Clinical usefulness of the measurement of plasma D-dimer levels

To evaluate the clinical usefulness of D-dimer, various effects on the measurement of D-dimer were examined. Although both fibrinolytic and fibrinogenolytic products were detected by the measurement of FDP, only fibrinolytic products were detected by the measurement of D-dimer. In patients with DIC and other thrombo-embolic diseases, plasma D-dimer levels were significantly higher than in normal persons. A significant positive correlation between plasma D-dimer and serum FDP was found in DIC patients. In patients with DIC associated with acute promyelocytic leukemia, which is thought to be an increased fibrinogenolysis state, serum FDP was higher than the plasma D-dimer which suggests that increased fibrinogenolysis affects the result of serum FDP measurement. Plasma D-dimer significantly increased 5 minutes after endoscopic embolization with thrombin in the patients with esophageal varices. However serum FDP increased 30 minutes after the treatment, which suggests that the D-dimer is more useful for rapid detection of coagulo-fibrinolytic change than serum FDP. Plasma D-dimer was significantly higher in patients with cerebral infarction and increased with age. These finding suggest the usefulness of plasma D-dimer measurement for the specific and rapid evaluation of coagulo-fibrinolytic activation and thrombo-embolic state.     

CD8+ T cells from feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) infected cats suppress exogenous FIV replication of their peripheral blood mononuclear cells in vitro

Summary.  Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) isolates from domestic cats have been classified into five subtypes, designated A, B, C, D and E. Although many FIV-infected cats may have frequent contact with multiple strains of FIV, they usually become infected with a single FIV subtype. In the present study, we demonstrate that peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of FIV infected cats were resistant to exogenous FIV (second virus) replication in vitro and that the resistance of these PBMC was mediated by CD8⁺ T cells. In cats with a low anti-FIV activity of CD8⁺ T cells, the proviral DNA of the second virus inoculated into PBMC was detected intracellularly, and both the second and the originally infecting strain (original virus) were produced in the culture supernatant. In contrast, in cats with a high anti-FIV activity of CD8⁺ T cells, both the proviral DNA of the second virus and the original virus were detected in PBMC intracellularly, but neither virus was produced in the culture supernatant. However, when PBMCs from these cats were depleted of CD8⁺ T cells, the RNA of both viruses was detected in the culture supernatant. These results suggest that CD8⁺ T cells inhibit the late phase of FIV replication after viral integration. Moreover, the inhibition was also effective against FIV strains of different subtypes from that of the original strain. It appears that the CD8⁺ T cell-mediated immune response plays important roles in the maintenance of an asymptomatic state in FIV-infected cats and their resistance to superinfection. Received December 11, 2001; accepted March 22, 2002 Published online June 21, 2002     

Pituitary Folliculo-Stellate-Like Cells Stimulate Somatotroic Pituitary Tumor Growth in Nude Mice

A new cell line (TtT/GF) established from a murine pituitary thyrotropic tumor having characteristics similar to those of pituitary folliculo-stellate cell (FS cell) was implanted into nude mice together with cells from a rat pituitary somatotrophic tumor cell line (MtT/S) to determine whether the former enhances pituitary tumor growth. For as long as 2-3 mo after implantation, MtT/S cells implanted either alone or together with fibroblasts formed either no tumors or only very small tumors in the nude mice. In contrast all of the nude mice that had received MtT/S cells implanted together with TtT/GF cells developed large tumors. Furthermore, the mice bearing the MtT/S and TtT/GF implants showed a significantly higher body weight and serum growth hormone level than those bearing only MtT/S cells or a combination of MtT/S cells and fibroblasts. The TtT/GF cell line itself had no tumorigenicity during the experimental period. Therefore, the TtT/GF cell line as a model of FS cells enhanced pituitary endocrine cell tumor formation. Additionally, immunocytochemistry showed that TtT/GF cells positive for glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) or S-100 protein were present in the parenchymatous tissue elements or connective tissue surrounding the tumor nests. In the parenchymatous tissue, the TtT/GF cells exhibited a stellate appearance and surrounded neighboring tumor cells with their long cell processes. These results suggest that TtT/GF cells can serve as a model for pituitary FS cells, and are capable of stimulating pituitary tumor growth either by modifying the microenvironment or producing growth factors.     

Regulatory volume decrease in northern fur seal (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Callorhinus ursinus</Emphasis>) red blood cells

The cation transport and regulatory volume decrease (RVD) were investigated in the red blood cells (RBCs) of northern fur seals (Callorhinus ursinus). Extracellular Ca-dependent Na efflux was increased to threefold by hypotonicity. K–Cl cotransport activity was not detected by hypotonic medium, but measured only by nitrite or N-ethylmaleimide stimulation. RBCs were restored to their original volume after being swollen in hypoosmotic medium with Ca, though this recovery was inhibited by the addition of quinidine. Based on these results, Na/Ca exchange transporter played the major role in the regulatory volume decrease in the RBCs of northern fur seals. H. Fujise has passed away.     

Abnormal expression of complement receptor (CR1) in IgA nephritis: increase in erythrocytes and loss on glomeruli in patients with impaired renal function

The number of complement receptor for C3b (CR1) molecules in erythrocytes from patients with renal diseases was measured by an immunoradiometric assay using monoclonal antibodies against CR1. IgA nephritis patients with high serum creatinine value (Scr) showed markedly elevated levels of CR1, whereas patients with normal Scr had normal CR1 levels. A similar increase in CR1 number was observed in membranoproliferative glomerular nephritis with high Scr. CR1 of these patients functioned normally as a cofactor of C3b inactivator in cleaving immune complex-bound C3b. In contrast, a high frequency (5/6) of negative staining of glomerular CR1 was observed in IgA nephritis patients with high Scr by immunofluorescence study. We postulate that the disease-associated, acquired factors at least in part contribute to the abnormal expression of CR1: elevated levels in erythrocytes and defective expression on glomeruli.     

Elevated nasal mucosal G protein levels and histamine receptor affinity in a guinea pig model of nasal hyperresponsiveness

BACKGROUND: Nasal hyperresponsiveness is a common feature of allergic rhinitis, but the underlying mechanisms have yet to be elucidated. The effects of repeated antigen inhalation on the characteristics of histamine H(1) receptors and expression levels of heterotrimeric guanosine 5'-triphosphate-binding proteins in nasal mucosa were investigated to understand the mechanisms of the pathogenesis of nasal hyperresponsiveness in allergic rhinitis. METHODS: Male Hartley guinea pigs were sensitized by the inhalation of dinitrophenylated ovalbumin antigen (10 mg of protein/ml) and repeatedly challenged by inhaling aerosolized dinitrophenylated ovalbumin antigen for 3 weeks. Twenty-four hours after the last antigen inhalation, in vivo nasal responsiveness to histamine was measured. [(3)H]Mepyramine binding assays and immunoblotting for alpha subunits of the G(q) protein were also performed using membrane preparations of isolated nasal mucosae. RESULTS: The histamine-induced increase in intranasal pressure was significantly augmented after repeated antigen challenge, indicating that nasal hyperresponsiveness was achieved. In saturation binding studies, no significant change was observed in the density and antagonist affinity of H(1) receptors in the hyperresponsive animals. On the other hand, the affinity of histamine for high-affinity agonist binding sites in the hyperresponsive group, measured by histamine competition binding studies, was much greater than that in control animals, and these results were affected by guanosine 5'-O-(3-thiotriphosphate) in both groups. Moreover, Galpha(q) levels in nasal mucosal homogenates were significantly increased after repeated antigen challenge. CONCLUSIONS: Elevated G protein levels in nasal mucosa might induce an increased binding affinity of histamine to its receptors, resulting in an augmented nasal response to histamine, that is, nasal hyperresponsiveness, in guinea pigs.     

A case of the esophageal candidiasis supposedly caused by rhinenchysis steroid chronic administration before sleep]

In general, steroid is mainly used as anti-inflammatory action in case of allergic diseases. As one of the side effects of inhalation steroid, a report is given below regarding buccal capsule/esophageal candidiasis. The patient came to the hospital with the chief complaint regarding passage dysphagia in the time of deglutition; pharyngitis and esophageal candidiasis were found by endoscopy of upper gastrointestinal tract.The interview after the endoscopy revealed that the patient, a 69-year-old female was diagnosed as chronic perennial allergic rhinitis a few years ago, and had been inhaling rhinenchysis Beclometasone dipropionate (BDP) before sleep every day for the past two years because using this collunarium seemed to mitigate the nasal obstruction and mucus during sleep. The patient did not report this fact before the endocsopy because she did not associate it with her subjective symptom. In this case, it was assumed that nebulized rhinenchysis BDP was accidentally swallowed to the pharynx and esophagus during sleep. As a treatment, rhinenchysis BDP was canceled and instead Azunol mouth washing (gargling/nasal douche) was used. No antifungal agent was used. In two weeks, the patient reported some improvement, and this was confirmed by reexamination of the upper gastrointestinal tract using endoscope in one month and a half. Pharyngitis was improved, and in the digital endoscopic assessment of esophageal candidiasis complicating inhaled steroid therapy the esophageal candidiasis became Grade I (mild grade). As for the later progress, the patient did not report any subjective symptoms such as nasal obstruction and dysphagia. In addition, the inflammation caused by candidiasis and found in the early examination was improved. The patient in this case was under treatment for thrombosis in the vein of lower extremity, but no complications such as diabetes mellitus or immune deficiency syndrome were observed. DISCUSSION: Esophageal candidiasis by chronic administration of inhalation of steroid before sleep for asthmatic patients has been reported. However, there has not been a report of esophageal candidiasis by chronic administration of rhinenchysis steroid before sleep for patients with allergic rhinitis. Similarly, in the case of the use of steroid in the form of collunarium before sleep, steroid stayed in the esophagus via the transendothelial nasal cavity, and that seemed to cause, in the long run, to develop esophageal candidiasis. CONCLUSIONS: One of the implications of the above case is that collunarium can go down, even when it is nebulized in the nasal cavity, to the esophagus via the nasal cavity to buccal capsule. This suggests the necessity for preventative measures in the case of chronic administration of steroid as follows. A. Blowing of the nose just after the use of collunarium B. Daily rinsing (gargling and nasal douche).     

Synthesis and properties of thermotropic liquid-crystalline polymers containing transition metals

New thermotropic, liquid-crystalline polyesters ( 5a, b, 6a, b ) with mesogenic bipyridinediyl units were synthesized. They form complexes with Fe(II) and Cu(II) salts. Homopolyesters 5a, b , containing no metal or less than a certain amount of metal, are smectic. A nematic mesophase was observed in the case of copolyester 6a, b . The structural properties of a polyester complex 5a with Cu, as crystal, liquid-crystal and isotropic liquid, were examined by ESR.     

Why is the diverse U letter relationship between embarrassment and psychological distance observed? In view of Schlenker and Leary (1982)'s self-presentation model of social anxiety

The aim of the present study is to explain why there is "the diverse U letter relationship" between embarrassment and psychological distance empirically, in view of Schlenker and Leary (1982)'s self-presentation model of social anxiety. In Study 1, those relationships were observed in three different situations. In Study 2, the main effect of motivation for avoiding rejection and the damage of self-image, and their interaction with embarrassment was examined by hierarchical regression analysis. In the first step, the psychological distance, in the second step, the main effect of both, and in the third step, the interaction was entered. As a result, in the second step, both main effects were significant, but in the third step, only interaction was significant, and both main effects were not significant. This showed that the interaction could predict embarrassment, although the psychological distance was controlled. Finally, this result was discussed in view of social norm.