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A magnetic encoder is an element that detects the moved distance, speed, and rotation angle by sensing magnetism. This has been detected by reading the scale of the magnetic pattern with magnetic sensors. Therefore, it is possible to use these in severe situations such as in liquid and under dust. The magnetic scale of a magnetic encoder is obtained by machining a magnetic substance or by injection molding a plastic magnet. However, it is difficult to obtain the pitch on a detailed scale in the machining. Moreover, a plastic magnet is vulnerable to radiation. We aimed to develop a magnetic scale that was resistant to high temperature and radiation. We combined photolithography and electroplating to form an under 200-micro-meter micro-indentation pattern for the magnetic substance metal and used it as a scale.

To realize the temperature-stable threshold-current and lasing-wavelength 1.3–1.5 μm laser diodes, TlInGaAsN/AlGaAs heterostructures were proposed. As a first step, TlInGaAs was successfully grown, for the first time, on GaAs substrate by molecular beam epitaxy. The incorporation of Tl was confirmed with reflection high-energy electron diffraction intensity oscillation measurement. Photoluminescence (PL) measurements were conducted on the TlInGaAs/GaAs and InGaAs/GaAs heterostructure samples and the red shift of the PL peak energy was observed for the TlInGaAs/GaAs samples, as expected.

TlInGaAs/InP double heterostructure light-emitting diodes were grown on (100) InP substrates by gas source molecular beam epitaxy. The Tl composition was 6%. They were operated at up to 340°C with a wavelength around 1.58 µm. Very small temperature dependence of the electroluminescence peak energy (-0.09 meV/K) was observed, which is similar to the temperature dependence of the photoluminescence peak energy.

New alloy semiconductor TlInGaAsN/AlGaAs heterostructures for fabricating 1.3–1.55 µm wavelength laser diodes with temperature-stable threshold current and temperature-stable lasing wavelength are proposed. TlInGaAs/GaAs and InGaAs/GaAs double-hetero (DH)-, multi-hetero (MD)- and single-quantum-well (SQW) structures were grown on GaAs substrates by gas source molecular beam epitaxy. Incorporation of Tl into TlInGaAs was confirmed up to 9% with reflection high-energy electron diffraction intensity oscillation. Red shift of the photoluminescence peak energy was also observed for TlInGaAs/GaAs DH, MH and SQW samples, which agrees with the incorporation of Tl.

TlInGaAs/InP double heterostructures (DHs) were grown on (100) InP substrates by gas-source molecular-beam epitaxy. Almost no occurrence of Tl interdiffusion at the InP/TlInGaAs heterointerface was confirmed. The photoluminescence (PL) intensity for the DH was approximately ten times stronger than that of the single heterostructure. The PL peak energy and its variation with temperature for the TlInGaAs/InP DH decreased with increasing Tl composition. For the DH with a Tl composition of 13%, the PL peak energy varied only slightly with temperature (0.03 meV/K). This value corresponds to a wavelength variation of 0.04 nm/K and is much smaller than that of the lasing wavelength of InGaAsP/InP distributed feedback laser diodes (0.1 nm/K).

It is shown that the haptonema plays an important role as a food capture and transport device in the processes of phagocytosis in the marine flagellate, Chrysochromulina hirta Manton (Prymnesiophyceae). The capture offood and its transport by the haptonema were observed only when the cells were swimming with the haptonema fully extended forward and the two flagella beating backwards alongside the body of the cell. Food particles become attached and adhere to the haptonema. They then move down to a particular point on the haptonema, the particle-aggregating centre, where they accumulate. The cell stops swimming, and the aggregated food moves toward the tip of the haptonema. After the food aggregate reaches the tip, the haptonema bends and delivers it to the lateral posterior surface of the cell. The food aggregate is then translocated to the posterior end of the cell, where it is taken into the cell by phagocytosis. The haptonema bends even when it does not carry any particles, suggesting that it ...

This paper treats a vehicle routing problem, called VRPTD, in an object-oriented geospatial information system (GIS). A scheme to construct a traffic network in the GIS is presented and then a genetic algorithm based approach to solve it approximately is proposed. Experimental evaluation shows the effectiveness of the proposed approach.

New alloy semiconductor heterostructures TlInGaAsN/AlGaAs are proposed to fabricate 1.3-1.55 /spl mu/m wavelength laser diodes with temperature-stable threshold currents and temperature-stable lasing wavelengths. TlInGaAs/GaAs and InGaAs/GaAs double-hetero (DH) and multi-hetero (HD) structures were grown on GaAs substrates by gas source molecular-beam epitaxy (MBE). Incorporation of Tl into TlInGaAs was confirmed up to 9% with reflection high energy electron diffraction (RHEED) intensity oscillation. Red shift of the photoluminescence (PL) peak energy was also observed for TlInGaAs/GaAs DW and MH samples, which agrees with the incorporation of Tl.

TlInGaAs/InP double heterostructure (DH) light emitting diodes (LEDs) were grown on [100] InP substrates by gas source molecular beam epitaxy. The Tl composition was 6%. They were operated up to 340 K in the wavelength range of 1.58 /spl mu/m. Very small temperature variation in the electroluminescence (EL) peak energy (-0.09 meV/K) was observed, similar to the temperature variation of photoluminescence (PL) peak energy.

TlInGaAsl/InP DH structures are grown on [100] InP substrates by gas source MBE. PL intensity for the DH structure is 10 times stronger than that of SH structure. Temperature variation of the PL peak energy is decreased with increasing Tl composition. The DH structure with Tl composition of 13% shows very small temperature variation of 0.03 meV/K. This value corresponds to the wavelength variation of 0.04 nm/K and is much smaller than the temperature variation of 0.1 nm/K for the lasing wavelength of InGaAsP/InP DFB laser diodes.

Wilms' tumor is very rarely found in adults and there are no established treatment guidelines for such tumors in adults. A 56-year-old woman was referred to our hospital for further examination of macroscopic hematuria. Computed tomography scan revealed a large right renal mass with enlarged lymph nodes. Angiography showed a hypovascular tumor. She underwent right nephrectomy and resection of lymph node metastasis with a diagnosis of malignant renal tumor. Histopathological examination revealed nephroblastoma with lymph node metastasis. The disease was classified as stage III according to the National Wilms' Tumor Study classification. The patient received adjuvant chemotherapy consisting of ifosfamide, cisplatin, and etoposide. This protocol was selected because of the published poor results with the standard Wilms' tumor chemotherapeutic agents when used in adults. She remained without tumor recurrence as of six months after surgery. Development of better therapeutic approaches to adult Wilms' tumor is awaited.

A 61-year-old woman was diagnosed with a renal tumor of the left kidney by ultrasound sonography during a health check-up. Computerized tomography (CT) and colored Doppler ultrasound sonography demonstrated two hypervascular tumors as typical renal cell carcinomas. A radically nephrectomized specimen was step-sectioned. Four tumor nodules were detected macroscopically, and 47 small nodules were detected microscopically, showing the clear cell type and alveolar growth pattern. Then all nodules including the 47 small nodules were diagnosed renal cell carcinoma.

TlInGaAs/InP double-hetero (DH) structures were grown on (100) InP substrates by gas source MBE. The photoluminescence (PL) peak energy variation with temperature decreased with increasing Tl composition. For the DH with a Tl composition of 13%, the PL peak energy varied only slightly with temperature (−0.03 meV/K). This value corresponds to a wavelength variation of 0.04 nm/K and is much smaller than that of the lasing wavelength of InGaAsP/InP distributed feedback laser diodes (0.1 nm/K). TlInGaAs/InP light emitting diodes with 6% Tl composition were fabricated and the small temperature variation of the electroluminescence peak energy (−0.09 meV/K) was observed at the wavelength around 1.58 μm. The results are promising to realize the temperature-independent wavelength laser diodes, which are important in the wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) optical fiber communication systems.

Since 1980, 73 patients with advanced testicular cancer have been treated with chemotherapy and 43 patients received post-chemotherapy (salvage) surgery. The median age of all patients was 31 years old, ranging from 17 to 63 years. The histology of the primary testicular tumor was pure seminoma in 23 patients and non-seminoma in 50 patients. According to the Japan Urological Association classification, 38 patients were classified as stage II and 35 patients as stage III. As first-line chamotherapy, 52 patients were treated with PVB regimen (cisplatin, vinblastin, bleomycin), 16 patients with PEB (cisplatin, etoposide, bleomycin) and 5 patients with VAB-6 (vinblastine, actinomycin-D, bleomycin, cisplatin, cyclophosphamide). Thirty (41%) of the 73 patients achieved a complete response (CR) with chemotherapy alone and 63 (86%) achieved no evidence of disease (NED) with salvage treatment. As second-line chemotherapy, 16 patients were treated with PE (cisplatin, etoposide), or VIP (etoposide, ifosfamide, cisplatin) or VeIP (vinblastine, ifosfamide, cisplatin). One of the 16 patients achieved CR and 11 (69%) patients achieved NED. As salvage surgery, retroperitoneal lymphnode dissection (RPLND) was performed in 22 patients, RPLND with thoracotomy in 7 cases and thoracotomy alone in 4 cases. Necrosis was found in surgical specimens of 24 (56%) patients, mature teratoma in 6 (14%) and residual cancer in 13 (30%). Ninety-six percent and 100% of the patients with necrosis and mature teratoma survived with NED, respectively, but only 54% of the patients with residual carcinoma survived despite further treatment. Residual cancer was still found in 8 of the 32 (25%) marker normalized cases. Residual cancer could not reliably be predicted or discriminated from necrosis or mature teratoma by the prognostic criteria. Therefore, salvage surgery remains essential in the treatment of advanced testicular cancer.

A 45-year-old man was referred to our department because of a right renal mass which was incidentally found at a health screening. Ultrasound sonography, computerized tomography and magnetic resonance imaging showed a hypovascular tumor 3 cm in diameter with the fluid at the upper pole of the right kidney, implicating that the tumor was renal cell carcinoma originating from a renal cyst wall, or with central necrosis. A radical nephrectomy was therefore performed. The tumor was dark-brown and contained brown fluid. The histopathological findings showed renal oncocytoma with cystic degeneration.

In the TNM classification of renal cell carcinoma released in 1997, T1 tumors were defined as organ-confined tumors 7.0 cm or less in size, and T2 as those larger than 7.0 cm. The consideration of tumor size should be predicated on its prognostic value in predicting survival, because the goal of clinical staging is to separate patients into similar classes of survival based on the extent of disease at presentation. The authors examined the impact of tumor size on the clinical outcomes of patients with Robson Stage I disease to determine a size cutoff that would maximize the predictive value of the TNM staging system.Between 1962 and 1995, 382 patients with renal cell carcinoma were treated at the Department of Urology at the Osaka Medical Center for Cancer and Cardiovascular Diseases in Osaka, Japan, and the TNM staging of 350 of those patients was recorded. Of 350 patients, 157 (45%) were at TNM Stage I, 47 (13%) at Stage II, 65 (19%) at Stage III, and 81 (23%) at Stage IV, according to the TNM stages defined in 1997. Robson Stage I includes TNM Stages I and II, and 204 patients in these stages were analyzed in this study. This study group included 146 men and 58 women with a mean age of 57.8 years (range, 26-84 years). The mean follow-up period was 5.4 years.The patient survival periods were not significantly different for those with TNM Stages I and II. This finding indicated that the tumor size cutoff of 7.0 cm was not useful in predicting the prognosis. The patients at TNM Stages I and II were then divided into two groups at each size cutoff, from 2.5 cm to 9.0 cm, at 0.5-cm intervals. The tumor size cutoff of 5.5 cm was most predictive of patient survival (P = 0.0121). None of other patient characteristics varied significantly between the two groups at this dichotomous point. Tumor size and microscopic intrarenal venous invasion, but not grade or infiltration pattern, were found in univariate and multivariate analyses to be significantly predictive of the survival of Robson Stage I patients after radical nephrectomy.The current data indicate that the tumor size cutoff of 5.5 cm was most significantly predictive of the survival of Robson Stage I patients after radical nephrectomy. The tumor size cutoff of 5.5 cm was also shown to be significant in univariate and multivariate analyses.

A 68-year-old woman admitted to our hospital complaining of urinary incontinence and dysuria. On examination, the labia were found to be fused extensively, with a pinhole opening at the midline. Under spinal anesthesia, the adhesion was clearly separated with the Hegar's dilator. There remains no recurrence in this patient following therapy. The labial adhesion was considered to be an acquired disease caused by infection, trauma in the genitalia, or sexless life, according to hypoestrogenism.

A 70-year-old man, who was diagnosed by computed tomographic scan as having bilateral synchronous adrenal myelolipomas 6 years ago during the follow-up of fatty liver, underwent tumor resection at our Department because of growth of bilateral tumors without any subjective symptoms. Histopathological examination revealed mature adipose tissue cells without atypism and areas of hematopoietic tissue, including the myelotic, lymphotic, erythrocytic, and megakaryocytic cells. The diagnosis of myelolipoma was confirmed. The in vivo doubling time of bilateral tumors was 16.1 months and 31.3 months, respectively.

The clinical significance of preoperative prostate specific antigen (PSA) and PSA density (PSAD) in distinguishing stage T1a and T1b prostate cancer from benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) was studied retrospectively in men who had undergone surgery for BPH. A total of 202 clinically BPH patients underwent transurethral resection of prostate (TURP) or retropubic prostatectomy, and histopathological findings were BPH in 179 patients, T1a cancer in 10 patients and T1b cancer in 13 patients. The T1a cancer group was similar to the BPH group in all parameters. The PSA and PSAD values in the T1b cancer group were significantly higher than those in the BPH group (P0.001). Prostate volume and amount of tissue resected in the T1b cancer group were significantly smaller than those in the BPH group (p0.001). The cut-off values of PSA and PSAD were examined with T1a and T1b cancer as a positive control and histologically proven BPH as a negative control. When 8.0 ng/ml was used as the PSA cut-off value, the sensitivity was 65% and specificity was 70%. When 0.25 ng/ml/ml was used as the PSAD cut-off value, the sensitivity and specificity were 65% and 75%, respectively. PSAD was useful for improving the specificity. Almost all the cases undetected by using both cut-off values were of T1a cancer. The receiver operating characteristics curve demonstrated that at any point, PSAD was a better detector for distinguishing T1a, T1b cancer from BPH, focusing especially in the range of PSA level between 6.0 and 10.0 ng/ml. These findings suggest that PSA and PSAD are useful parameters in distinguishing T1b cancer from BPH before surgery.

Cytokines, interleukin (IL)-1alpha, IL-1beta, IL-3, IL-6, macrophage colony stimulating factor (M-CSF) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) as well as parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTHrP) have been shown to enhance the osteoclast activity. To investigate mechanisms of the development of bone metastasis of prostatic cancers, expression of these cytokines and PTHrP was examined immunohistochemically in prostatic cancers of patients administered no prior therapy or endocrine therapy. All cytokines and PTHrP were stained in the cytoplasm of the epithelium of non-cancerous prostatic glands, and IL-3 and IL-6 were stained in the cytoplasm of smooth muscle cells besides epithelial cells of non-cancerous prostatic glands. Incidences of positivity of staining in prostate cancers of patients administered no prior therapy were 100% for IL-1alpha, IL-1beta, IL-6, M-CSF and TNF-alpha, 20% for IL-3, and 80% for PTHrP. Incidence of prostatic cancers stained positively for IL-1alpha and IL-1beta decreased significantly in patients administered endocrine therapy, but those for IL-3, IL-6, M-CSF, TNF-alpha and PTHrP did not change significantly. The present results suggest that prostatic cancers produce various cytokines, IL-1alpha, IL-1beta, IL-3, IL-6, M-CSF and TNF-alpha, as well as PTHrP, and that expression of these cytokines and PTHrP except IL-1alpha and IL-1beta is not under androgen control. Cytokines and PTHrP produced by prostatic cancers may play a role in the development of bone metastasis of prostatic cancers.

Through the use of digital rectal examination, prostate-specific antigen and improved biopsy technique, it is possible to diagnose early stage prostate cancer. The management of this disease, however, has generated considerable controversy. The decision whether to treat actively or conservatively must be made on the basis of accurate staging and grading technique, a patient's life expectancy and performance status. This article will show the current staging and management of prostate cancer as practiced in Japan.

Helicobacter pylori infection is a risk factor for gastric carcinogenesis. High dietary vitamin C intake appears to protect against gastric carcinoma. It has been suggested that vitamin C exerts the protective effect by scavenging free radicals that may be enhanced by H. pylori. However, vitamin C has not been investigated in relation to the direct action on H. pylori. In this study, the authors attempted to clarify this possibility both in vitro and in vivo.Susceptibility testing of H. pylori (64 strains) was performed by the agar dilution method. Bactericidal actions were determined by a broth cultivation technique. The effect of vitamin C on in vivo H. pylori colonization was evaluated by using the Mongolian gerbil model.At concentrations of 2048, 512, and 128 microg/mL (minimum inhibitory concentrations [MICs]), vitamin C could inhibit the growth of 90% of the bacterial stains incubated at pH values of 7.4, 6.0, and 5.5, respectively. The broth cultures exposed to the MICs of vitamin C displayed a 1.57 approximately 2.5-log decrease in the number of viable bacteria, and the loss of viability was observed in 24 hours at concentrations 8-fold higher than the MICs. In an in vivo experiment, H. pylori colonies decreased significantly in animals treated with vitamin C after oral administration of vitamin C (10 mg/head/day) for 7 days.High doses of vitamin C inhibit the growth of H. pylori in vitro as well as in vivo.

A 74-year-old man was admitted to our hospital. Diagnosis of invasive bladder cancer was made and a total cystectomy was performed on January, 30, 1980. Histological examination showed transitional cell carcinoma, grade 2, pT1 is N0M0. After 16 years, when he suffered left femur, he had right inguinal lymphnode swelling. On the biopsy of the inguinal mass, histology was transitional cell carcinoma. The urethral washing cytology was positive. Lung CT scan dem onstrated multiple lesions. He was diagnosed of the urethral recurrence, right inguinal lymphnode metastasis and lung metastasis of bladder cancer. This case is the 5th case of urethral recurrence of bladder cancer following cystectomy in our hospital.

A newly synthesized drug, CKA1083 ((S)-N-[2-(4-benzyloxy-carbonylpiperazinyl)-1-(P-methoxybenzyl) ethyl]-N-methyl-N(5-isoquinolinesulfonamide)), has the same glutathione-S-transferase (GST)-binding site structure as W-77, a bifunctional inhibitor that enhances the cytotoxicity of Adriamycin for human ovarian carcinoma cells. We examined the effects of CKA1083 on the cytotoxicity of Adriamycin and the resistance of human ovarian carcinoma cells to this drug.We used GST-pi transfected cells and Adriamycin-sensitive or -resistant cells of human ovarian carcinoma. GST-pi activity, the intracellular Adriamycin content, and the cytotoxicity of Adriamycin in these cell lines in the presence or absence of CKA1083 were measured and compared to the findings obtained with W-77 or verapamil.CKA1083 inhibited GST-pi activity in an uncompetitive manner and more strongly than W-77. It enhanced the cytotoxicity of Adriamycin for GST-pi transfected cells by about 3-times. Further, CKA1083 increased the intracellular Adriamycin content about 3-fold in two Adriamycin-resistant cell lines (NOS2AR and NOS3AR). CKA1083 (10 microM) reduced the IC50 of Adriamycin to 1/38 in NOS2AR cells and 1/21 in NOS3AR cells, and overcame Adriamycin resistance more effectively than both W-77 and verapamil.CKA1083 enhanced the antitumor effect of Adriamycin more than W-77 by inhibiting both GST activity and P-glycoprotein.

A 60-year-old man was admitted to our hospital with the chief complaints of dysuria and sense of abdominal fullness. On digital rectal examination, an enlarged prostate with a smooth surface and elasticity was palpated. The concentration of prostate specific antigen (PSA) was elevated to 78 ng/ml. Pelvic computed tomographic (CT) scan and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a large prostate, 8 cm in diameter, with a cystic mass, and extra-iliac lymph node swelling. On needle biopsy of the prostate and cyst, the histology was poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma, and the aspirate comprised bloody fluid with a negative test for cytology. He was diagnosed with prostatic cancer of T4N3M0. This is the 19th case of prostatic cancer with cystic formation reported in Japan.

Recently, there has been an increasing interest in the application of preoperative endocrine therapy prior to radical prostatectomy. The main purpose of this treatment modality is to enhance surgical curability and increase survival. Endocrine therapy was performed before radical prostatectomy on 40 patients between 1986 and 1993; 15 had stage B2 and 25 had stage C disease. The median duration of preoperative endocrine therapy was 3.8 months. All patients subsequently underwent radical prostatectomy, pelvic lymphadenectomy and castration. There was on average a 25.5% (0-71.8%) decrease in maximal cross-sectional area of prostate gland as determined by transrectal ultrasonography. Treatment-related histological effects, divided into three grades were as follows; excellent in 17, moderate in 11 and poor or no regression in 12. Pathological downstaging of disease status from the diagnosis made at the initial clinical examination was seen in 13 of the 40 patients (33%). At a median follow-up of 50 months (19-118 months), 36 of the 40 patients are disease-free and two died of cancer 43 and 50 months postoperatively. These findings suggest that preoperative endocrine therapy plays an important role in the management of locally advanced prostatic cancer.

Nephron-sparing surgery was initially limited to the patients with localized renal cancer (RCC) present bilaterally or in a solitary kidney. Recently there is controversy in the indication for partial nephrectomy or enucleation to incidentally defined small RCC with normal opposite kidney. We examined the incidence of multicentricity in 43 kidneys removed for RCC with a diameter of less than 80 mm. The mean diameter of the predominant tumors was 45 mm (range 12 to 80 mm). The kidneys were serially sectioned at 5 mm intervals. Three of 43 kidneys (7%) had multiple RCC. The size of the concomitant tumors ranged from 2 to 15 mm. The multicentricity had no relation to pathological grade, stage, vascular invasion or infiltration pattern. In addition, the other 4 kidneys had 2 adenomas, 1 angiomyolipoma and 1 fibroma. Therefore we observed a 16% incidence of small renal nodules and a 7% multicentricity of RCC in the nephrectomized kidneys with normal opposite kidney.

SRPX2 (Sushi repeat-containing protein, X-linked 2) has recently emerged as a multifunctional protein that is involved in seizure disorders, angiogenesis and cellular adhesion. Here, we analyzed this protein biochemically. SRPX2 protein was secreted with a highly post-translational modification. Chondroitinase ABC treatment completely decreased the molecular mass of purified SRPX2 protein to its predicted size, whereas heparitinase, keratanase and hyaluroinidase did not. Secreted SRPX2 protein was also detected using an anti-chondroitin sulfate antibody. These results indicate that SRPX2 is a novel chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan (CSPG). Furthermore, a binding assay revealed that hepatocyte growth factor dose-dependently binds to SRPX2 protein, and a ligand–glycosaminoglycans interaction was speculated to be likely in proteoglycans. Regarding its molecular architecture, SRPX2 has sushi repeat modules similar to four other CSPGs/lecticans; however, the molecular architecture of SRPX2 seems to be quite different from that of the lecticans. Taken together, we found that SRPX2 is a novel CSPG that is overexpressed in gastrointestinal cancer cells. Our findings provide key glycobiological insight into SRPX2 in cancer cells and demonstrate that SRPX2 is a new member of the cancer-related proteoglycan family.

A cis-diamminedichloroplatinum (II) (CDDP)-resistant cell line (NOS2CR) demonstrated 7.4-fold greater resistance to CDDP compared with the parental cell line (NOS2) established from a patient with serous cystadenocarcinoma of the ovary. We investigated the role of enzyme systems associated with glutathione (GSH) in these cell lines. The GSH content was almost identical in both cell lines. Preincubation with 50 microM DL-buthionine-S, R-sulfoximine (BSO), an inhibitor of gamma-glutamyl cysteine synthetase, for 24 hr reduced the IC50 in both NOS2 and NOS2CR cells. Glutathione-S-transferase pi (GST-pi) activity and mRNA level in NOS2CR cells were higher than in NOS2 cells. However, gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase (GGT) activity in NOS2CR cells was 2.4-fold less than in NOS2 cells. The GST activity and mRNA level in both cell lines were constant when the cells were exposed to CDDP. Exposure to CDDP for 48 hr increased the GGT mRNA level 4.4 and 1.8 times in NOS2 and NOS2CR cells, respectively, compared with no exposure. By exposure to CDDP for 48 hr, the GGT activities in NOS2 and NOS2CR cells were increased 1.6-and 2.5-fold, respectively, compared with no exposure. The above data provide the first evidence that GGT activity and GGT mRNA are induced by CDDP in human carcinoma cell lines.

A 52-year-old female with the chief complaint of miction pain was referred for the examination of a urethral nodule. Physical inspection revealed the meatus to be reddish and swollen. The painless nodule (1 x 1 x 2 cm) was situated between the urethra and vagina on transvaginal examination. Chest X-ray, drip infusion pyelography (DIP) and urethrocystography (UCG) showed no evidence of tuberculosis. Bladder mucosa was normal on cystoscopy. Mycobacterium tuberculosis was not detected from urine or sputum. The nodule was resected along with a portion of the urethra. Histopathological examination revealed tuberculous granuloma of the urethra.

We have determined an effect of amphotericin B (AMB), an antifungal drug, on the cytotoxicity of cis-diamminedichloro-platinum (II) (CDDP) and 4 CDDP analogues in a human ovarian carcinoma cell line (NOS2). Intracellular accumulation of CDDP was elevated significantly by treatment with AMB, and AMB significantly potentiated the cytotoxicity of CDDP by MTT assay. Intracellular accumulation of 4 CDDP analogues was also elevated by the treatment with AMB and the order of increasing accumulation rate of platinum drugs was consistent with that of dose modification factor (DMF). AMB also increased the intracellular CDDP accumulation in CDDP resistant cells (NOS2CR), derived from NOS2. The intracellular accumulations of 4 CDDP analogues were elevated slightly by the treatment with AMB in NOS2CR cells. DMFs of 5 platinum drugs in NOS2CR cells, however, were more than those in NOS2 cells. These results indicate that AMB sensitizes NOS2 and NOS2CR cells to platinum drugs, partially due to the increasing intracellular accumulation of these drugs. In addition, CDDP analogues are more effective in NOS2CR cells than CDDP, but the cytotoxicity of CDDP was most potentiated by AMB among the 5 platinum drugs under study.

A newly synthesized calmodulin antagonist, (S)-P-(2-aminoethyloxy)-N-[2-(4-benzyloxy-carbonylpiperazinyl++ +)-1-(P-methoxybenzyl)ethyl]-N-methylbenzenesulfonamide dihydrochloride (W-77), acts as a calcium-independent uncompetitive antagonist which binds to glutathione-S-transferase (GST). We purified GST from human placenta using drug affinity chromatography on a column of W-77 coupled with Sepharose 6B and demonstrated that W-77 bound to GST. A spectrophotometric assay also showed that W-77 inhibited GST activity. We prepared Adriamycin-resistant and -sensitive cells from human ovarian serous cystadenocarcinomas. Immunoblot analysis revealed that GST expression was increased in the Adriamycin-resistant cells. We also purified GST from Adriamycin-resistant cells and found that W-77 bound to the GST obtained from these ovarian carcinoma cells. Adriamycin resistance was partially overcome by the addition of W-77 (10 microM) to the cultured cells. In addition, we investigated the effect of W-77 on P-glycoprotein. Northern blot analysis revealed MDR1 gene expression in Adriamycin-resistant cells. Although W-77 was less potent in increasing the intracellular Adriamycin content than verapamil, it was more effective in overcoming Adriamycin resistance. These results suggest that W-77 enhances the antitumor activity of Adriamycin by inhibiting both GST and P-glycoprotein.

Three cases of renal cell carcinoma with tumor thrombus extending into the inferior vena cava are reported. Radical nephrectomy and thrombectomy were performed under extracorporeal circulation in all the cases. The level of tumor thrombus was preoperatively determined by computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging or venacavography. The tumor thrombus extended into the right atrium in one, and above the hepatic vein in two cases. One patient whose thrombus reached the right atrium died of multiple metastasis of renal cell carcinoma 5 months after operation. Another patient with lung metastasis was given interferon-alpha and is alive 5 months after operation. The other patient is clinically free of disease and in good health 7 years after operation. We believe that extracorporeal circulation allows an opportunity to resect the tumor thrombus in a controlled situation, and makes the operation safer.

Transvaginal Doppler ultrasound with color flow imaging is a new technique for the evaluation of gynecologic diseases. This method was used for the diagnosis of ovarian tumors in 24 women treated in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nagoya University Hospital, Japan. Waveforms of the parenchymal tumor arteries or tumor surface arteries were compared using values of the pulsatility index (PI). The value for 1/PI was 0.69 +/- 0.05 in benign tumors and 1.87 +/- 0.65 in malignant tumors (P less than .01). When the cutoff value of 1/PI was set at 0.8 (cutoff value of PI was 1.25), the accuracy of diagnosis was 95.8% (23 of 24). Among 11 tumors with low CA 125 (less than 35 U/mL), all five malignant tumors had high 1/PI (above 0.8), and all benign tumors had low 1/PI (less than 0.8) or nondetectable waveforms. Based on the findings of this study, color flow Doppler proved to be useful for diagnosis of ovarian cancer.

Ovarian carcinoma is a silent disease with few symptoms. Early detection of ovarian cancer is difficult. Transvaginal Doppler ultrasound with color flow imaging is a new technique in the evaluation of gynecological diseases. This method was used in the diagnosis of ovarian tumors in 39 women who were treated in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nagoya University Hospital. Wave forms of the parenchymal tumor arteries or tumor surface arteries were compared by according to the pulsatility index (PI). 1/PI was 0.69 +/- 0.04 in benign tumor and 2.33 +/- 1.36 in malignant tumors (p less than 0.01). When the cutoff value of 1/PI was set at 0.8 (cutoff value of PI: 1.25), the accuracy of diagnosis was 84.6% (33/39). The accuracy of ultrasonographic pattern classification and CA125 were 74.4% (29/39) and 53.8% (21/39), respectively. In 18 tumors with low CA125 (less than 35 U/ml), 5 of 7 malignant tumors (71.4%) had high 1/PI (greater than 0.8), and benign tumor, low 1/PI (less than 0.8) or non-detectable wave forms. This procedure should prove to be useful in the diagnosis of ovarian cancer.

Human ovarian carcinoma cell line (NOS2), established from a patient with serous cystadenocarcinoma of the ovary, has been exposed to a stepwise increase in cis-diamminedichloroplatinum (II) (CDDP) concentration to produce a CDDP-resistant cell line NOS2CR) as an experimental model for resistance to CDDP. NOS2CR cells showed a 7-fold resistance to CDDP and a lesser degree of cross-resistance to diammine (1,1-cyclobutanedicarboxylato)-platinum (II) (CBDCA) and (-)-(R)-2-aminomethylpyrrolidine (1,1-cyclobutanedicarboxylato) platinum (II) (DWA2114R). In the absence of CDDP, cross-resistance to DWA2114R was reduced to the original level by 2 months, although 83% resistance to CDDP remained up to 6 months. To investigate CDDP-resistant mechanisms, alterations in the intracellular accumulation of CDDP and analogues were assayed by atomic absorption. In both NOS2 and NOS2CR cells, accumulation of CDDP increased linearly with time and was concentration-dependent. NOS2CR cells demonstrated 71, 52 and 12% reduction in accumulation of CDDP, CBDCA, and DWA2114R, respectively. These reductions did not seem to be due to P-glycoprotein, because expression of multidrug-resistant 1 gene was not detected in either NOS2 or NOS2CR cells. These studies indicate that the mechanisms of resistance to CDDP and analogues in NOS2CR cells are related in the main to reduced intracellular accumulation of drugs. DWA2114R might be helpful to treat CDDP-resistant and recurrent tumors which were treated by CDDP.

We analyzed 237 patients who underwent total cystectomy with ileal conduit urinary diversion or cutaneous ureterostomy at the Center for Adult Diseases, Osaka. One-hundred and eighty-eight patients underwent ileal conduit diversion and 49 patients underwent cutaneous ureterostomy. No patient died within 30 days after the operation, but two patients who underwent ileal conduit diversion died of postoperative complications within 2 months. Early complications occurred in 94 patients (50%) in the ileal conduit group and in 18 patients (37%) in the ureterostomy group. Late complications occurred in 85 patients (45%) in the ileal conduit group and in 23 patients (47%) in the ureterostomy group. Frequent early complications in the ileal conduit group were wound infection (29%), and intestinal complications (13%) which included ileus and upper urinary tract complications (12%). The most frequent late complications were stomal complications (26%) which included peristomal dermatitis stomal stenosis, parastomal hernia, and stomal prolapse, and upper urinary tract complications which were noted in 27 patients (14%).

From January, 1986 to April, 1990, combination chemotherapy with ifosfamide (or cyclophosphamide), adriamycin, cis-platinum and peplomycin was performed in 15 patients with hormonally resistant metastatic adenocarcinoma. Three patients had partial response (PR) and 9 remained objectively stable (ST). The median response duration of PR + ST (12) was 5.7 months (range 2.8 to 18.0+). Three patients progressed while on this therapy. Of 8 patients with prior treatment of chemotherapy or chemo-hormonal therapy, 6 achieved an objective response (2 PR, 4 ST). Severe toxicities occurred in 2 patients. One died of lung fibrosis induced by peplomycin and the other received urinary diversion for persistent hemorrhagic cystitis. These results compare favorably with previous reports of chemotherapy treatment of metastatic prostatic cancer patients who failed on hormonal manipulation. However, careful treatment is needed for lung fibrosis and hemorrhagic cystitis.

Radical surgery was administered to 63 patients with prostatic carcinoma, of whom 48 were put under total prostatectomy, 13 under cystoprostatectomy and 2 under pelvic exenteration. Adjuvant therapy was given in three forms: pretreatment to 31 patients, castration to 44 patients and pelvic lymphadenectomy to 39 patients. The 7 patients in stage A survived without carcinoma. Of the 25 patients in stage B, recurrence was seen in 7 patients but there were no deaths and the 5- and 10-year cumulative survival rates were both 86%. Of the 24 stage C patients, 8 developed recurrence, 4 died with the disease, and the 5 and 10 year cumulative survival rates were 82% and 55% respectively. There were 7 stage D patients, of whom 3 developed recurrence and 2 died, and these patients had a 5 year cumulative survival rate of 86%. The results demonstrated that total prostatectomy with suitable adjuvant therapy is useful for advanced carcinoma as well as clinically early stage carcinoma.

A 61-year-old man diagnosed with poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma of the prostate (T4 NxM0, stage C) underwent endocrine therapy. The reduction of the tumor was recognized but soon annular rectal stricture appeared. In spite of the subsequent chemotherapy, symptoms aggravated. Then total pelvic exenteration and colostomy were performed. Prostate was easily separated from the rectal wall and the tumor continuity was not proved. Immunohistochemical inspection indicated that the origin of the tumor cells of the rectum was the prostate. Histopathological examination of the rectum using the step section method showed no trace of cancer invasion but many cancer cells in the intramural lymphatic duct. We concluded that adenocarcinoma of the prostate metastasized to the rectum by way of lymphatic flow and caused the annular stricture of the rectum.

At the Center for Adult Diseases, Osaka, between 1961 and 1987, 28 cases (1.8%) of incidental prostatic adenocarcinoma were detected by transurethral or subcapsular prostatectomy for clinically benign prostatic hypertrophy (1388 cases) and cysto-prostatectomy for urinary bladder carcinoma (156). Nine (32%) and 19 (68%) cases were in stages A1 and A2, respectively. Of the 19 A2 cases, 9 were well, 9 were moderately and 1 was poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma. Five of the A2 and 1 of the A1 progressed into clinical carcinoma, but none of these patients died of the cancer. Four of these 5 A2 patients had received no treatment postoperatively and one received castration. The intervals from diagnosis to progression ranged from 11 to 78 months. The survival rates at 5 and 10 years with A1 were 75% and 75%, and those with A2 were 80% and 37%. We conclude that the patients in stage A2 should be treated because stage A2 tumors, especially those with no treatment, progress at a higher frequency than stage A1 tumors.

A case of retroperitoneal Hodgkin's disease with dysuria is reported. A 56-year-old man visited our hospital with the complaints of dysuria and lower abdominal mass. On physical examination, an unmovable hard smooth mass of fist size was palpable in the lower abdomen and prostate was slightly swelling by rectal digital examination. Excretory urography demonstrated medial deviation of left lower ureter and bladder deformity. Retrograde urethrocystography showed deviation and compression of prostatic urethra. On CT, tumors were composed of several round masses, which surrounded the left common iliac artery on angiography. Surgical extirpation was carried out and histological examination revealed Hodgkin's disease. As postoperative treatment, chemotherapy with cyclophosphamide, adriamycin, vincristine and prednisolone was performed, and 30 months after the operation the patient was asymptomatic.

TlInGaAs-InP double heterostructure light emitting diodes with a Tl composition of 6% operating in the wavelength range of 1.58 /spl mu/m have been fabricated by gas source molecular beam epitaxy and a very small temperature variation in the electroluminescence peak energy (-0.09 meV/K) observed.

A 21-month-old boy with penoscrotal hypospadias had chromosomal mosaicism of 45X/46XX karyotype, which was confirmed by examination of cultured peripheral lymphocytes and fibroblasts from the genital skin. The H-Y antigen from the peripheral blood was positive. This case represents an example of 45X/46XX mosaicism presenting as an almost normal male phenotype with a scrotal testis.