Efficient Synthesis and Structural Analysis of Chiral 4,4'-Biazulene.

4,4'-Biazulene is a potentially attractive key component of an axially chiral biaryl compound, however, its structure and properties have not been clarified owing to the lack of its efficient synthesis. We report a breakthrough in the reliable synthesis of 4,4'-biazulene, which is achieved by the access to azulen-4-ylboronic acid pinacol ester and 4-iodoazulene as novel key synthetic intermediates for the Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling reaction. The X-ray crystallographic analysis of 4,4'-biazulene confirmed its axial chirality.

An Infected Aneurysm of the Vertebral Artery Treated with a Stent-graft: A Case Report.

In a 75-year-old man, a growing vertebral artery aneurysm at the C3/4 intervertebral level was found at postoperative evaluation of cervical abscess, which was diagnosed as a complication of sepsis subsequent to cholangitis. Even after a successful antibiotic treatment and a surgical drainage, the aneurysm grew enough to cause compression of esophagus and trachea. The aneurysm was judged to be infection-related, based on the clinical course and the anatomical vicinity to the abscess.

[The Efficacy of CT angiography using the IVR-CT/angio system for surgical treatment of spinal hemangioblastoma].

We performed 3D-CT angiography (3D-CTA) with contrast injection to a feeding artery through a selectively introduced catheter into the intercostal artery in a patient with spinal hemangioblastoma. It revealed a relative three-dimensional (3D) anatomy between a tumor body, feeding arteries, draining veins, and surrounding vertebrae with superior resolution to 3D-CTA with intravenous contrast injection. This observation was used for preoperative planning facilitating tumor removal, through reconstructed 3D fly-through animation providing intraoperative identification and obliteration of feeding arteries.

Diagnosis of anterior inferior cerebellar artery occlusion on magnetic resonance angiography with reference to basiparallel anatomic scanning-magnetic resonance imaging.

A 67-year-old woman presented with symptomatic infarction in the territory of the anterior inferior cerebellar artery manifesting as vertigo, vomiting, and right facial weakness. Basiparallel anatomic scanning (BPAS) magnetic resonance (MR) imaging combined with MR angiography demonstrated the occluded anterior inferior cerebellar artery. Common anatomic variations and limited detection of the smaller branches on MR angiography sometimes hinder evaluation of the occluded artery.

Preventive effect of aggressive blood pressure lowering on hematoma enlargement in patients with ultra-acute intracerebral hemorrhage.

The preventive effect of aggressive blood pressure lowering on hematoma enlargement was investigated in patients with ultra-acute spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). Retrospective review of 248 patients (145 males, 103 females) with spontaneous ICH treated in our hospital between 2005 and 2008 identified patients with ultra-acute ICH who were directly taken to our institute by ambulance within 3 hours after onset. Patients who could not be assessed twice by computed tomography (CT) within 24 hours after arrival were excluded.

Early detection of metachronous brain metastases by biannual brain MRI follow-up may provide patients with non-small cell lung cancer with more opportunities to have radiosurgery.

Purpose: Those who have brain metastases smaller than 30 mm in diameter and less than 5 in number can be treated less invasively with radiosurgery. This retrospective study evaluated the optimal brain magnetic resonance image (MRI) follow-up interval for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients to detect radiosurgically manageable metachronous brain metastases (MBM).

Patients And Methods: The records of 551 patients with primary NSCLC, treated in our institute between 2002 and 2007, were reviewed.

Plasma level of platelet-derived microparticles is associated with coronary heart disease risk score in healthy men.

Aim: The aim of this study was to clarify the relationship between platelet-derived microparticles (PDMPs) and the Framingham 10-yr coronary heart disease (CHD) risk score.

Methods: A cross-sectional study of healthy volunteers free of medication, and cardiovascular or cerebrovascular disease was conducted. The subjects were 190 Japanese men (median age 41).

Correlation and association of plasma interleukin-6 and plasma platelet-derived microparticles, markers of activated platelets, in healthy individuals.

Introduction: The aim of this study was to clarify the correlation and association of plasma IL-6 and PDMPs, both of which are associated with metabolic syndrome, in healthy individuals.

Materials And Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study of 464 healthy Japanese volunteers (210 men and 254 women, median age 39 and 35years, respectively) who had no signs, symptoms or history of cardiovascular- or cerebrovascular disease and took no medications. We assayed their IL-6 levels with a conventional ELISA kit and their PDMP levels by ELISA and monoclonal antibodies against CD42b and CD42a (glycoprotein Ib and IX).

Cerebral microbleeds predict first-ever symptomatic cerebrovascular events.

Objective: Cerebral microbleeds (CMB) on gradient-echo T2*-weighted magnetic resonance image (MRI) are frequently seen in patients with cerebral diseases. In this observational study we assessed whether CMB are a predictive factor for first-ever cerebrovascular events.

Patients And Methods: This study consisted of 698 subjects without a history of symptomatic cerebrovascular events, who received gradient-echo T2*-weighted MRI for 3 months between November 2003 and January 2004 in Kishiwada City Hospital, Osaka, Japan.

Cerebral microbleeds in patients with intracerebral hemorrhage are associated with previous cerebrovascular diseases and white matter hyperintensity, but not with regular use of antiplatelet agents.

The validity of regular use of antiplatelet agents was retrospectively assessed in 106 patients with intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) (supratentorial hemorrhage 92, lobar 22 and deep 70; and infratentorial hemorrhage 14) who underwent T(2)*-weighted gradient-echo magnetic resonance (MR) imaging between January 2005 and December 2006 in Kishiwada City Hospital. The prevalence of cerebral microbleeds was 54.7% (58/106), and the presence was significantly associated with higher age (odds ratio 3.

Bilateral acute subdural hematomas with intracerebral hemorrhage without subarachnoid hemorrhage, caused by rupture of an internal carotid artery dorsal wall aneurysm. Case report.

A 45-year-old man presented with bilateral acute subdural hematomas (ASDHs) without subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). He was found comatose in a parked car. Computed tomography showed left frontal intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) and bilateral ASDHs but no signs of SAH.

A priority treatment of the intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) should be performed in the patients suffering intracerebral hemorrhage with large IVH.

Background: In patients suffering from intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) with ventricular hemorrhage (IVH), the IVH severity is thought to be associated with prognosis. Therefore, treating IVH may be a beneficial therapeutic target. In this study, by examining the associations among IVH severity, hydrocephalus, initial level of consciousness and prognosis, we attempted to identify which grade of IVH severity should be considered for surgical treatment.

Normal pressure hydrocephalus after radiosurgery for sphenoid ridge meningioma.

Normal pressure hydrocephalus after radiosurgery for meningioma has rarely been reported. We report such a case and discuss the role of radiosurgery in the development of hydrocephalus. A 75-year-old man with a growing tumor underwent linac-based radiosurgery.

Level, distribution and correlates of platelet-derived microparticles in healthy individuals with special reference to the metabolic syndrome.

Platelet-derived microparticles (PDMPs), a procoagulant factor, are reportedly elevated in type 2 diabetes mellitus and acute coronary syndrome. The metabolic syndrome (MS) is strongly associated with cardio- and cerebrovascular disease-related atherothrombotic events. To clarify the level, distribution and correlates of PDMPs with special reference to MS, we conducted a cross-sectional study of 467 healthy Japanese volunteers without signs, symptoms, or a history of cardio- or cerebrovascular disease.

Circulating oxidized LDL, measured with FOH1a/DLH3 antibody, is associated with metabolic syndrome and the coronary heart disease risk score in healthy Japanese.

Background And Purpose: The objective of this study was to clarify the relationship between circulating oxidized LDL (oxLDL) and metabolic syndrome (MS) and the coronary heart disease (CHD) risk score.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study of healthy volunteers who had no signs, symptoms or history of cardiovascular or cerebrovascular disease and took no medications. We studied 382 Japanese volunteers, 190 men and 192 women (median age 41 and 38 years, respectively).

MATH-1 production by an adult medulloblastoma suggestive of a cerebellar external granule cell precursor origin.

Radiological, histological and molecular findings in an uncommon adult case of cerebellar medulloblastoma suggested an external granular cell precursor origin. This 19-year-old woman had a 1-month history of progressively worsening headache. Neuroimaging studies demonstrated a homogeneously enhanced well-circumscribed mass lesion in the right cerebellar hemisphere and she underwent surgery.

Factors relating to terminally ill cancer patients' willingness to continue living at home during the early phase of home care after discharge from clinical cancer centers in Japan.

Objective: To assess the willingness of Japanese terminally ill cancer patients to continue living at home during the early phase of home care after discharge from a Clinical Cancer Center (CCC) in Japan, and to identify factors relating to their willingness to continue living at home.

Methods: A cross-sectional questionnaire survey of a convenient sample of both Japanese terminally ill cancer patients and their caregivers (PFCs) was conducted (n = 294, effective response rate 25.0%).

Bright pituitary stalk on MR T1-weighted image: damming up phenomenon of the neurosecretory granules.

Characteristic findings of the pituitary stalk on magnetic resonance (MR) imaging, which suggest a damming-up phenomenon of neurosecretory granules, were reported. Neurosecretory granules containing vasopressin influence the signal intensity on MR T1-weighted image (T1WI). The normal posterior lobe of the pituitary gland appears as a bright signal on T1WI.