Endobronchial aspergillosis and actinomycosis associated with broncholithiasis

Endobronchial aspergillosis or actinomycosis associated with broncholithiasis is extremely rare. Here, we describe two cases of endobronchial aspergillosis and actinomycosis associated with broncholithiasis. The patients underwent pulmonary resection due to massive hemoptysis. These cases reveal that a bronchiolith can potentially induce endobronchial fungal or bacterial infection, even in immunocompetent patients.     

INTRA- AND INTERINDIVIDUAL VARIATION IN THE PHARMACOKINETICS OF TACROLIMUS (FK506) IN KIDNEY TRANSPLANT RECIPIENTS—IMPORTANCE OF TROUGH LEVEL AS A PRACTICAL INDICATOR

Background: Tacrolimus (FK506) is currently used as the primary immunosuppressant in clinical kidney transplantation in some centers. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the pharmacokinetics of this drug and to see if trough level, which has been used widely in therapeutic drug monitoring, can be used as an appropriate substitute for other pharmacokinetic measurement tests. Methods: The blood concentration-time curve was studied in 10 kidney transplant recipients on 26 Occasions after oral dosage of 2 to 18 mg every 12 hours. Whole blood concentration was measured by two-step irnmunoabsorption assay. Methylprednisolone was used as a concomitant immuno-suppressive drug. Results: The blood concentration-time curves showed remarkable interindividual variation. lntraindividual variation was also found, but the degree of variation was slight compared with interindividual variation. On 17 occasions of measurement in one patient, the dose was significantly correlated with trough (r = 0.684). C_max (r = 0.838) and AUC_0–12 (r = 0.817). In nine patients on nine occasions, however, the dose was not significantly correlated with trough (r = 0.351), C_max (r = 0.270) or AUC_0–12 (r = 0.355). t_max ranged from one to four hours (mean + SD; 2.8 + 1.3) and fluctuated in both intra- and interindividual measurements. In spite of a wide variation in the blood concentration-time-curve patterns, a highly significant linear relationship between trough and C_max or AUC_0–12 was observed in both intraindividual (C_max, r = 0.876; AUC_0–12, r = 0.926) and interindividual (C_max, f = 0.943; AUC_0–12, r = 984) measurements. Concluslons: We conclude that trough level is a practical acceptable indicator of the blood levels of tacrolimus, and can be used to monitor blood concentration.     

GIANT CELL CARCINOMA OF THE PANCREAS

A case of giant cell carcinom of the pancreas is reported herein. The patient is a 67-year-old Japanese woman complaining of ascites, general fatigue, loss of weight, abdominal distention, nausea, and vomiting. Cytological diagnosis of ascites revealed adenocarcinoma. At autopsy, a whitish tumor measuring around 5 cm in diameter was found at the head of the pancreas. Metastasis was seen only in the liver. Histological examination displayed bizarre multinucleated giant cells occasionally phagocytosing the tumor cells and neutrophils.     

KAPPA-TYPE LIGHT CHAIN CRYSTAL STORAGE HISTIOCYTOSIS

An autopsy case of systemic histiocytosis with excessive deposition of K-type light chain crystals was reported in a 58 year-old man who had consistently showed K-type light chain paraproteinemia, Bence Jones proteinuria and hypogammaglobulinemia for about 10 years until his death. However, no bony destruction was found by repeated X-ray examinations. At autopsy, extensive hyperplasia of crystal-storing histiocytes was observed in the bone marrow, spleen, liver, lymph nodes, interstitial tissues of visceral organs and loose connective tissues. In the bone marrow and some other tissues, mild proliferation of plasmocytoid cells containing small crystals were found, Histochemically the crystals positively stained with various methods for amino acids and proteins, especially with Weigerts'method for fibrin Ultra-structurally intralysosomal crystal deposition was confirmed in the storage histiocytes and derivation of the crystals from Golgi's sacculi in the plasmocytoid cells was suggested. Biochemically the crystals were regarded as mainly consisting of dimers of a variable half of light chain immunoglobulin and immunochemically and immunohistochemically reacted to anti- type light chain serum. Such a generalized storage histiocytosis may be secondarily induced by immunoglobulin synthesized in plasmocytoid cells.     

Mouse mammary tumor virus and mammary tumorigenesis in wild mice

The current knowledge of the distribution of the mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV) proviral genomes and the mechanism of mammary tumorigenesis by MMTV in mice, with the main emphasis on Asian feral mice, is reviewed. The relevant earlier discoveries on the mode of MMTV transmission are summarized to provide an outline of the biology of MMTV. Finally, the viral etiology of human breast cancer will be discussed.     

Deletion of a single chromosome band 4q26 in a malformed girl: exclusion of Rieger syndrome associated gene(s) from the 4q26 segment.

We report a malformed girl with a single chromosome band deletion of 4q26 in peripheral lymphocytes. This patient is the fourth case reported with an interstitial deletion involving 4q26 and has the smallest deletion of those reported. Deletion mapping indicates that psychomotor retardation, coloboma, prominent forehead, epicanthus, broad based nose, and broad, thin upper lip are associated with monosomy 4q26, and that gene(s) associated with Rieger syndrome can be excluded from the 4q26 segment.     

Implanted octacalcium phosphate is more resorbable than beta-tricalcium phosphate and hydroxyapatite.

Our previous studies have suggested that synthetic octacalcium phosphate (OCP) could be resorbed and replaced by newly formed bone if implanted in rat skull defects. We hypothesized that the implanted OCP is more resorbable than other commonly used bone graft substitutes of calcium phosphate compounds, such as hydroxyapatite (HA) and beta-tricalcium phosphate (beta-TCP). To test the hypothesis, the present study was designed to compare histomorphometrically resorption of the implanted OCP, HA, and beta-TCP, which were kept in the experimental cranial defect of rats for a long term. A full thickness of standardized trephine defect was made in the rat parietal bone, and the same volume of granules of OCP, HA, and beta-TCP were implanted into the defect. Five specimens of each group were fixed 6 months after implantation. The percentage of remaining implants (r-Imp%) and newly formed bone (n-Bone%) in the defect was analyzed histomorphometrically. The statistical analysis showed that the r-Imp% of OCP was significantly lower than that of HA and beta-TCP. In contrast, the n-Bone% of OCP was significantly higher than that of HA and beta-TCP. The present study has shown that the implanted OCP in the rat cranial defect is more resorbable than the implanted beta-TCP and HA, whereas the implanted OCP enhances bone formation more than the implanted beta-TCP and HA.     

Structural dependence of apatite formation on titania gels in a simulated body fluid

The apatite-forming ability of titania gels with different structures has been investigated in a simulated body fluid with ion concentrations nearly equal to those of human blood plasma. Titania gels with an amorphous structure or with an anatase or rutile structure were prepared by the sol-gel process with a subsequent heat treatment at various temperatures. The titania gels with an amorphous structure did not induce apatite formation on their surfaces in the simulated body fluid, whereas gels with an anatase or rutile structure induced apatite formation on their surfaces. The deposition of apatite was more pronounced on the anatase gels than on the rutile gels. This indicates that a specific structure of titania is effective in inducing apatite formation in a body environment. Such a specific structure was assumed in this study to be the crystalline planar arrangement in the anatase structure, which facilitates epitaxy of the apatite crystal.