Inhibitory effects of levetiracetam on the high-voltage-activated L-type Ca²⁺ channels in hippocampal CA3 neurons of spontaneously epileptic rat (SER).

Levetiracetam (LEV) is a widely used antiepileptic agent for partial refractory epilepsy in humans. LEV has unique antiepileptic effects in that it does not inhibit electroshock- or pentylenetetrazol-induced convulsion, but does inhibit seizures in kindling animal and spontaneously epileptic rat (SER: zi/zi, tm/tm) that shows both tonic convulsion and absence-like seizures. LEV also has unique characteristics in terms of its antiepileptic mechanism; it has no activity on Na⁺ and K⁺ channels or on glutamate and GABA(A) receptors.

Mid-term results of the box pulmonary vein isolation and the cryo-maze procedure for chronic atrial fibrillation associated with mitral valve disease.

Purpose: We performed box pulmonary vein isolation and the modified Maze procedure using cryoablation (cryo-maze) to eliminate chronic atrial fibrillation (AF) associated with mitral valve disease from 1999 to 2004. This article compares the elimination rate of chronic AF and the postoperative occurrence of new atrial tachycardia after both procedures over a follow-up period of >5 years.

Methods: A total of 75 patients were enrolled in the study.

Epicardial atrial mapping can predict elimination of chronic atrial fibrillation after the box pulmonary vein isolation during mitral valve surgery.

Background: The pulmonary veins (PV) and posterior left atrium (LA) may contribute to the occurrence and maintenance of atrial fibrillation (AF). We evaluated whether simple epicardial electrophysiological mapping can predict elimination of chronic AF after the box PV isolation procedure.

Methods And Results: Using a computerized 48-channel mapping system, we performed intraoperative atrial mapping in 16 patients with chronic AF associated with mitral valve (MV) disease.

Long-term results after the box pulmonary vein isolation procedure for chronic atrial fibrillation in mitral valve surgery.

Background: We hypothesized that chronic atrial fibrillation (AF) originated from the pulmonary veins, and was maintained by irregular activations of the posterior left atrium. We had performed the box pulmonary vein isolation procedure for the elimination of chronic AF associated with solitary mitral valve disease from 1999 to 2004. This paper evaluated the long-term results of this procedure over more than 6 years, and discussed the role of the pulmonary veins and posterior left atrium in maintaining AF.

[A mouse model with human chromosomal abnormality observed in autism].

Substantial evidence suggests that chromosomal abnormalities contribute to the risk of autism. The duplication of human chromosome 15q11-q13 is known to be the most frequent cytogenetic abnormality observed in autism. We replicate this genetic abnormality in mice by using chromosome engineering to generate a 6.

Late occurrence of atrial arrhythmias after the simple left atrial procedure for chronic atrial fibrillation in mitral valve surgery.

Background: We postulated that chronic atrial fibrillation (AF) associated with mitral valve disease originated from the distended left atrium and is maintained by itself. We had performed a simple left atrial procedure for the elimination of chronic AF associated with mitral valve disease in patients from 1993 to 1998. This paper evaluated the long-term results of the simple left atrial procedure after more than 10 years, and discussed the late occurrence of atrial arrhythmias in relation to the left atrial procedure.

Hepatic carcinosarcoma with heterogeneous carcinomatous and sarcomatous elements: report of a case and review of the literature.

We report a rare case of hepatic carcinosarcoma consisting of two carcinomatous components and four sarcomatous components. A 54-year-old Japanese man presented with sudden right upper abdominal pain. Computed tomography showed a hepatic tumor measuring 17 cm in the greatest dimension and intractable ascites, suggesting rupture of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Effect of inner ear blood flow changes on the endolymphatic sac.

Conclusions: That the endolymphatic sac (ES) reacts to changes in inner ear blood flow may be important for homeostasis of the inner ear fluid volume and pressure.

Objectives: To elucidate the effect of changes in inner ear blood flow on the ES and to learn more about the volume and pressure regulatory function of the ES.

Materials And Methods: Epinephrine or sodium nitroprusside (SNP) was injected into the middle ear cavity of adult CBA/J mice.

Radical scavengers for elderly patients with age-related hearing loss.

Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that treatment with radical scavengers has the potential to become an effective new therapy for age-related hearing loss.

Objective: To assess the efficacy of treatment with radical scavengers for age-related hearing loss.

Subjects And Methods: Rebamipide (300 mg/day), alpha-lipoic acid (60 mg/day), and vitamin C (600 mg/day) were given orally for at least 8 weeks to 46 elderly patients with age-related hearing loss.

Clinical, pathologic and genetic studies on autosomal recessive early-onset parkinsonism with diurnal fluctuation.

To clarify the genetic mode and clinical characteristics of familial early-onset parkinsonism with diurnal fluctuation, we studied 43 patients from 22 families. The estimated segregation ratio (0.2963) and absence of gender preponderance indicated autosomal recessive inheritance.

Effect of acute endolymphatic hydrops overload on the endolymphatic sac.

Conclusions: Homeostasis of endolymph volume is a complex mechanism, in which the endolymphatic sac (ES) may play an important role.

Objectives: To elucidate the effect of acute endolymphatic hydrops (EH) on the ES and to gain further information about the volume and pressure regulative function of the ES.

Materials And Methods: Distilled water was injected into the middle ear cavity of adult CBA/J mice.

Voltage-dependent calcium channel abnormalities in hippocampal CA3 neurons of spontaneously epileptic rats.

Purpose: Hippocampal CA3 neurons of spontaneously epileptic rats (SER; zi/zi, tm/tm), which show both absence-like seizures and tonic convulsions, exhibit a long-lasting depolarization shift with repetitive firing with a single stimulation of mossy fibers. Therefore a whole-cell patch-clamp study using temporarily dissociated hippocampal CA3 neurons from SER was performed to elucidate whether such abnormal excitability was due to abnormalities in voltage-dependent Ca(2+) channels (VDCCs).

Methods: Hippocampal CA3 neurons were temporarily dissociated with enzymatic and mechanical treatments.

Quantitative determination of lobe specificity of mRNA expression of androgen-dependent genes in the rat prostate gland.

The rodent prostate has a complex structure, consisting of a ventral prostate (VP), lateral prostate (LP), dorsal prostate (DP) and anterior prostate (AP), and most studies so far have focused on the VP. Androgen-responsive prostatic secretory proteins, such as prostatein and kallikreins, are mainly produced in the VP, but others are abundant in the LP and DP, though little is known about differences of androgen regulation among the different lobes. Here, the mRNA expression levels of some representative androgen-responsive genes, including those encoding prostatic secreted proteins, were quantitatively determined in each of the prostatic lobes of intact rats and castrated rats treated with testosterone alone or plus flutamide.

Bone marrow derived mast cell acquire responsiveness to substance P with Ca(2+) signals and release of leukotriene B(4) via mitogen-activated protein kinase.

Substance P (SP) selectively activates mast cells that reside in connective tissues. We studied the reactions of bone marrow-derived mast cells (BMMC) of three mouse strains, cultured with or without fibroblasts. BMMC co-cultured with fibroblasts, but not those cultured alone, increased intracellular Ca(2+), released LTB(4) and histamine in response to SP.

Radical scavengers: a remedy for presbyacusis. A pilot study.

Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that treatment with radical scavengers has the potential to become an effective new therapy for presbyacusis.

Objective: To assess the efficacy of treatment with the radical scavengers rebamipide and vitamin C for presbyacusis.

Material And Methods: Rebamipide (300 mg/day) and vitamin C (600 mg/day) were taken orally for at least 8 weeks by 23 patients with presbyacusis.

Long-lasting antiepileptic effects of levetiracetam against epileptic seizures in the spontaneously epileptic rat (SER): differentiation of levetiracetam from conventional antiepileptic drugs.

Purpose: Some evidence suggests that levetiracetam (LEV) possesses antiepileptogenic characteristics. The purpose of this study was to investigate the time course of seizure protection by LEV compared with that of phenytoin (PHT), phenobarbital (PB), valproate (VPA), and carbamazepine (CBZ) in the spontaneously epileptic rat (SER). The SER is a double mutant (tm/tm, zi/zi) showing both tonic convulsions and absence-like seizures.

Separation of antiepileptogenic and antiseizure effects of levetiracetam in the spontaneously epileptic rat (SER).

Purpose: The long-lasting antiseizure effects of levetiracetam (LEV) have been observed in the spontaneously epileptic rat (SER) that expresses both tonic and absence-like seizures. Furthermore, the antiepileptogenic effects of LEV in addition to antiseizure effects have been reported in the amygdala-kindling model in rats. This suggests that the long-lasting seizure protection of LEV may be at least partly due to its antiepileptogenic effects.

A case of MELAS: hyperperfused lesions detected by non-invasive perfusion-weighted MR imaging.

We report a case of MELAS in which lesions were detected by perfusion-weighted MR imaging. Perfusion-weighted MRI using contrast media (PWI) and FAIR (flow-sensitive alternating inversion recovery), an arterial spin labeling method, clearly showed these lesions as hyperperfused areas. One of these lesions, diminished after steroid therapy, could also be detected by FAIR.

Primary hepatic carcinoid tumor (a case report).

A primary hepatic carcinoid tumor arising in a 77-year-old woman is reported. The patient was admitted with a huge tumor in the right lobe of the liver and treated by an extended right lobectomy of the liver. Light microscopic findings showed that the tumor cells had small oval-shaped nuclei and eosinophilic cytoplasm with small granules forming trabecular, glandular, and rosette patterns.

Curved varus femoral osteotomy for minimal dysplastic hip in patients older than 45 years of age: comparison with rotational acetabular osteotomy.

Periacetabular osteotomies, such as rotational acetabular osteotomy (RAO) for osteoarthritis (OA) secondary to hip dysplasia, have produced satisfactory medium- and long-term results in early OA. However, as the degree of surgical invasion of these procedures is comparatively major and long-term postoperative rehabilitation is required, this procedure is generally not indicated for those in the fifth and sixth decades of life. Curved varus femoral osteotomy (CVO), which is a less invasive procedure, is considered a worthwhile option, although to the best of our knowledge no comparative study has been reported on these two procedures in older patients.

Localization of endotoxin in the inner ear following inoculation into the middle ear.

Sensorineural hearing loss is known to be a significant sequela of otitis media (OM). The pathophysiology of such hearing loss in OM is thought to be due to transmission of toxins and other bacterial products through the round window membrane, damaging the hair cells of the basal turn of the cochlea. Other routes, such as those involving the oval window, blood vessels and lymphatics, may also be involved.

Laparoscopic and open approach in perforated peptic ulcer.

Background/aims: To improve the perioperative course and quality of life of the patients with perforated peptic ulcer, we investigated the conversion risk factors in laparoscopic simple closure and omental patch repair for perforated peptic ulcer.

Methodology: A total of 71 patients with a mean age of 46 years (rage, 17-81 years) was examined, and their clinical data was recorded and analyzed.

Results: The postoperative durations of nasogastric tube insertion, ileus, analgesic requirement, resuming diet, and hospital stay were shorter in the patients with laparoscopic simple closure than in those with open simple closure and omental patch repair.

[Low oxygen saturation during early postoperative period in adult patients receiving opioids by intravenous patient-controlled analgesia].

Background: Patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) provides effective postoperative analgesia. However, there are few reports concerning the adverse outcome of respiratory depression.

Methods: We measured arterial oxygen saturation (SpO2) continuously during early postoperative period in 38 adult patients receiving opioids by intravenous PCA.