A Case of Pneumocytoma (So-Called Sclerosing Hemangioma) With Lymph Node Metastasis

A case of "sclerosing hemangionia" (pneumocytoma) of the lungwith lymph node metastasis is reported. A 22-year-old Japaneseman was found to have a well-defined round lesion in the rightlung (S⁷), which increased in size slightly during a 2-yearfollow-up period. He underwent right lower lobectomy with a preoperative diagnosisof a benign lung tumor. The pulmonary tumor revealed histologicalfeatures characteristic of "sclerosing hemangioma" of the lung,in addition to which there were many large polygonal foamy cells,forming tubular or papillary structures. These cells were foundby electron microscopy to contain numerous cytoplasmic lamellarbodies and showed a positive reaction with anti-surfactant apoproteinantibody immunohistochemically. Therefore, they were consideredto be cells differentiating toward type II pneumocytes. Reviewof 21 typical "sclerosing hemangionia" disclosed a few or somesuch foamy cells in 10 cases. A single hilar lymph node wasthe site of microscopic metastases, which consisted of "largeclear foamy cells" and smaller polygonal or round cells withslightly eosinophilic cytoplasm, both of which were componentsof the pulmonary "sclerosing hemangioma" This case supportsthe theory that "sclerosing hemangioma" is a neoplasm of typeII pneumocyte lineage. Although it is said to be benign, rarecases apparently show metastatic potential.     

Combined Repeat Dose and Reproductive/Developmental Toxicity Screening Test (OECD): Familiarization Using Cyclophosphamide

Combined Repeat Dose and Reproductive/Developmental ToxicityScreening Test (OECD): Familiarization Using Cyclophosphamide.TANAKA, S., KAWASHIMA, K., NAITO, K., USAMI, M., NAKADATE, M.,IMAIDA, K., TAKAHASHI, M., HAYASHI, Y., KUROKAWA, Y., AND TOBE,M. (1992A, Y., AND TOBE, M. (1992). Fundam. Appl. Toxicol. 18,89–95. A familiarization study was conducted on the "Combined RepeatDose and Reproductive/Developmental Toxicity Screening Test(ReproTox)" proposed by the OECD. Cyclophosphamide (CP) at dosesof 6.7, 4.5, 3, 2, and 0 mg/kg body wt was given daily by gavageto groups of 12 male and 12 female Sprague-Dawley rats. As aresult, anemia and leukopenia were evident in treated males.The absolute and relative thymus and spleen weights were decreasedin treated rats. Histopathologically, atrophy of the thymus,spleen, and bone marrow was observed. With respect to the reproductive/developmentaltoxicity, dose-dependent increases in postimplantation lossof fetuses and postnatal death were found in dams given CP.The body weight of pups treated with CP was significantly loweredin a dose-related manner. Thus the results demonstrated mostof the known toxicological properties of CP, except the adverseeffects on spermatogenesis and fertility. Therefore ReproToxcan be considered as a useful screening test for assessing repeatdose and reproductive/developmental toxicity of existing chemicalsof high production volume.     

Aqueous fraction of Sauropus androgynus might be responsible for bronchiolitis obliterans

Background and objective: Bronchiolitis obliterans (BO) has been reported to develop following ingestion of Sauropus androgynus (SA), a leafy shrub distributed in Southeast Asia. Little is known about direct effects of SA on airway resident cells or haematopoietic cells in vitro. Identification of the SA component responsible for the development of BO would be an important key to elucidate its mechanism. We sought to elucidate the direct effects of SA on airway resident cells or haematopoietic cells and identify the SA element responsible for the pathogenesis of BO. Methods: SA dry powder was partitioned into fractions by solvent extraction. Human and murine monocytic cells, epithelial cells and endothelial cells were cultured with SA solution or fractions eluted from SA. We also investigated the effect of SA in vivo using a murine BO syndrome (BOS) model. Results: The aqueous fraction of SA induced significant increases of inflammatory cytokine and chemokine production from monocytic lineage cells. This fraction also induced significant apoptosis of endothelial cells and enhanced intraluminal obstructive fibrosis in allogeneic trachea allograft in the murine BOS model. We found individual differences in tumour necrosis factor α (TNF‐α) production from monocytes of healthy controls stimulated by this aqueous fraction of SA, whereas it induced high‐level TNF‐α production from monocytes of patients with SA‐induced BO. Conclusions: These results suggest that an aqueous fraction of SA may be responsible for the pathogenesis of BO.     

Detection of Helicobacter pylori Gene by Means of Immunomagnetic Separation-Based Polymerase Chain Reaction in Feces

Background: Detection of Helicobacter pylori is usually performed by culture, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), histology, or urease test on gastric biopsy samples. Although methods based on feces are non-invasive, their sensitivity has been relatively low. In this study, to improve its sensitivity, immunomagnetic separation (IMS) was used as a pre-PCR step for direct detection of H. pylori in feces. Methods: Fresh fecal samples were taken from 72 patients attending for endoscopy. Of these, 57 patients had a positive H. pylori status according to the results of culture, histology, and PCR on gastric biopsy samples. Anti-H. pylori antibody-sensitized immunomagnetic beads were used to concentrate the bacteria. PCR was then performed to detect the H. pylori urease A-encoding gene. Results: Of the 57 H. pylori-positive patients, 35 (61.4%) had positive fecal samples by IMS-based PCR method. None of the 15 H. pylori-negative patients had positive fecal samples. The sensitivity of this method was 61.4%, and the specificity 100.0%. Conclusions: This study confirms that non-invasive diagnosis of H. pylori infection could be made from feces by using IMS-based PCR.     

Effects of Nonanal,trans-2-Nonenal and 4-Hydroxy-2,3-trans-nonenal on Cyclooxygenase and 12-Lipoxygenase Metabolism of Arachidonic Acid in Rabbit Platelets

The effects of nonanal, trans-2-nonenal and 4-hydroxy-2,3-trans-nonenal on the formation of thromboxane B₂ (TXB₂), 12-hydroxy-5,8,10-heptadecatrienoic acid (HHT) and 12-hydroxy-5,8,10,14-eicosatetraenoic acid (12-HETE) from exogenous arachidonic acid in washed rabbit platelets were examined. Nonanal and trans-2-nonenal at concentrations ranging from 0.25 to 2 μm inhibited TXB₂, HHT and 12-HETE formation, reducing the amounts of these three arachidonic acid metabolites by 50% at nonanal and trans-2-nonenal concentrations of approximately 0.25 μm. The inhibition of TXB₂, HHT and 12-HETE formation induced by 4-hydroxy-2,3-trans-nonenal (50% inhibition by 4-hydroxy-2,3-trans-nonenal at a concentration of approximately 100 μm) was 400 times weaker than that induced by nonanal and trans-2-nonenal. These results suggest that nonanal and trans-2-nonenal can be modulators of platelet arachidonic acid metabolism by affecting the activity of cyclooxygenase and 12-lipoxygenase.     

The influence of physical restraint or fasting on plaque-forming cell response in mice

Abstract This study was designed to investigate the effects of 1- and 3-day (16 h/day) physically restrained or fasting on immunological and endocrine responses in CBF1 mice. The influence of stressors on these responses was evaluated using anti-sheep red blood cell plaque-forming assay, and by examining T cell subsets, thymus weight and endocrine hormone levels. The results revealed that a significant elevation of the plaque-forming cells (PFC) was found in spleen cells in 1-day restrained mice, that the PFC were conversely suppressed following 3-day physically restrained stress, and that the PFC were not affected by 1- or 3-day fasting stress. Serum levels of norepinephrine were found to be significantly increased only in 1-day physically restrained mice. No change of T cell subsets and thymus weight was found in 1-day physically restrained mice. A significant increase in serum corticosterone levels was elicited in both 1- and 3-day physically restrained mice, and 3-day fasting mice, while increased Lyt2-positive T cells and thymic atrophy were found only in 3-day physically restrained mice. These findings suggest that immune function was differentially affected by the duration and types of stressors.     

Resetting of Tachycardia Cycle by Single and Double Ventricular Extrastimuli in Recurrent Sustained Ventricular Tachycardia

In two cases with recurrent sustained ventricular tachycardia (VT) due to re-entry, the response pattern to extrastimuli during the tachycardia was studied. In each case, right ventricular extrastimuli with longer coupling intervals during VT were followed by fully compensatory pauses and with shorter coupling intervals reset the tachycardia cycle. In one case, a plateau was produced by a single extrastimulus, resembling that seen in the response curve of sinus node automaticity as well as ectopic atrial tachycardia. Two successive stimuli produced three definite zones, i.e., fully compensatory, reset producing a plateau, and progressive prolongation zones with shortening of the coupling intervals between the two stimuli, and terminated the tachycardia with further shortening of the coupling intervals. In conclusion, resetting phenomenon was confirmed on two cases with re-entrant VT. This phenomenon cannot be used as a criterion to determine the mechanism responsible for VT.     

Current Density Distribution by Ring and Diagonally Arranged Half‐Ring Electrodes in Bipolar and Overlapping Biphasic Impulse Stimulation

Background: We have studied the acute and long‐term efficacy of overlapping biphasic impulse (OLBI) stimulation for atrial pacing with VDD pacemakers and demonstrated the feasibility of DDD pacing in OLBI with diagonally arranged half‐ring (Half‐Ring) electrodes. We made two three‐dimensional computational analysis models to verify our clinical studies. Methods and Results: Model I was composed of a heart, a pacemaker, and a human body. Model II was a cube with dimensions of 20 by 20 by 20 mm quarried from Model I for the detailed study of current density distributions. Laplace's equation was solved using the finite element method and the current density J was calculated. For Model I, the distal and proximal voltages were ?10 V, 0 V in bipolar and ?5 V, +5 V in OLBI, using Ring electrodes. In Model II, the actual measurements of electrode impedances obtained from the clinical study (1,180 Ω for Ring and 630 Ω for Half‐Ring) were added to the analysis conditions. Model I showed that OLBI produced more concentrated current density distributions than those by bipolar. According to Model II, at the atrial myocardium position current density produced by Half‐Ring was larger than that by Ring electrodes, 70 μA/mm² versus 30 μA/mm² in OLBI configuration. It also indicated that even if electrode impedances were equal between Half‐Ring and Ring electrodes, the maximum current density produced by Half‐Ring would be greater than that by Ring electrodes. Conclusions: It was considered that OLBI configuration with Half‐Ring electrodes provides more effective current density distributions. (PACE 2010; 33:1063–1073)     

Sufficient prophylactic efficacy with minor adverse effects by intravesical instillation of low-dose bacillus Calmette-Guérin for superficial bladder cancer recurrence

BACKGROUND: Intravesical instillation of bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) is the most efficient strategy for prophylaxis of superficial bladder cancer recurrence. Adverse effects of BCG are major obstacles, but the reduction of BCG dose could minimize these effects. The efficacy and adverse effects of half-dose (40 mg) BCG, Tokyo 172 strain, were prospectively evaluated. METHODS: A total of 93 patients with superficial bladder cancer (pTa or pT1) were sequentially assigned to receive either 40 or 80 mg of BCG after transurethral resection. BCG was administered weekly for 6 weeks postoperatively. Eighty patients observed longer than 12 months after BCG therapy (41, 40 mg group; 39, 80 mg group) were analyzed. RESULTS: BCG therapy course was completed in 71 patients. Tumor recurrence was recognized in 11 of 40 patients in the 40 mg group and in 5 of 31 patients in the 80 mg group. There was no significant difference in tumor recurrence rate between the two groups (P = 0.547). BCG therapy was withdrawn in 1 patient in the 40 mg group and in 8 patients in the 80 mg-group because of BCG-related adverse effects. The morbidity of BCG-related toxicity was significantly higher in the 80 mg group. CONCLUSION: Half-dose of BCG Tokyo 172 strain had a similar efficacy and its toxicity was significantly lower compared to the standard dose. Thus, half-dose of this strain might be suitable, at least for initial BCG therapy, for the prophylaxis of bladder cancer recurrence. Further study would be necessary to clarify the efficacy of low-dose instillation in high-risk patients.