Absorption of tetrahydropyranyl adriamycin administered intravesically immediately after transurethral resection of bladder carcinoma

Absorption of tetrahydropyranyl adriamycin (THP) administered immediately after transurethral resection of bladder carcinoma (TUR-Bt) has not been reported. In this study, we have examined the absorption of THP and the systemic toxicity in the early post-TUR period. Of 21 patients with bladder carcinoma, 10 had a solitary tumor and 11 multiple tumors. Twenty mg THP in 40 ml of sterile water was intravesically administered on days 1, 3, 5, 7, 14 and 28, and then every 4th week. The THP solution was retained for 2 hours. The blood THP concentration was measured 30 minutes and 2 hours after the intravesical administration on days 1, 7 and 28. No systemic side effects were observed. Thirteen of the 38 (34%) samples contained a detectable level (more than 1 ng/ml) of THP on the post-TUR-Bt on day 1, 8, of 42 (19%) on day 7, and 3 of 18 (17%) on day 28. Altogether, 24 of the 98 (24%) samples contained more than 1 ng/ml THP. The highest blood THP level was 23 ng/ml on day 1. The differences between frequency of detection of blood THP in the samples at 30 minutes and 2 hours were not statistically significant. The difference between average concentration of blood THP of patients with solitary and multiple tumors also was not significant. These results indicate that intravesical THP administration starting within 24 hours after TUR-Bt can not result in significant systemic absorption of THP, and the systemic toxicity can be avoided.     

A case of pulmonary varices in which enhanced CT was useful for diagnosis]

A case of pulmonary varices in a 73-year-old female is presented. Routine chest X-ray revealed a mass in the right hilar region. CR tomogram showed a round, clearly defined mass at the right hilum. Computed tomography demonstrated marked enlargement of the proximal portion of the pulmonary vein at the entrance of the left atrium, which was suspected to be pulmonary varices. The diagnosis was confirmed by pulmonary angiography. During the arterial phase no abnormal findings were seen, but during the venous phase the veins of the right upper and middle lobes were found to be draining into the dilated pulmonary vein and then into the left atrium. Thus, the diagnosis of pulmonary varices was established. CT and angiography are the most useful methods for definitive diagnosis of pulmonary varices.     

Visual discrimination performance after lesions of the ventral lateral geniculate nucleus in pigeons (Columba livia).

Pigeons were trained to perform simultaneous pattern and color discrimination tasks. After their training was completed, bilateral electrolytic lesions were made in the ventral lateral geniculate nucleus (GLv). Following the surgery, they were retrained to their preoperative performance levels. Lesions of GLv caused no deficits in pattern discrimination performance. The birds which had been trained for discrimination of red vs. magenta showed a slight decline in their performance. This impaired performance on color discrimination was not, however, as severe as that of a bird with lesions in the nucleus rotundus. These results suggest that GLv plays some role in the detection of short wavelengths of light.     

Middle latency auditory evoked potentials in temporal lobe disorders.

Middle latency auditory evoked potentials (MAEP) were recorded in 30 normal subjects and in 19 age-matched patients with temporal lobe lesions. MAEP appeared to be differentially affected by the specific structures involved within the temporal lobe. In the majority of patients with lesions involving the auditory area and/or auditory radiation, Na-Pa amplitude was significantly reduced over the involved hemisphere. No similar reduction in amplitude was noted in subjects with lesions not involving the auditory structures within the temporal lobe. We also observed a shift in a Pa latency over the involved hemisphere in patients with temporal lobe lesions involving the auditory structures. This latency shift was less pronounced than the amplitude reduction. The generators of MAEP in humans are discussed according to these findings and to the available literature. Normal intersubject variability of the conventional amplitude measures, and the occasional myogenic contamination of the response, limits establishing reliable criteria for abnormality that can be applied clinically for the diagnosis of patients with temporal lobe disorders.     

Segmental hyperintensity on T1-weighted MRI of the liver: Indication of segmental cholestasis

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between segmental hyperintensity of the liver on T1-weighted images and segmental cholestasis in patients with obstructive jaundice. T1-weighted and T2-weighted MR images were obtained of 73 patients with obstructive jaundice caused by various diseases. Fat-suppressed T1-weighted images were also obtained of 10 patients. Eleven patients with segmental intra-hepatic bile duct dilatation (cholestasis) showed segmental hyperintensity on T1-weighted images and/or fat-suppressed T1-weighted images and no signal intensity difference on T2-weighted images. Sixty-two patients with widespread intrahepatic bile duct dilatation showed no intensity difference on T1-weighted and T2-weighted images (P < .01). Segmental hyperintensity on T1-weighted images was correlated with intrahepatic cholestasis.     

Effects of phenytoin on cell-mediated immunity

Phenytoin is a highly effective anticonvulsant agent that is widely administrated to prevent some kinds of patients with brain tumor. But it has been said that phenytoin may have some immunosuppresive potential for hosts. In this study, we evaluated the effects of phenytoin upon cellular immunity such as NK, CTL and LAK activity in murine models. Fresh splenocytes were taken out from mice (CBA/J, C 3 H/HeN, C 57 BL/6) into which phenytoin had been injected intraperitoneally at a daily dose of 1,000 micrograms for 28 days. The serum concentration of phenytoin in the experimental models was 10-20 micrograms/ml. The cytotoxic activities were estimated by a 4-hr 51Cr release assay. The mitogen-stimulated lymphocyte function was evaluated by 3H-thymidine incorporation into DNA. The NK activity was estimated by cytotoxicity of splenocytes of CBA/J mice against NK-sensitive YAC-1 cells. The cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) activity was estimated by cytotoxicity of splenocytes of C 57 BL/6 mice which were stimulated in vitro for 5 days by splenocytes of C 3H/HeN treated with mitomycin C, against RSV-M glioma cells. Lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) activity was estimated by cytotoxicity of LAK cells, which were induced from splenocytes of C 3 H/HeN mice by human recombinant interleukin-2 (rIL-2), against syngeneic RSV glioma and allogeneic 203 glioma cells. 3H-thymidine incorporation of splenocytes of C 57 BL/6 mice was reduced significantly (p less than 0.01) in phenytoin-treated mice. The cytotoxicity of splenocytes of non-treated CBA/J mice against YAC-1 cells was 75%, but that of phenytoin-treated CBL/J mice was a few %.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)