The responses of isolated uterine arteries from pregnant sows to vasoconstrictive agents

Isometric contractions of isolated uterine arteries, mesenteric arteries and the thoracic aortae of nonpregnant and pregnant sows were measured in a modified Krebs-Henseleit solution in order to investigate the characteristics of the uterine artery responsiveness to vasopressor substances during pregnancy. Contractile response (delta T) of the uterine artery from pregnant sow to angiotensin II(A II) was significantly smaller than that from nonpregnant animal. On the other hand, delta T of uterine artery from pregnant sow to norepinephrine (NE) was greater than that from nonpregnant animal. NE-induced delta T of preparations from both pregnant and nonpregnant sow were suppressed nearly to the same level following the treatment of phentolamine, or verapamil in the incubation medium of 2.5mM Ca2+. In the Ca2+-free (EDTA 1mM) incubation medium, the responses decreased to the minimum degree. These results imply that conspicuous refractoriness of the uterine artery to A II during pregnancy is due to the changes in the characteristics of the uterine vascular wall, and the enhanced responsiveness to NE of the uterine artery may be due to the increased sensitivity in alpha-adrenergic receptor on the vasculature with the increase in Ca ion influx.     

Inhibition of sperm penetration through human zona pellucida by antisperm antibodies

An in vitro penetration test using human spermatozoa, sera, and eggs stored in a highly concentrated salt solution was designed for examination of the effect of antisperm antibodies on the process of fertilization. Spermatozoa from a healthy fertile donor incubated in modified Biggers, Whiiten and Whittingham (BWW) medium containing 7.5% antisperm-antibody-negative serum, could penetrate through the zonae pellucidae of the stored eggs, but not when the spermatozoa from the same donor had been incubated in modified BWW medium containing 7.5% antisperm-antibody-positive serum. After the antisperm-antibody-positive serum was absorbed with washed spermatozoa, the sperm penetration was not blocked. Therefore, antisperm antibodies appear to block human sperm penetration through the human zona pellucida.     

Differences in clinical significance of blood group antigens A, B, and H in carcinoma tissue in the uterine cervix

The losses of blood group antigens A, B, and H in carcinoma tissue of the uterine cervix were studied by the avidin-biotin-peroxidase complex (ABC) method and the relations of these losses to invasion and dedifferentiation of primary cancer were examined. The incidence of cases showing complete loss of A or B antigen increased in proportion to the progression of cancer, but in most cases even of invasive cancer, H antigen, the precursor of A and B antigens, was detected. Complete loss of H antigen was not demonstrated in well-differentiated keratinizing invasive carcinomas, but was seen in 15% (15/101) of the cases of large cell non-keratinizing type cancer and 50% (8/16) of those of small cell non-keratinizing type cancer. No relationship was found between losses of A, B, and H antigens and parametrial spread of carcinoma or metastasis to the pelvic lymph nodes, but the incidence of death within 2 years after hysterectomy was higher in H antigen-negative cases than in H antigen-positive cases. These results indicate that loss of A and B antigens depends on some activity of invasion of cancer, while loss of H antigen strongly indicates dedifferentiation of cancer cells and also may indicate a poor prognosis.     

Effects of fatness on the electrocardiogram in children aged 12-15 years

Using the 4-Lead Set Japanese Pediatric ECG Screening Criteria Proposal, the effects of fatness on the electrocardiograms were analyzed in 1025 junior high school children, aged 12-15 years (of whom 114 were obese). As the results show, significant differences were detected by the 1% two-sided test between the averages of the nonfat group and the middle- and high-fat groups with regard to S amplitude in leads V1-V3 for boys and girls, R amplitude in leads V4 and V5, SV1 + RV6, SV1 + RV5, and SV3 + RV3 for boys, and S amplitude in leads V4-V6 for girls. High R amplitudes were observed in leads V3 and V4 for the middle- and high-fat group of girls. When applying conventional ECG criteria for left ventricular hypertrophy to the middle- and high-fat groups of boys, the value of SV1 + RV6 greater than or equal to 4.5 mV instead of SV1 + RV6 greater than or equal to 5.0 mV is recommended.     

A Case of Tuberculous Uveitis Complicated by Myelodysplastic Syndrome

Background: Recently, the incidence of tuberculosis in compromised hosts has increased.Case: A 52-year-old man suffering from myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) had pulmonary tuberculosis. On June 22, 1996, we found a disc-sized choroidal lesion with milky appearance on the paramacular in his right eye. After 1 month, a similar choroidal lesion was found near the disc in the same eye. In spite of chemotherapy for MDS and antituberculosis medications, those choroidal lesions gradually enlarged. In November, satellite lesions were found around them. Some retinal exudates and hemorrhage were also detected in both eyes. He died on April 6, 1997. We found Langhan's giant cells in the choroid on the specimen of his eyes. So we judged the choroidal lesions to be tuberculous uveitis.Conclusion: This case showed choroidal tuberculosis and choroidal miliary tuberculosis in the same eye that were resistant to medications. We thought resistance to medication was due to destruction of the immune system by MDS.     

SHORT COMMUNICATION: Inhibitory effects of d-limonene on the development of colonic aberrant crypt foci induced by azoxymethane in F344 rats

The modifying effect of the monoterpenoid d-limonene in drinkingwater on the development of azoxymethane (AOM)-induced colonicaberrant crypt foci (ACF) was investigated in male F344 rats.The effects of d-limonene intake on ornithine decarboxylase(ODC) activity and on the silver stained nucleolar organizerregion protein (AgNOR) count in the colonic mucosa were alsoestimated. Animals were given 3 weekly s.c. injections of AOM(15mg/kg body wt) to induce ACF. These rats were treated withor without 0.5% d-limonene in the drinking water, starting 1week before the first dosing with AOM. All rats were killed2 weeks after the last AOM injection, to measure the numberof ACF, ODC activity and AgNOR count/ nucleus in the colon.In rats given AOM and d-limonene the frequencies of ACF andaberrant crypts/colon, and aberrant crypts/focus were significantlydecreased compared with those of rats given AOM alone (P <0.001, P < 0.001 and P < 0.001 respectively). Number ofAgNOR counts/nucleus of rats treated with AOM and d-limonenewas significantly smaller than that of rats treated with AOMalone (P < 0.001). These results suggest that the monoterpenoidd-limonene might be a chemopreventive agent for colonic carcinogenesisin rats.     

A dynamic test of hormonal sensitivity of gynecologic malignancy by use of an antiestrogen, tamoxifen

To assess the hormonal sensitivity of tumors, progestin receptor levels in the tumor were monitored before and after tamoxifen, 40 mg/day for 7 days in patients with various gynecologic malignancies. Tamoxifen induced progestin receptors in two of eight-cases of endometrial cancer, four of eight cases of cervical epidermoid cancer, and two of seven cases of cervical adenocarcinoma. Induction of progestin receptors did not occur in one case of uterine mixed müllerian tumor and there were no measured progestin receptors after tamoxifen treatment in three cases of ovarian cancer and in one case of benign ovarian tumor. Because induction of progestin receptors is the best-documented response of estrogen target cells to estrogenic stimuli, this induction of progestin receptor with tamoxifen may be considered to indicate the estrogen sensitivity of a tumor. Further study is warranted to determine whether hormonal sensitivity assessed by the use of tamoxifen might serve to select tumors likely to respond to hormonal therapy.