Real space imaging of spin polarons in Zn-doped SrCu(2)(BO(3))(2)

We report on the real space profile of spin polarons in the quasi-two-dimensional frustrated dimer spin system SrCu(2)(BO(3))(2) doped with 0.16% of Zn. The (11)B nuclear magnetic resonance spectrum exhibits 15 additional boron sites near nonmagnetic Zn impurities. With the help of exact diagonalizations of finite clusters, we have deduced from the boron spectrum, the distribution of local magnetizations at the Cu sites with fine spatial resolution, providing direct evidence for an extended spin polaron. The results are confronted with those of other experiments performed on doped and undoped samples of SrCu(2)(BO(3))(2).

Tetrahedral magnetic order and the metal-insulator transition in the pyrochlore lattice of Cd2Os2O7

Cd2Os2O7 shows a peculiar metal-insulator transition at 227 K with magnetic ordering in a frustrated pyrochlore lattice, but its magnetic structure in the ordered state and the transition origin are yet uncovered. We observed a commensurate magnetic peak by resonant x-ray scattering in a high-quality single crystal. X-ray diffraction and Raman scattering experiments confirmed that the transition is not accompanied with any spatial symmetry breaking. We propose a noncollinear all-in-all-out spin arrangement on the tetrahedral network made of Os atoms. Based on this we suggest that the transition is not caused by the Slater mechanism as believed earlier but by an alternative mechanism related to the formation of the specific tetrahedral magnetic order on the pyrochlore lattice in the presence of strong spin-orbit interactions.

Novel antioxidants isolated from plants of the genera Ferula, Inula, Prangos and Rheum collected in Uzbekistan

We examined the effects of 48 compounds isolated from Ferula pallida, F. penninervis, Inula macrophylla, Prangos pabularia, P. tschimganica and Rheum maximowiczii collected in Uzbekistan on ADP/Fe2+-induced lipid peroxidation of egg yolk phosphatidylcholine liposomes. Of those compounds, 23 inhibited ADP/Fe2+-induced lipid peroxidation and nine showed especially strong inhibition of lipid peroxidation. Most compounds that inhibited peroxidation scavenged the 1,1'-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical, indicating that the inhibition was due to radical scavenging. However, some compounds did not scavenge DPPH but inhibited lipid peroxidation significantly, suggesting that their inhibitory effect was not due to radical scavenging but to some other mechanism, such as prevention of Fe2+ function. Thus, we found various new antioxidants, some of which had a unique mechanism of action, in Ferula, Inula, Prangos and Rheum plants collected in Uzbekistan as seeds used in medicine.

New glycosides from ajuga decumbens

A new phenethyl alcohol glycoside, galactosylmartynoside (1), and a new abietatriene-type diterpene glycoside, ajugaside A (2), were isolated from the whole plants of Ajuga decumbens, together with known phenethyl alcohol glycosides (3 and 4) and iridoid glycosides (5-7). Chemical structures were elucidated on the basis of spectral data. Of these compounds, 8-acetylharpagide (6) exhibited the strongest inhibitory effect on Epstein-Barr virus activation induced by 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate.

[Bowel injury caused by a catheter for Intraperitoneal chemotherapy--a case report]

A case of bowel perforation caused by a catheter used for intraperitoneal chemotherapy is reported. A 46-year-old woman underwent bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, total hysterectomy and infracolic omentectomy for treatment of stage II c endometrioid carcinoma of ovary. Subsequently, the patient was treated with intraperitoneal administration of CBDCA through Port-A-Cath as well as intravenous CPA infusion every 5-6 weeks. Ten days after the 5th course of chemotherapy, she complained of low abdominal pain and fever of 37.9 degrees C, which resolved during a 6-day hospital stay, although her appetite remained poor. In the 6th course, CBDCA was administrated intravenously, because the intraperitoneal catheter became obstructed. Secondary cytoreductive laparotomy, which was performed 14 months after the primary surgery, revealed that the catheter of Port-A-Cath had penetrated the descending colon. Although intraabdominal injury by the catheter may be rare, it should be noted as one of complications when a patient is treated with intraperitoneal chemotherapy.

[The accuracy of computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging in evaluating the extent of endometrial carcinoma]

The present study was designed to determine the accuracy of Computed Tomography (CT) and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) in evaluating the extent of the tumor in 36 patients with endometrial carcinoma. The CT and MRI findings were compared with the microscopic pathologic characteristics in all cases. Linear regression analysis for measurements of residual normal myometrium revealed significant positive correlations (p < 0.001) between MRI (r = 0.861) and CT (r = 0.826) findings and pathologic evaluation. Thirty-six patients were divided into two groups according to our previous CT and MRI criteria: the superficial myometrial invasion group and advanced tumor group. In MRI findings, higher incidences of deep (> or = 1/2) myometrial invasion (p < 0.001), vessel permeation (p < 0.05) and cervical involvement (p < 0.05) were observed in the advanced group. In CT findings, deep myometrial invasion (p < 0.001) was observed in the advanced group. The incidence of extrauterine extension of the tumor did not differ significantly between CT and MRI findings. The accuracy figures for cervical involvement evaluated by CT and MRI were 83% and 86%, respectively. In four of 6 patients, in whom an intact Junctional zone (j-zone) was detected by MRI, the tumor was localized in the endometrium. The remaining 2 patients had only superficial myometrial invasion histologically. In all 16 patients, in whom the j-zone was interrupted in MRI findings, myometrial invasion was confirmed pathologically.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[A case of C5 deficiency with polyarthritis]

A 27-year-old female with polyarthritis was found to lack serum complement activity. Her serum CH50 was less than 1.9 U/ml. C5 protein in her serum was less than 2 mg/dl and its activity was not detected. The serum level of the other proteins of complement system examined were within the normal range. At 17 years old, she was diagnosed as rheumatic fever and was admitted to our hospital. She was treated with aminobenzylpenicillin and predonisolone for two months, and she was discharged from our hospital without any abnormalities. But she had no other episode of repeated infections. Family studies of this patient revealed that an elder sister of this patient was also homozygous deficiency of C5 and her parents were considered to be heterozygous deficiency of C5. From these results, the patient was considered to be inherited deficiency of C5.

[Role of X-ray CT in diagnosis of ovarian tumor]

The utility of X-ray CT for the preoperative differentiation of benign and malignant ovarian tumors was investigated. Preoperative CT findings on 137 cases pathohistologically diagnosed as ovarian tumors, both benign and malignant, were compared. Dermoid cysts (42 cases) showed characteristic CT images and CT numbers, facilitating diagnosis. In CT findings of tumors (95 cases) other than dermoid cysts, (1) 70.8% of cystic tumors with protrusion from the cyst walls, and 92.9% of solid tumors with fluid parts with malignant; (2) 59.3% of tumors whose major axes measured on the CT image were 15 cm or longer were malignant; (3) all the tumors in which ascites was found on CT, and 46.2% of the tumors with enlargement of the other ovary observed by CT, were malignant; and (4) the CT number of the tumor fluid was 18.26 +/- 13.10 HU for the benign and 20.64 +/- 7.49 HU for the malignant tumors, and that of the solid parts was 51.67 +/- 16.80 HU for the benign and 37.73 +/- 10.34 HU for the malignant ones, showing different distribution areas. The CT findings were retrospectively scored by the use of Hayashi's quantification theory type II, and 93.2% of the benign-malignant differentiation rate was obtained.

Behavioral effects of L-dopa and thyrotropin-releasing hormone in schizophrenic patients: a preliminary report

L-Dopa (in a dose of 300-400 mg daily) was used concomitantly with conventional antipsychotic drugs in four patients with long-standing schizophrenia (of more than 10 years' duration). In two of these four patients marked symptomatic improvement was observed, while in the other two symptoms remained unchanged. Symptoms that were found most responsive included disturbance of contact with others and emotional poverty.