Good syndrome with thymic adenosquamous carcinoma--report of a case.

A 68-year-old man with recurrent bilateral severe pneumonia and invasive thymic carcinoma was admitted to our hospital. An extended thymo-thymectomy with lymph nodes dissection was performed for an irregular shaped anterior mediastinum mass. The tumor was mainly composed of type C, adenosquamous carcinoma, and found to have a small area of types B2 and B3 thymoma.

The fundamental properties of Homer 1 in association with cardiac ryanodine receptor in mouse heart.

Background: Homer, known as a scaffolding protein that regulates postsynapse signaling in neurons, has been poorly explored in cardiac research. We show the fundamental properties of Homer 1 in mouse heart in association with cardiac ryanodine receptor (RyR), a binding protein of Homer 1.

Methods And Results: Immunohistochemistry of adult mouse heart with Homer 1 antibody showed striated staining on Z-bands both in atria and ventricles.

Monoclonal antibody 7F9 recognizes rat protein homologous to human carboxypeptidase-M in developing and adult rat lung.

Background And Objective: The purpose of this study was to obtain an antibody that would be useful for investigating the yet unclear molecular mechanism underlying the differentiation of lung alveolar type I and II cells.

Methods: Monoclonal antibodies were raised against membrane proteins from embryonal day 18.5 rat lungs and characterized by immunoblotting on rat lung lysates at various developmental stages to select an appropriate clone.

Skeletonized harvesting improves the early-term and mid-term perfect patency of a radial artery graft.

Objective: A radial artery (RA) graft is frequently used for coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), but little information exists regarding the early- and mid-term patency associated with the harvesting procedure. The objective of this study is to compare the early- and mid-term patency of the RA graft obtained using non-skeletonized and skeletonized harvesting.

Methods: Altogether, 131 patients and 159 anastomoses were studied.

[Endoscopic radial artery harvesting].

The radial artery is a popular arterial conduit for coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). However, the traditional open harvesting technique requires a long incision, and is therefore associated with some wound complications and cosmetic problems. In order to solve them, we introduced the endoscopic radial artery harvesting (ERAH) at our institution in February 2004 utilizing the VasoView system.

Cytosolic phospholipase A2 inhibition attenuates ischemia-reperfusion injury in an isolated rat lung model.

Background: Arachidonic acid metabolites and platelet-activating factor (PAF) are potentially involved in ischemia-reperfusion (IR) lung injury. A key enzyme regulating their metabolism is cytosolic phospholipase A2 (cPLA2). Arachidonyl trifluoromethyl ketone (AACOCF3) is reported to be a potent cPLA2 inhibitor.

An evaluation strategy for the early detection of postoperative delirium.

The aim of the present study was to identify clinical signs detective of the postoperative delirium at the early stage for nursing management. A total of 66 inpatients undergoing cardiac surgery were interviewed using the Delirium Rating Scale (DRS) and NEECHAM Confusion Scale (NCS) preoperatively and on days 1 and 3 postoperatively. The mean onset of delirium occurred on postoperative day 1.

A new multisuction cardiac positioner for multivessel off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting.

Objective: : To accomplish successful multivessel off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting, safe, reproducible, and effective exposure of all coronary territories is essential. For this purpose, we developed a new, simple, multisuction cardiac positioner.

Methods: : This new cardiac positioner consists of 3 small independent suction cups and suction tubes made of silicone.

Physiological comparison of off-pump and on-pump coronary artery bypass grafting in patients on chronic hemodialysis.

Objectives: Despite the long-term benefit, the operative results of conventional coronary artery bypass grafting for chronic hemodialysis patients remain unsatisfactory. The efficacy of off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting for hemodialysis patients is yet to be determined. The purpose of this study was to investigate the postoperative physiology of off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting for hemodialysis patients.

Matrix metalloproteinase inhibitor (ONO-4817) attenuates ischemia-reperfusion injury in rat lung.

Background: Ischemia-reperfusion injury of the lungs seems to be initiated by the activation of alveolar macrophages, and mediated by matrix metalloproteinases (MMP)s, although their roles have not been fully elucidated. Therefore, we used a novel MMP inhibitor (ONO-4817) with high affinities for MMP-2 and MMP-9 to investigate the roles of MMPs in reperfusion injury of the lungs.

Material/methods: After 18 h of cold ischemia, isolated rat lungs were ventilated and reperfused.

MCI-186 (edaravone), a free radical scavenger, attenuates ischemia-reperfusion injury and activation of phospholipase A(2) in an isolated rat lung model after 18 h of cold preservation.

Objective: Increased microvascular permeability and extravasation of inflammatory cells are key events in ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury. We hypothesized that edaravone, a free radical scavenger, is able to attenuate IR lung injury by decreasing oxidative stress and phospholipase A(2) (PLA(2)) activation, which otherwise may lead to lung injury through PAF receptor (PAF-R) activation.

Methods: We used an isolated rat lung model.

Radial artery graft for coronary artery bypass surgery: biological characteristics and clinical outcome.

The radial artery (RA) is gaining popularity as a bypass conduit for coronary artery bypass grafting, and its impact on clinical practice has been extensively explored. In the present article, we provide a review of postoperative hand circulation, vascular biological characteristics of the RA graft, the efficacy of vasodilator therapies, and mid-term clinical results of use of the RA graft. Fundamental studies revealed excellent vascular biological characteristics of the RA graft as a living arterial conduit, making it almost equivalent to the internal thoracic artery (ITA) graft.

Endoscopic radial artery harvesting: our initial experience and results of the first 25 patients.

Background: The radial artery has become an increasingly popular arterial conduit for coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). However, the traditional open harvesting technique requires a long incision, and is therefore associated with some wound complications and cosmetic problems. Here, we describe our experience of endoscopic radial artery harvesting (ERAH) through a small incision in 25 patients who underwent CABG.

Hand circulation after radial artery harvest for coronary artery bypass grafting.

Despite wide spread use of the radial artery (RA) graft for coronary artery bypass grafting, the change of hand circulation after RA harvest has not been fully clarified. Severe hand ischemia such as resting pain or gangrene is a rare complication and has been reported in 4 patients. These cases resulted from occlusive artery disease in forearm, which should be carefully explored before RA harvest.

Estrogen inhibits cell proliferation through in situ production in human thymoma.

Purpose: We showed previously estrogen receptor (ER) alpha as an independent prognostic marker in human thymoma. Estrogen sulfotransferase (EST), steroid sulfatase (STS), 17beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (17beta-HSD), and aromatase are considered to play important roles in hormone metabolism of estrogen-dependent tumors.

Experimental Design: We examined estrogen production using primary cultures of human thymoma epithelial cells (TEC), intratumoral estradiol (E(2)) concentrations, and status of these enzymes above using immunohistochemistry or semiquantitative reverse transcription-PCR.

Aprotinin attenuated ischemia-reperfusion injury in an isolated rat lung model after 18-hours preservation.

Objective: Ischemia-reperfusion injury is a major factor in the early phase of lung transplantation. We hypothesized that aprotinin, a nonspecific serine protease inhibitor, attenuates ischemia-reperfusion lung injury by inhibiting the inflammatory response and suppressing NADPH oxidase.

Methods: We used an isolated rat lung model to test the above.

Safe coronary artery occlusion with a new tourniquet in off-pump bypass grafting.

Coronary artery occlusion during off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting may lead to mechanical trauma of the arterial wall. My colleagues and I describe a safe coronary artery occlusion technique in off-pump bypass grafting that uses a new spring-equipped tourniquet, which enables precise adjustment of the least force necessary to occlude the coronary flow. This prevents snare-induced vessel wall damage.

Stress response gene ATF3 is a target of c-myc in serum-induced cell proliferation.

The c-myc proto-oncogene encodes a transcription factor that promotes cell cycle progression and cell proliferation, and its deficiency results in severely retarded proliferation rates. The ATF3 stress response gene encodes a transcription factor that plays a role in determining cell fate under stress conditions. Its biological significance in the control of cell proliferation and its crosstalk regulation, however, are not well understood.

Frequent silencing of DBC1 is by genetic or epigenetic mechanisms in non-small cell lung cancers.

Genome-wide screening of DNA copy number aberrations in 27 cell lines derived from non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLCs), using a custom-made comparative genomic hybridization (CGH)-array, identified a homozygous deletion of the deleted in bladder cancer 1 gene (DBC1) in one cell line. Homozygous deletion of DBC1, located at 9q33.1, was also observed in two of 53 primary NSCLC tumors examined.

Effects of the postoperative administration of diltiazem on renal function after coronary artery bypass grafting.

Background: Radial artery grafts are used for coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), and postoperative antispasm therapy with diltiazem is performed widely. Some investigators have warned that diltiazem administration after cardiac surgery is harmful to renal function. We designed a retrospective study to investigate the renal and hemodynamic effects of the postoperative administration of diltiazem in patients undergoing CABG.

Oral cibenzoline reduces postoperative atrial fibrillation in coronary artery bypass grafting.

Objective: The objective of the present study was to investigate the effectiveness of postoperative oral administration of cibenzoline for the prevention of atrial fibrillation (AF) in coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG).

Methods: A total of 39 patients who underwent isolated CABG from September 2000 to February 2001 and who took oral cibenzoline (300 mg per day for 10 days beginning immediately after surgery) were compared to 59 patients who underwent surgery in our department 8 months prior to the study and who did not take cibenzoline for incidence of postoperative AF. Exclusion criteria encompassed age (>80 years), low ejection fraction (<30%), high serum creatinine level (>2.

Synthetic salusins as cardiac depressors in rat.

Using bioinformatic analyses of full-length, enriched human cDNA libraries, we recently identified salusins, multifunctional related peptides ubiquitously expressed in major human tissues. Salusins cause transient and profound hypotension when injected intravenously to rats, the hypotensive effect of salusin-beta being especially striking. However, the mechanisms of this hypotensive action remain elusive.

Non-viral in vivo thrombomodulin gene transfer prevents early loss of thromboresistance of grafted veins.

Objective: Immediate loss of thrombomodulin activity in the endothelium of vein grafts has been demonstrated during 90 min exposure to arterial circulation; this loss of activity is ascribed as an important cause of early thrombosis. Conventional ex vivo gene transfection after vein harvest cannot cover this acute period immediately after implantation. We have established a highly efficient non-viral gene therapy protocol utilizing modified transferrin receptor-facilitated gene transfer.

Age-related changes in gap junctional protein of the rat heart.

Objective: Connexin 43 (Cx43), a membrane protein involved in the control of cell-to-cell communication, is thought to play a role in physiological processes such as tissue homeostasis, growth regulation and development. The aim of the present study was to investigate the change of Cx43 expression in aged myocardium.

Methods And Results: Sixteen male Sprague-Dawley rats (adult: 10 weeks old, n=8; aged: two years old, n=8) were used in the present study.

Formation of tissue factor-bearing leukocytes during and after cardiopulmonary bypass.

During cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB), the extrinsic coagulation system initiated by tissue factor (TF) is a major procoagulant stimulus. TF is present in surgical wounds and could be expressed on activated monocytes. However, recent studies have suggested that collagen stimulation rapidly induces TF by leukocyte-platelet complex formation.