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An oncocytoma of the upper eyelid that occurred in an 82-year-old male was studied immunohistologically according to the avidin-biotin-peroxidase complex method (secretory component, carbohydrate antigen 19-9, carcinoembryonic antigen, anticytokeratin AE1/AE3, S-100 protein, myoglobin, actin, vimentin). The staining properties of columnar-type oncocytes were the same as those of epithelial cells of excretory ducts of Moll's gland, but those of polygonal-type oncocytes were similar to those of myoepithelial cells of Moll's gland. Our results suggested that excretory duct epithelial cells of Moll's gland are the origin of oncocytoma of the eyelid.

Oncocytoma rarely arises from the eyelid and only 2 cases have been reported previously. We present a case of oncocytoma in the upper eyelid around the lacrimal punctum. Anatomical location and histological findings suggested that oncocytes of this tumor originated from the epithelium of Moll's gland or the lacrimal canaliculus.

Histological findings in a 75-year-old man with idiopathic capsular delamination were reported. The anterior capsules were obtained during extracapsular cataract extraction, and examined by light and electron microscope. The epithelial side of the anterior capsules protruded towards the anterior chamber at the edge of the delaminated areas. This finding has not been described previously, and the defect in this fragile region was thought to be the cause of capsular delamination.

Watanabe heritable hyperlipidemic rabbits aged three months (young group) or 10 months (adult group) received 10 mg/kg of simvastatin daily for 24 weeks. Serum levels of total cholesterol, triglycerides, and beta-lipoproteins were reduced significantly in the treated animals but not in untreated controls. The decreases were greater in the young than in the adult animals. Levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol were not affected by treatment. At 24 weeks, the extent of atheromatous lesions on the thoracic-abdominal aorta was lower in the treated animals than in the controls, but the difference was significant only in the young animals. The results indicate that simvastatin would be effective in the treatment of atherosclerosis.

It is well known that abnormality of the coagulation-fibrinolytic system and serum lipids plays an important role in the development of thrombi and atherosclerotic disease. In the present study, the correlation between the activity of tissue plasminogen activator (TPA), the levels of tissue plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI-1) and serum lipids (TC, TG, beta-Lp, HDLC, LDLC and apolipoproteins) were studied in 102 healthy subjects. The activity of TPA showed negative correlation with the obesity rate (r = 0.21, p less than 0.05) but levels of PAI-1 antigen showed a positive correlation with the obesity rate (r = 0.182, p less than 0.1). The activity of TPA showed no correlation with serum lipids including apolipoproteins, while the levels of PAI-1 antigen showed a positive correlation between TG and beta-Lp (r = 0.292, p less than 0.01, r = 0.211, p less than 0.05). The levels of PAI-1 antigen showed a negative correlation with HDLC (r = -0.286, p less than 0.01). These results indicate that TPA and PAI-1 play an important role in the development of thrombotic disease and atherosclerotic disease.

The mouse pericardium is a continuous serous membrane, up to postnatal day 6 (P6), that consists of pericardial and pleural mesothelia with sparse connective tissue sandwiched in between. This study shows that on P7 the pericardium becomes fenestrated, and the pericardial and pleural cavities become continuous. We found that the number of pores per pericardium increased continuously with the advance of age and reached as many as 3000 on P21. Transmission electron microscopy of the pericardium revealed various structures of the pericardial and pleural mesothelia that may relate to the formation of the pericardial pores. The pericardial and pleural mesothelia were adjoined with cytoplasmic processes that extended toward the base of the opposing mesothelium. As a result of the adjoinment, a pair of U-shaped folds were formed. The two U-shaped folds were connected with tight junctions at their apices, and separation of these junctions may give rise to the pericardial pores.

Golden hamster diaphragms were observed with both light and electron microscopes to examine the distribution of lymphatic stomata and their morphological features. Lymphatic stomata were present on the inferior surface but absent on the superior surface. This observation was also supported by the results of India ink injection into the peritoneal and pleural cavities. On the inferior surface of the diaphragm, lymphatic stomata tended to form radial rows running from the centre to the periphery; i.e. they were found throughout the muscular and tendinous portions, although the density of their distribution was higher in the latter. Lymphatics and lymphatic lacunae in the tendinous portion were generally smaller than those in the muscular portion. Lymphatic flow into the lymphatics of the tendinous portion seems to be slow, suggesting that lymphatic stomata in the portion may be a functionally inactive reserve.

In a Japanese male, the left testicular artery originated from the aorta as high as 1 cm cranial to the origin of the left inferior phrenic artery. The testicular artery emitted two branches, one to the costal part of the diaphragm and the other to the suprarenal gland. This testicular artery is the most highly positioned one that has ever been reported.

A 69-year-old patient with advanced stomach cancer (Borrmann III) was treated with a combination chemotherapy regimen of cis-platinum administered one week after a course of PSK and FT-207. The maximum dosage of CDDP administered was gradually increased step by step from 20 mg/day to 40 mg/day every week. A remarkable decrease of tumor size was observed upon stomach x-ray and endoscopical examination. The cancer marker, serum CEA, determined by RIA also decreased from 59 ng/ml to 3.5 ng/ml. Moreover, no gastrointestinal disturbance was observed during this trial. From the results experienced, in this case, the combination therapy of PSK and FT-207 with CDDP was considered to be one of the most effective antineoplastic therapies available for stomach cancer, suppressing the gastrointestinal disturbances which are usually induced by CDDP administration alone.

The peritoneal surface of the golden hamster diaphragm was examined for closed lymphatic stomata by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and serial sectioning. Closed stomata were absent on SEM but present on serial sectioning. Some closed stomata in the serial sections were reconstructed using a computerized image analysis system. They were less than 10 microns in diameter and consisted of an outer mesothelial margin and an inner lymphatic wall. The lymphatic wall was formed by several endothelial cells adjoined with various junctional abutments. The discrepancy of results between SEM and serial sectioning, and the functional aspects of lymphatic stomata are discussed.

Frog erythrocytes injected into the pleural cavity of mice reached the pericardial cavity. Pericardial pores that connect the two cavities were the routes of the migration. As soon as 5 minutes after injection, frog erythrocytes were surrounded and phagocytosed by attached macrophages in milky spots facing the pericardial cavity. The pericardial pores may function in an allied self-defense mechanism between the pleural and pericardial cavities in this species.

Numerous circular fenestrations or pores were present in the pericardium of the rat, golden hamster, and mouse. The pericardial pores were most numerous in the mouse. They were usually less than 50 micron in diameter and situated in a meshwork formed by thick, wavy bundles of collagen fibers and thin, straight, elastic fibers. These pores directly connected the pericardial and pleural cavities and indirectly connected the right and left pleural cavities; i.e., the pericardial cavity in the rodents is not independent from but intercommunicates with the adjacent pleural cavities. There were many aggregates of free cells or milky spots in the pericardium. They principally consisted of lymphocytes, macrophages, and mast cells and were directly exposed to the pericardial cavity.

Cerebrotendinous Xanthomatosis (CTX) is a rare familial disease characterized by tendon-xanthomas, cataracts, progressive cerebellar ataxia, dementia and an elevation of serum cholestanol with normal levels of cholesterol. Although the pathogenesis of CTX is not fully understood, increment of cholestanol is suggested one of the major metabolic derangements of the disease. Recently, the LDL-apheresis has been developed as a new therapeutical equipment in the field of hyperlipidemia and been widely used to reduce the levels of LDL-cholesterol by selective LDL adsorption. From the point of view that cholestanol is involved mainly in LDL-cholesterol (1.019 less than d less than 1.063), we used this LDL-apheresis in the aim of reducing the cholestanol in 58 years old woman with typical sign and symptoms of CTX. The levels of serum cholestanol and cholesterol before the treatment with LDL-apheresis, were 10.7 micrograms/ml and 175 mg/dl respectively. Also the ratio of cholestanol/cholesterol indicated 0.63. By the first procedure of apheresis, the level of cholestanol was markedly decreased to 5.2 micrograms/ml (50%). Several LDL-apheresis treatments were carried out once a month. During 5 months treatments, neurological deterioration was arrested, dementia which included disorientation and recent-memory loss, cleaned a little. Although the xanthomas did not decrease in size, this patients was better oriented to person, place, time and was able to speak rationally, 2nd her cerebellar dysfunction revealed improvement. From our new experiments-we believe that the LDL-apheresis offers the strong hope of preventing the progress on cerebrotendinous xanthomatosis.