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Intracerebral hemorrhage is an uncommon sequel of Churg-Strauss syndrome (CSS). We report the first case of CSS accompanied by right thalamic hemorrhage. The patient was 59-year-old male who experienced a sudden onset of left hemiplegia. Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain revealed right thalamic hemorrhage. Although several reports had pointed out a close relationship between hypertension and cerebral hemorrhage in patients with CSS, this patient had no apparent prior history of hypertension. The cause of thalamic hemorrhage in this patient might be probably due to cerebral vasculitis and an effect of abnormal coagulation and fibrinolytic agents.

Thrombopoietin (TPO) is a ligand for c-mpl, which regulates the differentiation and maturation of megakaryocytes. Essential thrombocythaemia (ET) is a clonal myeloproliferative disorder. It has been reported that the platelet count declines during pregnancy in ET patients. We examined serial changes in the serum TPO level during the course of pregnancy in a patient with ET. The serum TPO level showed significant negative correlation with the platelet count. Although it mimicked the normal feed back system, the TPO levels were consistently higher than the normal upper limit. Accumulation of these data will be helpful in revealing the pathogenesis of ET and the decline in the platelet count during pregnancy.

The CaSki cell line derived from an epidermoid carcinoma of the uterine cervix produces and releases a tumor associated-antigen, TA-4. The authors have already reported that EGF stimulated the production and secretion of TA-4 by the CaSki cells. EGF receptor is known to be one of the proteins phosphorylated by C-kinase. In order to elucidate a possible role of signal transduction systems (cAMP-A-kinase, diacyglycerol-C-kinase and Ca(2+)-calmodulin) in the regulation of TA-4 production and secretion by human cervical epidermoid carcinoma cells, the effects of cholera toxin (CT), an activator of adenylate cyclase, phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), a protein kinase C activator, and Ca2+ ionophore A23187, an activator of Ca2+ modulation on TA-4 production and secretion by CaSki cells were evaluated. TA-4 in the cultured cells and media were measured with a SCC RIA-Kit. The addition of PMA or Ca2+ ionophore to the medium caused increases in the cellular levels of TA-4 and TA-4 levels in the medium in a dose-dependent manner shortly after the addition. Combined treatment with PMA and Ca2+ ionophore did not cause additive increases in TA-4 levels in the cells and medium compared to the treatment with PMA alone or Ca2+ ionophore alone.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

The BeWo cell line, derived from choriocarcinoma, produces and releases human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) and its alpha- and beta-subunits. The authors have already reported that cAMP and EGF stimulated the production and secretion of hCG and its subunits by cultured BeWo cells. Therefore, in order to elucidate the role of signal transduction systems (cAMP-A-kinase system, DG-C-kinase system and Ca(2+)-calmodulin system) in the regulation of hCG (alpha, beta) synthesis by human choriocarcinoma cells, effects of cholera toxin (CT), an activator of adenylate cyclase, phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), a protein kinase C activator, and Ca2+ ionophore A23187, an activator of Ca2+ modulation on hCG (alpha, beta) production and secretion by BeWo cells cultured in a serum-free condition were evaluated. Immunoreactive hCG alpha, hCG beta and hCG in the media and cultured cells were measured by each homologous RIA for hCG alpha, hCG beta and hCG, respectively. Addition of CT at a concentration of 100 ng/ml into the medium caused extreme increases in the cellular levels of hCG alpha, hCG beta and hCG together with remarkable increases in hCG alpha, hCG beta and hCG levels in the medium. This stimulatory effect of CT was first observed on the increase of hCG alpha levels in cultured BeWo cells and medium at 3h, then observed on the increase of hCG beta levels at 6h and was last detectable on the increase of hCG levels in the cultured cells and medium at 12h. Addition of PMA at a concentration of 100 ng/ml into the medium caused an increase in the cellular and medium levels of hCG alpha, hCG beta and hCG shortly (3h) after the exposure to PMA. Addition of A23187 at a concentration of 100 ng/ml into the medium caused a slight increase in hCG alpha levels in the medium at 6h without accompanying the increase in those cellular levels. When added together, PMA potentiated the stimulatory effect of CT on hCG alpha, hCG beta and hCG levels in the cultured BeWo cells and medium, while PMA did not potentiate the effect of A23187 in this experimental condition. These findings suggest that cAMP-A-kinase system plays a major role in the signal transduction of hCG (alpha, beta) synthesis and secretion by BeWo choriocarcinoma cells, and that DG-C-kinase system interacts synergistically with cAMP-A-kinase system in the regulation of hCG (alpha, beta) synthesis and secretion by BeWo cells. Ca(2+)-calmodulin system appears to participate in the regulation of hCG alpha secretion without affecting the synthesis of hCG (alpha, beta) in BeWo cells.

We have studied a male Japanese infant with severe upper limb brachymesomelia, glomerulocystic renal dysplasia, abnormalities of the cranium and face, corneal opacities, and a possible congenital heart defect. He was born at term and died on the 10th day of heart and kidney failure. Review of the literature failed to show a similar case. Glomerulocystic renal dysplasia has been reported in association with a variety of the nonskeletal malformations but has not previously been described in association with bony malformations.

The autopsy of a 10-month-old infant girl who died suddenly after a 2-day illness revealed acute pancreatitis and DIC. While the definitive etiology remains unknown, retention of pancreatic juice accompanying proliferation of papillary epithelium within the pancreatic duct adjacent to the ampulla Vater was suggested. Acute interstitial pancreatitis was assumed to have resulted from suppurative inflammation of the pancreatic duct. DIC was probably caused by the release of pancreatic enzymes.

The effects of epidermal growth factor (EGF) on the production and secretion of hCG and human placental lactogen (hPL) by cultured placental tissues were investigated in relation to immunohistochemical measurements of cellular EGF receptor levels in the placenta. Explants of trophoblastic tissues obtained from normal early and term placentas were cultured in the presence or absence of EGF (100 ng/mL) with or without processing inhibitors (bacitracin, 1 mg/mL; colchicine, 100 microM; chloroquine, 100 microM) for 5 days, with EGF present for the first 2 days. Addition of EGF to the medium increased the release of hCG, hCG alpha, and hPL by the cultured early placental tissues. This EGF-stimulated hCG, hCG alpha, and hPL release was markedly inhibited by concomitant treatment with processing inhibitors. The time course of EGF effects indicated that the EGF-stimulated increase in hCG alpha secretion required a lag period of approximately 1 day, whereas significant increases in hCG and hPL secretion became apparent only after 3 days of EGF treatment. By contrast, in term placental tissues EGF stimulated only hCG alpha and hPL release, with a lag period of approximately 3 days. A possible direct action of EGF on the cultured placental tissues was reinforced by the immunohistochemical demonstration of EGF receptors in the placenta. When determined using the avidin/biotin immunoperoxidase method with monoclonal antibody to the mouse EGF receptor, EGF receptors were found predominantly on the syncytiotrophoblasts. Immunohistochemical measurements of cellular EGF receptor levels in the syncytiotrophoblasts revealed remarkably higher levels in early placenta compared to those in midterm and term placentas. Since EGF is likely to interact with its receptor, the lesser biological effects of EGF in cultures of term placental tissues may be due to the lower cellular EGF receptor levels in term placenta. These results demonstrate that EGF, via its receptors on the syncytiotrophoblasts, stimulates the release of both hCG and hPL in normal early placenta. They also suggest that EGF may play a significant role in the induction and regulation of the differentiated function of trophoblasts.

The CaSki cell line derived from an epidermoid carcinoma of the uterine cervix produces and releases two types of tumor-associated antigen. One is a eutopic antigen, TA-4 and the other is an ectopic antigen, hCG beta-like material. The aim of the present investigation was to elucidate a possible difference in the induction mechanism of production of TA-4 and hCG beta-like material in the CaSki cells in relation to cellular differentiation and gene modulation. The exposure to epidermal growth factor (EGF, 100ng/ml) for two days greatly increased TA-4 production by the cultured CaSki cells without affecting cell growth and immunoreactive hCG beta production. The EGF-stimulated increase in TA-4 production required a lag period of approximately 24 hours. The exposure to sodium butyrate (2.5mM) stimulated immunoreactive hCG beta production by the cells, but decreased TA-4 production. The stimulatory effect of sodium butyrate on immunoreactive hCG beta production occurred only during the exposure to the agent. These discrepant effects of EGF and sodium butyrate on the production of TA-4 and hCG beta-like material by the CaSki cells suggest that a fundamental difference exists in the induction mechanism for the expression of these two types of tumor-associated antigen in cervical squamous carcinoma cells.

Ampicillin-cloxacillin (Viccillin S 'Meiji') by intravenous drip infusion was used in gynecological infections, with the following satisfactory results. 1) The drug was markedly effective in 2 out of 6 cases, effective in 4, being the efficacy rate 100%. 2) No abnormal laboratory findings and side effects were observed in our study.

Hyperthermia is known to produce tumor-specific effect. Its combination with radiotherapy has been found to enhance antitumor effect and hyperthermia is a new modality of cancer treatment. Here, we report a cytological and histopathological study of the effects of hyperthermia on uterine cervical cancer. Our subject cases were 63 patients with cervical cancer (squamous cell carcinoma). Thirteen cases were treated with hyperthermia. Of these, the clinical stage was I b in 2, stage II in 10, stage III in 1. Before radical operation, external irradiation was given at 40Gy. with Lineac. During this period, the lesion was treated with hyperthermia at 42-45 degrees C for 30-60 min. with a 13.56 MHz RF capacitive heating system "Endoradiotherm 100A" (Kureha Chemical Industry CO. Ltd.) and an intraluminal applicator designed for uterine cervix. The control cases received radiotherapy alone before radical operation. There were 15 cases in Stage I b, 19 in stage II, and 16 in stage III. After the completion of radiotherapy, radical hysterectomy was performed in all cases. The effects of irradiation on the lesion were compared cytologically and histologically for different doses. The evaluation of the irradiation damage in cancer cells in the cytological study was based on findings such as intracytoplasmic vacuolation, the formation of giant nuclei, intranuclear vacuolation and formation of polynuclei. The degree of irradiation damage was classified into 5 grades from Do (little irradiation effect) to Dx (no viable cancer cells remaining), and the irradiation effect in the histopathological study was classified in to 8 grades from Grade 0 to Grade IVC according the Oboshi and Shimosato's classification. Cytological changes at 10Gy. were rated as D3 (relatively extensive irradiation damage in cancer cells) in 38.5% of the hyperthermia group, as compared to about 20% in the control groups. The cases rated Grade II B histologically made up 38.5% of the hyperthermia group: this grade was about 10% in the control groups. This suggests that radiation was more effective in the hyperthermia group than in the control groups, as was also suggested by the cytological results. With irradiation at 30Gy., cytological changes were rated as Dx in 61.5% of the hyperthermia group, as compared to 25.0-26.7% of the control groups. Histological results were Grade III, with only cancer cells regarded as non-viable observed, in 38.5% of the hyperthermia group and Grade IV, with no cancer cells, in another 23.1%. In the control groups, there were no cases with Grade IV, and those with Grade III totalled 12.5-26.7%.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)