Relationship between dyslipidaemia and semen quality and serum sex hormone levels: an infertility study of 167 Japanese patients.

A prospective study was performed in the Reproduction Center of Ichikawa General Hospital (Chiba, Japan) to assess the relationship between dyslipidaemia and sperm quality and serum hormone levels in male patients in Japan. The semen parameters and blood samples were assessed in relation to several variables, including body mass index (BMI) and serum triglyceride (TG) levels. Between 2011 and 2012, 167 male partners of infertile couples aged 22-46 years (mean: 36.5 years) were referred to the reproduction centre. In total, 66 patients (39.5%) had hypertriglyceridaemia (TG level ≥ 150 mg dl(-1) ). There was no significant relationship between serum TG levels and sperm concentration or motility; however, the serum TG level was positively associated with the sperm morphological traits. Furthermore, the serum levels of glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase and glutamic pyruvic transaminase were associated with the serum TG levels. By contrast, a negative relationship between serum testosterone and TG levels was discovered.

FGF-2 stimulates periodontal regeneration: results of a multi-center randomized clinical trial.

The efficacy of the local application of recombinant human fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2) in periodontal regeneration has been investigated. In this study, a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial was conducted in 253 adult patients with periodontitis. Modified Widman periodontal surgery was performed, during which 200 µL of the investigational formulation containing 0% (vehicle alone), 0.2%, 0.3%, or 0.4% FGF-2 was administered to 2- or 3-walled vertical bone defects. Each dose of FGF-2 showed significant superiority over vehicle alone (p < 0.01) for the percentage of bone fill at 36 wks after administration, and the percentage peaked in the 0.3% FGF-2 group. No significant differences among groups were observed in clinical attachment regained, scoring approximately 2 mm. No clinical safety problems, including an abnormal increase in alveolar bone or ankylosis, were identified. These results strongly suggest that topical application of FGF-2 can be efficacious in the regeneration of human periodontal tissue that has been destroyed by periodontitis.

A case of masticatory disturbance incidental to trigeminal schwannoma: changes in occlusal force and masticatory sensation before and after radiosurgery.

We report here a case of masticatory disturbance evoked by trigeminal schwannoma, in which we have evaluated the changes in occlusal force and masticatory sensation before and after treatment for the tumour. The patient was a 43-year-old woman and her chief complaint was a loss of masticatory sensation on her left side. MR imaging revealed an enhanced tumour in the left cavernous sinus/Meckel's cave. The left masseter muscle function and occlusal force showed remarkable decreases before treatment; however, the sensory thresholds of her facial skin and dental pulp were not significantly different from the control side, indicating that her loss of masticatory sensation was not due to sensory disturbance but to occlusal force weakness. Gamma-knife radiosurgery resulted in a significant improvement in masticatory sensation following an increase in occlusal force.

A simple, yet accurate method for detecting and quantifying secretions from human minor salivary glands using the iodine-starch reaction.

The lack of published information about the minor salivary glands is due in part to the difficulties experienced in collecting and quantifying their secretions. In fact, no method exists for measuring their secretions that is both simple and accurate. This investigation examined the accuracy of our newly developed method (which simply employs the iodine-starch reaction) in 10 healthy non-medicated adults. A strip painted with a solution of iodine in absolute alcohol then with a fine starch powder mixed with castor oil was placed at a designated location on the lower-lip mucosa for 2 min to collect saliva. Black-stained spots of various sizes corresponding to the individual glands could be accurately visualized. After removal of the strip, the total stained area (mm2) was calculated by digitizing the spot areas using a computer system. The correlation coefficient (r) between known volumes of saliva and stain size was 0.995, indicating a close correlation. The correlation coefficient (r) between area values obtained in the first trial in each subject (Y) and the second (X; 10 min later) was 0.963, and the simple regression equation was close to Y=X, indicating good reproducibility. The mean flow rate microl/cm2 per min) obtained by converting mean total area to volume and thence to flow rate was 0.49+/-0.26, in good agreement with published values obtained by others. These results suggest that our newly developed method allows both the distribution and secretion rate of the minor salivary glands to be observed, and that it should be of practical value due to its simplicity, accuracy, and reproducibility.

Synthesis of the proposed structure of fudecalone, an anticoccidial drimane terpenoid.

[formula: see text] The proposed structure of fudecalone (1), an anticoccidial drimane sesquiterpene, was synthesized as a racemate in six steps starting from a known phthalide (5). Interestingly, our synthetic 1 showed conformation 1b, while the natural one was reported as 1a, and the NMR spectral data were not identical.

Radioimmunodetection of human pancreatic tumor xenografts using DU-PAN II monoclonal antibody.

The potential of DU-PAN II, monoclonal antibody (IgM), which was raised against the human tumor cell line, was evaluated for radioimmunodetection of human pancreatic tumors (PAN-5-JCK and EXP-58) grown in nude mice. 125I-labeled DU-PAN II was accumulated into PAN-5-JCK producing DU-PAN II antigen with a tumor-to-blood ratio of 2.72 +/- 3.00, but it did not localize in EXP-58 because of insufficient DU-PAN II. There was no significant uptake of 125I-nonimmunized IgM in PAN-5-JCK. These facts indicated the specific tumor uptake of DU-PAN II. Excellent images of the tumor PAN-5-JCK were obtained 3 days after the injection of 125I-DU-PAN II. Gel chromatography was also investigated with respect to the plasma taken from mice injected with antibody, or incubated with antibody in vitro. The results indicate that circulating antigen affected the tumor uptake of DU-PAN II: The more the tumor grew, the higher the amount of antigen excreted into the blood, leading to the degradation of DU-PAN II before it reached the tumor sites. Consequently, the immunoscintigram of the small tumor was remarkably clear. The catabolism and the radiolysis of the labeled IgM injected are critical points in applying immunoscintigraphy.

[Serological test of carbohydrate antigen CA50 in patients with cancer of the digestive tract].

In order to determine the clinical usefulness of carbohydrate antigen CA50 as a marker for cancers of the digestive tract, an attempt was carried out to measure the CA50 levels (normal level less than or equal to 18.1 U/ml) in sera of patients with various diseases of the digestive tract including pancreatic cancer. In patients with pancreatic cancer, the frequency of elevation of CA50 was 85.7% (6/35), which was the highest frequency of elevation, and a serum level of over 1,000 U/ml was observed in 6 (17.1%) of these 35 pancreatic cancer patients. Furthermore, patients with gall bladder carcinoma, hepatocellular carcinoma and gallstones showed relatively high frequencies of elevation. On the other hand, the maximum level of CA50 in serum was 41 U/ml in patients with benign pancreatic disease. Therefore, it was thought that CA50 was able to differentiate pancreatic cancer from benign pancreatic disease in patients with pancreatic disease with extremely high levels of CA50. The serum level of CA50 showed significant correlation with that of CA19-9. This study suggested that CA50 might be a potentially useful marker.

[Detection of DU-PAN-2 antigen (pancreatic cancer-associated antigen) in sera of patients with cancer of the digestive tract].

DU-PAN-2 is an antigen detected by a monoclonal antibody to pancreatic adenocarcinoma. In order to determine the clinical usefulness of DU-PAN-2 for diagnosis and monitoring in cancer patients, the DU-PAN-2 level (EIA, less than or equal to 300 U/ml) was measured in 238 patients with cancer of the digestive tract including 47 with pancreatic cancer, and in 57 with benign abdominal disease. The positive rate and maximum level for pancreatic cancer were 48.9% and 85,960 U/ml, respectively. However, DU-PAN-2 levels were also relatively high in hepatobiliary cancers. For stage II pancreatic cancer, the positive rate and maximum level of DU-PAN-2 were only 22.2% and 661 U/ml, respectively. On the other hand, these values were 0% and 196 U/ml (pancreatic cyst) in 15 benign pancreatic diseases. In postoperative monitoring of up to 35 months in 17 resected patients with pancreatic cancer, the DU-PAN-2 level decreased on resection of the tumor and increased on recurrence. This study suggested that DU-PAN-2 seems promising as a means for differentiating pancreatic cancer from benign pancreatic disease and for detecting the recurrence of pancreatic cancer. However, differentiation between pancreatic and hepatobiliary cancers appears difficult.

Cyclic nucleotide action is mediated through adenosine receptors in damselfish motile iridophores.

Effects of cyclic nucleotides on motile iridophores were examined in the blue damselfish, Chrysiptera cyanea. All of the cyclic nucleotides tested, i.e. cAMP, 2',3'-cAMP and cGMP, accelerated the clearing response of the cells even at concentrations of 10(-5) or 10(-4) M. The action of these nucleotides was effectively antagonized by methylxanthines. These results suggest that the effect of cyclic nucleotides on damselfish iridophores is mediated by adenosine receptors in a similar fashion to the action of adenosine.

[Tumor markers of pancreatic cancer].

To determine the clinical usefulness for diagnosis and monitoring of pancreatic tumor markers, serum levels of CA 19-9 (RIA; less than or equal to 37U/ml), POA (EIA; less than 11 U/ml), CEA (EIA; less than or equal to 4.4 ng/ml) and TPA (RIA; less than or equal to 110 U/ml) were measured in 57 patients with pancreatic cancer and 25 patients with benign diseases of the pancreas. Frequencies of elevation for pancreatic cancers were 73.9% for CA 19-9, 69.2% for POA, 48.9% for CEA and 73.2% for TPA. Furthermore, the frequencies of elevation at relatively early stages of pancreatic cancer were not high. It was therefore thought that these markers were unsuitable for early diagnosis of pancreatic cancers. Although serum levels of CA 19-9 and POA in cases of pancreatic cancer were distributed up to on extremely high level, those for benign diseases of the pancreas were located up to twice the values of the cut-off levels. Therefore, these two markers seem promising for differentiating preoperatively between pancreatic cancer and benign diseases of the pancreas. CA 19-9 and POA were also useful for monitoring the recurrence of pancreatic cancer. In particular, patients with high preoperative levels seem good candidates for postoperative monitoring.

["Methamphetamine-stereotypy and hypermotility" in rats chronically treated with reserpine--the effect of intracerebral injection of chlorpromazine].

In rats given methamphetamine (MAPT, 10 mg/kg i.p.) 24 hrs--48 hrs after the long term-administration of reserpine (RE), we have previously found such "bizarre-biting behaviour" as persistent and bloody biting activity at their own legs and tails or those of their cage mates. The present investigation examined the effect of a blockade of the dopamine receptor in the brain on MAPT-induced "bizarre-biting behaviour" and hypermotility of RE-pretreated rats. Male albino Wistar rats aged 4 weeks were injected intraperitoneally with RE (1.25 mg/kg) or 0.9% saline solution (1.25 ml/kg) every two days for 13 days. Twenty-three hrs after the last injection, rats received chlorpromazine (CP, 150 micrograms, 250 micrograms, 625 micrograms, or 1 mg/rat) intracerebrally by Valzelli's method; and 1 hr later, MAPT (10 mg/kg i.p.) was injected. MAPT-induced hypermotility was potentiated in the RE-pretreated rats, but it was suppressed dose-dependently by CP. Stereotyped licking and biting activities of saline-pretreated rats were completely suppressed by CP at each dose given, however, the "bizarre-biting behaviour" of RE-pretreated rats was inhibited by CP only at high doses (625 micrograms or 1 mg/rat). It is suggested that the MAPT-induced hypermotility of RE-pretreated rats is mediated by activation of dopamine receptor while their "bizarre-biting behaviour" is partially related to it.