This study was carried out to visualize lead by Timm sulphide silver method and to define lead-induced change of duodenal absorptive cells of rat after administration of 0.01% lead acetate with drinking water. Sprague-Dawley rats, weighing 250g, were used, and they were orally administered with 0.01% sodium acetate and sacrificed at 0.5, 1, 1.5 hours and 2, 7, 15, 30, 45, 60 days after administration. A portion of duodenal tissue was observed under light microscope, scanning and transmission electron microscopes after development with Danscher method. The blood lead concentration in experimental group began to increase from the 2nd day after administration, and it increased gradually until the 45th day and decreased at the 60th day. On light microscope, many brown lead granules were observed at the villi tip at the 2nd day. There is mild blunting of villi tip at the 45th day. At the 60th day, most of the villi were mildly shortened and showed lymphangiectasia. On scanning electron microscope, the villi tip was mildly blunted and the extrusion zone became irregular at the 45th day. The depth of creases did not change. At the 60th day, the villi tip was moderately blunted and the extrusion zone was markedly irregular. The depth of creases increased. On transmission electron microscope, at 0.5 hour after oral administration, numerous lead granules were diffusely scattered and were not confined to any specific microorganelles. The lead granules decreased with time. At the 7th 15th day, the intercellular spaces were widened and several vacuoles appeared and the condensation of mitochondrial matrix. There was also ribosomal detachment from RER, and there was neither secondary lysosomes or post-lysosomes. At the 30th and 45th day, secondary lysosomes appeared and the condensation of mitochondrial matrix with early formation of myelin figures was noted. At the 60th day, the intercellular space widening extended to the upper most portion of the cells, and nonspeciqic degenerative changes became severe. In view of above mentioned findings, it can be concluded that passive diffusion as well as active transport was partly involved in the absorption of lead. Most of the changes of microorganelle are compatible with nonspecific degenerative changes which could occur due to impairment of oxidative phosphorylation.
Rats ; Animals

Allergic contact dermatitis from aroma oils has long been recognized and with increasing frequency. Contact dermatitis of the allergic type of fragrances used for aromatherapy has been reported rarely, and only in patients exposed due to their occupation. We report herein a case of allergic contact dermatitis to aroma oils in an aroma therapist. A 25-year-old woman, an aroma therapist, had been treated with topical steroids under the impression of contact dermatitis. She had had pruritic erythematous maculopapules on the arms extending to the hands for the previous 6 months. Patch tests showed strong reactions to aroma oils(3% fennel and 3% juniper). The skin lesions were cleared after she stopped her job. However, re-exposure to aroma oils caused eczematous lesions repeatedly at the sites previously involved. We predict that increasing popularity of aromatherapy will lead to increasing number of patients developing allergic contact dermatitis from aroma oils. This has to be taken into consideration when testing patients with suspected contact dermatitis.
Adult ; Arm ; Aromatherapy ; Dermatitis, Allergic Contact* ; Dermatitis, Contact ; Female ; Foeniculum ; Hand ; Humans ; Oils ; Patch Tests ; Skin ; Steroids

No abstract available.
Aged* ; Humans ; Nursing Homes* ; Nursing*

2 Cases of primary lymphoma of brain are reported with brief review of literatures. Preoperative CT scans were performed and the correct diagnoses were made by operative biopsy. Initially the tumor masses were located in the periventricular white matter, in both cases. CT scans showed slightly high density areas with homogenous contrast enhancement. After local irradiation, these lesions disappeared completely. But soon after, well circumscribed homogenous contrast enhancing mass lesions recurred in the cerebellum.
Biopsy ; Brain ; Cerebellum ; Diagnosis ; Lymphoma ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; White Matter

No abstract available.
Candidiasis* ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature*

No abstract available.
Humans

PURPOSE AND BACKGROUND: Recently several clinical studies suggested that maternal treatment with magnesium sulfate had protective effects against cerebral palsy in premature infants. But previous studies with differing perinatal animal models resulted in inconclusive results with regard to magnesium neuroprotection. Our purpose was to study the neuroprotective effect of magnesium sulfate and optimal dosage on hypoxicischemic brain damage in the newborn rat. METHOD: Seven-day-old rats(n=68) underwent right carotid ligation, followed by 3 hours of hypoxia(8% oxygen in 92% nitrogen). Rats received magnesium sulfate immediately before and again after hypoxia(two doses, 150mg-600mg/kg/dose, n=39), or saline solution(n=29). Severity of injury was assessed 5 days later, by visual evaluation of ipsilateral hemisphere infarction and by measurement of bilateral hemispheric cross sectional areas. RESULTS: Magnesium sulfate pre-treatment reduced the incidence of liquefactive cerebral infarction and atrophy from 80.8% in controls to 22.2% with magnesium sulfate(450 mg/kg/dose, P<0.05). Quantitation of hemispheric areas confirmed these findings. Percent protection based on inter-hemisphere area differences by pre-treatment with magnesium sulfate 450mg/kg/dose ranged from 71.1%(hippocampus) to 90.8%(striatum). However higher dose of magnesium(600mg/kg/dose) did not attenuate hypoxic-ischemic brain injury in the newborn rat but increased mortality. CONCLUSION: Pretreatment of magnesium sulfate has neuroprotective effects against hypoxia-ischemia in the newborn rat and adequate dose of magnesium sufate is important to protect the brain. Magnesium pretreatment may be an effective strategy to decrease the severity of neonatal hypoxic-ischemic brain injury in the adequate dose.
Animals ; Atrophy ; Brain ; Brain Injuries ; Cerebral Infarction ; Cerebral Palsy ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infant, Newborn* ; Infant, Premature ; Infarction ; Ligation ; Magnesium Sulfate* ; Magnesium* ; Models, Animal ; Mortality ; Neuroprotective Agents* ; Oxygen ; Rats*

Development of the human colorectal cancer is associated with several distinct genetic abnormalities involving both dominant-acting oncogenes (K-ras, c-src) and tumor suppressor genes (APC, DCC, p53) which undergo inactivation or loss. In colorectal tumors, the common molecular alteration is localized in the 17p13 and 5q21 loci encoding the p53 and the APC gene, respectively. The identification of these genes may help the understanding of the pathogenesis of colorectal neoplasia. In order to determine whether the frequency of the genetic alterations varies with sex, age, tumor size, or site, including pathologic parameters, such as degree of differentiation, tumor stage, mucin component, lymphoid reaction, tumor invasion pattern, vein and nerve invasion, lymph node metastasis, and other parameters, such as disease-free survival, distant metastasis and patient outcome, the authors analyzed the loss of heterozygosity (LOH) of the APC and the p53 genes in paraffin-embedded specimens of 48 colorectal cancers by use of the polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism. The results were as follows: the LOH affecting the APC was found in 15 out of 31 (48.4%) heterozygous patients, while the LOH of the p53 locus was observed in 11 out of 26 (42.3%) patients. Among 48 patients, the LOH at both the APC and the p53 loci was observed in five (10.4%) patient. No statistically significant associations were found between the LOH of the APC gene and the proposed parameters. The relationship between the LOH of the p53 and the histologic differentiation, lymphoid reaction was significant (P<0.05), but survival was not correlated. Statistically significant associations were found between overall survival of the colorectal cancer patients and distant metastasis, Astler-Coller stage, lymphoid reaction, invasion pattern, nerve invasion, vein invasion, lymph node metastasis, and disease free survival. The above results suggest that the LOH of the p53 genes could be involved in the progression of colorectal cancers. However, neither the LOH of the APC nor that of the p53 have significant association with survival of the colorectal cancer patients.
Colorectal Neoplasms* ; Disease-Free Survival ; Genes, APC ; Genes, p53 ; Genes, Tumor Suppressor* ; Humans ; Loss of Heterozygosity* ; Lymph Nodes ; Mucins ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Oncogenes ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length ; Veins

This report describes a primary malignant melanoma which developed in the anus, as documented by light microscopy and immunohistochemistry. A 53-year-old woman had a 4 month history of a protruding mass in the anal canal. The mass was located in the squamo-columnar junction of the anal canal, measuring 5.0x4.5 cm. Its cut surface was dark brown and poorly circumscribed. The histologic appearance was characterized by epithelioid or spindle cells with prominant nucleoli and frequent atypical mitosis. Melanin pigments were strongly seen in Fontana-Masson stain. Immunoreactivity revealed that the cytoplasm of tumor cells was strongly positive with antibody directed against S-100 protein, vimentin and it was focally positive with neuron specific enolase.
Female ; Humans

Hemimegalencephaly is an uncommon sporadic congenital malformation of the central nervous system characterized by enlargement of one cerebral hemisphere with cranial asymmetry, hemiparesis, epilepsy, and mental retardation. This report deals with a 12-month-old girl with intractable seizure and developmental delay, who revealed hemispheric asymmetry and enlarged right cerebral hemisphere. MRI scan revealed asymmetric enlargement of right cerebral hemisphere with lissencephaly and multifocal calcification. She underwent right frontal lobectomy and parietal cortical resection, but died of complication of surgery. Histological features included loss of cortical lamination, large atypical neurons, neuronal heterotopia, and astrocytosis with dystrophic calcification. The heterotopic neurons in the white matter were suggestive of aberrant neuronal migration.
Central Nervous System ; Cerebrum ; Epilepsy ; Female ; Gliosis ; Humans ; Infant ; Intellectual Disability ; Lissencephaly ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Malformations of Cortical Development* ; Neurons ; Paresis ; Rabeprazole ; Seizures