[An autopsy case of pulmonary metastasis of cholangiocellular carcinoma associated with marked fibrotic change of the lungs].

An autopsy case of pulmonary metastasis of cholangiocellular carcinoma is presented. A 44-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital because of dyspnea, general fatigue and a sense of abdominal fullness on February 5, 1990. In November 1986, at an other hospital, she had been diagnosed as having diffuse metastatic lung tumor and multiple bone metastases, by transbronchial lung biopsy and other examinations.

Chronic sensory and autonomic neuropathy.

A man with sensory neuropathy had evidence of autonomic failure: abnormal pupils, hypohidrosis, esophageal dilation, diarrhea, hypotension, orthostatic hypotension, sphincter disturbance, and impotence. Functional tests revealed abnormalities of both sympathetic and parasympathetic systems, mainly postganglionic. Autopsy revealed degeneration of posterior columns, posterior nerve roots, posterior root ganglia, and peripheral nerves.

Minamata disease (organic mercury poisoning): neuroradiologic and electrophysiologic studies.

We studied 10 patients with Minamata disease (organic mercury poisoning) who have been followed for over 20 years. CT revealed a bilateral, symmetric, low-density area in the visual cortex and diffuse atrophy of the cerebellar hemispheres and vermis, especially the inferior vermis. Computerized quantitative analysis of the tremor of these patients showed a peculiar frequency of 7.

Electrophysiological characteristics of ischemic cardiac cells in hypoxic and hyperkalemic conditions.

The difference in the electrophysiological properties between the subepicardial cells and the subendocardial cells (Purkinje fibers and ordinary myocardial cells) was examined in dogs using a microelectrode technique. The preparations were obtained one hour after coronary occlusion. Immediately after exposure to a hypoxic solution, spontaneous activities could be recorded in neither the subepicardial nor the subendocardial cells.

Effect of lidocaine on conduction within normal and acutely ischemic ventricular myocardium of dogs.

The effect of lidocaine on conduction within normal and acutely ischemic ventricular myocardium was studied in 45 dogs in vivo. By recording pairs of local electrograms from the endocardium and epicardium and by stimulating the ventricle close to one of a pair of electrodes, we measured conduction times in the subendocardial layer (Endo 1-2), in the subepicardial layer (Epi 1-2), and from the endocardium to the epicardium (Endo-Epi). We then estimated the effect of lidocaine on each of them.

The effect of cytochalasin B on the superoxide production by alveolar macrophages obtained from normal rabbit lungs.

Resident alveolar macrophages and lung lavage fluids were obtained from normal rabbit lungs. Superoxide production by alveolar macrophages exposed to lung lavage fluids and cytochalasin B was measured by superoxide dismutase-inhibitable nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) reduction. Glycogen-elicited peritoneal macrophages were used as a control.

Histochemical studies of lysosomal enzyme and nitroblue tetrazolium reduction of phagocytes in the cerebrospinal fluid of patients with infectious diseases of the central nervous system.

Lysosomal enzyme levels and nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) reduction of phagocytes in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of patients with infectious diseases of the central nervous system (CNS) were studied histochemically to evaluate the function of phagocytes. Lysosomal enzymes of acid phosphatase and beta-galactosidase were demonstrated in mononuclear phagocytes and leptomeningeal cells, but not in polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) and lymphocytes. In tuberculous meningitis, more than 60% of the cells were positive for the enzymes as compared with less than 30% for other diseases.