Activity of platelet-activating factor (PAF) acetylhydrolase in plasma from patients with ischemic cerebrovascular disease.

Platelet-activating factor (PAF) is metabolized by a specific enzyme, PAF acetylhydrolase, which may play an important role in the manifestation of the biological activities of PAF in vivo. The activity of PAF acetylhydrolase in plasma of patients with ischemic stroke was higher than that in healthy controls. The incidence of irreversible platelet aggregation in response to PAF, as well as to ADP, was found to be higher in patients than in controls.

Synthesis of antimicrobial agents. 1. Syntheses and antibacterial activities of 7-(azole substituted)quinolones.

A series of 6-fluoro- and 6,8-difluoro-7-(azole substituted)-1,4-dihydro-4-oxo-3-quinolinecarboxylic acids were prepared. Structure-activity relationship studies indicated that the antibacterial potency was better when the 6,8-substituents were fluorine atoms and the 7-substituent was either 1-imidazolyl, 20, or 4-methyl-1-imidazolyl, 25. From the results of studies on pharmacokinetic profile and toxicity, 20 and 25 were found to possess excellent antibacterial activities and to show high blood levels after oral administration to mice with low toxicity.

Surveys of workers occupationally exposed to PCBs and of yusho patients.

Surveys of workers occupationally exposed to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in the production of thread or of paint, and of yusho patients were carried out from 1973 to 1982. PCB concentrations in the plasma of the workers ranged from 2 to 521 ppb, and some showed higher PCB levels in the plasma than typical Japanese yusho patients. Gas chromatographic patterns of plasma PCBs of the workers with high PCB levels were shown to match the patterns of the PCBs to which they had been exposed in the workplace.

Decreased progestin receptors in the cerebral cortex of hypothyroid postnatal rats.

The effects of neonatal hypothyroidism were examined on the concentrations of cytosol receptors for progestin and estrogen in the cytosols from 10-day old female and male rats. The concentration of cytosol progestin- and estrogen receptors in the 10-day old female and male rats with propylthiouracil-induced hypothyroidism was determined by multiconcentration saturation analysis. Neonatal hypothyroidism markedly depressed the level of progestin receptors in the cortex but not in the hypothalamus-preoptic area (HPOA).

The ontogeny of cytosol and nuclear progestin receptors in male rat brain and its male-female differences.

The fetal and postnatal development of the progestin receptor systems in the intact male rat brain was investigated by means of the in vitro cytosol binding and the nuclear exchange assay using [3H]R5020 [( 17 alpha-methyl-3H]17 alpha, 21-dimethyl-19-nor-4, 9-pregnadiene-3,20-dione). The cortical cytosol receptors, first detectable at day 0, rapidly increased at day 7, reaching a maximum at day 10, then gradually declined thereafter. The receptors in the HPOA appeared clearly at day 1, increased during the first 10 days, then remained constant at days 14-21.

PCBs in blood of workers exposed to PCBs and their health status.

Fact-finding surveys of workers occupationally exposed to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in the production of silk thread or of paint were carried out. Some of the workers showed higher PCB levels in the plasma than typical yusho patients. Gas chromatographic patterns of their PCBs were shown to match the pattern of the PCBs to which they had been exposed.

PCBs in blood of workers exposed to PCBs and their health status.

Fact-finding surveys of workers occupationally exposed to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in the production of silk thread or of paint were carried out. Some of the workers showed higher PCB levels in the plasma than typical yusho patients. Gas chromatographic patterns of their PCBs were shown to match the pattern of the PCBs to which they had been exposed.

Augmented malondialdehyde production by platelets from patients with cerebrovascular disorders.

A basic study was conducted on the method for the determination of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) produced by platelets. Some modifications were introduced which enabled a precise semimicrodetermination. The average values of platelet TBARS production in hypertensives and in patients with cerebral infarction were higher than that in healthy controls.

Low back pain related to bowing posture of greenhouse farmers.

Farming by means of greenhouses has spread in different parts of Japan during the past 20 years. Low back pain, an important health problem for farmers, affects those working inside a greenhouse as a result of their taking up particular postures. In order to analyze ergonomic problems of greenhouse farming relevant to low back pain, localized fatigue complaints and parts of the body where fatigue was felt during fruit picking were studied among 49 female farmers engaged in greenhouse strawberry culture and 53 female farmers engaged in greenhouse eggplant culture.

Solitary calix in siblings.

An unusual anomaly of a solitary kidney with a solitary calix in siblings is described.