A myxoid liposarcoma in the lower leg, with a large intra-abdominal metastasis.

We report a patient with a large intra-abdominal metastasis of myxoid liposarcoma. The patient first noticed an asymptomatic mass in her left leg in 1985, when she was 20 years old. The mass was left untouched until she realized its rapid growth and consulted a local doctor in 1994.

Minimum 10-year follow-up study of anterior lumbar interbody fusion for isthmic spondylolisthesis.

The aims of the current study were to evaluate the long-term clinical and radiologic results of anterior lumbar interbody fusion (ALIF) for isthmic spondylolisthesis. Between 1981 and 1988, a total of 35 patients underwent ALIF for isthmic spondylolisthesis. Of these, 23 patients were followed clinically and radiographically for more than 10 years (average, 13.

Group-selective hydroalumination: a novel route to stereogenic tert-alcohol centers.

[reaction: see text]. A new group-selective reaction is described, that is, the hydroalumination of bis-alkynyl alcohols armed with an adjacent stereogenic center, giving stereo-defined tert-alcohols of potential utility in natural product synthesis.

Clinical features of extraforaminal lumbar disc herniation based on the radiographic location of the dorsal root ganglion.

Study Design: The relations between the location of the dorsal root ganglion and pre- and postoperative symptoms were reviewed retrospectively in 27 patients who underwent radiculography and posterior discectomy.

Objectives: To evaluate the clinical features and surgical outcome of extraforaminal lumbar disc herniation based on the location of dorsal root ganglion.

Summary Of Background Data: The location of dorsal root ganglia has been reported to be correlated with a variety of radicular symptoms.

Possible involvement of 5-HT4 receptors, in addition to 5-HT3 receptors, in the emesis induced by high-dose cisplatin in Suncus murinus.

To clarify the mechanism for the severe emesis concomitant with intensive chemotherapy, we investigated the effects of 5-HT3- and 5-HT4-receptor antagonists on the emesis induced by the high-dose of cisplatin in Suncus murinus. The emesis induced by 50 mg/kg of cisplatin was reduced by the oral pretreatment with tropisetron, which is known as a 5-HT3- and 5-HT4-receptor dual antagonist in vitro, with the ID50 value of 0.52 mg/kg.

Rhein, an active metabolite of diacerein, suppresses the interleukin-1alpha-induced proteoglycan degradation in cultured rabbit articular chondrocytes.

Diacerein has proved to be effective in the treatment of osteoarthritis. We investigated the effects of rhein, an active metabolite of diacerein, on the degradation of recombinant human interleukin-1alpha (rhIL-1alpha)-induced proteoglycan and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) release from rabbit articular chondrocytes. Chondrocytes were treated for 24 h with rhein in the presence of rhIL-1alpha.

Quantitative assessment of myocardial perfusion during graded coronary artery stenoses by intravenous myocardial contrast echocardiography.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to examine whether coronary stenoses of variable severity could be quantitatively assessed by analysis of myocardial perfusion as determined by intravenous (IV) myocardial contrast echocardiography.

Background: Recently, new contrast agents and imaging technology have been developed that may enable improved assessment of myocardial perfusion by IV contrast injection.

Methods: Variable obstruction of the left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery in dogs was produced by a screw occluder.

[Clinical evaluation of urinary basic fetoprotein and the BTA test for detection of bladder cancer].

We compared the results of urinary basic fetoprotein (BFP) and the BTA test with those of urinary cytology in patients with bladder cancer. We also analyzed the urinary BFP and the BTA test results in patients with benign diseases and postoperative bladder cancer with no evidence of recurrence. The cutoff value for urinary BFP was set at 10 ng/ml.

Improvement of left ventricular diastolic dynamics in prediabetic stage of a type II diabetic rat model after troglitazone treatment.

Troglitazone, an oral antidiabetic agent, has hypoglycemic effects in insulin-resistant animal models and humans. This study was conducted to evaluate its effect on left ventricular diastolic dynamics of a spontaneous diabetic (DM) rat model. Twenty DM rats and 20 age-matched nonDM rats were used, and 10 of each group were treated with troglitazone as a 0.

Protective effect of erdosteine against hypochlorous acid-induced acute lung injury and lipopolysaccharide-induced neutrophilic lung inflammation in mice.

The effect of erdosteine, a mucoactive drug, on hypochlorous acid (HOCl)-induced lung injury, and the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced increase in tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) production and neutrophil recruitment into the airway, was investigated. Male BALB/c mice were orally administered erdosteine (3-100 mgkg(-1)), ambroxol hydrochloride (ambroxol) (3-30 mgkg(-1)), S-carboxymethyl-L-cysteine (S-CMC) (100-600 mgkg(-1)) or prednisolone (10 mgkg(-1)), 1 h before intratracheal injection of HOCl or LPS. In the HOCl-injected mice, erdosteine markedly suppressed increases in the ratios of lung wet weight to bodyweight and lung dry weight to bodyweight, whereas the other mucoactive drugs ambroxol and S-CMC had little effect.

Quantitative assessment of myocardial perfusion during graded coronary stenosis by real-time myocardial contrast echo refilling curves.

Objectives: The present study examined the ability of real-time myocardial contrast echocardiography (MCE) to delineate abnormalities produced by graded coronary stenoses and to correlate signal intensity (SI) parameters derived from destruction/refilling curves with regional myocardial blood flow (MBF) and contractile function.

Background: Recent technological advances have enabled myocardial opacification by MCE to be achieved during real-time imaging.

Methods: In eight open-chest dogs, we created LAD occlusion and graded stenoses that were either flow-limiting at rest (FLS) or reduced adenosine hyperemia (non-flow-limiting at rest = NFLS).

Effects of valsartan on angiotensin II-induced migration of human coronary artery smooth muscle cells.

The migration as well as proliferation of coronary artery medial smooth muscle cells (SMC) into the intima is proposed to be an important process of intimal thickening in coronary atherosclerosis. In the current study, we examined the effects of the angiotensin type 1 receptor antagonist valsartan on angiotensin II (Ang II)-induced migration of cultured human coronary artery SMC using Boyden's chamber methods. Ang II significantly stimulated human coronary artery SMC migration in a concentration-dependent manner between 10(-6) and 10(-8) mol/l when cells of passage 4 to 6 were used.

Bullous pemphigoid associated with silicosis.

Bullous pemphigoid (BP) has never before been reported to associate with silicosis, although there are numerous reports of silicosis accompanied by different autoimmune diseases, such as systemic sclerosis, systemic lupus erythematosus, dermatomyositis or rheumatoid arthritis. We report on a 63-year-old Japanese patient with silicosis who developed tensed bullae, erosions and macular pigmentation on the trunk and extremities. Indirect immunofluorescence revealed anti-basement-membrane-zone antibodies; immunoblotting analysis demonstrated that the patient's serum reacted with the 230-kD BP antigen in the epidermal extracts, as well as a recombinant protein of the NC16a domain of 180-kD BP antigen.

The effect of zaldaride maleate, an antidiarrheal compound, on acetylcholine-induced intestinal electrolyte secretion.

The effect of zaldaride on acetylcholine-induced colonic electrolyte secretion was examined. The short-circuit current response to acetylcholine was partially reduced by tetrodotoxin, a neuronal blocker, and was completely inhibited by atropine, an acetylcholine M receptor antagonist, in the rat colonic preparations. The tetrodotoxin sensitive effect was significantly inhibited by zaldaride, whereas the tetrodotoxin insensitive effect was not affected.

[Properties of antitumor activity of vinorelbine tartrate, a new vinca alkaloid antitumor agent].

Vinorelbine (VNR) is a new vinca alkaloid derivative semi-synthesized by Potier et al. The antitumor activity of VNR was superior to other vinca alkaloid antitumor agents, and the neuro-toxicity of VNR was weaker than those of other vinca alkaloids. In nude mice xenografted human tumor models, VNR showed antitumor activity against eight of eleven tumor models (non-small cell lung cancer: 4/4, breast cancer: 2/3, colon cancer: 0/2, stomach cancer: 2/2).

P- and E-selectins recognize sialyl 6-sulfo Lewis X, the recently identified L-selectin ligand.

Recently we identified sialyl 6-sulfo Le(x) as a major L-selectin ligand on high endothelial venules of human peripheral lymph nodes. In this study we investigated the ligand activity of sialyl 6-sulfo Le(x) to E- and P-selectins and compared it with the binding activity of conventional sialyl Le(x), by using cultured human lymphoid cells expressing both carbohydrate determinants. The results of the recombinant selectin binding studies and the nonstatic monolayer cell adhesion assays indicated that both sialyl 6-sulfo Le(x) and conventional sialyl Le(x) served as ligand for E- and P-selectins, while L-selectin was quite specific to sialyl 6-sulfo Le(x).

Squamous cell carcinoma of the prostate without evidence of recurrence 5 years after operation.

A 54-year-old man underwent radical cystoprostatectomy after prostatic needle biopsy which revealed squamous cell carcinoma of the prostate. However, the positive surgical margin of the pubis suggested residual disease. He received chemotherapy with methotrexate, peplomycin and cisplatin (MPD regimen).

Effect of cibenzoline on regional left ventricular function in hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy.

Background: Cibenzoline, a class Ia antiarrhythmic drug, can be used to relieve left ventricular (LV) outflow obstruction in hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM). However, the mechanism of this agent in HOCM has been controversial.

Hypothesis: This study was designed to investigate the effect of cibenzoline on regional LV function and the acoustic properties in HOCM using ultrasonic integrated backscatter.

Assessment of coronary stenosis severity and transmural perfusion gradient by myocardial contrast echocardiography: comparison of gray-scale B-mode with power Doppler imaging.

Background: The present study (1) compared the ability of power Doppler imaging with that of gray-scale B-mode tissue imaging to opacify the myocardium and detect coronary stenosis by myocardial contrast echocardiography and (2) compared the response of video intensity (VI) to variable pulsing intervals for each modality.

Methods And Results: Four grades of left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) stenoses were created in 9 open-chest dogs. Stenoses reduced resting LAD flow by 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% of baseline by flow probe.

Three-dimensional small-volume irradiation for residual or recurrent nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Purpose: To minimize side effects and to achieve a high local control rate, three-dimensional (3D) small-volume irradiation was used for locally residual or recurrent nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Methods And Materials: Between July 1992 and March 1998, 18 tumors (12 residual and 6 local recurrent cases) were treated with 3D planned small-volume irradiation. The total dose (i.

Effect of zaldaride maleate, an antidiarrheal compound, on 16,16-dimethyl prostaglandin E2-induced intestinal ion secretion in rats.

The effect of zaldaride, a calmodulin inhibitor, on 16,16-dimethyl prostaglandin E2 (dmPGE2)-induced intestinal ion secretion was investigated in rats. Zaldaride inhibited the dmPGE2-induced increase in water content in the colon, but not that in the small intestine. In the colonic mucosa, zaldaride attenuated the dmPGE2-induced short-circuit current; however, it did not affect the forskolin or dibutyryl cAMP-induced effect.

[A case report of treatment for tracheal fistula after radical esophagectomy].

We report our experience of the treatment of a 60-year-old man with upper tracheal fistula which developed on the 11th day after radical surgery for esophageal cancer. Primary treatment to close the fistula was unsuccessful, resulting in the involvement of empyema due to infection. Controlled ventilation with T-tube and drainage through a chest tube for 2 months lead to depuration of the thoracic cavity.