Regeneration of myoepithelial cells in rat submandibular glands after yttrium aluminium garnett laser irradiation

The regeneration of myoepithelial cells in rat submandibular salivary gland after partial irradiation with yttrium aluminium garnett (YAG) laser was investigated. The irradiated glands were examined immunohistochemically for actin, histochemically for alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). In control glands, myoepithelial cells were positive for actin and ALP. Electron microscopically, the positive reaction for actin was associated with the myofilaments of myoepithelial cells, and the plasma membrane of myoepithelial cells was positive for ALP. One day after YAG laser irradiation, the irradiated region was necrotic. By 5 days, duct-like structures and epithelial clusters were observed at the interface between the necrotic zone and the remaining undamaged glands; immature acini appeared after 7 days. No reaction in duct-like structures or epithelial clusters to actin or ALP was recognizable by 5 days. However, at 7 days, actin and ALP-positive spindle cells appeared at the periphery of the duct-like structures and immature acini. After 10 days, both actin-positive and ALP-positive cells increased in number. These observations indicate that during regeneration, actin-positive and ALP-positive cells regenerate myoepithelial cells, and it is suggested that this differentiation to myoepithelial cells is closely related to that of luminal to acinar cells. In addition, TEM observations indicate that regenerated myoepithelial cells originated from the basal cells of duct-like structures.     

A female infant successfully treated by ganciclovir for congenital cytomegalovirus infection

An 11 month old female infant, diagnosed as having congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection and suffering from pneumonia and intractable diarrhea, was treated with 9-(1,3-dihydroxy-2-propoxymethyl) guanine (DHPG), intravenously for 8 weeks. Watery diarrhea ceased and pneumonia associated with massive endotracheal aspirates was reduced. No leukopenia, thrombocytopenia or other side effects were observed during the therapy. The clinical findings suggest that DHPG might be an effective and safe agent for the treatment of both intestinal and lower respiratory CMV infection in young infants.     

A flow cytometric method for measurement of hydrogen peroxide generation by pediatric polymorphonuclear leukocytes stimulated by Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli

The generation of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), one of the reactive oxygen species, by polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) stimulated by Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli was studied in infants by cytofluorography. After heparhized whole blood was incubated with bacteria for 60 min, generated H₂O₂ was measured. The positive rate of H₂O₂ generation of PMN and mean fluorescent intensity of positive PMN stimulated by S. aureus and E. coli were significantly reduced in infants aged < 1 year and H₂O₂ generation increased with advancing age. In 10–15 year old children, the level of generated H₂O₂ reached adult levels. When sera from 1 year old children were added to separated PMN from healthy adults, H₂O₂ generation was reduced. In contrast, H₂O₂ generation by PMN from 1 year old children was increased by the addition of adult sera. These results suggest that the ability to generate H₂O₂ in response to S. aureus and E. coli is lower in infants and that such reduced activity may be related to the susceptibility of such infants to S. aureus and E. coli infections.     

Transitional cell carcinoma in an ectopic ureter

We experienced an 82-year-old man with transitional cell carcinoma in an ectopic ureter draining into the prostatic urethra. Carcinoma arising from an ectopic ureter is very rare and a differential diagnosis is difficult. To our knowledge, our case is the third male case reported in the literature.     

Reliability and validity of the Japanese version of the Zarit Caregiver Burden Interview

Abstract  Despite a rapid increase in disabled elderly in Japan, the burden of the caregiver has not been properly assessed due to a lack of objective measurements. Our study was aimed at adapting and validating the Zarit Caregiver Burden Interview (ZBI) in Japan, which is one of the most widely used measurements for caregivers' burden in the United States. Sixty-six caregivers answered the self-administered questionnaire, involving the Japanese version of the ZBI and questions regarding their caregiving situation. Our study demonstrated that the Japanese version of the ZBI had equally as high reliability and validity as the original version. The Japanese ZBI had a high test—retest reliability (r = 0.76) and internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.93). The total score of the ZBI was highly correlated with the caregivers' score of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) score (r = 0.50), as well as a single global rating of burden (r = 0.71). It was also shown that demographic distribution of the score of the Japanese version had a similar trend to that of the original version. Caregivers who looked after patients with behavioral disturbances were found to have a significantly higher ZBI score than those who looked alter patients without behavioral disturbances, which is consistent with previous findings. It is concluded that the Japanese version of the ZBI can be used to measure feelings of burden of caregivers in the Japanese population and can be used for cross-cultural comparison.     

Definitions of severely mentally and physically disabled children in Japan: Do the differences affect the prevalence rates of these children?

The prevalence rate of severely mentally and physically disabled children (SDC) aged 6–15 years in Okinawa prefecture on 1 May 1989 was 0.74/1000 (143/192 038) according to Oshima's classification, compared with 0.89/1000 (170/192 038) according to the Ministry of Education's classification with minor modifications. The number of children in region classes 1, 2, 3 and 4 of Oshima's classification for SDC were 100, 34, 6 and 3, respectively. The difference (n = 27) between the total numbers of SDC according to the two classifications was mainly because of 21 children categorized as ‘walking with support’ who were included as SDC according to the Ministry of Education's classification but not as SDC according to Oshima's classification. Only region class 1 of Oshima's classification corresponded with region class 25 of the Ministry of Education's classification. The results of the present study indicate that the differences between the two definitions of SDC affect the reported prevalence rates of SDC. Therefore, changing patterns in the prevalence of SDC should be assessed by serial surveys using the same method in each district.     

Recurrence of Thymoma with Appearance of Myasthenia Gravis 18 Years after Surgery: A Case Report

A 59-year-old woman was admitted to the hospital because ofrecurrence of thymoma with appearance of myasthenia gravis 18years after excision of an invasive thymoma. Recurrence wasobserved in the anterior mediastinum, right pleura, pericardiumand left supraclavicular lymph node. Hashimoto's thyroiditis,vitiligo vulgaris and leukopenia were also seen. After creationof a pericardial window for pericardial effusion, she receivedvincristine, then carbazilquinone intravenously as single chemotherapeuticagents based on the chemosensitivity by clonogenic assay ofthe supraclavicular tumor, but response was not achieved. Atone and a half years after radiotherapy to the mediastinum,she is now doing well without symptoms and is receiving a fairlylow dose of anticholinesterase medication.     

Effect of Adrenergic Blocking Agents on Plasma Gastrin and Secretin Levels in Man

The effect of adrenergic blocking agents on gastrin and secretin secretion before and after a bolus arginine injection (arginine pulse) was investigated in normal subjects. Repeated arginine pulses given at 30-minute intervals caused abrupt and almost identical rises of plasma gastrin with each pulse. On the other hand, plasma secretin levels were unchanged by repeated injections of arginine. The increase in plasma gastrin induced by arginine pulse was significantly suppressed by the infusion of beta-adrenergic blocking agent, propranolol, while the infusion of alpha-adrenergic blocking agent, phentolamine tended to enhance the arginine-induced gastrin secretion slightly but not significantly. Whereas, the infusion of neither phentolamine nor propranolol had significant influence on secretin secretion. These results suggest that alpha- and beta-adrenergic receptors play an important role in the regulation of arginineinduced gastrin secretion.     

HISTOCHEMICAL STUDY ON OXIDATIVE ENZYME ACTIVITY IN THE BRAIN, PARTICULARLY OF ASTROCYTES, IN SPONTANEOUSLY HYPERTENSIVE RATS

Hanakita J., Hazama F., Amano S., Yamada E. & Handa H. (1980)
Neuropathology and Applied Neurobiology 6, 471–482
Histochemical study on oxidative enzyme activity in the brain, particularly of astrocytes, in spontaneously hypertensive rats
In order to obtain indirect information concerning brain oedema or increased vascular permeability under hypertensive conditions, the enzyme responses of astrocytes in the brains of spontaneously hypertensive rats were histo-chemically investigated. Reactions for oxidative enzymes, such as NADH₂-, NADPH2-tetrazolium reductases and succinate dehydrogenase were performed on SHR brains of various ages. In the hypertensive rats, proliferation, hypertrophy and increased enzyme activity were observed in astrocytes, particularly in the white matter. This activation of astrocytes appeared at 12 13 weeks-of-age and increased with advancing age. These findings suggest that increased vascular permeability of the materials in the smaller molecules begins in the early stage of the development of hypertension before the breakdown of the blood-brain barrier. Many degenerating astrocytes, showing clasmatodendritic changes, were observed in severely oedematous regions or around cystic foci in the white matter. The changes in astrocytic function seem to be related to the development of the parenchymal changes, particularly of the white matter in the chronic hypertensive state.