Infrared Thermometry for Rapid, Noninvasive Detection of Reflux of Spermatic Vein in Varicocele

Purpose

We evaluated infrared thermometry for measurement of reflux of blood via the internal spermatic vein.

Materials and Methods

The change in scrotal temperature in patients with varicoceles and controls with different positions was measured with an infrared thermometer.

Results

Scrotal neck temperature in the patients increased during Valsalva's maneuver with upright position (mean plus or minus standard deviation 34.62 plus/minus 1.20 to 36.05 plus/minus 1.42C), while no statistically significant increase occurred in the controls (32.91 plus/minus 0.92 to 33.42 plus/minus 1.15C). Two weeks after high ligation of the internal spermatic vein the scrotal temperature in the patients decreased to the same level (0.59 plus/minus 0.84C) as in the controls. Using this method 2 subclinical varicoceles were also found on the right side in patients with a left varicocele.

Conclusions

Infrared thermometry is noninvasive, rapid and simple for documenting varicoceles, including subclinical disease.     

Plasma vasopressin response to contrast medium during cardiac catheterization in infants and children

Fifteen infants and children (M = 7, F = 8), aged from 0 to 13 years, who underwent cardiac catheterization and cardioangiography under ketamine-diazepam anesthesia were the subjects of this study. The effect of a contrast medium, isolamate sodium (66.8%) on the plasma somolality and vasopressin concentration was studied. The plasma osmolality was significantly elevated after contrast medium administration (289 ± 3 vs. 303 ± 8mosmol·kg^–1) as well as plasma vasopressin (from 2.1 ± 0.9 vs. 4.7 ± 2.0 micro-unit·ml^–1).It is concluded that the administration of contrast medium for cardioangiography causes elevation of plasma osmolality, which leads to the elevation of plasma vasopressin concentration.(Yamashita M, Horigome H, Kudo T, et al.: Plasma vasopressin response to contrast medium during cardiac catheterization in infants and children. J Anesth 5: 203–204, 1991)     

Two cases of asymptomatic epiglottic cyst confirmed by lateral cervical roentgenogram

Key words  complications - intubation - epiglottic cyst     

Computer-aided surface area measurement of temporal bone pneumatization: histological sections]

Contention exists on the development of pneumatization of temporal bone. Many techniques to measure the volume of pneumatization have been reported, but no techniques for direct surface area measurement. We measured the surface area and volume of human mastoid air cells. Eight normal temporal bones removed at autopsy were analyzed and fixed in formalin fixative, decalcified, and embedded in celloidin, sectioned at 25 microns and stained with H-E for histological examination. Total surface area and the volume of human mastoid air cells were measured using a personal computer. The surface area of pneumatic spaces for the 8 temporal bone specimens ranged from 36.1 cm2 to 163.0 cm2 (mean +/- SD: 89.1 +/- 34.0 cm2). The volume of pneumatic spaces for the 8 specimens ranged from 1.53 ml to 6.03 ml (mean +/- SD: 4.12 +/- 0.97 ml). The surface area of temporal bone pneumatic spaces we determined could serve as useful basic data for determining the physiology of ventilation for the temporal bone and the function of mastoid cells.     

Subjective and functional results after total gastrectomy: prospective study for longterm comparison of reconstruction procedures

Background: Many reconstruction procedures have been developed in efforts to resolve patients' complaints after total gastrectomy. However, there have been few reports of longterm comparisons between reconstruction procedures, especially with regard to the prevention of duodenal food passage. This study was undertaken to compare the longterm subjective and functional results among Roux-en-Y esophagojejunostomy (R-Y), R-Y with pouch (P-Y), and jejunal interposition with pouch (P-I) after total gastrectomy. Methods: Consecutive patients requiring curative total gastrectomy were enrolled in this prospective study by the envelope method. Results: Hospital stay was longer following a P-I than an R-Y or a P-Y. Over 50% of R-Y patients complained of heartburn, and 20% of R-Y patients showed dumping syndrome throughout the postoperative period, with this rate being significantly different from rates in the other two groups. P-Y patients complained of early satiety in the late postoperative period, while P-I patients complained of early satiety in the early postoperative period. The nutritional index in P-I patients was higher than those in patients with the other two procedures. Gastrointestinal and hepatobiliary dual scintigraphy (GHDS) showed that the rate of bile reflux with an R-Y was relatively high after surgery. Food reflux with a P-Y was increased (9.4% to 11.1%), but with a P-I food reflux was decreased at 3 years after surgery (13.3% to 9.9%). Patients with a P-Y had a faster recovery of body, weight in the early postoperative period; however, at 5 years after operation, body weight recovery with a P-I was greatest. Conclusion: Reconstruction should be performed with pouch formation after total gastrectomy with curative intent. Received: March 7, 2002 / Accepted: September 26, 2002 Acknowledgments This study was partly supported by the University of Tsukuba Research Project. Offprint requests to: S. Adachi     

Yolk sac tumor with a unique uniform hepatoid pattern histology

Abstract Background: Yolk sac tumors (YST) exhibit several different histological subtypes and the mechanisms of cellular differentiation and prognosis of each subtype remain unknown.
Results: We report two infants with sacrococcygeal YST; one represented a typical histological subtype and the other showed a hepatoid subtype with uniform histology. The isoform of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) in the patient with the hepatoid pattern was examined by lectin-affinity Immunoelectrophoresis and represented as a YST. but not hepatocellular, subtype. The patient with typical YST responded well to VAB-6 combination chemotherapy. However, this regimen was only partially effective to the patient with the pure hepatoid histological subtype, and an etoposide with ifosfamide and cisplatin (VIP) regimen as a salvage chemotherapy combined with complete tumor resection was useful to achieve complete remission (CR). Both of the patients have been in CR for more than four years.     

Point mutations of ornithine decarboxylase gene are an infrequent event in colorectal cancer but a missense mutation was found in a replication error positive patient with hMSH2 germline mutation

BACKGROUND: Ornithine decarboxylase (ODC; EC 4.1.1.17) is the first rate-limiting enzyme in the biosynthesis of polyamines. ODC protein has a characteristic amino acid sequence, the PEST sequence, which is related to the enzyme's rapid degradation. ODC cDNA prepared from human hepatoma tissues has been reported to show nonsense or missense mutations. METHODS: We examined somatic mutations of ODC cDNA by RT-PCR-SSCP analysis and mRNA expressions by RT-PCR in 50 colorectal cancer tissues to investigate the involvement of ODC gene alterations in colorectal cancers. RESULTS: Increased expression of the ODC gene was observed in 36 cases (86%) out of the 42 examined by RT-PCR. In one case, a missense mutation was found in the cancer tissue but not in normal mucosa. The missense mutation from Asp to Asn at codon 424, in the PEST region, possibly stabilizes the ODC protein. In colorectal cancer, replication error and a germline mutation in hMSH2 gene were observed. CONCLUSIONS: The missense mutation at codon 424 is speculated to be a cause of stabilization and a passenger mutation owing to the mutator phenotype. Since only one of 50 colorectal cancers exhibited a missense mutation of the ODC gene, mutations in ODC gene are not frequent in colorectal cancer. The increased expression of the ODC gene was noted in 86% of colorectal cancer tissues by RT-PCR, however, it was not due to point mutations in ODC coding exons.      

The 1.5 GHz Electromagnetic Near-field Used for Cellular Phones Does Not Promote Rat Liver Carcinogenesis in a Medium-term Liver Bioassay

We have recently established that local exposure to a 929.2 MHz electromagnetic near-field, used for cellular phones, does not promote rat liver carcinogenesis in a medium-term bioassay system. In the present study, a 1.439 GHz electromagnetic near-field (EMF), another microwave band employed for cellular phones in Japan, was similarly investigated. Time division multiple access (TDMA) signals for the Personal Digital Cellular (PDC) Japanese cellular telephone standard system were directed to rats through a quarter-wavelength monopole antenna. Numerical dosimetry showed that the peak SARs within the liver were 1.91–0.937 W/kg, while the whole-body average specific absorption rates (SARs) were 0.680–0.453 W/kg, when the time-averaged antenna radiation power was 0.33 W. Exposure was for 90 min a day, 5 days a week, over 6 weeks, to male F344 rats given a single dose of diethylnitrosamine (200 mg/kg, i.p.) 2 weeks previously. At week 3, all rats were subjected to a two-thirds partial hepatectomy. At week 8, the experiment was terminated and the animals were killed. Carcinogenic potential was scored by comparing the numbers and areas of the induced glutathione S-transferase placental form (GST-P)-positive foci in the livers of exposed (48) and sham-exposed rats (48). Despite increased serum levels of corticosterone, adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and melatonin, the numbers and the areas of GST-P-positive foci were not significantly altered by the exposure. These findings clearly indicated that local body exposure to a 1.439 GHz EMF, as in the case of a 929.2 MHz field, has no promoting effect on rat liver carcinogenesis in the present model.