Circadian rhythm of urinary potassium excretion in patients with CKD.

Aims: We previously reported in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) that the circadian rhythms of blood pressure (BP) and urinary sodium excretion were both impaired into non-dipper pattern as renal function deteriorated. However, the circadian rhythm of urinary potassium excretion has not been studied in relation to renal dysfunction.

Methods: BP and urinary excretion rates of sodium (UNaV) and potassium (UKV) were evaluated for daytime and nighttime to estimate their circadian rhythms in 83 subjects with CKD.

The hematological and clinical effects of X-ray contrast medium contaminating autologous blood for transfusion purposes.

Little information is available regarding the influence of non-ionic low-osmolar iodinated contrast medium (CM) in stored blood on the quality of blood components. We sought to evaluate the quality of such CM-contaminated blood in terms of the degree of hemolysis, production of microaggregates, level of iodine concentration, and RBC shape, and to identify the pros and cons of autologous blood donation immediately after X-ray examination using CM. In conclusion, contamination by such CM in blood collected around 2h after the completion of X-ray examination appears unlikely to induce deleterious effects on blood components.

Sequential information of self-produced song is represented in the auditory areas in male Bengalese finches.

Male Bengalese finches have a complex song-sequence pattern containing multiple elements. Learning and producing songs require memorization of the phonology and the sequence of elements. We tested the auditory memory of male finches for their own songs to determine whether the auditory memory included the sequence of elements.

The role of norepinephrine and estradiol in the pathogenesis of cardiac wall motion abnormality associated with subarachnoid hemorrhage.

Background And Purpose: The majority of patients with ventricular wall motion abnormality (WMA) associated with subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) are postmenopausal women. In addition to elevated catecholamine, the role of estrogen in the pathogenesis of WMA has recently been implicated. The objective of this study is to clarify the interrelation among catecholamine, estrogen, and WMA in patients with SAH.

Stimulation-dependent intraspinal microtubules and synaptic failure in Alzheimer's disease: a review.

There are many microtubules in axons and dendritic shafts, but it has been thought that there were fewer microtubules in spines. Recently, there have been four reports that observed the intraspinal microtubules. Because microtubules originate from the centrosome, these four reports strongly suggest a stimulation-dependent connection between the nucleus and the stimulated postsynaptic membrane by microtubules.

Surgical nuances of clipping after coiling: looking beyond the international subarachnoid aneurysm trial.

After the introduction of Guglielmi Detachable Coils (GDC), endovascular management of ruptured and unruptured aneurysms became a viable alternative to surgical clipping as a "minimally invasive" option. Endovascular management of aneurysms became even more common after the International Subarachnoid Aneurysm Trial, which was one of the first prospective, randomized trials comparing clipping and coiling, showed reduced dependency and death in patients undergoing coiling after two months and one year. As the numbers of patients treated by endovascular therapy grow neurosurgeons are facing increasing challenges of clipping difficult aneurysms not suitable for coiling, including those that are wide-necked, thrombosed or involving many perforators.

Subarachnoid hemorrhage complicated with neurogenic pulmonary edema and takotsubo-like cardiomyopathy.

Patients with poor-grade subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) are often complicated with acute cardiopulmonary dysfunctions, particularly neurogenic pulmonary edema (NPE) and takotsubo-like cardiomyopathy (TCM). This study retrospectively investigated the incidence, demographics, clinical characteristics, and outcomes of patients with SAH complicated with both NPE and TCM (NPE-TCM). The effects of aneurysm location and other clinical variables on the incidence of NPE-TCM were also investigated.

Recent advances in diagnostic approaches for sub-arachnoid hemorrhage.

Sub-arachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) has been easily one of the most debilitating neurosurgical entities as far as stroke related case mortality and morbidity rates are concerned. To date, it has case fatality rates ranging from 32-67%. Advances in the diagnostic accuracy of the available imaging methods have contributed significantly in reducing morbidity associated with this deadly disease.

Intra operative indocyanine green video-angiography in cerebrovascular surgery: An overview with review of literature.

Microscope integrated Near infra red Indocyanine green video angiography (NIR ICG VA) has been frequently used in cerebrovascular surgery. It is believed to be a simple and reliable method with acquisition of real time high spatial resolution images. The aim of this review article was to evaluate the efficacy of intra operative Indocyanine green video angiography (ICG VA) in Aneurysm, brain arteriovenous malformations (AVM) and extracranial-intracranial (EC-IC) bypass surgeries and also to analyze its limitations.

Low birth weight and end-stage renal disease: demographic analysis by region in Japan.

Unlabelled: BACKGROUND We have previously shown regional differences in the incidence of end-stage renal disease (ESRD)within Japan, which is ethnically homogenous, suggesting that non-genetic factors may contribute to the differences.We examined regional distribution in the incidence of low birth weight (LBW), a surrogate for low nephron number,in our search for an explanation.

Methods: Each year, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan and the Japanese Society for Dialysis Therapy report the number of LBW babies and patients initiating maintenance dialysis in each prefecture of Japan,respectively.

Preliminary evaluation of the role of surgical microscope-integrated intraoperative FLOW 800 colored indocyanine fluorescence angiography in arteriovenous malformation surgery.

Objective: To discuss the role of FLOW 800 innovative software for analytical color visualization and objective evaluation of fluorescence videos obtained by microscope-integrated intraoperative indocyanine green (ICG) fluorescence angiography in arteriovenous malformations (AVM) surgery.

Materials And Methods: Microscope-integrated intraoperative FLOW 800 was used and evaluated in three consecutive AVM surgeries over a period of two months. The role of FLOW 800 to distinguish feeding arteries from arterialized veins and other arteries was evaluated.

Morning hypertension in chronic kidney disease is sustained type, but not surge type.

Objective: We have shown that as renal function deteriorates, the circadian blood pressure (BP) rhythm shifts to a nondipper pattern and the duration until nocturnal BP decline [dipping time (DT)] is prolonged. We investigated whether or not morning hypertension (BP 2 h after awakening >135/85 mmHg) in chronic kidney disease (CKD) was sustained type with a prolonged DT.

Materials And Methods: Twenty-four-hour BP was monitored in 104 patients with CKD.

Slight improvement in full-term development of mouse somatic cell nuclear-transferred embryos by cotransfer of fertilized embryos.

In our previous study (Tsuji et al., 2010 ), administration of hCG to recipients around the timing of implantation significantly increased the in vivo development of mouse embryos after somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) until day 10.5, but did not increase the development to full term.

Report on the international Primary Neurosurgical Life Support course in the eighth Asian Congress of Neurological Surgeons in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

On November 22, 2010, a simulation-based hands-on education course for medical staff in the neurosurgical fields was held in 8(th) Asian Congress of Neurological Surgeons (ACNS) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The present education course called Primary Neurosurgical Life Support (PNLS) course had been started by the Japan Society of Neurosurgical Emergency since 2008. This report summarizes the international version of PNLS course in 8(th) ACNS.

Angiotensin receptor blockers shift the circadian rhythm of blood pressure by suppressing tubular sodium reabsorption.

Recently, we found that an angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB) restored the circadian rhythm of the blood pressure (BP) from a nondipper to a dipper pattern, similar to that achieved with sodium intake restriction and diuretics (Fukuda M, Yamanaka T, Mizuno M, Motokawa M, Shirasawa Y, Miyagi S, Nishio T, Yoshida A, Kimura G. J Hypertens 26: 583-588, 2008). ARB enhanced natriuresis during the day, while BP was markedly lower during the night, resulting in the dipper pattern.

Effect of melatonin treatment on the developmental potential of parthenogenetic and somatic cell nuclear-transferred porcine oocytes in vitro.

Melatonin secreted from the mammalian pineal gland is a free-radical scavenger that protects tissues from cell damage. The present study examined the effects of addition of melatonin to the culture medium on the developmental potential of parthenogenetic and somatic cell nuclear-transferred (SCNT) porcine oocytes. Supplementation of the maturation medium with melatonin did not increase the maturation rate, the proportion of oocytes that cleaved and developed into blastocysts after parthenogenetic activation, or the blastocyst cell number compared to controls.

Intraoperative near-infrared indocyanine green-videoangiography (ICG-VA) and graphic analysis of fluorescence intensity in cerebral aneurysm surgery.

We present our preliminary experience with intraoperative near-infrared indocyanine green-videoangiography (ICG-VA) and analysis of blood flow dynamics using fluorescence intensity assessment in cerebral aneurysm clipping surgery. Thirty-nine patients with 43 intracranial aneurysms underwent microsurgical clipping. Intraoperative ICG-VA was performed before and after clip application.

Geographic differences in the increasing ESRD rate have disappeared in Japan.

Background: We previously showed that there are marked geographic differences in the incidence of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) within Japan. In addition, the use of renin-angiotensin system inhibitors was found to be inversely correlated with the increasing ESRD rate. It was recently demonstrated that the incidence of ESRD due to diabetic nephropathy is declining in both Europe and USA.

Detection of pulsation in ruptured and unruptured cerebral aneurysms by electrocardiographically gated 3-dimensional computed tomographic angiography with a 320-row area detector computed tomography and evaluation of its clinical usefulness.

Background: In ruptured cerebral aneurysms (RCAs), identification of the rupture point of a cerebral aneurysm is useful for treatment planning. In unruptured cerebral aneurysms (URCAs), detection of the risk of aneurysmal rupture is also useful for patient management.

Objective: Electrocardiographic (ECG)-gated 3D-CT angiography was performed for patients with RCAs and URCAs using 320-row area detector CT (ADCT) to detect pulsation of the cerebral aneurysms.

Administration of cyclosporin A to recipients improves the potential of mouse somatic cell nuclear-transferred oocytes to develop to fetuses.

Somatic cell nuclear-transferred (SCNT) oocytes have a high potential for development in vitro, but a large proportion of embryos that are transferred to recipients is aborted before parturition. The precise mechanism for the high abortion rate is unknown, but abnormal placenta formation is frequently observed in SCNT-cloned pregnancies. The present study examined the effects of treating the recipients with cyclosporin A (CsA), an immunoprotectant, on the proportion of fetuses resulting from SCNT-cloned pregnancies.

A study investigating the need and impact of pediatric palliative care education on undergraduate medical students in Japan.

Background: Education for medical students is crucial to providing pediatric palliative care (PPC). However, few comprehensive curricula of PPC exist in Japan.

Objective: This study aimed to identify and explore the need for education of, as well as the impact of that education on, medical students in Japan.