Usefulness of Intraductal Ultrasonography (IDUS) for Diagnosing Mucin-producing Pancreatic Tumors

Abstract: While it is very important to detect protruded lesions in order to determine the optimal treatment modality for mucin-producing tumors of the pancreas (MPT), it can be very difficult to discriminate between mucinous substance and tumor. Intraductal ultrasonography (IDUS) (2.0 mm diameter, 15 or 20 MHz) was performed in five MPT cases. The sizes of the tumors were 2, 5, 12, 12 and 30 mm. Histological findings of the resected specimens demonstrated adenocarcinoma in two cases, adenoma in one, and hyperplasia in one. IDUS visualized all tumors, i. e. the visualization rate was 100%. The visualization rate for US and CT was 40% with 12 and 30 mm tumors, and that for EUS was 60% with 2, 12, and 30 mm tumors. We found IDUS to be a very useful method for visualizing small protruded lesions in MPT.     

Surgical management of urinary incontinence in children with anatomical bladder-outlet anomalies

BACKGROUND: Pediatric urinary incontinence secondary to anatomical anomalies of the bladder outlet is relatively rare, and there is no consensus on its surgical treatment. We reviewed the clinical courses and surgical management of children with this pathology. METHODS: From 1991 to 2001, we performed bladder neck reconstruction on seven children (three boys and four girls). The mean age at the first intervention was 7 years (range 5-12 years). The underlying diagnosis was bladder exstrophy in two children, pseudoureterocele-type ectopic ureter in three, bladder neck incompetence from unknown etiology in one boy with hypospadias, and bilateral single ectopic ureter associated with cloacal malformations in one child. Lower urinary tract was evaluated through various imagings, endoscopy, and urodynamic studies. RESULTS: The methods used to reconstruct the bladder neck was the Young-Dees-Leadbetter procedure (performed on four children); the Kropp procedure (two children); and the Pippi-Salle procedure (one child). Bladder augmentation with intestinal segment was performed on four children; Mitrofanoff continent stoma was created in all patients. Urethral catheterization could not be routinely used in all patients, because of pain, stricture, or complicated urethral anatomy. All patients achieved urinary continence. CONCLUSION: The treatment of pediatric urinary incontinence from anatomical anomalies is technically challenging. Depending on the underlying disorders and anatomy, one needs to decide which method of reconstruction to perform. It would be safer to employ simultaneous augmentation and to create catheterizable continent stoma.     

Hyperbaric oxygen stimulates cell proliferation and normalizes multidrug resistance protein-2 protein localization in primary rat hepatocytes

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBO) has been used for many clinical treatments, including primary liver non-function. However, the cellular mechanism by which HBO treatment ameliorates liver function is not understood. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to elucidate this cellular mechanism using primary cultured rat hepatocytes in in vitro studies. Hepatocytes were treated with HBO at 1 day after plating, and the morphological and functional characteristics of bile canaliculi formed in cultured hepatocytes were observed by time-lapse microscopy. Multidrug resistance protein-2 localization was observed by confocal laser microscopy. In cultured hepatocytes, the labeling index in the HBO group at 2 days after treatment was significantly higher than that in the control group. In addition, the proliferating cellular nuclear antigen level in the HBO group was significantly higher than that in the control group. The contraction of the bile canaliculi in the HBO group was slower than in the control group and the dilatation of bile canaliculi in the HBO group was much larger than in the control group. Multidrug resistance protein-2 in the HBO group was localized at the apical membrane. These results show that HBO stimulates hepatocytes to proliferate and HBO normalizes multidrug resistance protein-2 localization to the apical membrane, which could dilate bile canaliculi.     

Controlled Study of Therapeutic Granulocyte Transfusions in Granulocytopenic Patients with Severe Infections

The effectiveness of therapeutic granulocyte transfusions wasstudied in a controlled trial involving 75 granulocytopenicpatients with severe infections. Patients who had granulocytecounts of less than 200/mm³ and no response to antibiotic therapywere assigned to receive antibiotic therapy alone or granulocytetransfusions plus antibiotic therapy. Granulocytes were collectedby filtration leukapheresis (FL), intermittent flow centrifugeleukapheresis (IFCL) or continuous flow centrifuge leukapheresis(CFCL). Therapeutic effects of granulocyte transfusions wereevaluated on the basis of 20-day survival after entry into thestudy. The patients were divided into three groups: 1) 22 patientsreceived antibiotic therapy alone for 29 infectious episodes(control group); 2) 27 patients received 131 transfusions ofgranulocytes collected by FL for 31 infectious episodes (FLgroup); 3) 26 patients received 139 transfusions of granulocytescollected by IFCL and CFCL for 27 infectious episodes (IFCL& CFCL group). The overall survival of the transfused patientswas not significantly different from that of the untransfusedpatients. Similarly, there was no significant difference insurvival between the transfused and untransfused patients whenthe data concerning septicemia were analyzed. When patientsshowed bone-marrow recovery, which was indicated by recoveryof granulocytes to 500/mm³ or more during the study, 20-daysurvival was observed in 13 of 14 untransfused patients andin all of 26 transfused patients. In contrast, the survivalrate for the patients without bone-marrow recovery was 13% (2/15)in the control group, 39% (7/18) in the FL group and 57% (8/14)in the IFCL & CFCL group respectively. Thus, the survivalrate was significantly higher for the transfused than for theuntransfused patients. These observations suggest that therapeutic granulocyte transfusionsmay be of limited value in improving the outcome of severe infectionsin persistently granulocytopenic patients. Since bone-marrowrecovery is a critical factor for the prognosis of severe infections,therapeutic granulocyte transfusions do not provide any beneficialeffects in granulocytopenic patients whose bone-marrow functionwill recover.     

A Case of Pleomorphic Adenoma of the Trachea

The extent of ultraviolet (UV) irradiation-induced DNA repairwas measured in bone marrow cells and peripheral lymphocytesof patients with refractory anemia with excess of blasts (RAEB).Bone marrow cells from RAEB, when exposed to a 2 J/m dose ofUV, exhibited 50% lower incorporation of tritiated thymidinethan those of control subjects. A similar finding was observedin the peripheral lymphocytes. These data suggest that bonemarrow cells and peripheral lymphocytes from RAEB are deficientin repair of UV-induced lesions by DNA. Furthermore, this impairedDNA repair efficiency in RAEB was not related to the presenceor absence of a karyotype abnormality.     

G－CSF对化疗后外周血干细胞动员作用的影响

通过对１１例急性白血病患者单独化疗与化疗后加用粒细胞集落刺激因子（Ｇ－ＣＳＦ）的对比，动态观察了Ｇ－ＣＳＦ对外周血造血干细胞（ＰＢＳＣ）的动员作用。发现化疗后加用Ｇ－ＣＳＦ比单用化疗的粒－巨噬细胞集落形成单位（ＣＦＵ－ＧＭ）增加５．１倍，红系爆式集落形成单位（ＢＦＵ－Ｅ）增加４．５倍。Ｇ－ＣＳＦ还可使ＣＦＵ－ＧＭ＞１００／ｍｌ和ＢＦＵ－Ｅ＞２００／ｍｌ的持续时间延长；化疗后ＣＦＵ－ＧＭ的最高值提早出现，而不影响ＢＦＵ－Ｅ／ＣＦＵ－ＧＭ比值。结果表明，化疗后加用Ｇ－ＣＳＦ可明显提高ＰＢＳＣ的收集效率，Ｇ－ＣＳＦ是一种有效的ＰＢＳＣ动员剂。     

Diversity of immunobiological functions of T-cell lines established from patients with adult T-cell leukaemia

In order to understand the variety of HTLV-1-associated cutaneous diseases, we studied the cytological profile of HTLV-1-infected T-cell lines established from patients with adult T-cell leukaemia (ATL). Among four CD4⁺ cell lines, termed 16T(?), 35T(?), MH-1, and KS-2, the 16T(?) cells secreted elevated quantities of IL-4, IL-b and IFN-7, and expressed mRNA for each cytokine in the absence of exogenous stimulation. The 3ST(?) cells secreted IL-6 and a small amount of IFN-7, but not IL-4. The MH-1 and KS-2 cells secreted only 1L-6 in the absence of stimulation, hi response to stimulation with phorbol-12-myristate-13 acetate (PMA), the 16T(?) cells produced more IL-4 and IFN-γ, whereas the 35T(?) and MH-1 cells exhibited increased secretion of IFN-γ, but still no IL-4 or IL-4 mRNA production. Although neither IL-4 nor IFN-γ were found in the culture supernatant of KS-2 cells, the production of IL-4 mRNA was detected by RT PCR. Culture supernatants from the 16T(?) and 35T(?) cells induced the expression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and HLA-UR by cultured keratinocytes. This response was inhibited by pretreatment of the supernatant with anti-IFN-γ antibodies. These results indicate that some HTLV-1-infected T-cell lines constitutively secrete various cytokines, including biologically active IFN-γ. The diversity of immunobiological functions of the T-cell lines may be related to the variety of clinical features present in ATL patients.     

Pedunculated gastric carcinoma demonstrating a gastric foveolar phenotype

We report a case of gastric cancer complicated with very well differentiated adenocarcinoma containing signet ring cells. An endoscopic examination revealed a pedunculated polyp in the fornix of the stomach. A surgical operation was performed and the pathological findings showed very well differentiated adenocarcinoma mimicking gastric foveolae with a poorly differentiated component containing signet ring cells. This is the first case of pedunculated gastric cancer complicated with very well differentiated adenocarcinoma containing signet ring cells and also demonstrating a gastric foveolar phenotype.