The influence of physical restraint or fasting on plaque-forming cell response in mice

Abstract This study was designed to investigate the effects of 1- and 3-day (16 h/day) physically restrained or fasting on immunological and endocrine responses in CBF1 mice. The influence of stressors on these responses was evaluated using anti-sheep red blood cell plaque-forming assay, and by examining T cell subsets, thymus weight and endocrine hormone levels. The results revealed that a significant elevation of the plaque-forming cells (PFC) was found in spleen cells in 1-day restrained mice, that the PFC were conversely suppressed following 3-day physically restrained stress, and that the PFC were not affected by 1- or 3-day fasting stress. Serum levels of norepinephrine were found to be significantly increased only in 1-day physically restrained mice. No change of T cell subsets and thymus weight was found in 1-day physically restrained mice. A significant increase in serum corticosterone levels was elicited in both 1- and 3-day physically restrained mice, and 3-day fasting mice, while increased Lyt2-positive T cells and thymic atrophy were found only in 3-day physically restrained mice. These findings suggest that immune function was differentially affected by the duration and types of stressors.     

TWO AUTOPSY CASES OF CONGENITAL HYDRONEPHROSIS DUE TO URETERAL OBSTRUCTION

Two autopsy cases of congenital hydronephrosis are reported, and a short comment was made concerning its pathogenesis.
One was unilateral and caused by membranous obstruction at the ureterovesical junction, and the other was bilateral and due to fibrous, cord-like change of both ureters about 1–2 cm below the ureteropelvic junction. Comparative studies were made between our two cases and with cases which had been published so far in Japan and in some other countries. ACTA PATH. JAP. 20: 207–213, 1970.     

A Biodegradable Poly-l-lactic Acid Coronary Stent in the Porcine Coronary Artery

Although biocompatibility of biodegradable stents is controversial, stents made of high molecular weight poly- l -lactic acid (PLLA) are thought to be the most promising. We investigated the biocompatibility of PLLA stents histologically and angiographically in porcine coronary arteries. The Igaki-Tamai stent is made of PLLA monofilaments (molecular mass 183 kD) with a zigzag helical coil design. Fourteen PLLA stents in 6 pigs and 9 Palmaz-Schatz half stents in 9 pigs were implanted in 15 normocholesterolemic pigs. Stents were mounted on a delivery catheter, and were implanted percutaneously into coronary arteries. Coronary angiography was performed before and immediately after stenting, at 2 and 6 weeks in five PLLA pigs and nine Palmaz-Schatz pigs. Histological studies were performed in PLLA pigs: 2 pigs at 2 weeks, 3 pigs at 6 weeks, and 1 pig at 16 weeks with hematoxylin-eosin and elastica van Giesons stains. All PLLA stents were successfully delivered. No stent thrombosis was detected in either group. There were no significant differences in minimal lumen diameter (MLD) or percent diameter stenosis between the PLLA and Palmaz-Schatz stent groups immediately after implantation, or at 2 or 6 weeks after implantation. Histological studies at 2, 6, and 16 weeks revealed no inflammation and minimal neointimal coverage on the PLLA stent struts. The PLLA stent maintained its structure for up to 16 weeks. These results suggest sufficient biocompatibility and strength of PLLA biodegradable stents in porcine coronary arteries. Clinical trial is now underway to validate the safety and usefulness of PLLA stents in humans.     

Experimental and Clinical Studies of Biodegradable Polymeric Stents

The metallic stent has become the most common device to reduce acute occlusion and late restenosis after balloon angioplasty, but the long-term effects of metallic stents in human coronary arteries are still unknown. To overcome several problems of conventional stenting, there have been many attempts to manufacture stents made of biodegradable materials. Although some studies have noted various degrees of inflammatory responses after biodegradable stent implantation, stents made of poly-1-lactic acid (PLLA) showed high biocompatibility with minimal inflammatory response and neointimal formation in porcine coronary arteries. A clinical study of PLLA self-expanding stent implantation is underway in Japan. The initial and 6-month results are favorable and suggest the feasibility, safety, and efficacy of the PLLA biodegradable stent in humans. However, long-term follow-up with larger numbers of patients will be required to validate the long-term efficacy of PLLA stents.     

Stable Production of Recombinant Human Sperm Immobilizing Antibody Using cDNA Expression Vectors

PROBLEM: Sperm immobilizing antibodies present in sterile women may be one of the principal causes of immunological infertility. We already established cell lines that secrete recombinant human IgG sperm immobilizing antibody using class-switched (from IgM to IgG) genomic immunoglobulin genes. However, these transfectants produced a small quantity of antibody and required continuous use of a medium with selective reagents. We have now constructed cell lines that stably secrete the antibody in large quantities using immunoglobulin cDNAs and cDNA expression vectors. METHOD: The immunoglobulin heavy chain cDNA was cloned from transfectants that secrete the class-switched human IgG sperm immobilizing antibody. The light chain cDNA, which had already been cloned, and the heavy chain cDNA were inserted into the modified bovine papilloma virus-based cDNA expression vectors BCMGSNeo and BCMGSHyg, respectively. These constructs were sequentially transfected into a mouse myeloma cell line by electroporation. RESULTS: The established transfectants produced recombinant antibody that retained human sperm immobilizing activity in nonselective medium for at least 30 days. Moreover, the production of the antibody was increased three times over that of the previous cell lines. CONCLUSION: We have established an unique method that improves the production of sperm immobilizing antibody stably and in large quantities.     

Vitamin B12 treatment for delayed sleep phase syndrome: A multi-center double-blind study

Abstract  The active form of vitamin B₁₂ (methylcobalamin) has been reported to be effective on sleep-wake rhythm disorders. Previous studies, however, were performed under open trial, and the effect of vitamin B₁₂ has not been properly evaluated. The aim of this double-blind study was to investigate the efficacy of methylcobalamin on delayed sleep phase syndrome (DSPS). Methylcobalamin (3 mg/day) or placebo was administered for 4 weeks. The subjects were 50 patients with DSPS aged 13–55 years (26.8 ± 1.3), 27 of whom received the active drug while 23 received the placebo. No significant differences were observed between the 2 groups in subjective evaluations of mood or drowsiness during the daytime or in night sleep by sleep-log evaluation. These results indicate that 3 mg methylcobalamin administered over 4 weeks is not an effective treatment for DSPS.     

Characterization of fertilization-blocking monoclonal antibody 1G12 with human sperm-immobilizing activity

A mouse hybridoma (1G12) producing sperm-immobilizing MoAb to human sperm was established and characterized in order to study the antigens relevant to sperm immobilization by antibodies. MoAb 1G12 had strong sperm-immobilizing and agglutinating activities and also showed a fertilization-blocking activity on in vitro fertilization tests. The antibody absorption experiments showed that MoAb 1G12 reacted not only to ejaculated sperm but also human seminal plasma, suggesting that the corresponding antigen might be a sperm coating antigen. The MoAb also reacted with peripheral blood lymphocytes. In histochemical studies, the epithelia of corpus epididymis were most strongly stained. Ejaculated sperm were stained with a granular pattern for their entire surface by immunofluorescence. MoAb 1G12 recognized polymorphic glycoproteins of 15–25 kD in the ejaculated sperm extract in Western blot analysis. After deglycosilation of the sperm extract, only a single staining band of under 15 kD was detected by MoAb 1G12. This suggests that the antigen epitope recognized by MoAb 1G12 might be a peptide of the core portion of the glycoprotein. MoAb 1G12 might be a useful tool for studying the mechanism of egg–sperm interaction, and also be applied to identifying the corresponding antigen by using gene technology.     

A Case of Pleomorphic Adenoma of the Trachea

The extent of ultraviolet (UV) irradiation-induced DNA repairwas measured in bone marrow cells and peripheral lymphocytesof patients with refractory anemia with excess of blasts (RAEB).Bone marrow cells from RAEB, when exposed to a 2 J/m dose ofUV, exhibited 50% lower incorporation of tritiated thymidinethan those of control subjects. A similar finding was observedin the peripheral lymphocytes. These data suggest that bonemarrow cells and peripheral lymphocytes from RAEB are deficientin repair of UV-induced lesions by DNA. Furthermore, this impairedDNA repair efficiency in RAEB was not related to the presenceor absence of a karyotype abnormality.     

Clinical profiles of late‐onset semantic dementia,compared with early‐onset semantic dementia and late‐onset Alzheimer's disease

Background: Semantic dementia (SD) has been recognized as a representative of dementia with presenile onset; however, recent epidemiological studies have shown that SD also occurs in the elderly. There have been few studies about the differences of clinical profiles between early‐onset SD (EO‐SD) and late‐onset SD (LO‐SD). Age‐associated changes in the brain might cause some additional cognitive and behavioural profiles of LO‐SD in contrast to the typical EO‐SD cases. The aim of the present study was to clarify the characteristics of neuropsychological, and behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) profiles of LO‐SD patients observed in screening tests in comparison with EO‐SD patients and late‐onset Alzheimer's disease (LO‐AD) patients as controls. Methods: Study participants were LO‐SD (n = 10), EO‐SD (n = 15) and LO‐AD (n = 47). We examined the Mini‐Mental State Examination (MMSE), the Raven's Coloured Progressive Matrices (RCPM), the Short‐Memory Questionnaire (SMQ), the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI) and the Stereotypy Rating Inventory (SRI). Results: Both SD groups scored significantly lower than the LO‐AD patients in ‘naming’ of the MMSE. In the ‘construction’ score of the MMSE and the RCPM score, however, the LO‐SD patients as well as the LO‐AD patients were significantly lower than the EO‐SD patients. In the SMQ score, ‘euphoria’ and ‘disinhibition’ scores of the NPI, the SRI total and subscale scores, both SD groups were significantly higher, whereas in the ‘delusion’ score of the NPI, both SD groups were significantly lower than the LO‐AD patients. Conclusions: Visuospatial and constructive skills of LO‐SD patients might be mildly deteriorated compared with EO‐SD patients, whereas other cognitive and behavioural profiles of LO‐SD are similar to EO‐SD. Age‐associated changes in the brain should be considered when we diagnose SD in elderly patients.