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Superdense phase between graphite and Li metal, C 2 Li, has been significant in the research on both lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) and graphite intercalated compounds (GICs). However, a detailed method for synthesizing C 2 Li remains unknown owing to the limited information regarding C 2 Li and difficulties in distinguishing C 2 Li from C 6 Li. Thus, we performed in situ X-ray diffraction measurements on samples with the nominal composition of C 2 Li under high pressures and temperatures of up to 10 GPa and 400 ∘ C , respectively. We employed two types of C 2 Li samples; one was a mixture of C 6 graphite powder and Li metal (C 6 + 3 Li), and the other was a mixture of C 6 Li and Li metal in which the C 6 Li was prepared by the electrochemical discharge (reduction) reaction that occurs in LIBs. Considering changes in the d-value based on the 001 diffraction peak from C 6 Li or C 2 Li, C 6 Li + 2Li is suitable for synthesizing C 2 Li, although the nonaqueous electrolyte used for the electrochemical reaction should be removed to avoid structural transformations to lower-stage compounds such as C 12 Li and C 18 Li during the heating. These findings pave the way toward a method for synthesizing C 2 Li, which could increase the energy density of LIBs and establish GICs with novel physical and electronic properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A total of 38 patients with locally advanced bladder cancer (T2, n=14; T3, n=14; T4, n=10) were treated with intra-arterial Adriamycin chemotherapy in combination with radiotherapy. The clinical as well as the pathological efficacy of this treatment was evaluated in all patients. Clinically, 23 (60.5%) of the 38 patients achieved a complete remission (CR), 12 (31.6%) achieved a partial remission (PR), and 3 (7.9%) remained stable (NC). The pathological efficacy was evaluated according to the criteria of Shimosato et al., with 20 (52.6%) of the 38 patients being categorized as grade IV; 2 (5.3%), as grade III; 12 (31.6%) as grade II; and 4 (10.5%), as grade 0. The 5-year actuarial survival as a function of clinical stage amounted to 91.6% for T2, 50.0% for T3, and 37.4% for T4 (T2 vs T3, P<0.05; T2 vs T4, P<0.01). The 5-year actuarial survival determined according to the clinical and the pathological efficacy of treatment were 74.1% for CRs, 56.2% for PRs, and 0 for NCs (CR vs NC, P<0.01; PR vs NC, P<0.01). Surgery for preservation of the bladder was performed in 30 of the 33 patients who achieved clinical and pathological CRs or PRs. The 5-year actuarial survival of these 30 patients was 73.2%. These results demonstrate that this therapy is a useful method for the treatment of locally advanced bladder cancer and that preservation of the bladder might be feasible in patients who achieve clinical and pathological CRs or PRs during this treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Twenty patients with bladder cancer (T1, 3 patients; T2, 6 patients; T3, 8 patients; T4a, 3 patients) were preoperatively treated with intra-arterial doxorubicin chemotherapy in combination with low-dose irradiation. The originally scheduled operations were as follows: total cystectomy in 16 patients (T1+cis, 1 patients; T2, 5 patients; T3, 7 patients; T4a, 3 patients), segmental cystectomy in 2 patients, and transurethral resection in 2 patients. The total dose of doxorubicin ranged from 120 to 540 mg (251.5±100.2 mg), and that of irradiation was from 4 to 36 Gy (24.4±7.3 Gy). Clinical and pathological effects were evaluated in all of the cases. Clinically, complete remission (CR) was observed in 14 cases (70.0%), partial remission (PR) was seen in 3 cases, a minor response (MR) occurred in 2 cases, and no response (NR) was seen in 1 patient; non patient showed progressive disease (PD). The pathological effects (according to the criteria of Shimosato et al.) were as follows: grade IV was seen in 10 cases, grade III in 3 cases, and less than grade II in 7 cases; however, viable tumor cells were not seen in 13 (65.0%) of the 20 cases. The bladder was preserved in 13 (81.3%) of the 16 cases for which total cystectomy had been recommended. All of the patients were followed up for periods ranging from 3 to 54 months (26.3±16.5 months), durng which time 6 patients (30.0%) died (3 with cancer, 1 without cancer, and 2 unknown causes). The actual survival rate according to the stage of disease was 100.0% at 50 months in T1-T2 and 40.9% at 54 months in T3-T4a. In T3-T4a, the actual survival rate in pathologically complete responders was 60% (relative rate 68.8%) at 54 months, and the actual survival rate in incomplete responders was 25.0% (relativ rate 27.1%) at 36 months. The results of our study are encouraging, especially in T1-T2 and T3-T4a cases, who showed a complete response. It is concluded that doxorubicin intra-arterial chemotherapy combined with low-dose irradiation could be the first treatment of choice for locally invasive bladder cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A non-randomized clinical study on systemic combination chemotherapy was conducted by the Japanese Urological Cancer Research Group for Adriamycin to compare the effectiveness of CAP (cyclophosphamide 200-500 mg/m, adriamycin 30-50 mg/m and cisplatin 30-50 mg/m) and CAF (cyclophosphamide 200-500 mg/m, adriamycin 30-50 mg/m and 5-fluorouracil 250 mg/m) in 123 patients (104 evaluable) with advanced and/or metastatic cancer of the urinary bladder. Among 96 patients who were non-randomly selected to receive CAP, 4 achieved complete remission, 12 achieved partial remission, 7 achieved minor response, 30 had stable disease, and 43 had disease progression. The response in the 8 patients who received CAF were: partial remission in 1 and progressive disease in 7. The overall response rate to CAP therapy was 17%, as against 13% for CAF therapy. The median duration of survival with CAP was 29 weeks and with CAF, 22 weeks. The differences between the two groups in duration of survival and response rate were not statistically significant. Complete and/or partial remissions were observed in the lymph nodes, lung and liver in 32%, 24%, and 57% of cases, respectively. There was no objective response in bone metastasis. The main side effects of CAP were anorexia (88%), nausea and/or vomiting (81%), alopecia (65%), leukopenia (72%), anemia (48%), and renal dysfunction (17%). No patients died as a result of toxicity of these combination chemotherapy modalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Japanese Urological Cancer Research Group has conducted three randomized clinical studies on intravesical chemoprophylaxis of superficial bladder cancers. This paper presents a comparative analysis of the first and second of these. The protocolused in the first study was a so-called short-term schedule in which drugs (for group A, ADM 30 mg/30 ml; group B, ADM 20 mg/40 ml; group C, MMC 20 mg/40 ml; and group D, control) were administered twice a week for 4 weeks after transurethral resection (TUR), and in the second study a long-term schedule was used, in which drugs (for group E, ADM 30 mg/30 ml; group F, ADM 20 mg/40 ml; group G, MMC 20 mg/40 ml; and group H, control) were administered twice a week for 1 week, every 2 weeks for 7 weeks, monthly for 8 months, and finally once every 3 months for 1 year. In the first study 575 patients were evaluated and followed up for 5 years. The second study started 28 months later, and 607 patients were evaluated. A generally good prophylactic effect was obtained in the second study when the patients' backgrounds were adjusted in combination with the history and number of the tumors. The second study did not reveal any promoting or inhibitory effect on the progression of the recurrent tumors. There were no significant side effects in either study. The indications and the schedule for prophylactic intravesical chemotherapy should be more carefully studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Twenty patients with bladder cancer were treated by semiselective intra-arterial chemotherapy with Adriamycin. Ten of them were given the agent while the femoral arteries were compressed, to prevent loss of the agent into the external iliac arteries. The other ten were given Adriamycin without this compression. Clinical and pathological responses of tumor and the side-effects were examined in these two groups. The results of the comparative study led us to the conclusion that the compression technique is a simple and valuable means of decreasing the side-effects of Adriamycin and increasing tumor response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to examine its clinical efficacy, recombinant human interferon-β (rIFN-β) was instilled intravesically into 51 patients with superficial bladder cancer. Ten patients, who received intermittent intravesical instillation at a dose of (3−36) × 10 U rIFN-β on days 1-3 every week, showed no response. Thirty-two patients received intravesical instillation at a dose of (3−36) × 10 U every day for 10-20 days. Eight patients showed partial response, indicating an efficacy rate of 25%. Nine patients received divided doses of 18 × 10 U twice a day every day for 10-20 days. Six patients showed partial response, indicating an efficacy rate of 67%. This value was significantly higher than that obtained by administering divided doses. The response to intravesical instillation therapy with rIFN-β varies with treatment protocol. Frequent and longer exposure to rIFN-β may induce better regression of superficial bladder cancer. Six incidences of side-effects were found in five cases (9.8%): pollakiuria in one, pain on micturition in two, fever in two, and eruption in one case. All of these side-effects were slight and reversible after drug withdrawal. Laboratory tests showed only a few changes with low severity. Thus, rIFN-β is potentially a new drug for instillation therapy of superficial bladder cancer, in view of the absence of adverse effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]