Posttransplant primary cutaneous Ki-1 (CD30)+/CD56+ anaplastic large cell lymphoma

An anaplastic large cell lymphoma that was negative for Epstein-Barr virus and positive for Ki-1 (CD30) presented as a polypoid scalp mass in a 56-year-old man 16 years after renal transplantation. The lymphoma was of the CD4+ cytotoxic T-cell lineage, and the tumor cells also expressed CD56. Despite reduction in the dose of immunosuppression and localized radiotherapy, the tumor had rapidly progressed to involve the soft tissue of the right hand. Systemic chemotherapy induced complete regression of the soft tissue lesion. This case illustrates that posttransplant primary cutaneous CD30+ anaplastic large cell lymphomas may assume an aggressive clinical course but can still be controlled by systemic chemotherapy.     

Activation of SiO2-supported zirconocene catalysts by common trialkylaluminiums

A modified SiO₂ was prepared by reacting SiO₂ with Cl₂Si(CH₃)₂ in toluene, on which methylaluminoxane (MAO) was supported to obtain a catalyst precursor. The mixture of the precursor and Cp₂ZrCl₂ (Cp: cyclopentadienyl) gave polyethylene in a high yield even by using common trialkylaluminiums as cocatalyst. Surprisingly, the MAO-free catalyst system composed of the modified SiO₂ and Cp₂ZrCl₂ was also found to be activated by common trialkylaluminiums.     

促肝细胞生长素诱导人肝癌细胞（BEL－7402）凋亡

本文从细胞学、ＤＮＡ凝胶电泳、流式细胞术三方面研究促肝细胞生长素（ｐＨＧＦ）在体外对肝癌细胞增殖活性的影响。结果表明：ｐＨＧＦ对肝癌ＢＥＬ－７４０２细胞增殖有抑制作用，并存在剂量和时间相关性。其４８ｈ的半数抑制浓度（ＩＤ５０）为０．３７ｍｇ／ｍｌ±０．０４ｍｇ／ｍｌ。而３７℃灭活的ｐＨＧＦ对ＢＥＬ－７４０２细胞增殖在１５ｈ无抑制作用，在２４和４８ｈ抑制作用很弱（ＩＤ５０＞１．５ｍｇ／ｍｌ）。ＤＮＡ凝胶电泳结果表明，ｐＨＧＦ可诱导ＢＥＬ７４０２细胞产生细胞凋亡（Ａｐｏｐｔｏｓｉｓ）。流式细胞术（ＦＣＭ）结果显示：ｐＨＧＦ抑制ＢＥＬ－７４０２细胞增殖过程是先使细胞停留在Ｇ０／Ｇ１期，继而诱导细胞产生凋亡。后两项结果均显示ｐＨＧＦ对人肝癌细胞凋亡的诱导里时间和剂量相关性。     

Discordant quantitative detection of putative biomarkers in nodal micrometastases of colorectal cancer: biological and clinical implications

AIMS: Nodal expression of the carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), cytokeratin 20 (CK20), and guanylyl cyclase C (GCC) genes was measured in tandem in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) to assess whether there would be sufficient agreement between these markers in their ability to detect micrometastasis to qualify one of them as a universal marker, and whether frozen and paraffin wax embedded tissues would yield similar results. METHODS: One hundred and seventy five frozen lymph nodes (FT) and 158 formalin fixed, paraffin wax embedded lymph nodes (PET) from 28 CRC cases were analysed using gene specific quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction, carried out on the LightCycler system with SYBR Green chemistry. RESULTS: There was significant disparity in positive detection of the three biomarkers in FT versus PET, with notable agreement achieved only for CEA (66.6%) in FT versus PET in Dukes' B disease, and between CK20 and GCC (44.6%) in FT, also in Dukes' B disease. One patient with full concordance in all three tumour markers with both tissue types suffered a relapse and died within two years of follow up. CONCLUSIONS: There was considerable discordance in the positive detection of the three tumour markers in both tissue types (FT versus PET). This brings into question whether using a single tumour marker to detect micrometastasis in one tissue type (FT or PET) is adequately representative, and challenges the concept of universal markers for molecular CRC metastatic detection. Multiple tumour markers would predict more accurately the metastatic potential of Dukes' B CRCs.     

儿童退缩和同伴关系的相关

目的：用元分析方法对近20年关于儿童退缩和同伴关系相关的研究结果进行总结。方法：用多水平分析技术对儿童退缩和同伴接受的相关、退缩和同伴拒绝相关的研究结果进行总结分析。结果：儿童退缩和同伴接受之间有显著的负相关关系，退缩和同伴拒绝之间有低度的非负相关关系，各研究结果之间的变异显著。结论：退缩导致儿童不良的同伴关系。     

Methods for derivation of human embryonic stem cells

The expanded blastocysts, developed from 2PN-stage embryos, are generally divided into three categories: a good blastocyst containing a large and distinguishable inner cell mass (ICM), a blastocyst with a small and distinct ICM, and a blastocyst with a poorly defined ICM. In this study, we introduce methods for the derivation of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) depending on the quality of the blastocysts. An immunosurgical method was used for the good expanded blastocysts. This method, however, raises the probability of ICM loss in cases of hESC derivation from blastocysts with smaller or indistinct ICMs. Furthermore, this method is also associated with a risk of the contamination of the hESCs with animal pathogens. To overcome these shortcomings, the partial- or whole-embryo culture method was used. For blastocysts with no visible ICM, the whole-embryo culture method was used to establish hESCs via the seeding of the entire blastocyst without its zona pellucida directly on a STO feeder layer. However, trophectodermal overgrowth tends to hinder the expansion of the ICM during the initial steps of hESC derivation. Therefore, the partial-embryo culture method was developed to establish hESCs from blastocysts with smaller ICMs. The surgical isolation of the region containing the ICM with an ultra-fine glass pipette alleviates trophectoderm overgrowth. This method is also applicable to blastocysts with large and distinct ICMs, and the efficiency of this method is comparable to that of the immunosurgical method.     

Characterization of iridium film as a stimulating neural electrode

Iridium films having near-bulk properties were formed by electron-beam evaporation with simultaneous bombardment of Ar ion beam. The charge-injection capabilities of Ir film were investigated, and the detrusor pressure induced by S2 stimulation with Ir-coated Pt electrode was measured and compared with the uncoated Pt electrode. The charge densities of Ir film were continuously increased with increase in the number of cycles in 0.1 M H2SO4 due to the accumulation of the iridium oxide phase. The iridium oxide formed contained nano-pores, and oxides had different dielectric properties. The Ir film could inject various amounts of charge in physiological solution under the identical stimulating condition depending on the degree of activation in 0.1 M H2SO4. S2 stimulation by Ir-coated Pt electrode caused more efficient bladder contraction of the male dog than the uncoated Pt electrode under the identical stimulus condition.     

Successful treatment of refractory thrombocytopenia with mycophenolate mofetil in a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus

While mild thrombocytopenia in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is frequently seen in the context of active disease, severe thrombocytopenia causing significant bleeding is not that common. Corticosteroids are considered the first line therapy for severe thrombocytopenia in SLE. Second-line therapeutic agents or splenectomy have been reported to be effective for patients who fail to respond to steroids or those who require moderate doses of steroids to maintain the platelet counts. Recent randomized controlled studies have shown that mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) is an efficacious and safe therapeutic agent in patients with proliferative forms of lupus nephritis. However, little information has been available regarding the role of MMF in the treatment of immune thrombocytopenia complicated with SLE. Hereby I describe a patient with SLE in whom thrombocytopenia was refractory to corticosteroids, intermittent intravenous cyclophosphamide, azathioprine, cyclosporine, intravenous gamma globulin, danazol, and splenectomy, and whose platelet counts eventually normalized during therapy with MMF. In this patient, thrombocytopenia is initially thought to be associated with active SLE involving major organ. However, after immunosuppressive agents were given, the refractory nature of thrombocytopenia seems to be an isolated phenomenon, independently of SLE activity.     

Infected infradiaphragmatic retroperitoneal extralobar pulmonary sequestration: a case report

Infradiaphragmatic extralobar pulmonary sequestration is an extremely rare congenital malformation. It is more frequently diagnosed in the antenatal period due to routine ultrasonic examination of the fetus or in the first 6 months of life, though on rare occasions it is discovered incidentally in adults. A 32-yr-old man presenting with epigastric discomfort and fever was referred. Computed tomographic scanning showed that a 16-cm, multiseptated, dumbbell-shaped, huge cystic tumor was located beneath the diaphragm. On the next day, 850 mL of thick yellowish pus was drained by sonography-guided fine needle aspiration for the purpose of infection control and diagnosis, but no microscopic organisms were found in repeated culture studies. Surgical removal of the cyst was performed through thoracoabdominal incision and most of these pathologic lesions were removed but we could not find the feeding arteries or any fistulous tract to surrounding structures. Histopathologic study revealed that it was extralobar pulmonary sequestration and culture study showed that many WBC and necrotic materials were found but there were no microorganisms in the cystic contents. We report the first case of an infected infradiaphragmatic retroperitoneal extralobar sequestration which was administered a staged management and achieved an excellent clinical course.     

Expression of cytokeratins 7 and 20 in primary carcinomas of the stomach and colorectum and their value in the differential diagnosis of metastatic carcinomas to the ovary

The expressions of cytokeratin (CK) 7 and 20 have been studied in various primary and metastatic carcinomas, and their determination may help distinguish the site of origin of metastatic carcinomas. However, little is known about the factors that determine variations in their expression patterns in primary gastric and colorectal carcinomas. We investigated the expressions of CK7 and CK20 in 289 cases of gastric carcinoma and 225 cases of colorectal carcinoma using a tissue microarray. To evaluate CK7 and CK20 expression patterns of ovarian metastases from gastric or colorectal carcinomas, 54 cases of metastatic carcinomas to the ovary were examined. It was found that 71% (207 of 289) of the gastric carcinomas stained positively for CK7, whereas only 9% (21 of 225) of the colorectal carcinomas proved to be CK7 positive, and that 41% (117 of 289) of the gastric carcinomas and 73% (165 of 225) of the colorectal carcinomas were CK20 positive. The proportion of CK7+/CK20- was highest in the gastric carcinomas at 46% (132 of 289), and was independent of the histologic classification of Lauren (46% of the intestinal type, 45% of the diffuse type). The CK7 and CK20 expression patterns were different in colorectal carcinomas according to histologic grade and location of the tumor. CK7-/CK20+ had the greatest proportion (68%) in colorectal carcinomas, and this was dependent on the tumor's histologic grade (75% of low-grade versus 52% of high-grade) and location (46% of right-sided versus 76% of left-sided). Moreover, 42% (18 of 43) of gastric carcinomas metastatic to the ovary were CK7+/CK20-, whereas 19% (8 of 43) were CK7-/CK20+. All colorectal cancers metastatic to the ovary were CK7-/CK20+, except 1 case that was CK7-/CK20-. In conclusion, the CK7 and CK20 expression patterns in primary gastric carcinomas vary considerably, and those in colorectal carcinomas are associated with histologic grade and tumor location. The CK7-/CK20+ expression pattern is specific for metastatic colorectal carcinomas to the ovary, but has low predictability for colorectal origin in metastatic ovarian carcinoma.