Effects of interleukin-18 on diaphragm muscle contraction on rats.

To evaluate the role of interleukin (IL)-18 in endotoxin-induced diaphragm muscle deterioration, we studied three treatment groups, namely, a saline+endotoxin group, an IL-18+endotoxin group and an IL-18 only group using Wistar rats. Five minutes after saline or IL-18 (0.25 microg) injection, E.

Outcome of hepatoblastoma treated with the JPLT-1 (Japanese Study Group for Pediatric Liver Tumor) Protocol-1: A report from the Japanese Study Group for Pediatric Liver Tumor.

Purpose: Hepatoblastoma is the most common malignant liver tumor in childhood. Multicenter studies elucidate the optimal pre- or postoperative chemotherapeutic regimens. This report reviews the results of the Japanese Study Group for Pediatric Liver Tumor Protocol-1 (JPLT-1) and compares its outcomes with published reports of other studies.

Japanese red-bellied newts in Space--AstroNewt experiment on Space Shuttle IML-2 and Space Flyer Unit.

Biological effects of gravity was examined in embryonic development of Japanese red bellied newt. Two space newt missions were conducted in 1994 and 1995. The Second International Microgravity Laboratory was flown in 1994 as one of the SpaceLab missions.

Expression and adhesive ability of gicerin, a cell adhesion molecule, in the pock lesions of chorioallantoic membranes infected with an avian poxvirus.

The expression and adhesive activities of gicerin, a cell adhesion protein, in the pock lesions on chicken chorioallantoic membranes (CAM) infected with an avian poxvirus were studied. In normal CAMs, gicerin was found on the flattened epithelial cells, and neurite outgrowth factor (NOF) was in the basement membrane. However, in the pock lesions on infected CAMs, gicerin was overexpressed on the cell membranes of hyperplastic epithelial cells forming thick epithelial layers.

Frequent beta-catenin mutation and cytoplasmic/nuclear accumulation in pancreatic solid-pseudopapillary neoplasm.

Significance of Wnt signaling with beta-catenin mutations on solid-pseudopapillary neoplasm (SPN) of the pancreas was studied by immunohistochemistry and molecular analysis. On immunohistochemistry, all 18 SPNs tested showed diffuse cytoplasmic/nuclear positivity for beta-catenin. Upon direct DNA sequencing of exon 3 of the beta-catenin gene, 15 (83%) of the 18 SPNs showed 1-bp missense mutation in codons 32 (5 cases), 33 (3 cases), 34 (3 cases), 37 (3 cases), and 41 (1 case).

Acute severe alcohol-induced bronchial asthma.

We report the case of a severe bronchial asthma attack 15 minutes after the ingestion of food containing small amounts of alcohol. Although an ethanol inhalation test was negative, an acetaldehyde inhalation test was positive. Furthermore, it was discovered that the patient was homozygous for a mutation of the aldehyde dehydrogenase-2 (ALDH-2) gene.

Caveolar and intercellular channels provide major transport pathways of macromolecules across vascular endothelial cells.

Serum macromolecules are transported through the vascular endothelial layer to the interstitium via the caveolae and interendothelial clefts, but the nature of the permeability of these structures is unknown, and the manner of caveola-vesicle transport is controversial. We have developed a method of detecting macromolecular channels using an in situ HRP perfusion into arteries previously perfused with aldehyde and random conventional sectioning for electron microscopy. Using unbiased morphometry, 4.

Adrenomedullin suppresses fMLP-induced upregulation of CD11b of human neutrophils.

In this study we investigated the effect of adrenomedullin (AM) on fMLP-mediated activation of human neutrophils. AM partially, but significantly, suppressed fMLP-induced upregulation of CD11b expression. The inhibitory effects of AM upon fMLP-induced upregulation of CD11b expression were completely blocked by CGRP [8-37], a CGRP receptor antagonist.

The role of gicerin, a novel cell adhesion molecule, in development, regeneration and neoplasia.

Neurite outgrowth factor (NOF) is an extracellular matrix (ECM) protein in the laminin family and its ligand, gicerin, is a novel cell adhesion molecule in the immunoglobulin superfamily. Gicerin has a homophilic adhesive activity as well as a heterotypic manner to NOF. In the nervous systems, gicerin is expressed during developmental stage when neurons migrate or extend neurites to form a neural network.

Frequent deletions and mutations of the beta-catenin gene are associated with overexpression of cyclin D1 and fibronectin and poorly differentiated histology in childhood hepatoblastoma.

Hepatoblastoma (HBL) is the most common malignant liver tumor in young children. Recent reports have shown that the beta-catenin gene was frequently mutated or deleted in HBLS: To elucidate the role of beta-catenin abnormalities in HBLs, we searched for mutations of beta-catenin and APC as well as expression of the target genes, cyclin D1, c-myc, and fibronectin, in 68 primary HBLS: The mutation analysis revealed that 44 (65%) tumors carried missense mutations or deletions of beta-catenin, all of which were somatic and targeted to the exon 3 encoding the amino acid residues involved in its degradation. However, no loss of function mutation of the APC gene was detected by the yeast functional assay.

Role of the gonads in sex differentiation of growth hormone-releasing hormone and somatostatin neurons in the mouse hypothalamus during postnatal development.

We clarify the mechanism of sexual dimorphism of growth hormone releasing hormone (GHRH) neurons in the arcuate nucleus (ARC) and somatostatin (SS) neurons in periventricular nucleus (PeN), by studying the role of the gonads during the neonatal period and after puberty using immunohistochemical and morphometric methods. As in our previous works the numbers of ARC GHRH-ir and PeN SS-ir neurons were significantly greater in adult normal male (NM) mice than in adult normal female (NF) mice. Adult female mice that were ovariectomized neonatally (NOF) increased the expression of GHRH-ir neurons to the male pattern, but adult female mice ovariectomized after puberty (APO) did not change.

Perinatal development of the rat kidney: proliferative activity and epidermal growth factor.

The immunolocalization of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), epidermal growth factor (EGF) and its receptor (EGFR) was examined in the perinatal rat kidney. As the index of proliferative activity, PCNA-positive cell ratios in glomeruli and proximal tubules were determined. The PCNA-positive ratios in both glomeruli and proximal tubules decreased significantly during the perinatal period and tended to decrease as the glomerular developmental stage proceeded as well.

Correlation between elevated intratumoral thymidine phosphorylase and prognosis of node-positive breast carcinoma undergoing adjuvant doxifluridine treatment.

We determined intratumoral thymidine phosphorylase (dThdPase) activity in 213 patients with T2N0M0 or T2N1M0 breast cancer. After surgery doxifluridine, an intermediate metabolite of capecitabine, and tamoxifen were given by mouth. According to dThdPase activity the examined patients were classified as: A, high activity group; tumors with the activity not less than the mean value and B, low activity group; tumors with activity less than the mean value.

Seasonal changes in the hypothalamo-pituitary-testes axis of the Japanese wood mouse (Apodemus speciosus).

Seasonal changes in the hypothalamo-pituitary-testes axis of the Japanese wood mice (Apodemus speciosus) were studied. The testes, epididymis, pituitary and hypothalamus were compared between mice in the breeding season (July) and non-breeding season (October) using morphological techniques, and the plasma testosterone level was evaluated by enzyme immunoassay. Significant differences in these tissues were observed between the breeding season and the non-breeding season.

Intratumoral pyrimidine nucleoside phosphorylase (PyNPase) activity predicts a selective effect of adjuvant 5'-deoxy-5-fluorouridine (5'DFUR) on breast cancer.

Background: Pyrimidine nucleoside phosphorylase (PyNPase) is the enzyme that converts 5'-deoxy-5-fluorouracil (5'DFUR) to 5-fluorouracil (5FU). Its activity in cancer tissue may correlate with the selective antitumor activity of 5'DFUR in breast cancer.

Methods: Two hundred and sixteen T2 breast cancer patients were treated consecutively with surgery followed by 5'DFUR (600 mg/body/day) + tamoxifen (20 mg/body/day) for 2 years.

Method for the synthesis of uric acid derivatives.

A general procedure to obtain tetra-substituted uric acid by stepwise N-alkylation is described. 2,6-Dichloropurine (1) was condensed with 1-propanol by Mitsunobu reaction to give 9-propyl congener (2). Treatment of 2 with ammonia gave adenine derivative (4a), which was converted to the 8-oxoadenine (5b) in 3 steps.

Conservative Structure of the Plaque Matrix Protein of Mussels in the Genus Mytilus.

The complementary DNA encoding the byssal plaque matrix protein (fp-2) of the mussel Mytilus coruscus was isolated. The predicted amino acid sequence (474 amino acids) consists of four parts: the signal peptide, the amino-terminal nonrepetitive domain, the central repetitive domain containing 11 repeats of an epidermal growth factor-like motif, and the carboxy-terminal nonrepetitive domain. The amino acid sequence is 82.

Detection of immature dendritic cells in the enamel organ of rat incisors by using anti-cystatin C and anti-MHC class II immunocytochemistry.

Dendritic cells in the enamel organ of rat incisors were examined with immunocytochemistry using an anti-cystatin C antibody for immature dendritic cells and macrophages, OX6 for MHC Class II, ED1 for macrophages and dendritic cells, and ED2 for macrophages. Single cells positive for anti-cystatin C appeared in the enamel organ in zones at which ameloblasts secrete enamel matrix proteins. They were also present in transition and enamel maturation zones.

[Diabetes mellitus and sleep apnea syndrome].

Epidemiologic evidences suggest that obstructive sleep apnea syndrome(OSAS) itself induces risk factors for cardiovascular diseases(= insulin resistance) independent of obesity. Our data suggest that moderate to severe OSA(AHI = > 20) is a contributing factor to the development of hyperinsulinemia, abnormal glucose metabolism and non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus(NIDDM) independent of aging, obesity and hereditary predisposition for DM in patients with OSAS. On the other hand, disagreement exists as to the incidence of OSAS in DM patients.

[Epidemiology of sleep apnea syndrome].

Recent epidemiological studies found an extraordinarily high prevalence of sleep-disordered breathing(SDB) in an apparently healthy population in the USA, Australia and Italy. Estimated prevalence for apnea-hypopnea index > or = 5 and > or = 10 were 24-78% and 15-35% for men and 9-55% and 5-20% for women in middle-aged populations. Obesity and craniofacial dysmorphism are two major risk factors to SDB.

Effect of age on immunocytochemical staining characteristics of adenohypophyseal cells in Mongolian pony mares and stallions.

Objective: To determine the effect of age on immunocytochemical staining characteristics of adenohypophyseal cells of Mongolian pony mares and stallions.

Animals: 35 Mongolian ponies.

Procedure: Pituitary glands from 1- to 22-year-old horses of both sexes were collected at a commercial slaughterhouse in China and allocated into 7 groups according to age and sex: prepubertal stallions (n = 5; 1 to 2 years old), young stallions (6; 3 to 7 years old), middle-aged stallions (4; 10 to 12 years old), old stallions (5; 15 to 22 years old), young mares (3; 3 to 7 years old), middle-aged mares (5; 10 to 12 years old), and old mares (7; 15 to 22 years old).

Leukotoxin, 9,10-epoxy-12-octadecenoate, causes pulmonary vasodilation by stimulation of vascular eNOS and iNOS.

We have previously reported that leukotoxin, 9,10-epoxy-12-octadecenoate (Lx) dilates rat pulmonary arteries by means of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activation. In this study, we investigated if Lx stimulates constitutive and/or inducible NOS. We studied the effect of the NOS inhibitors, N(G)-monomethyl-L-arginine and aminoguanidine, as well as endothelium denudation on Lx-induced rat pulmonary arterial dilation and that of aminoguanidine on Lx-induced endothelium denuded lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated rat pulmonary arterial dilation and tissue cGMP content.

[Neurally mediated syncope in association with small cell lung carcinoma].

A 66-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital because of frequent syncopal episodes and for treatment of small cell lung carcinoma. Neurally mediated syncope was diagnosed by the head-up tilt test, which evoked early severe hypotension (after 12 min at the 80-degree tilt position). Treatment of carcinoma by chemotherapy and radiotherapy promptly eliminated the syncopal episodes.