Changes of melatonin secretion in the neuropathic pain induced sleep disorder model rat.

Chronic pain due to peripheral neuropathy can lead to sleep disorders that significantly worsen the patient's quality of life. Previously, we conducted brain wave measurements in a rat model of neuropathic pain and identified its potential as a model for sleep disorders associated with chronic pain (reported). In this study, we quantified melatonin secretion and assessed its circadian rhythm in a rat model of pain-induced sleep disorder.

A case of bullous pemphigoid showing antigenic competition-like phenomenon.

Antigenic competition in the skin is a phenomenon in which the current dermatitis is distributed away from the area of previously existing dermatitis. Bullous pemphigoid may present such phenomenon, even if the responsible antigen was the same.

A questionnaire survey of the illegal importation of pork products by air travelers into Japan from China and exploration of causal factors.

With the aim of obtaining information to establish an import risk assessment on African swine fever (ASF) and other transboundary animal diseases (TADs) into Japan, a questionnaire survey was conducted between 1 August and 20 September 2019 on air travellers arriving into Japan from China. There were 248 responses with 2.8 % of respondents illegally importing pork products.

Development of a local anesthetic lidocaine-loaded redox-active injectable gel for postoperative pain management.

Unlabelled: Although local anesthesia is commonly applied for pain relief, there are several issues such as its short duration of action and low effectiveness at the areas of inflammation due to the acidic pH. The presence of excessive amount of reactive oxygen species (ROS) is known to induce inflammation and aggravate pain. To resolve these issues, we developed a redox-active injectable gel (RIG) with ROS-scavenging activity.

Possible increase in insulin resistance and concealed glucose-coupled potassium-lowering mechanisms during acute coronary syndrome documented by covariance structure analysis.

Objective: Although glucose-insulin-potassium (GIK) therapy ought to be beneficial for ischemic heart disease in general, variable outcomes in many clinical trials of GIK in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) had a controversial impact. This study was designed to examine whether "insulin resistance" is involved in ACS and to clarify other potential intrinsic compensatory mechanisms for GIK tolerance through highly statistical procedure.

Methods And Results: We compared the degree of insulin resistance during ACS attack and remission phase after treatment in individual patients (n = 104).

Increase in the oxidised low-density lipoprotein level by smoking and the possible inhibitory effect of statin therapy in patients with cardiovascular disease: a retrospective study.

Objectives: Malondialdehyde-modified low-density lipoprotein (MDA-LDL) level is a marker of oxidative stress and is linked to progression of arteriosclerosis; however, the clinical factors affecting the oxidised LDL level have not been elucidated. We investigate various factors to identify correlation with MDA-LDL level in high-risk patients requiring catheter intervention.

Setting: Secondary care (cardiology), single-centre study.

The plasma B-type natriuretic peptide levels are low in males with stable ischemic heart disease (IHD) compared to those observed in patients with non-IHD: a retrospective study.

Objective: Although the plasma B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) level is a marker of heart failure, it is unclear whether BNP per se plays a pivotal role for pathogenic mechanisms underlying the development of ischemic heart disease (IHD). In this study, we retrospectively examined the plasma BNP levels in stable patients with IHD and compared to stable patients with cardiovascular diseases other than IHD.

Methods: The study population was 2088 patients (1698 males and 390 females) who were admitted to our hospital due to IHD (n = 1,661) and non-IHD (n = 427) and underwent cardiac catheterization.

Transient decrease in serum potassium level during ischemic attack of acute coronary syndrome: paradoxical contribution of plasma glucose level and glycohemoglobin.

Background: Although a decrease in serum potassium level has been suggested to be a fairly common observation in acute coronary syndrome (ACS), there have so far been no definitive reports directly demonstrating the transient potassium decrease (the potassium dip) during ischemic attack of ACS compared to stable phase in individual patients. To understand the pathophysiological significance of the potassium dip, we examined the changes in serum potassium level throughout ischemic attack and evaluated the clinical factors affecting it.

Methods: The degree of the potassium dip during ischemic attack (as indicated by ΔK, ΔK = K at discharge - K on admission) was examined in 311 consecutive patients with ACS who required urgent hospitalization in our institution.

Biphasic action of aldosterone on Akt signaling in cardiomyocytes.

Both aldosterone and Akt signaling play pivotal roles in the pathogenesis of heart failure. However, little is known about the correlation between them. We herein investigated whether aldosterone interacts with Akt signaling in a coordinated manner in cardiomyocytes.

Impact of body mass index on clinical outcome in patients hospitalized with congestive heart failure.

Background: Obesity has recently been shown to have a favorable effect on the prognosis of patients with congestive heart failure (CHF), but only a few such studies are available in Japan. The purpose of the present study was to investigate whether the obesity paradox is still present after adjusting for CHF characteristics.

Methods And Results: A total of 219 patients hospitalized with CHF were reviewed, and the impact of body mass index (BMI) on prognosis was examined.

[Pain intensity scales and assessment of cancer pain].

The ability to assess pain intensity is essential for both clinical trials and effective cancer pain management, although cancer pain assessment is complicated by a number of other bodily and mental symptoms such as fatigue and depression, all affecting quality of life. Several pain assessment tools have been shown to be reliable and reasonably valid in assessing cancer pain. Pain intensity scales are classified as self-report or observational and unidimensional or multidimensional.

Oral Local Anesthesia Successfully Ameliorated Neuropathic Pain in an Upper Limb Suggesting Pain Alleviation through Neural Plasticity within the Central Nervous System: A Case Report.

Neural blockades are considered an alternative to pharmacotherapy for neuropathic pain although these blockades elicit limited effects. We encountered a patient with postbrachial plexus avulsion injury pain, which was refractory to conventional treatments but disappeared temporarily with the administration of the local anesthetic lidocaine around the left mandibular molar tooth during dental treatments. This analgesic effect on neuropathic pain by oral local anesthesia was reproducible.

Impact of chronic kidney disease on the severity of initially diagnosed coronary artery disease and the patient prognosis in the Japanese population.

This study evaluated the relationship between the severity of coronary artery disease (CAD) and traditional coronary risk factors, metabolic syndrome, and chronic kidney disease (CKD). Three hundred and forty-three patients (35-90 years of age) with initial diagnosis of CAD were separated into two groups: 165 patients with single-vessel coronary artery disease (SVD group) and 178 patients with multivessel coronary artery disease (MVD group). We compared the risk factors for CAD between the two groups.

High doses of processed Aconiti tuber inhibit the acute but potentiate the chronic antinociception of morphine.

Aim Of The Study: In this study, we investigated the effects of processed Aconiti tuber (PAT), an oriental herbal medicine, at analgesic doses on acute morphine antinociception in morphine-naïve mice and morphine tolerance in morphine-tolerant mice.

Materials And Methods: In acute experiments, mice received subcutaneous (s.c.

Effects of topical application of clonidine cream on pain behaviors and spinal Fos protein expression in rat models of neuropathic pain, postoperative pain, and inflammatory pain.

Background: Clonidine can effectively reduce pain and/or hypersensitivity. However, the antihypersensitivity effects of clonidine topically applied in cream (CC) have not been investigated. The authors evaluated effects of topical application of CC on pain behaviors and spinal Fos-like immunoreactivity in rats with hypersensitivity.

Inhibitory effect of processed Aconiti tuber on the development of antinociceptive tolerance to morphine: evaluation with a thermal assay.

In the previous studies, we demonstrated that an oriental herbal medicine processed Aconiti tuber (PAT) at subanalgesic doses could inhibit the development of mechanical antinociceptive tolerance to morphine using the tail pressure test. In the present study, we evaluated whether PAT could inhibit thermal antinociceptive tolerance to morphine using the high temperature (55 degrees C) hot plate test. Mice received subcutaneous morphine (10mg/kg), and oral PAT at doses that did not inhibit the hot plate response (0.

[Effects of linear polarized light irradiation around the lumbar sympathetic ganglion area upon the skin temperature of lower extremities].

Background: The effect of linear polarized light irradiation around the lumbar sympathetic ganglion area upon the skin temperature of legs may be similar to that of irradiation of near stellate ganglion area upon arms.

Methods: Linear polarized light irradiation was induced with SUPER LIZER (Tokyo Iken, Tokyo, Japan). The C probe of SUPER LIZER was placed on the left side of the supine at the level of L2.

Effects of deep hypothermic circulatory arrest with retrograde cerebral perfusion on electroencephalographic bispectral index and suppression ratio.

Objective: No systematic study has been conducted to investigate effects of deep hypothermic circulatory arrest (DHCA) on electroencephalographic bispectral index (BIS) and suppression ratio (SR). Thus, the effects of DHCA were evaluated on BIS and SR.

Design: A prospective clinical study.

[Postponed or canceled drug challenge tests and side effects of the test drug--a report of four cases].

Drug challenge test (DCT) is performed to evaluate chronic pain pharmacologically and determine its medical treatment. One test drug is administered in one day for DCT and characterization of the test drug. Four patients developed side effects of the test drugs for DCT in whom other drug tests were postponed or canceled.

Inhibition of morphine tolerance by processed Aconiti tuber is mediated by kappa-opioid receptors.

Previously, we found that processed Aconiti tuber (PAT) could inhibit morphine tolerance in mice. In the present study, we investigated mechanisms underlying this effect. Mice received subcutaneous (s.

Role for cyclooxygenase 2 in the development and maintenance of neuropathic pain and spinal glial activation.

Background: Lines of evidence have indicated that cyclooxygenase 2 plays a role in the pathophysiology of neuropathic pain. However, the site and mechanism of its action are still unclear. Spinal glia has also been reported to mediate pathologic pain states.