Biomedical subjects

E Abe

Publications and source records attributed to E Abe.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

PubMed1996

Spinal subdural hematoma.

We report the case of a 68-year-old patient with a traumatic spinal subdural hematoma. MRI demonstrated an area of abnormal intensity and a black line in the inner part of the intradural space. We anticipate that MRI will help to make one more confident in the preoperative diagnosis of spinal subdural hematoma. The symptoms completely disappeared immediately after the operation. Spinal subdural hematoma requires immediate surgical evacuation. The prognosis for functional recovery is good if the condition is appropriately diagnosed and treated before development of irreversible paralysis. We recommend MRI to make an early diagnosis and early evacuation of spinal subdural hematoma.

Aged↗

PubMed1996

Clinical experience of functional electrical stimulation in complete paraplegia.

Percutaneous intramuscular electrodes and a portable multichannel system were used to restore the function of the paralyzed lower extremities in six patients with complete paraplegia. The total number of inserted electrodes was 168. All of the patients could stand, two could walk in parallel bars, and two could walk with a walker. The rate of breakage of electrodes was only 0.6% in our series. There were 10 (6.0%) superficial infections, and 10 (6.0%) movement of electrodes which required reimplantation. The results suggest that the ultrafine intramuscular electrode is practical for long term use with paraplegic patients. Although the system can be used for paraplegic patients during the activities of daily living, it will be necessary to develop a closed-loop controller to reduce the amount of stimulation to the extensor muscles and extend the endurance of upright activity to reduce fatigue.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1996

Immortalization of cells from brains derived from a strain (MSM/MSfB6C3F1) of wild mouse.

Escape from cellular aging is the rate-limiting step of multistep carcinogenesis. While normal human cells invariably undergo cellular aging and almost never spontaneously immortalize, cells derived from rodents such as mice are relatively easily immortalized. In this experiment, we studied the immortalization patterns of cells obtained from brain tissues of an inbred strain (MSM/MSfB6C3F1) derived from wild mice. We established 12 cell strains derived from 12 mouse brains in order to investigate whether these cells show cellular aging in the same fashion as human cells or whether these cells are immortalized as easily as rodent cells reported previously. As a result, all cell strains were immortalized up to about 200 days in culture. One strain immortalized very early, in the first 50 days, four strains immortalized in the last 200 days, and the other seven strains became immortal between 150 and 200 days in culture. All immortalized cell strains showed varying amounts of chromosome abnormalities, numerically and structurally, but no specific changes related to immortalization were detected. Before immortalization, three types of cells, glial-like, polygonal flat-thin, and fibroblast-like cells, were observed in culture, but after immortalization most of the cultures became fibroblastic. From these results, we concluded that fibroblast-like cells derived from brains of these mice immortalized in like fashion to fibroblasts of other inbred mice.

Animals↗

PubMed1995

Congenital dumbbell neuroblastoma.

STUDY DESIGN: New babies with neurologic deficits resulting from intraspinal extension of congenital neuroblastoma is very unusual. Two patients with congenital dumbbell neuroblastoma with paraplegia are described, and 16 other cases are reviewed. OBJECTIVE: To study the clinical features and prognosis of congenital dumbbell neuroblastoma. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Only 16 cases were found in the literature. METHODS: Two girls were diagnosed and underwent surgery. RESULTS: Although no recurrence occurred in both patients, incomplete paresis remained. Corrective surgery was needed because of the post-laminectomy spinal deformity in patient 2. CONCLUSIONS: Although a high survival rate in patients with congenital dumbbell neuroblastoma is encouraging, the poor neurologic recovery is of great concern. The authors recommend an early diagnosis by magnetic resonance imaging and early spinal cord decompression followed by chemotherapy for congenital dumbbell neuroblastoma.

Female↗

PubMed1995

High-grade surface osteosarcoma of the humerus.

We presented a case of high-grade surface osteosarcoma of the humerus in a 12-year-old girl and the results of our analysis of 26 cases reported in the literature. Twelve of the 21 patients for whom substantial follow-up information was reported had died of the disease, and the results of the analysis regarding the efficacy of chemotherapy and medullary involvement were ambiguous. It is emphasized that high-grade surface osteosarcoma is a distinct entity, since it is associated with a poorer prognosis than other osteosarcomas arising on the surface of bone.

Bone Neoplasms↗

PubMed1995

Stress fractures of the medial malleolus: a case report.

The findings for stress fracture of the medial malleolus in two patients are presented. In case 1, a 54-year-old woman complained of gradual onset of pain over the medial malleolus after prolonged walking. Magnetic resonance imaging was useful in the early detection of the stress fracture of the medial malleolus. In case 2, a 16-year-old male developed stress fracture of the medial malleolus during repetitive Kendo fencing activity. Good clinical results were obtained with nonsurgical therapy.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1995

Microgravity generated by space flight has little effect on the growth and development of chick embryonic bone.

Seven days' space flight of fertilized chicken eggs pre- incubated for 7 and 10 days on earth caused no differences in the morphology of osteoblasts, osteoclasts, and osteocytes of humerus and tibia from those of control embryos. Bone-resorbing and -forming activities of the femur were not different between control and flight groups. As a consequence, calcium and phosphorus contents of the femora between control and flight groups were not changed. Alkaline phosphatase activity of 3 different regions (resting cartilage, growth cartilage, and cortical bone) of tibia showed no significant difference between control and flight groups. No significant difference of gene expressions of hepatocyte growth factor and receptors of fibroblast growth factor was observed in perichondrium, trabecula, and skeletal muscles and tendons of hind limbs between control and flight groups. Unlike the results of previous space flight experiments in which young growing mammals were used, these morphological and biochemical results indicate that microgravity has little effect on bone metabolism of the chick embryo.

Actins↗

PubMed1994

Biological activities of 24-fluoro-1 alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D-2 and its 24-epimer.

Biological activities of two epimeric 24-fluorinated vitamin D-2 analogs, 24-fluoro-1 alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D-2 [24-F-1,25-(OH)2D2] and its 24-epimer [24-epi-24-F-1,25-(OH)2D2], were studied and compared with 1 alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D-3 [1,25-(OH)2D3] and 1 alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D-2 [1,25-(OH)2D2]. 24-F-1,25-(OH)2D2 was nearly as active as 1,25-(OH)2D3 and 1,25-(OH)2D2 both in regulating calcium metabolism in vivo including bone mineral mobilization and intestinal calcium transport and in inducing differentiation of HL-60 cells. While 24-epi-24-F-1,25-(OH)2D2 showed distinct properties in these two types of the actions. Though the 24-epimer was nearly as potent as 1,25-(OH)2D3 in inducing differentiation of HL-60 cells, it showed little activity in regulating calcium metabolism in vivo. The fluorine atom introduced at the 24-position of either 1,25-(OH)2D2 or its 24-epimer had no potentiating effect. This is in sharp contrast with the cases of 24- and 26,27-multifluorinated analogs of active vitamin D-3.

Animals↗

PubMed1994

Pseudohypoparathyroidism-associated spinal stenosis.

STUDY DESIGN: Pseudohypoparathyroidism associated with disorders of the spine is rarely reported. In this report, the authors present a case of pseudohypoparathyroidism in a 41-year-old man who had narrow spinal canal and multiple disc herniation in the cervical spine. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: The patient had progressive spastic tetraplegia due to cervical cord compression caused by multiple disc herniations at the C3-C4, C4-5, and C5-C6 levels in the developmentally narrow spinal canal. Based on the features of Albright's osteodystrophy, serum laboratory results, and an Ellsworth-Howard test, the diagnosis of pseudohypoparathyroidism, type I was confirmed. METHODS: The patient underwent expansive laminoplasty at C3 through C6 levels. RESULTS: His symptoms have gradually improved during the 1-year and 6-month periods after the surgery. CONCLUSIONS: A case of pseudohypoparathyroidism-associated spinal stenosis was reported.

Adult↗

PubMed1994

The role of gravity in chick embryogenesis.

Thirty fertilized chick eggs preincubated for 0, 7 and 10 days on earth (10 eggs each) were flown in the space shuttle 'Endeavour' and further incubated for 7 days under microgravity. Twenty out of thirty eggs (9/10 ten-day-old; 10/10 seven-day-old; 1/10 zero-day-old) were recovered alive after landing. The only living embryo of the zero-day-old group died 24 days after launch, and was comparable to a 16-day-old embryo. The high mortality of the 0-day-old eggs appeared to be related to the specific inner structure of the egg. Simulation experiments performed on earth indicated that when yolk stayed in the albumen for more than 2 days, most of the embryos died. The subtle difference in specific gravity between the yolk (1.029) and albumen (1.040) plays a critical role in early chick embryogenesis.

Animals↗

PubMed1994

Administration of amyloid beta-peptides into the medial septum of rats decreases acetylcholine release from hippocampus in vivo.

The septum of male Wistar rats was injected with synthetic beta-amyloid fragments, beta 12-28, beta 25-35 and beta 1-40, and hippocampal acetylcholine (ACh) release was evaluated by transversal microdialysis. A marked decrease in basal and K(+)-evoked ACh release was found 7 or 21 days after injection of 5 nmol of beta 12-28 and beta 25-35, or 3 nmol of beta 1-40, respectively. These data indicate that septal injection of beta-amyloid peptides causes hypofunction of the septo-hippocampal cholinergic system.

Acetylcholine↗

PubMed1994

Case report 858: Postradiation osteosarcoma of the patella.

A case of postradiation osteosarcoma of the patella in a 54-year-old man was presented. The lesion in the patella was diffuse and highly sclerotic, and was partially radiolucent in radiographs. The whole patella was removed by Miyakawa's method. Diagnostic criteria, clinical features, and radiographic findings of postradiation sarcoma were described. The rarity of osteosarcoma of the patella was emphasized.

Bone Neoplasms↗

PubMed1994

Vertebral pedicle diameter as determined by computed tomography: inaccuracies observed by direct measurement of cadaveric lumbar spine.

The isthmic diameter of the vertebral pedicle is an important dimension affecting the stability of transpedicular screwing. The isthmic diameter of the pedicle was measured in the lumbar spines of 18 Japanese cadavers (10 male, 8 female) by axial computed tomographic (CT) scan and directly with calipers. In L1 and L2, there was no significant difference between the average value of the isthmic diameter as determined by the two methods (Student's t-test). However, in L3-5, the average value of the isthmic diameter as determined by axial CT scan was significantly greater than that given by caliper measurement. In view of the fact that caudally the longitudinal axis of the pedicle diverges towards the mid-line of the vertebral body in the coronal plane, the plane of the CT scan cannot be parallel to the real isthmic diameter of the pedicle. Therefore, it is suggested that below L2 the diameter as determined by axial CT scanning is greater than the real isthmic diameter.

Adult↗

PubMed1994

Effects of nefiracetam on deficits in active avoidance response and hippocampal cholinergic and monoaminergic dysfunctions induced by AF64A in mice.

The effects of nefiracetam [DM-9384; N-(2,6-dimethyl-phenyl)-2-(2-oxo-pyrrolidinyl)acetamide] and of phosphatidylcholine on a step-up active avoidance response, locomotor activities and regional brain cholinergic and monoaminergic neurotransmitters in AF64A-treated mice were investigated. Intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) injection of AF64A (ethylcholine mustard aziridinium ion; 8 nmol/ventricle) impaired acquisition and retention of the avoidance task, and increased vertical and horizontal locomotor activities. Regional levels of acetylcholine, noradrenaline, 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol (MHPG), 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) were significantly decreased and homovanillic acid (HVA) levels were increased in the hippocampus but not in the septum, cerebral cortex or striatum of AF64A-treated animals. Administration of nefiracetam (3 mg/kg, p.o.) twice daily for 9 days to AF64A-treated animals ameliorated the deficit in active avoidance response in addition to attenuating the increase in locomotor activities. In parallel with these behavioural effects, nefiracetam reversed AF64A-induced alterations in the hippocampal profiles of cholinergic and monoaminergic neurotransmitters and their metabolites. In contrast, administration of phosphatidylcholine (30 mg/kg, p.o.) twice daily for 9 days had no significant effect on the deficit in active avoidance response, despite significantly reversing the decrease in acetylcholine levels in the hippocampus. These results indicate that the effects of nefiracetam on AF64A-induced behavioural deficits are probably due to its ability to facilitate both cholinergic and monoaminergic neurotransmitter systems.

Acetylcholine↗

PubMed1994

MKC-231, a choline uptake enhancer, ameliorates working memory deficits and decreased hippocampal acetylcholine induced by ethylcholine aziridinium ion in mice.

The effects of acute and chronic administration of MKC-231, a new choline uptake enhancer, and two other nootropic agents, linopiridine (Dup 996) and tetrahydroaminoacridine (THA) on working memory deficits and decreased hippocampal acetylcholine (ACh) content were studied in a delayed non-matching to sample task, using a T-maze, in ethylcholine aziridinium ion (AF64A)-treated mice. Treatment with AF64A (3.5 nmol, i.c.v.) produced memory deficits and decreased hippocampal ACh content. In acute behavioral experiments, MKC-231 and THA had no significant effect on AF64A-induced memory deficits at any doses tested (0.3, 1.0 and 3.0 mg/kg), whereas Dup 996, at a dose of 1.0 mg/kg, significantly improved memory deficits. In chronic experiments, MKC-231 improved memory deficit at all doses tested (0.3, 1.0, or 3.0 mg/kg p.o., once daily for 11 days) and Dup 996 did so only at a dose of 3.0 mg/kg, whereas THA did not improve memory deficit at any doses tested. In acute neurochemical experiments, MKC-231 and THA did not reverse the AF64A-induced hippocampal ACh depletion. Dup 996, however, further decreased hippocampal ACh content compared to that in the AF64A-treated group. In chronic experiments, MKC-231 significantly reversed hippocampal ACh depletion at doses of 0.3 and 1.0 mg/kg, whereas neither Dup 996 nor THA reversed hippocampal ACh depletion at any doses tested. These results indicate that MKC-231 improved the AF64A-induced working memory deficit and hippocampal ACh depletion, probably by recovering reduced high-affinity choline uptake and ACh release.

Acetylcholine↗

PubMed1994

Bone morphogenetic protein-2 converts the differentiation pathway of C2C12 myoblasts into the osteoblast lineage.

The implantation of bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) into muscular tissues induces ectopic bone formation at the site of implantation. To investigate the mechanism underlying this process, we examined whether recombinant bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) converts the differentiation pathway of the clonal myoblastic cell line, C2C12, into that of osteoblast lineage. Incubating the cells with 300 ng/ml of BMP-2 for 6 d almost completely inhibited the formation of the multinucleated myotubes expressing troponin T and myosin heavy chain, and induced the appearance of numerous alkaline phosphatase (ALP)-positive cells. BMP-2 dose dependently induced ALP activity, parathyroid hormone (PTH)-dependent 3',5'-cAMP production, and osteocalcin production at concentrations above 100 ng/ml. The concentration of BMP-2 required to induce these osteoblastic phenotypes was the same as that required to almost completely inhibit myotube formation. Incubating primary muscle cells with 300 ng/ml of BMP-2 for 6 d also inhibited myotube formation, whereas induced ALP activity and osteocalcin production. Incubation with 300 ng/ml of BMP-2 suppressed the expression of mRNA for muscle creatine kinase within 6 h, whereas it induced mRNA expression for ALP, PTH/PTH-related protein (PTHrP) receptors, and osteocalcin within 24-48 h. BMP-2 completely inhibited the expression of myogenin mRNA by day 3. By day 3, BMP-2 also inhibited the expression of MyoD mRNA, but it was transiently stimulated 12 h after exposure to BMP-2. Expression of Id-1 mRNA was greatly stimulated by BMP-2. When C2C12 cells pretreated with BMP-2 for 6 d were transferred to a colony assay system in the absence of BMP-2, more than 84% of the colonies generated became troponin T-positive and ALP activity disappeared. TGF-beta 1 also inhibited myotube formation in C2C12 cells, and suppressed the expression of myogenin and MyoD mRNAs without inducing that of Id-1 mRNA. However, no osteoblastic phenotype was induced by TGF-beta 1 in C2C12 cells. TGF-beta 1 potentiated the inhibitory effect of BMP-2 on myotube formation, whereas TGF-beta 1 reduced ALP activity and osteocalcin production induced by BMP-2 in C2C12 cells. These results indicate that BMP-2 specifically converts the differentiation pathway of C2C12 myoblasts into that of osteoblast lineage cells, but that the conversion is not heritable.

Alkaline Phosphatase↗

PubMed1993

Stability of transpedicle screwing for the osteoporotic spine. An in vitro study of the mechanical stability.

The influence of bone mineral density on the stability of transpedicle screwing was studied in the human cadaveric lumbar vertebrae. The pull-out force correlated with bone mineral density. The tilting moment (load needed to tilt the screw 4 degrees cranially at the screw-plate junction) and the cut-up force (load needed to tip the end plate up by the screw) correlated with bone mineral density. A correlation was also found between the maximum insertion torque of the screw and bone mineral density. The maximum insertion torque correlated with the pull-out force, the tilting moment, and the cut-up force. In the cyclic tilting test (200 cycles), the mean value of the tilting moment at the 200th cycle was 67.4 +/- 6.1%, compared with the first cycle. The results suggest that preoperative measurement of BMD is necessary for transpedicle screwing in osteoporotic cases, and that the cyclic tilting motion decrease its mechanical stability. The authors have also concluded that the maximum insertion torque could predict the mechanical stability.

Aged↗

PubMed1993

Selective en bloc resection of osteoid osteoma of the superior articular process of the sacral spine. A case report.

Selective en bloc resection of an osteoid osteoma from the superior articular process of the sacral spine was performed, sparing the facet joint. Computed tomography was very useful, both in making a diagnosis and in facilitating precise planning of the operative procedure. The paraspinal approach readily facilitated complete excision of the tumoral nidus with minimal surgical dissection.

Adolescent↗