Evaluation of a new optical immunoassay for diagnosis of neonatal chlamydial conjunctivitis

The BioStar OIA Chlamydia test (BioStar, Inc., Boulder, Colo.) is a novel immunoassay system that uses changes in reflection of light to directly detect chlamydial antigen in clinical specimens. We compared the optical immunoassay (OIA) with culture for detecting Chlamydia trachomatis in ocular specimens from infants with suspected chlamydial conjunctivitis. We initially performed a retrospective evaluation, testing 152 ocular specimens previously collected for culture with the OIA. The sensitivity and specificity were 94.2 and 97%, respectively. A subsequent prospective study evaluating 37 ocular specimens from infants with suspected C. trachomatis conjunctivitis revealed a sensitivity and specificity of 100 and 92.6%, respectively.

Effect of hydrocortisone succinate on growth of Chlamydia pneumoniae in vitro

We examined the effect of hydrocortisone succinate on the growth of three isolates of Chlamydia pneumoniae in vitro. There was a significant increase in the number of inclusions seen in two of the C. pneumoniae strains in the presence of hydrocortisone. There was no significant increase in the number of inclusions with various concentrations of hydrocortisone over time. The addition of hydrocortisone did not affect the in vitro activities of azithromycin, erythromycin, and doxycycline against C. pneumoniae.

[An analysis of pelvic and para-aortic lymph node metastasis in ovarian carcinoma by systematic retroperitoneal lymph node dissection]

We performed a systematic retroperitoneal lymph node dissection (RPLND) on 137 patients with primary ovarian carcinoma, of whom 97 had undergone RPLND during the primary surgery before chemotherapy and 40 had undergone RPLND during the secondary cytoreductive surgery after preoperative chemotherapy. The tentative staging of the ovarian carcinoma used in this study was determined according to the FIGO criteria without considering the pathologic findings of retroperitoneal lymph nodes. Nodal metastasis was seen in 21.9% (30/137) of them. Thirteen had positive pelvic lymph nodes (PLN) but no positive para-aortic nodes (PAN). Eleven had both positive PLN and positive PAN. Six had positive PAN but no positive PLN. The PAN was the most frequent site of metastasis (17/137). Next were the common iliac, obturator, and lateral group of deep inguinal nodes. Solitary metastasis in the patients who had undergone RPLND during the primary surgery was seen in a PAN and a common iliac node. Among 24 patients with PLN metastasis, there was a significant (p < 0.05) difference in the number of positive PLN between the patients with PAN metastasis (5.27 +/- 3.00) and the patients without PAN metastasis (2.62 +/- 1.66). These results indicate that the PAN and common iliac nodes are the most important site of nodal metastasis in ovarian carcinoma. The metastasis to PLN such as obturator node and internal iliac node seems to occur independently of the PAN metastasis, and the PAN metastasis occurs not only through the direct route but also as a consequence of extension of PLN metastases. Systematic retroperitoneal lymph node exploration therefore seems to be necessary to clarify the lymph node status.

Catheter-related infections by Hansenula anomala in children

During August and September, 1992, we experienced 4 cases of Hansenula anomala (H. anomala, synonym Pichia anomala) fungemia in immunocompromised patients. Two patients had been suffering from a malignant disease, 3 of them had received broad-spectrum antibiotics and a central venous catheter (CVC) had been inserted in all of them. H. anomala was isolated as the sole pathogen from all 4 patients. Three of them responded favorably to fluconazole after withdrawal of the catheter, but one failed. H. anomala should be considered as a possible cause of catheter-related infections.

Detection of cytomegalovirus DNA in urine from newborns in NICU using a polymerase chain reaction

To investigate the natural course of viral shedding during the newborn period, the presence of Cytomegalovirus (CMV) DNA in specimens at 3, 7, 14, 21 and 28 days of life was examined using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method. At the 3rd day of life, the viral DNA positive rate in the urine was 7% (4/60), at the 7th day 7% (3/46), at the 14th day 10% (2/20), at the 21st day 10% (1/10), and at the 28th day 25% (1/5). CMV was also detected in samples co-cultivated with HeLa 229 cells and this positive rate was 5% (3/60). The viral positive rate in newborns did not correlate with the gestational age, body weight, or serum IgM level. Six congenital infection cases were identified; two of which were small-for-date babies (SFD) and three of which were born with premature rupture of membranes (PROM). They had no complications during the six months after birth.

[A child with iritis due to Chlamydia pneumoniae infection]

A case of uncommon iritis due to Chlamydia pneumoniae (C. pneumoniae) is reported. The patient was a 9-year-old boy who had suffered from cough, pharyngeal pain, and low grade fever. The symptoms persisted for more than 1 month in spite of an oral cephem antibiotic. Ophthalmalgia, congestion around the iris and cough had lasted with alleviation and exacerbation. A diagnosis of C. pneumoniae infection was made by specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method and microimmunofluorescence test (MIF). The symptoms subsided with administration of clarithromycin (CAM: 300 mg/day) for 2 weeks. Because of the simultaneous alleviation of iritis, C. pneumoniae infection was considered to introduce the iritis. Much remains to be clarified about this pathogenesis of iritis and more detailed evaluations are required.

[Intractable bacterial infections in the nervous system]

It is not exaggeration to say that infectious meningitis is most often seen among infections of the nervous system caused by various microorganisms, in which viruses are main causative pathogens. Infectious meningitis due to bacteria includes purulent one with acute progress, tuberculous and fungal ones which are representative for subacute meningitis. They can not be easily treated. As brain abscess is similar to them, diagnosis and chemotherapy on these four diseases are briefly summarized here. It is needless to say that the prognosis is influenced by early diagnosis and how fast appropriate chemotherapy is started in all four diseases. Dexamethasone therapy should be tried in purulent meningitis in order to decrease hearing disturbance which is unable to be prevented by chemotherapy.

[Laboratory and clinical studies on flomoxef in neonates and premature infants]

Flomoxef (FMOX), an oxacephem antibiotic of beta-lactam antibiotic family, was administered to 16 infants including 6 neonates and 10 premature infants at a dose of 20 or 40 mg/kg via intravenous injection, and plasma and urinary concentrations and the urinary recovery were determined. In addition, FMOX was administered via intravenous injection at daily doses averaging 85.5 mg/kg divided into 2 to 4 times for durations averaging 9 days to 96 infants from 0- to 90-day old (mainly neonates and premature infants). In 44 of the 96 infants with bacterial infections, clinical and bacteriological efficacies were evaluated, and prophylactic effects of FMOX were determined in the remaining 52 infants. Adverse reaction and laboratory tests abnormalities were evaluated also. The obtained results are summarized as follows. 1. Upon administration of FMOX at 20 or 40 mg/kg to neonates and premature infants via intravenous injection, plasma concentrations, half-lives and AUC were determined. In 3 neonates of 5, 7 and 16 days of ages administered with 20 mg/kg of FMOX, peak plasma concentrations of 62.5 to 99.7 micrograms/ml were achieved in 5 or 15 minutes after injection. Half-lives of FMOX in these neonates were 1.48 to 1.78 hours and AUC's were 112 to 161 micrograms.hr/ml. The same dose (20 mg/kg) of FMOX was administered to 3 premature infants of 5- 16- and 19-day of ages and initial blood samples were obtained at 5 minutes after injection from the 5-day old subject and at 15 minutes after injection from the 16-and 19-day old subjects. Peak plasma concentrations of 63.6 to 79.9 micrograms/ml were observed in the samples. Half-lives were 1.69 to 2.20 hours and AUC's were 174 to 201 micrograms.hr/ml. When 3 neonates (one 17-day old and two 24-day old subjects) were administered with 40 mg/kg of FMOX, peak plasma concentrations obtained at 5 minutes after injection were 99.7 to 122.0 micrograms/ml. Half-lives were 1.28 to 1.92 hours and AUC's were 170 to 357 micrograms.hr/ml.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

[Basic and clinical study of meropenem in pediatric field]

Meropenem (MEPM), a novel parenteral carbapenem antibiotic, was examined in a cooperative study involving 12 pediatric and 1 neonatologic facilities. The results are summarized as follows. 1. Antibacterial activity Antibacterial activity of MEPM against stock organisms including 31 strains of Streptococcus agalactiae, 14 of Listeria monocytogenes, 4 of Bordetella pertussis and 3 of Neisseria meningitidis ranged from 0.025 to 0.10 micrograms/ml in MIC90's, which were equal or lower than those of control drugs such as imipenem cefazolin, cefotiam, cefotaxime, ceftazidime and latamoxef. MICs against clinical isolates were as follows: In Gram-positive bacteria, MICs were 0.20 micrograms/ml to 6.25 micrograms/ml against 3 strains of Staphylococcus aureus, and 0.025 micrograms/ml or less against 4 of Streptococcus pneumoniae. In Gram-negative bacilli, MICs were 0.10 micrograms/ml to 0.20 micrograms/ml against 3 strains of Haemophilus influenzae and 0.78, 0.10 and 0.78 micrograms/ml, respectively, against one strain each of Enterobacter cloacae, Morganella morganii and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. MIC against 1 strain of Peptococcus saccharolyticus was < or = 0.025 micrograms/ml. 2. Pharmacokinetics Maximum plasma concentrations after intravenous infusion of MEPM over 30 minutes at doses of 10, 20 and 40 mg/kg, respectively, to 3 different groups of 3 children (total 9 cases) were observed at the completion of the treatment. Mean maximum concentrations in the 3 groups were 36.3, 69.5 and 129.8 micrograms/ml, respectively, exhibiting clear dose response. Mean plasma half lives in beta phase were 0.94, 0.86 and 0.94 hours, respectively, exhibiting no difference by doses, and this trend was observed also by HPLC. Urinary excretion rates in the first 6 hours after dose in the 10, 20 and 40 mg/kg groups were 67.3, 65.6 and 68.4%, respectively. Concentrations of MEPM in cerebrospinal fluid were determined in 2 cases of pyogenic meningitis. In 1 case, 500 mg (5.9 mg/kg) of MEPM was infused intravenously over 30 minutes and concentrations on Days 6, 8 and 15 observed at 190, 60 and 100 minutes after respective doses were 0.13, 0.10 micrograms/ml and less than the detection limit. Cerebrospinal fluid-plasma concentration ratio was determinable only on Day 8 and was 2.8%. In another case to which 250 mg (38.5 mg/kg) of MEPM was infused intravenously over 30 minutes, the concentration at Days 6, 7 and 10, 1 hour after the dose were less than the detection limit on day 6, and 2.04 and 2.62 micrograms/ml, respectively on days 7 and 10. 3. Clinical efficacy Clinical efficacies were evaluated in 49 cases and the efficacy rate was 93.9%.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

[An analysis on prognostic significance of histopathologic risk factor in uterine endometrial carcinoma]

Prognostic risk factors in histopathologic findings were analyzed in the data for one hundred and thirteen patients with uterine endometrial carcinoma who were treated surgically. Univariate survival analysis with Kaplan-Meier methods revealed that the nuclear grade (p less than 0.005), lymph-vascular space invasion (p less than 0.005), histologic grade (p less than 0.01) and histologic type (p less than 0.01) correlated with the patient's prognosis. Among surgical FIGO stages II and III, there was similar significance in the correlations in the nuclear grade (p less than 0.05), lymph-vascular space invasion (p less than 0.0001) and histologic type (p less than 0.05), although there was difference (p less than 0.05) only between grade 1 and grade 3 in the histologic grade. Multivariate survival analysis with a proportional hazard regression model showed that the nuclear grade (p less than 0.005) and lymph-vascular space invasion (p less than 0.01) correlated significantly with the prognosis. The hazard ratios with a 95% confidence interval for each of these factors were 19.2 (3.2-115.7) and 16.9 (2.1-135.3), respectively. The 3-year survival rate was 98% for a hazard ratio less than 64.7, and 45% for one more than 67.4, between which there was a significant difference (p less than 0.0001). And univariate survival analysis of this hazard ratio also revealed strong correlations with the patient's prognosis. These results suggest that it is of great importance to adopt the hazard model including such factors as the nuclear grade and lymph-vascular space invasion in estimating the patient's prognosis and proceeding to adequate post-operative therapy for individual patient.

[Pharmacokinetics and clinical effects of cefdinir 10% fine granules in pediatrics]

Cefdinir (CFDN), a newly developed oral cephalosporin in a 10% fine granular form, was administered to 8 children and concentrations of the drug in plasma and urine and urinary recovery rates of the drug were determined. The subjects were divided into 2 groups of 4 children each; one group received 3 mg/kg of CFDN at 1 hour before meal (in the fasting state), and the other, at 30 minutes after meal. To study clinical and bacteriological effects of this drug, a mean dose of 4.8 mg/kg t.i.d. was administered for 8 days on the average to 9 children with various infections; tonsillitis (3 cases), acute bronchitis (1), pneumonia (1), acute purulent otitis media (1), urinary tract infection (2), and impetigo (1). MICs were determined for 6 drugs including CFDN, cefaclor, cefixime (CFIX), methicillin, cloxacillin, amoxicillin (AMPC) against 4 strains freshly isolated from children receiving CFDN. An inoculum size of 10(6) cfu/ml was used in the MIC-determinations. Adverse reactions and abnormal laboratory findings attributable to this drug were also examined in these children. The results obtained are summarized as follows. 1. Mean plasma peak levels of CFDN were observed at 2 hours after administration in the before-meal group and 4 or 5 hours after administration in the after-meal group mean peak values of 0.88 and 0.50 micrograms/ml, respectively. Mean half-lives were 1.61 hours in the before-meal group and 2.54 hours in the after-meal group, and mean AUCs were 4.24 in the former and 3.59 micrograms.hr/ml in the latter. 2. Mean urinary peak concentrations of CFDN were observed during 2-4 hours after dosing in the before-meal group and during 6-8 hours in the after-meal group with values of 93.3 and 44.8 micrograms/ml, respectively, in cases for which plasma concentrations of drugs were determined. Mean urinary recovery rates during the first 8 hours after administration in the before- and after-meal groups were 16.6 and 13.4%, respectively. 3. Good clinical effects were obtained with an efficacy rate of 100% in 9 patients with 6 diseases due to bacterial infections. 4. Good bacteriological effects were also obtained against 2 strains of Streptococcus pyogenes, 2 strains of Escherichia coli and 1 strain of Haemophilus influenzae with an eradication rate of 100%. In 3 cases of these and another case (normal flora), strains present before the study were replaced by other strains.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Extracorporeal spread and its prognostic impact in stages I and II (FIGO) endometrial carcinoma

Prognostic risk factors were statistically analyzed from the histopathologic data obtained from 90 Japanese women with stages I and II endometrial carcinoma treated surgically, including systemic retroperitoneal lymph node dissection, between June 1979 and June 1989. In stage Ia endometrial carcinoma, pelvic and paraaortic nodes metastasis were seen in 13.8(4/29)% and 0.0(0/19)% of patients, respectively. In stage Ib, the incidence of pelvic and paraaortic node metastasis was 25.6(11/43)% and 9.7(3/31)%, respectively. In stage II, the incidence was 38.9(7/18)% and 13.3(2/15)%, respectively. Prognosis of patients even with deep myometrial invasion (greater than or equal to 2/3) or G3 tumor was fairly good (5-year survival rate: 87.5% and 85.7%, respectively) if the disease was histologically confined to the uterine corpus. Once the tumor spread outside the corpus uteri, the survival rate of patients was strongly affected by the grade of the tumor, moderate to marked lymph-vascular space invasion of tumor cells, or tumor invading middle or outer third of myometrium (P less than 0.05 for each factor). In summary, endometrial cancer frequently metastasize to pelvic and paraaortic lymph nodes even in the early stages, and lymph node metastasis and other extracorporeal spread of disease have a serious impact on patient survival. Prognosis of patients with extracorporeal spread of disease seems to be determined by the high grade of tumor and lymph-vascular space invasion. These results suggest that surgical exploration including paraaortic lymph node dissection to accurately evaluate the extent of the disease is essential to estimate the patient's prognostic risk and to individualize the treatment schedule.

[Alpha-hemolytic streptococcal septicemia and meningitis in immunocompromised children]

Many kinds of microorganisms can produce toxic septicemia in immunocompromised hosts. We are reporting alpha-hemolytic streptococcal septicemia and meningitis in two children with hematological malignancies. [Case 1] 6 year old girl who had been suffering from acute lymphocytic leukemia. She had sepsis and bacterial meningitis in maintenance-therapy for leukemia. Streptococcus sanguis was isolated from the blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). [Case 2] 11 year old girl who had had malignant lymphoma (non-Hodgkin type). She also had sepsis and bacterial meningitis due to Streptococcus mitis which was isolated from blood and CSF in maintenance-therapy. Both cases had been treated with anti-cancer drugs and had severe granulocytopenia. Positive rate of blood cultures during the recent 6 years (1984.1-1989.12) at our department was 6.0% (total number of cultures were 2,019, positive cultures were 121). Strains of 131 bacteria were determined; Gram-positive cocci were 70 strains (53.4%) and Gram-negative rods were 52 strains (39.7%). Fifteen strains (11.5%) of alpha-hemolytic Streptococci were isolated during 6 years. One hundred thirteen cases of septicemia were analysed in medical charts and 12 cases of alpha-hemolytic streptococcal septicemia were observed (5 cases with infective endocarditis and 7 cases in immunocompromised states).

[Severe infections due to Streptococcus milleri in children]

Streptococcus milleri (S. milleri) is found in healthy individuals in the mouth, nasopharynx, throat, vagina and in feces, and has been reported to be isolated from several infectious diseases in man, particularly from abscess in various parts of the body. We report two cases of severe infections due to S. milleri isolated from subdural abscess and pleural empyema. [Case 1] 13 year old boy who had been healthy until he was noticed to have meningeal signs and was diagnosed as left subdural abscess with siagonantritis by cranial CT scans. S. milleri was isolated from subdural abscess and maxillary sinus. [Case 2] 10 year old boy who had encephalitis and severe mental retardation after measles at 6 months of age. He had a fever, dyspnea and chest X-ray abnormalities and was diagnosed as right pleural empyema. Three strains of organism, S milleri, Bacteroides spp. and Fusobacterium nucleatum were isolated from the pleural effusion.

[An analysis of prognostic significance of new FIGO staging (1989) of endometrial cancer]

Histopathologic factors were investigated in the data for ninety-one patients with endometrial carcinoma who were treated surgically. Each of these subjects was reclassified according to the new FIGO surgical criteria (1989) for stages and the relationship between the new classifications and the prognosis of patients was analyzed. One third of the patients (24/72) with clinical FIGO stage I (1983) had extracorporeal spread of the disease and these cases were reclassified as surgical stages II and III. Among clinical stage Ib patients there were many more with extracorporeal spread than among those in clinical stage Ia (p less than 0.005) although there was no difference between the histopathological characteristics (histologic grade, myometrial invasion, cervical involvement, adnexal involvement and pelvic lymph node metastasis) of the stage Ia and Ib groups. Univariate survival analysis revealed that the histologic grade (p less than 0.05), myometrial invasion (p less than 0.05), cervical involvement (p less than 0.005) and pelvic lymph node metastasis (p less than 0.005) correlated with the patient's prognosis. Multivariate survival analysis with the proportional hazard regression model showed that cervical involvement (p = 0.05) and the new stage classification (p = 0.03) correlated significantly with the prognosis. The cumulative 5-year survival rate by clinical stage (1983) was 87% for stage I (Ia: 96%, Ib: 80%) and 72% for stage II, between which no significant difference was determined. The survival rate for stage III was not calculated because there was only one case with stage III disease in this study.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Pharmacokinetics and clinical effects of cefdinir 5% fine granules in pediatrics]

Cefdinir (CFDN), a newly developed oral cephalosporin in 5% fine granular form, was administered to 10 boys at 1 hour before meal (in the fasting state) and concentrations of the drug in plasma and urine and its urinary recovery rates were determined. The subjects were divided into 2 groups of 5 boys each; one group received 3 mg/kg of CFDN, and the other, 6 mg/kg. To 6 of the 10 children the drug was administered in the two different dose levels using the cross-over method. To study clinical and bacteriological effects of this drug, a mean dose of 4.6 mg/kg t.i.d. was administered for 8 days on the average to 40 children with various infections; pharyngitis (4 cases), tonsillitis (2), acute bronchitis (2), pneumonia (8), scarlet fever (6), acute purulent otitis media (1), urinary tract infection (12), impetigo (2), phlegmon (1), lymphadenitis (1) and subcutaneous abscess (1). MICs were determined for 6 drugs including CFDN, cefaclor, cefixime (CFIX), methicillin, cloxacillin (MCIPC), amoxicillin (AMPC) against 13 strains of 6 species freshly isolated from children receiving CFDN. An inoculum size of 10(6) cfu/ml was used in the MIC-determinations. Adverse reactions and abnormal laboratory findings attributable to this drug were also examined in these patients. The results obtained are summarized as follows. 1. Mean plasma peak levels of CFDN were observed at 3 hours after administration in both the 3 mg/kg and 6 mg/kg groups with mean peak values of 0.68 and 1.35 micrograms/ml, respectively. Mean half-lives were 2.06 hours in the 3 mg/kg group and 1.61 hours in the 6 mg/kg group, and mean AUCs were 3.5 in the former and 6.5 micrograms.hr/ml in the latter. Thus, dose-response between the 2 doses was observed in plasma levels and AUCs. 2. To 3 patients, CFDN was given in the two different doses using the cross-over method. Mean plasma peak levels of CFDN were 0.71 and 1.31 micrograms/ml in the doses of 3 mg/kg and 6 mg/kg, respectively. Half-lives were 1.39-2.90 hours in the 3 mg/kg group and 1.21-1.48 hours in the 6 mg/kg group, with AUCs of 3.4-3.7 and 4.1-7.5 micrograms.hr/ml, respectively.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

[Pharmacokinetics and clinical studies of norfloxacin in the pediatric field]

Norfloxacin (NFLX) tablets with a potency of 50 mg/tablet or 100 mg/tablet were administered at doses of 1 to 4 tablets (1.5 to 6.1 mg/kg) orally 30 minutes before meals to 12 children with ages ranging from 8 years 9 months to 12 years 5 months, and serum/urinary NFLX levels and urinary recovery rates were determined. The drug sensitivity tests for NFLX and 10 other drugs were conducted against 128 strains of Shigella sonnei (10(6) CFU/ml) which had been isolated from pediatric patients with bacillary dysentery. In order to evaluate clinical and bacteriological effects of NFLX and its safety in the pediatric field, NFLX 50 mg tablets were administered t.i.d. (mean 8.3 mg/kg) for 5 days to 42 pediatric patients with bacillary dysentery. Similarly, this drug was administered in b.i.d. or t.i.d. (mean 6.7 mg/kg) for 4 days to 4 pediatric patients with urinary tract infections. The following results were obtained: 1. According to the dosage, the subjects were divided into 3 groups with dose levels 1.5-2.8 mg/kg, 3.1-4.7 mg/kg and 5.2-6.1 mg/kg. These groups had 5, 2 and 5 subjects, respectively. Mean serum drug concentrations for the 3 dosage groups were at peak levels of 0.27, 0.64 and 1.51 micrograms/ml at 4, 2 and 1 hour(s) after administration, respectively. Pharmacokinetic parameters for these dosage groups were as follows: Tmax values were 3.0, 3.0 and 1.2 hours; Cmax values were 0.32, 0.78 and 1.56 micrograms/ml; serum half-lives were 2.2, 2.4 and 2.3 hours; and AUCs were 1.65, 3.98 and 6.06 micrograms.hr/ml, respectively. Thus, dose-dependent responses were observed among the 3 dosage groups. 2. Mean peak urinary drug concentrations for the 3 dosage groups were 45.8, 109.2 and 215.1 micrograms/ml, respectively, and the peaks appeared 2-4 hours after administration. Mean recovery rates up to 8 hours after administration were 18.3%, 24.5% and 28.7%, respectively for the 3 dosages. 3. In a drug sensitivity test against 128 strains of S. sonnei, the most frequent MIC value of NFLX was 0.78 micrograms/ml against 65 strains, followed by 0.39 micrograms/ml for 56 strains. Together, these strains accounted for 94.5% of the strains tested. No resistant strain to this drug was observed and the antibacterial activity of this drug was second only to colistin, similar to that of ofloxacin, better than those of enoxacin and seven other drugs. 4. Clinical efficacy rate of NFLX against bacillary dysentery was 95.2% in 21 cases in which the evaluation was possible.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Hyperostotic lumbar spinal stenosis. A review of 12 surgically treated cases with roentgenographic survey of ossification of the yellow ligament at the lumbar spine

Although there is considerable literature concerning ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament or the ligamentous flava (OPLL or OYL) in the cervical and thoracic spine, there are only a few references about OPLL or OYL in the lumbar spine. The authors have described lumbar spinal stenosis due to OPLL or OYL as hyperostotic lumbar spinal stenosis, and analyzed 12 surgically documented cases with this condition. The symptoms and signs of hyperostotic lumbar spinal stenosis are the same as those seen in degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis, but the degree of paraparesis is much more severe in hyperostotic lumbar spinal stenosis. Computed tomography scan imaging clearly demonstrates OPLL or OYL in the lumbar spine, although some lesions can be seen on the lateral view of a plain roentgenogram. The results of 12 surgical cases suggest that decompression laminectomy produces relief of symptoms. An analysis of 2,403 plain lumbar roentgenograms showed an incidence of 8.4% OYL in the lumbar spine, with frequent involvement of the upper and middle lumbar spine. A classification system of OYL in the lumbar spine has been developed. The entire spine should be examined before surgery on a patient with hyperostotic lumbar spinal stenosis because of a tendency to ossify spinal ligaments at other levels.

Identification of transferrin receptor in cervical and endometrial tissues

The location of transferrin receptor (Tf.R) which is abundantly contained in proliferating cells and positional relationships of cells containing much Tf.R was observed on cervical and endometrial tissue sections by immunohistochemistry. In normal squamous epithelium, the parabasal cell layer was positive and the basal, intermediate, and superficial cell layers negative. This shows that the cells of the parabasal cell layer are proliferating most actively among those layers. Squamous carcinoma contained many positive cancer cells. But negative as well as positive cells were present, indicating that cancer cells proliferate under various conditions. Cancer cells infiltrating the stroma were made clear by Tf.R staining, and it became easier to identify them when only a few were present. Endometrial glandular cells in the basal layer stained only on the basal side of a cell regardless of the menstrual cycle, whereas in the functional layer glandular lumen side also stained positive in the secretory phase. Based on the present data, an immunohistochemical study of Tf.R seems useful to confirm the localization of proliferating cells and cancer cells and determine the conditions for cancer cell proliferation on the tissue sections.

Postoperative changes in vaginal smears after vaginal reconstruction with a free skin graft

Surgical vaginal reconstruction was performed by a free skin graft in two patients without a vagina. The postoperative changes in vaginal smears collected from the artificial vaginas were observed for about two years. Marked operation-induced inflammatory changes were observed until the second postoperative month. After the third postoperative month, the background became relatively clear. Cyanophilic and eosinophilic superficial cells, intermediate cells and Döderlein bacilli were observed occasionally in addition to keratotic cells. Six to 12 months after surgery, the vaginal smears showed little abnormality, except for the presence of keratotic cells. The changes in the vaginal smears after the third month show that the artificial vaginal epithelium changed cytologically to an almost normal vaginal mucosa that, although not histologically complete, responded to hormones. The presence of Döderlein bacilli suggests that the regional environment of the artificial vagina was almost the same as that of the normal vagina.

[Reorganization of human ovarian adenocarcinoma cells and endometrial adenocarcinoma cells cultured in double-layered floating collagen gels]

Collagen gels have been used as the substratum for epithelial cell culture to maintain their differentiated states. In this report, we proposed a double-layered floating collagen gel method for the culture of human carcinoma cells to show their differentiated structures which closely resembled those in the tumors in vivo. On the 3rd week of the culture, OMC-1 cells (human ovarian mucinous adenocarcinoma) showed organized ductular structures. PAS-positive substances were seen along the surface of the ductules and also in cytoplasms. Electron microscopically, numerous microvilli were observed at the apical surfaces of the cells, with formation of rootlets. Ishikawa line cells (human well-differentiated endometrial adenocarcinoma) formed tubular structures with back-to-back arrangements. Electron microscopically, numerous microvilli, well-developed junctional complexes, and well-developed mitochondria and Golgi apparatus were observed, similarly to those in the cells grown in vivo. SNG-M cells (human moderately-differentiated endometrial adenocarcinoma) were arranged in sheets with occasional formation of tubular structures. Mitochondria, Golgi apparatus and desmosomes were poorly developed in general; however, the cells forming tubular structures showed signs of cellular differentiation. The floating and non-floating methods were compared with the result that the former method was seen to be far superior to the latter for expressing cellular differentiation.

Genotoxicity of flavoring agents

The genotoxicity of 9 flavoring agents widely used in everyday foods was studied by a bacterial mutation test in the Salmonella/microsome system and by a chromosome test in Chinese hamster (CH) cells. In the mutation test none of the flavorings exhibited significant induction of his+ revertants in Salmonella typhimurium TA98 or TA100, either with or without rat-liver microsome as the metabolic activation system. On the other hand, in the chromosome test most of the agents induced severe chromosome aberration in the treated CH cells, suggesting a potential genotoxicity.