Cochleotopic fos immunoreactivity in cochlea and cochlear nuclei evoked by bipolar cochlear electrical stimulation.

Fos-like immunoreactivity evoked by basal, second or apical turn bipolar intracochlear electrical stimulation was evaluated in the spiral ganglion and cochlear nuclei. At stimulation levels of six times the electrically evoked auditory brain stem response thresholds, immunoreactive neurons were observed at appropriate discrete cochleotopic regions relative to stimulation site. The number of neurons increased with stimulus level and closely correlated to wave I amplitude.

Basic fibroblast growth factor modulates the surface expression of effector cell molecules and primes respiratory burst activity in human neutrophils.

Basic fibroblast growth factor (b-FGF) mediates a variety of biological responses such as angiogenesis and hematopoiesis. We examined the effect of b-FGF on human neutrophil functions in vitro. The surface expression of effector cell molecules on neutrophils was determined by flow cytometry and monoclonal antibodies.

[A case of epithelial membrane antigen-positive leiomyosarcoma of the urinary bladder].

A 41-year-old woman was admitted with gross hematuria and pain on urination. Cystoscopy showed a huge and lobulated submucosal non-papillary bladder tumor. Pelvic computed tomography demonstrated a heterogeneous and enhanced lobulated mass, 8 cm in diameter, with extravesical invasion but there appeared to be no metastatic lesions.

The novel kappa-opioid receptor agonist TRK-820 has no affect on the development of antinociceptive tolerance to morphine in mice.

The effects of the novel kappa-opioid receptor agonist 17-cyclopropylmethyl-3,14beta-dihydroxy-4, 5alpha-epoxy-6beta-[N-methyl-trans-3-(3-furyl)acrylamido+ ++]morphinan hydrochloride (TRK-820) on the development of antinociceptive tolerance to morphine were investigated in mice and compared with those of trans-3,4-dichloro-N-(2-(1-pyrrolidinyl)-cyclohexyl) benzenacetamide methane sulfonate hydrochloride (U-50,488H), a well-defined exogenous kappa-opioid receptor agonist. Morphine (1. 25-20 mg/kg, s.

[Two cases of recurrent gastric cancer for which combination chemotherapy with pirarubicin, cis-platinum and 5-fluorouracil were markedly effective].

In the treatment of 2 patients with recurrent gastric cancer who showed bone metastasis and lymph node recurrence, we administered 30 mg/body of pirarubicin (THP) on the first day of treatment, and 30 mg/body of cis-platinum (CDDP) and 500 mg/m2 of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) for 3 days (FP therapy). Marked effects were achieved. Gastric cancer of Borrmann IV type was diagnosed in Case 1, and total gastrectomy was performed.

The role of costimulatory molecules B7-1 and B7-2 in mice with experimental autoimmune uveoretinitis.

Background: Onset of experimental autoimmune uveoretinitis (EAU) is believed to involve a CD4-positive type 1 T helper cell (Th1) immune response, with inhibition involving a Th2 immune response. Development of Th1 and Th2 responses involves the participation of the costimulatory molecules B7-1 and B7-2, respectively. The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of B7-1 and B7-2 in the EAU model in mice.

[Percutaneous ethanol injection therapy with hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy for liver metastases from gastric cancer].

Ten patients with liver metastases from advanced gastric cancer received percutaneous ethanol injection therapy (PEI) and chemotherapy by hepatic arterial infusion (HAI) via implantable reservoir. A 90% ethanol solution including 10%. Lipiodol was injected in the liver as PEI.

[Assessment of brain cell function using 123I-IMP SPECT of cerebral blood flow and visual evoked potential by photic stimulation in normal and demented elderly subjects].

Cerebral blood flow was quantitatively measured using 123I-IMP SPECT by photic stimulation and visual evoked potential (VEPs) in normal and dementia subjects: 8 with Alzheimer-type dementia, 9 with cerebrovascular dementia and 7 normal elderly subjects were divided into the three groups based on the Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) grade: Group I (CDR 0), Group II (CDR 0.5-1), Group III (CDR 2-3). The 123I-IMP SPECT measurement was conducted at rest with the eyes closed and also during photic stimulation.

[A case of submucosal endosalpingiosis in the urinary bladder].

A 47-year-old woman was admitted when a mass in the urinary bladder was pointed out on ultrasound follow-up after hysterectomy for uterine myoma. Cystoscopy, ultrasonography, CT scan and MRI suggested a tumor in the muscle layers of the urinary bladder. Since the possibility of malignancy could not be ruled out, partial cystectomy was performed.

Malignant paraganglioma metachronously recurring at short duration in different paraganglions: report of a case.

We report the rare case of a 57-year-old man with retroperitoneal malignant paraganglioma. He was referred to our hospital complaining of left lower abdominal dull pain. Computer tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging, and aortography showed a mass measuring 5 x 4 cm in size on the left side of the abdominal aorta below the renal artery.

[Three cases of semi-invasive pulmonary aspergillosis occurring in healthy or diabetic individuals].

We encountered three cases of suspected semi-invasive pulmonary aspergillosis, occurring in healthy or diabetic patients. Radiographic findings disclosed cavity formation in 2 of the patients, but only nodular lesions in 1. The beta-D glucan level was elevated in 1 patient, but was within the normal range in the other 2.

Granulocyte apheresis as a possible new approach in cancer therapy: A pilot study involving two cases.

Patients with advanced cancer often develop immunodeficiency which may be associated with granulocytosis. The granulocytes have the potential to deplete cytotoxic T cells, resulting in accelerated tumor growth and metastasis. To study the elimination of excess granulocytes using granulocyte apheresis in patients with elevated granulocyte to lymphocyte ratios, 2 patients with recurrent metastatic tumors, were selected.

Behçet's disease and antibody titers to various heat-shock protein 60s.

It has been suggested that the 65 kDa heat-shock protein (HSP) of Streptococcus in recurrent aphthae within the oral cavity may be involved in the uveoretinitis of Behçet's disease, possibly through sensitization of the immune system. To investigate this possibility, we examined serum antibody titers for various members of the 60 kDa family of HSPs and their implications with regard to a role for HSP60s in Behçet's disease. We isolated HSP60 of Streptococcus pyogenes from the margin of oral aphthae in one Behçet's disease patient with severe uveoretinitis and the HSP60s of Yersinia enterocolitica, retinoblastoma cell line clone Y79, and bovine retinal extract and investigated the reaction of each of these HSP60s with 100-fold diluted serum samples from 20 Behçet's disease patients using anti-HSP60 antibody titers determined by ELISA.

Variations in the gene for vacuolating toxin, vacA, in Japanese isolates of Helicobacter pylori.

Each of 284 strains of Helicobacter pylori which had been isolated in Japan was shown, by use of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), to be positive for the vacA genes. The amplified vacA genes generated by PCR were classified into six classes (five for the clinical isolates, and one which corresponded to the standard strains). Endoscopic analysis revealed that cases of gastritis were most likely to be associated with class D, while none were associated with class A.

[Sarcoidosis synchronously detected in identical twins].

We report on the synchronous detection of sarcoidosis in identical 22-year-old male twins. The patients visited a nearby physician because of fever and cough, were found to have abnormal chest shadows and thus admitted to our hospital. Both had swollen cervical and hilar nodes and lesions in both left and right lung fields, and also presented similar clinical symptoms.

Establishment of two substrains, diabetes-prone and non-diabetic, from Long-Evans Tokushima Lean (LETL) rats.

Diabetes mellitus in Long-Evans Tokushima Lean (LETL) rats closely resembles type 1 diabetes in human beings, e.g., no gender differences in the incidence of diabetes and no T lymphopenia.

[A case of Morgagni's foramen hernia difficult to differentiate from lipoma].

A 61-year-old woman was admitted for chest discomfort. She had been admitted before, in March 1995, because of a lesion detected on chest roentgenograms. At that time, she was given a diagnosis of mediastinal lipoma based on the findings of chest computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), but was discharged without active intervention due to lack of subjective symptoms.

[Pulmonary infection caused by Mycobacterium gordonae].

A 57-year-old woman who had been operated on for colon cancer and given chemotherapy, presented in September 1995 with worsening cough and abnormalities on her chest X-ray film. Acid-fast bacilli were isolated from the sputum. The organism was classified as M.

Telomere stability is frequently impaired in high-risk groups of patients with myelodysplastic syndromes.

Genomic instability induces an accumulation of genetic changes and may play a role in the pathogenesis of myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). To clarify the possible association between genomic instability and clinical outcome in MDS patients, we compared telomere dynamics to the recently established International Prognostic Scoring System (IPSS) risk groups for MDS. We measured the terminal restriction fragments (TRFs) of 93 patients with MDS at the time of diagnosis, and telomerase activity was analyzed in 62 patients with MDS using the PCR-based telomeric repeat amplification protocol (TRAP) assay.

[Atrophy and magnetization transfer ratio of the corpus callosum in patients with Alzheimer's disease].

We compared atrophy and magnetization transfer ratio (MTR) in the corpus callosum in patients with Alzheimer's disease and age-matched normal subjects. Fifteen patients with Alzheimer's disease and fourteen normal subjects received MRI. The corpus callosum was divided into three parts (anterior, middle, and posterior portions) on midsagittal slice, and their areas on T2-weighted reversed images and MTR on magnetization transfer contrast images in each portion were measured.

Pancreatic arteriovenous malformation observed to bleed from the bile duct and a duodenal ulcer: report of a case.

A 48-year-old man with recurrent episodes of biliary colic and subsequent pancreatitis was admitted to undergo a cholecystectomy. A gastroduodenal fiberscopic examination was performed because of massive melena on the seventh day after admission. It revealed a shallow ulcer on the posterior wall of a duodenal bulbus with rubor and an exposed vessel, which was clipped endoscopically to stop the bleeding.

Evaluation of antibodies to the Epstein-Barr virus immediate early gene product ZEBRA by a new enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

For the serodiagnosis of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infections, we have developed a new enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for antibodies to the ZEBRA product of EBV immediate early gene BZLF1. ZEBRA protein fused with glutathione-S-transferase (GST) was expressed in Escherichia coli and purified by affinity chromatography with glutathione-Sepharose 4B. An ELISA sandwich capture system was constructed with the GST-ZEBRA immobilized on plastic microtiter plates which had been coated with a mouse monoclonal antibody to GST.