Effects of Ca2+ blockers on the various types of stimuli-induced acetylcholine release from guinea pig ileum myenteric plexus

In the present study, we investigated the effects of various Ca2+ blockers on the release of acetylcholine (ACh) induced by nicotine, electrical field stimulation (EFS) and high-K+. Cd2+ markedly depressed the ACh release due to these stimuli. Verapamil inhibited the nicotine-induced ACh release remarkably and the EFS- or the high-K(+)-induced ACh release to a lesser extent. Since the nicotine- and the EFS-induced ACh releases were inhibited by procaine, the local anesthetic property of verapamil likely contributes in part to the inhibition. Diltiazem abolished the nicotine-induced ACh release completely but did not affect the EFS-induced release and significantly increased the high-K(+)-induced ACh release. These results suggest the absolute requirement for extracellular Ca2+ in the release of ACh induced by nicotine as well as EFS and high-K+. In addition, these stimuli may open the same Ca2+ channel to evoke ACh release.     

Treatment in 50 cases of transitional cell carcinoma in renal pelvis and ureter

A total of 50 cases of primary tumors in the renal pelvis and ureter were treated in Tokyo University Branch Hospital (20 cases in 1966-1982) and in Tranomon Hospital (30 cases in 1977-1987). They were composed of 42 men and 8 women (5.3:1) with a mean age of 61 years. 31 patients suffered from renal pelvic tumors, 15 ureteral tumors and 4 tumors in both sites. The tumors were located in the left side in 33 cases, right in 16, and both sides in 1.86% of patients showed gross hematuria. The findings on IVP were filling defect (42%) and nonvisualization (33%). Positive urine cytology was obtained in 12 of 25 cases (48%). Surgery was performed in 47 cases. The remaining 3 cases were with advanced diseases. The surgeries were total nephroureterectomy plus ipsilateral retroperitoneal lymph node dissection in 26 cases, total nephroureterectomy without node dissection in 7, total nephroureterectomy and total cystectomy in 3, nephrectomy in 9, partial nephrectomy in 1 and segmental excision of ureter with ureteroureterostomy in one. Histologically, all tumors were transitional cell carcinoma. Over-all survival rates (Kaplan-Meier's method) of the operated patients at 1, 3, 5 years were 84.2%, 73.1% and 69.4%, respectively. The stage and grade of the tumors affected the prognosis. N factor at lymph node dissection was the most determining factor of prognosis. 3 advanced cases who did not receive surgery for primary site were treated with 5FU in 2, and with CAP in 1.2 of them died of the disease within 1 year after diagnosis, one patient was lost in follow up.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Differential mechanism of retention of Cu-pyruvaldehyde-bis(N4-methylthiosemicarbazone) (Cu-PTSM) by brain and tumor: A novel radiopharmaceutical for positron emission tomography imaging

The reductive retention of⁶²Cu-PTSM was comparatively studied in the brain and Ehrlich ascites tumor cells by electron spin resonance spectrometry and nonradioactive Cu-PTSM. In the brain, only the mitochondrial fraction showed the ability to reduce Cu-PTSM, and the other subcellular fractions did not. In contrast, the cytosolic fraction of Ehrlich ascites tumor cells was the specific site of Cu-PTSM reduction. It was therefore considered that the retention of Cu-PTSM in the brain is closely related to mitochondrial reduction, most probably involving the mitochondrial electron transport system.     

A case of congenital antithrombin II deficiency with pulmonary infarction

A 48-year-old woman was admitted because of increased bloody sputum. Since she had had a history of repeated thrombotic episodes including venous thrombosis in the lower limbs (21 year old) and pulmonary emboli developing into pulmonary infarction (41 years old), the patient was treated with anti-coagulant therapy using Warfarin for 7 years. Warfarin was discontinued after admission and heparin was administered instead at a relatively low dose of 5,000 units daily, resulting in a considerable diminution of hemoptysis. Unfortunately however, it caused a relapse of active thrombosis associated not only with a significant increase of the product of fibrinolysis (FDP), LDH and GOT but with a concomitant decrease of the platelet count. Hematological examinations concerning coagulation and fibrinolysis remained within a normal range except for the serum concentration of antithrombin III (AT III) and its functional property with regard to the heparin cofactor, which were 8.8 mg/dl and 48%, respectively. Since the findings were consistent with congenital deficiency of AT III, some members of her family were also examined. The concentration of AT III and its activity in the patient's son and her daughter deteriorated in a similar manner, indicating that this was a definite case of congenital deficiency of AT III. The clinical manifestations of 87 cases with congenital AT III deficiency, belonging to 24 families reported in Japan were reviewed.     

The role of magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) after resection of the pancreas

Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) was performed in 35 patients to evaluate the feasibility of its use as a postsurgical imaging technique after resection of the pancreas. The surgical procedures performed were: pancreatoduodenectomy in 22 patients, segmental pancreatectomy in 1, distal pancreatectomy in 7, and pyroluspreserving pancreatoduodenectomy in 5. The pancreatic duct was shown in its entirety in 24 of the 35 patients (68.6%) and was partially visualized in 8 patients (22.9%), but the intrahepatic and extrahepatic bile ducts were visualized completely in all patients. Furthermore, MRCP was able to demonstrate lesions in 3 of 6 patients who had shown clinical evidence of recurrence. The visualization of the pancreatic and bile duct system was satisfactory despite anatomical changes brought about by resection of the pancreas. Thus, we conclude that MRCP is an appropriate follow-up screening test for patients with suspected abnormalities of the biliary and pancreatic duct system.     

The effect of orthographic familiarity on recall of stimulus items read aloud]

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of orthographic familiarity on free recall of Katakana words which were read aloud. Two experiments were conducted to compare Katakana items with Hiragana ones about recall performance in incidental learning paradigm, in which subjects were instructed to perform a reading aloud task. In Experiment I, an immediate recall test was used. Number of correct free recall for high imagery items was larger than low imagery ones. In Experiment II, 30-s delay was inserted between an orienting task and a recall test. The recall performance indicated the superiority of Hiragana items. This result showed that the higher orthographic familiarity of stimulus item was, the poorer performance of its recall. It was interpreted in terms of the effect of cognitive effort on recall.     

A surgical case of combined valvular disease complicated by absent right superior vena cava and persistent left superior vena cava.

A 74-year-old man with combined valvular disease with a recent cerebral infarction was admitted. While undergoing thorough examination for valvular disease, absent right superior vena cava (RSVC) and persistent left superior vena cava (PLSVC) were recognized. Chest X-ray film suggested a right arch protrusion, and CT and venogram confirmed the diagnosis. During surgery, replacement of the mitral and aortic valves and annuloplasty of the tricuspid valve were performed. A blood draining cannula was inserted in retrograde fashion from the coronary sinus into the PLSVC, without any difficulties in the tricuspid valve repair. Due to bradycardic atrial fibrillation, we believed that it would be difficult to insert an endocardial electrode postoperatively, hence myocardial electrode was placed in the right ventricular wall. Absent RSVC combined with PLSVC is very rare, and a patient who underwent combined valve surgery with this rare anatomical abnormality is herein presented.     

Binding characteristics of 3H-CGP12177 to beta-adrenoceptors in rat myocardial membranes

The present study was designed to examine the selectivity of 3H-CGP-12177 (4-(3-t-butylamino-2-hydroxypropoxy)-[5,7-3H]benzimidazole-2-one hydrochloride) for beta 1- and beta 2-adrenergic receptors by the Scatchard and the displacement analysis. The plots of specific binding obtained from the Scatchard analysis using 3H-CGP12177 for the rat myocardium membrane were uniphasic when the non-specific binding was determined by the use of 10 microM I-propranolol, and the Kd and Bmax values were 408.53 +/- 67.20 pM and 12.27 +/- 0.83 fmoles/mg protein, respectively. On the other hand, two binding sites were observed in the displacement curve when I-metoprolol was used as a competitor. The existence of these two binding sites implied the selectivity of 3H-CGP12177 to beta-adrenoceptors because 3H-CGP12177 was 1.8-fold more selective towards beta 1-adrenoceptors than beta 2-adrenoceptors. In addition, these two binding sites could be regarded as beta 1- and beta 2-adrenergic receptors from the evaluation of the binding characteristics beta-adrenoceptors by the displacement analysis using beta-selective antagonists. Thus, 3H-CGP12177, a hydrophilic radioligand, was useful for the binding assay of beta-adrenoceptors in rat myocardial membranes.     

Images of liposarcoma using technetium-99m bleomycin and technetium (V)-99m DMSA

The effectiveness of Tc-99m bleomycin (BLM) and Tc(V)-99m DMSA are compared with that of Ga-67 citrate, which is currently the most widely used agent. In four patients with lipomatous tumors, the clinical significance of tumor imaging with each of these three agents is discussed and compared. Results indicate that both Tc-99m BLM and Tc(V)-99m DMSA are superior in detecting the extension or localization of liposarcomas.