Localization and regulation of renal Na+/myo-inositol cotransporter in diabetic rats

We have examined the effect of diabetes on sodium/myo-inositol cotransporter (SMIT) mRNA levels and myo-inositol content in the kidney to test the hypothesis that diabetes-induced changes in renal myo-inositol levels are due to the regulation of SMIT mRNA levels. In streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats, after 3, 7 and 28 days of diabetes, SMIT mRNA levels in the whole kidney were increased three to fivefold, and remained increased by about twofold after six months of diabetes. Insulin treatment of diabetic rats normalized blood glucose levels and prevented the increase in SMIT mRNA levels. Treating diabetic rats with sorbinil, an aldose reductase inhibitor, corrected the abnormal accumulation of sorbitol but had no effect on the diabetes-induced increase in renal SMIT mRNA levels. The regional distribution of SMIT mRNA from normal rats showed a relative abundance in cortex, outer medulla, and inner medulla of 1.0:3.4:7.0. After seven days of diabetes, the levels of SMIT mRNA and myo-inositol content were significantly increased only in the outer medulla. In situ hybridization studies revealed that SMIT mRNA in the outer medulla was predominately localized to the medullary thick ascending limbs of Henle's loop and was not localized to any specific cell in the inner medulla. This distribution pattern was unchanged in diabetic rats. These studies show that diabetes causes an increase in renal SMIT mRNA, which is primarily localized to the outer medulla. Accumulation of myo-inositol by the thick ascending limb of Henle's loop may account for most of the increase caused by diabetes.     

Binding of mutated Ras- and p53-derived peptides to HLA-DR molecules

We investigated retrospectively 132 cases of open wedge high tibial osteotomy using an external fixation device, concentrating on the rate of neurological complications. One group of patients underwent surgery according to the conventional technique (n = 89). The rate of transient neurological complications was 15.7%; 7 months after surgery the rate of persistent deficits was 12.4%. For the second group (n = 43) a modified surgical technique was used that lowered the complication rate significantly (transient deficits 14%, persistent deficits 4.7%). In the modified technique the osteotomy is not performed in the conventional way using an oscillating saw but through consecutive drill holes of increasing diameter followed by osteoclasis. The lower complication rate in the second group is mainly due to the less extensive approach that leads to a smaller number of postoperative tibialis anterior syndromes (type B lesion). No differences were found with type C lesions (extension deficit of D1). No complete peroneal nerve palsy (type A) occurred in either group. We conclude that the reduction of neurological complications in group 2 is related to the less extensive approach of the proposed technique.     

Expression of apolipoprotein E in normal and diverse neurodegenerative disease brain

Brains from 21 patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD), nine with diffuse Lewy body disease (DLBD), six with progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) and five with Parkinson's disease (PD) as well as 20 normal subjects were examined to detect apolipoprotein E (ApoE) by immunohistochemistry and immunoblotting. ApoE antigenicity was optimally preserved in Bouin-fixed tissues compared with those fixed in neutral-buffered formalin, 70% ethanol or denatured by microwave energy. ApoE immunoreactivity was prominent in senile plaques and in intra- and extra-neuronal tangles, as well as in a diverse neurones and their processes and astroglial cells. Notably, tangles in PSP and Lewy bodies in PD and DLBD were both devoid of ApoE immunoreactivity. Western blots of cerebral cortex revealed an immunoreactive ApoE band with mol. wt of 34 kDa. Our results suggest that ApoE is not a crucial factor in the development of neuronal inclusions in DLBD, PSP and PD.     

Influence of bypass grafting to the infarct artery on late potentials in coronary operations

BACKGROUND: Late potentials (LPs) after myocardial infarction identify the risk of arrhythmic events and sudden death, and the absence of anterograde flow in the infarct-causing occluded coronary artery frequently is associated with LPs on signal-averaged electrocardiography. The present study was designed to clarify the influence of revascularization of the infarct artery on the LPs in the late course after myocardial infarction. METHODS: We studied 21 patients after myocardial infarction with positive LPs who had at least one occluded infarct coronary artery. We investigated the LPs on signal-averaged electrocardiograms on the day of elective coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and 1 week after CABG. RESULTS: There were 25 infarct arteries in the study patients, 13 of which were grafted. The positive LPs disappeared soon after CABG in 13 patients, 10 of whom had grafts to all of the infarct arteries. The LPs persisted in 8, who received no graft to the infarct artery. One week after CABG, the LPs were still present in 4, all of whom had no graft to the infarct right coronary artery. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with positive LPs late after myocardial infarction, grafting to the infarct artery eliminated the LPs soon after CABG.     

Monitoring of cerebrospinal fluid pressure during embolization of AVM

We experienced that therapeutic embolization of a large cerebral arteriovenous malformation (AVM) led to venous outflow obstruction resulting in intracranial hypertension in a patient who had undergone external decompression. To evaluate hemodynamic changes after embolization, we monitored the cerebrospinal fluid pressure in the next four patients who underwent endovascular treatment. The embolization of a medium AVM resulted in a slight increase in the cerebrospinal fluid pressure. In two medium AVMs, embolization produced slight decreases in the cerebrospinal fluid pressure. In a small AVM, we did not observe any changes in the cerebrospinal fluid pressure during the endovascular treatment. We discuss the mechanism of changes in the intracranial pressure after embolization and conclude that monitoring of the cerebrospinal fluid pressure immediately yields useful information for hemodynamic changes during endovascular treatment.     

Relationship between office workers’ staying and workstation attributes in a non-territorial office using ultra wide band sensor network

This paper investigates the staying and moving characteristics of office workers in a non-territorial office using an ultra wide band (UWB) impulse radio sensor network. The differences between office workers’ staying and moving are clarified according to the individual workstation type that they select. The study determines the characteristics of each type of workstation. By clarifying office workers’ preference for staying and moving with regard to individual workstation types and office worker post, the reasons why office workers in different posts tended to select different types of workstations were revealed. Specifically, leaders tended to select workstations at the “inner meeting corner side” most frequently, as they had a greater need to stay in other areas. In contrast, ordinary staff needed to visit office workers in other areas less often, and as such, they tended to select individual workstations at the “middle meeting corner side.” Barring this, they tended to select individual workstations at the “middle corridor side” or “outer-meeting corner side.” Temporary staff members had little need to visit or stay at other places so they tended to select individual workstations at the “window side,” which is seldom visited or stayed at by other office workers and they could be disturbed less often from their solo work.     

Effects of oxygen content of porous titanium metal on its apatite-forming ability and compressive strength

Porous titanium metal subjected to NaOH and heat treatments is useful as a bone substitute as it shows high mechanical strength as well as osteoconductivity and osteoinductivity. However, the porous metal is liable to be contaminated with oxygen gas during the fabrication process and this incorporated oxygen could lead to adverse effects on the bioactivity and mechanical properties of the prepared porous body. In this study, oxygen contamination during fabrication of bioactive porous bodies was measured. It was found that the oxygen content of the titanium metal was increased from 0.08 to 0.23 mass% when the porous body was prepared from bar stock, and it further increased up to 0.51 mass% when it was subjected to NaOH and heat treatments. Despite this, the porous bodies subjected to NaOH and heat treatments formed apatite on their pore walls within 1 day in a simulated body fluid. This result was consistent with the apatite-forming ability of NaOH- and heat-treated titanium plates with different oxygen contents in the range of 0.05 to 0.30 mass%. The compressive strength of the porous body was increased about 10% by the NaOH and heat treatments.