There is, I think, something ethereal about i —the square root of minus one. I remember first hearing about it at school. It seemed an odd beast at that time—an intruder hovering on the edge of reality.

Usually familiarity dulls this sense of the bizarre, but in the case of i it was the reverse: over the years the sense of its surreal nature intensified. It seemed that it was impossible to write mathematics that described the real world in …

I and i

Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Epidemiology and Molecular Carcinogenesis

Resveratrol, a constituent of red wine, has long been suspected to have cardioprotective effects. Interest in this compound has been renewed in recent years, first from its identification as a chemopreventive agent for skin cancer, and subsequently from reports that it activates sirtuin deacetylases and extends the lifespans of lower organisms. Despite scepticism concerning its bioavailability, a growing body of in vivo evidence indicates that resveratrol has protective effects in rodent models of stress and disease. Here, we provide a comprehensive and critical review of the in vivo data on resveratrol, and consider its potential as a therapeutic for humans.

Therapeutic potential of resveratrol: the in vivo evidence.

The contribution of tumorigenic stem cells to haematopoietic cancers has been established for some time, and cells possessing stem-cell properties have been described in several solid tumours. Although chemotherapy kills most cells in a tumour, it is believed to leave tumour stem cells behind, which might be an important mechanism of resistance. For example, the ATP-binding cassette (ABC) drug transporters have been shown to protect cancer stem cells from chemotherapeutic agents. Gaining a better insight into the mechanisms of stem-cell resistance to chemotherapy might therefore lead to new therapeutic targets and better anticancer strategies.

/pdf/tumour-stem-cells-and-drug-resistance-210hrtgy2n.pdf

Tumour stem cells and drug resistance

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is an endothelial cell-specific mitogen in vitro and an angiogenic inducer in a variety of in vivo models. Hypoxia has been shown to be a major inducer of VEGF gene transcription. The tyrosine kinases Flt-1 (VEGFR-1) and Flk-1/KDR (VEGFR-2) are high-affinity VEGF receptors. The role of VEGF in developmental angiogenesis is emphasized by the finding that loss of a single VEGF allele results in defective vascularization and early embryonic lethality. VEGF is critical also for reproductive and bone angiogenesis. Substantial evidence also implicates VEGF as a mediator of pathological angiogenesis. In situ hybridization studies demonstrate expression of VEGF mRNA in the majority of human tumors. Anti-VEGF monoclonal antibodies and other VEGF inhibitors block the growth of several tumor cell lines in nude mice. Clinical trials with various VEGF inhibitors in a variety of malignancies are ongoing. Very recently, an anti-VEGF monoclonal antibody (bevacizumab; Avastin) has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration as a first-line treatment for metastatic colorectal cancer in combination with chemotherapy. Furthermore, VEGF is implicated in intraocular neovascularization associated with diabetic retinopathy and age-related macular degeneration.

/pdf/vascular-endothelial-growth-factor-basic-science-and-17gyy6h97s.pdf

Vascular endothelial growth factor: basic science and clinical progress.

Effects of chotosan on cerebrovascular disorders

Immunohistochemical study of epidermal growth factor and epidermal growth factor receptor in gastric carcinomas.

漢方医学的脈候, 舌候, 腹候の関連性を明らかにするため, 人間ドック受診者488例を用いて検討した。併せて, 喫煙, 飲酒の脈候, 舌候, 腹候に及ぼす影響, また血液生化学検査所見と脈候, 舌候の関連性について検討し, 以下の結果を得た。1) 実脈では腹力, 小腹腹壁緊張度は上昇しており, 臍上悸, 振水音を認める頻度は少ない。2) 大脈では腹力は上昇し, 臍下悸は触れにくい。3) 左右臍傍の圧痛が強まると〓点を伴うことが多い。4) 心下悸は横裂と正の相関を示した。5) 左臍傍の圧痛と紫舌の程度は正の相関を認めた。6) 喫煙者は紅あるいは紫舌になりやすく, 黄苔, 厚苔, 膩苔を呈す傾向にあった。腹候では, 喫煙数と左腹直筋緊張度で正の相関がみられた。7) 飲酒量と腹力は正の相関を示し, 臍上悸の程度と負の相関を示した。8) ヘモグロビン値, ヘマトクリット値は紅舌, 紫舌, 〓点, 厚苔を示した場合は上昇し, 痩薄になると低下した。9) アミラーゼ値は紅舌, 厚苔, 点刺, 膩苔と負の相関がみられた。

https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/kampomed1982/49/1/49_1_35/_pdf

The Correlation Between Pulse, Tongue and Abdominal Palpation Signs as Measured by Kampo Medicine Diagnostic Techniques.

Although Barrett's esophagus may occur without gastric acid, Barrett's adenocarcinoma after total gastrectomy is rare. Here, we present Barrett's adenocarcinoma in long-segment Barrett's esophagus after total gastrectomy. The patient was a 74-year-old male who underwent total gastrectomy 44 years ago. An endoscopic examination revealed long-segment Barrett's esophagus starting 17 cm from the incisors and continuing 20 cm to esophagojejunostomy, with irregular mucosa 27–31 cm from the incisors. Pathological diagnosis of a biopsied specimen was adenocarcinoma. We performed subtotal esophagectomy with lymph node dissection in the prone position and reconstructed the esophagus with ileocolic interposition. Postoperative pathological diagnosis from a Barrett's epithelial section was well differentiated adenocarcinoma. This case had the longest interval from total gastrectomy and smallest oral margin of Barrett's epithelium. Our case suggested that careful surveillance is needed for patients exhibiting recurrent bile reflux following total gastrectomy.

/pdf/adenocarcinoma-in-long-segment-barrett-s-esophagus-44-years-4tlpsrl6g7.pdf

Adenocarcinoma in long-segment Barrett's esophagus 44 years after total gastrectomy

人間ドック受診者489例の呼吸機能検査所見, 胸部X線所見, 心電図所見と漢方医学的腹候 (腹力, 心下痞鞭, 左・右胸脇苦満, 左・右腹直筋緊張度, 振水音, 心下悸, 臍上悸, 臍下悸, 臍傍圧痛, S字結腸部圧痛, 回盲部圧痛, 小腹腹壁緊張度低下, 小腹知覚低下, 正中芯) の関連性について検討し、以下の結果を得た。1) 腹力は肺活量, 胸郭前後径, 心臓陰影最大横径, CTR, QRS軸の反時針方向への回転と正の相関を示し、胸郭縦径と負の相関を認めた。2) 振水音は、胸郭縦径, QRS軸の時針方向への回転と正の相関を示し、胸郭前後径, 心臓陰影最大横径, CTRと負の相関を認めた。3) 腹直筋緊張度と肺活量, 胸郭縦径は正の相関を示し、胸郭前後径と負の相関を認めた。4) 心下悸, 臍上悸, 臍下悸は胸郭前後径, 心臓陰影最大横径と負の相関を認めた。5) 心下痞鞭は胸郭内側最大横径と負の相関を認めた。6) 正中芯は胸郭縦径, QRS軸の時針方向への回転と正の相関を示し、SV 1と負の相関を認めた。

https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/kampomed1982/48/2/48_2_185/_pdf

Yutaka Shimada

Papers

Effects of chotosan on cerebrovascular disorders

Immunohistochemical study of epidermal growth factor and epidermal growth factor receptor in gastric carcinomas.

The Correlation Between Pulse, Tongue and Abdominal Palpation Signs as Measured by Kampo Medicine Diagnostic Techniques.

Adenocarcinoma in long-segment Barrett's esophagus 44 years after total gastrectomy

The Correlation Between Abdominal Palpation Signs of Kampo Medicine and Anatomical and Physiological Findings of the Cardio-respiratory System