Combination of Single- and Paired-Pulse Somatosensory Evoked Potentials in Ischemic Monitoring: Preliminary Investigation in Carotid Endarterectomy.

Introduction Severe ischemia induces cerebral excitability imbalance before completion of infarct. To investigate the clinical availability of this imbalance with ischemic monitoring, paired-pulse somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs) were performed in conjunction with conventional SEPs during carotid endarterectomy. Methods For carotid endarterectomy patients with hemodynamic deficits of the middle cerebral artery area (n = 34), the excitability imbalances (Q) were measured by paired-pulse SEPs, wherein the second response (A) was divided by the first (A; Q = A/A).

Acute subdural hematoma requiring surgery in the subacute or chronic stage.

The aim of this study was to clarify the clinical characteristics and pathophysiology of conservatively treated cases of acute subdural hematoma (ASDH) that ultimately require surgery in the subacute or chronic stage, and devise an appropriate form of management for them. A total of 50 patients with ASDH were admitted to our institution during a 5-year period. Hematoma removal in the subacute or chronic stage was performed in 8 patients.

Proposal for Japanese encephalitis surveillance using captured invasive mongooses under an eradication project on Okinawa Island, Japan.

A project to eradicate invasive small Asian mongooses (Herpestes javanicus) is underway to conserve the unique ecosystem of Okinawa Island, Japan. In the present study, we tried to elucidate whether the mongoose is a host of Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) and to evaluate the reliability of surveillance of Japanese encephalitis (JE) using this species. Culex tritaeniorhynchus, the main vector mosquito of JEV, feeds on the mongoose.

Aspirin inhibits Chlamydia pneumoniae-induced NF-kappa B activation, cyclo-oxygenase-2 expression and prostaglandin E2 synthesis and attenuates chlamydial growth.

Infection with Chlamydia pneumoniae has been implicated as a potential risk factor for atherosclerosis. This study was designed to investigate the mechanisms of the anti-chlamydial activity of aspirin. A reporter gene assay for NF-kappa B activity, immunoblot analysis for cyclo-oxygenase (COX)-2 and radioimmunoassay for prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)) were performed.