ABSTRACT
The anatomy of the brachial plexus in the common hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius), which has not been previously reported, was first examined bilaterally in a newborn hippopotamus. Our observations clarified the following: (1) the brachial plexus comprises the fifth cervical (C5) to first thoracic (T1) nerves. These formed two trunks, C5-C6 and C7-T1; in addition, the axillary artery passed in between C6 and C7, (2) unique branches to the brachialis muscle and those of the lateral cutaneous antebrachii nerves ramified from the median nerve, (3) nerve fibre analysis revealed that these unique nerve branches from the median nerve were closely related and structurally similar to the musculocutaneous (MC) nerve; however, they had changed course from the MC to the median nerve, and (4) this unique branching pattern is likely to be a common morphological feature of the brachial plexus in amphibians, reptiles and certain mammals.
Subject(s)
Artiodactyla/anatomy & histology , Brachial Plexus/anatomy & histology , Thoracic Nerves/anatomy & histology , Animals , Arteries/anatomy & histology , Female , Median Nerve/anatomy & histology , Musculocutaneous Nerve/anatomy & histologyABSTRACT
The influence of the dialysis membrane and the patients' ages on the development of dialysis osteoarthropathy was studied in 25 patients who had been on hemodialysis for more than 10 years. The patients were dialyzed with cuprophane membranes, and then treated with polyacrylonitrile AN 69. Radiolucent bone cysts (at least 5 mm in diameter in the wrists and at least 10 mm in the shoulders or hips) were evaluated by X-ray and confirmed by CT scan. The patients with bone cysts (N = 9) had been exposed significantly more to cuprophane dialysis and significantly less to AN 69 dialysis than the patients without bone cysts (N = 16). There was no significant difference in the total duration of dialysis between the two groups. The average age was significantly greater in patients with bone cysts than in patients without bone cysts. The severity of the cystic bone lesions correlated positively with the patient's age and the duration of dialysis using cuprophane membranes, and negatively with the duration of dialysis using AN 69. These findings suggest that the development of dialysis osteoarthropathy may be related to both age and the use of cuprophane membranes. Hemodialysis using AN 69 may prevent, or at least postpone the development of dialysis amyloidosis.
Subject(s)
Bone Cysts/etiology , Membranes, Artificial , Renal Dialysis/adverse effects , Adult , Aged , Female , Humans , Male , Middle AgedABSTRACT
A 64-yr-old man presented with diabetes mellitus, proteinuria, hypertension and moderate renal dysfunction. Renal biopsy revealed diabetic glomerulosclerosis (diffuse lesion), IgA nephropathy and membranous nephropathy (stage 2). Both mesangial IgA and subepithelial IgG deposits were demonstrated by immunofluorescence and immunoelectron microscopy. Electron microscopic studies by immunogold method showed localization of IgA (diameter 15nm gold particles) within mesangial dense deposits and IgG (diameter 15nm gold particles) within subepithelial dense deposits. Overlapping IgA and membranous nephropathy was revealed in the same diabetic glomeruli with functional and biochemical alternations.
Subject(s)
Diabetic Nephropathies/pathology , Glomerulonephritis, IGA/pathology , Glomerulonephritis, Membranous/pathology , Diabetic Nephropathies/immunology , Glomerulonephritis, IGA/immunology , Glomerulonephritis, Membranous/immunology , Histocytochemistry , Humans , Immunoglobulin A/metabolism , Immunoglobulin G/metabolism , Kidney/immunology , Kidney/ultrastructure , Male , Microscopy, Immunoelectron , Middle AgedABSTRACT
Left ventricular heat loss was examined by measuring the temperatures in the coronary sinus blood, in the aortic blood, and in the left atrial blood by thermistors. The temperature was highest in the coronary sinus blood, in the aortic blood next, and it was the least in the left atrial blood. However, since the aortic blood flow was naturally higher than the coronary sinus blood flow, the heat loss was larger in the left ventricular cavity than in the rest of the chambers. This heat loss was mostly proportional to the magnitude of the changes of both the arterial blood pressure and the aortic blood flow.
Subject(s)
Body Temperature Regulation , Heart Rate , Ventricular Function , Animals , Aorta, Thoracic/physiology , Atrial Function , Coronary Circulation , Dogs , MethodsABSTRACT
The following changes were noted during pacing-induced angina: The coronary sinus blood flow was less than it was during the control period and less than that in the myocardial ischemic group without induced angina. While myocardial oxygen consumption did not increase, myocardial metabolism became anaerobic. The possibility of myocardial dysfunction also was noted.
