Cyclic AMP levels in slices of epileptic cortex of the rat: effects of glutamate and 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine.

Accumulation of cyclic AMP elicited by glutamate was examined in slices from different cortical areas of rats 30 to 60 days after ferrous chloride solution was injected into the left sensorimotor cortex to induce an epileptic focus. In the anterior cortex of rats showing dominant electrographic spike activity on either side of the cortex, the glutamate-elicited accumulation of cyclic AMP was greater on the dominant side than on the other. In the anterior cortex of rats showing nearly equal spike activity on either side, the accumulation was greater on the side ipsilateral to the injection site than on the other. Different inhibitory effects of 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine on the elicitation of cyclic AMP accumulation by glutamate was observed in relation to the patterns of spike activity.</p

Effects of prolonged weak anodal direct current on electrocorticogram in awake rabbit.

The effects of prolonged weak anodal direct current (DC) on the electrocorticogram (ECoG) were investigated in awake rabbits. When the current (20-40 microA) was applied to the motor region of the cerebral cortex, seizure activity in the ECoG appeared from the frontal cortex. Repeated application of the DC decreased the threshold current for producing the seizure activity. Diazepam significantly elevated the threshold of the seizure activity. In contrast to the marked changes in the ECoG, no behavioral changes were observed during or after the application of weak anodal DC. The changes in the ECoG are discussed in relation to the intensity and duration of the DC.</p

Bioluminescence Microscopy: Design and Applications

Bioluminescence imaging by microscopy is performed using an ultra-low-light imaging camera. Although imaging devices such as sensor and camera have been greatly improved over time, such improvements have not been attained commercially which are available for microscopes now. We previously optimized the optical system of a microscope for bioluminescence imaging using a short-focal-length imaging lens and evaluated this system with a conventional color charge-coupled device camera. Here, we describe the concept of bioluminescence microscope design using a short-focal-length imaging lens and some representative applications, including intracellular calcium imaging, imaging of clock gene promoter assays, and three-dimensional reconstruction of Drosophila larva. This system facilitates the acquisition of bioluminescence images of single live cells using luciferase, which is similar to fluorescence microscopy using a fluorescent protein

Treatment of primary central nervous system lymphoma with induction of complement-dependent cytotoxicity by intraventricular administration of autologous-serum-supplemented rituximab

医薬保健研究域医学系We describe an immunocompetent 19-year-old man with CD20-positive primary central nervous system (CNS) lymphoma refractory to chemotherapy and irradiation. After intraventricular administration of rituximab, a chimeric anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody, supplemented with autologous serum, a remarkable response developed to the CNS parenchymal lymphoma. Cytotoxicity assays showed that untreated patient\u27s serum with rituximab, but not that of heat-inactivated patient\u27s serum with rituximab or rituximab alone, induced potent rituximab-mediated cytotoxicity against tumor cells in the patient\u27s cerebrospinal fluid, suggesting induction of complement-dependent cytotoxicity against CNS lymphoma. © 2006 Japanese Cancer Association

Repeated application of anodal direct current produces regional dominance in histamine-elicited cyclic AMP accumulation in rabbit cerebral cortex.

A unilateral 30-min application of anodal direct current to the promotor cortex of rabbits was repeated 10 times, and cyclic AMP accumulation in response to histamine was investigated in slices of different cortical areas. Polarization with 1.0 microA decreased the cyclic AMP accumulation in the cortical area contralateral to the polarization, by which regional dominance in cyclic AMP accumulation was produced in the polarized cortex. In contrast, the regional difference in cyclic AMP accumulation was reversed when 10.0 or 30.0 microA was applied. The histamine-elicited accumulation of cyclic AMP was almost completely inhibited by the selective H2-receptor antagonist cimetidine. These results suggest that repeated anodal polarization regionally alters H2-receptor-mediated cyclic AMP generation in the cortex depending on the intensity of the polarizing currents and this pattern of cyclic AMP accumulation is responsible for the characteristic motor behavior induced by anodal polarization.</p

Existence of the Wigner function with correct marginal distributions along tilted lines on a lattice

In order to determine the Wigner function uniquely, we introduce a new condition which ensures that the Wigner function has correct marginal distributions along tilted lines. For a system in $N$ dimensional Hilbert space, whose "phase space" is a lattice with $N^2$ sites, we get different results depending on whether $N$ is odd or even. Under the new condition, the Wigner function is determined if $N$ is an odd number, but it does not exist if $N$ is even.Comment: 18 page

The role of the corpus callosum in interhemispheric propagation of iron-induced epileptogenic activity in the rat.

In iron-induced epilepsy, partial section of the corpus callosum resulted in a decrease in rats showing dominant spike activity on the side of secondary focus and an increase in rats showing almost equal spike activity on the sides of primary and secondary focus in electrocorticograms (ECoGs). Changes in ECoG spike frequencies caused by sectioning the corpus callosum included an increase in unilateral spikes on the side of primary focus, a decrease in unilateral spikes on the side of secondary focus, and an increase in bilateral spikes appearing almost synchronously on both sides.</p

Clinicopathological characteristics of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis resulting in a totally locked-in state (communication Stage V)

In the present study, we performed a comprehensive analysis to clarify the clinicopathological characteristics of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) that had progressed to result in a totally locked-in state (communication Stage V), in which all voluntary movements are lost and communication is impossible. In 11 patients, six had phosphorylated TAR DNA-binding protein 43 (pTDP-43)-immunoreactive (ir) neuronal cytoplasmic inclusions (NCI), two had fused in sarcoma (FUS)-ir NCI, and three had copper/zinc superoxide dismutase (SOD1)-ir NCI. The time from ALS onset to the need for tracheostomy invasive ventilation was less than 24 months in ten patients. Regardless of accumulated protein, all the patients showed common lesions in the pallido-nigro-luysian system, brainstem reticular formation, and cerebellar efferent system, in addition to motor neurons. In patients with pTDP-43-ir NCI, patients with NCI in the hippocampal dentate granule neurons (DG) showed a neuronal loss in the cerebral cortex, and patients without NCI in DG showed a preserved cerebral cortex. By contrast, in patients with FUS-ir NCI, patients with NCI in DG showed a preserved cerebral cortex and patients without NCI in DG showed marked cerebral degeneration. The cerebral cortex of patients with SOD1-ir NCI was preserved. Together, these findings suggest that lesions of the cerebrum are probably not necessary for progression to Stage V. In conclusion, patients with ALS that had progressed to result in communication Stage V showed rapidly-progressed symptoms, and their common lesions could cause the manifestations of communication Stage V.ArticleACTA NEUROPATHOLOGICA COMMUNICATIONS.4:107(2016)journal articl