Hippocampal volume asymmetry and age at illness onset in males with schizophrenia

To determine whether there are disturbances of hippocampal volume asymmetry in schizophrenic patients, we obtained contiguous, I-mm-thick magnetic resonance images in 28 males with chronic schizophrenia and in 28 age-matched healthy males. The schizophrenic patients showed a bilateral reduction in volume of the hippocampal formation (HF; left 7.0%; right 8.7%). This reduction was significantly associated with the severity of disorganization syndrome (P < 0.0005). A significant asymmetry in the HF volume was found in the control subjects (P = 0.006), but not in the patients (P = 0.40). There was a significant positive correlation between the asymmetry index and the patient’s age at the onset of schizophrenia (r = 0.46,P = 0.01). Results indicate that a disturbance in the normal asymmetry of the HF may be a characteristic in schizophrenia, particularly in patients with an early onset of the illness.     

Bilateral Periorbital Eccrine Hidrocystoma

We saw four patients showing identical features as cystic lesions on the bilateral external canthi. Histological examination showed cystic cavities in the dermis. Histological and enzyme histochemical findings suggest that these cystic tumors are of eccrine origin. Thus we diagnosed these cytic tumors as eccrine hidrocystoma with characteristic clinical feature. The recognition of this feature would help to correctly diagnose these eccrine hidrocystoma.     

A nine-month chronic toxicity study of tegafur-uracil mixture (UFT) in dogs

In order to evaluate the long-term-safety of UFT which contained tegafur [1-(2-tetrahydrofuryl)-5-fluorouracil, FT-207] and uracil in molar ratio of 1:4, a nine-month chronic toxicity study was performed in dogs. In doses of 9.7 (as FT-207: 3 mg/kg), 16.2 (as FT-207: 5 mg/kg) and 24.3 (as FT-207:7.5 mg/kg) mg/kg, UFT was administered orally in both sexes of dogs once a day for 9 months and withdrawn for 1 month. Three control drugs, FT-207, uracil and 5-FU, were also included in present experiment at doses of 7.5, 420.0 and 5.0 mg/kg, respectively. In this study, the two types of toxic behaviors and symptoms were observed in UFT, FT-207 and 5-FU. The first type was the acute and/or dynamic signs and the other type was the chronic and/or static signs. Slight decrease in food consumption was observed in males at the dose levels of 24.3 mg/kg of UFT group and in both sexes of 5-FU group. In the ECG test, high T-wave was observed in some males treated with UFT, FT-207 and 5-FU. Histopathologically, micro-vacuolizations were observed in various portions of the cerebrum in both survived and dead animals treated with UFT, FT-207 and 5-FU. After one month recovery period, significant changes were not observed in various examinations, but morphological changes in the cerebrum had been remained. In conclusion, it seemed that the maximum safety dose of UFT in dogs were the 9.7 mg/kg for males and less than 9.7 mg/kg for females.     

Triploid meiosis and aneuploidy in Schizosaccharomyces pombe: an unstable aneuploid disomic for chromosome III

Summary Triploid meiosis in crosses between haploid and diploid strains of the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces-pombe was investigated by tetrad analyses. Viability of the segregants was low. Only about 10% of the total tetrads contained four colony-forniing spores and most of these segregated into two haploids and two diploids. The remaining tetrads were rather normal in germination but were defective in colony formation. More than 50% of the total tetrads had no colony-forming spores while about 30% contained 1–3 colony-forming spores. Among the colony-forming segregants from the defective tetrads, a class of aneuploids disomic for the shortest chromosome III was obtained. In such aneuploid cells combined with a cold-sensitive ß-tubulin mutation, an additional short chromosome corresponding to chromosome III was observed by DAPI staining when the cells were incubated at a restrictive temperature. The other classes of aneuploids appeared able to be to germinate but not to enter into vegetative growth. Detailed genetical analyses indicated that recombination frequencies near the centromere were strikingly different between triploid and normal diploid meiosis.     

Laparoscopic repair of an abdominal hernia using an expanded polytetrafluoroethylene patch secured by a four-corner tacking technique

An improved technique for performing laparoscopic repair of an abdominal hernia is described herein. To ensure a successful repair, it is most important that adequate tension of the expanded-polytetrafluoroethylene (e-PTFE) patch be achieved, and that the defect be completely covered and securely stapled. Our technique involves tacking the four corners of the patch to the abdominal wall with a 2-0 nylon suture using a straight needle, then stapling it to the anterior abdominal wall over the defect with a laparoscopic stapler. We believe that this technique is a safe and reliable method which will prove useful for laparoscopic surgery.     

Strong HLA-DR antigen expression on cancer cells relates to better prognosis of colorectal cancer patients: Possible involvement of c-myc suppression by interferon-gamma in situ

Strong HLA-DR antigen expression on cancer cells relates to better prognosis of colorectal cancer patients, although the precise mechanism is controversial. From an immunological point of view, HLA-DR antigen, induced by interferon (IFN)-gamma, is required for tumor-associated antigen recognition by CD4(+) T cells. For instance, as reported previously, the expression of HLA-DR antigen in normal colorectal epithelium immediately adjacent to cancer coincided significantly with the existence of IFN-gamma mRNA in the tissue. From another aspect, IFN-gamma has been revealed to suppress c-myc expression in vivo through a stat1-dependent mechanism, which is important for cell growth, cell cycle and chromosome instability. In the present study, strong HLA-DR-positive expression on cancer cells was significantly related to better prognosis for colorectal cancer patients. High IFN-gamma mRNA expression in situ indicated significantly less activation of c-myc mRNA expression. Further, HLA-DR antigen expression in cancer cells, as well as Dukes stages, was an independent factor for better long-term survival by multivariate analysis. Taken together, IFN-gamma, which induces HLA-DR antigens on the cell surface, also suppresses c-myc expression in situ, and is a possible non-immunological mechanism involved in the better long-term survival of colorectal cancer patients.     

Practical synthesis and evaluation of the biological activities of 1alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 antagonists, 1alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3-26,23-lactams. Designed on the basis of the helix 12-folding inhibition hypothesis

A practical synthetic route to novel vitamin D antagonists of DLAM (1alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D(3)-26,23-lactam) was developed from vitamin D(2) via the 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction as a key step. Six DLAM derivatives (24 compounds) with a variety of nitrogen substituents and stereochemistries at C23 and C25 were synthesized. Among these new derivatives, (23S,25S)-DLAM isomers bound effectively to VDRs and showed antagonistic activity in the HL-60 cell differentiation inhibition assay. The importance of the substituent on the nitrogen of DLAMs for antagonistic activity was also suggested by computational docking studies.     

Long-term stimulation of a diaphragm muscle pouch

Denervated hydraulic pouches were fashioned from a retrosternal portion of the right hemidiaphragm and electrically stimulated for several hours at voltages selected to achieve pressures commensurate with those encountered in the right ventricle. The data revealed a progressive decline in pressures generated by the pouch with time, the deterioration perhaps enhanced by inpaired perfusion of the pouch but statistically independent of systemic blood pressures. Therefore it was concluded that contraction of the diaphragm muscle could not be used clinically to assist the heart.