Influence of acetylcholine on neuronal activity of monkey amygdala during bar press feeding behavior

Single neuron activity in the monkey amygdala was investigated during cue signalled conditioned bar press feeding behavior and the effects of electrophoretically applied acetylcholine (ACh) and atropine were analyzed. ACh increased the firing rate of one third of the neurons tested; these excitatory responses were inhibited by the muscarinic receptor antagonist atropine. No characteristic location of ACh-sensitive neurons was found, cells were diffusely distributed throughout the amygdala. Activity of ACh-sensitive neurons did not correlate with any particular event during the bar press feeding task. However, continuous application of ACh at low current intensity during the task significantly enhanced the task-related excitatory firing patterns, or markedly attenuated the inhibitory responses. Continuous application of atropine elicited or enhanced inhibitory response patterns. These results suggest that the cholinergic system of the monkey amygdala facilitates neuronal excitation but attenuates inhibition related to various phases of feeding behavior, such as to cue recognition, food aquisition and rewarding process.     

Clinical outcomes of two different endometrial preparation methods for cryopreserved-thawed embryo transfer in patients with a normal menstrual cycle

Aim:  To compare the clinical outcomes of cryopreserved-thawed embryo transfer among patients with a normal menstrual cycle who had natural or hormone-replacement cycles.
Methods:  From January 2004 to June 2006, cryopreserved embryos following conventional in vitro fertilization (IVF) or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) were thawed and transferred in a total of 720 natural cycles and 136 hormone-replacement cycles.
Results:  Cryopreserved-thawed embryo transfer in patients who had a natural or hormone-replacement cycle resulted in clinical pregnancy in 43.1% and 40.4%, respectively; a rate of miscarriage of 14.5% and 23.6%, respectively; and a rate of ongoing pregnancy and delivery of 36.5% and 30.9%, respectively. None of these differences were statistically significant.
Conclusions:   Patients with a normal menstrual cycle who have natural or hormone-replacement cycles can be expected to have comparable clinical outcomes with cryopreserved-thawed embryo transfer. (Reprod Med Biol 2007; 6 : 53–57)     

Active oxygen species generated by monocytes and polymorphonuclear cells in Crohn's disease

Chemiluminescence (CL) analysis of monocytes and polymorphonuclear cells (PMNs) was performed on 13 patients with Crohn's disease (CD) and 10 healthy volunteers. The percentages of monocyte populations in mononuclear cells obtained from the patients with CD were greater than those from the healthy volunteers, but the numbers of PMNs were not different between the two groups. The peak level of phorbol myristate acetate (PMA)-induced CL activity generated by diluted whole blood from the patients with CD was more significantly elevated than that from the healthy volunteers, whereas the peak levels of opsonized zymosan-induced CL activity did not differ between the two groups. In monocytes, the peak levels of both PMA- and opsonized zymosan-induced CL activity were significantly higher in the patients with CD than in the healthy volunteers. CL in PMNs, however, showed no significant difference between CD and controls. It is suggested that monocytes of CD have a large capacity to generate active oxygen species. The present study suggests that excessive active oxygen species released by monocytes and perhaps macrophages may play an important role in formation of the intestinal lesions in CD.This work was supported by the Grant of Tokuteishitsukan from the Japanese Ministry of Welfare and Health.     

Laryngeal Resistance before and after Minor Surgery: Endotracheal Tube versus Laryngeal Mask Airway™

Background: The placement of an endotracheal tube (ETT) may promote laryngeal swelling, which is an important cause of upper airway obstruction after extubation. The authors hypothesized that laryngeal swelling after ETT placement increases laryngeal resistance and tested that hypothesis by comparing postoperative laryngeal patency between patients with ETT placement and those with a Laryngeal Mask Airway(TM) (LMA(TM)).

Methods: Fourteen adult patients who underwent elective minor surgeries were randomly allocated to two groups whose airway would be managed through ETTs (the ETT group) or LMAs(TM) (the LMA(TM) group) during the surgery. While maintaining at sevoflurane 1 minimum alveolar concentration, the authors measured laryngeal resistance before and after surgery, during both spontaneous breathing and mechanical ventilation under complete paralysis. In addition, they endoscopically measured the vocal cord angle under complete paralysis.

Results: In association with marked swelling of the vocal cords, the vocal cord angle significantly decreased after surgery in the ETT group, whereas the angle did not change in the LMA group. Laryngeal resistance during mechanical ventilation significantly increased only in the ETT group. Laryngeal resistance during spontaneous breathing significantly increased after surgeries in both groups.     

VALUE OF COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY FOR EVALUATING THE INJECTION SITE IN ENDOSONOGRAPHY‐GUIDED CELIAC PLEXUS NEUROLYSIS

Endosonography‐guided celiac plexus neurolysis (EUS‐CPN) safely and effectively relieves pain associated with intra‐abdominal malignancies when the neurolytic is accurately injected. We applied contrast medium to evaluate the ethanol injection sites in patients who received EUS‐CPN due to abdominal pain caused by malignancies. We injected, under the guidance of endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS), ethanol containing 10% contrast medium into the celiac plexus of patients with intra‐abdominal pain due to malignancies. Immediately after the endoscopic therapy, patients underwent computed tomography (CT) to confirm the injection site. Images of distribution of injected solutions were classified into three groups. Injected solution dispersed in unilateral and bilateral anterocrural space was defined as ‘unilateral injection’ or ‘bilateral injection’, respectively. Injected solution located out of the anterocrural space was defined as ‘inappropriate injection’. Pre‐ and postprocedure pain was assessed using a standard analog scale. Before and 2, 4, 8, 12, and 16 weeks after the procedure, pain scores were evaluated. From April 2003 to May 2005, 13 patients were enrolled in this study. Improvement of pain score in the ‘bilateral injection’ and ‘unilateral injection’ groups was significantly superior to the change in the ‘inappropriate injection’ group. Although EUS‐CPN was effective in eight of 13 patients (61.5%), additional EUS‐CPN to the ‘inappropriate injection group’ increased the response rate to 84.6%. Injection of ethanol to the anterocrural space by EUS‐CPN produced adequate pain relief. Immediate examination by CT for confirmation of injection sites after EUS‐CPN would increase the likelihood of induction of pain relief.     

Angiotensin I-converting enzyme inhibitor improves reactive hyperemia in elderly hypertensives with arteriosclerosis obliterans.

Endothelial function in elderly hypertensive patients with arteriosclerosis obliterans has not been evaluated. We examined whether antihypertensive drugs improve vasodilatory response to reactive hyperemia of the limbs in elderly hypertensive patients (83 +/- 8 [SD] years) without (n=46, 0.9 < or = ankle-brachial pressure index < or = 1.4) and with (n=24) arteriosclerosis obliterans (ankle-brachial pressure index < 0.2). Patients were randomized for treatment with monotherapy of either temocapril (14 with and 26 without arteriosclerosis obliterans) or amlodipine (10 with and 20 without arteriosclerosis obliterans) for 6 months. Blood flows of the forearms and legs were measured by strain-gauge plethysmography. The vasodilatory response to the release of compression of the forearms and thighs at 200 mmHg or 20 mmHg more than systolic blood pressure for 5 min and to sublingual administration of nitroglycerin (0.3 mg) was assessed. The maximum reactive hyperemic flow in 35 legs with arteriosclerosis obliterans was significantly (p < 0.001) decreased compared to the value in legs in the control hypertensive subjects. Moreover, maximum reactive hyperemic flow in the forearms of patients with arteriosclerosis obliterans was significantly (p = 0.002) decreased compared to that in the control subjects. Blood pressure was similarly decreased by treatment with temocapril or amlodipine. Response to nitroglycerin (0.3 mg) was not changed by either drug. Treatment with temocapril significantly improved maximum reactive hyperemic flow of not only the legs and forearms in control hypertensives but also the legs and forearms in patients with arteriosclerosis obliterans, and attenuated the worsening of activity of daily living in these patients, although treatment with amlodipine did not. These results suggest that the angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor temocapril has a beneficial effect on endothelial function in elderly patients with arteriosclerosis obliterans.     

Photoleukomelanodermatitis (Kobori) Induced by Afloqualone

We reported a case of photoleukomelanodermatitis (Kobori) type drug eruption due to afloqualone (Arofuto®). The patient was given afloqualone and imipramine hydrochloride (Chrytemin®) for cervical spondylosis from November of 1990. Edematous erythema with slight itching appeared on the sun-exposed areas in December of 1990. As drug eruption was suspected, drugs were ceased, and the cutaneous lesions almost disappeared but pigmentations and depigmentations developed in spots in sun-exposed areas in March of 1991. Photopatch and oral challenge tests were positive.