Effects of T-588, a newly synthesized cognitive enhancer, on hippocampal CA1 neurons in rat brain tissue slices.

The effects of a newly synthesized cognitive enhancer, (-)-R-alpha-[[2-(diethylamino) ethoxy] methyl] benzo [b] thiophene-5-methanol hydrochloride (T-588), on the membrane properties of hippocampal CA1 neurons were investigated in a rat brain slice preparation. T-588 produced a slow and long-lasting depolarization of CA1 neurons with an increase in membrane resistance; this action showed close similarity to that of acetylcholine (ACh). However, the action of T-588 was not affected by atropine, tetrodotoxin or DL-2-amino-5-phosphonovalerate, while the action of ACh was blocked by atropine. The estimated reversal potential of this T-588 effect was near -90 mV which is the reversal potential of potassium ions in CA1 neurons. In the whole-cell voltage-clamp study, T-588 produced a reversible block of the outward potassium current in CA1 neurons. T-588 did not block the afterhyperpolarization evoked by an intracellular current injection, while ACh suppressed it. These results suggest that T-588 has a direct effect on CA1 neurons independent of its cholinergic activity, resulting from blockade of a conductance carried predominantly by potassium ions.

[A case of advanced gastric cancer with lung and liver metastasis treated by CDDP and 5-FU].

A 62-year-old man suffering from advanced gastric cancer with multiple lung and liver metastasis was treated with FP (CDDP . 5-FU) therapy. As a result, lung metastasis disappeared completely and liver metastasis was significantly reduced in size (93%). Then, total gastrectomy, splenectomy and micro-wave-coagulation of the liver tumors were performed. Therefore, it can be said that FP therapy is an effective neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

[A case of curatively operated gastric cancer with peritonitis carcinomatosa treated by intraperitoneal administration of CDDP.Etoposide and EAP therapy].

Intraperitoneal administration of cisplatin (CDDP) etoposide (VP-16) and EAP therapy (combination chemotherapy with CDDP, adriamycin (ADM) and etoposide provided the curative resection for advanced gastric cancer with peritonitis carcinomatosa in a 48-year-old woman. She suffered from epigastralgia. CT shows the ascites, and ultrasonography shows Schnitzler metastasis. First, CDDP 100 mg and etoposide 200 mg were given intraperitoneally. Then, the ascites completely disappeared. Next, the patient underwent EAP therapy, after which Schnitzler metastasis disappeared, and total gastrectomy was performed. Macroscopically, it was of H0P0N0S2. Histopathologically, it was poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma and n0s2. She has been doing well with no evidence of recurrence for 18 months after operation.

Simultaneous determination of methamphetamine and its metabolites in the urine samples of abusers by high performance liquid chromatography with chemiluminescence detection.

A HPLC determination method for methamphetamine (MA) and its metabolites in the urine samples of abusers has been developed. MA, amphetamine (AP), norephedrine (NE), p-hydroxymethamphetamine (pOHMA), p-hydroxyamphetamine (pOHAP) and an internal standard, namely beta-phenylethylamine (PEA) were derivatized with dansyl chloride. They were separated on a reversed phase column with gradient elution using an acetonitrile/tetrahydrofuran/imidazole buffer mobile phase and chemilumigenically determined using bis(2,4,6-trichlorophenyl)-oxalate/hydrogen peroxide as post column reagents. The lower determination limits were as low as 1 x 10(-14)-3 x 10(-14) mol. AP, NE, pOHAP and PEA were derivatized with naphthalene-2,3-dicarboxaldehyde, and were separated on a reversed phase column using an acetonitrile/imidazole buffer mobile phase and chemilumigenically determined. The lower determination limits were 3 x 10(-16)-1.5 x 10(-15) mol. Enzymatic hydrolysis of glucuronides of pOHMA (pOHMAG) and pOHAP (pOHAPG) allowed them to be determined as pOHMA and pOHAP, respectively. After adjusting the pH of the urine samples to 10.5 and adding PEA, all metabolites except glucuronides were extracted quantitatively into chloroform-isopropanol (3:1). Utilizing the two methods, MA and all metabolites were determined in urine samples of MA abusers. The tendency, in order of decreasing concentration was: [MA] > [A] > [pOHMAG] > [pOHMA] > [NE] > [pOHAPG] > [pOHAP]. Although ephedrine (EP) was was detected in several samples, it was not considered to be a metabolite of MA but rather a component derived from cough medicine.

Comparison of reliability of plasma fructosamine and glycosylated hemoglobin assays for assessing glycemic control in diabetic patients on hemodialysis.

To search for a reliable marker of medium-term integrated blood glucose level in diabetics on maintenance hemodialysis (HD), plasma fructosamine and glycosylated hemoglobin (Hb) levels were determined every week and blood glucose levels were determined four times every day over 3 weeks. The mean values of fructosamine (mol/L per 40 g of albumin) and of glycosylated Hb of other the study period correlated (r = .746, P less than .001) for combined materials of diabetic and nondiabetic subjects. However, plasma fructosamine values at the end of the study period did not correlate with the overall mean blood glucose values during the preceding 8 to 21 days (r = .372, NS). In contrast, glycosylated Hb values correlated closely with the same mean blood glucose values (r = .703, P less than .001). Fructosamine values significantly decreased during a HD, irrespective of the increases in albumin and total protein. In conclusion, glycosylated Hb was a reliable marker of long-term integrated blood glucose even in diabetics on HD. However, fructosamine was not a reliable marker of medium-term integrated blood glucose in these patients.

Pneumocystis carinii infection in corticosteroid-treated cats.

Corticosteroids were administered to produce Pneumocystis carinii infection in cats. Six of 10 cats, injected intramuscularly for 97-141 days with 2 mg/cat twice weekly of betamethasone sodium phosphate, developed a light infection with P. carinii. Six of 7 cats, injected intramuscularly for 11-168 days with 10-25 mg/cat weekly of prednisolone acetate, also developed a light infection with P. carinii. There was no significant difference in the infection rate between the sexes and ages of the cats. Using Giemsa staining and Gomori's methenamine silver nitrate stain, P. carinii organisms were indistinguishable morphologically from human and rat P. carinii. The cysts and trophozoites were usually present singly or in small groups, and they always were adhering to the periphery of alveoli. The inflammatory changes were inconspicuous except for the fact that alveolar macrophages often were seen. Corticosteroid-treated cats should be useful in the study of experimental P. carinii infection. This is the first reported case of experimentally induced P. carinii infection in cats.

Prevalence of Pneumocystis carinii in wild rodents in Japan.

During the period from November 1980 to April 1984, 292 small wild rodents were captured in 6 localities in Japan. Eleven out of 142 Apodemus speciosus, 1 out of 11 A. argenteus, 4 out of 40 Microtus montebelli and 2 out of 3 Mus musculus were positive for Pneumocystis carinii. The intensity of infection was generally low and the infection rate did not show any significant difference between sexes of the host animals. The seasonal prevalence of infection in A. speciosus was not remarkable, but was somewhat higher in winter to spring than in summer to autumn. Also, the infection rate in A. speciosus was higher in relatively heavy body weights than in the lighter or the heaviest weight groups. This is the first report of P. carinii infection in wild rodents in Japan. We propose A. speciosus, A. argenteus and M. montebelli as the new natural hosts for P. carinii. No morphological difference was found between P. carinii in wild rodents, in rats and in man as far as the present light microscopic examination is concerned.

Studies on babesia first found in murine in Japan: epidemiology, morphology and experimental infection.

During the period from November 1980 to September 1982, 314 small wild mammals were captured in 5 localities in Japan. Twenty-six out of 86 Apodemus speciosus and one out of 6 A. argenteus both species captured in Shiga Prefecture (35 degrees 02'N, 135 degrees 50'E, 330 m elev .) were positive for babesia. The parasitemia in those animals was generally low. The infection rate did not show any significant difference between sexes of the host or between seasons, whereas it tended to go up with the increase of the body weight of the host. Several developing stages were seen by light microscopic examination such as small to large sizes of ring forms, ameboid forms, dividing forms which finally formed 4 merozoites. The susceptibility of several kinds of experimental and wild animals to this babesia was studied. It was the highest in the nude mouse followed by the golden hamster, mongolian gerbil, mouse and rat. Furthermore, Microtus montebelli , A. speciosus , Clethrionomys rufocanus , Japanese monkey (splenectomized) and crab-eating monkey (splenectomized) became positive for babesial infection after experimental inoculation. The intensities of infection in those animals were generally very low although the infection continued for as long as two months. The Japanese monkey, crab-eating monkey, dog, cat and Eothenomys smithi (all without splenectomy), and Guinea pig and rabbit (both with and without splenectomy) were negative for babesia after being infected in the same manner. This is the first report of murine babesia in Japan. Although this babesia is not different from Babesia microti as far as the present examination shows, we intend to give a specific name to this parasite when the experiment on vector is completed.

[Treatment of Diphyllobothrium latum and Taenia saginata infections with aminosidine (author's transl)].

Recently, it has been known that the aminosidine has marked anthelmintic efficacy against tapeworm. In this investigation, aminosidine was used for treating 14 cases with Ciphyllobothrium latum infection and 5 cases with Taenia saginata infection. Aminosidine was administered orally in a single dose of 50 mg/kg, followed by a purge after the treatment. Fourteen patients with D. latum infection and 5 patients with T. saginata infection expelled long strobila in all cases. Although only 7 scolices of 18 worms of D. latum were found in the stool and no scolex of T. saginata was found, follow-up examination for a long period showed no evidence of remaining infection with one exception of D. latum. Mild nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain were observed in only one of 19 cases given aminosidine. But in the other 18 cases, no side effects were encountered. It was concluded that aminosidine is safe, effective therapeutic agent for the treatment of cestodiasis in man.

Papilloma of the gallbladder.

A case of papilloma of the gallbladder is reported. The gallbladder was associated with cholesterosis but not with stones. The causes of colicky pain in this case are discussed. Papillomas of the gallbladder exhibit no characteristic clinical picture; the symptoms are similar to those of any type of gallbladder disease. Papillomas of the gallbladder may be associated with malignant degeneration. Cholecystectomy is the treatment of choice.