Diagnostic Significance of Two Fetal Proteins, {alpha}f and r{beta}s, in Hepatoma and Other Neoplastic Diseases

Incidences of f and rßs components were studied inserum samples from patients with various malignant and non-malignantdiseases. With the micro-Ouchterlony method, af was detectedexclusively in cases of hepatocellular carcinoma of which theincidence was 83.5%, whereas the incidence of rßswas 47.7%. However, rßs was also detected in somemalignant disease other than hepatocellular carcinoma, withan incidence of 16.5%, and was also detected in a small numberof cases of non-neoplastic liver diseases. Though not tumor-specific, rßs as one of the fetalserum proteins can be detected in cases of non-f-producing hepatomaand in cases of malignancies other than hepatoma. Thus, thedetection of this protein may be of diagnostic significance.Possible mechanism of the appearance of this protein in theblood was discussed.     

Prediction of hepatic first-pass metabolism and plasma levels following intravenous and oral administration of barbiturates in the rabbit based on quantitative structure-pharmacokinetic relationships

Based on the concept of physiological pharmacokinetics, the hepatic first-pass metabolism and plasma levels following intravenous and oral administration of barbiturates in the rabbit was predicted based on the relationships between principle kinetic parameters and lipophilicity (chloroform-water partition coefficient). Good log-log linear relationships between kinetic parameters and lipophilicity were obtained for the seven barbiturates examined. The values of correlation coefficient were improved slightly by using the corrected values for partition coefficients of nonionic molecules in the cases of principle parameters such as drug-protein and drug-blood cell affinity, intrinsic hepatic clearance, and unbound volume of distribution. There was also a good linear relationship between absorption rate constant (mean absorption time) and lipophilicity. The mean hepatic transit time was negligible for the most lipophilic drug (hexobarbital) examined; this suggests that the mean absorption time for these barbiturates does reflect the absorption process. The available fraction in relation to hepatic first-pass metabolism was well predicted from the lipophilicity by both well-stirred and parallel-tube models, and the difference in the values predicted by both models was minimal. There were good relationships between predicted and observed values for plasma levels after intravenous and oral administration, except for two (cyclobarbital and phenobarbital) of the seven drugs used. The great difference between predicted and observed values for these two drugs was considered due to substituent effects in liver metabolism.     

Short latency somatosensory evoked potential in children

The short latency somatosensory evoked potential was studied in 90 normal children of 1 month to 16 years old and 7 adults. Somatosensory stimuli were delivered through a disc electrode placed over the median nerve at the wrist joint. The uniform recording sites used were the central region of the scalp, and the seventh cervical spine or Erb's point. Reference electrodes were placed on the hand contralateral to the median nerve stimulated. Three positive peaks (P1, P2 and P3) and one negative peak (N1) were consistently recorded, a further positive peak (P4) after N1 was not always observed. The latency of each peak per 1 m body length decreased with age until 2 or 5 years of age. The latency of each peak after 2 years of age was positively correlated with the body length and arm length. The value of P1 peak latency per 1 m body length reaches adult values at an earlier rate than the value of P3 peak latency and P2-P3 latency per 1 m body length. This suggests that central lemmiscal pathways mature at a slower rate than peripheral nerve fibers. The wave form pattern of the short latency somatosensory evoked potential changed to the adult pattern at 10 years of age. The peak latency of P4 during deep sleep was slightly prolonged. In recording on infants during sleep, the EEG should be monitored to determine the stage of sleep.     

Umbilical cord blood as a rich source of immature hematopoietic stem cells

To investigate immaturity of hematopoietic progenitor cells in umbilical cord blood mononuclear cells (CB-MNC), the formation of macroscopic colonies and mixed-cell colonies was assayed by methylcellulose culture with various combinations of cytokines (stem cell factor [SCF], interleukin [IL]-3, IL-6, granulocyte-colony stimulating factor [G-CSF], erythropoietin [EPO]) and compared with bone marrow (BM)-MNC. Moreover, distribution of the subpopulations divided by CD34, CD38, HLA-DR and CD33 was compared by flow-cytometry. Colonies derived from CB-MNC were so large that they could be observed with the naked eye and consisted of a variety of types of hematopoietic cells. Mixed-cell colonies were formed to a much greater extent in CB-MNC than in BM-MNC. Addition of EPO, IL-3, and SCF had rapid effects on the growth of mixed-cell colonies. The subpopulations of immature hematopoietic progenitor cells (CD34⁺, CD38⁻, HLA-DR⁻), which are supposed to be able to differentiate into hematopoietic precursors and stromal cells, were significantly higher in CB-MNC (8.7±6.6%) than in BM-MNC (0.0±0.1%; P < 0.001). These results suggest that CB is a rich source of immature hematopoietic progenitor cells compared to BM.     

Effect of capsaicin on neurites of cultured dorsal root ganglia and isolated neurons of chick embryos

The effects of capsaicin on neurites of cultured chick lumbar dorsal root ganglia and their isolated single neurons were investigated. Capsaicin-treated neurites showed a disappearance of their tips, dumpling-like structures, and retardation as a result of degeneration. However, some of the retarded neurites showed a reextension. By electron microscopy the degeneration appeared similar to that caused by beta,beta'-iminodipropionitrile with respect to segregation of the cytoskeleton. This finding provides support for the idea that capsaicin inhibits axonal transport.     

The dynamic response of the cardiopulmonary parameters to passive head-up tilt

Transitional changes in stroke volume, heart rate, and cardiac output resulting from head-up tilt were measured in healthy male subjects, using impedance cardiography. Respiratory frequency, tidal volume, ventilation rate, end-tidal O2 and Co2 tensions, O2 uptake, CO2 output, and exchange ratio were also determined breath-by-breath. When the subject was tilted upward from a supine to an upright position, the stroke volume was decreased while the heart rate was increased. The time required to attain the steady state was shorter in the stroke volume change than in the heart rate. In addition, since the heart rate was not increased so high as to be inversely related to the stroke volume, the cardiac output decreased by tilting upward. The ventilation rate remained almost unchanged within a tilt angle of 60 degrees or so. Thus, both the O2 and CO2 fractions in expired air showed transitory changes. As the original body position was restored, the cardiac output was increased to the initial level, the tidal volume showing a transient increase. During the recovery process, PCO2, in expired air increased and PO2 decreased, showing that the change in cardiac output exceeded that in ventilation in quantity. The change in ventilation moreover, preceded that of expired PCO2 by ca. 10 sec, suggesting that the enhancement of ventilation occurred through some agent(s) other than the chemical drive.