NECROTIZING MYOPATHY AS A REMOTE EFFECT OF GASTRIC CANCER ACCOMPANIED WITH HASHIMOTO'S THYROIDITIS

An autopsy case of a 74-year-old male who had shown clinically hypothyroidism due to chronic atrophic thyroiditis (Hashimoto's thyroiditis), and pathologically necrotizing myopathy as a remote effect of gastric cancer was reported.
Morphological features of this necrotizing myopathy was those of carcinomatous myopathy rather than those of hypothyroid or diabetic myopathy.
As for the pathogenesis of the necrotizing myopathy (as a Group IV of polymyositis of Walton and Adams), the malignancy might have played an important role as a trigger of the secondary immunological abnormality upon a pre-exizting longstanding immune disorder of Hashimoto's thyroiditis. Pseudomembranous colitis, which was thought to be related to antibiotics (Lincomycin), was also briefly discussed.     

Vinyl polymerization. 294. Decomposition of tetramethyltetrazene in the presence of p-substituted benzyl chlorides

A study was made of the polymerization of acrylonitrile in dimethylformamide (DMF) initiated by the binary systems of tetramethyltetrazene (TMT) and p-substituted benzyl chlorides. The polymerization rate increased linearly with the σ-constants of substituents as electron-releasing groups were introduced to the phenyl ring of benzyl chloride. In order to elucidate the initiation mechanism of the polymerization, a kinetic investigation was also undertaken of the decomposition of TMT in the presence of p-substituted benzyl chlorides in DMF. The decomposition rate was first-order in TMT and first-order in p-substituents benzyl chloride. The decomposition rate also increased with the σ constants of substituents as electron-releasing groups were introduced. On the basis of the results, the initiation mechanism for the polymerization was discussed.     

HIGH-GRADE SURFACE OSTEOSARCOMA OF THE LEFT ILIUM A Case Report and Review of the Literature

A rare case of high-grade surface osteosarcoma of the left ilum is reported. Trephine biopsy performed on a 31-year-old woman suffering from a huge tumor of the left buttock revealed high-grade osteosarcoma, and hemipel-vectomy was undertaken. The surgical specimen showed that the tumor was present on the surface of the left ilium. Ten months after the operation, the patient died of brain metastasis. From these results, we considered this case to be one of high-grade surface osteosarcoma. ACTA PATHOL JPN 38: 235 -240, 1988.     

Synthesis and side-chain crystallization of comb-like polymers obtained from isopropenyl-1,3,5-triazines carrying two,three, and four long alkyl groups

Monomers containing several octadecyl groups, e.g., 2-isopropenyl-4,6-bis(octadecylamino)-1,3,5-triazine ( 2 ), 2-dioctadecylamino-4-isopropenyl-6-octadecylamino-1,3,5-triazine ( 3 ) and 2,4-bis(dioctadecylamino)-6-isopropenly-1,3,5-triazine ( 4 ) were prepared by the alkylation reaction of 2,4-diamino-6-isopropenyl-1,3,5-triazine ( 1 ) with 1-bromooctadecane in the presence of sodium hydride. In the free-radical homopolymerization of these monomers, the polymer yield of 3 was lower than that of 2 due to a decrease in the ceiling temperature, and the polymerization of 4 did not proceed. Copolymerizations of these monomers with styrene or methyl methacrylate were carried out and the monomer reactivity ratios (r₁ and r₂) were determined. The monomer reactivity decreased with increasing the number of octadecyl groups in the monomers. Crystallinity of the octadecyl side chains in the resulting comb-like polymers was evaluated by differential scanning calorimetry.     

A possible role of two hydrophobic amino acids in antigen recognition by synovial T cells in rheumatoid arthritis

Synovial T cells play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) synovitis. We have quantitatively analyzed the T cell receptor (TcR) variable (V) region gene repertoire of freshly isolated synovial fluid (SF) T cells, comparing it with that of peripheral blood (PB) T cells in RA. The TcR V gene repertoire of PB and SF T cells in RA and osteoarthritis was heterogeneous. In contrast, Vail in SF was expressed to a greater degree in three of five RA patients, and increased levels of Vp6, 1-3 were found in the SF of four of six RA, compared with paired PB. Of note, Vβ6, 1–3 was universally used in four RA patients with a disease duration of less than 10 years, irrespective of their HLA-DR types. This was in contrast to two other RA patients, suffering for more than 20 years, who showed different Vα and Vβ usages. β-chain sequence analysis in RA patients with a preference for Vβ6, 1–3 has shown that a few clones dominated in SF, whereas polyclonality was observed in PB. These findings suggest oligoclonal expansion of T cells in response to specific antigen(s) in the SF of these patients with RA of relatively short duration. Concomitant use of two hydrophobic amino acids, leucine and valine, in the Dβ region was noticeable among the predominant SF clones. These two amino acids might directly contact a peptide specific for the induction of synovitis in RA patients. TcR-directed therapy may, therefore, be useful for the treatment of early RA synovitis.     

Determination of the depth of 50% of maximum ionization, I50, for electron beams by the divided difference method

A new characterization of depth-ionization parameters for electron beams is empirically deduced from our data analysis based on the divided difference method (the DD method), which employs the numerical differential of an ionization curve. The important feature of the present method is that it does not necessarily require normalized percent depth-ionization (NPDI) data. The depth of 50% of maximum ionization, I50, which is an important parameter for electron beam dosimetry, can be deduced from the analysis of an unnormalized (or partial) depth-ionization (UDI) curve obtained over a short interval of depth. The values of I50 determined by the DD method are in agreement to within 0.1 mm for energies of 4, 6, and 9 MeV, compared with the ones determined by the TG-51 protocol method (or the conventional method), and the difference was 0.9 mm for 12 and 15 MeV. The dose at the reference depth, dref, calculated from I50 by the DD method, is found to be in agreement with TG-51 to within 0.1%. The field size dependence of the DD method using UDI data was studied for three field sizes: 6 x 6, 10 x 10, and 20 x 20 cm2. For all energies, the discrepancies of I50 as determined by both methods were 0.9 mm on average for the 6 x 6 cm2 fields and 0.6 mm for the other two field sizes. This dependence was remarkable for 6 x 6 cm2 fields for 12 and 15 MeV, and the discrepancies shown by the DD method were 1.2 mm for 12 MeV and 1.8 mm for 15 MeV, respectively. Since the reference field size in clinical dosimetry is usually 10 x 10 cm2, this dependence will not affect clinical dosimetry. The DD method could be an alternative option for checking beam quality in dose calibration.     

The osseous structure of the carpal groove

Summary Transverse osseous structure of the carpal groove was studied using serial sections and microradiography. The width and area of the carpal groove were measured in x-ray films of each section. The wrist and carpal region was divided into six levels: 1) radio-ulnar joint level, 2) proximal level of the carpal bones, 3) intermediate level of carpal bones, 4) distal level of carpal bones, 5) the first C-M joint level, and 6) bases of the metacarpal bone level. The width of the carpal groove averaged 32 mm at the inlet and became narrower toward the outlet. Both inlet and outlet areas were small, the largest area was observed at the middle part. Although the carpal bones did not support the body weight, a remnant of the trajectorial architecture of the trabeculae was observed.

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La structure osseuse de la gouttière carpienne

Résumé La structure transversale des os de la gouttière carpienne a été étudiée à l'aide de coupes et par microradiographie. L'épaisseur et la superficie de la gouttière carpienne ont été mesurées sur des clichés aux rayons X de chacune de ces coupes. La région du poignet et du carpe a été divisée en six rangées: 1) la rangée de l'articulation radiocubitale, 2) la rangée proximale des os du carpe, 3) la rangée intermédiaire des os du carpe, 4) la rangée distale des os du carpe, 5) la rangée de la première articulation C-M et 6) la rangée de la base des os du métacarpe. L'épaisseur moyenne de la gouttière carpienne atteignait 32 mm à l'entrée, se rétrécissant en direction de la sortie. Tant la zone d'entrée que celle de sortie étaient de superficie réduite, la superficie la plus importante étant observée dans la partie médiane. Si les os du carpe ne supportent pas le poids du corps, un reste de structure trajectorielle des travées a cependant été observé.

     

Morphological study on glucocorticoid-induced cataract in developing chick embryo

Nishigori et al. reported a transient cataract model after administering glucocorticoid to a 15-day-old chick. Biochemically, the mechanism of onset of this cataract was thought to be related to damage caused by the formation of oxidative stresses and by a protein-water phase separation. There appear to be no reports on changes in the fine structure. After hydroocortisone succinate sodium was administered to 15-day-old chick embryos, the lenses were removed at 12, 24, 30, 48, 72 and 96 h and put in 4% gluraldehyde. The specimens were examined by light, transmission and scanning electron microscopy. Twelve to 24 h after administration to chick embryos, lens fibers containing electron-dense cytoplasm began to appear in the bow area of the equator and were still present thereafter. Thirty to 48 h after administration, numerous vacuoles of varying sizes began to appear in the lens in sites corresponding to the opaque region. These vacuoles, ranging from 2 to 8 m in diameter, were distributed in the intercellular spaces between the lens fibers. The vacuoles had disappeared by 96 h after administration, but during that period, the height of the epithelial cells in the equatorial region and the elongation of the equatorial lens fibers had become irregular. Transient opacity was due to the presence of vacuoles of various sizes, occurring in the intercellular space between the lens fibers around the lens nucleus. Moreover, the effect of glucocorticoid administration was noted in the lens epithelium and the lens fibers in the equatorial region.     

Glucose intolerance during prolonged sevoflurane anaesthesia

Purpose

The effects of prolonged sevoflurane anaesthesia on insulin sensitivity were investigated by two successive intravenous glucose tolerance tests (IVGTT) in eight patients who underwent prolonged surgery.

Methods

The first IVGTT was administered (25 g glucose as 20% dextrose in water iv) over two minutes 35 min after initiation of surgery. Arterial blood samples were obtained at 0, 5, 10, 30, 60, and 120 min after glucose administration for blood glucose and plasma insulin determination. A second IVGTT was performed six hours following the initiation of surgery.

Results

The disappearance rate of glucose (k-value) for the first IVGTT was 0.887 ± 0.436 (mean ± SD) % · min^?1, and 0.784 ± 0.289 for the second IVGTT. Both k-values are lower than the normal value. The maximum insulin response to glucose (ΔIRI · ΔBS^?1) of the second IVGTT was lower than the first IVGTT (0.124 ± 0.092 vs 0.071 ± 0.056, P < 0.05). The total insulin output of the first IVGTT was higher than the second IVGTT (1,161 ± 830 vs 568 ± 389 μU · min · ml^?1, P < 0.05).

Conclusion

Glucose intolerance is enhanced by diminished insulin output in response to blood glucose elevation during prolonged anaesthesia and surgery.