A 26-kDa outer membrane protein, OmpK, common to Vibrio species is the receptor for a broad-host-range vibriophage, KVP40

KVP40 is a broad-host-range vibriophage forming plaques on strains of at least eight Vibrio and one Photobacterium species. A spontaneous KVP40-resistant mutant, R4000, derived from Vibrio parahaemolyticus 1010 lacked a 26-kDa outer membrane protein designated OmpK. KVP40 was inactivated by outer membrane and OmpK prepared from 1010, but not by outer membrane from R4000. These results strongly suggest that OmpK is the receptor for KVP40. Immunoblotting analyses using an anti-OmpK rabbit serum revealed that OmpK or its homologs of molecular masses 25-29 kDa were distributed widely among Vibrio and Photobacterium strains including those naturally resistant to KVP40.

Distribution of unusual polyamines in aquatic plants and gramineous seeds

We tested several plants for the occurrence of unusual polyamines such as homospermidine, aminopropylhomospermidine, norspermidine, norspermine, thermospermine, and caldopentamine. The leaf and root of aquatic plants ubiquitously contained homospermidine in addition to usual polyamines such as putrescine, spermidine, spermine, and cadaverine. Homospermidine was widely distributed in the seed, seedling, leaf, and root of gramineous plants such as rice, millet, oat, rye, wheat, barley, corn, sorghum, and timothy as a minor polyamine. Aminopropylhomospermidine was found in the two aquatic plants, the water lily Nymphaca tetragona and the lotus Nelumbo nucifera as a major polyamine, and in the gramineous seeds as a minor polyamine. Norspermidine, norspermine, homospermine, and caldopentamine were detected in two floating aquatic plants, the duckweed Spirodela polyrhiza and the water hyacinth Eichhornia crassipes. Thermospermine was sporadically detected in some aquatic plants and gramineous seeds. Key words: Gramineae, aquatic plant, polyamine, homospermidine, caldopentamine.

Elevation of N1-acetylspermidine and putrescine in hepatic tissues of patients with fulminant hepatitis and liver cirrhosis

Hepatic polyamines were assayed in 15 patients with liver diseases, 5 with fulminant hepatitis (FH); 3 with exacerbated liver cirrhosis (ELC); and 7 with liver cirrhosis (LC). Hepatic putrescine and N1-acetylspermidine as percentages of total polyamines, were elevated and spermine was decreased in all 15 patients. The increase in hepatic N1-acetylspermidine levels appeared to be greater in patients with FH and ELC than in those with LC. These results suggest that the production of N1-acetylspermidine in human liver is closely associated with the induction of spermidine/spermine N1-acetyltransferase activity in liver diseases.

A type II lateral dislocation of bilateral intact mandibular condyles with a proposed new classification

Lateral displacement of the intact mandibular condyle is a rare entity, first described in detail and classified into two types (type I, type II) by Allen and Young in 1969. We experienced a rare case of type II lateral dislocation of the bilateral condyles with fracture of other parts of the mandible. It is reflected that delayed closed reduction gave an imperfect result, inducing ankylosis. Bilateral condylectomy with reconstruction of the head using costal cartilage was performed subsequently to improve arthropathy, with a 2-year satisfactory follow-up. A review of the literature shows that there are three types of type II lateral dislocations of the mandibular condyle, which are further related to the technical difficulty of reduction. We propose a new typing of type II lateral dislocations of the mandibular condyle. The clinical assessment for this condition is early reduction. Rather, open reduction is more definitive. However, unavoidable delay in reduction induces ankylosis of the joint, which sometimes necessitates condylectomy with or without arthroplasty.

Influence of plasma composition on erythrocyte filtrability in alcoholic liver disease

The influence of plasma components (albumin, fibrinogen, total cholesterol, and triglyceride) on erythrocyte deformability (filtrability) was evaluated by the filtration method. The examinations were carried out using erythrocyte suspensions in HEPES buffer and patient's own plasma, and the respective values were compared in each case. Erythrocyte filtrability in the buffer and in patient's plasma was found to be decreased significantly in alcoholic liver disease. The change in rate of erythrocyte filtrability in own plasma was found to be increased. The concentrations of triglyceride (r = 0.52, P < 0.01) and fibrinogen (r = 0.56, P < 0.01) in plasma of alcoholic liver disease correlated significantly with the change in rate of erythrocyte filtrability. Blood viscosity of patients with alcoholic liver disease was impaired by both the decreased deformability of erythrocytes and the changes in plasma composition (triglyceride and fibrinogen). It was suggested that the change in blood viscosity may disturb sinusoidal blood-flow, resulting in perturbation of the metabolic functions of the liver.

Heterogeneous expression of ornithine decarboxylase gene in the proximal tubule of the mouse kidney following testosterone treatment

The expression of the ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) gene in the mouse kidney following testosterone treatment was examined using in situ hybridization histochemistry. Testosterone (n = 5) or vehicle (n = 5) was subcutaneously injected (1 mg/animal) into male BALB/c mice (8 weeks in age) 14 h before sacrifice. Animals were sacrificed under ether anesthesia, their kidneys were removed and immediately frozen in liquid nitrogen. Frozen sections (10-microns-thick) were cut on a cryostat. Sections were hybridized with 35S-labeled sense or antisense RNA probe. The hybridization continued for 24 h at 50 degrees C and emulsion autoradiography was subsequently performed. A marked increase in ODC mRNA was exclusively detected in the proximal tubule of the renal cortex in the testosterone-treated animals. The hybridization signal was greater in the outer portion of the proximal tubule than in the inner portion. No significant hybridization signal was detected either in the distal tubule, renal corpuscle or peritubular tissues. These results indicate that testosterone induces the expression of the ODC gene in the proximal tubule of the renal cortex, leading to the increase in ODC activity in the same region.

Clinical significance of hypocitraturia in kidney stone patients

Although a low concentration of urinary citrate is cited as one of the risk factors promoting stone formation or recurrence among patients with urinary stones, its clinical significance remains obscure. We studied 62 kidney stone patients with a low urinary citrate excretion (hypocitraturia) of less than 320 mg/day, without any apparent cause. The incidence of hypocitraturia in 722 kidney stone patients followed up at our stone clinic was 14.6%. Among the 62 patients, 37 had an uncomplicated hypocitraturia as the sole abnormality, while 25 had other associated stone risk factors, including hypercalciuria in 11% (7/62), hyperuricosuria in 24% (15/62), hyperoxaluria in 5% (3/62) and hypomagnesuria in 24% (15/62). The rate of urinary stone recurrence was 38% (14/37) in uncomplicated hypocitraturia, and 52% (13/25) in complicated hypocitraturia, but no statistical difference was observed. Regarding the outcome of stones, more stones were managed with lithotripsy and more passed spontaneously in the hypocitraturic patients than in the control patients with normal urinary citrate excretion. The diagnosis of hypocitraturia complicated with additional stone risks urged us to treat patients more vigorously with lithotripsy and medication, resulting in a prompt cure.

Diamines, guanidinoamines, and their hydroxy derivatives in seeds and seedlings of leguminous plants

Two unusual amines corresponding to γ(3)-hydroxyagmatine and 2-hydroxyputrescine were detected in the mature seeds of vetch Vicia sativa, pea Pisum sativum, wisteria Wisteria floribunda, and red clover Trifolium pratense. These two amines were resistant to both acid hydrolysis and reduction with palladium – barium sulfate but were cleaved by periodate oxidation. The latter amine assigned as 2-hydroxyputrescine was produced by alkaline hydrolysis of the former amine, γ-hydroxyagmatine. This was metabolized by agmatine oxidase. Putrescine, cadaverine, and (or) agmatine levels increased, but the levels of the two hydroxyamines as well as methylagmatine remained unchanged during germination of 23 leguminous seeds. Key words: legume, seed, polyamine, hydroxy agmatine, hydroxyputrescine.

Identification of periaqueductal gray and dorsal raphe nucleus neurons projecting to both the trigeminal sensory complex and forebrain structures: a fluorescent retrograde double-labeling study in the rat

The midbrain periaqueductal gray (PAG) including the dorsal raphe nucleus (DR) has been known to contain serotoninergic neurons projecting to many brain regions. Employing fluorescent retrograde double labeling combined with immunofluorescence histochemistry for serotonin (5-HT), we examined in the rat whether or not single PAG/DR neurons with 5-HT send their axons to both the trigeminal sensory complex and forebrain regions. Stereotaxic injections of Diamidino Yellow (DY) and Fast Blue (FB) were performed unilaterally; DY was injected into the caudal spinal trigeminal nucleus or principal sensory trigeminal nucleus, and FB into the ventrolateral orbital cortex, nucleus accumbens or amygdala. A small percentage of PAG/DR neurons were doubly labeled with DY and FB, and the majority of them showed 5-HT-like immunoreactivity (5-HT-LI). Most of these 5-HT-LI PAG/DR neurons that were indicated to send their axons simultaneously to both the trigeminal sensory complex and forebrain regions were distributed in the ventrolateral PAG subdivision and ventral aspects of the medial PAG subdivision at the middle and caudal PAG levels, bilaterally with a predominant distribution on the side ipsilateral to the injections. This indicates a possible role of these PAG/DR neurons in the limbic or affective-motivational aspect of the pain-related neural system.

Evaluation of diagnostic criteria of acute renal failure in premature infants

A prospective study was performed to investigate the validity of renal failure index (RFI) or fractional excretion of sodium (FENa) in preterm infants. The subjects were 128 newborn infants, 72 with oliguria and 56 without renal dysfunction (control). Oliguric infants were divided into two categories: acute renal failure (ARF) and prerenal failure (PRF), according to creatinine clearance (Ccr). Furthermore, all subjects were divided into four groups according to gestation, that is, 38 infants with gestational age of 25-28 weeks (group 1), 28 with 29-30 weeks (group 2), 38 with 31-36 weeks (group 3) and 24 of > 37 weeks (group 4). As a result, differentiation between ARF and PRF was valid when the RFI or FENa was used in infants of > 29 weeks gestation (groups 2, 3 and 4). Although infants of > 31 weeks gestation (groups 3 and 4) who present with an RFI > 3 or an FENa > 3% may be diagnosed as having ARF, infants in group 2 with an RFI of > 8 or an FENa of > 6% may be diagnosed as having ARF. For the infants in group 1, the application of RFI or FENa for diagnosis of ARF may be limited because of some overlap among the groups.

Serotoninergic projections from the dorsal raphe nucleus to the nucleus submedius in the rat and cat

The nucleus submedius in the medial thalamus has been known to receive spinothalamic and trigeminothalamic fibers, and to contain neurons which can be activated by noxious stimuli. These previous findings suggest that the nucleus submedius may be involved in the processing and relay of pain-related information. In the present study, we immunohistochemically observed in the rat and cat that the nucleus submedius was distributed with a considerable amount of serotoninergic fibers. After iontophoretic injection of cholera toxin B subunit into the nucleus submedius, the sequential double-antigen immunofluorescence histochemistry for retrogradely transported cholera toxin B subunit and serotonin revealed that the serotoninergic fibers to the nucleus submedius arose mainly from the dorsal raphe nucleus, and additionally from the ventrolateral and medial parts of the midbrain periaqueductal gray. The direct projections from the dorsal raphe nucleus to the nucleus submedius were confirmed by anterograde axonal tracing after iontophoretic injection of Phaseolus vulgaris-leucoagglutinin into the dorsal raphe nucleus. The disappearance of almost all serotoninergic fibers in the nucleus submedius was also observed after destruction of the dorsal raphe nucleus. The fluorescent retrograde double-labeling with Diamidino Yellow and Fast Blue further revealed that some neurons in the dorsal raphe nucleus projecting directly to the nucleus submedius sent their axon collaterals to the ventrolateral orbital region of the cerebral cortex, nucleus accumbens, amygdala, nucleus raphe magnus, caudal spinal trigeminal nucleus, or spinal cord. The possible roles of the serotoninergic projections from the dorsal raphe nucleus to the nucleus submedius in pain control and/or the olfactolimbic functions are discussed.

A mild case of nesidioblastosis with diagnostic and therapeutic difficulty

A female infant with nesidioblastosis who showed mild clinical symptoms is reported. In this patient, insulin levels and insulin to glucose ratios (IRI/G) were often normal. Regular milk feedings supplemented with continuous glucose infusion (0.7-2 mg/kg per min) or oral glucose feedings (4.5 mg/kg per min) prevented hypoglycemia. As leucine-sensitivity was diagnosed at 2 months of age, she was started on diazoxide. This was, however, ineffective, and adverse effects appeared. Subtotal pancreatectomy (95%) was therefore attempted at 5 months of age, and persistent normoglycemia as well as normal growth and development followed up to 3 years after the operation. The pancreas showed characteristic signs of nesidioblastosis. The above clinical observation suggests that a patient with nesidioblastosis whose blood glucose level is easily controllable may develop an unexpected episode of hypoglycemia in the presence of a leucine sensitivity. In such a patient, diazoxide or, when it is of no avail, surgical intervention should promptly be instituted to prevent possible neurologic sequelae induced by hypoglycemia.

Acute effect of some hormones on the metabolism of polyamines in rat liver in vivo as measured by their biliary excretion

Groups of 6-11 adult male rats were anesthetized with pentobarbital and thin polyethylene tubings were inserted into the common bile duct and femoral vein. The bile was collected for 1 or 2 h periods within a total of 6-8 h and the excretion of putrescine (PUT), spermidine (SPD) and histamine (HA) was estimated with the aid of high performance liquid chromatography and expressed as nmol per time. In each experiment the first time interval was used as control one and then various hormones (insulin, glucagon, cholecystokinin and dexamethasone) and glucose were infused into a femoral vein. Significant increase of PUT and HA excretion was found after glucose infusion which was prevented by simultaneous infusion of insulin. Moreover, the infusion of cholecystokinin resulted in a similar significant increase of PUT, SPD and HA, while dexamethasone and glucagon were without any considerable effect. Finally, a significant increase in PUT and SPD excretion was observed after severe hypoglycemia due to the infusion of insulin. It is concluded that such approach may be used as a novel method for a study of polyamine metabolism in the liver in vivo.

Urinary endothelin-1-like immunoreactivity excretion in the newborn period

Urinary endothelin-1-like immunoreactivity (ET-1-LI) excretion was determined in 31 neonates, six sick infants with renal dysfunction secondary to neonatal asphyxia and 25 healthy infants, during the first week of life to clarify its evolutional change and the origin of the urinary ET-1-LI in the newborn period. Urinary ET-1-LI concentrations in the healthy infants maintained the same level during the first week of life (n = 35, 36 +/- 22 pg/mg creatinine, mean +/- SD). There was no difference in urinary ET-1-LI excretion in infants between 30 and 41 weeks of gestation. Urinary ET-1-LI concentrations in the sick infants were significantly elevated through the first week of life when compared with those of healthy infants. Fractional excretion of sodium and endothelin clearance were more elevated in the sick infants than in the healthy infants. A good correlation was observed between urinary ET-1-LI concentrations and urinary N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase index (r = 0.72, p < 0.01). These results suggest that the origin of urinary endothelin-1 may be the renal tissue and that ET-1 may be a nonspecific marker of renal injury in neonates.

Isolation and characterization of a high molecular weight type IV collagenase isolated from human carcinoma tissue

A proform of high molecular weight type IV collagenase was isolated and purified 1230-fold from human metastatic carcinoma tissue. Like matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), the enzyme was activated by trypsin and degraded type IV collagen and gelatin at a neutral pH, the activity was inhibited by EDTA and o-phenanthroline. However, the molecular weight was much higher than MMPs which degraded type IV collagen, gelatinase A (MMP-2; 72 kDa gelatinase/type IV collagenase) (EC 3.4.24.24), gelatinase B (MMP-9; 92 kDa gelatinase/type IV collagenase) (EC 3.4.24.35), stromelysin-1 (MMP-3; 57 kDa) (EC 3.4.24.17) and stromelysin-2 (MMP-10; 57 kDa) (EC 3.4.24.22). The other significant difference from MMPs was that the enzyme was not activated by 4-aminophenylmercuric acetate nor inhibited by TIMP. Taking together these results, this high molecular weight type IV collagenase might be a newly found enzyme different from MMPs or might have the same configuration as MMPs already reported.

Polyamine distribution patterns serve as a phenotypic marker in the chemotaxonomy of the Proteobacteria

Polyamines of various genera of the class Proteobacteria were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography to determine if they can serve as taxonomic markers. The major polyamine of Zymomonas was homospermidine, whereas the Acetobacter–Gluconobacter complex contained spermidine, suggesting the presence of two different polyamine distribution patterns in the alpha subclass. Both the homospermidine-dominant type and the spermidine-dominant type were found in heterogeneous Sphingomonas species. Typical species belonging to the gamma subclass have their own unique polyamine pattern in Xanthomonas (spermidine), Azomonas (putrescine), Frateuria (spermidine), Alteromonas (putrescine–spermidine or spermidine), Shewanella (putrescine), Marinomonas (putrescine–spermidine or spermidine), Halomonas (putrescine–spermidine or spermidine), and Deleya (spermidine). Cadaverine was sporadically distributed in some species in these genera. Some strains classified into Rhizobacter, Zoogloea, Azomonas, or Alteromonas contained 2-hydroxyputrescine found exclusively in the beta subclass. Polyamine distribution patterns are genus- and (or) species-specific and can serve as a phenotypic marker in the chemotaxonomy of the Proteobacteria.Key words: polyamine, chemotaxonomy, Proteobacteria.

Relationship between tissue polyamine levels and malignancy in primary brain tumors

We studied the relationship between tissue polyamine levels and malignancy in 146 primary brain tumors. Astrocytoma showed a consistent rise in levels of N1-acetylspermidine (N1-AcSpd) in tissue with increased grade of malignancy. Furthermore, in astrocytoma, the patients whose tumors contained high levels of N1-AcSpd (> or = 15 nmol/g) in tissue showed a far worse prognosis, a significantly lower recurrence-free survival rate, and a shorter survival rate than did the patients whose tumors contained lower levels of N1-AcSpd (< 15 nmol/g). High-grade astrocytoma contained N1-AcSpd at the level of 15 nmol/g or higher, and most of the benign brain tumors, including low-grade astrocytoma, meningioma, pituitary adenoma, and normal brain tissues contained much lower levels of N1-AcSpd. However, medulloblastoma, hemangiopericytoma, and neurinoma showed an inverse correlation between N1-AcSpd levels in tissue and biological malignancy. These results suggest that levels of N1-AcSpd in tissue can be a promising biochemical marker of malignancy in astrocytoma. In the other primary brain tumors, however, the relationship between levels of N1-AcSpd in tissue and biological malignancy should be examined in each histopathological type.

Impaired erythrocyte deformability and membrane fluidity in alcoholic liver disease: participation in disturbed hepatic microcirculation

The erythrocyte deformability, membrane fluidity, mean corpuscular volume (MCV), and lipid compositions of erythrocyte membrane were investigated to evaluate the possible role in disturbed hepatic microcirculation in alcoholic liver disease. Erythrocyte deformability was assessed in 37 alcoholic patients and 20 normal subjects. Erythrocyte deformability determined by the filtration method was found to be decreased significantly in alcoholic patients. Erythrocyte membrane fluidity in alcoholic liver disease analysed by fluorescence recovery time after photobleaching was decreased significantly. The decrease of erythrocyte membrane fluidity in alcoholic patients correlated significantly with a decrease of erythrocyte deformability (r = -0.65, P < 0.02). The increased MCV in alcoholic liver disease also correlated with a decrease of erythrocyte deformability significantly (r = 0.652, P < 0.02). The lipid compositions of erythrocyte membrane were abnormal in alcoholic liver disease; the phosphatidylcholine:sphingomyelin ratio was increased (P < 0.001) and unsaturated:saturated fatty acid ratio was decreased (P < 0.01). We conclude that, in alcoholic liver disease, the decreased erythrocyte deformability was closely associated with changes of membrane fluidity and MCV. It was also associated with abnormalities of membrane lipid compositions. It is speculated that these abnormalities of erythrocytes result in further reduction of sinusoidal blood flow in alcoholic liver disease, and consequently disturb metabolic functions of the liver.

Induction of ornithine decarboxylase immunoreactivity in the male mouse kidney following testosterone treatment: an axial heterogeneity in the proximal tubule

The effect of testosterone on the activity of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC), its protein level and immunocytochemical distribution were examined in the mouse kidney. Male BALB C mice at 8 weeks of age were used throughout. Fourteen hours before death, they received a subcutaneous injection of testosterone (1 mg/animal) or solvent to measure renal ODC activity or to detect the distribution of ODC immunoreactivity in the kidney. Renal ODC activity and the content of the enzyme were markedly increased after testosterone treatment. Histologically, few cells that were obviously immunoreactive to ODC were observed in the control animals and in the testosterone-treated animals a marked increase in ODC immunoreactivity was observed only in the cortex. ODC immunoreactive cells were located diffusely in the proximal tubule. In the pars recta, cells were stained weakly and homogeneously, while in the pars convoluta, the luminal surface of the cells showed stronger immunoreactivity. Moreover, many granule-like particles that were strongly ODC immunoreactive were observed inside the lumen of the pars convoluta. These results show that testosterone treatment induces an increase in ODC content in certain cells located in the proximal tubule of the cortex.

Treatment of bilateral urolithiasis

Patients with bilateral urolithiasis diagnosed at their first visit were followed for at least one year after the start of treatment. In this retrospective study of 123 patients, the basic metabolic workup revealed no specific underlying cause of simultaneously occurring bilateral nephrolithiasis, and none of the currently used therapeutic regimes proved to be efficient in attaining clinically acceptable stone-free rates at the 3, 6 and 12-month follow-ups. Of 38 patients treated with extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy (SWL), 21 underwent treatment of both kidneys and 10 (48%) were free of stones bilaterally after 12 months. All of the 17 patients treated with unilateral SWL failed to achieve a stone-free state on the contralateral side. In another group, treated with medication alone to minimize risks of stone recurrence, only 3 of 26 (11.5%) patients were stone-free on both sides 12 months after the start of medication. Since we achieved a stone-free state of both kidneys in no more than 12% of the non-medicated cases, it seems warranted to treat bilateral urolithiasis with SWL more frequently, particularly when patients cannot return regularly to the stone clinic for a longterm follow-up.

Disodium cromoglycate in the treatment of bronchopulmonary dysplasia

Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) has become the most common form of chronic lung disease in the neonate. Recently, we have experienced a severe case of BPD and examined the effect of disodium cromoglycate (DSCG) on BPD. The gestational age and birthweight of the patient were 27 weeks and 1,000 g, respectively. Although RDS subsided after surfactant replacement therapy, the arterial-alveolar oxygen tension ratio (a/APO2) gradually decreased and FiO2 increased with age, respectively, and pure oxygen supplementation was eventually required after 67 days of life. The DSCG treatment was commenced at 80 days of life. After 6 days of the inhalation therapy, a/APO2 gradually increased. After 10 days of the treatment, the baby was extubated. While the baby was intubated, intratracheal lavage fluid samples were obtained. Eosinophilic cationic protein (ECP) and polymorphonuclear (PMN) elastase concentrations were determined. ECP and PMN elastase concentrations of intratracheal lavage fluids gradually decreased with the DSCG treatment. These results may indicate that DSCG has led to an improvement of pulmonary function and facilitated weaning from mechanical ventilation in an infant with BPD.

Distribution of unusual polyamines in leguminous seeds

Polyamines of 18 leguminous mature seeds were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography and gas chromatography – mass spectrometry. Putrescine, spermidine, and spermine occurred ubiquitously and cadaverine, agmatine, and homospermidine were sporadically found in these seeds. Six unusual polyamines, i.e., canavalmine [NH2(CH2)4NH(CH2)3NH(CH2)4NH2], homospermine [NH2(CH2)4NH(CH2)4NH(CH2)4NH2], aminopropylcanavalmine [NH2(CH2)3NH(CH2)4NH(CH2)3NH(CH2)4NH2], thermospermine [NH2(CH2)3NH(CH2)3NH(CH2)4NH2], and aminopropylhomospermidine [NH2(CH2)3NH(CH2)4NH(CH2)4NH2] were found in the seeds of Pisum sativum. Thermospermine and aminopropylhomospermidine were also detected in the seeds of Vicia hirsuta and Trifolium pratense, respectively. An unusual tetraamine, norspermine [NH2(CH2)3NH(CH2)3NH(CH2)3NH2], was found in the seeds of Medicago sativa and Vicia faba. The seeds of Phaseolus coccineus contained homospermine and a tertiary branched pentaamine, N5-aminobutylhomospermine [NH2(CH2)4N((CH2)4NH2)(CH2)4NH(CH2)4NH2]. Key words: poly amine, legume, seed.

Urinary arginine vasopressin excretion and hyponatremia in the sick neonates

We attempted to clarify the renal physiologic response to arginine vasopressin (AVP) in the 12 sick neonates: three with respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), three with meconium aspiration syndrome, two with transient tachypnea of the newborn, two with neonatal asphyxia, and two low birthweight infants during the first 2 days of life. Plasma atrial natriuretic factor (ANF), urinary AVP, osmolality, free water clearance and creatinine clearance (Ccr) were measured at 8 to 16 hours of life (stage 1) and 24 to 32 hours of life (stage 2). Urinary AVP was expressed as the ratio of AVP to Ccr (urine AVP/Ccr). These subjects were divided into two groups: group A represented five infants with a urine AVP/Ccr ratio of 2000 or higher and group B, seven infants with a ratio of less than 2000 at stage 1. Hyponatremia occurred in two infants of group A at stage 2. Number of infants on mechanical ventilation was four in group A and one in group B. There were no significant differences in gestational age, birthweight, Apgar scores at 1 and 5 minutes, blood gas pH and mean arterial blood pressure between groups A and B. A good correlation was observed between logarithm of urine AVP/Ccr ratio and urinary osmolality (p < 0.01). A negative correlation was observed between logarithm of urine AVP/Ccr ratio and free water clearance (p < 0.01). Body weight of infants of group A at stage 2 was greater than at stage 1 (p < 0.05). Higher plasma ANF concentrations were observed in infants of group A at stage 2 when compared with those at stage 1 (p < 0.1).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Evidence for the existence of a restriction-modification system common to several species of the family Vibrionaceae

A broad-host-range vibriophage KVP40 originally isolated on Vibrio parahaemolyticus 1010 was restricted and modified by strains of at least five Vibrio and one Photobacterium species. 1010 was a non-restricting host. An anti-restriction mutant KVP40 aar1 was isolated after propagating the phage on a restricting host, V. anguillarum VIB36. KVP40 aar1 grown on either 1010 or VIB36, as well as the parental phage grown on VIB36, showed much higher efficiencies of plating on all the restricting hosts as compared with the parental phage grown on 1010, indicating that these restricting hosts probably share a common restriction-modification system active in vivo on KVP40.

A case of deletion of the short arm of chromosome 10 with severe hearing loss and brainstem dysfunction

A male newborn infant with a deletion of the short arm of chromosome 10p 14 was described. In addition to the typical clinical features, electrophysiologic studies showed brainstem dysfunction and severe hearing loss when examined with auditory brainstem response and photopalpebral reflex. These electrophysiologic studies may be of benefit for early evaluation of brainstem functions and hearing ability of the patients of such chromosomal aberration and may also be useful predictors of psychomotor development.

Novel linear and branched polyamines in the extremely thermophilic eubacteria Thermoleophilum, Bacillus and Hydrogenobacter

Novel tertiary branched tetra-amines, quaternary branched penta-amines, linear penta-amines and linear hexa-amines were distributed as the major polyamines in six obligately extremely thermophilic eubacteria belonging to Thermoleophilum, Bacillus or Hydrogenobacter. The major polyamine of Thermoleophilum album and Thermoleophilum minutum was identified as a quaternary branched penta-amine, 4,4-bis(3-aminopropyl)-1,8-diamino-4-azaoctane (NH2[CH2]3N+([CH2]3NH2)2[CH2]4NH2) by h.p.l.c., t.l.c. and g.c.-m.s. Hydrogenobacter thermophilus and Hydrogenobacter halophilus contained another quaternary branched penta-amine, 4,4-bis(3-aminopropyl)-1,7-diamino-4-azaheptane (NH2[CH2]3N([CH2]3NH2)2[CH2]3NH2) as the major polyamine, and tertiary branched tetra-amines (4-(3-aminopropyl)-1,7-diamino-4-azaheptane (NH2[CH2]3N([CH2]3NH2)[CH2]3NH2), 4-(3-aminopropyl)-1,8-diamino-4-azaoctane (NH2[CH2]3N([CH2]3NH2)[CH2]4NH2)) and 4,4-bis(3-aminopropyl)-1,8-diamino-4-azaoctane were confirmed as minor components. Bacillus schlegelii contained a branched tetra-amine, 4-(3-aminopropyl)-1,8-diamino-4-azaoctane, a branched penta-amine, 4,4-bis(3-aminopropyl)-1,8-diamino-4-azaoctane, a linear penta-amine, 1,16-diamino-4,8,13-triazahexadecane (NH2[CH2]3NH[CH2]3NH[CH2]4NH[CH2]3NH2) and linear hexa-amine(s), 1,20-diamino-4,8,12,17-tetra-azaeicosane (NH2[CH2]3NH[CH2]3NH[CH2]3NH[CH2]4NH[CH2]3NH2 ) and/or 1,20-diamino-4,8,13,17-tetra-azaeicosane (NH2[CH2]3NH[CH2]3NH[CH2]4NH[CH2]3NH[CH2]3NH2 ).

Estradiol-17 beta modifies the induction of spermidine/spermine N1-acetyltransferase activity in the liver of lipopolysaccharide-treated mice

In an attempt to elucidate the effects of estrogen on polyamine metabolism in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated mice, we assayed polyamine content and the activity of spermidine/spermine N1-acetyltransferase (SAT) and ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) in some organs. LPS elevated N1-acetylspermidine levels in the liver and lung and putrescine levels in the liver, lung and spleen. LPS increased the activity of ODC at 6 h and that of SAT at 12 h in the liver. When estradiol-17 beta was simultaneously administered with LPS, the maximum increase in hepatic N1-acetylspermidine levels was found 6 h earlier than in the LPS control. Likewise, the peak of the hepatic SAT activity after LPS-treatment was observed 6 h earlier in the estradiol-17 beta-treated mice than in the LPS control. No such effect of estradiol-17 beta was found in the lung and spleen. The LPS-induced ODC activity was not affected by estradiol-17 beta in the liver, lung or spleen. Estrone and 16 beta-ethylestradiol (an anti-estrogen) were also effective in enhancing the LPS-induced elevation of N1-acetyl-spermidine and putrescine in the liver, while both diethylstilbestrol, which has a potent estrogenic activity without steroid structure and estradiol-17 alpha (a non-estrogenic isomer of estradiol-17 beta) were without effect. Tamoxifen (an estrogen receptor antagonist) did not suppress the estrogen-induced increase in hepatic N1-acetylspermidine levels.

Existence of phosphoenolpyruvate: carbohydrate phosphotransferase systems in Lactobacillus fermentum, an obligate heterofermenter

The presence or absence of the phosphoenolpyruvate: carbohydrate phosphotransferase system (PTS) in obligately heterofermentative group III lactobacilli including Lactobacillus brevis (3 strains), L. buchneri (2 strains) and L. fermentum (3 strains) was surveyed systematically for a series of sugars utilizable by these organisms. Contrary to common expectation, PTSs were found in two strains of L. fermentum: sucrose-PTS in one strain; sucrose- and mannose-PTSs in the other. All these activities were found to be constitutive.

[An improved tetrazolium agar medium for testing sugar fermentation in lactobacilli]

An improved tetrazolium agar medium for testing sugar fermentation in lactobacilli is described. Basal medium 86 was essentially a modified MRS broth with the omission of glucose. The standard formula was 30 micrograms/ml of 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride, 2% sugar to be tested, and 2% agar in medium 86. Plates were incubated anaerobically for 2 days at 37C or 5 days at 30C, depending on the strain. With three strains each of group II and III lactobacilli, colorless, fermentation-positive colonies were clearly differentiated from red, fermentation-negative colonies. For three strains of group I lactobacilli, this medium was not satisfactory because they grew poorly on it unless supplemented with a sugar.

The additive effect of alpha-difluoromethylornithine (DFMO) and radiation therapy on a rat glioma model

The effects of alpha-difluoromethylornithine (DFMO), radiation and the therapy of their combination were investigated in rats bearing G-XII glioma. DFMO treatment as well as radiation therapy prolonged the survival period when compared to the results in non-treated control rats. The combination therapy showed a greater effect on the survival rate than the single therapies, the effect being additive. The concentration of putrescine, spermidine, and N1-acetylspermidine in tumor tissue was lowered by DFMO, while that of spermine was slightly elevated. Radiation decreased the concentration of all the polyamines, putrescine, spermidine, spermine and N1-acetylspermidine. The concomitant treatment with DFMO and radiation further decreased the concentrations of putrescine and N1-acetylspermidine in tumor tissues. The survival period of glioma-bearing rats is inversely correlated with the tissue levels of putrescine plus N1-acetylspermidine.

Polyamines as a chemotaxonomic marker in bacterial systematics

Aliphatic linear polyamines, from diamines to hexaamines, tertiary branched tetraamines, and quaternary branched pentaamines are widely distributed in eubacteria, archaebacteria, and cyanobacteria. Twenty-four linear types and four branched types are acid extractable from bacterial cells and can be chromatographically analyzed and identified. The varieties of polyamines are due to the combination of amino acid decarboxylase activities to form diamines, aminopropyl- and aminobutyl-transfer activities mediated by aminopropyltransferases or Schiff-base complex formation, and hydroxylation activity. The absence or presence of spermidine, norspermidine or homospermidine and the occurrence of 2-hydroxyputrescine and diaminopropane are related to grouping into the alpha, beta, gamma, and delta subclasses within Proteobacteria. Flavobacterium complex and green bacteria contain putrescine and homospermidine. Gram-negative thermophiles contain long linear and branched polyamines; however, their distribution profiles are species specific. Gram-positive eubacteria, which comprise Bacillus cluster, anaerobes, and actinomycetes, ubiquitously contain putrescine and spermidine, while the occurrence of spermine is limited to thermophiles. Archaebacteria are separated into polyamine-absent methanogens and halophiles, homospermidine-dominant methanogens, spermidine-dominant methanogens, and spermidine- and norspermidine-containing thermophiles. Cyanobacteria comprise two types; one group contains homospermidine and the other spermidine. The polyamine distribution pattern can serve as a chemotaxonomic marker in bacterial classification and is associated with bacterial systematics on the level of order, family, or genus.

A broad-host-range vibriophage, KVP40, isolated from sea water

A broad-host-range vibriophage, KVP40, was isolated from sea water by using Vibrio parahaemolyticus 1010 (EB101) as the indicator host. The host range of KVP40 extended over at least 8 Vibrio and 1 Photobacterium species. KVP40 was a large tailed phage containing double-stranded DNA and belonged to Ackermann's morphotype A2. KVP40 DNA was cleaved by 11 different type II restriction endonucleases including EcoRI and HindIII, but not by 17 other enzymes including BamHI, KpnI and SalI.

Polyamine distributions in the Falvobacterium-Cytophaga-Sphingobacterium complex

Homospermidine was found as the major polyamine in one newly described species of Flavobacterium (F. indologenes), in three species of Sphingobacterium (S. mizutae, S. multivorium, and S. spiritivorum), and in 10 species of Cytophaga (C. aquatilis, C. arvensicola, C. heparina, C. hutchinsonii, C. johnsonae, "C. keratolytica," C. lytica, C. marinoflava, C. uliginosa, and "C. xantha"). These bacteria also all contain putrescine and agmatine as minor components. Flavobacterium indologenes and C. johnsonae contain an unusual diamine, 2-hydroxyputrescine, as a major polyamine. The polyamine distributions of four other species originally included in Flavobacterium (F. acidurans, "F. dormitator," "F. tirrenicum," and Halomonas halmophila), whose taxonomic positions are or were uncertain, were different from the group mentioned above. They either contain spermidine as the major polyamine or lack any polyamine. These results suggest that homospermidine can serve as a chemotaxonomic marker to delineate true members of the Flavobacterium-Cytophaga-Sphingobacterium complex.

Daily cycles of putrescine, spermidine, and spermine in the liver, pineal gland, harderian gland, anterior pituitary, and testes of rats kept in LD 12:12

A circadian rhythm in cellular polyamine levels was detected in the liver, pineal gland, anterior pituitary gland, Harderian gland, and testicular seminiferous tubules of male rats fed ad libitum and maintained in a light:dark cycle of LD 12:12 (lights on at 07:00). Liver putrescine content was highest at 24:00, showing a sixfold increase over 12:00 levels. Pineal spermidine and spermine contents reached a maximum at 06:00, late in the dark phase. A similar pattern was also detected in the Harderian gland. In the anterior pituitary, the polyamines putrescine, spermidine and spermine were highest at 18:00, late in the light phase. However, the increase in putrescine was not statistically significant. The three polyamine contents decreased late in the dark phase. In testicular seminiferous tubules putrescine, on the contrary, was highest (about a twofold increase) late in the dark phase.

[Occurrence of optic disk hemorrhage in the course of Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada syndrome]

Cases, where in the course of Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada syndrome disc hemorrhages occur, are rare. One case was reported wherein about 2 weeks following the development of the disease, bilateral linear disc hemorrhages appeared and in 3 months disappeared, without sequellae of defective vision.

Polyamine synthetic ability of the eubacteria Halococcus acetoinfaciens, Halococcus agglomeratus, and Halococcus nondenitrificans

Polyamine synthetic activity was compared among the three eubacteria Halococcus acetoinfaciens (IAM 12094), Halococcus agglomeratus (IAM 12095), and Halococcus nondenitrificans (IAM 12096). Putrescine was produced by decarboxylation of ornithine but not from agmatine in the three species. N-Carbamylputrescine was converted to putrescine in the latter two species. Lysine decarboxylase activity was found only in H. acetoinfaciens, which contains aminopropylcadaverine, aminopentylnorspermidine, and N,N′-bis(3-aminopropyl)cadaverine in addition to spermidine, spermine, and thermospermine. In H. acetoinfaciens when diaminopropane was added to the culture medium, both norspermidine and norspermine were synthesized; when homospermidine was added, aminopropylhomospermidine was formed. In contrast H. agglomeratus and H. nondenitrificans synthesize putrescine, spermidine, and trace amounts of spermine but cannot synthesize other triamines and tetraamines from diamines and triamines supplemented to the culture medium. Key words: Halococcus, decarboxylase, polyamines, aminopropyltransferase, inhibitors, aminopropylcadaverine.

Polyamine distributions in thermophilic eubacteria belonging to Thermus and Acidothermus

Triamines such as norspermidine, spermidine, and homospermidine and tetraamines such as norspermine, spermine, thermospermine, and aminopropylhomospermidine were found to be distributed ubiquitously in the eight extremely thermophilic (growing at 70 degrees C) Thermus species tested. Three linear pentaamine (caldopentamine, homocaldopentamine, and thermopentamine), two linear hexaamines (caldohexamine and homocaldohexamine), two tertiary branched tetraamines (N4-aminopropylnorspermidine and N4-aminopropyl-spermidine), and quaternary branched pentaamines such as N4-bis(aminopropyl)norspermidine and N4-bis(aminopropyl)spermidine were detected in T. thermophilus HB8, T. filiformis Wai33 A1, T. flavus AT-62, and T. caldophilus GK24. The linear hexaamines and branched polyamines were absent in T. aquaticus YT-1, T. sp. X-1, T. sp. T2, and T. sp. T351, in which linear pentaamines were minor components. Moderately thermophilic Thermus ruber and Thermus sp. K-2 contained putrescine, spermidine, norspermidine, homospermidine, spermine, norspermine, thermospermine, and aminopropylhomospermidine. No pentaamines, hexaamines, or branched polyamines were found in these two moderately thermophilic Thermus species. On the other hand, moderately thermophilic, acidophilic Acidothermus cellulolyticus was devoid of all the polyamines.

[Percutaneous nephrolithotomy in horseshoe kidney]

Two patients with renal pelvic stone in a horseshoe kidney who underwent a percutaneous nephrolithotripsy (PNL) are presented. Case 1 was a 36-year-old man with a 20 x 12 mm right renal pelvic stone in a horseshoe kidney. Case 2 was a 47-year-old man who had been followed up at our clinic for a horseshoe kidney and was found to have a 15 x 10 mm left renal pelvic stone. We found that percutaneous removal of renal pelvic stones can be performed safely in a horseshoe kidney. It appears that to remove stones from the renal pelvis in a horseshoe kidney 4 items must be considered. 1) The anatomical relationships of the horseshoe kidney to other viscera and blood vessels should be confirmed before surgery utilizing computerized tomography or ultrasound sonography. 2) The occlusion ureteral catheter should be inserted up to the renal pelvis to prevent small fragments from falling into the ureter. 3) The rigid nephroscopy should be introduced through the most appropriate calyx, so that its manipulation could be limited. 4) The fragmentation of stones should be performed from the peripheral surface of a stone to prevent from migrating into another calyx. We believe this is only the sixth and seventh documented cases involving a horseshoe kidney.

Alpha-tocopherol and superoxide dismutase suppress and diethyldithiocarbamate and phorone enhance the lipopolysaccharide-induced increase in N1-acetylspermidine concentrations in mouse liver

Previously, we have shown the close association between hepatic concentrations of N1-acetylspermidine and the radical-producing potency of several drugs. Since vitamin E, superoxide dismutase (SOD), and reduced glutathione (GSH) are known to scavenge free radicals, in this study we tested the effect of alpha-tocopherol, one of the most potent vitamin E isomers, and SOD on the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced increase in hepatic concentrations of N1-acetylspermidine. The LPS-induced increase in hepatic N1-acetylspermidine was more than twice as great in vitamin E-deficient mice as in vitamin E-supplemented mice. Pretreatment with alpha-tocopherol suppressed the LPS-induced increase in hepatic N1-acetylspermidine in vitamin E-deficient mice. Alpha-tocopherol and SOD given to mice maintained on a usual diet likewise suppressed the LPS-induced increase in hepatic N1-acetylspermidine and putrescine. The hepatic concentrations of alpha-tocopherol and GSH were lower in LPS-treated mice than in control animals. Diethyldithiocarbamate, an inhibitor of SOD, and diisopropylidene (phorone), a GSH-depleting agent, enhanced the LPS-induced increase in hepatic N1-acetylspermidine. These results suggest that the LPS-induced hepatic increase in N1-acetylspermidine is connected with radical-induced injury in vivo and that superoxide anion is produced in the liver of LPS-treated mice.

Pallidocortical projections to the tempolar polar gyrus in the cat

Marked projections from the globus pallidus (GP) to the temporal polar gyrus (TPG) of the cat were found by means of the PHA-L (Phaseolus vulgaris leucoagglutinin) and WGA-HRP (horseradish peroxidase conjugated to wheat germ agglutinin) methods. Pallidocortical fibers to the TPG originate mainly from the middle levels of the GP, and terminate all layers of the TPG cortex, especially in layers I, II and III. The GP neurons projecting to the TPG are large-multipolar or small-bipolar neurons. Almost all of these GP neurons show choline acetyltransferase-like immunoreactivity.

Effects of dexamethasone on the activity of histidine decarboxylase, ornithine decarboxylase, and dopa decarboxylase in rat oxyntic mucosa

Since accelerated turnover of histamine in oxyntic mucosa may be an important factor in the pathogenesis of peptic ulcers, the effect of dexamethasone and other glucocorticoids on the activity of gastric histidine decarboxylase (HDC) was studied in the rat. The activity of HDC in rat oxyntic mucosa increased significantly after dexamethasone was injected s.c. to rats at doses larger than 0.4 mg/kg body weight. The maximum response of the HDC activity to dexamethasone (4 mg/kg) was observed 8 h after the treatment. The activity of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) increased at 4 h, while that of DOPA decarboxylase showed no significant change throughout the 16-h period following a single injection of dexamethasone. The mucosal levels of histamine, putrescine, and spermidine rose significantly after the steroid treatment, while the spermine levels remained nearly constant. There was no sex difference in these responses to dexamethasone. Betamethasone showed nearly the same effects as dexamethasone on the decarboxylase activities and the mucosal levels of diamines. Serum gastrin levels showed no significant change for the first 4 h and then rose significantly 8 and 16 h after dexamethasone treatment. Pentagastrin (0.5 mg/kg) increased the HDC activity, while it showed no significant effect on either the mucosal ODC activity or levels of polyamines and histamine. These data suggest that dexamethasone influences the metabolism of histamine and polyamines in rat oxyntic mucosa both directly and via stimulation of gastrin release.