152 An effective method of inducing oestrus in superovulation-treated Japanese Black donor cows after egg collection

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of inducing oestrus in superovulation-treated Japanese Black donor cows after egg collection using a controlled internal drug release (CIDR) device and prostaglandin F2α treatments. The test animals were 50 biparous or triparous Japanese Black cows that had been treated for superovulation during the period of 75-110 days post-calving and from each of which 10 or more ova or embryos had been recovered using a uterine reflux method. In the 25 cows of the control group that received the conventional treatment, a CIDR was not introduced into the vagina, the number of days from egg harvesting to standing oestrus was recorded, and AI was performed using frozen semen. At the time of AI, 50µg of gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH; Consultan, Aska Animal Health) was administered intramuscularly. The cows that did not conceive in the first AI attempt were again given the same AI and GnRH treatments in the next oestrus cycle. In the 25 cows of the treatment group, a CIDR (CIDR 1900, Zoetis) device was inserted in the vagina after egg harvesting and was kept there for 12 days. At the time of insertion and removal of the CIDR, 150µg of d-cloprostenol formulation (Dalmazin, Kyoritsu Seiyaku) was administered intramuscularly. The number of days from egg harvest to standing oestrus was recorded, and GnRH was administered at the time of AI. The cows that did not conceive in the first AI attempt were given the same AI and GnRH treatments in the next oestrus cycle. The control and treatment groups were compared for the number of days from egg harvesting to oestrus (t-test) and the conception rate after AI (chi-square test). The mean number of days from egg collection to standing oestrus in the control group was 38.6±11.9, and the conception rate was 60% (15/25). Among the animals that failed to conceive in the first AI attempt, the second standing oestrus occurred 60.7±13.1 days after egg collection, and 70% (7/10) of the cows conceived after the second AI. In the treatment group, on the other hand, the mean number of days from egg collection to standing oestrus was 15.8±3.9, and 72% (18/25) of the cows conceived after the first AI. Among the cows that failed to conceive, the second standing oestrus occurred 37.4±4.7 days after egg harvest, and 71% (5/7) of the cow conceived after the second AI. There was a significant difference between the two groups in the number of days from egg collection to the first standing oestrus (P<0.05). The results described above suggest that keeping a CIDR in the vagina for 12 days and intramuscularly administering prostaglandin F2α at the time of insertion and removal of the CIDR in superovulated cows are effective for early onset of standing oestrus after egg collection and thus can reduce the number of days to conception.

195 Effect of feeding a licorice extract to Japanese Black cows on embryo production performance after superovulation treatment

The objective was to determine the effect of feeding a licorice extract that contains glycyrrhizic acid, which is known to have a liver function-enhancing effect, on embryo production performance after superovulation treatment in Japanese Black cows. Japanese Black breed cows (n=136) that had calved 1 to 4 times and had normal uteri as seen by ultrasonography after at least 40 days from the last calving were used as test animals. Animals in the treatment group (n=90) were continuously fed 20g head−1 d−1 of a licorice extract (Kanzou, Fabric Onishi Co. Ltd., Osaka, Japan), with at least 13% glycyrrhizic acid content) once a day, mixed with the formula feed, for 60 to 90 days starting from around the day of calving until ova/embryos were collected. The control group (n=46) received no Kanzou from the day of the last calving until ova/embryo collection. A total of 20 Armour units (AU) of FSH (Antorin R, Kyoritsu Seiyaku Corporation, Kanagawa, Japan) from porcine pituitary was given intramuscularly (IM) twice a day, morning and evening, for 3 consecutive days (decreasing dose schedule: 5 AU×2, 3 AU×2, and 2AU×2) as the superovulation treatment to the cows at 8 to 11 days post-oestrus in both groups. Prostaglandin F2α 25mg and 15mg (IM) were administered in the morning and evening, respectively, on the third day of FSH administration. Artificial insemination was done at 12 and 24h after the start of oestrus, and ova/embryos were collected using a uterine reflux method on Day 7 post-oestrus. The mean numbers of ova/embryos and transferable embryos collected and the mean embryo quality scores (according to the IETS guidelines) in the treatment and control groups were compared by t-test. A chi-squared test was used to compare the proportion of transferable embryos in the 2 groups. There was no significant difference in the mean number of ova/embryos retrieved between the treatment group (21.7±11.8) and the control group (15.8±11.3), although the former tended (P=0.07) to yield more ova/embryos. There was significant difference (P<0.05) in the mean number of transferable embryos collected in the treatment group (13.1±8.3) than in the control group (8.1±5.3). The mean embryo quality score was significantly greater (P<0.01) in the treatment group (1.6±0.4) than in the control group (2.2±0.6). The proportion of transferable embryos in the treatment group (60.3±26.4%) was also significantly higher (P<0.05) than in the control group (51.2±26.0%). In conclusion, feeding a licorice extract to Japanese Black cows for 60 days or longer improves the quality of embryos obtained after superovulation treatment and leads to an increase in the mean number of transferable embryos per cow.

Polymeric immunoglobulin receptor expression and local immunoglobulin A production in bovine sublingual, submandibular and parotid salivary glands

The submandibular and parotid glands are the main sources of immunoglobulins A (IgAs) in human and rat saliva. These glands express the polymeric immunoglobulin receptor (pIgR), which transports IgAs into saliva. The main source of IgAs in saliva and pIgR expression in salivary glands has not been well documented in cattle. Expressions of pIgR were determined in the major bovine salivary glands (sublingual, submandibular, and parotid) by RT-PCR for mRNA and by Western blot analysis and immunohistochemistry (IHC) using an anti-human pIgR antibody for protein. The protein detected with the antibody was identified by nano-liquid chromatography-quadrupole time of flight mass spectrometry. Additionally, the distribution of Ig-producing plasma cells was analyzed by IHC. RT-PCR showed that pIgR was expressed in the sublingual and submandibular glands, but not in the parotid gland. Higher protein levels were observed in sublingual glands than in submandibular glands by Western blot. By IHC, pIgR was mainly located on the apical side of the cytoplasmic membrane in the sublingual gland, whereas it was observed only on the basal side in the submandibular gland. The highest density of plasma cells expressing IgAs was observed in the sublingual gland. These results suggest that the sublingual gland plays an important role in first-line defence of the oral cavity in cattle in contrast to humans and rats.

Short communication: effects of serum obtained from dairy cows with low or high body condition score on in vitro embryo development

The objective of the study was to determine whether the serum obtained from animals differing in body condition score (BCS) affects in vitro embryo development. After in vitro fertilization, serum obtained from dairy cows of either low (L-BCS; 2.1 ± 0.14 on a scale of 1 to 5) or high BCS (H-BCS; 4.0 ± 0.0), or commercially available bovine serum (control) was added at 5% concentration to the in vitro culture medium. Use of serum obtained from H-BCS cows increased the cleavage rates compared with control serum at both 24 and 48 h after in vitro fertilization (78.3 vs. 71.9% and 79.9 vs. 75.1%, respectively), whereas use of serum obtained from L-BCS cows increased the blastocyst rate compared with control serum at 7d (23.8 vs. 19.1%), but this difference was not evident at 8 or 9 d after in vitro fertilization. As nonesterified fatty acid concentrations were highest in control serum, followed by serum from L-BCS and H-BCS cows (621, 559, and 272 μEq/L, respectively), a high concentration of nonesterified fatty acids might adversely affect the very early stages of embryo development, and its negative effects might be greater immediately after fertilization compared with developmental stages after morula formation. Our findings also indicate that factors promoting early stage embryo development do not necessarily promote blastocyst development. Serum obtained from animals under different physiological conditions may be used for in vitro embryo culture to study the effects of nutritional management of dairy cattle on embryo development.

Refinement of Crystallographic Parameters in Refractory Metal Disilicides

The crystallographic structures of seven refractory metal (Ti, V, Cr, Nb, Mo, Ta and W) disilicides with the C11b, C40 and C54 structures have been refined through analysis of single-crystal X-ray diffraction data. Crystallographic parameters refined are lattice constants, atomic parameters and the space group of the C40 disilicides. In most of previous studies, silicon atoms have been considered to locate at the ideal positions so that the refractory metal atoms are perfectly six-fold coordinated in RSi2 layers prevailing in all the three structures. The present analysis shows that the silicon atoms are displaced from the ideal positions. The magnitude of such displacement is found to be closely related to the interatomic distance in these pseudo-hexagonally arranged RSi2 layers. The space group of three of the four C40 disilicides, VSi2, CrSi2 and TaSi2, is determined to be P6422, which is of chirality with respect to that (P6222) assigned in the previous studies.

Hemophagocytic Histiocytic Sarcoma in a Japanese Black Cow

At necropsy, an 11-year-old Japanese Black cow with anemia, leukocytopenia, and progressive hind limb ataxia had marked diffuse splenomegaly and multiple masses in the thoracic vertebrae. Histologically, neoplastic erythrophagocytic histiocytes were in the splenic red pulp, vertebral masses, and blood vessels of the liver and lungs. The spinal cord was compressed by the vertebral masses. Clinicopathological, macroscopic, and histologic findings were consistent with hemophagocytic histiocytic sarcoma. Vertebral involvement with spinal cord compression and resultant hind limb ataxia is an unusual presentation for this tumor, which has been described mainly in dogs and cats.

Epithelioid cells in mediastinal lymph nodes of cattle without cancer

Epithelioid cells are found in lymph nodes in cases of metastatic carcinoma; however, epithelioid cells with benign features have also been discovered incidentally in lymph nodes. Epithelioid cells were observed in mediastinal lymph nodes of cattle without cancer during routine diagnostic necropsy. To explain this finding, the authors evaluated the prevalence and histopathologic, immunohistochemical, and ultrastructural features retrospectively using mediastinal lymph nodes from 110 cattle and found that 66 of the lymph nodes contained epithelioid cells. In all 66 nodes, most of the epithelioid cells were individual or aggregated in nodal sinuses; in 21 nodes, some epithelioid cells formed tubular structures. The individual and aggregated epithelioid cells were mostly considered to be mesothelial in origin by immunohistochemical and ultrastructural examination; presumably, they entered the lymph nodes via lymphatic vessels, because they were found in afferent lymphatic vessels and nodal sinuses. Although the presence of epithelioid cells in lymph nodes prompts suspicion of metastatic carcinoma, the epithelioid cells in these bovine lymph nodes did not disrupt nodal architecture, lacked atypia or mitotic figures, and did not invade nodal parenchyma.

Feeding activated charcoal from bark containing wood vinegar liquid (nekka-rich) is effective as treatment for cryptosporidiosis in calves

The effect of activated charcoal containing wood vinegar liquid (Nekka-Rich) on Cryptosporidium parvum was evaluated in vitro and in vivo. First, the adsorption of C. parvum by the activated charcoal component of Nekka-Rich was examined. When mixed, C. parvum oo-cysts were effectively adsorbed by activated charcoal. Next, the effect of the wood vinegar liquid component of Nekka-Rich was assessed. Wood vinegar liquid had an antiprotozoan activity against C. parvum oocysts. Finally, the anticryptosporidial effect of Nekka-Rich was evaluated in calves experimentally infected with C. parvum. Six neonatal calves at 7 d of age were orally infected with 1 x 10(5) oocysts of C. parvum. When diarrhea was observed (on d 3 after the experimental infection), 3 calves received a milk replacer containing 10 g of Nekka-Rich at 8-h intervals for 4 consecutive days, and 3 control calves were given a milk replacer without Nekka-Rich at 8-h intervals for 4 consecutive days. Calves fed milk with Nekka-Rich showed recovery from diarrhea 1 d after the start of treatment. Significantly less fecal excretion of C. parvum oocysts was observed 1 d after treatment in calves fed Nekka-Rich. On d 2 from the beginning of treatment with Nekka-Rich (on d 5 after the experimental infection), oocysts were not isolated from fecal samples. On the other hand, nontreated control calves developed severe diarrhea, and fecal excretion of oocysts was consistently observed. Calves in both groups were killed for collection of samples, which were subjected to scanning electron microscopy. Scanning electron microscopy revealed adherence of C. parvum oocysts to the intestinal epithelial surface of nontreated control calves, whereas a lack of C. parvum adhesion was observed in calves fed Nekka-Rich. These results suggest that Nekka-Rich would be useful for the treatment of cryptosporidiosis in neonatal calves.

A new method for detecting the abomasal position and characteristics of movement at the onset of the left displacement of the abomasum in cows

A new method has been developed by us to observe the movements of the abomasum by using a magnet and digital magnetometer. Four cows with left displacement of the abomasum underwent conventional correction by rolling without tacking. A doughnut-type magnet was sutured to the pyloric region in a routine operation. The same was done in three control cows. The position of the pyloric region was observed with a digital magnetometer from outside the cow's body. The magnets in the pyloric region of the control cows were located at the right side of the abdominal cavity at 10-30 cm anterior to the udder base, and moved slightly in various directions within the span of a day. On the other hand, the magnets in the pyloric region of cows with abomasal displacement moved widely in the abdominal cavity from the normal right side to the abnormal left front side. A large movement of the magnet from the normal right side to the abnormal left side of the abdominal cavity was observed within 12 h of the onset of abomasal displacement.

Dose response to vaginal administration of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 to cows

It was previously reported that intravaginal (IVAG) administration of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D(3) (1,25(OH)(2)D(3)) might be protective against bovine hypocalcaemia. In the present study, various doses of exogenous 1,25(OH)(2)D(3) were administered IVAG to ovariectomised cows, and the subsequent changes in the biochemical parameters of the blood were measured to assess the characteristics of vaginal absorption. Five cows received 1,25(OH)(2)D(3) IVAG at a dose of 0.125, 0.25, 0.5, or 1.0microg/kg of body weight (BW) or intravenously at a dose of 1.0microg/kg BW. Dosing was at intervals of at least two weeks in a 5x5 Latin square design. Vaginally administered 1,25(OH)(2)D(3) was absorbed in a dose-dependent manner. There was no correlation between the IVAG dose of 1,25(OH)(2)D(3) and subsequent changes in plasma calcium concentrations. The bioavailability of 1,25(OH)(2)D(3) administered IVAG at 1.0microg/kg BW was approximately 93%.

Technical Note: Vaginal Absorption of 1,25(OH)2D3 in Cattle

Although exogenous 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 [1,25(OH)2D3] administered via intravenous, intramuscular, and oral routes has been tested for efficacy in preventing parturient hypocalcemia in dairy cows, there are few reports concerning intravaginal administration. For this study, 1,25(OH)2D3 was administered via the bovine vaginal lumen, and subsequent changes in blood chemistry, including levels of 1,25(OH)2D3 and several minerals, were measured to confirm vaginal absorption. Each of 5 heifers received a single intravaginal dose of 1 microg of 1,25(OH)2D3/kg body weight; a single control heifer received the ethanol carrier alone. In heifers receiving 1,25(OH)2D3, the plasma 1,25(OH)2D3 levels increased markedly from baseline (88.3 +/- 20.3 pg/mL) within 2 h and reached a peak at 6 h after treatment (1967.4 +/- 1139.6 pg/mL). Plasma Ca levels increased from baseline (10.4 +/- 0.4 mg/dL) to a peak of 11.96 +/- 0.7 mg/dL at 24 h. The levels of inorganic phosphate in plasma increased over time from 7.3 +/- 0.5 to 8.1 +/- 0.8 mg/dL by 6 h and were maintained at a plateau level (9.1 +/- 0.7 to 8.6 +/- 0.6 mg/dL) from 24 to 96 h after treatment. Plasma magnesium decreased from a baseline level of 2.1 +/- 0.1 mg/dL to a plateau level of 1.8 +/- 0.1 mg/dL, which was sustained from 24 to 48 h after treatment. The present study provides evidence of the absorption of exogenous 1,25(OH)2D3 from the bovine vaginal wall, as shown by the marked elevation of plasma 1,25(OH)2D3 levels by 2 h after administration, and indicates the possible utility of intravaginal administration of 1,25(OH)2D3 for prophylaxis of hypocalcemia.

Classification of abomasal displacement in cows according to histopathology of the liver and clinical chemistry

Histopathological features of livers and blood chemical values in cows with abomasal displacement were investigated. Liver biopsy samples were collected during redressment operations in 92 cows with abomasal displacement, and the samples were stained with haematoxylin and eosin or periodic acid Schiff (PAS). Blood was collected for chemical tests. Livers were histopathologically divided into the following four types: normal histology cases (21%), fatty degeneration cases (36%), cloudy swelling cases (19%) and fatty degeneration cases with cloudy swelling (24%). The number of PAS-positive samples was significantly higher in the normal histology group and significantly lower in the severe fatty degeneration group and severe cloudy swelling group. Cows with fatty degeneration had significantly higher levels of serum 3-hydroxybutyric acid, non-esterified fatty acid and aspartate aminotransferase than did those with cloudy swelling or normal histology. The results indicate that the morbid conditions of cows with abomasal displacement can be classified into four types.

Changes of immunological response after experimentally ozonated autohemoadministration in calves

Changes in subsets of peripheral blood mononuclear cells and lymphocyte blastogenesis reaction were observed after ozonated autohemoadministration (OAHA) in calves. Ten healthy calves were used in this study. After OAHA, CD8+ cells, CD14+ cells and WCl+cells increased (p<0.05). The level of lymphocyte blastogenesis stimulated by PHA decreased after OAHA. A significant increase in serum IL-6 activity was observed in OAHA calves. These results suggested that OAHA induced immunological changes in calves.

Relationship between serum TNF activity and insulin resistance in dairy cows affected with naturally occurring fatty liver

To clarity the relationship between tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and insulin resistance in dairy cows affected with fatty liver, naturally occurring cases were investigated. The affected cows were classified into following three groups according to histopathologic findings of the liver: mild fat droplet deposition (group 1; n=11), severe fat droplet deposition (group 2; n=10), and cloudy swelling (group 3; n=8). Serum TNF activities in Group 2 (8.67 +/- 2.16 U/ml) and Group 3 (11.65 +/- 1.92 U/ml) were significantly higher than that in Group 1 (3.57 +/- 0.81 U/ml) (p<0.05). The insulin-tolerance tests showed that the insulin-stimulated glucose disposal rates (GDR) in Group 2 (27.6 +/- 7.8%) and Group 3 (15.8 +/- 9.1%) were significantly lower than that in Group 1 (41.7 +/- 9.8%). There was a significant negative correlation between serum TNF activity and GDR in affected cows (r=-0.56, p<0.01). These results indicate that serum TNF activity is correlated with insulin resistance in cows with fatty liver.

Inflammatory cytokines and antigen-responsive mononuclear cells in peripheral blood of cattle infected with Salmonella takoradi

To determine the immunological response in lactating dairy cows infected with Salmonella (S.) Takoradi, the relationships among distributions of peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) subpopulations, endotoxin concentrations and dynamics of inflammatory cytokines in blood were investigated. The ratio of CD4+ T cells to CD8+ T cells was significantly lower in the affected cattle than in the control cattle (p<0.05) to decrease in the number of CD4+ T cells in the infected cattle. In contrast, the numbers of gammadeltaT cells, MHC class II-positive cells were significantly higher in the affected cattle than in the control cattle (p<0.01 respectively). Endotoxemia was found in all but one of the affected cattle. Serum IL-1 and IL-6 bioactivities were significantly higher in the affected cattle than in the control cattle (IL-1, p<0.05; IL-6. p<0.01). Serum TNF-alpha activities and levels were not detected in the control and affected cattle. The activities of proinflammatory cytokines determined by the bioassay are important to the relationships between concentration of endotoxin, cytokines and clinical signs. such as leukocytosis, leukopenia, fever or bacterial shedding. Serum IL-2 levels were lower in the affected cattle than in the control cattle. Serum IFN-y was not detected in the affected cattle except one. These results by the ELISA seemed to reflect the condition of subpopulation in the PBMCs from the shedding cattle. The present results suggest that cellular immunity is suppressed while the humoral immunity is activated in acute bovine salmonellosis.

Acute phase response in naturally occurring coliform mastitis

Changes in the activities of serum cytokines and in acute phase response were observed in dairy cows with naturally occurring coliform mastitis. Seven cows with severe mastitis showed systemic and mammary inflammatory response throughout the observation period, and 11 cows with mild mastitis recovered and were able to be milked within 3 days of onset of mastitis. Serum interleukin (IL)-I and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) activities were higher in the severe group than in the mild group at the first appearance of symptoms. Elevated IL-1 activity was evident in the severe group throughout the observation period. Serum alpha-1-acidglycoprotein (alpha1AG) concentration began to rise with the beginning of mastitis in the severe group, and peaked at 9 days. Serum haptoglobin (Hp) concentrations peaked at 3 days, and decreased gradually after 3 days in the severe group. These results showed that there are dynamic changes in serum IL-1 activity and in serum alpha1AG and Hp concentrations in cows with severe coliform mastitis.

Ankle arthrodesis in rheumatoid arthritis using an intramedullary nail with fins

We describe an intramedullary nail with fin-like longitudinal ridges that we have developed for arthrodesis of the ankle in rheumatoid arthritis. Four fins with sharp tips were attached to the distal part of a cylindrical nail to stabilize the tibiotalar and subtalar joints. We used this nail in 15 feet of 15 patients with rheumatoid arthritis who were followed for an average of 34.9 months. Postsurgery, 13 patients were allowed to bear weight immediately, as tolerated, without immobilization. By 3 weeks, these patients were able to bear weight fully. Solid fusion of the ankle joint in an acceptable position and good clinical results were obtained in all patients. The only complications were two cases of delayed wound-healing.

Characteristics of blood chemical parameters in male and female quails

The sexual difference in blood chemical tests and the correlation among these tests were investigated in 40 male and 40 female quails. Significant intersex differences were observed in serum total protein, total cholesterol, triglyceride, calcium, phosphorus, uric acid and glucose levels but not in alkaline phosphatase and aspartate aminotransferase levels. In the female quails, many of the blood chemicals that showed a significant sexual difference were strongly correlated with each other.

Comparative analysis of blood chemical values in primary ketosis and abomasal displacement in cows

Blood chemical values, including ketone bodies, were measured in 25 cows with abomasal displacement (displacement group), 16 cows with primary ketosis (ketosis group), and nine normal controls to investigate the pathophysiology of abomasal displacement. Increases in aspartate aminotransferase, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase, non-esterified fatty acid (NEFA), and ketone bodies (3-hydroxybutyric acid and acetoacetic acid) were observed in the displacement and ketosis groups. Total cholesterol increased significantly in the ketosis group but decreased in the displacement group. Glucose was significantly low and reversely correlated to ketone bodies in the ketosis group but was not low and was not correlated with ketone bodies in the displacement group. While NEFA was correlated to ketone bodies in the ketosis group, it was not in the displacement group. A correlation between the values of acetoacetic acid and 3-hydroxybutyric acid was seen in both the ketosis and displacement groups. The fact that blood chemical values in ketosis cows were clearly different from those in displacement cows suggest that the biochemical mechanism of ketogenesis is different between these two groups.

Detection of interleukin-1 beta in sera and colostrum of dairy cattle and in sera of neonates

In order to obtain basic information about bovine interleukin-1 (IL-1 beta), levels of IL-1 beta in sera and milk of clinically normal mature Holstein cattle before and after parturition and in sera of newborn calves were examined by ELISA. The level of IL-1 beta was undetectable in sera of mature cattle around the time of artificial insemination, but the concentration gradually increased and reached a peak at parturition and then decreased again to an undetectable level. IL-1 beta in milk was detected on the day of parturition but not thereafter. IL-1 beta mRNA was detected by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction in the cells from milk collected during 20 days before and 2 to 3 days after parturition, but was not detected thereafter. Although IL-1 beta was not detected in all the sera of newborn calves, the concentration transiently increased with peak titers on day 3 and became undetectable by day 14 after birth. Newborns that showed serum IL-1 beta on day 3 had been fed on colostrum in which the IL-1 beta concentration was significantly higher than that in colostrum that had been fed to newborns having no detectable IL-1 beta on day 3. These results indicate that IL-1 beta is induced in association with pregnancy in healthy dairy cattle and that the cytokine might be transferred to neonates via colostrum.

Metabolic alkalosis in coliform mastitis

Values of blood gas, serum chloride, and potassium were tabulated for 21 dairy cows with coliform mastitis. Severe cases showed marked clinical signs such as loss of appetite and depression of digestive tract motility, and metabolic alkalosis such as an increase in blood pH, hypochloremia and hypokalemia compared with normal and mild cases (p < 0.01). The results showed that metabolic alkalosis can be detected more easily than acidosis in cases of severe coliform mastitis.

Intra-operative monitoring by facial electromyographic responses during microvascular decompressive surgery for hemifacial spasm

The facial electromyographic response was monitored intraoperatively in 40 patients with hemifacial spasm who were operated on by microvascular decompression of the facial nerve. All 40 patients showed an abnormal facial electromyographic response (lateral spread response) with a latency of about 10 msec after stimulation. The abnormal response resolved before decompression in 22, resolved immediately with decompression in 16, and failed to resolve in two. Of the 38 patients in whom the abnormal response disappeared during surgery, 36 were postoperatively free from hemifacial spasm and two had mild hemifacial spasm. The two patients in whom the lateral spread response did not disappear during surgery showed persistent hemifacial spasm. In conclusion. Disappearance of the lateral spread response during surgery correlated with the absence of hemifacial spasm in the early postoperative period. The prognosis of hemifacial spasm was good in cases in whom the lateral spread response disappeared. Therefore, the authors think that intra-operative facial electromyography is very useful in assessing the efficacy of microvascular decompression and in predicting the prognosis of hemifacial spasm.

Improvement in rheumatoid arthritis following application of an extracorporeal granulotrap column, G-1

Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) showed significantly (P < 0.01) increased numbers of granulocytes in their peripheral blood compared with normal donors and patients with osteoarthritis, and this finding correlated with interleukin-6 and C-reactive protein levels and active joint score. Then, 17 patients with RA were treated eight times in 4 weeks with a newly developed extracorporeal granulotrap column containing cellulose acetate beads (G-1 column). This column reduced granulocytes in the outflow blood by 50.2% compared with inflow counts. To evaluate the efficacy of G-1 therapy, 17 patients were followed for 12 weeks from the beginning of this therapy. The modified Lansbury index (LI) for monitoring RA activity significantly improved from a pretreatment mean score of 60.8% to a posttreatment score of 51.3%. The lowered scores were maintained up to 12 weeks after the initiation of therapy. Of the four LI items, tender and swollen joint scores showed the most significant improvement, with the tender joint score showing a particularly significant decrease throughout the study period. No serious side-effects were observed. These findings suggested that G-1 therapy was effective for RA.

Peripartum heart disease in cows

Thirteen Holstein dairy cows aged 5.1-10.6 years died or were killed as a result of severe illness during the peripartum period, associated with lateral recumbency, moaning, tachycardia and dyspnoea. They were all high milk producers (> 9000 kg/year) and had experienced at least three pregnancies. The average duration of the clinical course was 2.5 +/- 1.7 days. Electro-cardiography revealed marked tachycardia associated with atrial fibrillation or atrioventricular dissociation. Serum clinical chemistry showed severe hypocalcaemia (3.6 +/- 1.3 mg/dl) and at necropsy multifocal myocardial necrosis was invariably found. Myocardial necrosis was accompanied by neutrophilic and mononuclear cellular infiltrates with interstitial fibrosis. The cause of this lesion was not established.

[Prognosis and outcome of rheumatoid arthritis--10 to 16 years of anti-rheumatic therapy]

One hundred twenty-eight rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients were followed up over a long period of time (mean, 13.3 years; range, 10-16 years) in order to determine the role of pharmacotherapy in RA. Patients were aged 48.2 years on the average (23-79 years) and the mean RA duration was 7.8 years (0-58 years) upon initial visit to this unit. Although pharmacotherapy was effective in improving Lansbury's activity index and ESR, articular bone and cartilage destruction and functional impairment progressed gradually, resulting in the need for total hip, knee or ankle arthroplasty in 46 (96 joints) of the 128 patients. This finding indicates that current pharmacotherapy for RA has limitations in that it cannot completely prevent joint destruction and resulting functional impairment. This suggests that new therapeutic modalities, including new drugs, are necessary. Efforts were also made to determine factors which affect the prognosis of RA. The prognosis seemed pessimistic in RA patients with high activity and rheumatoid factor (RAPA) levels, long duration of illness, high Larsen scores and advanced functional impairment at the time of initial active therapy. It appeared necessary to maintain Lansbury's activity index at 30% or below in order to obtain a good prognosis.

Selective induction of IgM rheumatoid factors by CD14+ monocyte-lineage cells generated from bone marrow of patients with rheumatoid arthritis

OBJECTIVE

To determine the capacity of CD14+ monocyte-lineage cells induced from bone marrow of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients to stimulate the production of IgM rheumatoid factor (IgM-RF), in order to explore the functional abnormalities of CD14+ cells and gain insight into the mechanism of selective synthesis of IgM-RF in RA.

METHODS

CD14+ cells were induced by granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) stimulation of CD14- cells purified from bone marrow cells obtained from 6 RA patients and 6 osteoarthritis (OA) patients. The production of IgM and IgM-RF was induced by stimulating B cells from normal healthy individuals with immobilized anti-CD3-activated autologous CD4+ T cells. The effects of CD14+ cells on the proportion of IgM-RF to total IgM produced by the normal B cells were assessed.

RESULTS

CD14+ cells induced by GM-CSF stimulation of bone marrow CD14- cells from the 6 RA patients significantly enhanced the proportion of IgM-RF to total IgM produced by anti-CD3-activated CD4+ T cell-stimulated normal B cells (P < 0.05), whereas GM-CSF-induced CD14+ cells from the bone marrow of the 6 OA patients did not significantly affect IgM-RF production. CD14+ cells induced by GM-CSF obtained from different sites in the same RA patient on different occasions consistently enhanced the proportion of IgM-RF to IgM produced by B cells from different normal subjects.

CONCLUSION

These results indicate that abnormal CD14+ monocytes stimulate RF-producing B cells to be ready to be activated by the signals delivered through noncognate T-B interactions with anti-CD3-activated T helper cells. Moreover, the data suggest that the accelerated generation of such functionally abnormal CD14+ cells from bone marrow precursors might play an important role in the pathogenesis of RA.

[Proton MR spectroscopy in patients with unilateral temporal lobe epilepsy]

The authors assessed proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) in patients with unilateral refractory temporal bole epilepsy. The subjects consisted of 20 patients (those with brain tumors, trauma, malformations or definite organic lesions were excluded) and 10 normal volunteers. 1H-MRS and MRI were performed using a 1.5 tesla machine. 1H-MRS was achieved using point-resolved spectroscopy (PRESS) or the stimulated echo acquisition mode (STEAM), and a 3 x 3 x 3 cm volume of interest was positioned at the hippocampus. N-Acetyl-aspartate (NAA) and choline-containing substance (Cho) signals were evaluated. The results showed decreased NAA and elevated Cho or asymmetry of both NAA and Cho in the epileptogenic focus in 19/20 cases. The reductions in NAA presumably reflect neuronal loss, while the elevation of Cho probably represents membrane break down within the lesion. These abnormalities were observed in 19/20 cases (95%), whereas abnormal magnetic resonance imaging was detected in only 6/20 (30%) of the patients. Thus, 1H-MRS appears to be a useful, non-invasive modality for evaluating metabolic changes in epileptogenic foci, and these metabolic changes can serve as a more sensitive indicator than magnetic resonance imaging.

[Preliminary report of radical multiple synovectomy in rheumatoid arthritis]

We performed radical multiple synovectomy (RaMS) on rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients who had multiple swollen joints in the mid or late course of RA. The objectives of this operation are to reduce the quantity of RA synovium as much as possible and to increase the efficacy of anti-rheumatic medication in order to achieve remission.2+ Nineteen RA patients who underwent RaMS were followed up for at least 15 months. In this series, anti-rheumatic medications were not changed after the operation, so that the effectiveness of the RaMS could be evaluated. The patients ranged in age from 44 to 73 years (mean: 55.8 years). The male to female ratio was 2:17. Duration after onset of RA ranged from 2 to 29 years (mean: 15.1 years). The swollen joint score according to Lansbury's evaluation of the RA activity index ranged from 7 to 24% (mean: 14.4%). The synovectomized joint score ranged from 7 to 22% (mean : 13.3%). The weight of the excised RA synovium ranged from 19.0 to 109.9 g (mean : 54.0 g). The number of operations was one in three patients, two in 15 patients and three in one patient. The postoperative results indicated that the modified Lansbury's index (morning stiffness, grip power, ESR, joint score), the values of ESR, CRP, Hb, TNF-alpha and IL-6 in the blood, and the peripheral lymphocyte CD4/CD8 ratio were improved, with a statistically significant difference. At 15 months after the operation, ten of the 19 patients (52.5%) satisfied the proposed criteria for clinical remission of RA.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) of ruptured cerebral aneurysm

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the high resolution magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) as pre-operative angiography for the detection of ruptured cerebral aneurysms. MRA was performed on 1.5 tesla system using the 3-dimensional time of flight (3D-TOF) method. The field of view was 16 cm or 20 cm and matrix size was 192 x 256 or 256 x 512. Twenty patients with ruptured cerebral aneurysms and 35 cases of non-ruptured aneurysms (incidental aneurysm) examined by both conventional angiography and MRA were included in this study. All the ruptured aneurysms were operated on based on the information obtained from conventional angiography and MRA. Aneurysms smaller than 3 mm in size were difficult to visualize on MRA. However, most ruptured aneurysms were clearly visualized because they were generally larger than 3 mm. The image quality of MRA was satisfactory for planning surgery. Screening for non-ruptured cerebral aneurysms using MRA is controversial. However, in ruptured aneurysms larger than 3 mm in size, MRA clearly revealed the aneurysm, and MRA findings were informative enough to plan surgery. It is concluded that this noninvasive examination can be selected as a first-choice examination especially in cases of ruptured aneurysm.

Cerebral metabolic changes in delayed carbon monoxide sequelae studied by proton MR spectroscopy

The pathogenesis of delayed sequelae of carbon monoxide (CO) exposure is still unknown. We repeatedly examined a 55-year-old woman with the interval form of CO poisoning, using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS). When the clinical picture was severe, MRS revealed markedly lowered N-acetyl-aspartate (NAA)/creatine and phosphocreatine (Cr) ratio and slightly increased choline containing compounds (Cho)/Cr ratio. Subsequently, NAA and Cho/Cr ratio tended to return to normal, reflecting clinical improvement. Proton MRS shows the previously unrecognised neuronal activity in CO poisoning and precisely reflects the severity of symptoms. We stress the superiority of proton MRS over the conventional radiological examinations in CO poisoning.