We retrospectively evaluated the clinical usefulness of the succinate dehydrogenase inhibition (SDI) test as a chemosensitivity test, using 168 resected specimens of gastric cancer, with special reference to the correlation between the results of the SDI test and clinical effects of the corresponding chemotherapy. The rate of sensitivity of these tissues to DDP, CQ, ACR, MMC, ADM, and 5-FU were 63.5%, 54.2%, 47.4%, 42.9%, 31.4%, and 10.8%, respectively. Survival rates for patients with a positive chemosensitivity to MMC and postoperatively prescribed more than 20 mg of MMC were significantly better than those without sensitivity to MMC, even when treated with MMC, although no statistical differences existed in clinicopathologic factors between the two groups. We conclude that the SDI test for human gastric cancer is a rapid, reliable, and useful assay to determine the compatibility between the results of assay and the clinical effects of corresponding chemotherapy. We propose that the regimen of postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy be tailored according to results of the SDI test, using tissues resected from individual patients.

Aclarubicin↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Intraperitoneal seeding of ruptured hepatocellular carcinoma: case report.

We report a solitary intraperitoneal recurrence in a long-term survivor after rupture of hepatocellular carcinoma. Ultrasonography demonstrated the finding of a lobulated mass with a "mosaic" appearance. The patient underwent resection of this implant and is currently disease free. We emphasize the importance of periodic surveillance of disseminated metastases of this condition.

Aged↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Bile acid profiles in bile, urine, and feces of a patient with cerebrotendinous xanthomatosis.

Bile acid profiles of bile, urine, and feces obtained from a patient with cerebrotendinous xanthomatosis on the same day have been analyzed by gas-liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry after fractionation into groups by mode of conjugation by an ion-exchange chromatography. The predominant biliary bile acid was cholic acid conjugated with glycine and taurine. Lesser amounts of the amino acid conjugates of chenodeoxycholic acid, ursodeoxycholic acid, 7-ketodeoxycholic acid, allocholic acid, and deoxycholic acid, and of unconjugated norcholic acid and allonorcholic acid were also present in the bile. The major fecal bile acid was 7-epicholic acid. Relatively large amounts of bile acids were excreted in the urine. Unconjugated 7-epicholic acid, norcholic acid, allonorcholic acid, and cholic acid predominated. The bile acid profiles of the patient were different from those of normal subjects and should be useful for the diagnosis.

Bile↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Transvaginal ultrasound in the first trimester of pregnancy.

Recent improvements in transvaginal ultrasound permit the extremely detailed observation of the morphology of the early conceptus in utero. It is possible to use the term "sonoembryology" for the delineation and observation of features such as brain vesicles and the neural tube as early as at the beginning of the 7th week of gestation. In this paper, sonoembryology from 4 to 11 weeks of gestation is briefly described.

Female↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Performance characteristics of a laser scanner and laser printer system for radiological imaging.

This paper describes the performance characteristics of a laser scanner and laser printer system for radiological imaging. The laser scanner can digitize a 14'' X 17'' X-ray film to 2000 X 2400 X 10 bit in about 100 s. The laser printer can format 16 images on a 8'' X 10'' or 14'' X 17'' film with up to 2300 X 3050 X 8 bit resolution in about 50 s. Our experiments show that the laser scanner and the laser printer have a spatial resolution of 3 cycles/mm with excellent spatial linearity and flat field response. This system is a major component of a picture archiving and communication system in a digital-based radiology department. As a stand-alone system, it has certain clinical applications such as a contrast enhancement of radiographs and potential dose reduction to the patient.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

A case of noninflammatory corneal edema following anterior-posterior radial keratotomy (Sato's operation) successfully treated by topical corticosteroid.

BACKGROUND: Corticosteroids seem to affect the functions of corneal endothelial cells directly in addition to their anti-inflammatory effect. CASE: A 69-year-old man presented with blurred vision in his left eye and decreased visual acuity in both eyes. He had received anterior-posterior radial keratotomy for myopia in both eyes 40 years earlier. OBSERVATIONS: Both eyes showed mild corneal stromal edema in the pupil area. We diagnosed the condition as corneal edema secondary to cell loss and dysfunction of corneal endothelium after surgery. One month later, the stromal edema was further advanced in the left eye. Corneal thickness had increased from the initial value of 619 microm to 631 microm, and corrected visual acuity had decreased from 0.5 to 0.06. There were no signs suggesting inflammatory reaction. The left eye was then treated with topical corticosteroid eyedrops and subconjunctival corticosteroid injection. Two months later, corneal thickness had decreased to 546 microm and visual acuity had improved to 0.5. CONCLUSIONS: This case shows that topical corticosteroids may be effective in treating corneal edema by producing an anti-inflammatory effect and possibly activating the endothelium.

Administration, Topical↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Comparison between nonpulsatile and pulsatile machine perfusion preservation in liver transplantation from non-heart-beating donors.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Alanine Transaminase↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Treatment of neonatal infection caused by coxsackievirus B3.

Four male infants with early neonatal infection caused by coxsackievirus B3 (presumed in one case) exhibited severe thrombocytopenia and liver dysfunction at presentation. The three infants who were administered human normal immunoglobulin within 3 days of disease onset survived, while the fourth infant, who received the preparation 6 days after disease onset, died.

Coxsackievirus Infections↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Fatal erythroderma (suspected graft-versus-host disease) after cholecystectomy. Retrospective analysis.

Fatal postoperative erythroderma (POE) developed in a 52-year-old woman with gallstones who underwent elective cholecystectomy. During surgery, she was transfused with 3 units of unirradiated packed red cells stored in the liquid state for at least 4 days after collection. The POE is believed to have been the result of transfusion-associated graft-versus-host disease (TA-GVHD). The diagnosis of GVHD was based upon the characteristic clinical picture and retrospective HLA typing. The implicated donor was homozygous for an HLA haplotype that appeared to be shared with the recipient: A24-CBL-Bw52-DR2-DRw52-DQw1, the most common haplotype in the Japanese population. This case raises the possibility that a transfusion of relatively fresh blood from a donor who has no HLA antigens incompatible with the recipient may result in GVHD in patients with no apparent immunoincompetence who are undergoing relatively minor surgery with no chemotherapy or radiation therapy.

Blood Transfusion↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Suppressive effects on allergic contact dermatitis by short-term fasting.

Fasting alters various hormonal and immune conditions. It has been reported that delayed type immune response to the injection of keyhole limpet hemocyanin was depressed by short-term fasting. In this study, we adopted the computer-assisted image analyzer for histopathological analysis and evaluated the influence of short-term fasting on allergic contact dermatitis induced by 2,4-dinitrofluorobenzene (DNFB). Mice were sensitized by painting of DNFB to the abdomen. After the sensitization, mice were challenged by DNFB painting to the ear. Fasting started 24 hour before (48-hour fasted group) or immediately after (24-hour fasted group) the challenging. Fasting without DNFB treatment did not induce remarkable change of ear thickness, ear tissue, serum albumin, serum total protein, serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase, serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase. or serum creatine phosphokinase. In contrast, lasting suppressed the increment of ear thickness in the DNFB-treated group in this study. We could also demonstrate, using the computerized image analyzer, that both lymphocyte infiltration and the edema in the dermis were suppressed in fasted mice treated with DNFB. Further, edema in the dermis was inhibited more strongly in 48-hour fasted mice than in 24-hour lasted mice. These findings indicate that short-term fasting induce histopathological changes in the state of contact dermatitis.

Alanine Transaminase↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Inhibition of HIV-1 replication by the Cre-loxP hammerhead ribozyme.

Antiviral strategies to suppress productive human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) replication have included the generation of gene products that provide intracellular inhibition of an essential viral protein or RNA. The potential of such a molecular genetic intervention was examined by using the Cre/loxP recombination system. In this study, we constructed a loxP-casstte vector (LTR-ribozyme) and a Cre recombinase expression vector (LTR-Cre). The transcription of the ribozyme and Cre genes was designed to be driven from the LTR promoter. These vectors were transiently transfected into COS cells along with the viral expression vector, and inhibited the expression of viral protein in COS cells. These data further support the potential of this system as a therapeutic agent for HIV-1.

Animals↗