Increased Human Chorionic Gonadotropin Levels in Spermatic Vein Blood of Seminoma Patients

Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) levels in peripheral andspermatic vein blood in nine patients with seminoma were determinedby a radioimmuno-assay using antibody against the hCG beta-subunit(hCG-ß). HCG measured by this assay includes hCG,hCG-ß and immunoreactive hCG-like substances. Of thenine patients, hCG levels in both peripheral and spermatic veinblood were above the normal limit in three, only spermatic hCGlevels were elevated in four, and both levels were normal intwo. Spermatic hCG levels exceeded peripheral levels in sixof the seven patients who showed increased hCG levels in theblood of either or both veins. Elevation of hCG levels observedin these seminoma patients was definite but not so excessiveas usually seen in chorio-carcinoma. No giant syncytial cellswere found in any histological specimens of these seminomas.The high incidence of elevated spermatic vein hCG levels inseminoma patients suggests that the majority of seminomas producesmall amounts of hCG or radioimmunoreactive hCG-like substances. ^*Present address: Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine,the University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.     

Adenosine Deaminase and Purine Nucleoside Phosphorylase Activities of Various Cultured Cell Lines Derived from Human Hematologic Malignancies

The activities of adenosine deaminase (ADA) and purine nucleosidephosphorylase (PNP) in the cytoplasmic fraction of various culturedcell lines derived from human leukemias and malignant lymphomaswere measured and compared in terms of cell lineage and differentiationof these cultured cell lines as based on cell surface markers.Generally, T-cell lines had higher ADA activity. Above all,two lines (P12/1chikawa and MOLT-3) which had the same differentiationmarkers as common thymocyte showed the highest ADA activity.There were no differences in the ADA activity among five non-Tnon-B cell lines, five B-cell lines and five normal B-cell lines.The ADA activity was lower in myeloid cell lines. No significantdifferences in PNP activity among all these cell lines wereobserved. ADA activity may be useful as a differentiation marker of T-celllineage.     

Kinetics of serum cytokines in adults undergoing peripheral blood progenitor cell transplantation

Summary. We investigated the serum cytokine levels (G-CSF, GM-CSF, IL-l/?, IL-3 and IL-6) using an ELISA in 14 patients with haematological malignancies undergoing peripheral blood progenitor cell transplantation (PBPCT). Serum G-CSF levels in all patients rose immediately after PBPCT, then gradually decreased as the neutrophil counts began to rise. No detectable serum levels of GM-CSF or IL-lp were observed, but serum levels of IL-3 rose transiently immediately following PBPCT. Serum levels of JL-6 rose transiently during a fever in four patients. These observations suggest that G-CSF and L 3 may contribute to the early haemopoietic reconstitution in PBPCT.     

Three year outcome of the residents in a special nursing home

Abstract The 3 year outcome of 48 residents in a special nursing home was investigated, using Hasegawa's dementia rating scale (HDS) and activities of daily living (ADL). For all the residents, HDS score correlates well with age ( P < 0.01) and ADL score ( P < 0.001). Nineteen residents (40.4%) died during the period surveyed. Two-thirds of the residents with low ADL score died during the period, whereas 70% of the residents with high ADL score are alive. Of these scales, ADL correlated well with the fatal prognosis, suggesting that ADL is a valuable prognostic tool. As for the causes of death, pulmonary disease was prominent ( n = 12, 63.2%). Consequently, the prevention of pulmonary disease is needed to achieve a good outcome in the management of nursing home residents.     

Echocardiographic evaluation of vagolytic effects of atropine sulfate during pediatric halothane anesthesia

The aims of this study were to define the antagonistic effects of atropine sulfate to halothane-induced cardiovascular depression in children, and to clarify whether or not a larger dose of atropine is more effective in attenuating the cardiovascular depression. Thirty-four children aged 1–12 years who had undergone minor surgery, free from cardiac or pulmonary disease, were assigned at random to two groups. M-mode echocardiographic evaluation of left ventricular function in each patient was performed at three points (before induction, point A; after induction, point B; and following administration of atropine, point C). Results were compared between points A and B, B and C and C and A, and between the two study groups with different doses of atropine (0.01 mg/kg vs 0.02 mg/kg). Heart rate (HR), mean blood pressure (MBP) and left ventricular shortening fraction (LVSF) decreased, and left ventricular end-diastolic dimension (LVEDD) were increased significantly by halothane induction. Although HR and MBP recovered following atropine, LVSF and LVEDD remained unchanged. There were no differences found between the values after vagolysis in both study groups, except for HR and mean velocity of circumferential fiber shortening (mVcf). Heart rate increased above that of pre-induction, even following the smaller dose of atropine. The myocardial depression cannot be necessarily attenuated by vagolysis regardless of the dosage of atropine. The smaller dose (i.e. 0.01 mg/kg) seems to be sufficient only to antagonize the bradycardia and hypotension during halothane anesthesia in children.     

Inhaled nitric oxide and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn

Persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN) may occasionally require an invasive treatment with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). Inhaled nitric oxide (NO) has recently been introduced as a selective pulmonary vasodilator for treatment of PPHN. We describe a case of PPHN in which neither inhaled NO nor ECMO was effective in reversing pulmonary hypertension. The clinical course of the patient suggested a potential role of NO inhalation in predicting the outcome of ECMO treatment for PPHN.     

Keratinocyte growth factor is an endogenous stimulant of rabbit gastric epithelial cell proliferation and migration in primary culture

Mesenchymal-epithelial interactions are important in the gastric mucosal repair. However, specific factors responsible for such interactions have not been established. In the present study, keratinocyte growth factor (KGF) significantly stimulated proliferation of gastric epithelial cells dose dependently and synergistically with hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), epidermal growth factor (EGF) and insulin. Restitution of gastric epithelial monolayers was also assessed, using a round wound restitution model. Keratinocyte growth factor facilitated the restitution of gastric epithelial cells significantly but did not have any effects on gastric fibroblasts. Keratinocyte growth factor receptor mRNA was expressed by gastric epithelial cells, indicating that these effects were elicited by the specific receptor mediated pathway. Northern blot analysis revealed the expression of KGF mRNA in gastric fibroblasts but not in gastric epithelial cells, indicating the production of KGF. These results suggest that KGF might be involved in gastric mucosal repair, through mesenchymal-epithelial interaction.     

Detection of hepatocellular carcinoma after interferon therapy for chronic hepatitis C: Clinical study of 26 cases

The clinical findings in 26 patients in whom hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) was detected after the start of interferon (IFN) therapy for chronic hepatitis C were analysed. Histological study before IFN therapy showed that 34.6% of patients were categorized as stage 3 (septal fibrosis with architectural distortion; the 0–4 scale) and 80.8% demonstrated at least some evidence of septal fibrosis or more advanced features. The AFP levels examined before IFN therapy were more than 20 ng/mL in 13 patients (84.6% of those studied). One of 26 patients had a complete response to IFN therapy, while six of 26 patients had only a partial response. HCC was detected within 1 year after the start of IFN therapy in 76.9% of patients. Thus, the possibility of the early occurrence of HCC or its existence at the time of therapy should be seriously considered when IFN therapy is contemplated. Patients with stage 3 or 3–4 histology may already have a small undetectable HCC before IFN therapy. Thus, for this reason, every patient treated with IFN should be examined at short regular intervals for the development of HCC during and after IFN therapy.     

Heart Rate Variability in Patients with Familial Amyloid Polyneuropathy

The purpose of this study was to evaluate heart rate variability (HRV) in patients with familial amyloid polyneuropathy (FAP) using the time- and frequency-domain analysis. The study population consisted of 19 patients with FAP, and 19 age and sex matched normal volunteers. The 24-hour Holter recordings of all subjects in sinus rhythm and off medication were analyzed. Five time-domain indices of HRV were computed. The frequency component of HRV was calculated by fast Fourier transform analysis of the RR intervals. The power spectrum of the low frequency (LF) between 0.04–0.15 Hz and high frequency (HF) between 0.15–0.40 Hz and the LF/HF ratio was calculated. Global measures of HRV including the standard deviation of the mean of RR intervals (SDNN) and the standard deviation of 5-minute mean RR intervals (SDANN) were decreased in patients with FAP. Specific vagal influences on HRV including the proportion of RR intervals more than 50 milliseconds different (pNN50) and the HF power on spectral analysis were less in patients with FAP. LF power and LF/HF ratio were more decreased in patients with FAP at the advanced stage than at the early stage. In conclusion, HRV was significantly decreased in patients with FAP at the early stage, and sympathetic activity was more decreased in patients at the advanced stage. These findings suggest that the decrease of the HRV is an indicator of this disease and the power spectral analysis of the HRV is beneficial in assessing the severity of the autonomic dysfunction.