[Double filtration plasmapheresis in case of Goodpasture's syndrome].

This article describes a case of Goodpasture's syndrome controlled by double filtration plasmapheresis (DFPP) combined with steroid and immunosuppressant therapy. A 48-year-old male, clerk, complaining of fever, dry cough and macroscopic hematuria, was admitted to our hospital. Microscopic hematuria was first pointed out at age 40 on an annual check up.

[Distribution of N-isopropyl-p-[I-123]iodoamphetamine among the peripheral blood components: an in vitro study].

With the purpose to clarify dynamics of N-isopropyl-p-[I-123]iodoamphetamine (I-123 IMP) in the blood stream its binding to the peripheral blood components was determined by in vitro experiment. I-123 IMP was added to the peripheral venous blood obtained from healthy volunteers to be incubated for different length of time (0-30 min) at 37 degrees C. The blood was then separated into blood cells and plasma.

Effect of sodium intake on the hypotensive effect of calcium antagonists.

To clarify the influence of Na balance on the hypotensive effect of calcium antagonists, the changes of blood pressure and humoral factors after a single oral administration of 40 mg nicardipine were evaluated in 15 subjects with essential hypertension under high, normal, and low Na regimens (mean 24 hour urinary Na excretion: 320 +/- 24, 147 +/- 7, 27 +/- 6 mEq, respectively). Nicardipine induced a significant reduction of mean blood pressure and increase in heart rate. The change of mean blood pressure after nicardipine was negatively related to the pretreatment mean blood pressure under the three levels of Na intake (p less than 0.

Effects of OKY-046, a selective thromboxane synthetase inhibitor, on blood pressure and thromboxane synthesis in spontaneously hypertensive rats.

The effects of OKY-046, a specific thromboxane (TX) synthetase inhibitor, on blood pressure, urinary TX excretion, TX synthesis in blood platelets, kidney slices and aortic strips, were evaluated in adult spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). OKY-046 was dissolved in drinking water at concentrations of 1, 10, 100 mg/dl. The average intakes of OKY-046 were 1.

Alteration of vascular thromboxane in rats with subtotal renal ablation.

To assess the roles of vascular prostaglandins in the hypertension of chronic renal failure, the release of prostacyclin and thromboxane (TX) from aorta was evaluated in male Sprague-Dawley rats, the renal mass of which was reduced by removing one kidney and two-thirds of the contralateral kidney ("5/6 nephrectomy"). Five-sixths nephrectomy was followed by significant rises in serum creatinine to 0.55 +/- 0.

[Clinical study on cefteram pivoxil in pediatric field].

Cefteram pivoxil (CFTM-PI, T-2588) was administered to pediatric patients with acute infectious diseases, and a summary of the results obtained are as follows. 1. Pharmacokinetic parameters determined in 1 patient appears to be comparable to those of adults.

Participation of the sympathetic nervous system in hypertension in rats with subtotal renal ablation.

To clarify the role of the sympathetic nervous system in the development of hypertension in chronic renal failure, plasma levels and urinary excretions of catecholamines were evaluated in male Sprague-Dawley rats. The renal mass of the rats was reduced by removing one kidney and two-thirds of the contralateral kidney (5/6 nephrectomy). Five-sixths nephrectomy was followed by significant increases in serum creatinine (to 0.

Effect of sodium restriction on platelet function in patients with essential hypertension.

The effects of sodium intake on blood pressure and platelet function were evaluated in 19 subjects with essential hypertension (10 men and 9 women; mean age 49.7 years). The study was conducted under 3 conditions: (1) normal sodium diet (12 g/day of salt was used in cooking), (2) after 5 days of mild sodium restriction diet (6 g/day of salt was used in cooking) and (3) after moderate sodium restriction (no salt was used in cooking).

[Decline of autopsy rates in Japan and the significance of autopsy in gastric carcinoma].

In recent years, the significance of autopsy seems to have gradually declined, because of advances in diagnostic technology. However, rediscovery of the value of autopsy has been recently emphasized by many foreign authors, and in some reports concerning diagnostic accuracy, no significant difference was observed between the three decades of the Sixties, Seventies and Eighties. Comparing the autopsy rates in 1977 and 1986 in Japan, one notes a decrease from 37.

Clinical significance of exercise-induced negative U-waves in patients with anterior myocardial infarction.

To elucidate the clinical significance of the exercise-induced negative U-wave (NU) in patients with anterior myocardial infarction, we compared the angiographic and scintigraphic findings in 15 patients with and 20 patients without NU, and obtained the following results: 1) On coronary angiography, all patients in the NU (+) group showed over 90% stenosis or total occlusion of the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD). In the latter cases moderate to abundant collaterals were visualized on the anterior wall. In contrast, such a tendency was not observed in the NU (-) group.

The beneficial effect of superoxide dismutase on the rat liver graft.

We performed orthotopic liver transplantation in male Wistar rats and investigated the effect of superoxide dismutase (SOD) on the liver graft. Animals were divided into the four following experimental groups. Group I was an untreated control group, group II received oxygen, group III received SOD and group IV received both oxygen and SOD.

Electron microscopic studies of viruses labeled with magnetite.

We were able to develop a method with which to successfully and specifically detect virus particles under the electron microscope by using magnetite. This method was devised on the principle that magnetite-labeled antibody or magnetite coupled with protein A selectively bind virus or antibody-treated virus particles on the electron microscope grid by the action of an electromagnet. Another advantage characterizing the technique is the possibility of detection of a small number of virus particles.

Captopril, an angiotensin I-converting enzyme inhibitor, decreases proteinuria in hypertensive patients with renal diseases.

A crossover study was planned in order to compare the effects of captopril and slow channel calcium entry blocker (Ca antagonist) on urinary protein excretion in 7 hypertensive patients with renal diseases, including 4 with IgA nephropathy, 2 with lupus nephritis and 1 with benign nephrosclerosis. Captopril decreased urinary protein excretion by 52% without any change in creatinine clearance, while Ca antagonist was having a slight effect on proteinuria even though the drug showed an equivalent antihypertensive effect as captopril. These results suggest that the attenuation of proteinuria induced by captopril may be related to an inhibition of angiotensin II formation and/or a direct action of this drug on protein permeability of glomerular basement membrane.

Flow cytometric studies of the binding of monoclonal antibodies OKT3, OKT4 and OKT8.

The binding of monoclonal antibodies (OKT3, OKT4 and OKT8) to human T cells was investigated by flow cytometry. A flow cytometer was calibrated with standard fluorescence microspheres, which permitted quantitation of the number of bound antibody molecules. Considerable care was taken to perform the flow cytometric assay at a constant temperature and the effect of temperature on the binding reaction was examined.

[A gastric cancer showing marked improvement (stage IV) with lentinan immunotherapy and 5-FU, MMC-chemotherapy].

A 59-year-old male undergoing an exploratory laparotomy for stage IV gastric cancer (H0P1N4S3) was treated concomitantly with Lentinan, 5-FU and MMC. The CEA values, fluoroscopic and endoscopic findings and histology by biopsy were investigated sequentially. Three months after the beginning of treatment, clinical symptoms had nearly disappeared.

[Esophageal cancer developing 13 years after radiotherapy of lung cancer].

This paper reports on an autopsied case manifesting an esophageal cancer that had developed 13 years after radiotherapy for lung cancer. The patient was a 61-year-old man. He was found to have a squamous cell carcinoma of the right lower bronchus with a swelling of the mediastinal and left supraclavicular lymph nodes in July of 1973.

Plasma beta-thromboglobulin to platelet factor 4 ratios as indices of vascular complications in essential hypertension.

The ratio of the plasma level of beta-thromboglobulin (beta-TG) to platelet factor 4 (PF-4) which is regarded as a most reliable indicator of platelet activation in vivo, was followed in 52 subjects at various stages of essential hypertension according to the WHO classification. These comprised 30 cases at stage I, 19 cases at stage II and three cases at stage III, and 20 age-matched normotensive control subjects. The observed beta-TG:PF-4 ratio in the hypertensive patients was 4.

Effects of guanfacine monotherapy on blood pressure, heart rate, plasma renin activity, aldosterone, and catecholamines in hypertensive patients with chronic glomerulonephritis.

Effects of guanfacine, a centrally acting antihypertensive, on blood pressure, heart rate, plasma renin activity, serum aldosterone, plasma norepinephrine, and renal function were evaluated in 16 patients with hypertension with biopsy-proved chronic glomerulonephritis. Guanfacine monotherapy with a daily dose of 1 to 2.5 mg at bedtime for 6 months brought about a significant reduction in blood pressure (171 +/- 2/110 +/- 2 to 144 +/- 2/89 +/- 1 mm Hg; P less than 0.

Mixed oligodendroglioma and astrocytoma: fine structural and immunohistochemical studies of four cases.

Four mixed oligodendrogliomas and astrocytomas were investigated by electron microscopy and immunohistochemistry (GFAP, NSE and MBP). GFAP-positive oligodendroglioma cells and their transitional cells to GFAP-negative oligodendroglioma cells were present, suggesting successive morphological changes of astrocytic tumor cells. NSE-positive cells, suggestive of residual neurons, also exhibited round nuclei and perinuclear halos.

A case of "myopathy with tubular aggregates" with increased muscle fibre sensitivity to caffeine.

A 23-year-old man with "myopathy with tubular aggregates" had suffered from exercise-induced muscle cramps for 1 year. His general and neurological findings were normal. Laboratory investigations were within normal limits except for a slightly elevated serum creatine kinase level.