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The relationship of cigarette smoking with blood pressure and serum lipids and lipoproteins was studied in the 3934 middle-aged women aged 40 to 59 years. After adjusting age, body mass index (BMI), alcohol intake and physical activity scores, the mean systolic and diastolic blood pressures (SBP and DEP, respectively) did not indicate dose-dependent relationships. The largest significant mean differences in SBP (4.6 mmHg), DBP (3.9 mmHg), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) (9.6 mg/dL), ratio of total cholesterol to HDL-C (TC/HDL-C) (0.8), triglycerides (TG) (22.9 mg/dL) and the logarithmic transformation of TG (Log TG) (0.26) were found between the non-smokers and smokers. When age, BMI, alcohol intake and physical activity scores were included in the forward stepwise multiple regression analyses, there were negative relationships found for cigarette smoking and SBP, DBP and HDL-C and positive relationships for cigarette smoking and TC/HDL-C, TG, Log TG and low density lipoprotein cholesterol. Although the results are somewhat variable, the present study shows cigarette smoking is negatively associated with SBP and DBP and unfavorably associated with serum lipids and lipoproteins in middle-aged women.

Optical purity (enantiomeric excess: ee) of organic amine salts such as 1-(1-naphthyl)ethylamine hydrochloride was determined by FAB mass spectrometry using a deuterium-labeled/unlabeled enantiomer pair of a newly synthesized saccharide derivative (DD-Gal2deg/LL-Gal2deg-d24), podands.

Object. It is known that the spinal cord can sustain traumatic injury without associated injury of the spinal column in some conditions, such as a flexible spinal column or preexisting narrowed spinal canal. The purpose of this study was to characterize the clinical features and to understand the mechanisms in cases of acute cervical cord injury in which fracture or dislocation of the cervical spine has not occurred. Methods. Eighty-nine patients who sustained an acute cervical cord injury were treated in our hospitals between 1990 and 1998. In 42 patients (47%) no bone injuries of the cervical spine were demonstrated, and this group was retrospectively analyzed. There were 35 men and seven women, aged 19 to 81 years (mean 58.9 years). The initial neurological examination indicated complete injury in five patients, whereas incomplete injury was demonstrated in 37. In the majority of the patients (90%) the authors found degenerative changes of the cervical spine such as spondylosis (22 cases) or ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (16 cases). The mean sagittal diameter of the cervical spinal canal, as measured on computerized tomography scans, was significantly narrower than that obtained in the control patients. Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging revealed spinal cord compression in 93% and paravertebral soft-tissue injuries in 58% of the patients. Conclusions. Degenerative changes of the cervical spine and developmental narrowing of the spinal canal are important preexisting factors. In the acute stage MR imaging is useful to understand the level and mechanisms of spinal cord injury. The fact that a significant number of the patients were found to have spinal cord compression despite the absence of bone injuries of the spinal column indicates that future investigations into surgical treatment of this type of injury are necessary.

The purpose of this study was to examine whether each exercise and an entire karate training session can achieve: 1) accepted training intensity thresholds for effective aerobic capacity training, 2) energy expenditure (EE) thresholds for total body mass and fat weight loss, and 3) elevation in excess postexercise oxygen consumption (EPOC).We investigated physiological responses during five types of karate training: basic techniques without (S-Basics) and with (M-Basics) movements, sparring techniques without (TECH I) and with (TECH II) an opponent, and kata.The mean percent of maximal oxygen uptake (%VO2max) and HR (%HRmax) for S-Basics were below the accepted threshold (60% of HRmax or 50% of VO2max) and for M-Basics, TECH I and TECH II were above the threshold for increasing VO2max. For kata and the entire 70 min of karate training, the mean %HRmax were slightly above the threshold, and %VO2max were slightly below the threshold. The mean EPOC measured for 5 min immediately following 70 min of karate training did not differ from the resting VO2. The mean EE resulting from 70 min of karate exercise and EPOC were 2355.4+/-316.3 kJ and 38.8+/-32.7 kJ, respectively.Although the training intensity of karate exercises studied was moderate and the effects of karate training on EPOC were minimal, the mean value of EE was well above the accepted threshold for total body mass and fat weight loss.

A method was developed for administering intrathecal pharmacotherapy in a rat model of spinal cord injury. The effects of intrathecal administration of nimodipine on spinal cord blood flow (SCBF) and evoked potentials (EPs) were measured in the normal and injured spinal cord. It had previously been shown that systemic nimodipine caused severe hypotension after spinal cord injury. After baseline SCBF and EPs, 15 uninjured rats were blindly allocated to one of three groups: one placebo group (n = 5); and two groups with intrathecal nimodipine, 0.05 mg/kg (n = 5), or 0.2 mg/kg (n = 5). Ten other rats received a 35 g acute clip compression injury of the spinal cord for 1 minute and, were allocated to one of two groups: placebo (n = 5); and intrathecal nimodipine 0.05 mg/kg (n = 5) given 60 min after injury. In the uninjured groups, neither 0.05 nor 0.2 mg/kg of nimodipine increased SCBF during, or 30 min after, intrathecal infusion. However, the mean arterial blood pressure (MABP) decreased significantly to 69.73.1% after the infusion of 0.2 mg/kg nimodipine and did not recover by 98 min. In all three groups of uninjured rats, the amplitude of the cerebellar EP was decreased 30 min after infusion. After spinal cord injury, there were significant decreases in MABP, SCBF and EP amplitude in both placebo and treatment groups, but there was no therapeutic benefit from nimodipine. Thus, intrathecal infusion of nimodipine did not prevent the hypotension encountered with systemic administration and exerted no beneficial effect on SCBF or EPs after acute spinal cord injury.

1. The relationship of cigarette smoking to blood pressure and serum lipids and lipoproteins was studied in 7608 men, ranging from 40 to 59 years of age. Analyses were performed separately for non-drinkers and drinkers. 2. After adjusting age and body mass index (BMI) in non-drinkers and age, BMI and alcohol intake in drinkers in forward stepwise multiple regression analysis, there was a dose-dependent negative relationship between cigarette smoking and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), regardless of drinking habit. There was a dose-dependent positive relationship between cigarette smoking and the ratio of total cholesterol (TC) to HDL-C (TC:HDL-C) in non-drinkers, but not in drinkers. There was a dose-dependent negative relationship between cigarette smoking and TC and a positive relationship between cigarette smoking and triglycerides (TG) in drinkers, but not in non-drinkers. 3. After matching age and BMI in non-drinkers, subjects who smoked more than 30 cigarettes/day had significantly lower mean values of systolic blood pressure (SBP; 4.3%; P < 0.05), DBP (3.0%; P < 0.01) and HDL-C (15.5%; P < 0.01) and higher mean values of TC:HDL-C (25.0%; P < 0.01), TG (46.8%; P < 0.01) and beta-lipoprotein (12.0%; P < 0.01) than non-smokers. In drinkers, after matching age, BMI, and alcohol intake, subjects who smoked more than 30 cigarettes/day had significantly lower mean values of SBP (2.8%; P < 0.05), DBP (4.8%; P < 0.01), HDL-C (17.3%; P < 0.01) and TC (4.4%; P < 0.01) and higher mean values of TC:HDL-C (15.4%; P < 0.01) and TG (45.1%; P < 0.01) than non-smokers. 4. Although the results are somewhat variable, the present study reveals that cigarette smoking is negatively associated with SBP and DBP and unfavourably associated with lipids and lipoproteins, regardless of drinking habit.

The epidemiology of syringomyelia with Chiari type I deformity was investigated with particular reference to perinatal problems. All subjects in our study were born by vaginal delivery and had a high incidence of perinatal accidents (abnormal presentations, birth injuries, and neonatal asphyxia). This study suggests that these may be strong causative factors for syringomyelia associated with Chiari type I deformity.

The purpose of this study was to examine the value of maximal oxygen intake per kilogram body weight (VO2max/wt) recommended for women between 20 and 29 years of age by the Ministry of Public Welfare. The subjects were 199 female college students, who were not in the habit of drinking and smoking. Results obtained were as follows: After controlling the effects of age and percent body fat (%fat), VO2max/wt showed a significant correlations with %fat, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and systolic blood pressure. The values of VO2max/wt corresponding to borderline values of these CHD risk factors ranged from 27.6 to 29.5ml/kg.min. The highest value of VO2max/wt was very close to the value recommended for women older than 60 years of age by the Ministry of Public Welfare. The subjects were then divided into 4 groups; at above and below the value of VO2max/wt (35ml/kg.min) recommended for women between 20 and 29 years of age, and at above and below the value of VO2max/wt (31ml/kg.min) recommended for women older than 60 years of age by the Ministry of Public Welfare. There were no significant differences among 4 groups in occurrence of abnormal values in CHD risk factors. The results of this study support the validity of the value of VO2max/wt (31ml/kg.min) recommended for women older than 60 years of age by the Ministry of Public Welfare. However, it seems that it is not necessary to recommend the value of VO2max/wt (35ml/kg.min) for women between 20 and 29 years of age, who were not in the habit of drinking and smoking.

✓ An experimental model was devised to elucidate the role of spinal blockade in posttraumatic syringomyelia. Thirty-eight Japanese White rabbits, each weighing about 3 kg, were used in this study. The animals were divided into four groups: in Group 1, eight animals received traumatic injury only; in Group 2, 12 animals received traumatic injury following injection of 100 mg kaolin suspended in 1 cc normal saline solution into the subarachnoid space at the site of trauma; in Group 3, nine animals received traumatic injury following injection of 200 mg kaolin in 1 cc normal saline solution into the subarachnoid space at the site of trauma; and in Group 4, nine animals without traumatic injury received an injection of 200 mg kaolin in 1 cc normal saline solution into the subarachnoid space. The subjective criteria for syrinx formation were the presence of a definite round cyst having a smooth margin and an upper or lower extension of more than 2 cm from the injured site. Syrinx formation was seen in 12.5% (one of eight rabbits) in Group 1, 41.7% (five of 12 animals) in Group 2, 55.5% (five of nine rabbits) in Group 3 and 0% (none of nine animals) in Group 4 (p < 0.05). There was a tendency for the combined trauma/kaolin injection groups to be more prone to develop a syrinx. In the kaolin injection only group (Group 4), no animal showed a definite cyst or an extending cavity during the experimental period. The results suggest that kaolin enhances the extension of multiple small cavities that have already formed at the time of initial injury. The difference between the frequency of syrinx formation and the time of survival was statistically significant well beyond the 0.05% level. The overall difference, relating to the frequency of syrinx development, group, and duration of survival, was also statistically significant. In summary, subarachnoid block secondary to adhesive arachnoiditis is important in initiating the extension of the syringomyelia cavity.

The effect of methylpredonisolone (MP) on spinal cord blood flow (SCBF) was investigated after spinal cord clipping injury in rats. The injury was produced at T7/8 level by clipping force of 140g for 3 seconds, which resulted in transient paraplegia but 50% recovery of motor function in 3 weeks after injury. MP or saline was injected at 30 minutes after injury, and SCBF was measured by 14C-iodoantipyrine autoradiography at 2 hours after injury.

The magnetic resonance (MR) appearance of a spontaneous dissection of the cervical internal carotid artery (ICA) in a 53-year-old male is described. Cerebral angiograms demonstrated a long-segment stenosis of the left cervical ICA beginning above the common carotid bifurcation and extending to the skull base (“string sign”). T1-, T2-, and proton density-weighted MR images of the upper neck revealed a high-intensity crescent mass expanding the arterial wall and narrowing the arterial lumen of the left ICA. This high-intensity mass was considered to represent the mural hematoma of the involved ICA. Gradual improvement of the dissection was confirmed by both angiography and MR imaging. Cerebral angiograms have shown pathognomonic findings such as double lumen and intimal flap in only some patients with ICA dissection. Our experience suggests that MR demonstration of the mural hematoma is specific and important for diagnosis and follow-up in cases of spontaneous dissection of the cervical ICA.

A cavernous angioma of the cerebellum occurred in a 55-year-old female presenting with a 3-year history of slowly progressive cerebellar signs and symptoms. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging revealed a lesion in the left cerebellar nuclei and atrophic change of the affected cerebellar hemisphere. The final diagnosis was made at operation. The cerebellar nuclei and white matter were probably affected by the slowly expanding lesion, with repeated hemorrhage leading to degeneration of the afferent and efferent fibers, and subsequent atrophy of the affected cerebellar hemisphere.

Two cases of true posterior communicating artery (PcomA) aneurysm are described. A 27-year-old female with subarachnoid hemorrhage demonstrated a saccular aneurysm at the branch of the anterior choroidal artery from the PcomA. The aneurysm was successfully clipped. A 23-year-old male involved in an automobile accident suffered from traumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage. Computed tomography 10 weeks after head injury demonstrated a high-density mass in the right parasellar region, diagnosed as a traumatic aneurysm arising from the PcomA. The aneurysm was successfully clipped. Histological examination demonstrated findings consistent with true aneurysm.

Optical purity (enantiomeric excess: ee) of organic amine salts such as 1-(1-naphthyl)ethylamine hydrochloride was determined by FAB mass spectrometry using a deuterium-labeled/unlabeled enantiomer pair of a newly synthesized saccharide derivative (DD-Gal2deg/LL-Gal2deg-d24), podands.

B-mode real-time ultrasonography using linear and sector scanning probes of 5 or 7.5 MHz was applied during 17 operations for the following spinal cord lesions: five syringomyelias, one arachnoid cyst, eight intramedullary tumors (three benign astrocytomas, three hemangioblastomas, one ependymoma, and one subependymoma), one intradural extramedullary tumor (neurinoma), and two lipomas with spina bifida. Preoperative computed tomography (CT) scan was performed with a Somatom II scanner. Following laminectomy the wound was filled with a sterile solution and scanning was performed through this “water path” before the dura was opened. Five of eight intramedullary tumors (one benign astrocytoma, one subependymoma, two hemangioblastomas, and one ependymoma) were enhanced on CT, whereas three (two benign astrocytomas and one hemangioblastoma) were not enhanced. Three lesions (two hemangioblastomas and one ependymoma) were hyperechoic on intraoperative spinal sonography (IOSS), while five (three benign astrocytomas, one subependymoma, and one hemangioblastoma) were isoechoic. One intradural extramedullary tumor (neurinoma) was enhanced on CT and hyperechoic on IOSS. Two lipomas showed low density on CT but were hyperechoic on IOSS. Ten of 13 syrinxes or cysts (five syringomyelias, one arachnoid cyst, one benign astrocytoma, one subependymoma, one hemangioblastoma, and one ependymoma) were identified with CT, but three (one benign astrocytoma and two hemangioblastomas) were not defined. Twelve of these 13 lesions were anechoic on IOSS, and multiple cysts were detected. One cyst that was identified with IOSS had not been identified preoperatively. Masses and cysts were visualized more clearly with the 7.5 MHz transducer than with the 5 MHz transducer. However, one very small lesion was not detected, and the probe is large. Therefore, a transducer of higher frequency should be developed for the spinal cord. IOSS is noninvasive and demonstrates the precise size and location of the lesion in real time, so the lesion can be approached with minimum damage to the spinal cord. This technique is extremely useful and should be applied in all surgery for spinal cord lesions.

Treatment of guaiacylglycerol- and guaiacylpropanediol-β-(2-methoxyphenyl) ethers at 160 C in 50 % alcohol containing magnesium bisulfite was found to cleave the β-aryl ether linkages in these compounds to form isoeugenol and/or eugenol in up to 60 % yield as well as comparable yields of guaiacol. The linkage in a nonphenolic model was not cleaved to a discernible extent. Both an alcohol and bisulfite were essential for this reductive cleavage which proceeded efficiently in ethanol and isopropanol but not efficiently in methanol, t-butanol or dioxane. Magnesium was a better base than sodium for the reaction. Coniferyl alcohol was proposed to be an intermediate compound of this cleavage reaction which reasonably explains the formation of isoeugenol and eugenol from wood during the alcohol bisulfite pulping process.

In order to clalify the effects of agitation rate on the oxygen delignification of white birch Asplund pulp, the relationship between the change of oxygen content in a cooking liquor during the course of cooking under a constant oxygen pressure and Kappa number of the pulp was investigated.The rapid consumption of oxygen dissolved in cooking liquor resulted from the significant increase in the delignification rate during the early stage by the addition of Co-salen [Cobalt (II) Bis-(salicylidene)-ethylenediamine] as a oxidizing catalyst.(Table I and Fig. 3). Thus, the dissolved oxygen content decreased, and the pulp was under oxygen shortage temporarily in the case of the agitation rate below 300rpm.(Fig. 2). But the delignification rate was slowed down during the late stage of cooking, compared with the early stage, and the consumption of oxygen was decreased simultaneously.(Fig. 3). The oxygen content in cooking liquor was increased cosequently and kept constant at various levels during the late stage.(Fig. 2).Therefore, it needed a high agitation rate to compensate for the rapid consumption of oxygen during the early stage of delignification. But the agitation rate could be decreased considerably on the late stage.(Fig. 4).This phenomenon was confirmed by investigating the correlation of the oxygen pressure, instead of the agitation rate, to the delignification.(Fig. 5).

Isopropanol bisulfite treatment of sugi (Cryptomeria japonica D. Don) MWL yielded a significant amount of lipophilic low-molecular-weight products as well as water-soluble high-molecular-weight lignin whereas with an aqueous bisulfite treatment a very small amount of lipophilic products was formed and about half of the MWL was changed to insoluble and probably condensed products. Seven monomeric and one dimeric lignin degradation products as well as two carbohydrate-derived products were found in the spent liquor from isopropanol bisulfite pulping of sugi wood of which eugenol and isoeugenol were the major products. After cooking for 50–100 minutes at 165°C, the combined yield of these two products reached a maximum of 4.5% based on lignin, which is ten times as high as the yield of a phenolic fraction previously obtained from aqueous bisulfite pulping of Pinus radiata. Formation of the other products such as stilbene and coniferaldehyde increased gradually after 100 minutes and the combined yiel...

The enantiomeric excess ( ee) of organic amine compounds has been determined using fast-atom bombardment (FAB) mass spectrometry based on the chiral host–guest complexation systems. The method uses a 1:1 mixture of the given chiral crown ether hosts (HRRRR and HSSSS-dn), one of whose enantiomers is isotopically labeled, for the ee-determination of a given amine salt guest (G+). The peak intensity ratio { I[(HRRRR + G)+] / I[(HSSSS-dn + G)+] = IRIS} of the two diastereomeric host–guest complex ions clearly changes with the change in the ee of the guest. The intensity excess ( Ie) of the two complex ion peaks is newly defined as Ie = ( IRIS −1) / ( IRIS + 1). The two sets of mass spectrometrically obtained Ie values vs a set of ee values of phenylalanine methyl ester and leucine methyl ester hydrochlorides show excellent linear relationships through the zero point ( R2 = 0.9989 and R2 = 0.9970, respectively). This indicates the potential utility of the present ee-determination method to within ± 3% ee. Furthermore, based on the solution equilibrium distributions of the complex ions, the linearity is mathematically justified. Therefore, the ee-determination can be simplified as ee (%) = (| Ie| / | Ie(100)|) × 100: here, Ie(100) is the corresponding Ie value obtained using an enantiomerically pure (100% ee) guest as a reference. The present chiral dimethoxyphenyl crown ether host pairs employed are effective ( IRIS ≥ 1.5) for the ee-determination of most α-amino acid esters, but not effective ( IRIS ≈ 1.0) for most simple alkylamines.

The effect of Cu(II) added to β-FeOOH in various ratios up to 6% Cu/Fe was examined by X-ray diffraction, electron microscope, BET surface area, DTA, TGA and chemical analyses. Differing from other cases reported previously, Cu(II) showed no effect, but thermal changes of the Cu-doped samples indicated a reinforcement of bonding by Cu.