Larval anisakid nematodes of Japanese common squid (Todarodes pacificus) from the Sea of Japan.

Two species of third-stage larvae of the family Anisakidae are described from the Japanese common squid (Todarodes pacificus Steenstrup) from the Sea of Japan. The larvae of 1 of them, Anisakis simplex (Rudolphi, 1809), commonly occur encapsulated in the viscera of squid, whereas those of another 1, identified as Lappetascaris sp., are found free in the mantle musculature.

Transport mechanism of anthracycline derivatives in rat polymorphonuclear leukocytes: effect of sodium fluoride on pirarubicin uptake.

We previously revealed that pirarubicin (THP) was actively taken up by rat polymorphonuclear leukocytes via a carrier-mediated transport system. In the experiment on the effects of the metabolic inhibitors, rotenone, 2,4-dinitrophenol and sodium cyanide significantly decreased the THP transport. However, sodium fluoride (NaF) significantly increased the uptake, and this result is different from that in some reports.

[A young woman with rheumatoid arthritis who rapidly developed secondary amyloidosis].

A 22-year-old woman, who had been diagnosed as having rheumatoid arthritis (RA) 2 years before, was admitted to our hospital complaining of watery diarrhea (several times/day). She had been treated with low dose prednisolone (PSL) and auranofin in out-patient clinic. On admission, laboratory data showed moderate proteinuria (0.

Platelet-activating factor plays an important role in reperfusion injury in myocardium. Efficacy of platelet-activating factor receptor antagonist (CV-3988) as compared with leukocyte-depleted reperfusion.

Although platelet-activating factor has been implicated in the pathogenesis of neutrophil-induced reperfusion injury, it has other mechanisms of direct deleterious hemodynamic effect. In this study we evaluated the definitive role of platelet-activating factor in myocardial reperfusion injury. Porcine hearts that underwent 60 minutes of normothermic ischemia with cardioplegia and 60 minutes of reperfusion under cardiopulmonary bypass were divided into three groups according to the methods of 15 minutes of controlled reperfusion: whole blood reperfusion group (n = 6), leukocyte-depleted reperfusion group (n = 6), and platelet-activating factor receptor antagonist (CV-3988) group (n = 6).

Transport mechanism of anthracycline derivatives in rat polymorphonuclear leukocytes: uptake of pirarubicin, daunorubicin and doxorubicin.

We performed experiments on the cis-inhibition and trans-stimulation effect on pirarubicin uptake in order to clarify the involvement of a carrier in the pirarubicin, daunorubicin and/or doxorubicin transport systems in rat polymorphonuclear leukocytes. The uptake of daunorubicin and doxorubicin was a saturable concentration-dependent process. Since the apparent kinetic constants, Michaelis constant (Km) and inhibition constant (Ki), were almost comparable, these drugs presented mutually competitive inhibition.

Transport mechanism of anthracycline derivatives in rat polymorphonuclear leukocytes: uptake and efflux of pirarubicin.

The characteristics of pirarubicin transport have been investigated in polymorphonuclear leukocytes isolated from rats. The uptake of pirarubicin by leukocytes was time-, temperature- and concentration-dependent with the maximum velocity (Vmax) of 4.84 nmol/5 x 10(6) cells/min and the Michaelis constant (Km) of 13.

Imaging study on the mode of development and changes in avascular necrosis of the femoral head in systemic lupus erythematosus: long-term observations.

To find out when and how avascular necrosis of the femoral head (ANFH) develops in patients with SLE who are receiving corticosteroids, we carried out a 3-yr prospective study using imaging methods. Twenty-three patients with SLE who were free of hip pain and radiographically negative were enrolled in the study. Initially, abnormal findings characteristic of ANFH were detected in eight (35%) and six (26%) patients on MRI and radionuclide uptake bone scanning, respectively.

Functional Changes of Lysozyme by Conjugating with Carboxymethyl Dextran.

Hen egg lysozyme-carboxymethyl dextran (HEL-CMD) conjugate was prepared by using water-soluble carbodiimide as a model protein-acidic polysaccharide conjugate for improving the protein function. An acid-amide bond between HEL and CMD was confirmed by SDS-PAGE, isoelectric focusing and IR spectra. The molar ratio of CMD to HEL in the conjugate was 1:1.

Felodipine therapy may not alter glucose and lipid metabolism in hypertensives. Felodipine Multicenter Prospective Study Group in Japan.

The effects of long-term monotherapy with felodipine, a calcium antagonist, on blood pressure, glucose tolerance, and serum lipid profiles were prospectively investigated in 51 hypertensive patients: 13 with normal glucose tolerance and 38 with glucose intolerance. The levels of plasma glucose, serum lipids, and glycosylated hemoglobin A1c were determined before and during long-term (7.5 +/- 0.

[A case of systemic lupus erythematosus who developed nodular shadows in the lung in parallel with the disease activity].

A 35-year old woman was admitted to our hospital in April 1991 due to the appearance two nodular shadows on chest X-ray. The patient's past medical history was as follows; In 1986, she developed polyarthralgia, facial eruptions and Raynaud's phenomenon which was treated with prednisolone. In 1988, investigations revealed proteinuria where by the diagnosis of SLE complicated with lupus nephritis was established.

Bone marrow microenvironment of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

In an attempt to clarify the hematologic abnormality in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), we studied the bone marrow microenvironment of 8 women with this disease. The number of fibroblast colonies was similar to that of healthy control individuals. Culture supernatants of monocytes obtained from the patients with SLE showed a diminished production of the hemopoietic growth factor required to stimulate bone marrow fibroblasts.

Relation of blood pressure circadian rhythm to cardiovascular complaints and orthostatic test results in patients with orthostatic dysregulation. Effects of midodrine on blood pressure circadian rhythm.

Twenty patients with orthostatic dysregulation were studied in order to clarify the relation of blood pressure (BP) circadian rhythm to cardiovascular complaints and orthostatic test results. There was a significant negative correlation between the number of cardiovascular complaints and 24 hour (hr) maximum (Mx) and day-time Mx BPd. A significant negative correlation was also obtained between the decrease in TII amplitude in upright posture and nighttime standard deviation and range of BPs and BPd.

Kudoa intestinalis n. sp. (Myxosporea: Multivalvulida) from the intestinal musculature of the striped mullet, Mugil cephalus, from Japan.

Kudoa intestinalis n. sp. (Myxosporea: Multivalvulida) is described from the intestinal musculature of the striped mullet, Mugil cephalus, from the southeastern coast of the Kii Peninsula, Japan.

Host utilization by the salmon louse Lepeophtheirus salmonis (Copepoda: Caligidae) in the Sea of Japan.

Two species of salmon (masu salmon Oncorhynchus masou and pink salmon O. gorbuscha) captured in the northern Sea of Japan during April 1990 were examined for infection by adult female salmon lice (Lepeophtheirus salmonis) to assess the relative importance of each to the parasite. Masu salmon had relatively low prevalence and abundance of infection and carried less than 4% of the estimated parasite population, indicating that masu salmon are utilized rarely by L.

Effect of T cells on the complement production by monocytes.

We studied the role of T cells in the regulation of C3 or C4 production by monocytes. While cocultured T cells reduced C3 production, they enhanced C4 production by monocytes in a number-dependent manner. Interleukin-2 enhanced these effects of T cells on C3 and C4 production, indicating that activated T cells had greater effects on complement production by monocytes.

Chemical change involved in the oxidative-reductive depolymerization of heparin.

A solution of hog intestinal heparin (average M(r) 12,000, anti-clotting activity 168 USP units/mg) in 0.2 M phosphate buffer (pH 7.2), was incubated in the presence of Fe2+ for 20 h at 50 degrees under an O2 atmosphere to yield oxidative-reductively depolymerized heparin (ORD heparin, average M(r) 3,000, anti-clotting activity 34 USP units/mg).

Sodium channel states control binding and unbinding behaviour of antiarrhythmic drugs in cardiac myocytes from the guinea pig.

Objective: The aim was to investigate whether cardiac sodium channel states (rested, activated, inactivated) regulate the binding and unbinding behaviour of antiarrhythmic drugs on the receptor sites.

Methods: Single ventricular myocytes of adult guinea pig heart were obtained by an enzymatic dissociation method in the Langendorff manner. The channel state dependent blocking effects on cardiac sodium current (INa) of quinidine and disopyramide were studied under the whole cell variation of the patch clamp technique.

Effects of cell differentiation on the synthesis of the third and fourth component of complement (C3, C4) by the human monocytic cell line U937.

Association of complement synthesis with cell differentiation in U937 cells was investigated using granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), vitamin D3 and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) as differentiation-inducing agents. GM-CSF or vitamin D3 enhanced the synthesis of the third component of complement (C3) by U937 cells, but had no stimulatory effect on the synthesis of the fourth component of complement (C4). IFN-gamma increased both C3 and C4 synthesis by U937 cells.

Distribution of pirarubicin in human blood.

We investigated the distribution and stability of pirarubicin in human blood obtained from 12 healthy volunteers. The distribution of pirarubicin into blood cells showed marked temperature- and concentration-dependencies and the Arrhenius plot for pirarubicin uptake in blood was biphasic. Therefore, pirarubicin appears to be taken up into blood cells by a carrier-mediated system.

Okadaic acid enhances human T cell activation and phosphorylation of an internal substrate induced by phorbol myristate acetate.

Okadaic acid is a potent tumor promoter and an inhibitor of serine/threonine-specific protein phosphatases. We studied the effect of okadaic acid in human T cell activation and phosphorylation of internal substrates. Okadaic acid at up to 4 nM enhanced phorbol myristate acetate (PMA)-induced proliferation and CD25 (IL-2 receptor, p55) expression, although it showed no activation by itself.