NADPH-diaphorase activity in the vagal afferent pathway of the dogfish, Triakis scyllia.

Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH)-diaphorase activity was examined in the cranial sensory ganglia and brainstem of the banded dogfish, Triakis scyllia. Positive neurons were found in the vagal sensory ganglion projecting to the coelomic organs, but not in those projecting to the gills or the lateral line organs. Nerve terminals in the vagal lobe were also positive.

[Unruptured intracranial aneurysms: evaluation with high-resolution MR angiography with magnetization transfer contrast (MTC) and tilted optimized nonsaturating excitation (TONE)].

Forty-one patients with suspected intracranial aneurysms were evaluated by conventional three-dimensional (3D) time-of-flight (TOF) MR angiography (MRA) or high-resolution 3D TOF MRA with magnetization transfer contrast (MTC) and tilted optimized nonsaturating excitation (TONE). Correlative study was done with conventional angiography in all patients. 3D TOF MRA detected 30 of 36 aneurysms depicted at conventional angiography.

[Successful TSH suppression therapy with triiodothyronine in a patient with pulmonary metastases from differentiated thyroid carcinoma in the absence of 131I uptake].

A 28-year-old woman was referred to us to undergo 131I therapy who had multiple pulmonary metastases from papillary thyroid carcinoma after total thyroidectomy. There was no increased accumulation of a tracer in the pulmonary metastatic foci on whole-body scanning using a 111 MBq diagnostic dose of 131I. However, the pulmonary metastases were gradually decreased in size, and then clearly reduced 8 months after the start of TSH suppression therapy, which was maintained by T3 instead of T4 to bring down the serum TSH level below 0.

The neuronal isoform of constitutive nitric oxide synthase is up-regulated in the macula densa of angiotensinogen gene-knockout mice.

Angiotensinogen gene-knockout (Atg -/-) mice lacking angiotensin II exhibit chronic hypotension and an increase in renal renin gene expression. The present study was designed to provide evidence for the possible involvement of neuronal type nitric oxide synthase (N-NOS) at the macula densa in the increased renin production in Atg -/- mice. The enzyme activity of N-NOS was histochemically detected by NADPH diaphorase (NADPHd) reaction combined with N-NOS immunohistochemistry.

Intramedullary spinal cord meningioma--a case report.

A 54-year-old female presented with a spinal intramedullary meningioma manifesting as extremely slow development of dysesthesia in the extremities. Sagittal T1-weighted resonance imaging showed fusiform enlargement of the cervical spinal cord with an area of low-signal intensity suggestive of syringomyelia extending bidirectionally up to the medulla oblongata and downward from the homogeneously enhanced intramedullary space-occupying lesion. The tumor was confirmed to be intramedullary mass with no dural attachment, and was totally removed en bloc.

Hemifacial spasm due to compression of the facial nerve by vertebral artery-posterior inferior cerebellar artery aneurysm and elongated vertebral artery--case report.

A 62-year-old female presented with rapid aggravation of long-standing facial spasm occurring within a few months. Neuroimaging and angiography demonstrated compression of the root exit zone (REZ) of the facial nerve by an ipsilateral saccular aneurysm at the left vertebral artery (VA)-posterior inferior cerebellar artery bifurcation, in addition to the elongated VA. Neck clipping of the aneurysm and decompression of the REZ from the elongated VA and clipped aneurysm resulted in complete disappearance of the facial spasm.

MR of xanthogranuloma of the choroid plexus.

We present a case of a xanthogranuloma of the lateral ventricle choroid plexus in association with focal areas of abnormal T2 signal in the tegmentum of the pons as well as within the middle cerebellar peduncles. The characteristic MR appearance of this rare entity is described along with a pathologic basis suggesting an association with posterior fossa lesions.

Expression of dopamine transporter at the tips of growing neurites of PC12 cells.

The four kinds of oligopeptides specific in amino acid sequence to a rat dopamine transporter (DAT), peptide-1-peptide-4, were chemically synthethized. An attempt to produce antipeptide antibodies against these oligopeptides was made with an in vitro immunization method. Two monoclonal antibodies, MAbs H-1a and H-1b, were produced against one of the oligopeptides, peptide-1.

Developmental profiles of synaptophysin in granule cells of rat cerebellum: an immunohistocytochemical study.

The expression of synaptophysin was immunohistocytochemically examined at the protein level in the cerebellar cortex of the neonatal rat with special reference to the development of granule cells. In the premigratory zone of the external granular layer, these cells expressed synaptophysin at an early stage of development, where it was localized in the trans-side cisterns of the Golgi apparatus and in nearby small vesicles. When the granule cells began to horizontally extend their axons in the upper molecular layer, the growth cones and expansions of parallel fibers already contained many small vesicles similar in shape and size to synaptic vesicles.

[Usefulness of spiral CT in the detection of hypovascular, well-differentiated hepatocellular carcinoma].

Whole liver scanning during artery-dominant phase using spiral CT was performed in 14 patients with 17 histologically proven well-differentiated HCCs, which were not depicted by hepatic digital subtraction angiography but by CT during arterial portography. The density of HCC relative to the liver was evaluated with conventional precontrast CT, spiral CT, and following conventional CT during the equilibrium phase. Comparison between spiral CT and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging of dynamic contrast studies was also investigated.

[Double lumen--coaxial catheter system for combined CT during arterial portography and CT hepatic angiography].

The high sensitivity of CT during arterial portography (CTAP) for hepatic lesions is accompanied with a lack of specificity for diagnosis. Combined CTAP and CT hepatic angiograpy (CTHA) had been proved to improves lesion detection and heightens confidence in interpreting perfusion abnormalities. We describe a new double lumen - coaxial catheter system for performing combined CTAP and CTHA without the need for repeated transfer of the patient or bilateral arterial punctures.

Beneficial effects of a novel anti-hypoxemic agent, TEI-7322, on bleomycin-induced experimental hypoxemia in rats.

Almitrine bismesylate is known to be an anti-hypoxemic agent that acts via the enhancement of hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction. However, screening for this class of compounds has been minimal, owing, in part, to a lack of convenient hypoxemic models in small animals. The present study was designed to establish a convenient model of hypoxemia induced by bleomycin and to evaluate anti-hypoxemic agents including a newly synthesized compound.

Development of substance P immunoreactivity in the mouse vomeronasal organ.

We investigated the development of substance P immunoreactivity in mouse vomeronasal organs in embryos, juveniles, and adults. In all stages, substance P fibers were found in the receptor-free epithelial area, but never in the neuroepithelium. Substance P fibers were found sparsely in the lamina propria of 15-day-old embryos.

A possible retinal information route to the circadian pacemaker through pretectal areas in the hagfish, Eptatretus burgeri.

By recording the locomotor activity rhythm of hagfish, Eptatretus burgeri, in which surgical lesions of the pretectal areas were made, we searched for the route of light information from the eyes to the circadian pacemaker, which is considered to be located in the preoptic nucleus. The entrainment of circadian activity rhythm to the light dark cycle, under 12 h light/12 h dark (12L:12D) was lost in animals whose pretectum was ablated with a pair of scissors and the animals then showed a free-running rhythm. Destruction of the pretectal areas with a high-frequency lesion generator also caused a free-running rhythm under 12L:12D.

Expression of a dopamine transporter in PC12h cells: an immunohistochemical study with an antipeptide antibody.

Two kinds of oligopeptides, based on the amino acid sequences of No. 217-232 and 374-387 of a rat dopamine transporter, were designed and chemically synthesized. Five clones of the monoclonal antibodies against these peptides were produced with the in vitro immunization method.

Calcitonin gene-related peptide immunoreactivity in the trigeminal ganglion of Trimeresurus flavoviridis.

Crotaline snakes, which have infrared-sensitive pit organs, provide a good model for linking neuron morphology with sensory modality. In the trigeminal ganglion of the habu, Trimeresurus flavoviridis, cells positive for calcitonin gene-related peptide-like (CGRP) immunoreactivity were found to be of two types, darkly stained and lightly stained. They were pseudo-unipolar, having an axon divided into stem, peripheral branch, and central branch, all of which were 1 micron or less in diameter.

Direct evidence for the occurrence of superoxide radicals in the small intestine of the burned rat.

To determine if superoxide radicals (O2-) and related metabolites are generated in extradermal tissues of burned animals, 2-methyl-6-[p-methoxyphenyl]-3,7-dihydroimidazol [1,2-å]pyrazin-3-one (MCLA) was infused intravenously into rats, and change in the chemiluminescence (CL) intensity of the small intestine was determined by using a sensitive photodetector. When animals were challenged with burn stress of 40% total body surface area (TBSA), the CL intensity of the intestine gradually increased, reaching a maximum within 1 hour and remaining elevated for up to 3 hours. Pretreatment of animals with a long-acting superoxide dismutase (SOD) derivative (SM-SOD) significantly inhibited the increase in CL intensity.

[Toxicity studies of paclitaxel. (III)--Six-month intermittent intravenous toxicity in rats].

Paclitaxel, an antineoplastic agent, was intravenously given to Crj:CD (SD) rats of both sexes at 0 (saline), 0 (vehicle), 0.3 (low dose), 1.0 (intermediate dose) and 3.

[Irritability study of paclitaxel in rabbit ear vein].

The vascular irritability of paclitaxel at concentrations of 0.6 and 1.2 mg/ml was examined using the rabbit ear vein by a single intravenous drip in comparison with its vehicle consisting of ethanol and Cremophor, and physiological saline.

[Antigenicity study of paclitaxel].

The antigenic property of paclitaxel was examined using its protein mixtures (paclitaxel + OVA, paclitaxel + GSA, paclitaxel + RSA) in guinea pigs and mice in comparison with ovalbumin (OVA) and the protein conjugate of 4-aminoantipriyne (AAP). The following results were obtained: 1. When guinea pigs were sensitized with paclitaxel or paclitaxel + OVA emulsified with Freund's complete adjuvant, none of active systemic anaphylaxis (ASA), passive cutaneous anaphylaxis (PCA) and Schultz-Dale reaction were induced by challenge with paclitaxel or paclitaxel + GSA (guinea pig serum albumin).

[Toxicity studies of paclitaxel. (II)--One-month intermittent intravenous toxicity in rats].

Paclitaxel, an antineoplastic agent, was intravenously given to Crj:CD (SD) rats of both sexes at 0 (saline), 0 (vehicle), 1.0 (low dose), 3.3 (intermediate dose) and 10.

[Toxicity studies of paclitaxel. (I)--Single dose intravenous toxicity in rats].

Paclitaxel, an antineoplastic agent, was given to Crj: CD (SD) rats of both sexes at 38, 50, 65 and 85 mg/kg by single intravenous administration to investigate its acute toxicity. The results obtained are summarized as follows: 1. Tachypnea and decreased activity with prone position were noted for vehicle and all paclitaxel groups, and alopecia for all paclitaxel groups.

Loss of amplified c-myc genes in the spontaneously differentiated HL-60 cells.

Amplification of the c-myc gene in the human promyelocytic leukemia cell line HL-60 is considered to be one of the major causes of its malignant phenotype. It is also well known since the establishment of the cell line that a culture of HL-60 cells contains a small but fixed percentage of spontaneously differentiated cells. We show that the spontaneous differentiation could be a result of extensive losses of amplified c-myc genes by the findings: (a) the spontaneously differentiated HL-60 cells express Mac-1 (CR3, CD11b/CD18) antigen, irreversibly stop the uptake of [3H]thymidine, and die by apoptosis; (b) these cells, when isolated, and when the copy number of c-myc genes is precisely quantitated, show extensive losses of c-myc genes; and (c) low concentrations of hydroxyurea increase the percentage of spontaneously differentiated cells in which the number of c-myc genes is further decreased.

Coexistence of galanin and substance P in the mouse nasal mucosa, including the vomeronasal organ.

Immunohistochemical fluorescent double labeling revealed the coexistence of galanin and substance P in nerve fibers in the mouse nasal mucosa. At the base of and in the epithelium, all galanin fibers also contained substance P, but around the blood vessels and glands, most of them did not. Since substance P fibers in the nasal mucosa originate from the trigeminal ganglion, these results suggest that galanin fibers in the submucosal region originate from ganglia other than the trigeminal.