Relapse of colon cancer followed by polymyositis: Report of a case and review of the literature

The direct causal relationship between dermatomyositis-polymyositis (PM) and malignancy remains controversial. We describe herein the case of a patient who underwent surgical treatment for colon cancer, which had preceded the onset of PM with tumor relapse. The PM markedly improved following the initiation of steroid therapy, and has remained under control, probably as a result of chemotherapy. The current concepts of variable clinical courses and the possible mechanism for the association of PM with malignancy are discussed following this case report.     

Experience with dimethyl sulfoxide treatment for primary localized amyloidosis of the bladder

We report a case of primary localized amyloidosis of the bladder treated successfully with transurethral resection and intravesical dimethyl sulfoxide instillation. Dimethyl sulfoxide bladder instillation is useful for the treatment of primary localized amyloidosis of the bladder.     

Biocompatibility of zirconia dispersed hydroxyapatite ceramics

Because of the lack of adequate strength and toughness, hydroxyapatite (HA) ceramic can not be used for a substitute for a bone and joint despite its excellent affinity for the bone. The present authors have succeeded in producing a new type of HA ceramic containing zirconia. This new ceramic material is superior to ordinary HA ceramic in quality and exceeds compact bone in bending strength and fracture toughness. The Young's modulus was about 3-4 times greater than that of compact bone. The new ceramic material contained either 1.6 or 50% of zirconia by volume and was produced using a special technique to disperse the metal dioxide. In order to assess their affinity for the bone, the new ceramic materials were implanted into rabbit femurs. Sections of the bones removed at different times after operation were prepared without decalcification and subjected to optical microscopy, scanning electronmicroscopy (SEM), and electron-probe X-ray microanalyser (EPMA). The formation of direct chemical bonds with the bone was seen without intervening membrane. Thus, the new ceramic material was shown to have an excellent affinity for the bone, comparable to that of ordinary HA ceramic.     

Clinical effects of oxybutynin hydrochloride (Pollakis)--especially in the treatment of pollakisuria, urgency and urinary incontinence

The effects and the safety of oxybutynin hydrochloride were investigated in 52 patients, 17 male and 35 female, with the chief complaints of pollakisuria, urgency and urinary incontinence. Clinical responses to the drug were assessed mainly by the subjective symptoms of the patients. The diagnoses of these patients were neurogenic bladder in 17, unstable bladder in 16 and others in 19 patients. The average administration period was 66.8 days. The rate of global improvement (excellent and good) was 55% in the 2 mg dose given 3 times daily group, 68.2% in the 3 mg dose given 3 times daily group. Side effects, such as dry mouth, were observed in 2 of the 52 patients (3.8%), but no serious side effects were observed. The rate of global utility (remarkable and moderate) was 67.3%. These data indicate that oxybutynin hydrochloride seems to be useful and safe for the treatment of pollakisuria, urgency and urinary incontinence.     

Primary malignant lymphoma of the rectum with distant metastasis to the stomach: Report of a case

Primary extranodal malignant lymphoma frequently occurs in the gastrointestinal tract; however, it is rarely encountered in the rectum. We report herein the case of an 85-year-old man who underwent abdominoperineal resection for primary malignant lymphoma of the rectum, and 1 year later, developed hematemesis caused by gastric metastasis. To our knowledge this is the first case report of such distant metastasis developing from malignant lymphoma of the rectum.     

Estrogen stimulates neuronal plasticity in the deafferented hypothalamic arcuate nucleus in aged female rats

The hypothalamic arcuate nucleus (ARCN) was examined ultrastructurally 3 weeks after the complete deafferentation of the medial basal hypothalamus (MBH) with the island isolation technique in ovariectomized aged female rats (720-930 days of age). The mean numbers of axodendritic and axosomatic synapses in the ARCN decreased to about one-third of those in the intact controls. However, the treatment with estradiol benzoate (2 micrograms/day) during the 3 weeks following the day of brain surgery brought about a marked increase in the numbers of these synapses. The data suggest that the ARCN neurons of aged female rats still retain plasticity to react to deafferentation under influences of estrogen.     

Electron microscopic findings in benign deoxycorticosterone and 11-deoxycortisol-producing adrenal tumor

The ultrastructural characteristics of a benign adrenal adenoma that produces deoxycorticosterone and 11-deoxycortisol were examined by transmission electron microscopy. Both large, round mitochondria with a few cristae in the peripheral portion and spherical or oval mitochondria with sacrotubular cristae were observed in adenoma cells. The development of agranular or granular endoplasmic reticulum varied from cell to cell. In some cells, many vacuoles and collagenous fibers were also seen. Thus, the adrenal tumor we examined was composed of the cells derived from the fascicular zone, which are associated with Cushing's syndrome, and the cells of the glomerular zone observed in association with primary aldosteronism.     

Masked excitatory action of noradrenaline on rat islet β-cells via activation of phospholipase C

The effect of noradrenaline (NE) on rat islet -cells was examined. NE reduced insulin secretion from rat islets exposed to extracellular solutions containing glucose at 5.5 or 16.6 mM. In islets treated with pertussis toxin (PTX), however, NE increased insulin secretion. The NE-induced augmentation of insulin secretion was inhibited by prazosin. In intact islets, NE increased phospholipase C (PLC) activity, an effect that was prevented by treatment of islets with U-73122. NE elevated intracellular [Ca²⁺] ([Ca²⁺]_i) in isolated -cells independently of PTX. Although this NE effect was inhibited by prazosin, phenylephrine did not mimic it. The [Ca²⁺]_i response to NE was also prevented by the treatment of cells with U-73122. NE produced depolarization of -cells followed by nifedipine-sensitive action potentials. NE reduced the whole-cell membrane currents through ATP-sensitive K⁺ channels (K_ATP), responsible for the depolarization. This NE effect was prevented by treatment of -cells with U-73122 or BAPTA/AM. Although at least some of our results imply the presence of ₁-adrenoceptors, -cells were not stained by a polyclonal IgG antibody recognizing all adrenergic ₁-receptor subtypes so far identified. These results suggest that an interaction of NE with an unknown type of receptor activates rat islet -cells via a PLC-dependent signal pathway. This effect is, however, masked by the inhibitory action via a PTX-sensitive pathway also activated by NE.     

Lung deflation impairs alveolar epithelial fluid transport in ischemic rabbit and rat lungs

BACKGROUND: Because the fluid transport capacity of the alveolar epithelium after lung ischemia with and without lung deflation has not been well studied, we carried out experimental studies to determine the effect of lung deflation on alveolar fluid clearance. METHODS: After 1 or 2 hr of ischemia, we measured alveolar fluid clearance using 125I-albumin and Evans blue-labeled albumin concentrations in in vivo rabbit lungs in the presence of pulmonary blood flow and in ex vivo rat lungs in the absence of any pulmonary perfusion, respectively. RESULTS: The principal results were: (1) lung deflation decreased alveolar fluid clearance while inflation of the lungs during ischemia preserved alveolar fluid clearance in both in vivo and ex vivo studies; (2) alveolar fluid clearance was normal in the rat lungs inflated with nitrogen (thus, alveolar gas composition did not affect alveolar fluid clearance); (3) amiloride-dependent alveolar fluid clearance was preserved when the lungs were inflated during ischemia; (4) terbutaline-simulated alveolar fluid clearance was preserved in the hypoxic rat lungs inflated with nitrogen; (5) lecithinized superoxide dismutase, a scavenger of superoxide anion, and N(omega)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester, an inhibitor of nitric oxide, preserved normal alveolar fluid clearance in the deflated rat lungs. CONCLUSION: Lung deflation decreases alveolar fluid clearance by superoxide anion- and nitric oxide-dependent mechanisms.