We analyzed multidrug-resistance gene (mdr1 gene) expression in a patient with undifferentiated sarcoma of the liver using the cloned cDNA for the mdr1 gene. Tissue samples were available at the time of initial diagnosis and of two intracranial relapses after chemotherapy with a regimen including doxorubicin and teniposide. The level of mdr1 gene expression was increased sevenfold in the intracranial tumor at the time of first relapse and 11-fold at the second relapse. This case may be an example of acquired multidrug resistance associated with overexpression of the mdr1 gene.

Child, Preschool↗

PubMed1990

Zinc in clinical surgery--a research review.

Among the essential trace elements in mammals, zinc is somewhat unique in that it is a constituent of numerous metallo-enzymes having biologic significance in many respects. The discovery of zinc deficiency in man induced the remarkable progress of studies on its physiology and it is now recognized that zinc deficiency manifests itself differently in different areas of clinical medicine. It also appears reasonable to say that no trace elements have been more closely related to surgery than zinc. We discuss herein, its significance, implications and role in such areas as; (1) wound healing: where the usefulness of zinc for promoting wound healing in the presence of low plasma zinc levels has been firmly established; (2) total parenteral nutrition (TPN); zinc free TPN may cause skin eruptions associated with abdominal symptoms presenting a picture closely resembling that of acrodermatitis enteropathica; (3) specific pathological conditions: patients with Crohn's disease and other benign diseases accompanied by mal-digestion or -absorbtion are often predisposed to zinc deficiency, similar to those manifesting clinical signs in the early stage of TPN; and (4) surgical stress: which triggers the release of various mediators, possibly increasing hepatic zinc deposition and decreasing plasma and skin zinc levels.

Humans↗

PubMed1990

The effect of metronidazole on TPN-associated liver dysfunction in neonates.

The effect of metronidazole (MNZ) on hepatic dysfunction associated with total parenteral nutrition (TPN) in neonates was investigated. Neonates receiving TPN for more than 2 weeks were divided into three groups. In group 1, TPN was given alone, in group 2, 25 mg/kg/d of MNZ was administered intravenously for the first 2 weeks of TPN, and in group 3, 50 mg/kg/d of MNZ was given for the first 3 weeks of TPN. Several parameters of liver function tests (LFTs) during the first 4 weeks of TPN were compared among these three groups. There was no significant difference of these parameters between group 1 and group 2. Although there was no significant difference of alkaline phosphatase, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase, direct bilirubin, and total bile acid between groups 1 and 3, transaminase (glutamic oxaloacetic, glutamic pyruvic) of group 3 remained significantly lower than those of group 1. In conclusion, the administration of MNZ 50 mg/kg/d for 3 weeks, at least, prevented the elevation of transaminase during TPN in neonates, suggesting the possible involvement of intestinal anaerobic flora in the pathogenesis of TPN-associated liver dysfunction.

Cholestasis, Intrahepatic↗

PubMed1990

Effects of whole-body vibration stress on substance P- and neurotensin-like immunoreactivity in the rat brain.

In order to clarify the involvement of substance P (SP) and neurotensin (NT) neurons in the response of organisms to stress, SP-like immunoreactivity (SP-LI) and NT-like immunoreactivity (NT-LI) were determined in various regions of the rat brain following exposure to the whole-body vibration (20 Hz, 4 G, 90 min). SP-LI and NT-LI in the rat brain were measured by means of a sensitive and specific double-antibody solid-phase enzyme immunoassay. SP-LI in the frontal cortex was significantly reduced following whole-body vibration, while that in the nucleus accumbens and amygdala was significantly increased. NT-LI in both the frontal cortex and the hypothalamus of rats exposed to the whole-body vibration was significantly increased. However, striatal SP-LI and NT-LI remained unchanged. The present findings indicate that the SP and NT neuronal systems in various brain areas are involved in the response to stress. The frontal and amygdalofugal SP and hypothalamic NT neuronal systems, in particular, may have an important role in mediating the response of organisms to the whole-body vibration-induced stress.

Amygdala↗

PubMed1990

Isolation of coordinately regulated genes that are expressed in discrete stages of B-cell development.

We have utilized subtractive hybridization to isolate 16 distinct cDNA sequences representing genes expressed in pre-B-cell lines but not myeloma cell or fibroblast lines. These sequences represent RNA transcripts that vary in abundance in pre-B-cell lines from 0.001% to 0.05%. Five of these sequences were not related to any known genes. One was related to but distinct from known myosin regulatory light chain genes and another encoded a protein with lectin domains. Three represented previously identified genes encoding carbonic anhydrase type II, thymosin, and CD2; these genes were not previously known to be specifically expressed in early stages of B-cell development. Other isolated genes corresponded to pre-B-cell-specific or pre-B-cell/B cell-specific genes recently described by others. The isolated cDNA sequences may be divided into two general categories--those representing genes expressed only in the pre-B-cell stage of B-cell development and those expressed in both the pre-B-cell and B-cell stages. The in vivo expression patterns of the identified genes suggest that some function specifically in lymphocytes while others may have roles in additional lineages.

Animals↗

PubMed1990

Correlation of the hypo-osmotic swelling test, semen score and the zona-free hamster egg penetration assay in humans.

The correlation between the hypo-osmotic swelling test, the modified Eliasson score for human semen analysis and the hamster egg penetration assay was examined. The results showed a weak but significant correlation between the group of subjects with swelling rates below 50% and the above 80% group. These groups showed hamster egg penetration assay rates of 9 +/- 14% and 39 +/- 29%, respectively (P less than 0.035). A significant correlation was also found between modified Eliasson scores (17 +/- 10 and 5 +/- 7, respectively) and swelling rates below 50% and above 70% (P less than 0.001). These results suggest that spermatozoa showing a low swelling rate have a poor fertilizing capacity. Therefore, the swelling tests and analysis of the patients semen can be used to discriminate sperm quality.

Acrosome↗

PubMed1990

[Peripheral circulatory responses to sustained handgrip in workers using vibrating tools].

In order to study the effects of static force such as a handgrip in detail, the peripheral circulatory function and the autonomic nervous function of workers who used chain-saws were examined in a handgrip test at 30% of maximum voluntary contraction (30% MVC). Workers using chain-saws were divided into three groups: group A without any symptoms, group B with numbness and/or pain but without Raynaud's phenomenon and group C with Raynaud's phenomenon. The results obtained were as follows: 1. The finger blood flow (FBF) of all groups significantly decreased during the handgrip and significantly increased after the end of the handgrip as compared with the initial value. There was a tendency for the FBF decrease of group C to be less than that of group A. 2. The mean value of both maximum FBF decrease and maximum FBF increase during handgrip tests fell in alphabetical order (A, B, C). The maximum FBF increase of group C was significantly less than that of group A. 3. The finger skin temperature (FST) of each group significantly fell during the handgrip but there was no significant difference among the three groups. FST returned to the level of the initial value one minute after the end of the handgrip, and significantly rose two minutes and three minutes after the end of the handgrip as compared with the initial value. 4. Both the systolic blood pressure and the diastolic blood pressure of all groups significantly rose during the handgrip but there was no significant difference among the three groups. Concerning the maximum rise of diastolic blood pressure, which is an indicator of autonomic nervous function, there was no significant difference among the three groups.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Fingers↗

PubMed1990

[Effects of whole-body microwave exposure on the plasma corticosterone, glucose, uric acid and allantoin levels in rats].

To investigate the effects of whole-body microwave exposure on plasma corticosterone, glucose, uric acid and allantoin levels, rats weighing 245-300 g (light group) and 440-510 g (heavy group) were exposed to microwaves with a frequency of 2,450 MHz at the power density of 10 mW/cm2 under an ambient temperature of 21 to 23 degrees C for one hour. Rectal temperatures were increased by 3.4 degrees C in the light group and 1.4 degrees C in the heavy group after microwave exposure. Plasma levels of corticosterone, glucose and uric acid did not change in both groups after microwave exposure. Plasma levels of allantoin increased significantly only in the heavy group after microwave exposure. These results suggest that the plasma levels of allantoin, a metabolite of uric acid, may be useful as a biological variable for assessment of the effects of whole-body microwave exposure in rats. The increase of plasma allantoin level after microwave exposure could not be explained only by the degree of increased rectal temperature caused by hyperthermic effects of microwaves.

Allantoin↗

PubMed1990

[Temporary threshold shift in hearing level observed in a female aerobic dance instructor during lesson].

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Adult↗

PubMed1990

[Study of scanner counter for POS terminal system from view point of posture when take-out goods].

Recently, an increasing number of supermarkets have been introducing the point of sales (POS) system. The scanner counter of this POS system makes repetitive operations including taking goods out of basket, letting them pass through the scanner for their bar codes and then putting them in the next basket. The basket is about 25.5 cm deep, and the counter must be high enough to satisfy two conditions that the base surface and the upper edge of the basket are not too low and not too high, respectively to take goods out of it. In the present study, repetitive operations of taking goods from 16 spots at their respective different heights 49.5, 57.5, 65.5 and 73.5 cm of four corners of the basket was made to measure the posture, heart rate (HR) and electromyograms (EMG) on four sites (right shoulder and loin , left loin and right femoris) of the operator and to examine the height of the counter. EMGs on the right loin , left loin and right femoris showed significant differences (P less than 0.05) in case of goods' position, operator side less than contralateral side and of counter's height, 73.5 less than 65.5 less than 57.5 less than 49.5 cm. EMG on the right shoulder showed significant differences (P less than 0.05) in case of the goods' position, operator side less than contralateral side and of the counter's height, 73.5 cm greater than another height on operator side.

Adult↗

PubMed1990

Isolation and characterization of human fibroblast tenascin. An extracellular matrix glycoprotein of interest for developmental studies.

We have developed a biochemical method for purifying human tenascin from cultured fibroblasts or the culture medium. The method is a series of biochemical procedures including gel filtration, gelatin gel affinity chromatography and ion-exchange high performance liquid chromatography. The final preparation was identified as tenascin from its immunological cross-reactivity to antibody against chicken tenascin, strong hemagglutination activity which has been reported to be one of the biological functions of chicken tenascin, and from the electron microscopic study demonstrating a six-armed structure. Gel chromatography showed that intact human tenascin has an apparent molecular weight of over one million. Analysis of the purified tenascin with SDS-PAGE under reducing conditions demonstrated that tenascin consists of two kinds of subunits (250K and 190K). We established rat x mouse heterohybridoma cell lines which produce tenascin-specific antibodies. One monoclonal antibody (RCB1) was selected for immunohistochemical study and partially characterized. RCB1 bound native tenascin but not reduced and alkylated tenascin. Immunohistochemistry of normal and neoplastic tissues demonstrated that RCB1 bound the connective tissues surrounding the cancer nests and various normal tissues including interstitium of renal distal tubule, periosteum, endosteum, smooth muscles of digestive tract and media of arteries and arterioles.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗