Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis with special reference to the ultrastructure of inclusions in the brain and lung.

A 7-year-old boy, who was diagnosed as typical SSPE by clinical data and laboratory findings, was autopsied and observed by immunofluorescent techniques, light and electron microscope. The morphological characteristics in the brain were perivascular cuffings with plasma cells, lymphocytes and mononuclear cells, gliosis and a large number of intranuclear and intracytoplasmic inclusions in the neuroglias and nerve cells. Various kinds of intranuclear inclusions were elucidated by electron microscopy and the fin structures of these inclusions were described in detail. At least five types of intranuclear inclusions were regarded as specific in SSPE. The presence of intranuclear inclusions of mononuclear cells in the lungs resembling the inclusions in the neuroglias suggested that the disease was not localized in the brain but could be disseminated throughout the body.     

Second-order vestibular neuron morphology of the extra-MLF anterior canal pathway in the cat

Second-order vestibular neurons form the central links of the vestibulo-oculomotor three-neuron arcs that mediate compensatory eye movements. Most of the axons that provide for vertical vestibulo-ocular reflexes ascend in the medial longitudinal fasciculus (MLF) toward target neurons in the oculomotor and trochlear nuclei. We have now determined the morphology of individual excitatory second-order neurons of the anterior semicircular canal system that course outside the MLF to the oculomotor nucleus. The data were obtained by the intracellular horseradish peroxidase method. Cell somata of the extra-MLF anterior canal neurons were located in the superior vestibular nucleus. The main axon ascended through the deep reticular formation beneath the brachium conjunctivum to the rostral extent of the nucleus reticularis tegmenti pontis, where it crossed the midline. The main axon continued its trajectory to the caudal edge of the red nucleus from where it coursed back toward the oculomotor nucleus. Within the oculomotor nucleus, collaterals reached superior rectus and inferior oblique motoneurons. Some axon branches recrossed the midline within the oculomotor nucleus and reached the superior rectus motoneuron subdivision on that side. Since these neurons did not give off a collateral toward the spinal cord, they were classified as being of the vestibulo-oculomotor type and are thought to be involved exclusively in eye movement control. The signal content and spatial tuning characteristics of this anterior canal vestibulo-oculomotor neuron class remain to be determined.     

Properties and localization of the anterior semicircular canal-activated vestibulocollic neurons in the cat

Summary Unit activites of secondary vestibular neurons that selectively responded to stimulation of the anterior semicircular canal nerve (ACN) were recorded extracellularly in the anesthetized cat. Axonal pathways and projections in the spinal cord of the ACN-activated neurons were examined by recording their antidromic responses to stimulation of the lateral and medial vestibulospinal tracts (LVST and MVST), and the bilateral neck extensor motoneuron pools in the C₁segment (C₁dorsal rami [DR] motoneuron pools). In order to determine whether the neurons had ascending axon collaterals to the extraocular motoneurons, the contralateral (c-) inferior oblique (IO) motoneuron pool was also stimulated. Twenty-seven neurons sent their axons to the ipsilateral (i-) C₁DR motoneuron pool via the LVST without any projection to the extraocular motoneuron pool. All the cells except one were located in the ventral part of the lateral vestibular nucleus. This pathway produced monosynaptic EPSPs with short time-to-peak and short half-width in C₁DR motoneurons (16/16 motoneurons). Eight neurons sent axons to the i-C₁DR motoneuron pool via the MVST without any to the extraocular motoneuron pool. Cell somata were located in the descending nucleus or in the ventral part of the lateral nucleus. These neurons did not produce postsynaptic potentials (PSPs) in any C₁DR motoneurons. All thirty-five neurons sending axons to the c-C₁DR motoneuron pool have ascending axon collaterals to the c-IO motoneuron pool.     

Feedback regulation of antibody formation by suppressive B cell factor: preferential suppression of high-affinity antibody production by memory B lymphocytes

Cloned TS4.44 cells, which were hybridized HAT-sensitive 3T3-4E cells with B cells stimulated by immune complexes produce a lymphokine, biochemical and biological characteristics of which are identical with those of conventional suppressive B cell factor (SBF) synthesized by Fc receptor bearing B cells stimulated with immune complexes. This factor is known to suppress B cell responses to antigen/mitogen. The present studies were carried out by using this hybridoma-derived SBF to characterize the large proportion of B cells sensitive to SBF and the small proportion of B cells resistant to it in terms of affinities of antibodies which these cells are able to produce. The treatment of normal spleen cells with SBF resulted in a 50-70% decrease in anti-dinitrophenyl (DNP) antibody production when the cells were transferred into X-ray-irradiated mice along with alum-precipitated dinitrophenyl-conjugated keyhole limpet hemocyanin (DNP-KLH). The affinity of anti-DNP antibody molecules produced in these mice was significantly lower than that of the controls, even if immunization was repeated. The target cells for SBF were B, and not helper T cells which might be involved in the process of affinity maturation. A single treatment of spleen cells in vitro with SBF was sufficient to abrogate the precursors committed to mediate high-affinity anti-DNP antibody responses, since the retreatment with SBF in vitro and transfer into the second irradiated recipients along with antigens of spleen cells of mice to which SBF-treated spleen cells were transferred 3 weeks before resulted in almost the same level of plaque-forming-cell-responses as in mice which received medium-treated.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Aspects chirurgicaux de la segmentation des veines hépatiques basés sur la veinographie hépatique

Conclusion Nous pensons que nous devons clairement préciser non seulement la distribution des branches de la v. porte, mais aussi celle des v. hépatiques drainant une tumeur afin de faciliter au mieux la résection hépatique à réaliser tout en conservant un maximum de parenchyme fonctionnel. Lorsqu'un segment doit être réséqué, il est nécessaire d'étudier la morphologie des veines et de leurs branches par phlébographie hépatique préopératoire afin de bien préciser les limites de la résection en fonction du siège de la tumeur.     

Prevention of postischemic reperfusion injury: The improvement of myocardial tissue blood flow after ischemia by terminal Nicorandil-Mg cardioplegia

We evaluated the preventive effect of postischemic reperfusion injury by Nicorandil-Mg cardioplegia given just prior to reperfusion as terminal cardioplegia. Twenty seven dogs were placed on cardiopulmonary bypass and the aorta was cross-clamped for 90 min under hypothermic (17–19°C) cardioplegic arrest. The canine hearts were divided into three groups: in group A (n=10) the hearts were reperfused without any treatment; in group B (n=9) the hearts received coronary perfusion with Nicorandil-Mg solution (Nic, 8 mg/l; Mg, 20 mEq/l; glucose, 50 g/l) for 2 min just prior to reperfusion; and in group C (n=8) the hearts received coronary perfusion with Nicorandil-Mg free solution (glucose, 50g/l). During and after ischemia, the myocardial tissue PCO₂ (t-PCO₂) was continuously monitored by an ion-sensitive field effective transistor (ISFET) sensor. In addition, the myocardial tissue blood flow (TBF), oxygen consumption, and lactate flux were then calculated at 5, 10, 20, and 40 min of reperfusion. In the initial reperfusion period, Group B showed an improved TBF compared to group A and C (at 5 min, group B was 42.7±11.9; group A was 29.4±11.2, P<0.025; and group C was 33.9±9.2% of the preischemic control level, P<0.05). T-PCO₂ in group B was significantly decreased at 5 min of reperfusion (group B, 127.5±22.5 42.5±9.7; group A, 117.5±23.0 85.2±17.4, P<0.001; group C, 122.3 mmHg 68.2±18.7 mmHg, P<0.01), and group B had a better metabolic recovery. These results suggest that terminal Nicorandil-Mg cardioplegia might reduce the rate of postischemic reperfusion injury.     

Efficacy of postoperative adjuvant therapy for stage ilia breast cancer: Futraful vs futraful+tamoxifen for er-positive patients and futraful vs futraful + adriamycin for er-negative breast cancer

A multi-center, randomized controlled collaborative study was conducted in 310 institutions located throughout Japan for 3 years and 9 months from February 1985 until October 1988 to evaluate the efficacy of post-operative adjuvant therapy for patients who had previously undergone curative surgery for treatment of Stage IIIa breast cancer. Patients with estrogen receptor-positive [ER( + )] breast cancer were treated with two types of regimens, ie, cyclophosphamide + adriamycin + fluorouracil (CAF; 2 cycles) + Futraful (FT) or CAF (2 cycles) + FT + tamoxifen (TAM), and the clinical benefit of additional use of TAM was evaluated. Of the 509 ER( + ) patients registered for the trial, 473 patients (92.9%) were eligible for evaluation. The 5-year survival rate was 77.2% for the CAF + FT group and 74.6% for the CAF + FT+TAM group, and the 5-year disease-free survival rate was 56.7% for the CAF+FT group and 59.2% for the CAF + FT + TAM group. Neither the survival rate nor the disease-free survival rate differed significantly between the groups. Analyses by factor revealed that the 5-year disease-free rate for lymph node-negative patients in the CAF + FT + TAM group was significantly higher than that for the corresponding patients in the CAF + FT group. No differences were noted in the incidence of adverse reactions between the two treatment groups, other than an increase in LDH (the frequency of which was higher in the CAF + FT+TAM group than in the CAF + FT group). Patients with estrogen receptor-negative [ER( -)] breast cancer were treated with two types of regimens, ie, CAF + FT or CAF + FT + adriamycin (ADR), and the clinical benefit of the combined use of intermittent doses of ADR was evaluated. Of the 514 ER(-) patients registered in the trial, 478 (93.0%) were eligible for evaluation. The 5-year survival rate was 64.9% for the CAF + FT group and 63.0% for the CAF + FT + ADR group, and the 5-year disease-free survival rate was 59.2% for both CAF + FT and CAF + FT + ADR groups. Neither the survival rate nor the disease-free survival rate differed significantly between the groups. There were no significant differences between these groups in analyses by nodal or menopausal status. The incidences of adverse reactions including anorexia, nausea/vomiting and alopecia were higher in the CAF + FT+ADR group than in the CAF + FT group.     

Novel chloride channel gene mutations in two unrelated Japanese families with Becker's autosomal recessive generalized myotonia

We investigated the skeletal muscle voltage-gated chloride channel gene (CLCN1) in two unrelated Japanese patients with Becker's myotonia congenita. The non-myotonic parents of each patient were consanguineous. The proband of each family shares generalized myotonia, transient weakness after rest, and leg muscle hypertrophy. However, the disease severity related to the degree of myotonia differed, even in view of the response to long train nerve stimulation tests. CLCN1 gene analysis revealed a novel Ala659Val missense mutation identified to be homozygous in the more severe patient, while a novel Gln445Stop nonsense mutation was present in the other patient. Both mutations were absent in 90 Japanese normal controls. This is the first report of Japanese cases of Becker's myotonia congenita with CLCN1 gene mutations.