Analyses of the mechanism of intracellular transport and secretion of pituitary hormone, with an insight of the subcellular localization of pituitary hormone and its mRNA.

Combined in situ hybridization (ISH) and immunohistochemistry (IHC) under electron microscopy (EM-ISH&IHC) has sufficient ultrastructural resolution and provides two-dimensional images of subcellular localization of pituitary hormone and its mRNA in a pituitary cell. The advantages of semiconductor nanocrystals (Quantum dots, Qdots) and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) enable us to obtain three-dimensional images of subcellular localization of pituitary hormone and its mRNA. Both EM-ISH&IHC and ISH&IHC using Qdots and CLSM are useful for understanding the relation between protein and mRNA simultaneously in two or three dimensions.

Skull metastasis of thyroid papillary carcinoma.

Skull metastasis of thyroid carcinoma is rare. The majority of skull metastases of thyroid carcinoma are of the follicular subtype, rather than thyroid papillary carcinoma. In this report, a 55-year-old woman with skull metastasis from thyroid papillary carcinoma is presented.

Aggressive and invasive growth of tectal glioma after surgical intervention and chemoradiotherapy.

A tectal glioma presenting with late-onset aqueduct stenosis and obstructive hydrocephalus is usually categorized as a benign glioma. Apparent clinical or radiological progression justifies biopsy of the tumour. In this case, an unusual tumour shows aggressive and invasive growth after surgical intervention and chemoradiotherapy.

Analyses of the factors influencing bone graft infection after delayed cranioplasty.

Background: Several factors influencing bone graft infection after delayed cranioplasty are analyzed in order to reduce the occurrence of infection.

Methods: For about 10 years, from March 1995 to February 2005, delayed cranioplasty was performed for 206 cases. The cases comprised 124 males and 82 females.

Epidermoid tumor arising in the anterior interhemispheric fissure.

There have only been 18 cases reported in the literature of an epidermoid tumor arising in the interhemispheric fissure. We report a 45-year-old woman with an epidermoid tumor arising in the interhemispheric fissure. She presented with a focal convulsive seizure.

Symptomatic pituitary metastasis of malignant thymoma.

Pituitary metastases from malignant thymoma are extremely rare. We report an 86 year-old-man with pituitary metastasis of malignant thymoma who complained of visual impairment and right ptosis. A pituitary lesion, which was partially removed by trans-sphenoidal surgery, was pathologically similar to the primary lesion and was diagnosed as pituitary metastasis of malignant thymoma.

Factors influencing mortality of acute intestinal infarction associated with SIRS.

Background/aims: In patients with acute mesenteric ischemia, early diagnosis is considered to improve the prognosis by preventing the occurrence of systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS). However, it remains unclear which factors affect the mortality once advanced ischemia and SIRS develop in cases of delayed diagnosis. The aim of this study was to investigate the predictors of in-hospital mortality in the late stage of acute mesenteric ischemia.

A diagnostic pitfall: Angiosarcoma of the brain mimicking cavernous angioma.

Primary or secondary angiosarcoma in the central nervous system is rarely reported. We present a rare case of cerebral angiosarcoma, which comprised both poorly-differentiated solid areas and well-differentiated areas that led to the misdiagnosis of cavernous angioma. A 79-year old woman presented with an intracerebral hematoma in the left frontal lobe that was misdiagnosed as a hemorrhage from a cavernous angioma at initial operation.

Three-dimensional imaging of the intracellular localization of growth hormone and prolactin and their mRNA using nanocrystal (Quantum dot) and confocal laser scanning microscopy techniques.

Semiconductor nanocrystals (Quantum dots, Qdots) have recently been used in biological research, because they do not fade on exposure to light, and they enable us to obtain multicolor imaging because of a narrow emission peak that can be excited via a single wavelength of light. There have been no reports of simultaneous localization of mRNA and protein using Qdots. We successfully applied these advantages of Qdot and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) to three-dimensional images of the intracellular localization of growth hormone and prolactin and to their mRNA.

Establishment of stable GH3 cell line expressing enhanced yellow fluorescein protein-growth hormone fusion protein.

To investigate, in real time, the transport and secretion of pituitary hormone, we have developed an experimental pituitary cell line, GH3 cell, which has secretory granules of growth hormone (GH) linked to enhanced yellow fluorescein protein (EYFP). This stable GH3 cell secretes secretory granules of GH linked to EYFP on stimulation by Ca2+ influx or Ca2 release from storage. This GH3 cell will be useful for the real-time visualization of the intracellular transport and secretion of GH.

Acute mesenteric ischemia: the challenge of gastroenterology.

Intestinal ischemia has been classified into three major categories based on its clinical features, namely, acute mesenteric ischemia (AMI), chronic mesenteric ischemia (intestinal angina), and colonic ischemia (ischemic colitis). Acute mesenteric ischemia is not an isolated clinical entity, but a complex of diseases, including acute mesenteric arterial embolus and thrombus, mesenteric venous thrombus, and nonocclusive mesenteric ischemia (NOMI). These diseases have common clinical features caused by impaired blood perfusion to the intestine, bacterial translocation, and systemic inflammatory response syndrome.

In vivo growth suppression of rat C6 glioma transplanted in rat brain using antisense oligonucleotide for microtubule-associated protein 1A messenger ribonucleic acid.

Microtubule-associated proteins (MAPs) are essential for various cellular processes such as mitosis. The aim of this study was to verify that the suppression of MAP 1A using antisense oligonucleotide can suppress the in vivo proliferation of C6 glioma cells transplanted in rat brain. After 7 days from transplantation, antisense, sense or scramble phosphorothioate oligodeoxynucleotide for MAP 1A mRNA was gradually delivered into the established tumours through amini-osmotic pump.

Effects of Yoku-kan-san on undifferentiated somatoform disorder with tinnitus.

Up to the present, there have been few strategies that are completely effective in treating undifferentiated somatoform disorder with tinnitus. We herein report that Yoku-kan-san (TJ-54), one of Japan's traditional herbal medicines, is an effective treatment for tinnitus in undifferentiated somatoform disorder complicated with headache and insomnia. TJ-54 has been also used as an effective treatment for insomnia and irritability in recent centuries and is considered to have some effects on the excitability of nerves.

Secretion of high-molecular-weight adrenocorticotropic hormone from a pituitary adenoma in a patient without Cushing stigmata. Case report.

The authors report a case in which a patient harbored a corticotroph macroadenoma that secreted biologically inactive high-molecular-weight adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) as well as authentic ACTH 1-39. The secretion of the high-molecular-weight ACTH was determined using gel chromatography. The authors believe that these two molecules competed with each other at the ACTH receptor and, thus, the bioactivity of ACTH 1-39 was masked and Cushing features were not manifested in the patient.

Mitral valve replacement in a patient with a collapsed lung and a giant abscess.

Mitral valve replacement was performed on a 75-year-old man with a history of pulmonary tuberculosis. Computed tomography showed a collapsed left lung and counterclockwise rotation of the heart due to a hard abscess. Surgery was performed through a median sternotomy, and extensive pericardial suspension was useful for obtaining an adequate view.

Specific gene suppression using antisense strategy for growth suppression of glioma.

Antisense strategy using synthetic oligodeoxynucleotides has been applied to the suppression of specific gene expression, the modulation of various gene expression, and its biological activity. Antisense strategy is applicable for the growth suppression of glioma cells. Several genes, including transforming growth factor-alpha, basic fibroblast growth factor, fibroblast growth factor receptor 1, vascular endothelial growth factor, telomerase, topoisomerase II alpha-subunit, protein kinase C-alpha, and microtubule-associated protein 1A, have been targeted by antisense strategy in glioma cells.

Microsurgical excision of a retro-odontoid disc hernia via a far-lateral approach: successful treatment of a rare cause of myelopathy: case report.

Objective And Importance: Among mass lesions causing myelopathy at the craniovertebral junction, retro-odontoid intervertebral disc hernias are very rare, with only four such cases reported in the literature.

Clinical Presentation: A 77-year-old woman with this rare condition complained of motor and sensory disturbances in her extremities. Magnetic resonance imaging scans demonstrated an extradural mass lesion at the craniovertebral junction, compressing the lower medulla oblongata and the upper cervical cord posteriorly.

Characteristic features of abdominal organ injuries associated with gastric rupture in blunt abdominal trauma.

Background: Previous studies have investigated the mechanisms of gastric rupture based only on the findings in gastric rupture and excluding gastric lacerations.

Methods: We investigated 14 cases of gastric injury (five with rupture and nine with laceration) from blunt abdominal trauma with or without thoracic trauma. Gastric injuries were caused by a traffic accident in 12 and by a fall in two patients.

Dynamics of subcellular organelles, growth hormone, Rab3B, SNAP-25, and syntaxin in rat pituitary cells caused by growth hormone releasing hormone and somatostatin.

Rab3B is involved in the exocytosis of synaptic vesicles and secretory granules in the central nervous system and the anterior pituitary cells. The aim of this study was to elucidate both the role of rab3B in GH secretion and the mutual relationship of rab3B and SNARE proteins. Adult male rats were injected intravenously with 10 microg of growth hormone releasing hormone (GHRH) or 10 microg of somatostatin (SRIF).

Significance of consecutive bilateral surgeries for patients with acute subdural hematoma who develop contralateral acute epi- or subdural hematoma.

Background: Although rare, patients with acute subdural hematoma (ASDH) because of severe head injury can develop contralateral acute epi- or subdural hematoma, requiring consecutive surgical procedures. The choice of treatment strategies for such patients is clinically important.

Methods: Among 88 patients with ASDH who were surgically treated over 13 years, we encountered and studied 5 patients who developed contralateral acute epi- or subdural hematoma (5.