In vitro study on the corrosion behavior of three commercial Ag-Pd-Cu-Au alloys in Ringer's and 0.1%Na2S solutions.

The corrosion resistance of three commercial Ag-Pd-Cu-Au alloys was estimated in Ringer's and 0.1% Na2S solutions by electrochemical techniques and surface analyses. In Ringer's solution, the three alloys showed high corrosion resistance and there was no significant difference in the anodic polarization characteristics of the three alloys.

Absent effect of plasma vasopressin on rat brain blood flow during hemorrhage.

We investigated whether a reflex increase in plasma vasopressin level due to hemorrhagic hypotension affects brain blood flow. In 60 lightly anesthetized, artificially ventilated rats, the flow was determined with radiolabeled microspheres. We found excellent maintenance of blood flow throughout all brain regions during the hypotensive state (71 mmHg on average), and such maintenance of flow was not modulated at all by a supramaximal intravenous dose of the selective vasopressin V1-receptor antagonist [d(CH2)5 Tyr-(Me)]AVP.

Platelet vasopressin receptor in patients with chronic renal failure.

The vasopressin binding to intact platelet from patients with chronic renal failure (CRF) was investigated in relation to the abnormalities in platelet aggregation. The immunoreactive arginine vasopressin (AVP) in platelet-free plasma (PFP) but not in platelets was significantly higher in non-dialyzed patients with CRF than in normal subjects. Binding studies using [3H]AVP demonstrated a decreased number of binding sites (Bmax) on platelets from patients with CRF compared to normal controls with no significant difference in affinity (Ka).

[A human infection of the cestode, Diphyllobothrium nihonkaiense Yamane et al., 1986].

A mature cestode, obtained from a 49-year-old man in Fukuoka, southern Japan, was examined. The worm was about 70 cm in length without scolex. The largest segment was 1.

Characterization of bullous pemphigoid antigen synthesized by cultured human squamous cell carcinoma cells.

This report concerns the characterization of bullous pemphigoid antigen (BPA) in cultured cells derived from a human squamous cell carcinoma (SCC cells) as identified by sera of 9 patients with bullous pemphigoid (BP). Immunoglobulin G from 5 of 9 BP sera bound the cell surfaces of SCC cells with a punctate staining pattern by immunofluorescence. The other four BP sera and all 12 controls sera showed no specific staining.

Ultrasonographic measurement of thoracic diameters of the early gestating fetus.

Eighty-two ultrasonographic examinations were performed on 60 of our pregnant patients with regular menstrual cycles and no complications. The pregnancies ranged from 7 to 13 weeks of gestation. Thoracic anteroposterior diameter (ETAPD), transverse diameter (ETTD), cross-sectional area (ETA) and crown-rump length (CRL) were measured on each ultrasonogram.

Cadmium stimulates prostaglandin E2 synthesis in osteoblast-like cells, MC3T3-E1.

The effect of Cd on prostaglandin E2 production in osteoblasts was studied using cloned osteoblast-like cells, MC3T3-E1, which were established from new-born mouse calvaria. Treatment of the cells with Cd caused a dose- (0-10 microM) and time- (0-24 h) dependent increase in the release of prostaglandin E2 from the cells into the culture medium. A lag time of 4 h was required for the onset of the phenomenon.

Long-term evaluation of a growable graft.

The safety of a vascular graft that can grow with the growth of its recipients was evaluated during long-term implantation in experimental animals. An acellular matrix made of human saphenous vein was cross-linked with a polyepoxy compound to give controlled biodegradability, hydrophilicity, and antithrombogenic properties. Four millimeter internal diameter (ID) grafts, enveloped with a polyester mesh tube of 10 mm ID were implanted in 15 puppies.

[Porphyria cutanea tarda in a chronic hemodialysis patient].

About 3 years after commencing hemodialysis for chronic renal failure, a 39-year-old man developed cutaneous lesions of the face and hands which were compatible with porphyria cutanea tarda (PCT) clinically and histologically. There was no evidence of familial PCT, excessive alcohol consumption, iron overload, chronic liver disease. It was impossible to measure urinary porphyrins because of anuria.

The thallium-201 time activity curve in thyroid cancer: a role for the detection of metastases.

The Tl-201 Cl time activity curves were evaluated in 17 patients with histologically proven benign nodules and papillary carcinoma of the thyroid gland. In the dynamic studies, the uptake at the region of interest was counted every 10 sec for 20 min after the intravenous injection of 2mCi Tl-201 Cl. The curves from frame 21 to 100 were transformed to linear plots for clinical evaluation.

Preventive effects of zinc on cadmium-induced inhibition of alkaline phosphatase activity and mineralization activity in osteoblast-like cells, MC3T3-E1.

In order to determine the specific action of cadmium on bone metabolism, the effect of cadmium on alkaline phosphatase activity, a marker enzyme of osteoblasts, was compared with that of other divalent heavy metal ions, i.e., zinc, manganese, lead, copper, nickel and mercury (10 microM each), using cloned osteoblast-like cells, MC3T3-E1.

A case of tick-bite from Ixodes ovatus Neumann--a report from west Japan.

A 70-year-old male forestation worker had a tick-bite on the lower abdominal skin. The bite was treated by surgical excision of the tick together with the surrounding skin. The tick was identified as Ixodes ovatus Neumann through investigation of its morphological characteristics.

Cadmium stimulates prostaglandin E2 production and bone resorption in cultured fetal mouse calvaria.

The effect of cadmium on bone resorption was studied using isolated fetal mouse calvaria. Cadmium stimulated bone resorption and PGE2 production in a dose-dependent manner. The minimal concentration of cadmium which stimulated bone resorption was the same as that stimulated prostaglandin E2 production.

Scanning electron microscopic study of four Diphyllobothrium species.

Three-dimensional observation was carried out on plerocercoids and adults of Diphyllobothrium dendriticum, D. ditremum, D. latum, and D.

Abnormally high values of CA 125 and CA 19-9 in women with benign tumors.

Tumor markers have proved to be generally useful for diagnosing and monitoring malignancy. In contrast, high levels of tumor markers disturb us for differing benign disease from malignancy. We had 5 cases with benign disease who showed high values of tumor markers (CA 125 and CA 19-9).

Platelet vasopressin receptor in essential hypertension.

The specific vasopressin receptor of V1 vascular subtype, which mediates platelet aggregation, has been found on human platelets. We investigated the binding characteristics using tritiated arginine vasopressin [3H]-AVP and platelet aggregation with AVP turbidometrically in normal subjects, patients with WHO class II essential hypertension and patients with malignant-phase hypertension. In essential hypertensives Bmax was significantly higher than that in normal subjects, but there were no differences in affinity and the maximal percentage aggregation between them.

Osteonecrosis of the femoral head of growing, spontaneously hypertensive rats.

The femoral head lesions of male spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs), which occur naturally and resemble Perthes' disease in man, were investigated radiographically and histologically. In the early phase of growth in SHRs, i.e.

Median sternotomy with bilateral bullous resection for unilateral spontaneous pneumothorax, with special reference to operative indications.

Simultaneous bilateral pulmonary operations were done through median sternotomy in 29 patients with unilateral spontaneous pneumothorax, because bullae and blebs of the lung are frequently bilateral. Bullous lesions on the contralateral lung were encountered in eight of 10 patients (80%) in whom no roentgenographic evidence of the additional lesions had been detected preoperatively. Postoperative examination of percent vital capacity was satisfactory (more than 80%) in 21 of 23 patients followed up over a month after operation, and this suggested that simultaneous bilateral thoracotomy through median sternotomy does not lead to a much greater decrease in postoperative pulmonary function than does unilateral operation.