Epidemiological Survey of Dementia and Depression among the Aged Living in the Community in Japan

Abstract: The authors surveyed the prevalence of depression and dementia in the elderly in Ohira town in Japan from 1989 to 1990. The total population of this town was 26,712, with 2,778 people aged 65 and above, constituting 10.4% of the total population. The prevalence of dementia (n=128) was 6.1% and that of major depression (n=9) was 0.4%, according to the DSM-III-R criteria. The prevalence of a depressive state which did not fulfill the criteria for major depression (n=55) was 2.4%. The patients with multi-infarct dementia (n=49) suffered from depression (42.8%) more frequently than those with dementia of the Alzheimer type (11.1%). The rate of depression coexisting with dementia increased with aging, while the rate of depression without dementia did not change in all the age groups.     

Establishment of a human undifferentiated thyroid cancer cell line producing several growth factors and cytokines

A cell line was established from undifferentiated giant cell carcinoma of the thyroid. The authors obtained cells from a 44-year-old patient admitted because of a rapidly growing anterior neck mass. The patient had significant leukocytosis and hypercalcemia shortly before her death. An autopsy revealed epidermoid metaplasia of the tumor cells. The cells (HTC/C3) had lost most of their differentiated functions. However, their thyroid nature was shown by peroxidase staining and by enzyme-linked immunostaining with Hashimoto patients' sera. The tumor extract was found to contain parathyroid (PTH)-like activity. Significant amounts of colony stimulating factor (CSF), which was further defined to be GM-CSF, and interleukin-1 alpha (IL-1 alpha) were detected in the conditioned media. Epidermal growth factor (EGF) binding to the HTC/C3 showed rich EGF receptors. Furthermore, the conditioned medium inhibited the binding of 125I-mEGF to HeLa cells, and transforming growth factor (TGF) was found repeatedly in the media.     

Pseudomyxoma peritonei with progressive calcifications: CT findings

Development of abdominal calcifications due to pseudomyxoma peritonei is rare. The authors present three cases whereby computed tomographic (CT) studies during or after chemotherapy for pseudomyxoma peritonei demonstrated development and progression of punctate calcifications in the abdomen. The clinical and CT findings of these cases are presented together with a brief review of the pertinent literature.     

Tissue levels of pirarubicin (THP) in dogs following intra-arterial infusion

The blood and tissue levels of pirarubicin (THP) were studied in dogs by HPLC analysis. The THP (1.5 mg/kg) was infused from the bifurcation of internal iliac artery. We measured the concentration of THP after 1 or 2 hours of intra-arterial infusion (IA) and compared with the concentration of THP administered intravenously (IV). The plasma levels of THP following IA rapidly disappeared the same as for IV. The blood cell level of THP following both IA and IV was significantly higher than the plasma level. The bladder mucosa and muscle levels of THP following IA were about 8 times as high as that of IV. The bladder muscle level of THP 2 hours after IA was about twice as high as after 1 hour and the same as the bladder mucosa level of THP after both 1 and 2 hours. It is considered that THP by the present method may have the transition from the mucosa to the muscle in the bladder. In the other intrapelvic tissues (perivesical adipose tissue, pelvic lymph node and prostate), IA also had higher concentrations compared with IV. However, the extrapelvic tissues (heart, liver and kidney) levels of THP following IA were the same as those for IV. It was concluded that THP was a reasonable agent for IA chemotherapy for bladder cancer.     

N-Halo derivatives VI: Microbiological and chemical evaluations of 3-chloro-2-oxazolidinones.

Comparative antimicrobial activity of 3-chloro-2-oxazolidinone (I), 3-chloro-4-methyl-2-oxazolidinone (II), 3-chloro-4,4-dimethyl-2-oxazolidinone (III), and N-chlorosuccinimide (IV) was evaluated in aqueous buffers in the absence and presence of 5% horse serum. All four compounds had similar bactericidal activity in the absence of horse serum, but I and III had superior activity relative to IV when serum was present. Compound III was considerably more stable with respect ot loss of positive chlorine and bactericidal activity than I and II when stored in 0.1 M sodium dihydrogen phosphate buffered to pH 7.0 at 40 degrees. Thus, III is potentially the most useful bactericidal agent of those evaluated. The chlorine potentials of I, II, and III, the rate constants for transfer of positive chlorine from I and III to morpholine in aqueous solutions, and the hydrolytic stabilities of I and III with respect to loss of positive chlorine were evaluated. These data, together with previously calculated data for IV, are used to rationalize the observed bactericidal activities.     

Clinical background comparison of patients with and without ocular inflammatory attacks after initiation of infliximab therapy

Purpose

To examine the factors affecting the efficacy of infliximab (IFX) as a treatment for uveitis in Beh?et’s disease.

Methods

Clinical records of 29 patients with refractory uveoretinitis were examined retrospectively for the period between 6?months before the initiation of IFX therapy to 12?months thereafter. The patients were divided into two groups based on the absence (Group 1) or occurrence (Group 2) of ocular inflammatory attacks during the observation period after IFX therapy, and the clinical records of the groups were compared

Results

The mean age at onset of ocular inflammation in Group 1 patients (n?=?17) was lower than that in Group 2 patients (n?=?12) (p?=?0.023). Compared to Group 2 patients, the period from onset to IFX therapy in Group 1 was longer (p?=?0.037), and the frequency of ocular inflammatory attacks before IFX therapy was lower (p?=?0.013). The rates of ocular fundus attacks before IFX therapy were 0.82?±?0.28 in Group 1 and 0.96?±?0.10 in Group 2 (p?=?0.040). Three of 33 (9.1?%) eyes in Group 1 and nine of 24 eyes (37.5?%) in Group 2 had an improved best-corrected visual acuity of >0.2 logarithm of the minimal angle resolution (p?<?0.01).

Conclusions

Patients in Group 1 tended to have fewer intraocular attacks (fewer fundus attacks in particular) prior to IFX therapy and have a longer period from onset of intraocular inflammation to IFX therapy. The improvement of the BCVA in Group 2 tended to be better.