Levels of Soluble NKG2D Ligands and Cancer History in Patients Starting Hemodialysis.

Background: Immune dysfunction in hemodialysis patients is partially due to NK cell impairment. Ligands for NK activating receptors such as NKG2D expressed on cancer cells are involved in NK cell dysfunction and can lead to cancer development.

Methods: A cohort with 370 patients who started hemodialysis (HD) was investigated.

Secondary membranous glomerulonephritis associated with recipient residual lymphoma cells after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation.

A 29-year-old man with malignant lymphoma developed membranous nephropathy (MN) after allogeneic bone-marrow transplantation (BMT). There had been no obvious findings of graft versus host diseases (GVHD) after BMT, and the dosage of immunosuppressant drugs had not been reduced during this period. At the onset of MN, a few lymphoma cells still remained in the bone marrow; the patient achieved complete remission of MN after the disappearance of the lymphoma cells.

Therapeutic barium enema for bleeding colonic diverticula: four case series and review of the literature.

The prevalence of diverticular diseases of the colon, including severe and persistent bleeding in Eastern countries, has increased in the last decades. The bleeding from colonic diverticula is the most common cause of acute lower gastrointestinal bleeding. Herein, we report four cases of severe and persistent bleeding of colonic diverticular disease that could be treated with a high concentration barium enema.

Effect of prostaglandin E2 on urokinase-type plasminogen activator production by human lung fibroblasts.

Human lung fibroblasts are components of stromal tissue and produce various proteins as occasion demands, such as extracellular matrix (ECM) components and proteases. Pulmonary tumour cells produce high levels of prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)), which regulates tumour growth and metastasis. Urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) is essential in the degradation of peritumour ECM.

The granulocyte/lymphocyte ratio as an independent predictor of tumour growth, metastasis and progression: Its clinical applications.

Several investigators have suggested that the granulocyte/lymphocyte (G/L) ratio is a good indicator for the evaluation of the condition of a tumour-bearing host, although its prognotic significance is unclear. To further investigate the clinical applications of the G/L ratio, we injected 1x105 and 1x106 Lewis lung carcinoma cells (3LLc) into the feet of 4-week-old C57BL/6 mice separated into groups A, B, C and D (1x105 cells) and E, F, G and H (1x106 cells). For the observation of tumour metastasis and G/L ratio, the mice in groups A-D were sacrificed on days 11, 14, 17 and 21 after inoculation with the 3LLc cells, and the mice in groups E-H on days 7, 11, 14 and 17.

[Comparison of antimicrobial use density (AUD) of carbapenem antibacterial agents and investigation of the drug susceptibility of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in 3 hospitals in southern Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan].

The optimal use of anti-Pseudomonas agents is an important issue in the prevention of a tolerance against Pseudomonas aeruginosa. We evaluated the effect of antimicrobial use density (AUD) of carbapenem on drug susceptibility. The AUD of the four carbapenems, imipenem (IPM/CS), panipenem (PAPM/BP), meropenem (MEPM), and biapenem (BIPM), was examined at three hospitals in Ibaraki Prefecture, between April and September 2004.

Histological factors contributing to a high risk of recurrence of submucosal invasive cancer (pT1) of the colon and rectum after endoscopic therapy.

We analyzed the histological high-risk factors for recurrence of submucosal invasive carcinomas (pT1) of the colon and rectum after endoscopic therapy, examining pT1 cancers treated primarily by endoscopic resection within a 23-year period. We compared recurrent and nonrecurrent cancers, evaluating the following "highrisk factors" of the primary lesion: massive invasion, a surgical margin<2 mm but negativity for cancer in the cut end, poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma (PD) (G3), undifferentiated carcinoma (G4), and/or positive angiolymphatic invasion. The following histological factors were defined as predictive of a low risk: minimum invasion, a surgical margin>2 mm, well or moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma (G1, G2), and no evidence of angiolymphatic invasion.

[Anaerobic bacteria as a gene delivery system for breast cancer therapy].

A fundamental obstacle in systemic therapy for metastatic breast cancer patients is specific targeting of therapy directly to a solid tumor. Hypoxic or necrotic regions are characteristic of solid tumors in many murine and human tumors, including the majority of primary tumors of the breast. A strain of anaerobic bacteria such as Bifidobacterium or Clostridium selectively localizes to and proliferates in solid tumors after systemic application.

Anti-glomerular basement membrane antibody disease in Japan: part of the nationwide rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis survey in Japan.

Anti-glomerular basement membrane (anti-GBM) antibody disease is a rare, but well characterized cause of glomerulonephritis. It is defined by the presence of autoantibodies directed at specific antigenic targets within the glomerular basement membrane. This pattern of rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis and alveolar hemorrhage is often referred to as Goodpasture's syndrome.

Quantitative analysis of survivin mRNA expression in bladder transitional cell carcinomas.

We assessed the expression levels of survivin mRNA in bladder transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) to provide additional information regarding its malignant potential. The real-time PCR method was used to detect the survivin mRNA level for 21 bladder tumor specimens, and for urinary exfoliated cells from 12 newly diagnosed bladder tumor patients. All bladder tumor specimens and 7 of 12 voided urine specimens expressed survivin mRNA.

[Precautions regarding prevent acute urethritis caused by Neisseria meningitidis in Japan].

In Japan, Neisseria meningitidis is not sufficiently recognized as the primary causative bacteria of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) as the number of reported cases is small. Here, we summarize reports from 3 medical institutions, present clinical courses for each case, as well recommending precautions to prevent infection with this bacterium. Fourteen cases of N.

[Usefulness of stress MPI for assessment of PCI indication--comparison with FFRmyo evaluation using pressure sensor wire].

Purpose: To examine the usefulness of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) indication assessment using stress myocardial perfusion imaging (St-MPI).

Background: The usefulness of myocardial fractional flow reserve (FFRmyo) using a pressure sensor wire for the assessment of PCI indication has been reported in recent years. However, we have frequently experienced discrepancies between results from FFRmyo and St-MPI.

Recent trends in patient characteristics and therapeutic choices for interstitial cystitis: analysis of 282 Japanese patients.

Objectives: We investigated the characteristics of recent male and female patients diagnosed with interstitial cystitis (IC), then investigated which therapy was chosen by the attending urologist.

Methods: Materials were 282 IC patients diagnosed and treated during the past 3 years (sampling from Japanese IC database). Gender, age, medical history and predominant symptoms were investigated.

Cardioprotective effect of edaravone against ischaemia-reperfusion injury in the rabbit heart before, during and after reperfusion treatment.

The free radical scavenger edaravone is able to stimulate prostacyclin release and inhibit the lipoxygenase pathway in the arachidonic acid cascade. The effect of edaravone administration on myocardial damage in rabbit hearts subjected to ischaemia-reperfusion was examined at different times relative to reperfusion. All rabbits underwent sustained coronary artery occlusion for 30 min followed by 3 h of reperfusion.

Prognostic significance of immunohistochemically detected blood and lymphatic vessel invasion in colorectal carcinoma: its impact on prognosis.

Background: The prognostic significance of blood vessel invasion (BVI) and lymphatic vessel invasion (LVI) is unclear. Because of the absence of specific markers for venous and lymphatic vessels, earlier studies could not reliably distinguish between BVI and LVI.

Methods: By immunostaining for podoplanin and CD34 antigen, we retrospectively investigated LVI and BVI in 419 tissue specimens of colorectal carcinoma.

[A case of leiomyosarcoma of the scrotum: chemotherapy with anti-cancer agents was effective for the lung metastasis].

A 59-year-old male was referred to our hospital with the chief complaint of a painless scrotal mass. A 6 X 4.5 X 4 cm elastic hard mass with irregular surface was palpable in the right scrotum.

Tubulointerstitial nephritis and uveitis syndrome associated with hyperthyroidism.

We report a 17-year-old male patient with tubulointerstitial nephritis and uveitis (TINU) associated with hyperthyroidism. He presented with a 2-month history of fatigue, loss of appetite, low-grade fever, and a 12-kg weight loss when he was admitted to our hospital. He had iritis, which was complicated by fibrin in the anterior chamber, diagnosed by slit-lamp examination.

Involvement of integrin-linked kinase in carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatic fibrosis in rats.

Integrin-linked kinase (ILK) is a multidomain focal adhesion protein implicated in signal transduction between integrins and growth factor receptors. Although its expression is upregulated in pulmonary and renal fibrosis, its role in the development of hepatic fibrosis remains to be determined. Therefore, we considered it important to investigate whether ILK is involved in activation of hepatic stellate cells and thus plays a role in the development of hepatic fibrosis.

[Early effect of non-surgical treatment using betamethasone valerate ointment for phimosis in childhood].

We evaluated the early efficacy of non-surgical treatment using 0.07% betamethasone valerate ointment on, 34 boys with phimosis between January 2001 and June 2005. Patients were treated with 0.

Perfusion study of hypervascular hepatocellular carcinoma with SPIO.

Purpose: We evaluated whether a perfusion study with Resovist is useful to assess blood flow in tumors in patients with hypervascular hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Subjects And Methods: The subjects were 28 patients; the lesions consisted of 68 hypervascular HCC, 14 post-treatment nodules, and 7 hepatocellular hypovascular nodules. After rapid intravenous injection of Resovist, 7-phase imaging was performed using the single-shot echo-planar method.

Gd-EOB-DTPA enhanced MRI for hepatocellular carcinoma: quantitative evaluation of tumor enhancement in hepatobiliary phase.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the utility of gadolinium-ethoxybenzyl-diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (Gd-EOB-DTPA)-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for the quantitative evaluation of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and dysplastic nodules in the hepatobiliary phase.

Material And Methods: The subjects comprised 12 patients with 27 lesions (22 HCCs and 5 dysplastic nodules). Chemical-shift-selective fat-suppressed T1-weighted sequences were obtained before and 10, 20, and 40 min after the injection of Gd-EOB-DTPA.

Huge thrombus growing on an aortic prosthetic valve detected in acute coronary syndrome.

A 74-year-old woman with a history of aortic valve replacement (AVR) with a tilting prosthesis at the age of 59 was referred to our hospital with chest pain at rest. Following conservative treatment after admission, the laboratory findings demonstrated acute myocardial infarction. Although bilateral coronary arteries exhibited no significant stenosis and embolism on the emergency coronary angiogram, a huge mobile mass above the prosthetic valve was recognized on the aortography, computed tomography, and trans-esophageal echocardiography.

Efficacy of dynamic MRI with superparamagnetic iron oxide (SH U 555 A): vascularity evaluation in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Purpose: A study was conducted to determine the possibility of evaluating the blood flow in cases of hypervascular hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) by employing dynamic MRI with superparamagnetic iron oxide (SH U 555 A), which can be rapidly injected via an intravenous route.

Methods: Six patients with hypervascular HCC (23 nodules) served as the subjects. Dynamic MRI includes images obtained at precontrast and at 10 (perfusion phase), 60, 120, 180, 240, 300 and 600 s after the start of injection of SH U 555 A.