[Canine parvovirus infection in a group of beagles (author's transl)]

An outbreak of canine parvovirus infection in a group of 26 beagles was described. The disease characterized by acute intestinal involvement was highly contagious but fatality was low (1/26). Transient leukopenia was recorded in some animals. All the convalescent sera were positive in agar gel diffusion test using feline panleukopenia virus antigen. Histopathological examination on fetal dog revealed regressive change associated with formation of amphophilic intranuclear inclusion bodies in the enterocytes of the Lieberkühn's crypt and regressive change in the lymphoid tissues. Pathologic picture exhibited strikingly resemblance with that of feline panleukopenia.

Anticomplement immunofluorescence for the titration of antibody to varicella-zoster virus

Anticomplement immunofluorescence (ACIF) was tested for its use for the titration of antibody against varicella-zoster virus (VZV). ACIF antibody responses of patients with VZV infection were specific for VZV antigen and heterotypic responses to herpes simplex virus type-1 and cytomegalovirus antigens were not observed. Comparative studies of ACIF, membrane immunofluorescence (MIF) and indirect immunofluorescence (IF), using acetone-fixed antigen, were carried out with nonimmune sera and convalescent sera of patients who had recovered from varicella, herpes zoster and Rumsey Hunt disease. Nonspecific staining occurred with some nonimmune sera at a 1:4 dilution in the MIF and IF tests, after freezing and thawing of the serum, but not in the ACIF test. The antibody titers in convalescent sera agreed well in these three methods and the highest titer was obtained by MIF. The titers in ACIF and IF were similar but the ACIF antibody decreased earlier than the IF antibody during convalescence. On the other hand there was a discrepancy between the titers of ACIF and those of MIF and IF antibody in the sera of healthy adults, all sera with titers higher than 10 in the MIF and IF tests had titers below 10 in the ACIF test. The average titer of ACIF antibody declined to less than 10 with increasing age (13 to more than 20 years), whereas the MIF antibody increased during the same period of life.

Electrocochleographic study of patients with cerebral vascular lesions

Electrocochleographies were performed on three patients with deafness resulting from cerebral vascular lesions. Recording was made by the transtympanic needle electrode technique. In a patient who had anterior-inferior cerebellar artery aneurysm that showed fluctuating hearing loss, auditory nerve action potential (AP), cochlear microphonics (CM), and summating potential fluctuate in amplitude in concert with episodes of ischemic hearing loss. This indicates the pathophysiology of reversible impairment of the cochlear nerve and of sensory epithelium of the inner ear caused by disturbance of blood flow into the inner ear. It was also conjectured that the cochlea is hardly impaired in the case with normal AP and CM responses despite the increased threshold in pure-tone audiometry and that the cochlea undergoes irreversible organic changes in the patient who has no AP or CM response in tests after a long period.

Time-dependent changes in open-loop gains of baroreflex systems after massive hemorrhage

To quantify the effects of massive hemorrhage (5 ml/kg body weight) on the individual arterial baroreflex systems in the dog, changes in the open-loop gains of the intact arterial pressure control system (Gintact), the carotid sinus baroreflex system (GCS), and the vagally mediated and aortic arch baroreflex systems (GV) were measured repeatedly from the response to quick mild hemorrhage (2 ml/kg body weight) before and after massive hemorrhage. Fifteen mongrel adult dogs were divided into 3 groups. i.e., the control, vago-aortic nerve-severed, and carotid sinus-denervated groups. The dogs anesthetized with Nembutal (35 mg/kg body weight) were bled by 2 ml/kg body weight within 2 sec through a catheter inserted into the abdominal aorta. The arterial pressure change after mild hemorrhage was monitored via a catheter placed in the aortic arch. The open-loop gain of the baroreflex system was assessed as (delta API/delta APS--1), where delta API and delta APS are the immediate and steady-state falls in arterial pressure following mild hemorrhage. The mean values of Gintact, GCS, and GV before massive hemorrhage were 7.8, 2.0, and 1.8, respectively. Since Gintact is not a simple summation of GCS and GV, it is speculated that the carotid sinus baroreflex system interacts in a facilitatory way with the vagally mediated and aortic arch baroreflex systems. After massive hemorrhage, Gintact changed along a time course of parabolic form, whereas GCS did not change and GV decreased. These results suggest that the time-dependent change of Gintact after massive hemorrhage depends on the change in the open-loop gain of the baroreflex system making a facilitatory interaction.

Inhibition of gastrin secretion by pirenzepine (LS 519) in treatment of gastric ulcer

The effects of pirenzepine on the serum gastrin levels in the basal state and in response to a liquid test meal were investigated in nine patients with gastric ulcer. Single-dose administration of the drug caused a significant decrease in the basal gastrin level and significant inhibition of the serum gastrin response. When measured 12 h after the end of drug treatment for 7 days, the serum gastrin levels in the basal state and in response to a test meal tended to be high, but the differences were not statistically significant.

Carcinoembryonic antigen in gastric juice as an aid in diagnosis of early gastric cancer

The levels of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) in the serum and gastric juice of 58 patients with gastric cancer were determined by radioimmunoassay. The level of serum CEA was not a satisfactory indicator of gastric cancer: it was elevated in only 19.4% of the cases of advanced and unresectable cancer and 4.5% of cases of early cancer examined. However, the CEA level in the gastric juice was significantly higher in patients with gastric cancer than in normal subjects or patients with benign gastric diseases: increased CEA concentrations and outputs in the gastric juice were observed in 54.5% and 40.1%, respectively, of the patients with early gastric cancer, and in 52.9% and 50.0%, respectively, of the patients with advanced gastric cancer. The gross type of gastric cancer had no influence on the gastric CEA level, but the CEA level in the gastric juice tended to be high when the tumors were large, or when they had little or no glandular structure or high mucus-secreting activity.

[A reevaluation of the glucagon provocative test for pheochromocytoma--on the in vitro release of catecholamine from the adrenal medulla or pheochromocytoma tissue, and on the effect of intravenous glucagon on urinary catecholamine excretion and blood pressure (author's transl)]

The effects of glucagon on the adrenergic system have been studied in experimental and clinical conditions. 1. in vitro studies: In the first experiment a continuous flow incubation system was developed in which the secretory response to these drugs was characterized by a serial fluorimetric assay of catecholamines in the effluent medium. Pig adrenal medulla or human pheochromocytoma were studied. There was an initial massive release of catecholamines which declined to basal levels (0.02 micrograms/mg) after 1.5 hours. When 10(-4) glucagon was infused for 10 minutes following 2 hours of preincubation, both adrenaline and nonadrenaline outputs rose abruptly to concentrations of 0.08 micrograms/mg and 0.07 micrograms/mg respectively. In the second experiment the effect of these drugs on the in vitro release of catecholamines from the isolated in vitro chromaffin granules of the pig adrenal medulla were studied. The results were the same as in the previous experiment. 2. clinical studies: The effects of glucagon were studied on the blood pressure and urinary catecholamine levels of healthy control subjects, of patients suffering from essential hypertension, thyroid disease, diabetes mellitus and acromegaly. Glucagon induced a slight but constant increase in blood pressure. By contrast no significant urinary catecholaline elevation was evoked. There was no difference in the effect of intravenous glucagon between normal subjects and patients suffering from the above-mentioned disorders.

Anisocoria in inner ear lesions

In experiments using rabbits, the pupil on the side of irritative inner ear lesion showed dilatation, and that on the side of paretic lesion showed constriction. In the clinical observation of patients with unilateral inner ear diseases (134 cases), anisocoria was recognized in 54.5%. In 68.5% of these, anisocoria was induced after applying a drop of neosynephrine. The size of the pupil on the healthy side was smaller in 65.8% than the pupil on the healthy side. Anisocoria in inner ear lesions is believed to be due to vestibulo-sympathetic imbalance through the superior cervical sympathetic ganglion.

Morphometrical analysis of the peripheral nerve lesions in experimental diabetes rats

Morphometrical analysis of the peripheral nerve lesions in experimental diabetes rats was undertaken to elucidate their relationship to glucose intolerance and nerve conduction velocity. Motor nerve conduction velocity of the rat's tail and nerve fiber density in the cross sectional view of the peroneal nerves significantly reduced in the diabetes rats without insulin treatment. With the teased nerve fiber methods, degenerated nerve fibers frequently appeared and shortening of internodal length was estimated in the diabetes rats by quantification. The slowing of nerve conduction, blood glucose levels on the oral glucose tolerance test and the incidence of degenerated nerve fibers were well correlated with one another. Daily insulin treatment caused a significant decrease in degenerated nerve fibers in the diabetes rats. The reduction of nerve fiber density was also related to glucose intolerance. However, there was neither the relationship between nerve fiber density and incidence of degenerated nerve fibers, nor the relationship between nerve fiber density and nerve conduction velocity.

Cyclophosphamide eliminates suppressor T cells in age-associated central regulation of delayed hypersensitivity in mice

Effect of treatment of mice with cyclophosphamide (CY) on the delayed hypersensitivity (DH) response was investigated in C57BL/6 mice. DH to methylated human serum albumin (MHSA) could be enhanced with CY in young mice but not in aged ones. DH enhancement with CY appeared to be due to elimination of suppressor T cells involved in DH. Effector T cells were also sensitive to CY, the damaging effect of CY on these latter cells was, however, transient suggesting the rapid recovery of effector T cells. The overshooting recovery of the effector T cells required the presence of the thymus. It is more probably that there are at least two distinct subpopulations of T cells in DH, effector T cells, and suppressor T cells. The distinction is already apparent in the thymus stage. The suppressor T cells, categorized as a central regulator, seem to be antigen nonspecific and regulate the more effectively the DH in young mice, thus physiological role of these cells in age-associated immune alterations is implicated.

A case of mesenchymoma in the oral cavity clinically resembling a large pleomorphic adenoma

A report is made of a 52-year-old male whose main complaint was a painless tumor at the right side of the palate resulting in speech disturbance. He was diagnosed as a case of what Stout called benign mesenchymoma. Some discussion is also made of the tumor pathology in terms of genetic factors, predirective sites, age range, sex differences and therapy.

[Cystic craniopharyngioma extending down into the upper cervical spinal canal (author's transl)]

A case of craniopharyngioma with a large cyst extending through the posterior fossa down into the upper cervical spinal canal was reported. The patient is a 14-year-old female who was operated on for the first time in 1970, because of a suprasellar calcified mass. Histological examination verified craniopharyngioma of adamantinomatous type. Since then, she had been operated three times because of deterioration of visual acuity. She was admitted for the fifth time in January, 1977, complaining of severe neck pain radiating bilaterally to the shoulders. Radiological examination demonstrated, besides the suprasellar tumor, a huge mass extending along the clivus down to the level of C3 of spinal canal. Anteroposterior diameter of bony spinal canal evidently enlarged in upper cervical region. Interpedicular distance also widened markedly in the same region. Laminae of C1-C3 vertebrae were abnormally stretched and the spinal cord was compressed posteriorly by the tumor. Suboccipital craniectomy verified a cystic tumor in the region of foramen magnum and cervical spinal canal. The medulla oblongata was pushed backward by the tumor. The cystic tumor was evacuated and the capsule of the tumor was partly resected, which was histologically verified as craniopharyngioma of squamous type. The patient was relieved from the neck pain after operation and discharged in April 1977.

[Normal pressure hydrocephalus. Part 2. The evaluation of severity of cerebral dysfunction by measurement of "barrier ratio" and regional cerebral blood flow (author's transl)]

In the previous study, quantitative analysis of RI ventriculography was reported in fifty-three cases with chronic communicating hydrocephalus. In this study, according to the same criteria as that of previous report, fifty-three cases were divided into two groups, namely NPH group (twenty-seven cases) and control group, which were considered as mere chronic communicating hydrocephalus without and NPH chalacteristics. (twenty-six cases). Results of "barrier ratio (B.R.)" measurement and regional cerebral blood flow study in these cases are as follows: 1) "Barrier ratio" using of 99mTcO4-: Concerning about B.R. of 99mTcO4- there was no significant difference between NPH and control group. However it tends to be that shunt surgery is not so effective in NPH cases in which B.R. shows abnormally low value. 2) rCBF by 133Xe clearance method: Regional cerebral blood flow was diffusely decreased in NPH patients, especially in its frontal area, suggesting the frontal area would be more severely damaged in NPH cases. These findings leads us to the conclusion that whether the shunt surgery might be effective or not depends on severity of cerebral dysfunction and the cerebral dysfunction is clearly evaluated by RI technique mentioned above.

[Normal pressure hydrocephalus. Part 1. Dynamic study of CSF circulation in patients with normal pressure hydrocephalus (author's transl)]

To clarify the pathogenesis of normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH), quantitative measurement of CSF dynamics was attempted using RI techniques. In this study results concerning RI ventriculography and RI transfer test from CSF to plasma were reported. "Barrier ratio" and regional cerebral blood flow study in NPH will be reported elsewhere. Fifty-three patients with chronic communicating hydrocephalus wer devided into two groups. Thus, twenty-seven cases were diagnosed as NPH according to clinical symptoms and signs, and others were considered as mere chronic communicating hydrocephalus without any NPH characteristics. Results are as follows: 1) 169Yb--DTPA ventriculography; In NPH group, there was longer retention of RI injected into lateral ventricle, and RI activity was not detected in the cisterna magna 60 minutes after the injection. These findings show remarkable delay of CSF flow in NPH patients. 2) Transfer test of 169Yb--DTPA from CSF to plasma; Immediately after the RI injection, Transfer ratio of RI activity from CSF to plasma was measured. It was revealed that intraventricular RI was more rapidly transfered to plasma in NPH group compared with in the control group, suggesting accelerated trans-ependymal absorption of RI in NPH group.

Delayed hypersensitivity in mice induced by intravenous sensitization with sheep erythrocytes: evidence for tuberculin type delayed hypersensitivity of the reaction

Delayed hypersensitivity (DH) reaction can be induced in mice by intravenous sensitization with sheep erythrocytes (SRBC). However, as the sensitizing procedure is quite different from a usual mode of sensitization for DH using complete Freund's adjuvant (FCA), the nature of this reaction has been a matter of controversy. In an attempt to characterize this reaction, we placed special interest on two possibilities regarding the nature of this reaction; Jones-Mote reaction or tuberculin type DH. From the kinetics study on the DH after challenge, the DH reaction to SRBC in mice by intravenous sensitization was clearly distinguished from the Arthus reaction. The dose-response pattern of this reaction also suggested that the contribution of Arthus reactivity to delayed reactivity was negligible. Cell reconstitution experiments revealed this DH to be quantitatively thymus cell dependent. Furthermore, this DH required macrophages at its manifestation stage, and appearance of basophil infiltration at the lesion was absent. In addition, strain difference and ageing of host mice influenced the DH reaction in exactly the same fashion in which these factors influence the tuberculin type-DH induced by subcutaneous sensitization with methylated human serum albumin (MHSA) in FCA. Taken collectively, it was concluded that this DH reaction can be categorized as the tuberculin type.

Two E-rosette-forming lymphoid cell lines

Two E-rosette (spontaneous rosette with sheep red blood cells)-forming lymphoid cell lines were established. One (HPB-ALL) was derived from a young male Japanese patient with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), and the other (HPB-MLT) was from a 62-year-old female Japanese patient with a leukemic T-lymphoid malignancy. Formation of E rosettes, absence of any immunoglobulin determinants, absence of EBNA (Epstein-Barr virus associated nuclear antigen) and very limited stimulating ability in mixed lymphocyte culture, were characteristics mostly identical with those of so far established T-cell-derived lymphoid cell lines, MOLT, CCRF-CEM, CCRF-HS-B2, RPMI-8402 and JM. Only HPB-MLT, however, has been derived from an aged patient with T-lymphoid malignancy.

Biochemical studies on an acidophilic, thermophilic bacterium, Bacillus acidocaldarius: isolation of bacteria, intracellular pH, and stabilities of biopolymers

Acidophilic, thermophilic bacteria were isolated from Japanese acidic hot springs. They were spore-forming rods, identified as Bacillus acidocaldarius. DNA extracted from these acido-thermophiles showed no abnormality in chemical structure; it was instantly denatured and gradually decomposed giving rise to apurinic acid in a hot acid environment milder than the optimal conditions for the growth of the acido-thermophiles. Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase extracted from B. acidocaldarius was not active at pH 5 or less, and was resistant to heat at neutral but not acid pH. The intracellular pH was computed to be neutral by using dimethyl-2,4-oxazolidinedione. When uncouplers or inhibitors of respiration were added to the cells suspended in hot acid solution, the estimated pH was not changed and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase in the cells was not denatured. These results suggest that the cytoplasm of B. acidocaldarius is a hot neutral environment, and that a pH gradient across the cell envelope can be maintained even when oxidative phosphorylation or respiration is inhibited.

Studies on delayed hypersensitivity in mice. I, Physicochemical and biological properties of preferential antigens for inducing delayed hypersensitivity in mice

Variously modified protein antigens were tested by footpad assay to clarify the effect of these medications in producing delayed hypersensitivity in mice. The most potent antigen examined was carboxyl-methylated serum albumins. These antigens were highly basic proteins and hydrophobic compared with native serum proteins. They stimulate humoral antibody response in mice poorly, and remain at the subcutaneous injection site much longer than native serum albumins. In vitro tests of susceptibility of thymus and spleen cells and peritoneal macrophages to the antigens revealed that methylated serum albumins possessed the stimulatory activity to the latter and were toxic to the former. As for macrophage, fluorescein-labelled methylated serum albumin showed an affinity to their membrane and were phagocytosed, but FITC-BSA did not show any affinity to the macrophages. These biological activities to tissue or cells may be contributable to render methylated serum albumins to induce and elicit delayed hypersensitivity preferentially in mice.

Studies on delayed hypersensitivity in mice. III. Evidence for suppressive regulatory T1-cell population in delayed hypersensitivity

T-T-cell interactions involved in delayed hypersensitivity (DH) response have been studied by employing delayed foot pad assay to methylated human serum albumin in C57BL/6J mice. The DH response, one of the T-cell manifestations of cell-mediated immune response is suppressively regulated by T cells and such observation was based on studies of age-associated kinetics of foot pad reaction and effects of cell transfer and adult thymectomy on developing DH response. These suppressively regulatory T cells in DH have a life span of less than 4 wk and a constant derivation from the thymus is required. Such cells are numerous in the young mouse thymus and few in the spleen and thymus of old mice. On the one hand, the presence of a long-lived effector T-cell population was suggested in DH. These cells are numerous in the spleen and are low responders to phytohemagglutinin in vitro. It is assumed that these suppressive T cells interact with antigen-reactive cells at their proliferating stage by recognition of the iodiotypic difference through surface receptors. As in the case of graft-vs.-host and humoral response in vivo, three different subsets of immune competent cells participate in the DH response. These cells consist of one specifically antigen-reactive T cell, one suppressive regulatory T cell, and one bone marrow-derived cell, a macrophage that responds to a chemical mediator from sensitized effector T cells and that develops a DH skin lesion nonspecifically.

[A case of multiple anomalies of cerebral vessels--fenestration of the middle cerebral artery aneurysm of the anterior communicating artery and arteriovenous malformation on the frontopolar region (author's transl)]

A case associated with multiple cerebral vascular anomalies, which consisted of fenestration of the middle cerebral artery, arteriovenous malformation and aneurysm of the anterior communicating artery, was reported. A 48 year-old male has been suffering from the left paralysis and mental disorder after the initial attack of subarachnoid hemorrhage, and the second attack resulted in the deterioration of the symptoms. He was admitted to our clinic on October 28, 1974. On neurological examination, mental disorders, such as disorientation, emotional incontinence, amnesia and acalculia, hemiplegia on the left and meningeal irritation signs were observed in admission period. Physical examination was negative. Cerebral angiographic findings were as follows: 1) Moderate vasospasm of the right internal carotid artery at the terminal segment, mild bowing of the anterior cerebral artery and stretching of the frontparietal opercular branches of the middle cerebral artery were observed. 2) Right frontpolar arteriovenous malformation fed by the frontobasal artery and the frontopolar artery, and drained via the aberrant cortical vein into the superior sagittal sinus. 3) Aneurysm of the anterior communicating artery was opacified by left carotid angiography. 4) An abnormal vessel derived from the terminal segment of the right internal carotid artery and terminated at the portion of the sphenoidal segment of the middle cerebral artery. Complete loop was formed between genuine middle cerebral artery and this abnormal artery. He was operated with dissecting microscope on November 11, 1974. The arteriovenous malformation at right frontopolar region was totally removed and aneurysm of the anterior communicating artery was clipped. According to the operative findings, the arachnoid membrane over the right frontopolar region was turbid and adhered to the adjacent tissues. On the contrary, no abnormal findings suggestive of previous subarachnoid hemorrhage were observed around the region of the anterior communicating artery aneurysm. These findings showed that subarachnoidal bleeding was caused by rupture of the arteriovenous malformation of right frontopolar region, but not by the aneurysm on the anterior communicating artery. The postoperative course was uneventful and during the hospitalization the patient starts on rehabilitation therapy. The authors discussed the genesis of fenestration of the middle cerebral artery and relation among these combined vascular anomalies. We inferred that fenestration of the middle cerebral artery arose from the in complete fusion of procursor vascular network in embryonic stage. Additionally, we emphasized that it was necessary to make a distinction between these two terms "fenestration" and "duplication".

[Colloid cysts of the third ventricle --report of one operated and one autopsied case (author's transl)]

Colloid cysts of the third ventricle are considered as a relatively rate benign tumor, consituting approximately 0.5% of the whole brain tumors, but the surgical cases have rarely been reported in Japan. In this paper, two cases of colloid cyst are reported and the pathogenesis, the importance of the clinical diagnosis and dramatic results after complete extirpation was emphasized. In Case 1, a 29 year-old right handed male, who showed definite symptoms of increased intracranial pressure without lateralizing signs, was diagnosed as colloid cyst of the third ventricle, and operated on with dissecting microscope on April 20, 1973. The colloid cyst was totally removed and postoperatively V-A shunt was performed for adhesive arachnoiditis. Patient did well after surgery and has returned to the previous work. In Case 2, a 41 year-old male, who suffered from sudden onset of severe headache and bouts of frequent vomiting, was admitted to Tokyo Wome's Medical College Hospital on October 11, 1974. Right cerebral angiography revealed findings of increased intracranial pressure and third ventricle tumor was suspected. On October 13, progressively disturbed consciousness occurred. Immediate ventricular tap and continuous ventricular drainage could not regain consciousness and patient expired on October 30. In necropsy, colloid cyst to the third ventricle was found. As far as these are concerned, these cysts might be reasonably said as ventricular epithelial origin in view of the operative and histological findings. Some emphasis was also made in terms of dissecting microscope in removing this tumor, completely preserving the ventricular walls as well as the terminal veins under magnification.

[Existence of triphasic flow pattern in regional cerebral blood flow of prolonged unconscious patients (author's transl)]

Anticipating to get some new informations about the cerebral circulations of the comatous patients, two kinds of radioisotopic techniques were combined and applied to twelve unconscious patients of various etiologies. The first step was the conventional gas clearance method using xenon 133 as the indicator. Regional cerebral blood flows were measured at the six areas over each hemisphere. Immediately following this procedure, about 150 muCi of I-131 MAA (I-31 macroaggregated human serum albumin) were injected into internal carotid artery via the same catheter inserted already for the first procedure. Radioactivities of the head and lungs were measured and the relative shunt flow was calculated based on the formula already described elsewhere. Profil scanning of the whole body of the patient was also performed after the intracarotid injection of I-131 MAA. Consciousness states of the ten patients were all severely damaged and causes of the disturbed consciousness were various, including 5 of subdural hematoma, 2 of occlusive cerebrovascular disease, 2 of brain tumor and 1 of ruptured intracranial aneurysm. This investigation revealed the following results; 1) In all patients, regional cerebral blood flows were shown decreased over all areas detected. The regional cerebral blood flows could not be increased by 5% carbon dioxide inhalation, suggesting angioparalysis in these areas. 2) Graphical analysis of the clearance curves revealed triphasic flow pattern in rCBF in four cases. In three cases among the four, the intracarotid injection of I-131 MAA showed the radioisotope labelled particles were captured not only in the brain, but also in the lungs and the relative shunt flow calculated increased up to twice as much as normal controls. It indicates that some of the particles larger than the cerebral capillary size passed through the brain and were captured by the capillary net work of the lungs. From the above described data, it might be concluded that the initial rapid component of triphasic flow pattern in rCBF measurement does not represent the hyperemia of luxury perfusion of metabolic origin, but arteriovenous shunting blood flow, probably, through the precapillary thoroughfare channels which have been anatomically demonstrated by Hasegawa et al.