Background and Aims : Vasculature of plasmodia of Physarum polycephalum exhibits the repeated cycles of contraction and relaxation. By the analogy of smooth muscle which shows the cycles, I speculated the presence of vasodilator (s), and/or vasoconstrictor (s) in the plasmodia and tried to extract active principle (s).
Materials and Methods : The extract partially purified from the plasmodia was applied to rabbit femoral artery and guinea pig ileum. The mode of effect was analyzed by measuring tension of intact and demembranated smooth muscle cells and by measuring phosphorylation of 20- kDa myosin light chain (MLCK20).
Results : The extract relaxed the smooth muscles in a dose-dependant manner. The active principle is shown to be resistant to hydrolysis by acid and alkaline and to have a low molecular weight. The relaxation effect on the intact cells was absent with the demembranated cells. The relaxing was not associated with the change in MLC20 phosphorylation.
Conclusion : I obtained a crude extract from plasmodia which relaxes smooth muscle. The mode of relaxing is discussed with special reference to the development a vasodilatory drug with a new mode of action.

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Background and Aims : We investigated histopathological differences between granuloma pyogenicum (GP), intradermal (IGP) and subcutaneous (SGP) granuloma pyogenicum. Methods : Twenty cases of GP, one case of IGP and one case of SGP were immunohistochemically studied for the expression of CD34 and Factor VIII-related antigen (F VIII-RA). Results : Immunohistochemistry for CD34 demonstrated various staining patterns in GP, IGP and SGP. F VIII-RA was expressed immunohistochemically in GP, but staining was completely absent in IPG and SPG. Conclusions : These results suggested that immunohistochemical difference among these tumors might reflect the degree of maturation in neoplastic endothelial cells.

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Background : Neuroblastoma mass screening was started in Gunma Prefecture in 1984. In this report, the prognosis of neuroblastoma patients is discussed to determine whether improvements have occurred since mass screening was introduced.
Material and method : Neuroblastoma mass screening was conducted on 6-months-infants by measuring urine VMA and HVA. Those whose results were high were referred to a hospital for a neuroblastoma workup. Neuroblastoma prognosis was evaluated compared to those detected by mass screening with others diagnosed in other than mass screening.
Result : Of 343, 812 samples mass-screened by March 2003, 2, 800 cases were closely examined and 65 of these diagnosed with neuroblastoma. As of March 2003, neuroblastoma cases numbered 97 cases, of which screening had detected 67.0%. Many of the cases detected in mass screening were in early stages. Negative mass screening cases numbered 14 (14.4%). Six of 10 deaths (60%) were in this negative mass screening group.
Conclusion : Although the number of neuroblastoma cases increased after mass screening was introduced, the number of advanced neuroblastoma cases did not decrease. The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare of Japan therefore decided that neuroblastoma mass screening should be halted from April 2004.

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Background and Aims : Sentinel lymph nodes involvement of malignant melanoma has been mainly evaluated by histopathological examination to date. We employed reverse transcriptase-nested polymerase chain reaction (RT-nested PCR) for tyrosinase gene to detect melanoma micrometastases in the sentinel lymph nodes. Patients and Methods : The sentinel lymph nodes from 12 patients with malignant melanoma in clinical stage I, II (classification of the American Joint Committee on Cancer) were examined, introducing histological studies, and tyrosinase RT-nested PCR. Results : Metastatic melanoma cells were identified in 6 of 12 patients by histological studies. Tyrosinase mRNA was detected in 7 of 12 patients by RT-nested PCR. One patient revealed only tyrosinase transcripts. Furthermore, tyrosinase mRNA positive and histologically negative nodes were found out in 3 out of 6 patients whose non-sentinel lymph nodes were evaluated by RT-nested PCR. All of histologically positive nodes were also positive for tyrosinase mRNA by RT-nested PCR. Conclusions : RT-nested PCR for tyrosinase gene is considered as a useful technique to detect micrometastasis in the sentinel lymph nodes.

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A case of horizontal double impactions of the bilateral mandibular second and third molars is described. A 18-year-old woman consulted our hospital complaining of bite wound of the tongue due to the left mandibular third molar. Radiographic examination showed horizontal impactions, with the bilateral mandibular third molars lying over the mandibular second molars. All these four teeth were removed under general anesthesia. The lower lip on the right side was paralysed postoperatively, but symptoms disappeared spontaneously. A local factor, such as abnormal location of these tooth germs may have been the cause because this patient had no noteworthy medical histories and no abnormalities of the other teeth or jaw.

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A case of central mucoepidermoid carcinoma involving the mandible in a 52-year-old man is described. There was a relatively clearly bordered swelling with slight redness accompanied by soft hardness on palpation was found in the left submandibular region. Segmental excision of the left mandible and neck dissection was carried out under general anesthesia and then examined histopathologically. We performed radiation therapy with Co60 (total 60Gy). There was no sign of recurrence six years after the operation.

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We report a successfully treated case of recurrent benign thyroid nodule using percutaneous ethanol injection therapy (PEIT). The patient was a 64-year-old man who had undergone right lobectomy of the thyroid due to follicular adenoma 5 years previously. After surgery, a large mass of the anterior neck was discovered. Ultrasound revealed a large cystic nodule, 5.5cm in diameter, in the left lobe of the thyroid. Although aspiration of cystic fluid was repeated five times, it returned rapidly to its initial level. Subsequently, compression symptoms such as swallowing disturbance and visible disfigurement occurred. After one trial of PEIT, tumor volume markedly decreased to 0.6 cm in diameter and compression symptoms disappeared. Therefore PEIT would appear to be a safe, simple, and effective procedure for recurrent benign thyroid nodules and may improve the patient's quality of life.

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This report describes a rare subcutaneous hemangioma that developed in the left breast of a 78-year old female. The patient was aware of a painless nodule for three years. Physical examination revealed a 2.8×2.5cm, soft, smooth lump in the 9 o'clock position in her left breast. A small area of skin redness was visible over the palpable area. Mammograms revealed a well-defined, lobular high density nodule with internal calcifications. On ultrasonography, the lesion was a heterogeneous lobular mass with an echogenic spot. The border was smooth. T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a low density nodule with slow enhancement of the border 15 minutes after gadolinium injection. Fine needle aspiration cytology yielded only hematological components. An excisional biopsy was performed. Histologic examination revealed a typical parenchymal cavernous hemangioma.

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