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Summary Background and objective: Yusho occurred in western Japan in 1968 and was caused by ingestion of rice bran oil that was contaminated with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and dioxins such as polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs). At that time, the skin symptoms presented by patients with Yusho were at their most prominent and worst severity. Analysis of blood to determine the concentration of dioxins started in 2001 in Fukuoka prefecture, and in 2002 the examination was performed throughout Japan. There have been no reports on the relationship between blood concentration of dioxins and skin symptoms in Yusho. This is the first report to examine the relationship between blood concentration of dioxins and skin symptoms in Yusho, using statistical analyses. Methods: Using the global skin severity grade, we analyzed the change in skin symptoms, which were examined at the annual medical check-up of patients with Yusho. We also investigated the relationship between the items of the annual dermatological examination and blood concentrations of total PCDFs and total PCBs. Results: The severity of skin symptoms improved significantly in the first 20 years; nowadays, however, further improvement can hardly be observed. Using three-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), we found that of the 21 items of the dermatological examination, nine were significantly related to total PCDFs, and five were related to total PCBs. Only one item was significantly related both to total PCDFs and total PCBs. Conclusion: More than 36 years have passed since the Yusho incident, and about 60% of the patients currently present with no skin symptoms. In contrast, in about 40% of the patients, characteristic skin symptoms of Yusho, such as pigmentation of skin, black comedones and acneform eruptions, could still be observed. Our analysis of the relationship between skin symptoms and blood concentrations of total PCDFs and total PCBs proves that not only PCBs but also PCDFs have an important role in the skin symptoms of Yusho.

We present experimental and self-consistent field (SCF) modeling results on partially hydrolyzed poly(vinyl acetate) (PVA) chains adsorbed on poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) latex particles to determine the relationship between the structure of PVA and the steric force between the colloidal particles with adsorbed PVA. By measuring the surface pressure−area isotherms for a PVA-coated PVC latex monolayer at the air/water interface with the Langmuir−Blodgett surface balance, we found that both an increase in chain length and a decrease in degree of hydrolysis increase the repulsive energy between colloidal particles. Surface pressure−area isotherms also reveal that temperatures ranging from 20 to 50 °C have little effect on the repulsive energy between the colloidal particles. We also used this method to analyze the effect of PVA mixtures on colloidal stability. SCF modeling was used to analyze our experimental results. Our results showed excellent agreement between the SCF modeling results and the experimental ...

We report the fabrication of MgB2 nanowire based on a liftoff-like technique and its optical response. A Si/C bilayer mask is formed as the negative pattern of the nanowire by e-beam lithography and the standard liftoff process. A 10 nm-thick MgB2 thin film is deposited on the pattern, which produces MgB2 nanowire with a width of down to 200 nm. We do not need to liftoff the Si/C bilayer because the MgB2 is well separated at the edge of the Si/C bilayer due to its overhang structure. The optical response at 1.5 mum wavelength is measured at 4.2 K. For a 300 nm-wide nanowire, photoresponse signals with the repetition rate of 100 MHz are observed, and all signals disappear as the laser intensity decreases below 1.8 times 104 photon/pulse. On the other hand, the signals become intermittent as the laser intensity decreases for a 200 nm-wide nanowire. The signal disappears below 4times 102 photon/pulse. This shows that the nanowire works in the multi-photon detection regime.

Classical trichoblastic fibroma or small nodular type trichoblastoma (Ackerman) is a rare tumour. This tumour, trichoepithelioma and basal cell carcinoma (BCC) have some overlapping histopathological features. There are only a few reports on immunohistochemical studies in large series of these three neoplasms. We investigated immunostaining patterns of 10 different anticytokeratin (CK) antibodies and several other markers in these neoplasms, comparing them with the patterns in normal adult and fetal skin. In trichoblastic fibroma (three cases), CK1/5/10/14, CK7, CK8/18, CK10/11, CK14, CK17 and CK19 were expressed in the basaloid nests, and CK6 and involucrin were detected in the inner layers of keratinous cysts. Trichoepithelioma (seven cases) expressed CK1/5/10/14, CK8/18, CK14, CK17 and CK19 in the basaloid nests, and CK6, CK10, CK10/11 and involucrin were positive in the keratinous cysts. However, no CK7 expression was observed. Solid and keratotic types of BCC (29 cases) expressed CK1/5/10/14, CK7, CK8/18, CK14, CK17 and CK19 in the basaloid nests. The keratinous cysts in BCC were stained with anti-CK6, CK10, CK10/11 and involucrin antibodies. Coupled with the expression of CK8/18, CK17 and CK19 in the outer root sheath of the adult hair follicle, these three neoplasms shared a keratin phenotype characteristic of the outer root sheath. Judging from our immunohistochemical results, trichoblastic fibroma and BCC cannot be differentiated by their patterns of CK expression. The expression of CK7, which is noted in fetal hair follicles, trichoblastic fibroma and BCC, suggests the presence of subpopulations that retain fetal phenotypic characteristics in these two neoplasms. Although the current concept regards trichoepithelioma and trichoblastic fibroma as a single tumour group, the lack of CK7 expression in trichoepithelioma supports the notion that the two are different.

We investigated the effects of the antibodies against the adhesion molecules leucocyte function associated antigen-1 (LFA-1) and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) on mouse allergic contact hypersensitivity. Mice were injected intraperitoneally with both antibodies before sensitization by an epicutaneous application of dinitrofluorobenzene (DNFB). Simultaneous administration of the antibodies induced suppression of ear swelling in the effector phase of contact hypersensitivity. To show the effect of antibodies in vitro, lymph node cells (LNC) of mice treated with antibodies or with phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) were cultured in the presence of dinitrobenzene sulphonic sodium salts (DNBS), and the production of interleukin-2, interleukin-4 and interleukin-10 in the culture supernatants was measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). It was found that the production of interleukin-2 in the cells of mice treated with the antibodies was significantly lower than in the cells of PBS-treated mice. On the other hand, no difference was noted in the production of interleukin-4 or interleukin-10. Our results indicate that in vivo simultaneous administration of antibodies to cell adhesion molecules before hapten sensitization induces the suppression of contact hypersensitivity in mice and that the suppression may be due to the inhibition of the production of interleukin-2.

The surface characterization of a-axis EuBa/sub 2/Cu/sub 3/O/sub 7-y/ (EBCO) films sputtered onto SrTiO/sub 3/

Epitaxial Eu/sub 1/Ba/sub 2/Cu/sub 3/O/sub y/ (EBCO) thin films have been grown in situ on SrTiO/sub 3/ and MgO

Electron microscopic observations, as well as in vitro experiments, on experimental Fusarium solani keratitis of rabbits were performed to study the mode of fungal invasion into the corneal stroma, the interactions between F. solani and inflammatory cells under the influence of topical dexamethasone (DXM) treatment, and the survival mechanism of the fungi in the DXM-treated cornea. Electron microscopy showed that, while the fungus invaded into the corneal stroma, digestion of collagen fibrils occurred around the hyphae, where amorphous material was often noted. In DXM-nontreated cornea, the fungal hyphae were entrapped by pseudopodia of the neutrophils and destruction of the hyphae was noted on day 3 of infection, most hyphae having disappeared by day 7. In the DXM-treated cornea, however, neutrophils could not ingest and destroy the hyphae. In qualitative nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT)-reduction tests using rabbit peripheral blood neutrophils, DXM significantly suppressed the rate of NBT-reduction and the r...

We report a case of lymphomatoid papulosis which developed in a 29-year-old pregnant woman. She had numerous papules scattered over the inner aspect of the left thigh. Histology of the biopsy specimen demonstrated an atypical mononuclear cell infiltration of the dermis. Spontaneous regression of the lesions occurred after termination of gestation. A possible effect of hormonal changes and alterations in T lymphocyte activity during pregnancy on the occurrence of lymphomatoid papulosis is discussed. In 1968, Macaulay introduced the term lymphomatoid papulosis for a chronic self-healing skin lesion which was clinically benign and histologically malignant. Clinically, lymphomatoid papulosis consists of involuting and recurring papules, plaques and nodules. Histopathologically, the lesion is characterized by an atypical lymphoid infiltrate which resembles malignant lymphoma. Immunohistochemically, the atypical lymphoid cells bear T-cell markers and are characterized by the expression of Ki-1 or CD30. We describe the first case of typical lymphomatoid papulosis which developed during pregnancy.

An electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) ion beam has been utilized for a developing surface cleaning process of high‐Tc superconducting thin films. By means of silver‐contact resistivity measurements, and ex situ surface analysis using x‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and reflection high‐energy electron diffraction (RHEED), the effects of ECR treatment on an air‐exposed surface of a‐axis EuBa2Cu3O7−y (EBCO) films are examined. Ag/EBCO contacts are made with exposure of the EBCO surface to an ECR oxygen ion beam with ion current densities of 100 μA/cm2 at room temperature for about 30 min and the in situ deposition of silver. The contacts, which are not annealed in oxygen, exhibit low contact resistivity in the 10−8–10−7 Ω cm2 range. These values are about five orders of magnitude lower than those of samples fabricated without ECR treatment. Based on XPS and RHEED data, change in the EBCO surface caused by ECR treatment is surmised.

We analyzed the severity grades of the skin symptoms of Yusho patients who visited the annual examinations in 1999 and 2000. The severity grades of the skin symptoms clearly improved. The patients graded as 0 increased and those graded as II.III-III or III.IV-IV decreased as compared to the data in 1993. The pattern of the skin severity scores did not change much, although the patients who showed 0.1 reached 68% in 2000. The blood PCB concentration of Yusho patients also clearly decreased, especially in the patients who showed "A" pattern. Furthermore, the skin changes of the aged patients should be analyzed in detail in the future.

The aim of this study was to establish a cellular system to investigate the requirement for cell surface and diffusible molecules in the differentiation of fetal mesencephalic cells toward the dopamine lineage. Toward this end, we immortalized rat embryonic day 14 (E14) mesencephalon with a regulatable retroviral vector encoding v-myc. The stably transduced cells were pooled and designated as VME14 cells. VME14 cells proliferated rapidly, stopped proliferating, extended processes, and expressed GFAP after suppression of the v-mycexpression with tetracycline, suggesting that VME14 cells differentiated into glial cells. Dissociated cells derived from the E11 rat mesencephalon gave rise to only a small number of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)-positive neurons. However, when grown on a monolayer of the differentiated VME14 cells, a significantly higher number of cells differentiated into TH-positive neurons. VME14 cells were transduced with the secreted N-terminal cleavage product of the Sonic hedgehog gene (SHH-N), an inducer of mesencephalic dopaminergic neurons. This monoclonal, SHH-N-overexpressing cell line further enhanced dopaminergic differentiation of E11 rat mesencephalon cells. Thus, SHH-N and signals derived from fetal mesencephalic glia act cooperatively to facilitate dopaminergic differentiation. These fetal mesencephalon-derived cell lines will provide tools for the study of signals involved in dopaminergic differentiation.

To examine whether protein kinase C (PKC) and A (PKA) contribute to WAF1 induction by ionizing radiation (IR) in cultured human melanomas, the effect of PK inhibitors 1-(5'-isoquinolinesulphonyl)-2-methylpiperazine dihydrochloride (H7), bisindolylmaleimide (GF) and N-[2(p-dromocinnamylamino)ethyl]-5-isoquinolinesulphonamide (H89) on IR-induced WAF1 accumulation was analysed by Western blot analysis. Gamma-ray-induced accumulation of WAF1 showed a peak at 6 Gy in all the cell lines. After gamma-ray irradiation of 6 Gy, a peak of WAF1 accumulation was observed at 6 h in SK-Mel-26, G361 and HM6KO cells, and at 3 h in MeWo cells. In MeWo and SK-Mel-26 cells, the X-ray-induced WAF1 accumulation was decreased by PK inhibitors, GF (PKC inhibitor) or H89 (PKA inhibitor); this did not occur in G361 and HM6KO. In all the cell lines, accumulation of WAF1 induced by X-ray irradiation was suppressed by H7 (PKC and PKA inhibitor). In addition, polymerase chain reaction-single strand conformational polymorphism analysis detected no aberrations in the p53 gene of the four cell lines used. These results suggest that IR-induced WAF1 expression involves PKC and/or PKA activity depending on cell type.

In an earlier study (Kimura, Y., Kurzydlowski, K., Tada, M., and MacLennan, D. H. (1997) J. Biol. Chem. 272, 15061-15064), mutation of amino acids on one face of the phospholamban (PLN) transmembrane helix led to loss of PLN inhibition of sarco(endo)plasmic reticulum Ca(2+)-ATPase (SERCA) molecules. This helical face was proposed to form a site of PLN interaction with a transmembrane helix in SERCA molecules. To determine whether predicted transmembrane helices M4, M5, M6, or M8 in SERCA1a interact with PLN, SERCA1a mutants were co-expressed with wild-type PLN and effects on Ca(2+) dependence of Ca(2+) transport were measured. Wild-type inhibitory interactions shifted apparent Ca(2+) affinity of SERCA1a by an average of -0.34 pCa units, but four of the seven mutations in M4 led to a more inhibitory shift in apparent Ca(2+) affinity, averaging -0.53 pCa units. Seven mutations in M5 led to an average shift of -0.32 pCa units and seven mutations in M8 led to an average shift of -0.30 pCa units. Among 11 mutations in M6, 1, Q791A, increased the inhibitory shift (-0.59 pCa units) and 5, V795A (-0.11), L802A (-0.07), L802V (-0.04), T805A (-0.11), and F809A (-0.12), reduced the inhibitory shift, consistent with the view that Val(795), Leu(802), Thr(805), and Phe(809), located on one face of a predicted M6 helix, form a site in SERCA1a for interaction with PLN. Those mutations in M4, M6, or M8 of SERCA1a that enhanced PLN inhibitory function did not enhance PLN physical association with SERCA1a, but mutants V795A and L802A in M6, which decreased PLN inhibitory function, decreased physical association, as measured by co-immunoprecipitation. In related studies, those PLN mutants that gained inhibitory function also increased levels of co-immunoprecipitation of wild-type SERCA1a and those that lost inhibitory function also reduced association, correlating functional interaction sites with physical interaction sites. Thus, both functional and physical data confirm that PLN interacts with M6 SERCA1a.

We analyzed the severity grades of the skin symptoms of Yusho patients who visited the annual examinations in 1997 and 1998. The severity grades of the skin symptoms clearly improved. The patients graded as 0 I-II increased and those graded as II III-III decreased as compared to the data in 1993 and 1994. The skin severity scores did not change much, although the patients who showed 0 or 1 reached more than 60% in both 1997 and 1998. The blood PCB concentration of Yusho patients also clearly decreased, especially in the patients who showed "A" pattern.

The function and the outside-in signaling pathways of alphaIIbbeta3 were examined in relation to cell adhesion using a megakaryoblastic leukemia cell line, CMK. After 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) treatment, the cells adhered to the culture plate and underwent megakaryocytic differentiation with expression of alphaIIbbeta3. Binding of soluble fibrinogen to the cells via alphaIIbbeta3 was dependent on cell adhesion. Cell detaching reduced the affinity of this integrin for soluble fibrinogen, although its surface expression was almost unchanged. In contrast, detached cells became tightly adherent to the fibrinogen-coated plate (solid-phase fibrinogen). The same ligand, fibrinogen, present either in soluble or solid-phase form, triggered differential signaling pathways mediated by alphaIIbbeta3. By the stimulation with soluble fibrinogen, Syk was tyrosine-phosphorylated but FAK was dephosphorylated, whereas solid-phase fibrinogen promptly caused tyrosine phosphorylation of FAK followed by delayed phosphorylation of Syk. In addition, the binding of soluble fibrinogen to the cells adherent to fibrinogen-coated plate resulted in tyrosine phosphorylation of integrin beta3 and a complex formation of integrin beta3 with Syk. This implies the cooperation of both soluble and solid-phase fibrinogen-mediated signaling pathways.

Methylglyoxal (MG) and 3-deoxyglucosone (3-DG), reactive dicarbonyl metabolites in the glyoxalase system and glycation reaction, respectively, selectively induced heparin-binding epidermal growth factor (HB-EGF)-like growth factor mRNA in a dose- and time-dependent manner in rat aortic smooth muscle cells (RASMC). A nuclear run-on assay revealed that the dicarbonyl may regulate expression of HB-EGF at the transcription level. The dicarbonyl also increased the secretion of HB-EGF from RASMC. However, platelet-derived growth factor, another known growth factor of smooth muscle cells (SMC), was not induced by both dicarbonyls. The dicarbonyl augmented intracellular peroxides prior to the induction of HB-EGF mRNA as judged by flow cytometric analysis using 2',7'-dichlorofluorescin diacetate. N-Acetyl-L-cysteine and aminoguanidine suppressed both dicarbonyl-increased HB-EGF mRNA and intracellular peroxide levels in RASMC. DL-Buthionine-(S, R)-sulfoximine increased the levels of 3-DG-induced HB-EGF mRNA. Furthermore, hydrogen peroxide alone also induced HB-EGF mRNA in RASMC. These results indicate that MG and 3-DG induce HB-EGF by increasing the intracellular peroxide levels. In addition, the pretreatment with 12-O-tetra-decanoylphorbol-13-acetate failed to alter dicarbonyl-induced HB-EGF mRNA expression in RASMC, suggesting that the signal transducing mechanism is not mediated by protein kinase C. Since HB-EGF is known as a potent mitogen for smooth muscle cells and is abundant in atherosclerotic plaques, the induction of HB-EGF by MG and 3-DG, as well as the concomitant increment of intracellular peroxides, may trigger atherogenesis during diabetes.

We reported the grades of severity of skin symptoms and the blood PCB patterns and concentrations in Yusho patients who had the annual examinations in 1995 and 1996. The skin severity grades and the skin severity scores showed the same tendency as recorded in the last 10 years. Yusho patients who were scored as more than 6.7 were around 8% of the total patients both in 1995 and 1996. The correlation between the blood PCB patterns and the severity grades of skin symptoms was clear. Thus, the mean skin severity scores in patients showing A pattern were higher than those in patients showing either B or C pattern. The same results were obtained when the correlation between the blood PCB patterns and the skin severity grades was analyzed. Patients whose ages were 50-70 years old were found to show the highest blood PCB concentrations and the skin severity scores.

We report a case of lymphomatoid papulosis which developed in a 29-year-old pregnant woman. She had numerous papules scattered over the inner aspect of the left thigh. Histology of the biopsy specimen demonstrated an atypical mononuclear cell infiltration of the dermis. Spontaneous regression of the lesions occurred after termination of gestation. A possible effect of hormonal changes and alterations in T lymphocyte activity during pregnancy on the occurrence of lymphomatoid papulosis is discussed. In 1968, Macaulay introduced the term lymphomatoid papulosis for a chronic self-healing skin lesion which was clinically benign and histologically malignant. Clinically, lymphomatoid papulosis consists of involuting and recurring papules, plaques and nodules. Histopathologically, the lesion is characterized by an atypical lymphoid infiltrate which resembles malignant lymphoma. Immunohistochemically, the atypical lymphoid cells bear T-cell markers and are characterized by the expression of Ki-1 or CD30. We describe the first case of typical lymphomatoid papulosis which developed during pregnancy.

S-nitro-N-acetyl-DL-penicillamine (SNAP), a nitric oxide (NO) donor, inactivated bovine glutathione peroxidase (GPx) in a dose- and time-dependent manner. The IC50 of SNAP for GPx was 2 microM at 1 h of incubation and was 20% of the IC50 for another thiol enzyme, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, in which a specific cysteine residue is known to be nitrosylated. Incubation of the inactivated GPx with 5 mM dithiothreitol within 1 h restored about 50% of activity of the start of the SNAP incubation. A longer exposure to NO donors, however, irreversibly inactivated the enzyme. The similarity of the inactivation with SNAP and reactivation with dithiothreitol of GPx to that of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, suggested that NO released from SNAP modified a cysteine-like essential residue on GPx. When U937 cells were incubated with 100 microM SNAP for 1 h, a significant decrease in GPx activity was observed although the change was less dramatic than that with the purified enzyme, and intracellular peroxide levels increased as judged by flow cytometric analysis using a peroxide-sensitive dye. Other major antioxidative enzymes, copper/zinc superoxide dismutase, manganese superoxide dismutase, and catalase, were not affected by SNAP, which suggested that the increased accumulation of peroxides in SNAP-treated cells was due to inhibition of GPx activity by NO. Moreover, stimulation with lipopolysaccharide significantly decreased intracellular GPx activity in RAW 264.7 cells, and this effect was blocked by NO synthase inhibitor N omega-methyl-L-arginine. This indicated that GPx was also inactivated by endogenous NO. This mechanism may at least in part explain the cytotoxic effects of NO on cells and NO-induced apoptotic cell death.

We reported the grades of severity of skin symptoms and the blood PCB patterns and concentrations in Yusho patients who were examined in the annual examinations in 1993 and 1994. The skin severity grades and skin severity scores showed the same tendency as recorded in the last 15 years. Approximately 20% of the patients, however, claimed the tendency of recurrence of skin infections and/or infected epidermal cysts, and still approximately 30% of the patients exhibited acneiform eruptions. Ten patients recorded with more than 6 points of skin severity scoring in these examinations were further investigated their initial skin severity grades and blood PCB patterns and concentrations. It was found that most of their blood PCB patterns showed the A pattern, and the level of the blood PCB in one patient was 55.5 ppb in the initial stage. Five patients out of 10 patients still have more than 10 ppb of blood PCB concentration. Thus, it is concluded that small populations of Yusho patients still have active skin symptoms with considerable blood PCB levels even at present.

We reported the skin symptoms and PCB concentrations of the patients with Yusho in the 1991 and 1992 annual examinations. We also reported the alteration of the skin symptoms in 20 patients followed up for 16 years (1977-1992). Most of the patients examined in 1991-1992 showed low score of skin symptoms which are the same as those in recent 7 years. Approximately 30% of the patients still have comedones and/or acneiform eruptions in 1991-1992. Pattern and concentrations of PCB in the patients have not remarkably changed in recent 5 years.

Two cases of dumbbell cervical neurinomas with massive subcutaneous extension were reported. The first case was A 30-year-old woman who was admitted to our hospital because she had been aware of a left lateral cervical subcutaneous mass and was suffering from shoulder dullness. On admission, neurological examination revealed hypesthesia to touch and pain in the segmental area of C4, and hyperreflexia in the left biceps and patellar tendon reflexes. Plain X-ray showed enlargement of the left C3/4 intervertebral foramen. CT scan, post-myelogram CT and MRI demonstrated a dumbbell shaped tumor at the level of C3-4. Angiogram showed an anterior shift of the left vertebral artery (VA) and tumor stain. Temporary occlusion of the left VA by a balloon catheter was performed leaving no neurological deficits. The second case was a 36-year-old woman who had been aware of a left lateral cervical subcutaneous mass. She complained of shoulder pain and finger clumsiness. On admission, neurological examination revealed weakness of the left deltoid muscle, hypesthesia in the segmental area of C3-4 and exaggeration of all deep tendon reflexes in the left-side extremities. Plain X-ray showed enlargement of the C2/3, C3/4 and C4/5 intervertebral foramina. CT scan, post myelogram CT and MRI demonstrated a dumbbell shaped tumor at the level of C2-5. Angiogram showed an anteromedial shift of the left VA and tumor stain. Temporary occlusion test of the left VA by a balloon catheter was performed with negative results. In each case two-stage operations were undertaken with excellent results.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

The authors studied the long-term follow up of trigeminal neuralgic patients treated by retrogasserian rhizotomy with anhydrous glycerol injection (GI) or by microvascular decompression (MVD) and compared the satisfaction rates between them. Since 1983, 67 patients had been treated either by GI or MVD. The authors analyzed the results of the treatment by the method of questionnaire. Fifty-two patients of these 67 answered the questions, on which the present analysis was based. GI group consisted of 27 patients and MVD group 29 patients. The average follow-up period was 30.9 months in GI group (maximum follow-up: 84 months) and 50.9 months in MVD group (maximum follow-up: 95 months), respectively. The technique of GI used was Härtel's method with cisternography of Meckel's cave. The operations of MVD were performed by J.H. and A.K.. One patient out of 29 failed to be treated by MVD and two recurred within one year. On the other hand, 2 patients out of 27 failed to be treated by GI and 11 recurred. The recurrence was seen earlier in patients who had undergone GI, while one patient recurred the neuralgia at 76 months later. The recurrence rate in patients treated by MVD is 7.0% at 95 months, while that by GI is 49.0% at 84 months based on Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. The pathogenesis of trigeminal neuralgia is speculated to be an emphatic conduction caused by segmental demyelination and artificial synapse formation at the junction of central and peripheral myelin. The factors of this demyelination may be multiple sclerosis, basilar impression, aneurysm, arteriovenous malformation, atheroscleroses and natural aging.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

We reported the skin symptoms of the patients with Yusho in the 1989 and 1990 annual examinations. We also studied the alteration of the skin symptoms in 33 patients followed up for 14 years (1977-1990). Most of these patients showed obvious improvement in their skin symptoms during 12 years (1977-1988). However, a remarkable improvement was not observed in recent 3 years and approximately 40% of the patients still had comedones and/or acneiform eruptions.

Electron microscopic observations, as well as in vitro experiments, on experimental Fusarium solani keratitis of rabbits were performed to study the mode of fungal invasion into the corneal stroma, the interactions between F. solani and inflammatory cells under the influence of topical dexamethasone (DXM) treatment, and the survival mechanism of the fungi in the DXM-treated cornea. Electron microscopy showed that, while the fungus invaded into the corneal stroma, digestion of collagen fibrils occurred around the hyphae, where amorphous material was often noted. In DXM-nontreated cornea, the fungal hyphae were entrapped by pseudopodia of the neutrophils and destruction of the hyphae was noted on day 3 of infection, most hyphae having disappeared by day 7. In the DXM-treated cornea, however, neutrophils could not ingest and destroy the hyphae. In qualitative nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT)-reduction tests using rabbit peripheral blood neutrophils, DXM significantly suppressed the rate of NBT-reduction and the rate of adherence to the fungal microconidia. In the DXM-treated corneal lesions, a considerable increase in both number and size of fungal peroxisomes was noted. Furthermore, the hyphae, surrounded by neutrophils, showed double or triple cell wall formation or sometimes a hypha-in-hypha structure. Similar hypha-in-hypha structures were also observed when the organisms were treated in vitro with a fungistatic concentration of H2O2. We suggest that this special structure is a protective device produced for the survival of F. solani when subject to neutrophil attack in the DXM-treated cornea.

An AuIn 2 intermetallic compound was discovered and its effect on bonding in Pb-alloy Josephson chip packaging was investigated. This was achieved by applying an In/Bi/Sn ternary alloy solder, which was characterized by X-ray and thermal analysis. Both bulk and vacuumdeposited In/Bi/Sn films were used, and in both cases the dominant compound was BiIn 2 . Indium, \gamma -SnIn, and \beta -InSn were also detected. Bi 3 In 5 appeared as the In content decreased. The sequentially deposited thick solder film had a simple structure, but the structure at the interface between solder and Pd/Au was very complicated. The dominant compounds at this interface were AuIn 2 and Bi 3 In 5 . Joining strength using In/Bi/Sn solder depended on the solder-bump fabrication process. The fracture interface was analyzed using electron probe microanalysis (EPMA) and Auger electron spectroscopy (AES). Fracture occurred at the interface between Pd and Au. It was found that AuIn 2 intermetallic compound formation reduced chip bonding strength. Low-temperature annealing of Pd/Au thin film before solder evaporation reduced AuIn 2 intermetallic compound formation.

Two extracellular proteinases that probably play a central role in the metabolism and pathogenesis of the most common dermatophyte of man, Trichophyton rubrum, were purified to homogeneity. Size-exclusion chromatography and Chromatofocusing were used to purify the major proteinases 42-fold from crude fungal culture filtrate. The major enzyme has pI 7.8 and subunit Mr 44 000, but forms a dimer of Mr approx. 90 000 in the absence of reducing agents. A second enzyme with pI 6.5 and subunit Mr 36 000, was also purified. It is very similar in substrate specificity to the major enzyme but has lower specific activity, and may be an autoproteolysis product. The major proteinase has pH optimum 8, a Ca2+-dependence maximum of 1 mM, and was inhibited by serine-proteinase inhibitors, especially tetrapeptidyl chloromethane derivatives with hydrophobic residues at the P-1 site. Kinetic studies also showed that tetrapeptides containing aromatic or hydrophobic residues at P-1 were the best substrates. A kcat./Km of 27 000 M-1 X S-1 was calculated for the peptide 3-carboxypropionyl-Ala-Ala-Pro-Phe-p-nitroanilide. The enzyme has significant activity against keratin, elastin and denatured type I collagen (Azocoll).

A new water-soluble flux using a chelate system was developed for indium(In)-based low-melting-temperature solder alloys. Rosin fluxes, which are now widely used for reflow soldering processes, are not effective below 150°C. Therefore they can not be applied to Pb-alloy Josephson device chip interconnections. It was found that 5-sulfosalicylic acid compounds were very effective for In/33 percent Bi/16 percent Sn and In/48 percent Sn alloys. The new flux was active at temperatures as low as 70°C. A water-soluble flux system of dimethylamine and tartaric acid was also examined. This flux was active below 100°C, but it attacked the Pb/In/An alloy superconducting transmission lines; furthermore, it caused growth of Pb and In whiskers on the solder bumps.

The segregation growth process in sputtered Co-Cr films is investigated by examining the effect of substrate temperature on the segregated microstructure and magnetic properties. In sputtered Co-25at%Cr films, segregation occurs below 560°C, and both the saturation magnetization and the perpendicular anisotropy constant show a maximum around a substrate temperature of 300°C, where a specific microstructure, called a CP (chrysanthemum-like pattern) structure, is observed. The results suggest that the CP structure becomes observable in the highly segregated state and generates high perpendicular anisotropy. A new segregation growth model is derived from the results of the CP structure observations. Using this model, it is possible to explain the continuous transition of the magnetization mode between the continuous and the particulate modes.

It is impossible to accurately evaluate NK 631 as an anticancer agent from the findings only in the 7 cases; hence, the following is no more than the author's impression about the drug. However, NK 631 appeared to exert a similar anticancer effect to the currently available bleomycin. In other words, the drug will completely cure or greatly improve the early cases of squamous cell carcinoma, and bring about a transient regression in the advanced cases. The response of malignant lymphoma to this drug varied from case to case; in any event, it is impossible to anticipate a complete cure in this malignancy by single NK 631 therapy but by multiple combination chemotherapy, e.g., BEMP therapy. The adverse reactions to NK 631 that were observed included pulmonary fibrosis, though only in 1 case; hence, no conclusive opinion should be given herein about it pulmonary toxicity in comparison with the pulmonary toxicity of bleomycin. It remains a theme of the future statistic studies in a large number of cases. The other adverse reactions were anorexia and mild alopecia in some of the cases, which were similar to those to bleomycin. Pigmentation also occurred in one of the cases, but the author was impressed that this reaction was less likely to occur with NK 631.

The so-called Merkel cell carcinoma is a rare tumor of the skin first described by Toker in 1972. As the cell of origin an epithelial precursor with neuroendocrine function is discussed.

We reported on the skin symptoms of the patients with yusho in the 1987 and 1988 annual examinations. We also studied the alteration of the skin symptoms in the patients followed up for 20 years. These patients showed obvious improvement in their skin symptoms during these 20 years. However, about a half of the patients still had comedones and/or acneiform eruptions, although the number of eruptions had decreased. The cases with blood PCB pattern A (typical yusho pattern) demonstrated higher skin severity grading points than those of the other groups (patterns B and C), but even in these cases the skin eruptions had improved.

A case of a giant aneurysm arising from the basilar artery is presented. The patient a 41--year-old female, had recent memory disturbance, miscalculations and hemiparesis on admission. Vertebral angiograms displayed a giant aneurysm measuring approximately 66 mm in diameter arising from the basilar artery, a tortuous vertebral artery, an extremely dilated basilar artery and an agenesis of the left carotid artery. Due to the enormous size of the aneurysm and its location in the deep intracranial portion, radical surgery was abandoned. Six months following her discharge, she died. At autopsy, the giant aneurysm arising from the top of the basilar artery was found, existing just beneath the third ventricle and extending to the left basal ganglia. The lateral ventricle, the third ventricle and the Sylvian fissure were filled by hematoma resulting from the rupture of the aneurysm. It is possible that this giant aneurysm could be considered a vascular anomaly, and hence be distinguished from saccular aneurysms.

Based on ultrastructural features of cellular components of a hemangiopericytoma, hyperplastic cells are classifiable into fibroblast-like (group I), endotheloid (group II) and pericyte-like (group III) cells. The transformation of the group I cells to the group II, or to the group III cells, is pronounced in our electron micrographs and this may imply that the group I cell is the principal cell of origin in this neoplasm. The smooth muscle-like (group IV) cells comprising the media of the arteries and veins in this neoplasm may represent modified, possibly de-differentiated smooth muscle cells reacted to the neoplastic proliferation of the surrounding adventitial (group I) cells.