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Sputum cytology was performed in 179 cases of squamous-cell carcinoma of the lung; 134 cases were diagnosed as positive. There were no significant differences in diagnostic accuracy of sputum cytology between tumors sizes. In cases with tumors extending proximally into the main, lobar, or segmental bronchi, the diagnostic accuracy of sputum cytology was significantly higher than in cases where the proximal invasion of tumor was limited to the peripheral bronchi. In cases with tumors 3 cm or less in diameter, when tumors extended proximally into main, lobar, or segmental bronchi, the diagnostic accuracy of sputum cytology was significantly higher than in cases with tumors extending proximally into subsegmental or subsubsegmental bronchi. In peripherally located squamous-cell carcinoma, in cases in which the tumor arose in subsegmental or subsubsegmental bronchi, carcinoma could be detected by sputum cytology even when it was roentgenographically occult.

最近, われわれは肺腫瘍としてはまれな, Alpha-fetoprotein産生の低分化腺癌の穿刺吸引細胞診を経験したので報告した.症例は70歳女性, 胸部X線像にて右上肺野, 縦隔寄りに巨大な腫瘤陰影が認められ, 血清AFP値が高値を示した.穿刺吸引細胞診では平面的あるいは不規則重積性に配列した異型細胞が多数出現していた.これらの細胞は細胞質が豊富で顆粒状を呈し, 大小不同がみられた.クロマチンは増量し粗顆粒状不均等分布し, 大型類円形の核小体が1個認められた.PAS染色では一部の異型細胞がびまん性に陽性を呈し, 酵素抗体法により腫瘍細胞内にAFPの局在が証明された.なお, 肝臓や消化器, 卵巣などに腫瘍は認められず, 穿刺吸引細胞診にてAFP産生の肺腺癌が推定された.肺生検および剖検にて肺原発性の低分化腺癌と確診された.

肺癌111例の血清を用いて高分子ALPとGPDAを測定し, 両者の肝転移診断における有用性を比較検討した.高分子ALPの陽性率は, 肝転移のある群71.4%, 肝転移のない群6.7%で, 両群問に有意差を認めた.高分子ALPの肝転移診断におけるsensitivity, specificity, accuracyはそれぞれ71.4%, 93.3%, 89.2%であり, 肝転移診断の有用な指標と考えられた. GPDAのsensitivityは19.0%と極めて低く, specificityとaccuracyも高分子ALPより低率で, 肝転移の指標としては不適当であった.

Objective The aim of this study is to determine empirically a possible classification of psychotic symptoms, and identify the frequency of such symptoms in dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB). Methods This was a clinical study of prospectively observed patients from the memory clinic at Shiga Medical Center. The authors conducted a factor analysis of psychotic symptoms in 96 probable DLB and 4 possible DLB patients, clinically diagnosed according to the consensus criteria, were included. Results Four factors were obtained. Factor 1 was closely akin to misidentifications, including Capgras syndrome, phantom boarder, and reduplication of people and places. Factor 2 consisted of reduplication of people, the belief that deceased relatives are still alive, and the belief that absent relatives are in the house, which was classified as a type of misidentification or paramnesia. Factor 3 was akin to visual hallucinations of nonhuman objects, and factor 4 mirrored the hallucination of people and feeling of presence. Delusions were independent of these factors. Following the results of factor analysis, the rates of each symptom group were identified. Hallucinations were the most frequent psychotic symptom in DLB (78%), followed by misidentifications (56%) and delusions (25%). Conclusion This study suggested that hallucinations, misidentifications, and delusions should be separately considered in understanding of underlying pathophysiology or psychopathology of DLB.

The authors examined the validity of the Cambridge Behavioral Inventory (CBI), a questionnaire investigating broad neuropsychiatric symptoms and everyday functional ability in dementia. Test-retest reliability of the CBI was acceptable. Cross-validation with the Neuropsychiatric Inventory showed good concurrent validity of the CBI. The CBI reliably demonstrated that disinhibition, stereotypic behavior, elation, anxiety, poor self-care, and changes in eating habits occurred more commonly in patients with frontotemporal lobar degeneration than those with Alzheimer’s disease. The authors concluded that the CBI is a reliable informant-based assessment of neuropsychiatric symptoms and everyday functioning and may be a suitable tool for use in general clinical practice settings.

The angular gyrus has been proposed as the key area of reading and writing function. In recent PET (positron emission topography) activation studies, role of angular gyrus in the reading and writing has been reestimated. Whether the angular gyrus is necessary for reading and writing or not is now under discussion and should be clinically revised. We experienced a case that presented classical alexia with agraphia of kana (Japanese syllabogram) caused by the re-infarct in left lateral occipital gyrus. This case showed the alexia with agraphia more apparent in Japanese kana than in kanji characters. Interestingly, no higher cortical dysfunction was revealed at the first cerebral infarction in left angular gyrus which was assumed as the key area for alexia with agraphia. This case supported the opinion which pointed out the importance of left occipital gyrus on Japanese kana reading.

The authors considered an electronic music score system that denotes note length as visual stimuli by moving markers for non-expert musicians. These visual stimuli are synthesized by stimuli synthesized from general electronic music scores. A setup of the color and luminosity of a screen, adjustment of contrast, speed of the marker is possible at the time of visual stimulus generation.From the result of the experiment, it become clear that a moving marker system is useful to performing music.

To identify the neural correlates for impaired performance on the clock drawing test (CDT) in patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD), we examined the relationship between the CDT performances and the regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) in 100 AD patients. The patients were equally divided into a mildly impaired CDT group, a severely impaired CDT group, and two normal CDT groups, with age and dementia severity matched. Between-group comparisons revealed that rCBF reduction in the posterolateral region of the left temporal lobe was consistently associated with mild to severe impairment of the CDT in AD. Correlation analysis also showed that the rCBF in the left posterolateral temporal cortex was linearly correlated with CDT performance. The CDT scores in AD were significantly improved for the copy condition relative to the drawing-to-command condition. These findings suggest that CDT performance has a close relationship with the left posterior temporal function, and that semantic memory deficit may at least partly contribute to impaired CDT performance in AD.

The purpose of this report was to describe the first known case of ileoanal pouch salvage by a low-dose regimen of vinblastine and methotrexate chemotherapy for the treatment of desmoid tumor arising from the mesentery of the ileoanal pouch in a patient who had undergone ileal pouch-anal anastomosis for familial adenomatous polyposis. Mesenteric desmoid tumor involving the ileoanal pouch in a 28-year-old female was treated with vinblastine and methotrexate biweekly for 12 months and monthly for 12 months in an outpatient unit. The desmoid tumor response to the treatment was assessed at routine intervals by physical examination and magnetic resonance imaging. Desmoid tumor was successfully treated with a low-dose regimen of vinblastine and methotrexate chemotherapy without significant side effects, and function of the ileoanal pouch was fully preserved. Magnetic resonance imaging showed a decrease in desmoid tumor size and cellularity, and changes consistent with fibrosis. This is a unique case highlighting the possibility of ileoanal pouch salvage by low-dose combination chemotherapy using vinblastine and methotrexate in a familial adenomatous polyposis patient with mesenteric desmoid tumor.

The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae has often been used as a host organism for heterologous gene expression and protein secretion (1, 9, 10, 16, 20, 21). This is because S. cerevisiae is safe and handling and cultivation of this yeast are easy and simple. In addition, the expressed proteins can be secreted into the medium. The expression of heterologous genes in yeast is influenced by many factors, such as the strength of the promoter, mRNA stability, and translation efficiency. In addition, the copy number of the gene and mitotic stability are also very important. The characteristics of expression plasmids strongly depend on the type of replication, the selectable marker, and the growth conditions. In S. cerevisiae, the high-copy-number episomal plasmids (YEp) are commonly used as expression vectors. However, these plasmids are unstably maintained if they have no selective pressure (6, 15). On the other hand, the integrative plasmids (YIp) are stably maintained with a low copy number. The intrinsic genetic stability of integrated constructs is well established. The way to improve heterologous gene expression is to construct YEp plasmids that are maintained stably or to construct YIp plasmids that are present at a high copy number. S. cerevisiae, an organism widely used for ethanol fermentation, lacks hydrolytic enzymes for starch so that raw starch must be liquefied and saccharified by koji mold or other sources. Therefore, application of GAI, a fungal glucoamylase from Aspergillus awamori var. kawachi, to recombinant yeast is useful for improving ethanol fermentation and reducing the use of koji mold or other sources. In this study, we used a novel approach for expression of GAI in polyploid S. cerevisiae cells. In a previous study, we developed a method to obtain homozygous polyploid cells (22). Endomitotic diploidization is readily induced by heat treatment of spores during germination. The diploid cells obtained in this way are homozygous and retain the ability to mate. By using the same method, tetraploid cells were obtained by crossing the diploid mater cells and then heat treating the spores. We tried to use these polyploid mater cells as host cells for gene engineering of S. cerevisiae. Here we describe high-level expression of glucoamylase by polyploid cells of S. cerevisiae in which multiple GAI genes are integrated into the δ-sequence.

Background: Recently, several animal studies showed that the core body temperature falls during pneumoperitoneum, and this hypothermia could be prevented by using heated and humidified gas insufflation. However, there are no satisfactory heated humidifiers to meet this purpose. Therefore, we developed a new membrane-type heated humidifier. Materials and methods: The newly developed heated humidifier employs an ion-exchange membrane (Nafion: Du Pont Co. Ltd) tube that passes water selectively in molecular form and a gas compartment is completely separated from distilled water to prevent infection. This humidifier consists of a Nafion tube assembly and a case that includes the heater. A perforated protecting tube is located outside the Nafion tube to prevent direct contact with the Nafion tube when it is assembled. The Nafion tube assembly is inserted in the case, and dry gas flows inside of the Nafion tube. The space between the case and the Nafion tube assembly is filled with distilled water. A heater raises the temperature of the distilled water, and heat and water vapor are transferred to cold and dry gas through the Nafion membrane. Four different types of insufflators were involved in this performance comparison study: a Nafion-based heated and humidified insufflator, a conventional heated insufflator, a conventional heated and humidified insufflator, and a conventional cold and dry insufflator. Temperature and relative humidity were measured once each minute for 15 min, which was repeated four times. Each insufflator was operated at two rates of flow: 5 L/min and 10 L/min. Results: Temperature and humidity of the conventional cold and dry insufflator, the Nafion membrane-type heated and humidified insufflator, the conventional heated insufflator, and the conventional heated and humidified insufflator measured at the distal end of circuit reached 22.0 ± 0.2°C and 0%, 36.7 ± 1.1°C and 100%, 29.0 ± 0.4°C and 0%, and 31.3 ± 0.4°C and 70.5 ± 5.3% in 15 min at 5 L/min flow rates. At 10 L/min flow rates, temperature and humidity were almost the same as those at 5 L/min. The membrane-type heated humidifier demonstrated statistically significant improvement in both the temperature (p < 0.0001) and relative humidity (p < 0.0001) parameters in comparison to the conventional normal, heated, or heated and humidified insufflators at 5 L/min and 10 L/min continuous flow rate in statistics using repeated-measure ANOVA. Conclusion: This newly developed heated humidifier offers the great advantages of maintaining intraabdominal temperature and humidity in comparison to conventional insufflators for laparoscopic surgery.

We report two patients with Type 4 gastric cancers having multiple lymph node metastasis and carcinomatosa which responded well to TS-1. After administration of TS-1 orally for two courses, both patients showed improved extension of the gastric wall and almost complete reduction of metastatic lymph nodes. In case 2, colonic stenosis due to peritonum carcinomatosa disappeared after chemotherapy with TS-1. Total gastrectomy was performed in both patients in accordance with their wishes. It was confirmed histopathologically that TS-1 was effective against the primary sites and lymph node metastasis. Both patients are well without recurrence and continue taking TS-1.

We give a simultaneous study of $A$-Radon-Nikodym sets and $A$-Pettis sets for nonempty bounded subsets $A$ of Banach spaces with comparable characterizations of these two classes of sets by various properties, using certain weak*-measurable functions.

We attempted to improve the effectiveness of diagnostic techniques in mammographic imaging of mucinous carcinoma of the breast by defining the characteristics of mammographic images and investigating correlations between these images and various clinicopathological findings.Clinicopathological investigations of 92 lesions in 90 cases of mucinous carcinoma of the breast were made. Mammography demonstrated 80 lesions with identical tumor shadow characteristics and these were divided into three patterns, circumscribed, indistinct and blended. Correlations between clinicopathological findings and mammographic images were investigated.Patients with mucinous carcinoma of the breast usually present with a palpable mass. The lymph node metastasis rate in this study was low and prognosis in the early postoperative period was satisfactory. On mammograms, the circumscribed pattern was the most frequent. The investigation of the correlation between histological sub-type and mammographic pattern showed a high percentage of pure type lesions exhibited in the circumscribed pattern while those of mixed histologic type often showed the indistinct pattern. Calcification frequency demonstrated on mammography was 75% for the indistinct and mixed patterns, and approximately 50% for the circumscribed pattern. A high rate of calcification seen outside the tumor shadow suggested a high frequency of invasion and the spread of cancer to neighboring tissues. The circumscribed pattern was least frequently associated with lymph node metastasis, followed by the indistinct and blended patterns in that order.Investigation of clinicopathological factors and mammographic findings in mucinous carcinoma of the breast suggests that mammography provides clinically valuable information for the treatment of this disease. These findings indicate the importance of careful mammographic observation at the time of diagnosis.

Preparation of Polymer Langmuir-Blodgett Multilayers Containing Axially Chiral Binaphthyl Group

Photoinduced electron transfer of tris(4,7-diphenyl-1,10-phenanthroline)ruthenium (Ru(dpphen){sub 3}{sup 2+}) to stearyl viologen (SV{sup 2+}) in barium stearate LB assembly systems was investigated by a steady-state quenching method. The electron transfer from the excited state of Ru(dpphen){sub 3}{sup 2+} to SV{sup 2+} across two barium stearate monolayers was impossible by electron tunneling during the lifetime of Ru(dpphen){sub 3}{sup 2+*}. Even when the monolayer of the ruthenium complex is in direct contact with the layer of SV{sup 2+} quencher at the hydrophilic interface, the quenching of the ruthenium complex had low efficiency, indicating that Ru(dpphen){sub 3}{sup 2+} is located at a more hydrophobic region. In an assembly where both Ru(dppneh){sub 3}{sup 2+} and SV{sub 2+} exist within the same monolayer, the quenching efficiency depended strongly on the two-dimensional density of SV{sup 2+}. A good linear relationship of 1n (I{sub 0}/I) {minus} 1 vs the distance between the quencher molecules, which is calculated from the two-dimensional density, was obtained. This shows that electron-transfer rate decreases exponentially with distance and supports the conclusion that the electron-transfer quenching proceeds via an electron-tunneling mechanism. The half-quenching distance, which is defined as the distance giving half the emission intensity, was found to be 1.8 nm.

Three kinds of 6-(stearylamino)-1,3,5-triazine-2,4-dithiol (ST) and 6-(cis-9-octadecenylamino)-1,3,5-triazine-2,4-dithiol (OL) films, a cast film, and a LB film, were prepared and polymerized under UV light irradiation. The polymerization rate was influence by films structures and obeyed the rate equation of pseudo-first-order reaction for ST film and paraboric law for OL films

A retrospective analysis based on Robson's tumor stage classification was performed on 56 patients with renal cell carcinoma who had undergone radical nephrectomy through a lumbar flank approach and 35 who had through a transperitoneal approach. The 5-year survival rates of patients with nephrectomy through the lumbar approach for Robson's stage 1, stage 2 and stage 3 were, respectively, 93.1, 70.4 and 60.0%. In comparison, the respective 5-year survival rates of patients with nephrectomy through the transperitoneal approach for Robson's stage 1, stage 2 and stage 3 were 90.5, 72.2 and 25.0%. As a result, there was no significant difference in survival rates between the two surgical procedures for any of the three Robson's stages. It is further suggested that the lumbar flank approach for radical nephrectomy does not result in poorer prognosis than does the transperitoneal approach, though transperitoneal and thoracoabdominal approaches have been generally recommended.

Le facteur de separation de la membrane composite preparee pour le systeme O 2 /N 2 atteint 2 entre 10 et 70 o C, avec une vitesse de permeation de l'oxygene variant entre 10 −4 et 10 −3 cm 3 /cm 2 s. cm Hg

Les resultats montrent que l'effet de l'hydrophobicite du dialkylviologene (l'effet de la longueur de la chaine alky) sur l'efficacite de l'extinction du complexe Ru(bpy) excite varie fortement avec le milieu reactionnel (solution aqueuse de poly (styrenesulfonate de sodium), de polystyrene latex ou solution organique)

A novel polyolefinsulfone bearing a photobase generator in a side-chain was synthesized via radical polymerization of an olefin monomer in liquefied sulfur dioxide. The polyolefinsulfone was photoc...

We report the advantage of employing transanal endoscopic microsurgery (TEM) using the contact Nd:YAG laser for the treatment of a rectal anastomotic stenosis. A 72-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital with a postoperative rectal anastomotic stenosis. Twenty months prior to admission, the patient underwent a low anterior resection for the treatment of the rectal cancer using an EEA stapling device. A barium enema and colonoscopy revealed a rectal stenosis, 0.8-cm diameter. This stenosis was at the anastomotic site, approximately 4.0 from the dental line. An endoscopic treatment was performed transanally using the contact Nd:YAG laser. The stenotic rectal wall was fulgurated or vaporized completely. There were no intraoperative or postoperative complications. We concluded that TEM appears to be a safe and minimally invasive procedure. Furthermore, the contact Nd:YAG laser is very effective in treating the gastrointestinal stenotic area. To our knowledge, this is the first successful report of this novel procedure.

Background and Study Aims : A new technique of laparoscopic cholecystectomy is presented here. This new method, retrograde laparoscopic cholecystectomy (RLC) from fundus to cystic duct downward, may have advantages when exposure of the cystic duct and the common duct are difficult and therefore hazardous. Patients and Methods : We carried out laparoscopic cholecystectomy in 173 patients ; RLC was performed in 81. The operative procedure is as follows : first, the cystic duct and artery are exposed at the junction of the ampulla. The cystic duct is clipped, and the artery is divided. Removal of the gallbladder is then started from the fundus to cystic duct downward. After the gallbladder has been dissected from the liver bed, the cystic duct is double-clipped and divided. This approach provides better visualization of the gallbladder, cystic duct, and common duct, with less chance of common duct injury, due to clear identification of the ductal system, without the need for intraoperative cholangiography. Results : Eighty-one RLCs were performed without severe complications, either immediate or late. The mean operating time was 23 minutes shorter in RLC than in the usual laparoscopic cholecystectomy, because intraoperative cholangiography was used much less often. Conclusion : RLC appears to be a safe procedure, and does not affect the conventional method.

The localization of estrogen receptors (ER) and progesterone receptors (PgR) in human breast cancer was examined light and electron microscopically by using specific monoclonal antibodies. Among the breast cancer patients, ER-positive (ER[+]) cases were shown by enzyme immunoassay (EIA) to account for 58.9% (63/107), and 63.5% of these cases were women in the postmenopausal state. The PgR-positive (PgR[+]) rate was 50.5% (54/107), with 44.4% of these positive cases being postmenopausal women. The rates of ER(+) and PgR(+), ER negative (ER[-]) and PgR negative (PgR[-]), and ER(+) and PgR(-) cases were 43.9% (47/107), 34.6% (37/107) and 15.0% (16/107), respectively. Although ER(-) and PgR(+) cases were in few number, they were found (6.5%, 7/107). These results correlated well with those obtained by the immunocytochemical method. In either case, i.e anti-ER or anti-PgR reaction, positive nuclei and negative nuclei were found intermingled with each other in a given visual field. In electron microscopy, both anti-ER and anti-PgR antibodies bound to sites in the euchromatin area of the nucleus.

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy from fundus downward (LCFD) is desirable when exposure of the cystic duct is difficult and hazardous. First the cystic duct and artery are exposed and clipped, and the artery is divided. Then removal of the gallbladder is started from fundus downward. After the gallbladder is dissected from the liver bed, the cystic duct is double clipped and divided. This approach affords better visualization of the cystic duct and common duct with less chance of common duct injury. Twenty-eight LCFDs were performed without complications, immediate or late. LCFD appears to be a safe procedure and does not compromise the retrograde method.

We studied a patient with hyperglycemia who developed choreic involuntary movements in the right extremities using single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) with 123I-N-isopropyl-p-iodoamphetamine. SPECT revealed an increased blood flow in the left striatum and thalamus. Through the control of blood glucose and the administration of haloperidol, the hemichorea was resolved, and the increased blood flow in the striatum and thalamus disappeared. These findings suggest that the increased blood flow, which probably indicates increased neuron activity in the striatum and thalamus, is an underlying pathophysiological state in hemichorea.

The hyper Rayleigh scattering (HRS) method was applied to determine the absolute value of second-order hyperpolarizabilities ((beta) ) of stilbazolium p-toluenesulfonates and related ionic species in methanol. In general, the (beta) values of stilbazolium derivatives become large with increasing wavelength of absorption maximum and are 1.1 X 10-28 - 3.9 X 10-28 esu, i.e., 3 - 10 times larger than (beta) of p-nitroaniline. By way of exception, halogenated stilbazoliums showed rather larger (beta) compared with the unsubstituted stilbazolium having almost the same absorption cutoff and maximum. The calculated d value of hydroxystilbazolium p-toluenesulfonate obtained using the present (beta) and the known crystal structure agreed well with the experimental d value by the Maker fringe method.© (1994) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.

Lung cancer incidence rate after the cessation of smoking was assessed for male ex-smokers according to the age at cessation, using the results from a case-control study for ex-smoker versus continuing smoker, and the lung cancer incidence rate function for continuing smoker estimated from Japan Vital Statistics and the "Six-prefectural Cohort Study" in Japan. This hospital-based case-control study consisted of 776 lung cancer cases (553 current smokers and 223 ex-smokers) and 772 controls (490 current smokers and 282 ex-smokers) who started smoking at ages 18-22. The odds ratio of developing lung cancer for ex-smokers compared to continuing smokers according to years since the cessation of smoking was estimated for four age groups (55-64, 60-69, 65-74 and 70-79). Given that the number of years since cessation of smoking is the same, reduction of the odds ratio appeared to be greater for the younger age group than for the older age group, reflecting the shorter period of exposure for the younger age group. Lung cancer incidence rate (per 100,000) was assumed to be expressed by the following function; 1.7 x 10(-5) x (age -24.3) for continuing smokers and 0.15 x 10(-5) x (age) for nonsmokers. Lung cancer incidence rate among ex-smokers according to years since cessation was then estimated to be the above function multiplied by the odds ratio from the case-control study for each age group. In contrast to the greater reduction of the odds ratio among younger ex-smokers, reduction of the incidence rate, in terms of rate difference, was considerably greater for older ex-smokers due to a high incidence rate of lung cancer for older continuing smokers. This indicates that the absolute magnitude of reduction of the lung cancer incidence rate after cessation of smoking is greater for older ex-smokers, although the relative magnitude of reduction is greater for younger ex-smokers.

To know the behavior of plutonium in the fluoride volatility process (FLUOREX PROCESS) for the spent nuclear fuel, both UO2 and PuO2 are fluorinated by fluorine forming volatile UF6 and PuF6, respectively. Then PuF6 is separated and recovered from UF6 by using adsorption materials such as uranyl fluoride UO2F2. In this paper, adsorption behavior of PuF6on UO2F2 was examined by the use of 236Pu tracer. First, the stability of UO2F2 in F2atmosphere was analyzed by TG-DTA method showing that uranium volatilized completely over 350 °C by the formation of UF6 and the adsorption of plutonium by UO2F2 should be done at temperatures lower than 250 °C. The behavior of PtF6 as a chemical analogue of PuF6 was also conducted for comparison and it showed that the deposition of PtF4 on UO2F2 at 200 °C. When the 236Pu doped U3O8 was reacted with 10%F2-He gas, the PuF6 vaporized at ca. 600 °C. Then adsorption of 236Pu on UO2F2 was observed by α ray measurement. The adsorption mechanism of Pu on UO2F2 was discussed with experimental data and thermodynamic consideration.

The expression of Ha-ras and fes oncogenes was investigated with the immunohistochemical method in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue specimens of 147 lung carcinomas. Positive immunoperoxidase reactions for Ha-ras p21 were found in 80.5% of the adenocarcinomas, 39.5% of the squamous cell carcinomas, 21.4% of the large cell carcinomas, and 15.4% of the small cell carcinomas; those for fes P85 were found in 51.2% of the adenocarcinomas, 26.3% of the squamous cell carcinomas, 35.7% of the large cell carcinomas, and 15.4% of the small cell carcinomas. Both Ha-ras p21 and fes P85 were expressed most frequently and most strongly in adenocarcinoma. In addition, adenocarcinoma showed significantly higher incidence of concomitant expression of Ha-ras p21 and fes P85 as compared with other histologic types of lung cancer. Thus, the authors suggest that the cooperative effects of Ha-ras and fes oncogenes are especially important in the carcinogenesis of adenocarcinoma. In adenocarcinoma, the incidence and grade of Ha-ras p21 expression increased with the degree of histologic differentiation, suggesting that Ha-ras oncogene might be related to cellular differentiation. Papillary adenocarcinoma showed more frequent Ha-ras p21 expression in comparison with acinar adenocarcinoma. In well- or moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma, the incidence and grade of Ha-ras p21 immunoreactivity in the cases with poor prognosis were significantly higher than in those with good prognosis if other major prognostic factors were equivalent in the two groups. The authors propose that the expression of Ha-ras p21 may be one of the useful prognostic factors in such carcinomas.

Sensitivity and specificity were evaluated for lung cancer screening conducted at 8 municipalities in Osaka Prefecture during 1981-1985. As a screening policy, all attendants were examined by miniature chest X-ray, and the high-risk group, defined as those who smoked cigarettes or had bloody sputum, were also examined by 3-day pooled sputum cytology. A total of 33,599 screening tests for 19,028 people who were 40 years old or more at the time of screening were conducted, resulting in 33,490 miniature chest X-ray examinations for 18,992 people and 11,420 sputum cytologies for 7,070 people. As a result, 43 lung cancer cases were detected. All test-negatives were followed by means of record linkage with the files of the Osaka Cancer Registry up to the end of 1986. There were 24 cases who were diagnosed as having lung cancer without having given a positive screening result in 1981-1986. Assuming the preclinical detectable phase of lung cancer to be one year uniformly, the sensitivity and specificity for the lung cancer screening were estimated to be 71.6% and 95.3%, respectively. The feasibility of increasing the sensitivity is discussed.

In order to investigate erythropoiesis in paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria (PNH), the relative proportions of complement-mediated lysed erythroblasts in individual bursts of two cases of PNH were analysed by a modified complement lysis sensitivity test using the trypan blue dye exclusion method. All bursts contained both complement-sensitive and complement-insensitive erythroblasts and the ratio between them varied from burst to burst. The means +/- SD of the haemolytic percentages of individual bursts in cases 1 and 2 were 30.9 +/- 10.8% (n = 20, ranging from 13.2% to 52.8%) and 54.8 +/- 16.4% (n = 31, ranging from 26.4% to 82.5%), respectively. In addition, the cumulative frequency distributions of the proportions of complement-mediated lysed erythroblasts in individual bursts approached normal frequency distributions. These results suggest that two red cell populations with different susceptibilities to complement in PNH are derived from a single population of erythropoietic progenitor cells rather than a dual population of normal and PNH erythropoietic progenitor cells.

We experienced a hundred and fifty-six cases of germinal testicular cancer at Osaka University Hospital from 1957 to 1988. Histologically, 114 cases (73.1%) were simple type, and 42 cases (26.9%) were mixed type. Eighty cases (51.3%) were seminoma, and 76 cases (48.7%) were non-seminoma. All patients of seminoma were over 20 years of age, and the mean age was 36.1 years. Non-seminoma cases were distributed as to with two peaks, one in 0 to 4 year-old and another in 20 to 39 year-old, and the mean age was 22.9 years. The seminoma/non-seminoma ratio as to clinical stages were 63 cases/48 cases in Stage 1, 6/9 in Stage 2A, 5/6 in Stage 2B and 6/13 in Stage 3. The five-year survival rate (by Kaplan-Meier's method) was 98.4% for Stage 1 (71 cases), 72.7% for Stage 2A (11 cases), 0% for Stage 2B (4 cases) and 20% for Stage 3 (5 cases) between 1957 and 1978, and 100% for Stage 1 (40 cases), Stage 2A (4 cases), Stage 2B (7 cases) and 26.8% for Stage 3 (14 cases) between 1979 and 1988. The five-year survival rate of 20 advanced cases treated mainly by PVB regimen was 100% for Stage 2 (6 cases) and 68.6% for Stage 3 (14 cases). Five advanced cases containing choriocarcinoma elements were treated by PVB regimen and its two-year survival rate was 40.0%, which was statistically worse than that (86.8%) of other histological types (p less than 0.05).

The transient diaryl disulfide radical anions (RSSR−) were produced in nonaqueous solutions at room temperature by the flash photolysis of a solution of arylthiolate ion pair in the presence of the excess corresponding disulfide. The transient spectra were almost identical with those obtained from γ-radiolysis of the disulfides in 77 K 2-methyl-tetrahydrofuran (MTHF) glassy matrix. The spectra of disulfide radical anions in nonaqueous solutions were changed by cations, solvents, and para-substituents depending on the ion pair properties. The tighter ion pairs showed a shift of absorption band to the shorter wavelength. The disulfide radical anions decay by a unimolecular dissociation reaction to yield thiolate anion and thiyl radical. The decay kinetics were first-order in the initial time region. The rate constants obtained were changed by the counter cations in the order Na+ > K+ > Cs+ > Li+, and by solvents. The tighter ion pairs of the disulfide radical anions showed faster dissociation reaction. This is due to stabilization of a transition state with the counter cation.

Most laparoscopic surgeons feel some anxiety when performing intracorporeal knotting with conventional techniques [1, 2]. Two factors contribute to this anxiety. The first is the necessity of recognizing three dimensions on a two-dimensional monitor. The conventional intracorporeal knotting techniques make loops by twisting the thread with a second pair of forceps. This necessitates cooperative movement of both hands, with the added difficulties of depth perception. Regular touch confirmations reduce problems with depth perception. However, touch confirmation is more complicated in laparoscopic surgery than in laparotomy. The second problem is that tied loops can come loose and escape the instruments, especially with hard thread. This is not only stressful but also increases operation time.

The excited-state dynamics of silylene-diphenylene copolyemers, –[(SiMe2)m–(C6H4)2]n–, m = 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6, was studied by picosecond time-resolved emission anisotropy. The emission depolarization within 100 ps suggested the effective energy migration along the σ–π conjugated silylene-diphenylene chain.