Giant magneto-optical responses in magnetic Weyl semimetal Co3Sn2S2

The Weyl semimetal (WSM), which hosts pairs of Weyl points and accompanying Berry curvature in momentum space near Fermi level, is expected to exhibit novel electromagnetic phenomena. Although the large optical/electronic responses such as nonlinear optical effects and intrinsic anomalous Hall effect (AHE) have recently been demonstrated indeed, the conclusive evidence for their topological origins has remained elusive. Here, we report the gigantic magneto-optical (MO) response arising from the topological electronic structure with intense Berry curvature in magnetic WSM Co₃Sn₂S₂. The low-energy MO spectroscopy and the first-principles calculation reveal that the interband transitions on the nodal rings connected to the Weyl points show the resonance of the optical Hall conductivity and give rise to the giant intrinsic AHE in dc limit. The terahertz Faraday and infrared Kerr rotations are found to be remarkably enhanced by these resonances with topological electronic structures, demonstrating the novel low-energy optical response inherent to the magnetic WSM.

Association between Sarcopenia and Overactive Bladder in Elderly Diabetic Patients

OBJECTIVES

To determine the association between sarcopenia and overactive bladder (OAB) in elderly diabetic patients using the Japanese version of SARC-F called SARC-F-J.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional study.

SETTINGS AND PARTICIPANTS

The study included 329 elderly diabetic patients (aged ≥65 years) who regularly visited the outpatient clinic at Community hospital in Japan.

MEASUREMENTS

The condition of OAB was evaluated using the OAM symptom score, which involves a self-administered questionnaire, and sarcopenia was evaluated using the self-administered SARC-F-J questionnaire comprising five items. The odds ratio for OAB due to sarcopenia was calculated using multiple logistic regression analysis, with OAB as the dependent variable and sarcopenia as the explanatory variable.

RESULTS

A total of 329 patients (186 males, 143 females) were included for analysis in the present study. Of these patients, 22.9% had sarcopenia and 18.7% had OAB. After adjusting the variables, the odds ratio for OAB due to sarcopenia was 4.46 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.14-17.36, P = 0.031) and 2.09 (95% CI, 0.52-8.26, P = 0.293) for males and females, respectively.

CONCLUSION

This study found that sarcopenia was significantly associated with OAB in elderly diabetic male patients based on SARC-F-J. Moreover, the possibility of the development of OAB should be considered during the medical examinations of elderly diabetic male patients with sarcopenia.

Neuron-immune interactions in the sensitized thalamus induced by mustard oil application to rat molar pulp

We have reported that mustard oil application to the rat dental pulp induces neuronal activation in the thalamus. To address the mechanisms involved in the thalamic changes, we performed neuronal responsiveness recording, immunohistochemistry, and molecular biological analysis. After mustard oil application, neuronal responsiveness was increased in the mediodorsal nucleus. When MK801 (an N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonist) was applied to the mediodorsal nucleus, the enhanced responsiveness was decreased. N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor 2D, glial fibrillary acidic protein, and antigen-presenting cell-related gene mRNAs in the contralateral thalamus were up-regulated at 10 minutes after mustard oil application, but were down-regulated within 10 minutes after the antagonist application. OX6-expressing microglia and glial fibrillary acidic protein-expressing astrocytes did not increase until 60 minutes after mustard oil application. These results suggested that the thalamic neurons play some roles in regulating the glial cell activation in the mediodorsal nucleus via N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor 2D during pulp inflammation-induced central sensitization.

A CONTRIBUTION TO THE ETIOLOGY AND PATHOLOGY OF RAT-BITE FEVER

Of the two postmortem examinations on rat-bite fever previously reported, the patient of Miura and Toriyama, a woman, aged 32 years, died on the 70th day after the onset of the disease. Anatomically there were no marked changes. Histological examinations were not made. Macroscopically, the following findings are reported: increase of cerebrospinal fluid, hyperemia of the meninges, inflammatory edema of the lungs, cloudy swelling of the liver, etc. The other, Blake's case, was a woman of 67, who died 1 month after the bite of a rat. The anatomical findings were acute ulcerative endocarditis, subacute myocarditis, interstitial hepatitis, glomerular and interstitial nephritis. The suprarenals contained a large amount of perivascular fluid. There were infarcts in the spleen and kidney. In general, the organs were hyperemic; the lung showed hemorrhages and edema, Histologically, Blake found marked degeneration, necrosis, and infiltration in the cardiac muscles, infiltration of polynuclear cells, and increase in the interstices of the liver, also marked polynuclear infiltration of the shrunken kidney.

Activation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase is required for in vivo brain-derived neurotrophic factor production in the rat hippocampus

Several lines of evidence strongly suggest that brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is associated with the formation, storage and recall of memory in the hippocampus and that it is important to maintain a considerable level of hippocampal BDNF in order to keep normal functions. BDNF can be synthesized in an activity-dependent manner. In fact, kainic acid or AMPA enhances BDNF levels in hippocampal granule neurons. However, the mechanisms of BDNF production are largely unclear. Recently, we have found that riluzole, which blocks voltage-gated sodium channels and thereby reduces glutamate release, actually strengthens immunoreactivity of BDNF in hippocampal granule neurons of rats. Therefore, we examined the riluzole-activated signaling pathways for BDNF production. Riluzole increased levels of phospho-p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK), as well as BDNF levels. Inhibition of p38 MAPK by SB203580 reduced riluzole effects, while activation of p38 MAPK by anisomycin increased levels of BDNF, suggesting that p38 MAPK can mediate BDNF production. Riluzole-induced elevation of phospho-activating transcription factor-2, a transcription factor downstream of p38 MAPK, was also observed. A blocker of N-type voltage-gated calcium channels reduced the effects of riluzole on BDNF production and p38 MAPK activation. We also examined a possible involvement of the adenosine A1 receptor in BDNF production because riluzole can influence ecto-nucleotide levels. An A1 receptor agonist inhibited riluzole-induced elevation of BDNF levels, whereas an antagonist not only increased levels of BDNF and active p38 MAPK but also augmented riluzole effects. These results indicate that, in the rat hippocampus, there is an in vivo signaling pathway for BDNF synthesis mediated by p38 MAPK, and that N-type voltage-gated calcium channels and/or adenosine A1 receptors contribute to p38 MAPK activation.

Antigen-presenting cells in human radicular granulomas

Substantial numbers of dendritic cells have been detected in radicular granulomas. To test the hypothesis that local antigen presentation from dendritic cells to T-cells is involved critically in immunological responses within radicular granulomas, we compared characteristics of dendritic cells and macrophages by morphological and biological analyses. Under light microscopy, HLA-DR+ and CD68+ cells showed diverse profiles, including dendritic-shaped cells. Transmission electron microscopy revealed that HLA-DR+ dendritic cells, with long cytoplasmic processes and lacking distinct phagosomes, were concentrated in the lymphocyte-rich area. HLA-DR alpha-chain, CD83, and CD86 mRNAs from HLA-DR+ dendritic cells, and CD28 mRNA from CD28+ T-cells were up-regulated in lymphocyte-rich area. Scanning electron microscopy demonstrated that the density of gold particles on dendritic cells was higher than that on HLA-DR+ macrophages. These results suggest that dendritic cells in radicular granulomas are associated with local defense reactions as stronger antigen-presenting cells, as compared with macrophages.

CD30+ large cell transformation of mycosis fungoides after psoralen plus ultraviolet A photochemotherapy

Psoralen plus ultraviolet A (PUVA) photochemotherapy is widely used for the therapy of mycosis fungoides (MF). Clinical progression of MF is often associated with an increase in the size of tumour cells known as transformation. We report two patients with CD30+ large cell transformation that appeared after low-dose PUVA therapy for MF. Clinical data, histopathology, immunohistopathology and T-cell receptor gene rearrangement were studied. Nodules consisted of atypical large cells that expressed CD30. Monoclonal rearrangement of T-cell receptors was observed in one case. Low-dose PUVA therapy may be associated with CD30+ large cell transformation in patients with MF.

Idiopathic acquired generalized anhidrosis due to occlusion of proximal coiled ducts

Idiopathic acquired generalized anhidrosis is a very rare disease of unknown pathogenesis. We report a 25-year-old man with acquired generalized anhidrosis due to occlusion of the coiled ducts. He did not have sweat secretion over the entire surface of the body, including the palms and soles. Sweat-inducing stimuli provoked tingling pain on the skin. Pilocarpine iontophoresis on the forearm did not induce sweat secretion. Neurological examination did not reveal any abnormality in the central or peripheral nervous system. Skin biopsy showed that the coiled ducts were occluded by an amorphous eosinophilic substance. This amorphous eosinophilic substance was positive with periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) staining and was resistant to digestion by diastase. Electron microscopy demonstrated that the coiled ducts were completely occluded by an amorphous substance. The substance occluding the coiled ducts contained fibrous structures. These findings suggested that the acquired generalized anhidrosis in this patient was caused by occlusion of the coiled ducts by a PAS-positive substance probably derived from dark cell granules.

Curative treatment of central hemangioma in the mandible by direct puncture and embolisation with n-butyl-cyanoacrylate (NBCA)

Management of central hemangioma in the mandible is difficult because of the abundant vascular network in this region. One of the most common signs of these patients, especially in the mixed dentition period, is hypermobility of the teeth with spontaneous hemorrhage from the surrounding gingival sulcus. Various therapeutic modalities have been considered, but surgery is the most frequently used. In cases of a large extensive lesion, however, intralesional injections of sclerosing agents have often been successful. A case of central hemangioma of the mandible with arteriovenous malformations in a 10-year-old girl is reported. She was treated with direct injection of an embolic material, n-butyl-cyanoacrylate, which brought satisfactory results. Preoperative embolisation of feeder vessels with Gelfoam and Avitene soaked in thrombin together with this direct injection is a safe treatment modality that is as effective as surgery.

An enzymatic cycling method for the measurement of myo-inositol in biological samples

INTRODUCTION

A sensitive and simple enzymatic cycling method is described for the quantitation of myo-inositol in biological samples.

METHODS

The method involves the use of a sensitive and simple enzymatic cycling method is described for the quantitation of myo-inositol in biological samples. The method involves use of thio-NAD(+), NADH and thermostable myo-inositol dehydrogenase (IDH; EC. 1.1.1.18) and measurement of the increase in absorbance at 405 nm of thio-NADH at 37 degrees C.

RESULTS

The calibration curve for myo-inositol was linear (r=1.00) between 10 and 400 micromol/l. Analytical recoveries of exogenous myo-inositol added to serum and urine were 100-105% and 98-103%, respectively. Within-run and between-run coefficient of variation (CV) were 0.6-2.1% and 1.1-3.0%, respectively. This method was free from interference by hemoglobin, bilirubin, ascorbate, chyle, various sugars, sugar alcohol and myo-inositol phosphates. With the use of myo-inositol as a standard solution, the serum myo-inositol concentration (mean+/-SD) was significantly greater in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) without nephropathy (73.0+/-13.8 micromol/l, n=7) than in healthy individuals without DM (61.0+/-12.4 micromol/l, n=20). The urinary myo-inositol concentration was also significantly greater in patients with DM without nephropathy (793.3+/-870.3 micromol/l, n=7) than in healthy individuals without DM (76.0+/-63.0 micromol/l, n=13).

CONCLUSIONS

This new method is simple, sensitive and enables quantitative analysis of myo-inositol.

Terminal deoxynucleotidyltransferase is negatively regulated by direct interaction with proliferating cell nuclear antigen

BACKGROUND

The repertoires of Ig and TcR are generated by a combinatorial rearrangement of variable (V), diversity (D), and joining (J) segments (V(D)J recombination) in B- and T-cells. Terminal deoxynucleotidyltransferase (TdT) adds extra nucleotides (N nucleotides) at the junctions of the gene segments to enhance the Ig and TcR genes diversity. Using an anti-TdT antibody column, TdT has been purified as a member of a megadalton protein complex from rat thymus. The N region would be synthesized with the large protein complex.

RESULTS

The cDNAs for proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) were isolated by yeast two-hybrid screening as the gene products which directly interacted with TdT. The interaction between PCNA and TdT was confirmed by co-immunoprecipitation, both in vitro and in vivo. TdT binds directly to a PCNA trimer, as shown by gel filtration. TdT interacts with PCNA in its DNA polymerization domain (DPD), but not in its BRCA-1 C-terminal (BRCT) domain. TdT activity was reduced to 17% of the maximum value by TdT/PCNA complex formation.

CONCLUSION

TdT interacts directly with PCNA through its DPD. A functional consequence of this interaction is the negative regulation of TdT activity. These findings suggest that TdT catalyses the addition of N nucleotides under the negative control of PCNA during V(D)J recombination.

Terminal deoxynucleotidyltransferase directly interacts with a novel nuclear protein that is homologous to p65

BACKGROUND

Terminal deoxynucleotidyltransferase (TdT) is a DNA polymerase that enhances Ig and TcR gene diversity in the N region in B- and T-cells. TdT is found as a member of a large protein complex in the lysate of the thymocytes. To elucidate the molecular mechanism of the synthesis of the N region, we first attempted to isolate the genes with products that are interacting directly with TdT.

RESULTS

Using a yeast two-hybrid system, we isolated a cDNA clone encoding a novel nuclear protein that interacts with TdT. This protein was designated as TdT interacting factor 1 (TdIF1). TdIF1 has a high degree of homology to the transcription factor p65, which belongs to the nuclear receptor superfamily. TdIF1 contains HMG-I and HMG-Y DNA binding domains (AT-hooks) and can bind to single- and double-stranded DNA. TdT and TdIF1 were co-eluted at position 232 kDa by gel filtration of MOLT4 lysate. TdIF1 can enhance TdT activity fourfold in vitro assay system using oligo(dT)16 as primers.

CONCLUSIONS

TdIF1 binds directly to TdT, both in vitro and in vivo. TdIF1 and TdT exist as the members of a 232 kDa protein complex. TdIF1 can enhance TdT activity maximum fourfold in vitro assay system, suggesting that it positively regulates the synthesis of the N region during V(D)J recombination in the Ig and TcR genes.

Structure-sweetness relationship in thaumatin: importance of lysine residues

To clarify the structural basis for the sweetness of thaumatin I, lysine-modified derivatives and carboxyl-group-modified derivatives were prepared by chemical modification followed by chromatographic purification. The sweetness of derivatives was evaluated by sensory analysis. Phosphopyridoxylation of lysine residues Lys78, Lys97, Lys106, Lys137 and Lys187 markedly reduced sweetness. The intensity of sweetness was returned to that of native thaumatin by dephosphorylation of these phosphopyridoxylated lysine residues except Lys106. Pyridoxamine modification of the carboxyl group of Asp21, Glu42, Asp60, Asp129 or Ala207 (C-terminal) did not markedly change sweetness. Analysis by far-UV circular dichroism spectroscopy indicated that the secondary structure of all derivatives remained unchanged, suggesting that the loss of sweetness was not a result of major disruption in protein structure. The five lysine residues, modification of which affected sweetness, are separate and spread over a broad surface region on one side of the thaumatin I molecule. These lysine residues exist in thaumatin, but not in non-sweet thaumatin-like proteins, suggesting that these lysine residues are required for sweetness. These lysine residues may play an important role in sweetness through a multipoint interaction with a putative thaumatin receptor.

Sweetness of sweet protein thaumatin is more thermoresistant under acid conditions than under neutral or alkaline conditions

Thermostability of thaumatin and mechanisms of thermoinactivation were examined at 80 degrees C in the pH range from 2 to 10. The sweetness of thaumatin disappeared on heating at pH above 7 for 15 min, but the sweetness remained even after heating at 80 degrees C for 4 h at pH 2. This indicated that the sweet protein thaumatin is more thermoresistant under acid conditions than under neutral or alkaline conditions. Prolonged heating of thaumatin under acid conditions slowly reduced sweetness, and produced a heterogeneous population of molecules, all of which was soluble and monomeric. The resultant molecules were clearly distinct from those generated by heating at pH above 7. Hydrolysis of peptide bonds and other irreversible chemical reactions slowly took place in the molecule heated under acid conditions, and it would be, in part, a cause of thermoinactivation of thaumatin under acid conditions. The thermostability of thaumatin and the mechanism of thermoinactivation were largely dependent on pH.

Real three-dimensional microstructures fabricated by photopolymerization of resins through two-photon absorption

Effective energy windows for two-photon absorption (TPA) photopolymerization of resins were investigated and, with a properly selected laser pulse energy, exquisite three-dimensional (3D) microstructures with submicrometer spatial resolution were achieved. The results show the inherent utility of TPA in the fabrication of real 3D patterns. In particular, we propose and utilize a resin pre-exposure technique by which freely movable components affixed to an axle are built, demonstrating a new application of TPA in laser microfabrication.

Tandem mass spectrometric analysis of (13)C-containing ions from a mixture of homologous peptides differing by one mass unit at a residue

Tandem mass spectrometry of a mixture of two peptides that differ from each other by a single mass unit due to mutation is presented. The mutant beta-globin of hemoglobin Hoshida is present along with the normal counterpart, and the amino acid substitution of glutamine for glutamic acid is located within tryptic peptide T5 of M(r) 2057. 9. The mass of the mutated peptide is 1 u lower. In the isotopic cluster for the doubly charged ion of the peptide T5, the resolved ion with mass of 1030.0 represents the normal peptide with 93 (12)C atoms and the mutated one with 92 (12)C and one (13)C atoms. Collision-induced dissociation (CID) of this composite ion identified the mutation by presenting a key fragment derived from the (12)C-only mutant peptide, as reported in a previous study. Similarly, when an ion containing multiple (13)C atoms was selected as a precursor for CID, the mutation could be identified, even in large fragments, by a marked change in the shape of the isotopic cluster for the consecutive product ions. This study demonstrates the merit of selecting a resolved ion rather than the whole isotopic cluster as a precursor in the CID measurements of large peptides or proteins for characterizing heterozygous mutations.

Site-directed mutagenesis in hemoglobin: test of functional homology of the F9 amino acid residues of hemoglobin alpha and beta chains

The cysteine residue at F9(93) of the human hemoglobin (Hb A) beta chain, conserved in mammalian and avian hemoglobins, is located near the functionally important alpha1-beta2 interface and C-terminal region of the beta chain and is reactive to sulfhydryl reagents. The functional roles of this residue are still unclear, although regulation of local blood flow through allosteric S-nitrosylation of this residue is proposed. To clarify the role of this residue and its functional homology to F9(88) of the alpha chain, we measured oxygen equilibrium curves, UV-region derivative spectra, Soret-band absorption spectra, the number of titratable -SH groups with p-mercuribenzoate and the rate of reaction of these groups with 4, 4'-dipyridine disulfide for three recombinant mutant Hbs with single amino acid substitutions: Ala-->Cys at 88alpha (rHb A88alphaC), Cys-->Ala at 93beta (rHb C93betaA) and Cys-->Thr at 93beta (rHb C93betaT). These Hbs showed increased oxygen affinities and impaired allosteric effects. The spectral data indicated that the R to T transition upon deoxygenation was partially restricted in these Hbs. The number of titratable -SH groups of liganded form was 3.2-3.5 for rHb A88alphaC compared with 2.2 for Hb A, whereas those for rHb C93betaA and rHb C93betaT were negligibly small. The reduction of rate of reaction with 4,4'-dipyridine disulfide upon deoxygenation in rHb A88alphaC was smaller than that in Hb A. Our experimental data have shown that the residues at 88alpha and 93beta have definite roles but they have no functional homology. Structure-function relationships in our mutant Hbs are discussed.

Heat-induced formation of intermolecular disulfide linkages between thaumatin molecules that do not contain cysteine residues

Thaumatin, a sweet protein that contains no cysteine residues and eight intramolecular disulfide bonds, aggregates upon heating at pH 7.0 above 70 degrees C, and its sweetness thereby disappears. The aggregate can be solubilized by heating in the presence of both thiol reducing reagent and SDS. This molecular aggregation depended on the protein concentration during heating and was suppressed by the addition of N-ethylmaleimide or iodoacetamide, indicating a thiol-catalyzed disulfide interchange reaction between heat-denatured molecules. An amino acid analysis of the aggregates suggested that the cysteine and lysine residues were reduced, and the formation of a cysteine residue and a lysinoalanine residue was confirmed. The reduction and formation of these residues stoichiometrically satisfied the beta-elimination of a cystine residue. The disulfide interchange reaction was catalyzed by cysteine; that is, a free sulfhydryl residue was formed via beta-elimination of a disulfide bond. Intermolecular disulfide bonds were probably formed between thaumatin molecules upon heating at pH 7.0, which led to the aggregation of thaumatin molecules.

Overexpression of monocyte-derived cytokines in active psoriasis: a relation to coexistent arthropathy

An overexpression of inflammatory cytokines has been found in the lesional skin as well as peripheral blood in patients with psoriasis, although its etiological significance is not yet understood. In order to evaluate the cell type responsible for the elevated cytokines in the peripheral blood, we investigated cytokine profiles of the fractionated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) in 30 patients with psoriasis and 27 healthy controls. Without stimulation, higher levels of interleukin (IL)-1beta, IL-6, and IL-8 were produced by freshly isolated PBMCs from the patients than those from the controls. In the fractionated PBMCs, the monocyte-rich fractions were mainly responsible for the production of these cytokines and mRNA. The elevated levels of monocyte-derived cytokine mRNAs decreased following successful treatment with cyclosporin A. Although no correlation was found between the cytokine levels and the psoriasis area and severity index (PASI) scores, patients with arthropathy showed significantly high production levels of IL-1beta, IL-6, and IL-8. These findings suggest that monocytes are the major cell source producing inflammatory cytokines in the peripheral blood of psoriasis, and the increased cytokine levels are related to the coexistent arthropathy rather than the severity of cutaneous lesions.

Establishment of a combined strategy of genetic and mass spectrometric analyses for characterizing hemoglobin mutations. An example of Hb Hoshida (beta43Glu-->Gln)

Structural analysis of mutant hemoglobins has been efficiently accomplished by a consecutive mass spectrometric strategy: molecular mass measurement of the protein to detect mutation and to determine the molecular mass change, and fragmentation analysis with collision-induced dissociation to determine the site and type of mutation. A flaw of this method is an inherent inability to detect a mutation associated with no or little change of the molecular mass. In the present study, the strategy was improved by incorporating genetic analysis prior to mass spectrometry, which confirms the resulting amino acid change and searches for possible post-translational modifications. The method was applied to an unknown mutant, and elucidated a substitution of glutamine for glutamic acid at position 43 of beta-globin subunit, the mutation of Hb Hoshida.

Pilocarpine-induced cholinergic sweat secretion compared with emotional sweat secretion in atopic dermatitis

We studied pilocarpine-induced cholinergic sweating, emotional sweating and sympathetic reflex sweating in atopic dermatitis (AD) patients. Secreted sweat was measured both with equipment that continuously records sweat rate and with a filter paper method that measures sweat weight absorbed. Comparison of the two methods revealed that the filter paper method underestimated the sweat secretion in AD patients. While AD patients showed no significant abnormalities in emotional sweating and sympathetic reflex sweating, the duration of pilocarpine-induced sweating was prolonged. The time from the maximal sweat rate until the sweat rate fell to half of the maximal rate was significantly longer in AD patients than in control subjects. In contrast, the time from the beginning of sweat secretion until the maximal sweat rate was not significantly different between AD patients and control subjects. There was no significant difference between AD patients and control subjects in sweat volume secreted in 20 min after pilocarpine iontophoresis. In AD patients, the total sweat volume secreted after pilocarpine iontophoresis was greater than in control subjects, although not significantly. These results suggest that the system of deactivation of pilocarpine-induced sweat secretion is impaired in AD patients whereas the activation system is not altered.

[Clinical retrospective study on outpatients at clinic for oral implant]

A retrospective study was made on 1,000 outpatients visiting the Clinic for Oral Implant, University Hospital, Faculty of Dentistry, Tokyo Medical and Dental University between April 1995 and June 1998. The following findings were obtained according to sex, age group, reason for visit, classification of edentulous area, indication and contraindication for implant therapy, and pre-implant surgical treatment. Forty percent of the outpatients were male and 60% were female. The largest number was in the 50-59-year-old group. The reason for visit of 822 patients was request for implant therapy. 123 patients with uncomfortable implants done at other clinics, 12 patients undergoing maintenance of implants at other clinics and 43 other patients. There were 505 upper jaw cases and 529 lower jaw cases. Most anterior edentulous cases were in the upper jaw group. Most of the posterior edentulous cases were unilateral cases and many of them were free-end saddle cases. Indication patients were 447 of the 822 outpatients. The main contraindication was insufficient volume of bone. Two hundred twenty-one of the 477 indication patients did not need the pretreatment which consisted of extraction, bone graft, free gingival graft, provisional prosthetics, sinus lift, and so on.

Conformational fluctuation of native-like and molten-globule-like cytochrome c observed by time-resolved hole burning

Nanosecond to millisecond conformational fluctuations of Zn-substituted cytochrome c (ZnCytc) have been studied by the time-resolved transient hole-burning method. The investigation of low-temperature dynamics has been made on the ZnCytc solution sample in a water-glycerol mixture. The conformational fluctuations in the native-like and the molten-globule (MG)-like states have been compared for the aqueous solution samples at room temperature. ZnCytc in the MG-like state has been prepared by adding 200 mM NaClO4 to the protein solution with a pH of 2.1, and the formation of the MG-like state has been confirmed by both the far-UV CD and the visible absorption spectra. The hole spectrum of ZnCytc has been found to consist of two nearly degenerate components, that is, the Qx and Qy bands. The temporal change in the Qx component hole spectrum has been extracted by fitting the observed hole spectrum to the three-Gaussian form. The experimental results for ZnCytc dissolved in a water-glycerol mixture have revealed that the conformational fluctuation of ZnCytc is suppressed around 200 K, which is nearly the same temperature as the glass-like transition point of Zn-substituted myoglobin (ZnMb) and also as the glass-transition point of the solvent. This supports the idea of the solvent-induced glass-like transition of a protein. It has been also found that at physiological temperatures the time scale of the conformational fluctuation of ZnCytc lies around a few tens of nanoseconds, which is 2-3 orders of magnitude faster than that of ZnMb. The experimental results for the aqueous solution samples have shown that the difference between the native-like and the MG-like states is not conspicuous. However, they are indicative of the appearance of the slower conformational fluctuation in the MG-like state.

New superselective intra-arterial infusion via superficial temporal artery for cancer of the tongue and tumour tissue platinum concentration after carboplatin (CBDCA) infusion

We developed a new technique of superselective intra-arterial chemotherapy for tongue cancer using a modified (1.35 mm) angiographic catheter. The catheter was confirmed to be inserted into the lingual artery by the new technique. We measured the platinum concentrations in resected tumour tissues after infusion of carboplatin (CBDCA) at 20 mg/m2 over 30 min from 30 min before tumour resection in 12 patients with cancer of the tongue (6 patients: superselective intra-arterial infusion; 6 patients: conventional intra-arterial infusion). The mean platinum concentration in tumour tissue was 10.5 +/- 1.2 micrograms/g wet, which was more than twice higher than, and significantly different from, 4.3 +/- 3.8 micrograms/g wet by the conventional intra-arterial infusion method. This new superselective intra-arterial infusion method allows direct infusion of the anticancer agent into the artery supplying the tumour and is expected to become a new therapeutic modality for cancer of the tongue.

Impaired production of Th1 cytokines and increased frequency of Th2 subsets in PBMC from advanced cancer patients

BACKGROUND

A reported imbalance of Th1 and Th2 may be responsible for the occurrence and progress of certain diseases. Patients with advanced cancer may have impaired cell-mediated immunity caused by a switch from Th1 to Th2. We investigated the balance of Th1 and Th2 in cancer patients using two approaches.

METHODS

Flow cytometry was used to define Th1 and Th2 using intracellular cytokines, thereby determining the frequency of these helper T cells in CD4+ peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). The amount of cytokines secreted by stimulated PBMC in bulk culture was determined.

RESULTS

Production of TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma in the culture was significantly lower in 9 patients (1188 +/- 634 pg/ml and 46 +/- 84 pg/ml) than in 10 healthy subjects (2491 +/- 1037 pg/ml and 295 +/- 219 pg/ml) (p < 0.002 and p < 0.003), while the production of IL-4 was slightly higher in cancer patients than in the healthy subjects. The percentage of IFN-gamma-IL-4+ cells in CD4+ cells was significantly higher in the patients than in healthy subjects (4.3 +/- 2.0% and 2.4 +/- 0.7%); there was no difference in IFN-gamma+IL-4- cells between the two groups. The ratio of IFN-gamma+IL-4- and IFN-gamma-IL-4+ cells per individual was significantly lower in the patients.

CONCLUSION

These results indicated that an imbalance of Th1 and Th2 was found not only in the frequency of the subsets in PBMC, but also in the capacity for cytokine-production.

Effect of the combination of a local OK-432 injection and hyperthermia on SCC VII tumors in mice

Hyperthermia is being investigated as a cancer treatment. Many of its basic mechanisms, particularly those related to cell killing, are still poorly understood. We used a transplanted squamous cell carcinoma cell line to investigate the therapeutic effect of hyperthermia. In particular, we examined the effect of OK-432 (biological response modifier) on hyperthermia-induced apoptosis. In the hyperthermia only group the most extensive necrosis occurred on day 3 (70.3%), and the apoptosis index also was highest on that day (69.3). These results suggest that the induction of apoptosis is closely related to the cell death caused by hyperthermia. The percent of necrosis was significantly higher in the groups given hyperthermia and combined OK-432 and hyperthermia treatment than in the OK-432 group (p < 0.05). The apoptosis index was significantly lower in the combined OK-432 and hyperthermia treatment group than in the hyperthermia only group, indicative that the antitumor effect of combined hyperthermia and OK-432 therapy is not ascribable to the induction of apoptosis.

Surname and consanguineous marriages in Japan

A survey of consanguineous marriages in Japan was conducted on 1 September 1983, by questionnaires. The total number of couples surveyed was 9225. They were chosen from six widely different areas and the inbreeding coefficients from isonymy and pedigrees were estimated for each area. Random inbreeding remained constant with the marriage year whereas total (F) and non-random (Fn) inbreeding from isonymy and inbreeding from pedigrees (alpha) decreased with the marriage year in each area. Estimates of genetic microdifferentiation from surnames were obtained; estimates of the reduced variance indicated low microdifferentiation (0.000014-0.000081) in five areas and a higher value in Fukue City (0.0004). The ratio of FST (the average within-group a priori kinship) to alpha-value ranged from 0.42 in Kawanishi City to 3.9 in Minobu-Cho.

Hsp40, a possible indicator for thermotolerance of murine tumour in vivo

The relationship between Hsp40/Hsp70 synthesis and the development of thermotolerance was investigated using mouse squamous cell carcinoma in vivo. To examine the thermotolerance, tumours were heated at 44 degrees C for 30 min as conditioning heating. After various intervals they were heated again at 44 degrees C for 90 min as challenge heating. The tumour response to heat was evaluated by the growth delay. Thermotolerance rapidly developed with increasing interval and reached a maximum at 12 h interval. Subsequently, thermotolerance gradually decayed and almost disappeared at 120 h interval. Under this condition, synthesis of Hsp40/Hsp70 increased after conditioning heating, reached a maximum at 12 h interval, then gradually decreased thereafter within 120 h. The kinetics of accumulation and decay of both Hsp40 and Hsp70 were very similar. The extent of thermotolerance was well correlated with the relative amount of Hsp40/Hsp70. These results obtained in vivo were very similar to those in vitro (Kaneko et al. 1995). Our findings suggest that Hsp40 could be a useful indicator of the degree of thermotolerance in addition to Hsp70 in vivo as in vitro.