Establishment of "Ring-Size-Divergent" Synthetic Strategy: Divergent Synthesis, Stereochemical Assignments, and Biological Activity Studies of Nerolidol-Type Sesquiterpenoids and Feroniellins.

Biomimetic epoxide-opening cascade cyclizations of polyepoxides enable the efficient and rapid construction of polyether skeletons. In this study, we discovered a method for switching the cyclization mode from tetrahydrofuran to tetrahydropyran (THP) formation in epoxide-opening cascades of polyepoxides. The THP formation proceeded via an epoxonium-ion intermediate by simple heating in neutral water.

Anti-inflammatory and Antioxidant Effects of Japanese Herbal Medicine Kyoseihatekigan on Vocal Fold Wound Healing.

Objectives: The Japanese herbal medicine kyoseihatekigan (KHG) has been used to alleviate the symptoms of croaky voice and globus hystericus, and each of its components has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. However, the mechanisms underlying these beneficial actions of KHG on the vocal folds remain largely unknown. We examined the effects of KHG on rat vocal fold wound healing and assessed its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.

Critical Switching of Cyclization Modes of Polyepoxides in Acidic Aqueous Media and Neutral Water: Synthesis and Revised Structure of a Nerolidol-Type Sesquiterpenoid.

Biomimetic epoxide-opening cascades of polyepoxides enable the efficient and rapid construction of polyether frameworks. Herein, we show that the epoxide-opening cascade cyclization that affords tetrahydrofuran products in acidic aqueous media produces tetrahydropyran (THP) in neutral water. THP formation proceeded by simply heating polyepoxides in neutral water and followed a different cyclization mode from those observed so far.

A Case of Severe Rectal Hemorrhage Possibly Caused by Radiation Recall after Administration of Gemcitabine.

Radiation recall is an acute inflammatory reaction that can be triggered when systemic agents are administered long time after radiotherapy. Because radiotherapy is now indicated for many types of cancer, care should be taken regarding possible toxic events relating to radiotherapy in combination with radio-sensitizing agents. Gemcitabine, one such anti-cancer agent, is widely used, especially for urologic cancers.

CT during Arteriography to Visualize the Right Adrenal Vein for Adrenal Venous Sampling.

The present report describes 6 cases of adrenal venous sampling (AVS) in patients who underwent computed tomography (CT) during arteriography because cannulation of right adrenal veins was otherwise difficult. CT was performed during arteriography to obtain information on the location and direction of the right adrenal vein. Two right adrenal veins were visualized in 1 case.

[Evaluation of safety and efficacy of transjugular liver biopsy in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients].

We retrospectively evaluated the safety and utility of transjugular liver biopsy (TJLB) in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) recipients. Ten patients underwent HSCT between 1991 and 2013. Eight patients with thrombocytopenia received platelet transfusions before and/or during TJLB.

Visualization of the right adrenal vein using CT during right inferior phrenic arteriography in hepatocellular carcinoma patients.

Objective: The objective of this retrospective study was to determine the frequency of right adrenal vein identification by computed tomography (CT) during right inferior phrenic arteriography (CTRIPA) and to describe the spectrum of anatomic variations of the right adrenal vein.

Materials And Methods: CTRIPA performed on 104 patients treated with transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) for hepatocellular carcinoma in our hospital between August 2007 and July 2013 were reviewed. The right adrenal vein on CTRIPA images was evaluated for degree of visualization, anatomic variation, anatomic features, vessel direction, and length.

Large renal arteriovenous fistula with left-sided inferior vena cava.

Idiopathic renal arteriovenous fistulas (RAVFs) are uncommon, and a left-sided inferior vena cava (IVC) is also rare. We report a large idiopathic RAVF in a 36-year-old woman who had progressive congestive heart failure. An abdominal computed tomographic scan revealed an enlarged IVC on the left side and a 5.

Short-term therapeutic effects of transcatheter arterial chemoembolization using miriplatin-lipiodol suspension for hepatocellular carcinoma.

Purpose: To retrospectively investigate the short-term therapeutic effects and adverse effects associated with the use of miriplatin-lipiodol suspension for transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), using TACE with cisplatin-lipiodol suspension as the historical control.

Materials And Methods: The study was conducted on 48 and 50 consecutive patients with HCC who underwent TACE with miriplatin-lipiodol suspension and cisplatin-lipiodol suspension, respectively. Therapeutic effect was evaluated by mRECIST.

Hemobilia due to biliary intraepithelial neoplasia associated with Zollinger-Ellison syndrome.

A 58-year-old man was transferred to us from his local hospital because of failure to control his gastrointestinal bleeding by endoscopic hemostasis. Abdominal imaging suggested a hypervascular tumor of the pancreatic head (36 mm diameter), and laboratory testing showed an elevated serum gastrin level (17,800 pg/mL). Gastroduodenal endoscopy revealed multiple duodenal ulcers and active bleeding from the ampulla of Vater.

Successful percutaneous coil embolization of coronary-pulmonary, -carotid, and -internal mammary artery fistulas.

We herein describe a 57-year-old man with coronary-pulmonary artery fistulas that had abnormal connections between the left common carotid artery and the left internal mammary artery. The patient was treated with percutaneous coil embolization using antegrade (via the coronary artery) and retrograde (via the pulmonary artery) approaches. Coronary artery fistulas have diverse anatomical variations, and it is important to thoroughly evaluate the anatomy before beginning any mode of treatment, surgical or endovascular.

Multidetector-row CT Angiography of Lower Extremities: Usefulness in the Diagnosis of and Intervention for Peripheral Arterial Disease.

CT angiography (CTA) based on the data acquired by multidetector-row CT (MDCT) is an established, minimally invasive modality for imaging peripheral arteries. CTA has been used to assess peripheral arterial disease before treatment, and it has replaced conventional angiography for the diagnostic evaluation of peripheral arteries. MDCT can optimize both the long scan length and spatial resolution.

Radiosurgical treatment planning for intracranial AVM based on images generated by principal component analysis--a simulation study.

Background: One of the most important factors in stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) for intracranial arteriovenous malformation (AVM) is to determine accurate target delineation of the nidus. However, since intracranial AVMs are complicated in structure, it is often difficult to clearly determine the target delineation.

Purpose: To investigate the usefulness of principal component analysis (PCA) on intra-arterial contrast enhanced dynamic CT (IADCT) images as a tool for delineating accurate target volumes for stereotactic radiosurgery of AVMs.

Transileocolic venous balloon dilatation for the management of primary and recurrent portal venous stenosis after living donor liver transplantation in children.

Portal venous stenosis is relatively a rare complication after liver transplantation in children and it sometimes leads to life threatening event due to gastrointestinal bleeding or graft failure. Recently, balloon dilatation has been widely accepted as a treatment of choice for the management of portal venous stenosis. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of transileocolic venous balloon dilatation for the management of primary and recurrent portal venous stenosis after living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) in children.

Repeated transluminal endovascular Inoue stent graft placement for progressive dilatation of prosthetic graft that had been repaired with Inoue stent graft placement for dilatation 23 years after extraanatomical bypass.

A 76-year-old man had undergone aneurysm exclusion and ascending abdominal aortic extraanatomical bypass for a thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm in 1978. In 1983 hemoptysis occurred, and resection and closure of the central stump of the aorta and a left lower lobectomy were performed. Dilatation (phi50 mm) of a prosthetic graft (Cooley Graft phi18 mm) used for extraanatomical bypass was noted in 2001 and was repaired by placement of an Inoue stent graft.

Can selective CT angiography reduce the incidence of severe complications during transcatheter arterial embolization or infusion chemotherapy for thoracic diseases?

Purpose: To evaluate the usefulness of selective computed tomography (CT) angiography in preventing severe complications, such as spinal cord injury and broncho- esophageal fistula, during the transcatheter arterial embolization or infusion chemotherapy for thoracic diseases.

Materials And Methods: Data from 28 patients with thoracic diseases were retrospectively analyzed in terms of selective CT angiography procedures carried out before transcatheter arterial embolization or transcatheter arterial infusion chemotherapy.

Results: There were no spinal cord injuries (0/13 and 0/15) or broncho-esophageal fistula developments (0/13 and 0/15) during transcatheter arterial embolization and transcatheter arterial infusion chemotherapy, respectively.

Use of gadolinium contrast adrenal venography for the assessment of primary aldosteronism in a patient with iodine allergy.

Primary aldosteronism is a relatively common cause of secondary hypertension. It is often important to diagnose this disease accurately, since appropriate surgical therapy may result in cure of the disease. Assessment of the laterality of adrenal hyperfunction is possible using adrenal venous sampling of steroid hormones, but this procedure may not be feasible in patients with allergy to iodinated radiocontrast agents.

Intra-arterial CT-angiography for cerebral arteriovenous malformation--initial experiences for treatment planning of radiosurgery.

Purpose: To clarify the feasibility and effectiveness of intra-arterial CT angiography (IACTA) for treatment planning of arteriovenous malformation radiosurgery.

Methods And Materials: A CT scanner installed in an angiographic examination room was used. Helical IACTA was performed in 22 patients during continuous intra-arterial infusion of contrast medium via the internal carotid or vertebral artery, and dynamic IACTA was performed in 20 of these patients with reconstruction at 0.