Radioiodinated oxytocin prepared by the lactoperoxidase method exhibited a substantial biologic activity in uterotonic assay of the rat uterus. 125I-oxytocin was bound to the uterine membrane particulate fraction, but the unlabelled oxytocin did not inhibit the binding of 125I oxytocin to the membrane fraction of rat uterus. Cold iodinated oxytocin, however, inhibited the 125I-oxytocin binding to the membrane fraction of rat uterus in proportion to its concentration. These results suggest that 125I-oxytocin is not a suitable radioligand for oxytocin receptor binding study.
Animal ; Binding Sites ; Cell Membrane/metabolism ; Female ; Iodine Radioisotopes/metabolism* ; Oxytocin/metabolism* ; Radioligand Assay ; Rats ; Receptors, Cell Surface/analysis* ; Uterus/metabolism*

No abstract available.
Animals ; Dogs* ; Lung*

BACKGROUND: Topiramate (TPM), a broad-spectrum antiepileptic drug, has recently been demonstrated to be effective as a monotherapeutic device for migraine prevention. We investigated the impact of TPM on cognition during migraine prevention. METHODS: Twenty-eight migraineurs were evaluated. They were instructed to take 25 mg of TPM per day, with 25 mg weekly increments to a maximum of 100 mg per day according to the therapeutic responsiveness. We assessed cognitive dysfunctions by spontaneous patient reports and several neuropsychological tests comparing the baseline and at 3 months during on-treatment. We also compared these tests to age, sex, education, clinical features of migraine, TPM dose, and global effectiveness. RESULTS: After 3 months of therapy, 21 patients undertook a follow-up neuropsychological test. Even though headache frequency, severity, and disability were significantly decreased in a follow-up period, there was a significant impairment in backward digit span (P=.006) and verbal fluency (P=.023). Thirteen patients (62%) showed an impaired backward digit span, and 11 patients (52%) exhibited an impaired verbal fluency. Five patients (24%) complained of symptoms associated with these impairments. Cognitive impairments were well correlated to the frequency of migraine attack, higher daily TPM dose, and global effectiveness. In six patients who showed the impairment of both items, TPM was withdrawn and their cognition was retested after 2 weeks. There was a significant improvement in these cognitive functions. CONCLUSIONS: TPM appears to exert a dose-related, strong negative influence on working memory and verbal fluency during migraine prevention. It can be related to drug tolerability.
Cognition ; Education ; Follow-Up Studies ; Headache ; Humans ; Memory, Short-Term ; Migraine Disorders* ; Neuropsychological Tests

No abstract available.
Pulmonary Artery*

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Low-dose topiramate (TPM) monotherapy has recently been found effective for seizure control in newly diagnosed epilepsy. In higher dosages, TPM has been associated with relatively high rates of adverse cognitive effects; similar side effects have been seen after rapid titration or polytherapy. However, its cognitive effects during low-dose monotherapy have not been established. We evaluated the cognitive effects of low-dose TPM compared with oxcarbazepine (OXC), a drug that does not appear to affect cognitive function. METHODS: Cognitive tests and subjective complaints of 30 patients with low-dose TPM monotherapy (50-200 mg/day) were retrospectively compared with those of 30 patients with OXC monotherapy at 1 year of medication. The two groups did not differ with respect to epilepsy-relevant variables, nor on baseline neuropsychological tests. RESULTS: The TPM group showed a significant difference in the performance of delayed word recall (P<0.05), backward digit span (P<0.01), and verbal fluency (P<0.05) compared with the OXC group. The TPM group showed worse performances of digit span and verbal fluency. The OXC group showed better performances of delayed word recall. The incidence of cognitive complaints was higher in the TPM group (50%) than in the OXC group (20%) (P<0.05). These cognitive effects shown in the TPM group were dose-related. The cognitive dysfunction was trivial with patients taking 50 mg/day TPM. CONCLUSIONS: Even at low-dose, TPM has a negative effect on working memory and verbal fluency compared with OXC. It can be demonstrated at 1 year of treatment.
Cognition ; Epilepsy* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Memory, Short-Term ; Neuropsychological Tests ; Retrospective Studies ; Seizures

Among the various side effects of anticonvulsant medication, the anticonvulsant hypersensitivity syndrome (AHS) is underrecognized. This condition developed frequently with aromatic anticonvulsants, but with new antiepileptic drugs as well. We experienced three lamotrigine-induced AHS cases with symptoms such as fever, rash, leukopenia, eosinophilia and lymphadenopathy, which subsided after withdrawal of lamotrigine.
Anticonvulsants ; Eosinophilia ; Exanthema ; Fever ; Hypersensitivity* ; Leukopenia ; Lymphatic Diseases

No abstract available.
Adenocarcinoma* ; Cervix Uteri* ; Female

BACKGROUND: Although hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) -100% oxygen at two to three times the atmospheric pressure at sea level-has a number of beneficial biochemical, cellular, and physiologic effects, it is intrinsically associated with the potential for producing mild to severe toxic effects. The contribution of the cellular adhesion molecules and macrophages in the renal oxygen toxicity is not well understood. Thus, we have investigated the toxic effect of HBO expressed by the analysis of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and infiltration of macrophages in rat kidney. METHODS: Male Sprague-Dawley rats weighing about 250 g were exposed to HBO at 3 ATA of 100% O2 for 4 hours. The expression of ICAM-1 and infiltration of CD68-positive macrophages were serially observed by immunohistochemical analysis. RESULTS: At 3 days after HBO exposure, CD68-positive macrophage counts were increased in glomeruli and tubulointerstitium of kidney. The expression of ICAM-1 was enhanced 1 day after HBO exposure and increased more for 3 days. There was a significant correlation between ICAM-1 expression and macrophage accumulation in the glomeruli. At 7 days after HBO, those alterations recovered to normal status. CONCLUSION: The 4-hour HBO exposure induced ICAM-1 expression and macrophage accumulation in the kidney and these change lasted for 3 days. Therefore, sustained activation of macrophages in renal oxygen toxicity may occur after prolonged (more than 4 hours) or repetitive exposures to HBO.
Animals ; Atmospheric Pressure ; Humans ; Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1* ; Kidney* ; Macrophages ; Male ; Oxygen* ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

BACKGROUND: Hemodynamic evaluation of the brain may be helpful for the identification of a risk of stroke in patients with middle cerebral artery (MCA) or internal carotid artery (ICA) steno-occlusive disease. The aim of this study was to evaluate the hemodynamic state in patients with steno-occlusive disease of ICA or MCA on the base of MRI/MRA and acetazolamide (ACZ)-challenged Tc-99m ECD brain perfusion SPECT findings. METHODS: An analysis of 68 patients who underwent MRI/MRA and ACZ-challenged Tc-99m ECD brain perfusion SPECT was performed. We divided these patients into two groups - MCA and ICA steno-occlusions. RESULTS: The cerebrovascular reserve (CVR) was impaired in 18 of 32 (56.3%) MCA disease patients (20 stenosis and 12 occlusions), and in 19 of 36 (52.8%) ICA disease patients (20 stenosis and 16 occlusion). The CVR was impaired in 22 of 28 (78.6%) occlusive patient, whereas in 15 of 40 (37.5%) stenotic patient (p< 0.01). The insular lesion was more commonly involved in the occlusion group (54%) than in the stenosis group (15%) (p< 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: There was no difference in CVR between MCA and ICA steno-occlusion groups. Incidence of impaired CVR was higher in occlusion group than stenosis group.
Acetazolamide ; Brain* ; Carotid Artery, Internal* ; Cerebral Infarction ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Incidence ; Middle Cerebral Artery* ; Perfusion* ; Stroke ; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon*

BACKGROUND: Hemodynamic evaluation of the brain may be helpful for the identification of a risk of stroke in patients with middle cerebral artery (MCA) or internal carotid artery (ICA) steno-occlusive disease. The aim of this study was to evaluate the hemodynamic state in patients with steno-occlusive disease of ICA or MCA on the base of MRI/MRA and acetazolamide (ACZ)-challenged Tc-99m ECD brain perfusion SPECT findings. METHODS: An analysis of 68 patients who underwent MRI/MRA and ACZ-challenged Tc-99m ECD brain perfusion SPECT was performed. We divided these patients into two groups - MCA and ICA steno-occlusions. RESULTS: The cerebrovascular reserve (CVR) was impaired in 18 of 32 (56.3%) MCA disease patients (20 stenosis and 12 occlusions), and in 19 of 36 (52.8%) ICA disease patients (20 stenosis and 16 occlusion). The CVR was impaired in 22 of 28 (78.6%) occlusive patient, whereas in 15 of 40 (37.5%) stenotic patient (p< 0.01). The insular lesion was more commonly involved in the occlusion group (54%) than in the stenosis group (15%) (p< 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: There was no difference in CVR between MCA and ICA steno-occlusion groups. Incidence of impaired CVR was higher in occlusion group than stenosis group.
Acetazolamide ; Brain* ; Carotid Artery, Internal* ; Cerebral Infarction ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Incidence ; Middle Cerebral Artery* ; Perfusion* ; Stroke ; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon*