Radioprotective effects of thiomethylhydantoin derivatives on Escherichia coli and mice.

Protection of Escherichia coli NIHJ and C57BL mice from the effects of 60Co gamma-rays provided by S-alk(en)yl-L-cysteines and their hydantoin derivatives was examined. E. coli (10(6) cells/ml) suspended in a 20 mM aqueous solution of one of the drugs was irradiated with 60 Gy of gamma-rays. Five week-old male mice were exposed to 5.0-9.5 Gy of gamma-rays after a single intraperitoneal injection of 0.75 mmol/kg body weight of each compound. In both E. coli and mice, S-allyl compounds afforded more effective radioprotection than S-propyl compounds. The replacement of the alpha-hydrogen of S-substituted cysteines by methyl groups decreased the radioprotective effect. Hydantoin derivatives were much more radioprotective than the original sulfur-containing amino acids. Especially, DL-5-allylthiomethyl-5-methylhydantoin had a remarkable radioprotective effect in mice. The gamma-radiolysis mechanism of thiomethylhydantoin derivatives was discussed in connection with the radioprotective effect of the drugs.</p

Modified inverse square sensitometry for the determination of the characteristic curve of radiographic screen/film systems.

To determine the characteristic curve of the radiographic screen/film systems in a short focal spot-film distance, the inverse square sensitometric method was modified by changing the radiation intensity with two kinds of filters. The characteristic curves obtained in the two exposure series with these two kinds of filters were overlapped to obtain a complete one. The characteristic curve thus obtained was almost the same as the one obtained by the original inverse square sensitometric method. The accuracy of the characteristic curves obtained by the modified method was well-reflected in the clinical radiographs.</p

Serum and urinary ferritin levels in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

The serum and urinary ferritin levels in 52 RA patients were measured by the 2-site immunoradiometric assay method. Serum ferritin levels in RA patients correlated with C-reactive protein (CRP) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) but not with serum iron levels and hemoglobin concentrations, although they were within the normal range. High serum ferritin levels were associated with sera with hyper gamma-globulin and rheumatoid factors. In sequential studies, serum ferritin changed in parallel with ESR, CRP and disease activity in a majority of the patients. The urinary ferritin levels and u/s ratios in some RA patients were higher than control values. Higher values were found particularly in the group of patients under gold therapy but not in groups under other treatments.</p

Computed tomographic arteriography in the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Computed tomographic arteriography (CTA) was performed in 30 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Detection of HCC by CTA was compared with that of conventional celiac or hepatic arteriography. CT scanning was performed immediately, 30 seconds and 1 min after an injection of 5 to 10 ml of contrast medium into the common or proper hepatic artery. Repeated infusions allowed whole liver sections to be visualized. HCC was localized in 28 of the 30 patients by conventional arteriography, with CTA detecting the masses in 27 of the 28 patients. CTA imaging presented the tumor mass in 1 of the 2 patients missed by arteriography. Conventional arteriography delineated the boundaries of HCC in 15 (50%) of the 30 patients. CTA clearly delineated the masses in 26 (87%) of the 30 patients including 11 patients in which the tumor borders were obscure by conventional arteriography. HCC lesions smaller than 1 cm in diameter were detected only by CTA in 6 (20%) of the patients. It was concluded that CTA is both useful and necessary in the demarcation of small HCC masses.</p

Compound-Phospholipids formed In Vivo by Irradiation Part 2. Effects of Phospholipids (Extracted In Vivo After Irradiation) on the Culture Cells of Ehrlich Tumor (JTC-11)

The literature dealing with the nature of irradiation disturbances is replete, but there seems to be no established theory on this phenomenon. It is needless to say that the elucidation of this condition requires further, extensive studies from biochemical, histological and functional aspects, because the irradiation disturbances are not by any means a single entity. Yamamoto of our laboratory states that the compound-phospholipids extracted from tissues of the rabbits exposed to total body irradiation possesses hemolytic and cytolytic effects similar to the effects of irradiation itself. In view of this, the present experiment was conduced in order to observe what effects such an extract would have on the growth of Ehrlich tumor culture cells (JTC 11, strain maintained in the laboratory of Cancer Institute, Okayama Univ.) These cells were cultured in the media containing the aforementioned phospholipids extract in the concentration of 0.1% or 0.5% , and for the control the phospholipids extracted from non-irradiated rabbits was added to the medium in the same concentration. The percentage of degneration of Ehrlich tumor cells was calculated at intervals of one, 3, and 6 hours after the addition of the extract. Two days after the start of culture, the extract was added to the medium, and its effect on the proliferation of Ehrlich cells was studied on the fourth day of the addition of extract. Similarly, morphological changes of Ehrlich cells were observed by electron microscopy at the intervals of 3, 12, 24 and 48 hours after the addition of the extract. As a result it was found that the phospholipids substance extracted from the irradiated rabbit showed a greater degenerative effect and stronger inhibition on the culture cells as well as it elicited more marked morphological changes than the extract from non irradiated rabbit. From this, it is obvious that the extract of the irradiated rabbit has the effect to inhibit the cell growth and destroy the cells just as has been demonstrated in Part 1, which is similar to the disturbances brought about by irradiation

Induction of metallothionein synthesis in the liver of rats by X-ray irradiation

Experiments were carried out on the rat liver metallothionein induced by X-ray irradiation. The following results were obtained. 1) The metallothionein content of liver cells increased for a certain time after X-ray irradiation. SOD activity showed an upward trend in accordance with the increasing metallothionein. 2) The increase in metallothio-nein content induced kept in certain level with the time course after irradiation. 3) This metallothionein contains Zn(2+), and also has the ability to bind Cd(2+). 4) The SDS-PAGE pattern indicated that this metallothionein consists of two subunits having molecular weights of 11,000 and 9,000 respectivily. Also this metallothionein showed the same electrophoretic properties as that of Zn(2+)-induced metallothionein

Primary Reticulum Cell Sarcoma of the Stomach; Report of a Case

A case of primary reticulum cell sarcoma of the stomach was reported. The patient was a fifty-four year old housewife, with the chief complaints of epigastric pain and anorexia. The roentgen manifestations were consistent with gastric cancer, and total gastrectomy was performed. The lesion was localized in the stomach and histological examination revealed reticulum cell sarcoma