Experimental Hydrocephalus in Suckling Hamster Induced by Myxovirus Infection

Abstract This study was undertaken to elucidate the pathogenesis of the hydrocephalus and aqueductal stenosis induced by intracerebral mumps virus inoculation in suckling hamsters.
Mild ventricular dilatation became apparent after 5 days of inoculation. Focal denuding of the ependymal layer and subsequent aqueductal stenosis were observed by 14 days after inoculation. The virus antigen was detected not only in the ependymal cells and choroid plexus, but also in some neurons in the cerebral cortex, hippocampus, midbrain and cerebellum. In the cerebral aqueduct, the orderly arrangement of the cilialy clusters was destroyed on the 5th day after inoculation. After 10 days, proliferation of GFAP positive cells was noticed around the cerebral aqueduct and subsequently caused aqueductal stenosis. In the advanced state of hydrocephalus, the cerebellum was displaced downward and showed an elongated, atrophic and sleevelike structure similar to the Arnold-Chiari malformation. It was suggested that the extensive damage of the ependymal cilia may account for early ventricular dilatation, and subsequent aqueductal stenosis with glial proliferation is the main cause of the advanced hydrocephalus. It has not yet been determined whether the mumps virus can pass through the human placenta or not. If it can, however, our results strongly suggest that mumps virus infection in the human fetus will cause congenital hydrocephalus.     

Paget''s disease of the vulva: clinicopathologic study of type 1 cases treated at a single institution

The aim of this study was to evaluate clinicopathologic characteristics of primary cutaneous Paget's disease of the vulva. Between 1986 and 2005, 22 patients with primary cutaneous Paget's disease of the vulva (type 1) were treated at Tohoku University Hospital. Medical records were reviewed for pathologic diagnosis, patient age, associated neoplasms, type(s) of eczema, symptom duration, treatment, surgical procedures, recurrence, and length of follow-up. Patient age ranged from 51 to 85 years (median 71.5 years). Median duration of symptoms was 24 months (range 2-60 months). Type 1a (intraepithelial) Paget's disease accounted for 18 patients, with 3 type 1b (invasive) cases and 1 type 1c (intraepithelial disease with underlying adenocarcinoma) case. Mean length of follow-up was 53.7 months, and median follow-up was 49 months (range 6-199 months). Only two patients had an associated internal malignancy: T-cell leukemia and breast cancer. Mapping biopsy was performed in 14 of the 18 type 1a cases. All patients were free of disease at the surgical margins and are alive without recurrence. The four patients with type 1b or 1c disease had lymph node metastases. Two has died of disease, and two are alive with no recurrence. The rate of secondary malignancy seems to be low in primary cutaneous Paget's disease of the vulva. Mapping biopsy with careful examination of characteristic skin surface may be useful for surgery of type 1a cases. Inguinal lymphadenectomy is recommended in cases with question of invasion or known underlying adenocarcinoma.     

Association between working overtime and psychological stress reactions in elementary and junior high school teachers in Japan: a large-scale cross-sectional study

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between working overtime and psychological stress reactions among school teachers. It also evaluated the interaction of overtime work types (on weekdays, on holidays, and bringing work home) and task content (educational, peripheral and both). This cross-sectional study was conducted on Japanese elementary and junior high school teachers. Primary outcome was psychological stress reactions measured with the Brief Job Stress Questionnaire. Participants were asked how long they work overtime on weekdays, holidays, and at home. Participants were also asked whether they engaged in educational tasks and/or peripheral tasks during that overtime work. Multiple linear regression analyses were applied and 6,135 participants were included in the analyses after imputing missing data. Working hours of all three types were significantly correlated with higher psychological stress reactions. Moreover, engaging in both educational and peripheral tasks showed higher psychological stress reactions than in only educational tasks when working overtime on weekdays and holidays. In conclusion, reducing overtime work regardless of work types is crucial for mitigating psychological stress reactions for teachers. It might also be possible to manage the psychological stress reactions by splitting the role of task contents, when working overtime on weekdays and holidays at school.     

Effects of Short-Term Growth Hormone Therapy in Short Children without Growth Hormone Deficiency

ABSTRACT. Evaluation of 24-hour endogenous growth hormone (GH) secretion was carried out in 62 children, aged 7-16 years, who did not have classic GH deficiency (GHD). The mean 24-hour GH concentration, determined at 20-minute intervals over 24 hours, was variable, ranging from 1.28 to 11.39 μg/l with a mean of 4.95 ± 2.55 μl (± SD). There was a positive correlation between mean 24-hour GH concentration and plasma insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) values ( r = 0.54; p < 0.01). Recombinant human GH, 0.1 IU/kg/day was administered to 30 of the 62 children for 6 months followed by 6 months'observation without treatment. Thereafter, GH was administered at the same dose for a further 6 months to 16 children. The mean height velocities before, during, and after the first treatment period were 4.3 ± 0.9, 7.3 ± 1.9 and 4.9 ± 2.0 cm/year (mean ± SD), respectively. The height velocity during treatment was greater than pre- and post-treatment values ( p < 0.001). The height velocity Increased again during the second treatment period to a mean of 8.5 ± 2.0 cm/year ( p < 0.001). Nine other children were treated continuously in a similar manner for 1 year and their height velocity increased significantly from 4.1 ± 1.4 to 6.0 ± 1.9 cm/year ( p < 0.001). According to our criteria, 29 of the 39 children (74.4%) who were treated for 6-12 months showed a GH-dependent height increase during therapy. There were no differences between the children who responded to GH treatment and those who did not in terms of Chronological age, bone age, plasma IGF-I level, maximal GH level to insulin-induced hypoglycaemia, or mean 24-hour plasma GH concentration. These data indicate that some short children without GHD respond to GH treatment with an increased height velocity. Further investigations are required to determine the effect of GH on final height.     

Clinical Trial with Authentic Recombinant Somatropin in Japan

Recombinant somatropin, produced by recombinant DNA technology, was administered by injection in daily doses of 8 IU to six healthy young volunteers. Daily injection for 4 days did not cause any significant change in the results of physical examination, blood count or urinalysis. Non-esterified fatty acid levels increased significantly from 0.45 ± 0.16 to 1.08 ± 0.12 mEq/litre (mean SEM) at 4 hours after the first injection (p<0.001). Plasma IGF-1 levels increased from 0.80 ± 0.14 units/ml to 1.72 ± 0.50, 3.22 ± 1.02, 3.17 ± 1.20 and 3.63 ± 0.78 units/ml at 24 hours after each daily injection for 4 days (p<0.001). Plasma hGH reached peak levels at 3 hours after intramuscular injection of recombinant somatropin, 4 IU, and this peak value was 57.3 ± 2.8 ng/ml. A total of 21 patients with pituitary dwarfism were also treated with recombinant somatropin for 6 months at a dose of 0.5 IU/kg/week. Their heights increased by 2.2–5.0 cm during the 6 months of treatment, which was calculated to be equivalent to 4.4–10.0 cm/year with a mean growth rate of 7.4 ± 0.4 cm/year. Anti-hGH antibody with a titre of 10 was observed in two patients at the end of 6 months of treatment.     

Developmental changes in electroencephalogram for term and preterm infants using an autoregressive model

The purpose of the present study was to clarify the developmental changes of electroencephalogram (EEG) background activity in term and preterm infants that take place with increasing conceptional age (CA) through an autoregressive (AR) model. Polygraphical EEG recordings were obtained from 76 healthy term and preterm infants with a CA ranging between 31 and 40 weeks. Decreases in total power and component power of δ were noted with CA during burst activity (BA) in quiet sleep (QS) and during active sleep (AS). Increases in total power and component power of δ were noted with CA during interburst interval activity (IBIA) of QS. Regression analysis (RA) of the information amount (IA) indicated a negative correlation with increasing CA in AS and in the monopolar EEG tracings Fp1, C3, O1 and O2 in BA, and a positive correlation in O1 in IBIA. Regression analysis of the IA of δ indicated a negative correlation with increasing CA in AS and in Fp1, C3, O1 and O2 in BA, and a positive correlation in O1 in IBIA. Regression analysis of the IA of δ indicated a negative correlation with increasing CA in BA and AS. These results showed that the high voltage slow wave component changed to a low voltage slow one with development in AS and that BA was longer in duration and lower in power with increasing CA, while IBIA was shorter in duration and higher in power. In conclusion, significant developmental changes occur in all derivatives of AS. Even though the EEG of BA and IBIA change separately, they are followed by EEG of QS in a continuous pattern.     

Surveillance interval of endoscopic examinations for colorectal cancer screening

Background: There have been a few evidence‐based studies concerning the relationship between the length of the surveillance interval of colonoscopic examinations and the risk of colorectal cancer (CRC). The aim of the present study was to assess the appropriate interval between endoscopic examinations for CRC screening in a retrospective cohort study. Methods: The cohort included subjects in whom cancer was not detected at the initial endoscopic examination and in whom endoscopic examination(s) was subsequently performed one or more times. The results of the endoscopic examinations performed in the mass screening for CRC between November 1983 and March 1999 were analyzed. The study end point was the detection of CRC and the detection rates of cancer were assessed among those who underwent examinations at various intervals between successive endoscopic examinations. Results: Among the 117 636 cohort subjects, 63 invasive cancer cases and 112 mucosal cancer cases were found. The odds ratio (OR) for invasive cancer was not significantly elevated even when the interval between successive examinations was over 5 years. The OR for mucosal or invasive cancer was significantly elevated among the subjects in whom the interval between successive examinations was over 5 years (OR, 1.71; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.07–2.73), than among those in whom the interval was 1 year. Conclusions: Since prolongation of the interval between endoscopic examinations of up to 5 years did not result in any change in the cancer risk among persons who are at average risk for CRC, 5 years may be an adequate interval between endoscopic examinations in the mass screening for CRC.     

Primary hypertrophic pyloric stenosis in the adult

A case is reported of a 55 year old male patient with primary hypertrophic pyloric stenosis who was subjected to distal gastrectomy. Adult hypertrophic pyloric stenosis is an uncommon condition which is usually misdiagnosed as carcinoma of the antrum. It is a benign disease resulting from hypertrophy of the circular fibres of the pyloric canal and is recognizable radiologically by narrowing and elongation of the pyloric canal and endoscopically by appearances resembling those of the cervix. This condition is probably congenital although aetiology has not been established. In the absence of symptoms, no clinical treatment is required. However, surgical intervention is advocated, when stenosis gives rise to symptoms, there is a suspicion of malignancy, or the ulceration due to the disease. Distal gastrectomy with gastroduodenostomy is the treatment of choice.     

INCREASED FEMALE DRINKING IN ACCORDANCE WITH POST-INDUSTRIAL URBANIZATION IN JAPAN

We studied the relationship between living in an urban areaand the alcohol-consumption habits of young mothers in lightof the recent increase of the female drinking population inJapan, particularly among those from 20 to 39 years of age.We conducted a survey in four areas in and around Tokyo, eacharea representing a different level of urbanization. The studypopulation consisted of 6418 mothers of 3-year-old children;an 84.9% response rate was obtained. Thirty-eight per cent ofthe respondents had drunk at least four units of alcohol (about44 g of pure ethanol) during the most recent month The proportionof current drinkers in a more-urbanized area was greater thanthat in a less-urbanized area, and this tendency was significant(P<0.001). Current workforce participation was significantlypositively associated with current drinking (P<0.01). Youngerage significantly increased chances of current drinking (P<0.05)Effects of living in a more-urbanized area on current drinkingof mothers of 3-year-old children after excluding the effectsof workforce participation and age was significantly positive(P<0.001). An increase in female drinking in Japan was consideredto be due to acculturation associated with urbanization in apost-industrial society.     

Interaction of Trichloroethane Isomers with Cytochrome P-450 in the Perfused Rat Liver

Interaction of Trichloroethane Isomers with Cytochrome P-450in the Perfused Rat Liver. TAKANO, T., MIYAZAKI, Y., and MOTOHASHI,Y. (1985). Fundam. Appl. Toxicol. 5, 353–360. The real-timeinteractions of 1,1,1-trichloroethane (TCE) and 1,1,2-TCE withcytochrome P-450 were observed using in vivo optical methodsto measure the spectral changes of cytochrome P-450 and thereduction-oxidation transition of pyridine nucleotides in theperfused liver of rats treated with phenobarbital. Changes inoxygen consumption and TCE uptake were also measured. The spectralchanges of cytochrome P-450 indicated that both TCE isomersbound to low spin (substrate free) ferric cytochrome P-450 andformed a high spin (substrate complexed) form. However, 1,1,1-TCEbound more tightly to cytochrome P450 and seemed to be onlyslowly metabolized compared to 1,1,2-TCE. The stoichiometryof the change in oxygen consumption rate to the change in 1,1,1-TCEuptake rate ranged between 5/1, and 9/1, whereas that of 1,1,2-TCEwas 1.4 to 2.0. Decreases in reduced pyridine nucleotides associatedwith TCE administration were significantly larger with 1,1,1-TCEthan with 1,1,2-TCE. The inhibitory effect of 1,1,1-TCE on hexobarbitalmetabolism in the perfused liver was greater than that of 1,1,2-TCE.Considering our previous data indicating that TCE did not stimulatemitochondrial respiration, it is postulated that the far higheramount of oxygen consumption associated with the binding of1,1,1-TCE to cytochrome P450 than the amount which was necessaryto mixed-function oxidation of this compound was due to an uncouplingeffect of 1,1,1 -TCE on the mixed-function oxidase system.