Pioglitazone, a peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma activator, ameliorates experimental autoimmune myocarditis by modulating Th1/Th2 balance.

Objectives: The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPAR gamma) ligand on experimental autoimmune myocarditis (EAM).

Background: Rat EAM model resembles the giant cell myocarditis in human. Recent studies have suggested that Th1 cytokines are involved in the initiation and progression of EAM, whereas Th2 cytokines are associated with the remission.

Diagnostic utility of tenascin-C for evaluation of the activity of human acute myocarditis.

Tenascin-C (TN-C) is an extracellular matrix protein that is expressed transiently in close association with tissue remodelling in various body sites. In the heart, TN-C is only present during early stages of development, is not expressed in the normal adult, but reappears in pathological states. The purpose of this study was to analyse the expression of TN-C in myocardial tissue from myocarditis patients, and to evaluate the diagnostic value of immunostaining for TN-C in the assessment of inflammatory activity in biopsy specimens.

Genetic alterations in early-stage pulmonary large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma.

Background: Small cell lung carcinoma (SCLC) and pulmonary large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LCNEC) are high-grade malignant neuroendocrine tumors. Histologic differentiation between SCLC and LCNEC is difficult in some cases and to the authors' knowledge, genetic alterations associated with LCNEC have not been identified. Therefore, the authors studied genetic alterations found in LCNEC and compared them with those of SCLC and classic large cell carcinoma (CLCC).

Fatal infectious mononucleosis with evidence suggestive of the development of B cell lymphoma.

A 4-year-old girl presented to a local hospital in August 1999 with fever and cervical lymphadenopathy. A diagnosis of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection was made and the patient was treated with corticosteroids. One month later she developed dyspnea secondary to tonsilar swelling, and underwent tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy.