Mutations of genes encoding ␣4, ␤2, or ␣2 subunits (CHRNA4, CHRNB2, or CHRNA2, respectively) of nAChR [neuronal nicotinic ACh (acetylcholine) receptor] cause nocturnal frontal lobe epilepsy (NFLE) in human. NFLE-related seizures are seen exclusively during sleep and are characterized by three distinct seizure phenotypes: "paroxysmal arousals," "paroxysmal dystonia," and "episodic wandering." We generated transgenic rat strains that harbor a missense mutation S284L, which had been identified in CHRNA4 in NFLE. The transgenic rats were free of biological abnormalities, such as dysmorphology in the CNS, and behavioral abnormalities. The mRNA level of the transgene (mutant Chrna4) was similar to the wild type, and no distorted expression was detected in the brain. However, the transgenic rats showed epileptic seizure phenotypes during slow-wave sleep (SWS) similar to those in NFLE exhibiting three characteristic seizure phenotypes and thus fulfilled the diagnostic criteria of human NFLE. The therapeutic response of these rats to conventional antiepileptic drugs also resembled that of NFLE patients with the S284L mutation. The rats exhibited two major abnormalities in neurotransmission: (1) attenuation of synaptic and extrasynaptic GABAergic transmission and (2) abnormal glutamate release during SWS. The currently available genetically engineered animal models of epilepsy are limited to mice; thus, our transgenic rats offer another dimension to the epilepsy research field.

The relationship between hypocholesterolemic efficacy and average molecular weight of chitosan was studied in rats fed a cholesterol-enriched (0.5%) diet. Several chitosan preparations with a comparable degree of deacetylation but differing widely in average molecular weight, as demonstrated by viscosity, almost completely prevented the rise of serum cholesterol at the 5% dietary level. At the 2% level, chitosans with viscosities at both extremes exerted a comparable cholesterol-lowering action. The glucosamine oligomer composed mainly of three to five aminosugar residues was not effective. The results indicate that the hypocholesterolemic action of chitosans is independent of their molecular weight within the tested viscosity range.

Preoperative chemoradiation therapy may adversely affect bronchial mucosal blood flow and healing of the bronchial stump, although lymphadenectomy and preoperative chemotherapy had little effect. It is recommended that the bronchial stump should be covered with pedicled viable tissue after chemoradiation therapy for prophylaxis against bronchial complications.

We report herein our experience of two cases of spontaneous hemopneumothorax in which the source of bleeding was found to be aberrant vessels. Both patients were successfully treated by early thoracotomy. Case 1 was a 23-year-old female in whom chest X-ray revealed an air-fluid line and a bulla with a narrow restiform shadow connecting the pleural cupola. Angiography clearly visualized aberrant vessels branching from the costocervical trunk, distributed in and around the bulla in the apex of the lung, being the possible source of bleeding. These aberrant vessels were confirmed at surgery and resected. Case 2 was a 56-year-old male who underwent thoracotomy for persistent bleeding. At surgery, a continuously bleeding vessel from the pleural cupola was seen and ligated. The remnant of the vessel was located in the apex of the lung, and resected with the bulla. Thus, the rare entity of a congenital aberrant vessel lying concealed as a possible source of bleeding should be borne in mind.

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