Effect of a Device-Free Compressed Shell Fixation Method on Hepatic Respiratory Movement: Analysis for Respiratory Amplitude of the Liver and Internal Motions of a Fiducial Marker

Purpose

Suppression of respiratory movement of the liver would be desirable for high-precision radiation therapy for liver tumors. We aimed to investigate the effect of our original device-free compressed shell fixation method and breathing instruction on suppression of respiratory movement. The characteristics of liver motion based on the movement of a fiducial marker were also analyzed.

Postoperative development of sarcopenia is a strong predictor of a poor prognosis in patients with adenocarcinoma of the esophagogastric junction and upper gastric cancer

Background

There were few studies assessed the postoperative sarcopenia in patients with cancers. The objective of present study was to assess whether postoperative development of sarcopenia could predict a poor prognosis in patients with adenocarcinoma of esophagogastric junction, (AEG) and upper gastric cancer (UGC).

Crohn's ileocolitis with initially superimposed cytomegalovirus infection, resembling intestinal tuberculosis]

We describe a case of 41-year-old Japanese man with Crohn's ileocolitis and cytomegalovirus infection, confirmed by histology of ileal ulcers. Although his colonoscopic and radiological features resembled those of intestinal tuberculosis, granulomas of typical Crohn's disease were evident on histology of biopsy specimens taken from the duodenum and colon. The lesions remain unchanged even after 1.5 years by oral administration of salazosulphapyridine 3g daily.     

Methamphetamine-induced behavioral alterations following repeated administration of methamphetamine

Repeated administration of a large dose of methamphetamine (MA) (25 mg/kg, i.p. twice daily for 4 days) to mice enhanced locomotor activity and decreased stereotyped behavior following a subsequent injection of MA. Simultaneous determinations of catecholamines revealed a depletion of brain dopamine. The moderate doses of haloperidol significantly enhanced MA-induced locomotor activity in mice. A significant enhancement of MA-induced locomotor activity was observed in the rats pretreated with 6-hydroxydopamine into the striatum, and this effect correlated negatively with the striatal dopamine level. These results suggest that hypofunction of striatal dopaminergic neuron systems induced by repeated administration of MA may be one of possible mechanisms of the enhancement of MA-induced locomotor activity due to the decrease of stereotyped behavior.     

The induction of operational tolerance is not prevented by simultaneous administration of cyclosporin A1

In this study, the effect of combining anti-CD4 monoclonal antibody (mAb) and cyclosporin (CyA) therapy at the time of transplantation was examined. A mouse cardiac allograft model was used. Anti-CD4 mAb administered perioperatively induces long-term survival. The addition of a short course of CyA given subcutaneously in a regimen of either a high-dose treatment or a standard dose treatment to the anti-CD4 mAb treatment protocol did not have a detrimental effect on graft survival. Despite having no significant effect on graft survival, the addition of CyA to the treatment protocol did result in a significant decrease in the level of IL-2 present in the hearts 7 days after transplantation. The decrease in IL-2 production was directly related to the presence of CyA in vivo. When CyA treatment was continued throughout the period during which unresponsiveness to the graft is induced by anti-CD4 mAb therapy, 50 % of the grafted hearts were rejected once the CyA was discontinued. In conclusion, the combined use of anti-CD4 mAb therapy and CyA did not have a negative effect on graft survival in this model when the two agents were used concurrently at the time of transplantation. Received: 2 October 1996 Received after revision: 31 January 1997 Accepted: 5 February 1997     

Spontaneous spinal epidural hematoma diagnosed by MRI: a case report

Appropriate diagnostic procedure for spinal epidural hematomas has not been established yet. The authors reported a case of spontaneous epidural hematomas at the thoracic level, in which correct diagnosis was made with MRI and good results were obtained by surgery. A 63-year-old female experienced a severe back pain which appeared suddenly during a walk and was followed by motor weakness in both legs deteriorating quickly to paraplegia. The patient had no history of hypertension, trauma or bleeding tendency. The laboratory data were normal. On admission, neurological examination revealed flaccid paraplegia, total sensory loss below the level of Th 6 and urinary and fecal incontinence. Myelograms showed incomplete block at the Th 6 level and postmyelographic CT scan showed an isodense mass, which was suspected to be an epidural tumor located behind the spinal cord. Emergent MRI confirmed an epidural hematoma as a high intensity area extending from Th 3 through Th 11. Sixty-five hours after onset, laminectomy of Th 4 through Th 11 and the evacuation of epidural hematoma were performed without identification of the origin of the bleeding. Neither vascular malformation nor tumor was recognized during operation. Neither was it noticed on histological examination. The patient made favorable progress after the surgery. During the first two weeks in the postoperative period, she regained muscle strength enough to do standing exercise, and satisfactory improvement was made in sensory function including urination and defecation. We emphasize that MRI is indispensable to make a differential diagnosis of thoracic lesions. In the reported case, a correct diagnosis was made with MRI, and an extremely good result was obtained by an emergency operation.     

Hypertonic saline alters electrical barrier of the airway epithelium.

OBJECTIVE: The effect of tonicity changes in nebulizer solutions and irrigations on nasal mucosa is not well known. The present study aims to determine the basic mechanism of hypertonic solution on airway epithelial barrier. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: We investigated the electrical potential difference (PD) that is influenced by both active transport and the transepithelial electrical resistance of the epithelial mucosa in the human nose in vivo. The short circuit current (SCC) revealed net ion transport across the epithelium in the guinea pig trachea in vitro. Finally, the size dependency of macromolecules across the tracheal mucosa was determined in vitro using FITC-labeled dextrans of different sizes. RESULTS: PD was significantly decreased after topical application of hypertonic solution both in human and in guinea pig nose. SCC was significantly decreased after application of hypertonic solution. The transport of these dextrans from the basolateral to the apical side was not increased significantly after apical application of hypertonic saline. CONCLUSIONS: Hypertonic saline enhances the electrical permeability of the airway epithelial mucosa but not transport of macromolecule in the short term.     

Effect of bifemelane hydrochloride on an injury of the liver caused by ischemia-reperfusion in rats

In the liver ischemia-reperfusion model, the lipid peroxide level increased during ischemic periods, while a greater increase was observed during reflow periods. The increase in the cytochrome b5 content was observed during ischemia and reflow periods. On the contrary, the cytochrome P-450 content remained unchanged during ischemic periods, but decreased during reflow periods. Bifemelane suppressed the elevation of the lipid peroxide level, the cytochrome b5 content and the decrease in cytochrome P-450 content during the period of reperfusion.     

Persistent left superior vena cava draining to left atrium with normal coronary sinus

In embryology, a persistent connection of the left superior vena cava to the left atrium rarely coexists with a coronary sinus. We herein report an unusual case of persistent left superior vena cava terminating in a left atrium with normal coronary sinus, which was revealed at the time of permanent pacemaker implantation after a second operation for recurrent left atrioventricular valve regurgitation. Because this anomaly had gone undiagnosed at the first operation, we were unable to diagnose it prior to the second operation, because the preoperative coronary angiogram clearly demonstrated a coronary sinus that was not dilated. We would have repaired the anomaly using a patch or other procedure had it been diagnosed before the second operation in order to prevent cyanosis or brain complications secondary to right-to-left shunting. One should always be on guard for this rare condition.     

Effects of iomeprol,a new nonionic contrast medium,vis a vis iopamidol and nitroglycerin,on coronary diameter and blood flow in chronically instrumented dogs

The effects of an intracoronary administration of iomeprol, a new nonionic tri-iodinated water-soluble contrast medium, on coronary circulation were compared to those of iopamidol and those of nitroglycerin in 6 chronically instrumented conscious dogs. A pair of 10 MHz piezoelectric crystals and an electromagnetic flow probe were placed on the left circumflex coronary artery (LCCA) to measure the epicardial coronary diameter (CD) and coronary blood flow (CBF). Polyethylene tubing for drug administration was inserted into the LCCA proximal to the sonomicrometers. Iomeprol at the dose of 1 ml and 3 ml/min for 1 min significantly increased CD by 0.6±0.1% and 1.4±0.3%, respectively and CBF by 44.5±9% and 70±10%, respectively. Iopamidol at the same rates also significantly increased CD by 0.8±0.1% and 1.5±0.3% and CBF by 50±11% and 82±14%, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference between iomeprol-and iopamidol-induced increases in CD and CBF. However, the duration of the increase in CD was significantly shorter (p<0.05) after iomeprol than after iopamidol. Nitroglycerin (10 μg/kg) significantly increased CD by 4.5±1% and CBF by 105±10%. The increases in CD and CBF in response to iopamidol and iomeprol were significantly smaller (p<0.01) than to nitroglycerin. We conclude that vasodilating effects of iomeprol and iopamidol on the large epicardial coronary artery and coronary blood flow are comparable in conscious dogs and significantly lower than after nitroglycerin in the doses used by us. This study was supported by a grant from the EI-ZA1 Pharmaceutical Co., Tokyo, Japan.