Reduction of door-to-balloon time in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction by single-catheter primary percutaneous coronary intervention method.

Objectives: The objectives of this study is to confirm reduction of door-to-balloon (D2B) time with single-catheter percutaneous coronary intervention (SC-PCI) method.

Background: Reduction of total ischemic time is important in the emergency treatment of ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). There have been no established methods in primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) to shorten ischemic time via radial access.

Pseudogout at the knee joint will frequently occur after hip fracture and lead to the knee pain in the early postoperative period.

Background: Symptomatic knee joint effusion is frequently observed after hip fracture, which may lead to postoperative knee pain during rehabilitation after hip fracture surgery. However, unfortunately, very little has been reported on this phenomenon in the literature. The purpose of the current study was to investigate the relationship between symptomatic knee effusion and postoperative knee pain and to clarify the reason of the effusion accompanied by hip fracture.

Digestive symptoms as side effects of combination chemotherapy of docetaxel, nedaplatin and 5-fluorouracil for head and neck cancer.

Background: The study was performed to determine the frequency of digestive symptoms in combination therapy of docetaxel, nedaplatin and 5-fluorouracil for head and neck cancer.

Methods: Frequencies of digestive symptoms were retrospectively investigated in 91 patients. Data for 203 treatment courses were evaluated using the JCOG/JSCO National Cancer Institute-Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events(v 4.

Asymmetry of the leg alignment affects trunk bending in the coronal plane after unilateral total knee arthroplasty.

Unilateral total knee arthroplasty (TKA) would produce asymmetric changes of lower extremity in patients with bilateral varus deformity. Our purpose was to investigate whether asymmetry of the leg alignment would affect trunk bending in the coronal plane after unilateral TKA. Twenty patients (mean 76 years old) with bilateral end-stage knee osteoarthritis (OA) participated.

Relationship between hyposalivation and acute respiratory infection in dental outpatients.

Background: Hyposalivation may affect respiratory disease because the mouth serves as the entrance to the respiratory apparatus, as well as to the digestive tract. Patients with acute respiratory infection generally have a favorable prognosis and a short natural course. However, in cases in which the host has lowered resistance, such as in elderly patients, the infection may develop into pneumonia.

Anti-hypoalbuminemic effect of branched-chain amino acid granules in patients with liver cirrhosis is independent of dietary energy and protein intake.

Aim:   A multicenter prospective intervention study was conducted in 204 patients with uncompensated liver cirrhosis to explore the influence of dietary intake and patient clinical characteristics on improvement of hypoalbuminemia at weeks 12 and 24 of treatment with branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) granules.

Methods:   The primary endpoint set in this study was improvement of hypoalbuminemia in patients with liver cirrhosis. The dietary energy and protein intake per day were estimated based on the results of a survey on diet during a 3-day period preceding the start of the study.

Inostamycin prevents malignant phenotype of cancer: inhibition of phosphatidylinositol synthesis provides a therapeutic advantage for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma is the sixth most common type of neoplasm worldwide, but its prognosis has not improved significantly in recent years. Therefore, efforts need to be intensified to gain a better understanding of this disease and develop novel treatment strategies. Inhibition of cytidine 59-diphosphate 1,2-diacyl-sn-glycerol: inositol transferase by inostamycin, an antibiotic isolated from Streptomyces sp.

[Phase I/II clinical trial of induction chemotherapy with nedaplatin (CDGP), docetaxel (DOC) and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) for squamous cell carcinoma of head and neck].

In a phase I study, we determined the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) and the recommended dose (RD) of nedaplatin (CDGP) in combination chemotherapy with Docetaxel (DOC) and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) for treatment of carcinoma of the head and neck. Then, in a phase II study, we examined the efficacy and safety of the RD of chemotherapy. Fresh patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck were enrolled in the study.

Oncocytic carcinoma in the submandibular gland: report of a case based on anti-mitochondrial immunohistochemical observations.

Oncocytic carcinoma arising in the submandibular gland is a very rare tumor that has only previously been reported in nine cases. This paper describes an additional case of oncocytic carcinoma in the right submandibular gland. The patient was a 55-year-old Japanese male who was presented with a 3 cm right submandibular mass.

[Review of 26 patients operated on for primary hyperparathyroidism].

The traditional surgical approach for primary hyperparathyroidism (PHP) is routine bilateral neck exploration. At Saiseikai Utsunomiya Hospital, however, unilateral exploration, and the direct resection of one gland is performed if single gland enlargement is suspected, based on the findings of several preoperative localization procedures. Here, we reviewed 26 patients who underwent single gland operations for PHP at our institution between 1993 and 2001.

Systemic lupus erythematosus associated with massive ascites and pleural effusion in a patient who presented with disseminated intravascular coagulation.

A case of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) associated with serositis presenting with disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) is reported. A 53-year-old woman was admitted because of a fever. Laboratory tests revealed increased plasma levels of fibrinogen degradation products (FDP) and FDP-D-dimer, high titers of anti-nuclear antibody, high serum levels of anti-DNA antibody, immune complexes, decreased serum complements, and persistent proteinuria.

p53, bcl-2 and thymidine phosphorylase as predictive markers of chemotherapy in patients with advanced and recurrent gastric cancer.

Purpose: To study the relationship between expression of p53, bcl-2, thymidine phosphorylase and Ki-67 and the response to chemotherapy and survival in patients with recurrent and advanced gastric cancer.

Materials And Methods: Protein expression was assessed immunohistochemically in 28 patients treated with 5-fluorouracil, pirarubicin and cisplatin (FAP).

Results: The response rate in patients positive for p53 expression was 23% compared with 47% of p53-negative patients.

A case of isolated ACTH deficiency who developed autoimmune-mediated hypothyroidism and impaired water diuresis during glucocorticoid replacement therapy.

A case of isolated ACTH deficiency who developed autoimmune-mediated hypothyroidism and still showed impaired water diuresis during glucocorticoid replacement therapy is reported. A 45-year-old woman was initially admitted for nausea, vomiting, and general malaise. Her serum sodium and plasma osmolality, ACTH and cortisol values were low, but her urine osmolality was high.

Thymidine phosphorylase expression in gastric cancer in association with proliferative activity and angiogenesis.

Background: Thymidine phosphorylase (dThdPase) has been reported to stimulate angiogenesis in vivo. We investigated dThdPase expression in gastric cancer in association with angiogenesis and proliferative activity.

Materials And Methods: One hundred and forty-eight gastric cancer patients who had received radical gastrectomy were investigated.

Creutzfelt-Jakob disease presenting hyperparathyroidism.

We reported a 68-year-old female with Creutzfelt-Jakob disease (CJD) presenting hyperparathyroidism. She was suspected as Creutzfelt-Jakob like syndrome at her initial visit to our hospital because of progressive dementia and high level of serum calcium. Finally she was diagnosed as having CJD by the clinical symptoms including progressive dementia and myoclonus and the characteristic patterns of brain CT and electroencephalogram (EEG).

[A case of elderly-onset systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) complicated with severe liver dysfunction and pancytopenia due to myelofibrosis].

A 67-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital with a fever. She had been experiencing arthralgia for about one month. On admission, she had a fever of 38.

[A case of malignant lymphoma of the testis: characterization with ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging].

We report a case of stage IE non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of the testis including the sonographic and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings. A 68-year-old male noticed a painless swelling of his right scrotal contents. The serum alpha-fetoprotein and beta-HCG levels were within the normal ranges.

[A case of ureteral tuberculosis appearing as a ureteral tumor].

A 53-year-old female was admitted to our hospital after right hydronephrosis was found on the CT scan taken at another hospital. The urinary cytology and culture findings as well as the urinary culture for acid-fast bacilli results were all negative. At our hospital, CT scan revealed a thickening of the right ureteral wall, and right hydronephrosis.

[A case of surgical resection for metachronous multiple liver metastases of chromophobe cell renal carcinoma].

A 64-year-old female was hospitalized because of multiple liver metastasis, during the postoperative observation of chromophobe cell renal carcinoma. Injection of Epirubicin/Lipodol into the right hepatic artery followed by transcatheter arterial embolization was performed two times, and the metastatic foci responded favorably to this therapy. Since no new metastatic tumors were observed in the liver nor any other organs, a partial hepatectomy was thus performed.

[A case of renal arteriovenous fistula diagnosed by pharmacoangiography].

A 17-year-old man, who had previously been followed for Nutcracker phenomenon, presented with back pain and gross hematuria. As he developed tamponade of the urinary bladder repeatedly, and the hemoglobin level decreased, we thus performed emergency angiography. A selective left renal venogram revealed the left renal vein to be compressed between the superior mesenteric artery and the abdominal aorta, while the development of an extensive peri- and para-renal collateral circulation was also observed.

Phase II study of 5-fluorouracil, pirarubicin and low-dose consecutive administration of cisplatin for advanced and recurrent gastric cancer.

Background: The FAP regimen was modified and low-dose consecutive daily administration of cisplatin (CDDP) and continuous infusion of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and pirarubicin were employed to reduce the toxicity and achieve synergy. Patients with advanced and recurrent gastric cancer were treated with this regimen as early phase II trial and its efficacy and toxicity were assessed.

Methods: Twenty-nine patients with advanced or recurrent gastric cancer were treated with intravenous 5-FU, 360 mg/m2, continuous infusion, on days 1-5 and 8-12, CDDP, 10 mg/body, drip infusion, on days 1-5 and 8-12 and pirarubicin, 20 mg/body, on days 1 and 8, which was repeated every 4 weeks.

[A case of adenocarcinoma arising in the vesical diverticulum].

A 70-year-old woman presented at our hospital with the chief complaint of gross hematuria and pain on urination. Cystoscopy revealed a broad-based tumor covered with mucus on the right wall of the bladder and therefore a transurethral resection was performed. At surgery the tumor was found to arise from the diverticulum and could not be resected because of the risk of perforation.

[A case of urachal abscess resected electively after successful drainage from umbilicus].

A 22-year-old woman presented to our hospital complaining of high fever and a painful fist-sized mass in the lower abdomen. From the results of imaging studies, including abdominal urtrasonography and computerized tomography, the patient was diagnosed as having a urachal abscess. Despite intensive antibiotic therapy, her high fever persisted.

[A case of primary osteogenic sarcoma of the kidney].

Extraosseous osteogenic sarcoma can occur anywhere in the body, but it is exceedingly rare to find this malignancy in renal tissue. A review of the literature revealed only 16 cases which appeared to be clearly identifiable as malignant extraosseous bone-forming sarcoma of the kidney and our report presents 17th case. The patient was a 67-year-old oriental woman.

Role of glucocorticoid in the development of glycyrrhizin-induced hypertension.

Role of alterations of corticosterone metabolism in the expression of the mineralocorticoid activity of glycyrrhizin was explored in rats. While the mineralocorticoid actions of oral glycyrrhizin were not observed in bilaterally adrenalectomized rats and dexamethasone treated rats, the mineralocorticoid actions of glycyrrhizin were fully expressed in bilaterally adrenalectomized rats supplemented with physiological doses of corticosterone. Similar mineralocorticoid actions were observed in rats given glycyrrhizin, deoxycorticosterone and pharmacological doses of corticosterone.