Clinico-pathological comparative study between brainstem encephalitis of Iizuka type and neuro-Beh?et's disease

We experienced one necropsy case of brainstem encephalitis of Iizuka type (BSE) and one necropsy case of the brain-stem syndrome (BSS) of typical neuro-Beh?et's disease, and compared them clinically and neuropathologically. Clinically both of these cases showed chronic progressive mental disturbance, pseudobulbar paresis, spastic tetraparesis, cerebrospinal fluid pleocytosis, increased protein, and brainstem atrophy observed by X-CT. Neuropathologically, irregular, boundary-indistinct demyelinating lesions and obsolete softening lesions were sporadically found, associated with perivascular lymphocytic infiltration and gliosis centering on the brainstem. In this way, both cases were similar in many points except for the presence or absence of cutaneo-muco-ocular signs specific for Beh?et's disease. Also BSE and BSS reports in the literature showed that both diseases were similar not only in clinical findings consisting of mental disturbance and brainstem signs but also in neuropathological findings with similar topographical distribution of the same histopathological changes, including the variations and diversity of these characteristics. Especially of much interest is their similarity in characteristic mental disturbance. In discriminating BSE from multiple sclerosis and other diseases with exclusive involvement of the brainstem, it is important to understand their clinical characteristics. The characteristic mental disturbance includes damage to memory and sentiment, a change in personality, and lowering in spontaneity, but calculation ability and orientation are comparatively preserved. Of course the similarity in clinical and neuropathological findings does not necessarily mean the identical etiopathogenesis. However, it is possible to consider that neuro-Beh?et's disease (syndrome) may form a wide spectrum with BSE and typical neuro-Beh?et's disease at the both ends, regarding the time and spatial diversity of the appearance of cutaneo-muco-ocular signs.     

Comparison of maxillary stability after Le Fort I osteotomy for occlusal cant correction surgery and maxillary advanced surgery.

OBJECTIVE: To compare postoperative maxillary stability following Le Fort I osteotomy for the correction of occlusal cant as compared with conventional Le Fort I osteotomy for maxillary advancement. STUDY DESIGN: The subjects were 40 Japanese adults with jaw deformities. Of these, 20 underwent a Le Fort I osteotomy and intraoral vertical ramus osteotomy (IVRO) to correct asymmetric skeletal morphology and inclined occlusal cant. The other 20 patients underwent a Le Fort I osteotomy and sagittal split ramus osteotomy (SSRO) to advance the maxilla. Lateral and posteroanterior cephalograms were taken postoperatively and assessed statistically. Thereafter, the 2 groups were followed for time-course changes. RESULTS: There was no significant difference between the 2 groups with regard to time-course changes during the immediate postoperative period. CONCLUSION: This suggests that maxillary stability after Le Fort I osteotomy for cant correction does not differ from that after Le Fort I osteotomy for maxillary advancement.     

Big mitogen-activated protein kinase 1 (BMK1)/extracellular signal regulated kinase 5 (ERK5) is involved in platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-induced vascular smooth muscle cell migration

Big mitogen-activated protein kinase 1 (BMK1), also known as extracellular signal-regulated kinase 5 (ERK5), is a newly identified member of the mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase family. Recently, several studies have suggested that BMK1 plays an important role in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease. To clarify the pathophysiological significance of BMK1 in the process of vascular remodeling, we explored the molecular mechanisms of BMK1 activation in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). From the results of co-immunoprecipitation and immunoblotting analyses, it was found that platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), a known potent mitogen, activated BMK1 and triggered the Gab1-SHP-2 interaction in rat aortic smooth muscle cells (RASMCs). The abrogation of SHP-2 phosphatase activity by transfection of the SHP-2-C/S mutant suppressed PDGF-stimulated BMK1 activation. Infection with an adenoviral vector expressing dominant-negative MEK5alpha, which can suppress PDGF-stimulated BMK1 activation to the control level, inhibited PDGF-induced RASMC migration. Moreover, we observed an increase of BMK1 activation in injured mouse femoral arteries. From these findings, it is suggested that BMK1 activation leads to VSMC migration induced by PDGF via Gab1-SHP-2 interaction, and that BMK1-mediated VSMC migration may play a role in the pathogenesis of vascular remodeling.     

Two surgically cured cases of subependymoma with emphasis on magnetic resonance imaging

The authors describe two surgically cured cases of symptomatic subependymomas located in the lateral ventricle and septum pellucidum with emphasis on magnetic resonance imaging study. Both computed tomography and MRI revealed a calcified mass with repeated intratumoral hemorrhages. Cerebral angiograms disclosed rather hypovascular lesions. The histologic diagnosis was proven to be of subependymoma. The pertinent literature of surgically treated subependymomas is reviewed, and the characteristic biologic features are also discussed.     

Effects of renin-angiotensin system blockade on macrophage infiltration in patients with hypertensive nephrosclerosis.

The mechanisms of hypertensive nephrosclerosis are not fully understood. In experimental models of the disease, inflammatory reactions such as macrophage infiltration play an important role. In human hypertensive nephrosclerosis, however, there have been few studies examining the role of inflammation histologically. We investigated whether the number of infiltrating macrophages was increased in human hypertensive nephrosclerosis, and evaluated the effects of a blockade of the renin-angiotensin system on clinical and histological findings. We examined macrophage infiltration using immunohistochemistry in renal biopsy specimens obtained from 16 patients with hypertensive nephrosclerosis, 5 patients with IgA nephropathy, 5 patients with membranous nephropathy, and 5 patients with minimal change nephrotic syndrome. The number of infiltrating macrophages in glomeruli was significantly larger in the patients with hypertensive nephrosclerosis than in those with minimal change nephrotic syndrome. The patients with hypertensive nephrosclerosis were divided into groups based on their use of antihypertensive agents at the time of renal biopsy. We investigated the effects of antihypertensive agents on clinical findings, macrophage infiltration, and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 expression. There was no difference in clinical findings between the hypertensive groups. The numbers of infiltrating macrophages and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1-positive cells in glomeruli were significantly smaller in patients treated with an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor or angiotensin II type 1 receptor blocker, whereas calcium channel blockers had no influence on histological findings. In conclusion, inflammation is involved in the progression of human hypertensive nephrosclerosis and the inflammatory process is inhibited by blocking the renin-angiotensin system.     

EVALUATION OF THE LOOPING FORMATION AND PAIN DURING INSERTION INTO THE CECUM IN COLONOSCOPY

Introduction: One of the causes of pain during insertion of the colonoscope is stretching of the mesenterium by loop formation. The degree of pain differs according to the type of loop formation. Our aims were to study the accuracy of the colonoscopist’s assessment of the presence and type of loop formation and to study the degree of pain in relation to the type of loop by administering the visual analog scale (VAS). Methods: Two hundred and fifty‐seven consecutive patients were enrolled. All procedures were performed by two experienced colonoscopists who were blind to magnetic endoscope imaging view. After the colonoscopy, the colonoscopist was asked to assess the presence and type of loop formation. The degree of pain was assessed using the VAS. Results: The accuracy of estimating N loop, alpha loop, absence of loop formation and U loop was each over 70%. The accuracy of estimating gamma and splenic loop was significantly lower than the accuracy of estimating U loop. Colonoscopy was significantly more painful in women than in men. The degree of pain was significantly higher upon formation of reverse alpha loop and gamma and splenic loop than upon formation of N loop and U loop. Conclusions: Upon formation of reverse alpha loop or gamma and splenic loop, patients experienced more pain and it was difficult for the endoscopists to assess these loops. As women had severe pain compared with men, the use of a pediatric colonoscope or higher dosage of sedation in women should be considered.     

Variations of activities in the segments of respiratory chain among tissues in a patient with mitochondrial encephalomyopathy

Enzymatic activities of NADH cytochrome c reductase and cytochrome c oxidase were determined in the mitochondria from various tissues of a patient with mitochondrial encephalomyopathy and compared with those of controls. NADH cytochrome c reductase in the present patient decreased significantly in the liver and spleen and to a less extent in the kidneys. On the other hand, cytochrome c oxidase of the patient decreased severely in the skeletal muscle and kidneys and partially in the heart. Difference spectrum of reduced-minus oxidized form of mitochondria from patient's skeletal muscle and heart showed a decrease of cytochrome aa3 peak in the alpha region at 605 nm. These results indicate that there are cryptic deficiencies in the segments of the respiratory chain in the mitochondria from several tissues of the present patient, such as liver, kidney, spleen without any clinical manifestation. The weakness and atrophy of skeletal muscle was, however, well correlated to the biochemical analysis.     

Influence of Osteoarthritis on Serum Marker Levels of Bone Formation and Resorption in Patients with Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy

Background :
The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of osteoarthritis of lumbar vertebrae on serum bone formation and resorption marker levels of patients with benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH).
Methods :
Serum levels of carboxyterminal propeptide of type I procollagen (PICP), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), carboxyterminaltelopeptide of type I collagen (ICTP), and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) were examined in 40 patients with BPH, and the presence of osteoarthritis at the lumbar vertebrae of the patients was evaluated by plain x-ray-p.
Results :
Findings of osteoarthritis were observed in 23 of the 40 patients (58%), and 10 of the patients had severe osteoarthritis (involving at least 2 lumbar vertebral bodies). The serum levels of PICP, ALP, ICTP, and PSA of the patients without osteoarthritis findings were not different from those of the patients with osteoarthritis or severe osteoarthritis.
Conclusion :
The influence of osteoarthritis on serum bone formation and resorption marker levels of patients with BPH appears to be rather slight, if there is any influence at all.