Free amino acids in fasting plasma and erythrocytes were quantitated on a JLC-6 AH automatic amino acid analyzer, with use of a lithium citrate buffer elution system for the separation of glutamine and asparagine. Sulfosalicylic acid was used as the deproteinizing agent to prevent the loss of tryptophan during the procedure. The results of 20 patients (age from 41 to 72, average 54, 10 males and 10 females) with various diseases not affecting the free amino acids were compared with normal control data in the literature. The values of 26 free amino acids in our measurements were mostly in the same ranges reported as normal values in the literature. Therefore the data of our diseased controls are thought to be age-matched controls in studying changes in diseases which induce severe damage of cerebral tissue such as cerebral vascular lesion, encephalitis or cerebral trauma.

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Positive serological reaction of preceeding streptococcal infection is one of the most important criterial of clinical diagnosis of poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis. For this purpose, the measurement of ASLO titer has been widely utilized. However, this test is not always positive in all patients with streptococcal infection. Recently, the hemaggultination test to the five different extracellular streptococcal toxins in addition to SLO was developed and is expected to raise the positive incidence of serological diagnosis of streptococcal infection. In order to evaluate the reliance of this test, ASLO and this new test (streptozyme test) were simultaneously measured in the same sample. Samples tested were 264. As the result, the positive incidence of both tests were closely correlated (r=0.828, p<0.01) and samples which were under 125U of ASLO titer showed positive results in streptozyme test. The chronological measurement of ASLO and streptozyme test in two patients with typical PSAGN also showed parallel change in their titers. It is concluded that streptozyme test is useful for the diagnosis of preceeding streptococcal infection in PSAGN.

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Morphological features of the heart were studied on 34 autopsy cases of malignant tumors (19 esophageal, 8 left breast, and 7 left pulmonary carcinomas) treated with x-ray or telecobalt irradiation to the cardiac region. 1. Clinically, 8 cases among 11 with abnormal electrocardiograms had sinus tachycardia. On chest x-ray film, an extension of median shadow was found in 5 among 26 cases with pericarditis. 2. Histolologically, the irradiated heart showed sinus-like capillary dilation in the myocardium and had features of pancarditis ; pericarditis fibrinosa, interstitial edema between muscle fibers, myolysis or necrosis, and endocardial edema with slight inflammatory cell infiltration. Radiation pericarditis most often occurred in the case of esophageal carcinoma. Those changes throughout the cardiac wall seem to be directly induced by radiation in addition to circulatory disturbances. 3. Electron-microscopically, there were interesting changes in the mitochondria of cardiac muscles ; proliferation and aggregation, fusion of the unit membrane, and an appearance of giant mitochondria up to 3.8μ in diameter. 4. In the frequency and extent of both glycoprotein degeneration and myocardial fibrosis there were no differences between 34 examined and 22 control cases (11 malignant chest tumors irradiadiated to the right hemithorax, and 11 non-irradiated malignant chest tumors). Fibrosis in the irradiated heart, however, tended to occur in the myocardium just beneath the radiation pericarditis should be taken into consideration especially in radiotherapeutic cases of esophageal carcinoma.

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Bilateral renal cortical necrosis is thought to be a disease causing cortical necrosis of bilateral kidneys with fibrin thrombi in the microcirculatory system in the kidney and many other organs of the body. The disease is considered to be equivalent generalized Shwartzman reaction in experimental animals. Most cases of bilateral cortical necroiss of the kidneys occur in association with pregnancy or labour. The 2 autopsy cases presented here were not related to pregnancy or lobour, however. The authors discussed the pathogenesis of bilateral renal cortical necrosis in special reference to generalized Shwartzman reaction and disseminating intravascular coagulation (DIC). In the first case, the patient had developed acute pyelonephritis secondary to femur fracture. In the second, the patient, being received an operation of gastro-colostomy, was followed by acute fibrinopurulent pleuro-peritonitis. Bilateral renal cortical necrosis was finally initiated in the patients by generalized Shwartzman reaction. Thrombi appeared in the present cases were not so old that they seemingly were formed in the result of renal cortical necrosis due to vasoconstriction being caused by bacterial endotoxin. The authors, therefore, do not agree with the opinion that bilateral renal cortical necrosis could be involved in DIC.

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Hyaluronidase in the testicle of rats start to be produced 3 weeks after birth and increase rapidly after 4 weeks. The seminiferous tubules in these stages are composed mainly of spermiogonia and Sertoli cells, and of small number of primary spermiocytes. Hyaluronic acid, which is a substrate of this enzyme, was observed in high concentrations in the spermiocytes, but not in the cells other than those. Serial quantitative determination of hyaluronic acid showed the highest concentration in the testicle of rats aged 3 weeks and rapid decrease in response to the start of spermatogenesis after the age of 4 weeks. The spermatogenesis start to be observed at the age of 32-35 days with a remarkable increase of this enzyme together with the rapid decrease of hyaluronic acid 4-5 days prior to that. It is consonant to the fact that this enzyme participates in the differentiation of spermatozoid in spermatogenesis, hydrating a large amount of hyaluronic acid when the spermiogonia differentiate into primary spermiocytes.

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Protease activity in the wall of the ovarian follicles increase in accordance with the diameters of the ovarian follicles. It increase remarkably in the mature ovarian follicle, 15-20mm in diameter. In the follicles larger than 25mm, it decrease remarkably. The thickness of the wall of the ovarian follicles became thin and transparent following to thh growth of follicles. Therefore, this phenomenon was remarkable in tne mature ones. Various hormones like FSH, PMS, HCG, and progesterone tended to enhance its activity slightly. There were no significant differences of stimulating activity among them. On the other hand, estrone specifically inhibited the protease activity. The facts that protease activity in the wall of the ovarian follicles relate closely to ovulation, and not in an abnormaly large ovarian follicles, it was suggested that this enzyme is a main factor to trigger the ovulation.

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1. In two series of cats all vestibular afferents except those innervating the saccular or utricular macula were transected and allowed to degenerate. Subsequent anatomical and physiological verification showed that the saccular nerve had been selectively spared in 6 cats. The utricular nerve was wholly or partly spared in 5 cats, but there was some possibility of contamination from other vestibular afferents. 2. 27-179 days after the initial surgery the connections of the remaining nerve with dorsal neck motoneurons were studied in preparations anesthetized with chloralose. 3. Stimulation of the saccular nerve usually evoked IPSPs in contralateral, EPSPs in ipsilateral neck motoneurons. Almost all of the potentials were disynaptic, many were later and probably trisynaptic, 4. The effects of utricular nerve stimulation were more complex, perhaps because of contamination by other vestibular, particularly canal, afferents. The predominant pattern consisted of ipsilateral inhibition and contralateral excitation, opposite to the effects of saccular nerve stimulation. Many potentials were disynaptic. 5. Various factors that may complicate interpretation of the results, including plastic changes following denervation, are considered. It is concluded that they are not a significant factor. 6. Our main result is a demonstration that the sacculus can contribute to vestibulospinal reflexes acting on the head.

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The preparation of free and membrane-bound polysomes in the mouse mammary epithelial cells is not yet established. The authors examined several conditions suitable for the preparation of the polysomes as intact polymers. It was concluded that the following conditions could be recommended for obtaining good results. 1) On homogenizing the epithelial cells, the RNase inhibitor prepared from the mouse liver by Shortman's method was added into the medium, so that the polymers could be kept intact. 2) For obtaining good yield of the membrane-bound ribosomes in short time, the sucrose concentration of 1.8M was selected for the cushion medium and the centrifugal conditions was set up at 124, 000xg for 5 hours. The OD 280/260 ratio of either free polysomes or membrane-bound ones in the lactating mouse mammary epithelial cells obtained under above conditions showed the range of 0.60-0.63 respectively and the percentage of the polymers in the respective ribosmes was 65-70% in either case.

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In our orthopedic clinic patients of osteomyelitis and suppurative myositis are not rare. However, differential diagnosis of inflammation has been rather difficult and some of the patients with such symptoms as above remained undiagnosed. Suppurative psoitis is a comparatively rare disease compared with other myositis, the former being more difficult to be diagnosed especially by the orthopedic clinicians who are not familiar with the special symptoms. In this paper we report a case of suppurative psoitis patient who complained of remittent fever and pain at the region of the region of the left hip. Although he had been admitted to a medical clinic of a certain hospital for one month, the symptoms had not been successfully diagnosed. A successful diagnostic procedure and prognostic study is described and discussed from several clnical view points.

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A 71-year-old female first developed muscular weakness of the lower limbs with extensor plantar responses, impairment of all sensory modalities below the spinal level of Th_7 and dysuria at the age of 69. Predonisolone was adminstered at the initial dose of 60mg par day. These symptoms of transverse myelitis had gradually improved until eight months later when these symptoms again became worse, and moreover, visual loss, dysarthria, dysphagia and a slight disturbance of consciousness were newly added. On admission to Kyorin University Hospital, examination of the optic fundi revealed bilateral papillitis. The visual acuity was markedly decreased especially in the right eye. Consciousness was somnolent. The bulbar symptoms were noted. The strength of muscle was markedly reduced in the lower limbs. Deep tendon reflexes were normal in the upper limbs but diminished in the lower limbs with extensor plantar responses. Both superficial and deep sensations were impaired below the level of Th_7. There was urinary incontinence. In about three months after admission during which predonisolone initially 40mg per day was administered, the patient again showed a remission in the above symptoms except for the visual acuity of the right eye which remained almost blind. This period of remission had continued only for almost three months and the patient again showed an exacerbation of all the neurological symptoms. Facial paresis and extreme emotional lability also appeared. No improvements were obtained this time and the patient died because of pneumonia approximately sixteen months after the onset of the first neurological symptoms. Neuropathological examinations disclosed obvious demyelinating lesions in the thoracic spinal cord, medulla oblongata around the fourth ventricle, right optic nerve, thalamus, left internal capsule, and right parietal and occipital lobes of the cerebrum. No demyelinated plaque was present in the midbrain, pons and cerebellum. Axis cylinders were well preserved in the demyelinated areas for the most part. The lesions in the cerebrum were thought to be comparatively new, where the perivascular lymphocytic infiltration was remarkable, and a lot of lipid-lading macrophages were present. On the other hand, comparatively old demyelinated lesions were found in the thoracic spinal cord and medulla oblongata. These were necrotic, and slight degree of the proliferation of fibrous astrocyte in addition to a lot of lipid-containing phagocytes and a slight lymphocytic infiltration were found. However alteration to scar tissue due to glial fibrosis, indicating a longstanding lesion, was observed nowhere in the lesions. The clinical features and pathological changes of this case were not different from those seen in patients with earlier onset. Considering the fact that multiple sclerosis is rare in the old and the very young, there must be some factor(s) relating to age which might inhibit or suppress the formation of the disease.

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The clinical applications of the artificial pacemakers are currently widespread for the diagnosis and treatment of various cardiac arrythmias. Many of the arrythmias can easily be controlled by the use of artificial pacemakers, otherwise uncontrollable with administration of drugs. However, dangers and complications are evident occasionally in clinical use without the fundamental knowledge concerning the use of artificial pacemakers. Thus, developmental history of artificial pacemakers, the anatomy of cardiac conducton systems and electrophysiolology of the cardiac muscles are briefly described and discussed as the first step in the series toward better clinical handling of the artificial pacemakers.

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