Combination chemotherapy with anticancer agents and OK-432

Antitumor effects of the combination chemotherapy with hemolytic streptococcus preparation, OK-432, and various anticancer agents were observed on experimental tumors and human cancers. Experimental studies revealed that combined use of OK-432 with Mitomycin C, Nitrogen mustard N-Oxide or Bleomycin was remarkably effective on rodent transplantable tumors such as Ehrlich carcinoma, sarcoma-lOO and rat ascitic hepatoma AH-66. As for the mode of action of OK-432, besides a direct action on cancer cells, a host-mediated action appears to be also involved. Clinical trials were made on 14 cases with various advanced cancers, and favorable response was obtained in 5 with lung cancer. Fever was the major side effect of OK-432 and there was no evidence of bone marrow suppression.</p

THE IMPROVEMENT OF SKILL BY SNOWBOADING CLASS OF THE UNIVERSITY GENERAL EDUCATION ATHLETICS

本研究はスノーボード集中授業により初心者の滑走スキルがどの程度向上したかを検討したものである｡実技試験を実施した結果､以下の如くの結果が得られた｡即ち､転倒者の割合は女子班では55.6%､男子班では50.0%と約半数が転倒する状態であった｡男子班は全員､連続ターンが出来ていたが女子班 では出来ないかほとんど出来ない者が約4割であった｡平均ターン回数は男子班が9.8回,女子班が2.9回で女子班の値が小さかった(P<0.1)｡その理由については､男女の体力差や指導方法の違いなどが考えられる｡試技の平均所要時間は男子班が33.0秒で女子班が41.0秒であった｡経験者班を基準にする と男子班は12.6%,女子班は40.0%余分に時間を要している状態であった｡事前のスケートボード練習の有効性は確認できなかった｡理由としては､練習の回数と時間が少な過ぎたことと参加者数が少なかったことによると推察される｡This study is a report on the run skill of beginners of snowboarding intensive class. The skill test brought the following results.A ratio of the students who fell down at this test was 55.6% in the female group, and was 50.0% in the male group. All of the male group could do turns of the right and left alternation. However, about 40% of the female group could not do such turn at all or could not do without great difficulty. The average of the turn of the group of male was 9.8 times, and it of the group of female was 2.9 times. The numerical value of the female group was small (p<0.1). As a reason, it seems that the difference of physical resources between male and female. And next, it seems that the reason is in a variety of teaching methods of each coach. The group of the male needed time of 33.0 seconds on average for run and it of the group of female was 41.0 seconds. In comparison with the group of the experienced students, the male group spent time more 12.6%, and the surplus time of female group is 40.0%. The effectiveness of the skateboarding exercise before the class was not confirmed. As reasons it seemed that too few times of practice and too few students who belong to group of training were guessed

Mechanism of cardiac arrhythmias induced by epinephrine in dogs with hypokalemia

To investigate the mechanism of ventricular arrhythmias induced by epinephrine in dogs with hypokalemia, 30 adult mongrel dogs were separated into a control group (n = 13) and a hypokalemia group (n = 17). In the hypokalemia group, sodium polystyrene sulfonate (5 g/kg body weight) was infused into the colon. In both groups, the serum concentrations of sodium, potassium and calcium were measured every 15 minutes for 60 minutes. The mean ( ± standard deviation) serum potassium level of the hypokalemia group decreased significantly from 3.81 ± 0.21 to 2.92 ± 0.36 mEq/liter; there were no significant changes in other electrolytes. After 60 minutes, epinephrine (10 μg/kg) was injected intravenously in the hypokalemia and control groups, and the arrhythmia ratio (the number of ventricular ectopic beats divided by the total heart rate) was calculated for 5 minutes. Each group was further classified into subgroups of dogs with an arrhythmia ratio higher or lower than 10%. An arrhythmia ratio over 10% was observed in 7.7% of the control group and 53% of the hypokalemia group.Immediately after 5 minutes of epinephrine injection, myocardial mitochondria and plasma membrane fraction were prepared from each group. Mitochondrial calcium content and phospholipase activity of plasma membrane fraction were determined. Significant increases in both mitochondrial calcium content and phospholipase activity were observed in the dogs with hypokalemia and an arrhythmia ratio greater than 10%. In the hypokalemia group, there was a clear reciprocal correlation (r = − 0.79) between serum potassium concentration at 60 minutes and mitochondrial calcium content, and a clear correlation (r = 0.80) between mitochondrial calcium content and phospholipase activity. It was also demonstrated that the dogs with a higher than 10% arrhythmia ratio had a low serum potassium concentration, high mitochondrial calcium content and high phospholipase activity. These results suggest that hypokalemia enhances the calcium influx induced by epinephrine, resulting in activation of phospholipase, which is responsible for the development of ventricular arrhythmias

Studies on the host-mediated action of the streptococcal preparation, OK-432, in cancer chemotherapy

The streptococcal preparation, OK.432, with predominant host-mediated mode of action, was studied. By giving OK-432 to mice intraperitoneally prior to transplantation of Ehrlich carcinoma, a host-mediated action to increase life-span was clearly confirmed. Pretreatment with OK-432 was also effective against the development of Rauscher leukemia. The host-mediated action of OK-432 varied with the interval between its pretreatment and the inoculation of tumor cells. The effect was most marked when the transplant was performed immediatedly after the pretreatment, and became less marked when the transplant was made one week and two weeks after pretreatment. The host-mediated action can be observed even with a single dose of pretreatment, and becomes more potent as pretreatment was given repeatedly. The host-mediated action was weakened by concomitant pretreatment with cyclophosphamide or roentgen irradiation, and the mechanisms of such action was supposed to be associated with the function of the reticulo-endothelial system.</p

The magnetic structure of the zigzagzigzag chain family Nax_{x}Ca1−x_{1-x}V2_2O4_4 determined by muon-spin rotation

We present muon-spin rotation measurements on polycrystalline samples of the complete family of the antiferromagnetic (AF) $zigzag$ chain compounds, Na$_x$Ca$_{1-x}$V$_2$O$_4$. In this family, we explore the magnetic properties from the metallic NaV$_2$O$_4$ to the insulating CaV$_2$O$_4$. We find a critical $x_c(\sim0.833)$ which separates the low and high Na-concentration dependent transition temperature and its magnetic ground state. In the $x<x_c$ compounds, the magnetic ordered phase is characterized by a single homogenous phase and the formation of incommensurate spin-density-wave order. Whereas in the $x>x_c$ compounds, multiple sub-phases appear with temperature and $x$. Based on the muon data obtained in zero external magnetic field, a careful dipolar field simulation was able to reproduce the muon behavior and indicates a modulated helical incommensurate spin structure of the metallic AF phase. The incommensurate modulation period obtained by the simulation agrees with that determined by neutron diffraction.Comment: 7 pages, 7 figures, accepted for publication in PR

レンギョウ属(モクセイ科) の染色体数

モクセイ科レンギョウ属には6 種または7 種が知られている。そのうちの1 種Forsythia europaeaだけがヨーロッパに自生する。わが国には，中国原産のレンギョウ（F. suspensa），シナレンギョウ（F. viridissima var. viridissima），チョウセンレンギョウ（F. viridissima var. koreana）が薬用および花木として栽培され，ヤマトレンギョウ（F. japonica var. japonica）とショウドシマレンギョウ（F. togashii）の2 種が自生している。レンギョウ，チョウセンレンギョウ，ヤマトレンギョウ，ショウドシマレンギョウの4 分類群について染色体数を調べた結果，いずれも2n=28 であった。レンギョウとチョウセンレンギョウでは過去の報告と一致し，ヤマトレンギョウとショウドシマレンギョウでは染色体数が初めて明らかになった。シナレンギョウ，F. europaea, F. giraldiana, F.×intermedia およびF. japonica var. saxatilis もすべて2n=28 であることが知られている。レンギョウ属の染色体基本数はx=14（Taylor 1945）であることから，この属はすべて二倍体（2n=28）あることが判った

Health Checkup and Telemedical Intervention Program for Preventive Medicine in Developing Countries: Verification Study

Background: The prevalence of non-communicable diseases is increasing throughout the world, including developing countries. / Objective: The intent was to conduct a study of a preventive medical service in a developing country, combining eHealth checkups and teleconsultation as well as assess stratification rules and the short-term effects of intervention. / Methods: We developed an eHealth system that comprises a set of sensor devices in an attaché case, a data transmission system linked to a mobile network, and a data management application. We provided eHealth checkups for the populations of five villages and the employees of five factories/offices in Bangladesh. Individual health condition was automatically categorized into four grades based on international diagnostic standards: green (healthy), yellow (caution), orange (affected), and red (emergent). We provided teleconsultation for orange- and red-grade subjects and we provided teleprescription for these subjects as required. / Results: The first checkup was provided to 16,741 subjects. After one year, 2361 subjects participated in the second checkup and the systolic blood pressure of these subjects was significantly decreased from an average of 121 mmHg to an average of 116 mmHg (P<.001). Based on these results, we propose a cost-effective method using a machine learning technique (random forest method) using the medical interview, subject profiles, and checkup results as predictor to avoid costly measurements of blood sugar, to ensure sustainability of the program in developing countries. / Conclusions: The results of this study demonstrate the benefits of an eHealth checkup and teleconsultation program as an effective health care system in developing countries

Evaluation of focal damage in the retinal pigment epithelium layer in serous retinal pigment epithelium detachment

The purpose of this study was to evaluate focal damage in the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) layer in serous retinal pigment epithelium detachment (PED) with multi-contrast optical coherence tomography (OCT), which is capable of simultaneous measurement of OCT angiography, polarization-sensitive OCT and standard OCT images. We evaluated 37 eyes with age-related macular degeneration that had serous PED. Focal RPE damage was indicated by hyper-transmission beneath the RPE-Bruch’s membrane band in standard OCT images. Distribution of RPE melanin was calculated using the dataset from multi-contrast OCT. Twenty-four points with hyper-transmission were detected in 21 of the 37 eyes. Standard OCT images failed to show disruption of the RPE-Bruch’s membrane band at 5 of the 24 hyper-transmission points. Conversely, multi-contrast OCT images clearly showed melanin defects in the RPE-Bruch’s membrane band at all points. Areas of melanin defects with disruption of the RPE-Bruch’s membrane band were significantly larger than those without disruption. The volume of intraretinal hyper-reflective foci was significantly larger in eyes with hyper-transmission than that in eyes without hyper-transmission. Multi-contrast OCT is more sensitive than standard OCT for displaying changes at the RPE-Bruch’s membrane band when there are small areas of RPE damage