ALLOSUPPRESSOR T LYMPHOCYTES ABOLISH MIGRATION INHIBITION FACTOR PRODUCTION IN AUTOIMMUNE THYROID DISEASE: EVIDENCE FROM RADIOSENSITIVITY EXPERIMENTS

The ability of normal T lymphocytes to abolish the production of migration inhibition factor by antigen-sensitized T lymphocytes of Graves' disease (GD) and Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) in response to thyroid antigen has been studied by a modified migration inhibition factor test using isolated T lymphocytes alone. The production of migration inhibition factor was consistently abolished when normal T lymphocytes were mixed with GD or HT T lymphocytes in various ratios (1:9, 2:8, 5:5) as reported previously (Okita et al. 1980b). However, prior in-vitro irradiation (1000 rad) of the normal T lymphocytes resulted in loss of their ability to abolish migration inhibition factor production by the antigen-sensitized T lymphocytes of GD and HT. The effect is consistent with the radiosensitivity of suppressor T lymphocytes and indicates that the effect of normal T lymphocytes on GD and HT T lymphocytes is one of allosuppression. The results support the view that there is a defect in suppressor T cell function in GD and HT.     

Hepatocellular Carcinoma with Invasion of the Right Intrahepatic Bile Duct Observed by Peroral Cholangioscopy: a Case Report

A 48-year-old chronic alcoholic with previous hepatitis B virus infection presented with recurrent episodes of obstructive jaundice secondary to hepatocellular carcinoma. The obstructive nature of the jaundice was confirmed by the peroral cholangioscopic findings of a friable nodular mass partially obstructing the right hepatic duct, and by relief of obstructive signs and symptoms after endoscopic sphincterotomy freed the common bile duct of “dark greenish formed materials”.     

FK506 promotes liver regeneration by suppressing natural killer cell activity

We examined the mechanism of promotion of liver regeneration by tacrolimus hydrate (FK506), a potent immunosuppressant, after partial hepatectomy. The administration of FK506 significantly increased the bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) labelling index at 36 and 48 h after 70% hepatectomy compared with the placebo group. Using the same model, we examined the effect of FK506 on the expression of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) and found no changes in HGF and TGF-β1 mRNA expression in the liver or in the HGF protein concentration in plasma. We found that pretreatment with FK506 markedly reduced the activity and number of liver-resident natural killer (NK) cells at the time of partial hepatectomy. Our observations suggest that the promotion of liver regeneration by FK506 may be attributable to a reduction in the number of liver-resident NK cells and to inhibition of their activity.     

Alcohol effect on sleep electroencephalography by fast Fourier transformation

Abstract The influence of alcohol (ethanol) on sleep was investigated in 10 men. Polysomnography (PS) was recorded on a baseline night (BL-N) and an ethanol (0.8 g/kg) night (Et-N). On visual score rapid eye movement (REM) sleep was reduced, REM latency was prolonged on Et-N as compared to BL-N. Using the fast Fourier transformation method, electroencephalographic power density of REM sleep in δ frequencies band and in the 10–12 Hz range of non-REM sleep were enhanced. REM sleep and non-RJEM sleep changes were prominent in the second-half and first-half of the night, respectively.     

Endoscopic Findings of Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis—-Report of a Case—

Abstract: A case of primary sclerosing cholangitis in which an endoscopic inspection through the fistula produced by percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage was performed for the treatment of progressive jaundice and supprative cholangitis is presented. These treatments benefited the patient to some degree. After 3 years from the onset, the patient died of multi-organ failure caused by disseminated intravascular coagulopathy. An autopsy revealed primary sclerosing cholangitis. No evidence of ductal stricture due to malignancy or underlying cholelithiasis was noted. This report may be the first which discusses the endoscopic findings of a biliary tract stricture in a patient with sclerosing cholangitis.