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The objective of this retrospective study was to describe the clinical and histopathological findings associated with intranasal tumours in degus.Medical records of degus diagnosed with intranasal neoplasms on histopathological examination between the years 2007 and 2020 at one hospital were included in the study.Twenty degus (10 males and 10 females) were eligible for inclusion. Initial clinical signs included sneezing, abnormal nasal sounds, and nasal discharge, followed by anorexia and frequent nose rubbing. On radiography, 15 out of 20 animals showed space-occupying lesions in the nasal cavity. CT was performed in 16 animals and revealed various degrees of changes, including abnormal radiopacity within the nasal cavity and damaged nasal septum. Rhinostomy and excisional biopsy was performed in all 20 animals. Six out of 20 patients died during the perioperative period. Six and seven degus survived for 3 months and 1 year, respectively. One animal was lost to follow-up. In 16 cases the histological diagnosis was consistent with fibromas, while in 4 cases with osteomas.Intranasal neoplasms in degus are mostly benign mesenchymal tumours with various degrees of bone formation, which is unique to this animal species. This occurrence should be considered as an important differential diagnosis for upper respiratory tract disease in degus.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the third most deadly cancer in the US, with a meager 5-year survival rate of less than 20%. Such unfavorable numbers are closely related to the heterogeneity of the disease and the unsatisfactory therapies currently used to manage patients with invasive HCC. Outside of the clinic, gene therapy research is evolving to overcome the poor responses and toxicity associated with standard treatments. The inadequacy of gene delivery vectors, including poor intracellular delivery and cell specificity, are major barriers in the gene therapy field. Herein, we described a non-viral strategy for effective and cancer-specific DNA delivery to human HCC using biodegradable Poly(Beta-Amino Ester) (PBAE) nanoparticles (NPs). Varied PBAE NP formulations were evaluated for transfection efficacy and cytotoxicity to a range of human HCC cells as well as healthy human hepatocytes. To address HCC heterogeneity, nine different sources of human HCC cells were utilized. The polymeric NPs composed of 2-((3-aminopropyl)amino)ethanol end-modified poly(1,5-pentanediol diacrylate-co-3-amino-1-propanol) (‘536’) at a 25 polymer-to-DNA weight-to-weight ratio led to high transfection efficacy to all of the liver cancer lines, but not to hepatocytes. Each individual HCC line had a significantly higher percentage of exogenous gene expression than the healthy liver cells (P < 0.01). Notably, this biodegradable end-modified PBAE gene delivery vector was not cytotoxic and maintained the viability of hepatocytes above 80%. In a HCC/hepatocyte co-culture model, in which cancerous and healthy cells share the same micro-environment, 536 25 w/w NPs specifically transfected cancer cells. PBAE NP administration to a subcutaneous HCC mouse model, established with one of the human lines tested in vitro, confirmed effective DNA transfection in vivo. PBAE-based NPs enabled high and preferential DNA delivery to HCC cells, sparing healthy hepatocytes. These biodegradable and liver cancer-selective NPs are a promising technology to deliver therapeutic genes to liver cancer.

The ratio of mitral peak early diastolic filling to early diastolic mitral annular velocity (E/e') reflects diastolic cardiac function in adults. Dual-gate Doppler (DD) enables measurements of E/e' in the same heart beat. This study was designed to assess the utility of the DD method for measurement of fetal E/e' and determine reference ranges for normal fetuses.This prospective study comprised normal singleton pregnancies undergoing fetal echocardiography between 16 and 36 weeks of gestation. According to the DD method, E-wave velocity on pulsed-wave Doppler and e'-wave on tissue Doppler imaging were measured simultaneously on an apical or basal four-chamber view, and fetal E/e' was calculated. Spearman's correlation coefficient was used to assess the relationship between gestational age (GA) and E-wave and e'-wave velocities and E/e'.A total of 133 pregnancies were included in this study and all E/e' measurements were successful. Significant correlation was observed between GA and both left ventricular (LV) E/e' (rBilateral E/e' of normal fetuses, measured using the DD method, decreased with GA, which is considered to be related to myocardial maturity. DD is a useful and convenient method for evaluating fetal E/e' in order to assess diastolic function in the prenatal period. Copyright © 2017 ISUOG. Published by John WileySons Ltd.

A case of periodontitis in a young adolescent Japanese girl with Down's syndrome is presented in this report. The patient received a monthly preventive course of dental care consisting of mechanical plaque control and oral hygiene instruction. After 2.5 years she recovered from progression of periodontal disease both clinically and microbiologically. The importance of clinical care for periodontitis in Down's syndrome patients is discussed.

Mitochondria play an essential role in eukaryotes, and mitochondrial dysfunction is implicated in several diseases. Therefore, intercellular mitochondrial transfer has been proposed as a mechanism for cell-based therapy. In addition, internalization of isolated mitochondria cells by simple coincubation was reported to improve mitochondrial function in the recipient cells. However, substantial evidence for internalization of isolated mitochondria is still lacking, and its precise mechanism remains elusive. We tested whether enriched mitochondria can be internalized into cultured human cells by simple coincubation using fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry. Mitochondria were isolated from endometrial gland-derived mesenchymal cells (EMCs) or EMCs stably expressing mitochondrial-targeted red fluorescent protein (EMCs-DsRed-mito), and enriched by anti-mitochondrial antibody-conjugated microbeads. They were coincubated with isogeneic EMCs stably expressing green fluorescent protein (GFP). Live fluorescence imaging clearly showed that DsRed-labeled mitochondria accumulated in the cytoplasm of EMCs stably expressing GFP around the nucleus. Flow cytometry confirmed the presence of a distinct population of GFP and DsRed double-positive cells within the recipient cells. In addition, transfer efficiency depended on mitochondrial concentration, indicating that human cells may possess the inherent ability to internalize mitochondria. Therefore, this study supports the application of direct transfer of isogeneic mitochondria as a novel approach for the treatment of diseases associated with mitochondrial dysfunction.

When re-anastomosis and re-transplantation becomes necessary after LDLT, arterial reconstruction can be extremely difficult because of severe inflammation and lack of an adequate artery for reconstruction. Frequently, the recipient's HA is not in good condition, necessitating an alternative to the HA. In such cases, the recipient's splenic artery, right gastroepiploic artery or another vessel can be safely used for arterial reconstruction. There have, however, been few reports on using the jejunal artery. Herein, we report our experience with arterial reconstruction using the jejunal artery of the Roux-en-Y limb as an alternative to the HA. A three-yr-old girl who had developed graft failure due to early HA thrombosis after LDLT required re-transplantation. At re-transplantation, an adequate artery for reconstruction was lacking. We reconstructed the artery by using the jejunal artery of the Roux-en-Y limb, as we judged it to be the most appropriate alternative. After surgery, stent was deployed because hepatic blood flow had reduced due to kinking of the anastomosed site, and a favorable outcome was obtained. In conclusion, when an alternative to the HA is required, using the jejunal artery is a feasible alternative.

Early hepatic artery complications after liver transplantation in children, having undergone LDLT, can directly affect graft and recipient outcomes, making early diagnosis and treatment essential. In the past, laparotomy (thrombectomy or reanastomosis) was generally employed to treat early hepatic artery complications. Recently, favorable outcomes of IR have been reported. In children, however, the number of such reports is small. To the best of our knowledge, there is no published report on IR applied to neonates with early hepatic artery complications. We recently succeeded in safely using IR for a neonate with early hepatic artery complications after LDLT and obtained a favorable outcome. This case is presented herein.

To estimate direction and volume of blood exchange between the donor twin and recipient twin by ultrasound assessment of blood flow in the umbilical vein before and after selective laser photocoagulation of communicating vessels (SLPCV) for twin-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS).Forty-one TTTS patients underwent Doppler examination of the umbilical vein before and 24 h after SLPCV. The diameter and mean time-averaged velocity of the umbilical vein were estimated. Total umbilical venous flow (TUVF) was calculated as follows: TUVF (mL/min) = mean time-averaged velocity (cm/s) x mean cross-sectional area (cm2) x 60 (s).TUVF was significantly higher in the recipient (111.2 mL/min) than in the donor twin (44.8 mL/min) before SLPCV (P0.0001). However, TUVF was no different between the recipient and the donor twin after SLPCV (93.1 vs. 70.7 mL/min, recipient and donor twin, respectively, P = 0.11). The donor twin's TUVF increased after surgery (P0.0001), while the recipient twin's TUVF decreased (P = 0.041). The median postoperative increase in the donor twin's TUVF of 25.9 mL/min had a corresponding decrease of TUVF in the recipient twin of 18.1 mL/min (P = 0.27).Our data suggest that untreated TTTS is characterized by excessive umbilical venous blood flow in the recipient twin relative to the donor twin. Laser surgery results in concordant changes in umbilical venous flow in opposite directions between the donor and recipient twins, eliminating the initial imbalance. Our results lend support to the fundamental hypothesis of unbalanced blood flow exchange (net flow from donor to recipient) between monochorionic twins as the cause for TTTS and that laser surgery eliminates the pathophysiological cause.

We aimed to determine if there were any changes in the clinical features of patients infected with influenza during an influenza epidemic in north-western Japan. We retrospectively obtained data on influenza-infected patients from an electronic database set up in the emergency department. Patients were examined in the Department of Emergency Medicine, Kanazawa Medical University in 2001, 2002 or 2003. The information collected included age, sex, time of visiting the emergency department, visiting method, grade of emergency, where they were when their symptoms started to develop, influenza-related complication(s) and outcome. The retrospective data collected for the 3 years analysed (2001-2003) were similar despite the influenza epidemic in the winter of 2002/2003. These results allow us to estimate the influenza-related total medical costs and total work burden for staff in the emergency department of a university hospital during any future influenza epidemics.

To compare the technical characteristics and perinatal outcomes of selected twin-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS) cases treated with primary umbilical cord occlusion (UCO) of the donor vs. recipient twin.TTTS patients who underwent primary UCO via ultrasound endoscopic-guided umbilical cord ligation (UCL) or endoscopic umbilical cord photocoagulation (UCP) were eligible for the study. Primary UCO was offered only if a discordant lethal anomaly was present or by patient choice in TTTS Stages III/IV on the cord of the fetus with abnormal Doppler studies or hydrops.Primary UCO was performed in 25 TTTS cases between July 1997 and June 2002. UCO was performed in six (24%) donor twins and 19 (76%) recipient twins. UCL was performed in 23 cases and UCP in two cases. Overall, 22 (88%) patients had liveborn infants. There were no differences in cotwin survival (100% vs. 84.2%), median gestational age at delivery (34.8 vs. 33.8 weeks) and preterm premature rupture of membranes rate (16.6% vs. 15.7%) whether the donor or recipient twin, respectively, was the subject of UCO. However, two-trocar access (50% vs. 5.3%; P = 0.03) and amnioinfusion (83.3% vs. 0%; P0.001) were required more often in the UCO of the donor than of the recipient twin, respectively. Operating time (75 vs. 40 min) was significantly longer in UCO of the donor twin (P = 0.04). UCP was more likely to be used in occlusion of the donor's cord (33%) than of the recipient's cord (0%; P = 0.05).Primary UCO of the donor twin is technically more demanding than that of the recipient twin, but perinatal outcomes of the cotwins are comparable.

Chewing is one of the most important functions of the mandible, but, to date, there are very few studies of this function in children. The purpose of this study was to quantify the length of the occlusal glide at the lower incisal point during gum chewing in children with primary dentition. Eleven girls with primary dentition were selected for this study. Mandibular excursions with occlusal contacts and gum chewing movement were measured using an optoelectronic system that can measure mandibular movement with six degrees-of-freedom at a sampling frequency of 100 Hz. A curved mesh diagram of incisor coordinates during mandibular excursions was established to calculate the length of the occlusal glide for each subject. The occlusal glide lengths of children were compared with previously reported results for adults. The estimated length of the occlusal glide during closing was significantly shorter in children than in adults, contrary to that during opening. This result suggests that children have a characteristic chewing pattern that differs from adults.

The occlusal phase of chewing is especially interesting because food particles are being pulverized in this phase. For efficient chewing the upper and lower teeth must come together in a congruent fashion with less variation than in other phases. To examine this expectation the chewing motions of 28 women were recorded optoelectrically, and their frontal and sagittal angles of the closing and following opening strokes were measured at 3.0 mm (3-D linear distance) of opening. Closing strokes were more stable than opening strokes. The frontal angle was correlated with the sagittal angle during closing. The opening and closing sagittal angles were moderately correlated, and the opening and closing frontal angles were negatively correlated at the intersubject level. No direct association was found between the closing strokes and following opening strokes at the intra-subject level. These results suggest that closing strokes are more stable than opening strokes, resulting in efficient mastication.

To investigate the relationship between sialylation of glycoconjugates and clinicopathological characteristics of gastric cancer.Sialylation of glycoconjugates was examined histochemically in 71 gastric cancers using Maackia amurensis leukoagglutinin (MAL), a lectin that recognizes the trisaccharide sequence NeuAc alpha 2,3Gal beta 1,4GlcNAc/Glc. Positive staining with MAL was observed in the tumour region of all of the samples, but the populations of MAL-positive tumour cells in the tumour region varied among the samples. In the corresponding non-cancerous regions, however, no positive staining was observed. Calculating the percentage of MAL-positive tumour cells as part of the total tumour cells with respect to the MAL-staining index (MI) allowed the gastric cancer to be classified into two distinct groups: high and low levels of MI, with a cut-off level of 40% of MI. Furthermore, statistical analyses using the MI level and clinicopathological characteristics of the tumour indicated that a high MI level in gastric tumour tissues is related to a poorer prognosis.The appearance of MAL-positive glycoconjugates in gastric tumour cells is associated with the behaviour of gastric cancer.

Congenital epulis or congenital granular cell tumor, is a benign tumor that has rarely been diagnosed prenatally. We report a case of a large congenital epulis diagnosed at 26 weeks of gestation that increased in size during gestation. Color and power Doppler ultrasound examination showed marked blood flow in the tumor. The tumor could be resected completely following Cesarean section and histologically examined. We discuss the prenatal diagnosis and histogenesis of congenital epulis.

t(11:8) is a recurrent chromosomal abnormality observed in mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT)-type lymphoma. API2 and MLT genes have been implicated. The authors devised a dual-color interphase fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) system to detect splitting of 11q22 and its fusion with 18q21. Subjects were 44 cases of extranodal lymphoma and cases of primary macroglobulinemia. Whenever RNA was available, reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction followed by sequence analysis was performed. Positive cases by dual-color FISH analysis were restricted to MALT-type lymphoma and one case of primary macroglobulinemia. Among 24 cases of MALT-type lymphoma, 14 (58%) (4 gastric, 5 pulmonary, 3 orbital, 1 salivary, and 1 thyroid lymphomas) had splitting of the 11q22 region probes and fusion of signals suggesting the translocation of chromosome 11 and 18. Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction analysis showed the API2/MLT gene fusion in 9 of 10 cases. Sequence analyses showed three different modes of involvement of the MLT gene, whereas the breakpoint at API2 was the same. Monoclonal component of serum immunoglobulin M was observed in 3 of 14 positive cases for the translocation. Direct visualization using dual-color FISH on samples serves as a molecular tool for management of MALT-type lymphoma with API2/MLT gene fusion.

We report three cases of intrapulmonary lymph nodes coincidental with primary lung cancers. In the first case, a 56-year-old man had a small subpleural nodule in the right lower lobe associated with adenocarcinoma of the right upper lobe. The small nodule was 10 mm in diameter and was difficult to differentiate radiologically from intrapulmonary metastasis. Wedge resection of this small nodule was performed. Histologic examination of the nodule revealed an intrapulmonary lymph node with anthracotic pigmentation. A right upper lobectomy for adenocarcinoma was performed, and was completely curative. The second patient, a 77-year-old woman, had adenocarcinoma in the right lower lobe diagnosed by transbronchial biopsy. Computed tomography (CT) revealed a small nodule 5 mm in diameter in the right upper lobe. Histologic examination of the small wedge-resected nodule revealed a lymph node. Lower lobectomy was performed with completely curative results. In the third case, a 63-year-old man was admitted for investigation of a mass shadow in the right upper lobe. CT showed a small nodular shadow in the right middle lobe, confirmed histologically to be lymphoid tissue, in addition to the original mass, which was diagnosed by transbronchial biopsy as squamous cell carcinoma. Upper lobectomy was performed and proved to be curative. Small intrapulmonary lymph nodes are very difficult to diagnose by methods other than surgical resection. When a small intrapulmonary nodule is detected in a patient with primary lung cancer, the presence of an intrapulmonary lymph node must be considered. If radiological characters compatible with an intrapulmonary lymph node are found and there is no other metastasis indicating poor prognosis, it should be considered as a possible indication for surgical resection.

We encountered a case of pulmonary nocardiosis that responded dramatically to combined ST and sparfloxacin treatment. A 55-year-old woman presented with fever, cough and yellowish sputum. She had been under treatment with oral prednisolone (15 mg per day) since July 1997 after a diagnosis of Evans syndrome. A high fever of 39.8 degrees C was noted on January 30, 1998. The patient was hospitalized for bloody sputum, bilateral hypochondriac pain and evidence of infiltrative opacities in the left lower lobe on chest radiography. Bacterial pneumonia was suspected, and she was treated with piperacillin, but her clinical symptoms did not improve. Sputum culture and serologic examination failed to lead to a definitive diagnosis. Nocardia farcinica was isolated by culturing tissue obtained by CT-guided transcutaneous pulmonary biopsy, leading to a diagnosis of pulmonary nocardiosis. The results of an MIC test for antimicrobial agents led to treatment with a combination of ST and sparfloxacin, and the clinical symptoms improved. These clinical observations suggest that, when pneumonia is diagnosed in patients who have been receiving oral steroids for a prolonged period, pulmonary nocardiosis should be considered in the differential diagnosis to enable selection of appropriate antimicrobial agents.

The relationship between preoperative serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) level and treatment outcome for 39 clinical-stage I patients with surgically resected non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) was retrospectively studied. Serum CEA levels were measured with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit, with the upper limit of normal defined as 6.7 ng/mL based on the 95% specificity level for benign lung disease in our hospital. Patients with serum CEAor = 6.7 ng/mL (n = 9) were more likely to have advanced disease at surgery than those with serum CEA6.7 ng/mL (n = 30) (77.8% vs 16.7%, p = 0.0049). This increase in disease stage at surgery was mainly due to mediastinal lymph node metastasis. The sensitivity and specificity of serum CEA in the detection of pathological N2 disease were 62.5% and 87.1%, respectively. Survival for the high CEA group was significantly worse than that for the low CEA group (median survival time, 40.2 vs 75.8 months, p = 0.0125). Relapse-free survival for the high CEA group was also poorer than that of the low CEA group (p = 0.0032). In a multivariate analysis, serum CEA level was the most dominant factor affecting relapse-free survival (hazard ratio = 6.68, p = 0.0053). These findings suggest that preoperative serum CEA level is useful not only in detection of mediastinal lymph node metastasis, but also in prediction of survival for clinical-stage I patients with NSCLC.

Immature rats receiving equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG) and human CG (hCG) were used to study the time course changes in nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activity in the ovary during ovulation. To study the role of NO in ovulation, the effects of intrabursal injection of L-N(G)-monomethylarginine (L-NMMA, 125 microg/20 microl/bursa), a NOS inhibitor, on the number of ova shed were also examined. Rats were sacrificed at -48, 0, 3, 6, 9, 12, and 24 h after hCG injection, and the ovaries were collected for the NOS activity assay, Western blotting, NADPH-diaphorase histochemistry and immunohistochemistry. Total NOS and constitutive NOS activities in the ovary increased significantly at 9 h after hCG injection and the values remained high thereafter. Inducible NOS (iNOS) activity was detectable as a small peak at 3 and 6 h after hCG injection. Endothelial NOS (eNOS) protein production increased after hCG injection with a peak at 12 h, whereas iNOS protein production decreased at 12 and 24 h after hCG injection. NADPH-diaphorase positive cells increased at the thecae of growing follicles after hCG injection, appeared at mural granulosa cells before ovulation, and were detected in newly formed corpora lutea, which coincided with the results in eNOS positive cells by immunohistochemistry. L-NMMA given to rats at 5 or 7 h after hCG was most effective in reducing the number of ova shed. These results indicate that the NOS activity and NOS positive cells increased after hCG injection, and that eNOS was likely the main NOS increasing in the ovary during ovulation. It is concluded that NO produced between 5 and 9 h after hCG might play a supportive role in ovulation.

Bronchioloalveolar carcinoma (BAC) has been reported to have unique clinicopathological features.This retrospective study was performed using data base including 871 patients treated for primary lung cancer between 1981 and 1995.The patients with BAC included a larger proportion of female (P = 0.029) and smoked less (P = 0.002) than those with non-BAC. There was no difference in survival between surgically resected patients with BAC and those with non-BAC. Clinical Stage IV patients with BAC had a better response to chemotherapy than did those with non-BAC. Survival in the former group was better than that in the latter on univariate analysis, but the significance of this difference was not confirmed multivariate analysis.The patients with BAC included a larger proportion of females and smoked less than those with non-BAC. Treatment results for BAC was comparable to those for non-BAC.

To evaluate the possible involvement of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the pathogenesis of Castleman's disease, we studied VEGF levels in sera and supernatants of cultured lymph nodes from two patients with the plasma cell type of Castleman's disease, and analysed the expression of VEGF immunohistochemically in the lymph nodes. Clinically, one patient was classified as the localized type and the other as the multicentric type. Histologically, mature plasma cells and hyalinized vessels were prominent in the interfollicular region. The VEGF levels of the sera and the supernatants of cultured lymph nodes of both patients were higher than those of normal controls. VEGF was strongly expressed in plasma cells in the interfollicular region of the lymph nodes of both patients, but rarely in normal lymph nodes. Our results suggest that VEGF may be involved in the marked vascular proliferation in the interfollicular region of the lymph nodes of the plasma cell type of Castleman's disease.

In order to elucidate the relationship between glycosylation of IgG and aging, oligosaccharide structures of human IgG purified from sera of men and women aged 18 to 73 years were investigated. Oligosaccharides were liberated quantitatively from IgG by hydrazinolysis followed by N-acetylation and were tagged with p-aminobenzoic acid ethyl ester. The oligosaccharide structures were then analyzed by HPLC in conjunction with sequential exoglycosidase digestion. All IgG samples were shown to contain a series of biantennary complex type oligosaccharides which consisted of +/-Galbeta1-4GlcNAcbeta1-2Manalpha1-6(+/-GlcNAcbeta 1-4)(+/-Galbeta1-4GlcNAcbeta1-2Man(alpha)1-3)Man(beta)1-+ ++4GlcNAcbeta1-4(+/- Fucalpha1-6)GlcNAc and their mono- and disialo glycoforms in different ratios. In female IgG samples only, the incidence of non-galactosylated oligosaccharides with non-reducing terminal GlcNAc residues increased with aging (r0.8), whereas that of digalactosylated oligosaccharides decreased (r-0.8). A weaker correlation was observed between aging and the incidence of neutral and monosialo oligosaccharides in female IgG (r=0.461 and r= -0.538, respectively) and between aging and the incidence of oligosaccharides with a bisecting GlcNAc in both male and female IgG samples (r=0.566 and r=0.440, respectively). In addition, a significant change with aging in the galactosylation of IgG oligosaccharides was observed in females in their thirties, fifties, and sixties (p0.02, p0.01, and p0.04, respectively). These findings may contribute to our understanding of autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis in which glycosylation is involved.

A 53-year-old female case of cytogenetically relapsed chronic myeloid leukemia after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT) who achieved remission by withdrawal of immunosuppressant is reported. On day 690 of this presentation she is well and alive with performance status of 100%. She had episodes of cyclic oscillation of her neutrophil count during hydroxyurea therapy lasting 1 year before transplantation. Increase of the neutrophils at the time of BMT might have contributed to her early relapse on day 207. Withdrawal of immunosuppressant was successful at least in this case.

An artificial monozygotic twin mouse produced by bisecting a 16-cell stage embryo with a fine glass-needle and then transferring a pair of demi-embryos together into the right uterus of a pregnant recipient female mouse after a 24 hr in-vitro cultivation allowed us to examine the postnatal growth changes in monozygotic twin mice. With regard to the preimplantational growth process of the embryo, we investigated the success rate of bisecting an embryo into paired demi-embryos, the developmental ability of the bisected demi-embryo up to the early blastocyst, and the production rate of such monozygotic twin mice. The items examined in the postnatal growth process of the monozygotic twin mouse were the growth curve of the twin weight and the craniofacial size of the monozygotic twin mouse by cephalometric observations at the 3rd, 10th, 21st, 42nd, 70th, and 100th postnatal days, respectively. The following results were thus obtained. 1) The success rate of bisecting the 16-cell stage embryos into a paired demi-embryos was 86.1% (2,528/2,936). As a result, 2,301 of 2,528 paired demi-embryos could develop up to blastocysts after 24 hr of in-vitro cultivation (91.0%). 2) In addition 42 of the 394 (10.7%) recipient female mice, which had been transferred as paired demi-embryos and delivered a litter, resulted in 31 singleton mice (7.9%) or 11 paired monozygotic twin mice (2.8%), respectively. 3) The weight of each twin increased rapidly up to the 42nd day but thereafter only increased gradually up to the 100th day. The within-pair difference among each paired monozygotic twin mouse could be observed from after the 21st day until the 100th day. 4) Both the dorsoventral craniofacial size of each twin mouse and the lateral craniofacial size of each monozygotic twin mouse increased rapidly up to the 42nd day and thereafter gradually reached a plateau by the 100th day. Almost no within-pair difference was observed among each paired monozygotic twin mouse after weaning up to the 100th day. Based on these results, it is thus concluded that the craniofacial growth of each paired monozygotic twin mouse more closely resembled the growth pattern than that of the somatic growth, which thus indicated that the craniofacial growth was more greatly controlled by the genetic effect than the somatic growth. Furthermore, these findings thus suggest that an embryo bisection is an essential for producing artificial monozygotic twin mice from paired demi-embryos. Therefore, artificial monozygotic twin mice are considered to be a useful animal model for examining the effect of genetic-environment interaction on either the prenatal dento-craniofacial morphogenesis or the postnatal craniofacial growth in mice.

A cross-nursing experiment was conducted to examine the nursing dam strain effect on the postnatal growth of a newborn mouse offspring by simultaneously using larger DDD strain mice and smaller C57BL strain ones. A periodical cephalometric observation of the postnatal craniofacial growth of the offspring was longitudinally made from birth up to the 100th day of life in addition to measuring the offspring weight. According to multivariate statistical analyses, the following results were obtained: 1) The mean body weight of the DDD offspring cross-nursed by the C57BL dam was significantly lighter than that of the DDD offspring self-nursed by the DDD dam throughout the whole experimental period except at birth and on the 100th day. 2) The mean body weight of the C57BL offspring cross-nursed by the DDD dam was significantly heavier than that of the C57BL offspring self-nursed by the C57BL dam from the 10th day up to the 30th day. 3) There was a significant positive relationship between the offspring weight and the offspring craniofacial size throughout the entire experimental period in the C57BL offspring and from the 10th day up to the 40th day in the DDD offspring. 4) The nursing dam strain effect on the craniofacial size of the DDD offspring was also significant on the 30th, 60th, 80th, and 100th days. The adjusted craniofacial size of the DDD offspring cross-nursed by the C57BL dam was significantly smaller than that of the DDD offspring self-nursed by the DDD dam on the 30th, 60th, 80th, and 100th days. 5) The nursing dam strain effect on the craniofacial size of the C57BL offspring was not significant throughout the whole experimental period. The adjusted craniofacial size of the C57BL offspring cross-nursed by the DDD dam was almost the same as that of the C57BL offspring self-nursed by the C57BL dam throughout the whole experimental period. 6) The fat content of the DDD dam tended to be higher than that of the C57BL dam and the interstrain difference was closed to a significant level (P = 0.06) on the 20th day. The moisture content of the DDD dam tended to be lower than that of the C57BL dam and the interstrain difference was also significant on the 7th day (P0.001). Based on these findings, it can thus be concluded that the nursing dam strain effect played an important role in the postnatal somatic growth of the DDD and the C57BL offspring and the craniofacial growth and the DDD offspring.

CDDP is one of the most effective drugs in chemotherapy for gastric cancer. We compared the antiemetic effect of a combination of granisetron and methylprednisolone with that of granisetron administered alone. Twenty postgastrectomy-patients who were to receive moderately emetogenic chemotherapy, including CDDP, were enrolled in randomized fashion to evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of two antiemetic regimens. The following antiemetic regimens were used: 3 mg of granisetron given intravenously before chemotherapy (11 patients) or a combination of granisetron and 250 mg of methylprednisolone in the same manner (9 patients). Granisetron combined with methylprednisolone tender to be more effective than granisetron alone. The adverse effects were very mild. Their efficacy against delayed emesis is still not entirely satisfactory.

We conducted a single and repeat oral dose study of YM17E, a novel inhibitor of acyl coenzyme A (CoA): cholesterol acyltransferase, in healthy male volunteers to evaluate the pharmacokinetic profile, tolerability and effect of the drug on serum cholesterol. In the single administration study, YM17E was administered after a meal to two groups of subjects (each containing six subjects taking the drug and three taking placebo) receiving 3, 60 and 300 mg or 15, 60 and 450 mg YM17E, respectively. Plasma concentrations of unchanged drug following single oral administration at 3-300 mg after a meal increased with increasing dose. In contrast, plasma concentrations after administration of 450 mg were almost the same as after 300 mg. Unchanged YM17E was not detected in urine after single administration, suggesting that it was excreted via the bile or urine after metabolism. Five active metabolites (M1, M2-a, M2-b, M3 and M4) were observed in plasma at concentrations comparable to those of unchanged YM17E. Their plasma concentrations increased in a slightly greater than dose-dependent manner from 3 to 300 mg. The effect of food was studied in an open crossover design with a 1-week washout period. Twelve subjects received 150 mg YM17E in both the fasted and post-prandial states. The AUC and Cmax after fasting were closely similar to those after a meal, showing that bioavailability was not affected by food intake. In the repeated oral dose study, the subjects received test drug at 150 mg or 300 mg (n = 6 each) or placebo (n = 3) twice a day (after breakfast and after dinner) for 7 days. On days 1 and 7, the subjects received YM17E once a day (after breakfast) for evaluation of pharmacokinetic properties. After repeated oral administration of 150 mg b.d., plasma concentrations reached steady state by day 5 (mean Cmin 48.6 ng.ml-1). After repeated administration of 300 mg b.d., plasma concentrations prior to each daily morning dose increased up to the 5th day (mean Cmin 166.6 ng.ml-1) and then tended to decrease until the 7th day. No significant signs, symptoms or changes in serum cholesterol levels were observed during the single and repeated oral dose studies at 150 mg b.d. Although statistical analysis was not conducted because of the small number of subjects, all subjects receiving repeated oral administration of 300 mg twice daily showed a 25% decrease in serum cholesterol level on day 7, but also the simultaneous occurrence of diarrhoea.

Although the influence of genetic and environmental factors on the completed crown size of mandibular molars in mice is well known, such influence on the growth process of the mandibular second and third molars of mice has not yet been clarified. The purpose of the present study is to examine the growth pattern of the dentinal formation and evaluate the relative contributions of both genetic and environmental factors to longitudinal dentin formation by the use of the partial diallel cross-genetic approach, the time-marking method and a computerized image measurement system. The following results were obtained: 1) the onset of dentinal formation in the second molar was on the 6-9th day after birth, while that of the third molar was on the 9-12th day after birth; 2) the best fitted growth curve of the dentinal formation for the first molar was the fifth order polynomial equation, while for the second molar the fourth order polynomial equation was best, and for the third molar the third order polynomial equation was best; 3) maternal effect strongly influenced the second and the third molar dentin growth at an early stage of postnatal growth. Thus, it could be concluded that the dentinal formation growth pattern differed among the three kinds of mouse molars while maternal environmental factors, in addition to genetic factors, played an important role in the mouse second and third molar dentin growth during the early stage of postnatal growth.

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between toe pressure and tactile sensitivity in the great toe and to describe two newly developed measurements of postural stability. The subjects of the study were 21 healthy volunteers. The subjects were divided into two age groups, the young group (mean 21.0/spl plusmn/1.6 years, 7 males and 6 females), and the elderly group (mean 71.4/spl plusmn/2.8 years, 4 males and 4 females). The methods and materials used for the first experiment (balance test): The instrument for measuring standing balance was a force plate. Data were analyzed to provide two main variables: (1) body sway index (SI: mm) and (2) toe pressure (%BW/cm/sup 2/). The subjects were asked to stand in a relaxed posture for 20 s. The variables of body sway were measured in four conditions: normal surface with eyes open or closed, and soft surface with eyes open or closed. Second experiment (tactile sense test): This experiment utilized a new system which was developed for measuring the tactile sensation. The tactile threshold value was measured with the subject seated in a chair, the back supported, and the hips and knees flexed at 90 degrees. The contactor pulled and pushed the toe longitudinally along its axis at a constant velocity of 1 mm/s. There were significant differences between the young and elderly groups in the tactile sense of the great toe (p

This study was performed to evaluate the demented state and the nootropic effect of TA-0910 by "Automated Fluctuation Analysis" of the human high-frequency EEG. Correlations between Lorentzian parameters S1 and S2 and the results of neuropsychological tests was investigated. The subjects of this study were 12 demented patients, four males and eight females, aged 57 to 80 years. After obtaining their informed consent a daily dose of 10 mg or 20 mg of TA-0910 was assigned to these subjects one by one. The Kana Hiroi test for pre-frontal lobe function and the Mini Mental State (MMS) test for function of the posterior part of brain were administered before and after the medication period. Particular attention was paid to the consciousness level of the subjects during EEG recording, and EEGs were stored on magnet tape. Statistical analysis was performed by Student's t-test. Improvement in the MMS score from 16.4 +/- 6.2 (mean +/- S.D.) before treatment with TA-0910 to 24.3 +/- 5.7 after treatment was significant (p0.001), and a tendency toward dose-dependency was noted. The changes in the traditional EEG did not coincide with these findings but Lorentzian parameters S1 and S2 and the results of the neuropsychological tests correlated well. All of the subjects failed the Kana Hiroi test both before and after the medication period, and in keeping with this finding, the normal frontal dominant pattern of the S1 topographical display was not detected. Furthermore, not only was the elevation of the S2 value significant but the correlation with the MMS scores was also significant, especially in the posterior and right half of the brain. These findings strongly suggest that 1) "Automated Fluctuation Analysis" is very useful not only for evaluating the demented state but for evaluating nootropics as well and 2) TA-0910 activation of subcortical structures, especially A-10, appears to be the mechanism to action.

Cerebellar tonsillectomy is a controversial treatment for Chiari type I malformation combined with syringomyelia. To demonstrate the validity of this procedure, we evaluated the postoperative clinical course, the histopathological finding in the resected cerebellar tonsils and the MR images of four patients. The patients were all women, ranging in age from 27 to 58 years old (mean: 43 years). The postoperative follows-up period lasted from 28 to 51 months (average: 38 mos), and the neurological symptoms and signs improved in all patients. Histopathological examination of the resected tonsils revealed a loss of Purkinje cells and granule cells. Vacuolated degeneration and chromatolysis were also seen, and modified Bielschowsky stain revealed axonal degeneration. These findings appeared to be irreversible. Postoperative T1-weighted MR images of the cervical and thoracic spine demonstrated a decrease in the size of the syrinx and the disappearance of evidence of tonsillar herniation in all patients. Postoperative phase-contrast MR images showed good CSF pulsation in the subarachnoid space at the craniocervical junction in all three patients examined. It was possible to avoid surgical complications by using careful microsurgical techniques. Based on these results, we concluded that cerebellar tonsillectomy is an adequate surgical strategies for treating Chiari type I malformation associated with syringomyelia.

The CT simulator is a real-time, CT-linked, 3-D treatment planning system which consists of a CT scanner, a multi-image display, a treatment planning device with real-time visual optimization, and a laser beam projector. The clinical benefit of this system was evaluated in breast cancer patients undergoing breast-conserving therapy. Between December 1987 and March 1993, 244 breasts in 243 patients underwent breast-conserving therapy at Kyoto University Hospital. Clinically, there were 159 stage I and 85 stage II tumors. Pathological staging showed 216 stage I, 24 stage II, and 4 stage III tumors. All except 10 tumors were invasive ductal carcinomas. Eleven tumors were margin-positive by histopathological examinations. As surgical treatment, quadrantectomy or wide excision with complete axillary dissection was performed. Radiation therapy consisted of 50 Gy delivered to the whole breast by opposed tangential fields over 5 weeks using 60Co gamma rays. For patients with a positive margin, boost electron irradiation was given to a total of 10 Gy. We used the CT simulator for individualized optimization of the tangential fields. Prompt and accurate determination of the tangential portals was possible by using the simulator to determine various parameters, including the beam angle and head rotation angle. During follow-up for 2-66 months (median: 20 months), unrelated death occurred in 2 patients and distant metastases developed in 5 (bone 4, lung 1). However, neither local recurrence nor symptomatic radiation pneumonitis has since occurred. The cumulative survival rate and the disease-free survival rate at five years were 95.2% and 91.8%, respectively. The CT simulator appears to be a useful tool for individualized optimization of tangential irradiation fields in breast-conserving therapy.

The embryo transfer technique was carried out to examine the strain effect of dams on the intrauterine incisal growth of mouse fetuses. A mean of nine DDD/Qdj embryos was transferred to each female recipient of the four strains (DDD/Qdj, C3H/Qdjl C57BL/Qdj, and DBA/IJ Sea). The dam's weight, the litter size, the gestation period and the newborn offspring weight were recorded. The mandibular incisal size of the newborn offspring was measured two-dimensionally by means of an image analyzing system. Statistical analyses of the incisal size of the DDD/Qdj newborn offspring delivered from the four strains of recipients showed the following results: 1) There were significant interstrain differences in the dam's weight and the newborn offspring weight, but not in the litter size and the gestation period among the four strains of recipients. 2) There was an inverse relation between the litter size and the mandibular incisal size while there were direct relations between the dam's weight and the mandibular incisal size, and between the newborn offspring weight and the mandibular incisal size. 3) There was a significant strain effect of the dam on the mandibular incisal size of the newborn offspring. 4) After eliminating the effects of the litter size, the gestation period, and the newborn offspring weight on the mandibular incisal size of the DDD/Qdj newborn offspring developed in the four strains of dams, a significant interstrain difference in the adjusted mandibular incisal size was found (C3H/QdjDBA/IJ SeaC57BL/QdjDDD/Qdj), suggesting that the uteri of the C3H/Qdj strain of dams provided a more suitable environment for the intrauterine incisal growth than those of the other three strains of dams. Thus, it is concluded that the strain effect of dam played an important role in the intrauterine incisal growth of mouse fetuses.

The embryo transfer technique and cephalometry were used to investigate the effect of dam strain in intrauterine craniofacial growth and the severity of cleft lip and palate (CLP) in a CLP-susceptible CL/Fr strain of embryos. The CL/Fr strain of embryos at early blastocyst stage was transferred to the same dam strain and to the CLP-resistant C57BL dam strain. On the 18th gestational day, each dam was laparotomized to take out the fetuses. The spontaneous incidence of CLP in the fetuses was checked and a cephalometric observation of the craniofacial complex of each fetus was done just after laparotomy. The dorsoventral craniofacial size of the unaffected fetuses and the severity of CLP i the affected ones were compared between both dam strains. The following results were obtained: 1) The overall craniofacial sizes of the unaffected fetuses observed in the CL/Fr dam strain were significantly smaller than those seen in the C57/BL dam strain. Those of the affected fetuses observed in the CL/Fr dam strain were smaller than those seen in the C57BL dam strain although the interstrain difference was not significant. 20 The dam strain had a highly significant effect on the craniofacial size of the unaffected fetuses. 3) The CLP frequency in the CL/Fr dam strain was significantly higher than that in the C57BL dam strain. 4) The severity of CLP in the affected fetuses observed in the CL/Fr dam strain was significantly more serious than that seen in the C57BL dam strain. These results indicated that the CLP-susceptible CL/Fr dam strain retarded the intrauterine craniofacial growth of the fetuses and that the cleft condition in the affected fetuses observed in the CL/Fr dam strain was more seriously affected than that seen in the CLP-resistant C57BL dam strain. Thus, it can be concluded that the effect of the dam strain played an important role in the craniofacial morphogenesis of the CL/Fr strain of mouse fetuses that developed from the embryo transferred to the CL/Fr and C57BL dam strains along with the genotype of embryos.

The volume of incisor dentin formation was investigated semilongitudinally using the time-marking method during the reproductive cycle of pregnancy, parturition, lactation, and post-weaning in mice, and was compared with unmated, non-pregnant control mice. DDD/Qdj mice were injected with nitrilo-tri-acetate lead acid solution subcutaneously at 4-day intervals. Serial cross sections of 100 microns thickness were prepared from the edge of the tooth to the apical portion. Each area of dentin, encircled by adjoining lines labeled with the lead that was formed at 4-day intervals, was measured by means of an image scanning system. The total amount of dentin formation per 4-day intervals was quantified as a volume in all animals. In the control animals, there was no significant difference at each period throughout the experiment. However, the volume of dentin formation increased during the reproductive cycle over that of the control. The increase in volume was significant (P0.0001). In addition, during pregnancy, the volume increased gradually with the greatest increase seen in the last 4 days of pregnancy, including the day of parturition, as compared with the first half-term of pregnancy (P0.05). The volume decreased immediately after parturition as compared with the latter half-term of pregnancy (P0.05). The results of the present study suggest that the volume of dentin formation is affected by the change of maternal metabolism during the reproductive cycle in mice.

The embryo transfer technique is a very useful tool for determining the intrauterine effect of the dam on the prenatal growth of the embryo. In the present study, a DDD/Qdj strain of embryos was transferred to four strains of recipients (DDD/Qdj, C3H/Qdj, C57BL/Qdj, and DBA/1J Sea). The litter size and the gestation period were recorded and the mandibular size of the newborn offspring was measured by an image analyzing system. A comparison among the four strains of recipients was performed to examine the effect of the strain of the recipient on the intrauterine growth of the mandible in mouse fetuses. The following results were obtained. 1) There were no interstrain differences in the litter size and the gestation period among the four strains of recipients. 2) There was an inverse relation between the litter size and the mandibular size, while there was a direct relation between the gestation period and the mandibular size. 3) There was a strong effect of the strain of the recipient on the mandibular size of the newborn offspring. 4) After eliminating these effects of the litter size and the gestation period on the mandibular size, a significant interstrain difference in the adjusted mandibular size of the newborn offspring developed from the DDD/Qdj strain of embryos transferred to the four strains of recipients was found. It is suggested that the four strains of recipients might unequally affect the intrauterine growth of the mandible in the mouse fetuses, which were derived from the same DDD/Qdj strain of transferred embryos.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

A DDD/Qdj strain of embryos was transferred to the same strain of recipient females to examine the effect of the embryo transfer procedure on the intrauterine growth of the mandible in mouse fetuses. Just after parturition, the litter size and the gestation period were recorded and the mandibular size of the newborn offspring was measured by use of an image analyzing system. The mandibular size of the newborn offspring developed from the transferred embryos was compared with that of the newborn offspring developed from the nontransferred embryos. The following results were obtained: 1) There was no gender difference in the mandibular size of the newborn offspring from either the transferred or nontransferred embryos. 2) An inverse relation between the litter size and the mandibular size of the newborn offspring was observed, while a direct relation between the gestation period and the mandibular size of the newborn offspring was observed. 3) The litter size in the transferred group was smaller than that of the nontransferred group, while the gestation period in the transferred group was longer than that of the non-transferred group. After adjusting for the effects of the litter size and the gestation period on the mandibular size for both groups, the adjusted mandibular size of the newborn offspring in the transferred group was significantly smaller than that of the nontransferred group. Thus, it is concluded that the embryo transfer procedure retards the intrauterine growth of the mandible in mouse fetuses developed from transferred embryos.

Recently, the progress of chemotherapy has improved the clinical outcome of chemotherapy for hematopoietic malignancies considerably. However, the incidence of MRSA infections has increased in patients with hematopoietic malignancies, since preventive, multi-drug administration of antibiotics is frequently used in these patients. Moreover, patients with hematopoietic malignancies complicated by MRSA pneumonia have a poor prognosis. We examined lymphocyte subpopulations in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) in MRSA pneumonia-complicated patients with hematopoietic malignancies and studied their relationship with the clinical features. We also discuss the cause of their poor prognosis. Of 223 patients with hematopoietic malignancies, 18 (8.1%) were complicated by MRSA pneumonia. Many of those patients had lymphoid malignancies. MRSA pneumonia occurred when neutrophil count was decreased. Most patients had been treated with chemotherapy containing anticancer drugs or with corticosteroid therapy. They had also been treated with third generation cefem antibiotics. We studied lymphocyte subsets in BALF in MRSA pneumonia-complicated patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) and observed the local changes of the pulmonary immunological system due to NHL itself and due to anti-lymphoma chemotherapy. Our findings suggest the possibility that these immunological changes may play a role in the susceptibility to MRSA pneumonia.

Perceived musculoskeletal discomfort caused by the repetition of a light work task was examined by rating the perceived musculoskeletal discomfort and measuring the muscle pressure pain threshold. Thirteen healthy female workers performed a repetitive light work task for 120 minutes. Based on the perceived musculoskeletal discomfort during the work task the subjects were assigned to one of two groups, i.e., those who reported most complaints and those who reported fewest complaints. The pressure pain thresholds of the trapezius muscles in the most-complaining group were significantly lower than those in the least-complaining group. The pressure pain threshold was logarithmically correlated both with the perceived musculoskeletal discomfort and with the EMG signal amplitudes.

To examine the degree of the relative contribution of genetic and environmental effects to preimplantation development of mouse embryo in vitro, two-cell stage embryos collected from oviducts of five strains of inbred mice (DDD/Qdj, C3H/Qdj, C57BL/6J Sea, DBA/1J Sea, and BALB/C Sea) were cultivated up to the stage of expanded blastocyst for 72 hr. Both fertility and survival rates were calculated in each recipient and also in each strain. A Student-Newman-Keuls test for both rates showed a significant inter-strain difference and an analysis of variance done to estimate the relative importance of genetic and environmental effects on the preimplantation development of embryo showed a low degree of genetic determination for both rates. It was thus possible to conclude that the environmental effect played a more important role on preimplantation development of mouse embryo in vitro.

Embryo transfer effect and intrauterine effect of the dam on prenatal development of the craniofacial complex of mice embryos were investigated with the use of embryo transfer and cephalostat. DDD strain embryos were transferred to the three strains of recipients (DDD, C57BL, and DBA). The cephalometric observation of newborn offspring developed from transferred embryos was performed just after parturition. Dorso-ventral craniofacial size of newborn offspring was calculated using values of X- and Y-coordinates on a dorsoventral cephalogram. Statistical analysis showed that a significant intergroup difference in craniofacial size between transferred and nontransferred groups as well as a significant inter-strain difference among those of the three strains of recipients were observed. Thus, it was disclosed that embryo transfer technique might retard the prenatal development of craniofacial complex of transferred embryo and that the three strains of recipients contributed unequally to the prenatal development of craniofacial complex of transferred embryo through each of their intrauterine environments as a prenatal maternal effect. These results indicated that the intrauterine environment of the recipient played an important role in the prenatal development of the craniofacial complex of the mice embryo.

A 68-year-old woman presented to our hospital on January 7, 1992 with swelling of a right cervical lymph node as the chief complaint. After biopsy of the cervical lymph node, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma was diagnosed (diffuse medium cell type, B cell) and she was hospitalized on January 10. Except for the enlargement of the right cervical lymph node noted at the time of hospitalization, no abnormal findings on examination or in chest X-ray and CT scan were noted. However, at bronchoscopy rubor and swelling of the mucosa of the right second carina and the bifurcation between the left upper division and the lingular bronchus were noted, and biopsy was therefore performed. The histologic appearance of the biopsy tissue was similar to that of the lymph node, showing infiltration by malignant lymphoma. The tumor was diagnosed to be stage IIA of the Ann Arbor classification, and COP-BLAM therapy was commenced on January 15. On January 21, the cervical lymph node was no langer present. At bronchoscopy performed on January 25, the abnormal portion of the bronchi had disappeared, and no infiltration was observed in the biopsied specimen. There have been some reports describing lesions within the bronchi in cases of malignant lymphoma. However, there have been few cases in which no abnormalities were found in the chest X-ray and diagnosis was made by bronchoscopy. Thus, it seems to be useful and important to perform bronchoscopy in order to determine the stage of malignant lymphoma.

The embryo transfer technique is a very powerful tool for detecting intra-uterine effects of dams on prenatal growth of embryos. Embryos of DDD strain were transferred to a recipient of the same strain. Litter size, gestation period and birth weight of newborn offspring were measured. To examine the effect of embryo transfer on the prenatal growth of embryos, these results were compared with those of newborn DDD strain of mice that had developed from non-transferred embryos. Embryos of DDD strain were transferred to four strains of recipients (DDD/Qdj, C3H/Qdj, C57BL/Qdj and DBA/1J Sea). Litter size, gestation period and birth weight of newborn offspring were measured. The four strains of recipients were compared to examine the effect of recipient strain on the prenatal growth of the embryos. The results were as follows. 1. There was no gender difference in birth weight of offspring. 2. A negative correlation (partial regression coefficients: -0.024, P0.001 in the transfer and non-transfer groups, and -0.058, P0.001, in the four strains of recipients) was observed between litter size and birth weight of newborn offspring, while a positive correlation (partial regression coefficients: 0.068, P0.001 in the transfer and non-transfer groups, and 0.071, P0.001 in the four strains of recipients) was observed between gestation period and birth weight of newborn offspring. 3. Embryo transfer might affect the intra-uterine growth of transferred embryos. 4. The four different strains of recipients might contribute unequally to the prenatal growth of transferred embryos because of their different intra-uterine conditions.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

The efficacy of treatment of 19 patients with malignant lymphoma presenting with mediastinal tumor was evaluated. They included 7 patients with Hodgkin's disease and 12 with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). Numbers of patients with stage I, II, III and IV disease according to Ann-Arbor's classification were 6, 4, 3 and 6, respectively. Stage I patients were treated with CHOP therapy after radiotherapy (RT). Stage II and III patients were treated with RT after COP-BLAM chemotherapy. Stage IV patients were treated with COP-BLAM III regimen. Complete remission was achieved in 16 of 19 patients (84.2%), and partial remission in 2 (10.5%). All patients with Hodgkin's disease and 9 (75%) with NHL attained complete remission. All patients in stage I to III and 3 (50%) in stage IV achieved complete remission. Overall median survival was 66 months. The incidence of bone marrow involvement and bulky mass was significantly different between stage I.II and stage III.IV patients (p0.05). These results indicate that combination treatment with RT and chemotherapy with regimens including adriamycin was effective in patients with malignant lymphoma presenting with mediastinal tumor, especially in those without bone marrow infiltration and bulky mass.

This study is done to clarify the clinical meaning of "Automated Fluctuation Analysis" of high frequency EEG in man especially focused on the fine alteration of consciousness level of the subjects. Twenty normal volunteers were utilized for this study. They were divided into two groups, the subjects who felt sleepiness (Group S; N = 8) and the subjects who denied it (Group W; N = 12), during the EEG recording. "Automated Fluctuation Analysis" of high frequency EEG had been presented in our previous paper. In short, it is made of three steps, amplification of EEG signal, A/D conversion and Fast Fourier Transform by signal processor and extraction of Lorentzian parameters. Power spectral density (PSD) was displayed on log-log graph. Then the third step is performed by the best curve fitting program to the following equation, S (f) = S1/[1 + (f/fc1)2] + S2/ [1 + (f/fc2)2], where S(f) is power spectral density at any frequency f, S1 and S2 are plateau level of initial and second Lorentz, respectively and fc1 and fc2 are the corner or half power frequency of initial and second Lorentz, respectively. The algorithm of this program to extract these parameters were mathematically based on BrownDennis. As results, 1. PSD of human high frequency EEG was composed of double Lorentzians and vanished into white level within 1kHz. 2. A topographical display of S1 value revealed hyperfrontal in group W, which is in accordance with the cerebral blood flow study by Ingvar.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

To determine whether the pulmonary metastases of melanoma cells could be inhibited, C57BL/6 mice were immunized with an anti-idiotypic antibody, 7C4, corresponding to a mouse melanoma antigen. Three groups of mice were compared: 1) 7C4-immunized group which received an injection of 100 micrograms of 7C4 in Freund's complete adjuvant (FCA) subcutaneously on day -21 followed by intraperitoneal injections of the same dose on days -14 and -7,2) adjuvant-treated control group administered with only FCA, and 3) untreated control group. On day 0, 5 x 10(5) of BL6 cells were injected into the caudal vein of all mice. Two weeks later, they were sacrificed and their lungs were removed. The number pulmonary metastatic colonies present on the lung surface were counted and compared among the groups. The length of survival days was also compared. The 7C4-immunized group showed an average of 166 +/- 44 colonies as compared to more than that of 300 colonies in each control groups, and a significant difference was observed (P0.01). The immunized group survived significantly longer than the control group (Greenwood's formulation) on day 23 (P0.01). Thus the immunization with 7C4 effectively inhibited lung metastasis of melanoma cells. These findings suggest that vaccination with anti-idiotypic antibody to tumor antigen is effective on inhibiting tumor metastasis.

We encountered a patient with multiple myeloma who died suddenly, in whom bilateral pulmonary artery thrombosis was found at autopsy. The patient was a 50-year-old woman who had received chemotherapy for multiple myeloma at a local clinic for 4 years, and was transferred to our hospital because of recurrence of multiple myeloma in August 1990. Despite chemotherapy performed after admission, serum globulin level increased and her low back pain worsened, and she was generally restricted to bed. On October 21, she developed sudden dyspnea, became markedly cyanotic, lost consciousness, and then suffered a cardiopulmonary arrest. Autopsy revealed bilateral pulmonary artery thrombosis as well as thrombosis in the pelvic veins. Hyperviscosity due to multiple myeloma and long-term recumbency were the probable causes of pelvic venous thrombosis and subsequent pulmonary artery thrombosis. We report a rare case of bilateral pulmonary artery thrombosis which developed during the course of multiple myeloma and led to sudden death.

Ten cases of synchronous multiple primary cancer involving the lung were experienced in our hospital during the period from January 1962 to May 1987. The incidence rate was 1.3% of all hospitalized cases of primary lung cancer. The counterpart organs were thyroid gland (4 cases), stomach (2 cases), colorectum (2 cases) and lung (2 cases). Three of four thyroid cancer cases were resected at the same time of pulmonary resection, whereas the stomach and colorectal cancer cases underwent two stage operation. Lung perfusion scintigraphy was very useful in determining the operative method for synchronous multiple primary lung cancer. The 5-year survival rate of all cases of synchronous multiple primary cancer involving the lung was 26.3%, with no hospital death. Surgical treatment is recommended for such cases when both cancers are expected to be resected completely.

We present a 65-year-old female with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) who has attended our O.P.D. since 1983. In early December, 1990, dyspnea on effort developed which then progressed to dyspnea at rest at the end of December. She was admitted on January 8 with orthopnea. Chest X-ray films revealed loss of vascular shadows of the right lung. Blood gas analysis showed hypoxemia and hypocapnemia. Abnormalities in the coagulation-fibrinolytic system (increased TAT (thrombin-anti-thrombin III complex) and alpha 2-PIC (plasmin inhibitor complex)), possibly due to MDS, were detected. The diagnosis of pulmonary thromboembolism was made by pulmonary perfusion scintigram and pulmonary arteriography. After commencement of anticoagulation therapy on January 15, the subjective symptoms, blood gas analysis, pulmonary scintigram, and disorders of the coagulation-fibrinolytic system improved. The patient was discharged on March 5, 1991. The present case of myelodysplastic syndrome was associated with abnormalities of the coagulation-fibrinolytic system and was complicated by pulmonary thromboembolism.

We have treated 96 patients with thymoma during the past 27 years; 57 of them had invasive thymoma. Surgical resection was undertaken in 45 of the 57 patients with invasive thymoma, including 14 patients in whom tumors were extirpated with vascular reconstruction. In addition, six patients with other thymic malignancies were treated in the same way. In six patients only angioplasty was performed, whereas artificial grafts were used in the other 14 patients. Ten of the 20 patients are still alive and well. One has probably been cured, since no signs of recurrence have been noted during the postoperative follow-up period of 8 years. No complications or occlusive symptoms were observed in these patients postoperatively, except in one who died after gastrointestinal hemorrhage. In one patient long-term patency of the vascular graft was confirmed by angiography and magnetic resonance imaging 5 years after operation. This intensive surgical procedure improved the quality of life for patients with the superior vena caval syndrome and may also have improved the prognosis of the patients with invasive thymoma.