Complete response to treatment with hepatic arterial infusion of cisplatin powder (IA-call) in a case of hepatocellular carcinoma with multiple lung metastases]

A 74-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital to treat her hepatocellular carcinoma (stage IVB) with multiple lung metastases. She was treated with 3 times of hepatic arterial infusion of cisplatin powder (IA-call). After the treatment, liver mass and lung tumors were disappeared and high levels of tumor markers (AFP and PIVKA-II) were markedly decreased. These data revealed that a complete response (CR) was obtained for her. She has still been maintained in CR for 2 years since the first treatment.     

Enhancing effects of fluorescein on beta-lactam rash. II: Enhancing effects of fluorescein on generalized rash induced by beta-lactam antibiotics in guinea pigs.

Healthy volunteers, who were receiving intravenous injections of cefclidin (CFCL) with frequent concomitant use of fluorescein (F) and oxybuprocain (O) in the eyes for measurement of ocular tension, developed drug eruptions at the high frequency of 66.7%. The injection of CFCL alone induced the eruptions at an incidence of 2.8%. The cause of this high eruption rate was thought to be the simultaneous treatment with F and/or O. Therefore, we conducted experiments with CFCL-induced generalized rash (GR) in guinea pigs. Guinea pigs treated with F and O during both the phases of immunization and intraperitoneal elicitation developed CFCL rashes at a high frequency. This CFCL-rash was augmented by the treatment with F during either phase, but not by the treatment with O. Skin testing induced delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) reaction to O in some animals, but the DTH to F was not induced in animals immunized with F in complete Freund's adjuvant. Furthermore, F augmented rashes induced not only by CFCL but also by other beta-lactam antibiotics such as cefsulodin and sulbenicillin. Accordingly, it is likely that F played a dominant role in the high incidence of drug eruptions during the volunteer trials with measurement of ocular tension.     

A new method of hernioplasty for adult groin hernias centering on repair of the transversalis fascia

A new method of hernioplasty for adult groin hernias centering on repair of the transversalis fascia was assessed by a questionnaire conducted every five years on adult patients who had received the above operation. The efficacy of this method was evaluated in terms of the postoperative quality of life and prevention of recurrence of groin hernias. Over the last 9 years, 834 adult patients with 921 groin hernias, including bilateral lesions, have undergone the above procedure and overall, favorable results were obtained, with only one case of recurrence (0.1 per cent) being reported. Contralateral herniation, which has been often reported following Bassini's or Hatakoshi's method, was found in only one of our patients although the number of patients who complained of pain in the operated region was comparatively high, being 51 cases or 11.4 per cent.     

Severe chronic active hepatitis induced by UFTR containing tegafur and uracil

Summary A 77-year-old female patient developed severe hepatic injury after the administration of UFT^R, which contains tegafur and uracil, for postoperative chemotherapy of colon cancer. Liver damage was recognized 10 months after its administration. Serum markers for viral hepatitis and various autoantibodies were negative. The wedged biopsied liver specimen revealed advanced chronic active hepatitis with periportal confluent necrosis, marked intralobular spotty necrosis, and significant proliferation of pseudo-bile ductules. Although the cessation of the drug and conservative therapies improved hepatic function, an accidental readministration of UFT^R caused her severe hepatic damage again. These findings suggest that liver injury in the present case was caused by UFT^R. Histological findings were unique. Although tegafur is known to worsen hepatic function when given to patients with liver cirrhosis, UFT^R may also cause severe hepatic injury in those without preexisting liver disease.     

Effects of soybean peptide and collagen peptide on collagen synthesis in normal human dermal fibroblasts

The collagen present in the dermis of the skin is a fibrous protein that fills the gaps between cells and helps maintain tissue flexibility. Effectively increasing the collagen present in the skin is an important goal for cosmetic research. Recent research has shown that soybean peptide (SP) has anti-fatigue activity, antioxidant activity, and the ability to increase type I collagen, while collagen peptide (CP) has the ability to enhance corneal moisture content and viscoelasticity, as well as to increase levels of hyaluronic acid synthesizing enzymes in human skin. Little documented research, however, has been conducted on collagen formation in relation to these peptides. Therefore, this research applied SP and CP with molecular weights primarily around 500 and preparations containing both SP and CP to normal human dermal fibroblasts together with magnesium ascorbyl phosphate (VC-PMg), and used real-time PCR to determine the gene expression of type I collagen (COL1A1), which contributes to collagen synthesis, and Smad7, which contribute to collagen breakdown. In addition, enzyme linked immuno sorbent assay (ELISA) was used to measure collagen content in the media. COL1A1 gene expression at 24?h after sample addition showed higher tendency in all samples and increased with time at 4, 8 and 24?h after addition. Smad7 gene expression was not substantially different at 4?h after addition. matrix metalloproteinase-1 gene expression was higher following SP addition, but was lower after the addition of CP and SP+CP. Medium collagen content was higher in all samples and increased with time at 8?h after addition. Collagen levels were higher when SP and CP were added together.     

Satisfaction among rural and urban Japanese elderly in three-generation families

For the purpose of testing an assumption on the dual nature of aging in Japanese society, this study compared and contrasted three-generation adult families in Yamato-machi, a rural town in Niigata Prefecture in northern Japan, and in Setagaya-ku, an urban ward in Tokyo. The average ages for each generation in the study were G1 = 85, G2 = 60, and G3 = 35. The findings reveal regional variation in basic demographic characteristics such as population density, family size, proportions of the elderly 65 and over and 90 and over, as well as the prevalence of the three-generation family households. This supports the existence of dual patterns of aging in Japan today. The data also show significant differences between these regional sectors in the level of educational and economic conditions of the elderly. However, measures of the extent of satisfaction do not reveal any significant difference between rural and urban elderly. It is suspected that this is because only three-generation healthy families were interviewed in this study.