Size-dependent immune-modulating effect of amorphous nanosilica particles.

The immune-modulating effect following intradermal injection of various-sized amorphous silica particles was analyzed in terms of induction of ovalbumin-specific CD8+ T cells in vivo. IFN-gamma ELISPOT assays revealed that only nanosilica particles with a diameter of less than 100 nm significantly enhanced CD8+ T cell responses against ovalbumin. These results indicate that the size of nanomaterials is a critical determinant in terms of their safe use.

Surgical treatment of giant left atrium combined with mitral valvular disease. Plication procedure for reduction of compression to the left ventricle, bronchus, and pulmonary parenchyma.

Giant left atrium associated with mitral valvular disease frequently produce postoperative problems with regard to hemodynamical and respiratory management. A new procedure of para-annular and superior plication combined with the conventional right-side plication with trimming of the left atrial wall was devised to relieve compression induced by the giant left atrium. A total of 40 patients with giant left atrium underwent operation. Ten had the valvular procedure only and 30 had the valvular and plication procedures. The plication procedure resulted in a significant decrease in the incidence of low-output syndrome and respiratory failure postoperatively, as well as a marked decrease in mortality. We conclude that the plication procedure is an effective means of relieving compression in the presence of giant left atrium.

Cerebellar ataxia in patients with Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy.

We report the cases of a mother and son with Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON), where a point mutation of mitochondria DNA from guanine to adenine on nucleotide position 11778 was verified. Both also had cerebellar ataxia and dysarthria and in both cases cerebellar atrophies were detected by computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging. It was not possible to elucidate the relationship between LHON and the cerebellar atrophy, but it should be kept in mind that various neurological complications may occur in LHON.

Expression of cellular retinoic acid binding protein in the developing nervous system of mouse embryo.

The expression of cellular retinoic acid binding protein, CRABP, in developing mouse embryos was immunohistochemically analyzed. Differentiating young neurons and neuronal fibers in the myelencephalon, metencephalon, mesencephalon and spinal cord in 10.5- and 12.5-day embryos showed intense expression of CRABP, but undifferentiated cells in the neural tube did not. Neural tissue in 16.5-day embryos expressed less amount of binding protein than the tissues of the younger stages. These expressions of CRABP suggest that retinoic acid participates in neurogenesis at early developmental stages via expression of cellular retinoic acid binding protein.

High-speed counter-current chromatography of apple procyanidins.

Apple procyanidins were separated by high-speed counter-current chromatography using a type-J multilayer coil planet centrifuge. Several two-phase solvent systems with a wide range of hydrophobicities from a non-polar hexane system to polar n-butanol systems were evaluated their performance in terms of the partition coefficient and the retention of the phase. The best separation of procyanidins B and C was achieved with a two-phase solvent system composed of n-butanol-methyl tert.-butyl ether-acetonitrile-0.1% trifluoroacetic acid (2:4:3:8) using the lower phase as a mobile at a flow-rate of 1.0 ml/min.

Ultrasonographic evaluation of cavum septi pellucidi and cavum Vergae.

Cavum septi pellucidi (CSP) and cavum Vergae (CV) are frequently found in premature and mature neonates an autopsy. We examined 116 premature infants, 45 full-term neonates and 31 healthy 1-month-old infants to clarify the incidence of CSP and CV using cranial ultrasonography through anterior fontanelle. CSP was detected in 97% of the premature infants, 56% of the full-term neonates and 29% of the 1-month-old infants. The incidence of CV was 60% in premature infants and 7% in full-term neonates. None of the 1-month-old infants were found to have CV. The size of the largest CSP observed ultrasonographically was 10 mm wide. No complicated pathological cavum was found in any subject.

The use of intravenous immunoglobulin in Miller Fisher syndrome.

We report a patient with Miller Fisher syndrome who was treated with an intravenous high-dose of immunoglobulin. This syndrome is considered to be a benign variety of acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (Guillain-Barré syndrome). However, there have been several reports of the need for ventilatory support and a few cases have had a fatal outcome. We observed a case of progressive Miller Fisher syndrome in a 3-year-old boy. Following 2 episodes of apnea lasting about 50 s each, he was treated with intravenous immunoglobulin (400 mg/kg/day) for 5 consecutive days. His respiratory state, general muscle strength, truncal ataxia and emotional state improved remarkably after this therapy.

Central diabetes insipidus caused by nonspecific chronic inflammation of the hypothalamus: case report.

A case of central diabetes insipidus (DI) caused by non-specific chronic inflammation of the hypothalamus was reported. As the central DI was associated with acute posterior multifocal placoid pigment epitheliopathy with an immunogenic predisposition, and human leukocyte antigen class I antigen A2 and class II antigen DR4 were found, it might be a case of autoimmune reaction.

Dynamic topography of visual evoked potentials and extrageniculate projection in case of Riddoch phenomenon.

A 34-year-old woman showing the Riddoch phenomenon was studied by the technique of dynamic topography of visual evoked potential (VEP). This case had cortical blindness which developed during the process of massive intestinal hemorrhage, shock and surgery. The visual acuity was limited to hand movement, and perception of white and colored light was present, but there was no form recognition. Tracking eye movement for a flashlight was possible and optokinetic nystagmus (OKN) also appeared. CT-scan showed a diffuse low density area in the white matter of the occipital lobe. The VEPs by flash and a checkerboard of 60'-100' were detectable. Dynamic topography of the VEP showed that a strong negative deflection from the brainstem appeared at around 30 msec and this deflection expanded to the parietal region at about 90 msec. Subsequently, a positive deflection extending from the frontal region to the occipital region continued at 100 msec to 150 msec. Such a process of reaction is not observed in the normal subject. These findings suggest that the visual reaction was conducted abnormally through the extrageniculate system; from the brainstem to the parietal area and then to the occipital area.

[Clinical evaluation of cefroxadine in bacterial infections of the eye].

Cefroxadine (CXD) capsules and dry syrup, an oral cephem antibiotic, were administered into 120 cases with ocular infections and the following results were obtained: The daily dose of CXD capsule was ranged from 500 to 1,500 mg and that of CXD dry syrup from 17.9 to 85.7 mg/kg, and the duration of CXD administration was from 2 days to 14 days. Clinical response rates classified by diagnosis The clinical response rates were 77.8% (14/18) in blepharitis, 86.7% (26/30) in hordeolum, 62.5% (5/8) in meibomianitis, 74.6% (44/59) in conjunctivitis, 100% (2/2) in corneal infiltration, 100% (1/1) in cellulitis of the lid, in dacryocystitis and in corneal ulcer, respectively. Clinical response classified by isolated organisms The response rates on S. aureus were 80.0% (20/25), on S. epidermidis 75.8% (47/62) and on S. pneumoniae 66.7% (2/3), respectively. The overall clinical response rate on Gram-positive bacteria was 78.3% (94/120). The response rates on H. influenzae, Acinetobacter spp., P. mirabilis, E. coli and Moraxella spp. were ranged from 42.9 to 100%. The sensitivity distributions of clinically isolated S. aureus and S. epidermidis to CXD were ranged from 1.56 to greater than 100 micrograms/ml and from 0.39 to 12.5 micrograms/ml, respectively. The former showed a peak at 3.13 micrograms/ml and the latter in 1.56 micrograms/ml. Side effects in 3 cases (2.3%) out of 129 were observed. That is; glossitis, thirst feeling and palpitation in each case, respectively.

[Examination on aspirin-induced asthma and hypersensitivity to steroids--a questionnaire to 850 asthma on hypersensitivity to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and hypersensitivity to steroids].

We surveyed 850 patients with bronchial asthma and investigated such clinical features as the frequency of aspirin-induced asthma and hypersensitivity to steroids in the 457 available answers. We divided them into two groups, one was ASN: the asthmatics who had history of hypersensitivity to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, another was non-ASN: the asthmatics who had no history of hypersensitivity to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and compared the two groups. The survey showed that the frequency of ASN was 12.0%. Its frequency rose with the severity of asthma to a level of 29.0% in severe cases. In ASN it was more frequent rates of female, infectious type, severe cases, and ASN had more frequent histories of oral use of steroids, use of ambulance, treatment in emergency rooms, and hospitalization than non-ASN. The serum IgE level was lower in ASN. The patients were 6 in ASN, none in non-ASN who had histories of hypersensitivity to steroids. They were 1.3% in all patients. 5 of 6 had past asthma attack progressived severely by rapid injection of succinate ester steroids and 2 of 6 had past by rapid injection of phosphoric acid ester steroids. In conclusion it was considered that we had to avoid rapid injection of steroids to aspirin-induced asthma and severe cases who were doubtful of aspirin-induced asthma in case of treatment of asthma attack.