MR imaging of splenic masses

It has been reported that MR imaging of the spleen is unsuccessful in detecting focal lesions because there is not a significant difference in relaxation times between most tumors and surrounding normal spleen. We reviewed the MR imaging of 15 patients (5 cysts, 2 abscesses, 1 hemangioma, 5 malignant lymphomas, 2 metastatic tumors). In all cases, the difference in signal intensities between splenic tissue and mass lesions permitted detection of splenic lesions on MR images. But, malignant lesions were less visible than benign lesions.     

Aneurysm of anterior communicating artery associated with aortitis syndrome--a treated case by aneurysmal neck clipping (author's transl)

A rare case of the cerebral aneurysm associated with aortitis syndrome was reported. It seems to be the first case in which neck clipping was successfully performed for aneurysm of the anterior communicating artery. The patient was a 48-year-old female afflicted with pulseless disease. She was admitted to Iwate Central Hospital with severe headache, vomiting and unconsciousness on November 16, 1980. Her radial pulse was faint on the right side. The left carotid angiography revealed an aneurysm in the anterior communicating artery, and neck clipping of the aneurysm was performed 17 days after the onset. The right serial brachiocephalic arteriography revealed occlusion of the right brachiocephalic artery and the right common carotid artery. The serial aortography revealed stenosis of the left common carotid artery and the left vertebral artery. In the literature, 4 cases of those 7 cases associated with aortitis syndrome had aneurysms at the basilar bifurcation or basilar top. It seems to be the reason that the vertebral artery outlasts longer in aortitis syndrome. In our case, we can relate the aneurysmal formation of the anterior communicating artery to the hemodynamic overload of the left A1. General anesthesia in such cases was discussed.     

IMMUNOLOGICAL STUDIES OF AN EXTRACELLULAR KERATINASE

The extracellular keratinase from M. canis was purified using ion exchange chromatography and gel filtration. The purified enzyme showed a single protein band on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrilamide gel electrophoresis. A molecular weight of approximately 45,000 was determined by SDS-electrophoresis. Anti-body directed against the purified enzyme from M. canis was obtained from New Zealand White rabbits, and the immunological identity of the enzyme from M. canis, as well as those from M. gypseum, T. mentagrophytes and T. rubrum, were demonstrated by immuno-double-diffusion experiments.     

Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in Japan: an epidemiological study done in a select prefecture between 1976 and 1986

An epidemiological study was performed with respect to Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in a designated area in Japan. The subjects were observed in a small rural prefecture where the population generally remains within a limited radius throughout their lives. The patients' life-styles in each area were investigated in detail. Nine cases appeared in 11 years; 6 were definitive and 3 probable. They were all of the subacute type; there were no noteworthy sexual differences, age of onset, course and/or past histories. Three of the nine cases came from two families; the relationship between familial and isolated cases was examined. Revealed facts and time-space clustering were investigated statistically, but no indication of natural transmission was observable.     

Enhancement of rectal absorption of water-soluble antibiotics in dogs

The effects of sodium 5-methoxysalicylate and sodium salicylate on the rectal absorption of sodium penicillin G, gentamicin sulfate, sodium cefoxitin and sodium cefmetazole are reported. It was found that both adjuvants improve the rectal absorption of these water-soluble antibiotics. However, sodium 5-methoxysalicylate was more effective. Rectal bioavailability of these antibiotics depends both on the concentration of the adjuvant used and on the dosage form. In these studies, a lipophilic suppository base seems to provide a satisfactory vehicle for delivery of the water-soluble drugs resulting in rectal bioavailabilities of ~85% for penicillin G, ~50% for cefoxitin, ~50% for cefmetazole and ~35% for gentamicin compared with intravenous administration over the time period of 0–120 min.