Rotavirus infection in a maternity home based on virological and serological study data]

The studies carried out in a maternity house, employing a set of virological and serological methods, revealed the facts of introduction of rotavirus infection into the maternity house, and followed the further spread of the infection. Epidemiological surveys evaluated the sources of infection (parturients, newborns, medical personnel), means of spread of rotavirus infection, and analysed the epidemiological advantages of wards for mother and newborn baby staying together.     

Elevated expression of P-glycoprotein in kidney and urinary bladder cancers.

A monoclonal antibody, MRK16, recognizing specifically an epitope of P-glycoprotein (P-GP), a highly active efflux transporter of chemotherapeutic agents, was used to determine the degree of expression of P-GP in the normal human kidney and urinary bladder, and in kidney and urinary bladder cancers. P-glycoprotein was localized in the microvilli of the epithelial cells of the proximal renal tubules by immunoelectron microscopy, and detected immunohistochemically in 6 of 20 untreated kidney cancers and 11 of 31 untreated urinary bladder cancers. Some of the cancerous tissues were further examined with regard to P-GP expression by immunoprecipitation. In urinary bladder cancers, the degree of P-GP expression seemed to be somewhat correlated with tumor grading. These results indicate that our method to detect the degree of expression of P-GP by MRK16 may be applicable for the diagnosis of clinical multidrug resistant urinary cancers.     

Recurrence of upper urinary tract calculi

Treatment of upper urinary tract stones has changed greatly. The recurrence of calculi after the discharge was studied in the 634 patients with urolithiasis admitted to our department during the 9 years up to the end of 1984. The recurrence rate in the 325 cases followed for more than 3 months after the disappearance of the original stones, was 15.6% after 2 years, 27.6% after 5 year and 51.4% after 8 years. In recurrent stone formers, the rate of recurrence thereafter was greater than that of primary stone formers. The growth of calculi was rapid in the renal stone former concomitant with urinary tract infection together with a past history of renal surgery. In relation to the composition of the stone, uric acid calculi tended to recur more often than calculi composed of other substances. In view of recurrence, pyelolithotomy is preferred to renal parenchymal incision.     

Biological evaluation of biomaterials using cultured chick embryo femurs (3)

The biological effects of adhesive resins were studied by an organ culture method using chick embryo femurs, of which usefulness was investigated to evaluate the biocompatibility of biomaterials. Superbond C & B and Panavia EX were processed to form test pieces of 0.35 mm in diameter and 2 mm in length. The test piece was inserted into the distal epiphysis of the femur, which was cultured at 37 degrees C for 7 days. The biomaterials were evaluated by relative growth rate, relative wet/dry weight ratio (W/D) and histological examination. The femurs with insertion of Superbond C & B or Panavia EX did not show growth inhibition, but W/D of Panavia EX was significantly higher than that of control. Histologically, undifferentiated cartilage cells and immature cartilage matrix were observed in the tissue adjacent to Panavia EX. These results suggested that Panavia EX had a slightly toxic effect on the chick embryo femur.     

Cytotoxicity of dental resin monomers in the presence of S9 mix enzymes

The purpose of the this study was to evaluate the cytotoxicity of dental resin monomers in the presence of a rat liver S9 mix containing cytochrome P 450 enzymes. JTC-12 cells derived from a monkey kidney were seeded on a 96-well multi-well-plate at 9 x 10(3) cells per well. After cultivation, the S9 mix was added to the wells as an S9 mix group (+S9), and PBS- was added to the other wells as a none-S9 mix group (-S9), then 7 different concentrations of various monomers were added to each well. All the specimens were cultured for another 24 hrs. The cell survival ratios (CSR) were calculated by using a neutral red cytotoxicity assay. CSR for 50 micrograms/mL of Bis-GMA/S9 mix was 92.6% while for none-S9 mix it was 6.6%. The values of CSR for UDMA, Bis-MPEPP, EGDMA, TEGDMA, DMAEM, 4-META and HEMA exhibited a reduction in cytotoxicity in the presence of the S9 mix. There were significant differences between +S9 and -S9 for respective monomers (p < 0.05). However, there were no significant differences between +S9 and -S9 for MMA (p < 0.05).     

Early detection of nonperitoneal recurrence may contribute to survival benefit after curative gastrectomy for gastric cancer

Background

There is no evidence that strict follow-up using cross-sectional imaging after curative gastrectomy benefits survival; however, nonperitoneal recurrence detected early might be treated with additional surgery. The present study examined whether early detection of recurrence by imaging modalities could increase survival, particularly in patients with nonperitoneal recurrence.

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed 218 patients with recurrent gastric cancer after curative gastrectomy performed from 2002 to 2014. The patients were divided into an asymptomatic group (n = 117) and a symptomatic group (n = 101), according to the presence of symptoms at the time of recurrence, to compare clinicopathological characteristics and long-term survival.

Results

Peritoneal recurrence was less frequent in the asymptomatic group (22.2%) than in the symptomatic group (62.4%), the median time to recurrence was shorter (12.7 months vs 18.9 months; P < 0.001), and the median survival time after recurrence was longer (18.7 months vs 7.5 months; P < 0.001). In the asymptomatic group, 10 of 117 patients (8.5%) received additional curative surgery after recurrence. Median overall survival after gastrectomy was not significantly different between the groups (30.1 months for the asymptomatic group vs 30.0 months for the symptomatic group; P = 0.132); however, it was significantly longer among asymptomatic patients with nonperitoneal recurrence compared with symptomatic patients (35.9 months vs 24.0 months; P = 0.039).

Conclusions

The presence of symptoms at recurrence did not affect survival in patients with recurrent gastric cancer. However, detection of nonperitoneal recurrence before the appearance of symptoms may provide survival benefit. Therefore, regular follow-up, including use of imaging modalities, is recommended.

     

Cytotoxicity of bisphenol A glycidyl methacrylate on cytochrome P450-producing cells

Of the cytochrome P450 (CYP) family of carcinogen-activating enzymes, CYP3A is the major form found in human livers. The purpose of this study was to investigate the cytotoxic effects of dental resin monomers after being metabolized by CYP3A4 and CYP3A7, using a colony formation assay and a neutral red assay. Specimen wells were plated with transfected cells derived from the Chinese hamster lung at 100 cells well(-1). The experimental group consisted of CYP-producing 3A4-10 and 3A7-40 cells, while the control group consisted of non-CYP-producing CR-119 cells. Bisphenol A (BPA) and bisphenol A glycidyl methacrylate (Bis-GMA) and a positive control (Aflatoxine Bl) were added separately to each well and cultured for 7 days. After cultivation, the number of the colonies was counted and IC50 values were determined. The data were statistically analysed by a Student's t-test. The resultant of IC50 values indicated that the monomers were not metabolically activated by CYP3A4 or CYP3A7 as compared with the control (P < 0.05). We also confirmed that these monomers act neither as activators nor as inhibitors of CYP3A4 and CYP3A7.     

医学论文中统计学方法的正确运用

为了提高医学期刊论文的科学性,对目前论文中的统计方法误用及有关问题进行较全面的分析,以引起作者及编辑人员的重视,进一步提高医学论文的学术质量.     

A case of fibrous pseudotumor originating from tunica vaginalis testis

A 32-year-old man presented with a complaint of painless palpable mass of the left scrotal content. Based on the preoperative diagnosis of scrotal or spermatic cordal benign tumor, local excision was performed. The histological diagnosis was scrotal fibrous pseudotumor. In Japan, only 35 cases of fibrous pseudotumor of the scrotum have been reported including our case. Orchiectomy was performed in 15 cases. Fibrous pseudotumor is a benign fibroproliferative lesion with dense hyalinization and sometimes focal calcification. It may be induced by previous intrascrotal inflammatory events such as epididymitis, an infected hydrocele, prior surgery or trauma. Although a relatively rare disease, a fibrous pseudotumor should be considered in the differential diagnosis of testicular and testicular tunica tumors. Our case was of a benign pseudotumor and orchiectomy could have been avoided.     

Two cases of synchronous bilateral renal tumors

Case 1: A 56-year-old man visited us complaining of gross hematuria. Because of his refusal to undergo a surgical operation, we performed embolization and chemotherapy, which were ineffective and he died of cancerous cachexia. Case 2: A 59-year-old female with microscopic hematuria was referred to our clinic. Left partial nephrectomy and right radical nephrectomy were done in a two-stage operation at a 3 month interval. She is now well without sign of recurrence at 9 months after the last operation.