To demonstrate the presence of a receptor for calcitonin (CT) in the hen neurohypophysis and to estimate the time of action of CT on the neurohypophysis during the oviposition cycle in relation to ...arginine vasotocin (AVT) release, binding of ¹²⁵I-labeled chicken CT in plasma membrane fractions of the hen neurohypophysis was measured by the use of a radioligand binding assay. The binding specificity, reversibility, high affinity, and limited capacity are characteristics of a CT receptor. Therefore, it was elucidated that the CT receptor might exist in the plasma membrane of the neurohypophysis of hens. The binding affinity of CT receptor increased at 30 min before oviposition and the binding capacity was decreased at 15 min before oviposition. However, no change was found in nonlaying hens during a 24-h period. Such changes in the CT receptor binding were found at 10 min after an i.v. injection of chicken CT into nonlaying hens with an increase in the blood level of AVT. The changes in the binding affinity and capacity of CT receptor of the neurohypophysis may be related to AVT release partly at oviposition time in the hen.
To measure the depth and area of the fornix in normal adults and patients with symblepharon.
The fornix depth of normal eyes (n=20) and patients with symblepharon (Stevens-Johnson syndrome, n=4) was ...measured at six locations in each eye using non-invasive, dull-edged stainless steel metric scale. Before and after conjunctival reconstruction surgery, the depths of fornix were also measured by the same method. The overall area was assessed from those fornix depth at six points.
The mean depths of the superior nasal and temporal, inferior nasal and temporal, fornices as well as mean depths of medial nasal and temporal canthi fornices in normal eyes were 14.1+/-2.5, 14.1+/-2.5, 10.0+/-2.1, 10.4+/-1.8, 3.0+/-0.9, and 5.2+/-1.2 mm, respectively. The mean overall area of the conjunctival fornix in normal subjects was 909.6+/-162.2 mm(2). All these parameters were significantly lower in the eyes of patients. Both depth and area after surgery were significantly deeper and larger than before.
This estimation may prove useful when evaluating the severity of symblepharon and determining the post-surgical prognosis.
The specific binding component for prostaglandin F(2α) (PGF(2α)) that exists in the plasma membrane fraction of the oviduct uterus myometrium of laying hens was shown to possess receptor properties ...for PGF(2α), such as binding specificity to PGF(2α), binding saturation, high affinity, and limited capacity. The value of the equilibrium dissociation constant (K(d)) for the receptor was not different between laying hens and nonlaying hens, but the value of the maximum binding capacity (B(max)) was smaller in laying hens than in nonlaying hens. During an oviposition cycle, the K(d) value did not show a significant change, but the B(max) value decreased at 3 and 0.5 h before oviposition and 2 h after oviposition. Neither the K(d) nor B(max) value changed in nonlaying hens during a 24-h period. An intravenous injection of PGF(2α) (5 μg/hen) decreased the B(max) value, but not the K(d) value, of the PGF(2α) receptor. It is thought from the results that PGF(2α) may act directly on the oviduct uterus myometrium at a fixed time before and after oviposition in laying hens.
The presence of the receptor for parathyroid hormone-related peptide (PTHrP) and the effect of PTHrP on adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) secretion in the hen anterior pituitary were examined. The ...plasma membrane fraction of the anterior pituitary was found to contain a specific chicken PTHrP (cPTHrP) binding component. The binding component had properties of a receptor, such as binding specificity to cPTHrP, reversibility, saturable binding, high affinity, and limited capacity; therefore, it was elucidated that the PTHrP receptor exists in the plasma membrane of the hen anterior pituitary. A third ventricular injection of cPTHrP in nonlaying hens caused a decrease in the chicken ACTH level of the anterior pituitary and an increase in the chicken ACTH level of blood plasma, with an increase in the binding affinity and a decrease in the binding capacity of PTHrP receptor in the anterior pituitary. The present study suggests that PTHrP may act directly on the anterior pituitary via its receptor binding and may enhance ACTH secretion from this tissue in hens.
The Kuril harbour seal Phoca vitulina stejnegeri is an endangered species which inhabits southeastern Hokkaido, Japan. Its population declined precipitously from between 1500 and 4800 individuals in ...the 1940s to a few hundred individuals in the early 1970s. The causes of this decline are thought to be commercial harvesting, bycatch in autumn set-net salmon fishing, and other human activities, including coastal fisheries. To quantify Kuril seal population trends, counts were performed each year at haul-out sites during the pupping season from 1974 to 2010 and during the moulting season from 1983 to 2010. The average population growth rate was similar to 4% per annum over the past 37 yr. Two haul-out sites (Kenbokki Island and Hattaushi) from which the species had disappeared in the early 1980s showed no evidence of being recolonized. Commercial harvesting ended in the late 1980s and probably had an effect on population trends until the 1990s. The bycatch of seals during autumn set-net salmon fishing in the 2000s remained similar to, or slightly greater than, that during the 1980s. Recently, seals have been observed at 9 haul-out sites during the pupping/moulting season along the coast of southeastern Hokkaido. Approximately 70% of the seals found were at Cape Erimo ( similar to 500 seals) and at Daikoku Island and Akkeshi ( similar to 250 seals).
The present study was performed to elucidate whether estradiol-17β (E₂) would affect calcitonin (CT) receptor binding in the hen neurohypophysis. The equilibrium dissociation constant (Kd) and the ...maximum binding capacity (Bmax) of the CT receptor in the plasma membrane fraction of the hen neurohypophysis were examined by Scatchard analysis of specific binding of ¹²⁵I-labeled chicken CT. A single i.m. injection of E₂ into nonlaying hens caused a decrease in Kd and Bmax values of the CT receptor. The Kd and Bmax values of the CT receptor were smaller in laying hens than in nonlaying hens. The present study suggests that E₂ may increase the action of CT on the neurohypophysis in hens.
The present study was performed to elucidate whether the angiotensin II (ANG II) receptor exists in the plasma membrane fraction of the neurohypophysis in hens, to estimate the time of action of ANG ...II on the neurohypophysis before and after oviposition, and to examine relationships between the action of ANG II on the neurohypophysis and those of estrogen and prostaglandin F2α (PGF2α) in relation to arginine vasotocin (AVT) release. The specific binding had a binding specificity to chicken ANG II (cANG II), reversibility, and saturation in the 125IcANG II binding assay. Scatchard analysis revealed that the binding sites are of a single class. The equilibrium dissociation constant (Kd) obtained by kinetic analysis and Scatchard analysis suggested a high affinity, and the maximum binding capacity (Bmax) obtained by Scatchard analysis suggested a limited capacity. These results suggest that an ANG II receptor exists in the neurohypophysis of hens. The Kd and the Bmax value was significantly smaller in laying hens than in nonlaying hens, which suggests that bindings of the cANG II receptor change, depending on the difference in laying condition. Values of the Kd and the Bmax decreased approximately 15 min before oviposition in laying hens, and decreased 1 h after an intramuscular injection of estradiol-17β and 5 min after an intravenous injection of cANG II in nonlaying hens. The amount of specific binding of PGF2α receptor in the neurohypophysis also decreased and AVT concentration in blood increased after the cANG II injection. It seems likely that the action of cANG II in the neurohypophysis increases due to the effect of estrogen approximately 15 min before oviposition, and the cANG II action stimulates AVT release through the increase in the PGF2α action in this tissue.
Background: We investigated the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of combination therapy with docetaxel, cisplatin, and S-1 (TPS) in patients with locally advanced or recurrent/metastatic head and neck ...cancer (HNC).
Patients and methods: Treatment consisted of docetaxel (Taxotere) at doses of 50, 60, and 70 mg/m2; cisplatin at 70 mg·m2/day on day 1; and S-1 twice daily on days 1–14 at doses of 40, 60, and 80 mg·m2/day, repeated every 3 or 4 weeks.
Results: Forty patients were enrolled. MTD was not reached until level 4. Subjects at expanded dose were limited to patients with locally advanced disease. Two dose-limiting toxic effects (DLTs) were observed at dose level 5 (TPS: 70/70/80 mg·m2/day, every 3 weeks), namely one grade 3 infection and one grade 3 hyperbilirubinemia, establishing this as the MTD. Of 12 patients treated at dose level 6 (TPS: 70/70/60 mg·m2/day, every 3 weeks), 2 DLTs were seen. Six achieved a complete response and 22a partial response, giving a response rate of 70%.
Conclusions: TPS was well tolerated. The recommended phase II dose as induction chemotherapy for locally advanced HNC was determined as 70/70/60 mg·m2/day every 3 weeks. Antitumor activity was highly promising and warrants further investigation.
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