Efficacy,Safety and Tolerability of Fesoterodine in Asian Patients with Overactive Bladder

Objectives: To assess the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of fesoterodine 4 and 8 mg once daily (QD) compared with placebo in Asian subjects with overactive bladder (OAB) after 12 weeks of treatment. Methods: This phase II, dose‐finding study consisted of a 2‐week placebo run‐in period followed by a 12‐week, randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled, treatment period. Eligible subjects were aged ≥20 years with ≥8 micturitions per 24 h and ≥1 urgency urinary incontinence (UUI) episodes per 24 h reported in a 3‐day diary. The subjects were randomized to receive placebo, fesoterodine 4 mg, or fesoterodine 8 mg QD for 12 weeks. Results: Of 1232 subjects who entered the placebo run‐in period, 951 received double‐blind treatment. The mean number of UUI episodes per 24 h at baseline was 2.2 among the three treatment groups. The two fesoterodine groups showed statistically significant decreases from baseline in the mean number of UUI episodes per 24 h at week 12 (primary endpoint) compared with placebo. Most all‐causality adverse events (e.g. dry mouth and constipation) were mild or moderate. The percentage of subjects with severe adverse events was low and similar among the treatment groups (placebo, 1.3%; fesoterodine 4 mg, 1.9%; fesoterodine 8 mg, 1.0%). Conclusion: Fesoterodine 4 and 8 mg QD were significantly better than placebo in improving OAB symptoms. Overall, the two fesoterodine dosing regimens were well tolerated. These results suggest that fesoterodine 4 and 8 mg QD are effective and well‐tolerated treatments for OAB in Asian subjects.     

Exact Location of the Branching Bundle in the Living Heart

Aims: The His bundle electrogram is believed to reflect the exact location of the His bundle. However, the distinction between distal His bundle potential and proximal right bundle branch potential is challenging. The aim of this study was to pinpoint the location of the branching point of the His bundle, and to compare that site with the site of recording of the largest His bundle electrogram (LH) during sinus rhythm.
Methods: We hypothesized that the site of earliest His activation (EH) during retrograde conduction via the left bundle branch is the branching point. We studied 15 nonconsecutive patients (mean age = 40 ± 22 years; eight men). We performed a programmed stimulation from right ventricular apex until retrograde right bundle branch block appeared. At that point we measured (1) the distance between antegrade LH site and retrograde EH site and (2) the atrial-to-ventricular amplitude ratio (A/V ratio) at both sites.
Results: EH was recorded at the proximal electrode of the His bundle catheter in all patients. Mean distance between EH and LH was 9.8 ± 2.5 mm. The mean A/V ratios at the EH site and the LH site were 1.01 ± 0.42 and 0.08 ± 0.06, respectively.
Discussion: This study showed that the EH site is located approximately 10-mm proximal to the LH site. The mean A/V ratio at the EH site during sinus rhythm is approximately 1.0. These observations suggest that the majority of His potentials reflect proximal right bundle activation. Before delivering radiofrequency energy in the para-Hisian area, attention should be paid to the presence of a His potential and to the A/V ratio, rather to the amplitude of the His electrogram.     

Phase II Study of UFT in Patients With Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

A phase II study of UFT (a mixture of uracil and tegafur; molarratio of uracil to tegafur = 4) was undertaken in 21 patientswith advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). UFT was administeredorally at a dose of 400 mg/m² every day, for more than fourweeks. Of 16 adequately treated patients, one (6.3%) showed a partialresponse. Toxic effects included minimal myelosuppression, anorexia,nausea, vomiting and epigastralgia. Gastrointestinal toxicitywas well tolerated. Considering the poor response and mild toxicity,a further phase II study of higher-dose UFT is necessary forpatients without prior therapy.     

Vanillylmandelic Acid, Homovanillic Acid, and Catecholamines in Urine of Infants with Neuroblastoma 6- to 11-Month-Old

The amounts of vanillylmandelic acid (VMA), homovanillic acid(HVA), and catecholamines (adrenalin, noradrenalin, and dopamine)in 24-hr urine specimens of 10 infants with neuroblastoma detectedthrough mass screening in Sapporo City (patient group) werecompared with those of 24 healthy infants (control group). The ages of the infants of both groups ranged from 6 to 11 months,which agrees with the age when mass screening is performed. For VMA and HVA, the mean value plus two or three times thestandard deviation of the control group clearly separated thetwo groups in the units of mg/day, /µg/mg of creatinine,mg/kg/day, and mg/m²/day. The cut off values of 24 /µg/mg of creatinine for VMAand 25 µg/mg of creatinine for HVA are now being usedby us for assaying 24-hr urine specimens. No significant difference was found between the groups in levelsof catecholamines, but their data were thought to be usefulas normal values, since few published data regarding their normalvalues are available.     

ANNULATE LAMELLAE OBSERVED IN HUMAN PROSTATIC CARCINOMA

Annulate lamellae (AL) were observed in only three out of 40 cases of human prostatic carcinoma, but not in 20 cases of benign prostatic hyperplasia and 11 cases of presumably normal prostatic tissues. AL showed the continuity with the rough endoplasmic reticulum and seemingly the nuclear membrane consisting of lamellar or concentric arrangement of stacked membranes and occasionally annular structures. In addition, annuli were detected in the rough endoplasmic reticulum near the stacked membranes which were devoid of ribosomal attachment. These results disclosed that in human prostatic tissues, AL could be only rarely detected in actively dividing cancer cells, and were seemingly the temporary transitional structures transforming from the nuclear membrane to the rough endoplasmic reticulum.     

Natural Killer (NK) and Lymphokine-Activated Killer (LAK) Cell Activity in Healthy Volunteers with Special Emphasis on the Familial Incidence of Cancer

Natural killer (NK) and lymphokine activated killer (LAK) cellactivities in 133 healthy volunteers were analyzed with regardto the volunteer's sex, age, smoking history and the familialincidence of cancer. None of these factors had any influence on NK and LAK cell activities.It was concluded that identifying individuals with increasedrisk of cancer development by examining NK and LAK activitieswould be difficult.     

自人脑胶质瘤墓因文库克隆到一种未知墓因片段

利用神经髓鞘蛋自ＰＭＰ－２２基因（一种细胞生长休止期特异表达的基因）的编码区５’－及３’－序列为引物，藉ＰＣＲ方法自人脑胶质瘤ｃＤＮＡ文库中扩增出一个１８１ｂｐ的基因片段，并测定了其序列，在基因资料库中未查到任何同源基因存在，但该片段与蛋自激酶Ｃ墓因有５３．８％的同源性，提示它是一种新的未知基因的片段。     

Recto-peritoneal fistula following transperineal prostate biopsy

A recto-peritoneal fistula is an extremely rare complication after prostate biopsy. We report herein on a peritonitis arising from a recto-peritoneal fistula 5 days after undergoing prostate biopsy. To our knowledge, this is the first case of recto-peritoneal fistula following transperineal needle biopsy of the prostate in the published literature.