Establishment and characterization of human esophageal carcinoma cell lines--especially the role of the serum-free culture]

Three squamous cell carcinoma cell lines, YES-1, YES-2, and YES-3, were established from human esophageal carcinoma. Two cell lines, YES-1 and YES-2, were established from the surgically removed tumor and YES-3 was established from pleural effusion of the pleuritis carcinomatosa by esophageal carcinoma. These three cells not only resembled the original esophageal carcinoma tissue on microscopic examination, but also produced same tumor marker, such as SCC antigen, CEA, TPA, CA125 and CA19-9. However, the secretion patterns of tumor markers were different. The doubling times of YES-1 cells, YES-2 cells and YES-3 cells were 35.2 hours, 22.9 hours, and 61.0 hours, respectively. Chromosomal studies show that chromosomal number of YES-1 cells ranges 47 to 54 with a mode of 51, that of YES-2 cells ranges 53 to 62 with a mode of 60 and that of YES-3 cells ranges 48 to 52 with a mode of 50. These three cells grow both in serum-containing medium and in serum free medium. When YES-1, YES-2, and YES-3 cells were injected into athymic nude mice subcutaneously, they introduced tumors which resembled the original esophageal carcinoma tissue histologically. These 3 cell lines may provide useful models for the study of human esophageal carcinoma.     

Detection of A-P shunt by MR angiography

Magnetic Resonance Angiography using a time-of-flight method was performed on two cases with arterial-portal shunting (A-P shunt). Each case was examined both with and without presaturation applied above the diaphragms. Signal intensity in the portal vein on these cases decreased with presaturation. This presaturation normally eliminates signal from inflowing spins in the artery but never effect on that in portal vein. Therefore the decrease of signal intensity in the portal vein with presaturation indicates the arterial inflow to the portal vein.     

Activation of brain regions of rats during fever

The central nervous structures involved in febrile responses were investigated in conscious rats by means of the 2-deoxy-D-[14C]glucose autoradiographic technique. An intravenous injection of endogenous pyrogen prepared from rabbit white blood cells induced a significant rise in the rectal temperature of rats accompanied by a decrease in the skin temperature. According to autoradiographs, significant increases in metabolic activity were observed in the lateral preoptic area, posterior part of dorsomedial thalamus, posterior hypothalamus and the red nucleus during an induced fever. Because of the close relationship between metabolic activity and brain function, these regions are considered to compose the neural components directly or indirectly related with the febrile responses.     

Cobalamin-binding protein in gastric juice as a new tumor marker in gastric cancer

Cobalamin-binding protein (binder) in gastric juice was studied as a biochemical marker of gastric cancer. Fasting gastric juice of cancer patients and controls with benign disease was used for separation of cobalamin binders by gel filtration and DEAE-cellulose column chromatography. Physicochemical properties of the binder in gastric cancer patients were shown to have a larger molecular size and more acidic isoelectric point than the control binder. The binder was found in the gastric juice of all patients with early gastric cancer. Detection of the binder may be clinically valuable as a possible marker in the diagnosis of gastric cancer.     

The cerebellum: 3. Anatomic-MR correlation in the coronal plane

Thin (5-mm) coronal high-field (1.5-T) MR images of four human brain specimens and 14 normal volunteers were correlated with myelin-stained microtomic sections of the specimen cerebella. The primary white-matter tracts innervating several hemispheric (posterior quadrangular, superior, and inferior semilunar, gracile, biventer, tonsil) and vermian (declive, folium, tuber) lobules are oriented perpendicularly to the coronal plane of section and are shown well on proton-density-weighted (long TR/short TE) and T2-weighted (long TR/long TE) spin-echo images, which provide excellent contrast between gray and white matter. Several of the surface sulci and fissures of the cerebellar hemispheres (including the superior posterior, horizontal, secondary, and posterolateral fissures) also course perpendicular to the coronal plane and are depicted well on T1-weighted (short TR/short TE) and T2-weighted images, which maximize contrast between CSF and parenchyma. The opportunity for side-to-side comparison of the hemispheres is a distinct advantage of the coronal view. Nevertheless, more obliquely oriented surfaces (preculminate, primary, inferior posterior, inferior anterior, and intrabiventral fissures) and deep hemispheric structures (primary white-matter tracts to central, anterior quadrangular, and floccular lobules) may be obscured by volume-averaging in the coronal plane; moreover, much of the finer anatomy of the vermis is depicted poorly. The constant surface and deep anatomy of the cerebellum revealed on coronal images in normal volunteers encourages detailed mapping. MR imaging in the coronal plane should be especially useful in identifying, localizing, and quantifying normal and abnormal morphologic differences between the cerebellar hemispheres.     

Phenotypes associated with replacement of His by Arg in the Pendred syndrome gene.

BACKGROUND: Pendred syndrome is often associated with inner ear malformations, especially enlarged vestibular aqueduct (EVA). Recently, mutations in the Pendred syndrome gene (PDS) have been reported in patients with EVA, in addition to those with classical Pendred syndrome. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the genotype-phenotype correlations of PDS. METHODS: Each of the 21 exons and flanking splice regions of PDS was analysed by direct DNA sequencing in nine patients with EVA; allele-specific amplification was performed to confirm the mutation. Genetic analyses were compared with thyroid function tests, perchlorate discharge tests, thyroid volume and pure-tone audiogram. Magnetic resonance imaging was used to determine the volume of the endolymphatic duct and sac of each patient. RESULTS: A missense mutation, H723R, was identified in the homozygous state in three patients and in the heterozygous state in another three. Although none of the patients had goitre, increased serum thyroglobulin and an abnormal degree of iodide release were correlated with the number of mutant alleles identified. However, there was no relationship between the degree of hearing loss and the number of mutant alleles. CONCLUSION: The present study reveals that the number of mutant alleles correlates with the degree of subclinical thyroid abnormality, but not with the degree of hearing loss in Japanese patients with the PDS missense mutation H723R.     

ENDOSCOPICALLY RESECTED LIPOMA OF THE ESOPHAGUS: REPORT OF A CASE

Lipoma of the esophagus is rare. There are few reports of the endoscopic resection of esophageal lipoma. We present a 73‐year‐old woman with lipoma of the esophagus which was successfully extirpated using the technique of endoscopic mucosal resection. To determine the depth of tumor invasion, endoscopic ultrasonography was used. A total of 31 cases of esophageal lipoma have been reported in Japan. Of these, seven were successfully resected using endoscopic techniques. Lipomas of the esophagus can grow to become large pedunculated tumors which can obstruct the airway. The majority of these tumors occur in the cervical portion of the esophagus. Most patients have no symptoms. These tumors can be resected using minimally invasive surgery when they are small.     

Nerve preservation in tension-free vaginal mesh procedures for pelvic organ prolapse: a cadaveric study using fresh and fixed cadavers

The aims of this study were, using fixed and fresh cadavers, to clarify how closely the pelvic splanchnic nerve, levator ani nerve (LAN), and sacrospinous ligament (SSL) are located and to examine how to avoid nerve injury during the posterior tension-free vaginal mesh procedure (TVMP), in which mesh is applied through the SSL. Macroscopic dissection of fixed cadavers demonstrated that the LAN crossed the inside of the SSL at a point 0–18 mm medial to the ischial spine and entered the muscle at a point 12–26 mm inferior to the ischial spine and 40–55 mm anterolateral to the coccyx. Dissection after TVMP of fresh cadavers revealed that the point of penetration of mesh through the SSL was close to the LAN. To preserve the LAN, penetration of the SSL should be within 5 mm of the lower margin at a point 20–25 mm medial to the ischial spine.