Audiogenic seizure induces c-fos mRNA expression in the inferior colliculus and not in the hippocampus.
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to Y Kuroda.
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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.
Volume-selective proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) of the brain was performed with a 1.5 Tesla magnet in 47 healthy children and in six healthy adults. Peaks of N-acetylaspartate (NAA), choline (Cho) and creatine (Cr) were observed in all cases, but a lactate peak was not observed. In the right parietal region. 1H-MRS revealed increases in the rations of NAAJCho and NAA/Cr and a decrease in Cho/Cr with advancing age. The most rapid changes were noted between one and three years of age. 1H-MRS of the right frontal region also was performed in 21 cases (20 children and one adult). In the right frontal region, there was an increase in the ratio of NAA/Cho and a decrease in Cho/Cr with advancing age, while a developmental change was not observed in the ratio of NAA/Cr. The ratios of both NAA/Cho and NAA/Cr were lower in the right frontal region than in the right parietal region. These results show that developmental changes and regional variation of metabolites are observed in 1H-MRS of the brain, and need to be considered in its application.
A 20-month-old girl was diagnosed with Langerhans cell histiocytosis on the basis of a seborrheic skin rash, multiple punched out bony lesions, and skin biopsy findings. Combination therapy including alpha-interferon, vincristine, vindesine, cyclophosphamide, etoposide, cisplatin, betamethasone, THP-adriamycin, cytarabine and methotrexate was ineffective. Because cyclophosphamide enhanced lesion growth within the skull, we administered an intravenous infusion of interleukin-2 with remarkable efficacy. The reduction in lesion size with interleukin-2 treatment paralleled the increase in the percentage of CD16-positive natural killer cells in the peripheral blood.
Acute interstitial nephritis (AIN) and uveitis of unknown etiology developed in a 15-year-old girl. Symptoms and urinary abnormalities improved spontaneously but moderate renal dysfunction and anterior uveitis persisted. A repeat biopsy performed 2 years later showed focal tubulointerstitial changes, while bone marrow examination revealed granulomas. Simultaneously, antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA) were detected, and decreases in T cell population and lymphocyte function were found. These immunological abnormalities normalized in parallel with clinical improvement with corticosteroid therapy, strongly suggesting that in some patients autoimmune disorders contribute to the pathogenesis of the disease.
We report the case of a male infant with a variant of congenital dyserythropoietic anemia (CDA), who developed severe hyperbilirubinemia on the day of birth, subsequent severe anemia, and hyperferritinemia. Bone marrow and laboratory examinations revealed features of CDA including trilineage myelodysplasia and erythroblasts with a binucleated nuclear morphology and ineffective erythropoiesis. The CDA in this patient was assumed to be a new variant type because of: the lack of internuclear chromatin bridges in the erythroblasts with abnormal nuclear morphology; a negative acid serum test; the presence of erythrocyte antigen I, and the effect of splenectomy. Trilineage myelodysplasia in CDA is not known. An abnormality in the stem cells was suggested to be the cause of CDA in this case.
Dissociated hippocampal and cerebral cortical neurons from rat embryonic brain form many synapses in culture. The neuronal networks in culture fire spontaneously in synchronous oscillation and can be maintained for long periods of up to 6 months. To establish the relevance of this long-term culture to aging and neurodegenerative diseases, effects of long-term exposure to aluminum, a risk factor for Alzheimer's disease, on the cultured cortical neurons were investigated. It appeared that aluminium promoted the aggregation of amyloid beta-protein and enhanced its neurotoxicity.
Endothelium-dependent relaxation is markedly reduced in atherosclerotic arteries. Recently, the endothelium-dependent relaxing factor has been identified as nitric oxide (NO). We used RNase protection assay and immunoblotting to elucidate the effect of atherogenic lipoprotein on the expression of constitutive NO synthase (cNOS) mRNA and protein levels in bovine aortic endothelial cells. Twenty-four-hour exposure to a low concentration of oxidized low-density lipoprotein (10 micrograms protein/mL) upregulated cNOS mRNA levels (2.4 +/- 0.4-fold, P < .01). However, native low-density lipoprotein and high-density lipoprotein did not have any effect on cNOS mRNA levels. Furthermore, 5 micrograms/mL of lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) also upregulated cNOS mRNA levels (2.6 +/- 0.5-fold, P < .01) at 8 hours. This action of LPC was abolished with cycloheximide but not with staurosporine. We concluded that atherogenic lipoproteins upregulate cNOS mRNA and protein levels in bovine aortic endothelial cells. This observation supports the hypothesis that an impairment of endothelium-dependent vasodilatation in atherosclerotic vessels may not be due to a decrease in cNOS expression. Moreover, the LPC action on cNOS mRNA levels requires new protein synthesis.
We evaluated the usefulness of the MRI criteria for multiple sclerosis (MS) proposed by Paty et al and Fazekas et al in 36 Japanese MS patients, using HTLV-I-associated myelopathy (HAM)/tropical spastic paraparesis (TSP) as the control. Although 30 of 36 HAM/TSP patients had multiple white matter lesions on T2-weighted cranial MRI, only two fulfilled the MRI criteria for MS. At the same time, 31 of the 36 MS patients fulfilled the primary MRI criterion, yielding 93% specificity and 86% sensitivity for the criterion. MS has disease-specific MRI abnormalities.
The effects of chronic iron deficiency anemia on brain (cortex) metabolism were estimated by 31P-nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and biochemical analyses in male Wistar rats. Iron deficiency anemia was induced by supplying diet containing either approximately 2 or approximately 6 ppm Fe. Control diet was supplemented with 100 ppm Fe as ferric citrate. After 8-9 weeks, blood hemoglobin levels were approximately 13, 5, and 3 g/100 ml in the 100 ppm, 6 ppm, and 2 ppm Fe group, respectively. The blood lactate levels at rest in these groups were approximately 3, 5, and 6 mM. The blood glucose concentration also tended to be elevated in iron-deficient rats. The high-energy phosphate contents in brain were not affected by iron deficiency. The activities of succinate dehydrogenase and cytochrome oxidase per unit protein in the 2 ppm Fe group were significantly less than in the 100 ppm Fe group, but those activities were not significantly affected by feeding diet with 6 ppm Fe. The activities of lactate dehydrogenase in iron-deficient group tended to be elevated but not significantly. The activities of non-iron containing mitochondrial enzymes, citrate synthase and beta-hydroxyacyl CoA dehydrogenase, were unchanged. It is suggested that the brain has a higher tolerance to iron deficiency than skeletal muscle in terms of the metabolic characteristics, although this may be associated with a lower level of neural activity.
We encountered a case of non-curatively resected gastric cancer (p1, n4) who responded well to sequential MTX/5-FU therapy and PMUE therapy. A 63-year-old man was admitted to our hospital with complaints of nausea and vomiting. Upper gastrointestinal examination and CT scan revealed Borrmann type 3 gastric cancer with pyloric stenosis and multiple paraaortic lymphnodal metastasis. The patient underwent palliative gastrectomy for extensive gastric cancer (H0, P1, N4, T3, Stage IV b). Histological examination of the resected stomach revealed poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma with paraaortic lymphnodes metastasis (n4) and peritoneal dissemination (p1). Chemotherapy with sequential MTX/5-FU was given 13 times. Ten months after the operation, abdominal pain and back pain required analgesic treatment. Abdominal CT scan revealed increased size of paraaortic lymphnodes, suggesting recurrence. Sequential MTX/5-FU therapy was switched by PMUE therapy. Lymphnode size became smaller and habitual analgesics could be discontinued. Since then he was given MTX/5-FU and PMUE therapies alternately on an ambulant basis. The patient resumed his daily activities at 2 years and 8 months after the operation.
BACKGROUND: In an attempt to lessen the incidence of pancreatic fistula and the disruption of pancreatic anastomosis after pancreatoduodenectomy, we have developed a new technique for pancreaticogastrointestinal anastomosis that consists of pancreatectomy using the ultrasonic dissector and implantation of the pancreatic duct into the gastrointestinal tract without suturing the pancreatic parenchyma. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the safety and reliability of this new technique in a canine model of pancreaticogastrostomy and pancreaticoduodenostomy using 10 beagle dogs. STUDY DESIGN: Canine pancreas was resected using the ultrasonic dissector. In the distal pancreas, a 1-cm long stump of the main pancreatic duct was freed and the other smaller pancreatic ducts were skeletonized and securely ligated. The main pancreatic duct was implanted into the stomach or the duodenum and fixed to the seromuscular layer with purse-string sutures without suturing the pancreatic parenchyma. RESULTS: There was no anastomotic leakage, signs of peritonitis, or abscess formation, and the pancreas was grossly normal in appearance seven days after operation. Histologic examination of the specimens harvested 30 days after operation revealed good connective tissue union between the pancreas and the gastric or duodenal wall, and good mucosal continuity between the pancreatic duct and the stomach or duodenum. CONCLUSIONS: This new technique is simple, safe, and reliable, and is recommended as an alternative method for restoring pancreaticogastrointestinal continuity after pancreatoduodenectomy.
To investigate a possible causal role of streptokinase (SKase) in acute post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis (APSGN), the major variable region of SKase genes of Streptococcus pyogenes strains isolated from patients with and without APSGN were analyzed using the polymerase chain reaction, restriction enzyme analysis and the direct sequencing of SKase genes. In the APSGN-associated strains, six of nine revealed mutant classes corresponding to the nephritogenic classes I and II proposed by Johnston et al. [1992], the remaining three belonged to non-nephritogenic classes. In twenty strains not associated with APSGN, seventeen belonged to classes I and II, while three were from other classes. The major variable region of the SKase gene shows no apparent relation with induction of APSGN in humans, suggesting that unique classes of streptococcal SKase do not play a role in the pathogenesis of APSGN.
We herein report the efficacy of percutaneous high-dose chemotherapy under hepatic venous isolation and charcoal hemoperfusion (HVI.CHP) in the treatment of hepatoma patients. This study included 23 patients with bilobar multiple intrahepatic metastases and 1 patient with high risk for recurrence after hepatectomy. All patients received adriamycin at doses ranging from 60-150 mg/m2 through the hepatic artery. Sixteen patients had HVI.CHP by the double-balloon technique, while a recent 8 patients had the single catheter technique using a 4L.2B catheter; 4 of these 8 patients had repeated treatment. Except for two early patients with hepatic arterial thrombosis and necrotizing pancreatitis, there was no lethal complication, and quality of life after treatment was remarkably improved in patients treated by the single catheter technique. Among 22 evaluable patients, 3 had CR and 11 had PR, yielding a response rate of 63%. Mean survival duration was prolonged to 13 months in responders, against only 5 months in nonresponders. In conclusion, HVI.CHP was highly effective for advanced hepatoma patients and the single catheter technique facilitated a repeated high-dose intraarterial chemotherapy, which may offer a possibility of complete remission even in highly advanced cases.
We investigated the adriamycin (ADR) pharmacokinetics following intraarterial and intraportal infusion under hepatic venous isolation and charcoal hemoperfusion (HVI.CHP). HVI.CHP was used to measure the first-pass amount of adriamycin through the liver and to reduce hepatic re-entry of the drug. Beagles underwent a 10-min ADR infusion (1 mg/kg) either through the hepatic artery (group I, n = 5) or the portal vein (group II, n = 5) under a 20-min HVI.CHP. During HVI.CHP, the hepatic venous flow rate and plasma ADR levels in prefilter (hepatic venous level), postfilter and peripheral blood were serially measured. Based on these measurements, the hepatic extraction ratio (HER) of ADR was calculated. Areas under the time-concentration curves of prefilter levels in groups I and II were 6.1 +/- 1.6 and 16.9 +/- 5.0 micrograms.min/ml, respectively, showing a significant difference between two groups (p < 0.01). On the contrary, HER of group I (81.2%) was significantly higher than that of group II (47.2%, p < 0.01). These results indicate that intraarterial infusion of ADR is superior to intraportal infusion in terms of local drug delivery to the liver and systemic drug toxicities.
Regional chemotherapy for malignant pelvic tumors is disappointing due to the poor tumor response and dose-limiting systemic toxicity. This study was designed to determine whether a novel venous isolation-charcoal hemoperfusion system could limit systemic exposure to chemotherapeutic agents after regional arterial infusion. Adriamycin (2 mg/kg) was continuously administered in the internal iliac arteries of beagles under complete isolation of the infrarenal inferior vena cava and extracorporeal charcoal hemoperfusion (IVCI.CHP). Control beagles received adriamycin at the same dosage without IVCI.CHP. Plasma adriamycin concentrations were measured in the left carotid artery (systemic level) at intervals of up to 40 minutes after the start of drug infusion. In animals with IVCI.CHP, the drug levels were also determined at the inlet and outlet of a CHP filter. The mean drug extraction ratios by the CHP filter averaged 88%. As a result, animals with IVCI.CHP showed a significant reduction in systemic drug levels at all measuring time points compared to controls. The peak systemic levels of adriamycin were 0.8 +/- 0.1 and 2.3 +/- 0.8 micrograms/ml, respectively, in IVCI.CHP and control animals (p < 0.01). IVCI.CHP accomplished a significant reduction in systemic exposure to adriamycin after iliac arterial infusion. This novel system will allow regional delivery of high-dose cytotoxic agents with little systemic toxicity for pelvic tumors.
The patient was a 53-year-old woman who underwent a standard radical mastectomy for right breast cancer five years ago and was recently referred to our hospital with a complaint of abdominal fullness. Systemic chemotherapy (CMFS) was performed based on the diagnosis of multiple liver metastases of the breast cancer, but its effect was unsatisfactory. In this case, we gave her high-dose intraarterial chemotherapy under HVI.CHP for metastatic liver tumors. Although slight elevation of serum GOT and GPT levels and leucopenia (1,800/mm3) were observed, alopecia did not occur throughout the posttreatment course. The levels of tumor markers including CEA, NCC-ST439 and CA15-3 showed remarkable reductions; CEA (ng/ml): 18.4-->3.0, NCC-ST439 (U/ml): 33.0-->2.4, CA15-3(U/ml): 137.9-->26.3. Abdominal CT scan after the treatment demonstrated remarkable regression of liver metastases, showing a partial response (volume reduction: 61%). In conclusion, HVI.CHP achieved a significant reduction in systemic drug exposure and allowed dose intensification of adriamycin during intraarterial chemotherapy. Therefore, we consider that high-dose intraarterial chemotherapy under HVI.CHP offers an effective therapeutic option for multiple liver metastases of the breast cancer.