Pregnant JCL-ddN mice were treated with a single oral dose of 150 mg/kg 2-(2-furyl)-3-(5-nitro-2-furyl)acrylamide on day 8, 9, 10, 11 or 12 of pregnancy. Significant increase in embryonic death occurred when mothers were treated on day 8, 9, 11 or 12. Either the mean fetal weight or number of ossified vertebrae was not significantly decreased. Only four malformed fetuses, abdominal hernia, polydactyly, cleft palate and vertebral malformation, were found in the treated and control groups.

View full abstract

Female mice with vaginal plugs (1st day of gestation) were divided into two groups. In the first group (Group I), benzene was injected on 8th and 9th day and in the second group (Group II) on 12th and 13th day of gestation once a day. Each of the two groups was composed of three subgroups. In the first subgroup, mice were injected with 2 ml/kg benzene and in the second subgroup with 4 ml/kg benzene subcutaneously. The third subgroup was used for control. On the 19th day of gestation, mice were sacrificed and their uteri were examined for resorp-tion and implantation sites. Fetuses were weighed and external examination of malformation was performed. Skeletal preparations were also examined. Furthermore, blood samples were obtained from the tail before and after injection of benzene. In this experiment, a significant increase of congenital anomalies could not be observed. However, the dose-response relationship between benzene injected to pregnant mice and the weight gain of fetal body was inversely demonstrated in the case of Group I. In Group II, only the subgroup injected with 4 ml/kg benzene showed a significant decrease of weight gain of fetal body and placenta, and retardation of progress in ossification of the extremities. On the other hand, the unmistakable decrease in white cell counts and hemoglobin content of mother mice was consistent with the decrease of the weight gain of fetal body as a phenomenon among subgroups injected with benzene in both Group I and II.

View full abstract

A developmental posterior ileal fistula is described in a stillborn male fetus with craniorhachischisis and a single umbilical artery. That the fistula represents persistence of an accessory neurenteric canal is discussed. The neural and neurenteric defects are possibly due to abnormal arterial pattern in the caudal half of the body imposed by the single umblical artery.

View full abstract

A female infant was born to a 29-year old woman after a gestation of 42 weeks. Birth weight was 2460 g. The mother had aborted twice previously and one older female child was normal. During the first trimester, the mother had a viral infection, but had received no medication. The parents were not consanguineous. At 3 days after birth, the infant was admitted to Kobe University Hospital with respiratory distress and cleft lip and palate. On physical examination, she was found to have multiple congenital anomalies including cleft lip and palate, haemangioma on the face, sloping and narrowing forehead, low set ears, hypertelorism, micrognathia, rocker-bottom feet and prominent calcaneus. Thumbs overlapped the dorsa of the 2nd and 3rd fingers. Dermatoglyphic findings included high triradii, simian creases, and arch tibial pattern in the hallucal area. Chromosomal analysis of peripheral blood revealed 47 chromosomes with trisomy D : 47, XX, D+. Haematologic data were characteristic of D_1 trisomy. Neutrophils exibited hyperlobulation and nuclear appendage in peripheral blood smears. Starch gel electrophoresis of Hb performed at 40 days of age revealed absence of Hb-A_2. This pattern was similar to that of a normal new-born at 5 days of age. The patient's blood showed increased levels of Hb-F by the alkali denaturation method, and a decrease in P_<50> values and 2, 3-DPG concentrations. The infant died at 42 days of age and autopsy revealed numerous anomalies; holoprosen-cephaly (lobar type), patent ductus arteriosus, a cyst of the thyroid glands, Meckel's diverticulum, and double ureters.

View full abstract