Effects of fish oil rich in eicosapentaenoic acid on serum lipid in hyperlipidemic hemodialysis patients.

The incidence of atherosclerosis in hemodialysis (HD) patients is very high. Major risk factors are aging, lipid metabolism disturbances, high blood pressure, and smoking. High blood pressure and hypertriglyceridemia, which is atherogenic in the presence of smoking, are encountered very often in HD patients.

Strong association of idiopathic membranous nephropathy with HLA-DR2 and MT1 in Japanese.

HLA-A, B, DR, and MT antigens were examined in 50 patients with idiopathic membranous nephropathy (IMN) by the standard microlymphocytotoxicity technique. The frequency of HLA-DR2 was significantly increased in the patients in comparison to the controls. Significant decreases in the frequencies were seen for HLA-DR4, DRw8 and DRw9 in the patients.

Normalized natural killer (NK) cell activity in long-term remission of acute leukaemia.

NK cell activity was studied in 28 cases of acute leukaemia in remission. It was found that patients in long-term remission for 5 years or more had normal NK cell activity but those in remission for less than 5 years had significantly lowered activity. This suggests that patients with acute leukaemia had not been constitutionally deficient in NK cell activity.

Increase in blood viscosity due to alcohol drinking.

To elucidate the effects of alcohol on thrombotic diseases we focussed on blood rheology which is one of the most important factors of blood flow. We measured the viscosity of whole blood and plasma of 18 healthy volunteers (11 males and 7 females) before and after drinking at a dinner party. There were significant increases in whole blood viscosity (7.

Strong association between IgA nephropathy and HLA-DR4 antigen.

Although the etiology and pathogenesis of IgA nephropathy is not fully understood, it has been classified as an immune-complex induced glomerulonephritis caused by an immunological mechanism. Forty-two patients with primary IgA nephropathy underwent tissue typing for HLA-A, B, and DR antigens by the standard method using a microlymphocytotoxicity test. There was no significant correlation between HLA-A and B antigens and this disease.

[Treatment of whooping cough and whooping cough syndrome by cefoperazone (author's transl)].

Clinical trial of cefoperazone (CPZ) for the treatment of whooping cough and whooping cough syndrome was performed and the following results were obtained. 1) In 18 cases suffering from whooping cough, CPZ was given 47 approximately 106 mg/kg/day (average 72 mg/kg/day) by intravenous route. The clinical efficacy rates judged by doctors in charge were 44% on the 3 rd day, 75% on the 7 th day, 86% on the period day.

Meningitis due to Haemophilus influenzae type e biotype 4.

Haemophilus influenzae type e biotype 4 was isolated from the cerebrospinal fluid of a 16-month-old child with meningitis. This is the first isolation, from a case of meningitis, of this organism that has been biotyped.