Expression of cellular src-gene product (p60^c-src) in human leukemia-lymphoma cell lines was analysed by flow cytometry using a monoclonal antibody (McAb), H2B4 which recognizes p60^c-src protein in human cells. In several human leukemia-lymphoma cell lines (K562, Namalva, HL60, U937), p60^c-src expression was higher than in peripheral mononuclear cells from healthy volunteers.
Some non-lymphoid leukemia cells can be induced to differentiate into monocyte-macrophages by 12-O-tetradecanoyl phorbol-13-acetate (TPA). K562 cells were also induced to differentiate not only morphologically but also functionally into monocyte-macrophages by TPA. Flow cytometric analyses using the McAb H2B4 revealed that the amount of p60^c-src expression in K562 cells markedly decreased during TPA induced differentiation. The activity of protein kinase associated with p60^c-src in K562 cells was determined employing IgG of immunized rabbit serum specific for p60^c-src. The immunized rabbit IgG heavy chain phosphorylation by protein kinase also decreased after the induced differentiation.
We detected p60^c-src protein in acute lymphoid leukemia cells as well as acute non-lymphoid leukemia cells freshly isolated from patients. The amount of p60^c-src protein decreased in some acute non-lymphoid leukemia cases, but it increased in others after TPA induced differentiation. No correlation was observed between FAB classification of acute leukemias and the amount of endogenous p60^c-src expression.

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A total of 2, 574 residents in Yaeyama District of Okinawa, Japan, were investigated using real time ultrasonography to determine the real prevalence of fatty liver in the general population and to define its associated factors. Overall prevalence of fatty liver was 14.0%. Prevalence of fatty liver in persons under 19 years old was only 1.2%, and increased with age to a maximum in persons 40-49 years of age and then decreased. For persons over 20 years old, obesity index and serum levels of triglyceride and total cholesterol were measured, and alcohol consumption was asked. Prevalence of fatty liver was significantly higher in drinkers than non-drinkers (p <0.01), and increased with alcohol consumption. Furthermore, in persons not suffering from obesity prevalence of fatty liver was significantly higher in drinkers than in non-drinkers (p < 0.001). The results of logistic regression analysis indicated that obesity and elevated serum triglyceride level in both sexes, and alcohol in males were significant predictors of fatty liver. In conclusion, prevalence of fatty liver increased with age to a maximum in persons 40-49 years of age and overall was 14.0%. Obesity was the strongest associated factor in both sexes and in males alcohol was also a strong factor.

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High NK cell activity was observed in tuberculous pleural effusions from which mycobacterium tuberculosis was cultured. Further we observed that cytotoxicity against K562 was augmented by purified protein derivative (PPD). We have now performed the surface analysis of the cells in PPD-induced cytotoxicity using various monoclonal antibodies (mAb) (anti-Leu 1, anti-Leu 7, anti-Leu ll, anti-HLA-DR). Leu 11+ cells have essential cytotoxicity in PPD-induced cytotoxicity, but neither Leu 1+ nor Leu 7+ cells have such cytotoxicity. The PPD-induced cytotoxicity eliminated by the treatment with anti-HLA-DR mAb plus complement was reconstituted by adding either interferon (IFN)- α or β. From these data it was suggested that Leu 11+ cells could be activated through either IFN-α or β derived from HLA-DR+ cells in tuberculous pleural effusion.

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To elucidate the mechanism of anemia and leukopenia in the patients with liver cirrhosis, we investigated hematopoietic progenitor cell contents in their bone marrow, and the effects of their sera and blood mononuclear cells on hematopoietic progenitors from normal subjects. While there was no significant difference in the number of marrow CFU-E and BFU-E between the patients with liver cirrhosis and normal subjects, the number of marrow CFU-C was significantly reduced in liver cirrhosis patients. Patients' sera suppressed in vitro colony formation of normal CFU-E, BFU-E, and CFU-C, and the degree of suppression was well correlated with severity of anemia or granulocytopenia. In vitro colony formation of normal hematopoietic progenitor cells was not affected by blood mononuclear cells from liver cirrhosis patients. These results indicate that the appearance of humoral inhibitor(s) of hematopoietic progenitors plays a role in the development of anemia and granulocytopenia in liver cirrhosis.

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Fifty three elderly hypoglycemic patients seen at Tokyo Metropolitan Geriatric Hospital during last 4 years were reviewed, and these data suggest that clinical characteristics of hypoglycemic patients in the elderly are as follows: 1) Non-diabetics without any hypoglycemic drugs seem to take relatively large part in hypoglycemic patients; 2) malnutrition due to chronic disease, and liver dysfunction may be important predisposing factors in development of hypoglycemia; 3) they are often lacking in adrenergic symptoms and do not tend to present symptoms until their plasma glucose levels decrease at extremely low levels, moreover in such cases, they tend to manifest neuroglycopenia in the beginning of their hypoglycemic attacks. Therefore, it is noteworthy that impaired subjective recognition may increase the risk of hypoglycemia and hypoglycemia should be one of the important considerations in differential diagnosis of stupor and coma in the elderly patients, even though they have not been administered any hypoglycemic agents.

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A high incidence of antibody to asialo GM₁ was observed in the sera from the patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) and BehÇet's disease with neurological manifestations, using Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA), and Thin-layer Chromatography (TLC) immunostaining. The sera from 60 out of 102 cases of SLE with neurological disorders and 6 out of 10 patients with neuro Behcet's disease showed antibody activity against asialo GM₁ but not against the asialo GM₂, GM₁ and galoctocerebroside. In 7 out of 123 cases SLE having a history without neurological manifestations and 1 out of 19 Behcet's patients without neurological disorders, antiasialo GM₁ antibody could be detectable. However, sera from the patients with other autoimmune diseases, such as RA (60 cases) and P S S (32 cases) or from normal subjects did not show any antibody activity against asialo GM₁. Antiasialo GM₁ antibody activity presents in both IgM and IgG immunoglobulin classes by class specific ELISA and TLC immunostaining. These studies suggest that detection of antiasialo GM₁ antibody may be useful in clinical diagnosis and these autoantibody plays a important role in the pathogenesis of neurological manifestations accompanying SLE and Neuro-BehÇet's disease.

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Cerebral atrophy and regional cerebral blood flow (CBF) were examined in 52 chronic stroke patients with dementia, pre-dementia or non-dementia (according to the Dementia Scale). The index of cerebral atrophy was estimated on computed tomography, and CBF was determined using ¹³³Xe inhalation method. Cerebral atrophy indices were not significantly different among various degrees of dementia except a slightly increased cella media index in pre-dementia group. Average values for CBF were bilaterally reduced in dementia, being 28.5 ± 4.4 for affected hemisphere and 31.0 ± 3.2 ml/100g/min for non-affected one. Compared with those, CBF were higher in pre-dementia (37.3 ± 8.7 and 39.4 ± 8.2 ml/100g/min, p <0.05 vs dementia, respectively) and more higher in non-dementia (45.8 ± 10.2 and 48.5 ± 10.4 ml/100g/min, p < 0.01 vs pre-dementia, respectively). Of ll recurrent stroke patients, 5 with newly developed dementia after the second attack presented the preceding CBF reduction 10 to 34 months prior to the recurrence. Present results suggest that bilateral reduction of CBF may be the primarily important factor for the initiation or development of vascular dementia, and the CBF reduction seems to precede the symptom of dementia.

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From Dec 1, 1985 to Jan 18, 1986, 133 of 379 (35.1%) mainly elderly in-patients at a hospital in Fukuoka City were infected with influenza virus A (H3N2). In 32 of the 133 (24.1%) infected with the virus, pneumonia occurred. The occurrence was significantly higher in man(33.1%) than in women (17. 1%) (p < 0.05), and the same occurrence was found to be higher in bed-ridden patients (32.7%) than in ambulatory patients (17.3%) (p < 0.05). It was also higher in those age 70 or older (25.4%) than in those 69 years or younger (17.4%), but with no statistical difference. Seven men and one woman, all 70 years old or older, infected with the virus died of pneumonia. The overall case-fatality ratio was 6.0%. Thus, male bed-ridden patiens aged 70 years or older are highly vulnerable to pneumonia in case of infection with influenza virus A.

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Sex hormones are known to affect the immune system. Asymptomatic hepatitis B virus (HBV) carriers are thought to be immunologically tolerant to HBV, but in some HBV carriers, the immune response to HBV is induced, especially in females during their sexually-mature periods. This may be caused by the effects of estrogens on the immune system. In this study, we found that the level of estradiol receptors in the cytosol of peripheral blood mononuclear cells was significantly lower in asymptomatic HBV carriers compared to healthy controls. This suggests that in asymptomatic HBV carriers, antibody production of peripheral blood mononuclear cells was lower compared to that of healthy controls as a result of the low level of estradiol receptors.

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A 48 year-old-man, with fulminant hepatitis complicated with myocarditis was treated. Despite intensive care, he died of fulminant hepatitis associated with hepatitis B virus infection. Electrocardiography (ECG) showed myocardial infarction-like changes when he went into a deep coma. Microscopically, scattered foci of myocardial cell damage and cell death associated with clusters of inflammatory cells were present in the heart at autopsy. However, there were no findings related to myocardial infarction and staining for hepatitis B surface antigen and core antigen were nil. The concentration of plasma catecholamine was elevated concomitantly with high level of ECG changes. We consider that abnormal ECGs may reflect a hypersecretion of catecholamine and suggest that our patient had a catecholamine cardiopathy.

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Sarcoidosis, having a twenty-nine years of clinical course, associated with multiple calcified deposits in neck, mediastinum, liver, spleen, kidney, abdominal lymphnodes and lung was reported. Calcified opacity, which was firstly detected during initial two years on plain chest and abdominal x-ray films, increased in calcified mass insidiously. Though, the examination on this admission failed to reveal pathogenesis of multiple calcification, immunological derangement seemed to initiate and promote the calcification.

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A 32-year-old male was hospitalized with high fever, pancytopenia and hepatosplenomegaly. No atypical cells were found in the peripheral blood. Bone marrow aspiration resulted in dry taps. Superficial lymph node swelling was not observed. He had been treated twice for high fever, hepatosplenomegaly and leukopenia that were very similar to the present illness, 13 and 3 years before the onset and hepatosplenomegaly had been noted by the patient for 13 years. The patient died after a rapid course of 20 days. Histiocytic medullary reticulosis (HMR) was diagnosed at the autopsy, which revealed atypical histiocytic infiltration showing erythrophagocytosis in the liver, spleen, left adrenal, and mesenterial and pulmonary hilar lymph nodes. This patient had shown the same clinical signs and hepatosplenomegaly 13 years before the onset of HMR, which suggest a possible latent stage and acute exacerbation of HMR.

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A 15-year-old girl with a prosthetic aortic valve had recurrent episodes of prosthetic valve thrombosis. She had had an emergency operation that included aortic valve replacement because of congestive heart failure secondary to aortic regurgitation due to annuloaortic ectasia complicated by aortitis syndrome. She had been on warfarin. On each admission, fibrinolytic therapy was given to her because she refused reoperation. The therapy was successful and without any complications. After the Thrombotest index was controlled between 6% and 15%, prosthetic valve thrombosis did not recur. The values of β-thromboglobulin and platelet factor 4 were also kept within the normal range. We concluded that: (1) in circumstances that prevented surgery, fibrinolytic therapy was successful. (2) Adequate anticoagulant therapy prevented recurrence of prosthetic valve thrombosis. (3) Elevations of β-thromboglobulin and platelet factor 4 proved to be diagnostic indicators for prosthetic valve thrombosis.

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We report an autopsied patient who initially presented signs of cerebellar ataxia. After seven months, small cell carcinoma of the lung was revealed. Electromyography on repetitive stimulation and autopsy findings proved that the neurological disorders were due to Eaton-Lambert syndromeand subacute cerebellar degeneration, as forms of carcinomatous neuromyopathy.

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A case of a thirty-eight year old man with pseudohypoparathyroidism (PHP) type 1 associated with gonadotropin resistance and hypercalcitoninaemia was reported. The basal levels of the luteinizing hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone were elevated, and the responses to the luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone were exaggerated. The basal level of testosterone was normal, but the response to human chorionic gonadotropin was blunted. The serum calcitonin level was high, and hyper-responsiveness was observed by pentagastrin administration. From these results, it was suggested that partial testicular resistance to gonadotropin and the possibility of resistance to calcitonin were present in our case.

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Aggregation of diabetes and hearing loss in a family is observed in some hereditary disease. All members of the present family are affected with sensory hearing loss and diabetes mellitus. Diabetes types observed were insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) in the proposita and the sister, non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) in the brother, and impaired glucose tolerance in the mother. The combination of hearing loss and diabetes and the concordant expression of IDDM or NIDDM in the siblings have not hitherto been described in any hereditary syndrome. This family may exhibit a new hereditary syndrome which is characterized by diabetes and hearing loss.

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