Application of cytopathology in a sensitivity test for anti-tumor agents. I. An experimental study

Although the human tumor clonogenic assay (HTCA) is extremely reliable in determining clinical correlations, it is a complicated process requiring considerable time in order to obtain results. Thus, an experimental study on cytopathologic observation (cytologic assay) and comparative evaluation between it and HTCA were performed in order to establish a more rapid and accurate drug sensitivity test. Materials included Colon 26, a cell line established in our department, malignant effusion and surgical specimens. In carrying out HTCA according to the Hamburger-Salmon method, the cell suspension samples following exposure to anti-tumor agents (MMC, L-PAM, ADM, CDDP) were cultivated in test tubes for 3-8 hours and stained by the Papanicolaou and Giemsa methods. According to Tokita's criteria, when cellular changes showed as nuclear pyknosis and nuclear destruction were found to have increased significantly in comparison with a control group, the cells were judged to be sensitive. Very similar and parallel results were obtained between HTCA and cytologic assay in this study, with a significant correlation. Cytologic assay was proved to be an easy, rapid and accurate method for testing drug sensitivity and its clinical application can be expected in the future.     

Kindling of the visual cortex in cats: comparison with amygdaloid kindling

Kindling of the primary visual cortex (VC) was compared with that of the amygdala in cats. VC kindling was basically similar to kindling of the amygdala in that daily electrical stimulation can lead to the development of a generalized convulsion in most subjects, a growth of afterdischarges in their configuration and duration, and a reduction of the afterdischarge threshold. The kindling response of the VC differed from that of the amygdala in a number of respects, i.e., a high afterdischarge threshold, a different pattern of behavioral seizure development, an abrupt growth of electroclinical seizures coincident with the onset of a generalized convulsion, an intersubject variability in seizure susceptibility, and a marked seizure instability. In VC kindling the afterdischarge propagation into the amygdala was not observed until the generalized convulsion developed, and the early involvement of afterdischarge was seen in the pulvinar, lateral geniculate body, and superior colliculus. These data suggest that a neural mechanism different from amygdaloid kindling may participate in VC kindling, and that the subcortical structures of the visual system are involved in the preferential pathway for a seizure generalization from the VC.     

Successful treatment of a patient with penetrating injury of the esophagus and brachiocephalic artery due to migration of Kirschner wires.

Pins and wires offer the simplest and most effective tools for managing bone fractures and dislocations. Migration of these devices within the chest is rare, but can cause serious problems. The spontaneous migration of Kirschner wires from the right clavicle to the mediastinum resulted in penetrating injury of the esophagus and pseudo-aneurysm of the brachiocephalic artery in an 84-year-old patient. Two Kirschner wires were removed via a vertical incision on the right shoulder without thoracotomy and the brachiocephalic artery was replaced with a Dacron graft.     

Early onset of ganciclovir-resistant cytomegalovirus infection in a lung-transplant recipient.

Ganciclovir resistance in cytomegalovirus (CMV) is an increasing problem in lung-transplant recipients with adverse clinical outcomes. We experienced the successful treatment of ganciclovir-resistant CMV infection in a lung-transplant recipient still receiving CMV prophylaxis. A 24-year-old woman with lymphangioleiomyomatosis underwent a living-donor lobar lung transplantation. She was a primary CMV mismatch (D+/R-) patient. She recovered from her postoperative complications, and was about to be discharged. However, she suffered ganciclovir-resistant CMV infection during prophylactic therapy. She was successfully treated with foscarnet, and is now alive without recurrence 18 months after surgery.     

Clinical study of estramustine phosphate disodium (Estracyt) on prostatic cancer--results of long-term therapy for 38 patients with prostatic cancer

Estramustine phosphate disodium (Estracyt) was used in the treatment of 38 patients with prostatic carcinoma for at least 1 year. Of these patients 37 patients were treated with Estracyt as primary treatment and 1 patient had been treated with another antiandrogenic therapy before the Estracyt treatment. Estracyt was given orally in a dose of 560 mg/day in divided oral doses. The clinical evaluation was done for the change of PAP, the relapse rate, the survival rate and the side effect. Among 22 cases which had shown abnormally high PAP values before the treatment started, the values decreased or normalized in 21 cases (95.5%) in the first year of administration of Estracyt. In 6 cases, however, the values increased again in the second year or later. Relapse was observed in 10 (26.3%) out of 38 cases. Relapse rate was 2.6%, 51.7%, and 51.7%, at the first, third, and fifth year, respectively. Survival rate was 97.4% at the first year, 88.5% at the third year, and 68.8% at the fifth year for the follow-up study. Side effects were observed in 14 (36.8%) out of 38 cases. The main side effect was gynecomastia. Gastro-intestinal disturbance and edema were also observed. However, there were only 2 cases (5.2%) in which administration of Estracyt had to be discontinued.     

Correlation between changes in obesity from adolescence to young adulthood and family obesity--the results of cross sectional and longitudinal studies

We conducted a survey of 356 married couples and their 552 children living in Hisayama in Fukuoka prefecture in order to investigate the correlation between changes in obesity from adolescence to young adulthood. 1. A positive correlation between couples in weight and height could be found, but its coefficient was weak (r = 0.12, 0.10). There was no correlation between couples in BMI. 2. The correlation between parents and their children in height, weight and BMI was significantly positive (r = 0.18, 0.45), having a coefficient greater than that of the correlation between married couples. 3. The correlation coefficient between mother and child was greater than that of the correlation coefficient between father and child. 4. The BMI of a child with either parent obese was significantly greater than that of a child with neither parent obese. Obesity appeared more frequently in children whose BMI of parent was higher. 5. A positive correlation between the BMI of young adults and that of adolescents could be found, and the average BMI of the obesity group was higher than that of the non-obesity group even in the adolescent subjects. 6. Even after considering BMI during adolescence, the familial factor had a significant relationship to the BMI of young adulthood. These results suggest that obesity in adolescence will influence obesity in young adulthood, and that the appearance of obesity strongly correlates with the familial obesity factor. In conclusion, it is very important to take preventative measures, in cooperation with the family, early in a child's adolescent years in order to avoid obesity in adulthood.     

Retarded and distinct progress of lens opacification in congenic hereditary cataract mice, Balb/c-nct/nct

The Nakano cataract gene, nct, was introduced into Balb/c mice by repeated backcrosses to elucidate the possible effects of background genes on its expression. The resulting congenic Balb/c-nct/nct mice were characterized by retarded and sporadic cataract formation with a tendency of further retardation in males and by the different disease process of cataract as compared with Nakano mice. The age of 50% cataract incidence was 60 days in females and 90 days in males compared with 22 days in Nakano mice, and lens opacification commenced in a diffuse, mild form at the cortex in congenic but in a pin-head, intense form at the core in Nakano mice. Sex hormones seemed to be involved in the difference in cateractogenesis between male and female mice. Microphthalmia was slighter in degree in Balb/c background mice. The results indicated that the nct-dependent cataractogenesis may be influenced by background genes and some non-hereditary factors. Balb/c-nct/nct mice will provide a new type of hereditary cataract model.     

Effects of energy restriction on mouse mammary tumor virus mRNA levels in mammary glands and uterus and on uterine endometrial hyperplasia and pituitary histology in C3H/SHN F1 mice

We investigated the effects of energy restriction on the pituitary-ovarian axis and on a hormone responsive gene, the mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV). Female C3H/SHN F1-hybrid mice, known to display a high incidence of mammary tumors, ate an energy-restricted diet (48 kcal/wk) or a control diet (95 kcal/wk) beginning at the time of weaning. By 67 wk of age, 12 of 32 mice in the control group, but none of the 33 mice in the energy-restricted group, had developed mammary tumors. Six tumor-free mice from each group were studied in detail at 67 wk of age. All six tumor-free control mice, but none of the six energy-restricted mice, showed uterine endometrial hyperplasia at autopsy. Mice subjected to energy restriction did not display an estrous cycle. The average levels of MMTV mRNA in mammary glands and uteri were strongly reduced by energy restriction. MMTV mRNA levels in mammary glands from control mice were two orders of magnitude lower than those in mammary tumors. Energy restriction lowered the percentage of pituitary mammatropes and suppressed proliferation of mammatropes with advancing age. Energy restriction thus appeared to inhibit endometrial hyperplasia and to decrease MMTV production at the mRNA level in the mammary glands and in the uterus. These effects may be a consequence of hormonal changes originating at the pituitary-ovarian axis.