Ovarian Histopathology of Bitches Immunized With Porcine Zonae Pellucidae

ABSTRACT: The ovarian histopathology of bitches immunized with crude (cPZP) or partially purified (pPZP) porcine zona pellucida proteins was examined in order to determine the cause of abnormal estrous cycles. The majority of immunized bitches had ovarian cytes. Those immunized with cPZP had follicular cysts lined with a thin layer of granulosa cells, while in those immunized with pPZP, the cysts were lined by a basement membrane with a clump of luteinized cells. In two bitches immunized with cPZP, oocytes were present only in primordial follicles. Similar abnormalities were not found in a bitch immunized with human serum albumin or in 12 untreated bitches. Oocytes flushed from the oviducts of mated, immunized bitches were degenerating, which may have been a primary cause of infertility in such bitches. Ovaries studied 2–6 weeks after immunization showed no loss of gap junctional communication between oocytes and granulosa cells, nor was any inflammatory reaction seen. IgG was bound to the zona as revealed by fluoresceinated protein A staining of frozen sections of those ovaries. Abnormal estrous cycles in PZP-immunized bitches appear to result from follicular dysgenesis or cyst formation, but the etiology of these conditions is unresolved.     

急性白血病细胞HCP基因的突变分析

目的：造血细胞磷酸酶(Hematopoietic cell phosphatase，HCP)在造血细胞发育、增殖及受体介导的有丝分裂信号传导通路中发挥关键的负调节作用，在motheaten小鼠中其突变可导致粒一单核细胞严重的过度聚积和功能紊乱。本研究旨在评价HCP基因突变在急性白血病发病中的作用。方法：利用RT—PCR、SSCP及DNA序列分析技术检测了41例急性白血病、8株白血病细胞系及50例正常对照骨髓或外周血标本中HCP基因表达及突变情况。结果：RT—PCR显示所有标本中都有HCP基因表达，仅在1例急性淋巴细胞白血病细胞中发现错义突变，发生在HCP基因氨基末端的SH2结构域；此外，分别在HCP基因的69、85、86和266密码子存在多态性。结论：HCP基因突变在急性白血病中较少见，在白血病发病中可能起较小作用。     

Surgical Treatment of Partial Anomalous Pulmonary Venous Connection of the Left Lung (It-PAPVC)

Between January 1981 and December 1983, 4 patients, aged 6 to 50 years, with It-PAPVC were operated upon at the Kokura Memorial Hospital, by a new technique of anastomosis between the left anomalous PV and the left auricular appendage. One patient, a 9-year-old male, had unilateral anomalous pulmonary venous connection of the entire left lung to the innominate vein. The other three patients had partial anomalous pulmonary venous connection from the left upper lobe to the innominate vein. Two patients has pulmonary valvular stenosis, and the other two had ASD. All patients were operated upon through a midsternal incision. After cardiopulmonary bypass was established, the anomalous vein was divided as high as was reachable. The present operative method involved the use of an oval pericardial gusset extending from the left auricular appendage into the split anomalous vein so as to obtain a wide anastomotic orifice. Other associated congenital anomalies were simultaneously corrected. All patients had uneventful recovery and at postoperative cardiac catheterization and angiography, the anastomosis between the pulmonary vein and the left auricular appendage was widely patent.     

Childhood drownings and near-drownings in Japan

In Japan, the leading cause of death for children over 1 year old is injury, and for children aged 0–14, drowning is the second leading cause of death. The purpose of the present study was to describe the epidemiological factors of drownings and near-drownings among Japanese children and to ascertain whether there are characteristic patterns for different age groups. Epidemiologic data was obtained by questionnaire. A total of 604 cases of submersion injuries were reported from 49 hospitals located in 22 Japanese prefectures. In the present paper, victims of drowning (n = 134) and near-drowning with permanent severe brain damage (n = 51) and those of near-drowning with intact survival or mild impairment (n = 419) were investigated. Preschool-aged children, especially toddlers, are at the greatest risk of drowning and near-drowning, and for children over 2 years of age, boys have three times greater risk than girls. The bathtub is the most common place of submersion injuries in Japan, especially for children under 4 years of age. The important risk factors for the victims who died or were severely impaired were associated with duration of submersion and necessity of emergency cardiopulmonary resuscitation on arrival at hospital.     

Biological and Clinical Implication of Neuron-Specific Enolase and Creatine Kinase BB in Small Cell Lung Cancer

The specificity of neuron-specific enolase (NSE) and creatinekinase BB (CK-BB) for small cell lung cancer (SCLC) was determinedby biological and immunohistochemical procedures in lung cancertissues and cultured cell lines. Average values of extractableNSE and CK-BB of SCLC tissues were significantly higher thanthose of non-SCLC and normal lung tissues. A large amount ofNSE and CK-BB was demonstrated in SCLC cell lines. Immunohistochemical examination showed positive staining forNSE and CK-BB in most cases of SCLC and in a few cases of non-SCLC.From these data NSE and CK-BB should be considered to be highlyspecific for SCLC. In a clinical study serum values exceeding 10 ng/ml for NSEand 1.5 ng/ml for CK-BB were set as positive for the enzymes.Positive rates in SCLC were 71.4% for NSE and 65.3% for CK-BB,which were significantly higher than those in non-SCLC. Allpositive cases were in an advanced stage. Consecutive dailyNSE determinations during induction chemotherapy showed transientelevation immediately after the initiation of drug administration(tumor lysis syndrome), followed by a decline to the normalrange in responders. This phe nomenon seems to indicate tumorsensitivity to cytotoxic drugs. NSE positive non-SCLC was assensitive to cytotoxic drugs as SCLC. These findings indicatethat lung cancer with elevated serum NSE and CK-BB levels atdiagnosis should be strongly suspected of being SCLC in theadvanced stage.     

Phase I and Preliminary Phase II Studies on Aclacinomycin A in Patients with Acute Leukemia

Eight patients with acute nonlymphocytic leukemia (ANLL) andfive patients with acute lymphocytic leukemia were treated withaclacinomycin A. It was given daily by one-hour infusion indoses ranging from 0.33 to 0.70 mg/kg for seven to 20 days withoutother antileukemic agents. Two patients with ANLL achieved completeremission and one with ANLL achieved partial remission. Itsmajor toxic effects were myelosuppression and gastrointestinalsymptoms.     

Treatment of an infant with congenital sodium diarrhea by oral rehydration

We have been following a male case of congenital sodium diarrhea (CNaD), who had a distended abdomen, passed watery stools with high sodium concentration, and showed metabolic acidosis in the first week of life. He also showed hyponatremia, low urine sodium, high serum aldosterone and high renin activity. Other possible causes of secretory diarrhea were ruled out. The initial effective treatment was oral supplements of water and electrolytes lost in the fecal fluid: with this he gained weight, and hyponatremia and metabolic acidosis were corrected. Loperamide hydrochloride was administered to increase intestinal absorption of sodium, as the serum prostaglandin was high. Watery diarrhea then improved, but as he passed acholic stools, we stopped and postponed the treatment for a while; the stools then became watery again. Although diarrhea has persisted, he has not shown any abnormalities in growth or psychomotor development for the first two years of life.