Effect of flunitrazepam on sleep and memory

Flunitrazepam's (FNZ) effect on sleep and memory 1 mg and 2 mg was investigated in 6 healthy volunteers (mean age 21.5 +/- 0.8 years) by polysomnography (PSG) and memory testing. A PSG was recorded on each study night. Memory testing was done before sleep (40 min after taking FNZ or placebo), and after waking (560 min after medication). Rapid eye movement (REM) latency was found to be prolonged on the FNZ 2 mg night (FNZ2N) compared to the baseline night (BN). Percentage of stage 2 sleep was increased in the FNZ2N as compared to BN, while REM percentage on both FNZ nights did not significantly differ from BN. The number of total REM and REM density were decreased in the FNZ2N compared to BN. Memory testing showed significant differences between before sleep and after waking on the FNZ2N. There was a significant correlation between the degree of impairment on memory testing and the rate of reduced REM density, but there was no significant correlation between degree of impairment on memory testing and the rate of increased non-REM sleep on the FNZ2N. The results of this study suggest that impairments in memory result from the dose of FNZ, and that there is a possibility of a relationship between memory disturbance and REM sleep suppression caused by this benzodiazepine.

Effects of CD-832, a new calcium antagonist, on intracranial pressure in anesthetized dogs

Effects of a new calcium antagonist, CD-832, on intracranial pressure (ICP), vertebral blood flow (VBF) and common carotid blood flow (CCBF) were investigated in dogs and the results were compared with findings for nifedipine and diltiaem. Dogs were anesthetized with sodium pentobarbital and a 20-gauge needle was inserted into the cisterna magna for ICP determination. Mean arterial blood pressure (MBP), heart rate (HR), CP, VBF and CCBF were measured before and during the continuous intravenous infusion of CD-832 (0.3, 1 and 3 microg/kg/min), nifedipine (0.1, 0.3 and 1 microg/kg/min) or diltiazem (1, 3 and 10 microg/kg/min). Although the three drugs caused a comparable hypotension, differences were evident in effects of these agents on ICP, VBF and CCBF. Nifedipine and diltiazem but not CD-832 significantly increased ICP, VBF and CCBF. These results suggest that CD-832 is a unique calcium antagonist which does not increase ICP during hypotension. Because the most evident side effects of calcium antagonists are caused by vasodilation and include headache and flushing, CD-832 may possibly be useful to treat subjects with hypertension or angina pectoris.

Alcohol effect on sleep electroencephalography by fast Fourier transformation

The influence of alcohol (ethanol) on sleep was investigated in 10 men. Polysomnography (PS) was recorded on a baseline night (BL-N) and an ethanol (0.8 g/kg) night (Et-N). On visual score rapid eye movement (REM) sleep was reduced, REM latency was prolonged on Et-N as compared to BL-N. Using the fast Fourier transformation method, electroencephalographic power density of REM sleep in delta frequencies band and in the 10-12 Hz range of non-REM sleep were enhanced. REM sleep and non-REM sleep changes were prominent in the second-half and first-half of the night, respectively.

Chemoprevention of 4-nitroquinoline 1-oxide-induced oral carcinogenesis by citrus auraptene in rats

The modifying effects of citrus auraptene given during the initiation and post-initiation phases of oral carcinogenesis initiated with 4-nitroquinoline 1-oxide (4-NQO) were investigated in male F344 rats. At 6 weeks of age, animals were divided into experimental and control groups, and fed the diets containing 100 ppm or 500 ppm auraptene. At 7 weeks of age, all animals except those treated with auraptene alone and control groups were given 4-NQO (20 ppm) in the drinking water for 8 weeks to induce tongue carcinoma. Starting 7 days before the 4-NQO exposure, groups of animals were fed the diets containing auraptene (100 and 500 ppm) for 10 weeks and then switched to the basal diet. Starting 1 week after the cessation of 4-NQO exposure, the groups given 4-NQO and a basal diet were switched to the diets mixed with auraptene (100 and 500 ppm), and maintained on these diets for 22 weeks. The other groups consisted of rats fed auraptene alone (500 ppm) or untreated rats. All rats were necropsied at the termination of the study (week 32). The incidences of tongue lesions (neoplasms and preneoplasms), polyamine levels in the tongue tissue and cell proliferation activity estimated by 5-bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU)-labelling index were compared among the groups. In addition, the activities of gluthathione S-transferase (GST) and quinone reductase (QR) in liver and tongue of rats gavaged various doses of auraptene (0, 200, 400 and 800 mg/kg body wt) for 5 days were assayed. Feeding of auraptene at both doses during the initiation phase caused a significant reduction in the frequency of tongue carcinoma (100 ppm auraptene, 91% reduction, P < 0.001; 500 ppm auraptene, 63% reduction, P < 0.05). When fed auraptene after 4-NQO exposure, the frequency of tongue carcinoma was also decreased (100 ppm auraptene, 100% reduction, P < 0.001; 500 ppm auraptene, 74% reduction, P < 0.01). The incidences of tongue severe dysplasia in these groups were significantly smaller than those in carcinogen controls (P < 0.05). There were no pathological alterations in rats treated with 500 ppm auraptene alone or those in an untreated control group. Dietary administration of auraptene significantly decreased BrdU-labelling index and polyamine concentrations in the oral mucosa (P < 0.05). In addition, auraptene administration significantly increased the activities of GST and QR in the liver and tongue. Although dose-dependent effect was not found, citrus auraptene is effective in inhibiting the development of oral neoplasms induced by 4-NQO. Thus, suppression by the initiation-feeding of auraptene might relate to elevation in the phase II enzymes GST and QR of the liver and tongue, and inhibition occurring during the post-initiation might be related to suppression of increased cell proliferation caused by 4-NQO in the oral mucosa.

Relationship between skeletal uptake of 99mTc-HMDP and bone mineral density in elderly women

The relationship between bone mineral density in elderly women and the pattern of skeletal uptake of 99mTc-HMDP, especially in regard to skull uptake, was investigated. The whole-body skeletal uptake (WBSU) and whole-body skeletal tracer distribution patterns were studied in 86 disease-free women on bone scintigraphy with 99mTc-hydroxy-methylene-diphosphonate (HMDP). Bone scans were quantified by setting regions of interest (ROI) and bone mineral density (BMD) was assessed by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry in all patients. WBSU and the skeletal distribution pattern were compared with bone mineral densities of the entire skeleton as well as selected regions. WBSU was high in the elderly and negatively correlated with regional bone mineral densities (r = -0.403 to -0.534). Among the regions, uptake by the skull increased with age more than in other regions in women and had the highest negative correlation with the bone mineral density. The skull uptake correlated negatively with total body BMD (r = -0.583) and with lumbar BMD (r = -0.561, p < 0.0001). Our results show that increased radionuclide uptake in bone scintigraphy, especially skull uptake was associated with decreased bone mineral density in elderly women, so that, increased skull uptake in elderly women would be a scintigraphic sign of post-menopausal or senile osteopenia.

[Detection of intrathoracic infectious lesions using In-diethylenetriamine pentaacetic bicyclic anhydride-IgG (111In-DTPA-IgG) scintigraphy]

The utility of 111In-DTPA-IgG imaging for the detection of intrathoracic lesions was evaluated in 10 patients with the suspicion of inflammatory or infectious diseases. They were intravenously administered 40 or 80 MBq of 111In-DTPA-IgG, and scanned after 24 or 48 hours. Of these, 8 cases, consisted of 4 cases with pneumonia and 2 cases with lung abscess and one case of pulmonary tuberculosis and one of a tuberculous pleuritis, showed true positive results. Others were one false negative case of pneumonia and one true negative case of lung cancer. Overall sensitivity and specificity were 88.9% and 100%, respectively. There were no cases which showed side effects or abnormal laboratory findings caused by the radiopharmaceuticals administered. Thus, 111In-DTPA-IgG imaging is a useful tool for the detection of intrathoracic infectious lesions.

Alteration of proteins regulating apoptosis, Bcl-2, Bcl-x, Bax, Bak, Bad, ICH-1 and CPP32, in Alzheimer's disease

Recently, apoptosis has been implicated in the selective neuronal loss of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Apoptosis is regulated by the B cell leukemia-2 gene product (Bcl-2) family (Bcl-2, Bcl-x, Bax, Bak and Bad) and the caspase family (ICH-1 and CPP32), with apoptosis being prevented by Bcl-2 and Bcl-x, and promoted by Bax, Bak, Bad, ICH-1 and CPP32. In the present study, we examined the levels of these proteins in the membranous and cytosolic fractions of temporal cortex in AD and control brain. In the membranous fraction, the levels of Bcl-2 alpha, Bcl-xL, Bcl-x beta, Bak and Bad were increased in AD. In the cytosolic fractions, the level of Bcl-x beta was increased, while Bcl-xL, Bax, Bak, and Bad and ICH-1L were unchanged. CPP32 was not detected in AD or control brain. These findings demonstrate a differential involvement of cell death-regulatory proteins in AD and suggest that Bak, Bad, Bcl-2 and Bcl-x are upregulated in AD brains.

Chemopreventive effects of carotenoids and curcumins on mouse colon carcinogenesis after 1,2-dimethylhydrazine initiation

The present study was carried out to examine the chemopreventive effects of carotenoids such as fucoxanthin, lycopene and lutein as well as curcumin and its derivative, tetrahydrocurcumin (THC), on development of putative preneoplastic aberrant crypt foci (ACF) in colons of mice initiated with 1,2-dimethylhydrazine dihydrochloride (DMH). Influence on proliferation of colonic crypt epithelial cells was also assessed in terms of 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU) incorporation. Five-week-old B6C3F1 male mice were divided into three groups, groups 1 and 2 being given DMH (20 mg/kg body wt, s.c.) twice a week for 3 weeks. Animals of group 1 were then treated with one of the test compounds, lycopene (0.005% and 0.0025%) or fucoxanthin (0.01%) in the drinking water and lutein (0.05%), curcumin (0.5%) or THC (0.5% and 0.2%) in the diet from weeks 5-12. Group 2 served as a carcinogen alone control and group 3 mice were given test compounds alone. All animals were killed at week 12. Numbers of ACF/mouse in the group 1 treated with fucoxanthin (47.1 +/- 13.7), lutein (42.6 +/- 19.6) or 0.5% THC (46.6 +/- 17.7) were significantly decreased as compared to the control group 2 value (63.3 +/- 19.4) (P < 0.01). Numbers of aberrant crypts (ACs)/mouse were also significantly lower after treatment with lutein (79.9 +/- 34.7) or 0.5% THC (81.8 +/- 32.5) than in the control group (115.1 +/- 37.1) (P < 0.01). BrdU labeling indices (LI) in mice treated with lutein and 0.5% THC were significantly decreased in both upper and lower half compartments of colonic crypts as compared to the controls (P < 0.05 and 0.01, respectively), especially the upper half data corresponding to reduction of ACs/mouse. The results thus suggest that fucoxanthin, lutein, and THC may have potential as chemopreventive agents against colon carcinogenesis.

Two optimal prefilter cutoff frequencies needed for SPECT images of myocardial perfusion in a one-day protocol

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to determine if cutoff frequencies of two-dimensional Butterworth filters need to be changed, depending upon the amount of radiopharmaceutical administered in one-day protocols for reconstructing SPECT images of myocardial perfusion.

METHODS

A scintilation camera and a phantom were used with 2.2 MBq and 10.6 MBq 99mTc. These activities corresponded to the approximate amounts used in our one-day myocardial perfusion imaging protocol. The projection data were collected in 30 positions spread over 180 degrees. Thirty- and 150-sec acquisitions per position were performed to obtain the study and the high-quality reference images. Thirteen cutoff frequencies of the filter were used to reconstruct the SPECT images. Optimal cutoff frequencies were determined by visual assessment and by calculating the normalized mean square error (n.m.s.e). These results were then compared. The same protocol was used to image three volunteers with no heart disease and the images were evaluated visually.

RESULTS

In the phantom study, the optimal cutoff frequencies were 0.225 cycles/pixel for 2.2 MBq, and 0.275 cycles/pixel and 0.25 cycles/pixel for 10.6 MBq by visual inspection, and were 0.225 cycles/pixel and 0.275 cycles/pixel by calculating the n.m.s.e., respectively. In the patient study, the lower cutoff frequency of 0.20 cycles/pixel was optimal for the exercise study (low dose), while the higher cutoff frequencies of 0.275 cycles/pixel was optimal for the resting study (high dose).

CONCLUSION

The optimal cutoff frequencies differed for the two activity levels. Cutoff frequencies should be changed according to the amounts of radiopharmaceuticals used for the first and the second examinations in one-day protocols.

Chemoprevention by lycopene of mouse lung neoplasia after combined initiation treatment with DEN, MNU and DMH

An investigation was conducted to assess the chemopreventive potential of lycopene (LP), a naturally occurring hydrocarbon carotenoid found in tomatoes and their products, administered during the post-initiation stage in a multiorgan carcinogenesis model. One hundred eighteen B6C3F1 mice of both sexes were subjected to combined treatment with diethylnitrosamine (DEN), N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (MNU) and 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH) from day 11 after birth to week 9 (DMD treatment) (groups 1 and 2) or their vehicles (group 3). Then group 1 received LP (25 or 50 ppm in drinking water) for 21 weeks from weeks 11 to 32. Group 2 served as a carcinogen alone control and group 3 was given only LP (25 or 50 ppm). All surviving animals were sacrificed at week 32 and the major organs, including the liver, lung, kidney and colon, were histologically examined. The incidences and multiplicities of lung adenomas plus carcinomas combined in male mice in group 1 receiving 50 ppm LP were significantly decreased as compared to the DMD alone or DMD and 25 ppm LP groups (75.0 versus 18.8%, P < 0.02; 0.94 +/- 0.17 versus 0.25 +/- 0.14, P < 0.001). No such effect was observed for females. Although hepatocellular carcinomas were lacking in the DMD and LP groups while two cases were found in the DMD alone group, this difference was not statistically significant. The values for aberrant crypt foci (ACF) and tumors in the colon and kidney did not show any significant variation among the carcinogen-treated subgroups. The results suggest that LP exerts a chemopreventive effect limited to male lung carcinogenesis when given in the post-initiation stage to B6C3F1 mice.

Water channel AQP1, 3, and 4 in the human peritoneum and peritoneal dialysate

To clarify the mechanism of water transport driven by osmotic gradient through "ultrasmall pores" in the peritoneum, we tried to identify water channels in the peritoneum and cells in the peritoneal dialysate. Peritoneum was surgically excised from uremic patients at the insertion or removal of a catheter. Sediment was collected from 2 L of peritoneal dialysate by centrifugation at 1500 rpm. RNA was extracted and amplified by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Contamination of reticulocytes was tested by the presence of ankyrin mRNA. Peritoneal tissue expressed aquaporin (AQP) 1, 3, and 4 (AQP1 > 3 > 4). Sediment of dialysate expressed mRNA of AQP1 and AQP3 (AQP1 > AQP3). The sample did not express ankyrin mRNA, indicating that the AQP1 in the sediment did not originate from reticulocytes. These data indicate that aquaporins are present in the peritoneum and might participate in water transport. Further quantitative analysis of aquaporin messages in the dialysate might clarify the pathogenesis of water removal failure.

Alteration of transcription factors NF-kappaB and STAT1 in Alzheimer's disease brains

Recent studies suggest that inflammatory activation occurs in the brains of patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). Several transcription factors such as nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) and signal transducer and activator of transcription-1 (STAT1) may be activated in glial cells by a number of cytokines and then translocated from the cytosol to the nucleus. We assessed NF-kappaB and STAT1 in temporal cortex from normal and AD brains using specific antibodies. NF-kappaB p65 in the particulate fraction and STAT1alpha in both the particulate and cytosolic fractions were more abundant in AD cases than in controls. These findings suggest that the increased NF-kappaB and STAT1alpha in cell nuclei may be involved in inflammatory activation in AD brains.

[The relationship between the estimated tumor growth speed and indices of bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) incorporation and the proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) expression in superficial bladder cancer]

BACKGROUND

We previously reported that the average tumor growth speed estimated from clinical findings may be useful as a prognostic factor to determine the stage progression in superficial bladder cancer. Here, we examined the relationship between the dynamic estimation based on the average tumor growth speed and the static estimation based on the biological proliferative activity determined from bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) indices in superficial bladder cancer.

METHODS

The subjects were 11 patients with recurrent superficial bladder cancer. The tumor growth speed was calculated by dividing all tumor volume at a certain recurrence episode by the duration until the recurrence. And then, the average tumor growth speed was determined individually by calculating mean tumor growth speed for all recurrence episodes. BrdU and PCNA indices were investigated by immunohistochemical staining.

RESULTS

There was a significant correlation between the average tumor growth speed and indices of PCNA and BrdU were statistically (Spearmen's rank correlation test; between the growth speed and PCNA index: p = 0.85, p < 0.01; between the average tumor growth speed and BrdU index: p = 0.71, p < 0.05; between BrdU index and PCNA index: p = 0.77, p < 0.05). The average tumor growth speed which was calculated based on clinical findings reflected the biological proliferative activities such as BrdU and PCNA indices. Furthermore, the values of all indices were higher in the invasive than in the non-invasive cases.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings suggest that the average tumor growth speed as the dynamic estimation is an important prognostic factor to determine stage progression in superficial bladder cancer.

Visualization of central stellate fibrosis in hyaline vascular type Castleman's disease

Hyaline vascular type Castleman's disease (HVCD) is a benign cause of lymph node hypertrophy which radiologically resembles tumours such as paraganglioma and lymphoma. However, a distinguishing pathological characteristic of HVCD is the presence of central stellate fibrosis. Since conventional CT and MRI scans failed to differentiate areas of fibrosis, three-phase dynamic CT was performed on a patient who was thought to have HVCD. The images showed central fibrosis and consequently the correct pre-operative diagnosis of HVCD was made.

Oxidative stability of liposomes prepared from soybean PC, chicken egg PC, and salmon egg PC

The oxidative stability of phosphatidylcholines (PCs) from soybean, chicken egg, and salmon egg in liposomes was compared with that in aqueous micelles. When each PC was oxidized in aqueous micelles, salmon egg PC was the most oxidatively stable, followed by chicken egg PC and soybean PC, however, no significant difference in the oxidative stability was apparent between chicken egg PC and salmon egg PC in liposomes. The main molecular species of soybean PC was 1,2-dilinoleoyl-PC, while most of the PUFAs in chicken egg PC and salmon egg PC were not esterified at the sn-1 position but at the sn-2 position. Therefore, it is suggested that the oxidative stability of PC liposomes would be strongly influenced by the positional distribution of PUFAs in the PC molecule. Further studies on the oxidation of PC liposomes showed that chicken egg albumin and soybean protein protected PC bilayers against attack by free radicals generated in the aqueous phase.

Identification of strain-specific nucleotide sequences in E1 and NS4 genes of rubella virus vaccine strains in Japan

Strain-specific nucleotide sequences of E1 and NS4 genes in five strains of a live rubella virus vaccine manufactured in Japan were identified for comparison, using 2389 nucleotides (1443 nucleotides of the E1 gene, 41 of the 3' terminal region following the E1 gene and 905 of the NS4 gene). Sequences of the E1 gene in three strains (Matsuura, TCRB19 and To-336) were identified. Takahashi and Matsuba strains shared common sequences, but were discriminated by the sequence of the NS4 gene. These five strains showed a phylogenetic relationship with the places of their isolation. In a comparative study of three strains with their unattenuated progenitors, the nucleotides in these regions were almost conserved during the attenuation process.

The 239AB gene on chromosome 22: a novel member of an ancient gene family

A novel family of genes expressed in human brain has recently been identified. Gene 239FB, transcribed extensively in fetal brain, was isolated from the chromosome 11p13 region associated with mental retardation component of the WAGR (Wilms tumor, aniridia, genitourinary anomalies, mental retardation) syndrome. This report presents a cDNA sequence and expression profile of a related gene, 239AB, isolated from adult brain library, that was mapped to chromosome 22. While similar in structure, the two genes differ in their expression pattern and may have different roles in central nervous system development and function. In contrast to the 239FB, which is expressed predominantly in fetal brain, the 239AB gene is transcribed in adult tissues. Both human genes encode novel proteins of unknown function that are highly conserved from Caenorhabditis elegans to birds and mammals. Phylogenetic analysis suggested that the two lineages of the ancient gene family represented by 239FB and 239AB have been in existence prior to the emergence of modern animals.

Inhibition of azoxymethane-initiated colon tumor by bovine lactoferrin administration in F344 rats

The influence of bovine lactoferrin (bLF) on colon carcinogenesis was investigated in male F344 rats treated with azoxymethane (AOM). Following three weekly injections of AOM, the animals received 2 or 0.2% bLF for 36 weeks. No effects indicative of toxicity were noted, but significant reduction in both the incidence and number of adenocarcinomas of the large intestine was observed with both doses. Thus, the incidences of adenocarcinomas in the groups receiving 2% and 0.2% bLF were 15% and 25%, respectively, in contrast to the 57.5% control value (P < 0.01 and P < 0.05, respectively). The results indicate that bLF might find application for chemoprevention of colon cancer.

[The study for the surgical treatment on distal bile duct carcinoma]

The surgical result in 74 patients with resected distal bile duct carcinoma was reviewed to clarify the surgical strategy of distal bile duct carcinoma. The clinicopathological record was according to the General rules for surgical and pathological studies on cancer of biliary tract(the 3rd edition, edited by the Japanese society of biliary surgery). 58 patients underwent standard pancreatoduodenectomy and 16 patients had pylorus-preserving pancreatoduodenectomy. The curative resection was performed in 38 patients (51.3%). The overall 5-year survival rate (operated death included) was 35.8%. The 5-year survival rate in curative resection was 56.6%. The survival rate of patients with curative resection was significantly better than that of the patients with relative non-curative (p < 0.05) or absolute non-curative resection (p < 0.01). We concluded that the Long-term survival after surgical resection was mostly correlated with curability. To obtain curative resection, the free surgical margin of hw and ew was essential. As for free "hw", intraoperative frozen dissection was indispensable. For free "ew", the dissection of the soft tissues in retroperitoneum at the back of pancreas head was necessary. On the lymph node dissection, the lymph nodes of No 8, 12, 13, 14 should be removed.