[Effects of carbon monoxide produced during laparoscopic surgery].

One of the complications of laparoscopic surgery is carbon monoxide (CO) production under the use of electro-cautery. We studied 11 patients undergoing laparoscopic urological surgery. The concentrations of CO in peritoneal cavity and carboxyhemoglobin (HbCO) in arterial blood were measured before the operation under laparoscopy, during the use of electro-cautery and after the operation.

Immunohistochemical and ultrastructural detection of advanced glycation end products in atherosclerotic lesions of human aorta with a novel specific monoclonal antibody.

To elucidate the deposition of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) in aortic atherosclerosis, aortic walls were obtained from 25 autopsy cases and examined immunohistochemically and immunoelectron microscopically with a monoclonal antibody specific for AGEs, 6D12. Among the autopsy cases, atherosclerotic lesions were found in the aortas of 22 cases and were composed of diffuse intimal thickening, fatty streaks, atherosclerotic plaques, and/or complicated lesions. In these cases, intracellular AGE accumulation was demonstrated in the intimal lesions of aortic atherosclerosis in 12 cases.

Streptococcal toxic shock syndrome: report of two cases.

Two Japanese cases of streptococcal toxic shock syndrome (STSS) are reported. The first patient was a 45-year-old male who developed necrotizing fasciitis and myositis of the left thigh, refractory hypotension, hepatic dysfunction and acute renal failure; the patient died despite treatment. Streptococcus pyogenes was isolated from the inflamed fascia.

Efficacy of slow-releasing anticancer drug delivery systems on transplantable osteosarcomas in rats.

New drug delivery systems for cis-diamminedichloroplatinum (CDDP) incorporated into vehicles, such as polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), fibrin glue (F.G.), alpha-tricalciumphosphate (TCP) and ethylenevinyleacetate copolymer (Polymer) were examined using a rat osteosarcoma model.

Efficacy of the angiogenesis inhibitor O-(chloroacetyl-carbamoyl)fumagillol (AGM-1470) on osteosarcoma growth and lung metastasis in rats.

The efficacy of the anti-angiogenic agent, O-(chloroacetyl-carbamoyl)fumagillol (AGM-1470), against primary tumor growth and spontaneous lung metastasis was evaluated experimentally using a transplantable osteosarcoma line in rats previously established in our laboratory. Male Fischer 344 rats bearing the tumor with a high potential for metastasis received intermittent or continuous subcutaneous administrations of AGM-1470. Both treatment regimens resulted in significant inhibitions of spontaneous lung metastasis and primary tumor growth in a dose-dependent manner, with continuous administration of AGM-1470 exerting the most pronounced inhibitory effects on both parameters.

Spinal function monitoring by evoked spinal cord potentials in aortic aneurysm surgery.

Evoked spinal cord potentials (ESCPs) were monitored in 12 patients who underwent repair of thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm with a high risk of spinal ischemia. A pair of bipolar catheter electrodes were introduced into the epidural space, one at the level of the C5-T2 vertebrae and the other at the level of T11-L2. Conductive mixed ESCP in seven patients, conductive sensory ESCP in one patient, and segmental descending ESCP in three patients were observed by applying a rectangular electric current to one of each pair of epidural electrodes and recording through the other.

Insulin-like growth factor-I prevents gut atrophy and maintains intestinal integrity in septic rats.

Background: The effects of insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) on gut metabolism, structure, and barrier function as well as its general anabolic effects were investigated in septic rats.

Methods: Thirty-three male Wistar rats that underwent cecal ligation were randomly divided into one of the following two groups: (1) received only total parenteral nutrition (control group) or (2) received total parenteral nutrition with IGF-I (IGF group) at a dose of 4 mg/kg/d for 3 days.

Results: During the 3-day period, the body weight of rats in the IGF group increased significantly over that of rats in the control group (17.

[Oxygen economy in patients after open heart surgery--effects of cardiopulmonary bypass on oxygen metabolism].

The relationship between oxygen delivery (DO2) and oxygen consumption (VO2) was studied in thirty patients who underwent open heart surgery. Delivery dependent consumption was observed for the first 48 hours after the surgery even DO2 was in a physiological range (> 300 ml/min/m2). VO2 decreased in proportion to a decrease in DO2 (VO2 = 0.

Feasibility of in vitro culturing of lesional psoriatic keratinocytes in medium containing high calcium concentrations.

Lesional psoriatic keratinocyte (LPK) culture is considered to be difficult under high-Ca2+ conditions in the absence of special proliferative agents. Using a permeable collagen membrane, we obtained a culture of LPKs under high-Ca2+ conditions without any special proliferative agents. Single-cell suspensions were prepared from the epidermis of chronic psoriatic plaques.

Endotoxemia and intestinal mucosal dysfunction after the relief of obstructive jaundice by internal and external drainage in rats.

We studied the effects of external and internal biliary drainage on the development of endotoxemia in a rat model of obstructive jaundice. Male Donryu rats were allocated to four groups: sham operation, common hepatic bile duct ligation (BDL), internal or external biliary drainage after BDL, and biliary drainage after BDL with oral endotoxin administration. Portal and systemic blood endotoxin concentrations were measured and the histomorphology of the intestinal mucosa was examined.

Changes in circulatory status and transport function of the liver induced by reactive oxygen species.

To elucidate the pathogenesis of microcirculatory disturbance of the liver after ischemia and reperfusion, the effect of reactive oxygen species on hepatic circulatory status and transport function for a cholephilic compound was studied in an isolated perfused rat liver. Perfusion of the liver with a medium containing hypoxanthine and xanthine oxidase significantly increased the portal pressure, with concomitant decrease in intrahepatic vascular volume and hepatic uptake of bromosulfophthalein (BSP). Similar changes were also elicited by infusion of serotonin, which induces contraction of sinusoidal endothelial cells.

Effects of serine protease and deoxyribonuclease on intravascular tumor cell arrest in rat blood-borne lung metastasis.

Effects of alpha-chymotrypsin and deoxyribonuclease I (DNase I) on the early phase of blood-borne lung metastasis in rats were studied using confocal laser scanning microscopy and AH-109A cells labeled either with carboxyfluorescein diacetate succinimyl ester or with 51Cr. Intravenous administration of alpha-chymotrypsin or DNase I appeared to enhance or inhibit, respectively, the tumor cell arrest in lung microvasculature as a reflection of reduction or promotion of the tumor cell clearance in the microvasculature. These results suggest that the effects of alpha-chymotrypsin and DNase I are related to induction of tumor cell aggregation and disaggregation in the blood stream, respectively.

Ultrastructural cytochemical demonstration of proteoglycans and calcium in the extracellular matrix of chondroblastomas.

To clarify the characteristics of the extracellular matrix of chondroblastomas, six cases were studied under the electron microscope, with special reference to proteoglycans and calcium in the cellular areas. In ruthenium hexammine trichloride (RHT)-stained sections the matrix was observed to be composed of rounded or polygonal fine granules and unbanded thin filaments that appeared to link neighboring granules together. Treatment with potassium-pyroantimonate showed intracellular accumulation of precipitates, mainly localized within the cisternae of the rough endoplasmic reticulum as well as in the extracellular matrix.

Effects of tyrosine kinase inhibitor, genistein, and phosphotyrosine-phosphatase inhibitor, orthovanadate, on Ca(2+)-free contraction of uterine smooth muscle of the rat.

1. The effects of a protein-tyrosine kinase inhibitor, genistein, and a protein-tyrosine phosphatase inhibitor, orthovanadate, were tested on the Ca(2+)-free contraction of the estrogen-dominated rat, which has been proved to be induced mainly via protein kinase C entirely independently of Ca2+. 2.

Preoperative chemotherapy for esophageal cancer based on chemosensitivity testing.

To examine the role and significance of in vitro chemosensitivity testing on cells cultured from endoscopic biopsy specimens, we evaluated outcomes in 57 patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the thoracic esophagus. Over 3 1/2 years, 57 patients were treated with a single course of preoperative combination chemotherapy based on the results of chemosensitivity testing utilizing eight antineoplastic agents. A radiologically evident response (partial response) was seen in 23 patients (40.

The effect of perioperative portal venous injection of donor spleen cells on renal allograft survival in dogs.

Preoperative portal venous injection of donor lymphocytes has been shown to extend allograft survival in inbred animals. However, the effect of perioperative injection in a large animal model has not been carefully studied. We examined the effect of perioperative (day 0) donor spleen cell administration in a canine kidney transplant model using both a double-donor transplantation and a single-donor survival study.

Effect of beraprost sodium (BPS), a prostacyclin analog, and dizocilpine (MK-801) on repeated ischemia-induced chronic cortical atrophy in gerbils.

We investigated the effect of beraprost sodium (BPS), a new prostacyclin analog, and dizocilpine (MK-801) on repeated ischemia-induced cerebral atrophy and chronic cortical neuronal loss in gerbils. The left common carotid artery of gerbils was repeatedly occluded (for 10, 7, 7, and 7 min) at intervals of 24 h. The thickness of the cerebral cortex of the ischemic hemisphere diminished with increasing time of reperfusion after an ischemic insult.

Effect of beraprost sodium (BPS) on the postischemic neuropathological changes and stroke index after left carotid artery occlusion in gerbils.

We investigated the effect of beraprost sodium (BPS), a new prostacyclin analog, on behavioral and neuropathological changes induced by a 10-min occlusion of the left carotid artery in gerbils. Gerbils were treated orally with BPS (1-100 micrograms/kg) 30 min before occlusion. Pathological evaluation of neural damage in the CA1 region of the hippocampus was performed 7 d after the ischemic insults.

Ca(2+)-inhibition of Ca(2+)-induced small contraction of rat uterine smooth muscle.

Ca2+ has been reported to exert an inhibitory effect on various kinds of smooth muscle. The physiological role of this inhibition is unclear. We investigated the inhibitory action of Ca2+ on the uterine smooth muscle of the rat in estrus, which shows a prominent Ca(2+)-induced inhibition.

Increase in 3-deoxyglucosone levels in diabetic rat plasma. Specific in vivo determination of intermediate in advanced Maillard reaction.

A specific assay of 3-deoxyglucosone (3-DG) was developed in our laboratory to help elucidate the relationship between advanced Maillard reaction and diabetic complications. 3-DG is known as a highly reactive intermediate of the reaction in vitro and a precursor of advanced glycosylation end products such as pyrraline and pentosidine, which have been previously detected in vivo. 3-DG was converted to a stable compound, 2-(2,3,4-trihydroxybutyl)-benzo[g]quinoxaline, by reacting with 2,3-diaminonaphthalene.

[Treatment of the peripheral vascular diseases with prostaglandin].

The clinical usefulness of prostaglandin derivatives was reviewed for the treatment of peripheral vascular diseases such as arteriosclerosis obliterans, Buerger's disease, Raynaud's disease, and collagen disease etc. PGE1 was initially used for this purpose, however, it had to be infused intra-arterially or intravenously for hours. PGE1 incorporated in lipid microsphere (Lipo PGE1) was made for one-shot use and the targeting drug delivery because the lipid microsphere is easily taken up by some inflammatory cells.