Spontaneous membrane fluctuation in catfish type-N cells

Type-N (sustained) amacrine cells in catfish retina produce spontaneous membrane fluctuation of about 35 Hz. Fluctuations were seen either in dark or with a steady illumination. As all the distal cells and type-C (transient) amacrine cell did not produce any spontaneous fluctuation, type-N cells were the source of the oscillatory potentials.

Analysis of DNA ploidy patterns of gastric carcinomas of Japanese

Ploidy patterns of gastric carcinomas of 54 Japanese patients, ranging in age from 28 to 82 years, were determined by cytofluorometry. The gastric cancers were divided into four basic ploidy patterns; the first pattern was a diploid mode, the second was a heteroploid mode, the third was a mosaic pattern of a diploid and a heteroploid mode, and the fourth was a mosaic of two or more different heteroploid modes. The incidence was 68.4%, 14.8%, 12.9%, and 3.7% in the first, second, third, and fourth patterns, respectively. All the cancers contained polyploid populations, whereas the early cancers tended to contain a lesser amount of polyploid cells than the advanced ones. Diffuse-type cancers and well-differentiated, intestinal-type adenocarcinomas were mostly unimodal cancers of the diploidy or heteroploidy, whereas poorly differentiated adenocarcinomas were often mosaic cancers of several different ploidies. There was no correlation between ploidy patterns and ages and sexes of patients. For 11 cases, labeling indices with 3H-thymidine were determined. Labeling indices of the intestinal-type and diffuse-type cancers were 12% to 27% and 7% to 19%, respectively.

[Localized fibrous malignant peritoneal mesothelioma in an operated patient with massive hemorrhage to the peritoneal cavity]

We reported an operated patient with localized peritoneal mesothelioma. The patient was a 39-year-old man who had occasionally complained of left hypochondralgia for 5 years before admission. Progressive anemia due to hemorrhage into the peritoneal cavity was noted after admission. Peritoneoscopy revealed the bleeding to be located between the left lobe of the liver and the anterior wall of the stomach. On the 22nd hospital day, surgery was performed and a fist-sized tumor was resected. Microscopically, it was fibrous malignant type of the peritoneal mesothelioma. Chemotherapy was performed 3 times after the operation, and the patient is living and well 1 year and 8 months postoperatively.

Cytofluorometric study of nuclear sulphydryl and disulphide groups during sperm maturation in the mouse

The amount of nuclear sulphydryl and disulphide groups was determined by cytofluorometry on single mouse spermatozoa from the caput, corpus and cauda epididymidis, and the vas deferens. N-(7-Dimethylamino-4-methylcoumarinyl) maleimide was used as a specific and quantitative fluorescent reagent for thiols. The sperm nuclear content of free sulphydryl groups decreased sharply from the caput epididymidis to the vas deferens. The amounts of cysteine residues present as the thiol form in the spermatozoa from the caput, corpus and cauda epididymidis and vas deferens were 50, 15, 5 and 3% respectively.

Higher plants contain L-asparate oxidase, the first enzyme of the Escherichia coli quinolinate synthetase system

Cotton callus cells contain an L-aspartate oxidase which does not appear to be active with D-aspartate, L-glutamate or D- or L-alanine. The enzyme requires for activity a dialyzable cofactor with an apparent molecular weight of 1,050. Since L-aspartate oxidase is the first enzyme of the pathway for de novo synthesis of the pyridine ring in Escherichia coli, this finding suggests that higher plants may use the L-aspartate-dihydroxyacetone phosphate pathway for de novo pyridine nucleotide biosynthesis.

Comparison of airway responsiveness to exercise and histamine inhalation in asthmatics

In order to investigate the differences between EIA positive and negative subjects, pulmonary function data at rest, atopic tendency and bronchial sensitivity and reactivity were compared. Pulmonary function data revealed no significant difference between two groups except closing volume which was higher in EIA positive patients (p less than 0.01) and also Rrs which was higher in EIA positive patients only in female (p less than 0.05). Incidence of positive skin tests and higher levels of IgE were more frequent in EIA positive, however, IgE was not significantly different. Relationship between % fall of FEV1 after exercise and bronchial sensitivity was examined, however, no correlation was found in two parameters. Bronchial reactivity was not different in two groups. This suggests that EIA positive patients cannot be distinguished from EIA negative by pulmonary function data at rest or by atopic tendency, and also that different mechanisms play a role to produce airway constriction following exercise and inhalation challenge.

Thanatophoric dysplasia of identical twins

The autopsy cases of thanatophoric dysplasia of identical female twins were reported. These babies showed short limbs, long and narrow thoraxes, and depressed nasal roots. Disorganization of endochondral ossification and hypertrophic periosteum were recognized histologically at the epiphyseal plate of femur. The cause of death was respiratory distress caused by hypoplastic and atelectatic lungs. Their mother had no complaints except hydramnios. Female identical twins of this disease are very rare. It could be considered that the disease would be induced by some genetic disorders occurring at the earliest developmental stage.

Intrauterine candida infection in premature baby

An autopsy case of pulmonary candidiasis occurring in an neonatal girl was reported. The mycological examination of the lung take at autopsy revealed only Candida albicans and followed by the elucidation under the microscopic sections prepared with special stains; periodic acid-Schiff and methenamine silver, in the lung, stomach, umbilical cord, and amnion. The presence of candida vaginitis in her mother supported the concept that Candida albicans was the etiological agent of the pulmonary candidiasis.

Pulmonary complications of long-term respirator care in infants

Twelve infantile autopsy cases up to 205 days using a long-term respirator care were examined in this study. These cases could be divided into three subgroups. The first group included the cases treated with long-term respirator care for hyaline membrane disease. In this subgroup, bronchopulmonary dysplasia was found during the course. The second group included the cases treated with long-term respirator care for other causes and were very premature infants. In this group, some cases showed bronchopulmonary dysplasia-like lesions. The third group was similar to the second group except for not being very premature. All groups had similar histological changes including alveolar cell desquamation, regeneration of alveolar lining cells, fibrosis, and smooth muscle-like tissue formation of alveolar walls. However, the premature lung tissues remained characteristically in some cases of the second group. In this group, the prematurity of lung was thought responsible for the development of bronchopulmonary dysplasia-like lesion. In addition to bronchopulmonary dysplasia or bronchopulmonary dysplasia-like lesion, other changes including pneumonia, persistent ductus arteriosus, cytomegalic inclusion disease and so forth were discussed.

Immaturity of the enzyme activity and the response to inducers of rat liver cysteine dioxygenase during development

Cysteine dioxygenase activity was not detected in the liver of either fetal or 2-day-old rat. The enzyme activity of neonatal rat liver gradually increased between the 4th and 12th postnatal days and then sharply increased to reach the adult level by the 28th postnatal day. No cysteine dioxygenase activity was observed in the fetal liver at the 18th day of gestation from a dam injected with hydrocortisone. Hydrocortisone-mediated induction was first observed in the livers of 4-day-old rats. The duration of hydrocortisone-mediated induction was much longer in the livers of 4- to 12-day-old rats than in those of adult rats. The enzyme half-life in livers of 10- and 20-day-old rats was 6.4 and 3.7 h, respectively. The half-life of the enzyme in 20-day-old rat liver was increased to 6.2 h by L-cysteine injection.

Generalized cytomegalic inclusion disease in neonates and infants

Cytomegalic inclusion disease (C.M.I.) is caused by the salivary gland virus which is species-specific, and characterized by formation of inclusion-bearing cells in various organs. From the view point of spreading, it is divided into the localized and generalized type. We studied 18 generalized cases of infants in whom inclusion-bearing cells were detected in more than three organs. As to the portal of entry and the time of infection, cytomegalic inclusion disease can be classified into three subgroups in infants; congenital form (2 cases), early acquired form (8 cases) and acquired form with other debilitating diseases (8 cases).

[Results of the special physical examination of workers in a vanadium plant (author's transl)]

Special physical examinations were made in order to find out the actual status of damages to health that had broken out in a factory collecting V2O5 from iron sand; and the following results were found: 1. Pharyngitis and bronchitis were found in 25% of the workers exposed to vanadium, but neither pneumonia nor hepatitis was observed. 2. Among the subjective and objective symptoms, respiratory irritation and discoloration of the tongue were frequent. 3. Black spot-like pigmentations gathering in a zonal form 1-2 mm wide in the transitional part and oral mucosa of the upper lip were found. Prevalence rate of this sign was 14.3% in the workers exposed to vanadium. 4. The mean valus of total serum protein and the serum cholesterol in the exposed workers were lower than those in the controls. The difference in the values between both groups is statistically significant. 5. Both the mean values of vanadium concentrations in vurine and its creatinine ratios in the exposed workers were twice to three times those in the controls; however, these parameters decreased to about one third in two months by improving the health and environmental control-measures. 6. Draft items to be checked in special physical examinations of workers handling vanadium have been proposed.

[An investigation of the environment in a certain vanadium refinery (author's transl)]

An investigation of the environment of the working place was made as part of the investigation of damages to health that had broken out in a certain vanadium refinery; and the following conclusions were obtained: When the atmospheric dust volume and V2O5 concentration by unit working step were measured with a high volume air sampler, V2O5 exceeded the threshold limit value given by ACGIH in the P.O. flake production step, while the measurement of V2O5 concentration during one-shift working hours with a low volume air sampler gave 64.3 micrograms/m3 even in the grinding step where the maximum concentration was found, and values under 10 micrograms/m3 in all the other steps. Such concentrations may be considered to have been derived from the fact that P.O. casting in accomplished in a short time, and that the fume and dust that are transiently produced at high concentrations are dispersed outdoors by spontaneous ventilation. Damages to health such as a high prevalence of green tongue appeared to have resulted from failure in exercising elementary sanitary care such as imperfect facilities for safety and sanitation, and failure to thoroughly enforce wearing of masks.

Decrease of rat liver cysteine dioxygenase (cysteine oxidase) activity mediated by glucagon

The hepatic cysteine dioxygenase activity of rats was markedly decreased by the intraperitoneal administration of glucagon. The enzyme activity was also decreased by either dibutyryl cyclic AMP or theophylline. The prior administration of actinomycin D completely blocked the glucagon-mediated decrease of enzyme activity, while administrations of this inhibitor of protein synthesis after glucagon injection did not block the decrease of enzyme activity. A single administration of actinomycin D resulted in a slight increase of cysteine dioxygenase activity in the rat liver. On the other hand, the injection of cycloheximide resulted in a rapid decrease of the hepatic cysteine dioxygenase with a half-life of 2.5 h. The half-life of the enzyme in rat liver after glucagon administration was one hour. The administration of hydrocortisone or insulin had no effect on the glucagon-mediated decrease of cysteine dioxygenase of rat liver. The enzyme activity of alloxan diabetic rat liver was almost the same as that of the intact rat liver. The evidence obtained here suggests that enhancement of degradation or inactivation of cysteine dioxygenase is responsible for the glucagon-mediated decrease of the enzyme activity in rat liver.

Rat liver cysteine dioxygenase (cysteine oxidase). Further purification, characterization, and analysis of the activation and inactivation

Rat liver cysteine dioxygenase has been purified to homogeneity. It is a single subunit protein having a molecular weight of 22,500 +/- 1,000, with a pI of 5.5. The enzyme purified was catalytically inactive and activated by anaerobic incubation with either L-cysteine or its analogues such as carboxymethyl-L-cysteine, carboxyethyl-L-cysteine, S-methyl-L-cysteine, D-cysteine, cysteamine, N-acetyl-L-cysteine, and DL-homocysteine. The enzyme thus activated with L-cysteine was rapidly inactivated under aerobic condition. This rapid inactivation was observed at 0 degrees C where no formation of either the reaction product cysteine sulfinate or the autoxidation product of cysteine, cystine, was detected. Further analysis shows that the inactivation of the activated enzyme was due to oxygen but unrelated to either the presence of substrate, enzyme turnover or accumulation of inhibitor produced during assay. A distinct rat liver cytoplasmic protein, called protein-A, could completely prevented the enzyme from the aerobic inactivation. The loss of activity during assay in the absence of protein-A was shown to be a first order decay process. From the plots of log(deltaproduct/min) versus time, the initial velocity (VO) and the velocity at 7 min (V7) were obtained. The apparent Km value for L-cysteine in the absence of protein-A was calculated from the initial velocity as 4.5 X 10(-4)M. Protein-A did not alter the apparent Km value for L-cysteine. The chelating agents such as o-phenanthroline, alpha,alpha'-dipyridyl, bathophenanthroline, 8-hydroxyquinoline, EGTA, and EDTA strongly inhibited the enzyme activity when these chelating agents were added before preactivation. The purified cystein dioxygenase contains 1 atom of iron per mol of enzyme protein. By the activation procedure, the enzyme became less susceptible to the heat denaturation, the inhibitory effects of chelating agents and the tryptic digestion.

Inhibition of leucocyte migration by potassium chloride extracts of human tumor cells in ascites and from tissues

Human gastric cancer-associated antigens were solubilized from fresh ascites and surgical specimens by 3M KCl extraction. The antigenicity of these extracts was measured by leucocyte migration inhibition assay with an improved modification devised in this laboratory. Antigens extracted mutually reacted with autologous and allogeneic leucocytes taken from cancer patients. The out of 11 (27%) patients and 7 out of 28 (25%) patients with various cancers showed positive migration index values against 13 ascites tumor cell antigens in the autologous and allogeneic reaction systems, respectively. Reactions were positive in 4 out of 10 patients with gastric cancer against autologous antigens, and in 10 out of 26 (38%) of the patients against allogeneic tumor antigens. On the other hand, one patient with gastric cancer reacted well with various sources of antigens extracted from allogeneic cells of gastric cancer, while the other patient with gastric cancer did not react with any of five gastric cancer antigens tested so far. These findings suggested that the cell-mediated immune response of patients with gastric cancer against autologous and allogeneic tumor antigens extracted was detectable in the test system. It is considered at present that the eM KCl antigen may be relate to human leucocyte antigen, and some common antigenic reactants capable of reacting with several gastric cancer may be involved in this reaction.

Purification of Sendai virions with glutaraldehyde-treated red blood cells

The use of glutaraldehyde (GA)-treated chicken red blood cells (RBC) for purification of Sendai virions by adsorption and elution was found to be advantageous over the use of untreated RBC. Biologic and enzymatic activities and structural components of the purified virions were compared with those of the original virions. The purified virions lost glucosamine-labeled non-proteinous materials. These materials did not relate to the expression of infectivity or cell fusion activity of Sendai virus. No evidence of disruption of Sendai virions during interaction with GA-RBC was observed. The use of GA-RBC provides a new method to prepare an unadsorbed virus fraction with a minimum contamination of hemagglutinins. The unadsorbed fraction consisted of Sendai virions with weak hemagglutinating activity and smaller amounts of the gp1(HN) polypeptide and with negligible hemolytic and cell fusion activities. The origin of these particles is discussed.

Purification and some properties of rat liver cysteine oxidase (cysteine dioxygenase)

Cysteine oxidase (cysteine dioxygenase, EC 1.13.11.20) was purified approximately 1000-fold from rat liver. The purified enzyme (protein-B) was obtained as an inactive form, which was activated by anaerobic preincubation with L-cysteine. The active form of protein-B was inactivated during aerobic incubation to produce cysteine sulfinate. This inactivation of protein-B was protected by a distinct protein in rat liver cytoplasm, namely stabilizing protein (protein-A). The Ka and Km values for L-cysteine were 0.8-10(-3) M and 1.3-10(-3) M respectively. The enzyme was strongly inhibited by Cu+ and/or Fe2+ chelating agents but not by Cu2+ chelating agent. The optimum pH of enzyme reaction was 8.5-9.5 while that of enzyme activation was 6.8-9.5, with a broad peak.

Cysteine metabolism in vivo of vitamin B6-deficient rats

The expirations of 14CO2 from DL-[1-14C]-, DL-[3-14C]- and L-[U-14C] cysteine used as isotopic tracers were estimated in order to determine the in vivo metabolic distribution of L-cysteine in pyridoxine deficient rats. The expired 14CO2 from L-[U-14C] cysteine was increased by pyridoxine deficiency. The loading of non-physiological dose of L-cysteine resulted in remarkable increase in the expiration of 14CO2 from each tracer in deficient rats as well as in controls. The in vivo metabolic distributions of L-cysteine were calculated from the expired 14CO2 from these isotopic tracers. The in vivo metabolic distribution of L-cysteine calculated showed that the remarkable lesion in taurine pathway occurred in pyridoxine deficient rats, and when non-physiological dose of L-cysteine was loaded the catabolism of L-cysteine of controls was markedly increased in either pyruvate or taurine pathway, whereas the L-cysteine catabolism in deficient rats was increased only in pyruvate but not in taurine pathway. The urinary excretions of 35S-labeled metabolites such as sulfate or taurine were also examined in deficient and control rats.