Volume of tarsal bones in congenital clubfoot

To elucidate the growth of the tarsal bones in congenital clubfoot, relative to the growth of these bones in the unaffected feet and compared to growth in the feet of normal volunteers, we used a computed tomography (CT) scanner to measure the volume of all tarsal bones. The subjects of the study were 10 adults (7 men and 3 women) with unilateral congenital clubfoot (average age 20 years and 1 month). As controls, we examined 11 healthy volunteers. We calculated the ratio of the volume of each tarsal bone to the total bone volume and the ratio of the volume of each tarsal bone in clubfoot to the corresponding bone in the unaffected foot. The volume ratio of each tarsal bone was compared between clubfeet and unaffected feet because the differences of each tarsal bone ratio between the normal foot group and unaffected foot group were not significant. In the clubfeet (n=10), the talus and the medial cuneiform bones were smaller than those in the unaffected feet (n=10) but the cuboid bone was larger. The growth of the navicular did not differ from as that in unaffected feet. Our results suggested hypoplasia on the medial side of the foot in adult patients with congenital clubfoot. The 3 patients who had undergone medial release showed particularly marked hypoplasia of the medial side. In congenital clubfoot cases with severe deformities who had undergone wide soft-tissue release operations, there were clear growth suppressions in the talus and the medial cuneiform. We could not determine whether the cause of the growth suppression was the hypoplastic nature of tarsal bones themselves or the surgical obstacles to tarsal bone growth.     

Surgical treatment of gastric cancer today

The utilization of radical operation in gastric cancer cases has led to the development of various operation techniques. With the improvement in perioperative management it can be said that age no longer is a restriction. A study of gastric cancer prognosis indicates an upward trend in survival since 1960 along with the increased detection of early cancer. This suggests the most importance of early detection in increasing the therapeutic results obtained in cases of gastric cancer. In cases with advanced cancer, 5-year survival rate of 44.7 per cent was attained through such aggressive actions as extended dissection of lymph nodes and combined resection of surrounding organs with evaluation of the macroscopic classification of the cancer.     

NASOGALLBLADDER DRAINAGE FOR MIRIZZI’S SYNDROME

The authors experienced a case of Mirizzi’s syndrome successfully treated with endoscopic nasogallbladder drainage (ENGBD). The patient was a 63‐year‐old man. He was admitted with abdominal pain and jaundice. Laboratory data indicated leukocytosis and elevation of serum bilirubin level. Abdominal ultrasound showed marked swelling of gallbladder and debris in the gallbladder, therefore, the authors strongly suspected Mirizzi’s syndrome. He had past history of acute myocardial infarction and treated with anticoagulation therapy. Then, the authors couldn’t perform surgical removal or percutaneous transhepatic drainage, and tried endoscopic transpapillary drainage. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography revealed smooth stricture in the superior portion of common bile duct and occlusion of the cystic duct, and ENGBD was then performed. After ENGBD, his complaints, laboratory data, swelling of gallbladder and stricture of common bile duct were all remarkably improved.     

Endotoxin-induced uveitis (EIU) in the rat: A study of inflammatory and immunological mechanisms

Endotoxin-induced uveitis (EIU) can be produced by systemic injection of endotoxin (ET). It is not clear yet why exclusive ocular involvement occurs in this model. To clarify this question and to establish the sequence of inflammatory events, EIU was induced in Lewis rats by footpad injection of Salmonella ET. Ocular inflammatory response (anterior chamber cells and proteins), aqueous inflammation mediators (thromboxane B₂, prostaglandin E₂, leukotriene B₄ and substance P) and MHC class 2 (Ia) antigen expression in the ciliary body were monitored for 72 hours. Thromboxane B₂ was detected early in the aqueous humor, peaking already 1 hour after ET injection. Prostaglandin E₂ & leukotriene B₄ peaks and a second peak of thromboxane B₂ were recorded 18 hours after ET-injection, at the time of maximal ocular inflammation. MHC-class 2 expression was first detected in the ciliary body stroma at the vascular level 6 hours after ET injection and was massively expressed in the ciliary body epithelium at 18 and 72 hours. It is hypothetized that ciliary body endothelium is particularly sensitive to the effect of ET and is the site of thrombocyte adherence. Vascular damage leads in succession to cellular infiltration, release of inflammation mediators and disruption of blood-ocular barrier. MHC-class 2 expression is a secondary phenomenon and is probably at the origin of additional tissue damage from immune effector mechanisms.     

Effects of Pyridoxalated Hemoglobin Polyoxyethylene Conjugate and Stroma-free Hemoglobin on Renal Vascular Responsiveness to Vasoactive Substances in Isolated Perfused Rat Kidney

Abstract: The effects of pyridoxalated hemoglobin polyoxyethylene conjugate (PHP) and stroma-free hemoglobin (SFH) on vascular responsiveness to various vasoactive substances were examined in isolated perfused rat kidneys. The kidneys isolated from rats were perfused with 6% PHP, 6% SFH, and 6% hydroxyethylstarch (HES) solution at a constant flow rate. Vascular responsiveness to acetylcholine (ACh), nitroglycerin (NG), norepinephrine (NE), and angiotensin-II (ANG-II) was examined by measuring the perfusion pressure (PP). Effects of inhibition of endothelium-derived relaxing factor (EDRF) by N^G-monomethyl L-arginine (L-NMMA) on NE-induced and ANG-II-induced renal vascular responses were examined. ACh and NG induced a dose-dependent decrease in perfusion pressure (PP) in all groups. NE and ANG-II induced an increase in PP in all groups, but NE-induced and ANG-II-induced responses in the PHP-perfused and SFH-perfused groups were significantly larger than those in the HES-perfused group. L-NMMA did not alter vascular responsiveness to NE and ANG-II. These results indicate that PHP and SFH do not inhibit EDRF induced by ACh, but hemoglobin moiety per se does augment the vascular responsiveness to NE and ANG-II in the isolated perfused rat kidney.     

C3 Deposition in IgA Nephropathy in Children and Adolescents

The aim of this study was to assess the significance of C3 deposition in IgA nephropathy in children and adolescents. One hundred and two patients aged 5–21 years (57 male and 45 female) were studied. The findings of C3 deposition were classified into 8 groups by immunofluorescent (IF) pattern and intensity as follows: group MC3+ (N = 12): mesangiocapillary pattern and 3+ in intensity; group MC2+ (N = 13): mesangiocapillary and 2+; group MC1 + (N = 4): mesangiocapillary and 1 +; group M3+ (N = 11): mesangial and 3+; group M2+ (N = 24): mesangial and 2+; group M1 + (N=18): mesangial 1 +; group S (N = 12): only segmentally positive; and group N (N = 8): negative. Histological changes were scored semiquantitatively as an activity index (cellular proliferation, necrosis, interstitial cell infiltration, and cellular crescents) and a chronicity index (mesangial sclerosis, segmental and global glomerular sclerosis, fibrous crescents, adhesion and tubulo-interstitial change). IF findings were scored semiquantitatively and laboratory findings were also studied. The following results were obtained: 1) The scores of total activity index in MC groups were higher than in the M, S or N groups, and the greater the degree of C3 deposition, the higher the score; 2) Such result was not evident in the chronicity index; 3) High IF scores of IgG and IgM were found in the MC3+ and MC2+ groups; 4) Hematuria was more severe in MC3+ and MC2+ than in other groups, and proteinuria was more prominent in the MC than other groups. Thus the degree of C3 deposition was parallel with histological activity and urinary findings.     

Intracerebral penetration of carteolol hydrochloride in rats

To elucidate the penetrability of carteolol, a β-adrenoceptor antagonist (β-blocker) into the brain of rats, intracerebral and serum concentrations of the compound were determined in male rats receiving single or repetitive oral administration of carteolol hydrochloride at 30 mg/kg. The time-course of the intracerebral concentration of carteolol following single IV administration of the compound at 10 and 30 mg/kg was also studied in male rats. A high-performance liquid chromatography method was used to determine the intracerebral and serum concentrations. Following single oral dosing, the intracerebral concentration of carteolol reached a maximum of 0.074 μg/g at 2 h postdosing and declined with a half-life of 3.7 h, and the C_max and AUC of carteolol in the brain were 12.5% and 19.8% of those in serum. The intracerebral and serum concentrations of carteolol were determined in male rats receiving repetitive oral dosing of the compound once daily for 7 days. The concentration of carteolol in the brain and serum at 1 h postdosing varied within a range of 0.059–0.091 μg/g and 0.321–0.443 μg/ml, respectively, throughout the dosing period, showing no changes in the penetrability of the compound into the brain due to repeated dosing. The concentration of carteolol in the brain and serum increased in a dose-dependent manner in rats receiving a single IV administration of the compound. The elimination half-life of carteolol in the serum and brain was 0.6–0.8 h and 1.3–1.7 h, respectively, in rats following single IV dosing of the compound. The half-life in the brain was about twice as long as that in the serum. The brain to serum concentration ratio was 0.306:0.499. From the above results, it was concluded that carteolol is distributed from the circulation to the brain with low penetrability. Received: 30 October 1996/Final version: 16 December 1996     

Primary malignant lymphoma of the rectum with distant metastasis to the stomach: Report of a case

Primary extranodal malignant lymphoma frequently occurs in the gastrointestinal tract; however, it is rarely encountered in the rectum. We report herein the case of an 85-year-old man who underwent abdominoperineal resection for primary malignant lymphoma of the rectum, and 1 year later, developed hematemesis caused by gastric metastasis. To our knowledge this is the first case report of such distant metastasis developing from malignant lymphoma of the rectum.