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Ureteroscopy has evolved in many aspects, particularly in the flexibility and size of ureteroscopes. We have developed a new detachable access sheath to make ureteroscopic procedures more straight-forward and to reduce possible damage to delicate instruments used in the procedure.

Levamisole was administered to 177 patients with gastrointestinal cancer (88 curative resection, 58 noncurative resection and 31 without resection). It was administered at a daily dose of 150 mg for three consecutive days every other week. The administration was started, as a rule, 3 days before operation. This medication was repeated as frequently as possible at least for one month. The cellular immunity and 18-month survival rate of treated and control groups were compared. Levamisole effectively improved peripheral lymphocyte blastformation against phytohemagglutinin and increased the numbers of peripheral blood lymphocytes. Levamisole caused extremely high blastformation rates, in general, enhanced PPD reactions in non-curative resection cases 7 months after operation and showed no influence upon the number of peripheral blood lymphocyte. The effect of levamisole on the 6-month survival rate was most marked in patients without resection. Increased 12-month survival rate was marked in non-curative resection cases and, to a lesser extent, curative resection cases. Patients without resection had a slightly improved 12-month survival rate. Levamisole improved the 18-month survival rate in resectable cases; however, there were no significant differences in 18-month survival between levamisole and control groups of patients not undergoing resection. The results suggest that levamisole is effective in the patients whose tumor cells have been decreased by any method.

Sera from 84 patients with chronic liver disease [CLD] (74 chronic active) and from 53 blood donors were tested immunochemically for anti-liver cell membrane antibody (LMAb). LMAb to rat liver tested by an indirect immunofluorescent technique was positive in 53.3% of CLD patients with positive HB surface antibody (HBsAb) and 40.0% of HBsAb positive blood donors. Pepsin digestion of the sera indicated that the binding between liver cell membrane and IgG was at the Fc site on the immunoglobulin. The sera with positive LMAb from HBsAb positive blood donors had elevated Clq-binding activity (Clq-BA). The LMAb to rat liver was a macro-molecular IgG (19-22S IgG) when assayed by Sephadex G-200 column chromatography and 5-40% sucrose density gradient ultracentrifugation. The results suggest that the LMAb in serum from a patient with chronic active liver disease may be an immune complex which consists of various antigens such as HB virus and its antibodies in serum.

Fifteen cases of keratoconjunctivitis sicca (KCS) of unknown etiology were treated with soft contact lenses for the purpose of their bandage effects and moisuture supply. A soft contact lens was worn on one of the eyes of each case but not on the other to compare its effectiveness. New opthalmic drops or contact lens wearers were dropped in both eyes. Furthermore, the KCS-index was worked out on the basis of the complaints of 23 patients of KCS of unknouwn etiology. The indexes before and after treatment were compared. Corneal objective findings were improved in all the eyes wearing soft contact lensen for along period, and seven stopped wearing them although corneal objective findings were much better, because they had some troubles with handlings were much better, because they had some troubles with handling the lenses, because they had lost rhem, or because their visual acuity decreased while wearing the lenses. Forlong term wearing the flattest lenses should be used in the beginning and changed gradually to lenses of greater curvature which are better able to keep their centering. Then immediately after successful fitting, the lenses should be given appropriate refractive power. The new ophthalmic drops for soft contact lens wearers were very much effective as artificial tears to both eyes with and without sofy contact lenses. KCS-indexes were numerical values relating to patients subjective symptoms. KSC-indexes improves by an average of +6.4±7.5 after treatment. On the other hand, KCS-indexes improved by +10.7±7.9 in the group that succeeded in wearing SCL for a long period, and by +7.6±2.1 even in the group that failed.

Human leukemic B-cell (BALL-1), T-cell (TALL-1) and null-cell (NALL-1) lines have been established from three patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). To study the heterotransplantability and in vivo growth characteristics, attempts were made to transplant these ALL cell lines into newborn Syrian hamsters treated with rabbit anti-hamster thymocyte serum. Intraperitoneal implantation of 1.8-3.5 x 10(7) cells gave rise to invasive tumors in all recipients after 15 to 41 days. In addition to a common in vivo feature of mesenteric and retroperitoneal tumors, BALL-1 line was characterized by infiltration of the skin, massive ascites and bone marrow invasion. TALL-1 cells infiltrated various organs including the lymph nodes, liver, gallbladder, spleen, bone marrow, central nervous system and eyes. NALL-1 line grew slowly, producing the least tumors, although there were distant metastases in the lungs. Tumor cells were detected in the blood of 2 of 3 BALL-1-bearing hamsters and in the blood of 4 of 5 TALL-1-bearing hamsters. Thus, these three ALL cell lines were found to exhibit a characteristic biological behavior in hamsters, which might be related to the different cell lineage.

Myxofibroma is a rare tumor. Three cases of myxofibroma, each of which developed at the right mandibular ramus, mandibular anterior tooth region, are presented. Myxofibroma developing in the mandibular ramus region is rare, and there has been only one case reported so far in Japan.

A report is made of a 52-year-old male whose main complaint was a painless tumor at the right side of the palate resulting in speech disturbance. He was diagnosed as a case of what Stout called benign mesenchymoma. Some discussion is also made of the tumor pathology in terms of genetic factors, predirective sites, age range, sex differences and therapy.

A case of a 40-year-old woman who was suffering from painless thyroiditis with recurrent transient thyrotoxicosis is reported. Acute exacerbations occurred four times during the past ten years, two after delivery and two after catching a cold. Serum thyroid hormones increased, though radioiodine uptake by the thyroid was very low and no inflammatory signs were observed. The histological findings of the thyroid were of atypical thyroiditis and not consistent with either chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis or subacute thyroiditis. Tanned sheep red cell hemagglutination titers for anti-thyroglobulin antibodies (TRC) and for anti-microsomal antibodies (MHA) were negative or low. The disease seems to be rare and the pathophysiology and etiology are discussed.

A variety of polymeric materials (polyurethane, polypropylene, polyethylene and polyvinylidine copolymer) have been evaluated for suitability in making of air-filled balloon to detect intraluminal pressure. The polyurethanes, in particular ECD, proved to be most suitable because of the ease of fabrication, low permeability to air and high frequency characteristics. Polyvinylidine copolymer was adequate but suffered from difficulties in fabrication. Polypropylene and polyethylene, available in film, were troublesome in making balloon and displayed low frequency characteristics.

The level of blood catalase activity in heterozygotes for Japanese type acatalasemia was demonstrated to be about half of normal levels by means of titration and spectrophotometric methods. A distribution plot of catalase activities in heterozygous blood was completely separate from that of normal blood. Comparative analysis of the partially purified erythrocyte catalase preparations obtained from normal and heterozygous individuals revealed no distinct differences between them regarding stability to heat, sodium dodecyl sulfate and some enzyme inhibitors or pH dependency. The erythrocyte catalase in heterozygotes for Japanese type acatalasemia contains about half the normal specific activity and as stable as that in normal individuals.

A permeable cell system for studying RNA synthesis was established. Mouse ascites sarcoma cells were made permeable to nucleoside triphosphates and alpha-amanitin by treating with a hypotonic buffer. Separate determinations of endogenous RNA polymerase I, II and III activities in permeable cells were conducted using the different sensitivities of these enzymes to alpha-amanitin. The endogenous activity of RNA polymerase II under optimal conditions was one tenth of total RNA synthetic activity in isolated nuclei, and one third of that in permeable cells. The extremely low ratio of RNA polymerase II activity to total RNA synthetic activity in isolated nuclei was thought to be caused by increase of RNA polymerase I activity and decrease of RNA polymerase II activity. These and other results suggested that RNA synthesis in permeable cells reflects more precisely the in vivo state of RNA synthesis than thatin isolated nuclei. The permeable cell system will provide a useful method for studying the separate activities of RNA polymerases I, II and III in situ.

A sequential radioimmunoassay procedure for unconjugated and conjugated estrone, estradiol-17 beta and estriol in male human plasma was developed. The blank values in this assay for unconjugated estrone, estradiol-17 beta, estriol conjugated estrone, estradiol-17 beta and conjugated estriol were 0.36 +/- 1.14 pg, 3.90 +/- 2.75 pg, 2.25 +/- 2.08 pg, 0.92 +/- 1.51 pg, 5.02 +/- 2.86 pg and 3.12 +/- 2.97 pg, respectively. Mean values of unconjugated estrone, estradiol-17 beta, estriol, conjugated estrone, estradiol-17 beta and conjugated estriol in plasma from 28 normal adult males were 38.4 +/- 13.4 pg/ml, 32.6 +/- 9.90 pg/ml, 4.06 +/- 3.68 pg/ml, 34.2 +/- 13.8 pg/ml, 40.4 +/- 12.3 pg/ml and 31.8 +/- 7.41 pg/ml, respectively. Both unconjugated and conjugated estrogen levels in patients with liver cirrhosis were elevated and conjugated estrogen, especially estriol levels, in patients with renal insufficiency were markedly elevated.

The effects of various compounds on replicative DNA synthesis in permeable mouse ascites sarcoma cells and on unscheduled DNA synthesis in permeable cells or in isolated rat liver nuclei were studied. Polyamines such as spermidine, putrescine and cadaverine inhibited replicative DNA synthesis. Unscheduled DNA synthesis was inhibited by spermidine and cadaverine, but slightly stimulated by putrescine at low concentrations. Aurintricarboxylic acid, a low molecular weight polyanion, inhibited both replicative DNA synthesis and unscheduled DNA synthesis. Replicative DNA synthesis was inhibited by heparin, a high molecular weight polyanion, whereas unscheduled DNA synthesis was stimulated at low heparin concentrations. Antitumor drugs such as daunomycin, neocarzinostatin and bleomycin inhibited replicative DNA synthesis. Unscheduled DNA synthesis was inhibited by daunomycin, slightly induced by neocarzinostatin and highly induced by bleomycin. The present system was thought to be useful for studying the separate effects of various drugs on either replicative DNA synthesis or unscheduled DNA synthesis in vitro.

Peripheral blood lymphocytes from patients with gynecologic cancer were tested by micro-cytotoxicity assay against two types of allogeneic cultured cancer cell lines: squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma. Lymphocytes from cancer patients with squamous cell carcinoma or adenocarcinoma were equally cytotoxic against these target cells. In addition, lymphocytes from healthy controls and myoma patients were also cytotoxic for these cell lines. No significant difference in cytotoxic activities was detected among the cancer patients and controls. However, a good correlation was observed between cytotoxic activity and non-specific lymphocyte responses. It was concluded that this assay sysetm is not suitable for measuring cell-mediated immunity against tumor specific antigens but does estimate non-specific resistance against cancer.

An unusual lipoprotein pattern on polyacrylamide-gel disc-electrophoresis was observed in 37 year-old male diagnosed as alcoholic liver injury. The electrophoretic lipoprotein pattern consisted of a major band of pre-beta mobility and minor intermediate, fast-beta and slow-alpha bands. The normal beta band was virtually absent and the alpha band was diminished. The abnormal lipoprotein pattern was observed one week after discontinuing alcohol consumption when marked hypertriglyceridemia demonstrated earlier had already normalized leaving a moderate hypercholesterolemia with reduced esterified cholesterol and abnormal liver function tests. The lipoprotein abnormalities were completely normal one month later. The appearance of a major pre-beta band with normal triglyceride and high cholesterol levels is discussed in relation to the formation of larger triglyceride-rich LDL particles in recovery from alcoholic hepatitis.

Albumin was highly purified from a commercially available rat albumin preparation (Fraction V) using disc electrophoresis. The purified albumin had the same antigenicity as Fraction V. A monospecific anti-rat albumin rabbit serum was obtained. The antiserum was used in a double antibody quantitative method for determining rat albumin.

The alterations of lipid composition in sera of patients with liver diseases, particularly intrahepatic cholestasis and biliary obstruction, were studied by ultracentrifugation and polyacrylamide-gel disc-electrophoresis of lipoproteins and apoproteins. The elevation of serum cholesterol in intrahepatic cholestasis was greater than in biliary obstruction. The appearance of lipoprotein X in obstructive disease accounted for most of the increased cholesterol. The level of non-lipoprotein X cholesterol in intrahepatic cholestasis was significantly elevated, this being in part ascribed to the appearance of a new class of cholestatic lipoprotein, Slow-migrating HDL. The electrophoretic pattern of lipoprotein in cholestasis was generally characterized by a decrease in alpha band intensity and, in some types of cholestasis, by the appearance of Slow-migrating HDL. In addition, other abnormal lipoproteins exhibiting the characteristics of triglyceride-rich LDL (LP-Y), LP-X-like HDL and LDL-like HDL were found in some cases of intrahepatic cholestasis and biliary obstruction.

A total of 45 cases of multiple myeloma has been followed up clinically during the period from 7 to 80 months. Out of these, six patients (13.3%) were diagnosed to be the tumor-forming type; they developed discrete tumor formation at the disease onset or during clinical observation. Biological behavior of these cases is briefly outlined. Histologically, five cases presented with well or moderately well differentiated plasma cells according to the grading made by Pasmantier and Azar. The remaining one case was poorly differentiated in cell maturity, and with electron and immunofluorescence microscopies, proved to be of plasmacytic nature.

Serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT), mitochondrial GOT (GOTm), glutamic-pyruvic transaminase (GPT) and glutamate dehydrogenase activities were determined in 43 healthy controls and in 280 cases of liver diseases. A simplified column chromatographic method coupled with UV assay was employed for separation of GOTm. The activity was measured by following decrease in abosrbance of NADH at 340 nm. The lowest activity of GOTm determined with a coefficient of variation below 10% was 6 mIU/ml. High GOTm activities were found in acute hepatitis (acute stage), subacute hepatitis and primary biliary cirrhosis and were generally associated with high total GOT (GOTt) activities. The activity ratio of GOTm/GOTt varied depending on the stage and severity of liver diseases. The GOTm/GOTt ratio was decreased in acute, fulminant and subacute hepatitides. No significant reduction in the ratio was found in bile duct obstruction, alcoholic liver injury or metastatic liver cancer. Although relatively high GOTm/GOTt ratios were found in some patients with severe hepatic injury, they had no definite association with poor prognosis. These results indicate that the marked elevation in GOTt over GPT in advanced chronic hepatitis, liver cirrhosis and primary hepatoma was mainly due to preferential leakage of cytoplasmic GOT (GOTs).

Combined inoculation of a cell-free extract of leukotic tissue of D103 mice and Salmonella typhimurium into adult Swiss mice induced leukosis and solid tumors. The induced solid tumors were histologically multifarious, and were transplantable in Swiss mice, but not in other strains of mice.