Masahide Takii

Benign and malignant fibrous histiocytomas of the soft tissues. Functional characterization of the cultured cells

Cell cultures were carried out from fresh tumor tissues obtained from seven cases of histiocytic tumors of the soft tissues including four of malignant fibrous histiocytoma, two of benign fibrous histiocytoma, and one of giant cell tumor of tendon sheath. The cultured cells were studied by light and electron microscopy, rosette formation for surface receptors, immune phagocytosis, and enzyme cytochemistry. The culture of each tumor revealed a mixture of histiocyte‐like cells, fibroblast‐like cells, and intermediate forms. Bizarre giant cells were numerous in the early cultures of malignant fibrous histiocytoma, but they were absent in the cultures of benign fibrous histiocytoma and giant cell tumor of tendon sheath. In all the seven cases the cultured cells exhibited several features characteristic of histiocytes: (1) surface receptors for the Fc‐portion of immunoglobulin G; (2) surface receptors for the third component of complement; (3) immune phagocytosis of opsonized erythrocytes; and (4) lysosomal enzymes including α‐naphthyl butyrate esterase, and acid phosphatase. These findings suggest that the histiocytic tumors of the soft tissues in discussion actually comprise the cells that have the functional property of histiocyte. The tumor cells in the surgical specimens presented essentially the same ultrastructural and enzyme histochemical characteristics as those of the cultured cells.

Microbiological and clinical studies with Streptococcus pneumoniae isolated in 5 Kitakyushu municipal hospitals

Epidemiological and microbiological studies were carried out using 200 strains of pneumococci isolated from clinical specimens in 5 Kitakyushu municipal hospitals, between October 1994 and July 1995. Eighty nine percent of pneumococci were detected in the specimens from the respiratory tract. Pneumococci were isolated mainly from infants under 3-years of age and adults over 50-years of age, and the rates of isolation were 40.5% and 39.5%, respectively. MICs of 8 antimicrobial agents, such as PCG, NFLX, CPFX, LFLX, FLRX, TFLX, SPFX, LVFX, were determined using broth microdilution methods. According to NCCLS standard (1997), recovery rates of PSSP, PISP and PRSP were 48.0%, 39.5% and 12.5%, respectively. Among 7 quinolones, TFLX, SPFX and LVFX were effective so far examined, except for a few resistant strains. Four cases in which quinolones resistant pneumococci were isolated were reviewed retrospectively. Among them 3 cases had been given quinolones before the strains were detected.

TWO CASES OF LEFT ATRIAL MYXOMA WITH DIFFERENT FINDINGS AND FEATURES

心臓腫瘍は希な疾患であるが,われわれは最近半年間に臨床所見の互に異なつた2例の左房粘液腫を経験した.何れも超音波診断法により診断し,短期間に外科的に治癒させ得たので報告する.症例1は62才の男性.粘液腫にしばしば見られる血沈亢進,高γ-グロブリン血症を認め,心電図は正常洞調律で,聴診上では僧帽弁狭窄症同然であり,塞栓症の既往を有していた.摘出標本は柔わらかく表面不整の不定形ゼラチン様腫瘍であつた.これに対し,症例2は21才の男性で,血沈, γ-グロブリンともに正常.心電図は心房細動で,聴診上では僧帽弁閉鎖不全症同然であり,塞栓症の合併はなかつた.摘出標本は硬く,球状であり,表面は非常に平滑であつた. 2例共,外来初診時の超音波診断法によつて,拡張期に僧帽弁前尖後方に,異常塊状エコーを認め,収縮期には左房内に帰納する状態が認められた.依つて左房粘液腫と診断した.心音図上特徴的なtumor ejection soundとearly diastolic sound,を認め,それぞれ心尖拍動図のsystolic upstrokeの切痕およびsystolic down strokeの隆起に一致していた.これらの音の発生源を超音波高速度連続撮影法との対比によつて検討した.