Reappraisal of projection levels of the corticospinal fibers in the cat, with special reference to the fibers descending through the dorsal funiculus: a WGA-HRP study

The precise course and termination levels of the corticospinal tract (CST) in the cat were studied using the anterograde transport of wheat germ agglutinin-conjugated horseradish peroxidase (WGA-HRP). Following injection of WGA-HRP into the pericruciate (sensorimotor) cortex on one side, we observed the precise caudal termination levels of the CST fibers in the lateral and ventral funiculi. Simultaneously, the bilateral CSTs descending through the dorsal funiculus of the spinal cord were identified. Anterogradely labeled CST fibers within the lateral and ventral funiculi were observed bilaterally to reach the level of the third sacral (S3) spinal segment, which is lower than that ever described. The lowest level of the CST fibers within the dorsal funiculus, however, reached the level of the first sacral (S1) spinal segment. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that, in the cat, there exist 6 different CSTs (crossed and uncrossed lateral, ventral, dorsal) and that the termination levels of the lateral and ventral CSTs are much lower than those described in previous reports.     

Novel antifungal antibiotics maniwamycins A and B. I. Taxonomy of the producing organism, fermentation, isolation, physico-chemical properties and biological properties

Two antifungal antibiotics maniwamycins A and B were isolated from the culture broth of a strain of actinomycetes, which were classified as Streptomyces prasinopilosus. These antibiotics were isolated by resin absorption and extraction with EtOAc and purified by column chromatography. Both antibiotics were found to be new azoxy substances from their physico-chemical properties. They showed broad antifungal spectra.     

In vivo kinetics and displacement study of a carbon-11-labeled hallucinogen,N,N-[11C]dimethyltryptamine

The endogenous hallucinogen, N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT), was labeled with carbon-11 and its regional distribution in rat brain studied. [¹¹C]DMT showed higher accumulation in the cerebral cortex, caudate putamen, and amygdaloid nuclei. Studies of the subcellular distribution of [¹¹C]DMT revealed the specific localization in the fractions enriched with serotonin receptors only when a very low dose was injected into rats. The proportions of the radioactivity in receptor-rich fractions were greatly enhanced by pretreatment with the monoamine oxidase inhibitor, pargyline. Specific binding of [¹¹C]DMT to serotonin receptors in dog brain was demonstrated by a positron emission tomographic study in which 5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine caused approximately 20% displacement of the radioligand from the receptors.     

Three-dimensional identification of hemangiomas and feeding arteries in the head and neck region using combined phase-contrast MR angiography and fast asymmetric spin-echo sequences.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate a proposed technique for the 3-dimensional (3D) detection of hemangiomas, including vascular malformation and their feeding arteries, in the head and neck. The new technique combines phase-contrast magnetic resonance angiography (PCMRA) without contrast medium and 3D fast asymmetric spin-echo (FASE) sequences. METHODS: The technique was applied to 3 patients having hemangiomas in the head and neck region. In 1 patient the image obtained with the proposed technique was compared to that obtained by standard contrast angiography. RESULTS: In all 3 patients, the 3D presence of the hemangiomas and the feeding arteries were well defined in images created by the proposed technique. Additionally, the characterization of the hemangioma's 3D structure and distribution of the feeding arteries coincided with those observed using contrast angiography in the case for which contrast angiography was also performed. CONCLUSIONS: Preliminary experience shows that the proposed technique combining 3D-FASE and 3D-PCMRA is useful to visualize both the 3D structure of hemangiomas and to identify the 3D distribution of the feeding arteries without using contrast medium.     

Use of small-bore silastic drains in general thoracic surgery.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of small-bore, silastic drains for patients undergoing general thoracic surgery. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Twenty-five patients who received soft, small-bore, silastic drains were compared with 17 patients who received semi-rigid double lumen (DL) tubes retrospectively. RESULTS: The pain score was significantly lower in patients who received the silastic tubes in video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) cases on postoperative days 5 and 6 , after continuous epidural analgesia had finished (P=0.018). No specific morbidity was seen in the patients who received silastic tubes. CONCLUSION: We considered that soft, small-bore silastic drains were just as effective as traditional DL tubes, but caused less pain especially in VATS cases.     

Lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma of the trachea.

Lymphoepithelioma is a lymphocyte-rich, poorly differentiated and non-keratinizing squamous cell carcinoma of the nasopharynx. Tumors arising outside the nasopharynx are rare and are designated as lymphoepithelioma-like carcinomas (LELCs). This is the third reported case of LELC of the trachea. A 27-year-old woman was referred to our hospital on suspicion of bronchial asthma on August 2000. A polypoid tumor of the cervical trachea was recognized on neck X-ray, neck computed tomography (CT) scan, and fiberoptic bronchoscopy. The protruding tumor was resected endoscopically by an electrosurgical snare. Histological and immunohistochemical examinations demonstrated large irregular polygonal cells extending in an islet or trabecular pattern among lymphoid stroma. These polygonal cells showed non-keratinization, atypia and prominent nucleoli. In situ hybridization showed these cells were infected with the Epstein-Barr (EB) virus. The infiltrating lymphocytes consisted of both T-and B-lymphocytes with no atypia. Thus the tumor was diagnosed as LELC. Blood examination revealed a past EB viral infection. Sphenoid resection of the tracheal cartilaginous portion was performed for residual tumor. We gave 50 Gy postoperative radiation, and she has been disease free in the 6-year follow-up period.     

Effects of Hemoglobin Concentration, Skull Thickness, and the Area of the Cerebrospinal Fluid Layer on Near-infrared Spectroscopy Measurements

Background: Previous studies documented that near-infrared spectroscopy values were affected by factors related to optical path length, such as hemoglobin concentration, the differential path length factor, skull thickness (t-skull), and the area of the cerebrospinal fluid layer (a-CSFL). Lately, the NIRO-100 (Hamamatsu Photonics, Hamamatsu, Japan) has provided a tissue oxygen index (TOI) that theoretically is not supposed to be affected by optical path length. Therefore, the authors hypothesized that TOI is not influenced by the above-described individual factors.

Methods: Cardiac surgical or neurosurgical 103 patients (65 men and 39 women; aged 63 +/- 14 yr) were studied. TOI and regional cerebral oxygen saturation (rSO2) (INVOS 4100; Somanetics, Troy, MI) were measured sequentially on patients in a resting state. The t-skull and a-CSFL were calculated using computed tomographic image slices of the head corresponding with the position of near-infrared spectroscopy sensors. The effects of these two factors, hemoglobin concentration and mean arterial pressure, on TOI and rSO2 values were evaluated by linear regression analysis.

Results: Simple linear regression analysis showed that mean arterial pressure (r = 0.27, P = 0.008), t-skull (r = 0.22, P = 0.034), a-CSFL (0.26, P = 0.012), and hemoglobin concentration (r = 0.42, P < 0.0001) were significant determinants of rSO2. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that hemoglobin concentration (r = 0.34, P < 0.001), a-CSFL (r = -0.252, P = 0.012), and t-skull (r = 0.22, P = 0.037) were significant determinants of rSO2. On the other hand, simple and multiple linear regression analysis showed that there was no significant determinant of TOI.     

Characterization of estrogen receptor in human gastric cancer

Estrogen receptors (ER) were examined in cytosol, nuclear potassium chloride (KCl) extractable fraction, and nuclear KCl unextractable fraction by the dextran-coated charcoal adsorption method in various gastric cancer tissue. The overall ER-positive rate in the cytosol and nuclear fraction was 19.2%. The maximum binding site (Bmax) was 36.0 to 175.0 fmol/mg of protein, and the dissociation constant (Kd) was 0.6 to 1.6 X 10(-9) in cytosol fraction. In the nuclear fraction, Bmax was 7.5 fmol/mg of DNA and Kd was 2.3 X 10(-9). Estrogen receptors were characterized in cytosol protein. In cytosol, the estrogen (E2)-ER complex was sedimented at approximately the 5S and 8S regions by 5% to 20% linear sucrose gradient centrifugation. A steroid specificity study of ER showed the presence of an binder in gastric cancer tissue. In conclusion, these results that gastric cancer tissue has E2 binding sites with the same biochemical characteristics as in breast cancer and endometrial cancer strongly suggest the hormonal dependency of gastric cancer.