Traumatic acute subdural hygroma mimicking acute subdural hematoma.

Subdural hygroma is a frequent delayed complication of head trauma. Most hygromas are clinically 'silent' and a few cases have shown slow deterioration in the chronic stage. We report a case of subdural hygroma showing unique radiological findings and rapid deterioration. A 74-years-old female presented with a mild headache and consciousness disturbance after head injury. Computed tomography showed a midline shift as a result of two components piling up in the subdural space; the outer components showed low density, the inner components high density. Magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated that these two subdural components were subdural hygroma and subarachnoid hematoma. Simple burr hole irrigation, rather than large craniotomy, was thought to be more appropriate treatment to reduce the mass effect. Simple burr hole irrigation was performed to remove the subdural hygroma and the patient showed an excellent recovery. Careful examination of the radiological findings prevented an unnecessary procedure in this case. A possible mechanism of this phenomenon is discussed.     

Silicone-Coated Polypropylene Hollow-Fiber Oxygenator: Experimental Evaluation and Preliminary Clinical Use

Background. A membrane oxygenator consisting of a microporous polypropylene hollow fiber with a 0.2-μm ultrathin silicone layer (cyclosiloxane) was developed. Animal experimental and preliminary clinical studies evaluated its reliability in bypass procedures.

Methods. Five 24-hour venoarterial bypass periods were conducted on dogs using the oxygenator (group A). In 5 controls, bypass periods were conducted using the same oxygenator without silicone coating (group B). As a preliminary clinical study, 14 patients underwent cardiopulmonary bypass with the silicone-coated oxygenator.

Results. Eight to 16 hours (mean, 12.2 hours) after initiation of bypass, plasma leakage occurred in all group B animals, but none in group A. The O₂ and CO₂ transfer rates after 24 hours in group A were significantly higher than at termination of bypass in group B (p < 0.005 and p < 0.03, respectively). Scanning electron microscopy of silicone-coated fibers after 24 hours of bypass revealed no damage to the silicone coating of the polypropylene hollow fibers. In the clinical study, the oxygenator showed good gas transfer, acceptable pressure loss, low hemolysis, and good durability.

Conclusions. This oxygenator is more durable and offers greater gas transfer capabilities than the previous generation of oxygenators.     

Clinicopathologic Study of Angiogenesis in Japanese Patients with Breast Cancer

p = 0.0007) and tumor necrosis (TN) (HMC: p = 0.0050). Univariate analysis showed that AMC or HMC was a statistically significant predictor of overall survival in all patients ( p = 0.0086 and p = 0.0307, respectively). Multivariate analysis showed that AMC was an independent predictor of node status when we fitted a model with node status, BVI, and either AMC or HMC; but HMC was not independent. However, when we fitted a model including all 11 of the other indicators and AMC or HMC, the node status, HG, and LI were independent predictors, but AMC and HMC were not. Although AMC was a better method than HMC for evaluating angiogenesis, we cannot confirm angiogenesis as a significant independent prognostic factor associated with long-term survival in Japanese breast cancer patients.     

Aneurysm of the ductus diverticulum in adults The diagnostic value of three-dimensional computed tomographic scanning

Ductus arteriosus aneurysm is rare in adults and preoperative diagnosis has not been usually done. We report 2 cases of adult type ductus arteriosus aneurysm. In both cases, 3D computed tomographic scanning showed a saccular aneurysm originating from the distal aortic arch toward the left pulmonary artery, which had a notching in the orifice of the aortic side. They were successfully treated surgically though one was a ruptured aneurysm to the left pulmonary artery. In these cases, 3D-CT scan was of great value in the preoperative diagnosis of the ductus arteriosus aneurysm.     

Zebrafish protocadherin 10 is involved in paraxial mesoderm development and somitogenesis.

Here, we present the first report of the molecular cloning of zebrafish protocadherin 10 (Pcdh10, OL-protocadherin) and describe its functional analyses in the development of segmental plate. Epitope-tagged Pcdh10 expressed in embryos was localized on cell peripheries of adjacent cells. In situ hybridization showed that pcdh10 was expressed in the paraxial mesoderm (PAM) and developing somites, and in the pineal body, the diencephalon, and the vicinity of otocysts. Expression in PAM increased in the last few presumptive somites, reached the maximum level in the latest segmenting somites, and decreased thereafter during somite maturation. These expression patterns suggested that Pcdh10 is involved in development of PAM and somites. This was confirmed by morpholino knockdown and dominant-negative inhibition of Pcdh10 in embryos, which disturbed movements of PAM cells and somite segmentation. Comparative studies showed that pcdh10 expression lasted up to approximately three times longer in maturing somites than that of paraxial protocadherin (pcdh8). They also indicated that the adaxial cells expressed pcdh8 but not pcdh10. We propose that Pcdh10 is involved in the morphogenic movements of PAM cells and somite segmentation and that differential adhesion of Pcdh8 and Pcdh10 plays a role in the morphogenic machinery of somites and adaxial cells.     

The male reproductive function in patients with spinal cord injury

Seminal findings and blood hormone levels were studied for evaluating the male reproductive function in patients with spinal cord injury. The patients were divided into 3 groups, namely, 18 patients with complete injury, 5 patients with incomplete injury and 3 patients with dyspermatism. The number of sperms, the rate of movement and rate of deformation were measured for semen obtained by forced ejaculation. The number of sperms was kept at a relatively high level in the three groups, while the rate of movement fell off in all of the three groups. The rate of deformation was highest in the patients with complete injury and lowest in the patients with dyspermatism. As for blood hormone levels, LH, FSH and Testosterone (hereinafter referred to as TES) were determined by the RIA. The cases were classified into those in the acute stage and those in the chronic stage 3 months after sustaining injury for a comparative study. The subjects consisted of 27 cases in the acute stage and 47 cases in the chronic stage. For 8 patients in the acute stage, the blood hormone levels were determined even in the chronic stage and follow-up observations were made on the changes in the levels. The FSH level was low in both stages, while LH and TES tended to increase in the chronic stage. Particularly, the TES level was elevated in all the cases in the follow-up observations made in 8 patients. From the results mentioned above, transient disturbance of the interstitial function is suggested as the mechanism of male gonadal disturbance due to spinal cord injury.     

Role of β2 integrins in glomerular leucocytes in Henoch-Schoenlein purpura nephritis: an age-matched comparative study with immunoglobulin A nephropathy

SUMMARY: A comparative immunohistological study was performed for the glomerular deposition of complements (C1q and C3c), fibrin/fibrinogen‐related antigen (FRA), the expression of intercellular adhesion molecule‐1 (ICAM‐1), and the infiltration of leucocytes bearing β₂ integrins (leucocyte function associated antigen‐1 (LFA‐1), complement receptor 3 (CR3) and complement receptor 4 (CR4)) on renal biopsy specimens from 49 cases with Henoch‐Schoenlein purpura nephritis (HSPN), and 49 age‐matched cases with immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN). the glomerular expression of ICAM‐1 was signifcantly correlated with the glomerular infiltration of leucocyte function associated antigen (LFA)‐1⁺ leucocytes in both diseases, and with that of CR3⁺ leucocytes in HSPN. the expression of ICAM‐1 was closely localized with the infiltration of LFA‐1⁺ leucocytes in the study with double immunostaining. the incidence and intensity of glomerular deposition of FRA were significantly higher in HSPN than in IgAN (P< 0.001), and those of C3c were significantly lower in HSPN than in IgAN (P< 0.001). the glomerular deposition of FRA was significantly correlated with the glomerular infiltration of CR4⁺ leucocytes in HSPN (P<0.05) but not in IgAN. In contrast, the glomerular deposition of C3c was significantly correlated with the glomerular infiltration of CR4⁺ leucocytes in IgAN (P<0.05), but not in HSPN. Studies with double immunostaining revealed a close association of CR4⁺ leucocytes with FRA deposition in HSPN and with C3c deposition in IgAN, respectively. the number of glomerular leucocytes bearing β₂ integrins was significantly correlated with urinary protein at the time of renal biopsy in both diseases. These results suggested the differential roles of β₂ integrins in the induction of glomerular injury in HSPN and IgAN. the ICAM‐1/LFA‐1 interaction may commonly be involved in the glomerular infiltration of leucocytes in both diseases. the ICAM‐1/CR3 interaction may be involved only in HSPN. Complement receptor 4 may function as a fibrin/fibrinogen receptor in HSPN, while CR4 may function as a complement receptor in IgAN.     

Clinical studies on the transabdominal resection of esophagocardial cancer and cervical anastomosis using bypass methods. Analysis of data on 76 patients

Transabdominal resection for esophagocardial cancer and reestablishment of alimentary continuity using bypass methods were performed in 76 patients. Thirteen underwent a bypass with a gastric tube and in 30, a colonic segment was prepared. In the remaining 33, a jejunal segment was used as a bypass organ, with considerable success. The 5 year survival rates were 68.8 per cent in those with stages (I+II), 16.5 per cent in those with stage III, 12.6 per cent in those with stage IV and 22.5 per cent in all cases, indicating similar results compared to those with cancer located in the upper third of the stomach with the limited proximal extension within the esophagocardial junction and operated on during the same period.