Role of Cyclooxygenase-2 in Relation to Nitric Oxide and Endothelin-1 on Pathogenesis of Cerebral Vasospasm After Subarachnoid Hemorrhage in Rabbit.

Endothelial dysfunctions that include decreased nitric oxide (NO) bioactivity and increased endothelin-1 (ET-1) bioactivity have been considered to be involved in the pathogenesis of cerebral vasospasm (CVS) after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). Recent cardiovascular studies have revealed that cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) is involved in a disturbance in cross-talk between NO and ET-1. COX-2 expression was detected in the endothelial cells of a spastic artery after experimental SAH; however, the pathophysiological significance of COX-2 in relation to CVS remains unclear.

[Epidemiological Investigation of Patients in Persistent Vegetative States in Aomori, Japan].

The actual number and condition of Japanese patients in persistent vegetative states have not yet been fully understood. The aim of this study is to investigate the epidemiology of patients in persistent vegetative states in the Aomori prefecture. We sent questionnaires regarding gender, age, cause of persistent vegetative state, and residence of patient to all medical institutions in the Aomori prefecture (n=682).

Dilation of the Internal Carotid Artery at the Entrance to the Carotid Canal following Carotid Artery Stenting Predicts Postprocedural Hyperperfusion.

Objective: Ischemic stroke and hyperperfusion (HP) are the most frequent and important complications in carotid artery stenosis surgery. Carotid artery stenting (CAS) has replaced carotid endarterectomy in high medical risk patients. Prior to CAS, initial angiographic findings disclose a small caliber internal carotid artery (IC) due to stenosis, but after the stenosis is relieved, the diameter of the IC becomes enlarged.

Role of oxidized LDL and lectin-like oxidized LDL receptor-1 in cerebral vasospasm after subarachnoid hemorrhage.

Object: Cerebral vasospasm after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is a serious complication. Free radicals derived from subarachnoid clotting are recognized to play an important role. Oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) and lectin-like oxidized LDL receptor-1 (LOX-1) have been shown to be related to the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and may increase in cerebral arteries after SAH, due to the action of free radicals derived from a subarachnoid clot.

Suppression of the Rho/Rho-kinase pathway and prevention of cerebral vasospasm by combination treatment with statin and fasudil after subarachnoid hemorrhage in rabbit.

The Rho/Rho-kinase pathway is considered important in the pathogenesis of sustained smooth muscle cell contraction during cerebral vasospasm after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). The aims of this study were to investigate whether combination treatment, with pitavastatin as an inhibitor of RhoA and fasudil as an inhibitor of Rho-kinase, prevents the cerebral vasospasm. SAH was simulated using the double-hemorrhage rabbit model, and pitavastatin, or fasudil, or both (combination treatment) were administrated.

A possible port of entry into the eye of dog during erratic canine heartworm (Dirofilaria immitis) parasitism.

A dog was suspected of suffering from ectopic Dirofilaria immitis infection, because a large white nematode worm was detected in the anterior chamber of the left eye. A cylinder-shaped fibrin sac in the anterior chamber was found in the eye of the dog by slit lamp microscopy. After successful surgical removal of the worm, the corneal wound produced by the keratotomy healed in a short period.

[Questionnaire about care for patients with disturbed consciousness in the Great East Japan Earthquake].

All people in Japan have been affected significantly by the great earthquake in east Japan. We surveyed the care for patients with disturbed consciousness during the disaster, and report the results and lessons learned to prepare for the future. We sent questionnaires about the management strategy for the patients to 17 centers that had reported at the Japan Coma Society meeting in July 2011.

Augmentation index is related to white matter lesions.

The augmentation index (AIx) is a measure of pulse wave reflection from peripheral muscular conduit arteries, and is assumed to increase with stiffened arteries. A white matter lesion (WML) is generally regarded as a chronic ischemic lesion, which is associated with cerebral small-vessel arteriosclerosis. The aim of this study is to elucidate the effect of pulse wave reflection on the brain.

Decompressive hemi-craniectomy is not necessary to rescue supratentorial hypertensive intracerebral hemorrhage patients: consecutive single-center experience.

Objective: A consensus on decompressive surgery for hypertensive intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) has not been reached. We retrospectively analyzed our single-center experience with ICH.

Material And Methods: From January 2004 to August 2009, 65 consecutive supratentorial ICH patients underwent surgery in our institute.

Current management of subarachnoid hemorrhage in advanced age.

Purpose: we focused on the recent management of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) in patients over 70 years old (advanced age).

Methods: from January 2001 through July 2009 we treated 372 aneurysmal SAH cases including 123 patients of advanced age. Since 2006 we have been selecting primarily interventional treatment in advanced age.

Effect of a free radical scavenger, edaravone, on free radical reactions: related signal transduction and cerebral vasospasm in the rabbit subarachnoid hemorrhage model.

Objective: it is hypothesized that free radical reactions evoked by oxyhemoglobin (oxyHb) cause cerebral vasospasm after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), even though the detailed mechanisms have not yet been fully established. The aims of this study were thus to investigate, through the use of the double-hemorrhage rabbit model, the possibility that free radical reactions play a role in cerebral vasospasm and to delineate the mechanism of signal transduction that causes cerebral vasospasm.

Methods: in the SAH group, SAH was simulated using the double-hemorrhage rabbit model.

Effect of a free radical scavenger, edaravone, in the treatment of patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage.

Objective: It is hypothesized that cerebral vasospasm after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is induced by free radicals released from a subarachnoid clot. This study therefore investigated the effect of a new free radical scavenger, edaravone, in the treatment of patients with aneurysmal SAH.

Methods: Ninety-one patients with aneurysmal SAH participated in this study and were randomized into a control group (n = 42) and an edaravone-treated group (n = 49).

An infant case of intracranial peripheral-type primitive neuroectodermal tumor with long-term survival.

Supratentorial primitive neuroectodermal tumors (S-PNET) that develop in children have recently been classified into two types: central-type PNET (C-PNET), which has been reported over the years, and peripheral-type PNET (P-PNET), which develops intracranially and was referred to as Ewing's sarcoma in the past. P-PNET is fundamentally a malignant tumor, but the patient reported here represents a case of long-term survival from onset without recurrence. At the age of 21 months, a male infant developed a cranial bone deformity and symptoms of high intracranial pressure.

Abducens nerve pareses associated with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage. Incidence and clinical features.

Background: This study was performed to reveal the incidence and the etiology of abducens nerve pareses associated with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage.

Methods: At the time of admission, CT scan was carried out, and the thickness of the prepontine subarachnoid clot was measured.

Results: In total 101 patients met the study requirements and abducens nerve pareses was apparent in 6 patients (5.

[Leiomyosarcoma of the uterus metastatic to the brain].

A case of 52-year-old female presented with dysarthria and paresis of right upper extremity 3 years after an operation and chemotherapy for uterine leiomyosarcoma. Magnetic resonance imaging showed an enhanced mass in the left corona radiata. Brain biopsy was carried out and pathological examination of the specimen showed features of a leiomyosarcoma.