Acute Immobilization Stress and Intraventricular Injection of CRF Suppress Naloxone-Induced LH Release in Ovariectomized Estrogen-Primed Rats

The present study was undertaken to evaluate the role and possible interaction of the endogenous opioid peptide (EOP) and corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) in the acute stress-induced suppression of gonadotropin secretion in ovariectomized estrogen-primed rats. An intravenous (i.v.) injection of naloxone (10 or 20  mg/kg), an EOP antagonist, significantly elevated serum luteinizing hormone (LH) levels within 10  min in non-stressed animals. The naloxone-induced LH release was completely eliminated when tested 30  min after the onset of acute immobilization. In a subsequent study, it was found that suppression of the naloxone-induced LH release occurred as early as 5  min after the stress onset, and was still evident 60  min after the end of a 30-min period of immobilization. The effect of naloxone was restored 3  h after liberation of the animal from the 30-min immobilization. An intraventricular (i.c.v.) injection of CRF (1 or 5  μg) also significantly suppressed, in a dose-related manner, the effect of a subsequent i.v. injection of naloxone. However, an i.c.v. injection of α -helical CRF(9-41) (25 or 50  μg), a CRF antagonist, prior to immobilization, could not interfere with the suppressive effect of stress on naloxone-induced LH release. These results suggest that both acute immobilization stress and CRF can inhibit the LH secretory activity without mediation by EOP neurons. However, the stress-related suppression may involve non-CRF mechanism(s).     

Effect of Inflammation on Costimulation Blockade-Resistant Allograft Rejection

Previously, we reported that allogeneic skin grafts were rapidly rejected by CD28 and CD40 ligand double deficient mice mediated by CD8⁺ T cells. These results indicated that some elements in addition to CD28- and CD40-mediated costimulation provide stimulatory signals for the activation of donor-specific CD8⁺ T cells. In this report, we investigated the role of inflammation associated with transplantation on costimulation-independent priming of CD8⁺ T cell during graft rejection. B6 RAG1 KO mice were transplanted with BALB/c-skin and adoptively transferred with syngeneic CD8⁺ T cells the same day or 50 days after transplantation. When blockade of CD28- and CD40-mediated costimulation failed to prevent acute rejection of freshly transplanted skin grafts, it efficiently delayed rejection of well-healed skin grafts. These results showed that factors associated with transplantation have essential roles in inducing costimulation blockade-resistant allograft rejection. Costimulation blockade failed to prevent acute graft-infiltration of NK cells and increasing expression of intragraft IL-12 and IL-15. These factors may trigger the graft-infiltration and priming of CD8⁺ T cells to induce costimulation blockade-resistant allograft rejection.     

Group-transfer alternating copolymerization of 2-phenyl-1,3,2-dioxaphosphorinane with trimethylsilyl 2-(acryloyloxy)ethanesulfonate

This paper describes a new class of reaction, group-transfer alternating copolymerization (GTAC), between 2-phenyl-1,3,2-dioxaphosphorinane ( 1 ) and trimethylsilyl 2-(acryloyloxy)ethanesulfonate ( 2 ). The copolymerization took place without any added catalyst and proceeded via quantitative trimethylsilyl group-transfer process to give a 1:1 alternating copolymer 3a having a ketene silyl acetal group in the main chain. Results of spectroscopy as well as alkaline hydrolysis and bromination of the copolymer confirmed the structure.     

Clinical study on total intravenous anesthesia with droperidol, fentanyl and ketamine--1. Introduction

We have developed a new method of total intravenous anesthesia with droperidol, fentanyl and ketamine and have administered it to more than 400 surgical patients, ranging in ages from 4 to 80 years. Cardiac and neurosurgical patients were excluded. After establishing a routine monitoring, droperidol 0.06-0.1 ml.kg-1 was slowly given. After 5 minutes, fentanyl 1-2 micrograms.kg-1 and ketamine 1.0-1.5 mg.kg-1 were slowly administered intravenously. Trachea was intubated following intravenous succinylcholine. A total dose of 5-15 micrograms.kg-1 of fentanyl was given intravenously with a continuous infusion of ketamine 2 mg.kg-1.hr-1 during surgical procedure. Air and O2 (FIO2 0.30-0.35) were given and muscle relaxation was achieved with necessary dose of intravenous pancuronium or vecuronium and no inhaled anesthetic was given. Total intravenous anesthesia has many advantages such as no air pollution in the operating theatre, empty bowels, no organ (hepato-renal) toxicity, good peripheral perfusion and low cost, while this method has several disadvantages to overcome such as hypertension. There are many anesthetic agents for total intravenous anesthesia. However, sufentanil, alfentanil and propofol are not available. Droperidol, fentanyl and ketamine are the best combination for this purpose in Japan so far.     

Intraosseous ganglion about to cause a fracture of the glenoid: a case report

Intraosseous ganglia of the glenoid are rare, and their etiology is unknown. This report describes a case of an intraosseous ganglion about to cause fracture of the glenoid. The patient was a 61-year-old woman with a painful left shoulder with a limited range of motion. Her symptoms did not improve after non-operative treatment. Arthroscopic examination showed a cartilage defect and erosion in the posteroinferior portion of the glenoid, behind which computed tomography (CT) showed a cystic lesion of the glenoid. There was no communication between the cyst and the joint space. The patient was treated by curettage and an autogenous cancellous bone graft from the iliac crest. Two years after the operation, the patient was almost free from pain, and CT showed good integration of the bone graft.     

FIBER TYPE DIFFERENTIATION AND MYOSIN EXPRESSION IN REGENERATING RAT MUSCLES

The relation between fiber type differentiation and the expression of slow and fast myosin isoforms was examined in regenerating rat muscles after injection of a myotoxic agent, bupivacaine. The histochemical myosin ATPase reaction for fiber typing demonstrated that immature type 2C fibers differentiated into type 1, 2A and 2B fibers. Slow and fast myosin isoforms were demonstrated immunohistochemically using antibodies raised against myosins extracted from the slow-twitch soleus and fast-twitch tensor fasciae latae muscles of mature guinea pigs (anti-SOL, anti-TFL). The results showed that immature type 2C fibers destined to differentiate into type 1 fibers first reacted with anti-TFL only, and later reacted with both anti-TFL and anti-SOL, whereas those destined to differentiate into type 2A and 2B fibers reacted with anti-TFL only throughout regeneration. The significance of the myosin isoforms that react with anti-TFL in immature type 2C fibers was discussed. ACTA PATHOL. JPN. 37: 1537-1547, 1987.     

Late Effects of Childhood Acute Leukemia and Its Treatment

Late effects of childhood acute leukemia and its treatment were studied in 766 patients (684 ALL, 73 ANLL, and 9 others) in Japan who had remained in remission for more than 1 year after their first complete remission. Delayed adverse sequelae involve a wide variety of organs and their functions. Short stature was present in 2.61%, obesity in 3.79%, abnormalities of growth hormone secretion in 1.5%, delayed secondary sex characteristics in 1.5% of males and 0.6% of females, motor disturbances in 1.17%, sensory disturbances in 0.91%, intellectual and learning disabilities in 2.48%, abnormal findings in routine neurologic examinations in 1.31%, EEG abnormalities in 4.30%, brain CT abnormalities in 5.09% and cardiac dysfunction in 1.07%. Various other disorders were seen in 20 patients. Many of these delayed adverse sequelae are caused by or related to central nervous system prophylaxis and systemic combination chemotherapy. The results suggest that it is needed to improve therapeutic methods through the stratification of patients by risk factors and detailed analysis of prognostic factors. Moreover it is important to render medical and psychosocial support to long-term survivors of childhood leukemia through interactions between the patient, parents and medical staff.     

In vitro reactivity and in vivo biodistribution of the monoclonal antibody A7 using human gastric carcinoma cell lines.

The monoclonal antibody (MAb) A7 has been used to treat patients with colorectal or pancreatic carcinoma with encouraging results. We therefore determined if MAb A7 would also react with gastric carcinoma cell lines. MAb A7 reacted with seven of eight gastric carcinoma cell lines tested. The intensity of the reaction, measured by flow cytometry, was equal to that of WiDr (colon) and HPC-YS (pancreas) cell lines. In nude mice bearing xenografts of the MAb A7-reactive gastric cancer line MKN45, the percentage injected dose of MAb A7 per g of tumour tissue on day 7 was 9.79; this value was 77% of that on day 1. The in vivo tumour-to-blood ratio of MAb A7 was 2.77 on day 7. Therefore, MAb A7 has long-term retention at binding sites as well as a high probability, high intensity and high specificity of reactivity against gastric cancer, which make it an ideal drug carrier for immunotargeted chemotherapy and immunodiagnosis.     

Electrocatalytic dehalogenation of organohalides on a nickel(II) tetraazamacrocyclic complex-modified graphite felt electrode

Electrocatalytic dehalogenation of organohalides was studied using a nickel(II) tetraazamacrocyclic complex-modified graphite felt electrode. The nickel(II) tetraazamacrocyclic complex-modified graphite felt electrode was prepared by attaching nickel(II) (6-(2′-hydroxyethyl)-1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclotetradecane)perchlorate chemically to the carboxyl groups of a thin poly(acrylic acid) layer coated on the graphite felt. The modified electrode gave a reversible electron transfer for the nickel(II)/nickel(I) redox couple in cyclic voltammetry at ?0.95 V versus Ag/AgCl. A preparative electrocatalytic dehalogenation of organohalides was successfully achieved on the modified electrode with an adequate current efficiency (55.6–94.8%), conversion (34.2–100%) and turnover number of the Ni catalyst (667–3333).