Complement system in abnormal pregnancy and chorionic neoplasia: immunotherapy and chemotherapy of chorionic neoplasia.

In normal pregnancy, the activity of the alternate pathway elevates latently and compensatorily for the suppression of cellular immunity. Aging of the placenta becomes a trigger for the onset of labor and production of C3-a. In cases of hydatidiform mole, abruptio placentae, threatened abortion, and chorionic malignancy, the activity of the complement system is depressed, especially that of C3-activator and alternate pathway. This may in turn result from activation of complement by the pathologic lesion of the chorionic villi. In pathologic lesions of the placenta, activation of alternate pathway can lead to a number of diseases. Immunotherapy is effective in the prevention of malignant transformation of hydatidiform mole. Immunotherapy and combination chemotherapy are markedly effective for treatment of metastatic chorionic malignancy.

[A pupillographical study on the effects of cataract surgery on the contralateral eye].

In order to estimate the effect of cataract surgery on the contralateral eye, we examined pupillary light reflex and performed laser flare-cell measurement. The subjects were nine patients who underwent extracapsular cataract extraction (ECCE) and fourteen patients who underwent ECCE with intraocular lens implantation. Pupillary light reflexes of the contralateral eyes were examined using a computerized videopupillogram (HTV C-301). Aqueous cells and flare of both eyes were measured by a laser flare-cell meter (KOWA FC 100). The author performed five successive measurements before and 1, 3 days, 1, 2 weeks and 1, 2, 3 months after surgery and statistically estimated the consensual effect of cataract surgery. As a result of contralateral cataract surgery, pupils became significantly miotic from the first postoperative day for more than 3 months without any alteration of other parameters of light reflex. On the contrary aqueous cells and flare significantly raised from the first postoperative day and disappeared within 3 months. Consensual miosis was considered to be sensitive indicator of postoperative inflammation of cataract surgery as well as contralateral increase of aqueous cells and flare.

International foodborne outbreak of Shigella sonnei infection in airline passengers.

During 22-24 August 2004, an outbreak of Shigella sonnei infection affected air travellers who departed from Hawaii. Forty-seven passengers with culture-confirmed shigellosis and 116 probable cases who travelled on 12 flights dispersed to Japan, Australia, 22 US states, and American Samoa. All flights were served by one caterer. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis of all 29 S. sonnei isolates yielded patterns that matched within one band. Food histories and menu reviews identified raw carrot served onboard as the likely vehicle of infection. Attack rates for diarrhoea on three surveyed flights with confirmed cases were 54% (110/204), 32% (20/63), and 12% (8/67). A total of 2700 meals were served on flights with confirmed cases; using attack rates observed on surveyed flights, we estimated that 300-1500 passengers were infected. This outbreak illustrates the risk of rapid, global spread of illness from a point-source at a major airline hub.

Effect of a sulfated polygalacturonic acid on the proliferation of cells in culture.

The effect of a low molecular weight sulfated polygalacturonic acid on the growth of BALB/c 3T3 cells and HeLa cells was examined. This chemical reduced the saturation density of 3T3 cells in the range of concentrations of 10(-4) to 1 mg/ml, and inhibited the proliferation of HeLa cells, causing little or no cell damage. Treated cells began to grow after removal of the sulfated polygalacturonic acid. Treatment with this acid also induced enlargement of the cell size in 3T3 cells, and a marked reduction of colony size and of central piling up in HeLa cells. 35S-sulfated polygalacturonic acid was bound to the cells immediately. Electrophoretic mobility of both cell lines treated with this sulfated polygalacturonic acid increased the negative charge of the cell surface. These evidences suggest that sulfated polygalacturonic acid affects the cell surface, restricting the cell growth of both cell lines.