Studies on rennin as a virus-model. II. resemblance of rennin to some viruses in its physical and chemical properties

Summary Rennin is regarded as being similar to viruses such as vaccinia and phage in its physical and chemical properties. Rennet activity is carried by a lipoprotein existing in particles or micells of very great dimensions.Coagulation of milk by rennin can be considered to be a chain reaction to some extent.     

Resorption and excretion of glucose by the particle of minute-body-forming proteid,including virus proteid

Summary The resorption and excretion of glucose by living cells can be explained to be due to a property of the minute-body-forming proteid existing in the cells.Also in this property, there is no difference between virus proteid (vaccinia) and the normal minute-body-forming proteid having no virus action.     

Absorption of inorganic salts and sugars by vaccinia and by coagulated casein particles

Summary The salt-impenetrable space of vaccinia particles isolated from vaccine pulp by isoelectric precipitation method was estimated by measuring the salt quantity added to the suspension of the vaccinia particles of a known concentration, which were centrifuged off after the addition of the salt at a weakly acid p_H (about 5,4). The salts used were NaCl, KCl and CaCl₂. It was found thus that salt-impenetrable space of the particles varied with the concentrations of the salts, in the solution of which the particles were suspended. There was no definite relation between the concentration of the salt and the volume of the space.The shape of the curve representing the relation between the volume of the space and the concentration of a salt was different with each preparation of the vaccinia particles, and the curve was also different with each kind of the salts; even with the same preparation different curves were obtained if the experiments were carried out at different temperature.Similar experiments were made also with glucose and fructose. These two monosaccharides behaved themselves in a very complicated manner towards the particles, in assuming a different attitude from each other, although the shape of the curve tended in most cases to be alike with each other. As already pointed out lactose did not assume so complicated an attitude as did glucose.These phenomena were not peculiar to the vaccinia particles, but also found with coagulated casein particles as well as with protoplasmprotein particles having no virus action.     

The inactivation of phage protein by neutralization of its acidified solution

Summary Moriyama has previously isolated a vaccinia virus protein which is severely inactivated if its acidified solution is neutralized in the presence of inorganic salts, while the inactivation scarecely occurs if no salt is present in the neutralization process. Afterwards we have also observed a similar phenomenon with a phage protein though not so manifest as with the vaccinia protein.We have lately found that a phage protein (coli-phage) can possess sometimes a property to be damaged severely if its acidified solution is neutralized in a water medium containing no salt: in this case inorganic salts can, on the contrary, prevent the inactivation. This fact must be taken into considerations in our isolating method of virus proteins. Namely in some cases a proper salt solution such asRinger's and a dilute CaCl₂ solution should be used instead of water.     

Neurotoxicity of petroleum benzine compared with n-hexane

Summary Petroleum benzine is one of the mixtures of organic solvents containing n-hexane. The occurrence of polyneuropathy in the workers using petroleum benzines is attributed mainly to n-hexane, though other hydrocarbons present are also suspected of having some neurotoxicity or some potential which could modify the neurotoxicity of n-hexane. The present experiment was performed in order to clarify the toxicity of petroleum benzine to the peripheral nerve and compare it with that of n-hexane.Forty rats were randomly divided into five groups. The groups were exposed to 200 ppm n-hexane, 500 ppm n-hexane, and petroleum benzine vapor containing 200 ppm n-hexane or 500 ppm n-hexane, together with aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons for 12 h a day for 24 weeks. The body weight, motor nerve conduction velocity, motor distal latency, and mixed nerve conduction velocities were measured before exposure and every 4 weeks of exposure. A rat from each exposed group was histopathologically examined after 24 weeks' exposure.The function of the peripheral nerve was conspicuously impaired by 500 ppm n-hexane, slightly impaired by 200 ppm n-hexane and petroleum benzine containing 500 ppm n-hexane, and even less impaired by petroleum benzine containing 200 ppm n-hexane. Degenerations of the myelin sheaths and axons were demonstrated in all exposed groups upon examination of the raveled tail nerves. Thus, the experiment revealed that petroleum benzine could impair the peripheral nerves, while some components of petroleum benzine were considered to inhibit the neurotoxicity of n-hexane.This investigation was partly supported by a grant for scientific research from the Chiyoda Mutual Life Foundation in 1980–1981     

Juvenile Hepatocellular Carcinoma in a Healthy Liver

Primary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients ＜30 years old is extremely rare. In younger patients, HCC develops against a background of persistent hepatitis B virus infection. We herein report a 23-year-old woman with HCC with all-negative hepatitis virus markers developing in an apparently healthy liver. Imaging studies showed a 50-mm hypervascular mass in segment 4 of the left liver lobe, compatible with HCC. The patient underwent surgical resection. A histological examination showed the presence of poorly differentiated HCC. The patient was diagnosed with HCC developing in a healthy liver. This is an extremely rare case of non-B non-C HCC.     

The Simultaneous Onset of Pancreatitis and Colitis as Immune-related Adverse Events in a Patient Receiving Nivolumab Treatment for Renal Cell Carcinoma

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), which have anti-tumor effects, are currently approved for treatment of several kinds of advanced malignancies. However, with their increasing use, a variety of immune-related adverse events (irAEs) in administered patients have been reported. We herein report a rare case of the simultaneous onset of acute pancreatitis and colitis as irAEs during nivolumab treatment given to a patient with renal cell carcinoma, who then shown marked improvement with corticosteroid therapy.     

Long-term results of elective hepatectomy for the treatment of ruptured hepatocellular carcinoma

Background/Purpose According to the General rules for the clinical and pathological study of primary liver cancer, compiled by the Liver Cancer Study Group of Japan, ruptured hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is classified as stage 4, even if the tumor is small and solitary. We examined the long-term results of elective hepatectomy for the treatment of ruptured HCC. Methods A first hepatectomy was performed without operative death in 193 patients with HCC. Ten patients had ruptured HCC (ruptured group) and 183 patients had nonruptured HCC (nonruptured group). The extension of HCC was macroscopically classified as stage 1 in 23 patients, stage 2 in 71, stage 3 in 53, and stage 4 in 46. Results Cumulative survival rates in the ruptured group at 1, 5, and 10 years were 90.0%, 67.5%, and 20.3%, respectively. The cumulative survival rate was lower in patients with stage 4 disease in the nonruptured group than that in patients in the ruptured group (P < 0.05). Cumulative survival rates did not differ significantly between patients in the ruptured group and those with stage 2 or stage 3 disease. Conclusions Survival rates after elective hepatectomy in patients with ruptured HCC are good, even if the disease is classified as stage 4.