Mycobacterium bovis BCG Danish Strain 1331 isolated from a periarticular lesion in a domestic cat.

A 7-year-old male neutered domestic shorthair outdoor cat was referred for chronic left forelimb lameness, which had been treated with intra-articular injections of triamcinolone acetonide. A soft tissue swelling around the elbow joint, extending from the distal humerus to the proximal ulna, was surgically explored and biopsy samples obtained. Mycobacterium bovis was cultured from samples from the soft tissue and bone. The mycobacteria from the media were killed and the DNA extracted and tested on a multiplex real-time PCR for the absence of specific genes and the presence of mycobacterial genus markers. The PCR revealed bacillus Calmette-Guérin Danish Strain 1331; this was also isolated from the prescapular lymph node, muscle and bone, obtained at post mortem examination. Badgers had been vaccinated with the bacillus Calmette-Guérin vaccine SSI (Statens Serum Institute) in the area where the cat lived, in the spring and autumn of the previous year. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first report of infection with M. bovis bacillus Calmette-Guérin Danish Strain 1331 in a domestic cat, potentially associated with annual vaccination of badgers in the proximity of the cat's home.

[A case of neuro-Behçet's disease with numerous hypertrophied and proliferated dendrites in the inferior olivary nucleus].

A 32-year-old man suffering from iritis, erythema, and recurrent oral aphthae showed signs of involvement of the central nervous system for 8 years before his death. Behçet disease was diagnosed. He showed neurologic symptoms, such as facial nerve palsy, gait disturbance, and pathological reflexes, and psychiatric symptoms, such as euphoria, disinhibition, and irritability. Characteristic neuropathologic findings were hypertrophy of the bilateral olivary nuclei with marked hypertrophy and proliferation of dendrites, which have been extremely rare in the reported autopsy cases of neuro-Behçet disease. Most changes were observed in the brainstem. Many microspongionecrotic foci were fused to from glial scars with marked lymphocytic perivascular infiltration. In addition, lesions were found throughout the spinal cord; degenerative changes were found in the lateral corticospinal tract, posterior colum (especially the fasciculus gracilis), and anterior and posterior spinocerebellar tracts. We believe, on the basis of the following neuropathologic findings, that the cause of the olivary pseudohypertrophy with dendritic hypertrophy and proliferation was a denervational process: (1) bilateral red nuclei were intact and (2) bilateral tegmental tracts had degenerated from the lower portion of the pons to the periphery of olivaly nuclei.

[Anesthetic management of caesarean section for the delivery of quadruplets].

Multiple gestation pregnancies are accompanied with risks for both mother and fetuses. Morbidity and mortality of both of them are increased compared with singleton pregnancies. We have presented a case of a 30-year-old parturient with quadruplets. The pregnancy had been complicated by premature labour, anemia, toxemia, coagulopathy, pulmonary congestion and malpresentation. On the 29th week of pregnancy, an elective Caesarean section was scheduled. There is no ideal anesthetic technique for quadruplets. In this case general anesthesia was chosen, because she had coagulopathy. The anesthesia and postoperative course were uneventful. The patient and the four babies had no complication nor sequela on their discharge. The anesthetic considerations for multiple gestation pregnancies were also discussed.

Expression of smooth muscle calponin in synovial sarcoma.

Purpose. Histogenesis of synovial sarcoma remains controversial and reliable molecular markers for diagnosis are necessary. Expression of basic calponin, a smooth muscle differentiation-specific actin-binding protein, was studied in synovial sarcoma.Subjects and Methods. The basic calponin gene and the gene product were analyzed by reverse transcription PCR analysis (RT-PCR) and immunohistochemistry in 14 synovial sarcomas and a human synovial sarcoma cell line (HS-SY-II).Results and Discussion. Immunoreactivity for basic calponin was detected in the cytoplasm of 6 synovial sarcomas (43% positive). In the basic calponin-positive tumors and the HS-SY-II cells, expression for smooth muscle-specific genes, including basic calponin and SM22alpha , was detected by RT-PCR, suggesting a lineage relationship between synovial sarcoma cells and smooth muscle-like mesenchymal cells.Conclusions. A subset of synovial sarcomas expressing the basic calponin gene and the gene product were identified. The basic calponin may have potential utility as a novel molecular marker identifying certain synovial sarcomas.