Expression of survivin in astrocytic tumors: correlation with malignant grade and prognosis.

Background: Astrocytic tumors are the most common tumors of the central nervous system. The mechanisms of genetic change of astrocytic tumors have not been understood completely. Recently, survivin has been identified as a member of the inhibitor-of-apoptosis family.

Cholesteryl-hemisuccinate-induced apoptosis of promyelocytic leukemia HL-60 cells through a cyclosporin A-insensitive mechanism.

We reported previously that alpha-tocopheryl-succinate (VES) induced apoptosis of cultured human promyelocytic leukemia cells (HL-60) (Free Radic Res 2000;33:407-18). We have now studied the effect of cholesteryl-hemisuccinate (CS) on the fate of HL-60 cells to clarify whether CS has an effect similar to that of VES. CS inhibited the growth of HL-60 cells without differentiation to granulocytes and induced DNA fragmentation and ladder formation.

The genome sequence and structure of rice chromosome 1.

The rice species Oryza sativa is considered to be a model plant because of its small genome size, extensive genetic map, relative ease of transformation and synteny with other cereal crops. Here we report the essentially complete sequence of chromosome 1, the longest chromosome in the rice genome. We summarize characteristics of the chromosome structure and the biological insight gained from the sequence.

Changes in gap junction distribution and connexin expression pattern during human fetal skin development.

Gap junctions are intercellular channels composed of connexin subunits that mediate cell-cell communication. The functions of gap junctions are believed to be associated with cell proliferation and differentiation and to be important in maintaining tissue homeostasis. We therefore investigated the expression of connexins (Cx)26 and 43, the two major connexins in human epidermis, and examined the formation of gap junctions during human fetal epidermal development.

Development of magnetoencephalography-magnetic resonance imaging integration software--technical note.

A new software program can provide images of electrically equivalent current dipoles and sensor arrays superimposed on three-dimensional magnetic resonance images. The images will be helpful for identifying locations between arbitrary sensors and directly projected brain surfaces, or planning surgical approaches.

Induction and mechanism of apoptotic cell death by propofol in HL-60 cells.

Background: Apoptosis (programmed cell death) occurs in various physiological and pathological conditions, exhibits a characteristic mechanism of intracellular sequential reaction and may be involved in determining clinical outcome. The antioxidant activity of propofol (2,6-diisopropylphenol) together with the stimulating effect of protein kinase C suggests that propofol might have the potential to modulate apoptosis. Thus, it is of both clinical interest and biomedical importance to investigate and clarify the effect and mechanism of propofol upon the intracellular reactions underlying apoptotic cell death.

Intrasellar pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma: case report.

Objective And Importance: A patient with a primary intrasellar pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma is described.

Clinical Presentation: A 78-year-old woman experienced slowly progressing bilateral visual disturbance. Analysis of magnetic resonance imaging scans indicated a well-enhanced tumor occupying intra- and suprasellar spaces with displacement of the pituitary gland anteriorly.

Good clinical course in infants with desmoplastic cerebral neuroepithelial tumor treated by surgery alone.

We investigated why surgery alone provides for a benign clinical course in patients with desmoplastic infantile ganglioglioma and astrocytoma (DIG/A). The clinical course of 4, less than six-month-old girls, surgically treated at our institutions, was evaluated retrospectively. All presented with the clinical symptom of increasing head circumference.

[Evaluation of the Rapid Lumi 'Eiken' using chemiluminescent assay for rapid antimicrobial susceptibility testing].

One hundred ninety eight clinical isolates, including Enterobacteriaceae (70 strains), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (20 strains), Acinetobacter baumannii (10 strains), staphylococci (50 strains), enterococci (20 strains), Streptococcus pneumoniae (15 strains) and Haemophilus influenzae (13 strains) were tested for their antimicrobial susceptibilities by using the Rapid Lumi 'Eiken' (RL). As a reference method, broth microdilution method according to the National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards was used. Then, each MIC obtained by both of these methods was compared.

Myelodysplastic syndrome following therapy for brain tumor--two case reports.

A 3-month-old boy and a 29-year-old woman presented with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) following therapy for primary malignant brain tumor. Both received intensive alkylating agent doses for induction and maintenance chemotherapy combined with craniospinal or cranial radiation for medulloblastoma and anaplastic astrocytoma, respectively. They developed refractory anemia and pancytopenia.

Effect of n-3 and n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids and their ethylesters on stimuli-dependent superoxide generation in neutrophils.

Polymorphonuclear leukocytes from healthy volunteers (HPMN) generated superoxide (O2*-) following treatment with various stimuli, such as phorbol myristate acetate (PMA), opsonized zymozan (OZ) and arachidonic acid (AA). Other types of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAS), such as docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), docosapentaenoic acid (DPA), and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), also stimulated O2*- generation. The free form of DHA enhanced the generation of O2*- induced by PMA but inhibited that induced by OZ.

Detection of a pineoblastoma with large central cyst in a young child.

The Patient: We present the very rare case of a pineoblastoma with large central cyst in a 7-year-old boy who presented with a short history of gradually worsening headache and upward gaze palsy.

Imaging Investigations: On CT and MRI studies, it was seen as a peripherally calcified, irregularly shaped mass with heterogeneous low signal intensity on T1-weighted images and ringed enhancement after gadolinium administration; there was homogeneous high signal intensity on T1-weighted images.

Discussion: We discuss differential diagnosis for several types of cystic tumors in the pineal region, including pineoblastomas.

Intradiploic arachnoid cyst identified by diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging--case report.

A 72-year-old woman presented with an intradiploic arachnoid cyst in the occipital intradiploic space which was found incidentally by magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. Computed tomography revealed a widened diploic space and thinning of the inner and outer tables of the occipital bone. The cyst appeared as isointense to the cerebrospinal fluid on both T1- and T2-weighted images.

Morphologic features of human chorionic gonadotropin- or alpha-fetoprotein-producing germ cell tumors of the central nervous system: histological heterogeneity and surgical meaning.

Our study of germ cell tumors (GCT) of the central nervous system (CNS) investigated the relationship between tumor histology and patient serum titers of human chorionic gonadotropin (HGC) and alpha-fetoprotein (AFP). Thirty-five patients were enrolled. Their serum titers of HCG (mlU/ml) and/or AFP (ng/ml) before initial treatment were available, as were tumor specimens obtained before the administration of adjuvant therapy.

Changes in the epithelium of Rathke cleft cyst associated with inflammation.

Object: Rathke cleft cysts (RCCs) are composed of tall, well-differentiated, ciliated columnar epithelia. Their structures are altered by hyperplasia or squamous metaplasia, but their cause remains unknown.

Methods: The authors studied pathological findings and anterior pituitary function in 20 patients harboring RCCs.

[Symptomatic subependymoma of the lateral ventricle in a young female].

We present a case of a symptomatic subependymoma (SE) in a young. The patient was a 20-year-old female who suffered from severe headache and vomiting. Precontrast CT scans revealed a large spotty-calcified isodensity mass lesion in the right anterior lateral ventricle, showing scarce contrast enhancement at the center of the mass and with marked hydrocephalus.

[Diagnosis of acute phase of venous infarction by diffusion-weighted image: case report and review of the literature].

Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) can diagnose early stage not only of the arterial infarction but also of venous infarction. We successfully diagnosed a case as acute venous infarction by DWI. The patient, an infant of one year and ten months, presented disturbance of consciousness and left hemiparesis two weeks after dehydration and infections.

A small asymptomatic intracranial aneurysm in an elderly woman that ruptured soon after discovery.

A 78-year-old woman underwent magnetic resonance (MR) imaging to assess the deterioration of her right hemiparesis initially caused by putaminal hemorrhage that occurred 5 years prior to referral. MR imaging detected an anterior communicating artery aneurysm but no new lesion was seen that might have caused the deterioration was observed. Hemiparesis improved within several days and she was referred for endovascular treatment of the aneurysm.

Falcotentorial meningioma accompanied by temporal lobe hematoma.

We report a case of a falcotentorial meningioma accompanied by hematoma in the temporal lobe. A healthy 51 year-old-female with no history of hypertension presented with sudden onset of consciousness disturbance and right hemiparesis. Computed tomography revealed a hematoma 5.

Thickening of sphenoid sinus mucosa during the acute stage of pituitary apoplexy.

The authors treated two patients with pituitary apoplexy in whom magnetic resonance (MR) images were obtained before and after the episode. Two days after the apoplectic episodes, MR imaging demonstrated marked thickening of the mucosa of the sphenoid sinus that was absent in the previous studies. The relevance of this change in the sphenoid sinus was investigated.

Roles of long chain fatty acids and carnitine in mitochondrial membrane permeability transition.

Palmitoyl-CoA (Pal-CoA) lowered the respiratory control ratio (RCR), and induced mitochondrial membrane permeability transition (MPT) and cytochrome c (Cyt. c) release from isolated rat liver mitochondria. L-Carnitine suppressed the Pal-CoA-induced dysfunction, MPT, and Cyt.

Suppression of T(3)- and fatty acid-induced membrane permeability transition by L-carnitine.

Cytochrome c (Cyt. c) is known to be released from the mitochondria into the cytosol by means of the membrane permeability transition (MPT) mechanism, thereby activating caspase cascade activity, and inducing cell apoptosis. Recently we reported that L-carnitine suppressed palmitoyl-CoA-induced MPT as well as apoptosis in some cell types (Biochem.

Mechanism of apoptosis in HL-60 cells induced by n-3 and n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids.

The biochemical properties and specificity of n-3 and n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are not well known. Because PUFAs induce apoptosis of different cells, we studied the effect of various PUFAs, such as arachidonic acid (AA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosapentaenoic acid (DPA), on the fate of cultured human promyelocytic leukemia cells (HL-60) to elucidate the mechanism of apoptosis and the difference in action between n-3 and n-6 PUFAs. Fairly low concentrations of PUFAs inhibited the growth of HL-60 cells and induced their apoptosis by a mechanism that is sensitive to DMSO, an antioxidant, and z-Val-Ala-Asp(OMe)-fluoromethylketone (z-VAD-fmk), a pan-caspase inhibitor.