The effects of extreme hemodilutions on the autoregulation of cerebral blood flow, electroencephalogram and cerebral metabolic rate of oxygen in the dog

The effects of profound (hematocrit value, Ht 20%) and extreme (Ht 5%) hemodilutions on the relationship between the mean arterial pressure (MAP) and the cerebral blood flow (CBF) were studied in pentobarbital-anesthetized dogs. A regression line was found between the CBF and Ht values during normotensive hemodilution (MAP 100 torr): CBF (ml/100g X min) = -98.9 log Ht (%) + 195.5 (p less than 0.001). The CBF was increased by hemodilution, but the range of its autoregulation was narrowed, suggesting a progressive susceptibility of CBF to blood pressure with hemodilution. The electroencephalogram (EEG) was not significantly changed by hemodilution within the range of the CBF autoregulation, below which it became slowed. In contrast, the cerebral metabolic rate of oxygen (CMRo2) was decreased by hemodilution even within the range of the CBF autoregulation, while there were no significant differences in CMRo2 values between MAPs of 100 and 40 torr. Thus, the brain function in terms of the EEG seemed to correlate more with the autoregulatory mechanism of the CBF than with the CMRo2 value in the hemodiluted states.     

Total cystectomy for urinary bladder cancer: clinicopathological study of 95 cases

Total cystectomy was performed on 95 patients with primary urinary bladder cancer between 1973 and 1983. Histopathological and prognostic studies were reviewed according to the general rules for clinical and pathological studies on bladder cancer. The cancer histological type were transitional cell carcinoma in 87 cases, squamous cell carcinoma in 5 cases, adenocarcinoma in 2 cases, and undifferentiated carcinoma in 1 case. The overall 5-year actuarial survival rate was 36.0%. As for the growth pattern of the bladder cancer, the 5-year survival rates for the patients with papillary non-invasive type (PNT), papillary invasive type (PIT), and non-papillary invasive type (NIT) were 100%, 25.8% and 34.8% respectively. As for the stage, the 5-year survival rates for the patients with pTa, pT1, pT2, pT3a, pT3b, and pT4 were 81.8%, 64.7%, 40.1%, 30.5%, 22.6% and 6.7% respectively. Of 87 patients with transitional cell carcinoma, the 5-year survival rates for the patients with grade 1, grade 2 and grade 3 were 100%, 43.0% and 32.1% respectively. Intramural lymphatic invasion and vascular invasion and intramural histopathological mode of spread were significant indicators of prognosis.     

Transplacental induction of myeloschisis associated with hindbrain crowding and other malformations in the central nervous system in Long-Evans rats

Nine groups of 66 pregnant rats, grouped by gestation days 11 to 19, were subjected to a single, intragastric administration of ethylenethiourea (ETU). Cesarean section was performed on gestation day 20. No dam died following the ETU treatment, although a mortality as high as 21.2% was noted among the fetuses in this group; the remaining live fetuses were found to suffer from a high incidence of myeloschisis associated with hindbrain crowding. Exencephaly and abnormally enlarged head with occipital bossing due to the herniation of the mesencephalic tectum, with and without dilation of the mesencephalic and 4th ventricles, were induced among the fetuses of the dams given ETU at gestation days 12 and 13. Various degrees of hydranencephaly and dysplastic hydrocephalus were found among the fetuses of dams treated by ETU from gestation days 14 to 18. From the histological features of these malformations of the central nervous system (CNS), a possible mechanism in the induction of myeloschisis with hindbrain crowding induced by ETU is discussed, and compared with the previously reported similar malformations induced by trypan blue.Presented at the 12th Scientific Meeting of the International Society for Paediatric Neurosurgery, Cairo, 1984     

Preventive effect of oral administration of 6-(methylsulfinyl)hexyl isothiocyanate derived from wasabi (Wasabia japonica Matsum) against pulmonary metastasis of B16-BL6 mouse melanoma cells

AIM: Effect of oral administration of 6-(methylsulfinyl)hexyl isothiocyanate (6-MITC) or a 6-MITC-containing T-wasabi fraction from wasabi root (Wasabia japonica Matsum) to inhibit the macroscopic pulmonary metastasis was studied with a murine B16-BL6 melanoma model. METHOD: Two administration routes, subcutaneous or intravenous, and two administration times, prior to or concomitant with tumor inoculation, of 6-MITC or T-wasabi against the metastatic foci formation in C57BL/6J mouse lungs were compared. RESULTS: The number of metastasized foci per lung in either subcutaneous or intravenous injection was significantly reduced by intake of 6-MITC or a T-wasabi fraction. The maximum reduction by a T-wasabi fraction reached to 82%. Fifty-six percent of foci formation was inhibited by a 2 week-prior administration of 6-MITC (200 microM), whereas only 27% inhibition was obtained by a concomitant administration with tumor inoculation. Neither 6-MITC nor T-wasabi at tested concentrations showed any toxic effects. DISCUSSION: Together with our previous results, a component of the Japanese pungent spice, wasabi appears to inhibit not only tumor cell growth but also tumor metastasis. Therefore, 6-MITC from wasabi is apparently a useful dietary candidate for controlling tumor progression.     

Studies of coagulation-fibrinolysis system and cold insoluble globulin in cases of caesarean section

In our previous study, we reported that pregnant blood was hypercoagulable and hypo-fibrinolytic. However, localized fibrinolytic activity, e.g. in the placenta, seemed to be present, because of increased FDP and fibrinopeptide B beta 15-42 during pregnancy. In this study, we tried to find out the changes in the coagulation-fibrinolysis system as well as cold insoluble globulin when stress such as operative procedure is being added. In 25 cases of cesarean section in full term pregnancy without onset of labor, blood samples were collected before operation, during operation and 3 hours, 6 hours, 12 hours, 24 hours and 48 hours post-operatively for estimation of the coagulation factors (FXII, IX, VIII, VII, X, V, II. XIII. Fbg), fibrinolytic factors (plg-Act, plg, SFMC, FDP), prekallikrein, plasma serin protease inhibitors (AT-III, alpha 2-PI, alpha 2-M, alpha 1-AT) and cold insoluble globulin. 30 normal term-pregnant women as well as 30 non-pregnant women were studied as the control. The result showed that the activities of both the intrinsic and extrinsic coagulation factors were markedly increased while the Fbg and AT-III were markedly decreased from during operation to 3 hours after operation. FXIII was markedly decreased and FII was slightly decreased from during operation. The marked decreases in prekallikrein, plg, alpha 2-PI, alpha 2-M, alpha 1-AT together and marked increases in plg-Act and FDP were noted from 3 to 12 hours after operation. A marked decrease in CIG was demonstrated immediately after the operation and continued until 48 hours after operation. These findings suggested that hypercoagulable state and secondary hyperfibrinolysis were associated during and after cesarean section. Decreases in Factor XIII and CIG seemed to be a general reaction in the mechanism of wound healing.     

Effect of etoposide for urogenital tumors

Ten patients with urogenital tumors were treated with Etoposide. The dose schedule was 100 mg i.v. daily for 5 days and was repeated after 4-5 weeks. One patient with ureteral tumor experienced partial remission for 60 days and minor regression was achieved in 3 patients. The major side effects were leukopenia (60%) and thrombocytopenia (40%). Mean WBC nadir of 1050/mm3 occurred at 13.5 days and recovered quickly after a further 7.5 days.