Effects of Topical Application of Clonidine Cream on Pain Behaviors and Spinal Fos Protein Expression in Rat Models of Neuropathic Pain, Postoperative Pain, and Inflammatory Pain

Background: Clonidine can effectively reduce pain and/or hypersensitivity. However, the antihypersensitivity effects of clonidine topically applied in cream (CC) have not been investigated. The authors evaluated effects of topical application of CC on pain behaviors and spinal Fos-like immunoreactivity in rats with hypersensitivity.

Methods: Clonidine (30, 100, and 300 [mu]g/g) was prepared in a cream base. In rat models of neuropathic pain, inflammatory pain, and postoperative pain, the authors evaluated effects of CC (0.1 g), topically applied onto the plantar surface of the injured or uninjured paw, on thermal hyperalgesia and mechanical allodynia to von Frey filaments. The authors also evaluated effects of CC on lumbar spinal Fos-like immunoreactivity.

Results: In neuropathic rats, CC applied onto the injured paw reduced thermal hyperalgesia and mechanical allodynia dose dependently, whereas CC applied onto the uninjured paw had no effect. The antihypersensitivity effects of CC were antagonized by intraperitoneal yohimbine (10 mg/kg). Further, CC reduced Fos-like immunoreactivity in neuropathic rats. In contrast, CC in a single dose had no effects on hyperalgesia, allodynia, or Fos-like immunoreactivity in rats with inflammatory or postoperative pain. In rats with postoperative pain, CC repeatedly applied for 6 days reduced thermal hyperalgesia, but not mechanical allodynia, in the postoperative days, whereas it had no effects on hyperalgesia or allodynia in those with inflammatory pain.     

Endogenous opioid modulation of pancreatic hormone secretion: studies in dogs

The role of endogenous opioid peptides in the modulation of secretion of hormones from the endocrine pancreas was studied in dogs. In response to insulin-induced hypoglycemia, plasma glucagon secretion significantly increased, followed by an increase in plasma somatostatin immunoreactivity. Pretreatment with the opiate antagonist, naloxone, prevented the somatostatin response but had no effect on the augmented glucagon secretion. Neither the degree of hypoglycemia nor recovery from the induced glucose nadir were affected by naloxone. Arginine Hcl administration resulted in prompt increases in immunoreactive glucagon and insulin secretion, as well as a rise in serum glucose. Pretreatment with naloxone failed to affect any of these responses. Our results suggest that endogenous opioid peptides mediate the somatostatin response following hypoglycemia-induced glucagon secretion.     

Selectivity of cerebral vasodilators on basilar arteries

Ca-antagonistic activities of cerebral vasodilators, nicardipine and 1-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-2-(4-diphenylmethylpiperazinyl)ethanol dihydrochloride (NC-1100) were tested on basilar and renal arteries, thoracic aorta and portal vein of rabbit, and rat vas deferens. Both the cerebral vasodilators used herein had a selectivity to basilar arteries. The selectivity to the basilar arteries is considered to be one of the factors in deciding the pharmacological property of the cerebral vasodilators.     

Expression profile of chemokines and chemokine receptors in epithelial cell layers of oral lichen planus

BACKGROUND: To understand the immunopathological features of oral lichen planus (OLP), we analyzed the expression of chemokines in the epithelial cell layers. Methods: Epithelia from OLP or healthy gingiva were collected by laser microdissection. The chemokine and chemokine receptor expressions in the epithelia were analyzed by DNA microarray. RESULTS: High levels of MIP-3alpha/LARC/CCL20 and its receptor CCR6 were expressed in the lesional epithelia. Furthermore, DC-CK1/CCL18, ELC/CCL19, SDF-1/CXCL12 and CXCR4 expressions were also increased. Immunohistologial analysis showed that high numbers of Langerhans cells (LCs) were present in the epithelia of OLP. Lesional epithelia also expressed high levels of the ligands specific for CXCR3 (e.g. MIG/CXCL9, IP-10/CXCL10 and I-TAC/CXCL11) and CCR5 (e.g. RANTES/CCL5). CONCLUSIONS: Infiltration of LCs is orchestrated by CCR6. Further, LCs residing in the lesional epithelia may be a mature phenotype. Moreover, infiltration of T cells in OLP could be mediated by signaling pathways through CXCR3 and CCR5.     

Heart rate elevation precedes the development of metabolic syndrome in Japanese men: a prospective study.

This observational study of Japanese men without metabolic syndrome (MetS) (age: 41+/-8 years) was conducted to clarify whether or not heart rate elevation precedes the development of full-blown MetS. MetS was defined based on two modifications of the criteria of the Japanese Expert Committee on the Diagnosis and Classification of Metabolic Syndrome. Premetabolic syndrome subjects were defined as those having one component of MetS with increased body mass index (BMI). Among the subjects without MetS (n=1,859 when the BMI criterion was >or=25 and n=2,020 when the BMI criterion was >or=27.5), the incidence of progression to full-blown MetS by the time of the second examination at the end of the 3-year study period was higher in the subjects with premetabolic syndrome than in those without it. The receiver-operator characteristic curve analysis and binary logistic regression analysis revealed that the odds ratio (OR) of a heart rate >or=69 beats/min at the first examination for progression to full-blown MetS by the time of the second examination was significant in subjects with premetabolic syndrome (BMI>or=25: OR=3.64 [1.22-10.88]; BMI>or=27.5: OR=3.67 [1.28-10.55]; p<0.05). Thus, heart rate elevation appears to precede the development of full-blown MetS in subjects with premetabolic syndrome. Heart rate seems to be a simple and useful marker for predicting the progression to full-blown MetS of middle-aged Japanese men with premetabolic syndrome.     

Dorsal inlay graft urethroplasty for primary hypospadiac repair

OBJECTIVE: Tubularized incised plate urethroplasty has become a popular technique for repairing distal and proximal hypospadias in many institutions. Dorsal inlay graft urethroplasty has been used in our institution since 2003 to reduce the risk of meatal stenosis. In the present study, we evaluated the results of the dorsal inlay graft procedure. METHODS: A total of 28 patients with no deep groove and no severe curvature underwent one-stage urethroplasty using an inner preputial-based dorsal inlay graft. The medical records of all patients were retrospectively reviewed with regard to complication rate and cosmetic appearance. RESULTS: Mean patient age at surgery was 21 months (range, 14 months to 4.6 years). Preoperatively the urethral meatus was coronal in two cases, distal shaft in 17, proximal shaft in six and penoscrotal in three. Nine patients required testosterone therapy before surgery. Mean operative time was 200 min (range, 154-249 min). Mean length of inlay graft was 20.9 mm (range, 12-30 mm). In all patients, a straight penis was achieved without dorsal plication of the corposa cavernosa, and the neomeatus with a slit-like appearance was positioned at the glans tip. At a mean of 22 months of follow up, a urethrocutaneous fistula developed in only one patient (3.6%), requiring repair surgery 6 months after urethroplasty. No patient had meatal stenosis, neourethral stricture or urethral diverticulum along the inlay graft. CONCLUSION: Dorsal inlay graft urethroplasty is an effective method for hypospadiac repair and leads to good cosmetic outcome with low risk of complications.     

Three-dimensional assessment of urinary stone on non-contrast helical computed tomography as the predictor of stonestreet formation after extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy for stones smaller than 20 mm

The incidence of stonestreet formation after extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) rises with increasing stone burden. However, stonestreet after ESWL is often experienced even in stones smaller than 20 mm. To examine whether the non-contrast helical computed tomography (CT) data could predict stonestreet formation in these stones, 53 radiopaque stones of 5-20 mm treated with ESWL were evaluated. Maximal dimension was measured on plain radiograph. From an attenuation value histogram graphed from the CT data, total stone volume and mean attenuation value were calculated. Seven stonestreets longer than 25 mm developed. There was no significant difference in maximal dimension and total stone volume between stones that did and stones that did not develop stonestreet. Mean attenuation value was the sole significant predictive factor. Application of mean attenuation value with cut-off level of 650 HU would anticipate stonestreet formation with a sensitivity of 85.7% and a specificity of 71.7%. The estimated risk of stonestreet formation is high in the treatment of stones with higher mean attenuation value.     

Impact of unilateral interposition sural nerve graft on the recovery of sexual function after radical prostatectomy in Japanese men: A preliminary study

PURPOSE: To determine the effect of an interposition nerve graft on sexual function after radical prostatectomy. METHODS: This study includes 64 patients, without hormonal therapy, who underwent a radical prostatectomy and intraoperative electrophysiological confirmation of cavernous nerve preservation. Twelve patients underwent a unilateral interposition sural nerve graft (UNG) for the resected neurovascular bundle. Twenty-one and 31 patients underwent bilateral nerve-sparing (BNS) and unilateral nerve-sparing (UNS) surgery without a nerve graft, respectively. As the age of patients was significantly younger in the UNG group than in the other groups, age-matched analysis also was conducted. Sexual function, evaluated by a self-administered questionnaire using the University of California Los Angeles-Prostate Cancer Index, was compared statistically among the three groups. RESULTS: In the age-matched analysis, the postoperative sexual function (SXF) score of the UNG group showed an intermediate level of recovery between those of the BNS and UNS groups at 12 months and reached the same level as the score at 12 months of the BNS group at 18 months postoperatively. The difference in the SXF score between the UNG and UNS groups began to appear after 6 months postoperatively and increased steadily with time. However, the background factors, such as the baseline SXF score, the usage rate of phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitors, and the rate of comorbidities were different between the UNG and UNS groups. CONCLUSIONS: The difference of the SXF score between the UNG and UNS groups increased with time after 6 months postoperatively. However, it might be difficult at present to attribute a better recovery of the SXF score to the nerve graft because of the difference in the background factors between the groups.