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Purpose: Oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL) plays a key role in endothelial dysfunction, vascular inflammation, and atherogenesis. The aim of this study was to assess blood clearance and in vivo kinetics of radiolabeled oxLDL in mice., Methods: We synthesized 123 I-oxLDL by the iodine monochloride method, and performed an uptake study in CHO cells transfected with lectin-like oxLDL receptor-1 (LOX-1). In addition, we evaluated the consistency between the 123 I-oxLDL autoradiogram and the fluorescence image of DiI-oxLDL after intravenous injection for both spleen and liver. Whole-body dynamic planar images were acquired 10 min post injection of 123 I-oxLDL to generate regional time-activity curves (TACs) of the liver, heart, lungs, kidney, head, and abdomen. Regional radioactivity for those excised tissues as well as the bladder, stomach, gut, and thyroid were assessed using a gamma counter, yielding percent injected dose (%ID) and dose uptake ratio (DUR). The presence of 123 I-oxLDL in serum was assessed by radio-HPLC., Results: The cellular uptakes of 123 I-oxLDL were identical to those of DiI-oxLDL, and autoradiograms and fluorescence images also exhibited consistent distributions. TACs after injection of 123 I-oxLDL demonstrated extremely fast kinetics. The radioactivity uptake at 10 min post-injection was highest in the liver (40.8 ± 2.4% ID). Notably, radioactivity uptake was equivalent throughout the rest of the body (39.4 ± 2.7% ID). HPLC analysis revealed no remaining 123 I-oxLDL or its metabolites in the blood., Conclusion: 123 I-OxLDL was widely distributed not only in the liver, but also throughout the whole body, providing insight into the pathophysiological effects of oxLDL., Competing Interests: Compliance with Ethical StandardsAtushi Nakano, Hidekazu Kawashima, Yoshinori Miyake, Tsutomu Zeniya, Kazuhiro Koshino, Takashi Temma, Tetsuya Fukuda, Yoshiko Fujita, Akemi Kakino, Shigehiko Kanaya, and Tatsuya Sawamura declare that they have no conflict of interest. Hidehiro Iida received research grants from Chugai Yakuhin, Japan, Nihon Medi Physics, Japan and Molecular Imaging Labo, Japan. Akihide Yamamoto is paid by Molecular Imaging lab, Japan. This study was supported by the Budget for Nuclear Research of MEXT (Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Japan), a Grant for Translational Research from MHLW (Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, Japan), a Grant for Strategic Japanese-Finnish Research Cooperative Program on “Application of Medical ICT Devices” from Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED), Japan, and JSPS KAKENHI Grants (Number: 24,601,021 and 15 K01309).The animal experiments in this study were conducted in accordance with guidelines for animal research on Human Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (Rockville, National Institute of Health/Office for Protection from Research Risks, 1996). The study protocol was approved by the Sub-committee for Laboratory Animal Welfare, National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center Research Institute, Osaka, Japan.The present study included only animal data, thus our institute approved that the requirement to obtain informed consent was waived.

Calcium phosphate cements (CPCs) were prepared using Ca4(PO4)2O (TeCP) and modified CaHPO4 (DCPA) to evaluate the effects of the powder properties for DCPA particles on the setting time and formability of the resulting CPCs. Two types of modified DCPA were prepared by milling commercially available DCPA with ethanol (to produce E-DCPA) or distilled water (to produce W-DCPA). The E-DCPA samples consisted of well-dispersed, fine primary particles, while the W-DCPA samples contained agglomerated particles, and had a smaller specific surface area. The mean particle size decreased with increased milling time in both cases. The raw CPC powders prepared using W-DCPA had a higher packing density than those prepared using E-DCPA, regardless of the mean particle size. The setting time of the CPC paste after mixing with distilled water decreased with decreases in the mean particle size and specific surface area, for both types of DCPA. The CPCs prepared using W-DCPA showed larger plasticity values compared with those prepared using E-DCPA, which contributed to the superior formability of the W-DCPA samples. The CPCs prepared using W-DCPA showed a short setting time and large plasticity values, despite the fact that only a small amount of liquid was used for the mixing of the raw CPC powders (a liquid-to-powder ratio of 0.25 g g(-1) was used). It is likely that the higher packing density of the raw CPC powders prepared using W-DCPA was responsible for the higher performance of the resulting CPCs.

Serum concentrations of carboxyterminal propeptide of type I procollagen (PICP) and carboxyterminal parathyroid hormone (C-PTH) were measured in 33 haemodialysis patients. Serum levels of PICP and C-PTH in the haemodialysis group were significantly higher than those in the controls. Although there was no correlation between serum C-PTH and creatinine, a positive correlation was found between PICP and creatinine. This indicates that the measurement of PICP in serum is useful for monitoring metabolic bone diseases in haemodialysis patients.

Although we reported that basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) levels in pericardial fluid of patients with unstable angina are apparently increased, it was unclear whether vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is also increased in patients with myocardial ischemia. Using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, we measured the concentrations of VEGF and bFGF in pericardial fluid of 51 patients with open heart surgery. Patients were divided into group A (n=10) with class III unstable angina (Braunwald's classification), group B (n=24) with class I or II unstable angina or stable angina and group C (n=17) with non-ischemic heart disease. The VEGF level in pericardial fluid in group A was 83+/-7 pg/ml, being significantly (p<0.001) higher than the 27+/-3 pg/ml in group B and the 28+/-5 pg/ml in group C. The concentrations of bFGF in pericardial fluid in groups A and B were 1461+/-579 and 1224+/-161 pg/ml, respectively, significantly (p<0.05) higher than the 292+/-97 pg/ml in group C. The level of VEGF in pericardial fluid was increased only in patients with severe rest angina within 2 days before emergency coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG), while bFGF was increased in all patients undergoing CABG for coronary artery disease. Thus VEGF and bFGF may play important roles in mediating collateral growth in humans.

Gross haematuria and severe bleeding from the large intestine occurred after pelvic radiotherapy in an 84-year-old woman with cancer of the uterus. Hyperbaric oxygenation treatment at 2 atmospheric absolute pressures for 60 minutes daily over 30 days and infusion of prostaglandin E1 abolished completely haematuria and tarry stool, and reversed the endoscopic findings of radiation cystitis and colitis.

Chromosome analysis of peripheral lymphocytes from a boy with Prader-Willi syndrome showed the presence of 45 chromosomes, including der(Y) resulting from a t(Y;15) (q12;q11.2). In situ hybridization using DYZ3 and D15S11 showed a positive signal and negative signal in derivative Y chromosome, respectively. The deficiency of 15pter q11.2 may not influence the clinical manifestation of Prader-Willi syndrome.

Malacoplakia of the urinary bladder was seen in a 69-year-old woman with haematuria. We firstly treated her with distigmine bromide, ascorbic acid and trimethro-prim-sulfamethoxazole. Haematuria subsided but the lesion did not change after 6 weeks. Thereafter we tried enoxacine therapy. Eight weeks after the medication the tumorous lesion disappeared. Bladder biopsy performed 4 months after the initiation of the treatment revealed predominantly granulation tissue. We can find no previous case treated successfully with long-term enoxacine.

We report a case of reciprocal translocation of autosome associated with bilateral cryptorchidism. Hormonal conditions in cases with cryptorchidism during childhood are discussed.

Chromosome analysis was performed in 160 patients with cryptorchidism. Chromosomal anomalies were found in 7 patients (4.4%). The incidence of chromosomal abnormalities was not significantly different between patients with bilateral or unilateral cryptorchidism. Of 7 patients, 1 had sex chromosomal aberration, 2 had marker chromosome and 4 had autosomal anomalies. Additional congenital anomalies were observed in 1 with sex chromosomal aberration, 2 with marker chromosome and 2 with autosomal anomaly. These facts indicate that we had better perform chromosome analysis in all patients with bilateral or unilateral cryptorchidism.

A 76-year-old man with renal artery aneurysm was successfully treated by transcatheter embolization with complete preservation of renal blood flow. Embolization was performed with detachable platinum coils. Two months later, follow-up angiography showed completely packed aneurysm and preserved blood flow of the branch. It may be reasonable to consider that embolization of the aneurysm is the primary treatment modality for some of the patients with renal artery aneurysm.

Eighteen previously untreated patients with metastatic carcinoma of the prostate were treated with LHRH analogue. They were divided into 3 groups according to the degree of glandular differentiation. In all groups, a transient rise of PAP and PSA was observed after the LH and testosterone surge. However, relative values of LH, testosterone, PAP and PSA did not differ significantly among the 3 groups. These facts suggest that a transient rise of PAP and PSA is caused by testosterone surge independently from the degree of glandular differentiation after LHRH analogue administration in patients with advanced prostatic cancer.

Serum concentration of iopamidol was measured in 29 male patients with outlet obstructive symptoms after retrograde urethrography. Although no patient showed extravasation, serum iopamidol level was detectable in 4 (14%) patients. Since severe adverse effects are considerably reduced with iopamidol, we prefer to use this contrast medium for retrograde urethrography in male patients with outlet obstructive symptoms.

Hormonal and ultrastructural examinations of the testis were performed in a patient with Down's syndrome. Plasma testosterone was abnormally low, and circulating levels of LH and FSH were higher than the normal range. The administration of HCG resulted in a low response of plasma testosterone. Electron microscopy revealed proliferation of smooth endoplasmic reticulum, an increase in paracrystalline inclusions and the absence of Reinke's crystals in Leydig cells.

Serum levels of immunosuppressive acidic protein (IAP) were measured in 20 haemodialysis patients with acquired cystic disease of the kidney (ACDK) and in 44 without it. Serum IAP levels in haemodialysis patients with and without ACDK were significantly elevated compared to that in controls. However, there was no considerable difference between haemodialysis patients with and without ACDK. A significant reduction in this marker was not found after dialysis treatment. This indicates that elevation of IAP may be related to an increased incidence of renal cell carcinoma in haemodialysis patients.

The effect of recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO) on synthesis of methylguanidine was studied in 6 uraemic patients on haemodialysis and 5 uraemic patients on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD). The two groups of patients were started on a 24-week course of thrice weekly 1500 IU of rHuEPO by the intravenous route. Serum methylguanidine level and methylguanidine/creatinine ratio were comparable in these groups. In the two groups no significant differences were observed in these measurements comparing the pretreatment values with those 4, 8, 12 or 24 weeks after starting rHuEPO administration. During rHuEPO therapy, serum methylguanidine levels and methylguanidine/creatinine ratio showed no considerable difference between the two groups. These findings suggest that administration of rHuEPO does not alter methylguanidine synthesis in uraemic patients on haemodialysis and CAPD.

The changes in haemoglobin concentration, haematocrit, plasma renin activity (PRA) and atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) were studied in 10 haemodialysis patients with erythropoietin-associated hypertension. All patients received intravenously 1500 IU of recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO) thrice weekly for 24 weeks. Treatment with rHuEPO induced significant rises in haemoglobin concentration (p < 0.001) and haematocrit (p < 0.01). However, the difference between post- and pretreatment levels of haemoglobin (delta Hb) was not correlated with that between post- and pre-treatment mean blood pressure (delta MBP). No correlation was found between delta Ht (difference between post- and pre-treatment values of haematocrit) and delta MBP. These results indicate that elevation of the haematocrit and haemoglobin concentration of haemodialysis patients does not necessarily lead to an increase in blood pressure. In these patients, no significant differences were observed in PRA and ANP, comparing pre-treatment values with those measured 4, 8, 12 or 24 weeks after commencing rHuEPO. This suggests that neither PRA nor ANP play a central role in the pathogenesis of rHuEPO-induced hypertension.

Two cases of acute focal bacterial nephritis (AFBN) are reported. The first patient was a 35-year-old man and the diagnosis was made by ultrasonography (US) and computed tomography (CT). The second patient was a 40-year-old man and was diagnosed by US, CT and renal biopsy. They were treated with antibiotics and showed rapid improvement in both clinical symptoms and renal masses.

Nerve conduction velocities and hair concentrations of trace elements were studied in 19 male patients with chronic renal failure undergoing haemodialysis. Both motor and sensory nerve conduction velocities were significantly lower in haemodialysis patients as compared to controls (p < 0.001). Calcium and aluminium concentrations were significantly higher in patients (p < 0.01), however, vanadium and arsenic levels were significantly lower in patients (p < 0.01). In concentrations of copper and zinc there was no significant difference between patients and controls. There were no significant correlations between hair concentrations of trace elements and nerve conduction velocities except between calcium concentration and sensory nerve conduction velocity. These facts suggest that nerve conduction velocities are not influenced by changes of trace element concentrations in hair in patients with chronic renal failure undergoing haemodialysis.