Carotid artery disease in post-stroke survivors and effects of enriched environment on stroke pathology in a mouse model of carotid artery stenosis.

AIMS: Carotid artery disease (CAD) is an important risk factor for stroke. We first evaluated CAD and stroke pathology in elderly post-stroke survivors. To simulate CAD, we assessed long-term consequences of bilateral common carotid artery stenosis (BCAS) in mice and exposed them to environmental enrichment (EE). METHODS: Histopathological methods were used to determine degrees of CAD (% area stenosis), brain infarct types, sizes and distribution in post-stroke survivors and BCAS mice. Adult male C57BL/6J mice after BCAS or sham surgery were randomly assigned to standard housing (Std) or limited (3 h) or full-time (Full) exposure to EE per day for 12 weeks. RESULTS: High frequencies of moderate carotid artery stenosis (51-75%) were evident in post-stroke survivors whereas those with severe CAD (>75% stenosis) exhibited greater numbers of cortical rather than subcortical infarcts and, were at higher risk of developing dementia. BCAS in mice reduced cerebral blood flow by 52% (P < 0.01) and thickened carotid artery walls, regardless of EE duration. Remarkably, the total and cortical infarcts declined by >50% in BCAS mice exposed to EE compared with BCAS-Std (P < 0.01). Frontal lobe and cortical strokes were associated with worsening working memory tested in a radial maze paradigm. Proteomic analysis revealed EE, both BCAS-3 h and BCAS-Full attenuated coagulation cascade factors including fibrinogen and von Willebrand factor, markers of blood-brain barrier damage. CONCLUSION: Small cortical and subcortical infarcts were evident in both post-stroke survivors with CAD and BCAS mice. Experimental evidence suggested that moderate exposure to EE is sufficient to reduce subsequent stroke lesions.

Conscious sedation with midazolam intravenously for a patient with Parkinson's disease and unpredictable chorea-like dyskinesia.

Oral surgery can be difficult in patients with chorea-like dyskinesia, which is common in those on long-term levodopa medication for Parkinson's disease, and we know of no conclusive evidence to indicate whether conscious sedation with midazolam is effective in such cases. We report a patient in whom levodopa-induced chorea-like dyskinesia disappeared when midazolam was given intravenously for conscious sedation.

LET dependence of lethality of carbon ion irradiation to single tobacco cells.

PURPOSE: To determine the radiation sensitivity and relationship between linear energy transfer (LET) and relative biological effectiveness (RBE) in single plant cells irradiated with heavy ions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Single cells were isolated from the tobacco BY-2 cell line and irradiated with carbon ions (78.6-309 keV microm(-1)) and gamma-rays (0.2 keV microm(-1)). Two weeks after irradiation, colonies with 16 cells or more derived from the irradiated cells were counted as survivors. The surviving fraction was fitted using the single-hit, multitarget theory. RESULTS: The doses needed to reduce the surviving fraction of the cells to 0.1 (D10) of gamma-rays and carbon ions were 47.2 and 10.5-12.6 Gy, respectively. The RBE based on the D10 peaked at an LET of 247 keV microm(-1). The inactivation cross-section of carbon ions reached a plateau of 11.3 microm2 at an LET of 247 keV microm(-1). CONCLUSIONS: The radiation sensitivity of single tobacco cells was much lower than that of mammalian cells, although the mean number of base pairs per chromosome in the two cell types was similar. The RBE peak based on the D10 of carbon ions in single tobacco cells occurred at a higher LET than it does in other organisms.

Reduction of survival and induction of chromosome aberrations in tobacco irradiated by carbon ions with different linear energy transfers.

PURPOSE: To determine the relationship between linear energy transfer (LET) and the relative biological effectiveness (RBE) for survival reduction and chromosome aberration induction in plants. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Tobacco seeds were exposed to carbon ions having LET ranging from 92 to 260 keV microm(-1). Survival ratc was determined at 7 weeks after sowing. Chromosome aberrations were observed when the root length reached about 0.5 mm (immediately after radicle emergence), 3 and 10 mm. RESULTS: The RBE for both endpoints increased with increasing LET and showed the highest value at 230 keV um(-1). The highest RBE was 65.0 for survival reduction and 52.5 for chromosome aberration induction. The types and yield ratio of chromosome aberrations such as fragments and bridges were not affected by radiation type at 0.5mm root length. As the roots elongated from 0.5 to 10 mm, the frequency of aberrant cells gradually decreased. The number of cells with fragments decreased faster than the number of cells with bridges. The decrement of chromosome aberrations appeared to be slower in roots irradiated by carbon ions than in roots irradiated by gamma-rays. CONCLUSIONS: The results show a close relationship between survival reduction and chromosome aberration induction in plants. The types and yield ratio of initial chromosome aberrations did not differ among gamma-rays and carbon ions with different LET.

Biological effects of ion beams in Nicotiana tabacum L.

The biological effects of ion beams on Nicotiana tabacum L., particularly the induction of chromosome aberrations, were investigated. Dry seeds were exposed to 12C5+, 4He2+ and 1H+ beams with linear energy transfer (LET) ranging from 1 to 111 keV/microm and irradiated with gamma-rays. Ion beams were more effective in reducing germination and survival of the seeds than gamma-rays. The LD50 for 12C5+ beams, 4He2+ beams and gamma-rays were 35, 60 and 500 Gy, respectively. The frequencies of mitotic cells with chromosome aberrations, such as chromosome bridges, acentric fragments and lagging chromosomes in the root tip cells of the exposed seeds, increased linearly with increasing doses. Relative biological effectiveness (RBE) values, based on the doses that induced a survival inhibition of 50% and a 10% frequency of aberrant cells, were 14.3-17.5 for the 12C5+ beams, 7.0-8.3 for the 4He2+ beams and 7.8 for the 1H+ beams. Furthermore, the relative ratios of the chromosome aberration types were significantly different between the ion beam and the gamma-ray regimes: chromosome fragments were more frequent in the former, and chromosome bridges in the latter. Based on these results, we concluded that the repair process of initial le

Primary alveolar soft-part sarcoma of stomach.

A case of primary gastric alveolar soft-part sarcoma is presented. The tumor was found in the gastric remnant of a 67-year-old male who had undergone partial gastrectomy due to hemorrhagic gastric ulcer 13 years before. It was located mostly in the submucosa arising from the muscularis propria. The large eosinophilic cells showed the characteristic alveolar compartmentalization and contained intracytoplasmic periodic acid-Schiff-positive granules and typical crystals. Numerous electron-opaque secretory granules in the tumor cell cytoplasm, in addition to crystals of 9 nm periodicity, were confirmed at the ultrastructural levels. Immunostaining failed to detect muscle-related antigens. In contrast, methionine-enkephalin and neuropeptide Y appeared positive in the tumor cells. Interstitial spindle cells showed an occasional positivity to S-100. This is the first case of such a tumor occurring in the gastrointestinal tract, and the findings suggest that gastric alveolar soft-part sarcomas may have a different origin from those arising in the skeleton.

[Experimental and clinical study on injection of neocarzinostatin into the duodenal sub-serosa as chemotherapy for the regional lymphatic system in pancreatoduodenal cancer].

UNLABELLED: At the time of pancreatoduodenal cancer resection, Neocarzinostatin (NCS) was injected into the duodenal sub-serosa, as perioperative adjuvant chemotherapy for metastatic lymph nodes and cancer cells released into the lymphatic system. NCS content in the lymph nodes was measured after administration, and usefulness of the chemotherapy was investigated. EXPERIMENT: NCS (4,000 units) was administered into the duodenal sub-serosa of 18 adult mongrel dogs. NCS contents in the lymph nodes (those in the root of the mesentery and around the aorta) and pancreatic tissues were measured. NCS content in the pancreatic tissues decreased significantly 3 hours after administration, while that in the lymph nodes did not decreased even 3 hours later. Consequently, NCS is considered to be remain in the lymph nodes. CLINICAL FINDINGS: NCS (10,000 units) was administered into the duodenal sub-serosa in 18 resectable cases of pancreatoduodenal cancer. NCS content in the dissected lymph nodes was measured. The total number of dissected lymph nodes was 176, and the mean NCS content was 0.62 mu/g. The number of lymph nodes positive for metastasis was 14, and much content of NCS was observed in the specimens (mean NCS content: 1.25 mu/g). Examination according to site revealed the most content in the lymph nodes in pancreatic head closest to the site of administration, followed by the lymph nodes in the root of the mesentery and those in the hepatoduodenal ligament in the direction of lymphatic flow. Moreover, some distal lymph nodes also showed much content. NCS content in the lymph nodes showed time-related increase after administration, and significant correlation was observed within 2 hours.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Enzyme immunoassay of 17-hydroxyprogesterone in dried blood spot on filter paper using specific antibody for 17-hydroxyprogesterone].

Specific antiserum for 17-hydroxyprogesterone (17-OH-P) was prepared by immunizing 7 alpha-(2-carboxyethylthio)-17-OH-P conjugated bovine serum albumin (BSA) in rabbits. Using this antiserum, 17-OH-P enzyme immunoassay for dried blood spots on filter paper was established. As a label, alkaline phosphatase was coupled covalently with 7 alpha-carboxy-methylthio-17-OH-P by carbodiimide method. B/F separation was carried out by the addition of anti-rabbit IgG goat antiserum. All specimens used were punched out with a paper puncher of 3mm diameter. The assay sensitivity was 2pg/tube, which was estimated by two standard deviation at zero concentrations of the calibration curve. Cross reactivities of this antibody were as follows: 11-deoxycortisol (8.21%), 17-OH-pregnenolone (3.33%), progesterone (1.67%), 11-deoxycorticosterone (0.31%), cortisol (0.16%), pregnenolone-3-sulfate Na salt (0.03%), dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) (less than 0.03%), 16 alpha-OH-DHEA (less than 0.03%), DHEA-3-glucuronide (less than 0.03%), DHEA-3-sulfate Na salt (less than 0.03%), pregnenolone (less than 0.02%). Intra- and inter-assay coefficient of variations were 4-14% and 9-18%, respectively. In normal babies, 17-OH-P concentrations measured directly (without sample extraction) were below 23pg/disk (n=204). The histogram of 17-OH-P level in normal babies obtained by the direct method was distributed lower than that obtained by the enzyme immunoassay system (range: 4-79pg/disk, n=268) which used antibody raised against 17-OH-P-3-O-carboxymethyloxime conjugated BSA (Enzaplate, Sapporo Diagnostic Laboratory).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Intra-operative administration of neocarzinostatin into the duodenal subserosa and levels found in the regional lymph nodes in pancreato-duodenal cancer].

UNLABELLED: As an intraoperative chemotherapy treatment for the regional lymph nodes in resectable cases of pancreatoduodenal cancer, Neocarzinostatin (NCS) was administered in the duodenal subserosa and the NCS concentration was measured in the resected lymph nodes. EXPERIMENTS: NCS 4,000 units (n = 4), or 10,000 units (n = 4) was administered into the duodenal subserosa of mongrel dogs, and 2 hours after administration, the lymph nodes of the mesentery root were resected. The NCS concentration in the lymph nodes was 0.21 U/g in the 4,000-U group and 1.39 U/g in the 10,000-U group. CLINICAL FINDINGS: NCS 10,000 U was administered into the duodenal subserosa in 6 cases of pancreatoduodenal cancer. The total number of resected lymph nodes was 49 and the mean NCS concentration was 5.65 U/g. According to site, the highest concentration was measured in lymph nodes from the anterior and posterior region of the pancreas head, which were near to the administration site. Also, NCS was well distributed in the lymph nodes in the hepatoduodenal ligament and mesentery root which lay in the direction of lymph flow. NCS concentration was high in lymph nodes resected 1 hour after administration. According to experimental reports of in vitro studies, an NCS concentration of more than 0.5 U/g is required to obtain an anticancer effect. This method is therefore considered to be useful as a form of intraoperative chemotherapy for the regional lymph nodes in pancreatoduodenal cancer.