[A Case of Carotid Artery Stenosis Associated with Repetitive Stimulation of the Hyoid Bone].

A 40-year-old man presented with left-arm weakness, facial palsy, and dysarthria. Magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)revealed acute-stage cerebral infarction in the internal watershed area of the right hemicerebrum and MR angiography(MRA)demonstrated 56% stenosis of the right common and internal carotid arteries. Computed tomography(CT)scan showed no calcification and a stenotic lesion of the right common carotid artery, adjacent to the prolonged greater horn of the right hyoid bone.

Plasma Cystine Levels and Cardiovascular and All-Cause Mortality in Hemodialysis Patients.

Oxidative stress accelerates the development of cardiovascular disease. Plasma cystine, a thiol oxidative stress marker, is related to several established factors for cardiovascular disease risk and prognosis. Although a comprehensive oxidative stress index is clinically required for hemodialysis patients with high oxidative stress, there are few reports concerning thiol oxidative stress markers predicting their prognosis.

Loss of amino acids into dialysate during hemodialysis using hydrophilic and nonhydrophilic polyester-polymer alloy and polyacrylonitrile membrane dialyzers.

During hemodialysis, amino acid loss through the dialysate remained a significant problem and was not clear in some dialyzers; therefore, we investigated amino acid loss with hydrophilic and nonhydrophilic polyester-polymer alloy membranes and polyacrylonitrile membranes. Nine maintenance hemodialysis patients were studied to assess amino acid loss during hemodialysis with the three membranes. Total amino acid losses were 85.

Effect of renin-angiotensin system inhibitor on residual glomerular filtration rate in hemodialysis patients.

Residual renal function preservation in patients with renal failure has been shown to be related to better outcomes not only in the pre-dialysis phase but also after hemodialysis initiation. However, the effect of factors such as antihypertensive agents on residual renal function preservation has not been investigated adequately in prevalent hemodialysis patients. This study examined factors related to the rate of residual renal function preservation in 1-year hemodialysis patients who had residual renal function.

Concomitant chronic kidney disease increases the recurrence of atrial fibrillation after catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation: a mid-term follow-up.

Background: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is often associated with atrial fibrillation (AF). However, its impact on the results of radiofrequency catheter ablation for AF has not been fully examined.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to clarify the relationship between CKD and postcatheter ablation AF recurrence.

Increased riboflavin production from activated bleaching earth by a mutant strain of Ashbya gossypii.

The production of riboflavin from vegetable oil was increased using a mutant strain of Ashbya gossypii. This mutant was generated by treating the wild-type strain with N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG). Riboflavin production was 10-fold higher in the mutant compared to the wild-type strain.

Beta2-adrenergic receptor genetic polymorphisms and short-term bronchodilator responses in patients with COPD.

Background: COPD is characterized by a persistent airflow limitation that is not fully reversible; thus, the reversibility of airflow limitations in response to a bronchodilator is an important component of COPD. Several studies have established that two common nonsynonymous polymorphisms in the beta2-adrenergic receptor gene (ADRB2), Arg16Gly and Gln27Glu, have important effects in modulating responses to beta2-agonists; however, the effects of these polymorphisms on responses to beta2-agonists in patients with COPD is unknown.

Objective: To examine whether different genotypes at these two polymorphisms are related to differential responses to inhaled beta2-agonists in patients with COPD.

[A case of theophylline induced hypercalcemia].

We report a case of theophylline-induced hypercalcemia. The patient, a 51 year old women, had been administered theophylline for about five years because of bronchial asthma. She was referred to us in March 2003 for the treatment of renal failure and hypercalcemia(15.

A case report of leukocytapheresis for refractory leg ulcers complicated with rheumatoid arthritis.

Leukocytapheresis (LCAP) has recently been investigated for the treatment of drug-resistant rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In the present clinical study, we used LCAP in three patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), with drug-resistant leg ulcers. LCAP was carried out once a week for five weeks.

Zygomatic osteotomy for resection of medial temporal cavernous angioma in dominant hemisphere after subdural grid electroencephalographic study.

We report the treatment of a patient suffering from intractable epilepsy caused by a large cavernous angioma in the hippocampus of his dominant hemisphere. Surgical removal of a lesion and epileptic focus located in the surrounding brain tissue significantly improves seizure conditions. However, total removal of a large cavernous angioma in the medial temporal structure of dominant hemisphere is occasionally difficult because of the depth of the lesion and its contiguity with eloquent brain structures.

dnaJ and gyrB gene sequence relationship among species and strains of genus Streptococcus.

The dnaJ and gyrB nucleotide sequences were determined for members of the genus Streptococcus. The average similarity between the species tested was 76.4% (69.

High genetic similarity of Streptococcus agalactiae and Streptococcus difficilis: S. difficilis Eldar et al. 1995 is a later synonym of S. agalactiae Lehmann and Neumann 1896 (Approved Lists 1980).

The genetic relationship between Streptococcus agalactiae and Streptococcus difficilis was studied. S. difficilis was originally described as serologically non-typable but was later reported to be a group B, type Ib streptococcus.

Long-term results of conventional treatment of diencephalic pilocytic astrocytoma in infants.

Background: To develop an effective therapeutic strategy for patients with diencephalic pilocytic astrocytomas (PA), we must understand the long-term effects and problems of conventional treatments.

Methods: We performed a retrospective follow-up of four infants with PA in the diencephalon.

Conclusion: The initial treatment consisted of partial tumor removal and/or external radiation.

Myelodysplastic syndrome following therapy for brain tumor--two case reports.

A 3-month-old boy and a 29-year-old woman presented with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) following therapy for primary malignant brain tumor. Both received intensive alkylating agent doses for induction and maintenance chemotherapy combined with craniospinal or cranial radiation for medulloblastoma and anaplastic astrocytoma, respectively. They developed refractory anemia and pancytopenia.