Experimental Hydrocephalus in Suckling Hamster Induced by Myxovirus Infection

Abstract This study was undertaken to elucidate the pathogenesis of the hydrocephalus and aqueductal stenosis induced by intracerebral mumps virus inoculation in suckling hamsters.
Mild ventricular dilatation became apparent after 5 days of inoculation. Focal denuding of the ependymal layer and subsequent aqueductal stenosis were observed by 14 days after inoculation. The virus antigen was detected not only in the ependymal cells and choroid plexus, but also in some neurons in the cerebral cortex, hippocampus, midbrain and cerebellum. In the cerebral aqueduct, the orderly arrangement of the cilialy clusters was destroyed on the 5th day after inoculation. After 10 days, proliferation of GFAP positive cells was noticed around the cerebral aqueduct and subsequently caused aqueductal stenosis. In the advanced state of hydrocephalus, the cerebellum was displaced downward and showed an elongated, atrophic and sleevelike structure similar to the Arnold-Chiari malformation. It was suggested that the extensive damage of the ependymal cilia may account for early ventricular dilatation, and subsequent aqueductal stenosis with glial proliferation is the main cause of the advanced hydrocephalus. It has not yet been determined whether the mumps virus can pass through the human placenta or not. If it can, however, our results strongly suggest that mumps virus infection in the human fetus will cause congenital hydrocephalus.     

A case of pulmonary aspergillosis presenting pulmonary bulla and eosinophilic pneumonia

A rare case of a 25-year-old man with pulmonary aspergillosis is reported. Pulmonary bulla and eosinophilic pneumonia in the right upper lobe were diagnosed by chest roentgenogram and transbronchial lung biopsy. Because the patient developed infective bullae during steroid therapy, we performed transcutaneous thoracic drainage and right upper lobectomy. The resected lung tissue contained numerous hyphae of Aspergillus. Around the hyphae of Aspergillus, granulomatous reaction and eosinophilic infiltration were observed. Antibodies against Aspergillus were detected in the serum of the patient. The number of peripheral blood eosinophils decreased after right upper lobectomy. These findings suggest that pulmonary bullae and eosinophilic pneumonia may be a rare manifestation of pulmonary aspergillosis.     

Epidemiological characteristics of acute pulmonary thromboembolism in Japan.

AIM: In Japan, acute pulmonary thromboembolism (APTE) is still rare, but the number of patients with APTE has been steadily increasing. It is important for early diagnosis and early management of APTE to recognize epidemiological characteristics of this condition. METHODS: We investigated the epidemiological characteristics of 252 patients with APTE who were admitted to our institutions between 1975 and 2001. APTE was more prevalent in women that in men. It was observed the most in the age group between 50s to 70s, especially in women. Many patients had prolonged immobilization, recent major operation, obesity, or cancer, as risk factors for venous thromboembolism. One hundred and thirty-eight patients developed APTE in hospital; 60 patients were in Department of Internal Medicine, 28 in General Surgery, 15 in Orthopedics, 15 in Obstetrics and Gynecology, and 20 in other services. RESULTS: Among 58 patients with malignancy, 43% had cancers in digestive organs, 21% in gynecological, and 17% in urological. Among 61 patients who were examined for the presence of thrombophilia, 13 patients had inherited thrombophilia (8 protein C deficiency, 4 protein S deficiency, and 1 antithrombin III deficiency) 11 had antiphospholipid antibodies which indicated thrombophilia. Five out of the above 61 patients (8%) had no obvious risk factors including thrombophilia. CONCLUSION: The findings in our patients were almost the same as those in Western patients, except for some points. These results might be useful to establish a preventive approach for APTE in Japan.     

Clinico-pathological aspects of a residual natal tooth: a case report

A Japanese girl was referred to Osaka University Dental Hospital for examination of a tooth-like structure that had erupted following spontaneous exfoliation of a natal tooth in the lower left primary central incisor region. The structure had erupted at 6 months of age, and radiographic and clinical examination showed composition of pulp and dentin, but no enamel. On histological examination, the majority of the dentin area had a tubular dentin-like appearance, while the outer area of the root appeared to be composed of an osteodentin-like substance. Most of the dentin was covered by cementum. These findings suggest that the structure had originated from a developing remnant of the extracted natal tooth, which must have remained in the gingival tissues. We termed this calcified structure a residual natal tooth.     

Electrogastrographic activity in patients who received proximal gastrectomy plus jejunal interposition or total gastrectomy plus jejunal interposition.

Electrogastrograms (EGGs) were recorded in patients both before and after receiving proximal gastrectomy plus jejunal interposition (PGJI) or just after receiving total gastrectomy plus jejunal interposition (TGJI). Intraluminal pressure was also recorded in some postoperative patients. The EGG 3 cpm component (2.5-4.9 cpm) remained after PGJI, but subsequently decreased with a significant reduction in the preoperative to postoperative ratio of the 3 cpm components (P<0.05). The mean frequency of the 3 cpm components increased significantly after PGJI (P<0.05) and its instability factor increased. The EGG 10 cpm components became relatively dominant compared to other frequency components in 2 out of 8 of patients having PGJI but the mean amplitude of 10 cpm decreased. In TGJI patients, only the 10 cpm component was conspicuous in EGG as in the case of total gastrectomy and Roux en Y anastomosis procedures. The spectral frequencies of intraluminal pressure in the interposed jejunum were similar to the EGG of 10 cpm components both in the case of PGJI and TGJI patients. In conclusion, surface EGG could record the electrical activities of the interposed jejunum more easily in patients having had TGJI than in PGJI.     

Imaging of a large collection of human embryo using a super-parallel MR microscope.

Using 4 and 8-channel super-parallel magnetic resonance (MR) microscopes with a horizontal bore 2.34T superconducting magnet developed for 3-dimensional MR microscopy of the large Kyoto Collection of Human Embryos, we acquired T(1)-weighted 3D images of 1204 embryos at a spatial resolution of (40 microm)(3) to (150 microm)(3) in about 2 years. Similarity of image contrast between the T(1)-weighted images and stained anatomical sections indicated that T(1)-weighted 3D images could be used for an anatomical 3D image database for human embryology.