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Human liver mitochondrial respiration rates in Chinese populations of various ages were assayed with an oxygraph. In this study, State 3 and State 4 respiration rates, respiratory control ratio (RCR), and ADP/O ratio were measured for 35 Chinese subjects of 31 to 76 years old. We found a significant negative correlation between age and respiratory control and ADP/O ratios tested. Moreover, the respiratory control and ADP/O ratios decreased with the increase of age. These findings suggest that a substantial fall in mitochondrial oxidative capacity in ageing liver may be an important contributor to the ageing process.

The present study evaluates both penile xenon-133 washout (XWT) and papaverine tests (PT) in the diagnosis of vasculogenic impotence. XWT was accomplished by subcutaneous injection of xenon-133 (1-2 mCi in 0.1 mL saline solution) into the dorsal coronal prepuce. Abnormal XWT was suggested in patients whose clearance time (T1/2) was longer than 7.5 minutes and whose penile blood flow rate (Q) was less than 6 mL/100 g tissue/min. PT was done by intracavernous injection of papaverine (60 mg in 20 mL normal saline). Abnormal PT was indicated in patients whose onset of full erection was more than ten minutes after papaverine injection and whose duration of erection was less than one hour. Ten young and 11 older normal volunteers were examined with XWT only; all showed normal results. A total of 60 impotent patients were examined with both XWT and PT and were classified into four groups: in 2 patients (3.3%) both XWT and PT were normal (group I); in 8 (13.3%) XWT was abnormal and PT normal (group II); in 14 (23.3%) XWT was normal and PT abnormal (group III); and in 36 (60%) both XWT and PT were abnormal (group IV). On further examination with bilateral hypogastric arteriography in 10 XWT-abnormal patients and on surgical correction of abnormal curvature in 5 XWT-abnormal patients, all (100%) were proved to have penile arterial insufficiency. Erection cavernosography performed in 15 PT-abnormal patients confirmed penile venous insufficiency in 80 percent. We conclude both XWT and PT are simple and effective for evaluation of the penile arterial blood flow and venous competence, respectively.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Xenon-133 hepatic retention ratio was developed for quantifying fatty liver. Data were acquired in frame mode in the hepatic region and both lung bases for 5 min after rebreathing 20 mCi of gaseous 133Xe and for another 5 min during washout. Static [99mTc]sulfur colloid liver imaging was performed with the patient in the identical position immediately after the ventilation study and data were stored for liver localization. A hepatic time-activity curve corrected for background activity was generated. The 133Xe retention ratio was derived by dividing the activity at 3.5 min after washout by the peak activity. The data of 16 controls and 20 patients with fatty liver were analyzed. The retention ratio (mean +/- s.d.) was greatly increased in patients with fatty infiltration (0.43 +/- 0.20 vs. 0.04 +/- 0.08 in controls, p less than 0.001). There was a strong positive correlation between the 133Xe retention ratios and percentage of fat on biopsy as assessed by the amount of the liver tissue occupied by fat globules on H & E stained sections. The 133Xe hepatic retention ratio is a simple, accurate and clinically useful index of detecting, quantifying and managing fatty infiltration of the liver.

A prospective study was conducted on 50 women with ovarian cancer to determine the association of elevated serum ferritin and ovarian cancer and its potential as a tumor marker. The controls consisted of 116 healthy volunteers, 51 patients with benign gynecologic tumors and 15 patients with benign liver disease. The mean ferritin level in patients with ovarian cancer was 436.7 ng/mL, significantly higher than that in the controls. The effect of chronology on the serum ferritin was also investigated. Hyperferritinemia was observed in 25 (50.0%) of 50 patients with ovarian carcinoma. In patients with liver metastases a marked increase in ferritin was noted. The rate of ferritin elevation in patients with epithelial carcinoma and no hepatic involvement was 21.4%.

Sequential liver scintiphotography with Tc-99m pyrophosphate (PYP) was used to prospectively evaluate its uptake patterns in hepatoma. The scintiphotos and time-activity curves of 40 cases were analyzed. Two distinct patterns of tumor activity were noted: gradual but complete extraction and trapping of Tc-99m PYP in hepatoma in 38% of the patients (group 1), and absence of subsequent Tc-99m PYP uptake in hepatoma after initial blood pool activity in 62% of the patients (group 2). Since extraction and trapping of Tc-99m PYP occur approximately in two fifths of the patients with hepatoma, we conclude that Tc-99m PYP liver scintigraphy is not worthwhile supplementing the conventional radionuclide studies for diagnosing hepatoma, even in the selected patients in the countries where the prevalence of hepatoma is high.

Serum ovarian carcinoma antigen (CA 125) and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) were measured in 36 patients with ovarian cancer, to compare their effects and assess clinical applications. The positive rate of CA 125 was significantly higher than CEA, ie, 72.2% v.s. 33.3% in all types of ovarian cancer, 81.3% v.s. 31.3% in the 32 epithelial cancers, and even more of 100% v.s. 25% in the 16 serous cystadenocarcinoma. The positive rate of CA 125 was also higher than CEA in borderline malignancy and stage-I cancers, a possible indication of its greater usefulness in early diagnosis. CA 125 was also a better marker in monitoring of epithelial ovarian cancer than CEA. Combining use of these two markers achieved an even higher positive rate. Therefore it seems useful to utilize them concomitantly in the diagnosis of ovarian cancers.

A mouse IgG1 monoclonal antibody (MAbC27) with high affinity for human carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) has been used in vitro and in vivo for study of human colorectal carcinoma (CRC). After introduction to tumor-bearing mice, the distribution of radiolabeled MAbC27 and its F(ab')2 fragments was analyzed by direct measurement of radioactivity in the tumor and in normal organs as well as by whole-body scanning. Radiolabeled MAbC27 and its F(ab')2 were used successfully in localizing tumor xenografts in mice 40 and 20 hr after inoculation, respectively. A tumor as small as 60 mg (4.2 mm in diameter) was visualized by labeled F(ab')2. Circulating CEA, up to 200 micrograms per mouse did not prevent successful tumor imaging. This study indicates that the MAbC27 is highly useful in detection and localization of CRC in mice.

Sequential supine scintiphotography of the abdomen was performed after intravenous administration of 99mTc-pyridoxylideneglutamate (99mTc-PG) to verify the presence of choledochal cyst in an 18-month-old boy who presented with a mass in the right upper quadrant of the abdomen. The total body radioactivity effect, which is similar to the total body opacification during intravenous cholangiography or urography, was clearly demonstrated as a cold area corresponding to the cyst and assisted in the diagnosis. The specific finding was sequential filling of the gallbladder and cyst. In view of the relatively low radiation dose and good physical characteristics of 99mTc for imaging, 99mTc-PG sequential scintiphotography is useful for the definitive preoperative diagnosis of choledochal cyst in infants and children.