Severe and persistent nerve palsy after ultrasound-guided continuous interscalene brachial plexus block in a teenager undergoing shoulder surgery: a case report.

Background: Although neurologic sequela is a recognized complication after interscalene brachial plexus block (ISB), there is a paucity of information on how severe and persistent neuropathy occurs and develops.

Case Presentation: A healthy high school soccer goalkeeper was scheduled for an arthroscopic Bankart repair. After continuous ISB for 2 days, sensation in the C5 and C6 areas and motor function did not return.

Majority-Rules Effect and Allostery in Molecular Recognition of Calix[4]arene-Based Triple-Stranded Metallohelicates.

The triple-stranded metallohelicates 1 a,/1 b-3 a/3 b possessing internal guest binding cavities surrounded by calix[4]arene units were synthesized through coordination-driven self-assembly. UV/Vis titration experiments verified that the metallohelicates encapsulated N-methyl pyridinium cations bearing amino acid groups to form host-guest complexes. The guest chirality was transferred to the helicity of the helicates through the steric contact between the stereogenic center of the amino acid group and the metal cores.

Body mass index and weight change during adulthood are associated with increased mortality from liver cancer: the JACC Study.

Background: We investigated the association of baseline body mass index (BMI) and weight change since age 20 years with liver cancer mortality among Japanese.

Methods: The data were obtained from the Japan Collaborative Cohort Study for Evaluation of Cancer Risk (JACC Study). A total of 31 018 Japanese men and 41 455 Japanese women aged 40 to 79 years who had no history of cancer were followed from 1988 through 2009.

Asymmetric induction of supramolecular helicity in calix[4]arene-based triple-stranded helicate.

Calix[4]arene-based triple helicates take up an achiral part of chiral guests; the chiral center outside the cavity causes the asymmetric induction of their supramolecular helicity.

Mitochondrial morphogenesis, dendrite development, and synapse formation in cerebellum require both Bcl-w and the glutamate receptor delta2.

Bcl-w belongs to the prosurvival group of the Bcl-2 family, while the glutamate receptor delta2 (Grid2) is an excitatory receptor that is specifically expressed in Purkinje cells, and required for Purkinje cell synapse formation. A recently published result as well as our own findings have shown that Bcl-w can physically interact with an autophagy protein, Beclin1, which in turn has been shown previously to form a protein complex with the intracellular domain of Grid2 and an adaptor protein, nPIST. This suggests that Bcl-w and Grid2 might interact genetically to regulate mitochondria, autophagy, and neuronal function.

Ultrastructural nuclear import assay.

Electron microscopy (EM) has been used for several decades to study the mechanisms of nuclear transport. In early studies of nuclear import, gold-conjugated nuclear proteins were microinjected into cells and followed by EM. As the components of the nuclear pore complex (NPC) and soluble mediators of nuclear import were cloned and characterized, gold-conjugated antibodies were utilized to sublocalize the components of the nuclear transport machinery by immuno-EM.

Carrier-independent nuclear import of the transcription factor PU.1 via RanGTP-stimulated binding to Nup153.

PU.1 is a transcription factor of the Ets family with important functions in hematopoietic cell differentiation. Using green fluorescent protein-PU.

A new quantitative filtration apparatus to evaluate erythrocyte deformability.

We have developed a quantitative filtration apparatus to evaluate erythrocyte deformability, using a precision metal filter which we developed. The test material is sucked into the filter through the action of decreasing negative pressure. The device automatically gives a liquid level (height)-time relation and a pressure-flow rate relation, similar to gravity-based filtration.

A HEX-1 crystal lattice required for Woronin body function in Neurospora crassa.

The Woronin body is a dense-core vesicle specific to filamentous ascomycetes (Euascomycetes), where it functions to seal the septal pore in response to cellular damage. The HEX-1 protein self-assembles to form this solid core of the vesicle. Here, we solve the crystal structure of HEX-1 at 1.

The relationship between smoking habits and serum levels of 8-OHdG, oxidized LDL antibodies, Mn-SOD and carotenoids in rural Japanese residents.

This study investigated the relationship between smoking habits and serum levels of 8-OHdG, oxidized LDL antibodies (oLAB), Mn-SOD, and carotenoids. Subjects were 79 males (mean age +/- standard deviation; 62.1 +/- 10.

Quantitative comparison of the bolus and steady-state methods for measurement of cerebral perfusion and oxygen metabolism: positron emission tomography study using 15O-gas and water.

To evaluate a new simplified bolus method for measurement of cerebral perfusion and metabolism, the parametric images with that method were compared with those obtained from the conventional steady-state method with 15O-gas. The new method also provided images of arterial blood volume (V0), which is a different parameter from cerebral blood volume (CBV) obtained using a C15O technique. Seven healthy volunteers and 10 patients with occlusive cerebrovascular diseases underwent positron emission tomography (PET) scans with both methods.

Comparison of the pattern of atrophy of the corpus callosum in frontotemporal dementia, progressive supranuclear palsy, and Alzheimer's disease.

Objectives: The loss of the neurons in layer 3, one of the groups of cortical neurons most vulnerable in various degenerative brain diseases, results in axonal degeneration leading to atrophy of the corpus callosum. Previous studies showed callosal atrophy in three degenerative dementias: frontotemporal dementia (FTD), progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), and Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, it is unclear whether a characteristic pattern of atrophy is present in each.

Corpus callosum atrophy in patients with leukoaraiosis may indicate global cognitive impairment.

Background And Purpose: The extent of white matter high-intensity lesions (WMLs) on T2-weighted MR images may be an indicator of cognitive impairment, especially impairment related to frontal lobe dysfunction. However, it is unclear whether the extent of WMLs is an independent predictor of cognitive impairment. In patients with extensive WMLs, atrophy of the corpus callosum may be an important predictor of global cognitive impairment.

Long-term changes of hemodynamics and metabolism after carotid artery occlusion.

Objective: To investigate whether in selected patients with internal carotid artery (ICA) occlusion and initially normal oxygen extraction fraction (OEF) measured with PET, subsequent changes of cerebral hemodynamics and metabolism occur during long-term follow-up and, if so, whether the changes are associated with atrophy of the corpus callosum or subsequent ischemic strokes.

Background: The course of the changes in cerebral hemodynamics and metabolism after ICA occlusion remain unclear. After ICA occlusion, an increase in OEF may increase the risk of cerebral ischemia, and an increase in cortical ischemia would cause progression of callosal atrophy.

Atrophy of the corpus callosum associated with a decrease in cortical benzodiazepine receptor in large cerebral arterial occlusive diseases.

Objectives: It remains controversial whether selective neuronal ischaemic change develops in patients with occlusion of the large cerebral arteries. Previous studies have shown atrophy of the corpus callosum with reduced cortical oxygen metabolism in large cerebral arterial occlusive diseases, which might be indirect evidence of loss of the neurons in cortical layer 3. Recent studies of patients with ischaemic cerebrovascular diseases have demonstrated reduced central benzodiazepine receptor (BZR) binding in the normal appearing cortical areas, which might be more direct evidence of changes of the neurons.

Significance of increased oxygen extraction fraction in five-year prognosis of major cerebral arterial occlusive diseases.

Unlabelled: In major cerebral arterial occlusive diseases, patients with increased oxygen extraction fraction (OEF), which is measured with PET, may be at increased risk for cerebral ischemia. However, the clinical significance of increased OEF remains unclear. This study investigated whether increased OEF is an independent predictor of 5-y risk of subsequent stroke.

Brain arteriolosclerosis and hemodynamic disturbance may induce leukoaraiosis.

Objective: To investigate whether internal carotid artery (ICA) occlusive disease-induced hemodynamic disturbance is associated with extensive white matter high-intensity lesions (WMLs) on T2-weighted MR images in the hemisphere with lacunar infarct in the basal ganglia.

Background: Hemodynamic disturbance in the brain with arteriolosclerosis may be one of the mechanisms by which ischemic injury induces extensive WMLs.

Methods: The authors used MRI and PET to study 21 patients with unilateral ICA occlusion or stenosis and lacunar infarct in the bilateral basal ganglia.

[Cerebral hemodynamics and risk for recurrent stroke in symptomatic internal carotid artery occlusion].

Purpose: In internal carotid artery occlusion, patients with inadequate blood supply relative to metabolic demand (misery perfusion) may be at increased risk for cerebral ischemia. This study investigated whether patients demonstrating misery perfusion on positron emission tomography (PET) have a high risk of subsequent stroke in symptomatic internal carotid artery occlusion.

Methods: We prospectively evaluated the relationship between the regional hemodynamic status of cerebral circulation and the subsequent risk of stroke in 40 patients with symptomatic internal carotid artery occlusion who underwent PET.

Production of prostaglandins E1 and E2 by adult human red blood cells.

We showed that human adult red blood cells (RBCs) produce prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) and E2 (PGE2). RBCs that were mechanically stressed in the presence of extracellular Ca2+ by being injected rapidly through a fine needle produced PGE1 and PGE2 within 30 min after this mechanical stress. The amounts of PGE1 and PGE2 produced by 1 x 10(9) mechanically stressed RBCs were approximately 50 pg and 100 pg, respectively, which were determined in the cytosolic fraction from sonicated RBCs using a competitive enzyme immunoassay method.