Urinary Retention as an Initial Symptom of Acute Meningo-Encephalo-Radiculitis in Epstein-Barr Virus Infection

A 48-year-old man presented with urinary retention followed by disturbance of consciousness, areflexia, ophthalmoplegia, muscle weakness, and atrophy. Epstein-Barr virus DNA by PCR was positive in his cerebrospinal fluid. The cerebrospinal fluid revealed elevated myelin basic protein and an oligoclonal band. Magnetic resonance imaging showed high signal intensity in the pons, basal ganglia, and cerebral white matter on T2-weighted imaging and fluid-attenuated inversion recovery imaging. His consciousness, ophthalmoplegia, and muscle weakness almost full recovered. In this patient, the inflammation is thought to have begun as sacral radiculitis, and then extended to encephalitis, and brachial and lumbar radiculoneuritis

Meteorological observations at Syowa Station in 1987 by the 28th Japanese Antarctic Research Expedition

This paper describes the results of meteorological observations (mainly surface, upper air and ozone) from 1 February 1987 to 31 January 1988 at Syowa Station, carried out by Meteorological Observation Team of the 28th Japanese Antarctic Research Expedition. Observations and statistics of the surface and aerological data were automatically processed with the AMOS (Automated Meteorological Observation System), same as by the 27th Observation Team. Special observations of ozone were done for the ozone-hole phenomenon, using Dobson spectrophotometer and ozonesondes. Remarkable characteristics are as follows : 1) The monthly mean temperatures of all seasons except winter are higher than the normal temperature. The monthly mean wind speeds of all seasons except winter were high, especialy in November 1987 when the strongest wind was recorded. 2) Fourteen blizzards were encountered, but no blizzards from mid-June to mid-September 1987. The number and the days of blizzard in 1987 were the least record. 3) At troposphere, temperature was almost over the normal. At stratosphere, temperature was almost lower than normal and especialy from October to November the difference reached 10℃. Polar night jet stream ended in December, while normally changing in November. 4) Total ozone was depressed extraordinarily and reached 153m atm-cm on 8 October 1987. The ozone layer was separated into two peaks and between them the ozone-poor layer appeared

Clinical outcomes of sigmoid colon volvulus: identification of the factors associated with successful endoscopic detorsion

Background/Aims: Although multiple treatment options exist for the management of sigmoid colon volvulus, no study has examined the factors associated with successful endoscopic detorsion. This study aimed to examine the clinical course of patients with sigmoid colon volvulus and to identify factors related to successful endoscopic detorsion.Methods: This study included 30 cases (21 patients) of sigmoid volvulus from among 545 cases of intestinal obstruction at a single center. We retrospectively examined the clinical course and the factors associated with the possibility of endoscopic detorsion of sigmoid colon volvulus.Results: The rate of laxative use among the study participants was 76.2%; the rate of comorbid neuropsychiatric disorders was 61.9%; and 57.1% of patients had a history of open abdominal surgery. All patients were initially treated with endoscopic detorsion, and this procedure had a 61.9% success rate. The recurrence rate after detorsion was as high as 46.2%, but detorsion during revision endoscopy was possible in all cases. Statistical analysis revealed that the absence of abdominal tenderness (P=0.027), the use of laxatives (P=0.027), and a history of open abdominal surgery (P=0.032) were factors predictive of successful endoscopic detorsion.Conclusions: The results of our study are consistent with previous reports with respect to the success rate of endoscopic detorsion, the subsequent recurrence rate, and the proportion of patients requiring surgical treatment. In addition, we identified the absence of abdominal tenderness, the use of laxatives, and history of open abdominal surgery as factors predicting successful endoscopic detorsion of sigmoid colon volvulus

Location of an inducible nitric oxide synthase mRNA in the normal kidney

Location of an inducible nitric oxide synthase mRNA in the normal kidney. An inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) mRNA was found primarily in the outer medulla of normal rat kidney. Identification of the mRNA was based upon the specificity of the oligonucleotide primers used for PCR amplification, PCR-Southern blot analysis and the nucleic acid sequence of the cloned PCR product. In addition to the outer medulla, glomeruli prepared from normal rat kidney contained significant amounts of an iNOS mRNA. These results suggest that there may be tonic influences in the outer medulla of the normal rat kidney resulting in the “steady-state” presence of an iNOS mRNA. Cortical tubules and the inner medulla were found to contain detectable but lesser amounts of the iNOS mRNA. The outer medulla was microdis-sected into proximal straight tubule (PST), medullary thick ascending limb (MTAL), medullary collecting duct (MCD) and vasa recta bundle (VRB). The iNOS mRNA was found primarily in the MTAL with minor amounts in the MCD and VRB of normal rat kidney. Animals were injected with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and sacrificed 24 hours later. Treatment with LPS caused at least a 20-fold increase in the amount of iNOS mRNA in the liver or in macrophages isolated from the peritoneum. Endotoxin treatment led to over a 10-fold increase in iNOS mRNA content in glomeruli and the inner medulla. The iNOS mRNA level of the outer medulla was increased two- to threefold due to LPS treatment

Efficacy and safety of endoscopic procedures for common bile duct stones in patients aged 85 years or older: A retrospective study.

The Endoscopic procedures for common bile duct (CBD) stones are reportedly safe in the elderly patients. However, the definition of the elderly is different in each report. If the elderly are defined as people aged 85 years or older, data on the effectiveness and safety of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) for CBD stones are limited. This study investigated the efficacy and safety of endoscopic procedures for CBD stones in patients aged 85 years or older. 1,016 consecutive ERCP procedures were performed at our institution from January 2009 to December 2014. Of these, 235 cases with CBD stones were finally analyzed. Group A patients were younger than 85 years and Group B patients were 85 years or older. Patient background, details of endoscopic therapy, complications, and related factors were retrospectively reviewed for 185 cases in Group A, and 50 cases in Group B. Patients in Group B showed high rates of dementia and cerebrovascular disorders and larger CBD stones and diameters, in comparison with patients in Group A. The complete removal rate of bile duct stones was slightly higher in Group A. However, there was no difference between the two groups in recurrence rate of CBD stones, complication and mortality rates, and length and cost of hospitalization. Despite some differences between the two groups, endoscopic procedures for CBD stones in patients aged 85 years or older can be performed effectively and safely without increasing medical costs

OZONE OBSERVATIONS AT SYOWA STATION FROM FEBRUARY 1987 TO JANUARY 1988

Procedures and results of ozone observations at Syowa Station, East Antarctica, during the period from February 1987 to January 1988 are reported. The annual change of total ozone observed by a Dobson spectrophotometer shows remarkable depression in early October. The depression rate was about 50% of the normal value. The vertical distribution of ozone by chemical ozone sonde revealed that the total ozone depression results mainly from ozone decrease in the lower stratosphere

ダイ 28 ジ ナンキョク チイキ カンソク タイ キショウ ブモン ホウコク 1987

この報告は, 第28次南極地域観測隊越冬隊気象部門が, 1987年2月1日から1988年1月31日までの期間, 昭和基地において行った気象観測(主として地上, 高層およびオゾン観測)の結果をまとめたものである。観測方法, 設備などは第27次観測隊とほぼ同じである。総合自動気象観測装置(AMOS)による地上および高層気象観測, 統計は順調に行われた, オゾンホール現象解明のため, ドブソン分光光度計およびオゾンゾンデによるオゾン観測を強化した。越冬期間中特記される気象現象としては, 次のものがあげられる。1)冬期間を除いて月平均気温は平年より高かった。また, 風は冬期間を除いて強く, 11月の平均風速はこれまでで最大となった。2)ブリザードは14回襲来したが, 6月中旬から9月中旬にかけてはブリザードがなかった。年間ブリザード回数および日数はこれまでの最少となった。3)対流圏の気温はほぼ平年より高く経過した。成層圏の気温は全般に平年より低く, 特に10月から11月にかけては平年を10℃も下回る層があった。極夜ジェットが弱まるのは通常は11月であるのに, 1ヵ月おくれて12月となった。4)オゾン全量は異常に減少し, 10月8日には153m atm-cmとこれまでの最少値を記録した。このとき成層圏下部のオゾン層の中間部分にオゾンがほとんどない層が出現した。This paper describes the results of meteorological observations (mainly surface, upper air and ozone) from 1 February 1987 to 31 January 1988 at Syowa Station, carried out by Meteorological Observation Team of the 28th Japanese Antarctic Research Expedition. Observations and statistics of the surface and aerological data were automatically processed with the AMOS (Automated Meteorological Observation System), same as by the 27th Observation Team. Special observations of ozone were done for the ozone-hole phenomenon, using Dobson spectrophotometer and ozonesondes. Remarkable characteristics are as follows : 1) The monthly mean temperatures of all seasons except winter are higher than the normal temperature. The monthly mean wind speeds of all seasons except winter were high, especialy in November 1987 when the strongest wind was recorded. 2) Fourteen blizzards were encountered, but no blizzards from mid-June to mid-September 1987. The number and the days of blizzard in 1987 were the least record. 3) At troposphere, temperature was almost over the normal. At stratosphere, temperature was almost lower than normal and especialy from October to November the difference reached 10℃. Polar night jet stream ended in December, while normally changing in November. 4) Total ozone was depressed extraordinarily and reached 153m atm-cm on 8 October 1987. The ozone layer was separated into two peaks and between them the ozone-poor layer appeared