The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between various vascular factors and mucosal blood flow that lead to the development of ischemic colitis. Thirty rats were divided into three groups of ten rats each. In group A rats, the marginal artery of the left colon was ligated at two points to induce colonic Ischemia. In group B rats, sennoside (Alosenn®) 20mg/day was administered orally for 3days to induce colonic peristalsis. In group C rats, the marginal artery was ligated and then sennoside, 20mg/day, was given orally for 3days to induce both colonic Ischemia and peristalsis. In all rats, the mucosa of the colon was observed by endoscope, and blood flow was measured with a flow-meter. In group A, two rats showed redness of the colonic mucosa and one had an ulcer in the ligated segment. The mean mucosal blood flow in the region where ligation was performed, was less than half that in the region where the artery ligation was not performed. Among the Group B rats, one showed redness after sennoside administration. However, there was no significant change in mucosal blood flow after administration. All ten Group C rats showed mucosal redness and four rats had ulcers in the area supplied by the ligated artery. The mean mucosal blood flow was significantly decreased in the region of mucosal redness, and was even lower in the mucosa surrounding the ulcer compared to the normal mucosa. Ligation of the marginal artery of the colon led to a decrease in mucosal blood flow and enhancement of bowel peristalsis by administration of a laxative induced ischemic colitis, leading to a further decrease in mucosal blood flow.

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Forty cases of surgically-resected primary pulmonary adenocarcinoma (PA) were classified according to our proposed microscopic classification (modified Noguchi's opinion) into three subtypes, C, D and F, and the histopathological features and tumor marker expression were compared between each subtype. Overall, type C was the most frequent subtype, and the mean patient age was lower in the type D group, and higher in the type F group. There was a high proportion of females in the type C group. Histopathologically, the malignant potential of PA appeared to be dependent on tumor size, lymph/venous invasion and lymph node metastasis. Type D PA tended to have a higher malignancy than the other types, with type C having the lowest malignancy. The Ki-67 labeling index was highest in type D and lowest in type C. The TUNEL-labeling index was highest in type C cases, and lowest in type D cases. More type D tumor cells were positive for p53 than the other two subtypes. Therefore the histopathological findings of PA correlated well with tumor marker expression, with the more malignant type D cells showing the highest level of expression of the proliferative marker Ki-67 and accumulation of p53. These results support our proposed classification of PA as a practical and useful procedure to determine the grade of malignancy.

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This paper describes the theoretical background of Dynamic Flamingo Therapy (DF therapy) . DF therapy is a method based on Wolff's laws and Pauwels' lever arm theory for increasing the bone mineral density at the femoral neck. According to Pauwels' theory, during one-leg standing the femoral head receives 2.75 times the load applied during two-leg standing. Our photoelasticity results show that the maximum concentration of stress in the inner side of the femoral neck was 0.706kg/mm² for the one-leg standing posture and 0.212kg/mm² for the two-leg standing posture. When the patient stands on one leg the femur is subjected to a mechanical stress approximately 3-fold that of a normal standing posture without any increase in body weight. According to Peizer's walking cycle, 95% of the maximum stress applied to the femoral head of one leg (the supporting leg) equals 1.5/80 of the walking cycle. The time necessary to complete this number of cycles is 2987× (60/56) =3200 seconds (53.3minutes) .

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We performed an immunohistochemical study of hepatic angiomyolipomas (AMLs) which specifically focused on the nature of the smooth muscle-like cells (SMLCs) which are usually the most prominent component of AML. Consistent with previous reports, the SMLCs showed strong diffuse staining for HMB-45, and the more dominant epithelioid SMLCs also expressed S-100, CD68, GFAP and synaptophysin. Co-expression of these markers is often seen in neuroectodermal tumors including melanocytic tumors and nerve-sheath tumors. By contrast, the spindle-shaped SMLCs which have myoid features also expressed vimentin and α-SMA. However these immunophenotypic variation of the SMLCs was not always matched by the parallel morphologic variation. Moreover the staining intensity of the SMLCs for tuberin decreased. And the SMLCs were diffusely positive for c-fos, TGF-β, and osteonectin. The hepatic AMLs consist of mainly HMB-45-positive SMLCs which have heterogenous multipotential phenotypic expression and above all neuroectodermal differentiation that includes melanocytic and schwannian differentiation. Moreover the growth with abnormal differentiation of the SMLCs must be closely based on the regulations of some factors such as tuberin, c-fos, TGF-β, and osteonectin.

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Using a percutaneous magnetic stimulator, motor evoked potentials (MEP) induced by magnetic stimulation of the cerebrum and the cervical vertebrae were recorded at the muscles to calculate the central motor conduction time after magnetic stimulation CMCT (Mg) from the motor area of the cerebral cortex to the cervical part of the spinal cord, based on latency differences in MEP. Central motor conduction time by F waves CMCT (F) was calculated by subtracting the peripheral latency from the latency of MEP produced by cranial magnetic stimulation. The subjects consisted of 20 healthy subjects, 22 patients with cervical nerve compression, 18 patients with nerve root (C₆ or C₇) compression, and 24 patients with peripheral nerve compression. The mean CMCT (Mg) was 6.73ms, and the mean CMCT (F) was 5.56ms at the abductor pollicis brevis (APB) in healthy subjects. At the abductor digiti minimi (ADM), the mean CMCT (Mg) was 7.10ms, and the mean CMCT (F) was 6.05ms. Both CMCT (Mg) and CMCT (F) were significantly longer in patients with spinal compression than in healthy subjects. In patients with nerve root compression, CMCT (Mg) at the APB of the impaired side was significantly longer than that at the healthy side and that in healthy subjects.
These results suggest that CMCT (Mg) represents the time required to conduct nerve impulses from the motor area of the cerebral cortex to the outlet of the intervertebral foramen of the nerve root, while CMCT (F) represents the time required to conduct nerve impulses from the motor area of the cerebral cortex to the spinal ventral horn cells.

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A case of 62-year-old female with repeated chest pain by micro coronary spasm is reported. Coronary arteriography revealed no significant stenosis in either right or left coronary arteries. Acetylcholine provocation test of the right coronary artery induced chest pain in the absence of coronary artery spasm on arteriogram. The electrocardiogram taken during the chest pain showed ST segment elevation in leads II and III and aVF. These findings suggest microcoronary artery spasm, which can be a cause of myocardial ischemia.

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A combination of cis-Dichlorodiammineplatinum (CDDP) and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) may be used to treat gastric carcinoma and a combination of CDDP and 5'-deoxy-5-fluorouridine (5'-DFUR) is a safe and effective outpatient treatment for advanced gastric carcinoma. However, malignant endocrine tumors of the stomach such as carcinoid and endocrine cell carcinoma rarely respond to the CDDP and 5-FU combination. We treated a gastric carcinoma patient with CDDP and 5'-DFUR. Primary and metastatic lesions decreased markedly and a total gastrectomy was possible. HE staining showed that medium-sized, spindle-shaped carcinoma cells with a high N/C ratio had proliferated, to form a solid tumor. There was a massive necrotic area in the tumor, possibly the effect of chemotherapy. Grimelius staining showed argyrophilia in tumor cells, but Fontana-Masson stain was negative. Thus, this case was diagnosed as malignant endocrine cell carcinoma of the stomach.

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We report herein a case of Crohn's disease complicated with a left psoas muscle abscess. The patient was a 23-year-old man who had been undergoing treatment for Crohn's disease for about 7 years. He presented with abdominal and extremity pains, anorexia and fever on admission. A CT scan revealed left psoas and retroperitoneal abscesses and a barium enema also showed a large extraluminal cavity. A partial resection of the descending colon, colostomy and extraperitoneal drainage were carried out. Although Crohn's disease is often complicated with abdominal abscesses, a psoas abscess is very rare. A preoperative diagnosis of the abscess can be made using radiological studies without any difficulty. However, adequate drainage of the abscess must be achieved as soon as possible and the operation may depend on the site of involvement and the condition of the patient.

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We treated a case that was suggestive of therapy for pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis (PCI) ; here, we report this case after additional observation of this therapy. A 58-year-old woman suffered chiefly from abdominal pain and hematochezia. Multiple cystic lesions and a shallow ulceration located between protrusions were observed by means of barium enema and colonoscopy. Endoscopic ultrasonography showed that gas had accumulated inside of the tumors. No malignancies were observed in the biopsy, and PCI was diagnosed. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HOP) was carried out; however, endoscopy immediately following therapy confirmed that the tumors still had not been eliminated. Since the symptoms were not serious, no further action was taken for the time being. When endoscopy was performed 6 months later, it was confirmed that the tumors had disappeared and cicatrized. Imaging revealed characteristic symptoms of PCI. Since it is a relatively rare disease, surgery is seldom performed for PCI. As a rule, HOP is carried out; however, the symptoms are not serious, and spontaneous resolution of the tumors may occur. Therefore, it is possible that, after confirming a diagnosis of PCI, it may be enough to observe the patient's progress, without resorting to HOP.

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