The effects of prostaglandin E1 on the pepsin activities in gastric mucosa and juice.

Prostaglandin E1 elevated pepsin activity in gastric mucosa but lowered pepsin activity in the gastric juice of rats treated by pylorus ligation and intragastric administration of hydrochloric acid. In these animals zymogen granules with low electron density were numerous in the gastric chief cells following prostaglandin E1 treatment. The prostaglandin E1-induced increase in mucosal pepsin activity was slightly inhibited by actinomycin D and there was no apparent increase in 3H-thymidine incorporation into gastric mucosa following treatment with prostaglandin E1. It is suggested that prostaglandin E1 causes an elevation of pepsin activity in the gastric mucosa by stimulating pepsin synthesis and perhaps also by facilitating pepsin release from zymogen granules. However, it also appears to inhibit pepsin release from the mucosa into the gastric cavity judging by the decrease of pepsin activity in gastric juice. The reduced pepsin activity in gastric juice may account, in part, for the reported anti-ulcerative action of prostaglandin.     

M pathway and areas 44 and 45 are involved in stereoscopic recognition based on binocular disparity

We characterized the visual pathways involved in the stereoscopic recognition of the random dot stereogram based on the binocular disparity employing a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). The V2, V3, V4, V5, intraparietal sulcus (IPS) and the superior temporal sulcus (STS) were significantly activated during the binocular stereopsis, but the inferotemporal gyrus (ITG) was not activated. Thus a human M pathway may be part of a network involved in the stereoscopic processing based on the binocular disparity. It is intriguing that areas 44 (Broca's area) and 45 in the left hemisphere were also active during the binocular stereopsis. However, it was reported that these regions were inactive during the monocular stereopsis. To separate the specific responses directly caused by the stereoscopic recognition process from the nonspecific ones caused by the memory load or the intention, we designed a novel frequency labeled tasks (FLT) sequence. The functional MRI using the FLT indicated that the activation of areas 44 and 45 is correlated with the stereoscopic recognition based on the binocular disparity but not with the intention artifacts, suggesting that areas 44 and 45 play an essential role in the binocular disparity.     

Characterization of DNA sequences constituting the terminal heterochromatin of the chicken Z chromosome

Two clones, pCZTH5-8 and pCZTH12-8, were isolated from a female chicken genomic library by screening with sequences obtained from genomic libraries which had been constructed from a terminal region of a single Z chromosome of chicken utilizing laser microbeam irradiation and PCR amplification. Fluorescencein situ hybridization to the mitotic Z chromosome and the lampbrush ZW bivalent of chicken demonstrated that both the cloned sequences are located in the heterochromatic region of the Z chromosome at the end opposite to the pairing region with the W chromosome. The sequences pCZTH5-8 and pCZTH12-8 are distributed widely on both the telomeric bow-like loops (TBL) and the region I (short loops region) of the Z lampbrush chromosome. These clones, pCZTH12-8 particularly notably, hybridized also to the TBLs of lampbrush bivalents 1–4 of chicken. Both sequence are transcribed in the lampbrush stage oocytes on the Z chromosome and on other macrobivalents. The subfragment of pCZTH5-8 which hybridizes to the TBLs and the insert of pCZTH12-8 contain regions that are closely similar in sequence. The pCZTH5-8 sequence has no internal repeats and may be part of the 24-kb macrosatellite repeating unit that is evident afterNhel digestion of the genomic DNA. A cloned 24-kb unit, pFN-1, does not show significant DNA curvature, but cytosines of its CpG dinucleotides may be highly methylatedin vivo. This contrasts with the repeat sequences of the W heterochromatin which not only have highly methylated CpG but are also strongly curved. The 24-kb unit is repeated about 830 times in the diploid genome of a female chicken, suggesting that nearly the entire terminal heterochromatin on the Z chromosome consists of this macrosatellite family. Sequences of the greater part of the pCZTH5-8 are restricted to the genusGallus but the sequence of one subregion which hybridizes to TBLs is present in the genomes of the order Galliformes.accepted for publication by M. Schmid     

Isolation and Hypoglycemic Activity of Ephedrans A, B, C, D and E, Glycans of Ephedra distachya Herbs1.

Administration of an aqueous methanol/water extract of the Oriental crude drug "maō" (Ephedra), EPHEDRA DISTACHYA herbs, caused transient hyperglycemia followed by long lasting hypoglycemia in mice. Activity-guided fractionation of the extract led to isolation of five glycans, ephedrans A, B, C, D and E, which exhibited significant hypoglycemic effects in normal and alloxan-induced hyperglycemic mice.     

Isolation and Hypoglycemic Activity of Lithospermans A, B and C, Glycans of Lithospermum erythrorhizon Roots1.

A water extract of the Oriental crude drug "shikon", LITHOSPERMUM ERYTHRORHIZON roots, remarkably diminished the plasma sugar level in mice. Fractionation of the extract by monitoring the activity yielded three glycans, lithospermans A, B and C. These glycans exerted marked hypoglycemic effects in normal and alloxan-induced hyperglycemic mice.     

Induction of spheroid cytoplasmic bodies in a rat muscle by local tetanus

The term "cytoplasmic body" or "spheroid body" myopathy refers to a heterogeneous group of familial or sporadic diseases characterized primarily by the presence of abundant spheroid or cytoplasmic bodies in the muscles. The morphogenesis of these inclusions remains unclear. This article describes the induction and evolution of spheroid cytoplasmic bodies (SCBs) in the rat plantaris muscle (PL) with local tetanus, which was induced in rats by the injection of a minute amount of tetanus toxin. In contrast to the tetanized soleus muscle (SOL), which developed core fibers (central cores, minicore, target fiber, targetoid fiber, and rods), the tetanized PL produced numerous SCBs with a predictable time course. They were induced in both type 1 and 2 fibers of PL, which is composed predominantly (95%) of type 2 fibers, in contrast to SOL (85% type 1 fibers). Factors inducing SCBs may include immobilization, shortening, intact innervation, and disuse atrophy.     

Can random bladder biopsies be eliminated after bacillus Calmette–Guérin therapy against carcinoma in situ?

Purpose

Intravesical bacillus Calmette–Guérin (BCG) is the standard of care for bladder carcinoma in situ (CIS). The response to BCG therapy against CIS is generally assessed by random bladder biopsy (RBB). In this study, we examined the necessity of routine RBB after BCG therapy.

Methods

We retrospectively identified 102 patients who were initially diagnosed with CIS with or without papillary tumor and received subsequent 6–8-week BCG therapy. Thereafter, all patients underwent voiding cytology analysis, cystoscopy, and RBB to evaluate the effects of BCG therapy. We evaluated the association between clinical parameters (voiding cytology and cystoscopy findings) and the final pathological results by RBB specimens.

Results

According to the pathological results of RBB, 30 (29%) patients had BCG-unresponsive disease (remaining urothelial carcinoma was confirmed pathologically) and 20 were diagnosed with CIS. Positive/suspicious voiding cytology and positive cystoscopy findings were well observed in patients who had BCG-unresponsive disease compared with their counterparts (p?=?0.116, and p?<?0.001, respectively). The sensitivity (Sen.), specificity (Spe.), positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) of voiding cytology were 50%, 68%, 39%, and 77%, respectively. The values for cystoscopy findings were as follows: Sen.: 87%, Spe.: 57%, PPV: 46%, and NPV: 91%. The values for their combination (having either of them) were as follows: Sen.: 100%, Spe.: 44%, PPV: 43%, and NPV: 100%.

Conclusion

RBB after BCG therapy for patients with negative voiding cytology and negative cystoscopy may be omitted because their risk of BCG-unresponsive disease is significantly low (NPV: 100%).

     

Risk Factor Analysis of Facet Fusion Following Cervical Lateral Mass Screw Fixation with a Minimum 1-Year Follow-up: Assessment of Maximal Insertional Screw Torque and Incidence of Loosening

Posterior stabilization is a common surgical procedure, which aims for rigid stabilization by facet fusion. Facet non-union has a potential risk of the screw loosening and malalignment. Although some authors have reported the influencing factors about screw loosening in the lumbar spine, there are few reports about the risk factor contributing to the facet non-union in the cervical spine. In all, 22 patients (78 facets and 122 screws) with degenerative cervical kyphosis or spondylolisthesis who underwent decompression and lateral mass screw (LMS) fixation were analyzed. Age, gender, smoking, bone mineral density (BMD), the degree of facet decortication with bone packing, and screw loosening were investigated as risk factors contributing to the facet non-union at each segmental fused level. Facet fusion rate was 85.9% (67/78 facets) and the incidence of loosening was 4.9% (6/122 screws, 4 patients). Insufficient facet decortication with bone packing is a significant risk factor of facet non-union (p <0.05, odds ratio: 26.5). All six loosened screws were associated with bony non-union of the facet and were located in the uppermost or lowermost vertebrae. Comparing loosened screws and stable screws, the average maximal insertional screw torque (MIT) was 9.8 cNm and 39.5 cNm, respectively (p <0.05). Additionally, the length of the stable screws was significantly longer versus the loosened screws (p <0.05). Lower MIT and shorter screw length located near the ends of the lateral mass may predict loosening, which can lead to facet non-union. Sufficient facet decortication with bone packing is one of the important factors contributing to the facet fusion.