Effects of repeated testing on the incidence of haloperidol-induced catalepsy in mice

Effects of repeated testing on the incidence of haloperidol-induced catalepsy were investigated in mice. The incidence of catalepsy, evaluated with the forelimbs or hindlimbs placed on a standard horizontal bar, increased in three successive tests in mice injected with haloperidol. Catalepsy was not provoked by repeated testing in animals with saline. In a subsequent study, mice were examined for catalepsy in the forelimbs in the first two trials and then in the hindlimbs. In this procedure, the incidence of catalepsy did not increase with repeated testing. These results suggest that repeated testing increases the incidence of haloperidol-induced catalepsy but does not influence the cataleptogenic potency of the drug.     

A quantitative analysis of valgus torque on the ACL: a human cadaveric study.

The loads needed to elicit a positive pivot shift test in a knee with an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture have not been quantified. The coupled anterior tibial translation (ATT), coupled internal tibial rotation (ITR), and the in situ force in the ACL in response to a valgus torque, an inherent component of the pivot shift test, were measured in 10 human cadaveric knee specimens. Using a robotic/universal force-moment sensor testing system, valgus torques ranging from 0.0 to 10.0 Nm were applied in nine increments on the intact and ACL-deficient knee in flexion ranging from 0 degrees to 90 degrees. At 15 degrees of knee flexion, the coupled ATT and ITR were significantly increased in the ACL-deficient knee when compared to the intact knee. Coupled ATT increased a maximum of 291% (6.7 mm, p<0.05), while coupled ITR increased a maximum of 85% (5.1 degrees, p<0.05). At 30 degrees, the increases in coupled ATT and ITR were significant at valgus loads of 3.3 Nm and greater with a maximum increase in coupled ATT of 137% (6.3 mm, p<0.05) and a maximum increase in coupled ITR of 38% (3.6 degrees, p<0.05). At 45 degrees, coupled ATT increased significantly (maximum of 69%, 4.4 mm, p<0.05), but only at torques > or =6.7 Nm. The in situ force in the ACL was less than 20 N for all flexion angles when a torque between 3.3 and 5.0 Nm was applied. Low valgus torque elicited tibial subluxation in the ACL-deficient knee with low in situ ACL forces, similar to a positive pivot shift test. Thus, application of a valgus torque may be suitable to evaluate ACL-deficient and ACL-reconstructed knees, since subluxation can be achieved with minimal harm to the ACL graft. This work is important in understanding one load component needed for the pivot shift examination; further studies quantifying other load components are essential for better comprehension of the in vivo pivot shift examination.     

Effects of anti-asthmatic drugs on human eosinophil chemotaxis]

To evaluate the acute effects of anti-asthmatic drugs in vitro, we examined the modulation of various anti-asthmatic drugs in therapeutic concentrations on PAF-induced human eosinophil chemotaxis. Aminophylline (20 micrograms/ml) and Isoproterenol (10 nM) inhibited PAF (3 X 10(-8) M)-induced eosinophil chemotaxis nearly 30%, whereas no inhibitory effects were observed by Dexamethasone (0.1 microM), Tranilast, Ketotifen or Azelastine. Aminophylline (20 micrograms/ml) also inhibited LTB4 (3 X 10(-8) M)-induced eosinophil chemotaxis nearly 30%, whereas it did not inhibit chemotaxis induced by zymosan (5 mg/ml)-activated serum. These results indicate that anti-asthmatic drugs except for aminophylline and isoproterenol, when used acutely in therapeutic concentrations, have no striking inhibitory effects on PAF-induced eosinophil chemotaxis. These results further suggest the possibility that there are different mechanisms in eosinophil chemotaxis induced by PAF, LTB4 or by C5a.     

Leukotriene B4 production in children with steroid-responsive nephrotic syndrome

Leukotriene B₄ (LTB₄) production in polymorphonuclear leucocytes (PMN) was examined in ten children with steroid-responsive nephrotic syndrome (SRNS) before, during, and after steroid administration. Comparison of LTB₄ production was made in 14 children with non-inflammatory disease who were not receiving steroid therapy. No significant change was noted in PMN LTB₄ biosynthesis in children with SRNS throughout any phase of the disease. Furthermore, there was no significant difference in LTB₄ biosynthesis in PMN between SRNS patients before steroid therapy and patients with non-inflammatory disease. These findings suggest that inhibition of LTB₄ production is not involved in the mechanism underlying steroid action in SRNS.     

A case of metastatic rib tumor from thyroid cancer confirmed by the presence of thyroglobulin]

A 63-year-old female, with a chief complaint of right chest pain was referred to our hospital because of an abnormal right chest wall shadow on chest X-ray. A rib tumor was suspected based on her chest CT scan. Percutaneous needle biopsy yielded a diagnosis of well-differentiated adenocarcinoma. As metastatic rib tumor was suspected, the primary tumor was sought for. A thyroid gland nodule was recognized by ultrasonography, and the cytological diagnosis was class V. Immunohistological demonstration of the thyroglobulin studies of the rib tumor tissue revealed papillary and trabecular patterns of cell arrangement and the presence of thyroglobulin existence. Definitive diagnosis of metastatic rib tumor from thyroid cancer was established. Immunohistological examination is useful to confirm the diagnosis of metastatic cancer of thyroid origin.     

Monkey hippocampal neuron responses to complex sensory stimulation during object discrimination.

The purpose of this study was to investigate, during the performance of an object discrimination task, responses of neurons in the monkey hippocampal formation to the sight of several objects that have biological meaning, and compare these responses with those of amygdalar neurons studied previously using the same task. Neuronal activity in the hippocampal formation of conscious monkeys was recorded during performance of a task that led to presentation of familiar rewarding, familiar aversive, or unfamiliar objects. Of 864 neurons recorded in the hippocampal formation and adjacent cortices, 160 (18.5%) responded to the sight of a certain object(s). Responses to the sight of different kinds of objects were analyzed in detail. Nondifferential neurons (n = 73) responded to different objects with no significant difference in response magnitudes, and differential neurons (n = 87) responded to different objects with different response magnitudes. Of the differential neurons, 23 responded more strongly to rewarding objects than to other objects (rewarding-object-dominant neurons), but the magnitude of responses to objects did not necessarily correlates with the order of preferences to the objects as determined from observation of animal behavior. Aversive-object-dominant neurons (n = 13) responded more to aversive objects than to other objects. Unfamiliar-object-dominant neurons (n = 7) responded more to unfamiliar objects than to familiar objects. Selective neurons (n = 10) responded selectively to only one object or one category of objects. Fourteen of the rewarding- or averse-object-dominant neurons were tested in extinction or reversal trials. In 12 of 14 neurons, responses to a rewarding or aversive object did not change, or slightly weakened, in extinction or reversal trials. The results suggest the following. (1) Responses of rewarding- or aversive-object-dominant neurons may be involved in object-reward or object-aversion association. However, responses of many of these neurons might reflect past inputs to reinforcement rather than extant emotional processing. (2) Responses of unfamiliar-object-dominant neurons may be involved in recognition of objects based on their familiar or unfamiliar aspects. These results are further discussed and compared with responsiveness of amygdalar neurons.     

Remarkable correlation between increased HLA-DQ antigen positive monocytes and prognosis of renal transplantation

Since cyclosporin A (CsA), a widely used immunosuppressive drug, strongly suppresses interleukin-2 (IL-2) secretion, it is frequently difficult to estimate T lymphocyte activation in early acute rejection. We found that, when evaluated based on HLA-DQ antigen expression, monocyte activation in the peripheral blood of renal transplantation patients was a very sharp parameter in diagosing acute rejection. All of 16 episodes of early acute rejection, which were relatively easily suppressed by steroid pulse therapy, showed a sharp increase in the proportion of HLA-DQ antigen-positive monocytes (DQ⁺ mono) and a quick return of DQ⁺ mono to previous values, along with a fall in serum creatinine levels. Since, however, HLA-DR antigen-positive T lymphocytes (DR ⁺T) were markedly increased over a long period in episodes of therapy-resistant and chronic rejection, their prolonged high value was regarded as a parameter indicative of poor prognosis.