Lack of association between the hKCa3 gene and Japanese schizophrenia patients.

Several researchers have suggested an association between large numbers of CAG repeats in the hKCa3 gene and schizophrenia. However, these reports remain inconclusive and require further investigation. We tried to replicate these results in 112 Japanese schizophrenia patients and 102 control subjects of highly matched age and sex by applying an allele dichotomization model. No association was found. The overall distributions of allele frequencies were not significantly different between schizophrenic patients and normal control subjects. In addition, we tested the association between the size of the CAG repeats and the scores on three dimensions (positive and negative symptoms, and disorganization), but no significant results were obtained. Our results do not support the involvement of the hKCa3 gene in schizophrenia, at least in the Japanese population.

Temperature influences induction of a J7W-1-related phage in Bacillus thuringiensis serovar indiana.

Induction of a plasmid-integrative J7W-1-related phage in Bacillus thuringiensis serovar indiana by ethidium bromide was influenced by the temperature at which the host cells were cultured. Under optimal growth conditions, the maximum titer of the phage produced by the serovar indiana reached 1.2 x 10(6) PFU/ml at 37 degrees C while at 27 degrees C it was lower by an order of magnitude (1.3 x 10(5) PFU/ml). The temperature-sensitive period was estimated to occur early during the phage induction. However, the temperature effect observed with the serovar indiana did not occur with the serovar israelensis. In the latter case, the phage induction was the same at 37 degrees C or 27 degrees C. Thus we assume that the temperaturesensitive phage induction observed with the serovar indiana as host was not a phenomenon caused by the phage genome but rather by product(s) encoded by certain host gene(s).

Effects of early introduction of intensive insulin therapy on the clinical course in non-obese NIDDM patients.

In order to reconsider the extent of indication of insulin therapy in non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM), we performed the following trial in a prospective fashion. At the beginning phase of treatment for diabetes, we introduced intensive insulin therapy in 22 non-obese (Body mass index approximately 24 kg/m2) NIDDM patients without proliferative retinopathy, who were selected in a standardized fashion, avoiding any arbitrary choice. None had received oral hypoglycemic agents (OHA) or insulin yet. By administering insulin 3 or 4 times a day, strict glycemic control was attained and maintained, and then the insulin dose was gradually lowered while keeping good glycemic control. In patients whose glycemic control was maintained at an excellent level for more than 7 days under an insulin dosage lower than 8 u/day, insulin therapy was discontinued. As a result, 15 patients (68%) attained good glycemic control both without insulin and OHA almost within a month and 6 patients (27%) shifted to OHA. It is recommended to introduce intensive insulin therapy in non-obese NIDDM patients without proliferative retinopathy and to aim at attaining good glycemic control both without insulin and OHA.

Leukemoid reaction associated with diabetic ketoacidosis--with measurement of plasma levels of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor.

A 40-year-old man with diabetic ketoacidosis showed marked leukocytosis reaching 60,970/mm3 which subsided within 5 days to a level of 4,140/mm3. He had no evidence of infection. During the entire clinical course, no elevation of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) was observed. No case of leukemoid reaction associated with diabetic ketoacidosis has been reported with the determination of plasma G-CSF levels.

Effects of plasmapheresis on familial type III hyperlipoproteinemia associated with glomerular lipidosis, nephrotic syndrome and diabetes mellitus.

A 59-year-old woman, one of 5 cases with familial type III hyperlipoproteinemia reported at our clinic to date, had nephrotic syndrome and diabetes mellitus, but had neither coronary atherosclerosis nor xanthoma. A renal biopsy specimen revealed a massive cluster of foam cells containing apolipoprotein B and E in the mesangial region of the kidney. A restricted diet intake combined with lipid-lowering drugs such as cholestyramine, clinofibrate, and bezafibrate, in addition to methylprednisolone was not very effective in lowering serum triglyceride and cholesterol levels within physiological ranges. Therefore, plasmapheresis, using a dextran sulfate-cellulose column, was performed. Repeated plasmapheresis resulted in a marked decrease in both serum total cholesterol and triglyceride. A second renal biopsy specimen performed 2 years later revealed a marked reduction in foam cells with concurrent improvement in her nephrotic syndrome and glucose intolerance. These results suggest that familial type III hyperlipoproteinemia may be responsible for glomerular lipidosis resulting in nephrotic syndrome. They also indicate that plasmapheresis using a dextran sulfate-cellulose column is very effective in the removal of abnormal lipoproteins such as beta-very low density lipoprotein and intermediate density lipoprotein in a case of familial type III hyperlipoproteinemia.

Treponema pallidum specific IgM haemagglutination test for serodiagnosis of syphilis.

The Treponema pallidum specific IgM haemagglutination (TP-IgM-HA) test uses erythrocytes sensitised with antiserum to human IgM to separate IgM from IgG in serum. Specific antitreponemal IgM captured in this way is detected by adding a second reagent comprising erythrocytes sensitised with T pallidum antigen. Eighty two serum samples from 82 patients with untreated syphilis, 521 samples from 73 patients with treated syphilis, and 1872 samples from people who did not have syphilis were examined by the 19S(IgM)-TPHA (T pallidum haemagglutination), IgM-FTA-ABS (fluorescent treponemal antibody absorbed), TP-IgM-ELISA (enzyme linked immunosorbent assay), and TP-IgM-HA tests for the presence of 19S(IgM) antibodies specific to treponemes. The sensitivity of the TP-IgM-HA test was 97.6% and the specificity was 99.7%. We also traced IgM specific to treponemes in untreated patients with primary syphilis by four different tests. The TP-IgM-HA test results clearly reflected the effect of the treatment.