MR appearance of parasymphyseal insufficiency fractures of the os pubis

 Objective. To clarify the MRI features of parasymphyseal insufficiency fractures of the os pubis. Design and patients. MRI was performed in four postmenopausal women with parasymphyseal insufficiency fractures. The diagnosis was confirmed with plain films in every patient. T1-weighted and T2-weighted images were obtained in four patients using a 1.5-T unit. Postcontrast T1-weighted imaging was also done in three patients. Results and conclusions. MRI of pubic parasymphyseal insufficiency fracture characteristically demonstrates a hyperintense mass lesion with a hypointense rim on T2-weighted imaging, showing peripheral and septal enhancement after contrast administration. It is important to have this entity in mind in patients with osteoporosis, especially in patients with a history of pelvic irradiation for malignant disease, so as not to misinterpret it as a chondroid tumor or bone metastasis.     

Clinical study of respiratory infections complicating bronchial asthma]

We conducted a clinical study on respiratory infections complicating bronchial asthma. Transtracheal aspiration (TTA) was performed 37 times in 22 patients. The most frequently isolated organism was H. influenzae. The patients in whom organisms were isolated on TTA had a high incidence of fever and evidence of inflammation. Antimicrobial therapy caused a decrease in indices of inflammation (white blood cell count and ESR), but was less effective against the asthmatic symptoms. Respiratory infection may play a complex role in the clinical picture of bronchial asthma.     

Pancreatic tumor antigen in transplantable adenocarcinomas induced by N-bis(2-hydroxypropyl)nitrosamine in hamsters

An attempt was made to detect a pancreatic tumor antigen (PTA) in transplantable pancreatic adenocarcinomas induced by N-bis(2-hydroxypropyl)nitrosamine (DHPN) in hamsters. Antibody against antigenic protein was raised by immunizing rabbits with whole homogenate of the tumors transplanted into the back of hamsters. PTA was purified by affinity chromatography and shown to have the physicochemical properties of a glycoprotein with a molecular weight of 800,000, migrating in the beta regions upon agarose gel electrophoresis. Loss of immunological properties was observed after heating at 65 degrees C for 30 min. Enzyme immunoassay revealed that the levels of PTA in the serum and tissue showed a positive correlation with the induction of the presence of tumor, and size of the tumor. It is tentatively suggested that PTA values above 150 ng/ml serum are indicators of tumors, because in normal hamsters the PTA range is from 25 to 130 ng/ml serum. Immunohistochemically, PTA was demonstrated to be localized within the cytoplasm of epithelial tumor cells of well-differentiated tubular adenocarcinomas.     

Carcinogenic activity of endogenously synthesized N-nitrosobis(2-hydroxypropyl)amine in rats administered bis(2-hydroxypropyl)amine and sodium nitrite

The carcinogenic activity of endogenously synthesized N-nitrosobis(2-hydroxypropyl)amine(BHP) was investigated in male Wistar rats administered bis(2-hydroxypropyl)amine(BHPA) mixed in powder diet at a concentration of 1%, and sodiumnitrite (SN) dissolved in distilled water at concentrationsof 0.15 and 0.3%, for 94 weeks. Urinary excretion of BHP wasdetected in rats given 1% BHPA and 0.3% SN but not in the groupsreceiving either of these precursors alone. Nasal cavity, lung,esophagus, liver and urinary bladder tumors were found in animalstreated with combinations of 1% BHPA and 0.15 or 0.3% SN, suggestingthat the target organs of the endogenously synthesized BHP aresimilar to those affected when the carcinogen is administeredexogenously. The incidences of nasal cavity and lung tumorsreached 74 and 58% in rats given 1% BHPA and 0.3% SN, respectively.Tumors at sites other than target organs were only found atlevels similar to those previously reported for spontaneoustumors in male Wistars. The present results clearly indicatedthe tumor inducibility of a nhrosatable amine, BHA, throughan endogenous nitrosation by feeding to rats in conjunctionwith nitrite, and provide further suggestive evidence that endogenousnitrosations of environmental nitrosatable amines can be a potentialrisk factor in human cancer development.     

Mechanisms underlying the enhanced elevation of IL-1beta and TNF-alpha mRNA levels following endotoxin challenge in rat alveolar macrophages cultured with low-Mg2+ medium.

We have previously shown that interleukin (IL)-1beta and tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha mRNA levels in rat alveolar macrophages are increased in by endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide; LPS)- stimulation and further enhanced by culturing with low-Mg2+ medium. We have now investigated the mechanisms of underlying this enhancement by using some specific signal transduction inhibitors. The enhanced elevation of both mRNAs levels was suppressed by pretreatment with TMB-8 (which inhibits calcium release from the endoplasmic reticulum) or dexamethasone (which inhibits nuclear factor [NF]-kappaB and activator protein [AP]-1), but not with verapamil or nifedipine (which inhibits calcium channels). The enhancment of IL-1beta, but not TNF-alpha mRNA levels, was suppressed by pretreatment with W-7 (which inhibits calmodulin), whereas the enhancement of TNF-alpha mRNA levels was suppressed by pretreatment with U73122 (which inhibits phospholipase C). Curcumin (an inhibitor of AP-1), suppressed the increases in both mRNAs induced by low-Mg2+ medium alone, but had no suppressive effect on the levels of either mRNA after LPS-stimulation in low-Mg2+ medium. Pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (an inhibitor of NF-kappaB) prevented the elevation of TNF-alpha mRNA levels induced by low-Mg2+ medium without LPS-stimulation, but had no suppressive effect on IL-1beta mRNA levels. From these results, we conclude that the enhanced elevation of IL-1beta and TNF-alpha mRNA levels seen in LPS-stimulated alveolar macrophages in low-Mg2+ medium occurs partly via the same, and partly via different, signaling pathways.     

Epidural midazolam with saline--optimal dose for postoperative pain]

Optimal dose of epidural midazolam with saline for postoperative pain relief was investigated. Forty three patients for upper abdominal surgery were divided into 5 groups. Each group had either 10 ml saline only (saline group), 10 ml saline + midazolam 0.025 mg.kg-1 (0.025 group), 10 ml saline + midazolam 0.05 mg.kg-1 (0.05 group), 10 ml saline + midazolam 0.075 mg.kg-1 (0.075 group), or 10 ml saline + midazolam 0.1 mg.kg-1 (0.1 group) administered epidurally for complaint of postoperative pain. Blood pressure (BP), heart rate (HR), respiratory rate (RR) and sedation score (SS) were monitored for 120 minutes, and the time interval for next analgesics (TNA) was checked. In each group, BP was unchanged compared with preinjection level. HR changes were less in 0.05 and 0.1 group than in others. RR changes were less in 0.025 and 0.05 group than in others. Optimal SSs were obtained in 0.025 and 0.05 groups. In 0.075 and 0.1 groups, many patients fell into complete sleep (not responded to verbal command). TNA was about 2 hours in 0.025 and 0.05 groups, over 6 hours in 0.075 and 0.1 groups. Complete sleep was the cause of long TNA in 0.075 and 0.1 groups. It was concluded that optimal dose of epidural midazolam with saline 10 ml was 0.05 mg.kg-1 for postoperative pain relief after upper abdominal surgery.     

Preoperative diagnosis of internal mammary node metastases in patients with breast cancer by using ultrasonography]

US findings of 81 patients with breast cancer were analyzed respectively to evaluate the usefulness of US in the preoperative diagnosis of internal mammary mode metastases. The internal mammary area (I.M.A.) in which internal mammary nodes lie was shown as a hypoechoic stripe in a sagittal scan along the sternum and as a triangular or spindle-shaped hypoechoic area in a transverse scan in the intercostal space. The US features of each I.M.A. in the first three intercostal spaces were divided into three patterns: Pattern-A wad defined as widening of the ipsilateral side of the I.M.A. compared with the contralateral side; Pattern-C was defined as normal at both sides of the I.M.A. Pathological examination confirmed the node metastases in 85.7% of intercostal scans showing Pattern-A and in 35% of intercostal scans showing Pattern-B. Only one of 189 intercostal scans showing Pattern-C had nodal metastases. The overall accuracy was 88.1% in 243 intercostal scans and 90.1% in 81 patients. We conclude that US is useful in the detection of internal mammary node metastases in patients with breast cancer.     

Quartromicin, a complex of novel antiviral antibiotics. I. Production, isolation, physico-chemical properties and antiviral activity.

A strain of Amycolatopsis orientalis No. Q427-8 (ATCC 53884) was found to produce a complex of new antiviral antibiotics, quartromicin which consisted of at least six components A1, A2, A3, D1, D2 and D3. Structural studies suggested that they are a novel type of molecules unrelated to any known antibiotics. Each component of quartromicin exhibited antiviral activity against herpes simplex virus type 1, influenza virus type A and human immunodeficiency virus.