Brief counting method of airborne Cryptomeria japonica pollen by a combination of fluorescence antibody staining and flow cytometry]

Airborne pollens collected in a pollen collector (Virtual Impactor) was treated with a fluorescein isothiocyanate-labeled monoclonal antibody (KW-S10) which was strictly specific to Japanese cedar pollen antigen (Cry j I). Flow cytometric analysis revealed that the intensity of fluorescence of the pollen samples treated with the antibody was greater than that of non-treated reference pollen or the antibody treated Hinoki-cypress pollen. By use of this method, it may be possible to display the airborne pollen concentration within 20 min after sampling.     

Studies on condensed-heterocyclic azolium cephalosporins. V. Synthesis and antibacterial activity of 3-(condensed-triazolo-pyridinium, -pyrimidinium, and -pyridazinium)-methyl cephalosporins.

As a part of our studies on cephalosporins bearing condensed-heterocyclic azolium methyl groups at the 3 position in the cephalosporin nucleus, we describe here the synthesis and antibacterial activity of 7 beta-[2-(2-aminothiazol-4-yl)2(Z)-methoxyiminoacetamido] cephalosporins (1-16, 7 beta-[2-(2-amino-5-chlorothiazol-4-yl)-2(Z)- methoxyiminoacetamido] cephalosporins (17,18) and 7 beta-[2-(5-amino- 1,2,4-thiadiazol-3-yl)-2(Z)-methoxyiminoacetamido) cephalosporins (19-23) containing a variety of condensed-heterocyclic triazolium methyl groups at the 3 position in the cephalosporin nucleus. These cephalosporins exhibited potent antibacterial activity, and it appears that condensed-heterocyclic triazolium as well as condensed-heterocyclic imidazolium rings are effective moieties for improving antibacterial activity and the spectrum of activity. Among the cephalosporins tested, 7 beta-[2-(2-aminothiazol-4-yl)-2(Z)-methoxyiminoacetamido]-3-(5- methyl[1,2,3]triazolo-[1,5-alpha]pyridinium-1-yl)methyl-3-cephem-4- carboxylate (9) and 7 beta-[2-(2-aminothiazol-4-yl)-2(Z)-methoxyiminoacetamido]-3-(6- methoxy[1,2,4]triazolo[1,5-alpha]pyridinium-1-yl)methyl-3-cephem-4- carboxylate (11) showed good antibacterial activity.     

Uveitis associated with human T-cell lymphotropic virus type I.

Seroepidemiologic, clinical, and virologic studies were performed to determine whether human T-cell lymphotropic virus type I was closely associated with uveitis in two hospitals. One hospital was in an endemic area of the virus (Miyakonojo, Miyazaki) and the other hospital was in a less endemic area (Kurume). In the endemic area, the seroprevalence of the virus in patients with uveitis without defined causes (35.4%, 62 of 175 patients) was significantly higher than that in patients with nonuveitic ocular diseases (16.1%, 42 of 261 patients), or in patients with uveitis with defined causes (10.3%, eight of 78 patients). The seroprevalence in younger patients (20 to 49 years of age) with uveitis without defined causes in the area was 44.8% (30 of 67 patients), whereas it was only 9.3% (ten of 107 patients) in the other two groups. A similar observation was recorded even in the less endemic area (Kurume). Because the seroprevalence of the virus in the general population is known to be low in younger patients and to increase with age, these findings were interpreted to indicate that the association of human T-cell lymphotropic virus type I with uveitis was significant. Most patients, particularly those aged 20 through 49 years, had an intermediate uveitis characterized by a moderate inflammation in the vitreous body accompanied by an iritis and retinal vasculitis. The ocular symptoms in the patients differed from those of other types of uveitis common in Japan (Beh?et's disease, Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada's disease, and toxoplasmosis, for example).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

HTLV-I uveitis: a distinct clinical entity caused by HTLV-I.

Seroepidemiological, clinical and virological studies were carried out in an HTLV-I endemic area to find out if HTLV-I caused an intraocular inflammatory disorder, uveitis. The seroprevalence in patients with uveitis without defined etiologies (62/175, 35.4%) was significantly higher than that in patients with non-uveitic ocular diseases (42/261, 16.1%) or in patients with uveitis with defined etiologies (8/78, 10.3%). Moreover, the seroprevalence in young adults (20-49 years) with uveitis without defined etiologies was 30/67 (44.8%), whereas it was only 10/107 (9.3%) in the other two groups. The uveitis in HTLV-I carriers was characterized clinically by a moderate inflammation of the vitreous body accompanied by a mild iritis and retinal vasculitis. The proviral DNA of HTLV-I was detected by polymerase chain reaction from the inflammatory cells in the anterior chamber in 9 out of 9 seropositive patients with the uveitis, but not in any of the tested patients with other types of uveitis. These data, thus, indicate that HTLV-I causes a specific type of intraocular inflammation, uveitis.     

Effect of myasthenic IgG on degradation of junctional acetylcholine receptor

We investigated the effect of the lgG from patients with myasthenia gravis (MG) on the degradation of normal rat junctional acetylcholine receptor (AChR) labeled with ¹²⁵l-α-bungarotoxin (BuTx) and calculated the degradation rate (DR). The DR for the lgG from these patients was significantly higher than that from healthy volunteers and patients with other autoimmune diseases. For MG, DR was significantly correlated with the severity of the disease but not with anti-AChR antibody titer. DR was accelerated by lgG from patients with generalized MG whose antibody titers were in the normal range and by lgG from patients with ocular MG. These results indicate that measurement of the DR of junctional AChR in normal rats is more closely correlated with the severity of the disease than is measurement of anti-AChR antibody and that the former is a sensitive and confirmatory method for evaluating MG. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Autoperfusion balloon catheter for treatment of vertebral artery stenosis

Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) of the vertebral artery was performed with an autoperfusion balloon catheter in five patients. There were no complications in the form of embolic episodes or neurological deficits due to brain ischaemia during inflation. In critical cases with insufficient collateral circulation during temporary occlusion, the use of an autoperfusion balloon catheter may expand the indications for PTA in patients with ischaemic cerebrovascular disease.     

New animal models for psychogenic impotence: an ethological approach to copulatory disorder induced by social stress]

Although various experimental models of mental illness, such as anxiety and depression, have been developed, little attention has been paid to male psychogenic impotence. Since sociopsychological factors are presumed to play an important role in many cases of human impotence, an animal model of psychogenic impotence is needed to satisfy such validity. From an ethological viewpoint, we have recently developed new animal models for psychogenic impotence using sociopsychological manipulations, that is, social deprivation and social conflict. This review focused only on the methodology and the actions of drugs on such copulatory disorder induced by social stress. Possible brain mechanisms underlying stress-induced copulatory disorder were also considered.     

Loss of mammalian Sprouty2 leads to enteric neuronal hyperplasia and esophageal achalasia

We report here that loss of the Sprouty2 gene (also known as Spry2) in mice resulted in enteric nerve hyperplasia, which led to esophageal achalasia and intestinal pseudo-obstruction. Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) induced hyperactivation of ERK and Akt in enteric nerve cells. Anti-GDNF antibody administration corrected nerve hyperplasia in Sprouty2-deficient mice. We show Sprouty2 to be a negative regulator of GDNF for the neonatal development or survival of enteric nerve cells.     

Effects of Maharishi Amrit Kalash 5 as an Ayurvedic herbal food supplement on immune functions in aged mice

Background  

Maharishi Amrit Kalash (MAK) 5, one of the Ayurvedic food supplements, belongs to a group of substances known as Rasayana. MAK5 and other Rasayanas are believed to enhance the body's resistance to infections and disease, and enhance longevity. In this study, we determined the effects of administration of MAK5, one of the Ayurvedic food supplements on immune functions in young and old mice.