Validity and reliability of the Japanese version of the Stress and Coping Inventory

Abstract We examined the validity and reliability of the Japanese version of the Stress and Coping Inventory (SCI) among 170 Japanese college students and 234 healthy subjects. The validity and reliability of this version of the SCI in the college student group were supported by significant test-retest correlations, relatively high internal consistency coefficients, and adequate correlations with the Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations (CISS). AS for the healthy subject group, the reliability was supported by relatively high internal consistency coefficients, although further analyses, such as test-retest, are required. The Japanese version of the SCI appears to be suitable for use among college students.     

A Comparative Study of DCMP versus DCcMP Combination Chemotherapy for Adult Acute Leukemia

An experimental study using L-1210 mouse leukemia indicatedthat daunomycin, cyclocytidine, and 6-mercaptopurine (DCcM)combination chemotherapy was more effective than daunomycin,cytosine arabinoside, and 6-mercaptopurine (DCM). Based on theseresults, a clinical study comparing daunomycin, cytosine arabinoside,6-mercaptopurine, and predni-solone (DCMP) combination chemotherapywith daunomycin, cyclocytidine, 6-mercaptopurine, and prednisolone(DCcMP) in the treatment of adult acute nonlymphocytic leukemiawas conducted. Patients were randomly allocated to receive eitherregimen. Ten of 15 patients treated with DCMP had complete remissionfor a median duration of 43 weeks and one had partial remission.Seven of 15 patients treated with DCcMP had complete remissionfor a median duration of 18 weeks and two had partial remission.The patient characteristics before chemotherapy, the toxicityof the chemotherapeutic regimens and the causes for differencesin antitumor activity between the experimental study and theclinical study are discussed.     

Coexistence of psoriasis and an unusual IgG-mediated subepidermal bullous dermatosis: identification of a novel 200-kDa lower lamina lucida target antigen

Summary Bullous pemphigoid (BP) is characterized by autoantibodies against 230- and 180-kDa hemidesmosomal antigens located in the most superficial layers of the basement membrane zone (BMZ). Histologically. there is a predominance of eosinophils in the infiltrate. In a psoriatic patient, we identified an unusual autoimmune subepidermal bullous eruption which clinically resembled BP, but which was characterized by IgG autoantibodies against a novel 200-kDa lower lamina lucida component, Histologically there was a predominance of neutrophils in the infiltrate.
Direct immunofluorescence showed linear immunoglobulin (Ig)G and C3 deposition at the BMZ. The patient's IgG autoantibodies bound exclusively to the dermal side of salt-split normal human skin. Indirect immunogold electron microscopy showed a marked deposition of IgG at the lower lamina lucida and minimal deposition at the hemidesmosomes. Immunoblot analysis identified a unique 200-kDa autoantigen in dermal extracts and a faint band of the 230-kDa BP antigen in epidermal extracts. The patient responded dramatically well to cyclosporin A.
Although the patient's serum also reacted slightly with the 230-kDa BP antigen, there were significant findings different from the usual immunopathological changes of BP. These included finding a novel 200-kDa lower lamina lucida target antigen, the binding of IgG autoantibodies exclusively to the dermal side of the split skin and a predominance of neutrophils in blister infiltrate. The IgG autoantibodies against the 200-kDa lamina lucida target antigen seemed to play a major role in the pathogenesis of this unique autoimmune subepidermal dermatosis.     

Estimation of usefulness of N-butyl-2-cyanoacrylate-lipiodol mixture in transcatheter arterial embolization for urgent control of life-threatening massive bleeding from gastric or duodenal ulcer

We estimated the usefulness of a mixture of N-butyl-2-cyanoacrylate (NBCA) with lipiodol for transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) used to control massive bleeding from gastric or duodenal ulcer. Thirty patients who had gastric or duodenal ulcers and massive bleeding that was uncontrollable by endoscopic procedures were included in this study. All patients were subjected to TAE (without NBCA in 23 and with NBCA in seven patients). Coils and/or gelfoam were also used. The achievement of haemostasis, occurrence of rebleeding and the time taken for TAE were compared between patients who received TAE without and with NBCA. Eighteen of 23 patients (78.3%) who received TAE without NBCA and six of seven patients (85.7%) who underwent TAE with NBCA achieved complete haemostasis without rebleeding. The time for TAE was significantly shorter in patients who received NBCA compared with those who did not (P= 0.0095). TAE using NBCA or a combination of NBCA and coils achieved a rapid, complete embolization regardless of vascular distribution or arterial diameter. Thus NBCA is considered to be useful as a secondary embolization material in TAE that is urgently conducted to control massive bleeding from gastric or duodenal ulcers.     

Contact Force‐Guided Deep Engagement with a Steerable Sheath in the Distal Great Cardiac Vein: A Case Report

Ablation of ventricular tachycardia originating from the great cardiac vein involves the difficult step of deep engagement with an ablation catheter. The catheter and a steerable sheath (MobiCath, Biosense Webster, Diamond Bar, CA, USA) were advanced alternately only when the contact force vector was parallel to the coronary venous system. Deep engagement with a steerable sheath ensured a powerful backup force during ablation.     

Diagnostic Value of 201Tl-chloride Scintigraphy for Thyroid Tumors

Among 114 patients with thyroid disease examined by ²⁰¹Tl-chloridescintigraphy, 101 were given a histological diagnosis. Of 28cases of thyroid carcinoma, 22 (78.6%) were positive. In threeof the 22, an obvious accumulation of ²⁰¹Tl-chloride was revealedin the metastatic lymph nodes of the neck and mediastinum. Only 12 of 50 (24%) cases of thyroid adenoma were positive.In comparison, all cases of hyperthyroidism and chronic thyroiditiswere positive and all cases of subacute thyroiditis were negative.The histological types of thyroid tumor were examined. Of 22cases of papillary carcinoma, 18 (81.8%) were positive. In fourcases which revealed negative figures, the tumor was almostcompletely encysted in three and the tumor was small in theother. Of the adenomas, eight cases of tubular adenoma and threeof trabecular adenoma were all positive, but colloid adenomaand thyroid cyst cases were all negative. It was concluded that ²⁰¹Tl-chloride has no specific affinityfor malignant tumors and cannot be used to discriminate betweencarcinoma and adenoma, but surgery should be indicated for noduleswhich are positive scanning by ²⁰¹Tl-chloride.     

An Evaluation of Endoscopic Color Doppler Ultrasonography in a Gastric Variceal Patient Who Underwent Balloon-Occluded Retrograde Transvenous Obliteration

Abstract: A 64-year-old female was admitted to our hospital with enlarged solitary gastric varices. Cardiofornical varices were seen using an endoscopy. We performed balloon-occluded retrograde transvenous obliteration (B-RTO) for gastric varices using 5% ethanolamine oleate. We observed the gastric varices before and after B-RTO using endoscopic color Doppler ultrasonography (ECDUS). Prior to B-RTO, the intramural and extramural blood flow coming from gastric varices were detected. The intramural blood flow produced a to and fro color image on ECDUS. The blood flow velocity was 31.2 cm/sec. The amount of blood flow was 2.40 liter/min. Seven days after the B-RTO, high echo lesions were observed in the gastric varices which indicated that the thrombosis and color flow image had also decreased. Twenty one days after B-RTO, the color flow image of the gastric varices had nearly disappeared and had completely disappeared after 3 months. In this case, ECDUS was an extremely useful modality for viewing the therapeutic effects of B-RTO.