Experimental autoimmune uveoretinitis (EAU) in rats: isolation of S-antigen, EAU susceptibility of rat strains, genetic control of EAU induction, and effects of cyclophosphamide and irradiation on EAU

Highly purified S-antigen was isolated from bovine retinas by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and was used to induce experimental autoimmune uveoretinitis (EAU) in various rat strains. Studies were then made of the genetic control of EAU, the effects of cyclophosphamide or irradiation on EAU, and the correlation between the EAU incidence and the serum levels of antibody to S-antigen. Lewis rats were the most susceptible to EAU followed by Wistar rats. F344 rats and BN rats were resistant to EAU. (Lewis X BN)F1 rats and (LBNF1 X Lewis) rats were susceptible to EAU, while (LBNF1 X BN) rats were resistant. These results indicate that susceptibility to EAU was inherited as an autosomal dominant trait. Treatment of rats with cyclophosphamide or irradiation (200 rad/rat) on the day before immunization markedly suppressed EAU development. On the other hand, the same dose of irradiation 7 days after the immunization did not affect the disease induction, yet the antibody levels to S-antigen were very high in the rats. In addition, BN rats resistant to EAU exhibited very high levels of antibody to S-antigen. Therefore, the antibody to S-antigen seems to play a minor role, if any, in the immunopathogenic mechanisms of EAU.     

Preferential inhibitions of hepatic P450IA2 expression and induction by lead nitrate in the rat

Male F344 rats were treated with lead nitrate and changes inthe expression and induction of P450IA subfamily enzymes anda placental form of glutathione-S-transferase (GST-P) in theliver were assessed by means of a bacterial mutation test, immunoblottingwith a monoclonal antibody reactive to P450IA1/IA2 and anti-GST-Psera and Northern blotting with P450IA2 cDNA as a probe. Treatmentof rats with lead nitrate (20, 50 or 100 µmol/kg bodywt) decreased P450IA2 mRNA and protein in the liver in the dose-dependentfashion and also decreased the microsomal activity for P450IA2-dependentmutagenization of aromatic amines. Pretreatment of rats withlead nitrate suppressed the inductions of both P450IA2 mRNAand protein by an inducer of P450IA subfamily enzymes in theliver. In addition, amount of the induced P450IA2 was decreasedalong with increase in that of the induced GST-P.     

A Case of a Patient with a Rectal Ulcer Who Had an Unusual Defecation Habit

Abstract: This case report describes a patient with a rectal ulcer who had an unusual defecation habit. Complete healing was recognized colonoscopically after the patient was instructed to break this habit. A polyp of the ascending colon was detected by a barium enema in a 37-year-old man complaining of anal bleeding. He was admitted to our division to undergo a polypectomy. At the time of the polypectomy, a round ulcer, measuring 1 cm in diameter, was detected on the right wall of the rectum 3 cm from the anal verge. A diagnosis of mucosal prolapse syndrome of the rectum could not be made because the patient did not exhibit the characteristic habit of excessive “straining” mentioned by patients with this syndrome, and no characteristic finding of fibromuscular obliteration was found on histological examination of biopsied specimens taken endoscopically from the lesion. Repeated history taking, however, revealed that the patient had the unusual habit of inserting his finger into his rectum after defecation. He broke this habit following instruction to do so. As a result, on colonoscopic examination 15 month later, the ulcer was found to have become a scar:     

Urinary dysfunction and autonomic control in amyloid neuropathy

Abstract Uro-neurological assessment was performed in four patients with small-fiber neuropathy due to amyloidosis (2 transthyretin-type/2 immunoglobulin light-chain-type). Voiding difficulties were due to detrusor weakness and impaired bladder sensation. In two patients cholinesterase inhibition treatment caused urge incontinence, indicating detrusor denervation supersensitivity. The underlying mechanisms of urinary dysfunction seem to involve postganglionic cholinergic and afferent somatic nerves.     

Experimental study of single and combined coaxial exposure by high-peaked pulse wave CO2 and Nd:YAG laser on the brain: effect on the brain microvasculature in the subacute stage

The effect of single or combined coaxial exposure by Nd: YAG and CO2 (pulse wave) laser on the brain at the subacute stage was examined in experimental animals. Soft X-ray microangiography and histological examination of the brain were performed 48 hours after laser exposure. The lasers in this study were pulse wave form CO2 of 2, 4 and 8 watts and YAG lasers of 10, 20 and 40 watts, employed separately or simultaneously using 130 YZ of Nihon Infrared Industries Company. Japanese white rabbits were anesthetized with pentobarbital. Bilateral fronto-parietal craniectomy were made, and the dura was removed. After intravenous injection of Evans blue, the lasers were employed to the cerebral cortex using a micromanipulator attached to the operation microscope. The spot size was 0.7 mm in diameter for CO2 laser and 1.2 mm for Nd: YAG laser. Forty-eight hours after exposure, microangiography was performed and brains were prepared for the histological examination. Histological examination and microangiogram of the brain after CO2 laser exposure revealed semilunar avascular area in the edematous layer surrounded with dilated vessels. Histological examination and microangiogram of the brain after Nd: YAG laser exposure revealed broad avascular or oligovascular zones in the surrounding edematous tissue, in which the surviving vessels were narrowed. Edematous zones were also shown in the subcortical portion. The histological examination and microangiogram after combined coaxial exposure of CO2 and Nd: YAG lasers revealed triangular avascular or oligovascular zones in the edematous tissue, in which the surviving vessels were narrowed.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Effects of pulsatile cardiopulmonary bypass on the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system following open heart surgery

The effects of pulsatile cardiopulmonary bypass on the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system and tissue metabolism, especially those which occur soon after surgery, were studied in 26 patients who required total cardiopulmonary bypass for longer than 60 minutes. These patients comprised 11 who underwent open heart surgery utilizing nonpulsatile cardiopulmonary bypass (Group I) and 15 who underwent open heart surgery utilizing pulsatile cardiopulmonary bypass (Group II). Plasma angiotensin II and serum aldosterene levels were significantly increased one and 5 hours postoperatively in Group I when compared with the preoperative values, whereas no significant elevations were observed in Group II. Plasma angiotensin II and serum aldosterone levels one hour postoperatively in Group II were significantly lower than those in Group I. Lactate levels in the arterial blood were significantly elevated, one and 5 hours postoperatively in both Groups I and II. Moreover, no significant difference was observed in the lactate levels between Groups I and II, one hour postoperatively. In the nonpulsatile group (Group I), plasma angiotensin II levels one hour postoperatively were correlated significantly with the duration of total cardiopulmonary bypass. In conclusion, pulsatile cardiopulmonary bypass offers significant advantages in terms of lower plasma angiotensin II and serum aldosterone levels, when compared with nonpulsatile cardiopulmonary bypass soon after open heart surgery requiring total cardiopulmonary bypass for longer than 60 minutes, however, it does not offer a definite advantage for tissue metabolism.     

An experience with augmentation sigmoid cystoplasty for urinary incontinence caused by sacral agenesis: a case report]

Sacral agenesis is an uncommon disease. About 50 cases have been reported in Japan since 1929. Neurogenic bladder is often accompanied with the disease. The patient was a 26-year-old man who had suffered from persistent urinary incontinence since his childhood. Kidney-ureter-bladder (KUB) revealed Type IV sacral agenesis according to the classification by Renshaw. The upper urinary tract remained normal. Urodynamics study showed a low compliance bladder with low urethral pressure. Pharmacotherapy failed to improve his continence. Augmentation sigmoid-cystoplasty was undertaken to enlarge vesical capacity and it has successfully overcome his urinary incontinence. Clinical aspects of sacral agenesis are discussed focusing on urological problems.     

Corticotropin response to combined administration of human corticotropin-releasing hormone and small-dose arginine vasopressin in normal subjects.

Arginine vasopressin (AVP) is known to potentiate corticotropin (ACTH) secretion by human corticotropin-releasing hormone (hCRH), and a combined administration of hCRH and AVP appears useful as a pituitary ACTH reserve test. This study was designed to evaluate the appropriate dose of AVP and its route of administration, for better estimation of pituitary ACTH reserve in humans, when used in combination with a conventional hCRH stimulation test. First, intravenous (IV) doses of hCRH (100 micrograms) and AVP (0, 0.1, and 0.3 U) were administered simultaneously in six normal subjects. Second, IV hCRH was administered with intramuscular (IM) AVP (0, 1.0, 3.0, and 5.0 U) in 10 normal subjects. Blood samples for measurement of plasma ACTH were obtained at 0, 15, 30, 45, 60, 90, and 120 minutes after the hCRH with and without AVP administration. The order of AVP doses was randomly chosen in each subject. The peak plasma ACTH level was 65.0 +/- 16.0 pg/mL (30 minutes) with hCRH alone and 139.5 +/- 35.6 pg/mL (15 minutes) with hCRH plus 0.3 U IV AVP in six normal subjects. Similarly, the peak plasma ACTH level was 43.5 +/- 5.6 pg/mL (30 minutes) with hCRH alone and 116.0 +/- 19.6 (15 minutes) and 96.6 +/- 24.0 pg/mL (15 minutes) with hCRH plus 3.0 and 5.0 U IM AVP in 10 normal subjects, respectively. The hCRH-induced ACTH responses (delta ACTH) with both IV and IM AVP were significantly (P less than .05) greater than the respective control values with hCRH alone. The responses (delta ACTH) were comparable between the two phases of 3.0 and 5.0 U IM AVP.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)