Genetic effects on fatty acid composition of carcass fat of Japanese Black Wagyu steers.

Two hundred ninety-three Japanese Black Wagyu steers derived from 34 sires were used to investigate genetic effects on the fatty acid composition of carcass fat. All steers were fed identical diets for 365 d and slaughtered at similar ages. If the percentage of genetic contribution of sire A, B, or C was not lower than 25%, steers were classified into groups A, B, and C, respectively. Fatty acid compositions differed depending on deposit sites. Mean percentage of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) tended to be higher in the outer parts than in the inner parts of the body. Percentage of MUFA in carcass fat was negatively correlated with withers height and BW and positively correlated with meat quality score and marbling score. Fatty acid compositions of the 34 sire groups varied, and mean percentages of MUFA in i.m. fat ranged from 47.71 to 54.77%. Steers in the C group grew larger than those in the A or B group. Mean percentages of MUFA for i.m. fat in the A, B, and C groups (52.83, 51.88, and 50.33%, respectively) differed (P < 0.05) from each other. Steers in the C group had higher (P < 0.05) percentages of saturated fatty acids than those in the A or B groups. Percentages of genetic contribution of sires B (P < 0.05) and C (P < 0.001) were negatively correlated with percentage of MUFA in i.m. fat. These results suggested that genetic factors affected fatty acid composition of carcass fat in Japanese Black Wagyu cattle and that some sires had potent genetic factors affecting this composition.

[A case of cardiac myxoma with multiple brain hemorrhage].

A case of cardiac myxoma with multiple brain hemorrhage is reported. A 57-year-old male had complained of lower abdominal pain, diarrhea and fever for 3 days. On admission, he was in a condition of disseminated intravascular coagulation and sepsis. An abdominal CT scan showed infarction in the right kidney and spleen and an echocardiogram also showed myxoma in the left atrium. Although he presented no neurological symptoms, the brain CT showed multiple brain hemorrhage in the bilateral brain hemispheres. Total resection of the tumor was carried out for the improvement of the patient's general condition. Vimentin, S-100 protein and neuron specific enolase was positive in immunological staining and the pathological diagnosis was myxoma. Postoperative recovery of consciousness was poor and left hemiparesis developed. CT showed the increase of hematoma but angiography showed no cerebral aneurysm. The symptoms improved with conservative therapy. However the enhanced lesion remained in the right parietal lobe and an operation was performed 5 months later. The myxoma cell could not be found in the pathological examination, so tumor embolism, cerebral infarction, hemorrhagic infarction due to DIC, hematoma enlargement caused by heparinization during operation were suspected to have occurred in this order without tumor growth.

[A case of central nervous system anomalies (agenesis of corpus callosum, colpocephaly, hydrocephalus, congenital dermal sinus) associated with congenital heart disease(double-outlet right ventricle, complete endocardial cushion defect, atrial septal defect, pulmonary arterial stenosis, patent ductus arteriosus)].

A case of central nervous system anomalies(agenesis of corpus callosum, colpocephaly, hydrocephalus, congenital dermal sinus) associated with congenital heart disease(double-outlet right ventricle, complete endocardial cushion defect, atrial septal defect, pulmonary arterial stenosis, patent ductus arteriosus) is reported. Female patient had been already diagnosed as hydrocephalus during pregnancy and ventricular drainage was performed soon after the delivery. Prostaglandin E 1 was also applied for heart disease, but saturation of O2 decreased to 80% on arterial blood gas analysis. Blalock-Taussig operation and ligation of ductus arteriosus was done 41 days after the delivery and ventricle-peritoneal shunt was also made for the progressive hydrocephalus on the same day. Chromosome analysis showed no abnormality. The genesis of this complicated brain and heart anomaly is discussed from the viewpoint of neural crest cell abnormality.

Mutagenicity of airborne particulates in Sagamihara City.

Airborne particulates in Sagamihara city were collected on quartz fibre filters using a high-volume air sampler for 14 days in each month from July 1984 to June 1985. Organic components in airborne particulates were extracted by the ultrasonic extraction method using benzene-ethanol (3:1 v/v) as an extracting solvent. The mutagenecities of airborne particulates extract were measured by the pre-incubation method using Salmonella typhimurium strains TA100 and TA98 with and without S-9mix. The concentration of airborne particulates was nearly the same level throughout the survey period, but the content of extract in particulates of winter was higher than those of other seasons. All the airborne particulates extracts showed positive mutagenic response to both strains with and without S-9mix. The average of mutagenic activities (revertants/m3 air) in winter was significantly higher than those in summer and spring. Furthermore, mutagenic activities fluctuated sharply in one month from several to ten times compared with the normal level, depending upon sampling days, and tended to be lower on Sundays and holidays in summer and new year holidays. In many days mutagenic activities without S-9mix were comparatively higher than those with S-9mix. The existence of nitroarene was surveyed using TA98NR strain. Nitroarene was found to be higher concentration in summer than in winter.

Disruption of the blood-brain barrier caused by nonionic contrast medium used for abdominal angiography: CT demonstration.

We describe a case of disruption of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) by nonionic, low osmolality contrast medium after abdominal angiography. One plausible explanation of this event is that acute hypertension during angiography may have increased the BBB permeability, allowing the contrast medium to leak across it.