Computerized electroencephalogram in untreated schizophrenics: A comparison between disorganized and paranoid types

Abstract Computerized electroencephalogram (CEEG) data were obtained from 30 patients with the disorganized type and 20 patients with the paranoid type of acute untreated schizophrenia and compared with data from age- and sex-matched controls. All patients with acute untreated schizophrenia exhibited more pronounced delta, theta, alpha₁ and beta₁ activity and less prominent alpha₂ activity than the control subjects. These findings support previous studies, and indicate the coexistence of cerebral hypofunction and excitability in acute schizophrenic patients. Compared with the controls, patients with disorganized type schizophrenia had significant increases in theta and beta₁ and decreases in alpha₂ activities; but a significant increase in delta and alpha₁ activities in the posterior regions and beta₂ activity in the frontal regions of the brain. Patients with paranoid type schizophrenia showed significantly increased delta activity in the posterior regions, increased alpha₁ activity in the anterior regions and decreased alpha₂ activity in both these regions. In the paranoid type, however, there was no significant finding for the theta, beta₁ and beta₂ activities. Disorganized type schizophrenics exhibited more increased theta and decreased alpha₂ activity than patients with paranoid type schizophrenia. The CEEG differences between the disorganized and the paranoid types appear to reflect different clinical entities and may help to differentiate both schizophrenias.     

Management of meconium aspiration syndrome by tracheobronchial lavage and replacement of Surfactant-TA

Meconium aspiration syndrome creates mechanical airway obstruction with air trapping and atelectasis. Tracheobronchial saline lavage to dislodge meconium may precipitate respiratory distress, a wet lung appearance and respiratory failure. Two case studies are reported in which meconium aspiration resulted in mechanical obstruction and displacement of surfactant and in whom tracheobronchial saline lavage and artificial surfactant replacement reversed respiratory failure.     

Immunohistochemical studies on the localization of cancer associated antigens DU-PAN-2 and CA19-9 in carcinomas of the digestive tract

The immunohistochemical localization of DU-PAN-2 antigen and CA19-9 antigen in carcinomas of the digestive tract was studied using an immunoperoxidase technique. Staining for DU-PAN-2 antigen and CA19-9 antigen was observed in 104 (79%) and 96 (73%) of 131 carcinomas of the digestive tract, respectively. Diffuse staining (more than 20% of carcinoma cell stained) for DU-PAN-2 was detected in 14 of 21 (67%) pancreatic carcinomas and 11 of 19 (58%) carcinomas of the biliary tract (including cholangiocarcinoma). Diffuse staining for CA19-9 was detected in 15 (71%) of pancreatic carcinomas and nine (47%) of the carcinomas of the biliary tract. In colon carcinomas, no diffuse staining for DU-PAN-2 was observed, whereas diffuse staining for CA19-9 was found in 41%. There was a positive correlation between the differentiation degree (or grade) of the adenocarcinomas of the colon and the expression of CA19-9, but not that of DU-PAN-2. These immunohistochemical studies showed that DU-PAN-2 antigen is expressed diffusely in most cases of adenocarcinoma of the pancreas and biliary tract and is more specific for adenocarcinomas of the pancreas and biliary tract than CA19-9.     

Serum Levels of Polyamines in Cancer Patients

Serum polyamines were determined by Samejima's method.
Total putrescine, cadaverine and spermidine in healthy adults were 0.29±0.08, 0.11 ± 0.08. and 0.43 ± 0.15 nmoles/ml. respectively. Spermidine was not detected in the serum by this method. About half of total polyamines existed in free form in the serum. No significant elevation of serum polyamines was observed in chronic hepatitis and liver cirrhosis. Increased serum putrescine was observed in some cases of malignancies, such as hepatomas (0.76 nmoles/ml. 0.62 nmoles/ml), pharyngeal carcinoma (0.66 nmoles/ml), peritonitis carcinoma (0.60 nmoles/ml) and colon carcinoma (0.45 nmoles/ml). Determination of serum polyamines. especially of putrescine, may provide a potential indicator in some cases of malignancy.     

α-Fetoprotein Synthesis in Yolk Sac Tumor: Sex-dependent Production of α-Fetoprotein by Transplantable Rat Yolk Sac Tumor

Transplantable rat yolk sac tumor cells produce α-fetoprotein (AFP) and their ability to synthesize AFP is maintained for generations in female rats. However, when they are transplanted in male rats, the AFP production decreases markedly.
To examine this sex dependency in AFP production, experiments at cellular and subcellular levels were carried out. In cell incubation studies, yolk sac tumor cells maintained in female rat (YST-F cells) synthesized more AFP than yolk sac tumor cells maintained in male rat (YST-M cells). Using cytosol RNAs prepared from YST-F and YST-M cells, AFP production was studied in cell-free protein synthesizing system derived from wheat germ.
In this system, cytosol RNA from both YST-F and YST-M cells directed AFP synthesis. But the amount of AFP synthesized was smaller in the presence of RNA from YST-M cells. From these results, it was suggested that the reduced AFP synthesis by YST-M cells is, at least partly, due to a quantitative decrease in their cytosol messenger RNA coded for AFP.     

Evolutionary aspects of positioning and identification of vertebrate limbs

Emerging developmental studies contribute to our understanding of vertebrate evolution because changes in the developmental process and the genes responsible for such changes provide a unique way for evaluating the evolution of morphology. Endoskeletal limbs, the locomotor organs that are unique to vertebrates, are a popular model system in the fields of palaeontology and phylogeny because their structure is highly visible and their bony pattern is easily preserved in the fossil records. Similarly, limb development has long served as an excellent model system for studying vertebrate pattern formation. In this review, the evolution of vertebrate limb development is examined in the light of the latest knowledge, viewpoints and hypotheses.     

Carcinosarcoma of the uterus with extensive neuroectodermal differentiation

A case of uterine carcinosarcoma with extensive neuroectodermal differentiation occurring in a 54-year-old woman is described. Microscopically, the endometrial tumour was predominantly composed of a sheet-like proliferation of small- and medium-sized cells. These cells were characterized by fibrillary cytoplasmic processes, rosette-like formations, perivascular palisading patterns, and immunoreactivity for glial fibrillary acidic protein, synaptophysin, leu 7 and neuron-specific enolase. In limited areas, features of conventional carcinosarcoma, including squamous cell carcinoma, leiomyosarcoma and islands of the above mentioned small-to medium-sized cells that were intermingled, were observed. The tumour was aneuploid by flow cytometry. The patient is alive with tumour for three months. It is suggested that at least some cases of uterine primitive neuroectodermal tumour may be explained by one-sided neuroectodermal development within a carcinosarcoma.     

Effects of recombinant thrombopoietin on the growth of murine primitive and committed hematopoietic progenitors in serum-free culture

BACKGROUND: The aim of the present study was to determine the effect of thrombopoietin (Tpo) in combination with other cytokines on the growth of murine megakaryocytic, granulocyte-macrophage, erythroid and primitive hematopoietic progenitor cells, excluding possibilities of synergistic effects by serum factor(s). METHODS: Serum-free clonogenic assay systems were used for assay of colony forming units in megakaryocytes (CFU-Mk), colony forming units in granulocytes-macrophages (CFU-GM), burst-forming units in erythrocytes (BFU-E) in marrow of normal mice and of high proliferative potential colony forming cells in 5-fluorouracil-treated marrow. RESULTS: Serum-free culture enabled megakaryocyte colony growth by recombinant murine (rm) Tpo and this was synergistically supported with rm interleukin (IL)-3, rm stem cell factor (SCF) or recombinant human (rh) erythropoietin (Epo). Recombinant human IL-6, rhIL-11 and rm granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) showed synergistic effects with rmTpo only in the presence of serum. Recombinant murine IL-3 or rmSCF increased the large colonies and mixed-type colonies containing other populations, suggesting that these cytokines promoted the proliferation of immature populations of CFU-Mk. The rmTpo enhanced the growth of granulocyte-macrophage (GM) colonies stimulated by rmGM-CSF or rmIL-3 and erythroid bursts by rhEpo, with or without rmIL-3. The rmTpo also significantly increased HPP colonies in synergy with rmIL-3 only in the presence of serum or rmSCF. CONCLUSION: Serum-free culture is valuable for evaluating synergistic effects of cytokines and Tpo acts not only on megakaryocytic progenitors but also on granulocyte-macrophage, erythroid and primitive progenitor cells in combination with other cytokines, such as rmIL-3 and rmSCF. However, serum or SCF was required for enhancement of the colony growth of primitive progenitors by Tpo.     

GLOMERULONEPHRITIS ASSOCIATED WITH LIVER CIRRHOSIS

The glomerular changes of 50 autopsy cases of liver cirrhosis of different etiologies, such as alcohol abuse, HB virus infection, and nonA–nonB virus infection, were studied by light, immunofluorescence and electron microscopy. The glomerular changes observed were as follows; membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (MPGN) type 1 (7 cases), mild form or early stage of MPGN type 1 (7 cases), mesangial proliferative glomerulonephritis with sub–endothelial deposits (13 cases), and mesangial proliferative glomerulonephritis without subendothelial deposits (12 cases). These glomerular changes were frequently accompanied by predominant IgA deposition (78% of the immunofluorescence positive cases). Minimal glomerular changes without electron dense deposits were 11 cases, in which IgA was not present in the glomeruli. Thus, glomerulonephritis associated with liver cirrhosis has revealed a]spectrum'of glomerular changes from MPGN type 1 to mesangial proliferative glomerulonephritis with a common feature of predominant IgA deposition, despite various etiological factors of liver cirrhosis, such as alcohol abuse, hepatitis B virus infection, and nonA–nonB virus infection. A pathophysiological condition of liver cirrhosis, e.g. reduced phagocytic activity of the reticuloendothelial system of the cirrhotic liver, Is thought to be a major factor for development of these glomerular changes. The pathogenesis of IgA predominant glomerulonephritis associated with liver cirrhosis may be concerned in the pathogenesis of IgA nephropathy, which still remains to be clarified. ACTA PATHOL. JPN. 33: 333–346, 1983.     

Psoriasis vulgaris coexistent with epidermolysis bullosa acquisita

Summary Autoimmune bullous diseases, such as bullous pemphigoid or pemphigus vulgaris. occasionally develop in psoriatic patients. In addition, a novel subepidermal bullous disease with autoantibodies against a lower lamina lucida antigen of 200kDa has recently been reported in association with psoriasis. We describe here a patient with psoriasis vulgaris who developed epidermolysis bullosa acquisita (EBA). Direct immunofluorescence revealed linear deposition of IgCl and C3 at the basement membrane zone. The patient's serum bound to the dermal side of salt-split normal human skin. However, immnumohlol analysis demonstrated that the patient's serum reacted with an EBA antigen of 290 kDa. EBA should be included in the list of autoimmune diseases associated with psoriasis vulgaris.