A sewing needle completely buried in the myocardium removed under extracorporeal circulation.

A 14-year-old boy had a needle accidentally inserted through his chest wall. Chest X-ray showed a needle-shaped metallic density localized in the cardiac silhouette. An echocardiography indicated the needle had passed through the interventricular septum, and its eye and point had reached the right and left ventricle, respectively. Surgical removal of the needle was performed. The needle could not be observed from the heart surface, and was recognized in a dent 5 mm on the right side from the left anterior descending branch (LAD). The needle was easily removed under extracorporeal circulation, and he was discharged ten days after the operation.     

The induction of operational tolerance is not prevented by simultaneous administration of cyclosporin A1

In this study, the effect of combining anti-CD4 monoclonal antibody (mAb) and cyclosporin (CyA) therapy at the time of transplantation was examined. A mouse cardiac allograft model was used. Anti-CD4 mAb administered perioperatively induces long-term survival. The addition of a short course of CyA given subcutaneously in a regimen of either a high-dose treatment or a standard dose treatment to the anti-CD4 mAb treatment protocol did not have a detrimental effect on graft survival. Despite having no significant effect on graft survival, the addition of CyA to the treatment protocol did result in a significant decrease in the level of IL-2 present in the hearts 7 days after transplantation. The decrease in IL-2 production was directly related to the presence of CyA in vivo. When CyA treatment was continued throughout the period during which unresponsiveness to the graft is induced by anti-CD4 mAb therapy, 50 % of the grafted hearts were rejected once the CyA was discontinued. In conclusion, the combined use of anti-CD4 mAb therapy and CyA did not have a negative effect on graft survival in this model when the two agents were used concurrently at the time of transplantation. Received: 2 October 1996 Received after revision: 31 January 1997 Accepted: 5 February 1997     

The Dk project: an interlaboratory comparison of Dk/L measurements

The oxygen transmissibilities (Dk/L) of a set of 48 contact lenses made from 8 different materials were measured by 4 laboratories. The L/Dk measurements from each laboratory were compared and correlated. Samples which were not masked with a fixed front surface aperture during measurement were corrected for edge effects. This paper shows that provided L/Dk is calculated for each lens using the same technique and Dk is derived using a graphical method of calculation, similar results can be obtained by all laboratories. However, the agreement was less good for materials of Dk greater than 70 x 10(-11) (cm2/s) (ml O2/ml x mm Hg).     

Left ventricular asynergy in patients with impending myocardial infarction: two-dimensional echocardiographic assessment

To determine the clinical significance of regional left ventricular asynergy in patients with impending myocardial infarction, we recorded two-dimensional echocardiograms (2DE) serially and performed coronary angiography immediately after the hospital admission in nine patients with initial impending infarction and their last anginal attacks were within 48 hours. Left ventricular asynergy on the first 2DE was observed in six of nine patients during symptom-free periods (Group A: LV asynergy group). Five of the six patients had significant coronary artery lesions (greater than or equal to 75% stenosis) in at least one major coronary artery. Intracoronary filling defects were detected in four of the five patients. Another three patients without asynergy (Group B) had significant fixed stenosis. Coronary artery spasm was observed in two patients during coronary angiography, but no patient had intracoronary filling defects. Intracoronary nitroglycerin (0.1-0.3 mg) reduced the severity of coronary artery narrowing in two patients. In addition, urokinase (240,000-480,000 IU) via the corresponding vessel (PTCR) in the remaining seven patients resulted in reduction in the severity of coronary artery stenosis in four patients, but not in the remaining three patients. Left ventricular wall movement in the asynergy group improved rapidly and no asynergy was observed by the seventh hospital day in five of the six patients. Successful PTCR treatment resulted in improvement of left ventricular wall movement. No asynergy was found in the non-asynergy group throughout their hospitalizations. These findings indicated that abnormal left ventricular wall movement is found in patients with impending myocardial infarction, even during symptom-free periods, but the wall movement gradually improves. The 2DE observations are useful for estimating the clinical status and for planning precise therapy for impending myocardial infarction.     

Pathological effects on mice by gambierol, possibly one of the ciguatera toxins

Gambierol was isolated from Gambierdiscus toxicus, which causes ciguatera fish poisoning. The acute toxicological effects induced in mice by synthesized gambierol were studied. The lethal doses were about 80 μg/kg by i.p. and i.v., and 150 μg/kg by p.o. The main injury by this toxin was observed in the lung, and secondary in the heart, resulting in systemic congestion. Another toxic effect was seen in the stomach, inducing hypersecretion and ulceration. With survival from the severe stage during the initial 3 h, recovery was favorable, especially after 4 days. Additional effects were not evident during 1-week post-administration observation.     

Anti-allergic effects of (E)-3-[p-(1H-imidazol-1-ylmethyl)phenyl]-2-propenoic acid (OKY-046), a specific thromboxane (TX) A2 synthetase inhibitor: effect of OKY-046 on II-IV type allergic reactions

We studied the effects of OKY-046 on types II, III and IV allergic reactions, as classified by Coombs and Gell. In Type II, OKY-046 at 30-100 mg/kg intraduodenally (i.d.) and at 1-30 mg/kg intravenously (i.v.) inhibited the bronchoconstriction in a dose-dependent manner after Forssman antigen injection. Aspirin (3 mg/kg, i.v.) also suppressed it. OKY-046 (30-100 mg/kg, i.d.) suppressed the increase of TXB2 level in the plasma in a dose-dependent manner. However, there was no effect of OKY-046 and aspirin on the decrease in complement activity (CH50), platelets and leukocytes. Additionally, OKY-046 (300 mg/kg, p.o.) prolonged the survival time following Forssman antigen injection. However, the immune hemolysis reaction was not prevented by OKY-046 (10(-6)-10(-3) M). FUT-175 protected against the Forssman shock at 1 mg/kg, i.v. and the in vitro immune hemolysis reaction at 10(-5) M. In Type III, OKY-046 (300 mg/kg, p.o.) significantly suppressed the direct passive Arthus reaction and immune complex nephritis in rats. There was no effect of OKY-046 on the delayed-type hypersensitive response to picryl chloride in mice. We think that OKY-046 should be a beneficial drug for the treatment of types II and III allergic reactions.