The enhanced expression of the matrix metalloproteinase 9 in nasal NK/T-cell lymphoma

Background  

Nasal NK/T cell lymphoma is an aggressive disease and has a poor prognosis. Nasal NK/T cell lymphoma is refractory to conventional chemotherapy and has strong tendency of widespread relapse or dissemination into distant sites.     

Thoracoscopic resection of a solitary pulmonary lymphangioma: Report of a case

We present herein the rare case of a young man who was found to have a solitary tumor in the right upper lobe of his lung by a routine chest X-ray. The tumor was removed by thoracoscopic surgery, and pathological examinations confirmed the diagnosis of a primary lymphangioma of the lung. A brief review of the available literature on this extremely rare type of benign tumor follows the case report.     

Anti-gal-C antibody in autoimmune neuropathies subsequent to mycoplasma infection

Four of 82 patients with Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) and 1 of 12 with multifocal motor neuropathy (MMN), who previously had had Mycoplasma pneumoniae infections, had serum antibody to galactocerebroside (Gal-C). Two patients with GBS without mycoplasma infection also had anti-Gal-C antibody, whereas none of the normal or the disease controls had it. As Gal-C is a major glycolipid antigen in myelin, anti-Gal-C antibody may function in the pathogenesis of autoimmune demyelinative neuropathies. Mycoplasma pneumoniae appears to be an important preceding infectious agent in autoimmune neuropathies with anti-Gal-C antibody. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Resected cases of middle lobe primary cancer

Of 200 lung cancer lesions resected in our hospital, there were 15 cases (7.5%) with middle lobe origin. The histological types were adenocarcinoma in 13 patients (4 patients with alveolar cell carcinoma), squamous cell carcinoma in one and large cell carcinoma in one. These patients were classified into two groups according to the type of operation they received and each group was evaluated. Group I (resection of the middle lobe) included 8 patients. Each one of Stage IIIB and Stage IV received the operation to improve their symptoms. The six patients of Stage I received only middle lobectomy as absolute curable cases. Group II (resection of the middle and lower lobes) included 7 patients, who had preoperative diagnosis of stage III. Two of them were postoperatively found to be cases of Stage I and Stage II. Although it was still short-term, the follow-up evaluation proved that these patients survived without local recurrence and distant metastasis, except for two with pleural dissemination and one with cerebral metastasis, who had received lobectomy as palliative operation. No difference was observed between the two groups receiving different types of operation.     

A Rare Case of Biliobiliary Fistula

Abstract: Biliobiliary fistula is a rare clinical entity. The case of a 72 year old female, who presented with epigastric pain and jaundice, is detailed herein. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) revealed two stones, one each in the common bile duct and the gallbladder. Continuous endoscopic nasobiliary drainage (ENBD) was performed to relieve obstructive jaundice. Further study with contrast medium administered via the ENBD tube revealed a fistula between the neck of the gallbladder and the common bile duct. The cystic duct was intact. A stone was considered to have migrated into the common bile duct through the fistula. A diagnosis of biliobiliary fistula, Corlette type I was made. However, in this particular case, a biliobiliary fistula was noted at a site below the junction of the cystic duct and common bile duct. Removal of the gallbladder stones was followed by cholecystectomy. The common bile duct was then repaired by utilizing a T-tube. No evidence of malignancy was recognized in the resected gallbladder specimen. In the one year to date since surgery, the patient has been asymptomatic and without signs of biliary disease.     

Leukemia Cutis in Three Children: Clinical and Immunohistochemical Studies

Abstract: We report 3 children with leukemia cutis observed at the initial diagnosis of systemic leukemia. Leukemia subtypes in the three children were congenital monocytic, acute undifferentiated, and acute monocytic, respectively. The patients were girls age 10 days, 14 years, and 11 months, respectively, at diagnosis. We describe the clinical features of the cases and the results of immunohistochemical studies on paraffin-embedded skin biopsy specimens. The skin lesions were tumors and areas of reddish purple erythema in the first child, pigmented erythema in the second, and bright red erythema in the third. In the first two patients skin lesion biopsy specimens had dense leukemic infiltrates in the dermis with reactive T lymphocytes scattered among them. In the third patient, the infiltrating cells were almost all reactive T lymphocytes, with a few leukemic cells. A relationship between the leukemic-reactive cell ratio and the prognosis was suggested; dense leukemic cell infiltrates may be associated with a poor prognosis.     

The results and problems of reoperation for coronary artery disease]

In six hundred and six consecutive patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) within the past 17 years (May 1974 to March 1991), repeated CABG were performed on 10 patients (1.65%). The main reasons for repeated CABG were graft failure (GF) in 8, progression of native disease (NP) in 5 and incomplete revascularization (IR) in 3 patients. The incidence of GF was high either within a half year or around 5 years after CABG. Although all patients survived from reoperation, four patients continued to have mild angina pectoris. When the recurrence of angina is noted after CABG, coronary arteriography and if necessary PTCA should be done as soon as possible. If a second surgery is inevitable, maximum utilization of arterial graft and accomplishment of complete revascularization are emphasized.     

Liquid crystal thermography; a reliable method for detecting soda lime exhaustion

The dynamic and functional state of soda lime can be more precisely assessed by measuring changes in wall temperatures of the absorption chambers rather than observing color change of the soda lime granules. We demonstrated in this report that the liquid crystal thermometer is an inexpensive and reliable measuring device for this purpose.     

Antiherpes activity of chemically synthesized lipid A-subunit analogue GLA-60 in immunosuppressed mice

Intraperitoneal administration of 10 micrograms GLA-60, a chemically synthesized lipid A analogue, to mice one day after treatment with 200 mg/kg of cyclophosphamide (CY) significantly increased the number of macrophages, lymphocytes and polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) in the peritoneal cavity. The intrinsic antiviral activity of macrophages against herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) as well as natural killer (NK) activity against YAC-1 target cells was stimulated by administration of GLA-60 to CY-immunosuppressed mice. When the mice were administered GLA-60 prior to HSV-1 infection, virus growth was inhibited and the mortality rate of infected mice was reduced. Thus, GLA-60 is a potent immunomodulator achieving its antiviral action through enhancement of nonspecific host defense mechanisms. Combined treatment of GLA-60 with the antiviral agent acyclovir (ACV) resulted in greater protection against HSV-1 in the CY-immunosuppressed mice than did single treatment with either GLA-60 or ACV.     

Clinical significance of selective middle hepatic venography

Selective middle hepatic venography was performed in 86 patients who had been scheduled to undergo liver resection because of hepatobiliary diseases. Special catheters were used of which tips were bended counterclockwise at an angle of 45 degrees. Successful middle hepatic venograms were obtained in 65 cases (76%). Abnormal findings were observed in 27 cases (42%), and it was difficult to diagnose them by ultrasonography or computed tomography. Selective middle hepatic venogram is very useful to understand surgical anatomy of the liver in each case preoperatively. In 5 cases of giant tumor, middle hepatic venography is necessary to identify the exact site of the tumor. Selective middle hepatic venography is considered to be one of the indispensable, examinations for liver resection.