Isolation and Expression Profile of the Ca2+-Activated Chloride Channel-like Membrane Protein 6 Gene in Xenopus laevis

To clone the first anion channel from Xenopus laevis (X. laevis), we isolated a calcium-activated chloride channel (CLCA)-like membrane protein 6 gene (CMP6) in X. laevis. As a first step in gene isolation, an expressed sequence tags database was screened to find the partial cDNA fragment. A putative partial cDNA sequence was obtained by comparison with rat CLCAs identified in our laboratory. First stranded cDNA was synthesized by reverse transcription polymerase-chain reaction (RT-PCR) using a specific primer designed for the target cDNA. Repeating the 5' and 3' rapid amplification of cDNA ends, full-length cDNA was constructed from the cDNA pool. The full-length CMP6 cDNA completed via 5'- and 3'-RACE was 2,940 bp long and had an open reading frame (ORF) of 940 amino acids. The predicted 940 polypeptides have four major transmembrane domains and showed about 50% identity with that of rat brain CLCAs in our previously published data. Semi-quantification analysis revealed that CMP6 was most abundantly expressed in small intestine, colon and liver. However, all tissues except small intestine, colon and liver had undetectable levels. This result became more credible after we did real-time PCR quantification for the target gene. In view of all CLCA studies focused on human or murine channels, this finding suggests a hypothetical protein as an ion channel, an X. laevis CLCA

Evaluation of the brain activation induced by functional electrical stimulation and voluntary contraction using functional magnetic resonance imaging

BACKGROUND: To observe brain activation induced by functional electrical stimulation, voluntary contraction, and the combination of both using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). METHODS: Nineteen healthy young men were enrolled in the study. We employed a typical block design that consisted of three sessions: voluntary contraction only, functional electrical stimulation (FES)-induced wrist extension, and finally simultaneous voluntary and FES-induced movement. MRI acquisition was performed on a 3.0 T MR system. To investigate activation in each session, one-sample t-tests were performed after correcting for false discovery rate (FDR; p < 0.05). To compare FES-induced movement and combined contraction, a two-sample t-test was performed using a contrast map (p < 0.01). RESULTS: In the voluntary contraction alone condition, brain activation was observed in the contralateral primary motor cortex (MI), thalamus, bilateral supplementary motor area (SMA), primary sensory cortex (SI), secondary somatosensory motor cortex (SII), caudate, and cerebellum (mainly ipsilateral). During FES-induced wrist movement, brain activation was observed in the contralateral MI, SI, SMA, thalamus, ipsilateral SII, and cerebellum. During FES-induced movement combined with voluntary contraction, brain activation was found in the contralateral MI, anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), SMA, ipsilateral cerebellum, bilateral SII, and SI. The activated brain regions (number of voxels) of the MI, SI, cerebellum, and SMA were largest during voluntary contraction alone and smallest during FES alone. SII-activated brain regions were largest during voluntary contraction combined with FES and smallest during FES contraction alone. The brain activation extent (maximum t score) of the MI, SI, and SII was largest during voluntary contraction alone and smallest during FES alone. The brain activation extent of the cerebellum and SMA during voluntary contraction alone was similar during FES combined with voluntary contraction; however, cerebellum and SMA activation during FES movement alone was smaller than that of voluntary contraction alone or voluntary contraction combined with FES. Between FES movement alone and combined contraction, activated regions and extent due to combined contraction was significantly higher than that of FES movement alone in the ipsilateral cerebellum and the contralateral MI and SI. CONCLUSIONS: Voluntary contraction combined with FES may be more effective for brain activation than FES-only movements for rehabilitation therapy. In addition, voluntary effort is the most important factor in the therapeutic process

Primary Intramedullary Neuroblastoma in Adult

Primary neuroblastoma in the central nervous system(CNS) is unusual tumor in adult, and primary intramedullary neuroblastoma is extremely rare. The authors report a case of 36-year-old woman presenting with pain in the right anterior chest wall and weakness of the right lower extremity. An upper thoracic intraspinal mass was revealed on magnetic resonance image. On operation, the demarcation plane of the tumor was good and enabled a total removal of the subpially located intramedullary mass. Histopathological examination revealed neuroblastoma. After surgery with whole spinal irradiation, the patient was followed up for one year. There was no evidence of local recurrence radiologically and clinically. However fifteen months after the surgery, multiple metastases to the breast, lung, Iioer and brain occurred

Effects of Glycyrrhizae Radix Pharmacopuncture Intravenous Injection on Ischemia-induced Acute Renal Failure in Rabbits

Objectives: The present study was undergone to determine whether Glycyrrhizae Radix pharmacopuncture intravenous injection exerts beneficial effect against the ischemia-induced acute renal failure in rabbits. Methods: Rabbits were treated with Glycyrrhizae Radix pharmacopuncture via i.v., followed by renal ischemia/reperfusion. The fractional excretion of glucose and phosphate were measured and the malondialdehyde content was also determined. The morphological changes of cortical part of kidney also observed with light microscope. Results: Renal ischemia/reperfusion caused increase of the fractional excretion of glucose and phosphate in ischemia-induced animals, which was prevented by Radix Glycyrrhizae extract treatment. Ischemia/reperfusion increased lipid peroxidation, which was prevented and morphological changes also altered by Radix Glycyrrhizae pharmacopuncture administration. Conclusions: These results indicate that lipid peroxidation plays a critical role in ischemia-induced acute renal failure and Glycyrrhizae Radix pharmacopuncture exerts the protective effect against acute renal failure induced by renal ischemia/reperfusion

Prognostic Significance of Multidrug Resistance Gene 1 (MDR1), Multidrug Resistance-related Protein (MRP) and Lung Resistance Protein (LRP) mRNA Expression in Acute Leukemia

The prognostic significance of multidrug resistance (MDR) gene expression is controversial. We investigated whether multidrug resistance gene 1 (MDR1), multidrug resistance-related protein (MRP) and lung resistance protein (LRP) mRNA expression are associated with outcomes in acute leukemia patients. At diagnosis we examined MDR1, MRP and LRP mRNA expression in bone marrow samples from 71 acute leukemia patients (39 myeloid, 32 lymphoblastic) using nested RT-PCR. The expression of each of these genes was then expressed as a ratio in relation to β-actin gene expression, and the three genes were categorized as being either 0, 1+, 2+ or 3+. MDR1, MRP and LRP mRNA expression was detected in 23.9%, 83.1% and 45.1%, respectively. LRP mRNA expression was significantly associated with resistance to induction chemotherapy in acute leukemia patients, and in the AML proportion (p=0.02 and p=0.03, respectively). MRP and high MDR1 mRNA expression was associated with poorer 2-yr survival (p=0.049 and p=0.04, respectively). Patients expressing both MRP and LRP mRNA had poorer outcomes and had worse 2-yr survival. The present data suggest that MDR expression affects complete remission and survival rates in acute leukemia patients. Thus, determination of MDR gene expression at diagnosis appears likely to provide useful prognostic information for acute leukemia patients

Subfrontal Neurilemmoma:A Case Report and Review of the Literature

A subfrontal neurilemmoma in a 22-year-old man is reported and the relevant literature is reviewed. Neurilommoma in the subfrontal location is very rare and the precise origin of this tumor still remains uncertain in spite of several suggestions such as the olfactory bulb, the perivascular nerve plexus, the mesodermal pial cell, the meningeal branch of the trigeminal nerve, and the anterior ethmoidal nerve. In our case, the olfactory bulb or tract could be excluded as an origin because the tumor was not attached to those structures and olfactory function was entirely restored after operation. The meningeal branch of the trigeminal nerve is considered as the origin in our case

The effect of meditation on brain structure: cortical thickness mapping and diffusion tensor imaging

A convergent line of neuroscientific evidence suggests that meditation alters the functional and structural plasticity of distributed neural processes underlying attention and emotion. The purpose of this study was to examine the brain structural differences between a well-matched sample of long-term meditators and controls. We employed whole-brain cortical thickness analysis based on magnetic resonance imaging, and diffusion tensor imaging to quantify white matter integrity in the brains of 46 experienced meditators compared with 46 matched meditation-naïve volunteers. Meditators, compared with controls, showed significantly greater cortical thickness in the anterior regions of the brain, located in frontal and temporal areas, including the medial prefrontal cortex, superior frontal cortex, temporal pole and the middle and interior temporal cortices. Significantly thinner cortical thickness was found in the posterior regions of the brain, located in the parietal and occipital areas, including the postcentral cortex, inferior parietal cortex, middle occipital cortex and posterior cingulate cortex. Moreover, in the region adjacent to the medial prefrontal cortex, both higher fractional anisotropy values and greater cortical thickness were observed. Our findings suggest that long-term meditators have structural differences in both gray and white matter

High peak inspiratory pressure may be associated with intraoperative coughing during neurosurgery under general anesthesia without neuromuscular blockade: a retrospective study

Background The endotracheal cuff pressure depends on the airway pressure during positive-pressure ventilation. A high endotracheal cuff pressure may be related to intraoperative coughing, which can be detrimental during neurosurgery. We investigated the incidence of intraoperative coughing and its association with peak inspiratory pressure (PIP) during neurosurgery under general anesthesia without neuromuscular blockade. Methods This retrospective study divided 1656 neurosurgical patients who underwent total intravenous anesthesia without additional neuromuscular blockade after tracheal intubation into high (PIP > 21.6 cmH2O, n = 318) and low (PIP ≤ 21.6 cmH2O, n = 1338) PIP groups. After propensity score matching, 206 patients were selected in each group. Demographic, preoperative, surgical, and anesthetic data were collected retrospectively from electronic medical records and continuous ventilator, infusion pump, and bispectral index data from a data registry. Results Intraoperative coughing occurred in 30 (1.8%) patients, including 9 (0.5%) during the main surgical procedure. Intraoperative coughing was more frequent in the high PIP group than in the low PIP group before (14/318 [4.4%] vs. 16/1338 [1.2%], P < 0.001) and after (13/206 [6.3%] vs. 1/206 [0.5%], P = 0.003) propensity score matching. In multivariable logistic regression analysis after propensity score matching, a high PIP (odds ratio [95% confidence interval] 14.22 [1.81-111.73], P = 0.012), tidal volume divided by predicted body weight (mL/kg, 1.36 [1.09–1.69], P = 0.006), and surgical duration (min, 1.01 [1.00–1.01], P = 0.025) predicted intraoperative coughing. Conclusion The incidence of intraoperative coughing was 1.8% in neurosurgical patients undergoing general anesthesia without neuromuscular blockade and might be associated with a high PIP