Carnitine and Coenzyme A Decrease Valproic Acid-Induced Neural Tube Defects in Mice

Abstract The effects of the administration of L-carnitine or coenzyme A (Co A) on valproic acid (VPA)-induced teratogenesis were examined in mice. VPA (300, 400, 500, 600, and 700 mg/kg, s. c.), L-carnitine (100, 200, and 400 mg/kg, s. c.), or Co A (10, 100, 200 mg/kg, i. v.) was injected on day 8 of gestation (plug day = day 0). Exencephaly was induced dose-dependently by single injections of VPA. Administration of L-carnitine or Co A alone at any of the dose levels tested did not induce embryocidal or teratogenic effects. In combined treatment experiments, L-carnitine (400 mg/kg) significantly reduced VPA (500 and 600 mg/kg)-induced exencephaly, while L-carnitine did not decrease VPA-induced open eyelids. Co A (200 mg/kg) also significantly reduced VPA-(600 mg/kg) induced exencephaly. The results demonstrate the attenuation of VPA teratogenicity by L-carnitine and Co A.     

The Validity of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) in the Staging of Bladder Cancer: Comparison with Computed Tomography (CT) and Transurethral Ultrasonography (US)

The magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of bladder cancer was accomplishedin 26 patients who had histologically proven transitional cellcarcinoma through transurethral resection. All 26 patients weresimultaneously studied by computed tomography (CT) and 21 werealso studied by transurethral ultrasonography (US) before surgeryor preoperative irradiation. The evaluations of the MRI andCT were carried out by the same radiologist and urologist postoperatively;the evaluation of the US was carried out by several urologistspreoperatively, and their results compared with the postoperativepathological findings. The staging accuracy for pT2 tumors andabove for each imaging modality was as follows. MRI: sensitivity83.3%, specificity 71.4%, accuracy 76.9%; CT: sensitivity 58.3%,specificity 42.8%, accuracy 50%; US: sensitivity 100%, specificity70%, accuracy 85.7%. The results of the staging with regardto extravesical extensions were as follows. MRI: sensitivity60%, specificity 85.7%, accuracy 80.8%; CT: sensitivity 60%,specificity 81%, accuracy 76.9%. On the other hand, the sensitivityof US was 25%, specificity 94.1% and accuracy was 81%. The higherthe pathological staging, the more the diagnostic accuracy waslikely to be increased with MRI and CT, but diminished for US.There were three case of pT1 tumors being over-diagnosed byUS, but two of them were accurately staged by MRI. The other11 cases, diagnosed as T2 or above by US, were only minimallyoverstaged or understaged by MRI. MRI seemed able to overcomethe disadvantage of US which tended to over-diagnose pT1 tumorsand which was not suitable for use in diagnosing infil-trativetumors correctly. CT seemed useless for local staging.     

Rectal cancer therapy compatible with preservation of function

Rectal cancer surgery causes often postoperative morbidities such as defecation disturbance, dysuria and male sexual impotence. Compatibility of cancer eradication and function preservation are the problem should be resolved in the rectal cancer surgery. Defecation function were preserved in the patients with middle and upper rectal cancer by anterior resection transsacral resection, invagination or pull-through operation. Since 1984, usage of suture instruments made it practicable to increase sphincter preserving operation up to more than 65% of rectal cancer. Postoperative 5-years survivals were 81% of anterior resection, 71% of invagination operation and 57% of pull-through. Autonomic nerves preserving operation (ANP), aimed to prevent the urinary and sexual disfunction were studied both sides of the cancer spreads and extend of nerve plexuses. And ANP were adopted to the 185 cancers, limited to the submucosa or the proper muscle coat, by Study Group of Welfare Ministry. Their postoperative disfunction decreased to 15% of urination and 21% of male potency, while 33% and 81% respectively following conventional operation. Local excision for early cancer, which are defined as mucosal or submucosal cancer are discussed.     

Experience with combination chemotherapy consisting of methotrexate, vinblastine, adriamycin and cisplatin (M-VAC) in advanced urothelial cancer

The M-VAC (methotrexate, vinblastine, adriamycin and cisplatin) regimen was used to treat 6 patients with metastatic transitional cell carcinoma of the urothelial tract. Three patients showed a partial response, all of them were made surgically disease free. Two of them are still alive 1 year and for 6 months after surgery with no evidence of disease and one other died of disease 11 months after surgery. The response in one case was no change and that in two others was a progressive disease. From our experience, we suggest that treatment with M-VAC is effective but that surgery after M-VAC appears essential for the successful management of the patients with metastatic transitional cell carcinoma of the urothelial tract.     

Bilateral decompression of multilevel lumbar spinal stenosis through a unilateral approach.

Lumbar canal stenosis due to hypertrophy and calcification of the facet joints and/or ligamentum flavum is a common condition in the elderly. Although a large number of individuals are symptom-free, the degenerative process, usually encroaching on both central and lateral pathways, may lead to symptoms of itself or decompensate a preexisting narrow canal. Even at an advanced age, decompression surgery is effective for symptomatic stenosis. Less invasive procedures preserving maximal bony and ligamentous structures have recently been recommended to reduce associated morbidity. This paper introduces a unilateral surgical approach for bilateral decompression by ligamentectomy, partial facetectomy and foraminal unroofing. Using a specially designed, one-side retractor, after the ipsilateral nerve root decompression the contralateral dural sac and nerve roots were approached through an 8 x 15 mm window in the interspinous ligament. The contralateral ligamentum flavum, facet joints and foraminal roof were resected, preserving the supraspinous ligament complex and much of the contralateral musculature. This technique, preserving anatomy and biomechanical function of the lumbar spine, is useful for surgery on multilevel lumbar canal stenoses.     

Long-term administration of ceftriaxone (Ro 13-9904) to complicated urinary tract infections

The efficacy and safety of ceftriaxone (Ro 13-9904, CTRX) a new broad-spectrum semisynthetic cephalosporin with an outstanding long serum half-life, was evaluated in 22 patients with chronic complicated urinary tract infections. Although the overall clinical efficacy evaluated on day 5 and 10 were similar, the rate of excellent effectiveness was higher on day 10 than on day 5. Eighteen bacterial strains were cultured from freshly voided urine. Eighty percent of the bacteria were eradicated on day 5 and 86.2% were eradicated on day 10. Bacterial replacement had occurred in 3 cases on day 5 and in 6 cases on day 10.     

On the use of statistics for representing the knowledge acquired from experts in a medical consulting system

For making medical consulting systems, it is important and significant to select and devise the method for representing the knowledge acquired from professional experts. As quantities of data required for consultation are increasing according to the progress of medical science, we have to introduce some new kinds of statistics into a medical consultation system. From another point of view, since the process of diagnosis of experts is considered to be a kind of effective model for compressing (or condensing) data quantitatively and qualitatively, we discuss the use of statistics for representing the knowledge acquired from experts from the standpoint of data compression.     

The evaluation of skin friction using africtional feel analyzer

Background/aims: Sensory evaluation is an important factor for cosmetic products. Several devices for the measurement of sensory properties have been developed in recent years. The objective here is to measure skin surface friction using these devices and examine the correlation with other physiological parameters in order to evaluate the potential of physical measurement of tactile sensation. Methods: A KES-SE Frictional Analyzer, a commercial device for measurement of surface frictional characteristics, was used in this study. An arm holder was added to this device for measurement on the human forearm. The frictional coefficient (MIU) and its mean deviation (MMD) were used as the parameter to indicate surface friction. The moisture content in the stratum corneum was measured with a Corneometer CM825, the transepidermal water loss with a Tewameter TM210, the viscoelastic properties of the skin with a Cutometer SEM575 and the skin surface pattern by observing the negative replica using silicon rubber. Results: The MIU was not influenced by load; however, it was increased due to water application on the skin. The relationship between MIU and the moisture content in the stratum corneum, between MMD and skin surface pattern and between MMD and viscosity of both normal human forearm skin and SDS (sodium dodecyl sulfate)-induced dry skin were confirmed by statistical analysis in a test on human subjects. There was also a correlation between either MIU or MMD and sensory evaluation in the morning after the application of moisturizing products. Conclusion: Human skin surface friction was measured by using a KES-SE Frictional Analyzer. Judging from the correlation between either MIU or MMD and sensory evaluation, we considered this instrumental analysis to be useful for evaluating the tactile impression of human skin.