Comparison between a new acceleration transducer and a conventional force transducer in the evaluation of twitch responses

An acceleration transducer elicits an output voltage proportional to the deformation of the piezo crystal, in accordance with the twitch responses of the applied fingers. The reliability of such a transducer was evaluated by comparing induced twitch responses with those from a force transducer applied on the contralateral arm of an individual during neuromuscular block with vecuronium. The results obtained from twitch responses with the acceleration transducer during neuromuscular block were almost identical to those obtained with the force transducer. Also, the twitch heights due to acceleration of the examined thumb correlated extremely well with the twitch height due to twitch tension with the force transducer. It is concluded that the acceleration transducer may be a useful and reliable device for monitoring neuromuscular block, although responses during tetanic stimulation such as tetanic fade cannot be determined by the transducer.     

A case of Vibrio cholerae non-O1 septicemia with liver cirrhosis]

A case of Vibrio cholerae non-O1 septicemia is described in this paper. A 45-year-old male with a three year history of liver cirrhosis, was admitted to our division with hematemesis, abdominal pain, high fever and a loss of consciousness. Three days before onset of symptoms, he traveled to Ishigaki Island and ate a raw lobster. Two days after, his temperature rose to 39.7 degrees C and the blood pressure dropped to 36/- mmHg. By endoscopic examination, an ulcer was found in the stomach, and the bleeding was stopped by electrical coagulation. Blood culture showed growth of V. cholerae non-O1. The organism was found to be sensitive to OFLX, CZX, MINO, LMOX and CP. Although DIC, infections of fungus and MRSA occurred as complications, he recovered by adequate procedures. Subsequently, he left this division after eight weeks. There are various reports related to V. cholerae non-O1 septicemia in foreign countries, but few cases have been reported in Japan. And these cases had severe underlying diseases such as leukemia and liver cirrhosis.     

Oral-facial-digital syndrome type IX in a patient with Dandy-Walker malformation.

We report a girl with oral, facial, and digital anomalies including multiple alveolar frenula, lobulated tongue with nodules, a posterior cleft palate, hypertelorism, a prominent forehead with a large anterior fontanelle, and postaxial polydactyly in both hands and the right foot, features compatible with the oral-facial-digital syndrome (OFDS). In addition, she had bilateral microphthalmia, optic disc coloboma, and retinal degeneration with partial detachment, thus establishing a diagnosis of OFDS type IX. Dandy-Walker malformation and retrobulbar cysts were observed on MRI. These additional malformations have not been reported in OFDS type IX. The frequent apnoeic spells which occurred immediately after birth were relieved after cystoperitoneal shunt implantation for hydrocephalus. Considering our case and previous reports of OFDS type IX, including two male sibs, a boy born to consanguineous parents, and three females, inheritance is probably autosomal recessive.     

Frequent importation of enterovirus 71 from surrounding countries into the local community of Yamagata, Japan, between 1998 and 2003

Phylogenetic analysis of 45 enterovirus 71 (EV71) isolates for 6 years in Yamagata, Japan, clarified that the annual outbreak of hand-foot-and-mouth disease was due to four genetically distinct subgenogroups, including a novel "B5." Our results suggest that the importation of EV71 from surrounding countries has had a major epidemiological impact on the local community used in our study.     

Early ultrastructural changes in the biliary epithelial cells of BALB/c and DDY mice immunized with swine serum

Electron microscopic observations were carried out on the biliary epithelial cells of BALB/c and DDY mice which had received an intraperitoneal injection of 0.2 ml of swine serum twice a week for 2 or 4 weeks. The most characteristic feature of the biliary epithelial cells of BALB/c mice was a marked increase in the number of vesicles having a close spatial relationship with the well-developed Golgi apparatus or rough endoplasmic reticulum (rER). In contrast, marked dilation of rER filled with moderately electron-dense material was conspicuous in the biliary epithelial cells of DDY mice. A prominent increase in the number of blebs and lateral and basal cytoplasmic protrusions in the dilated intercellular space of the biliary epithelium, and submucosal eosinophil infiltration, collagen fiber proliferation and gland hyperplasia with increased mucin secretion were common to both strains. This experimental model of bile duct disease also seems to be useful for investigating alteration of protein synthesis and secretion in epithelial cells.     

Factors influencing the incidence and severity of swine-serum-induced bile duct lesion in mice

The detailed histopathology of the swine-serum (SS)-induced bile duct lesion and some factors influencing the incidence and severity of the lesion were examined. The lesion was expressed as an eosinophilic and proliferative cholangitis affecting almost the full length of the biliary tract. It appears to be a useful new model of bile duct diseases. The co-existence of sufficient anti-SS antibody together with repeated injection of SS were necessary to produce this lesion. The lesion could be induced reproducibly by intraperitoneal injection of 0.05 to 0.2 ml of swine serum twice a week for 4 weeks in young BALB/c mice.     

Occurrence of diffuse amyloid deposits in the presubicular parvopyramidal layer in Alzheimer's disease

Summary Silver staining by a modified Bielschowsky's technique and immunostaining for -amyloid protein BAP have revealed the occurrence of diffuse amyloid deposits bilaterally in the presubiculum in each of fourteen Alzheimer's disease cases examined. Observations on serial blocks show these deposits to be localized in the parvopyramidal layer of the presubiculum proper and the transsubiculum. They are also observed in the cellular islands within the molecular layer of the subiculum but not in the parasubiculum. These amyloid deposits are not accompanied by neurofibrillary tangles, neuropil threads, or the aggregated microglial reaction which is characteristically associated with classic senile plaques. Convergence of input from limbic and cortical areas might play a significant role in the formation of these diffuse amyloid deposits.Supported by grants from the MRC of Canada, the Alzheimer's Society of B.C., the American Health Assistance Foundation and the McLean Foundation