A technique of minilaparotomy-assisted vaginal hysterectomy

PURPOSE: To report a patient with acute retinal pigment epitheliitis examined less than 24 hours after onset of symptoms. METHOD: One day after the onset of blurred vision in her left eye, a 33-year-old woman had a best-corrected visual acuity of LE, 20/60 -2. The left eye had classic uniform golden-colored nodules in a honeycomb pattern in the foveal retinal pigment epithelium. Intravenous fundus fluorescein angiography disclosed staining of the foveal pigment epithelium. RESULTS: One month after initial examination, visual acuity was LE, 20/20, and fine subfoveal pigmentary clumping was present. CONCLUSION: The pigmentary maculopathy of acute retinal pigment epitheliitis may be nonspecific, resulting from more than one type of primary foveal inflammation.     

The significance of colocalization of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 and vitronectin in hepatic fibrosis

BACKGROUND: We examined the relationships among vitronectin (VN), plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), and transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-beta 1) in liver diseases to evaluate the presence of plasmin cascade in human hepatic fibrosis. METHODS: Blood and liver tissues were obtained from 57 patients with liver disease. Plasma VN, PAI-1 antigen, and PAI-1 activity levels were evaluated. Biopsied liver specimens were observed by light and electron microscopy after immunohistochemical staining. Morphometric analysis was performed on these specimens. RESULTS: Plasma VN and PAI-1 activity levels decreased significantly with the progression of hepatic fibrosis and were particularly marked in the liver cirrhosis group. Plasma PAI-1 antigen level increased significantly. The immunolocalization of the active form of TGF-beta became more intense with the progression of hepatic fibrosis, whereas that of the dual-stained positive areas of PAI-1 and VN (PAI-1.VN) decreased. There was a positive correlation between TGF-beta and PAI-1, whereas there was a negative correlation between TGF-beta and PAI-1.VN. Immunoelectron microscopy showed the localization of PAI-1-VN in the extracellular space around the sinusoidal cells or surface of aggregating platelets, TGF-beta mainly in Ito cells, and VN in hepatocytes near the focal necrotic area or fibrous septa. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that VN and PAI-1 are related to the active form of TGF-beta and that it is possible that the plasmin cascade is present in the human liver.     

The levels of integrin alpha v beta 5 may predict the susceptibility to adenovirus-mediated gene transfer in human lung cancer cells

Adenovirus mediated transfer of growth-inhibiting molecules, such as p53 shows promise as an effective method of suppressing the growth of cancer cells. As the basis for in vivo studies, we examined transfection efficiency using 15 human lung cancer cell lines that differ in their endogenous p53 status. When infected with an adenovirus expressing bacterial beta-galactosidase, the different cell lines showed different levels of beta-galactosidase activity. We found a correlation between the level of integrin alpha v beta 5, which is thought to be an adherence receptor for adenoviruses, and the expression level of the transferred gene, suggesting that gene expression is largely dependent on the infection efficiency. Growth inhibition was induced in all cell lines tested following infection with an adenovirus containing p53, regardless of the genetic status of their endogenous p53 provided a sufficient amount of p53 protein was expressed. Our results (1) confirm that the examination of the susceptibility of target cancer cells to an adenovirus is important when considering performing adenovirus-mediated gene transfer and for evaluating its therapeutic effects; and (2) suggest that the quantification of integrin alpha v beta 5 may be a good way of predicting the susceptibility of cells to adenoviral vectors.     

A novel therapeutic approach for rectal varices: a case report of rectal varices treated with double balloon-occluded embolotherapy

We present a patient with continuous melena, diagnosed as rectal varices bleeding. She had a history of esophageal varices, which was treated by endoscopic ligation therapy. Eight years after the treatment of esophageal varices, the continuous melena began. Colonoscopic examination showed that the melena was caused by rectal varices, which were so severe that they could not be treated by either endoscopic sclerotherapy or surgical devascularization. Taking into considering the overall risk of treating rectal varices, we chose the approach of double balloon-occluded embolotherapy (DBOE) with 5% ethanolamine oleate with iopamodol as a liquid embolic material. DBOE is one of the interventional radiology techniques (Morita et al., Acta Hepatol Jpn 1994;35:109-120), but in this case was a completely new and novel clinical procedure for rectal varices. After the DBOE therapy, the condition of rectal varices was markedly improved. Thus, DBOE might be a new tool for treating inoperable rectal varices.     

Primary hepatic carcinoid tumor

A case of primary carcinoid tumor arising in the liver of a 69 year old woman with no endocrine symptoms is reported. Histopathologically, the tumor was diagnosed initially as a hepatocellular carcinoma in the biopsy specimen, and was shown subsequently to be a carcinoid tumor, demonstrating diffuse positive staining with Grimelius method. Mucin stained with periodic acid-Schiff (PAS), alcian-blue, and mucicarmine, and was shown partially in the glandular structures. Immunohistochemically, most of the tumor cells stained positively for chromogranin-A, epithelial membrane antigen (EMA) and neuron specific enolase (NSE). Ultrastructural examination revealed electron-dense core granules, measuring 40-120 nm in diameter in some of the tumor cells. Intensive and careful searches pre- and post-operatively revealed no other primary source of tumor other than the liver. The patient was reported well with no symptoms 3 1/2 years after the operation. This case is considered to be a primary hepatic carcinoid tumor. The recent literature is reviewed, and the possible histogenesis of hepatic carcinoid tumor is discussed.     

Synthesis and optical properties of the [2.2]paracyclophane-containing π-conjugated polymer with a diacetylene unit

Summary Novel through-spaceπ-conjugated polymer based on poly(p-henyleneethynylene)/poly(p-phenylenebutadiynylene) hybrids containing a [2.2]paracyclophane unit in the main chain was synthesized by copper-catalyzed alkyne coupling reaction. The structure of the polymer was supported by ¹H NMR and IR spectra. The obtained polymer was soluble in common organic solvents such as THF, CH₂C1₂, CHC1₃ and toluene. The number-average of molecular weight of the polymer was estimated to be 63000 by GPC. The polymer emitted a bluish green light in solution and in the solid state. Received:24 September 2002/Revised version: 19 November 2002/Accepted: 19 November 2002 Correspondence to Yoshiki Chujo