A new family of heparin-binding factors: strong conservation of midkine (MK) sequences between the human and the mouse.

A retinoic acid responsive gene, MK, specifies for a heparin binding factor termed midkine (MK), which is the initial member of a new protein family involved in regulation of growth and differentiation. A cDNA clone of human MK was isolated from a fetal kidney cDNA library. Human MK mRNA was expressed in PA1 teratocarcinoma cells as well as in the kidney.

Production of 5-methyluridine by immobilized thermostable purine nucleoside phosphorylase and pyrimidine nucleoside phosphorylase from Bacillus stearothermophilus JTS 859.

5-Methyluridine was produced continuously from thymine and inosine by immobilized enzymes, which consisted of thermostable purine nucleoside phosphorylase and thermostable pyrimidine nucleoside phosphorylase obtained from Bacillus stearothermophilus JTS 859. The process was carried out in a column reactor at 60 degrees C for 17 d without any bacterial contamination under non-aseptical conditions. Half-lives of the activity of the immobilized enzymes were 47 d and 4.

Active drainage of cardiac lymph in relation to reduction in size of myocardial infarction: an experimental study.

Active drainage of cardiac lymph using hyaluronidase was attempted in dogs. The results were satisfactory and the ischemic myocardium was salvaged. The infarct risk area (I/R) ratio decreased after drainage.

Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for quantifying antigens of Dermatophagoides farinae and D. pteronyssinus (Acari: Pyroglyphidae) in house dust samples.

Double-antibody sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using a monoclonal antibody as capture and detector antibodies was developed for quantifying antigens of Dermatophagoides farinae Hughes and D. pteronyssinus (Trouessart) mites contained in house dust samples. This monoclonal antibody was directed against mite antigens that were also reactive to immunoglobulin E antibody in all of 10 serum samples obtained from patients allergic to mites.

[Studies on stress analysis of laminate veneers].

The stress distributions in the laminate veneers under the two kinds of loadings are analyzed numerically by use of FEM in order to make clear the defects of various enamel preparations and Young's modulus of laminate shell materials in restored teeth. The analytical results are summarized as follows, 1) In both cases of two loading conditions under in this study, the stress distribution in restored teeth varied much with Young's modulus of laminate shell materials. 2) Especially in the case of thin enamel preparation in marginal light-chamber configuration, the higher tensile stress is obtained under the higher Young's modulus in the resin cement layer near the labio-gingival margin.

The necessity of reoperation for patients with Bjork-Shiley, St Jude Medical, Hancock and Carpentier-Edwards prostheses.

The purpose of this study was to determine the criteria of valve selection from the long-term results of Hancock, Carpentier-Edwards, St Jude Medical and Bjork-Shiley prostheses, taking into special account the frequency of reoperation. Reoperations on the Hancock bioprosthesis were performed on six patients for tissue leaflet disruption with an incidence of 2.2 per cent/patient-year.

[Stress analysis of porcelain laminate veneers. (1)].

The stress distributions in the porcelain laminates under various kinds loading are analysed numberically in order to make clean the reason of their exfoliation or fracture. The two-dimensional finite element method is used to determine the principal stresses developed in the porcelain laminated and the teeth substance of a restored maxillary central incisor. The thicknesses of enamel preparations are assumed to be 0.

[Intravascular hemolysis after prosthetic valve replacement].

Two kinds of mechanical valve, St. Jude Medical (SJM) and Björk-Shiley (B-S), in patients with single valve replacement have been evaluated on a view point of intravascular hemolysis. Cases were consisted of 78 SJM and 32 B-S for the mitral and 12 SJM and 36 B-S for the aortic positions.

Expression of type II and type XI collagens in canine mammary mixed tumors and demonstration of collagen production by tumor cells in collagen gel culture.

The development of cartilaginous collagen types, II and XI, in canine mammary mixed tumors was studied biochemically and immunohistochemically. In mixed tumor, an alcian blue-positive myxomatous region appeared in the stroma, where round-shaped proliferating myoepithelial cells were scattered. Type II collagen was distributed in metaplastic cartilage matrix, while type XI was located only in the pericellular region, where proliferating cells were positively stained with anti-actin and anti-keratin antibodies.

Microridges of oral mucosal epithelium in carp, Cyprinus carpio.

The surface of carp oral mucosa is characterized by various patterns of microridges about 0.3 micron wide, 0.1 micron high, and of various lengths.

Smoke inhalation injury from newer synthetic building materials--a patient who survived 205 days.

A 25-year-old factory worker sustained inhalation injury and 2 per cent deep burns while fighting a fire in his factory (LSI factory) which was made of new synthetic building materials. He became unconscious and inhaled noxious substances from the smoke. Although he survived the acute stages following injury, his pulmonary function subsequently deteriorated with a damaged trachea and bronchi, repeated attacks of pneumonia, atelectasis, pneumothorax and lung fibrosis, leading to death with hypercapnia (PaCO2 more than 100 mmHg) after 205 days in hospital.

Size disparity between donor and recipient in canine heart transplantation.

To assess the feasibility and function of small donor hearts for large recipients, small donor hearts were orthotopically transplanted into large recipients. Thirty adult mongrel dogs were used to form donor-recipient (D-R) combinations with the D-R heart weight ratio ranging from 0.47 to 1.

Signal recording and averaging in diode-laser spectroscopy.

The junction voltage of a near-infrared diode laser operating at a constant current can be used to monitor the oscillation frequency with an accuracy of +/-600 MHz. This implies that signal averaging of spectra observed by repetitive temperature tuning of a diode laser can be performed by recording the spectra as a function of the junction voltage.

Structure of the upper teeth of the filefish, Stephanolepis cirrhifer.

The teeth of the filefish were investigated with light and scanning electron microscopy. Anterior and posterior rows of pleurodont teeth are present in the maxilla. The teeth in the anterior row possess a large labial and small lingual surface and the teeth in the posterior row possess a small labial and large lingual surface.

[Significance of AFP in gastric cancer].

Serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) was positive in as few as 5.7-13.5% of gastric cancer patients prior to surgery, and most of the positive cases had cancer of stage IV or higher.