We report a rare case of primary cardiac lymphoma in the right atrium. An 85-year-old woman with severe heart failure was referred to our hospital. The echocardiography revealed a huge tumor occupying the right atrial cavity. We conducted an emergency operation to resect the tumor. However, as the tumor strongly adhered to the wall of the right atrium and tricuspid valve, we performed partial resection of the tumor to improve hemodynamics. The pathological examination of the tumor was consistent with malignant lymphoma of B-cell origin. Although the postoperative chemotherapy was effective to reduce a volume of the tumor, the patient died because of the adverse reaction to medication.

We studied 73 patients, 70 years of age or older, who underwent aortic valve replacement for aortic stenosis between October, 1990 and October, 2004. There were 31 men and 42 women with a mean age of 75.7±3.6 years. Mechanical valves were implanted in 37 patients, and bioprostheses in 36 patients. Operative mortality was 1 of 73 (1.4%) and the New York Heart Association functional class improved to class I or class II in all of the hospital survivors. Follow-up (100%) extended from 0.3 to 11.6 years (mean 3.7 years). There were 16 late deaths (5.9% per patient-year), including valve-related deaths in 6 patients. The overall survival rates at 5 and 10 years was 74.2% and 44.3%, respectively. The freedom from valve-related events at 5 and 10 years was 78.8% and 78.8%, respectively. The 10-year survival rates and freedom from valve-related events were not different between the patients with mechanical valves and those with bioprostheses. The size of the implanted valve did not influence the late survival or freedom from valve-related events. The outcome after aortic valve replacement in the elderly (70 years and older) was excellent with low operative mortality, and acceptable late mortality and morbidity. Thus, aortic valve replacement for elderly patients should have the same indications as for younger patients. Bioprostheses showed good long-term results with no structural valve deterioration, thromboembolism, or bleeding events. Mechanical valves, which required the maintenance of an anticoagulant therapy, were also useful with acceptable late morbidity. The long-term results with small valves (≤19mm) were comparable to the results with large valves (>19mm) in the elderly. Thus, the use of these small valves in this particular age group seems to be acceptable.

Caudolateral curvilinear osteophyte (CCO), an osteophyte at the site of joint capsule attachment on the caudal aspect of the femoral neck, has been advocated as a radiographic criterion for coxofemoral subluxation. The correlation between the presence of CCO on radiographs (radiographic-CCO), the size of the CCO (CCO index) on three-dimensional computed tomographic (CT) images, and hip evaluation using transverse CT images was assessed in 22 Border Collies. CCOs were detected on the radiographs and CT images of 32% and 100% femurs, respectively. The CCO index correlated significantly with radiographic-CCO, but a large CCO index did not necessarily imply that the CCO was visible on radiographs. Hence, radiographic-CCO findings should be used cautiously in hip evaluation of Border Collies.
Animals ; Dog Diseases/*physiopathology/radiography ; Dogs ; Female ; Hip Dysplasia, Canine/*physiopathology/radiography ; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted ; Male ; Osteophyte/*physiopathology/radiography ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed/veterinary

OBJECTIVESBisphenol A (BPA), a raw material commonly used in the manufacture of resins such as polycarbonate and epoxy, is a possible xenoestrogen that is hypothesized to disrupt the human endocrine system. Humans are widely exposed to BPA. We investigated the urinary concentration of BPA in infertile Japanese women and its possible association with endometriosis.

MATERIALS AND METHODSWe recruited 166 women (aged 20-45) who had complained of infertility and visited a university hospital in Tokyo. The subjects were interviewed and their urine samples were obtained prior to a laparoscopic diagnosis of endometriosis between January 2000 and December 2001. Urinary total BPA concentration in 140 eligible urine samples was then measured using enzymatic deconjugation of glucuronide and sulfate and high-performance liquid chromatography isotope-dilution tandem mass spectrometry.

RESULTSMedian (25th-75th percentile) unadjusted and creatinine-adjusted urinary BPA concentrations were 1.6 (0.69-2.8) μg/L and 0.80 (0.45-1.3) μg/g creatinine. No significant monotonic association of endometriosis with urinary BPA concentration was observed. Median urinary BPA concentration in women with stage 0-1 endometriosis (0.74 μg/g creatinine) did not significantly differ from that in those with stage II-IV endometriosis (0.93 μg/g creatinine) (p for difference=0.24).

CONCLUSIONSThis study, based on a larger number of samples than those in previous studies in Japan and using the most reliable analytical method currently available, showed that urinary concentrations of BPA in women who consulted a physician for infertility were not higher than those in other populations. Moreover, no association between urinary BPA concentration and endometriosis was found in this cross-sectional study.