Eight hundred and twenty-eight human cervical lymph nodes removed from 284 cases of radical neck dissection were studied for the occurrence of intranodal thyroid gland tissue.

Intranodal thyroid gland tissues were found in 13 lymph nodes from 11 cases. The occurrence of intranodal thyroid gland tissues tended to be more frequent in the lymphonodi cervicales profundi than in the lymphonodi submandibulares and lymphonodi cervicales superficiales. Histopathologically, the intranodal thyroid gland tissues in 9 from 11 cases were similar to normal thyroid gland tissue and were surrounded partially by a thin layer of fibrous connective tissue. There were no papillary structure of follicular epithelia, calcific particles in interstitial tissue and fibrosis. The intranodal thyroid gland tissue in 2 cases showed hyperplastic appearance with cellular atypism with or without interstitial fibrosis; however, primary carcinoma could not be found pathologically and clinically in the thyroid glands of these cases. Thyroglobulin, triiodothyronine and thyroxine were demonstrated by immunohistochemical methods slightly or moderately positive in the intranodal thyroid gland tissues from about half of the cases, and localization of these thyroid hormones was similar to that in normal thyroid gland tissue.

The results of the present examination suggest that the intranodal thyroid gland tissues originate from ectopic in nature or so-called benign metastasis of the normal thyroid gland tissue, since the histopathological and immunohistochemical appearances were similar to those in normal thyroid gland tissue. The importance of intranodal thyroid gland tissue lies in discrimination from metastatic thyroid follicular carcinoma in order to avoid thyroidectomies and additional neck dissections.

Neck node metastases in 32 patients were treated by hyperthermia in combination with irradiation. Hyperthermia was administered regionally with a microwave of 2.45 GHz, once or twice a week. Irradiation was delivered in 2 Gy fractions a day for 5 days a week with dose ranging from 20 to 80 Gy. Hyperthermia was begun within 60 minutes following irradiation. Most of the patients were treated with 42.5℃ for 60 minutes.

Of 32 lesions, 4(12.5%) had a complete regression,16(50%) apartial regression (PR) and 12 (37.5%) no regression, when the tumor response was assessed by tumor size measurement. The responses did not vary significantly with the histologic category. It seemed that combined therapy resulted in improved initial control rate, but produced no benefit to long-term survival of the patients. Malignant cells were not detected by histopathologic examination in 3 of 4 PR cases who underwent neck dissection following thermoradiotherapy. The tumor regression following this therapy did not correlate with the histologic features.

No abnormal reactions appeared in the areas that were treated by the combined treatment, except reactions commonly seen in areas that were treated by irradiation.

To determine the action of the slime protease as a pathogenic factor in Staphylococcus epidermidis infection, the effects of purified slime protease obtained from S. epidermidis on experimental infection in mice and on bactericidal activity of neutrophil in vitro were examined. A slime producing strain of S. epidermidis was more virulent than a slime non-producing strain. The virulence of slime producing S. epidermidis was reduced by washing. The lethality of slime non-producing S. epidermidis was intensified by treatment of mice with purified slime protease of S. epidermidis in mice, and the viable cell count in mice after 48 hr treatment with purified slime protease was higher than that in mice untreated with the enzyme. Furthermore, purified slime protease from S. epidermidis inhibited the bactericidal activity of neutrophil in vitro. These results suggest that S. epidermidis slime protease may be one of the pathogenic factors involved in S. epidermidis infection.

We evaluated optochin sensitivity test as a method for identification of Streptococcus pneumoniae. Four hundred thirty-three strains isolated from various clinical specimens were α-hemolytic, gram-positive streptococci and were sensitive to optochin disk The screening of optochin (5μg/ml) was performed on bile soluble strains which were identified as S. pneumoniae. Then, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) to optochin determind for optochin-resistant S. pneumoniae. The susceptibility test on isolated S. pneumoniae was performed 31 antimicrobial agents. Out of 433 optochin disk (5μg) sensitive strains, 398 strains were bile soluble and 35 strains were nonsoluble. These 35 strains were identified as 2 of S. sanguis Ⅰ , 1 of S. mutans, 2 of S. salivarius, 28 of S. mitis and 2 of S. anginosus by the Minitek system. While bile soluble 398 strains consisted of 311 optochin-sensitive strains and 67 optochin-resistant strains. MIC of optochin for the 67 strains ranged from 6.25 to 200 over μg/ml, and was MIC≧50μg/ml for 38 of these 67 strains. In identification of S. pneumoniae, bile solubility test shoud be used with optochin test. In the colonies of optochin-resistant S. pneumoniae, smooth and rough type colonies occupied the major portion but mucoid type colony was rare. All strains were highly susceptible to penicillins and cephems, but MIC of macrolides, lincomycins and tetracy-clines ranged widely (0.0063-200μg/ml) and a large number of strains were resistant to these antimicrobial agents. In addtion, optochin-resistant S. pneumoniae showed higher MIC than optochin-sensitive S. pneumoniae in susceptibility test of S. pneumoniae to 31 antimicrobial agents.

To assess the clinical value of quantitative densitometric analysis of the trabecular bone, sliced sections of adult dry human mandible and its X-ray photographs were compared. The following results were obtained.

1. Using the X-ray photographs of 21 mandibles, the trabecular bones were classified into three categories; coarse, moderate and fine (dense), each having a distinctive feature.

2. The X-ray photograph for each category was scanned by a microdensitometer. The area corresponding to the trabecular bone was recognized as the peak of the density curve, and the number of peaks per unit length increased with an increase in density.

3. From the cross section of the corpus mandibulae, the ratio of the trabecular area to the cross sectional area (excluding the cortical parts of the corpus mandibulae) was calculated. The ratios in the coarse, moderate and fine specimens were 0.240, 0.499, and 0.492, respectively. There were no differences between the moderate and fine specimens. Since the density of the trabecular bone increased in accordance with an increase in the width of the corpus mandibulae, this suggested that if the ratios of the trabecular bones were equivalent, the mandibulae having a larger width would have a finer (denser) trabecular structure.

In conclusion, it was possible to estimate the density of the trabecular bone in relation to the thickness of the corpus mandibulae by intraoral dental roentgenography.

To study the relationship between the sympathetic nerve and catecholamine in blood pressure mainntenance, we gave normotensive rats a single intraperitoneal injection of 100mg/kg or 240mg/kg of 5-hydroxydopamine (5-OHDA) which acts to chemically block the sympathetic nerve. The rats’ blood pressures and heart rates were continuously measured through the caudal artery. After the administration of 5-OHDA, the blood pressures showed a biphasic pattern of fluctuation: a marked transient rise and fall followed after 2 days by gradual recovery. The heart rates decreased to large extent after 5-OHDA administration, but rapidly returned its initial levels. Moreover, the blood pressures and heart rates showed dose-dependent responses to 5-OHDA.

This suggests that 5-OHDA might substitute for and discharge endogenous noradrenaline in amine strage granules at the end of the sympathetic nerve, and that 5-hydroxynoradrenaline, a metabolite of 5-OHDA, might act as a false neurotransmitter substance.

A case of osseous hyperplasia under the pontic of the fixed partial denture at the right mandibular first molar region was reported. Clinical examination revealed a hemispherical mass of bone-like hardness on the alveolar ridge, and radiographically this mass showed bone-like radioopacity. Literature describing osseous hyperplasia under the pontic of a fixed partial denture was reviewed, but no definite conclusion about its etiology was derived.