Genetic susceptibility to herpetic encephalitis of inbred rabbits of B/Jas strain

Inbred rabbits of B/Jas strain were found to be highly susceptible to herpes simplex virus type 1 encephalitis, following i.v. injection of the virus, while Chbb:HM strain rabbits were not susceptible. The susceptibility trait seemed to be inherited recessively, involving multiple genes, because (B/Jas x Chbb:HM)Fl hybrids were as resistant as Chbb:HM rabbits, and because more than 90% of backcrosses of (B/Jas x Chbb: HM)FI to B/Jas were resistant to viral inoculation. The encephalitis in B/Jas rabbits resembled human herpes simplex encephalitis, in that the temporal lobe as well as the brain stem were affected preferentially, leading to the development of various types of seizures, such as circling, loss of balance leading to a fall, and tonic and clonic convulsions. The disease could be diagnosed by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) analysis before onset of seizures, and diseased rabbits showed a marked lymphopenia at onset of seizures. © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Effects of various drugs on bladder function in conscious restrained-denervated rats placed in a restraining cage and produced by transection of the hypogastric nerve

We evaluated the effects of various intravenously administered drugs, which had been shown to influence bladder function in anesthetized and/or conscious rats, on the cystometrogram in conscious restrained-denervated rats (produced by transection of the hypogastric nerve) placed in a restraining cage in comparison to those in conscious restrained-intact rats (with the hypogastric nerve intact) placed in a restraining cage. The bladder capacity in the restrained-denervated rats was smaller than that in restrained-intact rats and did not change when they were transferred to a wide cage, but the bladder capacity of the restrained-intact rats decreased following transfer to the wide cage. Therefore, the activity of the hypogastric nerve in conscious rats appears to be stimulated by restraint. Atropine suppressed the amplitude of the micturition contraction (time to micturition in the cystometrogram). In the restrained-denervated rats, thiopental and indomethacin increased the bladder capacity at almost the same doses as those in restrained-intact rats, but it took a higher dose of morphine to increase the bladder capacity than in restrained-intact rats. These findings suggest that cystometrography in restrained-denervated rats is a useful method for evaluating the effect of a newly developed agent on bladder function without any influence from the hypogastric nerve.     

A case of orbital apex syndrome caused by localized invasive aspergillosis successfully treated with voriconazole]

A 71-year-old man with left periorbital pain and diplopia was hospitalized for evaluation and treatment. He had a past history of untreated diabetes mellitus. Shortly after admission, the patient experienced rapid onset of visual loss in the left eye. MRI and CT showed a lesion expanding from the left orbital apex to the left pterygopalatine fossa. Invasive aspergillosis was diagnosed by open biopsy of intrasinus mucosa via the left maxillary sinus. The patient was treated with voriconazole, an antifungal agent, and marked improvements in left periorbital pain and eye movement were subsequently obtained, although visual acuity was not recovered. This is the first report documenting the clinical utility of voriconazole for sino-orbital invasive aspergillosis.     

Modification of the Na,K-pump of glial cells within cobalt-induced epileptogenic cortex of rat

The characteristics of a glial Na⁺,K⁺-pump dependent on extracellular K⁺ within epileptogenic cortex were studied electrophysiologically, biochemically and histochemically in vitro using slices from cobalt-induced epileptogenic cortex of rat. When the extracellular K⁺ concentration ([K⁺]_o) was varied between 4 and 40 mM, the mean slope of membrane potential plotted against [K⁺]_o was about 57 mV in glia from the normal cortex (tissue A) and about 44 mV in glia from the epileptogenic cortex (tissue B); whereas no significant difference in the resting membrane potential of these tissues was observed. In glia from tissue B, a marked transient hyperpolarization above control level was caused by replacement of elevated [K⁺]_o with the normal medium. Ouabain abolished these phenomena observed in glia from tissue B, but had no effect on the membrane potential during normal [K⁺]_o. Reduction of extracellular Na⁺, Ca²⁺ and Cl⁻ did not significantly affect the membrane potential of glia from either tissue. In tissue A, the cells marked by intracellular injection of horseradish peroxidase after intracellular recording were protoplasmic astrocytes; in tissue B, fibrous astrocytes with abnormal processes predominated. K⁺-dependent stimulation of Na⁺,K⁺-ATPase activity of the astrocyte-enriched fraction and its membrane preparation from tissue B was much larger than that from tissue A. A certain amount of the reaction product of K⁺-pNPPase activity was seen on glial plasma membrane within tissue B but not on that from tissue A. The above findings suggest that a glial Na⁺,K⁺-pump within actively firing epileptogenic cortex may be modified to increase in its activity.     

Diffuse heterotopic submucosal cystic malformation of the stomach: ultrasonographic diagnosis.

The preoperative diagnosis of diffuse heterotopic submucosal cystic malformation of the stomach is very difficult to make with upper gastrointestinal (GI) series or endoscopy. We report a case of submucosal cysts associated with an early gastric carcinoma in which ultrasonography (US) and endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) were very useful in the preoperative diagnosis.     

Plasma thrombomodulin level in very low birthweight infants at birth

Objective: Plasma soluble thrombomodulin level reflects endothelial damage. The plasma thrombomodulin level at birth is increased in asphyxiated full-term infants. There is no report of plasma thrombomodulin level in premature infants. To determine the thrombomodulin level in premature infants and whether it might reflect endothelial damage, we examined the plasma thrombomodulin level in very low birthweight (VLBW) infants at birth. Methods: Forty-five VLBW infants, of whom 14 had perinatal asphyxia complications, were recruited. As a control, 50 full-term infants wimout complications were also studied. Plasma thrombomodulin concentration, pH, base deficit, serum creatinine and D-dimer concentration, platelet count and fibrinogen concentration were measured within 1 hour after birth. Results: There were significant differences in plasma pH, creatinine concentration, platelet count, antithrombin in activity and D-dimer concentration between VLBW infants and full-term infants. Plasma thrombomodulin concentration (39. 0 (16. 6–93. 7) vs 27. 0 (16. 6–39. 1) μg/L, p < 0. 0001) and plasma taombomodulin-to-serum creatinine ratio (0. 82 (0. 19–2. 65) vs 0. 47 (0. 24–0. 70) μg/μmol, p < 0. 0001) were significantly higher in VLBW infants than those in full-term infants. By univariate analyses for all neonates, there were significant relations between plasma thrombomodulin concentration and gestational age, birthweight, plasma pH, creatinine concentration, platelet count and antithrombin in activity. A stepwise multiple linear regression model using the above variables as dependent factors showed only birthweight contributed significantly to plasma thrombomodulin concentration (plasma thrombomodulin concentration (μg/1) = 45. 677–0. 006 (birthweight; g), r²= 0. 323, p < 0. 0001, n= 94). Plasma thrombomodulin concentration and plasma thrombomodulin-to -serum creatinine ratio in VLBW infants with asphyxia were higher than in those without asphyxia, but not significantly different (43. 2 ± 17. 7 vs 38. 3 ± 8. 5 μg/1 and 0. 92 ± 0. 60 vs 0. 83 ± 0. 37 μg/μmol). Conclusion: Plasma thrombomodulin level in VLBW infants shows a high value at birth, and we consider the main factor responsible for this elevation may be endothelial damage or low clearance rate of thrombomodulin, which may be related to early gestational age.     

Comparison of flow capacities of arterial and venous grafts for coronary artery bypass grafting: evaluation with exercise thallium-201 single-photon emission tomography

Stress thallium-201 tomography was performed to compare the flow capacities of arterial and saphenous vein grafts in patients with coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). One hundred and seven consecutive patients (95 male and 12 female; mean age 58±9.1 years) underwent exercise-redistribution ²⁰¹Tl myocardial single-photon emission tomography 4–5 weeks after CABG. When a reversible perfusion defect was present in the area covered by a patent bypass graft, the flow capacity of the graft was defined as insufficient. Of all 285 grafts, 211 were considered as complete bypass. Reversible perfusion defects were present in 29 (27%) of 108 myocardial areas supplied by patent arterial grafts but in only 5 (5%) of 103 myocardial areas supplied by patent saphenous vein grafts (P<0.0001). In the LAD area reversible defects were observed in 22 of 82 areas covered by arterial grafts, in contrast to only 1 of 29 areas covered by venous grafts (P<0.01); in the RCA area reversible defects were observed in 7 of 17 and 4 of 41 areas respectively (P<0.01). There was no difference between the native coronary artery stenosis bypassed by patent arterial and venous grafts (88%±12% vs 86%±14% respectively, P=0.27). In conclusion, flow capacities during peak myocardial demand were more frequently insufficient in arterial bypass grafts than in saphenous vein grafts. Received 23 May and in revised form 7 August 1997