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Cells with multidrug resistance(MDR) phenotype express P-glycoprotein(P-gp) on cell membrane, which works as a drug-efflux pump with low selectivity. P-gp function can be determined microfluorometrically using the fluorescent dye rhodamine 123(Rh123), which is an artificial substrate for P-gp. In this study, we assessed P-gp function in human leukemia sublines of MOLT-3 with various magnitude of MDR phenotype using the Rh123-efflux assay. The MDR cells efficiently pumped out Rh123 outside cells in parallel with the magnitude of resistance to vincristine, while the parent MOLT-3 cells scarcely showed dye efflux. The P-gp function determined by the dye efflux assay was correlated with the degree of cell surface expression of P-gp measured by indirect flow cytometric analysis using MRK16 anti-P-gp antibody and with the amount of MDR1 mRNA (encoding P-gp) quantified by Northern blot analysis and by competitive reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay. In the evaluation of 28 clinical samples obtained from patients with leukemias, 9 cases exhibited positive results Rh123-efflux. A good correlation of Rh123-efflux with MDR1 expression measured by competitive RT-PCR was observed in these samples. Since subpopulations of normal lymphocytes show low degree of P-gp function, the strict gating of leukemia cells was mandatory in the dye-efflux assay in clinical samples. Although leukemia cells could not be distinguished from normal lymphocytes in the conventional scattergram in some cases, additional staining of the former cells with specific monoclonal antibody such as CD34(labelled with PE-Cy5, a dye without interference with Rh123 fluorescence emission) enabled a selective analysis of a particular subpopulation. The Rh123 dye-efflux assay is a simple and sensitive method for the determination of P-gp expression and its function, and is particularly suitable for the analyses in the clinical laboratory.

We investigated the hemodynamic, renal, and hormonal effects of cyclosporin A (CyA) treatment (6 mg/kg per day) for 4 weeks in 12 patients with nephrotic syndrome (8 women: 4 men, aged 36-66 years, 3 cases of focal glomerular sclerosis: 9 cases of membranous nephropathy). To evaluate the effects of CyA on the diurnal variation of blood pressure (BP), 24-h non-invasive BP monitoring was performed using model ABPM-630 (Nihon Colin, Tokyo, Japan) before and during CyA treatment. As indices of hemodynamics, intra-arterial pressure was monitored and cardiac output was measured by the dye-dilution technique using a cuvette at 0 and 4 weeks after treatment. CyA ameliorated urinary protein excretion and hypoproteinemia from 3.5 +/- 0.9 to 2.2 +/- 0.7 g/day, and serum protein concentration from 4.9 +/- 0.2 to 5.5 +/- 0.2 g/dl after 4 weeks' treatment. Endogenous creatinine clearance, 24-h urinary sodium excretion, and plasma renin activity decreased significantly at 1 week. CyA treatment raised casual BP from 122 +/- 4/75 +/- 2 to 140 +/- 5/87 +/- 3 mmHg after 1 week and to 146 +/- 4/90 +/- 2 mmHg after 4 weeks. Before treatment 24-h ambulatory BP monitoring showed BP reduction at night (116 +/- 5/68 +/- 3 mmHg) compared to the daytime (124 +/- 5/75 +/- 2 mmHg). The diurnal variation of BP disappeared during CyA treatment; mean daytime and nighttime pressures were 135 +/- 4/81 +/- 2, 132 +/- 5/80 +/- 3 mmHg at 1 week and 139 +/- 5/83 +/- 3, 131 +/- 6/80 +/- 3 mmHg at 4 weeks, respectively. On hemodynamic study; a 4-week treatment with CyA increased mean arterial pressure from 91 +/- 3 to 104 +/- 3 mmHg, total peripheral resistance index from 2.1 +/- 0.1 to 2.5 +/- 0.1 x 10(3) dyne.sec.cm-5.m2, and unchanged heart rate and cardiac index. Serum Mg concentration decreased from 2.1 +/- 0.1 to 1.7 +/- 0.1 mg/dl. These results suggest that CyA-induced hypertension is characterized by the loss of nocturnal decline in blood pressure, which is accompanied by volume retention after 1 week and systemic vasoconstriction after 4 weeks.

We reported clinical and laboratory findings of 5 patients with Churg-Strauss syndrome (CSS), especially association with asthma symptoms. Subjects included 3 males and 2 females with a mean age of 53.8 year-old. In all 5 patients symptoms of neuropathy; mononeuritis multiplex and in some patients, other vasculitic symptoms; fever, diarrhea, abdominal pain and skin eruptions, were noted. These clinical features and laboratory findings; marked peripheral eosinophilia and elevation of serum ECP were normalized after steroid therapy. We investigated the relation between the occurrence of CSS and the symptoms of asthma. The mean duration of asthma in this series was 17.2 years, and 4 cases were atopic and one was non-atopic asthma. In previous publications, asthmatic symptoms were severe at the onset of the disease and progressed thereafter. In our 5 cases, however, the severities of bronchial asthma were mild of two cases, moderate of two and severe of only one, moreover severe asthmatic attacks were shown in only 2 cases when the manifestation of systemic vasculitis occurred. In conclusion, although CSS has been thought that one of complications of bronchial asthma, the occurrence of CSS are not necessarily correlated with symptoms of bronchial asthma.

To elucidate the roles of endogenous endothelin (ET) and nitric oxide (NO) in tubuloglomerular feedback (TGF), the effects of FR139317, a specific ET-A receptor antagonist, and NG-nitro-L-arginine (L-NNA), a NO synthase inhibitor on TGF were studied in Sprague-Dawley rats. FR139317 (1.5 mg/kg/hr i.v.) reversed the systemic pressor and renal vasoconstrictor responses induced by ET-1 (2 nmol/kg/hr i.v.), but did not alter the early proximal flow rate (EPFR) reduction in response to a loop perfusion with an artificial tubular fluid at 40 nl/min (47 +/- 3 vs. 47 +/- 3% in controls). L-NNA (0.2 mg/kg + 2 micrograms/kg/min i.v.) had no effect on systemic blood pressure (BP), renal hemodynamics or EPFR measured at zero perfusion (31 +/- 2 vs. 31 +/- 2 nl/min in controls), but enhanced the EPFR reduction during loop perfusion to 77 +/- 3%. Loop perfusion with 10(-3) M L-NNA in perfusate also increased the EPFR reduction to 70 +/- 7%. In conclusion, inhibition of NO synthesis enhances the TGF-mediated reduction of nephron GFR. This indicates an active participation of endogenous NO in the control of afferent arteriolar tone. endogenous ET does not influence TGF via the ET-A receptor.

We report a case of a 21-year-old man with a right renal angiomyolipoma who has been observed for 20 months after successful treatment with selective transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE). In May 1993, he was transferred to our hospital for the treatment of an abdominal mass. Examination revealed a solid and fat-containing right renal tumor on computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), hypervascular staining with multiple peripheral microaneurysms on renal angiogram, indicating an angiomyolipoma (AML). He did not have any signs of tuberous sclerosis. Because he complained of abdominal pain and the tumor was 9 cm in diameter, TAE of the tumor using polyvinyl alcohol foam was performed to prevent life-threatening hemorrhage. Renal angiogram after TAE demonstrated a complete shut-down of blood supply to the tumor and CT scan, 6 and 20 months after TAE, demonstrated a decrease in size to 4.5 cm in diameter, showing a favorable long-term effect of treatment. He has been symptom-free for 20 months. TAE appears to be a safe and effective treatment for AML, preventing tumor growth and thus possibly hemorrhage or rupture of the tumor over the long -term.

Case 1: A 26-year-old primipara, underwent emergency cesarean section because of premature rupture of membrane and breech presentation in her 36th week of gestation. She had no history of asthma, but physical examination revealed atopic dermatitis in the neck and the arms. Case 2: A 21-year-old woman underwent removal of ovarian cyst. She had a history of asthma in her childhood. On physical examination there was no abnormal findings. For both cases spinal anesthesia was uneventfully induced using 2 and 3 ml of 0.4% tetracaine in 10% dextrose respectively. Sensory loss to cold extended to T3 in both cases. Immediately after the anesthesia reached two level, the first patient began to cough and the second patient complained of difficulty in breathing, and then both became dyspneic in 10-15 minutes thereafter. Wheezing rhonchi was audible in both cases. Both patients recovered fully with antiasthmatic therapy. There was no shock, nor change of the skin and the mucosa. The baby also had no problem postoperatively. Skin reaction to intradermal injection of 0.025 ml of 0.4-0.00004% tetracaine in normal saline was tested on two patients and on eleven volunteers. At higher concentrations it resulted in positive in the patients and all the volunteers, and at lower concentrations it resulted in positive in case 2 and under-positive in case 1 and three volunteers having histories of allergic disease. Skin testing alone does not offer any diagnostic of tetracaine allergy, because tetracaine might be a chemical irritant. Thoracic adrenergic nerve blockade due to spinal anesthesia might trigger asthmatic attack by influencing the cholinergic ganglia of the lung and/or pulmonary blood flow.

Microcirculation in the renal interstitium plays an important role in the regulation of urinary sodium excretion and thus in the control of blood pressure. An increase in renal interstitial hydrostatic pressure caused by renal perfusion pressure elevation induces pressure natriuresis by decreasing tubular reabsorption. Chronic NO inhibition in the medullary interstitium decreases medullary blood flow and induces sodium retention and blood pressure elevation. Chronic medullary, but not intravenous, infusion of ACE inhibitor restores the impaired pressure natriuresis by improving medullary microcirculation in SHR. The tubuloglomerular feedback signal transmission is dependent on Cl concentration in the juxtaglomerular interstitium and its sensitivity is modulated by pressure there in.

A pair spectrometer system installed newly at RCNP Osaka has been made available for high resolution studies of particle‐particle correlation measurements. By using this system, the analyzing power (Ay) for 1s1/2 proton knockout reaction on a 12C target and 2s1/2 knockout on a 40Ca have been measured with the same geometrical setting. A significant suppression of Ay has been observed in the 12C case. But the suppression in the 40Ca case is found much more moderate and is explained by a DWIA calculation as a distortion effect.

A large focal‐plane polarimeter which uses inclusive scattering from carbon has been installed for the high resolution spectrometer ‘Grand Raiden’ at RCNP. A fast second‐level trigger system can reject events with small scattering angles. A special dipole magnet is added to the final stage of the spectrometer in order to rotate the spin direction. High resolution measurements of all spin observables for proton scattering are now able to be made with high efficiency over a broad energy range. The present system has been checked by the measurement of spin rotation parameters in proton elastic scattering at 300 MeV.

A 78-year-old man was admitted to the hospital with exertional dyspnea and fever. Chronic idiopathic interstitial pneumonia (IIP) had been diagnosed a year before. Follow-up chest X-ray examination showed diffuse reticular shadows and progressive shrinkage of both lower lobes. Chest CT scan revealed honeycomb appearance of both lower lung fields. Moderate hypoxemia was found by arterial blood gas analysis. The patient responded to an orally administered corticosteroid. Because tapering of the medicine caused exacerbation of the hypoxemia, methylprednisolone pulse therapy was given with poor response. Then high-dose (750 mg) of cyclophosphamide (CPM) were given intravenously 6 times, every 3 or 4 weeks. After the second administration of CPM, decreases in hypoxemia and in blood LDH levels were observed. This treatment allowed as to taper the dose of oral corticosteroid from 60 mg/day to 15 mg/day. This case suggests that intravenous administration of high-dose CPM may be effective against IIP.

Localization of bovine corneal protein 54K (BCP54) in the prenatal mouse eye was examined by immunohistochemical methods using rat anti-BCP54 polyclonal antibody. BCP54 was found from an early prenatal stage in corneal epithelium, keratocytes, corneal endothelium, conjunctival epithelium, and surface ectoderm which would differentiate in other organs except the eye. In other reports, it has been ascertained that BCP54 has an aldehyde dehydrogenase activity. To take its enzyme activity into consideration, we suggest that BCP54 is involved in maintaining transparency and oxidation-reduction balance of the cornea.

Borrelia burgdorferi is a pathogenic spirochete which causes Lyme disease mediated by members of the Ixodidae, as discovered in 1982 [1]. Lyme disease is a complex multisystem disorder. Many cases of this disease were found and reported for the first time in Lyme. Connecticut, United States in the latter half of the 1970s [2]. There are reports, particularly from Europe, maintaining that B. burgdorferi, which is the pathogenic spirochete of Lyme disease, is involved in causing Bell’s palsy [3–5]. Cases have also been described in Japan where ECM occurred after a tick bite and the patients were serologially diagnosed as having Lyme disease [6]. It is important therefore to examine the relation between Bell’s palsy and B. burgdorferi in Japan. In the present study, the authors focused on patients residing in or near Toky whose main complaints were associated with facial paralysis.

The beta-type transforming growth factors (TGF beta) are potent inhibitors of cell proliferation. The mechanisms of TGF beta growth inhibition have been investigated. In skin keratinocytes, TGF beta 1 rapidly suppresses c-myc expression at the level of transcriptional initiation, and expression of c-myc was shown to be necessary for proliferation of these cells. Overexpression of c-myc, using an inducible construct, blocks growth inhibition by TGF beta 1. In 11.5 day p.c. lung bud organ cultures, TGF beta 1 inhibits tracheobronchial epithelial development, including branching morphogenesis. At this stage of development, the tracheobronchial epithelia express N-myc, but not c-myc, TGF beta 1 was shown to markedly inhibit N-myc expression in epithelia of the lung bud organ cultures. N-myc gene knockout experiments by others have shown that N-myc is required for branching morphogenesis of the tracheobronchial tree. The data indicate that suppression of expression of either N-myc or c-myc may play a role in TGF beta growth inhibition. To study the role of TGF beta 1 in normal mammary development and in mammary neoplasia, we have constructed three transgenic mouse lines that express a simian TGF beta 1S223/225 mutated to produce a constitutively active product under the control of the MMTV enhancer/promoter. Expression of the transgene was associated with marked suppression of the normal pattern of mammary ductal tree development in female transgenics from all three lines. However, during pregnancy, alveolar outgrowths developed from the hypoplastic ductal tree, and lactation occurred. Unlike many other transgenic mouse models in which expression of TGF alpha or oncogenes under control of the MMTV promoter leads to mammary epithelial hyperplasia and increased tumor formation, the MMTV-TGF beta 1 transgene causes conditional hypoplasia of the mammary ductal tree. No spontaneous tumors have been detected in the MMTV-TGF beta 1 transgenic animals, indicating that overexpression of TGF beta 1 in mammary epithelia does not enhance, and may actually suppress, early stages of carcinoma development. Other studies have shown that overexpression of TGF beta 1 in carcinoma cells enhances tumorigenicity and metastatic spread. We propose that TGF beta has a bifunctional role in carcinogenesis, retarding carcinoma development but enhancing progression once neoplastic transformation has occurred and the growth inhibitory response to TGF beta has been lost.

The renal effects of a nonpeptide angiotensin II receptor antagonist, TCV-116, were investigated in 12 hospitalised patients with mild-to-moderate essential hypertension. After a 2-week placebo period, TCV-116 was given for 2 weeks in increasing doses from 4 mg to 8 mg daily to normalise the mean blood pressure. Blood pressure fell from 156 +/- 9/93 +/- 3 mmHg at the end of the placebo period to 140 +/- 9/85 +/- 4 mmHg after TCV-116 treatment. The pulse rate was unchanged. Renal vascular resistance fell from 1.62 +/- 0.20 to 1.37 +/- 0.17 dyne.s.cm-5 . 1.48 m2 x 10(4), renal plasma flow increased from 329 +/- 19 to 367 +/- 27 mL.min-1.1.48 m-2, and GFR was unchanged despite a fall in renal perfusion pressure. TCV-116 reduced the filtration fraction from 0.302 +/- 0.019 to 0.258 +/- 0.009, suggesting a preferential reduction in efferent arteriolar resistance. The fractional excretion of sodium, potassium, and urate did not change. An increase in plasma renin activity (from 1.1 +/- 0.3 to 2.2 +/- 0.7 ng.mL-1.h-1) and a fall in the plasma aldosterone concentration (from 6.2 +/- 0.8 to 4.5 +/- 0.7 ng.dL-1) were also seen. These results indicate that TCV-116 has favourable renal effects and a concomitant hypotensive action in patients with mild-to-moderate essential hypertension.

spectively), (p

Anesthesia was administered to an 11 year old boy with %FVC 11%. The patient had dyspnea and severe constrictive pulmonary disorder with an almost normal chest radiograph. Open lung biopsy was performed and the patient was weaned in the first postoperative morning without any problem. Pulmonary fibrosis was caused by anti-cancer drugs given in his infancy. He died of cardiorespiratory failure 14 months postoperatively.

The thiobutabarbitone(TB, Inactin)-anaesthetised rat is an extremely widely used preparation for the study of renal function at the whole-organ and nephron levels. The recent withdrawal of TB from the market has made it essential to find an anaesthetic producing experimental conditions as similar as possible to TB to allow comparison of past and future data. Blood gas analysis, clearance and micropuncture studies were therefore performed in rats anaesthetised with TB or the related thiobarbiturate thiopentone (TP) (both 100 mg/ kg body weight) to establish whether the latter meets this requirement. Both barbiturates caused similar transient respiratory depression and acidosis. Mean values (TP versus TB) over the total 8-h observation period for glomerular filtration rate (0.94 versus 1.05 ml/min), urine flow (3.8 versus 4.4 μl/min) and K+ excretion (0.98 versus 1.18 μmol/min) were slightly lower (P

Heart failure is basically a manifestation of mechanical disturbances of the heart, but not of electrical abnormalities and is not associated with specific ECG patterns. Several ECG findings are, however, experienced in cases with heart failure as a result of cardiac chamber enlargement and other related changes. Left atrial enlargement is known to cause characteristic P wave changes, which sometimes show parallel course with the clinical state. ECG criteria for atrial enlargement are critically reviewed. In cases with cardiac enlargement, which was improved in a relatively short period of time, R wave height often showed first increase and then decrease. Tissue edema was thought to be the major reason for the initial increase and the distance between the recording electrode and the heart for the later decrease, although other factors can contribute and modify the findings. Minor conduction disturbances due to myocardial stretch and other reasons may also contribute to changes of QRS complex. Analysis of RR intervals offers another possibility to characterise heart failure. A decrease in variability of the RR intervals and in high frequency components on frequency spectrum has been reported in cases with heart failure.

Ninety-eight patients with facial paralysis were studied by an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) employing two types of Borrelia burgdorferi antigen, namely sonic extract and flagellum protein of B. burgdorferi. IgG or IgM antibodies were detected by sonic extract ELISA in 22 (32.4%) of 68 patients with Bell's palsy, and in 2 (10.0%) of 20 patients with varicella-zoster virus infection. This difference was statistically significant (P

A case of unresectable gall bladder cancer due to multiple metastasis was dealt with EAP (VP-16, ADM, CDDP) treatment. The case was a 49-year-old male who was admitted to the hospital with a 3 cm sized umbilical tumor. After 2 cycles of the treatment, the tumor size significantly decreased and the symptoms diminished. In parallel, the symptoms from bone metastasis and dissemination also disappeared. As for tumor markers, CA 19-9 indicated 5151 U/ml, fell down to the normal range after the treatment. In this case, the efficacy of EAP treatment to the primary gall bladder carcinoma was undetectable, because of the difficulty of elucidation of the primary site by diagnostic images. However, all data suggested that EAP treatment was effective to the advanced unresectable gallbladder cancer, at least to its metastatic sites.

A total of 17 strains of Pasteurella multocida, of which 13 were isolated from patients treated at Nihon University Itabashi Hospital or Nihon University Surugadai Hospital between April, 1984 and March, 1991 and 4 from 1 dog and 3 cats kept by the patients, were evaluated with respect to their biochemical properties, sensitivity to drugs, and serotype. The isolated strains were all considered to be Pasteurella multocida subsp. multocida because of the agreement of their responses to indole, sorbitol and dulcitol with those of this subspecies, except for 1 sorbitol-negative strain of Pasteurella multocida subsp. septica isolated from 1 patient who had been bitten by a cat. All the isolated strains showed high sensitivities to various drugs. The serotype was capsular type A, which is often observed in cats and dogs, in 7 strains, which consisted of 6 of the 7 strains derived from the airway of the patients and 1 of the 6 strains derived from bit or scratch wound. The remaining strains could not be classified. Five morphological types, namely 1, 3, 3.8, 6, and 8 were observed. In 2 patients, Pasteurella multocida subsp. multocida of the same serotype was also isolated from their cats. One of these patients had intimate contact with the cat including kissing. Our findings suggest that: 1) Pasteurella multocida subsp. multocida has been responsible for most conventional cases of Pasteurella multocida infection. 2) Strains isolated from patients differ in the capsular type according to the disease.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) causes not only adult T-cell leukemia (ATL), but also HTLV-1 associated myelopathy, a recently described slowly progressive spastic paraparesis, in its carrier state. Pulmonary involvement has been reported in HAM patients. Based on bronchoalveolar lavage or histological examination, the pulmonary involvement has been characterized by accumulation of T-cells, especially activated T-cells, in the lung. We reviewed our data on pulmonary involvement in HAM, which suggested that the characteristic pulmonary involvement observed in HAM was not restricted to HAM patients, but was also observed in non-HAM HTLV-1 carriers. Based on the data, we report that HAM is a systemic disease and that HTLV-1 causes characteristic pulmonary involvement, which we termed HTLV-1 associated bronchopneumonopathy (HAB).

Pasteurella multocida is a gram-negative short rod-shaped bacteria, which is a part of the indigenous flora of the oral cavity of many animals other than man. The number of reports on cases of infections with this bacterium due to animal bites and/or scratches, bacterial infections of the respiratory tract, sepsis due to this organism and death caused by the bacteria have been increasing in recent years. We investigated P. multocida in the hair and oral cavity of 3 dogs and 29 cats according to the classification of Mutters et al.. We also studied the relationship between the carrier rate for Pasteurella in the oral cavity and kissing of pets in 24 pet owners (3 dogs and 11 cats). No P. multocida was isolated from the hair of neither dogs nor cats. One strain of P. multocida subsp. multocida and two strains of P. stomatis, were isolated from the oral cavity of dogs, and 35 strains of Pasteurella were isolated from the oral cavity of cats. Two strains of P. multocida subsp. multocida, whose biochemical properties were different, were detected in the oral cavity of one cat. In three cats, Pasteurella other than P. multocida subsp. multocida was isolated from the same oral cavity. No Pasteurella was detected in the oral cavity of 19 pet owners who had not kissed their cats, whereas P. stomatis was isolated from the oral cavity of one of 2 pet owners who had kissed their cats and in 2 of 3 pet owners who had kissed their dogs (the same bacteria was isolated from a dog that was being kept by some of these positive pet owners).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

In cases of advanced ovarian cancer, intermittent CDDP therapy (ICDDPT) was applied after the first operation and induction chemotherapy, and its efficacy and limit were studied. One cycle of this therapy involved consecutive 5 day CDDP treatment (25-30mg/body/day). The therapy was repeated at intervals of 3 months. In many cases, ovarian cancer was histologically rated as epithelial adenocarcinoma. The study included 18 cases in total. ICDDPT was applied to 13 cases in which no tumor mass was detected by second look operation (SLO) or which showed clinical remission after operation. Only 3 of these 13 cases showed recurrence, and all these 13 are still living. Of the 5 cases in which SLO disclosed a tumor mass or which did not show remission after the first operation, 2 died. When the survival rate after ICDDPT was compared by the Kaplan-Meier method with that of controls without CDDP therapy, the effectiveness of ICDDPT was demonstrated. The survival rate could therefore be improved by ICDDPT. The therapy particularly improved the long term prognosis of SLO negative cases and cases in clinical remission. It seems necessary to repeat this therapy for a long period to achieve satisfactory results. In SLO positive cases and cases without clinical remission, the therapy had only a limited effect.

Following the elementary laws of hemodynamics and the functional characteristics of the renal myogenic and macula densa-mediated (TGF) vascular resistance control mechanisms, TGF-mediated changes of renal vascular resistance are amplified by cooperative changes of the myogenic mechanism. Myogenically induced changes, on the other hand, would be antagonized by TGF. Resetting of renal vascular flow resistance by alterations to the TGF mechanisms might thus be more effective than alterations to the myogenic mechanism. Dopamine and adenosine, two autacoids occurring normally in the tubular fluid, may play a key role in operating such a resetting mechanism. Dopamine and adenosine were found in proximal tubular fluid at concentrations of 10(-8) and 0.5 10(-6) M respectively. Dopamine inhibits the tubuloglomerular feedback mechanism, this inhibition is antagonized concentration-dependently by adenosine. These effects most likely occur via D1 and A1 receptors and hence by regulation of the adenyl cyclase activity in the macula densa cells. The balance between adenosine and dopamine in tubular fluid appears to be under the control of extrarenal parameters. In normal rats, high dietary salt intake, by influencing the secretion of an unknown adrenal hormone, and inhibition of Na-K-ATPase might be of importance. In spontaneously hypertensive rats unknown genetic parameters may also play a role.

Rats were immunized by purified bovine cornea-specific protein (CSP) and anti-CSP polyclonal antibody was produced. Localization of CSP in mice and human eyes was examined by immunohistochemical methods with light microscopy using this antibody. In mice CSP was found in the corneal epithelium, keratocytes, corneal endothelium, conjunctival epithelium and lens epithelium. In human eyes CSP was found in the corneal epithelium, keratocytes and conjunctival epithelium, but it was not found in the lens. These results confirmed a difference in localization of CSP between mice and human eyes. It was suggested that the production of CSP might be associated with phylogenesis and that CSP might also be associated with the development of the cornea.

Antibodies to a 41,000 (41 kD) polypeptide in flagella of Borrelia burgdorferi were measured in patients with Lyme disease in Japan by flagellum ELISA. The IgG and IgM Classes of antibodies to a flagellum antigens were detected in the sera as early as 0.5 months after infection. The IgG antibodies continued to exist in their sera for more than one year, while the IgM antibodies quickly faded out from their sera. With respect to a diagnostic specificity of the flagellum ELISA, false positive reactions showing more than 10% were observed in sera with high levels of IgG or IgM, and with anti-syphilis antibody. This method, however, was unaffected by sera with high levels of IgA, rheumatoid factor or anti-nuclear antibody. In three cases of patients with erythema migrans preceded by tick-bite, and treated with antibiotics, seronegative results were observed by a immunoperoxidase (IP) test. Since two of them showed the positive level of IgM antibody by the flagellum ELISA, this method seems to be more sensitive and useful than the IP test for serodiagnosis of the Lyme disease.

(1991). The validity of serodiagnosis using a monoclonal antibody against Trypanosoma cruzi-specific Mr 25 000 antigen for chagasic patients without cardiomyopathy. Annals of Tropical Medicine & Parasitology: Vol. 85, No. 2, pp. 275-276.

We examined the effects and adverse drug reaction (ADR) of intermittent cisplatin therapy (ICDDPT) on advanced ovarian cancer patients (OCP). Most OCPs had undergone surgical removal of primary lesion and induction chemotherapy, and histopathological analysis indicated epithelial tumors. Five OCPs were stage III, six were stage IV and one stage II (n = 12). After surgical treatment and induction chemotherapy, ICDDPT was initiated with a 25-30 mg/day dose of CDDP for 5 days, every 3 months. During the intervals, maintenance immunochemotherapy of Tegafur and OK-432 was applied. Following ICDDPT, all patients except one are alive. The longest survival, to date is 5 years 7 months, while the decreased case survived 4 years. ADR was analysed according to the total dose of CDDP i.e. under 500 mg, over 500 mg-under 1,000 mg, 1,000 mg-under 1,500 mg, and 1,500 mg and over. Abnormal laboratory findings were observed for WBC, platelet (thrombocytopenia), Hb, GOT and GPT. The abnormal values except for GOT and GPT reverted to normal just before next administration. Thereafter ADR of CDDP with regard to the renal tubulus were studied by observing urinary NAG and urinary and serum beta 2 microglobulin. These values, however, were restored to within normal limits after 1 week of CDDP administration. These ADR were no greater with the increasing dose, such that accumulative toxicity was not observed. Study of the histological concentration of platinum showed a high level in liver tissue. Therefore, liver damage should be noted as on ADR of CDDP. In conclusion, ICDDPT for OCP was seen to be effective because of a good survival rate and low ADR.

Lyme disease is a multisystem disorder caused by a tick-transmitted spirochete, Borrelia burgdorferi. Clinical manifestations typically begin with characteristic skin lesions, erythema (chronicum) migrans. Weeks to months later, some patients develop the second stage of the illness characterized by neurologic abnormalities, migratory joint pain, cardiac involvement. Months to years later, in many patients the disease progresses to the third stage of manifestation such as chronic arthritis, chronic encephalomyelitis, acrodermatitis chronica atrophicans and keratitis. Zoonotic infection with B. burgdorferi is also widespread within endemic regions among domestic as well as wild animals. The diagnosis is based on clinical and epidemiological findings in most patients, particularly those with erythema migrans or tick bites. Detection of specific antibodies to B. burgdorferi is a useful confirmatory test in many patients. In atypical cases, a positive test result can be valuable for determining the diagnosis. However, serologic testing in Lyme disease is not yet standardized and the results obtained from different assay systems or commercial kits may vary. Moreover, because of poor agreement in sensitivity and/or specificity, data obtained from different laboratories are not comparable. We emphasize that serologic findings must be interpreted with caution; the physician must beware of its strengths and limitations.

Recombinant interleukin-2 (rIL-2) was administered intraperitoneally for 15 days, 2 days after intraperitoneal administration of Streptococcal preparation OK-432 to a patient of peritonitis carcinomatosa occurred eight months after second look operation, in which residual tumor could not be removed completely. The patient had been maintained by hemodialysis three times a week for over ten years. Combination chemotherapy using CDDP and Ifosfamide, or CDDP and THP-Adriamycin had not been effective to control rapidly increasing ascites. Negative cytological exam, was achieved on day 7 and ascites disappeared by day 15. No severe side effects including fluid retention were observed. Fever up was controllable by Indomethacin. Flow cytometric analysis revealed dominant (73%) CD4+, CD29+ helper inducer subset, while CD4+, CD45RA+ was 6%, in the lymphocytes in ascites on day 8. It was suggested that intraperitoneal administration of rIL-2 after OK-432 was safe and effective for peritonitis carcinomatosa with chronic renal failure.

We developed a new method for detecting anti-Mycoplasma pneumoniae antibody, using high density particles (HDP). We characterized the HDP, and also studied the clinical applicability of the HDP agglutination method (HDPA). HDP were uniform, spherical particles, having a specific gravity of 2.0 and a mean particle volume of 18 fl. Adsorption of IgG by HDP was approximately 2 times that by polystyrene latex. The sensitized antigen to the HDP, extracted from the Mycoplasma pneumoniae (Mac strain) bound specifically to the anti-Mycoplasma pneumoniae antibody. With HDPA, the antibody was determined within 30 minutes, which was more rapid than with other routine methods such as complement fixation test, passive hemagglutination test and particle agglutination test (PA). HDPA showed excellent correlation with PA. However, the titers with HDPA were generally 2 to 5 tubes higher than that with PA. A follow-up study on 7 cases of mycoplasma pneumonia revealed remarkably high titers of anti-Mycoplasma pneumoniae antibodies in the acute phase of mycoplasma pneumonia by HDPA, compared to that by PA. HDPA is highly sensitive and specific test for detection of anti-Mycoplasma pneumoniae antibody, and useful for rapid diagnosis of mycoplasma pneumonia.

Between March 1987 and November 1989 a cross-sectional serological survey was conducted on 884 residents of Paraguay to obtain data on the prevalence of antibodies to human T-cell leukemia virus type I/II (HTLV-I/II). Sera from 8/884 individuals (0.9%) were positive, confirmed by Western blotting and radioimmunoprecipitation (RIPA). This study shows that HTLV-I/II is very rare (or absent) among the general (healthy) population (0/338) and ethnic Japanese (0/227) in Paraguay. However, it can be detected at a rate of 2-3% in prostitutes (4/178) and homosexuals (4/117), suggesting sexual transmission as an important route for spread of HTLV-I/II in Paraguay.