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We examined the activities of peptidases in synovial fluid from patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and osteoarthritis (OA). Dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP IV) activity was lower in synovial fluid from patients with RA, in contrast to the increase of DPP II activity in synovial fluid, as compared with OA. The DPP II/DPP IV ratio for synovial fluid was significantly higher in patients with RA than in patients with OA. A significant correlation was observed between the DPP II/DPP IV ratio for synovial fluid from patients with RA and the amount of C-reactive protein reaction. These results may be useful in the diagnosis of joint effusion of unknown origin.

Experimental hyperlipidemia and atherosclerosis induced by a cholesterol diet in SPF male and female rabbits (JW/KBL) were investigated by the determination of the lipid contents of the plasma, liver and thoracic aorta; determination of morphological changes of the aortic arch by head angiography; and computer tomography of the brain. Rabbits were fed the diet that contained 1% cholesterol for eight weeks. The plasma lipid levels began to rise from two weeks after the cholesterol diet was started, reached the peak four to six weeks later, and then fell in both males and females at eight weeks. The cholesterol of the high density lipoprotein in male rabbit plasma was slightly increased by the cholesterol diet, but not in female rabbits. An increase in the total cholesterol (TC) and triglyceride contents of the liver and an increase in the TC and phospholipid contents of the thoracic aorta were observed at the eighth week. Histological examination of the aortic arch showed marked lipid vacuoles under the endothelial cells, noticeable lipid inclusions in the smooth muscle cells of the intima and granular prominences on the internal surface of the aorta. Head angiography of rabbits fed the cholesterol diet revealed a constriction of the lumina of several arteries due to the lipid depositions. These results suggest that hyperlipidemia and atherosclerosis can be produced at the eighth week using SPF rabbits fed on a cholesterol diet.

1. All the porcine pancreas enzymes tested, regardless of their pI's were adsorbed on Amberlite CG-50 (a weakly acidic cation exchange resin) at pH 4, where the ion-exchange group (carboxyl group) is not dissociated. The adsorption is hardly influenced by ionic strength. 2. At pH 4, the adsorbed enzymes were partially eluted by organic solvents such as 50% propanol. 3. The adsorbed enzymes were effectively eluted by increasing the pH from 4 to 6. Trypsin (pI 10.5) was eluted before carboxypeptidase A (pI 4.5 AND 5.3) WITH 0.5 M acetate buffer, whereas the former enzyme was eluted after the latter enzyme with 0.2 M 3,3-dimethyl glutarate buffer. However, with either buffer, the elution order of enzymes was not always the same as the order of the pI's. 4. By a single Amberlite CG-50 column chromatography of porcine pancreas extracts, kallikrein, carboxypeptidase B, deoxyribonuclease, carboxypeptidase A, and trypsin were purified 100-fold, 16-fmately 13%. The purification procedures included treatment with protamine, ammonium sulfate fractionation, treatment with acid, DE-32 cellulose column chromatography, gel filtration on Sephadex G-100, preparative polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and affinity chromatography on 5' AMP-Sepharose 4B. The last procedure, affinity chromatography on 5' AMP-Sepharose 4B, was useful for the removal of other dehydrogenases. The enzyme which was homogeneous, as shown by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, had a molecular weight of about 92,000. The optimum pH was at 10.0 and isoelectric point at 5.2. The enzyme accepted both L-fucose and D-arabinose as substrate, but was specific for NAD+ as coenzyme. Km values were 0.15 mM, 1.4 mM, and 0.07 mM for L-fucose, D-arabinose, and NAD+, respectively. A single enzyme catalyzed the oxidation of L-fucose and D-arabinose, which had the same configurations of hydroxyl groups from C-2 to C-4. The reaction products obtained with L-fucose as substrate were L-fucono-lactone and L-fuconic acid. The L-fucono-lactone was an immediate product of oxidation and was hydrolyzed to L-fuconic acid spontaneously. This reaction was irreversible. Therefore, it is likely that L-fucose dehydrogenase is involved in the initial step of the catabolic pathway of L-fucose in rabbit liver.

The effect of trapidil on experimental hyperlipemia and atherosclerosis induced by 1% cholesterol diet in SPF male rabbits (JW/KBL) was investigated by the determination of the lipid contents of the plasma and thoracic aorta and examination of morphological changes in the aorta. Trapidil inhibited the increase of total lipid (TL), total cholesterol (TC), free cholesterol (FC) and phospholipid (PL) by the cholesterol diet in all groups. The level of cholesterol (HDL-C) and phospholipid (HDL-PL) in high density lipoprotein (HDL) remained unchanged after the cholesterol diet and trapidil administration. The atherogenic index (TC-HDL-C/HDL-C, PL-HDL-PL/HDL-PL) was improved by the inhibition of TC and PL by the administration of trapidil. A morphological study of the aorta showed that trapidil inhibited lipid deposition. A microscopic observation of the intima by Sudan III stain showed that inhibition of lipid deposition corresponded with the quantity of trapidil administration. An observation of aorta using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) showed that trapidil inhibited the presence of form cells due to HCD. This inhibition corresponded with the quantity of trapidil administration; and no form cells were seen in the 50 mg/kg-administered group. An observation of intima using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed that trapidil inhibited the irregularly elevated regions by HCD. The structure of intima in the 50 mg/kg-administered group was similar to that of the control groups. The observation of the head angiogram showed that trapidil improved the stenosis in the lingual and temporal arteries which was caused by HCD.

A rare case of primary signet ring cell carcinoma of the breast is reported. The patient was a 54-year-old unmarried female (G 0, P 0, AB 0) with a several months' history of inflammatory reactions, such as infection, erosion, and a swelling of her entire left breast. She died of this disease in 6 months despite an operation and combined chemotherapy (CMF). Her serum CEA level had well reflected the course of her treatment. Histopathologically, a primary lesion and axillary lymph nodes were found to be filled with typical signet ring cells, whose cytoplasm showed positive staining for PAS and Alcian blue stains as well as CEA. This case, both clinically and histopathologically, displayed the peculiar characteristics of signet ring cell carcinoma, which differs from other types of breast cancer.

Increased intracranial pressure with supratentorial mass lesion causes a pressure difference between the supratentorial and infratentorial compartments, which eventually causes transtentorial herniation(2). Since the brain tissue is a kind of viscoelastic substance, the distorted brain develops the shearing stress. The present experiment was undertaken in an attempt to measure the shearing stress which develops in the herniated brain at the edge of the tentorium.

For the purpose of local therapy for advanced and recurrent breast cancer, we have applied a new Adriamycin (ADR) ointment. This new ADR ointment has been prepared by the technique of a two-factor composite experimental design and includes PEG: 25%, CVP: 0.65%, HPC: 1.35% and ADR: 0.04%. We have applied it to three patients with advanced breast cancer and six patients with locally recurrent breast cancer. By using this ointment, the skin ulcers have become dry, bleeding has stopped and the sense of heat has been lost. In some cases, the neoplastic ulcers have diminished in size. Some problems with this ointment are easy bleeding at the time of removing the gauze and an unstable effect in diminishing the size of the neoplasm. We therefore think that the use of this ointment alone is very effective for controlling the symptoms of the local lesion, but not so effective for diminishing the size of the neoplasm.

The present investigation was conducted to document the serum concentrations of immunosuppressive acidic protein (IAP) in patients with intracranial tumours utilizing the single radial immunodiffusion method. Among 46 pre-operative patients, elevated serum levels of IAP were found in nine of 16 patients with gliomas, six of nine patients with metastasis, and two of 21 patients with non-glial, histologically benign intracranial tumours. The mean value of serum IAP in glial or metastatic tumours was found significantly higher than that of either non-glial or normal individuals. It was postulated that serum IAP levels could correlate with a grade of anaplasia and malignancy of the tumour. And it was also of note that serum IAP levels appeared to have a tendency to decrease in response to the treatment. In addition, serum IAP levels were found correlated with the clinical condition and course of disease as evaluated by performance status and erythrocyte sedimentation rate. Therefore, it was suggested that measurement of serum IAP could be, at least in part, useful in validating the histologic analysis of brain tumours, in following responses to treatment when used as a tumour indicator, and in monitoring the progress of the disease in patients in terms of performance status.

An attempt was made to develop a safe, efficacious live recombinant vaccine using low neurovirulent strains of vaccinia virus: LC16m0 (m0) or LC16m8 (m8). Recombinant vaccinia virus (RVV) was constructed by inserting the hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) gene fused to a 7.5 kDa protein promoter (7.5 kDa promoter) within the vaccinia virus thymidine kinase (TK) gene using the m0 or m8 strain as vectors. These RVVs expressed significant amounts of HBsAg (1.1 microgram/2 X 10(5) cells) consisting of 24.5 and 28 kDa (glycosylated) proteins. HBsAg produced by RVV (vaccinia HBsAg) had physical properties very similar to plasma-derived HBsAg. Considering the safety of RVVs from m0 or m8 that have been constructed with HBsAg without the addition of a promoter and the high induction of anti-HBs antibody with RVV from m0 strain in rabbits, the RVVs constructed in the present study are likely to form the basis of a safe live RVV vaccine for hepatitis B virus (HBV).

For the purpose of investigating cell the kinetics of human gastric carcinoma, the distribution of 3H-thymidine labeled cells and the labeling index were evaluated in biopsy specimens obtained from 52 patients with gastric cancer, using an in vitro labeling technique. Adenocarcinomas were scattered with labeled cells, while in carcinoid speciners labeled cells were confined to the periphery of tumor cell nests. Characteristically, small-sized cells were exclusively labeled with 3H-thymidine in signet-ring cell carcinomas but signet-ring cells bearing a large amount of mucin were not. Thus signet-ring cells could be regarded as cells in a differentiated condition which have lost their prolife-rating capability. The labeling index of gastric cancers ranged from 10 to 20% in most cases although it varied greatly from case to case (2.2-40.8%). The values of the labeling index were correlated with neither the degree of histological differentiation, macrascopic appearance nor the depth of mural invasion of carcinomas.

In a renal failure patient, asthma developed after 1 year hemodialytic treatment. The attack was exclusively associated with each hemodialysis. Skin test to the usual allergen such as house dusts or pollens was negative. The provocation test by inhaling acetate solution or oral intake of acetic acid was positive resulting in an increase in the pulmonary resistance, or asthmatic attack. This asthma disappeared completely after substitution of acetate in the hemodialysis by the use of a bicarbonate dialysate. Acetate might therefore precipitate the attack of asthma.

The activity of dipeptidyl peptidase IV (EC 3.4.14.5) in human sera from normal controls and osteoporotic patients was assayed with Gly-Pro-4-methylcoumaryl-7-amide (Gly-Pro-MCA) as substrate, at pH 8.7. The mean normal value for the activity in serum of 120 healthy subjects (ages 20-86 y) was 54.0 (SE 0.9, range 34.3-81.6) U/L at 37 degrees C and differed slightly but significantly between the younger group (less than 50 y old) and those older than 50 y. Values for the younger men were slightly but significantly higher than for the older men. Overall, however, the enzyme activities in serum were above normal in patients with osteoporosis. In contrast, the activity of post-proline cleaving enzyme (PPCE) was not increased in serum from patients with osteoporosis, as determined with succinyl-Gly-Pro-4-methylcoumaryl-7-amide (Suc-Gly-Pro-MCA) as substrate. These results suggest that high activities of dipeptidyl peptidase IV in serum of patients with osteoporosis are probably related to its severity.

The purpose of this study was to determine the susceptibility of Neisseria gonorrhoeae to ciprofloxacin (CPFX). The MIC's of CPFX against 50 clinical isolates of N. gonorrhoeae was examined and they were between less than or equal to 0.003 microgram/ml and 0.006 microgram/ml including 8 beta-lactamase producing strains. The CPFX was administered orally to 3 groups of 10 cases with gonococcal urethritis, groups being determined by 3 dose levels: a group with 200 mg b.i.d. for 3 days (a total of 1,200 mg), another with 400 mg b.i.d. (a total of 800 mg) and the final group with single administration of 400 mg. The effect of CPFX in the 1,200 mg-administered group was excellent in 3 and good in 7. The effect of the drug in the 800 mg-administered group was excellent in 2 and good in 8. The effect in the 400 mg-administered group was all good. Therefore, the overall cure rate was 100% including 5 patients with beta-lactamase producing gonococcic infection. Side effects were not observed in the 30 cases.

Recent reports have shown an increase of oral and maxillofacial injuries caused by sports activities. In European and American countries, mouthguards are the popular measure against these injuries. The purpose of this study was to survey the rate of incidence of oral and maxillofacial injuries caused by contact sports, the diffusion and the evaluation of mouthguards and the interest in mouthguards in Japan. Questionnaires were sent to 244 Rugby football teams in Aichi prefecture and 27 American football teams in the Tokai area. We received replies from 153 Rugby football teams and 17 American football teams, and the results were as follows: 1) The rate of incidence of oral and maxillofacial injuries was 239 players out of 4721 players, which means 5.1% in Rugby football and 22 players out of 428 players, which means 5.1% in American football. 2) The diffusion of mouthguards was 20 out of 153 teams in Rugby football and 16 out of 17 teams in American football. And most of them are using commercially available mouthguards. 3) Almost all teams were not satisfied with their mouthguards and complained of speaking difficulties, discomfort and easy dislocation. 4) Almost all teams desire the improvement of mouthguards. 5) Teams with no experience of mouthguards were very much interested in the use of mouthguards but they do not have enough information about mouthguards. 6) We have to enlighten players and their instructors about mouthguards and diffuse the use of mouthguards more positively to contact sports players.

SUMMARY The concentration of serum orosomucoid was determined in 90 newborn infants by single radial immunodiffusion method. The values were low in both healthy full-term and pre-term infants. In 50 neonates with various bacterial infectlions, the orosomucoid levels showed a marked increase from the early stage of the disease. They returned to the normal range with the clinical improvement. In infants with non-infectious diseases, no elevation was detected in any stages of the disease. Thus the assay of serum orosomucoid concentration appears to be a useful diagnostic tool for bacterial infections in newborn infants.

A novel semiconductor laser, the ‘T-squared injection buried heterostructure laser triode’ (TI-BHLT), has been successfully fabricated by MOVPE with in situ HCI vapour phase mesaetching. The laser has been operated with a threshold current of 25 mA by independently injecting electrons into an active region from two n-type embedded regions.

A low-OH-content and long-length optical fibre has been made by the v.a.d. method. The OH content in the rod preform was reduced to about 0.4 p.p.m. utilising the chemical reactions of SOCl2 or CCl4 with OH ions and H2O molecules In the porous glass rod. The minimum loss of the fibre, 20km long, was 1.0±0.1 dB/km at 1.2μm.