Reactive oxygen species mediate compensatory glomerular hypertrophy in rat uninephrectomized kidney

Hyperfiltration in glomeruli is the most common pathway to progressive renal dysfunction. Moreover, reduction of renal mass by unilateral nephrectomy results in an immediate increase in glomerular flow to the remnant kidney, followed by compensatory glomerular hypertrophy. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are involved in renal hypertrophic responses; however, the role of ROS in compensatory glomerular hypertrophy remains unclear. Therefore, this role was investigated in the present study. Wistar rats were randomly placed into two groups: uninephrectomized rats (Nx) and uninephrectomized rats treated with tempol (Nx + TP). The glomerular volume increased in the Nx 1 week after surgery, but was significantly suppressed in the Nx + TP. Levels of phospho-Akt and phospho-ribosomal protein S6, which are critical for cell growth and hypertrophy, were markedly increased in the glomeruli of the Nx, while tempol treatment almost abolished the activation of these proteins. These results suggest that ROS have important roles in compensatory hypertrophy in glomeruli. M. Ozeki and H. Nagasu have contributed equally to this study.     

Intraosseous neurilemoma of the sternum.

Sternal benign bone tumor is uncommon. We report a very rare case of intraosseous neurilemoma in the sternum. A girl, 10 years of age, was diagnosed as having a sternal tumor. Computed tomographic scan disclosed a mushroom-shape tumor in the region from inside of the sternum to the ventral soft tissues. Surgical resection was performed. Histopathologic findings showed a typical neurilemoma with Antoni type A and B patterns. No recurrence has been found.     

Isolation of azaspiracid-2 from a marine sponge Echinoclathria sp. as a potent cytotoxin

Azaspiracid-2 was isolated from a marine sponge Echinoclathria sp. collected off Amami-Oshima as the predominant cytotoxic constituent. A combination of HPLC using ODS, GS320, and Phenylhexyl stationary phases permitted the purification without using acid or inorganic additives in the mobile phase. Azaspiracid-2 exhibited potent cytotoxicity against P388 cells with an IC₅₀ value of 0.72 ng/mL and caused S phase arrest on the cell cycle.     

EEG polygraphic sleep study in divers under a 31 ATA He-O2 environment with special reference to the automated analysis of sleep stages

This study was performed on four simulated professional divers (31 ATA, PO2 = 0.4 bar, PN2 = 0.79 bar) to investigate the function of their sleep polygraphically. All-night electrographical recording of the subjects' sleep was taken from 23:00 until 07:00 the next morning, predive, saturation, decompression, and postdive from Nov. 20 to Dec. 13, 1985. Polygraphic analysis of nocturnal sleep was done by a microcomputer technique developed by us for comparison with visual scoring. This system is a real-time processing system. Therefore, a sleep chart is completed when the experiment is finished. This system was very useful for the analysis of the tremendous volume of sleep records during a nearly one-month experiment. The following results were obtained: In the predive control, total amount of stages (3 + 4) of NREM and REM sleep decreased. In the hyperbaric environment at 31 ATA, all the divers had to interrupt their sleep once or twice for nocturnal sleep urination, and also total waking time increased during nocturnal sleep. At 31 ATA, the length and the cycle of the sleep profile vacillated. A high degree of correlation was observed between the sleep profile recorded by the polygraph and the subjective appreciation of sleep.     

Hyperperfusion syndrome following bilateral aorto-carotid bypass--a study of transcranial Doppler]

A 22-year old female with Takayasu disease, who underwent bilateral aorto-carotid bypass surgery developed hyperperfusion syndrome postoperatively. Following the operation, convulsion and headache developed and mean velocity in the middle cerebral artery, measured by transcranial doppler, elevated. Mean velocity gradually decreased on the 10th postoperatively day and became a plateau at 200% of preoperative value. Pulsatility index as a index of cerebral vascular resistance was low just after the operation, became normal the following day and gradually increased 10 days after the operation. These changes seem to be recovery of cerebral autoregulation. On the 20th postoperative day, computed tomography scan was examined and multiple low density areas were found in the basal ganglia regions, but these changes disappeared 2 months after the operation. These reversible changes of CT scan might show ischemic changes or cerebral edema induced by cerebral vasospasm.