Infantile subcortical leukohypodensity demonstrated by computed tomography

We reviewed the computed tomography scans of 126 term infants, ages 1-6 months; leukohypodensity was found just under the cerebral cortex (subcortical leukohypodensity [SLD]) in 3 infants (2.4%) at 1-3 months of age. On subsequent computed tomography at over 4 months of age, SLD had disappeared and anterior horn predominant dilatation of the lateral ventricles had appeared. Only 1 patient with a distinct SLD had a poor neurodevelopmental outcome: spastic diplegia. SLD in our patients is believed to be closely related to subcortical leukomalacia because of the similar location and age distribution. Transient SLD may be a mild form of cystic SLD which would require careful computed tomography follow-up examination in early infancy.     

The effect of IL-6 on the des-gamma-carboxy prothrombin synthesis in human hepatoma cells.

Effects of several cytokines on des-gamma-carboxy prothrombin (PIVKA II) synthesis in human hepatoma cells were investigated to know the process of PIVKA II production during a liver allograft rejection. Human recombinant interleukin-6 (IL-6) significantly stimulated the PIVKA II synthesis without any influence on the cell proliferation. The effect was almost completely neutralized by the specific anti-IL-6 antibody. Neither tumor necrosis factor (TNF), interleukin-1 (IL-1) nor interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) had such a stimulative effect. IL-6 appears to stimulate PIVKA II production, and would be a candidate of factors that enhance the production of PIVKA II during a liver allograft rejection.     

A case of progressive muscular dystrophy with numerous arterioluminal vessels

A 48-year-old man had histologically demonstrated cardiac involvement associated with progressive muscular dystrophy. On coronary arteriography, numerous vascular communications between the coronary arteries and the left ventricular chamber were found. These vascular communications are considered to be the arterioluminal vessels. This is the first report of a case of progressive muscular dystrophy with numerous arterioluminal vessels.     

False positive accumulation in 18F fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography scan due to sarcoid reaction following induction chemotherapy for lung cancer

We present a case of lung cancer that showed false positive accumulation in an ¹⁸F fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) scan following induction chemotherapy for suspected metastasis and progression of malignancy. A 66-year-old man was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma in the lung, classified as clinical stage IIIA (T2N2M0), and underwent induction chemotherapy. An FDG-PET scan prior to chemotherapy demonstrated accumulation only in the tumor, whereas following treatment it revealed a strong accumulation not only in the tumor, but also in the supraclavicular lymph nodes, which indicated lymph node metastasis. The patient underwent a biopsy of the right supraclavicular lymph node and mediastinoscopy, after which all dissected lymph nodes showed sarcoid reactions and no tumor cells were found pathologically. We concluded that when evaluating the effect of induction chemotherapy for malignancy, a sarcoid reaction might lead to the false positive accumulation of FDG.     

Studies on chemical protectors against radiation. XXIX. Protective effects of methanol extracts of various Chinese traditional medicines on skin injury induced by X-irradiation

In order to investigate useful protective medicines for the relief of skin injury induced by irradiation, 60 methanol extracts of Chinese traditional medicines were used in the test of protective potency on skin injury. ICR male mice at 6 weeks of age were whole-body irradiated with 1100R by using a soft X-ray generator (30 kVp, 10 mA, 190 R/min). Each methanol extract of these medicines was injected intraperitoneally into mice before or after irradiation. The degrees of skin injury were determined by a score system of skin reaction within the observation period from 21st to 40th day after irradiation. Protective potency of each medicine on skin injury was calculated from the maximum mean scores of administrated group and un-administrated group. As a result of these studies, the protective potency was detected in Unsei-in, Kumibinro-to, Keisi-syakuyaku-chimo-to, Keigai-rengyo-to, Gosyuyu-to, Koso-san, Saiko-seikan-to, Syo-kankyo-to, Syo-saiko-to, Syoma-kakkon-to, Sen-kan-meimoku-to, Zokumei-to, Sokei-kakketu-to, Bokuryo-in, Mao-to and Rikkunsi-to by intraperitoneal injection before irradiation. Of these effective medicines, only Unsei-in and Mao-to are shown to have a significant protective effect by intraperitoneal injection after irradiation.     

Clinical experience of biliary tract carcinoma associated with anomalous union of the pancreaticobiliary ductal system

Between 1978 and 1988, 15 patients with gallbladder cancer and 2 patients with bile duct cancer were seen among 49 patients with anomalous union of the pancreaticobiliary ductal system. Radiographic findings revealed two types of this anomalous condition: one in which the pancreatic duct entered the common bile duct (type 1) and one in which the common bile duct entered the pancreatic duct (type 2). In gallbladder cancer, the common bile duct presented no dilatation, or in some patients, mild dilatation, and type-1 anomalous union was frequently found among these patients. In contrast, the two patients with bile duct cancer had cystic dilatation of the common bile duct and type-2 anomalous union. The bile amylase level, which was determined in seven patients, was extremely high in all the patients. Histopathologically, the tumors in most patients showed papillary to papillo-tubular proliferation in the mucosal layer while atypical epithelial hyperplasia was noted in the vicinity of the tumor area. These findings suggest that this congenital anomaly in both ducts results in a loss of the normal sphincteric mechanism of the duodenal papilla, and that chronic relapsing cholecystitis or cholangitis, caused by the reflux of pancreatic juice into the biliary tract, can induced progressive changes to atypical epithelial hyperplasia which may develop into carcinoma.     

The determination of thymidylate synthetase inhibition for testing fluoropyrimidines--pharmacokinetics and metabolism of carmofur (HCFU) in patients with gynecologic malignancies--Tokai HCFU Study Group for Gynecologic Malignancies

The pharmacokinetics and metabolism of carmofur (HCFU) were studied. Sixty-six patients were administered 100 mg of HCFU orally, and the plasma levels of the HCFU fraction (HCFUf) and 5-fluorouracil (5-FUra) were determined at 0, 1, 2, 4 and 6 hours. The average half-life of HCFUf and 5-FUra were 1.05 and 1.31 hours, and the average areas under the curves (AUC) of the plasma concentration were 6.51 hr X mcg/ml and 0.46 hr X mcg/ml, respectively. Surgical specimens of the tumors were obtained about three hours after the administration and assayed for HCFUf. 5-FUra fluorodeoxyuridine-monophosphate (FdUMP), deoxyuridine-monophosphate (dUMP), total thymidylate synthetase (TS total), and non-FdUMP-bound free enzyme (TS free). The TS inhibition rate (IR) was calculated by the follow method: IR = (TS total-TS free)/TS total X 100 levels of the TS total varied from not-detected (less than 0.10 pmol/g) to 20.5 pmol/g. The average FdUMP: dUMP ratio was 3.44 X 10(3), However, more than 80% inhibitions of TS were observed in nine cases (21.4%). The correlation indicates between TS IR and tissue FdUMP level or FdUMP: dUMP ratio were 0.57 and 0.62 in ovarian malignancies respectively. No significant correlations were observed between TS inhibition and levels of tissue 5-FUra or AUC of 5-FUra.     

Cloning and analysis of a gene (sms13) encoding sannamycin B-glycyltransferase from Streptomyces sannanensis and its distribution among actinomycetes.

A gene encoding sannamycin B-glycyltransferase (sms13) of Streptomyces sannanensis IFO 14239 was identified by cloning and complementation of S. sannanensis mutant SN13 which is blocked at the interconversion of sannamycins B and A. The cloned DNA fragment also permitted the conversion of fortimicin B to A both in S. sannanensis SN13 and Streptomyces lividans TK23. DNA sequences similar to sms13 were detected in all five producers of the fortimicin-group antibiotics, Micromonospora olivasterospora ATCC 21819 (fortimicin-producer), Micromonospora sp. strain SF-2098 ATCC 31580 (SF-2052), Dactylosporangium matsuzakiense ATCC 31570 (dactimicin), Streptomyces tenjimariensis ATCC 31603 (istamycin), and Saccharopolyspora hirsuta ATCC 20501 (sporaricin). This suggests that these genes of similar function from different genera were derived from a common ancestral gene.