There was no substantial decrease in the antibody titers in unexposed vaccinees after vaccination.