Motohiro Tsuji

4-Nonylphenols and 4-tert-octylphenol in water and fish from rivers flowing into Lake Biwa.

Surveys of 4-nonylphenols (NOs) and 4-tert-octylphenol (OC) were performed for water and fish samples obtained from eight rivers flowing into Lake Biwa once every two months from April 1998 to March 1999. For water samples, NOs were detected all the year round (0.11-3.08 ng ml(-1)) at high frequency (48/48) in the eight rivers. OC was detected at lower concentrations (ND approximately 0.09 ng ml(-1)) and at lower frequency (23/48). The concentrations of NOs in the river water always showed minimum values at 5-8 degrees C in winter. It was presumed that the formation of NOs by the biotransformation of nonylphenol polyethoxylates decreased much in the sludge treatment of nonionic surfactants at the low temperature (5-8 degrees C) in winter. Average BCF values of NOs and OC in the six kinds of fish were calculated from the field data. The field BCF values of NOs 15-31 in the six kinds of fish were lower than the laboratory BCF values of 167 in Killifish and 282 in Salmon. For OC, the field BCF values 129-297 for the three kinds of fish were nearly equal to the laboratory BCF value, 261, in Killifish.

Evaluation of estrogenic activities of pesticides using an in vitro reporter gene assay

The estrogenic activities of 32 pesticides in agricultural products were evaluated using the E-CALUX assay system developed by Xenobiotic Detection Systems Inc (North Carolina, USA). This system utilizes human ovarian carcinoma cells (BG1) stably transfected with an estrogen-responsive luciferase reporter gene plasmid. It was found that tolclofos-methyl, prothiofos, diazinon, Thiabenclazole (TBZ) and pyriproxyfen had estrogenic activity. Several pesticides are often present in agricultural products. Therefore the estrogenicity of the mixtures of two kinds of pesticides was evaluated. The activity of diazinon/tolclofos-methyl, pyriproxyfen/prothiofos and TBZ/o-phenylphenol (OPP) was increased up to 1.2 – 5.3 fold. On the other hand, chlorfluazuron, imazalil and chlorfenapyr had anti-estrogenic activity. Further, to evaluate the change in the estrogenic activity of pesticide metabolites, an experimental system was established using a rat S9 mixture. Metabolites of permethrin and OPP had no estrogenic activity, but they had weak activity after the metabolism. On the other hand, the metabolites of TBZ exhibited less estrogenic activity than the original compounds.

A schizophrenic patient who developed extreme hypothermia after an increase in the dose of haloperidol: a case report.

Abstract: A patient with chronic schizophrenia, who had been treated for a long time with chlorpromazine, haloperidol, levodopa, benserazide hydrochloride, diazepam and biperiden, developed extreme hypothermia (about 32°C) when the dose of haloperidol was increased because of a deterioration of the patients mental symptoms. No other physical manifestations were observed, except bradycardia. The turnover of noradrenaline in the cerebrospinal fluid and blood was increased in association with the hypothermia in this patient. A hypothesis about the involvement of monoamine imbalance in changes in body temperature is discussed.

Effects of L-Threo- and erythro-3,4-dihydroxyphenylserine on learning performance and concentrations of brain noradrenaline and its metabolites in rats

Effects of L-threo and L-erythro-3,4-dihydroxyphenylserine [DOPS, precursor amino acids for noradrenaline (NA)] on the learning performance in a maze paradigm designed to model on the water maze paradigm using a multicomputerized behavioral analysis system were studied. A marked facilitation of learning performance was observed in rats after an intraventricular injection of 5 micrograms L-threo-DOPS (the s-NA precursor), and this effect was inhibited by a simultaneous administration of 1 or 2 micrograms propranolol (a beta-adrenergic antagonist). As concentrations of brain NA, 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol, and normethanephrine were increased by the injection of 5 micrograms L-threo-DOPS, the effect seemed to be derived from activation of beta-adrenoceptors in the CNS by the formed s-NA. On the other hand, an intraventricular injection of 5 micrograms L-erythro-DOPS (the r-NA precursor) attenuated the learning performance, and this effect was probably caused by the formed r-NA from L-erythro-DOPS.

Computerized tomographic study on the brain of patients with alcohol dependence

Abstract: One hundred ten patients with alcohol dependence and 56 psychiatric patients with either senile dementia, amphetamine psychosis, epilepsy or chronic schizophrenia were investigated with a CT scan of the brain. The maximum width of the 3rd ventricle was measured, and the presence/absence of enlargement of the lateral ventricle and of atrophy of the frontal lobe was determined independently by 3 physicians. The width of the 3rd ventricle in alcoholic and the other patients examined was gradually enlarged with aging, and the width in these patients was significantly larger than that in the age‐matched control patients who were selected from the patients with amphetamine psychosis, epilepsy or schizophrenia. The enlargement of the lateral ventricles observed in the alcoholic patients always accompanied the enlargement of the 3rd ventricle, but not vice versa. The alcoholic patients with frontal lobe atrophy showed a higher incidence of withdrawal delirium than the patients without atrophy. These findings suggest that the chronic intake of alcohol might affect primarily the area around the 3rd ventricle, resulting in enlargement of this ventricle and consequential enlargement of the lateral ventricles and also that the alcoholic patients with frontal lobe atrophy could have a high risk for a manifestation of alcoholic withdrawal delirium.

Concentrations of β-Phenylethylamine in Plasma and Plateletes of Schizophrenics

Abstract: The plasma and platebet PEA levels of 20 normal subjects and 17 schizophrenic patients were investigated using a high‐performance liquid chromatography. In the normals the mean plasma and platelet levels of PEA were 4.9 ± 1.9 ng/ml and 1.78 ± 1.01 ng/mg protein, respctively, while in the schizophrenics, those were 12.1 ± 7.9 ng/ml and 0.77 ± 0.5 ng/mg protein, respectively. The plasma PEA levels of the schizophrenics were significantly higher than those of the normals, and the platelet PEA levels of the schizophrenics were lower than those of the normals.

A Case of Alcoholic Dementia with Hypomagnesemia and Hypocalcemia

Abstract: A 47‐year‐old man with chronic alcoholism was admitted to a psychiatric institution because of his mental symptoms and abnormal behavior. He had dementia, emotional disturbances, muscle cramps (tetanic fits), and impairment of abstract thinking and psychomotor function. The biochemical examination of his blood revealed Hypomagnesemia, hypocalcemia and a low level of serum parathyroid hormone. The administration of Ca lactate improved hypocalcemia and muscle cramps, but not the other symptoms. An addition of Mg sulfate did not change the clinical condition and the serum electrolyte level. From these findings a relation of chronic alcohol intake to the imbalance of serum electrolytes as well as a low level of serum parathyroid hormone was discussed, and a pathogenetic mechanism of dementia observed in this case was speculated.