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Platelet monoamine oxidase (MAO) activity has been studied extensively since Murphy and Wyatt (1972) reported low levels of this enzyme in the platelets of chronic schizophrenics. Some investigators, however, have been unable to demonstrate reduced MAO activity in schizophrenics (Wyatt et al. 1980). Consequently, recent work in this field has attempted to elucidate specific clinical criteria to distinguish schizophrenics with low MAO levels. To date, differences between paranoid and nonparanoid schizophrenics with regard to MAO activity have been most often noted. In contrast, relatively little is known about the possible relevance of negative versus positive symptoms to MAO activity. As far as the effect of medication is concerned, there is also disagreement over whether

Behavioral sensitization of mice (male STD-ddy) to d -methamphetamine (MAP) and its correlation with the neurochemical alterations in cerebral catecholaminergic systems were investigated following the repeated administration of MAP (5 mg/kg, i.p. × 2/day, 5 days). MAP-pretreated mice showed an enhancement in MAP-stimulated locomotor activity following the readministration of MAP (0.625 mg/kg). The metabolic turnovers of cerebral norepinephrine (NE) and dopamine (DA) showed a significant decrease in these sensitized mice. The activities of tyrosine hydroxylase. DOPA decarboxylase, monoamine oxidase and catechol- O -methyltransferase, however, showed no change under the same experimental conditions. On the other hand, the repeated MAP pretreatment induced the enhancement of the specific bindings of [ 3 H]dihydroalprenolol and [ 3 H]spiperone to cerebral synaptic membrane, which resulted from the increase of B max values. Furthermore, pretreatments of mice with propranolol (10 mg/kg) and haloperidol (0.1 mg/kg) inhibited the development of behavioral sensitization to MAP. These results suggest that the supersensitivity in cerebral β-adrenergic and dopaminergic receptors may be involved in behavioral sensitization to MAP.

As a unique uplifted outcrop in the Yellow Sea and northern East China Sea, the Sogwipo Formation provides an unusual opportunity to study the palaeoceanographic history in this region during late Cenozoic time. It measures about 54 metres in thickness under the overlying volcanic complex and is characterised by near-shore, lagoon, barrier bar, offshore, tuffaceous sand, and volcanic conglomerate facies in ascending order. From nine samples taken from the lower half of the formation, 124 ostracod species belonging to 58 genera were recovered. The vertical occurrence data show that the palaeoenvironment of the formation varied from bay to open sea, was strongly influenced by a warm current and finally filled with volcanic sediments. The geological age of the formation is tentatively regarded as Plio-Pleistocene.

The release of [ 3 H]GABA which is newly synthesized from [ 3 H] l -glutamic acid (GLU) has been examined using striatal slices obtained from the rat brain. It was found that 8–10% of [ 3 H]GLU transported was converted to [ 3 H]GABA during the incubation of striatal slices in the presence of nipecotic acid (5 × 10 −5 M). Nipecotic acid was added to the medium in order to prevent possible reuptake of [ 3 H]GABA released during its synthesis, and it was found to have no significant effect on the formation of [ 3 H]GABA from [ 3 H]GLU as well as on the uptake of [ 3 H]GLU. The application of high potassium (60 mM) stimulation exhibited a significant enhancement of the release of this newly synthesized [ 3 H]GABA in a Ca 2+ dependent manner. Kinetic analysis revealed that the evoked release of newly synthesized [ 3 H]GABA was approximately two times greater than that of previously-loaded [ 3 H]GABA, whereas no significant difference was observed in the spontaneous release. An immobilization stress in water failed to affect the release of newly synthesized [ 3 H]GABA from striatal slices despite the occurrence of a significant enhancement of GABA formation in this structure. These results suggest that newly synthesized GABA may be preferentially released from its nerve terminals in response to the excitation of neurons at least in the striatum as compared with previously accumulated GABA.

Background Sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor-1 (S1PR1) and signal transducer and activator of transcription-3 (STAT3) play important roles in immune responses with potential oncogenic roles. Methods We analyzed S1PR1/STAT3 pathway activation using immunohistochemistry in rituximab-treated diffuse large B-cell lymphomas (DLBCL; N = 103). Results Nuclear expression of pSTAT3 (but not S1PR1) was associated with non-GCB phenotype (p = 0.010). In univariate survival analysis, S1PR1 expression (S1PR1+) was a poor prognostic factor in total DLBCLs (p = 0.018), as well as in nodal (p = 0.041), high-stage (III, IV) (p = 0.002), and high-international prognostic index (IPI; 3–5) (p = 0.014) subgroups, while nuclear expression of pSTAT3 (pSTAT3+) was associated with poor prognosis in the low-stage (I, II) subgroup (p = 0.022). The S1PR1/pSTAT3 risk-categories, containing high-risk (S1PR1+), intermediate-risk (S1PR1-/pSTAT3+), and low-risk (S1PR1-/pSTAT3-), predicted overall survival (p = 0.010). This prognostication tended to be valid in each stage (p = 0.059 in low-stage; p = 0.006 in high-stage) and each IPI subgroups (p = 0.055 [low-IPI]; p = 0.034 [high-IPI]). S1PR1 alone and S1PR1/pSTAT3 risk-category were significant independent prognostic indicators in multivariate analyses incorporating IPI and B symptoms (S1PR1 [p = 0.005; HR = 3.0]; S1PR1/pSTAT3 risk-category [p = 0.019: overall; p = 0.024, HR = 2.7 for S1PR1-/pSTAT3+ vs. S1PR1+; p = 0.021, HR = 3.8 for S1PR1-/pSTAT3- vs. S1PR1+]). Conclusions Therefore, S1PR1 and S1PR1/pSTAT3 risk-category may contribute to risk stratification in rituximab-treated DLBCLs, and S1PR1 and STAT3 might be therapeutic targets for DLBCL.

Background: The long-term prognosis of clinically early lgA nephropathy (lgAN) patients remains to be clarified. We investigated the long-term outcomes of lgAN patients with an apparently benign presentation and evaluated prognostic factors for renal survival. Methods: We included patients with biopsy-proven lgAN who had estimated glomerular filtration rates (eGFR) >= 60 mL/min/1.73 m(2), normal blood pressure, and proteinuria 1 g/day. Results: The analysis included 153 patients who met the inclusion criteria. At diagnosis, their median systolic blood pressure was 120 (110-130) mmHg, eGFR was 85.9 (74.9-100.1) mL/min/1.73 m(2), and proteinuria was 0.25 (0.13-0.38) g/day. Of these, 4 patients died and 6 reached ESRD. The 30-year renal survival rate was 85.5%. Three patients had increased serum creatinine levels and 11 developed proteinuria. Remission was observed in 35 (22.9%) patients. A moderate or severe degree of interstitial fibrosis (adjusted odd ratio [OR] 5.93, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.44-24.45, P = 0.014) and hypoalbuminemia (adjusted OR 6.18, 95% CI 1.20- 31.79, P = 0.029) were independent predictors of the secondary outcome. Conclusions: This study showed that the prognosis of early lgAN was not always favorable, even resulting in progression to ESRD in some cases. Hypoalbuminemia and interstitial fibrosis should also be considered important prognostic factors in clinically early lgAN patients.

INTRODUCTION: Concerning the influences of the host's hormone in helminthic infection, Solomon(1963) reported that castrated hamsters were less susceptible to Nippostrongylus brasiliensis infection than the sham-operated or normal control groups, and Addis(1946) demonstrated that testosterone in the male host was necessary for normal growth of Hymenolepis diminuta and the egg productive ability was also effected by the hormone. Beck(1950, 1952) noted a significant reduction in egg production in castrated rats infected by a single worm. Egg production of a single worm in gonadectomized or thyroidectomized hamsters was found to be lower than the control group (Landt 1954, 1955). Dobson(1964) reported that male lambs were more susceptible to Oesophagostomum columbianum infection, harbouring more and larger worms and producing fewer nodules than females, but gonadectomy removed these differences by increasing the susceptibility and worm growth in the female lambs. Thyroidectomy did not affect host resistance, as measured by nodule numbers, but did increase adult worm survial, partcularly in female host. Solomon(1964) found that the mean recovery of adult worms from gonadectomized or normal hamsters given 20 mg testosterone propionate intramuscularly at 8 and 16 hour prior to infection and necropsied on the 9th day of infection, was nearly 50% that from sham or normal animals was apporximately 10%; and that from gonadectomized animals was only 3%. Campbell and Melcher(1940), Haam and Rosenfeld(1942), Sadun(1948, 1951), Haley (1958 a, b), Mathies(1959 a, b) and Dobson(1961 a, b), noted that estrogen increased the resistnace of the host against helminthic infection, while testosterone had a little or no effect. There were many studies on the effects of parasite infection in cases of host sex hormone imbalance but there are many unknown points as yet. In the present study, the author studied the infectiousness of helminths in castrated or in sex hormone-administrated hosts. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 1) 51 mature rats and 30 immature rats were divided into 10 groups for the former and 6 groups for the latter. 51,000 of hookworm(Ancylostoma caninum) filariform larvae were given to 51 gonadectomized rats by subcutaneous injection. The rats were sacrifeced 7 days after the infection and the larvae which had migrated to muscle, liver and lung were collected by Baermann's method. Thirty rats, given sex hormone, were infected with 100 filariform larvae of Ancylostoma caninum for each rat orally and the larvae were collected from the liver, muscle, lung and small intestine 72 hours after the infection. After calculation of the number of larvae a statistical method was applied for the singnificance of the difference. 2) Gonadectomized rats and control rats inoculated with Capillaria hepatica were sacrificed 5 weeks after infection. The adult worms were collected from the liver and were calculated. Four dogs, including one with oophorectomy, one castrated and two controls, were sacrificed 7 days after infection with 100 filariform larvae of Ancylostoma caninum to each and calculation of the number of larvae from the small intestines was carried out. 3) A castrated adult dog and one control dog(sham-operation) were infected orally with 500 A.caninum larvae each and the other two dogs were given 1,000 larvae each orally. The egg productivity was checked every five days by Stoll's egg counting method from three weeks after the infection was initated. A certain number of the hormones influenced adult worm from the castrated host were placed in vitro for the extensive examination fo egg productivity. RESULT: 1)No significant difference was noted in canine hookworm infection due to hormone influence between the control group and the gonadectomized rats which were sacrificed 17 days after gonadectomy and 7 days after the infection. However in the rats which were infected 20 days after oophorectomy a significant difference was thought to be present in this group(176 +/- 12.9 larvae/rat) compared with the control group (138 +/- 21.2 larvae/rat). On /rat). On the other hand, in the castrated group the number of larvae (138plusmn; 37.1 larvae/rat) was less than that in the control group (208plusmn; 43.4 larvae/rat). In the estrogen-injected male and female groups, there were no difference compared to the control, but the testosterone-injected groups of males and females showed more susceptibility to infection by A. caninum than in the control group. 2)The Capillaria hepatica infection to the castracted host showed no significant difference between the gonadectomized and the control group. (oophorectomy; 214plusmn; 28.0), castration; 250plusmn; 36.5 and control; 191plusmn; 58.2 and 270plusmn; 30.1 adults/rat). 3)Concerning the influence of the host's sex hormone on egg production of canine hookworm, there was a significantly decreased egg production in castrated dogs(6,578plusmn; 664.0 egg per gram) compared to the control dogs(9,711plusmn; 1,322.3 egg per gram). The same results were observed in vitro test. CONCLUSION: 1)In the host, the susceptibility to hookworm infection was reduced in castrated rats, while oophorectomy group had a little or no effect. 2)In the favorable or unfavorable hosts, testosterone gave the tendency of increasing susceptibility of the host to infection, while estrogen did a little or no effect.