An immunohistochemical study of MAP2 and clathrin in gerbil hippocampus after cerebral ischemia

Changes in MAP2 and clathrin immunoreactivity were studied in gerbil hippocampus after transient cerebral ischemia. MAP2 immuno-reactivity decreased significantly by 1 h in the subiculum-CA1 and CA2 areas which correspond to reactive change, while no decrease was observed in CA1 until day 4. Before the initiation of delayed neuronal death, MAP2 immunoreactivity was not changed in CA1. On the other hand clathrin immunoreactivity increased in the pyramidal cell layer of CA1 by 3 h after ischemia and remained high for 2 days. Clathrin immunoreactivity in the pyramidal cell layer of CA1 diminished after delayed neuronal death. The transient change of clathrin was noted especially in CA1 in the period prior to delayed neuronal death. These results imply an abnormal change in clathrin turnover after ischemia, which may participate in the pathogenesis of delayed neuronal death.     

Dual effects of 5-hydroxytryptamine on the release of gamma-aminobutyric acid from myenteric neurones of the guinea-pig ileum.

The effects of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) on the release of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) were examined in the longitudinal muscle-myenteric plexus (LM-MP) preparation of guinea-pig ileum. 5-HT increased the spontaneous release and inhibited the electrically-evoked release of [3H]-GABA. The 5-HT-evoked release was Ca2+-dependent and tetrodotoxin-sensitive, and was antagonized by (3 alpha-tropanyl)-1H-indole-3-carboxylic acid ester (ICS 205-930), but not by methysergide and ketanserin. The inhibitory effect of 5-HT was antagonized by methysergide, but not by ketanserin and ICS 205-930. 8-Hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino)tetralin mimicked the inhibitory effect of 5-HT. Thus, 5-HT may exert an excitatory effect on the enteric GABAergic neurone via the 5-HT3 receptor and an inhibitory effect via the 5-HT1A receptor.     

Genetic alteration in carcinoid tumors of the lung.

Surgically resected specimens of 13 carcinoid tumors of the lung including nine typical carcinoids and four atypical carcinoids, and eight salivary gland type carcinomas (six mucoepidermoid carcinomas and two adenoid cystic carcinomas) were analyzed regarding p53 expression, loss of heterozygosity (LOH) in chromosome 3p, 9p, and K-ras mutation. The overexpression of p53 was identified in four atypical carcinoid tumors, one mucoepidermoid carcinoma, and one adenoid cystic carcinoma, however, none of typical carcinoids showed p53 immunoreactivity. LOH in 3p14 was demonstrated in three of seven informative cases in all tumors. LOH in 9p was demonstrated in two of five informative cases in all tumors. Two of three cases with LOH at 3p14 had a poor prognosis, one of which also had LOH at 9p. No mutation of the K-ras gene was observed in any of these tumors. These data thus indicate that p53 overexpression might distinguish atypical carcinoid tumors from typical tumors and might therefore be useful as an adjunct modality in the differential diagnosis of pulmonary carcinoid tumors. The presence of LOH at 3p14 or 9p may thus help to identify lung cancer patients with a poor prognosis.     

Symptoms of contruction workers exposed to whole body vibration and local vibration

Summary To study the effects of construction machinery operation on subjective symptoms, a questionnaire survey was caried out among construction machinery operators by a self-reporting method. Subjects were 184 power shovel operators, 127 bulldozer operators, 44 forklift operators as operator groups, and 44 office workers as a control. Their ages were in a range of 30–49 years. The questionnaire contained 20 symptoms referring to fatigue, digestive problems, and upper or lower limbs or back problems. The prevalence rate and symptom characteristics were examined. The dominant symptoms of the operator groups were stiff shoulder, low back pain, and stomack symptoms. The prevalence rate of low back pain was significantly different between forklift operators and controls. No significant differences were found in the symptoms of upper limbs and fingers between operator groups and controls. The prevalence of Raynaud's phenomenon was 0.5%–2.3% in the operator groups and 2.3% in the control group.     

Effect of extradural analgesia on the paradoxical arousal response of the electroencephalogram

Despite widespread recognition of the potential role of the processed electroencephalogram (pEEG) as a monitor of depth of anaesthesia, few studies have examined the effects of surgical stimuli on the intraoperative pEEG. Two groups of gynaecological patients (n = 10 in each group), with or without pre-incisional extradural analgesia, undergoing gynaecological laparotomy under nitrous oxide and isoflurane anaesthesia were monitored with routine haemodynamic observations and pEEG. Patients who received pre-incisional extradural analgesia showed no significant changes in pEEG variables during surgery (mean spectral edge frequency 95 percentile (SEF95) 13.3 (SD 1.4) Hz), whereas in all patients without pre-incisional extradural analgesia, a significant decrease in SEF95 was noted (6.5 (1.1) Hz after incision compared with a pre-incisional value of 12.5 (1.4) Hz) together with an increase in arterial pressure (paradoxical response). In the latter group, SEF95 and arterial pressure returned to pre-incisional values after extradural analgesia was established during operation. During emergence from anaesthesia, both groups showed a significant increase in SEF95 (25.7 (1.4) Hz). This study suggests that intraoperative pEEG arousal response was different from changes detected when anaesthesia was terminated at the end of surgery. Surgical stimuli in the absence of adequate analgesia induced a paradoxical arousal response.      

Three-dimensional surface display with 123I-IMP in corticobasal degeneration]

A 65-year-old right-handed woman was admitted due to gait disturbance. She had suffered from progressive motor clumsiness in the left-sided limbs for four years. On admission, she was mildly demented, but not aphasic. Neurological examination disclosed constructional disability, limb-kinetic apraxia on the left side, and parkinsonism. Brain CT and MRI showed no responsible lesion. Three-dimensional surface display with 123I-IMP demonstrated decreased cerebral blood flow mainly in the right angular gyrus, and mildly in the right central region. She was clinically diagnosed as having corticobasal degeneration. Hypoperfusion in the angular gyrus and central region may account for constructional disability and limb-kinetic apraxia, respectively. Three-dimensional surface display with 123I-IMP appears to be useful for detecting the cortical region.     

POTASSIUM ACCELERATES URINARY SODIUM EXCRETION DURING SALT LOADING WITHOUT STIMULATING ATRIAL NATRIURETIC POLYPEPTIDE SECRETION

1. Effects of potassium (K) supplementation (100 mEq/day) on urinary sodium (Na) excretion and on the secretion of atrial natriuretic polypeptide (ANP) during salt loading (350 mEq/day) were studied in 12 healthy salt-resistant normotensives under strictly controlled metabolic ward conditions. 2. Urinary volume and Na excretion on the first day of the high salt period (HSP) were significantly greater in the K-supplemented group (KG) than in the control group (CG). 3. There was a significant gain in bodyweight after salt loading in both groups, with a significantly greater gain in CG on the second day of HSP. Haematocrit decreased significantly during salt loading in both groups, the degree of which was significantly greater in CG. 4. Plasma norepinephrine decreased significantly during salt loading in both groups, the degree of which was significantly less in KG than in CG. A significant increase in plasma ANP was observed in CG on and after the second day of HSP, while a significant increase in plasma ANP was observed on the fifth day of HSP in KG. 5. These findings indicate that K supplementation accelerates diuresis and natriuresis, resulting in moderate suppression of volume expansion induced by salt loading and that this accelerated diuresis and natriuresis is not a result of the action of ANP.     

Simultaneous repair of pectus excavatum and tetralogy of fallot: report of a case.

We report an 18-month-old boy with the association of pectus excavatum and tetralogy of Fallot (TOF). We successfully performed simultaneous pectus repair using sternal elevation without any prosthetic support and total correction of TOF after a prior modified Blalock-Taussig shunt. Retracting a divided costo-sternal complex with a rectus abdominal flap away from the operative field before the cardiac operation provided excellent surgical exposure. The modified Blalock-Taussig shunt prior to the combined repair prevented life-threatening hypoxic spells during dissection of the deformed sternum and costochondral cartilages before institution of cardiopulmonary bypass.     

Sandwich radioimmunoassay of human plasma renin using two monoclonal antibodies

Plasma immunoreactive renin was measured by sandwich radioimmunoassay, under various physiological and pathological conditions. Enzymatic activities of active renin and trypsin-activatable inactive renin were also measured. There was a significant correlation between plasma immunoreactive renin concentration (IRRC) and total (active plus inactive) renin concentration, as estimated by enzymatic activity. In plasma from normotensive volunteers and hypertensive patients, the IRRC were 279 +/- 37 pg/ml and 268 +/- 29 pg/ml, respectively. After the intravenous injection of furosemide, the plasma IRRC in normotensive volunteers increased significantly. IRRC was significantly higher in plasma from juvenile diabetics than in plasma from age-matched disease-free children. Thus, renin secretion in children with diabetes mellitus is increased.