Light and electron microscopic observation showed two types of neuronal immunostaining for basic fibroblast growth factor in the hippocampal CA2 subfield, where the densest immunoreactive neurons were localized in the brain. One neuronal type showed intense nuclear (eu- and heterochromatin) immunostaining but weak cytoplasmic immunostaining (N-type), and the other showed intense cytoplasmic but no or only faint nuclear immunoreactivity (C-type). The N-type also showed weak immunoreactivity in the perinuclear rough endoplasmic reticulum and contained bFGF mRNA as observed by in situ hybridization histochemistry, showed that this type can produces the bFGF protein. The N-type localized exclusively in the CA2 subfield. The C-type showed strong immunoreactivity on the rER, free ribosomes, and Golgi apparatus, although no clear evidence for bFGF production was observed. The multivesicular bodies, a pathway of endocytosis in hippocampal neurons showed apparent immunoreactivity under EM observation of both of types neurons (Parton et al. J. Cell Biol. 119: 123-137, 1992) suggesting a receptor-mediated type of incorporation of the bFGF.
Pancreas cancer-associated antigen (PCAA), primarily isolated from the ascites of pancreatic cancer (PC) patients, is strongly positive in PC, colon cancer and normal colonic mucosa. In immunohistochemical staining of tumor tissues with antibodies, medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) was no less strongly positive for PCAA than PC, and we studied its details. Antibodies to PCAA, calcitonin and CEA were used in the immunostaining of normal thyroid tissues and thyroid tissues from patients with adenomas, MTC, papillary carcinomas, and follicular carcinomas. The PCAA from the liver metastases of MTC was studied for molecular weight and antigenicity in comparison with the PCAA from the ascites of PC patients. Serum levels of PCAA were determined in MTC patients. Of 11 patients with MTC, PCAA, calcitonin and CEA were studied immunohistologically and positive in 10, 11 and 10 patients, respectively. The PCAA from the metastases had a molecular weight of about 700,000, and was immunochemically identical to that from the ascites of PC patients. Serum levels of PCAA were elevated in 4 of 6 MTC patients. The thyroid tissues from the MTC patients, familial or non-familial, were as strongly positive for PCAA as for calcitonin and CEA. It was antigenically identical to that of PC origin, and positive in the serum of MTC patients.
The relationships between lifestyles and urinary mutagenicity were investigated by using blue rayon extraction from 33 healthy male workers' urine. Subjects were classified into three groups, as "good", "moderate", and "poor" according to their responses on a questionnaire regarding eight health practices (cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption, eating breakfast, hours of sleep, hours of work, physical exercise, caring about nutritional balance, mental stress). The better lifestyle groups exhibited the lower mutagenicity. Subjects in a "good" group showed significantly lower urinary mutagenicity than those both in a "moderate" (p < 0.05) and a "poor" (p < 0.05) groups at fraction number 1 to 3 that were given after ingesting fried beef. These tendencies also found at fraction number 8 to 9 that were given after smoking, although not significant. The lifestyles were significantly associated with the urinary mutagenicity, and the results suggested that not only particular lifestyle factor but also some combinations with smoking significantly enhanced with the urinary mutagenicity.
The ultrastructure and clinical significance of the basement membrane (BM) are still unclear in esophageal cancer. In this report, we examined the ultrastructure of the BM and microstructures related intercellular adhesion in squamous cell carcinoma of human esophagus using a transmission electron microscope, and investigated their clinical significance. BM was absent in 38% of the examined cases and the frequency or the presence of the microstructures of cancer cells of the infiltrating margin (CCIM) was negatively related to the presence of BM (BM-P); CCIM of BM-P tumors often had smaller number per cell of desmosomes and cytoplasmic processes. These results indicate that CCIM of BM-P tumor are in an 'inconvenient status' for tumor cells to form a firm group. In the intercellular space between CCIM and BM or surrounding stromal cells, all of the CCIM of BM-P tumors had hemidesmosomes, but not those of BM absent (BM-A) tumors. Though no statistical significant difference was found in our clinical observation between BM-P and BM-A tumors, the present study suggested that a considerable proportion of cancer cells have abnormal intercellular adhesiveness via a mechanical mechanism related to the presence or absence of BM.
We make a comparison of classification ability between BPN (Back Propagation Neural Network) and k-NN (k-Nearest Neighbor) classification methods. Voice data and patellar subluxation images are used. The result was that the average recognition rate of BPN was 9.2 percent higher than that of the k-NN classification method. Although k-NN classification is simple in theory, classification time was fairly long. Therefore, it seems that real time recognition is difficult. On the other hand, the BPN method is long in learning time but is very short in recognition time. Especially if the number of dimensions of the samples is large, it can be said that BPN is better than k-NN in classification ability.
The rate of oxygen release from single hepatic sinusoid of rat was determined. A scanning spectrophotometer, equipped with a grating and two photoncounters, was connected to a microscope with light-guides, and absorption spectra (450-650 nm) were obtained simultaneously at two microspots (10 microns diameter) on single sinusoid. The concentration ([Hb]) and oxygen saturation (SO2) of hemoglobin were calculated from the spectra. Reference transmittance was obtained at neighbouring hepatocytes. The erythrocyte velocity was measured by dual-spots cross-correlation method using two photomultipliers connected to the microscope with two light-guides. The gradient in SO2 was observed along each sinusoid, due to oxygen release from flowing erythrocytes to hepatocytes. The rate of oxygen release per unit surface area was 0.24 +/- 0.14(n = 14)nmoles O2/cm2/sec, which was calculated from [Hb], difference in SO2 between the spots at up- and down-stream, erythrocyte velocity, two spot's distance and sinusoidal diameter. The rates of O2 release depended on sinusoidal diameter and sinusoidal blood flow.
We investigated the difference in temporal bone specimens fixated by three sorts of fixative solution (10% formalin fixative, Wittmaack's fixative and Heidenhein-SuSa fixative). 1. 10% Formalin's fixative solution We found many pinkish precipitates, which are stained by hematoxy-eosin, in the scala media of the cochlea. Same substance is found in the perilymphatic space and endolymphatic space in the vestibulum. The fusion of the cells is indicated in the tectorial membrane, inner sulucus cell, outer sulucus cell especially in the apical turn of the cochlea. 2. Wittmaack's fixative solution The detachment of inner and outer sulucus cells are found from basilar membrane at the basal turn of the cochlea. The tendency in convex and concave form of the Reissner's membrane is most remarkable in these three fixative solution. 3. Heidenhein-SuSa fixative solution In this solution, no precipitates, no fusion of cells are found. No detachment of the inner or outer sulucus cells is also found. This study indicates that Heidenhein-SuSa fixation is most excellent fixative method.
The cause of liver infarction previously reported [1-4] are mainly due to occlusion of hepatic artery. Herein, we report the case of liver infarction resulted from simultaneous occlusion of hepatic artery and portal vein due to trauma and therapeutic transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE), and we followed up the infarcted lesion with computed tomography (CT), ultra sonography (US) and magnetic resonance imaging (MR imaging) until it disappeared.
We now keep HFRSV free WF-Osaka rats and ACI rats together in the separate three animal rooms (animal room 1, 2 and 3) and the incidence of colon carcinoma is still high on the WF-Osaka rats in animal room 1 with the high humidity. Two female ACI rats developed colon carcinomas in the ascending colon. The gross and the histological appearance of the colon carcinoma were completely the same as those of WF-Osaka rats. ACI and WF-Osaka rat strain together have been kept bred in neighborhood of each other in different racks in the identical animal room 1. To obtain HFRSV free ACI rat strain, Antecedents born by cesarean section of ACI female pregnant rat were foster-bred by WF-Osaka female nursing rat incidentally, and at the fourth mating generation after the start of foster-breeding, they developed colon carcinomas at the age of four months. Before five out of eight F1 hybrids by WF-Osaka cancer carrying female rat x male ACI rat had developed the same colon carcinoma, but none of F1 hybrids by the contrary mating had developed colon carcinomas in this same animal room 1. Animal room 1 and 2 where there was a high incidence of colon carcinomas, had happened to be kept moistened. However, after disinfection of these animal rooms, the animal room 2 and 3 occurred to be kept dried, and rats of WF-Osaka strain ceased to develop colon carcinomas in the animal room 2. Thereafter, animal room 2 and 3 were adjusted to be kept moistened again. Subsequently WF-Osaka rats in the animal room 2 began to have colon carcinomas in the ascending colon as before, but none of rats developed colon carcinomas in the animal room 3. Based on these findings, we consider that milk factor at the time of foster-breeding played an important role first and high moistened condition of the animal room resulted in promoting effect on colon carcinogenesis on ACI rats and WF-Osaka rats as well.
Interventional left vertriculograms (LVGs) using postextrasystolic potentiation (PESP), nitroglycerin (TNG) and a combination of both were analyzed in order to decide the degree of efficacy of each intervention as a predictor of reversibility in impaired left ventricular segments. Segmental wall motion (SWM) in less severely impaired segments increased to the normal range and SWM in severely impaired segments increased but remained in the abnormal range after CABG. The effects of both PESP and TNG on SWM in impaired segments correlated (r = 0.78 and 0.78) with that of CABG. The increase in SWM due to TNG + PESP was significantly (p < 0.01) greater than that due to either PESP or TNG alone or that of CABG. Either PESP or TNG was clinically reliable for prediction of contractile reversibility in the segments with impaired wall motion prior to CABG. Including the global left ventricular function, PESP reflected the efficacy of CABG more sufficiently than TNG. TNG + PESP provoked more contractile reserve and exaggerated the results of CABG, but may predict reversibility in severely reduced wall motion.
A case of pancreatic pseudocyst complicating with pregnancy and delivery was reported. This primipara patient with pancreatic pseudocyst was able to achieve a full-term, transvaginal delivery of a mature baby. The usefulness of ultrasonic monitoring of the pseudocyst during labor was clinically demonstrated. When intra-abdominal pressure increased, pancreatic pseudocyst was deformed.
One hundred and ten diabetic patients who were apparently non-insulin dependent at 1984 were followed up for 5 years from 1984 to 1989. Islet cell antibodies (ICA) of the patients were tested in 1987. Eleven patients were positive for ICA and 99 were negative. There was no significant difference in age, sex, duration of diabetes, and HbA1c levels between ICA-positive and negative groups. Six of 11 (54.5%) patients in ICA-positive group developed insulin-requiring state in the period from 1984 to 1989, while only 5 of 99 (5.1%) patients in ICA negative group became insulin-requiring. Glucagon tolerance test (1 mg i.v.) was performed on 8 patients who developed insulin-requiring state; among them 4 patients were ICA-positive and other 4 patients were ICA negative. The serum C-peptide response to intravenous glucagon injection was markedly decreased in 3 of the 4 ICA-positive patients, and only mildly decreased in all the 4 ICA-negative patients. The markedly decreased C-peptide response indicates that these ICA-positive subjects had developed insulin-dependency. We conclude that the presence of ICA in apparently non-insulin dependent diabetics indicates a high risk for developing insulin-dependency.
Skeletal fixation characteristics of the stainless steel implants coated by 60 microns thick porous alumina layer using a flame spray method were evaluated in vivo for the duration of up to 12 weeks. Surface roughness of the implants appeared to be the determining factor for the fixation characteristics, irrespective of the implant materials.
A 20-years-old woman with fever and an abnormal shadow on a chest roentgenogram was admitted to our hospital. High grade fever continued even after gradual disappearance of the ill-defined shadow on the right upper lobe (S3) with minor fissure deviation upward, while neck pain and bruit gradually developed. She was diagnosed as aortitis syndrome from a digital subtraction angiography. The initial appearance of an ill-defined shadow on a chest roentgenogram, considered as pulmonary infarction, is rare in the aortitis syndrome and this kind of onset is interesting in relation to the pathogenesis and diagnosis of this syndrome.
We investigated the effects of different injection intervals, (24 hr, 48 hr, and 72 hr) on the development of kindled seizures induced by repetitive pentylenetetrazol (PTZ) injections (30 mg/kg) in rats. Regardless of injection interval, kindled seizures were obtained 1 week after the completion of consecutive PTZ injections. This PTZ kindled seizure model appears to mimick generalized seizure and be useful in the investigation of seizure phenomenon. With 48 and 72 hr injection interval, the seizure responses gradually increased with consecutive injections. The convulsive severity of 24 hr interval group showed a transient increased and then stabilized at a low score (2/6). This difference between these injection interval might reflect the appearance of some short of inhibition during the more closely spaced (24 hr) repeated injections.
Intraperitoneal injection of the serum of colon cancer carrying WF rats induced, within two months, colon carcinomas in the ascending colon of LE and Wistar/Shi rats when they were given it during their suckling. We had also induced colon carcinomas in the ascending colon of ACI rats by the same methods. Therefore, it is supported that this serum derived from colon cancer carrying WF rats must have some transmissible agent in itself. In addition, we ultracentrifuged the serum of cancer carrying WF rats and we found, in the sediment, numerous round or oval virus like corpuscles by electron microscopy studies. Negatively stained corpuscles by phosphotungstic acid staining clearly revealed fine spike appearance on their surface. We believe that these virus like corpuscles are the etiological agent for the transmissible colon carcinoma of WF rat strain.
Duodenitis was investigated by endoscopy in 93 cases from among 1242 subjects. Endoscopic duodenitis was classified into three types endoscopically--reddening type, erosive type and nodular type. There was a relatively high correlation between the endoscopic and the histological diagnosis of duodenitis. Severely inflamed cases were found histologically more frequently in erosive- or nodular-type duodenitis than in reddening-type duodenitis. During the follow-up period, changes in endoscopic findings were observed more frequently, from the erosive type to the reddening type, and from the reddening type to normal. There were no cases which subsequently developed duodenal ulcers. We found a significantly high incidence of "endoscopic duodenitis" in uremic patients who had been given regular dialysis, and not in hepatic cirrhosis patients.
It is known that the recurrence rate is high when an acoustic neurinoma is incompletely excised, but the details of the process of recurrence are still unclear. We reviewed the recurrence of acoustic neurinomas, as evaluated by computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), in 51 consecutive patients over the past 10 years who underwent tumor resection and had postoperative follow-up by CT or MRI. The factors promoting recurrence related to incomplete excision of tumor were analyzed. Total resection of the tumor was performed in 22 patients (43%), nearly total resection in 17 patients (33%) and subtotal resection in 12 patients (24%). The recurrence rates were 29% (5 of 17 patients) and 25% (2 of 8 patients) for nearly total and subtotal resection, respectively, whereas no recurrence occurred following total resection. Of the patients having nearly total resection, all recurrences arose from residual tumor in the internal auditory meatus (5 of 12 patients). In contrast, there were no recurrences from residual tumor at the site of the brain stem (none of 4 patients). Acoustic neurinomas should be totally removed through neurosurgical and neuro-otological approaches whenever possible. If a small fragment of tumor is left in the internal auditory meatus due to fear of damaging the facial or cochlear nerves, it should be strictly followed up by CT or MRI.
The pathological findings of temporal bone in two cases of thanatophoric dysplasia were reported. Thanatophoric dysplasia is classified into type 1 and type 2, each of which has been reported to show specific clinical and radiographic-findings. The present study revealed that each type also showed specific characteristic in the structure of the temporal bones. The developmental mechanisms of hearing impairment in this disease were also discussed on the basis of the pertinent literature.
To assess how polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) act on coronary vasoactivity, we measured the changes in isometric tension of isolated rings of canine coronary arteries upon addition of autologous PMNs to organ chambers in which the rings were suspended. When PMNs isolated by the colloidal polyvinylpyrrolidone-coated silica (Percoll) gradient method were added to the chambers, ring preparations of left circumflex coronary arteries developed isometric tension. The increase in tension was dependent on the amount of PMNs (1 X 10(4) to 5 X 10(6) cells/ml). Maximal tension obtained by an optimal amount of PMNs (5 X 10(5) cells/ml) was almost comparable to that produced by prostaglandin F2 alpha (5 microM). Integrity of endothelial cells was not disrupted after the addition of PMNs because the developed tension could be reversed by the addition of acetylcholine in an endothelium-dependent manner. Mechanical rubbing of endothelium abolished the PMN-induced vasoconstriction, which was regained by placing an endothelium-unrubbed ring inside a rubbed ring ("sandwich preparation"). When PMN suspensions were pretreated with 5-lipoxygenase inhibitors of arachidonate, PMN-induced vasoconstriction was greatly suppressed, although the pretreatment of vascular preparations did not alter the development of isometric tension. These findings indicate that PMNs induce the contraction of coronary arterial rings in the presence of intact endothelial cells. The mechanism by which PMNs induce the contraction is the release of vasoconstrictive substances by metabolic interaction between PMNs and endothelial cells. Vasoconstrictive substances produced by the PMN-endothelial system, such as 5-lipoxygenase metabolites through a "leukotriene A4 steal" mechanism, may contribute to the contraction of vascular smooth muscle.
