[Clinical effect of terodiline hydrochloride (TD-758) in patients with urinary disturbances]

We evaluated the efficacy of terodiline hydrochloride (TD-758) in 23 patients with psychosomatic bladder, chronic prostatitis and chronic cystitis. The drug was administered at a dose of 24 mg once a day for 4 weeks. In 78% of the patients the symptoms such as urinary frequency and sense of residual urine improved. Only mild side effects such as thirst were noted. We concluded that terodiline hydrochloride was effective in this trial.

Staining in the liver surrounding gallbladder fossa on hepatic arteriography caused by increased cystic venous drainage

In 8 patients with gallbladder disease in whom no extension of the disease to the liver was confirmed by surgery, wedge-shaped (segmental) staining of the liver just adjacent to the gallbladder fossa (gallbladder bed) on hepatic arteriography was seen. This was always accompanied by definite visualization of the cystic veins with the drainage directed to the gallbladder bed and became most dense following the peak of the opacification of the cystic veins. We therefore concluded that the increased cystic venous drainage to the intrahepatic portal vein causes the staining in the nondiseased gallbladder bed on hepatic arteriography.

Excess zinc ions are a competitive inhibitor for carboxypeptidase A

The mechanism for inhibition of enzyme activity by excess zinc ions has been studied by kinetic and equilibrium dialysis methods at pH 8.2, I = 0.5 M. With carboxypeptidase A (bovine pancreas), peptide (carbobenzoxyglycyl-L-phenylalanine and hippuryl-L-phenylalanine) and ester (hippuryl-L-phenyl lactate) substrates were inhibited competitively by excess zinc ions. The Ki values for excess zinc ions with carboxypeptidase A at pH 8.2 are all similar [Ki = (5.2-2.6) X 10(-5) M]. The apparent constant for dissociation of excess zinc ions from carboxypeptidase A was also obtained by equilibrium dialysis at pH 8.2 and was 2.4 X 10(-5) M, very close to the Ki values above. With arsanilazotyrosine-248 carboxypeptidase A ([(Azo-CPD)Zn]), hippuryl-L-phenylalanine, carbobenzoxyglycyl-L-phenylalanine, and hippuryl-L-phenyl lactate were also inhibited with a competitive pattern by excess zinc ions, and the Ki values were (3.0-3.5) X 10(-5) M. The apparent constant for dissociation of excess zinc ions from arsanilazotyrosine-248 carboxypeptidase A, which was obtained from absorption changes at 510 nm, was 3.2 X 10(-5) M and is similar to the Ki values for [(Azo-CPD)Zn]. The apparent dissociation and inhibition constants, which were obtained by inhibition of enzyme activity and spectrophotometric and equilibrium dialysis methods with native carboxypeptidase A and arsanilazotyrosine-248 carboxypeptidase A, were almost the same. This agreement between the apparent dissociation and inhibition constants indicates that the zinc binding to the enzymes directly relates to the inhibition of enzyme activity by excess zinc ions. Excess zinc ions were competitive inhibitors for both peptide and ester substrates.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Tissue concentration of (2"R)-4'-O-tetrahydropyranyladriamycin in renal cell carcinoma and urinary bladder tumor (second report)]

Twenty milligrams of (2"R)-4'-O-tetrahydropyranyladriamycin (THP) was administered intravenously to 14 patients with renal cell carcinoma and 11 with urinary bladder tumor at the start of surgery. Heparinized peripheral blood samples were collected at regular intervals and separated into plasma and blood cell fractions by centrifugation for the estimation of the THP concentration. The THP concentrations in the surgical specimens were also studied. In the tissue of renal cell carcinoma, the nuclear fraction was obtained by fractionation in order to estimate the THP concentration. The THP concentrations of the plasma and blood cell fractions in both renal cell carcinoma and urinary bladder tumor gradually decreased with the lapse of time after administration. In renal cell carcinoma, grade 3 tumors revealed lower tissue and nuclear concentrations of THP than those of grade 1 and 2 tumors. Likewise, the tissue and nuclear concentrations of high-stage tumors were lower than those of low-stage tumors. On the other hand, in urinary bladder tumors, the THP concentrations in the tumors were found to be higher than those in normal urinary mucosa and muscle.

Liver metastases from colorectal cancers: detection with CT during arterial portography

A total of 45 metastases to the liver from colorectal cancer were resected in 22 patients. The detectability of these lesions with the following modalities was determined: real-time ultrasound (US), computed tomography (CT), selective celiac arteriography (SCA), infusion hepatic angiography (IHA), CT during arterial portography (CTAP), and CT following intraarterial injection of iodized poppyseed oil (Lipiodol). The total detection rate (sensitivity) was 58% for US, 63% for CT, 27% for SCA, 50% for IHA, 84% for CTAP, and 38% for CT with iodized oil. Ten of 18 lesions less than 15 mm in largest diameter were demonstrated preoperatively by CTAP only. CTAP is useful in clarifying the locations of the lesions in the liver and should always be performed before liver metastases from colorectal cancer are resected.

[Intravesical chemotherapy of (2''R)-4'-O-tetrahydropyranyladriamycin in bladder tumor]

The effect of (2"R)-4'-0-tetrahydropyranyladriamycin (THP), a derivative of adriamycin (ADM) on bladder tumors was evaluated by intravesical instillation. Twenty-one patients with bladder tumors were treated with THP instillation into the bladder. THP (20-30 mg dissolved in 20-40 ml of distilled water) was instilled into the bladder daily for 3 consecutive days as a course. The patients received 2 to 5 courses in total. Of 21 patients, 4 showed complete disappearance of the bladder tumors, while partial response (50% tumor reduction) was observed in 6 cases. Therefore, the overall response rate was 48%. However, with regard to the 16 patients with superficial bladder tumors (Ta, T1) an overall response rate of 63% was noted. The main side effect of THP instillation was temporary bladder irritability, which was seen in 57% of all the patients. No cases revealed systemic side effects. The same antitumor effect was obtained at a lower concentration of THP in the intravesical chemotherapy, compared with that of ADM. It was concluded that THP is a useful drug for the intravesical chemotherapy of bladder tumors.

[The role of radiotherapy in the treatment of Hodgkin's disease]

Twenty-two patients with Hodgkin's disease were treated at Kanazawa University between 1975 and 1982. Patients in stage I or II were treated with radiotherapy. Those in stage III or IV underwent combination chemotherapy (MOPP) with or without radiotherapy. Twenty patients have achieved a complete remission (90.9%). The 10-year survival rate of all patients is 90%: 100% for patients in stage I or II and 73% for patients in stage III or IV. Thus, radiotherapy can be recommended as a primary treatment for patients in stage I or II while MOPP with radiotherapy could be effective for those in stage III or IV.

[Tissue concentration of 4'-O-tetrahydropyranyladriamycin in renal cell carcinoma and urinary bladder tumor]

Each of 5 patients with renal cell carcinoma and urinary bladder tumor who were operated on at the department of urology, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine and its affiliated hospitals, received 20 mg of 4'-O-tetrahydropyranyladriamycin (THP) intravenously at the beginning of surgery. Heparinized peripheral blood samples were collected at regular intervals and separated in plasma and blood cell fractions by centrifugation for the estimation of THP. The THP concentration of the surgical specimen was also studied. In renal cell carcinoma, the surgical specimen was divided into cytoplasm and nuclear fractions, and the THP concentration in each fraction was measured. The THP concentration gradually decreased in the plasma and blood cell fractions with passage of time after the administration in both renal cell carcinoma and urinary bladder tumor. In renal cell carcinoma, although the tumor revealed a lower concentration of THP compared with the normal renal cortex and medulla, the nuclear fraction of the tumor showed a higher concentration than those of the normal renal cortex and medulla. In contrast to renal cell carcinoma, the THP concentration of the urinary bladder tumor was found to be higher than those of the normal urinary bladder mucosa and muscle.

Interaction of zinc ions with arsanilazotyrosine-248 carboxypeptidase A

The interaction between arsanilazotyrosine-248 carboxypeptidase A ([(Azo-CPD)Zn]) and excess zinc ions has been studied by stopped-flow and spectrophotometric methods at pH 8.2 and 7.7, I = 0.5 M (NaCl), and 25 degrees C. When excess zinc ions bind to arsanilazotyrosine-248 carboxypeptidase A, the characteristic red color, which arises from the intramolecular complex of the arsanilazotyrosine-248 residue with the active site zinc of the enzyme, changes to yellow with the inhibition of peptidase activity of the enzyme. Excess zinc ions have two binding sites for arsanilazotyrosine-248 carboxypeptidase A, and the binding constants of the first site (3.9 X 10(5) M-1 at pH 8.2; 7.1 X 10(4) M-1 at pH 7.7) are much larger than those of the second site (1.8 X 10(3) M-1 at pH 8.2; 7 X 10(2) M-1 at pH 7.7). The binding of excess zinc ions to the first site is completely correlated with the inhibition of the enzyme peptidase activity and the color change of the enzyme. The results can be understood in terms of zinc ions reacting with only one of three conformational states of arsanilazotyrosine-248 carboxypeptidase A [Harrison, L. W., Auld, D. S., & Vallee, B. L. (1975) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 72, 4356].(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

"Downhill" esophageal varices demonstrated by dynamic computed tomography

This is the first case of "downhill" esophageal varices demonstrated by dynamic CT. Dynamic CT may be a noninvasive diagnostic modality for confirmation of "downhill" esophageal varices.

Selective binding behavior of zinc(II) and copper(II) ions to their native sites of apo-bovine superoxide dismutase

The four binding constants of zinc(II) ions to apo-bovine superoxide dismutase were measured by the method of equilibrium dialysis. The binding constants (10(11.1)-10(10.9) M-1) of zinc ions to the native zinc sites were much larger than those to the native copper sites (10(7.8)-10(6.5) M-1) at pH 6.25. The competitive reaction between copper(II) and zinc(II) ions for the native copper sites of copper free bovine superoxide dismutase was also investigated. The native copper sites of bovine superoxide dismutase selectively react with copper ions, because the binding constants of copper ions for the native copper sites were much larger (10(6) times) than those of zinc ions.

[Clinical evaluation of serum CEA levels in uterine cervix cancer]

Serum CEA levels were measured in the blood of 98 patients with uterine cervix cancer before, during, and after treatment to investigate the relationship among the CEA level, the extent of the disease, and recovery. The CEA level rose as the disease progressed. Although there was no significant difference in the survival rates of patients with various CEA levels, those who returned to normal levels after treatment recuperated better. There was not clear evidence that CEA levels are clinically significant. However, it can be concluded that CEA levels at pre- and post-treatment times are helpful in the early detection of disease, prognosis, and in predicting recurrence or metastasis.

Coordination chemical studies on metalloenzymes. IX. Properties of the ternary complex between cobalt(II)-bovine carbonic anhydrase and bidentate ligands

The spectrum, thermodynamic parameters, and proton longitudinal relaxation time of the ternary complex between various bidentate ligands (2-pyridinecarboxylate, 2-quinolincarboxylate, 8-quinolinecarboxylate, and 2-pyridylacetate) and cobalt(II)-bovine carbonic anhydrase were measured to clarify the nature of the ternary complex. The formation constants of the ternary complexes of bidentate ligands are in the order of (2-pyridinecarboxylate approximately greater than 8-quinolinecarboxylate much greater than 2-quinolinecarboxylate approximately equal to 2-pyridylacetate). The degree of the shift of the band characteristic of five-coordinate species at 13-15 kcm-1 (cm-1 X 10(-3)) and that of the higher energy band at 21-22 kcm-1 decrease almost in the same order. These results are explained on the basis of the contribution of the bond formation between the nitrogen atom of the heterocyclic ring of ligands and cobalt ion. The formation constants of the ternary complex of bidentate ligands were compared to the stability constants of various ligands with a cobalt ion but there is no correlation in these values. The rate constant of break-up of the ternary complex was discussed on the coordination geometry of the ternary complex on the basis of the degree of the distortion.