Effects of the immunosuppressant rapamycin on the expression of human α2(I) collagen and matrix metalloproteinase 1 genes in scleroderma dermal fibroblasts.

Background: Rapamycin has been shown to exert an anti-fibrotic effect on skin fibrosis in a certain subset of patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) and in bleomycin-treated animal models.

Objectives: To investigate the mechanism responsible for the anti-fibrotic effect of rapamycin especially by focusing on human α2(I) collagen (COL1A2) and matrix metalloproteinase 1 (MMP1) genes in normal and systemic sclerosis (SSc) dermal fibroblasts.

Methods: The expression levels of type I procollagen and MMP1 proteins were analyzed by immunoblotting and the mRNA levels of COL1A2 and MMP1 genes were evaluated by quantitative real-time RT-PCR.

Efficacy of diagnostic ultrasonography of lipomas, epidermal cysts, and ganglions.

Objective: To determine the efficacy of ultrasonography for the diagnosis of subcutaneous benign lesions.

Design: Retrospective study.

Setting: Tokyo Kousei-Nenkin Hospital, Tokyo, Japan.

[Malignant mesothelioma of the tunica vaginalis: a case report].

A 70-year-old man was referred to our hospital with a painless swelling of the light scrotal contents. Ultrasonography and computed tomographic scan revealed a hydrocele testis and irregular masses in the scrotum. The patient underwent left orchidectomy under the diagnosis of left intrascrotal tumor.

Dermatitis herpetiformis in Japan: an update.

Background: Although dermatitis herpetiformis (DH) is a relatively common disease in Caucasian populations, it is rare in Asian populations including the Japanese. We encountered a Japanese case of DH which showed granular IgA and C3 deposits in the papillary dermis and which was associated with gluten-sensitive enteropathy but no HLA-B8/DR3/DQ2.

Objective: The purpose of this study is to describe the characteristics of Japanese DH cases, since most of them have been reported in Japanese language and dermatologists outside Japan are not familiar with the characteristics of Japanese DH.

[Studies on spatial orientation and posture control and changes in otolith function due to linear acceleration loading].

Otolith function is directly affected by weightlessness at the time of movement in outer space, and changes occur in the mode of response. It has been known for some time that such changes occur in the posture and gait of astronauts just after they return from a trip into space. It is thought that the cause of these changes is disuse atrophy of the antigravity muscles.

[A rapidly fatal case of severe falciparum malaria complicated with high-level metabolic acidosis].

A 67-year-old male was admitted with consciousness disturbance (JCS, III-200) after completing a 12-day tour to east Africa without malaria chemoprophylaxis. When he visited the hospital one day prior to the admission complaining of fever and a slightly sore throat, he did not mention the travel history. Soon after his travel history was revealed, blood films were prepared which showed abundant ring forms accompanied with a small number of trophozoites and schizonts of Plasmodium falciparum, with the parasitemia of 26%.

[Pulmonary lymphangiomyomatosis with tuberous sclerosis and endolymphatic stromal myosis of the uterus].

Pulmonary lymphangiomyomatosis is a rare disorder that affects only women of reproductive age. The lung shows numerous cystic changes and striking proliferation of smooth muscle around the airways, blood vessels, and lymphatic channels. We encountered a patient with pulmonary lymphangiomyomatosis who had repeated pneumothorax and bloody sputum over 10 years.