We present a case of large splenic hemangiosarcoma in a 40-year-old man associated with consumptive coagulopathy. Computed tomography showed radial calcification within the splenic tumor. On magnetic resonance imaging, T2 shortening represented a meshwork of calcification and surrounding fibrosis. The possibility of hemangiosarcoma should be considered when a large splenic tumor with massive calcification is noted.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Ultrastructural study of glomerular basement membrane in diabetic rats by the quick-freezing and deep-etching method.

The three-dimensional ultrastructure of glomerular basement membrane (GBM) and mesangium in very early stage of streptozotocin-induced diabetic rat kidney was examined by the quick-freezing and deep-etching method. In control rats GBM was composed of three layers. Outer and inner layers consisted of files of fibrils that connected endothelial or epithelial cells perpendicularly with meshwork of a middle layer that also consisted of dense meshwork structure composed of fibrils. In diabetic rats, perpendicular fibrils of the inner layer were irregular and disrupted, and the layer was enlarged. The meshwork structure of the middle layer was irregularly enlarged, and matrix fibrils were disrupted. Early insulin treatment prevents these morphological changes. Furthermore, early administration of beraprost sodium, a PGI2 analogue, might have beneficial effects in preventing the progression of these changes.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

The ultrastructure of the lens capsule abnormalities in Alport's syndrome.

The ultrastructure of lens capsule abnormalities in Alport's syndrome is reported. An anterior lens capsule from a 29-year-old patient with lenticonus who was affected by Alport's syndrome was obtained at the time of surgery. The histopathologic findings showed the thickness of the anterior lens capsule was decreased and there were many vertical capsular dehiscences localized at the inner part of the lens capsule. Almost every dehiscence was limited to the inner two thirds of the capsule. One should be cautious in attempting intraocular lens implantation into the lens capsule of patients with Alport's syndrome, because the lens capsule may be fragile in this disease.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Effects of somatostatin deficiency on cell distribution within the Langerhans islets.

Insulin, glucagon and somatostatin (SLI) in the pancreas and the gastrointestinal tissue of rats were measured following a high (300 mg/kg) or low (150 mg/kg) dose of cysteamine, given intermittently for 14 days. In addition, the effect of prolonged cysteamine-induced depletion of pancreatic SLI upon the cell distribution within the Langerhans islets was compared with that of chronic insulin-deficient rats produced by streptozotocin. The high or low dose of cysteamine reduced pancreatic SLI to 8.3% and gastrointestinal SLI to 5.6% of control levels without duodenal ulcer. The high dose of cysteamine also reduced pancreatic insulin to 37% of controls without hyperglycemia. No change in the glucagon concentration was observed. In SLI-deficient rats, distribution of A and B cells was similar to that of controls, even though D cells were rarely seen. In insulin-deficient rats, however, the number of A and D cells per islet area increased with a concomitant decrease in B cells. Intermittent administration of a low dose of cysteamine, thus, appears to be useful to produce a chronic SLI-deficient rat. However, a high dose of cysteamine is not a specific depletor of pancreatic SLI. Although insulin may be important to maintain normal cell distribution within the islets, pancreatic SLI may not have such a role.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Inhibition of kinin degradation on the luminal side of renal tubules reduces high blood pressure in deoxycorticosterone acetate salt-treated rats.

1. To determine whether the antihypertensive response in deoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA) salt-treated rats was mediated by kinins on the luminal side of renal tubules or in the circulation, selective urinary kininase inhibitors were administered to normal Brown Norway Kitasato (BN-Ki) rats and kininogen-deficient Brown Norway Katholiek (BN-Ka) rats. 2. Kinins were degraded by neutral endopeptidase (NEP) and carboxypeptidase Y-like kininase (CPY) in urine, but were inactivated mainly by angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) in the plasma. 3. Ebelactone B inhibited CPY, while poststatin inhibited CPY and NEP. 4. Daily administration of poststatin (5 mg/kg per day, s.c.) for 3 days reduced blood pressure (BP) in DOCA salt-treated BN-Ki rats, but not in BN-Ka rats. 5. Ebelactone B (5 mg/kg per day, s.c.) also reduced BP in BN-Ki rats, which was accompanied by increased urinary sodium excretion, but had no effect on BP in BN-Ka rats. 6. Lisinopril (5 mg/kg per day, s.c.) had no effect on BP in either rat strain. 7. Arterial kinin levels in BN-Ki rats increased significantly (2.2-4.6 pg/mL) with captopril (10 mg/kg, s.c.). However, arterial kinin levels that induced hypotension following the infusion of bradykinin (1000 ng/kg per min, i.v.) were 110-fold higher than endogenous arterial kinin levels attained following captopril. 8. These results suggest that inhibition of kinin degradation on the luminal side of the renal tubules may effectively attenuate hypertension.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Effect of an alpha-glucosidase inhibitor (voglibose), in combination with sulphonylureas, on glycaemic control in type 2 diabetes patients.

A multicentre study was conducted to evaluate the effect of the alpha-glucosidase inhibitor, voglibose, on glycaemic control in 113 patients with type 2 diabetes whose blood glucose control was poor on treatment with a sulphonylurea drug. The patients were treated for 24 weeks with 0.6 mg voglibose, given orally three times daily, before a meal, together with their usual sulphonylurea drug treatment. In the 86 patients who completed the study, fasting plasma glucose, 2-h post-prandial plasma glucose and haemoglobin showed statistically significant decreases in FPG, 2h-PPG and HbA1c compared with the baseline (P < 0.05) at almost all time-points during treatment. No serious adverse reactions were reported and there were no significant changes in mean body weights. Plasma glucose control was considered to be improved in 65% of patients; there were no adverse events in 92.9% of patients. The results suggest that the combined use of this alpha-glucosidase inhibitor and sulphonylurea drugs may be effective in controlling plasma glucose in patients with type 2 diabetes and that this combination might delay the onset of vascular complications in these patients.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Inhibitory effects of combined administration of 5-FU and Krestin on liver cancer KDH-8 in WKA/H rats.

The effectiveness of the combined administration of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and Krestin (PSK) on experimentally induced liver cancer has not been established. This study was undertaken to elucidate the effect of the combined administration of these drugs on tumor growth and metastasis. Male inbred WKA/H strain rats were used. The drugs used were 5-FU and PSK, each dissolved in water and fed orally. The drugs were administered separately or concurrently in standardized cycles to the tumor-bearing animals. KDH-8 ascitic liver cancer cells were subcutaneously transplanted into WKA rats. The tumor growth inhibition rates of 5-FU and PSK were then determined. Eighteen days after subcutaneous transplantation, tumor growth in the combined administration group was significantly inhibited, compared to the control group and the single treatment groups (p < .05). In addition, a liver metastatic model was prepared by transplanting KDH-8 cells into the spleen. Then the metastatic inhibitory effects of 5-FU and PSK were analyzed. At 14 days, the mean number of liver metastatic nodules was approximately 63 in the control group. However, the combined-medicated group showed a much lower number of nodules (40), indicating that metastasis was significantly inhibited (p < .05).

Adjuvants, Immunologic↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Effects on host of modified PVP therapy combined with biological response modifiers in lung cancer.

We relieved several side effects by modifying chemotherapy and concurrently using biological response modifiers (BRMs) to experimentally and clinically investigate treatment, which can maintain quality of life (QOL) for lung cancer patients including changes in systemic immune capacity. sIL-2R levels are useful for predicting the course after recurrence. Immunosuppressive acid protein (IAP) levels are useful for detecting the presence or absence of recurrence and for predicting prognosis. BRMs are useful for continuing modified PVP (CDDP + VP-16) therapy, and sIL-2R and IAP levels for clarifying host conditions.

Aged↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Efficacy of immunochemotherapy with Ftorafur and Krestin in rats.

The effectiveness of combined administration of Ftorafur (FT) and Krestin (PSK) on experimentally-induced liver cancer has not been established. This study was undertaken to elucidate the effect of combined administration of these drugs on tumor growth and temporal changes in the immuno-endocrine system under this immunochemotherapy. Male inbred WKA/H strain rats were used. The drugs used were FT and PSK, each dissolved in water and fed orally. The drugs were administered separately but concomitantly in standardized cycles to the tumor-bearing animals. KDH-8 ascitic liver cancer cells were subcutaneously transplanted into WKA rats. The tumor growth inhibition rate of FT and PSK was then determined. Twenty-one days after subcutaneous transplantation, tumor growth in the combined administration transplantation, tumor growth in the combined administration group was significantly inhibited, compared to the control group (p < 0.001). At fourteen days, plasma ACTH levels of the FT + PSK combined group were significantly lower than those of the control group (p < 0.001).

Adjuvants, Immunologic↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Temporal changes in ACTH, cortisol and IAP in rats under immunochemotherapy with 5-FU and Krestine.

In this study we investigated temporal changes in both the endocrine system and immunity in rats under immunochemotherapy with 5-FU and Krestine (PSK). This immunochemotherapy was performed on two types of groups, non-cancer-bearing rats and cancer-bearing rats. As hosts, inbred strain WKA/HA 5-week-old male rats and as tumors, transplantable ascitic liver cancer KDH-8 cells were used. Our results indicated that 1) in the non-cancer-bearing rats, 5-FU administration led to an increase in serum cortisol and IAP, however, PSK concurrent administration clearly lowered the levels of cortisol and IAP; 2) in the cancer-bearing rats, the levels of ACTH, cortisol and IAP increased as the cancer progressed, but in the immunothemotherapy administration groups these levels were lower; 3) the immunothemotherapy administration group had greater effects on both tumor growth and liver metastasis.

Adjuvants, Immunologic↗