Successful treatment for squamous cell carcinoma of the female urethra with combined radio- and chemotherapy

We report on two cases of women with locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the urethra. Patient 1 also displayed regional lymph node metastasis. Treatment comprised combined radiotherapy to 60 Gy and chemotherapy with 5-fluorouracil and cisplatin. Complete response was obtained in both patients, including the inguinal lymph nodes of Patient 1. Patient 1 experienced recurrent inguinal lymph node metastasis on the contralateral side at 42 months after initial treatment, and the same treatment was performed followed by surgical excision. Both patients remain alive with no evidence of disease, at 12 months after recurrence in Patient 1, and at 27 months after treatment in Patient 2.     

Long-term survival after bilateral adrenalectomy for metachronous adrenocortical cancer

We report the case of a female patient with bilateral metachronous adrenocortical cancer who survived long-term after adrenalectomy. In 1991, the patient underwent left adrenalectomy to remove a huge adrenal mass (10 x 9 cm) displaying no hormonal abnormality. Histological diagnosis was adrenocortical cancer. A right adrenal mass (7 x 6 cm) was found 4 years after left adrenalectomy. Right adrenalectomy was performed, and histological diagnosis was again adrenocortical cancer. The patient remains alive with no evidence of disease 8 years after last surgery.     

Changes in the ratio of urinary α1-microglobulin to ulinastatin levels in patients with Alzheimer-type dementia and vascular dementia

Abstract Relationships between urinary levels of α1-microglobulin (α1M) and ulinastatin (UT) in patients with dementia were investigated. There were no significant differences in α1M and UT levels and α1M: UT ratios among three groups: age-matched control subjects, patients with either Alzheimer-type senile dementia (ATD) or vascular dementia (VD). Although a positive correlation was established between α1M and UT levels in these groups, the regression of the demented patients differed significantly from that of controls ( P <0.05). A tendency towards a negative correlation between α1M: UT ratios and the levels of severity or duration of the disease was displayed in the ATD group, whereas a tendency toward a positive correlation between α1M: UT ratios and the levels of severity was observed in the VD group. These results suggest that changes in the relationships between urinary levels of α1M and UT may provide a useful biochemical index for diagnoses of ATD and VD.     

Inhibition of Lipid Peroxidation by Sesquiterpenoid in Heterotheca inuloides

A sesquiterpenoid, 7-hydroxy-3,4-dihydrocadalin, isolated from a Mexican medicinal plant Heterotheca inuloides was evaluated as an antioxidant. This sesquiterpenoid inhibited mitochondrial and microsomal lipid peroxidation induced by Fe(III)-ADP/NADH or Fe(III)-ADP/NADPH. Furthermore, 7-hydroxy-3,4-dihydrocadalin protected red cells against oxidative haemolysis. This sesquiterpene was thus shown to be effective in protecting biological systems against oxidative stresses.     

Metabolite changes with age measured by proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy in normal subjects

Abstract  To determine whether there are metabolite changes in the left medial temporal and frontal lobes with aging, we performed proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy in 36 normal subjects. The N-acetylaspartate/creatine-phosphocreatine ratio in the medial temporal lobe tended to be decreased in subjects over 60 years of age. The ratio decrease in the frontal lobe related to aging was lower than that in the medial temporal lobe. There were no significant differences in the metabolite ratios between males and females. These findings suggest that structures in the medial temporal lobe may be more susceptible to neuronal dysfunction associated with aging than those in the frontal lobe.     

A Subset of Patients With Recurrent Spontaneous Abortion Is Deficient in Transforming Growth Factor β-2-Producing “Suppressor Cells” in Uterine Tissue Near the Placental Attachment Site

PROBLEM : To determine if patients with unexplained recurrent miscarriage have a deficiency of decidual immunosuppressor cells that produce transforming growth factor β type 2, as has been found in mice with abortion due to rejection and/or trophoblast failure. METHODS : Decidual biopsy specimens were taken as near to the placental attachment site as possible under ultrasound guidance from first trimester legal termination (control) patients with recurrent miscarriage and non-viable pregnancy, and from patients with sporadic missed abortion. The tissue was tested for TGFβ-2⁺ suppressor cells by in situ hybridization, immunohistochemistry, and analysis of supernatants. RESULTS : TGFβ-2-related suppressor molecules similar but not identical to those identified in pregnant mice were released by decidual lymphoid cells. Fifty percent of 14 recurrent miscarriage patients showed a lack of suppressor cells and 59% were subnormal in comparison to 20 controls and 5 sporadic miscarriage patients, where 80–85% of the patients had detectable suppressor cells. CONCLUSIONS : Suppressor cell deficiency is compatible with a role for rejection and/or trophoblast failure in some patients with recurrent miscarriage. Presence of suppressor cells in most patients with missed abortion (4/5) is compatible with an alternative cause of fetal death, similar to findings reported in genetic fetal death mice.     

Bacterial invasion into the colonic mucosa in ulcerative colitis

Abstract This study investigated interactions between mucosal lesions and bacterial invasion in ulcerative colitis using the acridine-orange staining method. In all 16 cases of ulcerative colitis, the mucosa was found to be invaded by small rods and cocci. In five of 10 controls, bacteria were seen only adhering to the mucosa and no bacteria were detected in the five remaining cases. It is suggested that the presence of bacteria in the colonic mucosa may be a factor responsible for the persistence or aggravation of ulcerative colitis.     

The Effect of Cimetidine on Natural Killer Activity of Peripheral Blood Lymphocytes of Patients with Ovarian Carcinoma

The effect of cimetidine on the natural killer (NK) activityof peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) of 32 patients with ovariancarcinoma was studied before and after surgery or chemotherapy.There was no significant difference in the NK activity betweennormal healthy women and patients who had been disease-freefor more than a year after initial surgery, while those in patientswith a large residual tumor after surgery were profoundly suppressed.Cimetidine stimulated the NK activity in the disease-free patientsin vivo or in Vitro. In addition, cimetidine augmented the responseto phytohemagglutinin of PBL from the disease-free patients.The NK activity of PBL of patients with a large residual tumorunder chemotherapy consisting of cisplatinum, adriamycin andcyclophosphamide, "CAP," was about half of that before initiationof chemotherapy. The inhibition of the NK activity by chemotherapywas abrogated by in vitro exposure of the PBL to cimetidine.