[Studies on deletion of 1p36 in oral squamous cell carcinoma].

The deletion of region 36 in the short arm of chromosome 1 (1p36) was investigated in 18 patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma by means of the double-target fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) method. 1p36 has been suggested to harbor a putative tumor suppressor gene, and thought to carry several genes such as p58, FRAP and TNF-R II. The deletion of 1p36 may play a part in cell regulation, apotosis, promotion and progression of carcinoma cells.

[A case of juvenile muscular atrophy of the upper limb with intraspinal cavity formation].

The patient was a 23-year-old man. He had no history of trauma in the head and neck. When he was 20 years old (in 1992), he noticed muscle atrophy and weakness in the right hand.

Expression of transforming growth factor-beta s and their receptors by human retinal glial cells.

Purpose: To help test the hypothesis that transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) may serve an autocrine function in the retina, we asked whether human Müller (glial) cells in culture express TGF-beta receptors, contain transcripts for various isoforms of this cytokine, and release TGF-beta s into the medium.

Methods: Using the reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) technique with specific primers for TGF-beta 1, -beta 2 and -beta 3 precursors and for TGF-beta type I and type II receptors, we searched for mRNA transcripts expressed by cultured human Müller cells. Also, an ELISA assay allowed quantification of the levels of various TGF-beta s in medium exposed to these glial cells.

[Assessment of reverse redistribution on exercise 201Tl myocardial SPECT in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy].

Reverse redistribution is revealed on exercise 201Tl myocardial SPECT in some cases with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Ten patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy without coronary artery disease who showed reverse redistribution visually were studied. Reverse redistribution was evaluated by the early and delayed images of exercise 201Tl myocardial SPECT.

[Electrophysiologic effects of flecainide on guinea pig atrium].

We investigated the effects of flecainide on guinea pig atrial muscle. Using Langendorff's method, the whole heart of a guinea pig was perfused with Tyrode's solution containing acetylcholine (3 x 10(-7) M). Then, with right atrial extrastimulus and high frequency pacing method, the following values were measured before and after administration of flecainide (10(-7)-10(-5) M).

[The radioprotective effects of methylprednisolone and Sho-Saikoto on mouse lung].

The radioprotective effects of methylprednisolone and Sho-Saikoto (a herbal medicine) on radiation damage to lung tissue were evaluated in four main groups of female Slc-ICR mice, one control group and three groups irradiated with single doses (6 Gy, 12 Gy, 18 Gy) of 60Co gamma rays. Subgroups were established with administration of methylprednisolone and Sho-Saikoto, alone and together. Direct quantitative measurements of collagen accumulation in lung (lung fibrosis) were made by analysis of digitally processed microscopic images of Azan-Mallory stained sections 24 weeks after irradiation.

Gamma linolenic acid alters the cytotoxic activity of anticancer drugs on cultured human neuroblastoma cells.

Gamma linolenic acid (GLA) by itself shows anti-tumor activity on various neoplastic cells in culture. We investigated the combined effect of GLA and anticancer drugs on two human neuroblastoma cell lines. The cytotoxic effect of Vinca alkaloids such as vincristine (VCR), vindesine (VDS) and vinblastine (VBL) was about 2-fold enhanced when GLA was added simultaneously to the growth medium.

[Clinical evaluation of cefpiramide for infections in leukemia and related disorders].

Forty one patients with infections associated with leukemia and related disorders were treated with cefpiramide (CPM). In 26 patients among them, we were able to evaluate the effectiveness of CPM against infections. Fifteen patients were not evaluated, because 6 patients were subjected to additional therapy such as gamma-globulin and other antibiotics, 5 were prophylactically treated, 2 had fever episode which were retrospectively reviewed to be originated from tumor mass, 1 received too short a duration of administration of CPM (2 days) to evaluate its effectiveness, and 1 with whom no precise data were recorded.

[Clinical study of imipenem/cilastatin sodium in the perinatal period].

A clinical study was carried out on imipenem/cilastatin sodium (IPM/CS) in the perinatal period, and the results obtained are summarized as follows. IPM/CS was given to 5 cases with puerperal intrauterine infection and 2 with puerperal fever. The clinical efficacies were evaluated as good in 6 cases and poor in 1.

[Cytofluorometric and histopathological studies on non-cancerous liver lesions after lipiodol-transcatheter arterial embolization].

We have investigated the effects of preoperative Lipiodol-Transcatheter arterial embolization (Lp-TAE) on both the nuclear DNA content of noncancerous liver cells by DNA-cytofluorometry (using NIKON SPM-RF1-D), and the histopathological findings of liver lesions. Lp-TAE through the hepatic artery was performed on ten primary hepatocellular carcinoma patients using Gelfoam in combination with adriamycin (40 mg) or mitomycin C (20 mg), emulsified in Lipiodol (10 ml) and 60% Urografin (2 ml). And hepatic resection was carried out after one or two months later in each case.

Prostaglandin synthesis by the cochlea.

The exogenous and endogenous syntheses of prostaglandins (PG's) by the cochlea of adult mongolian gerbils were studied in vitro. After incubation of the whole membraneous cochlea with [3H]-arachidonic acid (AA), syntheses of PGF2 alpha, 6-keto PGF1 alpha, PGE2, thromboxane (TX) P2 and PGD2 were evidenced in this order. The synthesis of radioactive PG's was almost completely inhibited by incubation with 10(-5) M indomethacin.

Immune responses in newly developed short-lived SAM mice. I. Age-associated early decline in immune activities of cultured spleen cells.

Using a cell culture system, age-associated changes in immune activities were investigated in newly developed, short-lived mouse strains. These SAM-P strains of mice (H-2k), which have a remarkably short life span (around 9 months) under conventional breeding conditions, showed an age-associated early decline in several immune functions, as compared to ordinary strains of AKR/J (H-2k) and C3H/He (H-2k) mice. Their antibody-forming capacity to T-independent antigen, DNP-Ficoll, and natural killer (NK) cell activity showed a markedly early onset of regression and a sharp decline from the level of control mice at 2 months of age.