Anti-Candida albicans activity of essential oils including Lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus) oil and its component, citral]

The effects of 12 essential oils, popularly used as antifungal treatments in aromatherapy, on growth of Candida albicans were investigated. Mycelial growth of C. albicans, which is known to give the fungus the capacity to invade mucosal tissues, was inhibited in the medium containing 100 micro g/ml of the oils: lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus), thyme (Thymus vulgaris), patchouli (Pogostemon cablin) and cedarwood (Cedrus atlantica). Not only lemongrass oil but also citral, a major component of lemongrass oil (80%), in the range of 25 and 200 micro g/ml inhibited the mycelial growth but allowed yeast-form growth. More than 200 micro g/ml of citral clearly inhibited both mycelial and yeast-form growth of C. albicans. These results provide experimental evidence suggesting the potential value of lemongrass oil for the treatment of oral or vaginal candidiasis.     

Light microscopy of GTP-binding protein (Go) immunoreactivity within the retina of different vertebrates

To examine species differences in the distribution pattern of guanosine triphosphate (GTP)-binding protein (Go) within the vertebrate retina, paraffin-embedded retinae from a number of vertebrate species, including the goldfish, frog, turtle, chicken, monkey, and human, were immunohistochemically stained with affinity-purified antibody against the alpha-subunit of Go. Go-immunoreactive products were found to be located in the neuropil, but not in the cell bodies of neurons, in the retina of all these species. However, some species differences were observed. In the frog, monkey and human, the inner plexiform layer (IPL) was homogeneously stained with this antibody, but in the goldfish, turtle and chicken, the IPL was heterogeneously stained. In the frog, chicken, turtle and human, the outer plexiform layer (OPL) was densely stained with this antibody, but in the goldfish and monkey, the OPL was rather faintly immunoreactive to the antibody. In the goldfish, monkey and human, the outer nuclear layer (ONL) was not immunoreactive to the Go-antibody, whereas in the frog, turtle and chicken, the ONL was immunoreactive to it. The implications of these species differences in Go localization in the vertebrate retina are discussed.     

Expression of the cell surface antigen detected by the monoclonal antibody A7 in pancreatic carcinoma cell lines

In a previous study, we used a murine monoclonal antibody, A7, against human colon carcinoma as a drug-carrier to treat colorectal cancer.¹ In the present study, we found that MAb A7 also reacted immunohistochemically with 73% of human pancreatic carcinoma cell lines, with the A7 antigen mainly being detected on the cell surface. However, the A7 antigen was found in only 9% of the spent media of these human pancreatic carcinoma cell lines by ELISA. On the other hand, the positive incidence of CA19-9, POA, ferritin, CEA, DU-PAN-2 and SLX in those spent media was 100%, 64%, 64%, 55%, 55% and 36%, respectively. These results suggest that the A7 antigen may only rarely be shed into the sera of pancreatic cancer patients, in which case MAb A7 could be a suitable drug-carrier in targeting chemotherapy for pancreatic cancer patients.     

Toluene in blood as a marker of choice for low-level exposure to toluene

The validity of two new biological exposure markers of toluene in blood (TOL-B) and toluene in urine (TOL-U) was examined in comparison with that of the traditional marker of hippuric acid in urine (HA-U) in 294 male workers exposed to toluene in workroom air (TOL-A), mostly at low levels. The exposure was such that the geometric mean for toluene was 2.3 ppm with a maximum of 132 ppm; the workers were also exposed to other solvents such as hexane, ethyl acetate, styrene, and methanol, but at lower levels. The chance of cutaneous absorption was remote. Higher correlation with TOL-A and better sensitivity in separating the exposed workers from the nonexposed subjects were taken as selection criteria. When workers exposed to TOL-A at lower concentrations (< 50 ppm, < 10 ppm, < 2 ppm, etc.) were selected and correlation with TOL-A was examined, TOL-B showed the largest correlation coefficient which was significant even at TOL-A of < 1 ppm, whereas correlation of HA-U was no longer significant when TOL-A was < 10 ppm. TOL-U was between the two extremes. The sensitivities of TOL-B and TOL-U were comparable; HA-U showed the lowest sensitivity. Thus, it was concluded that TOL-B is the indicator of choice for detecting toluene exposure at low levels.     

CT and MR findings in diastematomyelia, with embryogenetic consideration.

Diastemstomyelia is an extremely rare disorder that is seldom found among the Japanese. This paper presents two Japanese patients, a newborn male and a newborn female, with diastematomyelia. CT demonstrated bony spurs more clearly than plain film, and magnetic resonance images indicated split cords and associated anomalies. Although the embryogenesis of diastematomyelia has not been clearly elucidated, the coincidence of levels of associated anomalies and diastematomyelia in our cases and in the literature supports Bremer's embryogenetic explanation of persistent accessory neurenteric canal.     

Myocardial perfusion in patients with left bundle branch block and without coronary artery disease]

For the evaluation of myocardial perfusion in patients with left bundle branch block (LBBB), we performed exercise stress (Ex)-redistribution (RD) myocardial tomography with thallium-201 (201Tl) in 23 patients with LBBB and without coronary artery disease (CAD). Myocardial images in patients with LBBB were compared with those of 9 patients with CAD who showed Ex induced transient septal defect. Bull'-eye maps (201Tl distribution maps at Ex and RD and 201Tl washout rate [WOR] map) were made from myocardial tomograms. In 23 patients with LBBB, 15 patients (65%) developed myocardial perfusion abnormality. In 10 (67%) of these 15 patients, transient perfusion defect appeared in the entire septum (diffuse type). On the other hand in 5 patients (33%), localized fixed perfusion defect developed at the boundary between septum and anterior wall (focal type). In focal type, every patient had other disease such as hypertension, aortic stenosis or sick sinus syndrome. While in patients with diffuse type, other diseases were observed in 30% (p less than 0.05) and they were limited to hypertension or diabetes mellitus. These facts suggested that mechanisms of perfusion abnormalities might be different between these two groups. We compared the perfusion abnormality between LBBB diffuse type and CAD. The extent of the defects was not different between two groups. Although apex was included within the defect in 89% of CAD population, apical defect was observed in only 20% of diffuse type (p less than 0.05). Minimal 201Tl WOR and 201Tl uptake ratio of septum to lateral wall indicated that exercise induced septal defect was slighter in diffuse type than CAD.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

A Case of Pelvic Osteomyelitis

A patient presenting with osteomyelitis of the pelvis is described. In this case it was difficult to establish a correct diagnosis by use of scintigraphic scanning, in spite of clear roentgenographic evidence of osteomyelitis.     

Human monocyte antigens in a random sample from Japan.

We studied a random sample of Japanese and compared both Japanese and German monocyte antigen frequencies and performed a segregation analysis in Japanese families. In Japanese, the following gene frequencies were established: 0.1033 for HMA-A1; 0.0299 for HMA-A3; 0.0033 for HMA-A6; 0.1521 for HMA-B2. Data on the gene frequency in Germans were presented by Rose. In this comparison, the frequency for HMA-B2 in Japanese is more than two times higher; for antigen HMA-A6, the Japanese is a fifth of the German quantity. The antigen HMA-B4 was not found in Japanese. The results we obtained from family analysis confirmed an unambiguous autosomal, codominant inheritance of the examined HMA antigens.