Performance Dip in motor response induced by task-irrelevant weaker coherent visual motion signals

The Performance Dip is a newly characterized behavioral phenomenon, where, paradoxically, a weaker task-irrelevant visual stimulus causes larger disturbances on the accuracy of a main letter identification task than a stronger stimulus does. Understanding mechanisms of the Performance Dip may provide insight into unconsciousness behavior. Here, we investigated the generalization of the Performance Dip. Specifically, we tested whether the Performance Dip occurs in a motion-related Simon task, and if so, whether the Performance Dip involves the same brain region, that is, the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), previously implicated in the Performance Dip, or the supplementary motor area (SMA) and pre-SMA, implicated in a motion-related Simon Task. Subjects made manual directional responses according to the color of stochastic moving dots while ignoring the global direction of moving dots, which could be either congruent or incongruent to the response appropriate to the main task. We found that weak incongruent task-irrelevant stimuli caused a Performance Dip, in which the SMA and pre-SMA, rather than DLPFC, played critical roles. Our results suggest a possible common brain mechanism across different neural circuits, in which weak, but not strong, task-irrelevant information is free from inhibition and intrudes into neural circuits relevant to the main task.     

EXPERIMENTAL MESANGIOPROLIFERATIVE GLOMERULONEPHRITIS IN RATS INDUCED BY INTRAVENOUS ADMINISTRATION OF ANTI-THYMOCYTE SERUM

Focal glomerulonephritis was induced in rats, by a single intravenous injection of anti-Thy-1.1 antibody (ATS). One hour after the administration, the glomeruli of affected rats developed necrotic changes of the mesangial cells while after two hours, mesangiolytic changes appeared. From six days onwards, focal segmental mesangial proliferation which persisted until 30 days, occurred. This is thought to be the first report of experimental nephritis induced by pure anti-mesangial antibody.     

PROLIFERATIVE MYOSITIS AND FASCIITIS: Report of Five Cases with an Ultrastructural and Immunohistochemical Study

Cases of proliferative myositis and fasciitis were studied immunohisto-chemically and ultra structurally for further understanding of the nature of ganglion cell-like giant cells. Blood coagulation factor XIIIa, fibronectin, myoglobin, myosin, CPK MM, and alpha-1-antichymotrypsin were detected in three cases of proliferative myositis and two cases of proliferative fasciitis by the avid in-biotin-peroxidase complex method. Factor XIIIa (a fibrin-stabilizing factor) and flbronectin were strongly positive in the giant cells, but not in striated muscle fibers. A small quantity of myosin was demonstrated in the giant cells, but myoglobin and CPK MM were never demonstrated in these cells. No alpha-1-antichymotrypsin was demonstrated in the giant cells. One case of proliferative myositis showed ultrastructural features suggestive of fibroblast rather than muscle cell or histiocytic origin. Strongly positive factor XIIIa in the giant cells is suggestive of the fact that they are active fibroblasts.     

Clinical outcome of patients 20 years after Fontan operation — effect of fenestration on late morbidity

Objective: The Fontan operation has been proposed as definitive palliation for an increasing variety of hearts with complex univentricular anatomy, but late morbidity after Fontan operation is still a matter of concern. This retrospective study evaluates the late outcome in patients with Fontan circulation. Methods: We included 121 consecutive patients that underwent Fontan operation between 1984 and 2004. Modifications of the Fontan operation included atriopulmonary anastomosis (APA; n = 28), total cavopulmonary connection (TCPC; n = 63), and fenestrated TCPC (f-TCPC; n = 30). Mean age was 5.8 ± 5.5 years. Post operative mortality, morbidity, hemodynamics, and somatic development were analyzed. Results: Actuarial survival was 87% at 20 years after Fontan operation. There were 10 early deaths, 5 late deaths, and 2 takedowns followed by successful conversion and heart transplantation. Among 108 early-survivors with Fontan circulation, 19 underwent reoperation, including 3 conversions of APA to TCPC. Freedom from reoperation was 76% at 20 years. Freedom from intervention was 34% at 20 years. Freedom from tachyarrhythmia or pacemaker implantation was 23% and 77%, respectively at 20 years. Heterotaxy and atrioventricular valve anomaly were risk factors for late failure and tachyarrhythmias. Patients with fenestrated TCPC had reduced incidence of late tachyarrhythmias, and patients with APA who developed collaterals showed low incidence of late tachyarrythmia. Postoperative sinus node dysfunction or tachyarrhythmias was associated with significantly lower cardiac index. Somatic development was gradually compensated after Fontan operation. Weight normalized completely 15 years postoperatively. Conclusions: Long-term survival after Fontan procedure is encouraging, but late morbidity remains suboptimal. During follow-up, emerging complications should be managed by surgical and interventional procedures. Fenestration in Fontan circulation provided better cardiac output and lower incidence of late tachyarrhythmias, suggesting a benefit of fenestration for late outcome.     

Evaluation of striatal oxidative stress in patients with Parkinson's disease using [62Cu]ATSM PET

Introduction

To clarify the role of oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease (PD) in living patients, positron emission tomography (PET) with [⁶²Cu]diacetyl-bis(N⁴-methylthiosemicarbazone) ([⁶²Cu]ATSM) was applied to functional imaging of oxidative stress mainly due to mitochondrial dysfunction in the striata of patients with PD.

Methods

Fifteen PD patients who presented with lateral dominant symptoms at onset and six healthy controls underwent [⁶²Cu]ATSM PET. Dynamic PET data acquisition was performed, and standardized uptake values (SUVs) were obtained from the delayed phase of dynamic data by means of region of interest analysis. The striatum-to-cerebellum SUV ratio (S/C ratio) was calculated from the SUV in all subjects of the striatum and the cerebellar cortex.

Results

The mean S/C ratio of the bilateral striata of the patients (1.15±0.10) was significantly increased compared with that of the controls (1.08±0.02) (P<.05). In the patients, the S/C ratio of the bilateral striata showed a positive correlation with the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) rating (r=0.52, P<.05), and the S/C ratio of the striatum contralateral to the initially affected body side showed a strong positive correlation with the UPDRS rating (r=0.62, P<.05).

Conclusions

[⁶²Cu]ATSM PET imaging demonstrated that striatal oxidative stress was enhanced in PD patients compared with the controls and increased with the progression of disease severity, particularly in the contralateral striatum. These findings indicated that oxidative stress associates with striatal neurodegeneration in PD.     

Usefulness of bone SPECT of the cervical spine : With special reference to separate visualization of the trachea and thyroid cartilage

We applied bone SPECT for the examination of the cervical spine. A three-head rotating gamma camera SPECT system was employed for this study. The SPECT image disclosed 42.7 % of abnormal accumulations in the skeleton not seen with planar imagings. SPECT could separately visualize the trachea and thyroid cartilage and also provided interpretation of abnormality in the anterior part of the vertebral body being difficult with planar imagings only. The trachea cartilage was seen in 55.4% and the thyroid cartilage was seen in 47.3% of patients with anterior neck density in planar imagings. SPECT clarified that marked cervical curvature and diffuse high uptake by the skeleton might cause high intensity of the anterior neck in planar imagings in the case of non-pathological change. We concluded that bone SPECT is a useful diagnostic tool in detecting occult lesion in the skeleton and to rule out extraskeletal accumulations in examination of the cervical spine.     

Epididymis Metastasis from Colon Carcinoma: A Case Report and a Review of the Japanese Literature

A 56-year-old Japanese man in whom a descending colon carcinomahad been resected underwent a high orchitectomy for metastaticepididymis from the colon. Metastatic carcinoma from the digestiveorgans to the spermatic cord (SC) and/or the intrascrotal contents(ISC) is rare. Fifty-four Japanese patients with metastasisfrom the digestive organs to the SC and/or the ISC were analyzed.The most frequent primary site was the stomach and the mostfrequent metastatic site was the spermatic cord. Our patientwas the first to exhibit metastasis from the colon to the epididymis.A primary site was identified in 24 patients subsequent to themetastatic tumor. Twenty patients had other organ metastatis.The prognosis for SC and/or ISC metastasis patients is poor.Our patients has survived for 18 months following his orchitectomywith no other organ metastasis (31 months after the primaryoperation). In our patient, monoclonal estrogen receptor stainingwas negative; however, further study must be undertaken.     

Expression of desmoglein I in squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus

Desmoglein I (DGI) is major component of the desmosomal membrane core that plays an important role in epithelial cell adhesion. The aim of this study was to explore the correlation between the expression of DGI and the clinicopathological findings of esophageal cancer. DGI expression was immunohistochemically examined using an anti-DGI monoclonal antibody in 139 patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus. Normal squamous epithelial cells strongly expressed DGI at their cell-cell boundaries. According to the intensity and pattern of DGI expression, the cancerous tissues were divided into three groups: DGI (++), DGI (+), and DGI (-). Of the 139 tumors, 35 (25%) were DGI (++), 65 (47%) were DGI (+), and 39 (28%) were DGI (-). A good inverse correlation between DGI expression and tumor invasion, lymph node metastasis, lymphatic invasion, and vessel invasion was observed. These results indicate that DGI expression may be a significant factor for invasion, metastasis, and prognosis of human esophageal cancer. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

The Effect of MCT Oil Supplement in Very Low Birth Weight Infants, with Evaluation by the 13C-Labeled MCT Breath Test

We studied the efficacy of medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) as an energy source in premature infants. Infants who were given 3 g/kg/day of MCT oil gained body weight better than the control group in spite of a smaller water intake. This is advantageous to premature infants who need water restriction due to patent ductus arteriosus (PDA), bronchopulmo nary dysplasia (BPD), etc. We also proved that MCT oil is rapidly absorbed and digested, by means of the ¹³C-trioctanoin breath test.