Studies on the application of residual PCBs, PCQs and PCDFs concentrations to Yusho diagnosis

Results of Yusho annual inspection were reviewed from the view point of correlation of PCBs, PCQs and PCDFs concentration in blood or subcutaneous adipose tissue and clinical findings. To make discussion quantitative, fifteen terms of clinical findings on Yusho disease were quantified on the severity by evaluating (+) as 2 points, (+-) as 1 point and (-) as 0 point. First, the temporal variations of the severity of clinical findings on 5 Yusho patients were figured. Additionally, the temporal variations of blood triglyceride and PCBs concentration, and GOT were also surveyed. The adopted terms of clinical findings were general malaise, cough, sputum, headache, abdominal pain, peripheral neuropathy, soreness of joints, deformity of nails, comedo formation, acne-like eruption, secondary infection, scar formation, disorder of Meibomian glands, edema of eye lids and increased discharge from the eyes. During the investigated period from 1972 to 1988 the total score of clinical findings clearly decreased on two patients who had high score, tended to decrease on two other patients, and was not clear on another patient. Secondly, the correlation coefficients were calculated between each of PCDFs, PCBs or PCQs concentration in subcutaneous adipose tissue or blood and the total score at the year in which the adipose tissue and blood were taken. For the female patients the correlation coefficient of PCDFs concentration in subcutaneous adipose tissue and total score of clinical findings was the highest of all (r = 0.9885). However, for the male patients it was not available because the number of the subjects was only two. Thus far it has been reported that the powers of PCBs gas chromatogram pattern and PCQs concentration as criteria for Yusho diagnosis are low as for the subjects who belonged to the border area between Yusho patients and normal persons. This survey suggests that PCDFs concentration in subcutaneous adipose tissue can be a potent criterion that has a high correlation with the clinical findings of Yusho.     

Effect of epitope density on the induction of the IgE immune response in mice

The effect of hapten density on benzylpenicilloyl (BPO)-protein conjugates upon the induction of BPO-specific IgE immune response was investigated in BALB/c and C3H mice. Bovine gamma-globulin (BGG) and ovalbumin (OA) were employed as carrier proteins. In both strains of mice, moderately substituted conjugates (BPO19-BGG, and BPO-OA with an epitope density from 2 to 7.5) elicited a persistent BPO-specific IgE, while heavily substituted conjugates (BPO38-BGG) induced only a transient response. In contrast, lightly substituted conjugates (BPO3.2-, BPO9.5-BGG, and BPO1-OA) failed to produce BPO-specific IgE antibodies. There was no significant difference in carrier-specific IgE immune response among these various conjugates. These results suggest that moderately substituted hapten-protein conjugates are one of the favorable conditions for eliciting hapten-specific IgE immune response in mice.     

Mortality of silicosis patients among migrant workers

Migrant workers known in Japanese as "dekasegi" refer to workers who migrate seasonally from their town of residence to areas where work is readily available. The eastern part of Toyama Prefecture is well known as a source of migrant workers who engage in jobs associated with dust exposure such as tunnel projects. Most of these workers suffered from silicosis. A total of 695 migrant workers suffering from silicosis who had underwent health screening between 1977 and 1982 were followed until the end of 1983. For cases of death, the cause and date of death were individually confirmed on the basis of death certificates. Based on these data, the person-years of risk and cause-specific mortality rates were calculated. The mean person-years of risk per person was 4.7. During this period of observation, there were 75 deaths among these silicosis patients, giving a mortality rate of 23.0 per 1,000 person-years of risk. When classified by the Japanese roentgenographic category of pneumoconiosis, the mortality rate was 10.5 for category 1, 21.3 for category 2, 38.6 for category 3 and 49.3 for category 4. The mortality rates of categories 3 and 4 were significantly higher than those of categories 1 and 2. The highest cause-specific mortality rate among silicosis patients per 1,000 person-years was 5.2 for malignant neoplasms followed by 3.7 for pulmonary tuberculosis, 3.1 for both cardiovascular diseases and pneumoconiosis, and 2.8 for pneumonia and bronchitis. High mortality rates in the 50-69 age group were found among silicosis patients belonging to categories 3 and 4. By cause of death, the mortality rates of all malignant neoplasms (especially lung cancer), pulmonary tuberculosis, and cerebrovascular diseases were relatively high in this age group. In the 70-89 age group, the mortality rate of those belonging to categories 2, 3 and 4 was high and by cause of death the mortality rates of pneumoconiosis, pulmonary tuberculosis, all malignant neoplasms (especially lung cancer), cardiovascular diseases and pneumonia and bronchitis were high. The mortality rates of silicosis patients with abnormal findings in %VC, FEV1% and AaDO2 by pulmonary function tests tended to be higher than those of silicosis patients without such abnormalities.     

Immunohistochemical characterization of oligodendrogliomas: an analysis of multiple markers

Summary Twenty-eight oligodendrogliomas and seven oligoastrocytomas were immunotested by the peroxidase-antiperoxidase (PAP) method with antiglial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) serum, anti-Leu 7 monoclonal antibody (Mab), anti-myelin-associated glycoprotein (MAG) Mab, anti-myelin basic protein (MBP) serum, anti-carbonic anhydrase C (CA C) serum and anti-neuron-specific enolase (NSE) serum. The immunoreactivity of their vascular pattern was studied withUlex europaeus type I lectin (UEA I). According to their morphology and distribution GFAP-positive cells were respectively interpreted as reactive astrocytes, neoplastic astrocytes and neoplastic oligodendrocytes. Reactive astrocytes were found in the tumor, around the tumor and surrounding the supporting blood vessels. Neoplastic astrocytes were mainly found in the oligoastrocytomas and usually closely intermingled with neoplastic oligodendrocytes. GFAP-positive neoplastic oligodendrocytes were found in the typical oligodendrogliomatous areas. They had central nuclei and GFA positivity was mainly found in the perinuclear cytoplasm. They correspond to the gliofibrillary oligodendrocytes described by Herpers and Budka [11]. Of the oligodendrogliomas 91% displayed Leu 7 positivity, but anti-Leu 7 cannot be considered as a specific marker for oligodendrogliomas since other neuroepithelial tumors have been reported to react with this antibody [20]. MAG-, CA C- and NSE-positivities were found in a number of tumor cells in a few oligodendrogliomas. All the tumor cells were MBP-negative, but myelin sheaths and fragments of myelin in the infiltrated white matter were clearly demonstrated by this antiserum. UEA I strikingly demonstrated the vascular pattern of the tumors, and its usefulness as a discriminating marker for the supportive endothelial cells was confirmed.Dedicated to Prof. F. Seitelberger on the occasion of his seventieth birthdaySupported by a grant from the Fondation Suisse de Bourses de Médecine et Biologie (EP) and by Research Grant CA 31271 from the National Cancer Institute, US Department of Health and Human Services (LJR)     

A possible paracellular route for the resolution of hydrocephalic edema

Summary Considering the possibility of a paracellular route for edema resolution we studied the microvasculature of the subependymal and subcortical white matter in hydrocephalic rats. Normal adult rats were used as controls. After injection of kaolin suspension into the cisterna magna, the animals were killed at intervals of 1, 2, 4, and 8 weeks. In hydrocephalic rats at 1 week after kaolin injection, widening of the interendothelical cleft between the tight junction (dehiscence) was seen in 27 of 76 (35%) vessels. At 2 weeks after kaolin injection, the number of the dehiscences had increased (39/7:56%) and some were enlarged, forming interendothelial blisters. At 4 weeks in hydrocephalic rats, both dehiscences and blisters were still prominent (45/7363%) and at 8 weeks the dehiscences were still prominent, but the number of the blisters had decreased (25/8131%). The blisters and dehiscences were most pronounced in the corpus callosum and occipital regions. Following i.v. injection of horseradish peroxidase, the interendothelial dehiscences and blisters were completely devoid of the marker substance. These findings indicate that in obstructive hydrocephalus the tight junctions may constitute part of a paracellular pathway for the resorption of interstitial edema fluid.     

Effects of Daily Matcha and Caffeine Intake on Mild Acute Psychological Stress-Related Cognitive Function in Middle-Aged and Older Adults: A Randomized Placebo-Controlled Study

Matcha, a type of green tea, has a higher amino acid content than other types of tea. We previously examined the ability of matcha to improve cognitive function in older adults and determined that continuous matcha intake improves attention and executive function. This study aimed to compare the effects of matcha and caffeine and clarify the differences between these effects. The study was registered at the University Hospital Medical Information Network (UMIN000036578). The effect of single and continuous intake was compared, and the usefulness of continuous intake was evaluated under the stress condition. The Uchida–Kraepelin test (UKT) was used to induce mild acute stress, and the Cognitrax was used to evaluate cognitive function. A single dose of caffeine improved attentional function during or after stress loading. The reduced reaction time in the Cognitrax, observed following a single dose of matcha, was likely due to caffeine. The matcha group showed an increase in the amount of work after continuous intake, whereas the caffeine group only showed an increase in the amount of work for the UKT after a single dose. Ingesting matcha with caffeine improves both attention and work performance when suffering from psychological stress compared with caffeine alone.     

Diagnostic impact of monitoring transcranial motor-evoked potentials to prevent ischemic complications during endovascular treatment for intracranial aneurysms

Neurosurgical Review - The present study aimed to determine the incidence of intraprocedural motor-evoked potential (MEP) changes and to correlate them with intraprocedural ischemic complications...     

Feasibility of a self‐assembling peptide hydrogel scaffold for meniscal defect: An in vivo study in a rabbit model

The inner avascular zone of the meniscus has limited healing capacity as the area is poorly vascularized. Although peptide hydrogels have been reported to regenerate bone and cartilage, their effect on meniscus regeneration remains unknown. We tested whether the self‐assembling peptide hydrogel scaffold KI24RGDS stays in the meniscal lesion and facilitates meniscal repair and regeneration in an induced rabbit meniscal defect model. Full‐thickness (2.0 mm diameter) cylindrical defects were introduced into the inner avascular zones of the anterior portions of the medial menisci of rabbit knees (n = 40). Right knee defects were left empty (control group) while the left knee defects were transplanted with peptide hydrogel (KI24RGDS group). Macroscopic meniscus scores were significantly higher in the KI24RGDS group than in the control group at 2, 4, and 8 weeks after surgery. Histological examinations including quantitative and qualitative scores indicated that compared with the control group, the reparative tissue in the meniscus was significantly enhanced in the KI24RGDS group at 2, 4, 8, and 12 weeks after surgery. Immunohistochemical staining showed that the reparative tissue induced by KI24RGDS at 12 weeks postimplantation was positive for Type I and II collagen. KI24RGDS is highly biocompatible and biodegradable, with strong stiffness, and a three dimensional structure mimicking native extracellular matrix and RGDS sequences that enhance cell adhesion and proliferation. This in vivo study demonstrated that KI24RGDS remained in the meniscal lesion and facilitated the repair and regeneration in a rabbit meniscal defect model.