Publications by authors named "C Takahaski"

A 26-year-old man with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and a history of acute myocardial infarction developed portal hypertension accompanied by abnormal liver function and esophageal varices. As his clinical course suggested the possibility of antiphospholipid syndrome, a titer of anticardiolipin antibody (aCL) was serially measured using an enzyme immunoassay with beta 2-glycoprotein I as a cofactor. The titer of aCL increased with the development of portal hypertension, and promptly decreased with the improvement of liver function just after corticosteroid therapy.

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To investigate the contribution of the rat copulatory plug (RCP) to fertilization we evaluated the following: 1) its role as a reservoir for spermatozoa, 2) its role in the prevention of the outflow of spermatozoa from the vagina, and 3) its importance in the process of the sperm into the uterus. Artificial inseminations with either fresh RCP or epididymal spermatozoal solutions or the postcoital removal of the RCP was performed in normal female rats in estrus and in pseudopregnant rats (following relaxation of the cervix by faradic stimulation). The pregnancy rates in the different groups indicated that only the third mechanism was important.

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