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Hydrated and dehydrated red cell samples were prepared from normal human red cells using the antibiotic nystatin. Furthermore, a series of red cell samples exposed to elevated temperature (20-50°C, 10 min) were prepared. The osmotic fragility and deformability of these red cells were then measured, using the coil planet centrifuge system and the capillary tube centrifugal technique, respectively. The osmotic fragility of nystatin-treated red cells decreased and the deformability increased as dehydration of red cells progressed and alternatively, hydrated cells showed increased osmotic fragility and reduced deformability. Red cells exposed to elevated temperatures up to 49°C for 10 min had no changes in mean corpuscular volume or in red cell shape. Above 47°C, however, spectrin extractability progressively decreased and osmotic fragility and deformability decreased. Results suggest that the osmotic fragility and deformability of red cells are interrelated, and are controlled by the geometry of the cell, including the ratio of cell surface area to cell volume and the viscoelastic properties of the membrane.

Abstract. Genetic depletion of the dystrophin-related glycoprotein (DRGP) complex causes cardiomyopathy in animals and humans. The present study was undertaken to explore the possible involvement of alterations in DRGP in the development of the right ventricular failure in monocrotaline-administered rats (MCT rats). At the 6th and 8th weeks after subcutaneous administration of 60 mg/kg monocrotaline, echocardiographic examination showed that cardiac output indices were decreased and that the right ventricular Tei indices were increased, suggesting that right ventricular failure occurs, at the latest, by 6 weeks after monocrotaline-administration. The levels of α-and β-sarcoglycan and β-dystroglycan in the right ventricle of the MCT rats at the 6th and 8th weeks were markedly decreased, and these decreases were inversely related to the increase in the right ventricular Tei index of the MCT-administered animals. The content and activity of the Ca 2+-activated neutral protease m-calpain in the right ventricle of the MCT rats were increased at the 4th to 8th weeks and those of matrix metalloproteinase-2, at the 6th and 8th weeks. These results suggest that m-calpain-and/or matrix metalloproteinase-2-mediated alterations in the contents of α-sarcoglycan, β-sarcoglycan, and β-dystroglycan may be involved in the development of right ventricular failure in MCT rats.

A barcode is printed on all injectable drugs, but not necessarily printed on other drugs. We compared the error rate for the dispensing support system of injectable drugs with that of oral drugs, and determined the introduction rate of barcode printing for oral drugs and external medicine. Using the dispensing support system, error rate was determined to be 0.0034％ for oral drugs, while no error was detected in 348,514 prescriptions of injectable drugs. The results of the survey of pharmaceutical companies revealed that the rate at which the barcode was already printed or was proposed to be printed was 39％ .The reasons for the lack of printing of the barcode for oral drugs were waiting for governmental regulation (41％), pharmaceutical company circles concerted action (23％), cost and lack of facilities (20％). It was thought that cooperation among pharmaceutical companies, administration and medical institutions is essential for introducing barcode printing of dispensing packages on all oral drugs and external medicine.

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