Hypertrophy of the extra-articular tendon of the long head of biceps correlates with the location and size of a rotator cuff tear.

AIMS: The aim of this study was to assess hypertrophy of the extra-articular tendon of the long head of biceps (LHB) in patients with a rotator cuff tear. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study involved 638 shoulders in 334 patients (175 men, 159 women, mean age 62.6 years; 25 to 81) with unilateral symptomatic rotator cuff tears. The cross-sectional area (CSA) of the LHB tendon in the bicipital groove was measured pre-operatively in both shoulders using ultrasound. There were 154 asymptomatic rotator cuff tears in the contralateral shoulder. Comparisons were made between those with a symptomatic tear, an asymptomatic tear and those with no rotator cuff tear. In the affected shoulders, the CSAs were compared in relation to the location and size of the rotator cuff tear. RESULTS: The mean CSA was 21.0 mm2 (4 to 71) in those with a symptomatic rotator cuff tear, 19.9 mm2 (4 to 75) in those with an asymptomatic rotator cuff tear and 14.1 mm2 (5 to 43) in those with no rotator cuff tear. The mean CSA in patients with both symptomatic and asymptomatic rotator cuff tears was significantly larger than in those with no rotator cuff tear (p < 0.001). In the affected shoulders, there were significant differences between patients with more than a medium sized posterosuperior cuff tear and those with an antero-superior cuff tear. CONCLUSION: Regardless of the symptoms, there was significant hypertrophy of the extra-articular LHB tendon in patients with a rotator cuff tear. The values were significantly related to the size of the tear. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2017;99-B:806-11.

[Successful surgical repair of left ventricular free wall rupture after acute myocardial infarction].

Left ventricular free wall rupture (LVFWR) after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is a fatal complication. We report emergency surgery for 2 blow out cases and 2 oozing cases during the 5-year period from 2003. After percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), subacute thrombosis (SAT) occurred before operation in 2 oozing cases. To the blow out cases, both percutaneous cardiopulmonary support system (PCPS) and intra-aortic balloon pumping (IABP) were applied. The actively bleeding site was approximated by a large mattress suture with felt strips. To the oozing cases, only IABP was applied, and sutureless technique was used for hemostasis. They all survived the operation

Effects of combined PPARgamma and PPARalpha agonist therapy on reverse cholesterol transport in the Zucker diabetic fatty rat.

AIM: We investigated the effects of the combined therapy of PPARgamma and PPARalpha agonists on HDL metabolism, especially concerning reverse cholesterol transport (RCT), using Zucker diabetic fatty rats (ZDF/Crl-Lepr fa rats) that are the rodent model for type 2 diabetes with obesity, hyperlipidaemia and insulin resistance. METHODS: The ZDF rats were divided into four medicated groups as follows: pioglitazone as a PPARgamma agonist (5 mg/kg/day; P group, n = 6), fenofibrate as a PPARalpha agonist (30 mg/kg/day; F group, n = 6), both these medications (P + F group, n = 6) and no treatment (UNT group, n = 6). Non-diabetic rats (ZDF/GmiCrl-lean, CON group, n = 6) served as controls. We evaluated HDL particle size and messenger RNA (mRNA) levels of the following factors: liver X receptor alpha (L x R alpha), ATP-binding cassette A1 (ABCA1) and ABCG1 which are regulated by PPARs and are related to early stage RCT. RESULTS: The significant increase in HDL particle size was demonstrated in rats of the F and P + F groups, although changes in plasma HDL-cholesterol levels were not significant. In accordance with this finding, mRNA levels of ABCG1 in the liver increased significantly. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest the efficacy of combined therapy with PPARgamma and PPARalpha in improving lipid metabolism, partly through the enhanced RCT, and insulin resistance in type 2 diabetes mellitus.

New sterols and triterpenoids from four edible mushrooms.

Four edible mushrooms, Panellus serotinus, Lepista nuda, Tricholoma matsutake and Naematoloma sublateritium, have been investigated chemically. Two new sterols, 5alpha,9alpha-epidioxy-(22E)-ergosta-7,22-diene-3beta,6alpha-diol (1) and 5alpha,9alpha-epidioxy-(22E)-ergosta-7,22-diene-3beta,6beta-diol (2), have been isolated from Panellus serotinus. Compound 2 was also isolated from Lepista nuda. A new sterol, 3beta,5alpha,9alpha,14beta-tetrahydroxy-(22E)-ergosta-7,22-dien-6-one (3), and compound 2 have been isolated from Tricholoma matsutake. Three new triterpenoids, sublateriols A-C (4-6), have been isolated from Naematoloma sublateritium. The structures of the new compounds were elucidated on the basis of their spectral data.

[Epidemiological survey for hemolytic streptococci isolated from children in Tokyo].

During the 20-year period between 1979-1998, a total of 4,176 strains of hemolytic streptococci have been isolated from 20,118 healthy primary school children and little children in Tokyo Metropolitan (Tokubetsuku, Tama and Tosho). Culture of throat swabs every November and the following February during the 20-year period were made and serological grouping and typing for isolates were done by T agglutination method. The results were as follows. 1) Serological group of hemolytic streptococci isolated from children were 3,188 strains (76.3%) for isolates of group A out of total strains of 4,176, 569 strains (13.6%) for isolates group B, 63 strains (1.5%) for isolates of group C and 356 strains (8.5%) for isolates of group G. 2) The most dominant was T12 during 1979-1998, and other relatively frequent serotypes were T28, T1, T4, T6 in that order. These ranks of and the main epidemic serotypes showed a similar trend in the 3 areas. 3) The isolation rates of group A streptococci were 15.9% in Tokubetsuku, 17.1% in Tama and 14.9% in Tosho. The average of 3 areas were 15.8%. 4) The epidemic cases seemed to be caused by group A streptococci were 20 cases, their isolated serotype were 7 cases by T28, 5 cases by T12, 4 cases by T6, 2 cases by T4, each 1 case by T1 and T25. 5) A total of 2,927 strains of group A streptococci were examined for drug sensitivity. All strains were sensitive to beta-lactam group of antibiotics (benzylpenicillin and cephaloridine). Resistant (MIC > or = 25 micrograms/ml) to TC, CP and EM etc. were 740 strains (25.3%) in this study. The incidence of resistant strains were to TC 493 strains (66.6%) out of 740 strains, 81 strains (10.9%) for TC.CP, 72 strains (9.7%) for EM and 66 strains (8.9%) for TC.CP.EM.OL.LCM. TC resistant strains have not varied much through the whole period, but CP and EM resistant strains were very variable by year. Many resistant strains to TC were T4, to EM and multiple drug resistant were T12. 6) The rates of isolates of the same type of group A streptococci in school child individual during for the tests taken twice a year were 12.3%, indicating group A streptococci, according to the duration of the carrier state, seems to be a short period.

Transurethral resection of benign prostatic hyperplasia using a vaporizing resecting loop, UROloop.

New electrosurgical instruments for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) have been developed during the past few years. We determined the efficacy and safety of transurethral prostatectomy (TUR-P) using a new electrosurgical device (UROloop) for the treatment of BPH. Twenty-four patients, with a mean age of 67.7 years, with BPH underwent TUR-P using the UROloop between April 1996 and March 1997. We evaluated the pre- and postoperative symptom scores and urodynamic parameters of the patients. The International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) was used for symptom scoring. The urodynamic parameters included peakflow rates (PFR) and postvoid residual urine (PVR). The average preoperative IPSS score for all patients was 15.4 +/- 1.4. The IPSS score was significantly improved to 4.3 +/- 0.24 at 12 weeks after the TUR-P (p = 0.0002). The average PFR was increased by 117% at 12 weeks postoperatively. The average preoperative PVR of 65.4 ml was reduced to 15.2 ml postoperatively. The changes in the urodynamic parameters were statistically significant. No severe complications were observed in the present study. The changes in the serum sodium and hemoglobin levels were small. This study revealed significantly sustained clinical improvement with minimal morbidity. The results of the present study also confirmed the usefulness of the new endoscopic treatment for BPH.

[Effect of UFT on treatment of urological cancer--effect of UFT on treatment of invasive bladder cancer and advanced prostate cancer. Ibaraki Urological Cancer Chemotherapy Study Group].

A prospective randomized joint study was conducted to evaluate the usefulness of UFT 1) as a postoperative adjuvant therapy in patients with invasive bladder cancer who had undergone curative combination therapy with operation and/or chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy, 2) as an endocrine chemotherapy in patients with newly diagnosed stage C/D prostate cancer, for a period of 3 years from January, 1992. For bladder cancer, of 36 patients with invasive bladder cancer, clinically cured by combination therapy, 20 patients were treated with UFT as an adjuvant chemotherapy over 12 months, and they were compared to 16 patients with no adjuvant therapy. After excluding 10 inappropriate patients, 12 patients in the UFT treatment group and 14 patients with no adjuvant treatment group were observed. For prostate cancer, of 29 patients with clinically stage C/D prostate cancer, 13 were treated with endocrine therapy in combination with UFT, and 16 patients were treated with endocrine therapy alone. After excluding 7 inappropriate patients, 10 patients with endocrine chemotherapy and 12 patients with hormonal therapy were observed. The non-recurrence rate, survival rate and side effects of UFT were evaluated. In the study of bladder cancer, neither a significant difference of non-recurrent rate nor of survival rate was seen between the two groups. In the study of prostate cancer, neither a significant difference of non-recurrent rate nor of survival rate was seen between the two groups. These findings suggest UFT is less useful as an adjuvant therapy for the invasive bladder cancer and as an endocrine chemotherapy for newly diagnosed advanced prostate cancer.

Mesenteric plexiform neurofibroma associated with Recklinghausen's disease.

We present a rare case of plexiform neurofibroma involving the ileal mesentery of a 10-year-old boy with Recklinghausen's disease. MRI showed multiple ring-like structures in the masses on T2-weighted and contrast enhanced T1-weighted images. Probably these findings reflect enlarged peripheral nerves with myxoid degeneration. MRI is useful for the diagnosis of mesenteric plexiform neurofibroma because of this characteristic appearance.

Efficient synthesis and gastric (H+/K+)-ATPase-inhibitory activity of 2-aryl-4,5-dihydro-1H-thieno[3,2-e]benzimidazoles.

A series of 2-aryl-4,5-dihydro-1H-thieno[3,2-e]benzimidazoles (1, 2) was prepared by condensation of 5-acylamino-4,5,6,7-tetrahydrobenzo[b]thiophen-4-ones (9, 10) with ammonium acetate under azeotropic reaction conditions. Various congeners, N-methyl and N-phenyl analogues (3-5), 4,5-dihydro-1H-thieno[2,3-e]benzimidazoles (6), 4,5-dihydro-1H-thieno[2,3-g]benzoxazoles (7), and 4,5-dihydro-1H-thieno[2,3-g]benzothiazoles (8), were also prepared. Several compounds in this series were shown to be K(+)-competitive inhibitors of the gastric (H+/K+)-ATPase and more potent inhibitors than SK&F-96067, 3-butyryl-8-methoxy-4-(2-tolylamino)quinoline, on pentagastrin-stimulated acid secretion in chronic gastric fistula rats after intraduodenal administration.

[Aortitis syndrome with left coronary ostial occlusion and aortic regurgitation: a case report].

A 22-year-old woman with left coronary ostial occlusion and aortic regurgitation due to aortitis syndrome was reported. The coronary artery bypass grafting, using saphenous vein and aortic valve replacement were performed. The distal anastomosis of saphenous vein was performed to left anterior descending artery (Seg. 6), just distal to the origin of circumflex artery. The postoperative course was uneventful. There was no peri-prosthetic valvular leakage and bypass graft was patent.

Preservation of the lower esophageal sphincter during total gastrectomy for gastric cancer to prevent postoperative reflux esophagitis.

The lower esophageal sphincter (LES) is usually removed during total gastrectomy to successfully perform a curative operation. In this study, the preservation of the LES in curative total gastrectomy was attempted to reduce the reflux. An experimental study using dogs has revealed that the high-pressure zone of the LES can be preserved by making a resection at the gastroesophageal junction, which thus helps to protect the reflux. A previous clinicopathological study revealed that the LES can be preserved without any fear of recurrence at the resection site, if the tumor is located more than 2.0 cm and 3.0 cm from the gastroesophageal junction to the oral margin in node-negative and -positive cases, respectively. Clinically, 8 patients underwent an LES-preserving total gastrectomy [LES(+) gastrectomy] while 19 had an LES(-) gastrectomy in the same period. Of the five LES(+) cases examined, all showed a high pressure zone, whereas none of the four LES(-) cases examined showed such a high-pressure zone after the operation. Endoscopic examination showed that only one of the seven LES(+) cases but six of nine LES(-) cases revealed esophagitis.

HLA class II genes in Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease.

PURPOSE: Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease (VKH) is an autoimmune disorder causing a bilateral diffuse granulomatous uveitis, often with several associated extraocular manifestations. Strong association of human leukocyte antigens (HLA) antigens with the disease has been documented. The details of all HLA class II genotypes were investigated in Japanese patients with VKH to demonstrate the immunogenetic background of the disease. METHODS: Human leukocyte antigen tissue typing was performed in 57 Japanese patients with VKH by the modified two-stage complement-dependent microcytotoxicity method. DNA analyses were done by polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-single-strand conformation polymorphism and PCR-restriction fragment-length polymorphism methods. RESULTS: The frequencies of HLA-DR4 and HLA-DQ4 were 93% and 83% among the patients with VKH, compared with 43% and 32% among the controls, respectively (relative risks, 17.4 and 9.9; Pc < 1.0 x 10(-10)). At the genomic level, all patients had the HLA-DQA1*0301 genotype, which was present in only 67% of the normal controls (relative risk, 56.5; Pc < 1.0 x 10(-5)). With allelic combinations, -DQA1*0301/-DR4 showed the greatest relative risk ratio. Conversely, DQB1*0604 genotype was not detected among the patients. CONCLUSION: It can be postulated that VKH is a disease of combined allelic predisposition in which DQA1*0301 acts as the primary and HLA-DR4 acts as an additive factor in the development of the disease. Based on the negative association of DQB1*0604, we propose that DQB1*0604 provides considerable protection, possibly by altering other factors in the pathogenesis of VKH in the Japanese.

[Relation between the clinical course of Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada's disease and human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-DR4 subtypes].

Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada's disease (VKH) is an autoimmune disorder affecting melanocyte-containing tissues. VKH is strongly related to human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-DR4, a heterogeneous HLA specificity consisting of at least 12 different genotypes. The disease has two types: prolonged and non-prolonged, depending upon the clinical course. Fifty-four Japanese patients comprising 27 with the prolonged type, 15 with the non-prolonged type, and 12 new cases of VKH were included in this study. Ninety-three percent of the patients with all types had HLA-DR4. All 27 patients with the prolonged type had either the DRB1*0405 or *0410 genotype, and the non-prolonged type included two DR4-negative and four DRB1*0405 and *0410 negative patients. Our results indicate that the clinical course of VKH is determined partly by the patient's HLA genotype.

[The number and density of hypertensive vascular lesions of lung in advanced pulmonary hypertension--a computer 3-D morphometry in autopsy lung specimens of 5 patients with congenital cardiac anomaly].

To study how and to what degree the vascular bed of the lung is narrowed in patients with advanced pulmonary hypertension, the number and density of advanced pulmonary vascular lesions in lung tissue were determined by 3-dimensional morphometry. The material included 17 autopsy lung specimens taken from different lobes of 5 patients ranging from 2 to 17 years and dying of congenital cardiac anomalies. In each specimen, computer-aided 3-D reconstruction was performed from serial sections, and the number of grade 3 and 4 lesions was counted in the computer display, also with their densities calculated. The number and density of obstructive vascular lesions were found varying to an unexpected degree, with a marked difference among the individuals and among the site of the lung. The total number of plexiform lesion tends to be greater in the lower lobes. The degree of vascular bed narrowing, defined as the numerical ratio of the obstructed to the total of what we call "acinar arteries", was also various, suggesting that there can be patients who, having a bed not strongly narrowed, are operable even in the presence of plexiform lesion. On the other hand, the result of morphometry provided a basis on which the reliability of open lung biopsy is to be re-assessed: it disclosed the need of semi-serial sectioning of specimen in order not to be missed plexiform lesions particularly when their density in the lung is very low.

Influence of HLA-DRB1 gene variation on the clinical course of Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease.

PURPOSE: To investigate the difference, if any, in the immunogenetic backgrounds between two clinical subtypes of Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease (VKH). METHODS: HLA-DR4 gene variations were investigated in 46 Japanese patients, 28 with the prolonged type and 18 with the nonprolonged type of VKH. HLA-DR4 genes were amplified with polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and then analyzed for its variation with single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) methods. RESULTS: Significant differences were found in the DR4 gene variation in the two clinical subtypes. All the patients with the prolonged type had either the DRB1*0405 or DRB1*0410 variant, whereas 39% of the patients with the nonprolonged type had neither of them. This difference in frequency was statistically highly significant (P = 0.00059, Pc = 0.0041). DRB1*0405 was also more frequent in the prolonged type (93%) than in the nonprolonged type (56%) (P = 0.0044, Pc " 0.030). In the prolonged type, relative risk was highest for DRB1*0405/0410 (128), whereas in the nonprolonged type it was highest for DR4 (8.6). CONCLUSION: This preliminary study showed that DR4 gene variants differed significantly between the two subtypes of VKH, suggesting that the clinical course of VKH is determined partly by the patient's HLA-DR gene variation.

Gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric determination of 13C-glucose level for evaluating the effect of alpha-glucosidase inhibitor acarbose on the digestion of [U-13C] starch in rat.

The effect of acarbose on the digestion of starch was examined by a stable isotope tracer technique. [U-13C]-Starch was administered orally to rats with or without acarbose. After the addition of [2H3]-D-glucose as the internal standard, the plasma samples were treated successively for defatting, deproteinizing and desalting. Glucose was converted to sorbitol by reduction with sodium borohydride. The cyclic butylboronate of sorbitol was injected into a gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer, and the concentration of labeled glucose was measured by selected monitoring of the quasi-molecular ion. The plasma concentration of labeled glucose was decreased significantly by the addition of acarbose. The effect of acarbose on the digestion of starch was clearly confirmed using [U-13C]starch.

Synthesis of the metabolites of clentiazem.

The metabolites of clentiazem in the urine or bile of rats and dogs were investigated. Fifteen basic, 6 acidic, 2 neutral and 4 conjugated metabolites were isolated. In the present paper, fourteen reference compounds as shown in Charts 1, 2 and 3 were synthesized to identify the structures of the metabolites in procedures fundamentally similar to those employed in the synthesis of the corresponding metabolites of diltiazem.