Because available therapy cannot always distinguish between malignant and nonmalignant cells, the toxicity ofchemotherapeutic agents to normal tissue remains a troublesome issue. Various chemotherapeutic agents such asbleomycin, doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide and L-asparaginase, which cause pulmonary fibrosis, cardiomyopathy,pancreatitis, and hemorrhagic cystitis, respectively, are familiar to radiologists. The purpose of this report isto describe the radiologic findings of various organ abnormalities related to chemotherapy.
Child* ; Cyclophosphamide ; Cystitis ; Doxorubicin ; Drug Therapy* ; Humans ; Pulmonary Fibrosis

Mucinous cystic neoplasms of the pancreas are uncommon and known to occur mainly in middle-aged women. Wepresent a case of pancreatic mucinous cystadeno-carcinoma in an 11-year-old girl who had a past history of bluntabdominal trauma. The tumor was initially mistaken for a traumatic pseudocyst. US and CT revealed a multiloculatedcystic mass in the pancreatic tail. The mass showed good transmission on ultrasonography (US) and had anattenuation value of 10 HU on CT. Metastatic lesions in the liver were also shown on follow-up study.
Child* ; Cystadenocarcinoma, Mucinous* ; Female* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Liver ; Mucins* ; Pancreas ; Ultrasonography

PURPOSE: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of Hickman catheter placement via the subclavian vein under fluoroscopic guidance with intravenous contrast injection. MATERIALS AND METHODS: During an eleven-month period, 187 Hickman catheters were percutaneously placed in 167 consecutive patients in an interventional radiology suite. Subclavian venous puncture was made with injection of contrast medium into the peripheral venous line. After subclavian venous access had been obtained, a subcutaneous tunnel was created using a peel-away sheath or a tunneler. The Hickman catheters were inserted through a peel-away sheath, the distal tip of which was at the junction of the right atrium and the superior vena cava. RESULTS: One hundred and eighty-six Hickman catheters were successfully placed; the one failure was due to an atomical tortuosity of the vein(0.53%). Complications included one case of subclavian vein occlusion (0.53%); three of line occlusion by thrombus (1.6%); one of oozing at the suture site (0.53%); six of infection or inflammation (3.2%); eight of natural removal (4.2%); one case of air embolism (0.53%) and two of malposition (0.1%). Major complications such as pneumothorax or arterial puncture leading to mediastinal hemorrhage did not, however, occur. CONCLUSION: The authors concluded that radiologic Hickman catheter placement offers advantages over traditional approaches in terms of safety, convenience, and time and cost savings.
Catheters ; Cost Savings ; Embolism, Air ; Heart Atria ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Pneumothorax ; Punctures ; Radiology, Interventional ; Subclavian Vein* ; Sutures ; Thrombosis ; Vena Cava, Superior

Apigenin (4′,5,7-trihydroxyflavone) is a flavonoid commonly found in many fruits and vegetables such as parsley, chamomile, celery, and kumquats. In the last few decades, recognition of apigenin as a cancer chemopreventive agent has increased. Significant progress has been made in studying the chemopreventive aspects of apigenin both in vitro and in vivo. Several studies have demonstrated that the anticarcinogenic properties of apigenin occur through regulation of cellular response to oxidative stress and DNA damage, suppression of inflammation and angiogenesis, retardation of cell proliferation, and induction of autophagy and apoptosis. One of the most well-recognized mechanisms of apigenin is the capability to promote cell cycle arrest and induction of apoptosis through the p53-related pathway. A further role of apigenin in chemoprevention is the induction of autophagy in several human cancer cell lines. In this review, we discuss the details of apigenin, apoptosis, autophagy, and the role of apigenin in cancer chemoprevention via the induction of apoptosis and autophagy.
Apigenin* ; Apium graveolens ; Apoptosis* ; Autophagy* ; Cell Cycle Checkpoints ; Cell Line ; Cell Proliferation ; Chamomile ; Chemoprevention ; DNA Damage ; Fruit ; Humans ; In Vitro Techniques ; Inflammation ; Oxidative Stress ; Petroselinum ; Rutaceae ; Vegetables

Ion channel inhibitors are widely used for pharmacological discrimination between the different channel types as well as for determination of their functional role. In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that 4-aminopyridine (4-AP) could affect the large conductance Ca2+ -activated K+ channel (BKCa) currents using perforated-patch or cell-attached configuration of patch-clamp technique in the rabbit pulmonary arterial smooth muscle. Application of 4-AP reversibly inhibited the spontaneous transient outward currents (STOCs). The reversal potential and the sensitivity to charybdotoxin indicated that the STOCs were due to the activation of BKCa. The BKCa currents were recorded in single channel resolution under the cell-attached mode of patch-clamp technique for minimal perturbation of intracellular environment. Application of 4-AP also inhibited the single BKCa currents reversibly and dose-dependently. The membrane potential of rabbit pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells showed spontaneous transient hyperpolarizations (STHPs), presumably due to the STOC activities, which was also inhibited by 4-AP. These results suggest that 4-AP can inhibit BKCa currents in the intact rabbit vascular smooth muscle. The use of 4-AP as a selective voltage-dependent K+ (KV) channel blocker in vascular smooth muscle, therefore, must be reevaluated.
4-Aminopyridine* ; Charybdotoxin ; Discrimination (Psychology) ; Ion Channels ; Membrane Potentials ; Muscle, Smooth* ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular ; Myocytes, Smooth Muscle* ; Patch-Clamp Techniques ; Pulmonary Artery

Extranodal presentation of diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBL) is frequently observed in the gastrointestinal tract, CNS, bone, testes and liver. However, the simultaneous detection of multiple extranodal involvement at presentation is quite an uncommon occurrence. In this study, we report on a patient with an uncommon presentation of DLBL, and he had symptoms of left knee joint pain and hematemesis, characterized by bone and stomach involvement. Computed tomography and fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) scanning revealed a rapid, extensive spread to the bones and soft tissues. Subsequent histopathological examination verified the bony and gastric CD20-positive DLBL localization. We diagnosed this case as DLBL of stage IV with an international prognostic index of 3, and classified him into the high intermediate risk group. This patient was treated via chemotherapy with an R-CHOP regimen. After achieving a partial response, the patient received autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation. The patient attained partial remission, as shown on the FDG-PET scan, and he displayed improvement of his left femur pain.
Autografts* ; Drug Therapy ; Femur ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; Hematemesis ; Humans ; Knee Joint ; Liver ; Lymphoma, B-Cell ; Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Transplantation ; Stomach ; Testis ; Transplantation, Autologous*

PURPOSE: We have assessed the clinical usefulness of solid maker transit technique and Barr-score in 31 patients with idiopathic constipation (male:female; 17:14, mean age; 6.7 years, range 1.4-12 years). METHODS: All patients underwent full history taking and physical examination including rectal examination. On first visit to gastroenterology clinic a plain abdominal film was taken for Barr-score which evaluated by two observers without the information of the patients. Kappa score was calculated for inter or intra observer variability. Sitz marker were given orally at 9 am on days 1, 2 and 3, and another plain abdominal film was taken on day 5. Total remained solid marker were counted for the degree of retention. We calulated the residual sitz marker. Each film was divided into right colon, left colon and rectosigmoid areas, using bony landmarks, and the marker content of each area counted. RESULTS: 2 patients were excluded because they resisted to take sitz maker. Transit times were normal, mild, moderate and severe delay in 12 patients, 2 patients, 3 patients and 12 patients respectively on day 5 film. The correlation coefficiency between the degree of transit delay and clinical severity was 0.89. Among 14 patients with transit delay, 12 patients has outlet obstruction, 1 patient right colonic delay and 1 patients left colonic delay. The Kappa for inter and intra-personal variability were 4.13 and 4.18 respectively (moderate consistency each). The correlation coefficiency between Barr-score and solid marker colonic transit time was 0.603 (P=0.0008). CONCLUSIONS: This results showed that the solid marker colonic transit time and Barr score were useful in evaluation of patients with constipation.
Colon ; Constipation* ; Gastroenterology ; Humans ; Observer Variation ; Patient Rights ; Physical Examination

PURPOSE: For the treatment of arterial lesions occurring after catheterization, ultrasound-guided compressionrepair (UGCR) has recently been introduced. Using this technique, we repeatedly attempted treatment of theselesions and assessed their characteristics, as seen on US. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We prospectively studied 21patients who had suffered arterial injury (16 pseudoaneurysms and five arteriovenous fistulae) during arterialcatheterization. Occlusion of one pseudoaneurysm (PA) occurred spontaneously. UGCR was attempted in 20 casesinvolving arterial injury, including two which had occurred five months earlier. In six lesions, multiple attemptswere necessary. RESULTS: UGCR was successful in 18 (90%) of 20 arterial injuries, and all 15 PAs weresuccessfully treated;eight were completely closed at the first attempt, five were seen on follow-up US to havebeen closed after the first attempt, and two were completely closed at the second attempt. Three of fiveateriovenous fistulae (AVF) were successfully closed, one was completely closed at the first attempt, and two atthe second attempt. Mean compression time was 37(range:3-75)min in AVFs. Mean diameter of the cavity of PAs was3.8(range:1.5-10)cm;mean width of the track was 2.6(range:1-5)mm in PAs and 3.8(range:1.6-8)mm in AVFs. CONCLUSION: USGC can be successful after multiple attempts, even in patients with large cavity lesions and in chronic cases.AVFs with wide necks need a longer compression time and the results of the procedure are poorer.
Aneurysm, False* ; Catheterization ; Catheters ; Fistula ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Neck ; Prospective Studies

Ketamine is an anesthetic with hypertensive effects, which make it useful for patients at risk of shock. However, previous ex vivo studies reported vasodilatory actions of ketamine in isolated arteries. In this study, we reexamined the effects of ketamine on arterial tones in the presence and absence of physiological concentrations of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and norepinephrine (NE) by measuring the isometric tension of endothelium-denuded rat mesenteric arterial rings. Ketamine little affected the resting tone of control mesenteric arterial rings, but, in the presence of 5-HT (100~200 nM), ketamine (10~100 µM) markedly contracted the arterial rings. Ketamine did not contract arterial rings in the presence of NE (10 nM), indicating that the vasoconstrictive action of ketamine is 5-HT-dependent. The concentration-response curves (CRCs) of 5-HT were clearly shifted to the left in the presence of ketamine (30 µM), whereas the CRCs of NE were little affected by ketamine. The left shift of the 5-HT CRCs caused by ketamine was reversed with ketanserin, a competitive 5-HT(2A) receptor inhibitor, indicating that ketamine facilitated the activation of 5-HT(2A) receptors. Anpirtoline and BW723C86, selective agonists of 5-HT(1B) and 5-HT(2B) receptors, respectively, did not contract arterial rings in the absence or presence of ketamine. These results indicate that ketamine specifically enhances 5-HT(2A) receptor-mediated vasoconstriction and that it is vasoconstrictive in a clinical setting. The facilitative action of ketamine on 5-HT(2A) receptors should be considered in ketamine-induced hypertension as well as in the pathogenesis of diseases such as schizophrenia, wherein experimental animal models are frequently generated using ketamine.
Animals ; Arteries ; Blood Pressure ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Ketamine* ; Ketanserin ; Mesenteric Arteries* ; Models, Animal ; Norepinephrine ; Rats* ; Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT2A ; Schizophrenia ; Serotonin ; Shock ; Vasoconstriction

PURPOSE: Cavernous nerve resection (CNR) in rats is a standard model of animal experiments on erectile dysfunction (ED) that occurs after radical prostatectomy (RP). Injured cavernous nerves after surgery can cause fibrosis and apoptosis that lead to penile structural changes that may be accompanied by alterations of protein expression. This study aimed to analyze the changes in protein after CNR in Wistar Kyoto rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Using 8-week-old male Wistar Kyoto rats, sham and CNR operation under a microscope were performed. Two and 8 weeks after surgery, we applied 2-DE and MALDI-TOF/TOF (AB 4700) to identify differently expressed penile proteins after CNR. 2-DE gels were stained with silver nitrate and were analyzed with PDQuest. After in-gel digestion, peptide mass spectra were obtained by MALDI-TOF/TOF mass spectrometry in the positive ion reflector mode. The obtained data were screened with a rat database from both the NCBI and the Swiss-Prot/TrFMBL home page. RESULTS: The proteins that were changed more than 1.5-fold compared with the sham group were annexin A4 and pyruvate kinase (PK). Annexin A4 was increased by 1.75-fold after 2 weeks, whereas PK was decreased by 4.16 after 8 weeks. These results were confirmed by immunohistochemistry. CONCLUSIONS: Annexin A4 in the CNR group was increased, which may be related to emiocytosis during apoptosis. The decrease in PK of the CNR group is assumed to be related to a decrease in efficacy during glycolysis. Further study will be needed to elucidate the molecular pathophysiology of ED after cavernous nerve injury.
Animal Experimentation ; Animals ; Annexin A4 ; Apoptosis ; Caves ; Digestion ; Erectile Dysfunction ; Fibrosis ; Gels ; Glycolysis ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Male ; Mass Spectrometry ; Prostatectomy ; Proteins ; Proteomics ; Pyruvate Kinase ; Rats ; Rats, Inbred WKY ; Salicylamides ; Silver Nitrate