Technical aspects of venous stenting in high-grade stenoses using a long guidewire between dual venous access sites

We describe the technical benefits of the dual-access technique for venous stenting in high-grade stenosis. Stents were implanted successfully with this technique in all patients, although the preceding transfemoral interventions had failed. The dual-access technique is useful to facilitate the intervention when the stenoses are too severe to place the stent through just a single access point. Received: 21 October 1998; Revised: 23 February 1999; Accepted: 3 May 1999     

Concentrated expression of Ca2+/ calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II and protein kinase C in the mushroom bodies of the brain of the honeybee Apis mellifera L

We have previously used the differential display method to identify a gene that is expressed preferentially in the mushroom bodies of worker honeybees and to show that it encodes a putative inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor (IP3R) homologue (Kamikouchi et al. [1998] Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 242:181-186). In the present study, we examined whether the expression of some of the genes for proteins involved in the intracellular Ca2+ signal transduction is also concentrated in the mushroom bodies of the honeybee by isolating cDNA fragments that encode the Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) and protein kinase C (PKC) homologues of the honeybee. In situ hybridization analysis revealed that the expression of these genes was also concentrated in the mushroom bodies of the honeybee brain: The CaMKII gene was expressed preferentially in the large-type Kenyon cells of the mushroom bodies, whereas that for PKC was expressed in both the large and small types of Kenyon cells. The expression of the genes for IP3R and CaMKII was concentrated in the mushroom bodies of the queen and drone as well as in those of the worker bee. Furthermore, the enzymatic activities of CaMKII and PKC were found to be higher in the mushroom bodies/central bodies than in the optic and antennal lobes of the worker bee brain. These results suggest that the function of the intracellular Ca2+ signal transduction is enhanced in Kenyon cells in comparison to other neuronal cell types in the honeybee brain.     

A case of traumatic priapism

We report a case of high flow priapism secondary to arteriovenous fistula produced by perineal trauma in a 43-year-old patient. Diagnosis was based on the result of gasometry in cavernous blood and color doppler sonography. Superselective embolization of the deep artery of the penis was performed with good results. After 6 months of treatment, erection and sexual function were normal. Our case demonstrates that this procedure is a safe and effective therapy for high flow priapism.     

Third nerve palsy and serous retinal detachment with preeclampsia.

Visual disturbances occur more frequently during preeclampsia than during pregnancy in general, but visual disturbances due to cranial nerve palsy are rare. We present the case of a 35-year-old preeclamptic woman with left third nerve palsy and left serous retinal detachment. The patient complained of visual disturbance and double vision soon after cesarean section. Left third nerve palsy and left serous retinal detachment were diagnosed by urgent ophthalmologic evaluation. Aneurysm and organic brain lesion were ruled out by diagnostic imaging. By 2 months postpartum, the visual disturbance had improved spontaneously.     

Herbimycin A Suppresses the Reduction of Gap-junctional Intercellular Communication Induced by Tumor-promoting Phorbol Ester in 3T3-L1 Cells

We have examined the suppressive effect of herbimycin A on the reduction of gap-junctional Intercellular communication that is induced by a tumor-promoting phorbol ester in 3T3-L1 cells. Most cells in growth arrest participated in dye-coupling, as evaluated by the transfer between cells of a fluorescent dye (Lucifer Yellow CH). Treatment of cells with 0.25 μg/ml herbimycin A slightly enhanced the dye-coupling. This enhancement required treatment for periods as long as 24 h. Addition of 100 ng/ml 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) caused a rapid reduction of dye-coupling. However, addition of TPA did not suppress dye-coupling in cells pretreated for more than 24 h with herbimycin A. Pretreatment of cells for less than 6 h with herbimycin A did not suppress the TPA-induced reduction of dye-coupling. These results suggest that herbimycin A suppresses the reduction of gap-junctional intercellular communication that is induced by TPA through enhancement of the ability of the cells to participate in gap-junctional intercellular communication