Case of Parkinson's disease presenting with unique dyspneic attacks caused by oromandibular dystonia and sleep apnea syndrome]

A 79-year-old woman with a 4-year history of Parkinson's disease was admitted due to unique dyspneic attacks with cyanosis while eating. Dyspneic attacks with cyanosis occurred mainly during actions such as taking meals or rehabilitation. Due to increased tonus of the orbicularis oris muscle, she was unable to open her mouth and breathe out, and finally experienced hypoxemia as revealed by pulse oxymetry. Dystonic hypertonus was relieved by touching the mandible with the fingers, and she was able to open her mouth again. These symptom was compatible with the sensory trick. Based on these findings, we considered that dyspneic attacks were produced by focal oromandibular dystonia. Polysomnography also showed central sleep apnea. We report herein a rare case of Parkinson's disease presenting with respiratory insufficiency caused by focal dystonia and central sleep apnea.     

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.     

Immunohistochemical Detection of Porcine Teschovirus Antigen in the Formalin‐fixed Paraffin‐embedded Specimens from Pigs Experimentally Infected with Porcine Teschovirus

Porcine teschovirus (PTV) antigens were detected by a streptavidin‐biotin complex method in formalin‐fixed paraffin‐embedded tissues of 3‐week‐old pigs that had been inoculated intravenously with PTV Talfan strain. PTV antigens were detected in cytoplasm of nerve cells, glial cells and endothelial cells in the cerebellar nuclei, the grey matter of the midbrain, pons and medulla oblongata and the ventral horn of the spinal cord and of ganglion cells in the spinal ganglion corresponding to those lesions characterized as non‐suppurative encephalomyelitis and ganglionitis. The results of this study suggest that nerve cells of the brain stem and spinal cord and ganglion cells of the spinal ganglion permit PTV replication and represent the main target cell population of PTV. This is the first study to demonstrate PTV antigen by immunohistochemistry in formalin‐fixed paraffin‐embedded tissue specimens from pigs infected with PTV.     

Detection of beta-lactamase-producing strains isolated from urinary tract and their drug susceptibility

A total of 518 bacterial strains isolated from the urine of patients with various urological diseases in our Urological Department between November, 1987 and February, 1989 were studied for their beta-lactamase production and susceptibility to various antimicrobial agents was determined. beta-lactamase activity was determined by the acidometry disc method. There were 241 gram-positive cocci, 276 of gram-negative rods and 1 Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Thirty-four percent of the gram positive and 76.3% of gram negative rods produced beta-lactamase. S. aureus (81.3%), S. epidermidis (65.1%) in gram-positive cocci, E. cloacae (100%), S. marcescens (100%), C. freundii (100%), P. aeruginosa (97.2%), P. Rettgeri (88.9%), E. gergoviae (85.7%), K. oxytoca (84.6%), M. morganii (81.8%) and E. coli (69.0%) in gram-negative rods produced beta-lactamase at a higher rate. beta-lactamase produced by gram-positive cocci was entirely penicillinase, and that produced by gram-negative rods only penicillinase in 4.0%, only cephalosporinase in 44.2% and both in 25.4%. In S. aureus and S. epidermidis, the isolated rate of strains resistant to ampicillin (p less than 0.01) and piperacillin (p less than 0.05) in the beta-lactamase producing strains was significantly higher than that in the beta-lactamase non-producing strains. In E. coli, the isolation rate of strains resistant to ampicillin and piperacillin in the penicillinase-producing strains was significantly higher than in the penicillinase non-producing strains (p less than 0.01). But both cephalosporinase-producing strains and beta-lactamase non-producing strains showed high susceptibility to cephalothin. These results suggest that the penicillinase might present a clinical problem in the treatment of urinary tract infections by S. aureus, S. epidermidis and E. coli.     

Internalization of Mycobacterium bovis Bacillus Calmette-Guérin into Osteoblast-Like MC3T3-E1 Cells and Bone Resorptive Responses of the Cells against the Infection

Mycobacterium bovis BCG (BCG) is a live vaccine used worldwide against tuberculosis. However, it has unfavourable side effects such as osteitis or osteomyelitis, and these sometimes lead to vertebral caries in some patients as a result of bone resorption. Osteoblasts might play a role in the bone resorption caused by BCG infection, because they are central cells in bone metabolism. Cultured osteoblast-like cell lines (MC3T3-E1) derived from C57BL mice susceptible to BCG infection cells were infected with BCG at several doses. Interestingly, internalization of BCG-enveloped phagosome-like membrane in osteoblast-like cells were observed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Owing to infection, the proliferation and alkaline phosphatase activity of the osteoblast-like cells were reduced in a dose-dependent manner. On the other hand, interleukin (IL)-6 production was considerably enhanced by infection. These results suggest that BCG infects osteoblasts, suppressing their proliferation and differentiation and inducing bone resorption, which may be related to osteitis/osteomyelitis and bone caries caused by BCG infection.     

Measurement of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and its clinical application in oral cancers.

The PCNA score was measured in oral squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), and its relationship to other cell proliferation markers, Ki-67 score, S-phase fraction (SPF), and AgNORs counts was investigated. The PCNA score ranged from 0.4% to 43.5% with an average value of 22.8%, the Ki-67 score ranged from 4.9% to 40% with an average of 24.1%, and the SPF ranged from 0.4% to 32.5% with an average of 12.4%, while AgNORs counts ranged from 2.53/nucleus to 7.03/nucleus with an average of 4.74/nucleus. These four parameters were closely interrelated. There was a significant difference in PCNA score between malignant and nonmalignant lesions, suggesting a difference in growth activity. The mean PCNA score decreased significantly from 20.0% to 8.0% after cancer chemotherapy. The response of cancer cells to anticancer agents may be estimated by consecutive measurement of PCNA, since the PCNA score dropped after treatment in cases showing a favorable prognosis.     

Effects of ethanol feeding on collagen synthesizing and degrading enzymes in rat pancreas

Collagen metabolism in the pancreas was investigated in male Wistar strain rats after 7 weeks of ethanol feeding. Compared with control rats, the ethanol-fed rats had a normal hydroxyproline content in the pancreas. However, prolyl hydroxylase activity and collagenolytic cathepsin activity were increased, though collagenase activity did not change. Both prolyl hydroxylase activity and collagenolytic cathepsin activity were inversely correlated with amylase activities. These findings were also confirmed in ethanol-pyrazole treated rats. These results suggest that the ethanol-induced pancreatic injury, even at an early stage, accelerates the collagen metabolism in the pancreas.     

Menaquinone (vitamin K2)-6 production by mutants of Flavobacterium meningosepticum

Flavobacterium meningosepticum IFO 12535, a menaquinone (MK) producer, was mutagenized to improve productivity. A mutant, which was resistant to 1-hydroxy-2-naphthoate (HNA), was found to produce MK more abundantly: 34 mg/liter of culture broth and 5.5 mg/g of dry cells. The mutant was less sensitive to inhibition by HNA on MK biosynthesis than the wild-type strain. MK was isolated from cells of the mutant and identified as MK-6 based on its physicochemical characteristics. Mutants, which were given each KCN resistance, aromatic amino acid auxotrophy and no carotenoid productivity, did not show further increase of productivity.     

A 6-day subrenal capsule assay for predictive testing of primary esophageal cancers

Subrenal Capsule Assay (SRCA) as a chemosensitivity test was performed on 14 esophageal squamous cell carcinomas in order to select a more effective form of chemotherapy. Of the 14 assays, 12 were evaluable. Mice were treated with anticancer agents (e.g. Cisplatin, Bleomycin, Methotrexate, Vindesine) on days 1 and 3 after transplantation, and on day 6, the sensitivities were determined. Fresh esophageal cancers yielded an evaluable assay rate of 74%. The implant grew progressively for six days in the remaining group of control mice. Histologically, host cell infiltration at the border of the implant was observed from day 3 after transplantation, and cells had degenerated or had been partially replaced by scar tissue by day 6. The results of chemosensitivity tests differed according to the anticancer agent used or from case to case. Clinically, correspondence between the assay results and clinical results was obtained in 5 out of 7 cases. SRCA is a new promising chemosensitivity test which is clinically useful, and the present results indicated the feasibility of its use in developing an effective chemotherapy for esophageal cancer.