Cutaneous tumour-like lesions due to poxvirus infection in Chilean flamingos.

Cutaneous tumour-like growths were observed on the face and other areas of the body surface of young Chilean flamingos. In the cells of these lesions, avian pox-specific cytoplasmic inclusion bodies were observed by light microscopy and virus particles were detected under an electron-microscope. It was diagnosed as avian pox.     

Hydrostatic pressur influences mRNA exprssion of trnsforming growth factor-β1 and heat shock protein 70 in chondrocyte-like cell line

The present study investigated the influence of hydrostatic prssure on the exprssion of cytokines and heat shock protein 70 in a chondrocyte-like cell line. Chondrocyte-like cells (HCS-2/8) were exposed to hydrostatic pressur by a special pressure apparatus. Total RNA for cytokines (interleukin-1β, basic fibroblast growth factor, insulin-like growth factor-I, and transforming growth factor-β1) and for heat shock protein 70 was extracted and was analyzed by a polymerase chain reaction method and Northern blotting. An assay for incorporation of [³⁵S]sulfate was performed to assess proteoglycan synthesis. The expression of transforming growth factor-β1 mRNA was enhanced after exposure to 5 Mpa of hydrostatic prssure and was reduced after 50 Mpa, whereas the expression of heat shock protein 70 was enhanced following exposure to 50 Mpa of hydrostatic pressure. The incorporation of [³⁵S]sulfate into the cultured cells increased following exposure to 1-5 Mpa of hydrostatic pressure and decreased following 10-50 Mpa of pressure. These results suggest that hydrostatic pressure at physiologic levels enhances the expression of transforkming growth factor-β mRNA in addition to increasing proteoglycan synthesis in chondrocytes and that excessively high hydrostatic pressure reduces the expression of transforming growth factor-β1 mRNA and increases the expression of heat shock protein 79 mRNA while decreasing proteoglycan synthesis.     

A study on the hemodialysis period following cadaveric kidney transplantation--a comparison between two centers sharing cadaver donor kidney pairs

To study the hemodialysis period following cadaveric renal transplantation, we reviewed 18 consecutive cadaver donor kidney pairs of which one kidney was transplanted at Shiga University of Medical Science (SUMS) while the contralateral kidney was transplanted at Kyoto Prefectural Medical University (KPMU) between January 1983 and September 1988. Of these 18 pairs, graft function was satisfactory and the recipient was free from hemodialysis in 13 pairs. However, the postoperative hemodialysis periods were different between the two centers. To clarify the factors causing this difference, recipient factors, such as age, HLA matching, total ischemic time of the graft (TIT), immunosuppression, onset of diuresis and postoperative complications were studied. There were no significant differences in age, HLA matching, or immunosuppression. TIT of cases at SUMS was significantly longer than that of cases at KPMU. The postoperative hemodialysis period at SUMS was 25.8 days and that at KPMU was 17.8 days, however, the difference was not statistically significant. The results of this study indicate that TIT seems to be a major factor relating to delayed graft function in cadaveric renal transplantation.     

Evidence for a colocalization of oxytocin mRNA and galanin in magnocellular hypothalamic neurons: a study combining in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry.

The possible colocalization of oxytocin (OT) and galanin (GAL) was studied by combining, on the same cryostat sections, in situ hybridization (ISH) for OT mRNA with a tritiated oligonucleotide probe and immunohistochemistry (ICC) of GAL. Many cells were either labelled by ISH (OT mRNA containing cells), or by ICC (GAL containing cells). Moreover, some magnocellular neurons in the supraoptic and paraventricular nuclei were labelled for both OT mRNA and GAL. These results demonstrate that some magnocellular neurons of the rat hypothalamus contain both GAL and OT. This approach is suitable for studying the intracellular distribution of OT gene expression and mature GAL under different physiological or experimental conditions.     

Simultaneous corrections Bentall procedure, mitral valve replacement and sternoplasty for a patient with Marfan's syndrome

A successful case of simultaneous modified Bentall' procedure, MVR and sternoplasty was presented for a 42 years old man of Marfan's syndrome who had funnel chest, combined with mitral regurgitation, aortic regurgitation and annuloaortic ectasia. A few reports of one stage operation for the combination of funnel chest and heart disease in Marfan's syndrome has been published. A median sternotomy was made, with total cardiopulmonary bypass, heart was arrest and cor cooling hypothermia with crystalloid cardioplegic solution. Mitral valve was replaced with #31 B-S prosthetic valve. The ascending aorta proximal to the innominate artery and the aortic valve were replaced en-bloc with composite graft made of a vascular graft and aortic valve prostheses. Coronary artery orifices cut to the button-shaped, were sutured to the composite graft. Finally, sternoplasty was completed through modified Ravitch sterno-elevation. This is the first report in Japanese journals.     

Iron deposition in the brain of a case of the special type of hepatocerebral encephalopathy

The histochemical demonstration of iron and the iron content was examined in the brain of a case of the special type of hepatocerebral encephalopathy (HCE). The patient had suffered from a liver disease since 36 years old. At 44 years old, she experienced the first attack of twilight state with flapping tremor. She had predilection for eating beans. Her personality gradually became euphoric with the recurrent episodes of unconsciousness. At 54 years old, she died of the complication of melena, renal insufficiency and pneumonia. The liver showed cirrhotic changes and iron content of liver was 0 or 1 after MacDonald's criterion scale. The histopathological findings of the brain showed the characteristic changes of HCE, which were incomplete softening and spongy state pseudolaminarilly extending in the deep layer of the cerebral cortex, the proliferation of the severely changed Alzheimer 2 type glia with or without intranuclear carmine positive substance. The deparaffinized sections, 20 mu in thickness, which were not fastened on slides were used for the histochemical study of iron, because iron deposits displaced inside of the brain tissues when the paraffin sections were fastened on slide glasses in the constant-temperature bath. The iron deposition was found in the central gyrus, superior temporal gyrus, medial and lateral occipito-temporal gyrus and middle temporal gyrus of occipital lobe. The iron accumulated in the ground substance, glia cell bodies, glia nuclei and unknown bodies in the 3-6 layers of cerebral cortex of these gyri. The iron accumulation demonstrated histochemically in other parts of the brain were group 1, 2 by Spatz, mammillary body, glia cell bodies in cerebellar white matter and pons.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Effects of Right Ventricular Failure on Renal Function During Pneumatic Left Ventricular Assist

Abstract: In an experimental dog model of acute biventricular failure, the effects of left ventricular (LV) assist on renal hemodynamics and function were evaluated. After the induction of severe cardiac failure by multiple ligation of the coronary arteries, LV assist with a 40 ml pneumatic pulsatile pump was initiated, and the aortic flow was maintained at control values. The right atrial pressure (RAP) rose to 21.3 mm Hg with the appearance of profound right ventricular (RV) failure. Renal arterial blood flow (RAF) decreased to about 60% of the control value after 2 h of LV assist. The urine volume decreased and renal function deteriorated progressively. RV assist decreased the RAP to 4.8 mm Hg, and the reduced RAF recovered. After 3 h of RV assist, the RAF returned to initial values and the urine volume increased, but renal function did not recover. Advanced biventricular failure with elevated RAP during LV assist reduced renal perfusion and impaired renal function and may be an indication for early RV assist     

A Case of Glucagonoma with Liver Metastasis: Complete Response to Dacarbazine

Abstract: We report a case of glucagonoma syndrome with liver metastasis, who responded completely to dacarbazine chemotherapy. A 77-year-old woman complained of itching skin eruptions (diagnosed as necrolytic migratory erythema) and weight loss. She was found to have glucose intolerance, anemia, hypoproteinemia and hyperglucagonemia. Abdominal CT and celiac arteriography showed a hypervascular tumor in the pancreatic tail and a metastatic tumor in the left hepatic lobe. Immunohistochemical examination of the metastatic liver tumor obtained by laparoscopic biopsy revealed the tumor cells to be positive for glucagon. The patient was treated with 20 courses of 300 mg/day intravenous dacarbazine for 5 consecutive days followed by a 4 week drug-free interval. No major side effects were noted. Treatment resulted in disappearance of the skin lesions and correction of anemia, glucose intolerance, hypoproteinemia and hyperglucagonemia. Follow-up abdominal CT showed complete resolution of both the primary pancreatic tumor and the metastatic liver tumor. We suggest that dacarbazine be considered as the treatment of choice for metastatic glucagonoma.     

A case report of ultrasonic decalcification for calcified bicuspid aortic valve stenosis

Calcified stenotic aortic valve are usually replaced by the artificial valve. Recently, we are trying to decalcify the calcification of the aortic valve by ultrasonic energy. This case report reviewed a small physique, 47 year old female, who had the calcified stenotic bicuspid aortic valve and the narrow aortic valve ring (18 mm diameter). The ultrasonic decalcification was performed by the ultrasonic surgical instrument, SUS-201D (ALOKA), ultrasonic energy output range from 25% to 45%. After the ultrasonic decalcification, the movability of the aortic cusps were improved and the aortic opening was enlarged. The systolic pressure gradient across the aortic valve was improved from 100 mmHg to 20 mmHg. This method "ultrasonic decalcification" is very useful technique for the repair of the calcified aortic valve stenosis.