Gyriform calcification after purulent meningitis

A 2-month-old baby developed bilateral frontoparietal gyriform calcification after purulent meningitis. Biopsy revealed severe cerebral cortical degeneration with many calcified foci. Another feature of interest was reabsorption of calcification over a period of 4.5 months.

Role of adrenergic agonists on gastric secretion in the rat

Following previous demonstration that isoproterenol stimulated and norepinephrine inhibited gastric acid secretion induced by secretagogues, role of adrenergic agonists was studied by measuring acidity the peptic activity of the effluent of the perfused rat stomach. Response of gastric secretion to isoproterenol was increased by theophylline treatment but was not affected by metiamide treatment. N6, O2'-Dibutyryladenosine 3', 5'-cyclic monophosphoric acid sodium salt monohydride (dibutyryl-c-AMP) stimulated gastric secretion in a dose-dependent manner. These results suggest the possibility that the action of isoproterenol in gastric acid secretion is mediated by c-AMP. However, gastric secretion induced by pentagastrin, histamine, or carbamylcholine was not affected by theophylline treatment. N2, O2'-Dibutyrylguanosine 3', 5'-cyclic monophosphoric acid sodium salt (dibutyryl-c-GMP) did not exert any effect on gastric secretion. Depression of pentagastrin-induced gastric secretion by norepinephrine was reversed by EGTA infusion. Moreover, Ca2+, depressed pentagastrin-induced gastric secretion. These results suggest that the action of norepinephrine is closely related to the concentration of Ca2+.

[A case of large germinoma in bilateral frontal region (author's transl)]

Though most of ectopic pinealoma occurs in the midline of cerebral base, only ten cases of frontal subcortical germinomas were reported in Japan as far as we know in literature. The patient, 20 year-old male, was admitted to our hospital because of blurred vision of the right eye and somnolence. Neurological examination on admission revealed bilateral choked discs and impaired visual acuity of both eyes with visual field defect of the right eye. A large deep bifrontal tumor was noted by cerebral angiography and pneumoventriculography done at the time of ventricular drainage. After subtotal removal of left frontal tumor and bifrontal V-P shunt, he came alert. No abnormality of posterior part of third ventricle was noted on the post-operative pneumonencephalogram. As the microscopic examination revealed that the tumor was germinoma of two-cell pattern, Co60 with a total dose of 5,900 rads was irradiated to the rest of the tumor. Brain scan with Tc99m 6 months after the surgery showed the disappearance of the tumor and CT scan 3 years later confirmed no recurrence of the tumor. Fine structure of the tumor was also presented and discussed.

Malignant fibrous histiocytoma of the heart

A 33-year-old woman presented signs and symptoms which suggested mitral stenosis and insufficiency. Subsequent echocardiographic and angiographic testing demonstrated a left atrial tumor which was suspected clinically to be a left atrial myxoma. At surgery, the tumor was partially resected and histological examination revealed that the mass to be a malignant fibrous histiocytoma. At autopsy, the tumor was found to be localized in the heart, and there was no metastasis.

Factors contributing to the prognosis of falciparum malaria

Factors contributing to the poor outcome of imported falciparum malaria in adult patients were investigated and following conclusions were drawn. 1) In the case of primarily non-immune patients, a catastrophic course of the disease was precipitated when the inception of treatment was delayed beyond 6 days after the onset of illness. Nine fatal and 3 moribund cases presently reported fell in this category. However, there were exceptional cases who made an uneventful recovery, despite the delay in starting treatment, apparently due to appropriate treatment taken immediately upon confirmation of the grave situation. 2) The group of fatal and moribund cases usually had higher parasite and lower thrombocyte counts that the groups of patients who ran a favorable course. Exceptional cases were also seen: a moribund or a fatal case with a rather low parasite count or a satisfactorily recovered case with a high initial parasite count. 3) Abnormal kidney function was seen in all the fatal and moribund cases while the incidence was low or nil in the patients who ran a favorable course. 4) The patients with a past history of malaria or in recrudescence usually ran a smooth course despite the delay in the inception of treatment which was initiated beyond the second week of illness.

Biochemical and immunological characterizations of rat pepsinogens and pepsins

Biochemical and immunological properties of two kinds of pepsinogens isolated from the gastric mucosal extracts of adult Wistar rats were studied. Their activated enzymes were prepared from the zymogens using a DEAE-Sepharose CL-6B column. The isoelectric points of pepsinogens I and II were estimated to be 3.90 and 3.75, respectively, by isoelectric focusing, and those of pepsins I and II to be 3.60 and 3.45, respectively. Amino acid compositions of the two pepsinogens or pepsins were strikingly similar to each other and neither pepsinogen I nor II contained organic phosphate. The biochemical properties of rat preparations compared with porcine pepsinogens A and C and pepsins A [EC 3.4.23.1] and C [EC 3.4.23.3] showed that rat pepsinogens and pepsins resembled porcine pepsinogen C and pepsin C, respectively. Pepsinogens I and II were demonstrated to share a similar immunogenic molecular structure by double diffusion analysis and Laurell immunoelectrophoresis. Rabbit antipepsinogen I serum cross-reacted with the mouse preparation but did not with the rabbit and porcine preparations. The possibility of the genetically controlled occurrence of pepsinogens I and II in the rat is discussed.

Aminotransferase activities and involution of the thymus in rats bearing AH 130 tumors

Involution of the thymus was observed in rats bearing AH 130 (solid-type) tumors. The thymus weight decreased with tumor growth. Daily injection of a pharmacological dose of hydrocortisone into normal rats resulted in involution of the thymus and marked increase in alanine aminotransferase activity. This treatment also caused slight increase in the activity of tyrosine aminotransferase but not of aspartate aminotransferase in these animals. Involution of the thymus in tumor-bearing rats, however, was not accompanied by appreciable increases in the activities of these aminotransferases, even at an advanced stage of tumor growth when the plasma corticosterone level was very high and significant increase in the activities of all these enzymes was observed in the liver. Further, additional injections of hydrocortisone into rats with tumors weighing more than 5% of the body weight did not cause any appreciable change in alanine aminotransferase activity in the thymus, although in rats with smaller tumors it slightly increased the enzyme activity in the thymus. Furthermore, in normal rats, increase in alanine aminotransferase activity in the thymus with involution of the glands was observed with a dose of corticosterone close to the physiological range attained in rats with tumors in an advanced stage.

Purification and characterization of rat pepsinogens whose contents increase with developmental progress

Two pepsinogens, the contents of which increase with developmental progress, were purified from the gastric mucosa of the adult rat by ammonium sulfate fractionation and chromatography on DEAE-cellulose and DEAE-Sepharose CL-6B columns. The purified zymogens, designated as pepsinogens I and II, were each shown to be homogeneous by polyacrylamide gel disc electrophoresis. Pepsinogen II had a greater electrophoretic mobility toward the anode at pH 8.0 than pepsinogen I. The molecular weights of both zymogens were estimated to be 38,000 by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The activated enzymes, pepsins I and II, each had the same molecular weight of 32,000. The pH optima for both enzymes were found to be 2.0. The enzymes showed high stabilities at pH 8.0, while they lost their activities within 60 min at pH 10.0. The enzymes were inhibited by pepstatin and diazoacetyl-DL-norleucine methyl ester (DAN). The activities of the enzymes in hydrolyzing N-acetyl-L-phenylalanyl-3,5-diiodo-L-tyrosine (APDT) were about 1/8 of that of porcine pepsin. These results suggest that pepsins I and II are very similar.

Restoration by adrenalectomy of weight and binding capacity of glucorcorticoid receptors of the thymus in AH 130 tumor-bearing rats

The binding capacity of specific receptors for dexamethasone (11beta,17alpha,21-trihydroxy-9alpha-fluoro-16alpha-methyl-1,4-pregnadiene-3,20-dione) in the cytoplasm of the thymus of rats bearing AH 130 (solid-type) tumors decreased significantly during tumor growth. Adrenalectomy restored the binding capacity of the glucocorticoid receptors and the weight of the thymus to nearly the normal values in rats bearing tumors. The affinity of these receptors for dexamethasone was very low in rats bearing tumors, but it was also restored to nearly the normal value by adrenalectomy.

Endolymphatic stromal myosis with autoradiographic observation

A biopsy case of endolymphatic stromal myosis, a rare neoplasm of the uterus, which occurred in a 33-year-old female was described. The histology was typical and resembled stromal cells of proliferative phase endometrium. The tumor extended in the endometrium and diffusely infiltrated into the myometrium and the parametrium. However, 3H-thymidine labeling index was low suggesting slow growth of the tumor.

Pseudosarcomatous carcinoma of the esophagus--reference to its histogenesis

A case of pseudosarcomatous carcinoma of the esophagus with metastasis to lymph node was presented and the literature was reviewed briefly. Transition from carcinomatous to sarcomatous picture was noted and the presence of tonofibrils and desmosomes was demonstrated by electron microscope in the cells with sarcomatous features. These findings suggested an epithelial origin of the sarcomatous component in pseudosarcomatous carcinoma.

[On the surgical treatment of cerebellar infarction (author's transl)]

Recently we have experienced two cases of acute uncomplicated cerebellar infarction which had been surgically treated. Onset of the disease in both cases was an attack of vertigo with nausea and vomiting, followed by the signs of an expanding lesion in the posterior fossa. There were thirty-one surgically treated cases and only six were fatal so far as we have reviewed cases reported in the literature. The clinical pictures of cerebellar vascular accident are typical in most cases and those of cerebellar infarction are similar to those of cerebellar hemorrhage. These two are frequently indistinguishable on the clinical as well as angiographic grounds, however, CT-scan may be of great value in the differential diagnosis. It is important to realize the cerebellar infarction is also a surgical lesion and not to spend valuable time in differentiating cerebellar infarction from cerebellar hemorrhage. Low mortality rate and low morbidity in cerebellar infarction adequately treated surgically confirm importance for early exploration.

[Origination of casting porosity on high fused dental alloys by use of Bio-X X-ray unit (MRO-10R) (author's transl)]

Experiments were carried out clarify internal defects in dental casting with high fused dental alloys, as cobalt-chromium alloy or nickel-chromium alloy by use of Bio-X X-ray unit (MRO-10R for dental castings), exploited by KAWAHARA and TSK international corporation. Satisfactory radiographic observations were obtained with the following results; 1. In any of castings, a large amount of porosity was found on X-ray clearly. 2. On the castings in this experiment, porosity, round and bubble like in shape was markedly observed in the location right below the sprue attachment and its neighborhood. But in regions far from sprue, porosity was decreased, it came gradually to be present on the surface of castings. 3. Radiographically some defects were of a clack type and a shrinkage type in castings, although castings seemed to be quite sound in appearance. These types of defects were considered to become a weak point when external force was applied. 4. In regard to the completeness of castings, especially large round shape, clack type and shrinkage porosity can be prevented by a rapid removal of the air or gas from a mold and by improving the casting system to obtain better efficiency.