INCREASED FEMALE DRINKING IN ACCORDANCE WITH POST-INDUSTRIAL URBANIZATION IN JAPAN

We studied the relationship between living in an urban areaand the alcohol-consumption habits of young mothers in lightof the recent increase of the female drinking population inJapan, particularly among those from 20 to 39 years of age.We conducted a survey in four areas in and around Tokyo, eacharea representing a different level of urbanization. The studypopulation consisted of 6418 mothers of 3-year-old children;an 84.9% response rate was obtained. Thirty-eight per cent ofthe respondents had drunk at least four units of alcohol (about44 g of pure ethanol) during the most recent month The proportionof current drinkers in a more-urbanized area was greater thanthat in a less-urbanized area, and this tendency was significant(P<0.001). Current workforce participation was significantlypositively associated with current drinking (P<0.01). Youngerage significantly increased chances of current drinking (P<0.05)Effects of living in a more-urbanized area on current drinkingof mothers of 3-year-old children after excluding the effectsof workforce participation and age was significantly positive(P<0.001). An increase in female drinking in Japan was consideredto be due to acculturation associated with urbanization in apost-industrial society.     

Serum Complement Levels in Uterine Cervical Cancer Patients and Their Relationship to Cell-Mediated Immunity

C3 and C4 concentrations in the serum of uterine cervical cancerpatients and healthy controls were determined and their relationshipto other immunological parameters was studied. Complement levelsin cancer patients were significantly higher than those in thehealthy controls. However, complement levels in cancer patientsin Stage IV were almost the same as those in the controls. Therewas a significant correlation between complement levels andlymphotoxin activity of the lymphocytes. Although lymphocyteresponse to phytohemagglutinin was depressed, elevated complementlevels were maintained in cancer patients in Stages I, II andIII.     

Increased Human Chorionic Gonadotropin Levels in Spermatic Vein Blood of Seminoma Patients

Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) levels in peripheral andspermatic vein blood in nine patients with seminoma were determinedby a radioimmuno-assay using antibody against the hCG beta-subunit(hCG-ß). HCG measured by this assay includes hCG,hCG-ß and immunoreactive hCG-like substances. Of thenine patients, hCG levels in both peripheral and spermatic veinblood were above the normal limit in three, only spermatic hCGlevels were elevated in four, and both levels were normal intwo. Spermatic hCG levels exceeded peripheral levels in sixof the seven patients who showed increased hCG levels in theblood of either or both veins. Elevation of hCG levels observedin these seminoma patients was definite but not so excessiveas usually seen in chorio-carcinoma. No giant syncytial cellswere found in any histological specimens of these seminomas.The high incidence of elevated spermatic vein hCG levels inseminoma patients suggests that the majority of seminomas producesmall amounts of hCG or radioimmunoreactive hCG-like substances. ^*Present address: Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine,the University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.     

Duration of apnoea in anaesthetized children required for desaturation of haemoglobin to 95%: comparison of three different breathing gases

In this study, we compared three gas compositions to determine if the duration of apnoea for Spo₂ to decrease is proportionate to the oxygen fraction of the gas prior to apnoea. Twenty-five patients ASA physical status 1–2 aged two months to 12 years were included in the study. Anaesthesia was induced via a mask with 5% sevoflurane and 66% N₂O in oxygen. After paralysis with vecuronium (0.12 mg·kg^?1, i.v.) the trachea was intubated and anaesthesia was maintained with sevoflurane and N₂O in oxygen. When cardiovascular stability was obtained, the patient was randomly set to breathe one of three gas compositions: 1. oxygen (Fio₂ 1.0), 2. N₂O/O₂ (Fio₂ 0.4), and 3. air/O₂ (Fio₂ 0.4). All three gas compositions included 2–4% of sevoflurane to maintain anaesthesia. After more than eight min of each gas breathing, apnoea was begun by disconnecting the breathing circuit from the tracheal tube. The time from the start of apnoea (Spo₂ 100%) to Spo₂ of 95% (T₉₅) was measured. T₉₅ measured after breathing N₂O/O₂ and air/O₂ were 34.6 ± 5.7 and 28.8 ± 4.7% of that measured after oxygen breathing (P < 0.001 vs oxygen breathing, P < 0.001 vs oxygen and N₂O/O₂ breathing), respectively. Preoxygenation before intubation was validated to delay the haemoglobin desaturation brought about by apnoea. An induction technique using a low Fio₂ will allow rapid haemoglobin desaturation.     

Effect of FK506 on the activation state of hepatic macrophages in Propionibacterium acnes-treated rats

Activated hepatic macrophages can provoke massive liver necrosis following endotoxin stimulation through microcirculatory disturbances due to sinusoidal fibrin deposition in rats pretreated with heat-killed Propionibacterium acnes. In these rats, FK506 (tachlorinus) administered 24 h before and at the time of endotoxin injection, significantly attenuated liver injury compared with the rats given no FK506. The effect of FK506 on hepatic macrophage activation and its action sites were studied in Propionibacterium acnes-treated rats. When rats received Propionibacterium acnes intravenously, hepatic-mRNA expression of interferon-γ-inducing factor and interleukin-2 and splenic-mRNA expression of interferon-γ were significantly increased compared with normal rats. Hepatic-mRNA expression of CD14, a receptor for lipopolysaccharide and its binding protein complex, was also increased preceding the expressions of the three cytokines in the liver and spleen. FK506 administration attenuated hepatic-mRNA expression of interleukin-2 and both superoxide anions as well as tumour necrosis factor-α production by hepatic macrophages, but did not change CD14-mRNA expression in Propionibacterium acnes-treated rats. It is suggested that a cytokine network through interferon-γ-inducing factor, interferon-γ and interleukin-2 may operate during activation of hepatic macrophages in rats treated with heat-killed Propionibacterium acnes, while CD14 expression on the cells may increase independently of this network. FK506 seems to attenuate such activation by suppressing hepatic interleukin-2 expression, without affecting CD14 expression on the cells.     

Performance monitoring during sleep inertia after a 1‐h daytime nap

Performance monitoring is an essential function involved in the correction of errors. Deterioration of this function may result in serious accidents. This function is reflected in two event‐related potential (ERP) components that occur after erroneous responses, specifically the error‐related negativity/error negativity (ERN/Ne) and error positivity (Pe). The ERN/Ne is thought to be associated with error detection, while the Pe is thought to reflect motivational significance or recognition of errors. Using these ERP components, some studies have shown that sleepiness resulting from extended wakefulness may cause a decline in error‐monitoring function. However, the effects of sleep inertia have not yet been explored. In this study, we examined the effects of sleep inertia immediately after a 1‐h daytime nap on error‐monitoring function as expressed through the ERN/Ne and Pe. Nine healthy young adults participated in two different experimental conditions (nap and rest). Participants performed the arrow‐orientation task before and immediately after a 1‐h nap or rest period. Immediately after the nap, participants reported an increased effort to perform the task and tended to estimate their performance as better, despite no objective difference in actual performance between the two conditions. ERN/Ne amplitude showed no difference between the conditions; however, the amplitude of the Pe was reduced following the nap. These results suggest that individuals can detect their own error responses, but the motivational significance ascribed to these errors might be diminished during the sleep inertia experienced after a 1‐h nap. This decline might lead to overestimation of their performance.     

贝伐单抗联合放射方案的实验研究

目的 实时测定贝伐单抗和放射线作用人肺腺癌细胞系(NCI-H141)裸鼠移植瘤后活体乏氧调节蛋白(HIF-1α)水平变化,为优化贝伐单抗和放射线联合计划提供依据.方法 用HIF-1α荧光蛋白报告质粒转染NCI-H441细胞连续测定肿瘤乏氧水平,并观察贝伐单抗与放射线(122Scγ射线)早晚联合后HIF-1α水平变化、血管数量和渗透性、肿瘤反应、乏氧分子标记、凋亡率和肿瘤生长延迟的异同.结果 单纯贝伐单抗作用后24 h肿瘤HIF-1α表达水平较对照组轻度下降(3.1×106:6.1×106;t=-1.73,P>0.05),功能血管密度升高(16.6:12.1;t=-1.40,P>0.05)和血管渗透指标明显改善(2.9%:11.5%;t=6.80,P<0.01);随后HIF-1α表达水平迅速升高(7.4×106:20.4×106;t=2.36,P<0.05)并维持至疗后8～10 d(第3天时高于对照组3～4倍)且总血管密度明显下降(37.4:15.9;t=5.36,P<0.01).贝伐单抗治疗72 h后联合放射线作用组比24 h后联合作用组肿瘤血管记数高(联合作用后第3天,9.33:3.17;t=-2.43,P<0.05)、凋亡记数低(联合作用后第3天,23.33:43.83;t=2.54,P<0.05),生长延迟时间也明显缩短(10.5:23.0;t=2.67,P<0.05).结论 贝伐单抗联合放射线作用后72 h贝伐单抗诱导的乏氧对血管和肿瘤细胞具有明显的放射抵抗作用,提示血管靶向药物联合放射作用可能存在时间增益窗口.     

Antitumor Activity of D-Mannosamine In Vitro: Cytotoxic Effect Produced by Mannosamine in Combination with Free Fatty Acids on Human Leukemia T-Cell Lines

Cytotoxic effects of mannosamine and free fatty acids on humanmalignant T-lymphoid cell lines derived from patients with T-cellleukemia were investigated. The combination of mannosamine andan unsaturated fatty acid (oleate or linoleate) produced morestriking cytotoxic effects on malignant lymphoid cells thanon normal human lymphocytes. The amino sugars glucosamine ormannosamine in the combination caused a synergistic cytotoxiceffect, while the other carbohydrates (N-acetylmannosamine,N-acetylglucosamine, or mannose) had little effect. On the otherhand, the effect of saturated fatty acids (palmitate or stearate)in the same system was nil. An unsaturated fatty acid (oleate)caused an increase in lipid fluidity of the surface membranein MOLT-4 lymphoid cells, which possess higher lipid fluidityin combination with mannosamine, while saturated fatty acidshad no effect on the fluidity properties of the membrane lipids(even in the presence of mannosamine). The relationship betweenmannosamine and unsaturated fatty acids in cytolysis was discussed.     

A study of ring 20 chromosome karyotype with epilepsy

Abstract We reported a 24-year-old woman with moderate mental retardation and partial epilepsy. She developed complex partial seizures at 3 years of age and generalized tonic convulsions at 9 years. Chromosome analysis revealed that she had mosaicism (87%) of 46, XX, and r(20) (p13, q13.3). Her electroencephalogram showed bilateral 2–3 Hz sharp and wave complex over the bilateral frontopolar, and centro-parieto-occipital areas. Computed tomographic and magnetic resonance image examinations were normal. Twenty-five cases of ring 20 chromosome karyotypes (including this case) have been reported in the literature; 19 showed epilepsy, and 18 showed moderate mental retardation. Many of the patients showed growth retardation and minor malformations. The ring 20 syndrome is associated with a high incidence of epilepsy, particularly partial epilepsy. Our findings indicate that the main features of the ring 20 syndrome are partial epilepsy and mental retardation.