Establishment of a parathyroid hormone-like factor-producing esophageal carcinoma cell line (EC-GI)

A new cell line, designated EC-GI, was established from a 65-year-old patient with esophageal carcinoma who developed humoral hypercalcemia. The original tumor as well as the cell line caused marked hypercalcemia in tumor-bearing nude mice, in which a marked increase in osteoclastic bone resorption was demonstrated. The conditioned medium of EC-GI cells contained potent bone resorbing activity which stimulated cyclic AMP production in parathyroid hormone (PTH)-responsive osteoblast-like cells (ROS 17/2.8). EC-GI cells will be useful for characterization and purification of the PTH-like factor responsible for humoral hypercalcemia of malignancy.     

A quantitative study of TMJ sounds. 1. A systematization on frequency analysis of clicking sounds

TMJ clicking sound is a sign worth noticing as prodromal symptoms of TMJ dysfunction. Therefore, a solution of its characteristics is an important matter to grasp the diagnosis of stomatognathic function and progress of the disease. We try to systematize the procedure from picking-up TMJ sound to convertion of frequency and then investigate picking-up method and the measurement apparatus, because we need a quantitation of acoustical components of clicking sound to examine the influence of hearing ability due to TMJ dysfunction. The following were obtained: 1. Low frequency noise is reduced by using headgear with microphone located in a external ear. 2. We pick up continuous 30 TMJ sounds three times in separate days. The waveforms of each set are approximately similar. 3. Each peak frequency and pattern of power spectrum examined three times show high correspondence. 4. The range of maximum peak frequencies in all subjects are from 0 to 0.8 KHz.     

Nuclear magnetic resonance imaging of a benign cystic teratoma in the retroperitoneum

A retroperitoneal teratoma arising from the vicinity of the upper pole of the right kidney in an 18-year-old woman is described. The plain anteroposterior abdominal radiographs showed irregular calcific shadows with tooth-like calcifications within the right upper quadrant of the abdomen. The findings of a primary cystic teratoma in the retroperitoneum examined by computerized tomography and magnetic resonance imaging of the abdomen are presented. Sagittal and coronal magnetic resonance imaging scans were useful to determine the extent of the mass, and to distinguish the mass from adjacent structures and organs.     

A case of massive hemoptysis occurring after lung injury due to a torn segment of pleural calcification

A 64-year-old man was referred to our hospital because of little improvement of hemoptysis lasting three days after drug therapy. A chest roentgenogram and fiberoptic bronchoscopic examination performed on the second hospital day when the patient experienced a massive hemoptysis of about 2,000 ml revealed arterial bleeding from the left upper lobe. Even after extensive embolizations of the left upper bronchial, the first, second, third and 4th intercostal arteries, the patient's hemoptysis did not improve. On the 73rd hospital day the patient underwent left upper lobectomy. Macroscopic and microscopic examinations in the resected specimen revealed lung injury due to a torn segment of pleural calcification after tuberculous pleuritis, resulting in the massive hemoptysis. Although physicians encounter many patients complaining of hemoptysis and/or hemosputum, this case is considered to be very rare.     

Efficacy of disopyramide in conversion and prophylaxis of post-thyrotoxic atrial fibrillation

Summary Rhythm conversion in patients with post-thyrotoxic atrial fibrillation (AF) has been performed with disopyramide in order to evaluate the conversion rate and to test its effect on the maintenance of sinus rhythm after cardioversion.The duration of AF ranged from 9 to 122 months (mean 31.8 months). Of 81 patients, 12 (15%) with relatively short duration AF were converted to sinus rhythm with disopyramide. The remaining 69 patients required DC cardioversion, which restored sinus rhythm in 58 patients. The 58 DC-converted patients were divided into two groups: a disopyramide group (D group) and a non-disopyramide group (non-D group). The D group received disopyramide 300 mg per day for 3 months after DC cardioversion and the non-D group did not receive anti-arrhythmic drugs. During the early observation period, only one patient relapsed in the D group into AF, but 5 successive patients in the non-D group reverted to AF, forcing discontinuation of the non-D protocol. A second DC cardioversion performed on 3 of those 5 patients was followed by maintenance therapy with disopyramide 300 mg per day, and they remained in sinus rhythm. With the inclusion of those three subjects, sinus rhythm was still present in 44 of the total of 58 patients converted by DC (76%) at the time of follow-up (64 months).Thus, disopyramide was effective in rhythm conversion and it was essential for the maintenance of sinus rhythm after cardioversion in patients with post-thyrotoxic AF.     

Neurinoma of the oculomotor nerve: case report

A case of solitary neurinoma of oculomotor nerve is reported. A 40-year-old female had a sudden headache with nausea and vomiting in January, 1978. She complained of diplopia and right ptosis two months later and visited a neurosurgical clinic, but radiological examination was told to be normal. Headache and right ptosis diminished, but diplopia continued. She was admitted to our clinic on Aug. 30, 1984, complaining of diplopia and right ptosis which were noticed only when she was tired. On admission, she had no neurological deficits except for right oculomotor nerve palsy. There was no cutaneous manifestation of von Recklinghausen's disease. Plain skull radiogram and angiogram showed normal study. CT scan showed a solitaly enhancing mass in the right prepontine region. On Sept. 22, 1984, a right frontotemporal craniotomy was performed, and the tumor was totally removed by pterional approach. The tumor was located beside the right internal carotid artery and the oculomotor nerve was incorporated in the tumor. The histological diagnosis was Antoni B type neurinoma. The clinical features of fourteen reported cases of neurinoma of the oculomotor nerve in the literature were reviewed.