Electrophysiologic findings including multifocal electroretinogram and visual evoked cortical potentials were studied in a patient with multiple evanescent white dot syndrome. A 19-year-old woman was diagnosed as having multiple evanescent white dot syndrome because of decreased visual acuity, white dots on fundus examination and hyperfluorescence of the white dots in the right eye. The amplitude of the flicker electroretinogram was reduced, but the single-flash electroretinogram was within the normal range. The P100 latency of the pattern visual evoked cortical potentials was slightly prolonged. The amplitudes of multifocal electroretinogram were markedly reduced in the area corresponding to the scotoma and moderately reduced in other regions of the central field in the affected eye. The results suggest that the retinal dysfunction area is wider than that detected by subjective methods or conventional electrophysiological examinations. The delayed recovery of the visual evoked cortical potential latency suggests the involvement of the optic nerve in multiple evanescent white dot syndrome.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Treatment of hepatic encephalopathy by retrograde transcaval coil embolization of an ileal vein-to-right gonadal vein portosystemic shunt.

A 43-year-old non-cirrhotic woman suffered from encephalopathy caused by an extrahepatic portosystemic shunt between the ileal vein and inferior vena cava via the right gonadal vein. Percutaneous transcatheter embolization with stainless steel coils was performed by the retrograde systemic venous approach. Encephalopathy improved dramatically.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Carcinoma of the gall-bladder arising in adenomyomatosis.

We describe a case of well differentiated adenocarcinoma of the gall-bladder that arose from a localized type of adenomyomatosis. Grossly, the cancer was located in the fundus and exhibited a polypoid and well demarcated nodule with multiple small cysts. Histologically, the nodule consisted of glandular structures and stroma containing bundles of smooth muscle cells. The glandular epithelia were varied in appearance, ranging from malignant to benign glands. The adenocarcinoma was limited to the nodule, with normal surface mucosal epithelia and without obvious stromal invasion.

Adenocarcinoma↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Overview of clinical studies of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia for more than ten years by the Japanese Children's Cancer and Leukemia Study Group.

Since 1981, the Children's Cancer and Leukemia Study Group (CCLSG) has developed a series of protocols for treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in childhood. In the first randomized controlled study of the 811 protocol (1981-1983) a comparison of conventional daily 6-mercaptopurine and methotrexate with a pulsed regimen of the two drugs was performed. The superiority of the pulsed regimen was shown. In the next 841 protocol (1984-1987) a comparison of two drugs and three drugs during induction therapy was conducted. The three-drug regimen resulted in a significantly higher event-free survival (EFS) rate. In the 874 protocol (1987-1990) two regimens with or without cranial irradiation were randomly compared, and there was no significant difference between the two regimens for the standard-risk group. To further improve the EFS rate a risk group-directed protocol 911 was conducted starting in January 1991. Life-table analysis of serial CCLSG protocols revealed that the outcome of overall ALL has gradually improved with an increase of the EFS rate; 41.4% +/- 3.6% at 14 years for the 811 protocol, 51.3% +/- 3.5% at 11 years for the 841 protocol, 56.7% +/- 3.1% at 8 years for the 874 protocol, and 78.2% +/- 3.1% at 4 years for the more recent 911 protocol.

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Determination of benomyl, diphenyl, o-phenylphenol, thiabendazole, chlorpyrifos, methidathion, and methyl parathion in oranges by solid-phase extraction, liquid chromatography, and gas chromatography.

A simple and rapid method was developed for determination of benomyl, diphenyl (DP), o-phenylphenol (OPP), thiabendazole (TBZ), chlorpyrifos, methidathion, and methyl parathion in whole oranges. These compounds were extracted from a mixture of samples and anhydrous sodium acetate with ethyl acetate. The ethyl acetate extract was concentrated and cleaned up by passing through tandem solid-phase extraction columns consisting of anion-exchange and primary/secondary amine bonded silica. The eluate was concentrated and volume was adjusted with methanol for subsequent liquid chromatography (LC) and gas chromatography (GC). Benomyl (as methyl-2-benzimidazole carbamate, MBC), DP, OPP, and TBZ residues were determined by LC with fluorescence detection. Recoveries at 3 fortified levels (0.1, 1, and 10 micrograms/g) ranged from 63.9 to 97.4%, with coefficients of variation (CVs) of 1.6 to 15.5%. Limits of detection (LODs) were 0.01 microgram/g for DP, OPP, TBZ and 0.05 microgram/g for benomyl. Chlorpyrifos, methidathion, and methyl parathion residues were determined by GC with flame photometric detection. Recoveries ranged from 90.4 to 97.0%, with CVs of 2.1 to 5.9%. LODs were 0.005 microgram/g for chlorpyrifos and methyl parathion, and 0.01 microgram/g for methidathion.

Benomyl↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Determination of imazalil residues in lemons by gas chromatography with nitrogen-phosphorus detection.

A simple and reliable method was developed for determination of imazalil residues in whole lemons. Imazalil was extracted from lemon samples with ethyl acetate under basic conditions. The ethyl acetate in the extract was evaporated, and the residue was dissolved in dichloromethane. The solution was applied to a solid-phase extraction (diol-bonded silica) cartridge. Imazalil was eluted with methanol and determined by gas chromatography (GC) with nitrogen-phosphorus detection. Recoveries at 4 fortified levels (0.1, 1.0, 2.0, and 5.0 micrograms/g) ranged from 93.3 to 97.8%, with coefficients of variation ranging from 0.2 to 3.0%. The detection limit was 0.05 microgram/g. Fifteen commercial lemon samples were analyzed for Imazalil residues; 10 were positive. Concentrations of imazalil residues ranged from 0.22 to 4.44 micrograms/g. Imazalil-positive samples were confirmed by GC with mass-selective detection (m/z 173, 215, and 217).

Chromatography, Gas↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Serum IL-8 levels and localization of IL-8 in liver from patients with chronic viral hepatitis.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Interleukin 8 is known as a chemotactic factor for neutrophils and T cells. Such inflammatory cells are observed in the liver tissue in chronic viral hepatitis. However, it is not known whether interleukin 8 relates to hepatic injury in patients with chronic viral hepatitis. Therefore, we determined serum interleukin 8 levels and identified the cells related to interleukin 8 production in liver tissue. METHODOLOGY: Studies were performed on 29 patients with chronic viral hepatitis and 20 normal controls. Serum interleukin 8 levels were assayed using a sandwich ELISA. Immunohistochemical examination was performed to identify the cells related to interleukin 8 production by using a rabbit polyvalent antibody to human interleukin 8. RESULTS: Serum interleukin 8 levels were found to be increased significantly (p<0.05) in patients with chronic viral hepatitis compared with normal controls. They were also increased significantly in patients with chronic active hepatitis compared with chronic persistent hepatitis (p<0.05), and during exacerbation stages compared with remission stages (p<0.05). Out of the 10 patients examined immunohistochemically, interleukin 8 positive cells in the liver tissue were visualized in 7 patients and observed mainly along sinusoids. There was significant correlation between serum interleukin 8 levels and intensity of staining for interleukin 8 in the liver tissue (p<0.05, r=0.869). CONCLUSIONS: Interleukin 8 plays a role in hepatic injury in patients with chronic viral hepatitis, and is mainly produced by nonparenchymal cells in the liver.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Determination of bitertanol residues in strawberries by liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection and confirmation by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry.

A simple and rapid method was developed for determining bitertanol residues in strawberries. Bitertanol was extracted from samples with ethyl acetate. Bitertanol acetate was added prior to extraction as a surrogate standard. The ethyl acetate extract was cleaned up by passing through tandem solid-phase extraction columns consisting of anion-exchange (SAX) and aminopropyl (NH2) bonded silica. The eluate was evaporated to dryness and reconstituted with methanol. Bitertanol residues were determined by liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection. Recoveries at 4 fortified levels (0.05, 0.25, 0.5, and 1.0 microgram/g), calculated by the internal standard method, ranged from 92.1 to 99.1%, with coefficients of variation ranging from 0.3 to 4.0%. The detection limit was 0.01 microgram/g. Of 25 commercial strawberry samples analyzed for bitertanol residues, 5 contained bitertanol residues at concentrations ranging from 0.02 to 0.51 microgram/g. Positive samples were confirmed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry with mass-selective detection (m/z 170 and 168).

Acetates↗