Search

Technique for Animal Knockout system by Electroporation (TAKE) is a simple and efficient method to generate genetically modified (GM) mice using the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated protein 9 (Cas9) systems. To reinforce the versatility of electroporation used for gene editing in mice, the electric condition was optimized for vitrified-warmed mouse embryos, and applied to the fresh embryos from widely used inbred strains (C57BL/6NCr, BALB/cCrSlc, FVB/NJcl, and C3H/HeJJcl). The electric pulse settings (poring pulse: voltage, 150 V; pulse width, 1.0 ms; pulse interval, 50 ms; number of pulses, +4; transfer pulse: voltage, 20 V; pulse width, 50 ms; pulse interval, 50 ms; number of pulses, ±5) were optimal for vitrified-warmed mouse embryos, which could efficiently deliver the gRNA/Cas9 complex into the zygotes without zona pellucida thinning process and edit the target locus. These electric condition efficiently generated GM mice in widely used inbred mouse strains. In addition, electroporation using the electrode with a 5 mm gap could introduce more than 100 embryos within 5 min without specific pretreatment and sophisticated technical skills, such as microinjection, and exhibited a high developmental rate of embryos and genome-editing efficiency in the generated offspring, leading to the rapid and efficient generation of genome editing mice. The electric condition used in this study is highly versatile and can contribute to understanding human diseases and gene functions by generating GM mice more easily and efficiently.

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), the most severe form of dystrophinopathies, is a fatal X-linked recessive neuromuscular disorder characterized by progressive muscle degeneration and various extents of intellectual disabilities. Physiological and pathological roles of the responsible gene, dystrophin, in the brain remain elusive due to the presence of multiple dystrophin products, mainly full-length dystrophin, Dp427, and the short product, Dp71. In this study, we generated a Dp71-specific hemagglutinin (HA) peptide tag-insertion mice to enable specific detection of intrinsic Dp71 expression by anti-HA tag antibodies. Immunohistochemical detections in the transgenic mice demonstrated Dp71 expression not only at the blood-brain barrier, where astrocytic endfeet surround the microvessels, but also at the inhibitory postsynapse of hippocampal dentate granule neurons. Interestingly, hippocampal cornu ammonis (CA)1 pyramidal neurons were negative for Dp71 although Dp427 detected by anti-dystrophin antibody was clearly present at the inhibitory postsynapse, suggesting cell-type dependent dystrophin expressions. Precise examination using the primary hippocampal culture validated exclusive localization of Dp71 at the inhibitory postsynaptic compartment but not at the excitatory synapse in neurons. We further performed interactome analysis and found that Dp71 formed distinct molecular complexes, i.e. synapse-associated Dp71 interacted with dystroglycan (Dg) and dystrobrevinb (Dtnb) whereas glia-associated Dp71 did with Dg and dystrobrevina (Dtna). Thus, our data indicates that Dp71 and its binding partners are relevant to the inhibitory postsynaptic function of hippocampal granule neurons and the novel Dp71-transgenic mouse provides a valuable tool to understand precise physiological expressions and functions of Dp71 and its interaction proteins in vivo and in vitro.

Whether or not depth perception influences brightness and/or lightness perception has been repeatedly discussed, and some studies have emphasized its importance. In addition, a small number of studies have empirically tested and shown the effect of depth inversion, such as seen in the Mach card illusion, on perceived lightness, and they interpreted such results in terms of lightness constancy. However, how perceived brightness changes contingent on depth inversion remains unexplained. Therefore, this study used the matching method to examine changes in brightness perception when depth inversion is observed. We created and used a three-dimensional (3D) concave object, composed of three sides made of card stock, which could be perceived as having two different shapes in 3D; it could be perceived as a horizontal concave object, corresponding to its actual physical structure, and as a convex standing object, similar in shape to a building. Participants observed this object as both a concave object and as a convex object, and judged the brightness of its surfaces during each observation. Our results show that the perception of the brightness of the object’s surfaces clearly changed depending on the perception of depth. When the object was seen as convex, one part of the surface was perceived as darker than when the object was seen as concave, but the other part of the surface remained unchanged. Here we discuss the relationship between depth perception and brightness perception in terms of perceptual organization.

Shin'iseihaito (Magnolia Flower Lung-Clearing Decoction; 辛夷清肺湯 xīn yí qīng fèi tāng), a formula of traditional Japanese kampo medicine (日本漢醫 rì běn hàn yī) and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM; 中醫 zhōng yī), has been used for the treatment of chronic sinusitis. The objective of this study was to evaluate the anti-allergic effect of shin'iseihaito on murine allergic reaction induced by nasal sensitization using ovalbumin (OVA) as an antigen. Extract of shin'iseihaito (SSHT) could reduce the eosinophil, serum IgE and interleukin (IL)-4 levels, while increased the interferon (IFN)-γ levels in allergic mouse. Furthermore, allergic-murine serum treated with SSHT could not activate passive cutaneous anaphylaxis (PCA) reaction in murine model. Thus, our study showed that SSHT may possess anti-allergic activity. We suggested that SSHT may contribute to inhibit the exacerbation of allergic reaction induced by nasal sensitization., Graphical abstract

Ethnopharmacological relevance Bofutsushosan (fangfengtongshengsan in Chinese, BTS) is a formula in traditional Japanese Kampo medicine and Chinese medicine comprising 18 crude drugs that is used for treating obesity and metabolic syndrome. Aim of the study We evaluated the promotive effects of BTS on lipid and cholesterol elimination in mice. Materials and methods Mice were reared with a high-fat diet containing boiled water extract of BTS for 30 days, and their biochemical parameters as well as the weight and lipid content of feces were measured. We also measured cholesterol uptake into Caco-2 cells cultured with or without BTS extract. Results The body weight and amounts of visceral fat and subcutaneous fat on day 28; the weights of epididymal, perirenal, and mesenteric fat; and the serum concentrations of triglyceride, glucose, and hemoglobin A1c on day 30 were significantly lower in the BTS extract-treated groups than in the control in a dose-dependent manner. The amounts of lipid and cholesterol in the feces collected from day 6–23 were significantly greater than in the control. When Caco-2 cells were incubated with BTS extract, the uptake of cholesterol into cells was significantly reduced in a concentration-dependent manner. Among the components of BTS, the methanol extracts of Platycodi Radix and Zingiberis Rhizoma contribute but the extracts of Ephedrae Herba and Rhei Rhizoma counteract the suppressive effect of BTS on cholesterol uptake into Caco-2 cells. Conclusions BTS has beneficial effects on obesity and metabolic syndrome, and its mechanisms of action include the promotion of lipid elimination and the inhibition of cholesterol absorption in the intestine.

Memory impairments in Alzheimer's disease (AD) occur due to degenerated axons and disrupted neural networks. Since only limited recovery is possible after the destruction of neural networks, preventing axonal degeneration during the early stages of disease progression is necessary to prevent AD. Polygalae Radix (roots of Polygala tenuifolia; PR) is a traditional herbal medicine used for sedation and amnesia. In this study, we aimed to clarify and analyze the preventive effects of PR against memory deficits in a transgenic AD mouse model, 5XFAD. 5XFAD mice demonstrated memory deficits at the age of 5 months. Thus, the water extract of Polygalae Radix (PR extract) was orally administered to 4-month-old 5XFAD mice that did not show signs of memory impairment. After consecutive administrations for 56 days, the PR extract prevented cognitive deficit and axon degeneration associated with the accumulation of amyloid β (Aβ) plaques in the perirhinal cortex of the 5XFAD mice. PR extract did not influence the formation of Aβ plaques in the brain of the 5XFAD mice. In cultured neurons, the PR extract prevented axonal growth cone collapse and axonal atrophy induced by Aβ. Additionally, it prevented Aβ-induced endocytosis at the growth cone of cultured neurons. Our previous study reported that endocytosis inhibition was enough to prevent Aβ-induced growth cone collapse, axonal degeneration, and memory impairments. Therefore, the PR extract possibly prevented axonal degeneration and memory impairment by inhibiting endocytosis. PR is the first preventive drug candidate for AD that inhibits endocytosis in neurons.

Streptococcus pneumoniae (S. pneumoniae)causes sinusitis. The general treatment ofS. pneumoniasinusitis is by using antibiotics; however, one of their serious problems is the attenuation of their effect. Shin’iseihaito (Xinyiqingfeitang), a formula of Japanese traditional Kampo medicine, has been used for the treatment of sinusitis in Japan. In this study, we investigated the efficacy of Shin’iseihaito againstS. pneumoniae-caused sinusitis in mice. Oral administration of Shin’iseihaito extract (SSHT) decreased the nasal colonization ofS. pneumoniaein both prophylactic and therapeutic treatments, respectively, and the former was more effective than the latter. Histopathological analysis revealed that the epithelial tissue fromS. pneumoniae-infected nose under SSHT treatment recovered the tissue destruction in comparison to infected nose. We also confirmed this result by scanning electron microscopic analysis. Murine peritoneal macrophages from SSHT-treated mice had significant phagocytic activity in comparison to those from untreated group. We also found that tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-1β, interleukin-6, and monocyte chemotactic protein-1 levels and the migration of macrophages fromS. pneumoniae-infected mice with the treatment with SSHT were increased compared to those from untreated group. Our data suggest that Shin’iseihaito may be useful for the treatment ofS. pneumoniae-induced sinusitis.

To perceive the external world stably, humans must integrate and manage continuous streams of information from various sensory modalities, in addition to drawing on past experiences and knowledge. In this study, we introduce a novel visuo-tactile illusion elicited by a visual-depth-reversal stimulus. The stimulus (a model of a building) was constructed so as to produce the same retinal image as an opaque cuboid, although it actually consisted of only three PVC boards forming a three-dimensional corner with the hollow inside facing the observer. Participants holding the model in their palm, therefore, observed, with both eyes or one eye, a building model that could be interpreted as either a concave or a convex cuboid. That is, tactile information from the contact surface contradicted the visual interpretation of a convex cuboid. Questionnaire and experimental results, however, showed that the building model was stably viewed as a standing cuboid, particularly under monocular observation. Participants also reported feeling a stable touch of the shrinking base of the apparently standing building model, thus ignoring the veridical contact surface. Given that the visual-tactile information was unchanged with or without the illusion and that the experimental task was tactile estimation, it is remarkable that participants failed to perceive actual touch based on the object's appearance. Results indicate the complexity and flexibility of visual-tactile integration processes. We also discuss the possibility that object knowledge influences visual-tactile integration.

Patients with complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) often complain of abnormal sensations beyond the affected body part, but causes of this spread of musculoskeletal manifestations into contiguous areas remain unclear. In addition, immobilization can predispose to the development of CRPS. We examined functional, biochemical, and histological alterations in affected parts, including contiguous zones, using an animal model. Ten-week-old male Wistar rats were assigned to 5 groups: a normal group receiving no treatment, a sham operation group with surgical exploration, an immobilization group with surgical exploration plus internal knee joint immobilization, a surgical neuropathy group prepared by spinal nerve ligation (SNL) of the left L5 nerve root, and a surgical neuropathy+immobilization group with simultaneous SNL and knee joint immobilization. Mechanical allodynia and knee contracture were compared between groups, and tissues were harvested for histological assessments and gene and protein expression analyses. Neither surgical procedures nor immobilization induced detectable mechanical sensitivity. However, the addition of nerve injury resulted in detectable mechanical allodynia, and immobilization not only accelerated hyperalgesia, but also resulted in muscle fibrosis. Nerve growth factor (NGF) and other mediators of neurogenic inflammation were highly expressed not only in denervated muscles, but also in innervated muscles in contiguous areas, suggesting the spread of NGF production beyond the myotome of the injured nerve. Transforming growth factor β was involved in the development of contracture in CRPS. These findings imply that neuroinflammatory components play major roles in the progression and dispersion of both sensory pathologies and pathologies that are exacerbated by immobilization.

In this report, we present the results of investigation of the effects of prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) on entrapment neuropathy using a diabetic rat. A total of 60 male Sprague-Dawley rats were used in the study. The model of tibial nerve entrapment neuropathy associated with diabetes mellitus was created by streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats reared in cages with wire grid flooring. Rats were assigned to four groups: nondiabetic (n = 15), untreated diabetic (n = 15), diabetic treated with 30 μg/kg PGE1 (n = 15), and diabetic treated with 100 μg/kg PGE1 (n = 15). Pain tests and electrophysiological tests were performed at 0, 2, and 4 weeks, and assessments of gait, histology, and mRNA expression levels were performed at 4 weeks after initiating the PGE1 administration. In the 30 and 100 μg groups, the mechanical withdrawal thresholds measured by pain tests at 4 weeks (36.2 ± 16.4 g and 31.7 ± 15.3 g, respectively) and the motor conduction velocity (24.0 ± 0.2 m/s and 24.4 ± 0.3 m/s, respectively) were significantly higher than the untreated diabetic group (all P

People who use braille want to read fluently; however, not everyone can become a fluent braille reader. Fluency in braille can be especially difficult for people with late blindness (LB; those who lost their sight aged 6 or older) compared with people with early blindness (EB; those who were born blind or lost their sight before age 6). The inability to read quickly can be a disadvantage throughout life. A lack of sufficient training may not be the only factor for a slow reading speed; several other factors such as the age at onset of blindness, for example, educational history, and perceptual characteristics may also play a role. This study focused on differences between people with EB and LB, and attempted to identify factors inhibiting the improvement of braille reading skills. Braille reading requires two types of processing: haptic and linguistic. Fluent braille readers move their fingers smoothly over braille patterns, discriminate a braille cell (or cells) as one symbol, and read braille cells as words and sentences through contextual cues and linguistic knowledge. We assumed that problems with either one or both types of processing might inhibit braille fluency. Therefore, we compared the use of contextual cues and tactile sensitivity in people with EB and LB. Tactile sensitivity is primarily related to haptic processing (the processing of dot or gap detection and pattern recognition, for example), whereas contextual cues are related to linguistic processing (for example, word recognition and semantic processing). Because many studies have reported the effect of context on fluent braille reading (see, for example, Mousty & Bertelson, 1985; Nolan & Kederis, 1969), we measured reading speed and accuracy of word recognition using passages and words that did or did not require linguistic knowledge to compare the use of contextual cues. Mousty and Bertelson reported that both fast and slow readers had better two-handed braille reading speeds for prose (a passage with context) than for scrambled words (a passage without context). Their study suggested that the effect of context was crucial for braille reading fluency and that braille readers always use contextual cues in effective braille reading. However, the words used by Mousty and Bertelson in the prose passages were not identical to the words in the scrambled passages; thus, comparability was not guaranteed. To ensure comparability, we used the same braille cells in the passages with and without context for an evidence-based comparison. Several studies that used different indices of tactile sensitivity (see Legge, Madison, Vaughn, Cheong, & Miller, 2008) have found enhanced tactile sensitivity in people with EB. For example, Wong, Gnanakumaran, and Goldreich (2011) used the grating orientation threshold to test participants' ability to discern the orientations of grooved surfaces and found the mean tactile sensitivity in people with blindness was greater than in people with typical vision, and this greater tactile sensitivity was related to the amount of time they spent reading per week. This study suggested tactile sensitivity might be dependent on experiences and that tactile sensitivity may be improved by the use of braille reading. Thus, enhanced tactile sensitivity may be related to fluent braille reading. However, other studies have found inconclusive results concerning the relationship between tactile sensitivity and braille reading. Legge, Madison, and Mansfield (1999) reported that the influence of tactile sensitivity measured by the Tactile Acuity Chart (TAC; the details of which are described under "Measurement of tactile sensitivity" in the Methods section) on braille reading speed (words per minute) was not significant. In contrast, Stevens, Foulke, and Patterson (1996) showed a moderate (r = 0.54, p

A small, light, ball-joint device called PinFix, which can instantly convert a simple percutaneous cross pin fracture fixation system into a rigid external fracture fixation system based on truss structure, was developed. The purpose of this study was to compare the mechanical load and breaking strength of this truss-structure-based fixation system to that of the conventionally used external cantilever structure-based fixation system. Three types of mechanical loading tests, axial, bending, and torsion, were performed on an artificial fractured bone treated with either three-dimensional PinFix fixation, two-dimensional PinFix fixation, or conventional external fixation. The three- and two-dimensional PinFix fixations showed significantly more stiffness than conventional fixation on all three loading tests. Finite element analysis was next performed to calculate the stress distribution of the parts in PinFix and in the conventional fixator. The applied stress to the rod and connectors of PinFix was much less than that of the conventional external fixator. These results reflected the physical characteristic of truss structure in which applied load is converted to pure tension or compression forces along the members of the PinFix. In conclusion, PinFix is a simple fracture fixation system that has a truss-structure with a high rigidity.

The lymphatic system has important functions in maintaining tissue fluid homeostasis, and it plays an important role in the acquired immune response and lipid absorption.1–3 The lymphatic system is associated with several diseases that are becoming increasingly prevalent such as asthma, obesity, diabetes, cancer metastasis, and lymphedema.4–6 Despite the critical roles that this system performs, much less is known about the lymphatic vasculature than the blood vasculature. Lymphedema is characterized by the excessive, regional interstitial accumulation of protein-rich fluid, tissue fibrosis, and susceptibility to infection. Secondary lymphedema develops after disruption or obstruction of the lymphatic system such as by filariasis or as a consequence of surgery and radiotherapy for cancer.7,8 About 30%–40% of patients who undergo lymph node dissection will develop lymphedema.9,10 The development of effective treatment options for lymphedema has been hindered by the fact that the etiology of this disorder remains unknown. Specifically, treatment for lymphedema still emphasizes the alleviation of symptoms and it is primarily based on manual lymphatic massage and tight-fitting garments designed to physically prevent fluid accumulation. These treatments are time consuming and permanent. On the contrary, advances in microsurgical techniques and liposuction offer hope for the treatment of this disorder, but results of these procedures have been mixed.11 Thus, despite substantial advances in surgical and conservation techniques, therapeutic options for the management of lymphedema are limited and mostly ineffective.8,12 The mechanisms of inflammatory lymphangiogenesis are currently being elucidated. Lymphatic fluid stasis activates the expression of endogenous danger signals such as high mobility group box 1 and heat shock protein 70.13 Endogenous danger signals activate Toll-like receptors 2, 4, and 9 on macrophages and contribute to sterile inflammation and lymphangiogenesis.14,15 The endogenous activation of Toll-like receptor can be either homeostatic or harmful, depending on the physiological milieu and context, and thus lymphangiogenesis facilitated in this manner can improve lymphedema. Several attempts to treat lymphedema with lymphangiogenic growth factors have found accelerated lymphangiogenesis and improved lymphedema.12,16–24 Therefore, therapy with lymphangiogenic growth factor might be the most appropriate strategy for treating secondary lymphedema after lymphatic vessel damage due to surgery, infection, or radiation therapy. Lymphangiogenic growth factors include vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-C, VEGF-D, VEGF-A, angiopoietin-1, hepatocyte growth factor, adrenomedullin, and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF).16,17,20–25 Accumulating evidence indicates that VEGF-C plays a critically important and crucial role in the regulation of lymphatic vessel growth,17,26–29 and transfer of a gene expressing VEGF-C promotes the formation of lymphatic vessels and ameliorates lymphedema in an animal model.17,30,31 Furthermore, bFGF directly21,32,33 and indirectly induces lymphangiogenesis through VEGF-C and VEGF-D mediation,33–35 and it has been widely applied to treat pressure, burns, and leg ulcers, since it was introduced into the Japanese market in 2001. Several articles have described the value of topical bFGF for treating these conditions.36–38 We postulated that topical bFGF induces the growth of lymphatic vessels and ameliorates lymphedema. We tested this hypothesis by assessing the effect of bFGF on lymphangiogenesis and secondary lymphedema in a rat tail model.

BACKGROUND To investigate if serum levels of carboxyterminal propeptide of type I procollagen (PICP), cross-linked carboxyterminal telopeptide of type I collagen (ICTP) and urinary levels of deoxypyridinoline (D-Pyr) are useful markers of bone metastasis in patients with prostate carcinoma, we measured these markers in patients with untreated benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and untreated prostate carcinoma (PCA). METHODS Serum PICP, ICTP and urinary D-Pyr levels were determined in 53 patients; 16 patients with BPH, 15 patients with PCA without bone metastasis (stage A, B, C and D1) and 22 patients with PCA with bone metastasis (stage D2). At the same time correlations among these markers and serum total alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity were studied. RESULTS Serum PICP, ICTP and urinary D-Pyr levels in the PCA patients with bone metastasis were significantly higher than those of BPH. The serum levels of PICP in patients with PCA with bone metastasis group were significantly higher than those of without bone metastasis group. The serum levels of ICTP in patients with PCA without bone metastasis group were significantly higher than those of BPH group, while no significant difference was observed between PCA group with and without bone metastasis. In the PCA patients with bone metastasis, serum PICP and serum total alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity were significantly correlated (r = 0.80). In these patients, serum ICTP and urinary D-Pyr levels were also significantly correlated (r = 0.70). CONCLUSION These results suggest that serum PIPC, ICTP and urinary D-Pyr are the useful markers to quantitate bone metastasis in the patients with PCA. Moreover, the determination of serum ICTP levels may be significant for detecting occult bone metastasis in the patients with PCA.

In this report, we present the results of investigation of the effects of prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) on entrapment neuropathy using a diabetic rat. A total of 60 male Sprague-Dawley rats were used in the study. The model of tibial nerve entrapment neuropathy associated with diabetes mellitus was created by streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats reared in cages with wire grid flooring. Rats were assigned to four groups: nondiabetic (n = 15), untreated diabetic (n = 15), diabetic treated with 30 μg/kg PGE1 (n = 15), and diabetic treated with 100 μg/kg PGE1 (n = 15). Pain tests and electrophysiological tests were performed at 0, 2, and 4 weeks, and assessments of gait, histology, and mRNA expression levels were performed at 4 weeks after initiating the PGE1 administration. In the 30 and 100 μg groups, the mechanical withdrawal thresholds measured by pain tests at 4 weeks (36.2 ± 16.4 g and 31.7 ± 15.3 g, respectively) and the motor conduction velocity (24.0 ± 0.2 m/s and 24.4 ± 0.3 m/s, respectively) were significantly higher than the untreated diabetic group (all P 0.05) and lower than the nondiabetic group (all P 0.001). In the gait analysis, the mean intensities in the 30 and 100 μg group (128.0 ± 20.1 a.u. and 109.0 ± 27.8 a.u., respectively) were significantly higher than the untreated diabetic (P 0.01) and were not significantly different from the nondiabetic group (P = 0.81). Fiber density (P = 0.46) and fiber diameter (P = 0.15) did not show any significant differences. PGE1 significantly decreased nerve growth factor (NGF) mRNA and increased vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) mRNA in the tibial nerve (both P 0.01). In conclusion, neurological deteriorations of diabetic rats were alleviated with PGE1, which is associated with inhibition of NGF and enhancement of VEGF at the entrapment site.

Tumor necrosis factor-α plays important roles in immune system development, immune response regulation, and T-cell-mediated tissue injury. The present study assessed the net value of anti-tumor necrosis factor-α treatment in terms of functional recovery and inhibition of hypersensitivity after peripheral nerve crush injury. We created a right sciatic nerve crush injury model using a Sugita aneurysm clip. Animals were separated into 3 groups: the first group received only a skin incision; the second group received nerve crush injury and intraperitoneal vehicle injection; and the third group received nerve crush injury and intraperitoneal etanercept (6 mg/kg). Etanercept treatment improved recovery of motor nerve conduction velocity, muscle weight loss, and sciatic functional index. Plantar thermal and von Frey mechanical withdrawal thresholds recovered faster in the etanercept group than in the control group. On day 7 after crush injury, the numbers of ED-1-positive cells in crushed nerves of the control and etanercept groups were increased compared to that in the sham-treated group. After 21 days, ED-1-positive cells had nearly disappeared from the etanercept group. Etanercept reduced expression of interleukin-6 and monocyte chemotactic and activating factor-1 at the crushed sciatic nerve. These findings demonstrate the utility of etanercept, in terms of both enhancing functional recovery and suppressing hypersensitivity after nerve crush. Etanercept does not impede the onset or progression of Wallerian degeneration, but optimizes the involvement of macrophages and the secretion of inflammatory mediators.

A prospective multicenter clinical study evaluated, using the Hand20 and hand diagram, the disability, incidence, location, and predictive factors of residual wrist pain 18 months after volar locking plate fixation of distal radius fracture in 122 patients. The average Hand20 score and numeric rating scores for pain were 13.1 +/- 18.2 and 2.1 +/- 23, respectively. Fifty-seven patients indicated that they had pain. Among those patients, 25 had ulnar pain and 45 had radial pain. The incidence of radial-sided wrist pain was higher than ulnar-sided wrist pain. Logistic regression analysis showed that female sex and intra-articular fracture significantly correlated with radial-sided wrist pain. Volar locking plate fixation maintained anatomical reduction; however, a significant number of patients complained of residual wrist pain.

Background: Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus) causes various serious diseases including sinusitis, pneumonia, and meningitis. One serious problem observed recently with pneumococcal therapy is attenuation of the antibiotic effect because of the emergence of antibiotic-resistant pneumococcus. Shin’iseihaito, a traditional Japanese medicine based on ancient Chinese medicine, has been used for treatment of otolaryngeal diseases in Japan. The objective of this study was to examine the anti-infectious effects of shin’iseihaito and its related mechanism. Materials and Methods: We evaluated the beneficial effect of shin’iseihaito extract (SSHT) against pneumococcus-infected murine model. The colonization of bacteria, blood and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) killing activity, the levels of inflammatory cytokine and IgA were investigated. Results: The pneumococcus from blood was not found in both SSHT-treated mice and untreated mice. However, the pneumococcal colonization of lung was significantly ( p

It was retrospectively analyzed whether intravesical instillation of bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) or anti-cancer agents had prophylactic effect or not after removal of superficial bladder tumors. The results over a follow-up period ranging from 6 to 40 months showed 23.8 per cent recurrence in group 1 patients treated with BCG (21 patients), 46.7 per cent recurrence in group 2 treated with anti-cancer agents (45 patients) and 52.3 per cent recurrence in the group 3 (127 patients) which were not received any intravesical drugs. Long-term results among the 3 groups calculated with Kaplan-Meier method demonstrated that the instillation of BCG or of anti-cancer agents was more useful for prophylaxis, compared with the actuarial non-recurrence rates of group 3. The instillation of BCG showed good prophylactic effects especially in recurrent, grade 2 and pTa bladder tumors. The instillation of anti-cancer agents showed to provide prolonged protection from recurrence, but the instillation of BCG did not.

An unusual case of renal medullary fibroma accompanied by gross hematuria is reported. This is the eleventh reported case of this disease producing clinical symptoms.

The topographic features of deeper cells exposed by ultrasonic wave forces were observed in well-differentiated bladder tumors and in the non-neoplastic bladder mucosa of humans by scanning electron microscopy, and the desquamated cells from these tissues were also observed. The surfaces of these deeper cells and of desquamated cells had two types of cellular protrusions: 'ripple-like microridges' and microvillous cellular processes. Slender microvillous cellular processes of various length were observed in the neoplastic tissue in vivo and in the desquamated cells from the tumors, often in a bent or curved condition. In contrast, microvillous cellular processes of the non-neoplastic tissues were relatively short and fewer than those in the bladder tumor cells. In conclusion, microvillous cellular processes of deeper cells in bladder tumors were more pleomorphic than those of deeper cells in the non-neoplastic bladder mucosa, similar to the more pleomorphic microvilli on the luminal surface of superficial cells in the bladder tumors compared to those of superficial cells in the bladder mucosa.

A 55 year old man with isolated ACTH deficiency is reported. The lesion would appear to be located in the pituitary gland since plasma ACTH and cortisol did not respond to lysine vasopressin and corticotrophin releasing factor (CRF). A fall in T4, a rise in basal values of TSH, prolactin (Prl), LH and FSH, excessive responses of TSH and Prl to TRH, and hyperreactive responses of LH and FSH to LRH were observed. These hormonal changes were examined before and after administration of cortisol. The abnormality in these hormones might be caused by deficiency of long-term glucocorticoid.