Effects of iodine-enriched egg (IE-egg) on nasal allergy: basic and clinical investigations

The effect of iodine-enriched egg (IE-egg) on nasal allergy was investigated using an experimental allergic model. In addition, the effect of IE-egg was investigated using patients with yearly nasal allergy. IE-egg could suppress the leakage of pontamine sky blue dye in the experimental allergic model. beta-Glucuronidase activity in the perfusate was suppressed with the ingestion of IE-egg. The symptoms of the patients with yearly nasal allergy were mitigated by the ingestion of IE-egg. beta-Glucuronidase activity in the pituita of nasal allergic patients tended to be decreased.     

Clinical studies on the transabdominal resection of esophagocardial cancer and cervical anastomosis using bypass methods. Analysis of data on 76 patients

Transabdominal resection for esophagocardial cancer and reestablishment of alimentary continuity using bypass methods were performed in 76 patients. Thirteen underwent a bypass with a gastric tube and in 30, a colonic segment was prepared. In the remaining 33, a jejunal segment was used as a bypass organ, with considerable success. The 5 year survival rates were 68.8 per cent in those with stages (I+II), 16.5 per cent in those with stage III, 12.6 per cent in those with stage IV and 22.5 per cent in all cases, indicating similar results compared to those with cancer located in the upper third of the stomach with the limited proximal extension within the esophagocardial junction and operated on during the same period.     

Select types of supporting cell in the inner ear express aquaporin-4 water channel protein

Aquaporins (AQPs) confer a high water permeability on cell membranes and play important parts in secretory and absorptive epithelia in kidney and other organs. Here we investigate whether AQPs are expressed in the sensory epithelia of the inner ear, where a precise volume regulation is crucial. By use of specific antibodies it was found that the inner ear contains AQP1 and 4 while being devoid of detectable levels of AQP2, 3 or 5. Immunofluorescence and postembedding immunogold labelling revealed a strictly non-epithelial distribution of AQP1, confirming previous data. In contrast, AQP4 protein and mRNA (visualized by in situ hybridization) were concentrated in select types of supporting cell, including Hensen's cells and inner sulcus cells. Immunogold particles signalling AQP4 were confined to the basolateral plasma membrane of Hensen's cells and to the basal plasma membrane of Claudius cells and inner sulcus cells. AQP4 was also found in supporting cells of the vestibular end organs, but was absent from transitional epithelial cells and dark cells. Strong labelling for AQP4 and AQP4-mRNA was associated with the central part of the cochlear and vestibular nerves. Hair cells were consistently unlabelled. Our findings indicate that AQP4 may facilitate osmotically driven water fluxes in the sensory epithelia of the inner ear and thus contribute to the volume and ion homeostasis at these sites.     

Ipsilateral atrophy in children with hemispheric cerebral tumors: CT findings

The CT findings of 19 children under 16 years of age with primary brain tumors in the cerebral hemisphere were investigated with special reference to the existence of cerebral hemiatrophy ipsilateral to the side of the tumor. "Ipsilateral cerebral hemiatrophy" was observed in four of 19 cases (21%). These included two cases with germinoma in the basal ganglia and two with low-grade astrocytoma in the frontal and occipital cortex. This peculiar CT finding was not specific to the location or histology of the tumor. The four cases were characterized by slow progression, which contrasted with the rapid progression of tumors shown in seven cases with a mass effect on CT.     

When is total thyroidectomy indicated as a treatment of “follicular carcinoma”?

Clinicopathologic studies were performed to establish rational criteria for total thyroidectomy as a treatment of follicular carcinoma. During the 4-year period from 1981 to 1984, total thyroidectomy was carried out on 23 patients in whom unequivocal vascular invasion and/or obvious extracapsular extension were disclosed on pathological study of the primary thyroid lesion. Although occult metastatic lesions were detected postoperatively in 5 patients, no distant metastases have been found in 12. Distant metastasis was clinically manifest on admission in the other 6 patients. The degree of vascular invasion at the primary lesion was not correlated with the occurrence of distant metastasis. However, 10 of the 15 patients with tumors characterized by a thick fibrous capsule had distant metastases, while all but 1 of 8 patients with a thin capsule showed no metastasis. Apparent capsular invasion seemed to increase the relative risk of distant metastasis. On the other hand, solid clusters of tumor cells containing a variable number of small follicles, which characterize Langhans' wuchernde Struma, were found in 6 patients, and 5 of them showed distant metastases. Thus, total thyroidectomy should be considered when (a) distant metastases are clinically apparent, (b) the primary lesion has a thick fibrous capsule with or without obvious capsular invasion, or (c) solid clusters of tumor cells are demonstrated microscopically.

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Resumen Se realizaron estudios clinicopatológicos con el propósito de establecer criterios racionales para la tiroidectomía total en el tratamiento del carcinoma folicular. En el curso de un perfodo de 4 anos entre 1981 y 1984, se realizó tiroidectomía total en 23 pacientes en quienes se halló inequívoca invasión vascular y/o obvia extension extracapsular en el examen histopatológico de la lesión tiroidea primaria. Aunque postoperatoriamente se detectaron lesiones metastáticas ocultas en 5 pacientes, no se encontraron metástasis distantes en 12. Metástasis distantes eran clínicamente manifiestas en el momenta de la admisión en los otros 6 pacientes. El grado de invasión vascular en la lesión primaria no apareció correlacionado con la ocurrencia de metástasis distantes. Sin embargo, 10 de los 15 pacientes con tumores caracterizados por una cápsula gruesa y fibrosa tenían metástasis distantes, mientras solo 1 de 8 pacientes con tumores de cápsula fina mostró metástasis. La invasión capsular aparente parece incrementar el riesgo relativo de metástasis distantes. Por otra parte, agrupaciones sólidas de células tumorales con presencia de números variables de folículos pequeños, que caracterizan al wuchernde Struma de Langhans, fueron encontrados en 6 pacientes, 5 de los cuales mostraron metastasis distantes. Por lo tanto, se debe considerar la tiroidectomía total cuando: (a) haya metástasis distantes clínicamente aparentes, (b) la lesión primaria tenga una gruesa cápsula fibrosa con o sin invasión capsular obvia, y (c) se demuestren microscópicamente agrupaciones sólidas de células tumorales.

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Résumé Une étude clinicopathologique a été menée pour déterminer les critères de thyroïdectomie totale comme traitement dans le cancer folliculaire de la thyroïde. Pendant 4 ans, de 1981 à 1984, 23 patients ont subi une thyroïdectomie totale pour envahissement vasculaire non équivoque et/ou extension extracapsulaire évidente découverte sur la pièce d'exérèse initiale. Cinq patients avaient des métastases occultes découvertes dans la période postopératoire, 6 avaient des métastases cliniquement évidentes, alors que 12 ne présentaient aucun signe de métastase à distance. Le degré d'envahissement vasculaire de la lésion primitive n'était pas corrélé avec la survenue de métastases à distance. Cependant, 10 des 15 patients à tumeurs caractérisées par un épaississement de la capsule fibreuse avaient des métastases à distance, alors que 7 des 8 patients avec une capsule mince n'avaient pas de métastases. L'envahissement capsulaire était associé à un plus grand risque de métastases à distance. Des amas solides de cellules tumorales contenant de petits follicules, le wuckernde struma de Langhans, étaient retrouvés dans 6 cas, dont 5 avaient des métastases à distance. Ainsi, la thyroïdectomie totale est préconisée lorsque (a) des métastases à distance sont cliniquement évidentes, (b) la lésion primitive possède une capsule fibreuse épaisse avec ou sans envahissement évident, et (c) on met en évidence des cellules tumorales en amas microscopiquement.

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Presented at the International Association of Endocrine Surgeons in Sydney, Australia, September, 1987.     

Transoral transclival approach to vertebral-posterior inferior cerebellar artery aneurysm. Case report

A 61-year-old male was hospitalized for subarachnoid hemorrhage. Cerebral angiography revealed a small left vertebral-posterior inferior cerebellar artery aneurysm, 5 mm to the right of the midline and in the lower third level of the clivus--the so-called "no man's land." It was felt that surgery through the lateral suboccipital approach would likely result in neurological deficits, since the aneurysm would be obscured by the tortuous parent artery or the basilar artery. Therefore, the transoral transclival approach was undertaken and the aneurysm was successfully obliterated. Postoperatively, the patient developed transient right hemiparesis and mild meningitis without evidence of liquorrhea, but fully recovered with conservative management. Certain specific sites of aneurysms, as well as excessive tortuosity of the parent artery, are considered to be indications for the transoral transclival approach. Meningitis is the most worrisome complication of this approach, and mortality is high. Effective preventative measures, which were taken in this case, include tight closure of the dura mater and the pharyngeal mucous membrane, use of the smallest possible clip, and continuous cerebrospinal fluid drainage.     

Neurolysis of celiac plexus and splanchnic nerve under ultrasonographic guidance

Key words  intractable pain - celiac plexus neurolysis - ultrasonography     

Semaphorin3A signalling is mediated via sequential Cdk5 and GSK3beta phosphorylation of CRMP2: implication of common phosphorylating mechanism underlying axon guidance and Alzheimer's disease

Collapsin response mediating protein-2 (CRMP2) has been identified as an intracellular protein mediating Semaphorin3A (Sema3A), a repulsive guidance molecule. In this study, we demonstrate that cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (Cdk5) and glycogen synthase kinase 3beta (GSK3beta) plays a critical role in Sema3A signalling. In In vitro kinase assay, Cdk5 phosphorylated CRMP2 at Ser522, while GSK3beta did not induce any phosphorylation of CRMP2. Phosphorylation by GSK3beta was exclusively observed in Cdk5-phosphorylated CRMP2, but barely in CRMP2T509A. These results indicate that Cdk5 primarily phosphorylates CRMP2 at Ser522 and GSK3beta secondarily phosphorylates at Thr509. The dual-phosphorylated CRMP2, but not non-phosphorylated or single-phosphorylated CRMP2, is recognized with the antibody 3F4, which is highly reactive with the neurofibrillary tangles of Alzheimer's disease. 3F4 recognized the CRMP2 in the wild-type but not cdk5-/- mouse embryonic brain lysates. The phosphorylation of CRMP2 at Ser522 caused reduction of its affinity to tubulin. In dorsal root ganglion neurones, Sema3A stimulation enhanced the levels of the phosphorylated form of CRMP2 detected by 3F4. Over-expression of CRMP2 mutant substituting either Ser522 or Thr509 to Ala attenuates Sema3A-induced growth cone collapse response. These results suggest that the sequential phosphorylation of CRMP is an important process of Sema3A signalling and the same mechanism may have some relevance to the pathological aggregation of the microtubule-associated proteins.     

Immunocytochemical Evidence of Amyloid-enhancing Factor (AEF) in Polymorphonuclear Leukocytes

Amyloid enhancing factor (AEF) was extracted from spleens of mice that had received amyloidogenic stimulation. Sephacryl S 300 gel filtration of the crude AEF yielded five fractions, among which strong AEF activity was present in the first peak (Fl), and confirmed by an amyloid induction experiment. An anti AEF antiserum was obtained from a rabbit by immunization with Fl. This antibody reacted strongly with splenic polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PML) from mice given amyloidogenic stimulation, and weakly with those from normal untreated mice. Isoelectric focusing (IEF) analysis of both Fl and sera from mice given amyloidogenic stimulation was performed. A single band was observed on IEF analysis of Fl, whereas many bands were seen on IEF analysis of the sera. After the substances in the gel had been transferred to nitrocellulose membranes by capillary blotting, the membranes were made to react with the anti-AEF antiserum. The results suggested that AEF is a high molecular-weight substance derived from PML and increases in the serum at the time of, or shortly prior to, amyloid deposition in the spleen. Acta Pathol Jpn 39: 349∼355, 1989.