Dietary effect of guar gum and its partially hydrolyzed product on the lipid metabolism and immune function of Sprague-Dawley rats

The dietary effect of the water-soluble dietary fibers (WSDF), guar gum, partially hydrolyzed guar gum (PHGG), glucomannan, highly methoxylated (HM) pectin, on the serum lipid level and immunoglobulin (Ig) production of Sprague-Dawley rats was compared with that of water-insoluble cellulose. Although serum total cholesterol and triglyceride levels were significantly lower in the rats fed with WSDF than in those fed with cellulose, a decrease in the level of phospholipids was only observed in the rats that had been fed on guar gum or glucomannan. In addition, all WSDF feeding enhanced IgA productivity in the spleen and mesenteric lymph node lymphocytes, although the increase in serum IgA level was only observed in the rats fed on WSDF, and not on PHGG. When mesenteric lymph node lymphocytes were cultured in the presence of various concentrations of guar gum or glucomannan, no significant increase in Ig production was apparent. These data suggest that WSDF indirectly enhanced the Ig production of lymphocytes, and that serum lipid reduction and IgA production-enhancing activities of WSDF were dependent on their molecular sizes.

A comparison of the level of dyspnea vs disease severity in indicating the health-related quality of life of patients with COPD

STUDY OBJECTIVES

To compare categorizations of the level of dyspnea with the staging of disease severity as defined by the FEV(1) in representing how the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) is distributed in patients with COPD.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional study.

SETTING

Outpatient clinic at the respiratory department of a university hospital.

PATIENTS

A total of 194 consecutive male patients with stable, mild-to-severe COPD.

MEASUREMENTS

The score distributions for the components of the St. George's respiratory questionnaire (SGRQ) were used as disease-specific HRQOL measures, and the scores from the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form 36-item questionnaire (SF-36) were used as generic HRQOL measures. These scores were stratified according to the level of dyspnea, as defined by the Medical Research Council (MRC) dyspnea scale, and the stage of disease severity, as defined by the American Thoracic Society (ATS). Differences in the HRQOL scores among the subgroups were compared by an analysis of variance (ANOVA). Multiple pairwise comparisons were made with Fisher's least significant difference (LSD) method, with the overall alpha-level set at 0.05.

RESULTS

In those groups classified according to the level of dyspnea, significant differences were observed for the scores on the SGRQ and SF-36 (ANOVA, p < 0.05). The scores for activity and impact, and the total scores of the SGRQ and all scales, except for bodily pain and general health on the SF-36, were significantly worse for patients with severe dyspnea (MRC scale grades, 3, 4, and 5, respectively) than for those with moderate dyspnea (MRC grade level, 2; Fisher's LSD method, p < 0.05). Significant differences were recognized among the different stages of disease severity with respect to the scores from all scales of the SF-36, except for bodily pain, and all scores from the SGRQ (ANOVA, p < 0.05). However, differences in the scores on the SGRQ and SF-36 between patients with ATS stage II disease (FEV(1), 35 to 49% predicted) and stage III disease (FEV(1), < 35% predicted) were not statistically significant.

CONCLUSIONS

Using the SGRQ and SF-36, the HRQOL of patients with COPD was more clearly separated by the level of dyspnea than by the ATS disease staging. In addition to the ATS disease staging, categorizations based on the level of dyspnea may be useful to clinicians in terms of the HRQOL of COPD patients.

Signal separation of background EEG and spike by using morphological filter

A signal separation method for extracting background electroencephalogram (EEG) from EEG containing spikes was proposed. Morphological filters were designed for extracting spike waveforms, and then the background EEG was obtained by subtracting the detected spike waveforms from the EEG with spike. The proposed method was evaluated by using simulated EEG data, which consisted of a summation of EEG without spike and model waveform of typical spike. The background EEG separated by the method was processed by the automatic background EEG interpretation.

Prevalence, incidence, and awareness in the treatment of menopausal urinary incontinence

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the prevalence of urinary incontinence and to evaluate the awareness of treatment in postmenopausal women.

METHODS

The study group was comprised of 3026 postmenopausal women consulting the outpatient clinic. One component of the urological questions was formulated to determine the voiding habits and presence or absence of urinary incontinence. The incontinent responders were questioned further regarding the nature of the urine loss to determine the severity of incontinence.

RESULTS

It was reported by 26.3% (795/3026) of the respondents that they currently had urinary incontinence. They were classified by types as follows: stress 64.9%, urge 18.6%, and mixed incontinence 7.3%. The incidence of women who desired medical treatment for incontinence was only 2.9% (87/3026), while the incidence of women who actually received medical treatment for urinary incontinence was 1.9% (56/3026).

CONCLUSIONS

We conclude that urinary incontinence was prevalent to a significant extent among postmenopausal women, but that few affected individuals in this group consulted the medical center desiring clinical treatment. The present study demonstrated that it is necessary to improve the awareness of postmenopausal women concerning the benefits of seeking treatment for urinary incontinence, in order to improve their quality of life.

Cell-specific expression of tubby gene family members (tub, Tulp1,2, and 3) in the retina

PURPOSE

The family of tubby-like proteins (TULPs), consisting of four family members, are all expressed in-the retina at varying levels. Mutations within two members, tub and TULP1, are known to lead to retinal degeneration in mouse and humans, respectively, suggesting the functional importance of this family of proteins in the retina. Despite a high degree of conservation in the carboxy-terminal region (e.g., putative functional domain of the genes) among family members, they are unable to compensate for one another. The purpose of this study was to provide a rationale for this lack of compensation by investigating the spatial distribution of tubby gene family members in the retina and to investigate the mechanism of photoreceptor cell death in tubby mice.

METHODS

In situ hybridization using riboprobes specific for each tubby gene family member and immunohistochemistry for TUB and TULP1 were performed to determine their expression patterns in the retina of tubby and wild-type control mice. The terminal dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) assay was performed to detect apoptotic cells in the retina of tubby and wild-type control mice.

RESULTS

tub mRNA was found to be expressed throughout the retina, with highest expression in the ganglion cell layer (GCL) and photoreceptor cells. In contrast, Tulp1 expression was observed only in photoreceptor cells and Tulp3 mRNA was expressed at a moderate level only in the inner nuclear layer (INL) and GCL. The results of the immunohistochemical analysis paralleled those observed in the in situ studies. TUB immunoreactivity was most highly concentrated in the GCL, in the inner and outermost regions of the INL, in the outer plexiform layer (OPL), and in the inner segments of photoreceptor cells. Similarly, TULP1 immunoreactivity was observed in the OPL and inner segments of the photoreceptor cells. No differences in expression at the mRNA or protein level were observed for any of the molecules tested in tubby or wild-type mice. TUNEL-positive cells were detected in the ONL of tubby mice, whereas very few were seen in the same layer of age-matched control mice.

CONCLUSIONS

Although all tubby gene family members are expressed in the retina, they each have different cell-specific expression patterns, which may account in part for their inability to compensate for the loss of one family member. The photoreceptor cell death in tubby mice occurs through an apoptotic mechanism, which is known to be the common final outcome of other forms of retinal degeneration.

Pre-movement gating of short-latency somatosensory evoked potentials

Somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs) are reduced in amplitude during movement (gating). The mechanism involves central gating of afferent input and competition from other afferents activated by the movement. We distinguished these two by giving 11 normal subjects a warning sound followed 1 s later by an electric stimulus to the right median nerve at the wrist. The latter served both as a cue to start a finger movement and as stimulation to evoke SEPs. Gating effects were widespread in frontal (N30) and central (N60) areas, but were also seen, albeit to a lesser extent, in the recordings at P3 (P30). Since finger movement began after the stimulus, such gating must have been purely central in origin, presumably reflecting motor preparation.

Prostaglandin E(2)-activated housekeeping Cl(-) channels in the basolateral membrane of rat gastric parietal cells

Cl(-) channels in the basolateral membrane of parietal cells within isolated rat gastric glands were studied by the whole-cell patch-clamp technique. The membrane potential (E(m)) of non-stimulated parietal cells changed as a function of the basolateral extracellular Cl(-) concentration (46 mV per decade), but E(m) did not change significantly as a function of the K(+) concentration. The extracellular addition of prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2); 10 microM) increased the whole-cell Cl(-) current. A bifunctional prostaglandin EP3 agonist/EP1 antagonist, 5(Z)-7-[(1S, 2S,3S,5R)-3-(trans-beta-styren)sulfonamido-6,6-dimethylbi cyclo-(3.1. 1)hept-2-yl]-5-heptenoic acid (ONO-NT-012; 10 microM), also increased the Cl(-) current. Basal Cl(-) currents and the PGE(2)- and ONO-NT-012-increased Cl(-) currents were voltage-independent and inhibited by a Cl(-) channel blocker, 5-nitro-2-(3-phenylpropylamino)-benzoate (NPPB), at 500 microM. The single Cl(-) channel conductance was estimated to be 0.29 picosiemens (pS) by variance noise analysis. Both PGE(2) and ONO-NT-012 increased intracellular free Ca(2+) concentration in the fura-2-loaded parietal cell transiently. The present study has shown that housekeeping sub-pS Cl(-) channels are present in the basolateral membrane of rat parietal cell, and that the channels are regulated positively by PGE(2) via the EP3 receptor.

Abnormal cortical processing of voluntary muscle relaxation in patients with focal hand dystonia studied by movement-related potentials

In order to clarify the abnormality in cortical motor preparation for voluntary muscle relaxation of the hand in patients with focal hand dystonia, Bereitschaftspotentials (BPs) preceding voluntary muscle contraction and relaxation were recorded in eight patients (three with simple writer's cramp and five with dystonic writer's cramp), and were compared with those from 10 normal subjects. Voluntary muscle relaxation: after keeping the right wrist in an extended position for > 5 s, the subject let the hand drop by voluntarily terminating muscle contraction of the wrist extensor without any associated muscle contraction. Voluntary muscle contraction: the right wrist was flexed by voluntarily contracting the wrist flexor muscle. Scalp EEGs were recorded from 11 electrodes placed over the frontal, central and parietal areas. In the control group, the BP measured at the movement onset was maximal at the left central area (C1), and distributed predominantly over the left hemisphere equally in both the contraction and relaxation tasks. In the focal hand dystonia group, BP was maximal at C1 in the contraction task, whereas, in the relaxation task, it was maximal at the midline central area (Cz) and symmetrically distributed. At the left central area, the BP amplitude in the focal hand dystonia group was diminished significantly in the relaxation task compared with the contraction task (P < 0.05). The present results demonstrate for the first time that the cortical preparatory process for voluntary muscle relaxation, or motor inhibition, is abnormal in focal hand dystonia.

Cortical mechanisms underlying point localization of pain spot as studied by event-related potentials following CO2 laser stimulation in man

To elucidate cortical mechanisms underlying point localization of a pain spot, we investigated event-related potentials (ERPs) while using a CO2 laser beam to apply a pain stimulus to the hand dorsum in 16 healthy men. The stimulus spot (pain spot) was shifted for each stimulus, while the subject was requested to identify the stimulated spot as accurately as possible and to use a pointer in the non-stimulated hand to indicate the corresponding spot on a figure of a hand that was projected onto a screen (localization condition). For the control condition, the subject pointed to a single predetermined spot, regardless of the location of the stimulation (control motor task condition). Electroencephalograms were recorded from 21 electrodes, referenced to the linked earlobes, and were averaged time-locked to the stimulus onset for each task separately. Under the control rest condition (neither point localization nor motor task), only two early components (N2 and P2) were recorded. During the control motor task condition (no point localization), in addition to N2 and P2, a steep negative-going slope was recorded at the fronto-central region. Exclusively during the localization condition, a positive peak (647 ms, 5.6 microV for the left and 634 ms, 5.7 microV for the right hand stimulation) was identified; this was maximal at the midline centro-parietal area and distributed symmetrically over the scalp. It is suggested that the late positive component detected exclusively during the localization task is related to the somatotopic point localization of the pain spot. From the distribution of this ERP, the task most likely involves bilateral activation of the superior parietal cortices.

Somesthetic function of supplementary motor area during voluntary movements

To clarify the somesthetic functions of the supplementary motor area (SMA), we recorded the cortical potentials following the median nerve electric stimulation directly from the SMA and investigated the modulation caused by voluntary movements in two patients with intractable SMA seizures. The evoked potentials over the SMA consisted of positive (61.5ms) and negative (100.0 ms) peaks, which were enlarged by voluntary movements of the stimulated hand. The present finding is in strong contrast with the attenuation (gating) of the response at the primary sensorimotor area (SM1) and suggests that the voluntary movements differently modulate the somatosensory functions of SMA and SM1.

Seizure with prominent tonic initial signs followed by psychomotor features: a case report clinically manifesting an unusual ictal evolution

A clinically tonic seizure phase, immediately followed by psychomotor features (right hand dystonic posture, left hand and oral automatisms), was recorded by video and EEG, in a patient who had gliosis of the left temporal lobe and left hippocampal atrophy. Interictal epileptiform discharges were frequently seen in the left temporal area, and at the time of the tonic seizure phase, ictal spike discharges were continuously observed at the left posterior temporal area, which was recognized only by applying a high frequency filter (HFF) of 15 Hz to the digitally recorded EEG because EMG artifacts totally obscured the EEG with a HFF of 60 Hz. It is most likely that tonic seizure can occur in an adult patient with temporal lobe epilepsy, and it is speculated that an epileptogenic focus might activate a certain brain area which is regarded as a symptomatogenic zone for tonic seizures. If the tonic seizure phase is immediately followed by psychomotor features as seen in the present patient, the former could be due to focal epilepsy.

[Estimation of antibacterial activity of various antibiotics against Pseudomonas aeruginosa by score method]

Antibacterial activity of various antibiotics against Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from each hospitals depends on the variety or amount of antibiotics used in each hospital. The antibiotic, which is effective to P. aeruginosa in a certain hospital is not always effective to that in other hospital. The excellent antibiotics in antibacterial activity have low MIC and hard to progress in resistance, and such antibiotics may be effective against P. aeruginosa isolated from any hospitals. Therefore we thought that the antibiotic, which was progress to resistance, would show a great difference in MIC among hospitals, and we investigated MIC and difference of MIC of various antibiotics against P. aeruginosa isolated from six hospitals. Furthermore, we converted the data of MICs and difference of MIC among six hospitals into the score, and tried to estimate antibacterial activity of various antibiotics by using those scores. From the results of analysis in this report, we think the antibiotics actually surpass in antibacterial activity may be imipenem, cefozopran, cefsulodin and amikacin. New analytical method proposed in this report will become one of potential methods to estimate antibacterial activity of antibiotics against bacteria isolated from inpatient with bacterial infections.

A novel, short, and simple questionnaire to measure health-related quality of life in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

A novel, short, and simple questionnaire, the Airways Questionnaire 20 (AQ20), has been developed to measure and quantify disturbances in the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of patients with asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The AQ20 has 20 items with yes/no responses, and should take 2 min to complete and score. The purpose of this study was to assess the discriminative properties and responsiveness of the AQ20 in patients with COPD. First, in a cross- sectional study, 165 patients with mild-to-severe COPD (mean age, 69 +/- 7 yr; FEV1, 40 +/- 16% of predicted) completed the AQ20, the St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ), the Chronic Respiratory Disease Questionnaire (CRQ), pulmonary function tests, a progressive cycle ergometer exercise test, and an assessment of their dyspnea and anxiety. The score distribution of the AQ20 was skewed toward the mild end of the scale, whereas the SGRQ and CRQ showed a normal distribution. The AQ20 showed a moderately strong correlation with the maximal oxygen uptake and the assessment of dyspnea (Spearman's correlation coefficients [rs] = -0.49, -0.60, respectively), but a weak correlation with the FEV1 (rs = -0.18). Moderate to strong correlations were also recognized between the AQ20 and SGRQ and CRQ (rs = -0.80, -0.72, respectively). Multiple regression analysis revealed that dyspnea and anxiety accounted for 43% of the variance in the AQ20, almost the same as in the SGRQ and CRQ. Second, longitudinal changes over time in the FEV1, AQ20, SGRQ, and CRQ were examined in 86 patients with newly detected COPD (mean age, 69 +/- 8 yr; FEV1, 45 +/- 19% of predicted). All three measures showed significant improvements in their scores over a 3-mo period after initiating medical intervention. The change in the AQ20 showed a moderate to strong correlation with each dimension of the SGRQ and CRQ (rs = 0.56, -0.52, respectively), but no significant correlation was noted with the FEV1. In conclusion, the AQ20 may have discriminative properties and responsiveness that are similar to more complex questionnaires such as the SGRQ and CRQ. Because it is short and can be quickly answered and scored, the AQ20 may be useful in studies with limited time for HRQoL assessments.

Cognitive motor control in human pre-supplementary motor area studied by subdural recording of discrimination/selection-related potentials

To clarify the functional role of human pre-supplementary motor area (pre-SMA) in 'cognitive' motor control as compared with other non-primary motor cortices (SMA-proper and lateral premotor areas) and prefrontal area, we recorded epicortical field potentials by using subdural electrodes in five epileptic patients during presurgical evaluation, whose pre-SMA, SMA-proper, prefrontal and lateral premotor areas were defined by electric cortical stimulation and recent anatomical orientations according to the bicommissural plane and callosal grid system. An S1-Go/NoGo choice and delayed reaction task (S1-choice paradigm) and a warned choice Go/NoGo reaction task (S2-choice paradigm) with inter-stimulus intervals of 2 s were employed. The results showed (i) transient potentials with onset and peak latencies of about 200 and 600 ms, respectively, after S1 in the S1-choice paradigm mainly at pre-SMA and to a lesser degree at the prefrontal and lateral premotor areas, but not in the S2-choice paradigm. At SMA-proper, a similar but much smaller potential was seen after S1 in both S1- and S2-choice paradigms and (ii) slow sustained potentials between S1 and S2 in both S1- and S2-choice paradigms in all of the non-primary motor areas investigated (pre-SMA, SMA-proper and lateral premotor areas) and prefrontal area. It is concluded that pre-SMA plays a more important role in cognitive motor control which involves sensory discrimination and decision making or motor selection for the action after stimuli, whereas SMA-proper is one of the main generators of Bereitschaftspotential preceding self-paced, voluntary movements. In the more general anticipation of and attention to the forthcoming stimuli, non-primary motor cortices including pre-SMA, SMA-proper and lateral premotor area, and the prefrontal area are commonly involved.

Focal ictal direct current shifts in human epilepsy as studied by subdural and scalp recording

In order to clarify further the characteristics of ictal direct current (DC) shifts in human epilepsy, we investigated them by subdural and scalp recording in six and three patients, respectively, both having mainly neocortical lobe epilepsy (five with frontal lobe epilepsy, two with parietal lobe epilepsy and two with temporal lobe epilepsy). By using subdural electrodes made of platinum, ictal DC shifts were observed in 85% of all the recorded seizures (89 seizures) among the six patients, and they were localized to just one or two electrodes at which the conventional initial ictal EEG change was also observed. They were closely accompanied by the electrodecremental pattern in all patients except for one in whom 1 Hz rhythmic activity was superimposed on clear negative slow shifts. Seizure control after resection of the cortex, including the area showing DC shifts, was favourable irrespective of histological diagnosis. Scalp-recorded ictal slow shifts were observed in 23% of all the recorded seizures (60 seizures) among the three patients. They were, like the subdurally recorded ones, mainly surface-negative in polarity, closely related to the electrodecremental pattern and consistent in their location. It seems that scalp-recorded DC shifts were detected particularly when seizures were clinically intense, while no slow shifts were observed in small seizures. It is concluded that at least subdurally recorded ictal slow shifts are clinically useful before epilepsy surgery to delineate more specifically an epileptogenic area as well as to further confirm the conventional initial ictal EEG change, and that scalp-recorded ictal slow shifts also have high specificity although their low sensitivity is to be taken into account.

Activities of the primary and supplementary motor areas increase in preparation and execution of voluntary muscle relaxation: an event-related fMRI study

Brain activity associated with voluntary muscle relaxation was examined by applying event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) technique, which enables us to observe change of fMRI signals associated with a single motor trial. The subject voluntarily relaxed or contracted the right upper limb muscles. Each motor mode had two conditions; one required joint movement, and the other did not. Five axial images covering the primary motor area (M1) and supplementary motor area (SMA) were obtained once every second, using an echoplanar 1.5 tesla MRI scanner. One session consisted of 60 dynamic scans (i.e., 60 sec). The subject performed a single motor trial (i.e., relaxation or contraction) during one session in his own time. Ten sessions were done for each task. During fMRI scanning, electromyogram (EMG) was monitored from the right forearm muscles to identify the motor onset. We calculated the correlation between the obtained fMRI signal and the expected hemodynamic response. The muscle relaxation showed transient signal increase time-locked to the EMG offset in the M1 contralateral to the movement and bilateral SMAs, where activation was observed also in the muscle contraction. Activated volume in both the rostral and caudal parts of SMA was significantly larger for the muscle relaxation than for the muscle contraction (p < 0.05). The results suggest that voluntary muscle relaxation occurs as a consequence of excitation of corticospinal projection neurons or intracortical inhibitory interneurons, or both, in the M1 and SMA, and both pre-SMA and SMA proper play an important role in motor inhibition.

[Open surgery for pontine hemorrhage: experience in 3 cases]

Experience in three pontine hemorrhage cases which were treated by open surgery is recorded here. They were operated on by trans-fourth ventricular, subtemporal transtentorial on retromastoid suboccipital approaches. The neurological symptom improved noticeably in one case who was operated on through the retromastoid suboccipital approach seven days after the onset. The pontine hemorrhage can even be cured with open surgery which is performed in the early stage and through the operative approach.

[The relationship between coagulation time and bilateral occurrence in chronic subdural hematoma]

The relationship between the bilateral occurrence and coagulation time was analyzed in 137 cases of chronic subdural hematoma. Bilateral chronic subdural hematomas more frequently happened in the patient with coagulation time elongation beyond the normal control. This tendency was significant in the non-traumatic group and bilateral subdural hematomas were found in: 45% in prothrombin time (PT)-elongated group vs 10.3% in non-elongated group and 38.9% in activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT)-elongated group vs 14.6% in non-elongated group. The ratio of PT and aPTT coagulation time against the normal control was significantly larger in the bilateral group than in the unilateral group. The ratio was as follows: PT ratio was 1.056 in bilateral group and 0.995 in unilateral group. aPTT ratio was 1.051 in bilateral group and 0.954 in unilateral group. Furthermore the bilateral hematomas tended to happen in hemodialysis cases, and in patients on warfarin or anti-platelet drugs. Bilateral hematomas were found in 41.7%, 37.5% and 33.3% respectively. The ratio of PT and aPTT coagulation time was as follows: PT ratio was 1.040 in hemodialysis cases and 1.082 in warfarin-applicated cases. aPTT ratio was 1.022 in hemodialysis cases and 1.055 in warfarin-applicated cases. These results suggest that the suppressed coagulation ability and platelet function are involved in the genesis of bilateral chronic subdural hematomas.

The role of the hippocampus in auditory processing studied by event-related electric potentials and magnetic fields in epilepsy patients before and after temporal lobectomy

To clarify the relationship between the hippocampus and the event-related responses in auditory information processing, we recorded event-related potentials (ERPs) and event-related magnetic fields (ERFs) associated with the auditory oddball paradigm in 12 patients with temporal lobe epilepsy before and after surgical treatment, and in eight age-matched healthy volunteers. Lesions in the patients were hippocampal sclerosis (8), cyst (2), cavernoma (1) and calcified arteriovenous malformation (1), all in the unilateral temporal lobe. Standard temporal lobectomy (8), selective amygdalohippocampectomy (2), selective hippocampectomy (1) and inferior lateral temporal resection (1) were carried out. ERPs were recorded in nine patients before surgery, in all 12 patients after surgery, and in all normal subjects. P300 was maximal at Pz in the patients both before and after surgery, and in normal subjects. The peak latency and amplitude of P300 measured at Pz in the patients either before or after surgery did not differ significantly from those in normal subjects. After surgery, only the amplitude of P300 over the anterior and mid-temporal area on the resected side was attenuated, while it was symmetric before surgery regardless of the side of epileptogenic focus. ERFs were recorded in three patients before surgery and in six normal subjects by using a whole-head neuromagnetometer. ERFs in response to the target stimuli at a latency of approximately 400 ms were recognized at the anterior, middle and posterior lateral channels on each hemisphere (M400). The latency and dipole moments for M400 did not differ significantly between the patients before surgery and the normal subjects. As a result of analysis using the time-varying multidipole model, three dipoles for M400 were estimated in two patients in whom ERFs were available before surgery for the analysis, and in normal subjects: mesial temporal area, superior temporal area and inferior parietal area on each hemisphere. After surgery, in four out of six patients in whom ERFs were recordable, M400 at the anterior temporal channels on the resected side disappeared, and the activity in the affected mesial temporal area was lost. In one patient who underwent inferior lateral temporal resection, M400 waveforms and its sources were preserved in all regions. There were no significant differences in the latency and dipole moments of the unaffected source of M400 before versus after surgery. These results suggest that the hippocampus contributes to the scalp-recorded P300 only at the corresponding anterior temporal region, and does not influence its general waveform and predominant distribution over the scalp.

[A case report of urinary tract infection and meningitis caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) after transurethral resection of the prostate]

We present a case of meningitis that developed following a urinary tract infection caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) after transurethral resection of the prostate. The patient, a 69-year-old man with diabetes mellitis, underwent transurethral resection of the prostate following a diagnosis of benign prostatic hypertrophy. On the 4 th day after surgery, high fever occurred immediately after the removal of the indwelling urethral catheter. Cultures of urine and blood revealed MRSA. On the 6 th day after surgery, severe lumbago was evident and MRSA was isolated from cerebrospinal fluid. Separate administration of arbekacin or vancomycin, to which the isolated MRSA was sensitive, was not effective. Combined therapy with fosfomycin, vancomycin and human immunoglobulin effectively relieved the inflammation. Although it is generally reported that the pathogenicity of MRSA is low in the urinary tract, this case suggests that a urinary tract infection caused by MRSA can advance to sepsis and meningitis.

Movement-related cortical potentials associated with voluntary relaxation of foot muscles

OBJECTIVE

In our previous study of movement-related cortical potential (MRCP) in association with the voluntary relaxation of the hand muscle, Bereitschaftspotential (BP) was maximal at the vertex and symmetrically distributed, and Negative Slope (NS') was maximal over the contralateral central region. In order to clarify the generator sources of MRCP with voluntary muscle relaxation, we recorded MRCP in association with voluntary relaxation of the foot.

METHODS

MRCP in association with plantar flexion of the foot caused by voluntary relaxation of the tibialis anterior muscle was recorded in 10 normal subjects.

RESULTS

The BP started at about 1.7 s before the onset of the muscle relaxation, followed by NS' starting at about 650 ms before it. Both were maximal at the vertex and symmetrically distributed. There was no additional EEG activity in the lateral frontal areas, which are presumably located over the primary negative motor areas (PNMA).

CONCLUSIONS

It is concluded that the voluntary muscle relaxation, similarly to the voluntary muscle contraction, involves the cortical preparatory activity at least in the primary motor area (M1) and probably the supplementary motor areas (SMAs). There is no evidence to suggest that the PNMA is also active prior to the voluntary muscle relaxation.

Abnormal contingent negative variation in writer's cramp

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the physiological abnormality in writer's cramp, a focal dystonia which specifically affects writing.

METHODS

We recorded brain potentials that precede hand and neck movements (contingent negative variation or CNV) in 11 patients and 11 age-matched normal subjects. A 1000 Hz tone burst (S1) was delivered to the right or left ear in random sequence, and 2 s after, a 2000 Hz tone burst (S2) was delivered to both ears simultaneously. For the response task to S2, the subjects were instructed to extend their fingers ipsilateral to the ear to which S1 was given in one experiment or to rotate the head to the side of the S1 presentation in another. All the patients had symptoms in the right hand only, and performed both tasks normally. CNV amplitudes were compared between normals and patients using unpaired t test.

RESULTS

They showed normal CNV for neck movement but significantly decreased CNV amplitudes for movements both in the affected and unaffected hands.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that motor programming is specifically abnormal for the affected body part, including the asymptomatic contralateral limb, and that the clinical symptom may result from a deficient compensatory mechanism for abnormal motor programs or subroutines.

Clonic convulsion caused by epileptic discharges arising from the human supplementary motor area as studied by subdural recording

In order to help clarify the mechanism of tonic convulsion, which is commonly seen in supplementary motor area (SMA) seizures, we investigated the temporal relationship between ictal discharges arising from the SMA and the associated EMG discharges in the foot, in a patient with SMA seizures, prior to surgical treatment. The patient's intractable seizures consisted of tonic followed by clonic convulsion of the left foot also involving at times, the left hand. Ictal EEGs were investigated by subdural electrodes placed on the SMA-proper and pre-SMA, which were defined by cortical stimulation and by recording cortical-evoked potentials. Interictally, repetitive spike discharges were seen at the pre-SMA. Each seizure initially had a tonic phase associated with an electrodecremental EEG pattern. It was followed by clonic convulsion as shown by clonic EMG discharges of the left tibialis anterior (TA) muscle. It had a duration of 300 to 500 msec, and on each occasion a positive cortical activity at the pre-SMA preceded the EMG onset by 110 msec, and a negative spike at the SMA-proper preceded the EMG onset by 50 to 60 msec. Epileptic discharges originating from the pre-SMA spread to the SMA-proper and possibly also to the primary motor cortex (MI) in this patient. Since both SMA-proper and MI could elicit EMG discharges through the independent corticospinal tracts having different conduction velocities, even a single spike arising from the SMA could give rise to a long EMG burst, which may play some role in the tonic convulsion which characterizes SMA seizures.

[Effective treatment of AFP-producing lung cancer with UFT]

The main form of chemotherapy for non small cell lung cancer is a multiple combination therapy centered on cisplatin (CDDP). We herein report a case in which a favorable course was obtained for a patient with extremely rare AFP-producing lung cancer by single oral administrations of UFT, following extirpation of brain metastasis. The patient was an 80-year-old male whose main complaints were headache and aphasia. Following close examination, a diagnosis was made of moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma with the primary lesion in S6 of the right lung. A metastatic lesion was found in the left occipital lobe. Blood AFP was an abnormally high 17,000 ng/ml. No tumorous lesions were found in the liver. The brain metastasis were extirpated to alleviate cranial nerve symptoms, and the tissue was found to be the same as that of the primary lesion. AFP staining of the tumor tissue revealed positive cells. Because there was proliferation in the primary tumor following surgery, administration of UFT (300 mg/day Tegafur) was begun. Four weeks later the tumor had begun to shrink, and at 15 weeks was judged to be a partial response. A reduction in AFP was also seen. The patient showed absolutely no side effects from UFT, thus enabling outpatient treatment. Good results were obtained both in reducing the tumor and in maintaining the patient's quality of life.