Successful treatment for squamous cell carcinoma of the female urethra with combined radio- and chemotherapy

We report on two cases of women with locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the urethra. Patient 1 also displayed regional lymph node metastasis. Treatment comprised combined radiotherapy to 60 Gy and chemotherapy with 5-fluorouracil and cisplatin. Complete response was obtained in both patients, including the inguinal lymph nodes of Patient 1. Patient 1 experienced recurrent inguinal lymph node metastasis on the contralateral side at 42 months after initial treatment, and the same treatment was performed followed by surgical excision. Both patients remain alive with no evidence of disease, at 12 months after recurrence in Patient 1, and at 27 months after treatment in Patient 2.     

Characteristics of facial nerve palsy during childhood in Japan: frequency of varicella–zoster virus association

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to clarify the clinical characteristics of facial nerve palsy and the frequency of varicella-zoster virus association in Japanese children, retrospectively. METHODS: The subjects were 30 facial nerve palsy patients less than 15 years old, treated in the Department of Pediatrics, Kawasaki Medical School Hospital, Okayama, Japan, during the last 10 years. RESULTS: The male/female and right/left ratios were 16/14 and 16/13, respectively. The patients included 21 cases (70%) of Bell's palsy, four cases (13%) due to otitis media, three cases (10%) of Ramsay Hunt syndrome and two cases (7%) due to birth trauma. There were six cases of zoster sine herpete among the Bell's palsy cases. CONCLUSION: Varicella-zoster virus-associated facial palsy was found in nine (36%) of the 25 patients examined. Zoster sine herpete was more frequently encountered in children than adults. Ramsay Hunt syndrome was found in school-age children and zoster sine herpete was often found in preschool children. The period of recovery was fast for facial nerve palsy due to acute otitis media, which occurred within 23 months of age, after myringotomy and administration of antibiotics.     

Physiological changes in the treatment of acrophobia (fear of height)

In order to investigate the physiological changes produced by the treatment of acrophobic patients body movement and Microvibration were measured before and after treatment. Eighteen acrophobic patients were assigned at random to 1 of the 2 groups: a treatment group (n= 8) and a non-treatment group (n= 10). The control group consisted of 16 healthy volunteers. Body movement area while viewing a slide of a high place or imagining a high place in the treatment group decreased significantly after treatment. Body movement of the control group showed almost no changes, and that of the non-treatment group was situated between the above-mentioned 2 groups. Simple body movements of the acrophobic patients without any stimulation of height were bigger than those of the control subjects. MV pattern of the treatment group had a tendency to improve under psychotherapy. Acrophobic patients had more abnormal MV patterns than the normal subjects.     

A sighted man with non-24-hour sleep-wake syndrome shows damped plasma melatonin rhythm

Abstract Twenty-four-hour profiles of plasma melatonin, cortisol and rectal temperature were measured longitudinally in a sighted man who has been suffering from sleep disorders for more than 10 years. The sleep-wake rhythm of this subject free-ran, despite his routine life, and occasionally showed a sign of internal desyn-chronization, where sleep was lengthened up to 30 h. These states were classified into the non-24-hour sleep-wake syndrome. Plasma melatonin concentrations in the subjective night remained at a low level and showed a damped circadian rhythm. At the same time, robust circadian rhythms were detected in plasma cortisol and rectal temperature, indicating that the circadian pacemaker was intact. The causal relationship between the damping of nocturnal melatonin rise and a failure of entrainment of the sleep-wake cycle is discussed.     

Antitumor effect of simultaneous transfer of interleukin-12 and interleukin-18 genes and its mechanism in a mouse bladder cancer model

BACKGROUND: The objectives of this study were to evaluate the antitumor effects of the simultaneous introduction of interleukin 12 (IL-12) and IL-18 genes into a mouse bladder cancer cell line (MBT2). We intended to compare these with those of either gene alone and to investigate the mechanism of the effects induced by the transfer of IL-12 and/or IL-18 genes in this model system. METHODS: We transfected the IL-12 and/or IL-18 genes into MBT2 cells by the liposome-mediated gene transfer method. We confirmed the secretion of IL-12 and/or IL-18 by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Parental (MBT2/P), IL-12-transfected (MBT2/IL-12), IL-18-transfected (MBT2/IL-18) or both IL-12- and IL-18-transfected (MBT2/Both) cells were subcutaneously or intravenously injected into syngeneic C3H mice. To analyze the mechanism of tumor rejection, these clones were subcutaneously injected into naive nude mice and those depleted with natural killer (NK) cells by antibody. RESULTS: MBT2/IL-12, MBT2/IL-18 and MBT2/Both were completely rejected when they were injected subcutaneously or intravenously into syngeneic mice. However, MBT2/IL-12, but not MBT2/IL-18, could grow in nude mice. Moreover, the antitumor effect of MBT2/IL-18 was partially abrogated when injected into nude mice of which NK cells were depleted by antibody treatment. MBT2/Both was completely rejected in both nude mice with and without NK cells. CONCLUSION: The results of the present study indicate that T cells and NK cells seem to play important roles in the antitumor effects by the secretion of IL-12 and IL-18, respectively, and MBT2/Both possesses both mechanisms.     

Effect of fluoride addition on ionized calcium in salivary sediment and in saliva containing various amounts of solid calcium fluoride

Abstract – The aim of the present study was to estimate the fluoride concentrations necessary for the precipitation of calcium fluoride or calcium fluoride-like substances in saliva and salivary sediment, in the presence of various amounts of chemically pure calcium fluoride. Fluoride was added in increments to whole saliva to which solid calcium fluoride had been added. The ionized calcium concentration was determined immediately after centrifugation. In salivary sediments and saliva with no calcium fluoride added the ionized calcium concentration was nearly independent of the fluoride concentration added below 10 and 20 mmol/l, respectively, and at fluoride concentration above 15 and 25 mmol/l, respectively, nearly no ionic calcium was detected. In the presence of calcium fluoride the ionized calcium concentration decreased rapidly with increasing concentrations of fluoride. The more calcium fluoride added, the lower the ionized calcium concentration at a certain fluoride level. The results suggested that in the in vivosituation, caries preventive measures based on frequent oral exposure to low concentrations of fluoride may provide calcium fluoride or calcium fluoride-like substances, which will serve as a reservoir for fluoride.     

Proximal-type epithelioid sarcoma of the perineum: Calling attention of urologists

A subcutaneous mass in the perineum of a middle-aged man was excised and pathologically diagnosed at first as 'undifferentiated carcinoma' of unknown origin, which recurred 2 years later without any metastasis. Further histological evaluation ultimately established a correct diagnosis of 'proximal-type epithelioid sarcoma', a variant of rare epithelioid sarcoma. This type of tumor may confuse pathologists because its histological characteristics resemble undifferentiated carcinoma or malignant rhabdoid tumor. Frequent immunoreactivity of CD34, in addition to expression of keratins, epithelial membrane antigen and vimentin, provides strong support for the diagnosis of this rare neoplasm. Urologists should be aware that this sarcoma commonly occurs in the genital regions.     

Susceptibility genes for schizophrenia

Abstract  It is well known that genetic factors contribute to the susceptibility for schizophrenia. Recent advances in the molecular genetics of schizophrenia strongly suggest several susceptibility genes (e.g. dysbindin, neuregulin-1, DISC1, COMT, G72, RGS4 and Akt1). We discuss the evidence and biology of these genes. As glutamate transmission is especially implicated in these genes, neurobiological basis of schizophrenia might be elucidated by investigation of functional interactions between susceptibility genes for schizophrenia and the glutamatergic system.     

Urinary oxidative stress markers in young patients with type 1 diabetes

BACKGROUND: Involvement of oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of diabetic vascular complications has been proposed. However, there are few methods to determine the status of oxidative stress both directly and quantitatively in young patients with type 1 diabetes. METHODS: A total of 27 young patients with type 1 diabetes (mean age +/- SD, 12.6 +/- 4.2 years) with normal renal function and 38 healthy control subjects (13.0 +/- 4.6 years) were investigated. Early morning voiding urine samples were collected. The concentrations of acrolein-lysine adducts, 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) were determined using competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and nitric oxide metabolites were measured using the colorimetric, non-enzymatic assay. RESULTS: Urinary concentrations of 8-OHdG, but not acrolein-lysine adducts and nitric oxide metabolites, were significantly increased in the diabetic group. For diabetic patients, microalbuminuria was significantly correlated with higher concentrations of all three markers. Hemoglobin A(1c) values were significantly correlated with 8-OHdG values. CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicate that increased oxidative stress and the risk of vascular complications may be present at early stages of type 1 diabetes.