Superior retinaculoplasty for recurrent dislocation of peroneal tendons.

Background: Although dislocation of peroneal tendons is an uncommon injury, if it does occur, daily and sports activities may be restricted because of snapping of the tendons and pain in the posterolateral aspect of the ankle joint. Many operative procedures have been reported for this pathology, including anatomic reattachment of the retinaculum, bone block procedures, tissue-transfer procedures, and groove-deepening. However, no procedure has been established as the "gold standard.

Molecular conformation and melting behavior of alkyl/oligo(oxyethylene)/alkyl triblock position isomers: effect of the position of an oligo(oxyethylene) block.

The molecular conformation and melting behavior of triblock position isomers H(CH(2))(k)(OCH(2)CH(2))(4)O(CH(2))(12)(-)(k)H (abbreviated as C(k)E(4)C(12)(-)(k)) with k = 6-11 have been studied by infrared spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), with focus on the effect of the position of an oligo(oxyethylene) block in the molecule. The analysis of infrared spectra has revealed that the stable molecular form changes from a fully planar structure (gamma form) to a planar/helical/planar structure (beta form) with a change of the position of the tetrakis(oxyethylene) block from the center to the end of the molecule. The DSC measurements have shown that the melting points of the gamma-form solid decrease and the melting points of the beta-form solid increase with a shift of the tetrakis(oxyethylene) block toward the terminal of the molecule.

Painful os intermetatarseum in athletes: report of four cases and review of the literature.

Introduction: A painful os intermetatarseum, which described the compression of the deep peroneal nerve by an os intermetatarseum, is a very rare condition. The authors reported four cases of painful os intermetatarseum in athletes and reviewed the present literature.

Case Presentation: We present four cases of a painful os intermetatarseum in athletes, who complained of pain over the dorsum of their foot associated with paresthesias in the first web space.

Evaluation of anterior talofibular ligament lesion using 3-dimensional computed tomography.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the applicability of 3-dimensional computed tomography (3D CT) imaging for the diagnosis of anterior talofibular ligament (ATFL) injury.

Methods: Six patients with lateral instability of ankle joint were examined with 3D CT preoperatively. Three patients had chronic ATFL tear, and the others had os subfibulare.

[Carboplatin plus gemcitabine therapy versus carboplatin plus weekly paclitaxel therapy for advanced non-small cell lung cancer].

We compared two chemotherapy regimens for advanced non small-cell lung cancer. The CG regimen consisted of carboplatin (AUC 4 to 5) on day 1 plus gemcitabine (1,000 mg/m(2)) on day 1 and 8, every three weeks, while the CP regimen was carboplatin (AUC 6) on day 1 plus paclitaxel (70 mg/m(2)) on day 1, 8 and 15, every four weeks. There was a total of 62 patients, 23 on the CG regimen and 39 on the CP regimen.

Planar catechin analogues with alkyl side chains: a potent antioxidant and an alpha-glucosidase inhibitor.

Planar catechin analogues having various alkyl side chain lengths were synthesized, and their remarkable antioxidative abilities and alpha-glucosidase inhibitory activities are shown.

Increased cyclooxygenase-2 expression is correlated with suppressed antitumor immunity in cervical adenocarcinomas.

Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibition suppressed the growth of various tumors. The augmentation of antitumor immunity by increasing cytotoxic lymphocytes may be an important mechanism for COX-2 inhibition. Among cervical cancers, adenocarcinomas present more aggressive behavior and overexpressed COX-2.

Oncogenic property of acrogranin in human uterine leiomyosarcoma: direct evidence of genetic contribution in in vivo tumorigenesis.

To identify potential oncogenes that contribute to the development of uterine leiomyosarcoma, we conducted a cDNA microarray analysis between normal uterine smooth muscle and uterine leiomyosarcoma. We found that acrogranin (also named PCDGF or progranulin) is overexpressed in uterine leiomyosarcoma. With immunohistochemical staining of 12 leiomyosarcoma cases, we verified acrogranin expression in tumor cells.

Structural basis for DNA-cleaving activity of resveratrol in the presence of Cu(II).

Resveratrol (1, 3,5,4'-trihydroxy-trans-stilbene), a polyphenol found in grapes and other food products, is known as an antioxidant and cancer chemopreventive agent. However, 1 was shown to induce genotoxicity through a high frequency of micronucleus and sister chromatid exchange in vitro and DNA-cleaving activity in the presence of Cu(II). The present study was designed to explore the structure-activity relationship of 1 in DNA strand scission and to characterize the substrate specificity for Cu(II) and DNA binding.

Thoracoscopic esophagectomy for intrathoracic esophageal cancer.

Thoracoscopic approaches for esophageal cancer are still disparate. Complete scopic technique is feasible for esophagectomy. Mini-thoracotomy is effective for excellent exposure of the mediastinum for lymph node dissection.

Ectopically located gonads in a patient with mixed gonadal dysgenesis: detection by diffusion-weighted MRI.

We report a case of mixed gonadal dysgenesis in which diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging played a major role in the detection of ectopically located gonads. Magnetic resonance imaging may have a potential in detecting ectopically located gonads and may provide important information for the management of patients with mixed gonadal dysgenesis.

Hydroxyl radical generation via photoreduction of a simple pyridine N-oxide by an NADH analogue.

Photoreduction of pyridine N-oxide, which has a key structure of antitumor agents for hypoxic solid tumors, by 1-benzyl-1,4-dihydronicotinamide in deaerated aprotic media resulted in generation of hydroxyl radical, leading to the oxidation of salicylic acid to 2,3- and 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acids, and catechol.

Photoinduced nitric oxide release from nitrobenzene derivatives.

A new type of photoinduced nitric oxide (NO) donors was designed from nitrobenzene derivatives. Visible-light irradiation of 2,6-dimethylnitrobenzenes bearing extended pi-electron systems at the 4-position revealed efficient NO release using ESR analysis and the Griess assay. Computational study and ultraviolet spectrum analysis suggested that the NO-releasing activity was closely related to the conformation of the nitro group, the absorption intensity, and the length of the conjugated pi-electron system.

[Pathologic complete response of thoracic esophageal cancer developing after gastrectomy to neoadjuvant low-dose nedaplatin (CDGP), 5-fluorouracil and radiotherapy].

We treated a 69-year-old man who had developed esophageal cancer following gastrectomy. Pathologic complete response (pCR) was obtained by neoadjvant chemoradiotherapy using low-dose nedaplatin (CDGP) and 5-fluorouracil. The cancer located in the middle of the thoracic esophagus, had invaded the trachea and metastasized to cervical lymph nodes according to computed tomography.

[NO-release ability and DNA-damage activity of aromatic N-nitroso compounds].

To develop a new nitric oxide-donor (NO-donor) that is useful for chemical and biochemical research, we synthesized several aromatic N-nitroso compounds including 1-[N-nitroso-N-(4-tolyl)carbamoyl] piperidine-4-carboxylic acid (1f) and phenyl(2-pyridyl)-N-nitrosamines, which spontaneously generate NO at ambient temperature. Thermal decomposition of these compounds was run under mild conditions. Gaseous NO released from them was quantified by means of the Griess reaction using a specially designed apparatus in which NO2- is generated from NO.

[A patient with multiple bone metastases from gastric cancer after an 8-year disease-free interval following gastrectomy].

We present a patient with multiple bone metastases who was treated successfully using only TS-1. Metastasis was diagnosed 8 years after distal gastrectomy for early gastric cancer in a woman now 61 years old. Surgery was performed on February 13, 1995.

Chain-length-dependent conformational transformation and melting behaviour of alkyl/oligo(oxyethylene)/alkyl triblock compounds: alpha-octyl-omega-octyloxyoligo(oxyethylene)s.

The chain-length-dependent conformational transformation and the melting behaviour of triblock compounds alpha-octyl-omega-octyloxyoligo(oxyethylene)s, H(CH2)8(OCH2CH2)mO(CH2)8H (abbreviated as C8EmC8) (m = 1-8), have been studied by infrared spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetry. The compounds with m = 1-5 assume the all-trans planar form (gamma-form) in the solid state, while those with m = 7 and 8 assume the planar/ helical/planar form with conformational defects in the alkyl chain (beta'-form). Conformational polymorphism was observed for C8E6C8: the gamma-form for the annealed solid and the planar/helical/planar form without conformational defects (beta-form) for the unannealed solid.

Pulmonary nodules 10 mm or less in diameter with ground-glass opacity component detected by high-resolution computed tomography have a high possibility of malignancy.

Objectives: For the histological diagnosis of small lung cancers of 10 mm or less in diameter (< or =10), resection by video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) with computed tomography (CT)-guided marking is feasible. One problem is that a small number of these pulmonary nodules are malignant. We retrospectively analyzed CT images of pulmonary nodules to find better criteria to select candidates for resection among patients with small pulmonary nodules.

In vivo anti-tumor effect of dual release of cisplatin and adriamycin from biodegradable gelatin hydrogel.

The objective of this paper is to investigate the in vivo anti-tumor effect by dual release of cisplatin (CDDP) and adriamycin (ADM) from a biodegradable hydrogel. Hydrogels with different water contents were prepared through the chemical crosslinking of gelatin by various concentrations of glutaraldehyde. Aqueous solution of CDDP, ADM or their mixture (CDDP+ADM) was impregnated into the freeze-dried hydrogel, followed by air-drying to obtain the dried hydrogel incorporating the corresponding drug.

Electron-transfer mechanism in radical-scavenging reactions by a vitamin E model in a protic medium.

The scavenging reaction of 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH.) or galvinoxyl radical (GO.) by a vitamin E model, 2,2,5,7,8-pentamethylchroman-6-ol (1H), was significantly accelerated by the presence of Mg(ClO4)2 in de-aerated methanol (MeOH).

Oxidative DNA damage induced by carcinogenic dinitropyrenes in the presence of P450 reductase.

Nitropyrenes are widespread in the environment due to mainly diesel engine emissions. Dinitropyrenes (DNPs), especially 1,8-dinitropyrene (1,8-DNP) and 1,6-dinitropyrene (1,6-DNP), are much more potent mutagens than other nitropyrenes. The carcinogenicity of 1,8-DNP and 1,6-DNP is stronger than 1,3-dinitropyrene (1,3-DNP).

[Extrapleural pneumonectomy of malignant pleural mesothelioma].

We analyzed 7 patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma who underwent extrapleural pneumonectomy. Six men and a woman had a mean age of 65 years old. The postoperative mortality rate was 14% (1 death) and morbidity, 43% (3 cases).

Duodenogastric reflux eradicates Helicobacter pylori after distal gastrectomy.

Background/aims: Patients who undergo distal gastrectomy often develop duodenogastric reflux and preoperative H. pylori infection is eradicated spontaneously after distal gastrectomy in some patients. However, whether a causal relationship exists has not yet been studied.