Volume 101  ·   Issue 01  ·  1988

A murine model of acute myocarditis characterized by necrosis and inflammation was induced by injecting BALB/e mice with myocarditic Cox-sackie virus B3m (CVB3m). The incidence of myocarditis was 62.1% (139/224). Kinetic studies revealed a close relationship between virus recovery, host immune responses and myocardial lesions. Viremia appeared on day 2 post infection (pi) and terminated when serum specific antibodies appeared on day 5 pi. Virus was recovered from the myocardimn on day 2 pi and lasted 9 days. Only mild the myocardium. Maximal cardiac lesions appeared on day 10 pi when the viruses had disappeared from the myocardium and serum specific antibodies were ahout undetectable. Spleen T Iymphocyte percentage increased markedly in correspondence with the maximal myocardial lesions. Cardiac lesions began to resolve on day 14 pi while spleen T lymphocyte to resolve on day 14 pi while spleen T lymphocyte percentage normalized to the original level. As there are striking resemblances between this model and acute viral myocarditis in newborns, the model may provide an opportunity for studying the inununo-pathogenesis and treatment of human acute viral myocarditis.

To assess left ventricular (LV) diastolic filling characteristics and nifedipine effects, 22 patients with chronic aortic regurgitation (AR) and 10 control subjects underwent radionuclide ventriculography. LV peak filling rate (PFR) was lower in patients with AR than in normal subjects (1.83±0.51 vs 2.95±0.22 end-diastolic volume/sec, p< 0.01). After administration of nifedipine, PFR increased significantly in AR patients (P<0.01). These findings indicate that chronic AR patients may have abnormal LV diastolic filling which can precede systolic dysfunction, and nifedipine improves LV diastolic function in them.

112 cases of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) were subtyped by cell surface markers and a panel of monoclonal antibodies. All 4 major groups were found: common ALL (C-ALL), Null-ALL, T cell type ALL (T-ALL) and B cell type ALL (B-ALL). Morphological classification and immunological subtyping were also compared. The percentage of different subtypes of ALL was: C-ALL 75%, Null-ALL 13%, T-ALL 10% and B-ALL 2%. ALL prevalence was observed among children aged 1-5 years. Male predominance was noted. T-ALL patients had highest average WBC counts and a high percentage of severe lymphocytosis. Immunological classification seems to improve precision of diagnosis.

Conjoined twins case is a rare abnormality. The most common type of union is thoracopagus which is found in 75% of the cases. Conjoined twins have a sex predilection with 75% being female. A case of conjoined twins was diagnosed with real-time ultrasonic scanner (Linear array model, transducer 3.5 mHz) at the 21st week of gestation. Finally it was shown later by postmortem examination after delivery that concurrent malformation in head, hearts and aorta were present as previously seen on the ultrasonic images.

Forty benign and malignant soft tissue tumors are studied for the presence of S-100 protein by Avidin-Biotin-Peroxidase Complex (ABC). All benign nerve sheath tumors showed strong S-100 protein staining. Most malignant schwannomas stained positively also. S-100 protein was identified in melanocytic tumors and soft tissue chondrosarcoma, staining deeply, but tumors derived from histiocytes and fibroblasts were S-100 protein negative.

Whole blood viscosity (WBV) was measured by NZ-4 type cone-plate viscometer at different shear rates (2,4,10,20,40,100 S-1). Erythrocytc deformability (ED) was measured with a self-made device and domestically produced nuclepore filter (pore diameter 5 μm). ED was determined by erythrocyte filterability index (EFI); smaller parameters of EFI mean increased deformability of erythrocytes. Ligus-trazine was injected into rabbits at 2 mg/kg, it caused a marked decline of WBV but no significant changes in ED were observed. Anisodamine given iv to rabbits at 0.5 mg/kg caused not only decrease in rabbit EFI but also significant decrease in WBV.

This paper reviews 1131 renal biopsies performed in two major regional hospitals in Hong Kong between 1977 and 1986. In 973 cases, diagnosis of glomerulonephritis was made and classified according to the World Health Organisation. IgA nephropathy was the commonest glomerulonephritis with 25.6% of all cases and was characterized by a slight female preponderance and the existence of a nephrotic subset. Lupus nephritis was the second most frequent (18.1%) and the majority of cases showed a severe pathology at the time of biopsy. Minimal change nephropathy ranked third (15%), but it was the commonest glomerular disease in children (33.7%) and the most common cause of nephrotie syndrome. The incidences of mesangiocapillary glomerulonephritis, focal glomerulosclerosis and idiopathic membranous nephropathy were lower than other populations. Patients with glomerular disease showed a significantly higher prevalence of hepatitis B anti-genemia when compared with the general population (21.0%). The pathogenetic implication of hepatitis B virus is discussed.