{"title":"Focal fatty change in the medial segment of the liver occurring after gastrectomy: report of a case.","authors":"Takahiro Uenishi, Takatsugu Yamamoto, Kanji Ishihara, Koichi Ohno, Shogo Tanaka, Shoji Kubo","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>A 70-year-old Japanese man underwent distal gastrectomy for gastric cancer. Preoperative computed tomography detected no tumor in the liver. Six months after the operation, ultrasound examination revealed a hyperechoic mass, measuring 3 cm in diameter, in the medial segment of the liver. Dynamic computed tomography of the liver also revealed that low-density area with mosaic enhancement in the dorsal portion of the medial segment. Assay for hepatitis B surface antigen was positive. Levels of carcinoembryonic antigen and alpha-fetoprotein were normal. Computed tomography during arterial portography revealed a perfusion defect in the area corresponding to the mass lesion. Although laparotomy was performed, no abnormality was found in the dorsal portion of the medial segment on inspection and palpation during surgery. We therefore performed incisional biopsy and frozen histologic examination, which revealed fatty deposition in the hepatic parenchyma and no evidence of malignancy. Finally, histologic examination made a diagnosis of macrovesicular steatosis surrounded by normal liver parenchyma.</p>","PeriodicalId":19613,"journal":{"name":"Osaka city medical journal","volume":"54 1","pages":"47-51"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2008-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"27697946","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"A Schloffer tumor treated 27 years after appendectomy.","authors":"Masao Ogawa, Shoji Kubo, Takatsugu Yamamoto, Shogo Tanaka, Yuhei Tsuda","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Most complications of appendectomy occur in the early postoperative period. A 51-year-old woman presented to our hospital with abdominal fullness and a painful mass in the right lower abdomen. The painful mass was related to a scar from an appendectomy performed 27 years previously; some earlier episodes of pain had occurred after the operation. A tender mass 7 cm in diameter was palpable, extending from the appendectomy scar toward the umbilical region. Findings of abdominal ultrasonography and computed tomography were consistent with an abdominal wall abscess, which was excised. At operation, a thick-walled abscess was seen to extend from the appendectomy scar toward the umbilicus, and from within abdominal wall muscles to the preperitoneal fat; it did not communicate with any intra-abdominal organ. Bacteroides fragilis was isolated from the abscess contents. Pathologic examination revealed diffuse infiltration by inflammatory cells including neutrophils and plasma cells, with inflammation spreading into surrounding muscles. Our patient's findings indicate that the abdominal wall abscess (so-called Schloffer tumor) resulted from persistent inflammation following the appendectomy performed 27 years previously. Since treatment of Schloffer tumor is not difficult once the diagnosis is made, physicians and surgeons should be aware of Schloffer tumor as a possible late complication of appendectomy.</p>","PeriodicalId":19613,"journal":{"name":"Osaka city medical journal","volume":"53 2","pages":"105-8"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2007-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"27400257","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Hemorrhagic small intestine cancer with solitary pulmonary metastasis initially presented as suspected primary lung cancer: an autopsy report.","authors":"Takashi Iwata, Kiyotoshi Inoue, Sachiko Kiriike, Nobuhiro Izumi, Shinjiro Mizuguchi, Takuma Tsukioka, Ryuhei Morita, Noritoshi Nishiyama, Masashi Takemura, Harusi Osugi, Kenichi Wakasa, Shigefumi Suehiro","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Cancer of the small intestine presenting with a solitary pulmonary metastasis is rare. Diagnosis and treatment of hemorrhagic small intestinal disease is clinically problematic due to its anatomic aspect, especially after multiple laparotomies. The case that we present here was a 79-year-old man who was initially diagnosed with suspected T2N2M0 lung cancer. After non-diagnostic results on two bronchoscopic biopsies and computed tomography-guided needle biopsy, he was admitted for thoracoscopic biopsy and possible curative operation. The patient had a history of multiple laparotomies for gastric ulcer and had no abdominal symptoms. A fecal occult blood test was positive; this was thought to be because of persistent bloody sputum. During the preoperative evaluation period, massive intestinal hemorrhage occurred. Intestinal tumor was identified by double-balloon enteroscopy and emergency laparotomy was performed to control the bleeding. The histopathological diagnosis was metastatic adenocarcinoma. However, intestinal bleeding started again. His systemic status deteriorated progressively, resulting in death. Autopsy revealed a large polypoid tumor with hemorrhagic necrosis in the jejunum that was histologically and immunohistochemically diagnosed as primary poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma in the small intestine. Multiple small submucosal tumors with central ulceration were confirmed as intramural metastases. A lung mass in the right lower lobe was diagnosed as a metastatic lesion. In the diagnosis and treatment of the disease, we faced several clinically difficult problems. We here describe in detail the clinical course and the diagnostic and therapeutic difficulties of this rare case, with some references to the literature.</p>","PeriodicalId":19613,"journal":{"name":"Osaka city medical journal","volume":"53 2","pages":"109-16"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2007-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"27401631","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Toshiaki Yokoi, Daisuke Tokuhara, Mika Saito, Hiroyuki Ichiba, Tsunekazu Yamano
{"title":"Hippocampal BDNF and TrkB expression in young rats after status epilepticus.","authors":"Toshiaki Yokoi, Daisuke Tokuhara, Mika Saito, Hiroyuki Ichiba, Tsunekazu Yamano","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The immature brain is more susceptible to seizures than mature brains but less vulnerable to seizure-induced neuronal loss. We studied age-related susceptibility and vulnerability to kainic acid-induced status epilepticus (KASE) in rats in terms of hippocampal expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and tyrosine kinase B receptor (TrkB).</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Immunohistochemical and Western analysis were performed after kainic acid (KA)-induced status epilepticus (SE).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>KA doses required to induce SE increased from 1.5 mg/kg in 1-week-old rats to 10 mg/kg at 4 weeks of older. After SE the older rats showed spontaneous seizures and hippocampal pyramidal neuronal loss-unlike rats under 4 weeks old. Hippocampal BDNF protein expression had increased fivefold in 1-week-old rats and threefold in 8-week-old rats 1 day after SE, returning to baseline 2 days after SE. TrkB expression showed little effect from KASE at either age.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>These results indicated that the critical period as for vulnerability to SE was the age of 4-week-old and older in the rat. Since the response patterns of BDNF and TrkB to SE were similar between neonatal and the adult rats, our study revealed that the observed transient upregulation of BDNF did not contribute to cause epilepsy in neonatal rats.</p>","PeriodicalId":19613,"journal":{"name":"Osaka city medical journal","volume":"53 2","pages":"63-71"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2007-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"27400253","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Enhanced expression of angiotensin II type 1 receptor in usual interstitial pneumonia.","authors":"Yoshimi Sugama, Yoshihiro Ikura, Noriko Yoshimi, Takehisa Suekane, Chizuko Kitabayashi, Masashi Nakagawa, Masahiko Ohsawa, Masanori Kitaichi, Satoru Yamamoto, Yoshikazu Inoue, Kazuto Hirata, Makiko Ueda","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Angiotensin II, a potent vasoconstrictor, has been considered to be involved in various fibrotic disorders including idiopathic interstitial pneumonias. To clarify whether this agent contributes to the development and progression of usual interstitial pneumonia, a major entity of idiopathic interstitial pneumonias, we immunohistochemically examined expression of its specific receptor, angiotensin II type 1 receptor, in human normal and diseased lung tissues.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Video-assisted thoracoscopic lung biopsy specimens obtained from patients with usual interstitial pneumonia (n=8) were sectioned and stained using single or double immunostaining techniques with specific antibodies against angiotensin II type 1 receptor and smooth muscle actin. Lung tissues of desquamative interstitial pneumonia (n=2) and normal lung tissues (n=6) were also examined for comparative analyses.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Expression of angiotensin II type 1 receptor was limited in vascular and bronchial smooth muscle cells in normal lungs. In contrast, the receptor-positive mesenchymal cells, most of which were also positive for smooth muscle actin and arranged like a bundle, were markedly increased in association with dense collagen deposition in thickened alveolar walls of usual interstitial pneumonia. In desquamative interstitial pneumonia, the fibroproliferative change, including angiotensin II type 1 receptor-positive mesenchymal cell proliferation, was milder than that in usual interstitial pneumonia.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>These findings suggest that angiotensin II and its type 1 receptor play a profibrogenic role in idiopathic interstitial pneumonias, particularly in usual interstitial pneumonia. Furthermore, angiotensin II type 1 receptor-positive smooth muscle cells increased in diseased lung tissues may be contractile and may contribute to reduction of airspaces in usual interstitial pneumonia.</p>","PeriodicalId":19613,"journal":{"name":"Osaka city medical journal","volume":"53 2","pages":"87-95"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2007-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"27400255","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Effect of normal human erythrocytes on blood rheology in microcirculation.","authors":"Chika Hirata, Hiromi Kobayashi, Nobuyuki Mizuno, Haruo Kutsuna, Ko Ishina, Masamitsu Ishii","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Effects of RBCs on blood rheology were studied using a microchannel array flow analyzer (MC-FAN).</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Fluidity of four types of samples prepared from the venous blood of healthy volunteers was examined in terms of passage time through the microchannel array of MC-FAN (model KH-3): (1) physiological saline-RBC suspensions and plasma-RBC suspensions, each adjusted to a predetermined hematocrit value; (2) suspensions of glutaraldehyde-treated hardened RBCs; (3) fibrinogen-RBC and albumin-RBC suspensions; and (4) dextran-RBC suspensions.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Hematocrit positively correlated with passage time. Both plasma and fibrinogen prolonged passage time significantly. Hardened RBCs completely obstructed the microchannel. The passage time of dextran-RBC suspensions was prolonged in a dextran molecular weight- and concentration-dependent manner and was dependent on the passage time of the solution alone.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Blood rheology, as determined by MC-FAN, is affected not by RBC aggregation but hematocrit, RBC deformability, and the passage time of the solution.</p>","PeriodicalId":19613,"journal":{"name":"Osaka city medical journal","volume":"53 2","pages":"73-85"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2007-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"27400254","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Thresholds of physical activities necessary for living a self-supporting life in elderly women.","authors":"Hayato Nakao, Takahiro Yoshikawa, Taketaka Hara, Lixin Wang, Takashi Suzuki, Shigeo Fujimoto","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>To decide the minimal levels (thresholds) of physical activities necessary for a self-supporting life using discriminate analysis between community-dwelling elderly individuals and daycare-service-receiving elderly individuals in Japan.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>A total of twenty-six elderly women, including twelve living a self-supporting life and fourteen using a daycare service, were recruited in this study. The parameters examined were physical performance, activities of daily living, exercise capacity. Discriminate analysis was used to determine the thresholds of physical activities needed to live a self-supporting life.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Muscle masses, grip strength, lower-extremity muscle force, gait ability and balance function in elderly individuals living a self-supporting life were significant higher than those in elderly individuals using a daycare service. A threshold of physical ability over 75% classifies accurately using the methods of discriminate analysis indicate total body muscle mass, thigh muscle mass, knee extension force, 6 min walking distance (6MD), 10 m obstacle walking time, Activity of daily living (ADL) index and daily steps.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The present study indicates that thresholds of physical activities including gait abilities, muscle force, and muscle mass are very important factors in maintaining a self-supporting life for elderly individuals. Thresholds of physical activities were more effective than standard values of physical activity for elderly individuals using a care service in meeting the goals of rehabilitation.</p>","PeriodicalId":19613,"journal":{"name":"Osaka city medical journal","volume":"53 2","pages":"53-61"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2007-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"27400252","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Effectiveness of arsenic mitigation program in Bangladesh--relationship between arsenic concentrations in well water and urine.","authors":"Ahsan Habib, Tomoshige Hayashi, Kyoko Kogawa Sato, Akihisa Hata, Maiko Ikebe, Fashiur Rahman, Parvez Hassan, Yoko Endo, Ginji Endo","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Arsenic in drinking water remains a major public problem in Bangladesh, although arsenic mitigation programs began there a decade ago. The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of this program by determining the relationship between current arsenic levels in well water and the high level of urinary arsenic excretion.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in the Pabna district of Bangladesh between May and July 2005. We included 174 married couples and collected their drinking water from 138 wells. The allowable limit for arsenic in drinking water is 50 microg/L in Bangladesh, while the normal level of urinary arsenic is < or =40 microg x 1.5 L(-1) x day(-1) by Dhaka Community Hospital.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Of 348 subjects, 304 exceeded the urinary arsenic level of 40 microg x 1.5 L(-1) x day(-1). Of all wells, 44.2% had arsenic levels >50 microg/L. Multiple-adjusted odds ratios of urinary arsenic level >40 microg x 1.5 L(-1) x day(-1) were 8.90 (95% CI: 3.31-23.93) for the arsenic level in well water of 11-50 microg/L, and 53.07 (11.91-236.46) for that of 51-332 microg/L, compared with < or =10 microg/L. When the Bangladeshi standard arsenic level in drinking water of 50 microg/L was used, the sensitivity in detecting subjects with a urinary arsenic level >40 microg x 1.5 L(-1) x day(-1) was 50%, although when the World Health Organization (WHO) guideline value of 10 microg/L was used, it was 76.3%.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Green marked wells, which the Bangladesh government regards as safe, are not always safe. The mitigation programs should use the WHO guideline arsenic level to determine the safety of well water for drinking.</p>","PeriodicalId":19613,"journal":{"name":"Osaka city medical journal","volume":"53 2","pages":"97-103"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2007-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"27400256","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The effect of ultrapure dialysate on improving renal anemia.","authors":"Ishun Go, Yoshiaki Takemoto, Kenji Tsuchida, Kazunobu Sugimura, Tatsuya Nakatani","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Renal anemia is a very serious problem in hemodialysis patients. In this regard, the investigation was focused on whether ultrapure dialysate could improve renal anemia and the mechanism of renal anemia.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Ultrapure dialysate was used over a 2 years period for 61 patients on maintenance hemodialysis. During this period, the changes in renal anemia and red blood cell life span were investigated. The changes in the latter were evaluated using the creatine concentration in red blood cell.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The hemoglobin concentration, RBC count, and hematocrit concentration before the use of the ultrapure dialysate were 9.1 +/- 0.2 g/dL, 309.9 +/- L7.2 x 10(4)/microL, and 28.8 +/- 0.6%, respectively. These values significantly increased to 10.2 +/- 0.1 g/dL, 349.7 +/- 5.6 x 10(4)/microL, and 32.6 +/- 0.3%, respectively, after 2 years of ultrapure dialysate use. The increase in reticulocyte count indicated enhanced erythropoiesis by ultrapure dialysate. The red blood cell life span evaluated by creatine concentration in red blood cell was also prolonged after the use of ultrapure dialysate.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Ultrapure dialysate is considered to improve the renal anemia of dialysis patients by promoting erythropoiesis and prolonging red blood cell life span.</p>","PeriodicalId":19613,"journal":{"name":"Osaka city medical journal","volume":"53 1","pages":"17-23"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2007-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"40969265","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Digital image analysis of choroidal hypoperfusion in indocyanine green angiography using a choroid to disc gray-scale ratio.","authors":"Norito Miki, Takeya Kohno, Kunihiko Shiraki, Ryoichi Nadachi, Yoshio Okazaki, Jun Suehiro, Yoko Uenishi, Tokuhiko Miki","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>To investigate hypoperfusion of the choroidal circulation in the macula, the brightness of the diffuse fluorescence of indocyanine green (ICG) angiogram (IA) was measured and the ratio of brightness of the macula to that of the disc was used for comparison of choroidal perfusion between different angiograms.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Ten eyes of 10 young volunteers under 30 years of age (17-28 years old, average 24.7 years old), 10 eyes of 10 old volunteers over 60 years old (60-78 years old, average 66.7 years old) and 5 eyes of 5 patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) were examined by IA. The angiograms at 4 and 16 seconds after dye filling were used to measure the brightness of diffuse fluorescence at the macula and the disc on ICG angiograms with a 256-grade gray scale using the Topcon IMAGEnet computer system. The ratio (ch/d ratio) of the averaged brightness of the macula to that of the disc was calculated for each angiogram.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The ch/d ratios of the angiograms 4 seconds after dye filling were 1.41 in the young volunteers, 1.23 in the old volunteers and 0.52 in the AMD patients. The ch/d ratios of the angiograms 16 seconds after dye filling were 0.92 in the young volunteers, 1.02 in the old volunteers and 0.80 in AMD. There were significant differences in the ch/d ratios among the 3 groups 4 seconds after dye filling (p=0.007, Kruskal-Wallis H test,) but there were no significant differences 16 seconds after dye filling (p=0.310).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The ch/d ratio is an adjunctive method for detecting choroidal hypoperfusion in IA, and may be helpful for objective evaluation of the choroidal circulation in chorioretinal diseases.</p>","PeriodicalId":19613,"journal":{"name":"Osaka city medical journal","volume":"53 1","pages":"35-47"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2007-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"40969269","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}