Dehydriding reaction of AlH3: in situ microscopic observations combined with thermal and surface analyses.

The dehydriding reaction of single-phase alpha- AlH3 was investigated by in situ microscopic observations combined with thermal and surface analyses. Before the dehydriding reaction, primary AlH3 particles of size 100 nm-1 microm were thought to be covered by an oxide layer with a thickness of less than 5 nm. Both the precipitation/grain-growth of metallic Al of size 1-50 nm and an increase in 'boundary space' were clearly observed inside the particles, while the morphologies of the particles covered by the layer did not change during the dehydriding reaction. This preliminary report provides fundamental information for a further study of AlH3 as a possible hydrogen storage material.

Postoperative delirium and melatonin levels in elderly patients.

BACKGROUND: Melatonin, a hormone produced in the pineal gland, is involved in circadian rhythms and the sleep-wake cycle. Postoperative delirium is encountered frequently in elderly patients after major surgery; whether changes in the pattern of melatonin secretion are associated is unclear. METHODS: Plasma samples were obtained every 2 hours from 19 patients without delirium and 10 with delirium after major abdominal surgery. Postoperative delirium was determined using the Confusion Assessment Method in the Practice Guideline of the American Psychiatric Association. RESULTS: All patients without delirium showed nearly identical preoperative and postoperative melatonin secretion for 24 hours, although peak values were significantly lower in patients more than 80 years old (7.2 +/- 2.3 pg/mL) than in patients younger than 80 years (24.4 +/- 4.1 pg/mL, P = 0.022). Patients with delirium showed two different abnormal postoperative patterns: in 5 patients without complications, melatonin levels were lower than preoperative values (11.0 +/- 5.8 versus 6.5 +/- 4.2 pg/mL, P = 0.079); and in 5 patients with complications, melatonin levels were markedly increased (21.1 +/- 4.5 versus 58.8 +/- 12.4 pg/mL, P = 0.043). CONCLUSIONS: Abnormal melatonin secretion may be involved in postoperative sleep disturbances, which triggered delirium in elderly patients.

Cdk4 activation is dependent on the subunit rearrangement in the complexes.

Although several factors have been implicated in the regulation of Cdk4 activity, little is known regarding the contributions of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors (CKIs) in Cdk4 activation in the mid G1 phase. Using a mouse macrophage cell line (Bac1.2F5), we found that most of Cdk4 bound to p15 when cells were in a quiescent state. Following CSF-1 stimulation, Cdk4 bound to cyclin D1 and then to p21, concomitant with the dissociation of p15 from the complexes. The activation of Cdk4 correlated well with p21 binding to the complexes, and the majority of active Cdk4 complexes contained p21. During regeneration of mouse liver after partial hepatectomy, Cdk4 activity coincided precisely with ternary complex formation of cyclin D1/Cdk4/p21. Using the baculovirus expression system, we succeeded in reconstituting a capacity for Cdk4 activation in insect cells, forming an active cyclin D1/Cdk4/p21 ternary complex. Taken together, it is suggested that p21 and cyclin D1 act cooperatively as activators of Cdk4 through the release of CKIs of the INK4 family.

Responsiveness to thyroid hormone is enhanced in rat hepatocytes cultured as spheroids compared with that in monolayers: altered responsiveness to thyroid hormone possibly involves complex formed on thyroid hormone response elements.

We previously reported that the expression of type I iodothyronine 5'-deiodinase (5'DI) gene was increased by 3,3,',5-triiodothyronine (T3) in isolated rat hepatocytes when cultured as spherical aggregates (spheroids), whereas this effect was greatly attenuated in conventional monolayer cultures. In the current study, we examined whether the enhanced T3 responsiveness in spheroid cultures extends to other T3-responsive genes. As observed for 5'DI, T3 increased spot 14, malic enzyme and fibronectin messenger RNAs (mRNAs) by fourfold to fivefold in spheroid cultures, while the effect in monolayer cultures was blunted. This difference in T3 responsiveness was also observed when T3-responsive reporters consisting of the luciferase gene under the control of triiodothyronine response element (TRE) were introduced into hepatocytes using a replication-defective adenovirus vector. These results suggest that the factors required for T3-dependent transcriptional activation are preserved in spheroid cultures and that they must exert their effect by interacting with TRE. Maximal binding capacity of nuclear T3 receptor was not different between monolayer and spheroid cultures while the expression of retinoid X receptor-alpha (RXR alpha) mRNA was higher in spheroid cultures compared with that in monolayers. The difference in RXR alpha mRNA expression, together with enhanced proteolytic cleavage in monolayers that we demonstrated recently, may account for the difference in T3 responsiveness between the two hepatocyte culture systems.

Ten-year survival after pancreatoduodenectomy for advanced gastric cancer--report of two cases.

We performed pancreatoduodenectomy for 5 patients with gastric cancer, and here we present 2 who have survived for more than 10 years. Patient one had a large antral tumor tightly adherent to the head of the pancreas. Pancreatoduodenectomy with lymph node dissection was performed. Pathologic examination of the resected specimen revealed that the tumor was a well differentiated adenocarcinoma invading the duodenum, but not the pancreas. Patient two had an infrapyloric lymph node metastasis invading not only the pancreatic head, but also the duodenocolic ligament and the transverse mesocolon. Pancreatoduodenectomy and right hemicolectomy with lymph node dissection were performed. Pathological examination of the resected specimen revealed grade III lymph node metastasis, and invasion of the pancreas by the metastatic infrapyloric lymph node. These results indicate that complete resection of tumor by pancreatoduodenectomy may result in a long survival not only for the patients in whom pancreatic invasion and/or lymph node metastasis is limited, but also for some patients with tumor invading the pancreatic parenchyma and/or of grade III lymph node metastasis.

Critical role for p27Kip1 in cell cycle arrest after androgen depletion in mouse mammary carcinoma cells (SC-3).

The molecular mechanisms underlying androgen-regulated cancer growth and the frequent development of refractoriness to endocrine therapy remain unknown. In this study functional and quantitative alterations in cell cycle regulators after androgen depletion were examined in androgen-dependent mouse mammary carcinoma cells (SC-3) as a model system to clarify the initial response of cancer cells to anti-androgen therapy. FACS analysis of SC-3 cells cultured with or without 10(-7) M testosterone revealed that suppression of cell growth after hormone withdrawal was due to GI arrest. Although cyclin D1/Cdk4 activity decreased along with a reduced level of cyclin D1 protein, this was a later event (48-72 h) than the G1 arrest (24 h). Taken together with the results that constitutive expression of cyclin D1 in SC-3 cells did not overcome the growth suppression following androgen depletion, the existence of an alternative pathway(s) causing G1 arrest was suggested. Cyclin E/Cdk2 and cyclin A/Cdk2 activities decreased significantly at 24 h without apparent changes in the amounts of Cdk2, cyclin E or cyclin A. Among various Cdk inhibitors (CKIs) examined, p27Kip1 was upregulated at both mRNA and protein levels at 24 h after androgen depletion. In addition, immunoprecipitation-Western analysis showed that the amount of p27Kip1 associated with Cdk2 complexes increased as early as 24 h. These results suggest that p27Kip1 CKI is a critical target in the initial response of cancer cells to androgen depletion and plays a key role in Cdk2 inactivation through association with the kinase complex, leading to cell cycle arrest.

Regulation of G1 cyclin-dependent kinases in liver regeneration.

The liver serves as a suitable model for studying tissue regeneration. Although various growth factors have been implicated in the promotion of this process, their precise role in liver regeneration remains to be elucidated. Whatever the extracellular signals may be, they all converge on cell cycle regulators in the nucleus, where the sequential activation of cyclin-dependent kinases (Cdk) takes place. The activities of Cdk are regulated positively through their association with cognate cyclins, and negatively via interactions with Cdk inhibitors. In this review article, our recent data as well as results of previous reports on how these cell cycle regulators trigger and/or terminate the process of liver regeneration are summarized. The authors believe that 'knockout' mice, in which specific genes are deleted, will be useful for providing further insight into the positive and negative regulation of liver regeneration.

Effects of thyroid and glucocorticoid hormones on the level of messenger ribonucleic acid for iodothyronine type I 5'-deiodinase in rat primary hepatocyte cultures grown as spheroids.

The activity of type I 5'-deiodinase (5'DI) is known to correlate with thyroid status; it is high in hyperthyroidism and low in hypothyroidism. Recently, it was shown that the increased activity of type I 5'DI in hyperthyroidism is associated with an increase in enzyme contents as well as its mRNA in liver. However, it remains unknown whether thyroid hormone directly regulates the expression of 5'DI mRNA in hepatocytes. In this study, the direct actions of thyroid hormone as well as rT3 and dexamethasone on type I 5'DI mRNA were investigated using primary cultures of rat hepatocytes. Hepatocytes were prepared from euthyroid rats by collagenase perfusion and plated either on collagen-coated dishes for conventional monolayer cultures or on positively charged dishes for spheroid cultures. After hormonal treatments, the levels of mRNAs for type I 5'DI and albumin were determined by Northern blotting. In spheroid cultures, T3 increased type I 5'DI mRNA in a dose- and time-dependent manner, whereas the albumin mRNA level was not altered. A lesser effect was observed in hepatocytes cultured as monolayers. The T3-induced increase in 5'DI mRNA was not inhibited by pretreatment with cycloheximide, indicating that the effect of thyroid hormone on 5'DI mRNA is direct, not requiring de novo protein synthesis. rT3 did not affect the levels in type I 5'DI mRNA increased by T3. On the other hand, dexamethasone alone increased 5'DI mRNA and, when added together with T3, had a synergistic effect. In contrast to T3, dexamethasone increased albumin mRNA. Dexamethasone-induced increases in mRNAs for 5'DI and albumin were inhibited by pretreatment of cycloheximide. The present study indicated that T3 increases 5'DI mRNA through a direct action on its gene, whereas the effect of dexamethasone requires de novo synthesis of a protein factor(s).

The effect of thyroid hormone on fibronectin messenger ribonucleic acid levels in primary cultured rat hepatocytes.

Our previous in vivo studies demonstrated that thyroid hormone promotes the expression of the fibronectin (FN) gene in the rat liver, while it inhibits the synthesis in cultured human skin fibroblasts. These results can be interpreted as either different regulation of FN synthesis or gene expression among tissues, or divergent results of experiments performed in vivo or in vitro. Here we report on the action of thyroid hormone on FN gene expression in vitro using primary cultured hepatocytes compared to that in cultured skin fibroblasts. Hepatocytes were isolated from hypothyroid rats and were cultured in medium supplemented with thyroidectomized bovine serum (TxBS) or fetal bovine serum (FBS). T3 was added 2 or 24 h after plating, and cells were harvested after 2, 6, or 24 h. Total RNA was extracted, and mRNAs for rat FN and albumin were measured. The requirement of de novo protein synthesis for thyroid hormone-mediated induction of FN mRNA was examined by the addition of cycloheximide 15 min before T3 addition. The amount of FN mRNA significantly decreased in the hepatocytes cultured with TxBS compared with those cultured with FBS. The addition of T3 to TxBS resulted in the restoration of FN mRNA to the level in hepatocytes cultured in FBS. FN mRNA increased during the course of culture in the absence of T3; however, a further increase was observed 6 h after T3 addition. The abundance of albumin RNA decreased during the course of culture, but unlike FN mRNA, it was not changed by T3 addition. The increase in FN mRNA by T3 was not influenced by cycloheximide. These results indicate that thyroid hormone enhances FN gene expression in hepatocytes by its direct action without requiring de novo protein synthesis. In contrast, T3 decreased FN mRNA in cultured skin fibroblasts. Thus, the mode of thyroid hormone action on FN gene expression is different among tissues.

Ribonuclease and ribonuclease inhibitor in the human pancreas.

Previous investigations have failed to confirm any specificity of elevated serum ribonuclease (RNase) in the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. Although RNase had been known to be present in two forms (free and inhibitor-bound) in various rat tissues, little was known about its presence in the human pancreas. This report investigates the presence of RNase inhibitor in the human pancreas through the assay of both active (=free) and total (=sum of free and inhibitor-bound) RNases. Inhibitor-bound RNase was also named as latent RNase. RNase was classified into three types according to pH (acid, neutral, and alkaline RNases) in the pancreatic supernatant fraction. An inhibitor was separated from latent RNase by p-chloromercuribenzoic acid (PCMB), and the latent RNase was changed to an active form. Latent RNase was more active on the alkaline side with a maximum at pH 7.5. Hence, the presence of RNase inhibitor was highly suggested in the pancreatic supernatant fraction. RNase inhibitor is most likely a protein, which binds with both neutral and alkaline RNases. The presence of RNase inhibitor has not yet been demonstrated in the normal human serum.

[Histopathological evaluation of minute stomach cancer].

We histologically examined 17 lesions from minute gastric cancer (less than 5 mm in diameter). Flat or IIb type was frequently seen in minute cancer (47%); the depressed type was predominant in ordinary early gastric cancer (72%). Differentiated adenocarcinoma was noted more often in minute cancer (88%) than in ordinary early gastric cancer (61%) or advanced cancer (45%). Differentiated type minute cancer was frequently associated with severe atrophic gastritis (93%) and intestinal metaplasia (73%). There was no evidence for the preexistence of chronic peptic ulcer, because no fibrosis was present in the gastric wall beneath the minute cancerous lesions.

Ribonuclease and ribonuclease inhibitor in the human pancreas.

Several investigators have failed to confirm any specificity of elevated serum ribonuclease (RNase) in the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. Although RNase had been known to be present in two forms, free and inhibitor-bound, in various tissues of the rat, little was known about it in the human pancreas. The object of this report was to explore the presence of RNase inhibitor in the human pancreas through the assay of both active (= free) and total (= sum of free and inhibitor-bound) RNases. Inhibitor-bound RNase is also referred to as latent RNase. RNase was classified into three types according to pH (acid, neutral, and alkaline RNases) in the pancreatic supernatant fraction. An inhibitor was separated from latent RNase by p-chloromercuribenzoic acid (PCMB), and the latent RNase was changed to an active form. Latent RNase was more active on the alkaline side with a maximum at pH 7.5. Hence, the presence of RNase inhibitor was highly probable in the pancreatic supernatant fraction. RNase inhibitor is most likely a protein, which is bound with both neutral and alkaline RNases. RNase inhibitor may be a cause of nonspecificity and/or low sensitivity of RNase in the serum as a diagnostic marker for pancreatic cancer.

Diagnostic and pathological considerations in the popliteal artery entrapment syndrome.

Four cases of the popliteal artery entrapment syndrome including two with bilateral lesions are reported. All limbs of these patients showed classical arterial entrapment due to the anomalous course of the popliteal artery in relation to the medial head of the gastrocnemius muscle. All cases were diagnosed preoperatively, and computed tomography demonstrated apparent separation of the popliteal artery and vein at the site of the insertion of the gastrocnemius muscle. All patients complained of gradually progressive intermittent claudication except for one who revealed acute leg ischemia following long periods of driving and Japanese-style sitting. Surgical treatment resulted in complete recovery in all limbs. Pathological characteristics in the popliteal artery were: (1) the presence of longitudinal smooth muscle bundles in the medial coat adjacent to the gastrocnemius muscle, and (2) intimal thickening and/or thrombus formation adjacent to the medial condyle of the femur.

[Phase II study on peplomycin for esophageal cancer].

For the purpose of verifying the effectiveness of peplomycin, one of the derivatives of bleomycin, against carcinoma of the esophagus and the safety of it, the analysis of the data for total 113 cases collected from 25 institutions in Japan was made. The results are as follows. It was effective in 19 out of 74 evaluable cases of carcinoma of the esophagus (25.7%). In case of treatment with peplomycin alone, it was effective in 6 out of 39 cases (15.4%). In case of the combination treatment with peplomycin and some other therapy, it was effective in 13 out of 35 cases (37.1%). As for the side effects, the incidence of fever was the highest in both the cases of peplomycin alone and the combination treatment such as 39.6% and 37.0%, respectively. Anorexia, nausea, vomiting, respiratory symptoms and tiredness were found in relatively many cases. In the clinical laboratory tests, the vital capacity after the treatment tended to be lower than that before the treatment, but there was little change in the hematological tests, pulmonary function test and renal function test.