All issues
Volume 182 (1997)
- Issue 4 Pages 271-
- Issue 3 Pages 185-
- Issue 2 Pages 103-
- Issue 1 Pages 1-
Volume 182, Issue 3
July
Displaying 1-10 of 10 articles from this issue
- |<
- <
- 1
- >
- >|
Regular Contributions
-
Akira Yasutake, Atsuhiro Nakano, Ken-ichiro Miyamoto, Komyo Eto1997 Volume 182 Issue 3 Pages 185-196
Published: 1997
Released on J-STAGE: February 21, 2006
JOURNAL FREE ACCESSTo examine chronic effects of methylmercury (MeHg), male Wistar rats were fed on MeHg-contaminated diet, 0, 1 and 5 ppm Hg, under a restricted feeding schedule of 16 g/rat/day for 6 days a week. Rats were killed at 6-month intervals for examination of Hg accumulation, tissue levels of glutathione, metallothionein and lipid peroxide, as well as anti-oxidative enzyme activities. The survival of the 5 ppm Hg group, 50% of which died by the end of 32nd month of the exposure, was somewhat shorter than control and 1 ppm Hg groups, 50% of which survived for 34 months. Although the rats showed no neurological signs or decreased body weight gain even in 5 ppm Hg-exposed group until the end of the 2nd year, crossing of hind limb was evident after 2.5 years in all three groups. Accordingly, the neurological sign observed here possibly due to aging rather than MeHg toxicity. Tissue Hg levels showed a dose-dependent accumulation except for the kidney, where the highest Hg accumulation was observed among tissues examined. Renal Hg levels in the 1 ppm group showed about 40% of those in the 5 ppm group. Significant effects by MeHg were evident only in the kidney, where glutathione and metallothionein levels increased in both MeHg-exposed groups. However, lipid peroxide levels elevated only in 1 ppm group. Among the antioxidative enzymes examined, the renal glutathione peroxidase was found to be the most labile enzyme against MeHg exposure. Renal dysfunction suggested by increased plasma creatinine levels was also significant in 5 ppm Hg rats at 2 years. Furthermore, anemia which would be caused by reduced erythropoietin production in the kidney was also evident in this group. The present study suggested that the kidney was the most susceptible organ against MeHg toxicity under the present exposure schedule and that the renal dysfunction might at least partly account for the shortened survival in 5 ppm Hg rats.View full abstractDownload PDF (696K) -
Komyo Eto, Akira Yasutake, Ken-ichiro Miyamoto, Hidehiro Tokunaga, Yoi ...1997 Volume 182 Issue 3 Pages 197-205
Published: 1997
Released on J-STAGE: February 21, 2006
JOURNAL FREE ACCESSChronic effects of methylmercury (MeHg) were examined pathologically in male Wistar rats fed on diet containing 0, 1 or 5 ppm Hg (as MeHg) for two years. Organs including the central nervous tissues were examined histopathologically using hematoxylin and eosin (H & E), Klüver-Barrera (KB), PAS or phenol-congo red stains. The peripheral nerve system tissues were also examined, using H & E and trichrome stains. Furthermore, immunoglobulins of renal specimens were demonstrated by direct immunofluorescence microscopy. Localization of mercury in the paraffin- embedded sections of the nervous tissue, kidney, liver, pancreas, spleen and testis was demonstrable by the photoemulsion histochemical method. In the 5 ppm group, mercury was readily detectable in tissues of the rats exposed for one year, one and half years, two years and two and half years. Mercury was detected in the cells of the brain such as neurons, neuroglial cells, and phagocytes, and also in most organs, particularly in the epithelium of renal tubules, liver cells, myocardium, in the macrophages of pancreas, spleen and testis. In the 1 ppm group, mercury was detectable in the epithelium of renal tubules and liver cells. Fibrosis of the glomeruli was found in the rat group given a high dose of methylmercury with all experimental methods. Granular IgG, IgM and C3 deposits were demonstrated in the glomeruli by direct immunofluorescence microscopy. The etiology of the pathological changes of glomeruli was suspected to be autoimmune glomerulopathy due to inorganic mercury filtration for a long time. It was difficult to determine the clinical signs and symptoms and pathological changes in the nervous system in spite of the deposition of mercury in the brain.View full abstractDownload PDF (3032K) -
Kiyokazu Akasaka, Hideaki Onishi, Kimito Momose, Kouji Ihashi, Ryo Yag ...1997 Volume 182 Issue 3 Pages 207-216
Published: 1997
Released on J-STAGE: February 21, 2006
JOURNAL FREE ACCESSThe aim of this study was to investigate whether the median frequencies (MF) of the electromyogram (EMG) and the integrated EMG (IEMG) of histochemically differentiated ankle planterflexors, the gastrocnemius and soleus, were force dependent. Bipolar intramuscular wire electrodes were used to measure EMG of the soleus (SO), medial head of gastrocnemius (GM), and lateral head of gastrocnemius (GL) during ramp (single ongoing contractions) with the force increasing linearly from 0 to 100% of maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) and stepwise (steady force levels) ankle planterflexion at 10, 20, 30, 40, 60, and 80% MVC. EMG and force were measured simultaneously. Power spectral analysis of these signals was performed to calculate MF on 1024-point by fast Fourier transform (FFT) technique. IEMG value of each muscle was also obtained at the same levels of force. While IEMG of three heads of triceps surae in both stepwise and ramp contractions increased significantly with increasing force, MF values of GL during stepwise contraction increased significantly (20, 40, 60, 80% MVC). These results suggest that the sensitivity of EMG power spectrum might be influenced by the proportion of fast twitch muscle fibers, which histochemically corresponds to type II fibers.View full abstractDownload PDF (632K) -
Masahiro Mizobuchi, Yuzo Iwasaki, Kazuya Sako, Yutaro Kaneko1997 Volume 182 Issue 3 Pages 217-229
Published: 1997
Released on J-STAGE: February 21, 2006
JOURNAL FREE ACCESSOral administration of ethyl O-[N-(p-carboxyphenyl-carbamoyl]-mycophenolate (CAM), a derivative of mycophenolic acid (MPA) and an inosine monophosphate dehydrogenase inhibitor, dose-dependently suppressed acute experimental allergic encephalomyelitis in Lewis rats without exerting any serious adverse effects. A daily dose of 50 mg/kg of CAM almost completely abolished both the clinical disease and the inflammation in the CNS. In the CAM-treated rats, a weight loss and fluctuations of peripheral lymphocyte subsets were minimized. The CAM treatment was effective when started at the time of sensitization but ineffective when deferred till day 10. Furthermore, CAM reduced the percentage of CD4 + CD45RC− cells in the peripheral blood. The only detectable adverse effect was moderate anemia but it was rapidly improved after withdrawal of the drug. This drug could be a useful adjunct for the long-term immunosuppressive therapy for inflammatory diseases of the CNS.View full abstractDownload PDF (712K) -
Yasusi Arisaka, Shinobu Sato, Shuichi Kato, Hideki Yuki, Hifumi Takaha ...1997 Volume 182 Issue 3 Pages 231-239
Published: 1997
Released on J-STAGE: February 21, 2006
JOURNAL FREE ACCESSWhether or not theophylline inhibits hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction in vivo still remains uncertain. We therefore studied the effect of theophylline on hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction in awake rats. Two days before hemodynamic measurement, indwelling catheters were placed. Animals were divided into three groups; Group-H (20 mg/kg of theophylline), Group-L (8 mg/kg of theophylline), Group-S (saline). At the day of hemodynamic measurement, animals breathed 21% and 10% O2 gas. [{Pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) during 10% O2-PVR during 21% O2}/PVR during 21% O2] ×100 was termed as hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction (HPV). The first HPV measurement was followed without drug administraion and then the second HPV measurement was performed with theophylline or saline infusion. Post-theophylline HPV was divided by pre-theophylline HPV to normalize individual variation. Ratio of post-theophylline HPV to pre-theophylline HPV was 0.49±0.10, 0.77±0.23, 1.06±0.33 in Group -H, -L, -S, respectively (means±S.E.M). Ratio of post-theophylline HPV to pre-theophylline HPV was significantly less in Group-H than in Gruop-S. This result suggests that theophylline used in the present study (18.6-26.9 μg/ml) attenuates hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction in the unanesthetized rat.View full abstractDownload PDF (553K) -
Masahito Hatori, Setsuya Aiba, Mitsuyasu Kato, Noriaki Kamiya, Shoichi ...1997 Volume 182 Issue 3 Pages 241-247
Published: 1997
Released on J-STAGE: February 21, 2006
JOURNAL FREE ACCESSImmunohistochemical studies were performed in order to characterize glomus tumors. In all cases the glomus tumor cells stained positively for smooth muscle actin. In half of six cases, the glomus tumor cells weakly expressed desmin. They were not reactive with Ulex europaeus agglutinin-I and anti-Factor VIII- related antigen, whereas the only endothelial cells were reactive with them. The tumor cells as well as vascular endothelial cells amongst the tumor cells expressed CD34 in five of the cases.View full abstractDownload PDF (513K)
Case Reports
-
Kaichiro Yamamoto, Hiroshi Hoshiai, Kazuo Tsubaki, Yuri Kasano, Kenji ...1997 Volume 182 Issue 3 Pages 249-252
Published: 1997
Released on J-STAGE: February 21, 2006
JOURNAL FREE ACCESSA 34-year-old woman with a left ovarian cyst (clinically diagnosed as endometrial cyst) was treated with 400 mg of danazol per day. On the next day, after a total dose of only 600 mg of danazol, gingival bleeding and purpura occurred. Her laboratory findings were as follows: platelet count 1000/mm3 hematocrit 39%, WBC 7300/mm3 and RBC 466 x 104/mm3. Immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) was diagnosed, and she was treated with 40 mg of methylprednisolone per day for 19 days. Her platelet count increased to 130,000 mm3. Her left ovarian cyst was extirpated surgically, and the histological diagnosis was endometrial cyst. Danazol at 400 mg per day was therefore again administered. On the next day, she complained of gingival bleeding and purpura again, and her platelet count was 5000/mm3. We diagnosed this case as danazol induced thrombocytopenia.View full abstractDownload PDF (211K) -
Masahiro Arakawa, Mituyoshi Narita, Akio Kanda, Yasuhiko Sasaki1997 Volume 182 Issue 3 Pages 253-258
Published: 1997
Released on J-STAGE: February 21, 2006
JOURNAL FREE ACCESSA 37-year-old woman visited to our hospital due to general edema. The patient was diagnosed as having systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) associated with chronic glomerulonephritis, which developed into chronic renal failure and was treated with regular hemodialysis. The patient's younger sister had been followed in our outpatient's clinic because of allergic granulomatous angitis (AGA). The sibling's common histocompatibility leukocyte antigens (HLA) were A24(9), B52(5), and DR2.View full abstractDownload PDF (835K) -
Tadahiko Ito, Kenji Harada, Masamichi Tamura, Yasushi Takahashi, Akira ...1997 Volume 182 Issue 3 Pages 259-264
Published: 1997
Released on J-STAGE: February 21, 2006
JOURNAL FREE ACCESSWe report here a case of a premature baby with tetralogy of Fallot and bicuspid aortic valve. After the successful completion of the Blalock-Taussig (BT) shunt, severe aortic valve regurgitation (AR) appeared, although it was trivial preoperatively. Severe postoperative heart failure was induced by progression of the AR. Postoperative echocardiography revealed that the progression of the AR was provoked by appearance of prolapse of the cusp as the result of rapid increase of blood flow through the aortic valve after the BT shunt. We propose that, in planning the BT shunt for patients with tetralogy of Fallot, preoperative examinations for a possible bicuspid aortic valve should be done and postoperative precaution considering possible appearances of severe AR and congestive heart failure will be necessary.View full abstractDownload PDF (2346K) -
Katsuhisa Ikeda, Takayuki Kudo, Akira Shimomura, Takeshi Oshima, Naohi ...1997 Volume 182 Issue 3 Pages 265-270
Published: 1997
Released on J-STAGE: February 21, 2006
JOURNAL FREE ACCESSA 43-year-old man with a primary leiomyosarcoma of the left sphenoid sinus is presented. To our knowledge, this is an unusual case of leiomyosarcoma, which has never been reported in the literature. Accurate and safe diagnosis was obtained by an endonasal endoscopic approach with minimal tissue invasion.View full abstractDownload PDF (2761K)
- |<
- <
- 1
- >
- >|