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1. Durch Zufuhr von Milzextrakt wird der Adrenalingehalt in der Nebenniere des normalen Kaninchens betrachtlich gesteigert. 2. Der durch Splenektomie vermehrte Adrenalingehalt der Nebenniere wird durch Zufuhr von Milzextrakt weiter erhoht.

1. The magnitude of the initial heat production in relation to the maximum tension developed and its time-distribution is entirely unaffected through poisoning with monoiodoacetic acid. 2. The ratio of the area of tension-time curve to the maximum tension developed, i. e. the equivalent duration of single twitch, is not affected through poisoning with monoiodoacetic acid. 3. A considerable amount of the recovery heat production takes place in the poisoned muscle under aerobic conditions, though it is less in degree than that of the normal one, and sometimes it fails entirely, as in the normal muscle under anaerobic conditions. 4. The delayed anaerobic heat production of the poisoned muscle occurs in the same degree as in that of a normal muscle. 5. From the results obtained in this investigation, some considerations were made with referrence to the chemical processes played in muscular contraction. Finally, our sincere thanks are due to Prof. Oinuma for his suggestions and advice during our experiments.

1. Trioxysterocholensaure fordert die fettspaltende Wirkung der Pankreaslipase ebenso wie Cholsaure, aber diese fordernde Wirkung tritt bei der ersteren viel schwacher auf als bei der letzteren. 2. Trioxysterocholensaure wirkt haemolytisch auf das Blutkorperchen des Kaninchens, ihre Grenzkonzentration liegt bei dem Wert 1 : 1,600 und ihre haemolytische Wirkung ist starker als die der Cholsaure. Zum Schluβ mochte ich Herrn Prof. Dr. T. Shimizu fur seine freundliche Anleitung bei dieser Arbeit meinen besten Dank aussprechen.

1. Es gibt bei der Isolierung des Antikorpers von sensibilisiertem Antigen je nach den Mediumarten einen wirksamsten Temperaturgrad. a) Beim Wassermedium ist fur dieses Problem eine Warmeapplikation bei 55℃ am zweckmaβigsten. b) Bei hypotonischem Medium, und zwar bei einer 0.034%igen Kochsalzlosung, zeigt sich das beste Resultat gerade bei einer Warmeapplikation von 60℃. c) Die Temperatur von 65℃ eignet sich fur das Medium von physiologischer Kochsalzlosung. Unter geeigneten Bedingungen wird ein groβerer Teil der Antikorper innerhalb einer viertel Stunde befreit. 2. Der bessere Isolierungseffekt des hypotoniεchen Mediums (0.034%) bei der Warmeapplikation gilt fur die Prazipitin-, Bakterienagglutinin-, Hamolysin- und Hamoagglutininisolierung. 3. Aus folgenden Tatsachen kann man schlieβen, daβ bei der Isolierung des Antikorpers die Bindung zwischen Antigen und Antikorper stark hemmend wirkt: a) Native, bei 60℃ und bei 100℃ (2 St.) erhitzte Kolibazillen absorbieren mehr Agglutinin als bei 80℃- 100℃ (1 St.) und uber 100℃ erhitzte. b) Aus bei 100℃ (2 St.) erhitztem Bazillenantikorperkomplex ist die groβte Menge von Agglutinin trennbar. Je hoher das Kolifiltrat erhitzt wird, desto weniger absorbiert es Immunkorper, laβt aber eine relativ groβe Menge wieder frei. 4. Zwischen Rohrzucker- und Wassermedium besteht kein groβer Unterschied in Bezug auf die Isolierung des Antikorpers. 5. Es ist wahrscheinlich, daβ auch Elektrolyte eine Rolle bei den Isolierungsvorgangen spielen, obwohl noch viele andere Faktoren mitsprechen, und daβ zweiwertige Ionen darum leistungfahiger sind als einwertige, weil zweiwertige Ionen enthaltende Salze einen besseren Isolierungseffekt zeigen als einwertige. Zum Schluβe mochte ich nicht verfehlen, Herrn Prof. Dr. M. Ogata fur seine freundliche Anleitung und Anregung bei dieser Arbeit meinen herzlichsten Dank auszusprechen.

1. Der PH-Wert des Harns wird beim Hunde nach 5 Hungertagen, ohne oder mit Absteigen im Anfangsstadium des Hungers, allmahlich gesteigert, um dann wieder abzusinken. 2. Bei Stauungsikterus und Hunger wird der PH-Wert des Harns mit der Zeit allmahlich gesteigert, um dann wieder herabgesetzt zu werden. Sowohl bei Hunger als auch bei Stauungsikterus und Hunger wird der Harn des Hundes alkalisch, und in letzterem Falle tritt die alkalische Reaktion viel fruher auf als in ersterem.

1. The threshold of a muscle poisoned with monoiodoacetic acid for galvanic and induction current increases as the poisoning proceeds, though it shows temporary decrease of the threshold at an earlier stage of the poisoning. 2. The height of the muscular contraction (isometric as well as isotonic) of a poisoned muscle decreases gradually as the poisoning proceeds. 3. A fully poisoned muscle has a longer chronaxie than that of a normal one. It is observed that there are two types of increasing chronaxie in the course of poisoning. The one is that the chronaxie remained practically unchanged though the poisoning progresses and suddenly increases at the moment when contracture sets in, while the other is that it increases gradually until at last the poisoned muscle goes into rigor. 4. The absolute refractory period of a poisoned muscle shows a marked increase as the poisoning proceeds. Sometimes, at an earlier stage of poisoning, a slight shortening of the absolute refractory period is observed. 5. The maximum work performed by a poisoned muscle shows a rapid diminution as the poisoning goes on. On the other hand, parallel with it, the total moment of inertia of the recording system must be increased in order to attain the maximum work. This fact suggests that the viscous property of a poisoned muscle increases and that the energy developed by activity is wasted in overcoming this resistance. 6. These characteristics displayed by a poisoned muscle may fairly be explained under the supposition that a poisoned muscle falls into some sort of fatigue. In conclusion I wish to thank Prof. S. Oinuma for his help and advice during this experiment.

1. Die Glykogenbildung der Leber von 4 Tage u. 7 Tage hungernden Kaninchen wird sowohl durch perorale Zufuhr von Cholsaure als auch durch subcutane Zufuhr von Insulin stark gesteigert. 2. Diese gesteigerte Glykogenbildung der Leber fastender Kaninchen tritt bei Zufuhr von Insulin viel starker auf, als bei Zufuhr von Cholsaure und diese Wirkung der beiden wird nach langerem Hunger wieder herabgesetzt.

This research aims to establish the effect of working conditions on the appearance of varicose veins. The epidemiological study was carried out on 1,324 examinees, 530 males and 794 females, employed in 5 highly represented groups of professional activities in Rijeka (catering, trade, light industry, heavy industry and finances). The data were collected by survey and clinical examination. Varicose veins were more prevalent in the trade than in the office workers (odds ratio (OR) = 2.08; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.31-3.31), and more prevalent in catering industries than in the office workers (OR = 1.56; 95% CI = 1.001-2.43). chi 2-testing suggested that standing in the workplace (OR = 1.35; 95% CI = 0.95-1.92), weight handling while working (OR = 1.29; 95% CI = 1.01-1.64) and working indoors (OR = 1.61; 95% CI = 1.02-2.53) were risk factors for varicose veins. By multiple logistic regression, the following risk factors were isolated in the total population: female sex (OR = 1.92; 95% CI = 1.37-2.67), workplace (OR = 0.89; 95% CI = 0.78-0.99), age (OR = 1.05; 95% CI = 1.03-1.07), body mass index (OR = 1.04; 95% CI = 1.01-1.07) and family history of the disease (OR = 1.99; 95% CI = 1.55-2.57).

We present here a reliable and sensitive method for the determination of acidic opines such as meso-alanopine, beta-alanopine, tauropine and strombine in biological samples. Interfering primary amino acids were eliminated by reaction with o-phthalaldehyde, and the derivatized compounds were passed through Sep-Pak Plus PS-1 cartridges. The acidic opines were recovered by flushing the cartridges with water, then determined by high performance liquid chromatography after a second derivatization with phenylisothiocyanate. All 4 acidic opines were detected within 30 min. This method ensured good separation and guaranteed almost full recovery of all acidic opines. This method was applied to analyze opines in marine animals and to test whether opines are metabolized in the livers of the rat and fish.

In this study, sex determination using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) on tooth material was evaluated from the viewpoint of forensic medicine. The sensitivity of PCR for detection of the Y chromosome-specific alphoid repeat sequence and the X chromosome-specific alphoid repeat sequence was 0.5 pg of genomic DNA. Sex could be determined by PCR of DNA extracted from the pulp of 16 freshly extracted permanent teeth and dentine including the surface of the pulp cavity of 6 freshly extracted milk teeth. Sex could be determined using the pulp in all 20 teeth (10 male and 10 female) preserved at room temperature for 22 years. For the pulp of teeth stored in sea water, the sex could be determined in all 8 teeth immersed for 1 week and in 5 of 6 teeth immersed for 4 weeks. In the remaining 1 tooth, in which sex determination based on the pulp failed, the sex could be determined correctly when DNA extracted from the tooth hard tissue was examined. For teeth stored in soil, the sex could be determined accurately in all 8 teeth buried for 1 week, 7 of 8 teeth buried for 4 weeks, and in all 6 teeth buried for 8 weeks. When teeth were heated for 30 min, sex determination from the pulp was possible in all teeth heated to 100, 150, and 200 degrees C, and even in some teeth heated to 250 degrees C. When this method was applied to actual forensic cases, the sex of a mummified body estimated to have been discovered half a year to 1 year after death could be determined readily by examination of the dental pulp. In the skeletons of 2 bodies placed under water for approximately 1 year and approximately 11 years and 7 months, pulp tissues had been dissolved and lost, but sex determination was possible using DNA extracted from hard dental tissues. These results indicate that this method is useful in forensic practices for sex determination based on teeth samples.

The effect of exogenous thyroxine (T4) administration on the activity of rhodanese, cystathionase, and 3-mercaptopyruvate sulfurtransferase (MPST) in the mitochondrial and cytosolic fractions of mouse liver was investigated. Three groups of mice were treated for 6 consecutive days with subcutaneous injections of T4 (50 micrograms, 100 micrograms, and 250 micrograms per 100 g of body wt, respectively). The other 3 groups were given 100 micrograms of T4 per 100 g of body wt for 1, 2, or 3 days. The dose of 100 micrograms T4 per 100 g of body wt given for 6 days exerted the strongest effect on the activity of all of the investigated enzymes. In comparison to the control, rhodanese activity diminished in the mitochondrial fraction by 40% (P < 0.05), cystathionase activity diminished in the cytosolic fraction by 15% (P < 0.05), and MPST activity in the mitochondrial fraction was reduced by 34% (P < 0.05), whereas cytosolic MPST activity was unaltered. Simultaneously, in the liver homogenate, elevated levels of ATP and sulfate were observed after 6 days of T4 administration. Thus, the present results seem to suggest that in the mouse liver, after 6 days of administration of 100 micrograms T4 per 100 g of body wt, the desulfuration metabolism of L-cysteine is diminished, which is probably accompanied by an increase in oxidative L-cysteine metabolism. The dose of 100 micrograms per 100 g of body wt administered for a shorter period, and the use of a lower dosage (50 micrograms T4 per 100 g of body wt) for 6 days had a stimulatory effect upon MPST activity level, and an increased level of sulfane sulfur was observed.

The influences of emotional changes induced by being exposed to a new environment on the pharmacokinetics of plasma drug concentration were studied in male Wistar rats. Transfer from a familiar home cage to a new home cage was considered to induce psychological (non-physical) emotional changes. First, nicorandil and zonisamide, drugs that act on the peripheral system and central nervous systems, were used, respectively. Immediately after oral administration of nicorandil (10 mg/kg) or zonisamide (50 mg/kg), the animals were transferred to new home cages. Plasma nicorandil and zonisamide concentrations were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography at 1 and 4 h after administration. Plasma nicorandil concentration in the group transferred to new home cages was significantly decreased relative to levels in the non-transferred control group. However, zonisamide concentrations were unchanged. These findings suggest that the pharmacokinetics of nicorandil, but not those of zonisamide, tend to be influenced by non-physically induced emotional changes.

In order to evaluate the relationship between Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection and dietary preference, a cross-sectional study was performed among 626 residents in a rural area of Japan. Seropositive rates were 88.7% in males and 71.4% in females, and these increased with age for both sexes [male P < 0.05 and female P < 0.01]. The relationship between H. pylori-seropositivities and salted-food intake, after adjustment for age, demonstrated a significant result in the "almost every day" group in males with an odds ratio (OR) of 8.39 and with 95% confidence intervals (CI) of 1.02-69.30. As regards an association between seropositivities of H. pylori and levels of serum pepsinogens for the screening of chronic atrophic gastritis (low pepsinogen values used were a pepsinogen I level below 70 ng/ml and a pepsinogen I/pepsinogen II ratio below 3.0), the ORs of H. pylori-seropositivities for low pepsinogen cases were 6.32 [95% CI: 1.42-28.03] in males and 12.72 [95% CI: 4.57-35.46] in females. With regard to the relationship between low pepsinogen cases and light-colored vegetables intake, a significant low OR for the low pepsinogen cases was obtained in the "almost every meal" group in females after adjustment for age and seropositivities of H. pylori with an OR of 0.37 and with 95% CI of 0.15-0.92.

In order to clarify the effects of medical education on attitudes towards mental illness among medical students, a follow-up study was conducted. All 100 students entering Kochi Medical School in 1988 were subjects. The initial questionnaire survey was conducted in 1988, and followed up in 1993. Response rate was 69% in the initial survey, and 83% in the follow-up study. By the time of the follow-up, all of the students had completed their medical education, including courses in psychiatry and mental health. Results were as follows: At the follow-up study, 1) a significantly higher percentage of students replied that they accepted the mentally ill as co-workers; 2) significantly favorable changes were observed in attitudes towards psychiatric services; 3) optimism about the effectiveness of treatment for mental illness at an early stage and prevention of mental illness had decreased; and 4) no change was observed in attitudes toward human rights of the mentally ill, except in the case of one item stating that the mentally ill should not have children in order to avoid hereditary handicaps, with which a lower percentage agreed. Conclusively, medical education can play an important role in attitudes towards mental illness.

Levodopa is the gold standard for the treatment of Parkinson's disease (PD) because of its outstanding clinical efficacy. However, the majority of patients experience various adverse reactions, including the wearing-off phenomenon, the on-off phenomenon, dyskinesia and psychiatric symptoms. The response to levodopa depends not only on the intrinsic responsiveness of the patients, but also on various other important factors including the type of levodopa preparation, its absorption/metabolism, the blood-brain barrier, age at onset of disease and concomitant use of anti-parkinsonian drugs. This review summarizes factors which influence the effects of levodopa in PD. To minimize levodopa-induced adverse reactions and to relieve long-term parkinsonian symptoms, levodopa therapy should be conducted by taking these factors into consideration.

To investigate whether an association exists between vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression and tumor prognosis in primary lung carcinoma, we used immunohistochemical techniques to analyze microvessel density and VEGF expression in lung carcinoma tissue from 98 patients. Tissue had been fresh-frozen at the time of operation and preserved for more than 5 years. The results indicated that VEGF expression was positive for 50 of the 98 patients (51.0%), with 27 (27.6%) being weakly positive and 23 (23.5%) being strongly positive. The microvessel density in tissue showing weakly positive and strongly positive VEGF expression was significantly higher than that in VEGF-negative tumor tissue (P < 0.05: negative vs. weakly positive, P < 0.01: negative vs. strongly positive), we showed demonstrating that VEGF expression was significantly associated with intratumoral microvessel density. The 5-year survival rates were 8.7% for strongly VEGF-positive patients, 43.9% for weakly VEGF-positive patients and 79.2% for VEGF-negative patients, respectively (P < 0.01: negative vs. weakly positive or strongly positive). Furthermore, multivariate analysis employing multiple regression analysis indicated that VEGF expression correlates highly with the overall survival rates of patients with primary lung carcinoma. Two variables, N status and VEGF expression, were found to be significant prognostic factors (P < 0.01). The results of this study suggest that VEGF expression is associated with intratumoral microvessel density. VEGF expression may constitute important independent prognostic evidence that can help us in predicting the outcomes of patients with primary lung carcinomas.

The present study showed that many neurons in the adult rat brain possessed a perineuronal sulfated proteoglycan surface coat which reacted to cationic iron colloid and aldehyde fuchsin. This surface coat was stained supravitally with Ehrlich's methylene blue and doubly stained with Ehrlich's methylene blue and aldehyde fuchsin. The surface coat was also stained with Gomori's ammoniacal silver and doubly stained with Gomori's ammoniacal silver and cationic iron colloid. The surface coat was usually expressed together with a nerve cell surface glycoprotein net detectable with lectin Wisteria floribunda agglutinin. These findings indicate that the perineuronal proteoglycan surface coat is identical to Cajal's superficial reticulum and contains some collagenous elements. It was further demonstrated that collagenase digestion erased Gomori's ammoniacal silver impregnation within the perineuronal proteoglycan surface coat.

While heat shock protein (HSP) 72 is known as a stress protein, there have been no reports of HSP 72 expression in patients who have undergone surgery for congenital heart disease. Fourteen patients (7 males and 7 females) who had undergone surgery for congenital heart disease were studied. The ages of the patients ranged from 2 months to 43 years old (mean 6.5 +/- 10.8 years old; median 3.0 years old). The diagnoses were Tetralogy of Fallot in seven, pulmonary atresia with ventricular septal defect (VSD) in three, complex anomalies in three, and VSD in one patient. Histological study and HSP analysis using Western blots and immunostaining with anti-HSP 72 monoclonal antibody were performed for right ventricular muscle samples resected during the surgery. The histological findings showed hypertrophic changes of ventricular cardiomyocytes in all samples studied. Western blots detected HSP 72 expression of various degrees in all specimens. Immunostaining using monoclonal antibody against HSP 72 showed that the protein was present in the nuclei and cytoplasm of cardiomyocytes. In conclusion, although it is difficult to determine the cause of the "stress" that triggers HSP 72 expression in cardiomyocytes, low O2 saturation and pressure overload might act as a "stress", and the only common factor that induced HSP 72 in every sample was hypertrophy.