Congenital diaphragmatic eventration with absent left phrenic nerve in the fetal pig.

We encountered a fetal pig with eventration of the diaphragm and pulmonary hypoplasia accompanied by phrenic nerve agenesis. The fetal pig was female measuring 34 cm in crown-rump length and about 1500 g in body weight. The diaphragm was a complete continuous sheet, but comprised a translucent membrane with residual muscular tissue only at the dorsolateral area of the right leaf of the diaphragm. The left leaf protruded extraordinarily toward the thoracic cavity. The left phrenic nerve was completely absent, while there was a slight remnant of the right phrenic nerve that supplied the dorsolateral muscular area of the right leaf. Both lungs were small, and the number of smaller bronchioles arising from the bronchioles was decreased to about half of that of the normal lung. Additionally, the right and left subclavius muscles and nerves could not be identified. These findings imply that the diaphragm, the subclavius muscle and nerves innervating them comprise a developmental module, which would secondarily affect lung development. It is considered that the present case is analogous to the animal model of congenital eventration of the diaphragm in humans.

Claims made by children in Japan for injuries caused before birth.

In Japan, under Article 721 of the Civil Law 1896, a child who is born disabled is able to file a claim against the person who injured him or her in the mother's womb. On the other hand, there are no legal rights for a stillborn child who died in the mother's womb as it is traditionally considered that a foetus is not a person. Consequently, the parents of a stillborn child are not able to recover damages as administrators for the wrongful death of their child. They are only able to recover damages for pain and suffering related to the stillbirth of their child. This study compares the legal status of a disabled live-birth child and a stillborn child in Japan with those in a similar situation in the U.K. and U.S.A.

Blood storage for forensic hemoglobin analysis using CO-oximeter.

Blood samples need to be stored for forensic examination using CO-oximeter in case immediate analysis is not possible at autopsy, or re-examinations are expected. In this study, we examined the condition for storage (temperature and air contact) to keep the initial values of hemoglobin derivatives unchanged for a long period. Fresh venous blood samples were divided into two groups; one group was stored without air and the other group with air headspace above the sample. The samples of each group were stored at 37 degrees C, room temperature (ca. 20-25 degrees C), ca. 4 degrees C and ca. -20 degrees C, respectively. They were analyzed with the use of CO-oximeter (CIBA-CORNING 270) a number of times during 6 weeks. And changes in the values of oxyhemoglobin (O2Hb), methemoglobin (MetHb), carboxyhemoglobin (COHb), deoxyhemoglobin (HHb) and total hemoglobin (THb) were examined. Also, another group of blood samples which were made high in COHb experimentally were stored without air at room temperature, ca. 4 degrees C and ca. -20 degrees C, and changes in the percentages of COHb of these samples were examined during 6 months. Our results indicated the following: When the purpose of storage is preservation of O2Hb, MetHb, COHb or HHb, storage at ca. 4 degrees C is considered appropriate, which can keep initial values for up to 2 weeks. As far as COHb is concerned, longer (at least 6 months) storage is possible at ca. 4 degrees C. And no contact with air is desirable in these storages. For THb, frozen storage may be best, which keeps the initial values for up to at least 4 to 6 weeks. In conclusion, when blood samples are stored for CO-oximeter analysis, the temperature and the period of storage should be decided according to the durability of each objective hemoglobin derivative.

Wrongful birth claim in Japan.

Wrongful birth claim is generally defined as a claim by the parents of a child born alive but with a disability that a doctor was negligent in permitting the pregnancy to continue to birth. There have been four cases relating to congenital rubella syndrome and one case relating to Down's syndrome held in Japan. The claims brought by the mothers were that, but for the negligence of the doctor in managing the pregnancy, the mother would have had a lawful abortion and the child would not have been born to suffer a disability. As we do not have the provision of foetal indication for abortion in Japan, wrongful birth claim by parents is founded upon a breach of doctors' duty in advising of the probability of a disabled child. We compare the lawful nature of wrongful birth claims in Japan with those in the United States and the United Kingdom.

[A case of positive personal identity of skeletonized remains using lumbar radiograph].

We reported an autopsy case in which premortem and postmortem radiographs of the spine were available for comparison and provided a basis for making an identification. As the elderly often lives alone and has no relatives, one of our tasks is sometimes ascertaining the personal identity of him or her. Osteophytes of the vertebra are valid for establishing a positive personal identification in human remains.