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Under certain conditions such as hypoxia-reoxygenation, the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) increases following hypoxia caused by a decreased oxygen supply. As another hypoxic condition, an excess neural activity status including epileptic seizure induces a decrease in tissue oxygen partial pressure (pO2) caused by enhanced oxygen utilization; however, whether ROS generation increases following the hypoxic status induced by transiently enhanced energy metabolism in brain tissue currently remains unknown. We herein investigated ROS-dependent chemiluminescence in cerebral cortex slices during the restoration of transiently enhanced energy metabolism induced by a high-potassium treatment with tissue pO2 changes and redox balance. ROS generation in the tissue was enhanced after high-potassium-induced hypoxia, but not by the reversed order of the treatment: control-potassium then high-potassium treatment, high-potassium treatment alone, and control-potassium treatment alone. The high-potassium treatment induced a transient decrease in tissue pO2 and a shift in the tissue redox balance towards reduction. The transient shift in the tissue redox balance towards reduction with enhanced metabolic activity and its recovery may correlate with ROS generation. This phenomenon may mimic ROS generation following the hypoxic status induced by transiently enhanced energy metabolism.

A 47-years-old man with hemodynamic shock was refered to our hospital by an ambulance. Chest computed tomography(CT)showed left hemothorax and the extravasation of contrast media in his left lung. Emergency operation was done. A lot of intrathoracic hematoma and pulsating bleeding from the lung was found, and lingular segmentectomy was performed. Pathologically, the rupture of pulmonary artery of 2.2 mm in diameter was found without the finding of imflammation nor degeneration due to any basal diseases. Around the lesion, some artery of 0.3~3.0 mm in diameter showed defect of tunica media. This vascular anomaly was considered to lead his hemothorax.

Background: Reactive oxygen species (ROS) have been suggested to be involved in cellular damage caused by ischemia-reperfusion, anoxia-reperfusion, and hypoxia-reperfusion. We previously demonstrated that the generation of ROS was enhanced following hypoxia caused by an increased oxygen demand, and this was related to a shift in the tissue redox balance toward reduction. The aim of the present study was to elucidate the relationship among changes in ROS generation, tissue pO2 levels, and redox balance changes in brain slices following hypoxia caused by a decreased oxygen supply. Methods We measured ROS-dependent chemiluminescence in cerebral cortex slices using a photonic imaging method as well as tissue pO2 levels and the redox balance using micro sensors during reoxygenation after hypoxia caused by the deprivation of an adequate oxygen supply. Results ROS-dependent chemiluminescent intensity was transiently enhanced during reoxygenation after the hypoxic treatment. Tissue pO2 levels decreased and the tissue redox balance shifted towards reduction with the hypoxic treatment, followed by restoration to the steady-state condition. Increased ROS generation following hypoxia was related to a transient decrease in tissue pO2 levels and a shift in the tissue redox balance towards reduction. Conclusions The present results demonstrated that ROS generation increased following hypoxia caused by a decreased oxygen supply. In addition, a transient redox shift to “hyper-reduction” with pO2 changes may be involved in ROS generation in tissue.

A 64-years-old woman with chronic thyroiditis was refered to our hospital because of anterior mediastinum tumors identified by chest computed tomography (CT). The lesions with increased fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (FDG) uptake was noted by CT and positron emission tomography (PET). Extended thymo-thymectomy was performed, and the tumors was completely resected. Pathologically, the tumors were diagnosed as mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue( MALT) lymphoma of the thymus. Postoperative chemotherapy was not performed and the patient has been well for 4 years without recurrence. But she has developed the symptoms of Sjögren syndrome 3 years after operation.

A representatividade econômica, social e ambiental da agricultura familiar é cada vez mais reconhecida pelos governos e pela sociedade. Os movimentos sociais a favor do meio ambiente recaem sobre a atividade agrícola, exigindo metodologias alternativas de produção sustentável. Apesar do cenário favorável à produção orgânica aos empreendimentos de agricultura familiar, vários problemas recaem sobre essa atividade. Neste contexto, o objetivo desta pesquisa é apresentar a situação e características do setor na cidade de Dourados (MS), e identificar o método de produção mais viável aos pequenos produtores, utilizando de um modelo de decisão multicritério, baseado em um estudo de caso junto a um grupo de produtores orgânicos da região. Os resultados indicam o método de produção orgânico como o mais adequado aos empreendimentos familiares, considerando os critérios “produção”, “mercado” e “logística”.

This paper introduces a novel proposal review process to facilitate interdisciplinary research. This method provides not only for competition for a grant, but also for collaboration among applicants. Applicants can refine their research proposals through a workshop discussion held during the proposal review process. This presents an opportunity for applicants to obtain feedback based on a broad range of viewpoints from people with various expertise. The method has actually been applied to the proposal review process in science and engineering fields (Takeda Techno-Entrepreneurship Award, 2001, 2002). Its feasibility and some of the merits found are discussed. Copyright , Beech Tree Publishing.

A 66-year-old man, who had undergone surgical resection of a primary noninvasive thymoma (type B1) in the right anterolateral mediastinum 6 years before, underwent follow-up computed tomography (CT) scanning. The CT scan revealed a few nodules located at the posterior portion of the right thoracic base and just behind the right upper anterior chest wall. Subsequent fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) scans showed multiple foci with high [standard uptake value (SUV) 4.3] and low (SUV 2.6) FDG uptake in the right lower posterior area and right upper anterior area of the chest, respectively. The fusion image of the CT and FDG-PET scans demonstrated that the areas of the increased FDG uptake corresponded to those of the nodules on the CT scan. All of the nodules were successfully removed surgically, and the histological features of the nodules indicated that they were type B1 or types B1 plus B2. We regarded the nodule located just behind the right upper anterior chest wall as a type B1 thymoma, whereas those in the posterior area of the right thoracic base as combined thymomas of types B1 plus B2. Our limited experience suggests that the degree of FDG uptake is a reflection of the subtype according to the World Health Organization (WHO) criteria. Furthermore, we showed the role of FDG-PET in the accurate assessment of recurrent thymoma and its therapeutic strategy.

Background Tranilast is an anti-allergic agent known to inhibit the release of histamine, interleukin-1β, transforming growth factor β1, and platelet-derived growth factor from various cells and currently is used to treat allergic diseases, keloids, and hypertrophic scars. We evaluated the ability of tranilast to inhibit the development of obliterative airway disease (OAD) in a rat model of heterotopic tracheal transplantation. Methods We transplanted tracheal segments from donor rats (Brown Norway) into subcutaneous pouches in major histocompatibility complex-incompatible recipient rats (Lewis). At Days 21 and 28 after transplantation, we histologically assessed the harvested allografts scored the degree of OAD, on a scale from zero to 4 as previously described, caused by fibroproliferative tissue. Results Recipient animals treated orally with 400 mg/kg/day tranilast throughout the experiment showed significantly decreased OAD compared with control animals, with a histologic score of 1.1 ± 0.4 vs 3.0 ± 1.3, respectively (mean ± SD, p = 0.007), at Day 21 after transplantation and 2.0 ± 1.4 vs 3.9 ± 0.4, respectively (mean ± SD, p = 0.017), at Day 28 after transplantation. Conclusion These results showed that treatment with tranilast significantly decreased fibroproliferative airway changes associated with allograft rejection in a rat model of tracheal transplantation, suggesting that tranilast may be useful in preventing bronchiolitis obliterans after lung transplantation.

Recent studies have shown the possible role of growth factors and the involvement of macrophages as a source of them in the pathogenesis of bronchiolitis obliterans (BO) after lung transplantation.The authors intended to determine whether depletion of recipient macrophages by gadolinium chloride (GdCl3) resulted in decreased obliterative airway disease (OAD) in a rat model of heterotopic tracheal transplantation.A tracheal segment of donor rats (Brown Norway) was transplanted into a subcutaneous pouch of fully major histocompatibility complex-incompatible recipient rats (Lewis). Recipients were injected intravenously with 80 mg/kg of GdCl3.6H2O or saline on days 0, 7, and 14 posttransplant. Allografts were harvested on days 7, 14, 17, and 21 and the degree of OAD resulting from fibroproliferative tissue was pathologically scored on a scale of 0 to 4. A portion of allografts was submitted to reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction analysis to examine mRNA expression for platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), basic fibroblast growth factor, and transforming growth factor-beta1.Immunohistochemical studies confirmed reduction in the number of ED2+ macrophages in tracheal allografts by GdCl3 injection. GdCl3 treatment significantly decreased OAD of allografts, with the histologic score of 1.4+/-0.3 in the treated animals compared with 3.0+/-0.5 in the controls (mean+/-SE, P=0.02) at day 21 posttransplant, and this was accompanied by decreased PDGF-A and PDGF-B gene expression in the GdCl3 group at day 17 posttransplant.Macrophage reduction by GdCl3 resulted in significantly decreased OAD development and reduced PDGF mRNA expression in allografts. This suggests a potential effectiveness of therapies targeting recipient macrophages in preventing BO after lung transplantation.

We report a case of chest wall abscess caused by Mycobacterium bovis BCG that arose as a complication 1 year after intravesical BCG instillation. We identified M. bovis BCG Tokyo 172 in the abscess by PCR-based typing of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex and analysis of variable number of tandem repeats data.

胸骨切除・再建を要した前縦隔脂肪肉腫の一手術例を経験したので報告する.症例は79歳男性で, 集団検診において, 右肺門部の異常陰影を指摘され, 精査加療目的で紹介入院した.良性縦隔腫瘍を疑い手術を行ったが, 術中所見にて前胸壁に浸潤を認めたため, 縦隔腫瘍摘除術並びに胸骨・肋骨合併切除を行った.胸壁再建にはMarlexmeshでサンドイッチしたレジン板 (methyl methacrylate resin) を用いた.術後経過は良好であったが, 術11ヵ月後に多発転移, 局所再発のため死亡した.脂肪肉腫は, 縦隔に発生することは稀であるため, 文献的考察を加えて報告する.

肺癌肺切後の気管支断端瘻が原因で膿胸となった肺癌9例を対象として, 保存的治療の方法およびその適応を検討した.術式は, 7例が右下葉切除, 1例が左下葉切除, 1例が右上葉管状切除 (one stoma type) であり, リンパ節郭清は8例でR2bを, 1例でR1を施行した.保存的治療で6例 (67%) が気管支断端瘻確認後14～67日 (平均31.5日) に瘻が治癒した.いずれも (1) 残存肺葉の再膨張が期待できること, (2) 気管支壊死が限局していること, (3) 対側肺の吸引性肺炎が無いか軽度であった.気管支切断端に限局した気管支瘻による膿胸は, 膿胸腔のチューブドレナージ (患側が下となる側臥位) ・体位ドレナージにて対側の吸引性肺炎を予防し, 有効な抗生物質の投与と高カロリー栄養法により保存的に根治可能であった.残る3例 (33%) では, 気管支切除端から中枢の気管支にかけて広範に気管支壊死を認め, 対側肺吸引を引き起こし保存的治療が奏功せず観血的治療を考慮しなければならなかった.

Five patients with invasive thymomas and postoperative associated diseases were studied clinically and histologically three had myasthenia gravis (MG), one had a skin rash, interstitial pneumonia and hypogammaglobulinemia, and one had pure red cell aplasia (PRCA) and hypogammaglobulinemia. Total tumor resection was performed in four patients, and partial resection in one, who had massive pleural dissemination. Thymectomy was performed in the patient with preoperative PRCA, right pneumonectomy in one patient, and right upper lobectomy in one. The epithelial cells in four of the tumors were polygonal, and there were spindle-shaped in the patient with preoperative PRCA. Metastasis and/or local regrowth of the thymomas occurred in two patients, one of whom received chemotherapy. MG was treated with prednisolone and/or azathiopurine, and PRCA was treated with prednisolone and protein anabolic hormone. One patient died of brain metastasis, and three of complications. Only one patient is still alive.In conclusion, metastasis or recurrence of thymoma is likely to be the cause of postoperative associated diseases, and treatment of metastasis or recurrence may be helpful in the management of associated diseases.

A 66-year-old female was admitted to our hospital because of chest abnormal shadow. Chest X-ray and chest computed tomography (CT) on admission showed a nodule in the right middle lobe. The nodule was not diagnosed preoperatively by a bronchoscopy. She underwent partial lung resection including the nodule with video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery. The pathological diagnosis was amyloidosis, and we diagnosed her illness as localized nodular pulmonary amyloidosis, since the amyloid substance was type AL. In addition, electron microscopy showed amyloid as straightly fibrous materials in alveolus. It is difficult to differentiate amyloidosis from lung cancer by radiology, and the lung biopsy with video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery is useful and a safety way to establish diagnosis.

Effect of alpha-adrenergic blockers on pulmonary edema in lung transplantation was studied with a rat model of syngeneic left lung transplantation. Prior to harvesting, 0.1 mg of Prazosin or 0.4 mg of Yohimbine was given to the donor. Pulmonary and systemic hemodynamics were measured under the right pulmonary arterial occlusion (RPAO) at different time points after grafting. Wet to dry weight ratio (W/D) of all transplants was also calculated. Same procedure was conducted in rats with normal and ischemic lung and in transplanted animals without any treatments. While RPAO did not increase W/D in normal lung with a significant elevation in pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP), both these values significantly increased in transplanted lung. Transplanted animals could not tolerate RPAO 24 hours after grafting, but were tolerable later than 48 hours with elevated W/D and PAP. On the contrary, animals given Prazosin or Yohimbine were all tolerable at 24 hours postsurgery. Yohimbine significantly improved W/D. Consequently, it was demonstrated that pulmonary edema of the graft reached its peak during first 24 to 48 hours after transplantation and was alleviated by the blockade of alpha-adrenergic receptor in the graft vessel.

J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg Kazuyoshi Shimada, Tetsu Sado, Shulin Wu and Takashi Kondo Takafumi Sugawara, Masami Sato, Keiichi Itoi, Akira Sugawara, Yasushi Matsuda, syndrome secretion in a rare case of possible Tx N2 M0 carcinoid tumor with Cushing Successful localization and treatment for ectopic adrenocorticotrophic hormone http://jtcs.ctsnetjournals.org/cgi/content/full/124/6/1237 located on the World Wide Web at: The online version of this article, along with updated information and services, is

Inhibitory effect of aqueous extracts from the saw dust-rice bran media with grown mycelia of some edible fungi on tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) infection and multiplication was examined. Edible fungi used were Lentinus edodes (Berk.) Sing., Flammulina velutipes (Curt. ex Fr.) Sing., Lyophyllum aggregatum (Schaff. ex Secr.) Kuhner., Auricularia auricula-Judae (Bull. ex Fr.) Quel., Tremella fuciformis Berk., Pholiota nameko (T. Ito) S. Ito et Imai, Volvariella esculenta Bres. and Agricus bisporus (Lange) Sing. The extracts from the saw dust-rice bran media with grown mycelia of L. edodes or F. velutipes strongly inhibited TMV infection. However, no significant effect on TMV muliplication was noted in all extracts examined here.

The first successful lung transplantation (LTx) was performed in 1983. Since then, more than 10 000 LTx have been performed in the world, with approximately 1000 new cases each year in recent years. Lung transplantation is established as the ultimate treatment for end-stage pulmonary diseases. Clinical application of LTx was delayed in Japan because of difficulty in acceptance of brain death. The Japanese Brain Death Act (JBDA) for organ transplantation was enforced in October 1997. Now, LTx from a brain-dead cadaver donor (BDCD) becomes a clinical option for end-stage lung diseases in this country. Four LTx centers were selected and the registration of candidates for LTx started in August 1998. In total, up until May 2001, 51 patients had been registered on a waiting list. Patients’ diseases for LTx in Japan are different from those in the US and Europe. So far, primary pulmonary hypertension (PPH; n = 23), idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis/interstitial pneumonia (IPF/IIP; n = 8), lymph- angioleiomyomatosis (LAM; n = 7) and bronchiectasis (BE; n = 6) are the major indications for LTx in Japan. Fourteen patients (27%) have died while waiting for LTx and only eight patients (14%) have received lung allografts. The BDCD are quite precious and, thus far, only 13 donors have become available after enforcement of the JBDA. Although the average utilization of BDCD for LTx was reported to be only 10–20%, positive utility of marginal donors in Japan has led to a higher rate (five of 13; 36%). Six LTx were performed from five BDCD. These included five single LTx (LAM n = 3; IPF/IIP n = 2) and one bilateral LTx (PPH n = 1). Because there are few BDCD in Japan, living-donor lobar LTx (LDLTx) is thought to be the optimal choice for selected patients. Eight LDLTx (BE n = 2; bronchiolitis obliterans n = 2; IPF/IIP n = 2; LAM n = 1; and PPH n = 1) have been performed. All recipients who received a LTx in Japan are alive and doing well at present.