Clinical and immunological studies on patients with Graves' disease preoperatively treated with corticosteroids and iodides

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the acute effects of corticosteroid and iodide preoperative therapy in patients with Graves' disease in terms of thyroid function and immunological parameters. The above combination was prescribed for 4 patients who had experienced severe side effects from antithyroid drugs (ATD) in order to reduce the possibility of post-thyroidectomy thyroid storm. Corticosteroids were employed daily for four days, and iodides were given daily for two weeks prior to thyroidectomy. The free T₃ values decreased rapidly to euthyroid levels following the administration of both drugs, although the free T₄ values were still much higher than normal in 3 of the 4 patients at the time of surgery. By comparison, 3 of 8 patients treated with ATD also had thyroid hormone levels above normal. Studies of lymphocyte subsets revealed that the percentage of helper T cells was significantly less in the corticosteroidiodide treatment group than in the control and ATD groups. It is thus possible that postoperative thyroid storm might be prevented through corticosteroid-iodide therapy by virtue of the reduction of free T₃ values to within the normal range by the time of surgery. The acute suppression of helper T cells was another result of this form of therapy observed.     

Characterization of adenosine deaminase (ADA)-negative B-lymphoblastoid cells cocultured with ADA-positive fibroblasts

Abstract: A cell line, BAD05, derived from B lymphocytes of an adenosine deaminase (ADA; EC 3,5,4,4)-deficient patient could not proliferate in a serum-free medium containing 100 μmol/l deoxyadenosine. When BAD05 was cultured with ADA-positive fibroblasts, the proliferation of BAD05 was improved. BAD05 cell density increased when the initially mixed ratio of fibroblasts/BAD05 was 1/10 or higher, but decreased when the ratio was 1/20 or lower. Deoxyadenosine concentrations in the medium and ATP and deoxyATP (dATP) levels in the BAD05 were measured after 4 hours of coculture at initial BAD05 cell densities of 1 × 10⁵and 1 × 10⁶cells/ml. Deoxyadenosine concentrations in the medium decreased as the density of fibroblasts increased. The dATP level decreased as the mixed ratio rose. The ratio of fibroblasts/BAD05 rather than the cell density of fibroblasts had a larger effect on the dATP levels in BAD05. Under our experimental conditions, ADA-negative cells proliferated well when the ratio of ADA-positive cells/ADA-negative cells was over 1/10.     

Changes in somatosensory evoked responses by repetition of the median nerve stimulation

OBJECTIVE: We investigate the synaptic factor for the recovery function of evoked responses using a repetitive stimulation technique. METHODS: Somatosensory evoked cortical magnetic field (SEF) was recorded following stimulation of the median nerve using single to 6-train stimulation in 8 healthy subjects. The SEF responses after each stimulus in the train stimulation were extracted by subtraction of the waveforms. RESULTS: An attenuation of the SEF components was recognized after the second of the stimuli, but there was no significant attenuation with the third or later stimulations. The root mean square (RMS) of the 1M (peak latency at 20 ms after stimulation) and 4M (70 ms) components were smaller than that of the single stimulation during the train stimulation, while the 2M (30 ms) and 3M (45 ms) components were not attenuated, but the 3M was facilitated at the fourth to sixth stimulation. CONCLUSION: The synaptic factor was not responsible for the attenuation of the SEF components during repetitive stimulation in healthy subjects. The SEF change disclosed a functional difference among the SEF components during the train stimulation, especially among the later components.     

Application of in vivo microdialysis to pineal research in birds: Measurement of circadian rhythms of melatonin

Circadian rhythms of pineal melatonin release were measured in free-moving pigeons, Japanese quails, and chickens under light-dark cycles followed by constant dim light. Although melatonin levels differed among individual birds, circadian rhythms of melatonin were observed in all of them. Using this technique, we could examine phase shifts of melatonin rhythms and suppression of melatonin release by photic stimulation in pigeons. We could also examine effects of norepinephrine infusion on melatonin release. These results indicate that microdialysis is useful for the study of pineal melatonin rhythms in birds.     

Ca antagonist ameliorates glomerular injury via suppression of glomerular hypertrophy in spontaneously hypertensive rats

Summary: A study was conducted to determine whether calcium blockers (CCB) have renoprotective effects, and if so to elucidate the mechanisms of such effects.
A total of 30 uninephrectomized (UNX) spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR), 5 weeks of age, were divided into three groups. Group 1 was fed a diet containing 0.01% manidipine and 8% NaCl, while groups 2 and 3 were fed diets containing only 8 and 0.5% NaCl, respectively. Feeding of these diets began 7 days after UNX (experimental day 0). Bodyweight, urinary protein /24 h, urinary sodium excretion/24 h, and food intake were measured at certain time intervals.
At time of death (day 9 or 21), estimations of inulin clearance (Cin) and morphological evaluations, determination of glomerular sclerosis index (GSI), tubulointerstitial index (TII) and glomerular volume were performed.
Urinary protein was significantly higher in groups 1 and 2 than in group 3 from day 7 onward, but did not differ between the former two groups. Cin in group 2 was higher than in groups 1 and 3 on day 9, but declined to lower levels than in groups 1 and 3 by day 21. There was no difference in Cin between group 1 and group 3 on day 21. Morphometry (GSI and TII) revealed that renal lesions were more progressive in group 2 than in group 1. Glomeruli in group 2 were markedly larger than those in group 1, but no difference in glomerular volume was noted between groups 1 and 3.
Our findings suggest that CCB prevent progression of renal injury induced by accelerated hypertension in UNX SHR. the mechanisms of prevention may, at least in part, be related to suppression of glomerular hypertrophy. Inhibition of renal injury can be achieved without significant reduction of proteinuria.     

Clinical studies on the transabdominal resection of esophagocardial cancer and cervical anastomosis using bypass methods. Analysis of data on 76 patients

Transabdominal resection for esophagocardial cancer and reestablishment of alimentary continuity using bypass methods were performed in 76 patients. Thirteen underwent a bypass with a gastric tube and in 30, a colonic segment was prepared. In the remaining 33, a jejunal segment was used as a bypass organ, with considerable success. The 5 year survival rates were 68.8 per cent in those with stages (I+II), 16.5 per cent in those with stage III, 12.6 per cent in those with stage IV and 22.5 per cent in all cases, indicating similar results compared to those with cancer located in the upper third of the stomach with the limited proximal extension within the esophagocardial junction and operated on during the same period.     

Structural changes and cell viability of cultured epithelium after freezing storage

Numerous clinical reports have shown the utility of cultured epithelial grafting in the field of plastic and reconstructive surgery. Recently, freezing storage of the cultured epithelium has been tried and has successfully grafted after thawing. It is clinically convenient if it is possible for cultured epithelium to keep its normal structure and viability. However, few papers have described the structural changes in cultured epithelium after freezing storage. In the present study, the morphological changes and cell viability of cultured mucosal epithelial sheets after freezing were studied in comparison with cultured epidermal sheets. Furthermore, we discuss the effect of storage temperature and cryoprotectants.As a result, there were some structural changes such as vacuolar degeneration in the cultured mucosal sheets using dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO) as a cryoprotectant. Such changes were more clearly observed at −80°C than at −196°C with DMSO. However, little morphological change was observed in both epithelial sheets cultured with glycerin. The cell viability analysed by flow cytometry showed that more than 62% of the cells kept their viability after freezing storage. These results suggest that the optimum conditions of freezing for cultured epithelium were −196°C storage by slow cooling methods with glycerin as a cryoprotectant.     

Immunology: Diversity of the blocking effects of antisperm antibodies on fertilization in human and mouse

The blocking effects of complement-dependent sperm immobilizingantibodies in the sera of infertile women and monoclonal antispermantibodies against humans and mice on fertilization were investigated.The hemizona assay (HZA) and sperm penetration assay (SPA) wereused to study the inhibitory effects of sera from 22 infertilepatients positive for sperm immobilizing antibodies. Use ofthese tests allowed us to differentiate whether the antibodyblocked sperm—zona pellucida tight binding and/or spermpenetration into the ooplasm. The zona pellucida penetrationassay (ZPA) was also used to study the effects of four monoclonalantibodies (mAbs) on human sperm penetration into the zona pellucida.Seven mAbs against murine spermatozoa were tested for theirinhibitory effects on in-vitro fertilization (IVF) and HZA inmice. Of 22 patient sera with sperm immobilizing antibodies,21 (95.5%) inhibited HZA attachment and penetration, whereasthis did not occur in any of 13 patient sera without these antibodies.However, 19 of 22 (86.4%) patient sera with sperm immobilizingantibodies and eight of 13 (61.5%) patient sera without theseantibodies inhibited the SPA. Two (2C6, 1G12) of four mAbs againsthuman spermatozoa showed strong inhibitory effects in all theassays (HZA, ZPA and SPA). One mAb (3B10) did not inhibit HZAbut blocked ZPA and SPA. Another mAb (H6-3C4) seemed to haveno inhibitory effects on fertilization. Two (Vx 5 and Vx 8)of seven mAbs against murine spermatozoa inhibited IVF in micebut did not block mouse HZA. These findings suggest that antispermantibodies block fertilization at specific stages. Some of themmay inhibit sperm capacitation and thus prevent all processesof fertilization that follow. Some other antibodies may notaffect capacitation and sperm binding to zona pellucida butinhibit the acrosome reaction, followed by the blocking of spermpenetration through zona pellucida and ooplasm.     

Hemodynamic studies of portal hypertension with esophageal varices; a role of left gastric artery and vein

Hemodynamic states of portal hypertension with esophageal varices were studied by scintiphoto splenoportography (SSP) and left gastric angiographies in relation to endoscopic findings. The cases were classified into two groups by SSP. The flow of left gastric vein was hepatofugal in Group I (77.3%), and it was hepatopetal or "to and fro" in Group II (22.7%). Endoscopically, the varices were more severe in Group I than those in Group II. The diameter of left gastric vein was significantly larger in Group I. The values of K.ICG and liver function by blood analysis were also poor in Group I. Moreover, the cases with varices supplied by both left gastric artery and vein showed more severe endoscopic findings and history of hematemesis than those in the cases with varices supplied by left gastric artery alone. In conclusion, the results suggested that the flow of left gastric vein was closely related to the severity of esophageal varices.