Mercury Concentrations in Quagga Mussels, Dreissena bugensis, from Lakes Mead, Mohave and Havasu

The recent invasion of the Dressenid species, the quagga mussel, Dreissena bugensis, into Lakes Mead, Mohave and Havasu has raised questions about their ability to alter contaminant cycling. Mussels were collected from 25 locations in the three lakes. The overall average was 0.036 ± 0.016 μg g⁻¹ Hg dry wt. The range of the three lakes was from 0.014–0.093 μg g⁻¹ Hg dry wt. There were no significant differences in mercury concentrations among the three lakes (F = 0.07; p = 0.794). From this baseline data of contaminants in quagga mussels from the lower Colorado River, this species may be used to biomonitor lake health.     

Pulmonary dirofilariasis found unexpectedly during thymectomy

A 56-year-old woman in Kitakyushu City was operated on after diagnosis of mediastinal tumor with myasthenia gravis. Besides the thymoma, a small nodule was palpated in the lower lobe of the left lung and biopsied. A segmented worm was found in sections of this granulomatous nodule. A cross section of the degenerated worm (400 X 310 micron) showed a 3-layered tegument and internal cuticular ridges with high lateral chords. The muscle layer consisted of high and polymyarian muscles. Based on these characteristics, this worm was identified as an immature dog heartworm, Dirofilaria immitis. The recent sharp increase of dirofilariasis cases reported in Japan is discussed.     

A case of HTLV-I associated myelopathy (HAM) complicated by mononeuritis multiplex

A 42-year-old woman with progressive myelopathy and mononeuritis multiplex is reported. The neurological examination on admission revealed hyperreflexia of the four extremities with pathological reflexes and moderate muscle weakness of the lower extremities with spasticity. Sensory disturbance was distributed on the areas of the bilateral lateral cutaneous femoral, the superficial peroneal and sural nerves. The antibody to HTLV-I in the serum and cerebrospinal fluid was more than 8192X and 512X, respectively. No sensory potential was recorded in the sensory conduction study of bilateral lateral femoral cutaneous nerves. Corticosteroid therapy caused a marked improvement of the sensory and urinary disturbances and had a slight effect on the spastic gait. Our nerve conduction study found small sensory potentials with normal conduction velocities in the bilateral lateral femoral cutaneous nerves. These results suggested the presence of an axonal degeneration in the peripheral nerves in this case. There have been no reports in the literature regarding a case of HAM with mononeuritis multiplex.     

Effects of repeated inhalation-exposure to fenitrothion powder on blood cholinesterase activity in rats

Effects of repeated exposure to Fenitrothion (Sumithion) powder on erythrocyte membrane acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and plasma cholinesterase (PChE) were studied. Rats (Wistar, male) were exposed to fenitrothion powder for 2 hrs/day, 5 days/week for up to 3 months. The suppression of AChE and PChE increased as the exposure period and exposure concentration increased, although no suppression of AChE was found after a single 4-hr exposure. The persistence of AChE inhibition after the termination of exposure increased with the increase of the exposure period and was longer than that of PChE. Therefore, the AChE activity seems to be useful in examining the response to the repeated exposure to fenitrothion powder.     

Extra-anatomic bypass grafting for vascular occlusive disease in the upper and lower extremities

Twenty-four patients with poor risk factors underwent an extra-anatomic bypass operation for aortoiliac occlusive disease and subclavian steal syndrome. A femoro-femoral bypass was performed on 5 patients, an axillo-femoral bypass on 15, a subclavian-subclavian bypass on 2 and an ascending aorta-femoral bypass on 2. There was only one operative death and there were 2 late deaths (8.3%). The patients were 20 males and 4 females with a mean age of 69.3 years. Among risk factors, high age (70 year old) was present in half of the patients, ischemic heart disease in 9, and cerebral vascular disease in 8. Seventy-five percent of the patients were suffering from two or more dysfunctions. During the limited follow-up period from 8 to 94 months (mean 46.1 months) there was a 96% patency rate. We had good results using externally supported ring graft and by the administration of prostaglandin E1 and ticlopidine during the pre and postoperative period.     

A case of left atrial automatic tachycardia successfully treated with aprindine

Electrocardiogram in a 15-year-old girl showed persistent supraventricular tachycardia at rates of 130 to 140 bpm. Electrophysiological study confirmed left atrial automatic tachycardia, which was transferred to sinus rhythm by intravenous infusion of aprindine (100 mg/10 min). Therefore, aprindine (60 mg/day) was administered orally, and neither recurrence of left atrial automatic tachycardia nor side effects were observed during subsequent follow-up period of 16 months.