Study on follow-up of patients with biopsy-proven breast disease

Eight hundred forty-one patients with biopsy-proven benign breast disease were followed annually in prospective manner for 1-10 years to analyse breast cancer development at aspect of histologic features, age at entry and mammographic patterns by Wolfe. No association was found between patients who developed cancer and those who did not with respect to the initial histologic features. The rate of breast cancer development in patients in thirties was the highest. The breast cancer development was found most often in less than three years follow-up period. The breast parenchymal patterns at entry related to cancer development. In 10 cancer patients, 8 patients showed DY pattern and 2 showed P2 patterns. The present results demonstrate that the patients with biopsy-proven benign breast disease in thirties, in less than 3 years follow up period and have parenchymal patterns of P2 or DY should be followed carefully.     

Studies on the nephrotoxicity of aminoglycoside antibiotics and protection from these effects (7): Effect of latamoxef on binding of tobramycin to brush border membranes isolated from rat kidney cortex

We investigated the effect of latamoxef (LMOX) on the binding of tobramycin (TOB) to brush border membranes (BBMs) isolated from rat kidney cortex by calcium precipitation. The simultaneous treatment with TOB (0.2 mM) and LMOX (10 and 20 mM) to the BBMs fraction (about 250 micrograms protein) significantly inhibited the binding of TOB to BBMs. The addition of the reaction mixture of TOB (0.2 mM) and LMOX (4, 10 and 20 mM) which was preincubated for 3 hr at 37 degrees C, to the BBMs fraction resulted in less binding of TOB to the membranes than that observed in the case of simultaneous treatment with both drugs. Although [14C]-labeled LMOX was taken up by BBMs temperature- and time-dependently, the pretreatment with LMOX showed no obvious differences in inhibition of the TOB binding to BBMs, as compared with the result from simultaneous treatment with both drugs. Additionally, the binding of TOB to the LMOX-treated BBMs that were resuspended in fresh medium after the pretreatment with LMOX for 10 min at 37 degrees C was similar to that of TOB to the non-treated BBMs. These results indicate that LMOX inhibits the binding of TOB to BBMs not by binding to BBMs but by interacting with TOB.     

Conservative treatment of ruptured vertebrobasilar dissecting aneurysm

Ruptured vertebrobasilar dissecting aneurysm is usually treated surgically because rebleeding negatively affects outcome. However, the risk of rebleeding decreases markedly once several hours have passed from the initial bleeding. Moreover, surgery-related complications are not rare. We describe seven patients with ruptured vertebrobasilar dissecting aneurysm. To prevent rebleeding during the acute stage, we treated all seven patients conservatively with fentanyl instead of emergency surgery. During the follow-up period (mean 20 months), no patient suffered rebleeding. Conservative treatment with fentanyl administration may be a good option for management of ruptured vertebrobasilar dissecting aneurysm during the acute stage.     

Periungual fibroma

Two cases of periungual fibroma of the hand are described. Lesions caused by periungual fibroma place pressure on the nail matrix, which results in marked nail deformities. In both cases, the nail deformities were improved by excision of the fibroma.     

Effect of rhG-CSF in the treatment of multiple hepatic abscesses in chronic granulomatous disease]

A 19-year-old male was diagnosed as having chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) based on negative NBT reduction in January, 1988. He was admitted with a chief complaint of high fever in November, 1988. As abdominal echogram and CT scan established a diagnosis of multiple hepatic abscesses, he was treated with various kinds of antibiotics. Since the therapy was ineffective, the number of circulating neutrophils was decreased, and the abscesses further grew, intravenous drip infusion of rhG-CSF 100 micrograms was initiated in addition to several antibiotics (sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim, rifampicin, isoniazide, etc). At day 3 on rhG-CSF, the fever began to resolve and on day 15 the body temperature fell below 37 degrees C. The hepatic abscesses also tended to decrease in size and the CT scan performed 2 months later (March 17), disclosed only calcification in the liver. The neutrophil function test indicated that superoxide anion (O2-) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) production was slightly increased during rhG-CSF therapy. Combination therapy with rhG-CSF and potent antibiotics showed a favorable therapeutic effect on CGD complicated by multiple hepatic abscesses as a fatal infection.     

Protective Effect of Aloe Extract against the Cytotoxicity of 1,4‐Naphthoquinone in Isolated Rat Hepatocytes Involves Modulations in Cellular Thiol Levels

Abstract: Aloe is a familiar ingredient in a wide range of health care and cosmetic products and has been reported to possess various physiological effects, antioxidative, anticarcinogenic, antiinflammatory and laxative. Aloe has also been reported to have an effect on liver function. The cytoprotective effect of aloe extract against 1,4‐naphthoquinone‐induced hepatotoxicity was evaluated in primary cultured rat hepatocytes. After exposure to 1,4‐naphthoquinone (100 μM), a decrease in cell viability measured as >60% lactate dehydrogenase depletion was induced. Cellular glutathione (GSH) and protein‐SH levels were also significantly decreased in a time‐dependent manner. However addition of aloe extract resulted in a dose‐dependent improvement of these effects. This cytoprotective effect of aloe could be attributed to its inhibition of GSH and protein‐SH depletions. The effect of the aloe extracts were also dose‐dependent. Addition of diethyl maleate (1 mM), a cellular glutathione‐depleting agent, to hepatocytes treated with both 1,4‐naphthoquinone and aloe extract, induced depletion of GSH, but did not affect protein‐SH or lactate dehydrogenase. These results suggest that the 1,4‐naphthoquinone‐induced toxicity in rat hepatocytes was inhibited by aloe extract, and that this protective effect was due to the maintenance of cellular thiols, especially protein‐SH.     

Sodium sensitive and sodium retaining hypertension

The differences between sodium sensitive and sodium retaining hypertension were theoretically considered using a water tank model of body fluid volume-blood pressure regulation. If an outlet valve is attached to a tank with a base area corresponding to the reciprocal of total peripheral resistance (TPR) and water is poured into this tank at a rate corresponding to the amount of Na+ intake, then equilibrium should be achieved at a certain water level, volume and output from the outlet, which represent mean arterial pressure (MAP), cardiac output (CO) and urinary Na+ excretion. The height of the outlet from the tank bottom and the size cross-sectional area, of the outlet correspond to the x-intercept and slope of the renal function (pressure-natriuresis) curve, respectively. In both nonsodium sensitive hypertension, due to the shift of the curve toward a higher blood pressure level (elevated height of the outlet) without change in the slope (size of the outlet), and sodium sensitive hypertension, due to the depressed slope of the curve (reduced outlet size), not only MAP (water level) but also CO (water volume) are increased, resulting in sodium retaining hypertension, if TPR (reciprocal of base area) remained unchanged, while CO is relatively unchanged, resulting in nonsodium retaining hypertension, if TPR is elevated. Thus, the MAP and its sensitivity to sodium intake is determined by the renal function curve. Since body fluid volume is determined by both the renal function curve and TPR, however, changes in TPR during the development of hypertension is a major factor in determining whether or not the body fluid volume has to change only a small amount or a large amount. Therefore, the sodium sensitivity of blood pressure and sodium retention must be considered separately.