Common clonal origin of lymphocytes and plasma cells in splenic lymphoma with villous lymphocytes

In two-thirds of patients with splenic lymphoma with villous lymphocytes (SLVL) a small amount of M-protein can be detected in association with the presence of plasma cells in the peripheral blood (PB) and/or bone marrow (BM). However, it is not known whether lymphoma cells and plasma cells originate from the same clone. In this report we describe a case of SLVL which was characterized by the presence of marked monoclonal gammopathy (IgG-κ 90 g/l) and increased plasma cells in the BM. In an attempt to elucidate the origin of lymphoma cells and plasma cells, we performed morphological, cytogenetic and molecular studies on PB mononuclear cells (PBMNC) without plasma cells and BMMNC containing 10% plasma cells from this patient.
Immunofluorescence showed that lymphoma cells and plasma cells were positive for cytoplasmic γ heavy and κ light chains. Well-developed endoplasmic reticulum was observed in the cytoplasmic organelles of PBMNC using an electron microscope. The mean IgG concentration in the 3 d supernatant cultures of PBMNC was 374±24μg/l. More than 50% PBMNC differentiated into plasmacytoid cells in 6 d of liquid culture with IL-3 and IL-6. Analysis by two-colour FISH revealed that karyotypic abnormalities of monosomy X and trisomy 17 existed simultaneously in both lymphoma cells and plasma cells. JH gene rearranged bands from PBMNC and BMMNC by Southern blot hybridization were identical, whereas DNAs from PBMNC failed to hybridize with the Cμ probe.
These observations strongly suggest that lymphoma cells and plasma cells originate from the same clone, and that plasma cells, as well as lymphoma cells, which have undergone class switch recombination, could produce IgG type M-protein in this case.     

Systemic sclerosis in children: A national retrospective survey in Japan

A retrospective questionnaire survey of pediatric departments, for childhood collagen disease from 1985 to 1994 was used to clarify the clinical features of scleroderma in Japan. In the primary survey, 0.9% of the children with a rheumatic condition had scleroderma. Answers to this questionnaire were received on 18 (localized 9; systemic 9) patients from 15 institutions. In order to examine systemic sclerosis (SSc), seven cases of SSc in Japanese articles during the same period as the questionnaire were added to these answers and compared to the Japanese epidemic study investigated by Fukuyama in 1974. There were 16 children, seven boys and nine girls, with SSc during the 10-year period in Japan. The mean age of onset of symptoms was 8.0 ± 2.8 years and the age at diagnosis was 10.1 ± 3.0 years. Eighty percent of children had Raynaud's phenomenon at the onset of SSc, and skin and musculoskeletal involvement was highly recognized during the course of the disease. Atrophy of the frenulum linguae and lung fibrosis were commonly seen in SSc. In serological studies, 80% of children have antinuclear antibodies and approximately 50% of patients have anti-Scl-70 (topoisomelase I) antibodies at the onset and during the course of childhood SSc. The prognosis is poor, as remission occurred in only one child. The clinical symptoms and examination of serological autoimmune antibodies were supportive of an early diagnosis of SSc. When compared to the previous national survey of children with SSc, the present results showed that the male-to-female ratio was reduced, the age at onset was low, the positive incidence of serological autoimmune antibodies elevated, and the usage of vasodilators and nonsteroid anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) increased, with corticosteroids decreased. But, the positive percentage of clinical symptoms were not changed in both studies. For a complete retrospective nationwide epidemic survey carried out on children with scleroderma, especially SSc, it is important to include dermatology departments.     

A multicenter,randomized, controlled trial of intravenous gamma globulin therapy in children with acute Kawasaki disease

We studied the effect of intravenous, polyethyleneglycol-treated, human immunoglobulin, administered at 200 mg/kg per day (group A: n = 147; male 86, female 61; age < 1 year, 50) or 400 mg/kg per day (group B: n = 152; male 87, female 65; age < l year, 52) for five consecutive days and compared it with freeze-dried, sulfonated human immunoglobulin [group C: n = 152; male 87, female 65; age < 1 year, 51), administered at 200 mg/kg per day for five consecutive days, on the prevention of coronary artery abnormalities in Kawasaki disease. Echocardiograms were interpreted blindly and independently. Proportions of 87.1%, 95.4%, and 82.3% in groups A, B, and C, respectively, had no coronary artery abnormalities. The confidence limits of difference between the proportions of groups A and C, groups B and C, and groups B and A were −4.4% and 10.4%, 7.8% and 15.9%, and 4.0% and 10.8%, respectively. Duration of fever and serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) levels were correlated with the prevalence of coronary artery abnormalities. We concluded that intravenous, polyethyleneglycol-treated, human immunoglobulin and freeze-dried, sulfonated human immunoglobulin had clinically equivalent effects on coronary artery abnormalities, and that five daily doses of 400 mg/kg of intravenous, polyethyleneglycol-treated, human immunoglobulin is more effective than that of 200 mg/kg gamma globulin.     

Changes in apolipoproteins during the acute phase of Kawasaki disease

To determine disturbances of lipid metabolism in patients with Kawasaki disease, we investigated changes in the serum levels of apolipoproteins and serum lipids. Results were as follows. Total serum cholesterol (TC) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) decreased during the early stage of Kawasaki disease. The apo A-I and A-II levels were low until the 2nd week of illness. Apo B decreased during the 1st week of illness, but rose slightly during the 2nd and 3rd weeks. The apo B/apo A-I ratio and the apo B/TC ratio were high in the early stages of illness. The group of patients with coronary artery lesions showed low levels of TC and HDL-C, and low levels of apo A-I, A-II and B during the early stages, compared with the group without coronary artery lesions. The apo B/TC ratio was significantly higher in the patients with coronary artery lesions during the 2nd week of illness. Our findings suggest an association between changes in serum lipids and apolipoproteins and coronary artery involvement in Kawasaki disease. These abnormalities may indicate the presence of early coronary arteriosclerosis.     

The Spinal Monoaminergic Systems Relating to Ejaculation Ejaculation and Monoamines After Spinal Cord Transection

The authors investigated the relationship between ejaculation and spinal monoamine levels by transecting the dog spinal cord at the various levels. From the results obtained in this study it was concluded that the lumbar and upper sacral segments of the spinal cord are important for ejaculation, and that the suppression of ejaculation by lower lumbar to upper sacral transection may be induced by increase in serotonin in the 5th lumbar-1st sacral segments.     

In vitro production of bilirubin photoisomers by light irradiation using neoBLUE

BACKGROUND: The light-emitting diode is used as one of the new light sources for phototherapy. NeoBLUE (Atom Medical, Tokyo, Japan) incorporates blue light-emitting diodes for the treatment of neonatal hyperbilirubinemia. The authors compared the in vitro efficacy of neoBLUE with conventional phototherapy devices. METHODS: The three light devices used included neoBLUE and two conventional phototherapy devices with six blue-white (BW) or six green (GR) fluorescent tubes. A bilirubin/human serum albumin solution (15 mg/dL) in 200 x 300 mm elliptical bag was irradiated with each three light device. The average light intensity of neoBLUE, BW and GR was 22.5, 10.2 and 2.6 microW/cm(2) per nm, respectively, for the irradiated area. Bilirubin photoisomers and native bilirubin were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography. RESULTS: In neoBLUE, BW and GR, the respective production rate of cyclobilirubin was 6.0, 3.7 and 3.9 x 10(-2) mg/dL/min, and the respective (4Z, 15E)-bilirubin/(4Z, 15Z)-bilirubin ratio after irradiation was 0.44, 0.33 and 0.12; the (4Z, 15Z)-bilirubin reduction rate at 20 min after irradiation was 60, 68 and 82%, respectively. The reduction rate of (4Z, 15Z)-bilirubin correlated with the (4Z, 15E)-bilirubin/(4Z, 15Z)-bilirubin ratio. CONCLUSION: Phototherapy using the neoBLUE under high level may be clinically more effective than therapy using the conventional light source from the results of the production rate of cyclobilirubin.     

Treatment of Osmidrosis with the Cavitron Ultrasonic Surgical Aspirator

BACKGROUND: Axillary osmidrosis is an uncomfortable condition that can be a personal or social handicap. OBJECTIVE: The objective was to present the treatment of osmidrosis with the Cavitron ultrasonic surgical aspirator (CUSA). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifteen patients (3 males and 12 females) underwent surgery for bilateral axillary osmidrosis with the CUSA. RESULTS: The outcome of this operation with the CUSA was evaluated by the patients themselves according to the following criteria. Postoperative improvement was evaluated as good when the odor was decreased by >75%, fair when it was decreased by > or =50 and < or =75%, and poor when it was decreased by <50%. A total of 15 patients (3 males and 12 females) were evaluated. Eight patients (53.3%) had a good result, 6 patients (40%) had a fairly good result, and 1 patient (6.7%) had a poor result. None of the patients experienced any complications, such as skin necrosis, infection, or serous cyst. One dissatisfied patient underwent reoperation and achieved a good result after the second procedure. CONCLUSIONS: This treatment of osmidrosis with the CUSA achieves satisfactory therapeutic efficacy.     

Influence of thrombopoietin on platelet activation in myeloproliferative disorders

Although thrombopoietin itself does not influence platelet aggregation, it enhances platelet activation in response to certain agonists. We evaluated the effects of thrombopoietin on platelet activation using platelet-rich plasma from 16 patients with myeloproliferative disorders (MPD group) and 16 healthy volunteers (control group). Preincubation with thrombopoietin significantly enhanced platelet aggregation stimulated by ADP, collagen, or epinephrine in the MPD group as well as the control group. However, aggregation induced by 3 μ M ADP or 16 μ M epinephrine showed significantly less augmentation by thrombopoietin in the MPD group than in the control group. Thrombopoietin significantly shortened the lag time between the addition of 3 μ M ADP or 16 μ M epinephrine and initiation of secondary aggregation and the lag time between addition of 2 μg/ml collagen and initiation of aggregation in both groups. When platelet-rich plasma was used without adjustment of the platelet count, thrombopoietin itself induced aggregation in two patients. Hypoaggregation after addition of 0.5 μg/ml collagen was observed in seven out of nine patients with normal thrombopoietin levels and only one of six patients with high levels ( P =0.04). Enhancement of 0.5 μg/ml collagen-induced aggregation by thrombopoietin was seen in five out of nine patients with normal thrombopoietin levels and none of the six patients with elevated levels ( P =0.04). These results indicate that platelet activation by certain agonists is enhanced by thrombopoietin in patients with these diseases as well as in normal controls and that the serum thrombopoietin level may regulate the function of circulating platelets in vivo .     

Assessment of Efficacy and Safety of Combining “Paclitaxel” Eluting Balloon and “Limus” Eluting Stent in the Same Lesion

Objectives

To assess the safety and efficacy of combining drug‐eluting balloon (DEB) and drug‐eluting stents (DES) in the same coronary lesion.

Background

Use of DEB may not always produce optimal results or even result in dissection, compelling the operators to consider bailout stenting with bare metal stents (BMS). However, BMS may not be ideal in patients who have significant risk‐profile for restenosis. We have opted for DES over BMS in such situations and present our follow‐up data.

Methods

Between 2009 and 2011, 46 patients (57 lesions) requiring bailout stenting following DEB use were treated with second‐generation DES. All patients had at‐least one or more risk‐factors that made them vulnerable for restenosis (diabetes, chronic kidney disease, previous in‐stent restenosis [ISR], and/or long diffuse lesions ≥30 mm).

Results

Of the 57 lesions, 34 (60%) were previous ISR. The mean length of the DEB was: 36.2 ± 5.6 mm. All patients had TIMI‐3 flow post PCI with no in‐lab complications. At median follow‐up of 12.3 months (interquartile range [IQR]: 7.5–18.1), the rates target lesion revascularization (TLR) and target vessel revascularization (TVR) were 3 (5.3%) and 4 (7%), respectively. One patient had died 3 months following treatment. There were no episodes of myocardial infarction, definite or probable stent thrombosis. The major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) rate defined as cardiac‐death, MI, and TVR occurred in 11% of patients.

Conclusion

The results from this novel strategy of combining “Paclitaxel” eluting balloon and “Limus” eluting stent in a same lesion are encouraging. Dual drug‐elution acting on two different pathways may provide potential synergy that may explain the favorable outcome. (J Interven Cardiol 2013;26:259–263)