Treatment outcomes of radiotherapy for malignant psoas syndrome: A single-center retrospective study.

Introduction: The efficacy of radiotherapy for symptomatic relief of malignant psoas syndrome (MPS) remains unknown because there are limited publications with high level evidence, including analyses with sufficient number of cases, clinical trials, and systematic reviews about radiotherapy for MPS. We aimed to investigate the characteristics of and symptom relief rates in patients treated with radiotherapy for MPS in palliative intent.

Methods: In this single-center retrospective study, we analyzed data of 22 consecutive patients treated with radiotherapy for MPS at our institution in Japan between 2012 and 2022.

The nitric oxide-cyclic guanosine monophosphate pathway inhibits the bladder ATP release in response to a physiological or pathological stimulus.

The release of ATP from the epithelium of the urinary bladder (urothelium) in response to mechanical/chemical stimuli contributes to the visceral sensation in the micturition reflex. The nitric oxide (NO)-mediated induction of cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) has been detected in urothelial cells and may inhibit the micturition reflex. However, the function of the NO-cGMP pathway in the regulation of urothelial ATP release remains poorly understood in contrast to its effects on smooth muscles or primary afferent nerves.

Outcomes of Definitive Chemoradiotherapy for Stage IVa (T4b vs. N4) Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Based on the Japanese Classification System: A Retrospective Single-Center Study.

The differences in prognoses or progression patterns between T4b non-N4 and non-T4b N4 esophageal squamous cell carcinoma post chemoradiotherapy (CRT) is unclear. This study compared the outcomes of CRT for stage IVa esophageal squamous cell carcinoma according to T/N factors. We retrospectively identified 66 patients with stage IVa esophageal squamous cell carcinoma who underwent definitive CRT at our center between January 2009 and March 2013.

Effect of the types of pretreatment imaging modalities on the treatment response to palliative radiation for painful bone metastases from solid cancer: a single-center retrospective analysis.

Background: Determining the appropriate gross tumor volume is important for irradiation planning in addition to palliative radiation for bone metastases. While irradiation planning is commonly performed using simulation computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), bone scintigraphy, and fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography-CT (FDG-PET-CT) are more sensitive for detecting bone metastasis and invasion areas. Therefore, this study evaluated whether pretreatment imaging modalities influenced the response to palliative radiation therapy (i.

Development of a new laboratory test to evaluate antithrombin resistance in plasma.

Introduction: We recently reported a variant prothrombin (p.Arg596Leu: prothrombin Yukuhashi) that confers antithrombin resistance to patients with hereditary thrombosis. To detect antithrombin resistance in plasma, we devised a laboratory test analyzing the kinetics of thrombin inactivation using antithrombin.

Molecular mechanisms of syndecan-4 upregulation by TNF-α in the endothelium-like EAhy926 cells.

Syndecan-4, a cell-surface heparan sulfate proteoglycan, can participate in inflammation and wound healing as a host defense molecule. Tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α, one of the most potent proinflammatory cytokines, is known to upregulate syndecan-4 expression, but the precise mechanisms are unclear. To elucidate these mechanisms in detail, we examined syndecan-4 upregulation by TNF-α in the endothelium-like EAhy926 cell.

Ribavirin-induced intracellular GTP depletion activates transcription elongation in coagulation factor VII gene expression.

Coagulation FVII (Factor VII) is a vitamin K-dependent glycoprotein synthesized in hepatocytes. It was reported previously that FVII gene (F7) expression was up-regulated by ribavirin treatment in hepatitis C virus-infected haemophilia patients; however, its precise mechanism is still unknown. In the present study, we investigated the molecular mechanism of ribavirin-induced up-regulation of F7 expression in HepG2 (human hepatoma cell line).

A possible mechanism for Inv22-related F8 large deletions in severe hemophilia A patients with high responding factor VIII inhibitors.

Background: Intron 22 inversion (Inv22) of the coagulation factor (F)VIII gene (F8) is a frequent cause of severe hemophilia A. In addition to Inv22, a variety of F8 mutations (1492 unique mutations) causing hemophilia A have been reported, of which 171 involve deletions of over 50 bp (HAMSTeRs database; http://hadb.org.

Thrombosis from a prothrombin mutation conveying antithrombin resistance.

We identified a novel mechanism of hereditary thrombosis associated with antithrombin resistance, with a substitution of arginine for leucine at position 596 (p.Arg596Leu) in the gene encoding prothrombin (called prothrombin Yukuhashi). The mutant prothrombin had moderately lower activity than wild-type prothrombin in clotting assays, but the formation of thrombin-antithrombin complex was substantially impaired.

The factorial structure of the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) in Japanese dementia patients.

Background: The Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) is one of the most commonly used instruments in the evaluation of global cognitive status. Few studies have investigated the relationship among its components in terms of factorial structure in Japanese individuals suffering from dementia. The aims of this study were: 1) to analyze the factorial structure of MMSE in Japanese dementia patients, 2) to clarify the MMSE static structure in identifying different cognitive profiles and understanding how these profiles are related to levels of dysfunction in subsets of dementia patients.

A case of newly demonstrated coronary spasm 4 months after paclitaxel-eluting stent implantation for in-stent restenosis.

A 56-year-old woman with hypertension and hypercholesterolemia was admitted to our hospital with acute inferior myocardial infarction. The patient had total occlusion of the right coronary artery (RCA) segment 2, and bare-metal stents were placed. Four months later, plain old balloon angioplasty was performed for in-stent restenosis.

Anti-inflammatory and analgesic components from "hierba santa," a traditional medicine in Peru.

"Hierba santa," a Peruvian herbal medicine, is used to alleviate many symptoms, including headache, hemorrhoids, fever, and rheumatism. Several Cestrum species are said to be the origin of hierba santa. Three lots of hierba santa: Cestrum auriculatum (herb 1 and herb 2) and C.

Diterpenes from Leucas aspera inhibiting prostaglandin-induced contractions.

Investigation of the inhibitory fraction of Leucas aspera on prostaglandin-induced contraction in guinea pig ileum provided four new diterpenes, leucasperones A (1) and B (2) and leucasperols A (3) and B (4), and three new isopimarane glycosides, leucasperosides A, B, and C (5-7), together with the known compounds asperphenamate, maslinic acid, (-)-isololiolide, and linifolioside. The structures of the compounds were determined by detailed spectroscopic analysis. The configurations of 1 and 2 and the acetylated derivatives of 3 and 4 were determined by differential NOE analysis and CD data.

Prostaglandin inhibitory and antioxidant components of Cistus laurifolius, a Turkish medicinal plant.

As Cistus laurifolius has been used traditionally to treat inflammatory and rheumatic disorders, its leaves were tested for prostaglandin (PG) inhibitory and antioxidant activities. The leaf extract showed both activities, i.e.

Six immunosuppressive features from an ascomycete, Zopfiella longicaudata, found in a screening study monitored by immunomodulatory activity.

In a screening study on immunomodulatory fungal metabolites, three known anthraquinones, carviolin (roseo-purpurin) (1), 1-O-methylemodin (2), omega-hydroxyemodin (citreorosein) (4), and a new anthraquinone, omega-acetylcarviolin (3), together with a known steroid, ergosta-4,6,8(14),22-tetraen-3-one (5) and a new steroid, 25-hydroxyergosta-4,6,8(14),22-tetraen-3-one (6) were isolated from an Ascomycete, Zopfiella longicaudata, and found to have moderate immunosuppressive activities. The structure-activity relationships of these metabolites are discussed.

Immunomodulatory constituents from an Ascomycete, Chaetomium seminudum.

A screening study focusing on immunomodulatory activity of the EtOAc extract of an Ascomycete, Chaetomium seminudum, has afforded a known epipolythiodioxopiperazine, chetomin (1), together with three new chetomin-related metabolites named chetoseminudins A (2), B (3), and C (4). Among these four metabolites, 1 and 2 have been deduced as the immunosuppressive features of this fungus.

Wrightiamines A and B, two new cytotoxic pregnane alkaloids from Wrightia javanica.

Two new pregnane alkaloids, wrightiamines A (1) and B (2), were isolated from the extract of the tropical Apocynaceous plant Wrightia javanica collected in Thailand, and their structures were elucidated by spectral data. Wrightiamine B (2) was preparaed from 3beta-hydroxy-5alpha-pregnan-20-one to establish the configuration of the C-20 position as S. Wrightiamine A (1) exhibited cytotoxic activity against vincristine-resistant murine leukemia P388 cells.

Separation of Leucas aspera, a medicinal plant of Bangladesh, guided by prostaglandin inhibitory and antioxidant activities.

According to the traditional usage of the plant for antiinflammation and analgesia, Leucas aspera was tested for its prostaglandin (PG) inhibitory and antioxidant activities. The extract showed both activities, i.e.

Six new constituents from an Ascomycete, Chaetomium quadrangulatum, found in a screening study focused on monoamine oxidase inhibitory activity.

A screening study focusing on monoamine oxidase inhibitory activity on the EtOAc extract of an Ascomycete Chaetomium quadrangulatum, which previously gave five unique chromones possessing this activity (chaetoquadrins A-E (1-5)), this time afforded six new constituents termed chaetoquadrins F-K (6-11) in addition to 1-5. The structures of 6-11 have been deduced on the basis of spectral and chemical data, and 7 and 8 have shown appreciable monoamine oxidase inhibitory activity.

New onoceranoid triterpene constituents from Lansium domesticum.

Three new natural onoceranoid triterpenes, lansionic acid (1), 3beta-hydroxyonocera-8(26),14-dien-21-one (2), and 21alpha-hydroxyonocera-8(26),14-dien-3-one (3), were isolated from the fruit peel of Lansium domesticum together with two known triterpenoids (4 and 5), and their structures were elucidated from spectral data. These triterpenoids exhibited mild toxicity against brine shrimp (Artemia salina).

Structure-activity relationships of seco-prezizaane terpenoids in gamma-aminobutyric acid receptors of houseflies and rats.

Thirteen seco-prezizaane terpenoids isolated from star anise species (Illcium floridanum, Illcium parviflorum, and Illcium verum) were investigated for their ability to inhibit the specific binding of [(3)H]4'-ethynyl-4-n-propylbicycloorthobenzoate (EBOB), a non-competitive antagonist of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptors, to housefly-head and rat-brain membranes. Veranisatin A was found to be the most potent inhibitor in both membranes, with an IC(50)(fly) of 78.5 nM and an IC(50)(rat) of 271 nM, followed by anisatin (IC(50)(fly)=123 nM; IC(50)(rat)=282 nM).

Five new chromones possessing monoamine oxidase inhibitory activity from an ascomycete, Chaetomium quadrangulatum.

Five novel chromones (1,4-benzopyran-4-ones), among which three are tetracyclic and one contains a sulfonyl group, have been isolated from an Ascomycete, Chaetomium quadrangulatum, as monoamine oxidase inhibitory features, and named chaetoquadrins A (1)-E (5).