The Tohoku journal of experimental medicine
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Tohoku J. Exp. Med. · Dec 1987
Case ReportsCervical catecholamine-secreting paraganglioma in the pterygopalatine fossa.
A 25-year-old man was admitted for examination to determine the cause of hypertension. High levels of noradrenaline in plasma and urine were seen, suggesting that the patient had an adrenal or extra-adrenal pheochromocytoma. However, whole-body scintigraphy using the isotope of [131I] meta-iodo-benzylguanidine (131I-MIBG) failed to find the presence of a catecholamine-secreting tumor. ⋯ After surgical removal of the tumor, high blood pressure and the levels of noradrenaline in plasma and urine were significantly decreased. Histopathological diagnosis was paraganglioma (catecholamine-secreting paraganglioma). The patient with cervical catecholamine-secreting paraganglioma is the first case where the tumor was isolated and located in the pterygopalatine fossa.
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Tohoku J. Exp. Med. · Jun 1987
Epidemiology of renal tubular dysfunction in the inhabitants of a cadmium-polluted area in the Jinzu River basin in Toyama Prefecture.
Urinary beta 2-microglobulin (beta 2-m), alpha 1-microglobulin (alpha 1-m), amino-nitrogen, glucose, calcium, phosphorus, cadmium concentrations, and pH values were analyzed in urine samples from 187 females aged 55-66 years in the Jinzu River basin, which is known to be a cadmium-polluted area, and from 32 controls living in two adjacent reference areas in 1983-1984. Mean urinary beta 2-m, alpha 1-m, amino-nitrogen, glucose, cadmium concentrations and pH values in the inhabitants of the Jinzu River basin were significantly higher than those in the adjacent reference areas. ⋯ Mean cadmium concentrations in rice (mean: 0.32-0.57 ppm) which has been daily consumed by the inhabitants of the Jinzu River basin were significantly higher than those in the reference areas (mean: 0.12-0.13 ppm). The close relationship between cadmium exposure and the degree of renal tubular dysfunction was well demonstrated by principal component analysis.
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Tohoku J. Exp. Med. · Apr 1987
Colonic motility, autonomic function, and gastrointestinal hormones under psychological stress on irritable bowel syndrome.
Effects of an artificial mental stress on colonic motility, autonomic nervous system, and gastrointestinal hormones were examined in patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). The subjects were 20 patients with typical IBS and 12 controls. A transducer was inserted to the sigmoid colon from the anus for measuring colonic intraluminal pressure, and mirror drawing test was loaded as psychological stress. ⋯ CV-RR and motilin revealed positive relationship with colonic motility alteration in the IBS patients although no significant change was detected in controls. These phenomena are thought to be due to autonomic nervous dysfunction and/or gastrointestinal hormonal derrangments induced by psychological stress. It is suggested that organ specificity of the alimentary tract for the stress exists in this disease.
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Tohoku J. Exp. Med. · Jun 1986
Comparative StudyDetermination of safe interval of circulatory arrest from the cerebral metabolic aspect.
To determine the safe interval of hypothermic total circulatory arrest, the cerebral metabolic state was evaluated in 30 dogs. Surface cooling was achieved by deep ether anesthesia and the animals were assigned to three equal groups. Group I: 30 min circulatory arrest and surface rewarming. ⋯ On the other hand, after 60 min circulatory arrest, the recovery of cerebral metabolism was delayed in Group II and organic failure might have occurred in this group. However, even after circulatory arrest for 60 min, cerebral metabolism was recovered in Group III. The safe period of circulatory arrest is considered to be prolonged by use of extra-corporeal circulation.
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Tohoku J. Exp. Med. · May 1985
Invasion of Haemophilus influenzae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa in humans.
Levels of serum IgG antibodies to somatic antigens of Haemophilus influenzae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were determined in 127 healthy people, 37 patients with chronic bronchitis and 20 patients with bronchiectasis by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The logarithmic mean titers of antibodies to Haemophilus influenzae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were significantly higher in the patients with chronic bronchitis and bronchiectasis than in healthy people. The invasion rate of Haemophilus influenzae was identical in healthy people, chronic bronchitis and bronchiectasis, while that of Pseudomonas aeruginosa was significantly lower in healthy people than in chronic bronchitis and bronchiectasis patients. These results indicate that patients with chronic bronchitis and bronchiectasis may often have recurrence and are easily infected because of lowered defense mechanisms in the respiratory tract.