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In Japan, recycled concrete aggregate (RCA) and recycled-aggregate concrete (RAC) are standardized in the Japanese Industrial Standards (JIS) A 5021–5023. The differences between the specifications in JIS and those in foreign countries are explained. In Japan, the durability of RAC under severe conditions, particularly freezing and thawing with/without deicing salt is recently being studied to facilitate its use. In this paper, the test method for freezing and thawing durability of recycled concrete aggregate and the specification of precast concrete made with recycled aggregate, which can be used in freezing and thawing circumstance with deicing salt are described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Liquids are ubiquitous, but the atomic origin of viscosity remains unknown because of structural disorder and dynamic complexities. By using molecular dynamics simulation for liquid iron, we find a strong local correlation between the atomic-level pressure and the relaxation of atomic-level shear stress that is directly connected to viscosity. The results show that atomic sites under compression are more unstable against shear than those under tension, which causes fast relaxation in atomic-level shear stress. This result indicates spatial heterogeneities in the local viscosity in a liquid. We also find a temperature-independent relation between the local shear relaxation time and atomic-level volume strain, which suggests a universal structure-dynamics relationship in liquids. To explain our new findings, we discuss the relationships between the atomic-level pressure and various other parameters, such as the atomic-level shear stress, von Mises stress, local coordination number, and mean-squared displacements of atoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: We investigated the relationship between the affected lobe and symptom onset in prenatally diagnosed congenital pulmonary airway malformation (CPAM).Methods: 53 CPAM patients diagnosed prenatally were reviewed retrospectively by creating 2 groups according to symptom onset. Group Sneo: (symptomatic during the neonatal period; n = 13) and group S > neo: (symptomatic after the neonatal period; n = 40) were compared for type of CPAM, affected lobes, types of symptoms/infections, treatment, duration of follow-up, and histopathology. Requirement for surgery (Sx) was then used to create three subgroups: Sneo + Sx, S > neo + Sx, and Sx-.Results: Some cases had multiple affected lobes. In Sneo, symptoms developed in 55.6%, 50.0%, 0%, 0%, and 36.8% of right upper lobes (RUL), right middle lobes (RML), right lower lobes (RLL), left upper lobes (LUL), and left lower lobes (LLL) diagnosed with CPAM, prenatally. In S > neo, symptoms developed in 0%, 0%, 6.3%, 55.6%, and 33.3% of RUL, RML, RLL, LUL, and LLL diagnosed with CPAM, prenatally.Conclusion: In prenatally diagnosed CPAM, RUL and RML lesions are more likely to become symptomatic in neonates, and LUL lesions in infants. Surgery is recommended before the onset of respiratory infections after 1 year of age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transformation of allylic alcohols to corresponding saturated carbonyl compounds is one of the important reactions for industrial processes. Lately, Au-supported catalysts exhibit the catalytic activity for the isomerization of allylic alcohols to saturated aldehydes. However, the detail catalytic mechanism of this reaction was not elucidated in detail. Thus, theoretical calculations were carried out for the isomerization of 2-hexen-1-ol over isolated Au cluster in order to elucidate the reaction over Au catalysts. From these calculation results, it was found that the rate determining step of the reaction process was the hydrogen elimination from OH group of allylic alcohol, and the substrate was converted to 1-hexen-1-ol on Au cluster. Finally, it was also confirmed that 1-hexen-1-ol was converted to the corresponding aldehyde, and its activation barrier was much smaller than that of the deprotonation from OH group of allylic alcohol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report a male infant with severe brachioesophagus with intrathoracic stomach, duodenum, pancreas, and spleen associated with short neck because of rachischisis and scoliosis, an extremely rare condition described recently as "serpentine-like syndrome". Our case died and we review four similar cases reported in the English literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Study design:Small case series of patients with cervical spondylotic amyotrophy (CSA) managed by conservative treatment with hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy.Objective:To study the effects of conservative treatment with HBO therapy of CSA patients.Setting:Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Imakiire General Hospital, Kagoshima, Japan.Methods:This study included 10 patients with CSA who underwent rehabilitation, including cervical traction and muscle exercise, for some period of time but did not respond well to it, and were then managed by additional HBO therapy for rehabilitation. Information was obtained on the duration of symptoms and strength of the most atrophic muscle, intramedullary high-signal-intensity changes on T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging, presence of 'snake-eyes' appearance and the number of stenotic canal levels.Results:The mean duration of symptoms before HBO treatment was 3.1 months. The axial T2-weighted magnetic resonance images of all 10 patients showed a 'snake-eyes' appearance. The mean number of stenotic canal levels was 0.3. There was marked improvement on manual muscle testing from a mean of 1.9 pretreatment to a mean of 4.4 at the last follow-up after HBO therapy. The outcomes of all 10 patients, whose results were classified as excellent or good, were considered clinically satisfactory.Conclusion:To our knowledge, conservative treatment with HBO therapy for CSA patients has not previously been described. It appears that HBO therapy might improve ischemic injury of the anterior horns in CSA patients with short duration of symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose and Methods: Patients with brain metastases present severe symptoms owing to the tumor growth or treatment side effects, and supportive measures are often critical for the patients and their families. However, there is currently a lack of palliative care and end-of-life (EoL) provision for patients affected by advanced brain tumors. We performed a retrospective analysis of the characteristics of patients with brain metastases from lung cancer between August 1998 and December 2008 in our palliative care center.Results: During this period, 55 such patients died. The male/female ratio was 0.86, and the mean age was 60.7 years. The duration of the last stay before death varied between 2 and 196 days (mean, 42.6 days). Death appeared predictable as the consequence of end-stage disease in all cases. The most frequent general clinical complaints were pain (64.8%), general fatigue (46.2%), and dyspnea (31.4%). The most frequent symptoms related to the brain tumors were consciousness deterioration (33%), headache (26%), cranial nerve palsy (19%), and delirium (19%). The symptoms in patients with carcinomatous meningitis were headache (63.6%), cranial nerve palsy (45.4%), epilepsy (27.2%), and nausea and vomiting (27.2%). The therapy tools used were chemotherapy in 9% and steroids and glycerol in 32.7%. Four patients who had leptomeningeal carcinomatosis suffered from hydrocephalus, and treatments for vasogenic edema or antalgics were less effective. In such cases, cerebrospinal fluid drainage may be effective if there are no space-occupying lesions. One patient had cortical atrophy with cognitive impairment and another had a cerebral infarction during admission.Conclusion: Optimization of the quality of life in its final stages requires efficient palliative care, which involves considerable psychological, sociological, technical, and financial burdens. Palliative management of brain metastases requires a multidisciplinary approach performed by a well-trained neuro-oncology team, and it is important to avoid any treatment that is harmful or has a poor toxicity/efficacy ratio to avoid inappropriate prolongation of dying. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Articular cartilage injury remains one of the major concerns in orthopaedic surgery. Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) transplantation has been introduced to avoid some of the side effects and complications of current techniques. The purpose of this paper is to review the literature on MSC-based cell therapy for articular cartilage repair to determine if it can be an alternative treatment for cartilage injury. MSCs retain both high proliferative potential and multipotentiality, including chondrogenic differentiation potential, and a number of successful results in transplantation of MSCs into cartilage defects have been reported in animal studies. However, the use of MSCs for cartilage repair is still at the stage of preclinical and phase I studies, and no comparative clinical studies have been reported. Therefore, it is difficult to make conclusions in human studies. This requires randomized clinical trials to evaluate the effectiveness of MSC-based cell therapy for cartilage repair. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, a functional polymorphism in the NFKB1 gene promoter (−94ins/del ATTG) has been identified and associated with chronic inflammatory diseases. The aim of this study was to analyze the association of NFKB1 polymorphism with susceptibility to and phenotype of Graves' disease (GD). The initial case–control association study, performed in a Polish–Warsaw cohort (388 GD patients and 688 controls), was followed by the two replication studies performed in Polish–Gliwice and Japanese–Kurume cohorts (198 GD patients and 194 controls, and 424 GD patients and 222 controls, respectively). The frequency of the −94del ATTG (D) allele was increased in GD compared to controls in Warsaw cohort. This finding was replicated in Gliwice cohort. Combining both Polish–Caucasian cohorts showed that the NFKB1 polymorphism was significantly associated with susceptibility to GD with a codominant mode of inheritance (P=0.00005; OR=1.37 (1.18–1.60)). No association with GD was found in Japanese cohort. However, subgroup analysis in Japanese GD patients revealed a correlation between the NFKB1genotype and the development of ophthalmopathy (P=0.009; OR=1.49 (1.10–2.01)), and the age of disease onset (P=0.009; OR=1.45 (1.09–1.91)). Our results suggest that NFKB1 −94ins/del ATTG polymorphism may be associated with susceptibility to and/or phenotype of GD.Genes and Immunity (2007) 8, 532–538; doi:10.1038/sj.gene.6364418; published online 9 August 2007 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study was initiated to examine whether the concentration of CO in the breath is elevated in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Twenty-three clinically stable patients with IBD in the outpatient clinic (11 with Crohn’s disease, 12 with ulcerative colitis), who are non-smokers and non-passive smokers, were selected and the concentration of CO in their breath was measured using a breath gas analyser (TRI lyser mBA-3000). The concentration of CO in the breath of 23 patients with IBD was 2.5±0.9 (1.1–4.3) ppm. This concentration comes within the range of standard values in our previous reports (2.5±2.2 ppm). Any significant difference was not observed between 2.4±0.9 (1.5–4.3) ppm for the 11 Crohn’s disease patients and the 2.6±1.0 (1.1–3.9) ppm for the 12 ulcerative colitis patients. The results suggest that clinically stable patients with IBD do not show high values for concentration of CO in the breath. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prokinetic effects of mitemcinal, an orally active motilin receptor agonist, on the lower gastrointestinal tracts were investigated in conscious dogs. Oral administration of mitemcinal (0.1–1 mg/kg) stimulated colonic motility, which was measured by chronically implanted force-transducers, as well as gastric motility in a dose-dependent manner. The gastrointestinal contractile activities induced by mitemcinal were inhibited by the continuous intravenous infusion of GM-109, a selective motilin receptor antagonist. Oral administration of mitemcinal (0.3–3 mg/kg) also accelerated bowel movement after feeding without inducing diarrhea in dogs. The results demonstrate that mitemcinal stimulates colonic motility via motilin receptors and the effect of mitemcinal on colonic motility may reflect bowel movement after feeding. Thus, mitemcinal could be a promising agent for treatment of not only the upper but also the lower gastrointestinal motility disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

C-reactive protein (CRP), an acute-phase reactant produced mainly by the liver, is elevated in diabetes, thus contributing to the development and progression of atherosclerosis. However, the molecular mechanism underlying the elevation of CRP in diabetes is not fully understood. Since a crosstalk between AGE and angiotensin II (Ang II) has been proposed in the pathogenesis of accelerated atherosclerosis in diabetes, we examined here whether and how telmisartan, a unique Ang II type 1 receptor blocker (ARB) with peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPAR-γ)-modulating activity, could inhibit AGE-induced CRP expression in a human hepatoma cell line, Hep3B cells. Protein levels of the receptor for AGE (RAGE) were analysed by western blots. Gene expression was analysed by quantitative real-time RT-PCR. CRP released into the medium was measured with ELISA. Intracellular formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was measured using the fluorescent probe CM-H2DCFDA. Telmisartan, but not candesartan, another ARB, downregulated RAGE mRNA levels in a dose-dependent manner. Telmisartan decreased basal as well as AGE-induced RAGE protein expression in Hep3B cells. Furthermore, telmisartan dose-dependently inhibited AGE-induced ROS generation and subsequent CRP gene and protein induction in Hep3B cells. GW9662, an inhibitor of PPAR-γ, blocked the inhibitory effects of telmisartan on RAGE expression and its downstream signalling in Hep3B cells. Our present study indicates a unique beneficial aspect of telmisartan: it may work as an anti-inflammatory agent against AGE by suppressing RAGE expression via PPAR-γ activation in the liver and may play a protective role in vascular injury in diabetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aberrant activation of the Ras/Raf-1/extracellular-regulated kinase (ERK) pathway has been shown to be involved in the progression of human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the mechanism of dysregulation of ERK activation is poorly understood. Recently, we identified Sprouty-related protein with Ena/vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein homology-1 domain (Spred) as a physiological inhibitor of the Ras/Raf-1/ERK pathway. In this study, we found that the expression levels of Spred-1 and -2 in human HCC tissue were frequently decreased, comparing with those in adjacent non-tumorous tissue. Moreover, Spred expression levels in HCC tissue were inversely correlated with the incidence of tumor invasion and metastasis. Forced expression of Spred-1 inhibited HCC cell proliferation in vitro and in vivo, which was associated with reduced ERK activation. Spred-1 overexpression also reduced the secretion of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) and MMP-2, which play important roles in tumor invasion and metastasis. In addition, Spred-1 inhibited growth factor-mediated HCC cell motility. These data indicate that the reduction of Spred expression in HCC is one of the causes of the acquisition of malignant features. Thus, Spred could be not only a novel prognostic factor but also a new therapeutic target for human HCC.Oncogene (2006) 25, 6056–6066. doi:10.1038/sj.onc.1209635; published online 1 May 2006 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Germinated barley foodstuff (GBF) is a prebiotic foodstuff that effectively increases luminal butyrate production by stimulating the growth of protective bacteria. In the first pilot study, GBF has been shown to reduce both clinical activity and mucosal inflammation in ulcerative colitis (UC). The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of GBF in the treatment of UC in a multicenter open control trial.Methods: Eighteen patients with mildly to moderately active UC were divided into two groups using a random allocation protocol. The control group (n = 7) were given a baseline anti-inflammatory therapy for 4 weeks. In the GBF-treated group (n = 11), patients received 20-30 g GBF daily, together with the baseline treatment, for 4 weeks. The response to the treatments was evaluated clinically and endoscopically. Fecal microflora were also analyzed.Results: After 4 weeks of observation, the GBF-treated group showed a significant decrease in clinical activity index scores compared with the control group (P < 0.05). No side effects related to GBF were observed. GBF therapy increased fecal concentrations of Bifidobacterium and Eubacterium limosum.Conclusions: Oral GBF therapy may have the potency to reduce clinical activity of UC. We believe that these results support the use of GBF administration as a new adjunct therapy for UC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: We retrospectively assessed and compared the usefulness of 11C-methionine (MET)-PET with that of 18F-FDG-PET for the differentiation between benign lesions and malignant tumors of the lung.Methods: We examined 101 patients with a suspected lung tumor including 79 patients with primary lung cancer and 22 patients with benign lesions. One hundred and forty PET studies (46 studies with MET-PET and 94 studies with FDG-PET) were performed. Both MET-PET and FDG-PET were performed on 39 patients. The MET-PET was performed 15 minutes after the administration of 67-740 MBq of MET, and FDG-PET 45 minutes after the administration of 30-437 MBq of FDG. The results were then evaluated by the standardized uptake value (SUV).Results: The MET uptake in lung cancer was 3.69+/-1.22 (n = 37) which was significantly higher than that in benign lesions 1.81+/-1.04 (n = 9) (p < 0.001). The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of MET-PET were 83.8%, 88.9% and 84.8%, respectively, when 2.66 of SUV was used as the cutoff value. The FDG uptake in lung cancer was 5.94+/-2.89 (n = 75) and was also significantly larger than that in benign lesions 2.46+/-1.01 (n = 19) (p < 0.001). The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of FDG-PET were 81.3%, 78.9% and 80.9%, respectively (cutoff = 3.20). The MET uptake in the lesions correlated significantly with FDG uptake (r = 0.71, p < 0.001). According to an ROC analysis, the area under the curve for MET-PET (area = 0. 833) was higher than that for FDG-PET (area = 0.828), but the difference was not statistically significant. Furthermore, the combined use of MET-PET and FDG-PET did not improve the diagnostic ability.Conclusions: In conclusion, both MET-PET and FDG-PET were considered to be equally useful for the differential diagnosis of lung tumors. Furthermore, MET uptake in lung lesions was found to correlate significantly with FDG uptake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors report two unusual cases in which a malignant astrocytoma developed at the site of the excision of an earlier medulloblastoma. While the precise etiology of these astrocytic tumours was unproven, theories of the origins of the second tumours, particularly in relation to the basic nature of medulloblastomas, are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) is the rate-limiting enzyme in dopamine (DA) biosynthesis. Exon 3 of the human TH gene encodes the sequence from Ser31 to Glu104 of type 1 enzyme, which contains the critical parts for regulation of the catalytic activity. The amino acid residues Gly36-Arg37-Arg38 were identified as a key sequence for DA to exert its inhibitory effect on catalytic activity. Therefore, we screened the nucleotide sequences of exon 3 from 201 Japanese patients with schizophrenia to explain the elevation in the synaptic or presynaptic DA concentrations in the schizophrenic brain, based on the hypothesis that any mutation changing the amino acid sequence Gly36-Arg37-Arg38 would result in the elevation of DA synthesis, due to a reduced inhibitory effect of DA on the catalytic activity. However, no mutated sequences of exon 3 and both exon-intron boundaries were detected in any of the patients examined. Polymorphisms generating Va181 and Met81 were compared of the distributions of genotype and allele between the patients and 175 Japanese healthy controls, which did not suggest an association between the polymorphism and schizophrenia. These results indicate that exon 3 of the human TH gene lacks association with schizophrenia in Japanese patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Among Japanese, ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament of the spine (OPLL) is a leading cause of myelopathy, showing ectopic bone formation in the paravertebral ligament. We have provided genetic evidence that the collagen alpha2 (XI) (COLllA2) locus of chromosome 6 constitutes susceptibility for OPLL. Five distinct single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), identified in COLllA2, were combined to construct possible haplotypes by the use of a maximum likelihood program. Estimated haplotype frequency was compared in OPLL patients and non-OPLL controls. We report a gender-specific association of the COLllA2 haplotype with OPLL. The frequency of the most commonly observed haplotype was significantly higher in male patients (P = 0.0003) compared with controls, but not in female patients (P = 0.21). OPLL is predominantly observed in males, with a prevalence ratio of 2:1, and our gender-specific associations indicate that genetic factors involving COLllA2 play... [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A case of intraventricular arachnoid cyst in an elderly man is reported. A 63-year-old man developed a progressive gait disturbance over a five-year period. CT scan showed a large cyst in the left lateral ventricle which was negative to contrast enhancement. CT cisternography revealed gradual accumulation and more than 48 hours retention of contrast medium in the cyst. The patient underwent left frontal craniotomy, and the cyst wall was partially resected for histopathological examination. Although limit microscopic examination could not establish a diagnosis, arachnoid cyst was diagnosed by electron microscopic findings. Biochemical analysis did not detect any difference between cyst fluid and CSF obtained during surgery. It is suggested that a ball-valve mechanism caused progressive enlargement of the cyst and gradual development of symptoms in this elderly patient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 7-year and 11 month-old girl with cerebellar astrocytoma linked to familial ataxia-telangiectasia (AT) is presented. She was born as the 7th girl of a woman with aortic arch syndrome. Two elder sisters of the patient have ataxia telangiectasia. She had immunodeficiency, and cerebellar ataxia, but had no oculocutaneous telangiectasia. The risk of cancer developing in AT patients is about 1,200 times greater than that in age-matched controls. With regard to central nervous system tumours, seven primary tumours have been reported, such as 3 cases of medulloblastoma and 4 cases of glioma. Members of AT families who were under the age of 45 had a risk of dying of a malignant neoplasm five times greater than in the general population. However, there were no reports of glioma in AT families. In this case, it is suggested that IgA deficiency linked to familial AT may have contributed to the development of astrocytoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We evaluated a 72-year-old woman who was experiencing dysphagia. Esophageal leiomyosarcoma was diagnosed by barium meal study, upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS), by computed tomography (CT). A barium meal study and esophagoscopy performed 3 months before the diagnosis of esophageal leiomyosarcoma showed no abnormalities. Therefore, the tumor appeared to have grown rapidly during the 3-month period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two different kits for the detection of serum cryptococcal antigen in patients with pulmonary cryptococcosis were evaluated. The Eiken test (the Eiken Co., Tokyo), which uses pronase for pretreatment of serum, was compared with the Crypto-LA test (International Biological Laboratories, Cranbury, NJ), which did not use pronase prior to testing. Cryptococcal antigen was detected in 21 of 23 patients (91%) with the Eiken test and in only 10 of 23 patients (43%) with the Crypto-LA test ( p<0.01 by Mcnemar test). However, the sensitivity of two tests was identical without use of pronase, as both tests could detect as little as 10 cells/ml of Cryptococcus neoformans and 10 ng/ml of capsular polysaccharide of C. neoformans. In those serum specimens for which both tests were positive, titers were much higher for the Eiken test, but there was a statistically significant correlation between the two tests (coefficient correlation 0.79, p<0.01). Cryptococcal antigen titer levels measured by the Eiken test correlated well with clinical courses. There was one false-positive reaction among 82 sera of non-cryptococcal patients. Pronase enhanced the sensitivity of the Eiken test, which appeared to be useful in patients with pulmonary cryptococcal disease, and its use may prevent unneeded lung biopsies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The purpose was to investigate the relation between glucose tolerance and risk of sigmoid colon adenomas, a well-established precancerous lesion, in Japanese men.Methods: In the consecutive series of 7,637 men aged 48 to 59 years who received a preretirement health examination at four hospitals of the Self Defense Forces (SDF) in Japan from 1986 to 1994, we identified 821 cases of sigmoid colon adenomas and 4,372 controls with normal sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy at 60 cm or more from the anus. Glucose tolerance status was classified as normal, impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), newly diagnosed non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM), or diabetes mellitus under treatment, based on a 75g oral glucose tolerance test and medical history. Statistical adjustment was made for body mass index (wt/ht2), cigarette smoking, alcohol use, rank of the SDF, and hospital.Results: Modest increases in adenoma risk were observed for newly diagnosed NIDDM and diabetes mellitus under treatment while there was no association between IGT and adenoma risk. When small (< 5 mm in diameter) and large (5+ mm) adenomas were analyzed separately, increased risk associated with newly diagnosed NIDDM was more pronounced for small adenomas, and diabetes mellitus under treatment showed a slightly stronger association with large adenomas.Conclusions: The findings suggest that NIDDM is associated with modestly increased risk of sigmoid colon adenomas, and add to evidence that hyperinsulinemia increases colon cancer risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Study design:A case report of myelopathic hypoplasia of the atlas with situs inversus totalis.Objectives:To describe a case of cervical myelopathy caused by hypoplasia of the atlas with situs inversus totalis, and to briefly review the pertinent literature.Setting:Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Kagoshima, Japan.Methods:The history, results of examination, and findings of radiographic imaging studies for a 56-year-old man with a 10-year history of progressive myelopathy who presented to our hospital are described.Results:Imaging studies revealed congenital hypoplasia of the atlas, ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament at the levels of C3–C4, and situs inversus totalis. He underwent laminectomy of the atlas and laminoplasty of C3–C7 for decompression of the spinal cord. Operative intervention resulted in significant neurological improvement and relief of occipital neuralgia.Conclusion:To our knowledge, no case of myelopathic hypoplasia of the atlas with situs inversus totalis has previously been described. When encountering inherited disorders such as situs inversus totalis, a thorough search must be made for anomalies of the craniovertebral junction.Spinal Cord (2007) 45, 806–808; doi:10.1038/sj.sc.3102042; published online 13 February 2007 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Study design:A case report of spinal cord infarction following endoscopic variceal ligation.Objectives:To describe an exceedingly rare case of spinal cord infarction following endoscopic variceal ligation.Setting:Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Kagoshima, Japan.Methods:A 75-year-old woman with cirrhosis caused by hepatitis C virus, who was admitted to our hospital for the treatment of esophageal varices, experienced numbness of the hands and lower extremities bilaterally following an endoscopic variceal ligation procedure. Sensory and motor dysfunction below C6 level progressed rapidly, resulting in inability to move the lower extremities the following day. Magnetic resonance imaging of the spine revealed abnormal spinal cord signal on T2-weighted images from approximately C6 through T5 levels, which was diagnosed as spinal cord infarction.Results:The patient underwent hyperbaric oxygen treatment. Her symptoms and signs related to spinal cord infarction gradually remitted, and nearly complete disappearance of neurological deficits was noted within 3 months after the start of treatment.Conclusion:We speculate that the pathogenesis of the present case may have involved congestion of the abdominal–epidural–spinal cord venous network owing to ligation of esophageal varices and increased thoracoabdominal cavity pressure.Spinal Cord (2008) 46, 241–242; doi:10.1038/sj.sc.3102092; published online 19 June 2007 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 10-year-old boy with metastatic rhabdomyosarcoma had an HLA-identical sibling and received an allogeneic BMT. Recurrence was detected in the BM as the only site of treatment failure 12 months after BMT. Donor leukocyte infusion (DLI) was chosen as salvage therapy. Although sufficient cells (a total of 29.7 × 107/kg) were infused, no signs of acute GVHD nor BM aplasia occurred and the patient died of disease progression 9 months after DLI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Focuses on a study which described the case of a patient with renal hypouricemia with frequent attacks of exercise-induced renal failure. Methodology; Results; Conclusion.