The morphological changes after cardiac arrest in the hippocampus region were evaluated by light and electron microscopy using a mouse cardiac-arrest model, in which the major cardiac vessels are compressed for 5 min followed by recirculation. Degenerating cells first appeared in the hippocampal CA1 and dentate gyrus on day 1, and then increased in number with time on days 2 days, 4 and 7 after recirculation. The in situ nick-end labeling (TUNEL) technique identified apoptotic pyramidal cells and granule cells on day 1 which then increased with time. At the ultrastructural level, cell shrinkage and nuclear condensation of the pyramidal cells and granule cells were observed in the CA l and dentate gyrus. The ischemia-reperfusion activated the proliferation of microglial cells in the hippocampal region. The microglial cells were often seen to adhere to degenerating neurons in the CA l region and dentate gyrus suggesting that they may phagocytose the degenerating neurons. The present study clearly shows the regional differences in neuronal vulnerability in mice brain following ischemia injury induced with the cardiac arrest model., Further study of the mechanisms of selective delayed neuronal cell death in the hippocampus is warranted.

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Endoscopic transthoracic sympathectomy (ETS) has become an established treatment for primary hyperhidrosis. Hyperhidrosis is generally benign, so the size of the wound should be kept as small as possible. To this end, we performed ETS using thin instruments in 74 patients who were treated under two port punctures 2mm in diameter on each side. A MiniSite GOLD laparoscope (USSC171348: USA) and a Kirschner wire were inserted through these punctures. Thoracic sympathetic chains were electrocauterized on the second to the third (or fourth) ribs. Questionnaires were sent to the first 68 patients to investigate the subjective changes in sweating. Forty-five patients were inspected by finger plethysmography to evaluate the peripheral vessels. Thirty-two patients underwent Holter ECG to evaluate the sympathetic function of the heart. Sweating in the palms stopped immediately after the surgery. There were no serious complications. Ninety-two percent of the patients were satisfied with the operation. The wave height on the finger plethysmogram was increased postoperatively. The average heart rate decreased especially in the daytime. ETS under two punctures of 2 mm in diameter was sufficient for the treatment of primary hyperhidrosis. Our method is the most minimally invasive ETS reported to date, because of the tiny size of the punctures.

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Coronary spasm can be induced by acetylcholine (ACh) in many patients without a past history of rest angina. However, the low specificity of ACh for diagnosing coronary spastic angina is a controversial aspect of the ACh stress test. We investigated the clinical significance of the ACh stress test following isosorbide dinitrate (ISDN) administration. In addition, to elucidate the relationship between coronary vasospasm and endothelin (ET), we determined plasma ET-1 levels in patients with vasospastic angina pectoris. Twenty-six (81.3%) out of thirty-two patients (Group P) who developed vasospasm induced by ACh following administration of ISDN, had rest angina, while only seventeen (37.8%) out of forty-five patients (Group N ) who did not develop vasospasm induced by ACh following administration of ISDN, had rest angina. The frequency of subjective chest pain at rest was significantly higher in Group P than in Group N (81.3% vs. 37.8%: p<0.01) . Therefore, the post-ISDN ACh stress test may be useful in detecting true vasospastic angina pectoris. Plasma ET-1 levels in the coronary sinus increased significantly from a basal value of 3.13 to 3.78 pg/ml in patients who developed ACh induced vasospasm following injection of ISDN (p<0.05) . These patients exhibited symptoms to the clinical symptoms of rest angina, but there was no change in the other patients. Elevated plasma levels of ET-1 might directly or indirectly increase the level of vascular smooth muscle contraction. This study suggests that the development of ACh-induced vasospasm following administration of ISDN might be due not only to injury of vascular endothelial cells but also to the increased contractility of vascular smooth muscle cells.

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We used home uroflowmetry to assess urinary excretion over a 24-hr period and used the results of this study to evaluate the reliability of the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) and to determine the daily variation in urinary excretion. Fifteen patients (mean age 68.3 years) with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) were examined using home uroflowmetry. These patients also completed the IPSS questionnaire. The IPSS score was checked for agreement with the data recorded by home uroflowmetry. Urinations were classified into the following 4 periods. The 24-hr period was divided into the active period and the sleeping period. The home uroflowmetry parameters were compared to these periods. The IPSS scores for frequency and intermittency of urination correlated well with the respective home uroflowmetry scores. Regarding daily variation, maximum flow rate (Qmax) was often highest in the evening and lowest at night, and the voided volume and voiding time tended to be highest at night, and lowest in the afternoon. The mean Qmax and mean average flow rate (Qave) were significantly higher during the active period than during the sleeping period. In contrast, the mean voided volume and mean voiding time were significantly higher values during the sleeping period than during the active period. Two items on the IPSS questionnaire, frequency and interruption of the urinary stream, were found to be highly reliable. Qmax and Qave values varied during the 24-hr period and were an estimated 10% and 20% higher, respectively, during the active period than during sleeping period.

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Steroid hormones influence the central nervous system by regulating important neuronal functions. Steroid sulfatase is an enzyme that hydrolyzes estrone-sulfate and neurosteroids, such as dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate and pregnenolone-sulfate, to free steroids. This study is the first to demonstrate steroid sulfatase activity in human glioma cells. Steroid sulfatase activity was detected by the formation of estrone from [³ H ] estrone-sulfate and dehydroepiandrosterone from [³H] dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate in whole cell assays using the human glioma cell line U-87 MG. The apparent Michaelis constants for estrone-sulfate and dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate were estimated at 1.48μM and 0.80μM, respectively. Steroid sulfatase mRNA was detected in in U-87 MG cells by RT-PCR. Immunocytochemical staining using a polyclonal antibody against human placental steroid sulfatase localized the enzyme to the cell cytoplasm and processes. The presence of steroid sulfatase in human glioma cells suggests that they have the capacity to convert sulfo-conjugated steroids to free steroids, and therefore may play an important role in modulating hormonal action in the human brain.

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The Contractile responses of renal artery isolated from streptozotocin (STZ) -induced diabetic rats were compared with those from age-matched control rats. The contraction in renal arteries of the diabetic rats was more sensitive to phenylephrine (PE), and the maximum contraction induced by PE was significantly greater than in controls. The concentration-response to PE was shifted to the right by 10^-6 M BMY 7378, a selective α_1D-antagonist. In addition, the increased contractile responses to PE after BMY 7378 treatment were still significantly different in diabetics compared to controls at a concentration of greater than 10^-6 M PE. The rate of relaxation of the PE-induced contraction was significantly slower in diabetic rats (5.4±0.3 min ) than in controls (3.9±0.4 mm) . Addition of 4.5 mM KCl to K⁺ -free solution induced relaxation in the presence of 10^-5 M PE, which was followed by contraction to about the same level as that before the KCl addition. The duration of KCl-induced relaxation in diabetic rats (19.8±1.1 min) was significantly shorter than that in controls (24.6±1.4 mm) . The contractile response to angiotensin II was greater in renal arteries of diabetic rats than in those from controls. This contraction was facilitated to the same extent in the presence of N^-G -nitro-L-arginine, but not significantly. Taken together, these results suggest that the supersensitivity and hyperreactivity to PE in diabetic renal arteries is related to changes in α_1D-adrenoceptor function, and to the role of Na⁺ flow which causes to the dysfunction of Ca2⁺ transport in diabetic smooth muscle.

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We examined the history-dependent changes in the end expiratory position in 12 healthy subjects. The subjects lay on a bed in a supine position and held a mouthpiece in their mouth. The subject inspired deeply and the mouthpiece shutter was closed at the end of inspiration. The subject inspired with more effort for a further 3 to 4 s using abdominal breathing while the airway was closed. There was a slight but non-significant increase in the end expiratory position of each of the five breaths taken after weak forced inspiration using the diaphragm. However, strong forced inspiration caused a highly significant rise in the mean value of the end expiratory position of the five post maneuver breaths (p<0.01) . These results indicate that the diaphragm contributes to the history-dependent changes in the end expiratory abdominal position.

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Streptozotocin (STZ), drug used to treat for pancreatic endocrine tumors, is known to specifically impair B cells in the pancreatic islets of Langerhans (referred to here after as “islets”) with a diabetogenic effect. In this study, a immunocytochemistry and electron microscopy were used to morphologically analyze the onset and progression of islet (mainly B cell) injury induced by STZ. Islet B cell injury could be detected by electron microscopical level two hours after administration of STZ, and by light microscopy after three hours. Positive findings using the TUNEL method began to appear six hours after, when the pancreatic islet injury induced by STZ appeared to involve both necrotic and apoptotic processes. At 72hours, the number of endocrine cells in the islets was markedly increased, although these cells were immunocytochemically negative for any islet hormones, and appeared immature with only a few secretory granules detectable. After two weeks, the endocrine islets were completely recovered. Thus, regenerated B-cells appear to be derived from new endocrine cells, acting like an endocrine stem cell.

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Hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs) are typically hypervascular and metastatic liver tumors (MLTs) are usually hypovascular. Although they both have malignant potential, their respective microvascular environments differ markedly. It is not clear whether the degree of angiogenesis and the grade of malignancy are related. This study investigated the relationship between angiogenesis and cell proliferative activity in liver tumors. We examined 21 surgically resected HCC nodules and 30 MLTs. To evaluate angiogenesis, we performed immunohistochemical staining for factor VIII-related antigen (F-VIII RAg), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) . Ki-67 antigen was used as a marker for tumor cell proliferative activity. The number of vessels positive for F-VIII RAg and the positivity rate of VEGF were higher in HCCs than in MLTs. However, the Ki-67 labeling index was higher in MLTs than in HCCs. Unexpectedly, there was no significant difference between the degree of angiogenesis and the level of cell proliferative activity in HCCs and MLTs.
These findings suggest that although HCCs are hypervascular, their proliferative activity is weak. Conversely, MLTs may proliferate at a greater rate with poorer angiogenic activity.

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