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The article discusses a report on the association of NUDT15 genetic polymorphisms of alopecia and leukopenia induced by immunosuppressant azathioprine among Japanese patients. Case reports of patients developing diffuse alopecia and leukopenia after prednisolone and azathioprine medication are mentioned. Histopathology of catagen and anagen hair follicles are also discussed.

We evaluated the effects of different methods of installing a capacitance soil moisture sensor on the sensor's output with six soil types and three methods of sensor installation. For Method 1, the sensor was first placed in a container and then buried. For Method 2, the entire sensor (including prongs and circuitry) was inserted into a prepacked soil sample. For Method 3, the sensor prongs were installed directly into a prepacked soil sample, and then soil was placed around the circuitry. The sensor outputs of Method 1 were significantly smaller for the volumetric soil water content ( θ) of most of the soil types compared with the sensor outputs of the other two methods. Large differences in sensor outputs were observed in relation to the installation method, which resulted in a large estimation error when using a soil moisture sensor. For example, the difference in θ values calculated by the calibration equation obtained by Methods 1 and 2 was 0.076 m3 m−3, a maximum for the Andisol sample. We observed a significant linear relation between the maximum differences in θ (which might result from the different sensor installation methods) and the coarse pore volume determined from soil water characteristic curves. Compaction around the sensor induced by sensor installation, which might be considerable for soil with many coarse pores, was considered the main reason for an increase in the soil moisture sensor's output value. For the sensor installed by Methods 2 or 3, a second-order polynomial equation could be used to translate sensor output to θ accurately except for soils with > 40% clay content or very low bulk density. Highlights An appropriate calibration equation is important to monitor soil water content precisely., Effects of different sensor installation methods on calibration equations have not been determined., Method of installation considerably affected output values of a capacitance sensor., Soil compaction by sensor installation increases the sensor output: more so in coarse pore soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) is one of the life-threatening complications after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) and solid organ transplantation (SOT), and it is associated almost exclusively with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). We herein report 2 cases of EBV-associated PTLD after allogeneic HSCT localized in the adrenal gland. Both patients developed adrenal tumor within 3 months after HSCT and were successfully treated with rituximab or tapering immunosuppressive agents. Both remained alive without recurrence. A literature review revealed 12 reported cases of PTLD involving the adrenal gland, but the adrenal gland was involved as one of the lesions of advancedstage PTLD after SOT. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report to show cases of isolated EBV-associated adrenal PTLD after HSCT. PTLD should be recognized as one of the causes of isolated adrenal tumor after HSCT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The incorporation of biochar ( BC) into agricultural soil changes the soil's physical properties, which leads to changes in the soil's hydraulic properties, such as water retention and permeability, and alters the soil moisture environment in agricultural fields. To elucidate the effects of the incorporation of BC on the soil moisture environment, measurements of the soil water in biochar-amended agricultural fields are needed. Time domain reflectometry ( TDR) is a widely used and established technique for the continuous measurement of the soil water content ( SWC) in agricultural fields. However, TDR measurements are affected by the conductivity of soils. Biochar formed at higher pyrolysis temperatures is known to be very conductive. Therefore, we investigated the influence of the incorporation of BC on TDR-based SWC measurements. We examined calcaric dark red soil and the BC produced by pyrolysis of sugarcane bagasse at 400, 600 and 800°C. The apparent relative permittivity ( ε a) of the BC (800°C)-amended soil was greater than that of the non-amended soil at a given water content, whereas the ε a values of the soils amended with the BC (400°C) and BC (600°C) were the same as that of the non-amended soil at a given water content. We concluded that when a calibration curve obtained from a non-amended soil is used, TDR-based measurements tend to over-estimate the SWC containing the BC formed at higher pyrolysis temperatures because of conductive and dielectric losses. Therefore, the use of the real component ( [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study which aims to investigate the impacts of bagasse charcoal on nitrate (NO3-) leaching from the soil in Shimajiri Maji. The bagasse charcoal nitrate adsorption developed at five pyrolysis temperatures were examined to choose the most suitable bagasse charcoal for NO3- adsorption. Measurements suggested that the unsaturated and saturated bagasse charcoal's hydraulic conductivity (800° Celsius)-amended soils are impacted by alterations in soil porosity and tortuosity.

Dielectric properties of soils are widely used to estimate their water content. Andisols are unique soils in terms of aggregate structure and show dielectric properties different from other mineral soils. To understand the relationship between the dielectric properties and soil physical properties, multi-phase dielectric mixing models are often used. However, solid phase permittivity ( ℇs) for Andisols, which is required for calculating the model output, has not been directly measured yet. Therefore, the objectives for this study were to measure ℇs for Andisols in Japan. In addition, the measured ℇs values were compared with those calculated from the traditional method, which applies two-phase mixing models to estimate ℇs values based on effective permittivities of repacked soil samples. The applicability of the traditional method to estimate such values for Andisols is also discussed. The effects of bound water and aggregate structure on measured ℇs values were evaluated prior to their measurements. We found that the aggregate structural effects were negligible. However, the amount of bound water caused overestimates of ℇs. Four Andisols from the A and B horizons of soils in Memuro Hokkaido (northern part of Japan), from the A horizon of a soil in Tsukuba Ibaraki (central part of Japan), and from the A horizon of a soil in Koshi Kumamoto (southern part of Japan) were used in this study. The ℇs values obtained fall between 5.6 and 6.1, and deviated from the estimated ℇs values derived from the traditional method. Therefore, the traditional method is probably unsuitable to estimate ℇs values for Andisols. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Twelve years has passed since we introduced laparoscopic surgery for gastroduodenal perforation. Aim To list problems and to investigate the feasibility of our clinical protocol for treatment of gastroduodenal ulcer perforation. Methods Case records of 62 patients and histology samples of 9 patients undergoing surgery for gastroduodenal perforation were retrospectively reviewed. Results Laparoscopic omental implantation is feasible for some cases of perforated peptic ulcer in patients who have either stenosis or massive perforations. In patients undergoing laparoscopic omental implantation, oral ingestion of water was started at 3.3 ± 0.5 post-operative days. Helicobacter pylori was positive in 27 of 35 patients (77%). Of 22 cases in whom intraoperative ascitic culture was taken, Candida was positive in nine (41%), and in six of eight cases involving wound infection or intraperitoneal abscess. Histological examination of resected stomach revealed the fungi with hypha formation at the base of the ulcer in 44% of patients. Conclusions Laparoscopic omental implantation was more feasible than in the past. The possibility of Candida infection and subsequent abscess formation must be considered in patients with gastroduodenal ulcer perforation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Although recent immunochemical analysis enabled the discrimination of gastrointestinal stromal tumour (GIST) to other mesenchymal tumours, preoperative diagnosis of these tumours is not always easy. Aim To discriminate between ectopic pancreas (EP) and mesenchymal tumours, including GIST, 12 years surgical experience at Keio University Hospital was reviewed. Methods Clinicopathological findings were analysed for 131 patients with gastric submucosal tumours (SMT), including GIST (67 cases), myogenic tumour (21 cases), Schwannoma (11 cases), EP (12 cases) and others (20 cases) surgically treated at Keio University Hospital since 1993. Results Analysis of clinicopathological findings of these tumours showed that GIST, myogenic tumour and Schwannoma mimic each other from the standpoint of size and location of the tumour. In contrast, comparison of mesenchymal tumours showed that, compared with gastrointestinal mesenchymal tumour, EP tends to exist at middle or lower third of the stomach ( P = 0.004), and the tumour size was smaller than 3 cm ( P = 0.0006). All EPs were laparoscopically resected and no malignant features were evident. Conclusion To avoid unnecessary surgery for EP, SMT smaller than 3 cm occurring in the middle or lower third of the stomach should be carefully selected as a candidate of surgical resection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Endoscopic classifications were reported to reflect the pathophysiology of gastric mucosa. However, relationship between gastric lesions and classifications has not been examined well. Aim To investigate the relationship between endoscopic classifications and cancers or ulcers. Methods In this study, 487 patients undergoing upper gastrointestinal endoscopy in Takahashi Clinic and 257 patients with early gastric cancer in Keio University Hospital were enrolled. Results Incidence of reflux oesophagitis was higher in Helicobacter pylori-negative patients. K-form was better in the H. pylori-positive patients. Most cancers in the patients with the closed-type or reflux oesophagitis were of undifferentiated types. Incidences of ulcers were highest in C-2 and C-3 in which the borders of atrophy cross the medial oblique muscle bundle, the border circular muscle bundle or both, and 94% of ulcers in C-2 and C-3 stomach were located along the lesser curvature. Conclusion The predominant existence of undifferentiated types in patients with reflux oesophagitis or closed-type stomach can be useful information for early diagnosis of cancers. The relationship between the Kimura–Takemoto classification and ulcer location may explain why H. pylori infection is related to ulcer formation along the lesser curvature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To demonstrate the antitumour effects of nobiletin (5,6,7,8,3′,4′-hexamethoxyflavone), a citrus flavonoid extracted from Citrus depressa Hayata, on human gastric cancer cell lines TMK-1, MKN-45, MKN-74 and KATO-III. 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, the TdT-mediated dUTP biotin nick-end labelling (TUNEL) method and cell-cycle analysis revealed that nobiletin acted on these cells in several ways, namely by direct cytotoxicity, induction of apoptosis and modulation of cell cycle. The efficacy of combined treatment of nobiletin with a conventional anticancer drug, CDDP, was also examined. Treatment with nobiletin 24 h prior to CDDP administration showed a synergistic effect compared to the control. Although the effective dose and administration route of nobiletin require further investigation, our study represents a potential successful linking of this compound with the treatment of gastric cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). Enzymes capable of degrading collagens and other extracellular matrix components, have been implicated in gastric ulcer formation. However, the effect on MMP expression of Helicobacter pylori, also implicated in these lesions, has not been studied to our knowledge. To seek links between H. pylori and MMP expression likely to affect gastric ulcer formation. After fibroblasts from human gastric wall were cocultured with H. pylori, concentrations of MMP-1 and -2 in the medium were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Whereas MMP-1 was not detected in media from fibroblasts or H. pylori culture alone, MMP-1 was detected in cocultures (P<0.01). Similar amounts of MMP-2 were detected in medium from fibroblasts cultured alone and with H. pylori. No MMP-2 production by H. pylori cultured alone was detected. MMP-1 appears to be important in gastric ulcer pathogenesis, and MMP-1 induction by H. pylori may impede gastric ulcer healing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Am and Bm phenotypes are characterized by weak expression of the A or B antigens, respectively, by red blood cells with a normal expression by the saliva of secretors. Deletion of the regulatory element in the first intron of the ABO gene and disruption of the GATA motif in the element were found to be responsible. In this study, we identified a novel mutation within the GATA motif (G>C substitution at position c.28 + 5830) in the regulatory element of the A allele that might diminish transcription activity causing the generation of the AmB phenotype. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study on the detection of equine infectious anaemia (EIA) virus in native Japanese ponies. The study made use of agar gel immunodiffusion (AGID) test to detect EIAV-specific serum antibody. The result of the study shows that there was no gross lesions observed upon postmortem examination of the ponies.

The article discusses a study which demonstrated the adherence of activated T lymphocytes to human gingival fibroblasts (HGF) in a very late antigen (VLA) integrin-dependent manner. Topics covered include the binding ability of T lymphocytes with HGF, an examination of adhesion of other cell types to HGF, and an speculative model in vivo functional role of VLA integrins and other cell adhesion molecules in periodontal lesion.

Presents a corrected version of the article 'A case of primary mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the thyroid: molecular evidence of its origin,' published in vol. 57 of the journal 'Clinical Endocrinology.'

Objective: The histological grade of parotid gland carcinoma (PGC) is an important prognostic factor; however, the diagnosis prior to treatment has been challenging to make. This study aimed to investigate whether the pretreatment clinical findings, including hematological inflammatory, nutritional, and immune markers, could predict the histological grade of PGC., Study Design: Retrospective study., Methods: We retrospectively enrolled 111 patients with PGC and evaluated the correlation between histological grade and pretreatment clinical findings such as age, sex, tumor staging, facial nerve paralysis, pain or tenderness, adhesion to the surrounding tissues or tumor immobility, and hematological markers., Results: Sixty patients (54%) were diagnosed with histological high-grade PGC. Univariate analysis revealed that age, T classification, N classification, TNM stage, facial nerve paralysis, adhesion/immobility, C-reactive protein (CRP), and CRP-to-albumin ratio (CAR) were significant predictors of PGC histological grade. On multivariate analysis, high T classification (T3, 4), high N classification (≥1), and elevated CRP (≥0.22 mg/dL) were independent predictors of high-grade PGC., Conclusions: Pretreatment T classification, N classification, and CRP are significant predictors of the histological grading of PGC. Our results are useful for treatment planning and obtaining appropriate informed consent from the patients before treatment., Level of Evidence: 4 Laryngoscope, 132:96-102, 2022., (© 2021 The American Laryngological, Rhinological and Otological Society, Inc.)

Objective: Previous studies have evaluated various markers as prognostic predictors in patients with many types of cancers. However, the influence of such factors on the outcomes of patients with parotid gland carcinoma (PGC) is unknown. This study investigated the roles of alternative markers in the prognoses of patients with PGC., Methods: Overall, 101 patients who underwent curative treatment for PGC were retrospectively evaluated, and their 5-year overall and disease-free survival rates were calculated. The prognostic values of clinical and pathologic factors were determined., Results: The 5-year overall and disease-free survival rates were 73.1% and 62.8%, respectively. Multivariate analysis revealed that a low lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR), high T classification, high N classification, and perineural invasion were independent predictors of poor prognosis., Conclusions: Thus, we identified LMR as an independent prognostic factor for patients with PGC. Patients with low LMRs who are amenable to treatment may require adjuvant treatment to improve their prognoses., Level of Evidence: 4 Laryngoscope, 131:E864-E869, 2021., (© 2020 The Authors. The Laryngoscope published by Wiley Periodicals LLC. on behalf of The American Laryngological, Rhinological and Otological Society, Inc.)

Human papillomavirus (HPV) has been detected in some cases of Bowen's disease, particularly on the fingers and genitalia. HPV-58 is classified as a high-risk mucosal type and accounts for a high percentage of cervical cancer in Asia. Moreover, several HPV-58 lineages, including sublineage A1, have a high prevalence in Asia. However, the nature of HPV-58-associated skin cancer is still unknown. Here, we report a case of a Japanese patient with multiple Bowen's disease on the fingers. A 33-year-old man presented with multiple reddish-brown scaly plaques on his left middle finger and right ring finger. All lesions were surgically excised, and the diagnosis of Bowen's disease was made. We performed Sanger sequencing using DNA extracted from paraffin-embedded samples and identified HPV-58 sublineage A1. Additionally, we review previous reports on HPV-58-associated skin cancers, including our case, showing a high regional prevalence in Asia. Further studies would be needed to reveal the relationship between HPV-58 lineages and carcinogenesis in the skin., (© 2018 Japanese Dermatological Association.)

The cancer-testis antigens (CTA) are a large family of tumor-associated antigens expressed by a variety of cancer cells and primitive germ cells of the adult testis and placenta. These tumor-restricted expressing patterns suggest that CTA would be ideal targets for tumor-specific immunotherapy. XAGE-1 is a CTA that was originally identified by computer-based screening, and four transcription variants, XAGE-1a, -1b, -1c and -1d, have been characterized to date. Although the presence of XAGE-1 transcripts has been reported in various cancers, the expression of XAGE-1b in melanoma has not been fully characterized. In this study, we performed immunohistochemical staining of XAGE-1b together with NY-ESO-1, a well-known CTA, in 113 melanoma samples obtained from 84 patients and evaluated their expression in tumor cells. The effects of expression on tumor progression and patient prognosis were analyzed. Both XAGE-1b and NY-ESO-1 were expressed at high levels in lymph node metastasis and skin metastasis samples compared with the primary site (P < 0.01 in XAGE-1b and P < 0.05 in NY-ESO-1). In a subgroup analysis of 22 patients with stage III lymph node metastasis, overall survival was significantly higher in the XAGE-1b and NY-ESO-1 double-negative group than in the other groups (P < 0.05). These results suggest that lack of XAGE-1b and NY-ESO-1 expression could have a positive influence on clinical outcome in patients with melanoma., (© 2017 Japanese Dermatological Association.)

Nevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome (NBCCS) is an autosomal dominant disorder characterized by developmental defects and tumorigenesis. The gene responsible for NBCCS is PTCH1. Using multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification, we identified a heterozygous tandem duplication within the PTCH1 gene in a 14-year-old girl with typical NBCCS. We have sequenced the chromosomal breakpoint and determined the duplication as tandem in orientation and 18,814 bp in size. The fusion occurred between non-repetitive elements with an overlap of three nucleotides. The duplicated segment began at exon 10 and ended at intron 17. Subsequent analysis of cDNA from the patient showed the expression of mutant mRNA species containing a duplicated segment spanning exons 11-17, resulting in a frameshift and premature stop codon. This is the first reported case of NBCCS due to a tandem multiexon duplication of PTCH1 representing a novel mechanism leading to the NBCCS phenotype, and highlights the importance of copy number analysis as an adjunct to exon sequencing in identifying infrequent mutational events in PTCH1., (Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

The stability of recombinant bovine interferon-γ (rbIFN-γ) produced by a baculovirus expression system was investigated under different storage conditions: freezing-thawing and storage for 30 days at temperatures of -80, 4, 25, and 37°C. Antiviral activity was not significantly decreased by freeze-thawing at least five times. Furthermore, although not statistically different, antiviral activity gradually decreased as temperature increased. These findings suggest that rbIFN-γ possesses high thermal and freeze-thaw stability., (© 2011 The Societies and Blackwell Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.)

There are few large-scale reports of primary thyroid lymphoma (PTL). This study clinically and pathologically reviewed 171 patients with PTL and 24,553 patients with Hashimoto's disease at Ito Hospital between January 1990 and December 2004, to investigate the clinical features and the treatment outcomes of PTL. The median age of the patients with PTL was 67 years (range, 27-90 years). The pathological diagnosis of PTL patients included diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) (n=74), DLBCL with mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma (n=13), MALT lymphoma (n=80) and others (n=4). Of the 167 patients with B-cell lymphoma, treatment included combined modality therapy (CMT) (n=95), radiation therapy (RT) alone (n=60) and chemotherapy alone (n=6). Information on treatment was not available in six patients. Information on treatment response was available in 154 patients; 149 patients (97%) responded to treatment. According to the institutional treatment strategy of Ito Hospital, 45 of 54 patients with stage IE disease received RT alone, and 87 of 113 stage IIE patients received CMT. The 5-year overall survival rate was 85% (95% confidence interval, 79-91%). This study demonstrated that PTL showed good response to radiotherapy and chemotherapy and had a favourable prognosis., (© 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.)

The NS2-3 of BVDV is cleaved in cultured cells infected with cp BVDV but not in those infected with ncp BVDV when tested more than 10 hours post infection. However, it is not known whether cleavage of NS2-3 occurs in vivo. In the present study, cleavage of NS2-3 in cattle persistently infected with BVDV was investigated. All BVDV isolated from PI animals were of the ncp biotype, and NS2-3 proteins were detected in bovine fetal muscular cells infected with these viruses. On the other hand, in the leukocytes of those PI animals, NS3 proteins, products of the cleavage of NS2-3 proteins, were detected. In addition, the NS3 proteins were also detected in leukocytes artificially infected with ncp BVDV. These results reveal that the NS2-3 protein of BVDV is cleaved in leukocytes. Furthermore, NS3 proteins were detected in many tissues of PI cattle, such as lymphoid tissue, brain, thyroid, lung, and kidney. These results suggest that the NS2-3 protein of ncp BVDV cleaves in vivo.

Hippocampal CA3 pyramidal neurons receive synaptic inputs from both mossy fibres (MFs) and associational fibres (AFs). Long-term potentiation (LTP) at these synapses differs in its induction sites and N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) dependence. Most evidence favours the presynaptic and postsynaptic mechanisms for induction of MF LTP and AF LTP, respectively. This implies that molecular and functional properties differ between MF and AF synapses at both presynaptic and postsynaptic sites. In this study, we focused on the difference in the postsynaptic trafficking of alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid receptors (AMPARs) between these synapses. To trace the subunit-specific trafficking of AMPARs at each synapse, GluR1 and GluR2 subunits were introduced into CA3 pyramidal neurons in hippocampal organotypic cultures using the Sindbis viral expression system. The electrophysiologically-tagged GluR2 AMPARs, produced by the viral-mediated transfer of the unedited form of GluR2 (GluR2Q), were inserted into both MF and AF postsynaptic sites in a neuronal activity-independent manner. Endogenous Ca(2+)-impermeable AMPARs at these synapses were replaced with exogenous Ca(2+)-permeable receptors, and Ca(2+) influx via the newly expressed postsynaptic AMPARs induced NMDAR-independent LTP at AF synapses. In contrast, no GluR1 AMPAR produced by the gene transfer was constitutively incorporated into AF postsynaptic sites, and only a small amount into MF postsynaptic sites. The synaptic trafficking of GluR1 AMPARs was triggered by the activity of Ca(2+)/calmodulin-dependent kinase II or high-frequency stimulation to induce LTP at AF synapses, but not at MF synapses. These results indicate that MF and AF postsynaptic sites possess distinct properties for AMPAR trafficking in CA3 pyramidal neurons.

Clostridium perfringens KZ1340 isolated from Antarctic soil was first classified as Clostridium plagarum and later as a lecithinase-negative variant of C. perfringens. Although the strain produced no detectable lecithinase (phospholipase C, PLC) activity in the culture supernatant, it was shown by Southern blot hybridization to possess a PLC-encoding gene (plc). To determine the cause of the PLC deficiency, we cloned and sequenced the plc gene from KZ1340. The deduced amino acid sequence consists of 398 amino acid residues, coinciding with those of the plc genes previously determined. Tyrosine was substituted for histidine at amino acid position 148, which is thought to bind a zinc ion essential for PLC activity. Northern blot analysis revealed that KZ1340 expressed the plc gene at an extremely low level. Furthermore, the plc gene cloned from C. perfringens strain 13 into a plasmid was expressed weakly in KZ1340, compared to that in strain 13. This indicates that the former strain represses plc gene expression in trans. When a phylogenetic tree of plc genes was constructed, the KZ1340 plc gene formed a monophyletic branch along with those of various other C. perfringens strains, supporting the classification of the strain as a variant of C. perfringens.

The weak ultrasonication (40 kHz, 12 mW, 1 week) of ethanol solutions was found to reduce stimulation of the senses of smell and taste by the ethanol on the basis of blind tests with an aqueous ethanol solution (33.0% w/v) and an immature distilled spirit (25.0% v/v). Experiments on mice also demonstrated that a treated aqueous ethanol solution had a weaker depressant effect on the central nervous system, as evaluated by the relative frequency with which mice regained the righting reflex at a dose of either 4.0 or 4.5 g/kg (p < 0.05 or p < 0.01, respectively) and by the reduction in rectal temperature at a dose of 5.0 g/kg (p < 0.05) soon after ethanol administration. Analyses of both the ethanol concentration by head-space gas chromatography and the free radicals by electron spin resonance spectrometer failed to reveal any chemical changes in aqueous ethanol solutions subjected to weak ultrasonication. However, measurement of the spin-lattice relaxation time (T1) of the 2H of water molecules by 2H-NMR showed that the treatment slightly accelerated the thermal motion of water molecules in the solutions. Treated solutions were also found to have a slightly higher density than untreated ones. These physical data demonstrate that weak ultrasonication induces a structural change, such as a more compact and homogeneous structure by changing the microdynamic behavior of the solution. These biological and physical studies suggest that only a slight structural change in an ethanol solution induces a marked change in the biological reactivity of ethanol without any chemical modification of the solution itself.

Fifteen patients (6 males and 9 females) with phenytoin drug eruptions which ultimately resulted in various skin manifestations were analyzed histopathologically. The following types of skin manifestations were noted; 2 cases of toxic epidermal necrolysis, 2 cases of mucocutaneous ocular syndrome, 6 cases of erythema exudative multiform, 3 cases of lichenoid, and 2 cases of the maculopapular type. All of the biopsied specimens from these different skin manifestations exhibited some of the more common histopathological findings: 1) adhesion of the infiltrated cells to the basal layer of the epidermis, 2) cell infiltration into the epidermis, 3) vacuolation of the basal cells, 4) dyskeratotic cells in the epidermis, and epidermal necrosis. Immunohistopathological examinations in 5 typical cases with different skin manifestations revealed that epidermal cells and infiltrating cells were HLA-DR antigen positive. The infiltrating cells in the dermis consisted of almost equal numbers of CD4+ and CD8+ cells; CD8+ cells were predominant in the cells infiltrating into the epidermis. These findings suggest a possibility that the various clinical features in phenytoin drug eruptions may share some common mechanisms.