Repeat radiofrequency ablation provides survival benefit in patients with intrahepatic distant recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Objectives: Intrahepatic distant recurrence (IDR) of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after curative treatment occurs frequently and influences the prognoses. The aim of this study was to determine prognostic factors affecting survival after IDR and the optimum therapy for IDR.

Methods: A total of 115 patients with a single small primary HCC who had complete radiofrequency (RF) ablation were enrolled in this study.

Midkine gene transfer protects against focal brain ischemia and augments neurogenesis.

Background And Purpose: Midkine is a heparin-binding growth factor having various biological activities including chemotaxis of inflammatory cells, angiogenesis and migration of neuronal cells. These biological activities are expected to have a great impact on the pathology of brain infarction in subacute phase. Therefore, we investigated the effect of post-ischemic gene transfer of midkine in the phase.

Therapeutic benefits of partial splenic embolization for thrombocytopenia in hepatocellular carcinoma patients treated with radiofrequency ablation.

Aim: Partial splenic embolization (PSE) is a non-surgical procedure developed to treat hypersplenism. The purpose of this study is to evaluate therapeutic benefits of PSE with follow-up radiofrequency ablation (RFA) treatment in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients with thrombocytopenia.

Methods: Between September 1999 and January 2007, a total of 20 patients with HCC who had a few lesions, each 3 cm or less in diameter, and liver function of Child-Pugh class A or B were enrolled into our study.

Channel models for wireless body area networks.

Wireless patient monitoring using wearable sensors is a promising application. This paper provides stochastic channel models for wireless body area network (WBAN) on the human body. Parameters of the channel models are extracted from measured channel transfer functions (CTFs) in a hospital room.

[S-1+gemcitabine (GEM) therapy was effective in a case of unresectable pancreatic head carcinoma].

Objective: Treatment results of pancreatic head carcinoma are not good and long-term survival, especially in nonresectable cases is extremely difficult to obtain. The case reported here is of nonresectable pancreatic head carcinoma in which S-1+gemcitabine (GEM) proved to be effective.

Case: A 70-year-old male.

Kinematics of the compensatory step by the trailing leg following an unexpected forward slip while walking.

In this study, we described the joint angle changes of the trailing leg during the compensatory step used to recover balance following a forward slip while walking. Fifteen healthy young males walked on a walkway which incorporated a movable platform to simulate a forward slip while walking. In 12 out of the 15 subjects, the trailing leg was rapidly lowered during the swing phase and was placed on the ground behind the slipping foot following the onset of the slip.

Enantioselective synthesis of silanol.

An enantioselective nucleophilic substitution reaction of achiral dialkoxysilane has been developed. The reaction proceeds with efficient stereocontrol on the silicon chirality center to give the enantioenriched silyl ether, which can be converted to the silanol without loss of enantiopurity. We have analyzed the steric course of the reaction by using DFT calculations and propose a transition state model to explain the observed enantioselectivity.

Changes in urinary NTX levels in patients with primary osteoporosis undergoing long-term bisphosphonate treatment.

Background: Bisphosphonates, antiresorptive drugs, are widely used to treat osteoporosis patients. However, recent reports indicated that several osteoporosis patients who underwent long-term bisphosphonate therapy subsequently developed severe suppression of bone turnover. We investigated whether urinary crosslinked N-telopeptide of type I collagen (NTX), a bone resorption marker, in osteoporosis patients was highly suppressed during long-term treatment with alendronate or risedronate.

[Evidence and utility of etidronate for the treatment of osteoporosis].

Etidronate is the first bisphosphonate for the treatment of osteoporosis in Japan. Etidronate is useful for the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis, glucocorticoid induced osteoporosis, osteoporosis in men, and disused osteoporosis. Etidronate is less effective than other bisphosphonate, such as alendronate and risedronate, in reduction of fracture risk especially non-vertebral fracture, although bone mineral density in femoral neck is significantly increased.

Dose prediction in Japan for nuclear test explosions in North Korea.

The impact on Japan of the underground test conducted in North Korea on October 9, 2006 is examined. By the use of the results of modelling assessment and environmental monitoring, it is concluded that there was no radiation impact on Japan. This suggests a safely conducted underground nuclear test or an explosion with a very low output.

Metabolic recovery of adipose tissue is associated with improvement in insulin resistance in a model of experimental diabetes.

Obesity and insulin resistance are highly correlated with metabolic disturbances. Both the excess and lack of adipose tissue can lead to severe insulin resistance and diabetes. Adipose tissue plays an active role in energy homeostasis, hormone secretion, and other proteins that affect insulin sensitivity, appetite, energy balance, and lipid metabolism.

Short-term changes in temporomandibular joint function in subjects with cleft lip and palate treated with maxillary distraction osteogenesis.

To investigate the short-term effects of maxillary distraction osteogenesis (DO) on temporomandibular joint (TMJ) function in 21 subjects with cleft lip and palate (CLP). Design - Morphological changes in the maxillofacial region were measured using lateral cephalometric radiographs taken immediately before (pre-DO) and after DO (post-DO) and 1 year after DO (1-year follow-up). A questionnaire was evaluated using a visual analog scale.

Characterization of binding affinity of CJ-023,423 for human prostanoid EP4 receptor.

In order to characterize the receptor binding pharmacology of CJ-023,423, a potent and selective EP4 antagonist, we performed a radioligand receptor binding assay under various assay conditions. An acidic (pH 6) and hypotonic buffer is a conventional, well-known buffer for prostaglandin E2 receptor binding assays. CJ-023,423 showed moderate binding affinity for human EP4 receptor under conventional buffer conditions.

High sodium intake enhances insulin-stimulated glucose uptake in rat epididymal adipose tissue.

Objective: This study investigated the effect of different sodium content diets on rat adipose tissue carbohydrate metabolism and insulin sensitivity.

Methods And Procedures: Male Wistar rats were fed on normal- (0.5% Na(+); NS), high- (3.

Changes in horizontal jaw position and intraoral pressure.

Objective: To determine the effect of an imbalance in buccolingual pressure that may be involved in molar dental compensation in the mandible and asymmetry of the dental arch in subjects with facial asymmetry.

Materials And Methods: We performed simultaneous measurement of the buccolingual pressure on the mandibular right first molar when subjects without facial asymmetry experimentally shifted the mandible laterally. Buccolingual pressures in the rest position (RP), right-shifted position (RS), and left-shifted position (LS) were compared.

[Complete recovery obtained with combined S-1 + CDDP therapy in a patient with multiple lung metastases from esophageal cancer].

Purpose: There are numerous reports on the subject of effectiveness in radio-chemotherapy with regard to esophageal cancer, suggesting especially the combination therapy of 5-FU + CDDP aimed for recovery. Treatment becomes difficult when distal metastases appear during an adjuvant therapy followed by surgery. Our report here is a case in which a complete recovery was obtained after changing to S-1, a prodrug of 5-FU, in response to multiple lung metastases which appeared during the combined 5-FU + CDDP therapy followed by surgery for esophageal cancer.

Protective effects of angiotensin II type 1 receptor blocker on cerebral circulation independent of blood pressure.

Angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1R) blocker (ARB) has been reported to modify hypertensive cerebrovascular changes; however, it is not clear whether its protective effects are independent of blood pressure. The aim of this study was to clarify the role of AT1R-mediated signals in cerebral circulation by the chronic treatment with telmisartan, an ARB, at a dose that did not lower the blood pressure. Male spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and Wistar Kyoto rats (WKY) were treated for 4 weeks from 16 weeks of ages with telmisartan (SHR-L: 0.

In vitro pharmacological characterization of CJ-042794, a novel, potent, and selective prostaglandin EP(4) receptor antagonist.

Activation of the prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)) EP(4) receptor, a G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR), results in increases in intracellular cyclic AMP (cAMP) levels via stimulation of adenylate cyclase. Here we describe the in vitro pharmacological characterization of a novel EP(4) receptor antagonist, CJ-042794 (4-{(1S)-1-[({5-chloro-2-[(4-fluorophenyl)oxy]phenyl}carbonyl)amino]ethyl}benzoic acid). CJ-042794 inhibited [(3)H]-PGE(2) binding to the human EP(4) receptor with a mean pK(i) of 8.

Effect of prostanoid EP4 receptor antagonist, CJ-042,794, in rat models of pain and inflammation.

Recent study suggests that the proinflammatory and nociceptive effects of prostaglandin E(2) are mediated by prostanoid receptor subtype EP(4) and prostanoid EP(4) receptor may be a potential target for the treatment of inflammatory pain. Here we describe pharmacological characterization of a novel prostanoid EP(4) receptor antagonist, CJ-042,794 (4-{(1S)-1-[({5-chloro-2-[(4-fluorophenyl) oxy] phenyl} carbonyl) amino] ethyl} benzoic acid) in comparison with piroxicam (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug) or rofecoxib (cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor). CJ-042,794 competitively antagonized cAMP accumulation with a pA(2) value of 8.

Adipose tissue as an endocrine organ: from theory to practice.

Objective: To describe the advances in research into the physiological role of white adipose tissue, with emphasis on its endocrinal role in inflammatory processes, feeding behavior, insulin sensitization and modulation of the atherogenetic process. To deal with the potential role of adipose tissue as a source of stem cells for regeneration of tissues, with special emphasis on adipogenesis and its consequences for development of obesity.

Sources: Important information was compiled from the scientific literature in order that this analysis contains an explanatory synthesis of the aspects mentioned above.

[Peroral direct cholangioscopy for diagnosis and treatment].

Peroral direct cholangioscopy (PDCS) is endoscopic method for diagnosis in the common bile duct (CBD) utilizing an ultra-slim upper endoscope. Clinical utility and problem of this method were investigated in ten patients who had stenosis or obstruction in the CBD with stones or a tumor. Scope shaft had to become the form of a U loop by counterclockwise rotation, to advance the scope in the direction of intrahepatic bile duct.

High dietary sodium intake increases white adipose tissue mass and plasma leptin in rats.

Objective: Salt restriction has been reported to increase white adipose tissue (WAT) mass in rodents. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of different sodium content diets on the lipogenic and lipolytic activities of WAT.

Research Methods And Procedures: Male Wistar rats were fed on normal-sodium (NS; 0.

[Impact of media coverage on cardiac emergency care: the Bussunda case].

Introduction: Social turmoil associated with catastrophes such as flooding, earthquakes or air raids bring about an increased incidence of acute myocardial infarction. Premature death of media personalities with a strong public appeal may cause similar phenomena.

Objective: To analyze the impact of this media coverage on the emergency service at a Heart Hospital in Brazil (InCor).