PRENATAL DIAGNOSIS Ⅰ. EARLY DIAGNOSIS OF OPEN NEURAL TUBE DEFECTS BY QUALITATIVE ACETYLCHOLINESTERASE ISOENZYME IN AMNIOTIC FLUID

The measurement of amniotic fluid (AF) acetylcholinesterase isoenzyme (AChEI) is a relatively new method for early diagnosis of open neural tube defects (NTDs). As quantitative methods are of unproven reliability at present, the authors used a high resolving power qualitative method-vertical slab polyaerylamide gel electrophoresis. The benefits of this technique are: simplicity of operation, accuracy, unsophisticated equipment, and easily available reagents. Combined results of 9 NTDs studies revealed that samples from early pregnancy gave more accurate results than those from late pregnancy.     

Lack of evidence for an impairment of tuberoinfundibolar dopaminergic neurons in aged male rats of the Sprague-Dawley strain

Circulating prolactin (PRL) levels, dopamine (DA) content, in vitro basal and stimulus-evoked endogenous DA release from arcuate-periventricular nuclei median-eminence fragments were studied in young (4 months) and old (24-25 months) male rats of Sprague-Dawley strain. Serum PRL levels did not differ in young and aged animals. In addition DA tissue content, basal and K+- or d-amphetamine evoked endogenous DA release did not show age-related differences. These results suggest that in male rats of the Sprague-Dawley strain the activity of tuberoinfundibular dopaminergic (TIDA) neurons does not change during senescence, unlike what happens in other strains of rats.     

Effects of intermittent diethylstilbestrol diphosphate administration on the R3327 rat prostatic carcinoma

Clinical trials have utilized intermittent diethylstilbestrol diphosphate (DES) therapy in advanced symptomatic prostatic carcinoma to diminish the morbidity of standard endocrine therapy. To determine the effect of intermittent DES administration on the Dunning R3327 rat prostatic adenocarcinoma 60 days following tumor implant, 6 groups were randomly assigned: control (N = 8), castrate (N = 10), high dose DES (N = 8, 1.6 micrograms/ml DES continuously in drinking water), low dose DES (N = 10, 0.4 microgram/ml continuously in drinking water), intermittent high dose DES (N = 10, 1.6 micrograms/ml DES in drinking water for 1 week, then off for 3 weeks), and intermittent low dose DES (N = 10, 0.4 microgram/ml DES for 1 week, then off for 3 weeks). Results indicate that low or high dose DES, and intermittent low or intermittent high dose DES during the week of administration were able to reduce serum testosterone to castrate levels (0.1 ng/ml). After withdrawal of intermittent DES, serum testosterone returned toward control levels (1.0 ng/ml). Initial mean tumor burden between control and treatment groups was not significantly different. All DES exposed rats had a tumor volume at death (range, 15.6-18.3 cm3) smaller than control (mean, 25.4 cm3) or castrate (mean, 40.8 cm3) rats. Despite this significant survival advantage from the time of randomization was achieved only in castrate (median survival, 331 days) or high dose DES (median survival, 359 days) groups compared to control (median survival, 225 days). Similarly, significant prolongation in tumor doubling time was achieved only by rats receiving castration or high dose DES. Intermittent DES administration controls tumor volume but does not provide a survival advantage. In this respect, intermittent DES is inferior to castration.     

新改良式远端脾肾静脉分流术

本文报告一种新的改良式远端脾肾静脉分流术,即脾静脉与左肾静脉侧侧吻合、脾静脉远端结扎,再将胃冠状静脉结扎。作者经治7例,初步观察疗效较好,术后无死亡,无复发出血,无肝性脑病发生。本文对这种手术的步骤和优点进行了讨论和分析。     

Patterns of cancer distribution in a medical center among adolescents 14 to 17 years of age for the period 1995 to 2001.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: There are limited data on the pattern of cancer distribution among adolescents in Taiwan. This study evaluated the characteristics of these rare cancers in a medical center. METHODS: Analyses of the characteristics of malignant neoplasms for patients aged 14 to 17 years at diagnosis were performed for all cases recorded in the tumor registry of Chang Gung Memorial Hospital (CGMH) at Linkou for the period 1995 to 2001. All eligible tumors were categorized in 1 of 12 diagnostic groups according to the scheme of the International Classification of Childhood Cancer (ICCC). Relative frequencies, age, and gender variations and the characteristics of tumor types were analyzed. RESULTS: Cancer was diagnosed in 320 adolescents during the study period. The male/female ratio was 1.17. Leukemia was the leading diagnostic group. The frequency of carcinomas increased with age and was highest among 17-year-olds. In this age group, non-rhabdomyosarcoma soft tissue sarcoma/primitive neuroectodermal tumor (non-RMS STS/PNET), thyroid carcinoma (CA) and ovarian germ cell tumor (GCT) were the 3 most common solid tumors; the embryonal malignancies were rare. Tumors with the greatest male predominance were intracranial GCT (91%), nasopharyngeal CA (87.5%), osteosarcoma (84.6%), and colorectal CA (75%). Tumors with the greatest female predominance were thyroid CA (78.3%), gonadal GCT (75%), and non-RMS/PNET (56.5%). Hepatocellular CA comprised 9.4% of all carcinomas. CONCLUSIONS: The relative frequency and the distribution of histology subtypes among adolescents were between those of childhood and adult cancers. There were marked variations in tumor occurrence between genders and among different ages.