A longitudinal study on electrophysiological properties of atrioventricular accessory pathways in infants and children

In this study the electrophysiological developmental changes of accessory pathway (AP) properties in infants and children are examined. Intracardiac and/or transesophageal electrophysiological studies were performed on seven infants (group 1, mean age 2 months) and four children (group 2, mean age 9 y; study 1), and documented orthodromic atrioventricular tachycardia in all cases. At follow-up study (study 2), supraventricular tachycardia was induced in three of seven (43%) cases in group 1 and in all four cases in group 2. Changes in antegrade conduction properties of AP were documented by loss of pre-excitation (two of four cases in group 1) or change to intermittent pre-excitation (one of two cases in group 2).     

Role of γδ T lymphocytes in the development of Behçet's disease

Phenotypic and functional properties of γδ T cells, which play an important role in mucocutaneous immunity, were examined to elucidate whether immunological abnormality in Behc¸et's disease may be related to a specific T cell population. We found that CD45RA⁺Vγ9⁺Vδ2⁺γδ T cells, which constitute a minor population of γδ T cells in healthy individuals, were increased in number in Behc¸et's disease irrespective of disease activity. This CD45RA⁺ subset of γδ T cells in the active, but not inactive, phase of this disease expressed IL-2Rβ and HLA-DR, suggesting that they are activated in vivo in active Behc¸et's disease. In addition, the CD45RA⁺γδ T cells produced extreme amounts of tumour necrosis factor and contained perforin granules. These data indicate that a phenotypically distinct subset of γδ T cells, CD45RA⁺CD45RO⁻Vγ9⁺Vδ2⁺, may contribute to immunological abnormalities which may lead to complexity of pathophysiology in Behc¸et's disease.     

Monoclonal Antibodies to Human Choriocarcinoma

ABSTRACT: We have established two monoclonal antibodies (TM7-3 and TM3-8) that react to choriocarcinoma cells. Both of these monoclonal antibodies have shown a similar reactive pattern to human cell lines, normal and neoplastic trophoblast tissues, and other fetal and adult tissues. They have reacted to nine of the ten choriocarcinoma cell lines, as well as to Hela cells (a cervical carcinoma cell line). During a cellular radioimmunoassay, neither TM7-3 nor TM3-8 reacted to two T lymphoblastoid cell lines or three B lymphoblastoid cell lines. Immunofluorescence and immunoper-oxidase staining showed that both monoclonal antibodies reacted selectively to the cytotrophoblast-like tumor cells of a choriocarcinoma and a hydatidiform mole but not to syncytiotrophoblast-like tumor cells. TM7-3 and TM3-8 also reacted slightly to the normal cytotrophoblast of early human chorionic villi under the same conditions as they did to choriocarcinoma tissue, but not to syncytiotrophoblast. In various normal tissues, TM7-3 and TM3-8 bind only to a part of the urinary tubles of the kidney and to the ducts of the pancreas of both adult and fetus.     

光学成像甘氨酸对蜗核和前庭核神经元兴奋的抑制作用

目的 从神经细胞群的水平研究甘氨酸是否对蜗核(cochlear nucleus,CN)与前庭核(vestibular nucleus,VN)神经元核团的兴奋起抑制作用以及其作用方式。方法 从新生小鼠(1-3天)制备活体(in vitro)脑干组织切片,并用电压敏感染料(voltage-sensitive dye)进行染色,采用多位点光学记录系统(optical imaging)观察电刺激位听神经(第8颅神经,nⅧth)后传入兴奋的传导。结果 光学成像显示电刺激nⅧth后兴奋传导至脑干的CN核团和VN核团,并且光学方法可同步记录256个记录单元(elements)中神经兴奋传导的二维动态过程(n=35)。用甘氨酸受体桔抗剂-马钱子碱(50μM)浸泡组织切片后,在CN和VN中的光学信号与脑片在标准人工脑脊液中相比较有明显的增强(n=10)。马钱子碱对峰样快反应信号与慢反应信号的增强效应不同,在CN和VN的不同核团之间也有差异。在CN核团,快反应信号与慢反应信号增强幅度分别为154±34％(n=23,elements)和271±91％(n=23,elements),马钱子碱的增强效应与标准ACSF相比有显著性统计学差异(P<0.05)。在VN核团,慢反应信号增强幅度为149±56％(n=17,elements),也有显著性统计学差异(P<0.05)。但是,在VN核团,快反应信号增强幅度仅为102±14％(n=17,elements),与对照组相比较无显著性统计学差异(P>0.05)。另外,     

Application of a newly developed 3-D deformation measurement system to prosthetic dentistry

summary A new system for measuring threedimensional deformation has been developed. The main components of the system are a fixed TV camera and vertically scanning projectors. The advantages of the system are: (1) since there is no mechanical contact between the object and the sensing unit, hardness and form of the object do not have to be considered; (2) the system does not need any precise geometry except for the reproducibility of the vertical scanning stage; (3) the time required for one measurement is extremely short; and (4) the system is not expensive. From the basic experiments for testing accuracy, this system has about ± 30 μm range deviation against 1000 μm deformation of the object. The system has been applied to investigate the influence of various impression procedures for a removable partial denture on the displacement of the simulated soft mucosal tissue. It is revealed that deformation forms are expressed precisely. Our results suggest that this measurement system is quite useful for research in dentistry and that it could be widely applied.     

Direct observation of the portal vein interior by intra-operative angioscopy in the dog and man

The purpose of this study was to develop the technique of intra-operative portal angioscopy using a portal angioscope, and to demonstrate its potential use in the therapy for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) bearing a portal thrombus. Portal angioscopes, Olympus BF3C10 and CHFP10 of a diameter of 3.5 mm and 4.8 mm, respectively, were used during operation in five dogs, two patients with hepatic metastasis from colon cancer and three patients with HCC having a portal tumour thrombus. The portal vein and hepatic artery were ligated simultaneously, and the angioscope was immediately introduced under direct vision through a small portal venotomy. Blood in the portal vein was almost fully diverted by infusion of heparinized saline through a channel of the angioscope at a rate of 3 mL/min in dogs and 5 mL/min in patients with hepatic metastasis. Rates of 6 mL/min and 10 mL/min in dogs and patients, respectively, were adequate to clear completely the portal vein of blood. In patients with HCC, portal tumour thrombectomy was performed with a Fogarty balloon catheter by suctioning thrombi through a channel of the fibrescope after visual study of the portal thrombus. Observation and treatment of portal thrombus by angioscopy may become an important part of surgical treatment of HCC with portal invasion, but further technical improvement is desirable before this technique becomes a routine procedure.     

Direct drug transport from the rat nasal cavity to the cerebrospinal fluid: the relation to the dissociation of the drug

Abstract— We aimed to clarify the relationship between drug dissociation (sulphisomidine) and its direct transport from the nasal cavity to the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Rat nasal cavities were perfused in a single pass system with buffers (pH 5·5, 6·5, 7·4, 8·7 and 9·4). Plasma and CSF were collected and the concentration of sulphisomidine was measured. Nasal clearance increased with the increase in the un-ionized fraction of the drug. The ratio of the drug concentration in CSF to that in the nasal perfusion fluid (the index of the degree of the drug transport from the nasal cavity to CSF), was changed in accordance with the un-ionized fraction of drug. These results show that both the nasal absorption and the drug transport conform to the pH partition theory.     

Langerhans-cell histiocytosis in an adult patient with multiple myeloma

A 44-year-old man who had suffered for 6 years from multiple myeloma developed multiple papules on the face and chest. Histological examination of these papules revealed the infiltration of predominantly histiocytic cells into the dermis and into parts of the epidermis. These cells were seen on electron-microscopic study to have Langerhans granules in the cytoplasm, which led to a diagnosis of Langerhans-cell histiocytosis concomitant with multiple myeloma. Possible explanations for this unusual association are discussed.     

Transitional cell carcinoma of the ureteral stump eight years after nephrectomy for benign disease

A case of primary carcinoma of the ureteral stump is reported. A 68-year-old man presented with asymptomatic gross hematuria. He had undergone a right nephrectomy for a benign disease previously. Cystoscopy and left ureteroscopy showed no abnormalities. A computed tomography showed a solid mass on the region of the right ureteral stump. He underwent a right ureterectomy and bladder cuff resection. A pathological examination showed transitional cell carcinoma.