As previously reported, the width of the hematoma is related to the incidence of CSDH recurrence. In this study, the lack of a multiplicity of hematoma cavities was the favorite predictor of CSDH recurrence. In addition, histories of seizure and no past DM are closely related to the incidence of CSDH recurrence.

Carotid endarterectomy (CEA) is the main treatment for atherosclerotic plaque of the cervical internal carotid artery. The surgical anatomy of the carotid arteries was studied in the carotid triangle of 49 cadavers. The carotid bifurcation was located at the level of the lower third of C-3. The superior thyroid artery arose from the anterior wall of the external carotid artery in 70% of specimens and from the distal portion of the common carotid artery in 30%. The lingual artery arose as a separate trunk between the origins of the superior thyroid and facial arteries in 81% of specimens, with the facial artery from a common trunk in 18%, and with the superior thyroid artery in 1%. The occipital artery arose from the posterior aspect of the external carotid artery above the level of origin of the facial artery in 57% of specimens, between the origins of the facial and lingual arteries in 32%, and below the origin of the lingual artery in 11%. The origin of the occipital artery was positioned low and the distal portion of the occipital artery was crossed by the hypoglossal nerve in 20%. The ascending pharyngeal artery arose from the posterior wall of the external carotid artery above the level of origin of the lingual artery in 66% of specimens, below the origin of the lingual artery in 9%, from the proximal portion of the occipital artery in 19%, from the carotid bifurcation in 2%, and from the internal carotid artery in 2%. The branches of the external carotid artery are the key landmarks for adequate exposure and appropriate placement of cross-clamps on the carotid arteries. It is necessary to understand the surgical anatomy of the carotid arteries to carry out successful removal of plaque and minimize postoperative complications in a bloodless surgical field.

Neuropsychological data in humans demonstrated a pivotal role of the medial temporal lobe, including the hippocampal formation (HF) and the parahippocampal gyrus (PH), in allocentric (environment-centered) spatial learning and memory. In the present study, the functional significance of the monkey HF and PH neurons in allocentric spatial processing was analyzed during performance of the spatial tasks. In the tasks, the monkey either freely moved to one of four reward areas in the experimental field by driving a cab that the monkey rode (real translocation task) or freely moved a pointer to one of four reward areas on the monitor (virtual translocation task) by manipulating a joystick. Of 389 neurons recorded from the monkey HF and PH, 166 had place fields that displayed increased activity in a specific area in the experimental field and/or on the monitor (location-differential neurons). More HF and PH neurons responded in the real translocation task. These neurons had low mean spontaneous firing rates (0.96 spikes/sec), similar to those of rodent HF place cells. The remaining nonresponsive neurons had significantly higher mean firing rates (8.39 spikes/ sec), similar to interneurons or cells in the rodent HF. Furthermore, most location-differential neurons showed different responses in different tasks. These results suggest that the HF and PH are crucial in allocentric information processing and, moreover, that the HF can encode different reference frames that are context or task-dependent. This may be the neural basis of episodic memory.

Object. It has been suggested that nuclear factor (NF)-κB, a pleiotropic transcription factor, controls cell proliferation. The authors examined NF-κB activity and its participation in the growth of human malignant astrocytoma. Methods. The authors examined NF-κB activity in human malignant astrocytoma cell lines and high-grade astrocytoma tissues by using electrophoretic mobility shift assays and immunohistochemical studies, respectively. In addition, messenger (m)RNA expression of p50 and RelA, which are representative subunits of NF-κB, and IκBα, which is a representative inhibitory protein of NF-κB, were analyzed using Northern blot hybridization in the astrocytoma cell lines. Furthermore, alterations in DNA synthesis and cell growth in the astrocytoma cell lines were examined after inhibition of NF-κB activity by RelA antisense oligodeoxynucleotide. The authors found NF-κB activity in all astrocytoma cell lines and high-grade astrocytoma tissues that were examined, but not in the fetal astrocyte strain or in normal cerebral tissue. Expression of p50, RelA, and IκBα mRNA was found in the fetal astrocyte strain and normal adult brain tissue, in addition to the astrocytoma cell lines. The relative levels of expression of these mRNAs were similar among these cell lines, the cell strain, and normal tissue. The RelA antisense oligodeoxynucleotide specifically reduced the levels of RelA mRNA expression and NF-κB activity in the astrocytoma cell lines, thus significantly inhibiting their DNA synthesis and cell growth. Conclusions. Human malignant astrocytoma cells have aberrant NF-κB activity, which promotes their growth. This activity is not associated with aberrant expression of p50 and RelA.

A novel acidic polysaccharide, nostoflan, was isolated from a terrestrial cyanobacterium, Nostoc flagelliforme. Nostoflan exhibited a potent anti-herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) activity with a selectivity index (50% cytotoxic concentration/50% inhibitory concentration against viral replication) of 13,000. Sugar composition and methylation analyses revealed that it was mainly composed of -->4)-D-Glcp-(1-->, -->6,4)-D-Glcp-(1-->, -->4)-D-Galp-(1-->, -->4)-D-Xylp-(1-->, D-GlcAp-(1-->, D-Manp-(1--> with a ratio of ca. 1:1:1:1:0.8:0.2. Two pyridylaminated oligosaccharides were prepared by partial acid hydrolysis and pyridylamination. On the basis of MALDI-TOF-MS and NMR analyses, they were found to be beta-D-Glcp-(1-->4)-D-Xyl-PA and beta-D-GlcAp-(1-->6)-beta-D-Glcp-(1-->4)-D-Gal-PA. From these results, nostoflan might be mainly composed of the following two types of sugar sequence: -->4)-beta-D-Glcp-(1-->4)-D-Xylp-(1--> and -->4)-[beta-D-GlcAp-(1-->6)-]-beta-D-Glcp-(1-->4)-D-Galp-(1-->. Besides anti-HSV-1 activity, nostoflan showed potent antiviral activities against HSV-2, human cytomegalovirus, and influenza A virus, but no activity against adenovirus and coxsackie virus was observed. Therefore, nostoflan has a broad antiviral spectrum against enveloped viruses whose cellular receptors are carbohydrates. Furthermore, nostoflan showed no antithrombin activity, unlike sulfated polysaccharides.