Ultrasonographic findings in gastric cancer: in vitro and in vivo studies

Ultrasonography was performed in 45 cases of gastric cancer. Specimens from all 45 cases of gastric cancer were subjects to ultrasonographic study by the water immersion method for comparison with histology. In 32 of these 45 cases in vivo ultrasonographic evaluation was performed prospectively. The overall accuracy rates for the diagnosis of the depth of cancerous invasion were almost 80% in both in vitro and in vivo studies. In vivo ultrasonographic findings agreed well with those from the specimen studies. Ultrasonography was considered to be useful in the diagnosis of gastric malignancies.     

The effect of glycerol on EEG-abnormality (polymorphic delta wave) in patients with brain tumors

The effect of intravenous infusion of 10% glycerol on polymorphic delta waves of EEG was investigated in 13 patients (15 studies) with brain tumors in cerebral hemisphere. The delta waves were analyzed by two-dimensional EEG topography and power spectrum of delta waves (P(delta)) over the tumor, adjacent, and distant regions in the same hemisphere to the tumor, and ipsi- and contralateral hemispheres to the tumor. The data focus of EEG topography was well corresponded to the tumor and surrounding brain edema which visualized by x-ray CT-scan. In the patient with brain tumors with marked brain edema (group A, 11 studies), EEG topography showed marked reduction of delta focus within 20 minutes from the end of intravenous infusion of glycerol, and returned to preinfusion distribution within 60 minutes. In patients with absent to minimum brain edema (group B, 4 studies), delta focus showed the tendency to enlarge and returned to preinfusion state at 60 minutes after the end of glycerol infusion. In patients of group A, P(delta) of ipsilateral hemisphere to tumor decreased at the end of glycerol infusion, and showing maximal reduction ratio (30%, p less than 0.01) at 20 minutes, re-increased there-after. In group B, P(delta) of ipsilateral hemisphere showed no definite changes after the glycerol infusion. P(delta) of contralateral hemispheres in patients of both group A and B, showed similar reduction ratio and time course to those of ipsilateral hemisphere of group A.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Persistent left superior vena cava draining to left atrium with normal coronary sinus

In embryology, a persistent connection of the left superior vena cava to the left atrium rarely coexists with a coronary sinus. We herein report an unusual case of persistent left superior vena cava terminating in a left atrium with normal coronary sinus, which was revealed at the time of permanent pacemaker implantation after a second operation for recurrent left atrioventricular valve regurgitation. Because this anomaly had gone undiagnosed at the first operation, we were unable to diagnose it prior to the second operation, because the preoperative coronary angiogram clearly demonstrated a coronary sinus that was not dilated. We would have repaired the anomaly using a patch or other procedure had it been diagnosed before the second operation in order to prevent cyanosis or brain complications secondary to right-to-left shunting. One should always be on guard for this rare condition.     

Clinical outcomes of two different endometrial preparation methods for cryopreserved-thawed embryo transfer in patients with a normal menstrual cycle

Aim:  To compare the clinical outcomes of cryopreserved-thawed embryo transfer among patients with a normal menstrual cycle who had natural or hormone-replacement cycles.
Methods:  From January 2004 to June 2006, cryopreserved embryos following conventional in vitro fertilization (IVF) or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) were thawed and transferred in a total of 720 natural cycles and 136 hormone-replacement cycles.
Results:  Cryopreserved-thawed embryo transfer in patients who had a natural or hormone-replacement cycle resulted in clinical pregnancy in 43.1% and 40.4%, respectively; a rate of miscarriage of 14.5% and 23.6%, respectively; and a rate of ongoing pregnancy and delivery of 36.5% and 30.9%, respectively. None of these differences were statistically significant.
Conclusions:   Patients with a normal menstrual cycle who have natural or hormone-replacement cycles can be expected to have comparable clinical outcomes with cryopreserved-thawed embryo transfer. (Reprod Med Biol 2007; 6 : 53–57)     

Repair of subglottic stenosis with a free perichondrial graft

A case of tracheal stenosis was reconstructed, after trough formation, with a chondromucosal flap which was developed by submucous perichondrial grafting. At the first stage, a free perichondrial graft from the pinna was transplanted into the buccal submucosal layer. About 10 months later, when sufficient neocartilage had formed, the chondromucosal composite graft was transferred from the buccal region to the paratracheal subcutaneous region with the mucosa facing deeply. Finally, 4 weeks later the tracheal trough was closed with a composite rotation flap which incorporated the skin, neocartilage and mucosa. The postoperative course was uneventful and a wide tracheal lumen with a firm framework and mucous lining was confirmed by both fibrescopic and radiographic examination.     

Laryngeal Resistance before and after Minor Surgery: Endotracheal Tube versus Laryngeal Mask Airway™

Background: The placement of an endotracheal tube (ETT) may promote laryngeal swelling, which is an important cause of upper airway obstruction after extubation. The authors hypothesized that laryngeal swelling after ETT placement increases laryngeal resistance and tested that hypothesis by comparing postoperative laryngeal patency between patients with ETT placement and those with a Laryngeal Mask Airway(TM) (LMA(TM)).

Methods: Fourteen adult patients who underwent elective minor surgeries were randomly allocated to two groups whose airway would be managed through ETTs (the ETT group) or LMAs(TM) (the LMA(TM) group) during the surgery. While maintaining at sevoflurane 1 minimum alveolar concentration, the authors measured laryngeal resistance before and after surgery, during both spontaneous breathing and mechanical ventilation under complete paralysis. In addition, they endoscopically measured the vocal cord angle under complete paralysis.

Results: In association with marked swelling of the vocal cords, the vocal cord angle significantly decreased after surgery in the ETT group, whereas the angle did not change in the LMA group. Laryngeal resistance during mechanical ventilation significantly increased only in the ETT group. Laryngeal resistance during spontaneous breathing significantly increased after surgeries in both groups.     

Downregulation of adenylylcyclase types V and VI mRNA levels in pacing-induced heart failure in dogs.

We have shown that the heart expresses two distinct forms of adenylylcyclase mRNA, types V and VI. In this study we have characterized the expression of these two mRNA species in heart failure generated by overdrive pacing at a rate of 240 beats/min. After 4 wk, left ventricular end-diastolic pressure and heart rate increased significantly with the appearance of signs of heart failure, i.e., edema, ascites, and exercise intolerance. Basal as well as forskolin-stimulated adenylylcyclase activities decreased significantly, which was accompanied by a reduction in the steady state mRNA levels of adenylylcyclase types V and VI. These data suggest that in this model of cardiomyopathy, the downregulation of adenylylcyclase catalytic activity results, at least in part, from a reduction in the steady state levels of types V and VI adenylylcyclase mRNA levels.     

Novel enzyme immunoassay of anti-insulin igG in human serum

A novel enzyme immunoassay of anti-insulin IgG in human serum is described. A serum sample containing anti-insulin IgG was treated with dextran-charcoal at pH 6.0 to remove endogenous insulin and subsequently incubated with dinitrophenyl biotinyl nonspecific rabbit IgG-insulin conjugate. The reaction mixture was further incubated with a rabbit (antidinitrophenyl bovine serum albumin) IgG-coated polystyrene ball to trap the complex formed between anti-insulin IgG and the conjugate. After washing to eliminate nonspecific IgG in the test serum, the polystyrene ball was incubated with dinitrophenyl-L-lysine to elute the complex. The eluate was incubated with an avidin-coated polystyrene ball. Finally, the amount of human anti-insulin IgG in the complex trapped onto the avidin-coated polystyrene ball was measured by incubation with rabbit (antihuman IgG (γ-chain)) Fab'-peroxidase conjugate. This enzyme immunoassay was 1,000-fold more sensitive than the conventional enzyme immunoassay, in which an insulin-bovine serum albumin-coated polystyrene ball was incubated with a serum sample containing anti-insulin IgG and subsequently with rabbit (antihuman IgG (γ-chain)) Fab'-peroxidase conjugate. The principle of the novel enzyme immunoassay can be used to more sensitively measure antibodies for most kinds of haptens and antigens than the conventional enzyme immunoassay.