Metabolite changes with age measured by proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy in normal subjects

Abstract  To determine whether there are metabolite changes in the left medial temporal and frontal lobes with aging, we performed proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy in 36 normal subjects. The N-acetylaspartate/creatine-phosphocreatine ratio in the medial temporal lobe tended to be decreased in subjects over 60 years of age. The ratio decrease in the frontal lobe related to aging was lower than that in the medial temporal lobe. There were no significant differences in the metabolite ratios between males and females. These findings suggest that structures in the medial temporal lobe may be more susceptible to neuronal dysfunction associated with aging than those in the frontal lobe.     

An Operating Microscope with Higher Magnification and Higher Resolution for Cerebral Aneurysm Surgery: Preliminary Experience—Technical Note

We describe a higher magnifying power operating microscope system to improve one method of high-quality microsurgical clipping for cerebral aneurysm in some cases. This higher magnification is achieved by a new lens design in the optical system, which makes the image of the object very clear at high magnifications (distinctiveness of 7 μm). This higher-resolution operating microscope system provides the surgeon with higher-magnified images (at the maximum of more than 30× magnifications as each working distance) in the operating field. The magnifications can be changed from low power (2.9×) to high power (62.0×) depending on the circumstances in a given procedure. We have used this operating microscope system on 11 patients with microsurgical clipping for cerebral aneurysms. Microsurgical treatment could be performed safely and precisely. All aneurysms were treated without any technical complications. We think that the use of this microscope would have potential benefits for microsurgical treatment for cerebral aneurysms because of better visualization.     

Chronically Recurrent and Disseminated Tinea Faciei/Corporis—Autoinoculation from Asymptomatic Tinea Capitis Carriage

Abstract: We report clinical findings in a 12‐year‐old girl with long‐term recurrent and disseminated multiple eruptions of tinea faciei and tinea corporis, which persisted for 10 years. Mycological examination revealed the dermatophyte Trichophyton tonsurans in both scale samples from the body lesions and in brushing samples from her asymptomatic scalp, suggesting that she was an asymptomatic dermatophyte carrier on the scalp, and autoinoculation of the dermatophyte was responsible for the recurrent and disseminated tinea faciei/corporis.     

The first report of a patient with interrupted inferior vena cava,multiple post-renal veins and azygos-hemiazygos continuation

The first case of a patient with interrupted inferior vena cava, four post-renal veins and an azygoshemiazygos continuation is presented. The complicated anomalies were omphalocele and atrial septal defect. Cine-magnetic resonance imaging and cardiac catheterization showed an anomalous retroaortic left innominate vein, azygos-hemiazygos continuation in the prerenal portion, arch formed renal vein in the renal portion and four embryonic vessels in the post-renal portion. Combination of these anomalies in the major venous system suggested that the inferior vena cava had failed to form and that the bilateral embryonic venous system, postcardinal and supracardinal veins persisted to be the systemic venous channels.     

Role of vagotony in sinus node dysfunction in children with symptomatic congenital long QT syndrome

The present study examined chronotropic dysfunction and the role of vagotony in congenital long QT syndrome, sinus node function and the effects of parasympathetic blockade. Six patients with congenital long QT syndrome were studied. The four males and two females, aged 1–15 years, had episodes of syncope and malignant ventricular arrhythmias. Congenital long QT syndrome was defined as a corrected QT interval greater than 0.45 s, T wave alternans and the age at diagnosis. The sinus heart rate measured from a 24 h electrocardiograph was abnormally low (< 50 min) in three patients (1, 4 and 5 years old) and did not increase sufficiently with the administration of atropine in five of the six patients with congenital long QT syndrome. From intracardiac electrophysiological studies, the corrected sinus node recovery time was prolonged in three patients and the total sinoatrial conduction time was prolonged in two patients. In most patients who had an abnormally long sinoatrial conduction time and corrected sinus node recovery time, these values returned to normal following atropine administration. In one patient, the corrected sinus node recovery time was prolonged paradoxically by atropine. Sinus node dysfunction in congenital long QT syndrome was affected by vagotony associated with a right sympathetic nerve system abnormality.     

Contribution of pulmonary hemodynamics on manifestation of allergic asthma in patients with congenital heart disease

The purpose of this study was to determine whether pulmonary hemodynamic abnormalities relate to manifestations of allergic asthma. In 448 patients with congenital heart disease the relationships between asthma and age or pulmonary arterial blood (PA) flow were studied. Asthma (allergic and non-allergic) was more common in 39 (19%) of 201 patients with high PA flow, compared with the incidence in those with normal PA flow (6/117, 5%; P < 0.001) and reduced PA flow (1/130, 1%; P < 0.05). In the high PA flow group, the frequency of asthma declined significantly (P < 0.01) with age, from 25–26% in the 6 month-5 year patient group to 5% in the 6–12 year old patients. The frequency of asthma, including allergic type, was significantly (P < 0.01) greater in patients with pulmonary hypertension (15/24, 63%) than in those without (10/77, 13%) at the age of 6 months to 1 year. Asthma in the high PA flow group was associated with other allergic diseases in 30 (77%) of 39 patients, including food allergy in nine (23%), atopic dermatitis in 14 (36%), allergic rhinitis in seven (18%) and abnormally high total IgE levels in 14 (36%). These findings suggest that high pulmonary flow or pulmonary hypertension enhances the manifestation of allergic disease, particularly asthma.     

Spectral analysis of changes in electroencephalographic activity after the chewing of gum

Abstract  The present study aimed to examine the psychosomatic effect in the chewing of marketed gum using eletroencephalogram (EEG) as an index. The EEG were taken in two sets: (i) a resting period before chewing (control recording) and a resting record (post-resting recording) for examining reproducibility; and (ii) a control recording and resting period after gum-chewing for 3 min (post-chewing recording). The ratio of each frequency band to the total frequency power, the mean frequency of the alpha band and laterality of the frequency power was calculated. In the examination of the reproducibility, no statistically significant differences were observed between control recording and post-resting recording in all indices. In the reflection of EEG after gum-chewing, there were no significant differences between control recording and the post-chewing recording. However, a significant interaction was observed among these indices by analysis of variance. In addition, the alpha power in the post-chewing recording was significantly higher than that in the control recording at almost all the positions. In conclusion, the intra-individual reproducibility of EEG was confirmed in the recording method. Furthermore, it was suggested that a significant interaction and a rising trend of the mean frequency of the alpha band after gum-chewing reflected 'arousal' psychosomatic responses by the chewing of marketed gum.     

STUDIES ON RACEMIZATION DURING COUPLINGS USING A SERIES OF MODEL TRIPEPTIDES INVOLVING ACTIVATED RESIDUES WITH UNFUNCTIONALIZED SIDE CHAINS

Racemization studies have been carried out using as model tests couplings of N-benzyloxycarbonylglycyl-l -χ with benzyl N^e-benzyloxycarbonyl-l -lysinate followed by deprotection and analysis for the diastereomeric tripeptides with an amino acid analyzer, for χ = alanine, leucine, phenylalanine, valine and isoleucine. The order of susceptibility to racemization of residues during these segment couplings depends on whether the solvent is polar or apolar, with isoleucyl and valyl, followed by phenylalanyl, being the most susceptible ones in polar solvents. The racemization depressing effect of some additives on carbodiimide-mediated couplings has been examined. Reconciliation of apparent discrepancies in data in the literature on the relative merits of l-hydroxy-benzotriazole and N-hydroxysuccinimide is made on the basis of the nature of the model tests used in acquiring the data.