Traumatic dislocation of the testes

Traumatic dislocation of the testis is an unusual disorder. A case of bilateral traumatic dislocation of the testes is presented. Ultrasound examination is very useful for determination of the preoperative diagnosis and management of the dislocated testis.     

Development of new immunoradiometric assay for CA 125 antigen using two monoclonal antibodies produced by immunizing lung cancer cells

CA 125 is an antigen associated with non-mucinous epithelial ovarian cancer, which is defined by OC 125 antibody developed by immunizing ovarian cancer cells. We have produced two monoclonal antibodies, 130-22 and 145-9, by using the human lung adenocarcinoma cell line PC-9. Both 130-22 and 145-9 antibodies recognized CA 125 antigen. However, the binding sites seemed to be separate from those of OC 125. Testing by 9 immunoradiometric assays (IRMA), using different combinations of the 3 monoclonal antibodies 130-22, 145-9 and OC 125 demonstrated that the best standard curve for detecting CA 125 could be obtained by a "simultaneous sandwich" assay based on a mixture of 125I-labeled OC 125 and 130-22 or 145-9 coated beads. One-step IRMA, using 130-22 as a tracer and 145-9 as an immunoadsorbent, also showed good reproducibility and sensitivity for measuring CA 125. Antigens were detectable in the culture supernatants of PC-9 cells and 5 of 6 ovarian cancer and endometrial adenocarcinoma cells. These results indicate that one-step IRMA using 130-22 and 145-9 is useful for detecting CA 125 antigen.     

Renal and hormonal effects of alpha1-adrenoceptor blockade by bunazosin in essential hypertension

Summary The renal and hormonal effects of the ₁-adrenoceptor blocker bunazosin were examined in 6 patients with essential hypertension. Oral bunazosin for 4 to 12 weeks significantly decreased mean blood pressure by 10%, increased effective renal blood flow and creatinine clearance by 34% and 37%, respectively, the plasma norepinephrine concentration was elevated by 60%, and the plasma atrial natriuretic peptide level was lowered by 22%. The plasma renin activity and aldosterone concentration were unchanged. Thus, a moderate reduction in blood pressure was produced by bunazosin treatment while maintaining renal perfusion.     

Immunologic immaturity, but high IL-4 productivity, of murine neonatal thymic CD4 single-positive T cells in the last stage of maturation

To determine the levels of maturation and differentiation ofmurine CD4 single-positive (SP) T cells, we compared the secondaryresponses of staphylococcal enterotoxin A (SEA)-induced neonatalthymic, adult thymic and adult splenic CD4 SP T cell blastsprepared from whole or heat-stable antigen^low CD4 SP T cells.Proliferative responses upon re-stimulation with SEA were strongin adult splenic CD4 SP T cell blasts, but quite weak in neonatalthymic and adult thymic CD4 SP T cell blasts. SEA-induced IL-2production was weaker in neonatal thymic blasts than in theadult splenic CD4 SP T cell blasts. In contrast, SEA-inducedIL-4 production was high in neonatal thymic CD4 SP T cell blasts,and low in adult splenic and thymic CD4 SP T cell blasts. Expressionof GATA-3, that directs production of IL-4 in T cells, examinedat protein and mRNA levels, was higher in neonatal thymic cellsthan in adult thymic and splenic cells. These results suggestthat neonatal and adult thymic CD4 SP T cells in the final stageof maturation are relatively immature compared with adult splenicCD4 SP T cells. The cytokine production profile of neonatalthymic CD4 SP T cells suggests that they are inclined towardsa T_h2 response.     

An assessment of PKI and networked electronic patient record system: lessons learned from real patient data exchange at the platform of OCHIS (Osaka Community Healthcare Information System)

To enhance medical cooperation between the hospitals and clinics around Osaka local area, the healthcare network system, named Osaka Community Healthcare Information System (OCHIS), was established with support of a supplementary budget from the Japanese government in fiscal year 2002. Although the system has been based on healthcare public key infrastructure (PKI), there remain security issues to be solved technically and operationally. An experimental study was conducted to elucidate the central and the local function in terms of a registration authority and a time stamp authority in contract with the Japanese Medical Information Systems Organization (MEDIS) in 2003. This paper describes the experimental design and the results of the study concerning message security.     

Electrophysiological comparison between patients with Binswanger's encephalopathy and Alzheimer's disease

Short-latency somatosensory (SSEPs), brainstem auditory evoked potentials (BAEPs) and event-related potentials (ERPs) were studied in 7 patients with Binswanger's encephalopathy, 12 patients with Alzheimer's disease and 17 normal subjects. Patients with Binswanger's encephalopathy showed significantly prolonged central conduction time (CCT) and P300 latency, and prolonged tendency of I-V IPL compared to those of normal subjects. In particular, CCT showed significant prolongation compared to that of patients with Alzheimer's disease. In patients with Alzheimer's disease, I-V IPL and P300 latency were significantly prolonged compared to those of normals although there was no significant difference in CCT between Alzheimer's disease and normal subjects. These results indicate some difference between Binswanger's encephalopathy and Alzheimer's disease from the electrophysiological aspects although both of these entities are characterized by progressive mental deterioration.     

Genotyping of Mycobacterium leprae on the basis of the polymorphism of TTC repeats for analysis of leprosy transmission

The polymorphism of TTC repeats in Mycobacterium leprae was examined using the bacilli obtained from residents in villages at North Maluku where M. leprae infections are highly endemic (as well as from patients at North Sulawesi of Indonesia) to elucidate the possible mode of leprosy transmission. TTC genotypes are stable for several generations of passages in nude mice footpads and, hence, are feasible for the genotyping of isolates and epidemiological analysis of leprosy transmission. It was found that bacilli with different TTC genotypes were distributed among residents at the same dwelling in villages in which leprosy is endemic and that some household contacts harbored bacilli with a different genotype from that harbored by the patient. Investigations of a father-and-son pair of patients indicated that infections of bacilli with 10 and 18 copies, respectively, had occurred. Genotypes of TTC repeats were found to differ between a son under treatment and two brothers. These results reveal the possibility that in addition to exposure via the presence of a leprosy patient with a multibacillary infection who was living with family members, there might have been some infectious sources to which the residents had been commonly exposed outside the dwellings. A limited discriminative capacity of the TTC polymorphism in the epidemiological analysis implies the need of searching other useful polymorphic loci for detailed subdivision of clinical isolates.     

Nuclear accumulation of beta-catenin in intestinal-type gastric carcinoma: correlation with early tumor invasion

Mutation of the adenomatous polyposis coli gene, which is known to be an early event in the carcinogenesis of intestinal-type gastric carcinoma, leads to accumulation of beta-catenin. In addition, beta-catenin has been found to activate down stream signaling molecules in the wingless/Wnt pathway. In this study, the clinical significance of nuclear accumulation of beta-catenin was evaluated in gastric carcinoma. Immunohistochemical staining showed nuclear localization in 16 (12%) of 139 (94 intestinal-type and 45 diffuse-type) gastric carcinomas, and all 16 lesions with nuclear staining were intestinal-type adenocarcinomas. Of the 16 cases, 15 were in the early clinical stage. In the remaining case, the lesion had invaded the subserosal layer and showed strong nuclear staining at the invasive front. In 14 of the 16 cases with nuclear localization, there were no abnormal mobility shifts detected using polymerase chain reaction-single strand conformational polymorphism analysis. This was confirmed using direct sequencing analysis, which revealed the wild-type sequence in the 12 cases tested. Nuclear accumulation of beta-catenin did not correlate with lymph node metastasis or 5-year survival. These findings suggest that high intranuclear levels of beta-catenin protein play an important role in early tumor growth and may function in initiation of invasive processes in intestinal-type gastric carcinoma.     

Epitope-specific impairment of production of antibody against merozoite surface glycoprotein 1 of Plasmodium falciparum in symptomatic patients with malaria

We analyzed the relationships between levels of antibody specific for merozoite surface glycoprotein-1 (MSP1) of Plasmodium falciparum and clinical manifestations in humans. We prepared recombinant MSP1 proteins representing block 3 (M3), block 6 (M6), blocks 1–6 (M1/6), and block 17. When we divided the slide-positive individuals in Guadalcanal into symptomatic and asymptomatic groups, the former group showed lower IgG levels against M6 and block 17, but not against M3, than did the asymptomatic group (P < 0.01). The possibility of nonspecific suppression was unlikely, given that the levels of antibody against poliomyelitis virus observed in the two groups were almost the same. Among the IgG subclasses tested, production of cytophilic IgG₃ seemed to be dominant. When we analyzed epitopes recognized by antibodies against block 17, a peptide (SSSNFLGIS) was preferentially recognized by sera from asymptomatic individuals. These results suggest that clinical symptoms occurring during falciparum malaria seem to be associated with the development of levels of antibody against particular epitopes on MSP1, which is under the control of an immunoregulatory mechanism. Received: 1 October 1999 / Accepted: 21 October 1999     

Thromboxane A2 modulates interaction of dendritic cells and T cells and regulates acquired immunity

Physical interaction of T cells and dendritic cells (DCs) is essential for T cell proliferation and differentiation, but it has been unclear how this interaction is regulated physiologically. Here we show that DCs produce thromboxane A2 (TXA2), whereas naive T cells express the thromboxane receptor (TP). In vitro, a TP agonist enhances random cell movement (chemokinesis) of naive but not memory T cells, impairs DC-T cell adhesion, and inhibits DC-dependent proliferation of T cells. In vivo, immune responses to foreign antigens are enhanced in TP-deficient mice, which also develop marked lymphadenopathy with age. Similar immune responses were seen in wild-type mice treated with a TP antagonist during the sensitization period. Thus, TXA2-TP signaling modulates acquired immunity by negatively regulating DC-T cell interactions.