Nitrate leakage from deciduous forest soils into streams on Kureha Hill, Japan.

Nitrate leakage from deciduous forest soils into streams was investigated for two adjacent hills. Many of the streams on Kureha Hill, located in Toyama City, Japan, have extremely high nitrate concentrations. The nitrate concentration of Hyakumakidani, one of the streams on Kureha Hill, averaged 158 microeq l(-1) and reached 470 microeq l(-1) during an episodic event. In contrast, the streams on Imizu Hill, adjacent to Kureha Hill, had low concentrations, below 15 microeq l(-1). Even during an episode, the nitrate concentrations increased to no more than 75 microeq l(-1). Both areas have similar blown forest soils, C/N ratios in O horizons, and vegetation consisting primarily of deciduous trees. However, soil incubation experiments, which lasted for 4 weeks, revealed that the nitrification rates in the surface soils of Kureha Hill were much higher than in the soils of Imizu Hill.

[Laparoscopic investigation of 74 cases of nonpalpable testis].

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study is to evaluate the results and advantages of laparoscopic investigation of nonpalpable testis. METHOD: Since March 1986 to May 1996, we performed laparoscopy to investigate 88 nonpalpable testes of 74 cases under general anesthesia. On condition that testis was found intraabdominally, orchiectomy or orchiopexy was performed subsequently. With a finding of vas deferens and/or spermatic vessels entering into internal ring, inguinal canal was explored surgically. If both vas deferens and spermatic vessels were absent or blind-ending intraabdominally, no further examination was performed with a diagnosis of vanishing testis. RESULTS: Location of testes found in this study were as follows. Twenty three (26.1%) testes were found intraabdominally, 36 (40.9%) were intracanalicularly, 13 (14.8%) were distal to external inguinal ring, and 16 (18.2%) were vanishing testes. To those 39 (44.3%) intraabdominal and vanishing cases did not need inguinal exploration. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, a laparoscopic examination for nonpalpable testis is the most effective and less invasive procedure to make sure or preclude the location of the gonad. And in 18% of those who were enrolled in this study, no further surgical interventions were needed. An accurate locating of nonpalpable testis permits site-specific planning of surgical management.

Aromatase in hyperplasia and carcinoma of the human prostate.

The expression and activity of aromatase was evaluated in 19 individuals with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and 26 prostatic carcinoma (PC) patients to elucidate the possible biological significance of in situ estrogen production in the development of human prostatic disorders. Marked aromatase immunoreactivity was observed in proliferative stromal cells, especially those around hyperplastic glands in 18 (95%) BPH patients and in stromal cells surrounding carcinomatous glands in 18 (69%) PC patient specimens. The percentage of aromatase-positive stromal cells did not differ between BPH and PC. No significant correlation was apparent between the percentage of aromatase-positive cells and either the extent of carcinoma differentiation or surgical stage in the PC patients. Quantitation of aromatase activity by the [3H] water assay yielded values of 27.23 +/- 6.87 and 26.52 +/- 9.12 fmol/hr/mg of protein for BPH (nine patients) and PC (nine patients), respectively. Reverse transcriptase and polymerase chain reaction analysis revealed that the mean aromatase mRNA content was 1.671 +/- 0.82 and 1.11 +/- 0.51 attomole/ng of total RNA (tRNA) for BPH (seven patients) and PC (four patients), respectively. There were no significant differences in aromatase activity or aromatase mRNA concentration between PC and BPH. The alternative use of multiple exons 1 of the aromatase gene was also examined. Predominant aromatase gene transcripts contained exon 1b in three of four of PC specimens and two of three BPH specimens examined, in contrast to the use of exon 1d previously described in normal prostate. Unlike breast and endometrium, therefore, aromatase expression in human prostate was not associated with malignancy. However, overexpression of aromatase, possibly attributable to abnormal gene regulation, may result in estrogen production in situ and play a role in the induction or development of human prostatic disorders.

Transforming growth factor-alpha, epidermal growth factor, and epidermal growth factor receptor in human testis obtained from biopsy and castration: immunohistochemical study.

We analyzed expression of transforming growth factor (TGF)-alpha, epidermal growth factor (EGF) and their receptor, EGF receptor (EGFR), by immunohistochemistry in the human testis to determine the possible roles of these growth factors in human testicular function. Specimens were obtained from 17 patients including 9 patients with infertility, 4 patients with prostatic carcinoma and 4 patients with contralateral testicular tumor. EGF immunoreactivity was positive in the hyperplasic Leydig cells of one patient but negative in the other cases. On the other hand, strong TGF-alpha immunoreactivity was observed in Leydig cells, with weak staining in Sertoli cells and germ cells in cases with normal spermatogenesis. EGFR immunoreactivity was observed in the Leydig and peritubular cells, appearing as membrane staining. Marked immunoreactivity for TGF-alpha was observed in the Sertoli cells in testes with decreased spermatogenesis, especially in the Sertoli-cell-only syndrome. This finding may indicate a compensatory increase of TGF-alpha expression in the Sertoli cells accompanying a decrease in spermatogenesis. No significant correlation was found between the degrees of spermatogenesis and immunolocalization of the EGF receptor. These findings suggest that TGF-alpha is a locally produced growth factor that is involved in spermatogenesis in the human testis via an autocrine and/or paracrine mechanism.

Estrogen metabolism and impaired spermatogenesis in germ cell tumors of the testis.

We evaluated spermatogenesis in 36 patients with germ cell tumors [11 with seminoma (S) and 25 with nonseminoma (NS)] in terms of sperm concentration and histological score (Johnsen's mean score) of spermatogenesis in the ipsilateral and contralateral testes. We also measured the steroid concentration in the spermatic vein of the tumor-bearing side and performed biochemical and immunohistochemical studies of aromatase activity of the tumor to investigate the mechanism of exocrine and endocrine testicular dysfunction, with particular emphasis on the role of estrogen metabolism. The sperm concentration was significantly lower in patients with S (42.9 +/- 40.7 x 10(8)/mL) and NS (17.6 +/- 20.8 x 10(6)/mL) compared to normal adult men (114.4 +/- 41.2 x 10(6) mL; P < 0.01). The histological score was lower in patients with NS than in patients with S. The histological score was highest in the contralateral testis, followed by the ipsilateral testis far from the tumor and the ipsilateral testis near the tumor in both the S and NS groups. Serum levels of estradiol and hCG were significantly elevated in both the systemic and spermatic veins of patients with NS compared to normal values, but they were within normal limits in patients with S. The histological score count in the contralateral testis was significantly and inversely correlated with the tumor weight and serum levels of hCG and estradiol. Aromatase activity examined in 9 tumors (5 S and 4 NS) and 6 ipsilateral nonneoplastic testis (3 S and 3 NS) was significantly higher in both neoplastic and nonneoplastic testes in NS patients (tumor, 5.343 +/- 4.027; nontumor, 14.647 +/- 7.688 pmol/h.pg protein) compared to S patients (tumor, 0.622 +/- 0.408; nontumor, 1.979 +/- 1.164 pmol/h.pg protein). Aromatase immunoreactivity was observed in Leydig cells of the nonneoplastic testis in both S and NS patients and in interstitial or stromal cells in 16 of 25 of NS patients and none of S patients. Our results suggest that impaired spermatogenesis in patients with testicular germ cell tumor is caused by increased tumor size in both NS and S patients and/or by increased aromatization and in situ estrogen production in Leydig cells of the nonneoplastic testis and in interstitial or stromal cells of the tumor in patients with NS.

Immunolocalization of oestrogen and progesterone receptors in prostatic hyperplasia and carcinoma.

Oestrogen receptors and progesterone receptors were immunolocalized in 19 patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia and in 26 patients with prostatic carcinoma. Immunohistochemistry was performed on tissue that had been fixed in 8% paraformaldehyde and then paraffin-embedded, using microwave irradiation for antigen retrieval. Oestrogen receptor expression was observed exclusively in the stromal cells of six out of 26 (23%) patients with prostatic carcinoma, but in none of the cells of patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia. Progesterone receptor expression was detected in 16 of 19 (84%) and 17 of 19 (89%) of the epithelial cells and stromal cells of patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia, respectively. In patients with prostatic carcinoma, progesterone receptor immunoreactivity was observed in 12 of 20 (46%) and 20 of 26 (77%) of the carcinoma and stromal cells of prostatic carcinoma, respectively. The ratio of epithelial cells with progesterone receptor immunoreactivity corresponded well with that of stromal cells with immunoreactivity in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia. However, the ratio of stromal cells with progesterone receptor immunoreactivity was much higher than that in carcinoma cells in patients with prostatic carcinoma. Immunolocalization patterns or the ratio of the cells with progesterone receptor immunoreactivity did not significantly correlate with histological differentiation or patient's age in carcinoma cases. However, patients with advanced surgical stages of disease demonstrated a significantly smaller number of carcinoma and stromal cells with progesterone immunoreactivity in patients with prostatic carcinoma. These results suggest that oestrogens do not have a direct effect on the biological behaviour of benign prostatic hyperplasia and prostatic carcinoma, but that progesterone appears to play a role in the pathogenesis of benign prostatic hyperplasia and prostatic carcinoma.

Leydig cell tumor of the testis: analysis of testosterone production and secretion by three-dimensional histoculture.

We treated an 11-year-old boy with a testicular Leydig cell tumor. We analyzed the testosterone production of this tumor by immunolocalization of steroidogenic enzymes and in vitro three-dimensional histoculture. Spermatic venous blood from the tumor bearing testis had noticeably high concentrations of testosterone and androstenedione. The tumor had the characteristic ultrastructural features of steroid producing cells and was immunoreactive for P450scc (side chain cleavage), 3 beta HSD (hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase) and P450c17 (17 alpha-hydroxylase). Three-dimensional collagengel-supported histoculture demonstrated that the tumor tissue in the culture maintained its histologic architecture, expression of steroidogenic enzymes, and secretion of testosterone into the medium for up to 7 days in culture. Histoculture preserved in vitro testosterone production in this case of testicular Leydig cell tumor.

[Application of whole layer core biopsy of bladder wall to paravesical tumor].

We have reported the usefulness of percutaneous or transurethral whole layer core biopsy (WLCB) of bladder wall for staging of invasive bladder cancer. We have applied WLCB to 3 cases of paravesical tumor with good results. The first case was in a 3-year-old boy suspected of retrovesical sarcoma. Percutaneous WLCB revealed an inflammatory tumor of the Douglas cavity which was probably caused by perforation of appendix. The tumor disappeared by antibiotics alone. The second case was in a 37-year-old female with retrovesical tumor suspected to be ovarial cancer because of the high value of CA19-9 and CA125. Transurethral WLCB showed invasion of endometriosis to bladder muscle layer. The third case was in a 75-year-old female diagnosed by transurethral WLCB as sigmoid colon cancer invading until the deep bladder muscle layer. Cold cup punch biopsy was not informative in these 3 cases. Percutaneous or transurethral WLCB is safe and easy to perform, and is a technique recommended for diagnosis of pathology and bladder invasion of paravesical tumor.

[Studies on pyospermia in male infertility].

Among 670 infertile men, 72 were diagnosed as pyospermia according to our criteria. i.e., WBC greater than or equal to 10/hpf semen. The sperm motile efficiency index (SMEI) which indicates the rate of progressively motile sperms, was significantly low in pyospermic group compared with that of non-pyospermic men (WBC less than 5/hpf semen). From the result of split ejaculation, a major cause of pyospermia was supposed to be chronic prostatitis. The SMEI was decreased immediately after addition of the neutrophils and granulocyte elastase to semen. The mean value of granulocyte elastase in pyospermic group was 2859.6 micrograms/L, whereas that of non-pyospermic men was 131.6 micrograms/L. In summary, granulocyte elastase in seminal plasma may be a cause of inhibition of sperm motility in pyospermic state.

[Studies on human spermatozoal acrosome using spermac stain in fertile and infertile men including two cases of round-headed spermatozoa].

Using a new acrosome stain named "Spermac stain", the relationship between the staining rate of sperm acrosome and conventional semen parameters, i.e., sp. density and sp. motility efficiency index (SMEI) was studied. The mean positive staining rate of sp. acrosome in ten fertile men was 81.5%. In 72 infertile men, a significantly higher (p less than 0.001) correlation was noted between the positive staining rate and sp. density and SMEI. 5 out of 8 male partners of unexplained infertility couples showed low staining rates (40-60%), in spite of normal sp. density and SMEI. Ejaculates from two infertile men with "round-headed" spermatozoa were examined by Spermac stain and electron microscopy. The staining rates of sp. acrosome in these two cases were 4.5% and 16.5%. The fine structures of the sperm and the spermatid were presented. Because Spermac stain is quick, reliable and easy to use, this staining method is recommended for evaluating sp. acrosomal morphology in practical use.