Pharmacological profile of the 5-HT(2C) receptor agonist WAY-163909; therapeutic potential in multiple indications

The 5-HT(2C) receptor subtype has been implicated in a wide variety of conditions including obesity, anxiety, depression, obsessive compulsive disorder, schizophrenia, migraine and erectile dysfunction and as a consequence has received considerable attention as a target for drug discovery. Here we review the pharmacological, pharmacokinetic and toxicological profile of WAY-163909 {(7bR,10aR)-1,2,3,4,8,9,10,10a-octahydro-7bH-cyclopenta-[b][1,4]diazepino[6,7,1hi]indole}, a novel 5-HT(2C) receptor selective agonist. Consistent with a potential therapeutic utility in obesity, schizophrenia and depression WAY-163909 was found to have robust dose-dependent effects in animal models of obesity, psychotic-like behavior or depression.

Some fungal endophytes from vegetable crops and their anti-oomycete activities against tomato late blight

AIMS

To isolate endophytic fungi from vegetable plants and examine their in vivo anti-oomycete activity against Phytophthora infestans in tomato plants.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Endophytic fungi were isolated from surface-sterilized plant tissues and anti-oomycete activity was measured by in vivo assay using tomato seedlings. Endophytic fungi showing potent anti-oomycete activity were identified by morphological characteristics and nuclear ribosomal ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 sequence analysis. A total of 152 isolates were obtained from 66 healthy tissue samples of cucumber, red pepper, tomato, pumpkin and Chinese cabbage and the fermentation broths of 23 isolates showed potent in vivo anti-oomycete activity against tomato late blight with control values over 90%. The Fusarium oxysporum strain EF119, which was isolated from roots of red pepper, showed the most potent disease control efficacy against tomato late blight. In dual-culture tests, it inhibited the growth of Pythium ultimum, P. infestans and Phytophthora capsici.

CONCLUSIONS

Among endophytic fungi isolated from healthy tissues of vegetable plants, F. oxysporum EF119 showed the most potent in vivo anti-oomycete activity against tomato late blight and in vitro anti-oomycete activity against several oomycete pathogens.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

Endophytic fungi showing anti-oomycete activity in vitro and in vivo may be used as biocontrol agents particularly of tomato late blight.

Ultrasonographic detection of hepatocellular carcinoma: correlation of preoperative ultrasonography and resected liver pathology

AIM

The aim of this study was to determine the sensitivity of ultrasonography for detecting hepatocellular carcinoma in patients who underwent surgical liver resection.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The preoperative ultrasonography reports of 103 patients who underwent hepatic resection surgery were retrospectively reviewed. The patients had chronic liver disease with good liver function and a relatively normal liver echo-texture. The presence of a mass or masses in the resected part of the liver segments on preoperative ultrasonography was regarded as possible hepatocellular carcinoma, and these results were compared with the surgically resected hepatic lobes or segments. Accuracy for detection was assessed on a lesion-by-lesion basis, on a segment-by-segment basis, and on a patient basis.

RESULTS

One hundred and fifty-seven hepatocellular carcinomas were found in 244 hepatic segments of 103 patients. One hundred and one of 157 hepatocellular carcinomas were detected using ultrasonography in 97 patients resulting in a sensitivity of 64%. In six patients, a solitary hepatocellular carcinoma was missed in each patient, a patient sensitivity being 94%. Using ultrasonography, 87 of 100 (87%) hepatocellular carcinomas larger than 2 cm in diameter, and 14 of 57 (25%) hepatocellular carcinomas 2 cm or smaller in diameter were revealed. On the basis of segment-by-segment analysis, the sensitivity was 78% (99 of 127 segments), specificity was 97% (114 of 117 segments), accuracy was 87% (213 of 244 segments), positive predictive value was 97% (99 of 102 segments), and negative predictive value was 80% (114 of 142 segments).

CONCLUSION

In patients with chronic liver disease and good hepatic function, ultrasonography has a sensitivity of 94% in the identification of affected patients, but for individual lesions, the sensitivity is only 64%.

Follicular cholangitis mimicking hilar cholangiocarcinoma

A 61-year-old man with intermittent periumbilical pain and high liver enzyme levels underwent spiral computed tomography of the abdomen with intravenous contrast medium enhancement. Abdominal computed tomogram showed wall thickening of both intrahepatic ducts and proximal common hepatic duct with enhancement. Direct cholangiogram showed severe smooth strictures from the common hepatic duct to both intrahepatic ducts. The findings were interpreted as hilar cholangiocarcinoma. The pathologic findings after surgical resection were consistent with follicular cholangitis.

Neurophysiological assessment of lower-limb voluntary control in incomplete spinal cord injury

STUDY DESIGN

Cross-sectional retrospective study of a neurophysiological method of voluntary motor control characterization.

OBJECTIVES

This study was undertaken to validate the surface electromyography (sEMG)-based voluntary response index (VRI) as an objective, quantitative, laboratory measure of spinal cord injury severity in terms of voluntary motor control disruption.

SETTING

VA Medical Centers in Houston and Dallas Texas, USA.

METHODS

A total of 67 subjects with incomplete spinal cord injury (iSCI), American Spinal Injury Association Impairment Scale (AIS)-C (n = 32) and -D (n = 35) were studied. sEMG recorded during a standardized protocol including eight lower-limb voluntary motor tasks was analyzed using the VRI method that relates multi-muscle activation patterns of SCI persons to those of healthy-subject prototypes (n = 15). The VRI is composed of a measure of the amount of the sEMG activity (magnitude) and the distribution of activity across muscle groups compared to that of healthy subjects for each motor task (similarity index, SI). These resulting VRI components, normalized magnitude and SI, were compared to AIS clinical findings in this study. Receiver operating characteristic analysis was performed to determine the SI values best separating AIS-C and AIS-D subjects.

RESULTS

Magnitude and SI for AIS-C subjects had mean values of 0.27 +/- 0.32 and 0.65 +/- 0.21, respectively. Both parameters were significantly larger in the AIS-D subjects (0.78 +/- 0.43 and 0.93 +/- 0.06), respectively (P < 0.01). An SI value of 0.85 was found to separate AIS-C and AIS-D groups with a sensitivity of 0.89 and a specificity of 0.81. Further, the VRI of each leg strongly correlated with the respective AIS motor score (0.80, r < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

In the domains of voluntary motor control, the sEMG-based VRI demonstrated adequate face validity and sensitivity to injury severity as currently measured by the AIS.

SPONSORSHIP

Veterans Affairs Medical Center.

Dysplastic nodules in liver cirrhosis: detection with triple phase helical dynamic CT

The purpose of this study was to determine the sensitivity of triple phase helical dynamic CT for detecting dysplastic nodules in patients with liver cirrhosis. 76 dysplastic nodules were confirmed by histopathological examination of the liver specimens after surgical resection in 21 patients or after explantation of the whole liver in 20 patients. Triple phase helical dynamic CT including arterial, portal venous and delayed phases was performed as a pre-operative evaluation for hepatocellular carcinoma. Two readers retrospectively evaluated the images. The presence of dysplastic nodules was determined by one-to-one correlation of the CT images and the pathological results in terms of the anatomical location and size of each nodule. Helical dynamic triple phase CT depicted eight of 76 dysplastic nodules (10%): five of 35 high grade dysplastic nodules (14%) and three of 41 low grade dysplastic nodules (7%). Triple phase helical dynamic CT is insensitive for detection of dysplastic nodules in cirrhotic livers.

Neurophysiological examination of the corticospinal system and voluntary motor control in motor-incomplete human spinal cord injury

This study employed neurophysiological methods to relate the condition of the corticospinal system with the voluntary control of lower-limb muscles in persons with motor-incomplete spinal cord injury. It consisted of two phases. In a group of ten healthy subjects, single and paired transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) of the motor cortex was used to study the behavior of the resulting motor evoked potentials (MEP) in lower-limb muscles. Interstimulus intervals (ISIs) of 15-100 ms were examined for augmentation of test MEPs by threshold or subthreshold conditioning stimuli. The second phase of this study examined eight incomplete spinal cord injured (iSCI) subjects, American Spinal Injury Association Impairment Scale C (n = 5) and D (n = 3) in whom voluntary motor control was quantified using the surface EMG (sEMG) based Voluntary Response Index (VRI). The VRI is calculated to characterize relative output patterns across ten lower-limb muscles recorded during a standard protocol of elementary voluntary motor tasks. VRI components were calculated by comparing the distribution of sEMG in iSCI subjects with prototype patterns collected from 15 healthy subjects using the same rigidly administered protocol, The resulting similarity index (SI) and magnitude values provided the measure of voluntary motor control. Corticospinal system connections were characterized by the thresholds for MEPs in key muscles. Key muscles were those that function as the prime-movers, or agonists for the voluntary movements from which the VRI data were calculated. Results include healthy-subject data that showed significant increases in conditioned MEP responses with paired stimuli of 15-50 ms ISI. Stimulus pairs of 75 and 100 ms showed no increase in MEP peak amplitude over that of the single-pulse conditioning stimulus alone, usually no response. For the iSCI subjects, 42% of the agonists responded to single-pulse TMS and 25% required paired-pulse TMS to produce an MEP. American Spinal Injury Association Impairment Scale component motor scores for agonist muscles, Quadriceps, Tibialis Anterior, and Triceps Surae, were significantly lower where MEPs could not be obtained (p < 0.05). VRI values were also significantly lower for motor tasks with agonists that had no resting MEP (p < 0.01). Therefore, the presence of a demonstrable connection between the motor cortex and spinal motor neurons in persons with SCI was related to the quality of post-injury voluntary motor control as assessed by the VRI.

Arteriovenous malformation of the pancreas in a patient with gastrointestinal bleeding: helical CT findings

Dynamic computed tomographic (CT) findings of arteriovenous malformation (AVM) of the pancreas include strong enhancement or conglomeration of small hypervascular spots in the pancreas and early contrast filling of the portal vein during the arterial phase. We describe a case with pancreatic AVM in which we identified enlarged arterial feeders and draining veins as supportive findings of the diagnosis and ulceration into the pancreatic duct as a possible cause of gastrointestinal bleeding at contrast-enhanced CT.

Toward an objective interpretation of surface EMG patterns: a voluntary response index (VRI)

Individuals with incomplete spinal cord injuries (SCI) retain varying degrees of voluntary motor control. The complexity of the motor control system and the nature of the recording biophysics have inhibited efforts to develop objective measures of voluntary motor control. This paper proposes the definition and use of a voluntary response index (VRI) calculated from quantitative analysis of surface electromyographic (sEMG) data recorded during defined voluntary movement as a sensitive measure of voluntary motor control in such individuals. The VRI is comprised of two numeric values, one derived from the total muscle activity recorded for the voluntary motor task (magnitude), and the other from the sEMG distribution across the recorded muscles (similarity index (SI)). Calculated as a vector, the distribution of sEMG from the test subject is compared to the average vector calculated from sEMG recordings of the same motor task from 10 neurologically intact subjects in a protocol called brain motor control assessment (BMCA). To evaluate the stability of the VRI, a group of five healthy subjects were individually compared to the prototype, average healthy-subject vectors for all of the maneuvers. To evaluate the sensitivity of this method, the VRI was obtained from two SCI subjects participating in other research studies. One was undergoing supported treadmill ambulation training, and the other a controlled withdrawal of anti-spasticity medications. The supported treadmill training patient's VRI, calculated from pre- and post-training BMCA recordings, reflected the qualitative changes in sEMG patterns and functional improvement of motor control. The VRI of the patient followed by serial BMCA during medication withdrawal also reflected changes in the motor control as a result of changes in anti-spasticity medication. To validate this index for clinical use, serial studies using larger numbers of subjects with compromised motor control should be performed.

Multiple infarcted regenerative nodules in liver cirrhosis after systemic hypotension due to septic shock: radiologic findings

We describe a case of multiple infarcted regenerative nodules in a patient with advanced liver cirrhosis who had experienced an episode of septic shock. Sonography showed multiple hypoechoic or isoechoic nodules; contrast-enhanced computed tomography showed multiple, low-attenuating nodules with rim enhancement; and magnetic resonance imaging showed multiple nodules of low, iso-, or high signal intensity. Explanted liver showed coagulation necrosis of multiple regenerative nodules. Peribiliary cysts in chronic liver diseases, liver abscesses, spontaneous necrosis of hepatocellular carcinomas, and metastasis should be differentiated.

Completely isolated enteric duplication cyst: case report

We present a case of a completely isolated enteric duplication cyst in a 28-year-old man. Computed tomography showed a large complex cystic mass with curvilinear and nodular calcifications near the anterior aspect of the left kidney. It had no connection to the pancreas, stomach, small bowel, or large bowel. We found no report describing computed tomographic findings of completely isolated enteric duplication cyst in the English-language literature.

Identification of a novel route of extraction of sirolimus in human small intestine: roles of metabolism and secretion

Using Caco-2 cell monolayers expressing CYP3A4, we investigated the interplay between metabolism and transport on the first-pass intestinal extraction of the immunosuppressant sirolimus, a CYP3A4/P-glycoprotein (P-gp) substrate. Modified Caco-2 cells metabolized [(14)C]sirolimus to the predicted amounts of CYP3A4-mediated products based on CYP3A4 content, which was approximately 20% of that measured in human small intestinal mucosal homogenate. [(14)C]Sirolimus also degraded to the known ring-opened product, seco-rapamycin. Unexpectedly, a ring-opened dihydro metabolite (M2) was the major product detected in cells at all sirolimus concentrations examined (2-100 microM). Greater M2 formation after apical versus basolateral dosing (1.6-fold) was explained by higher intracellular content of sirolimus after apical dosing. M2 was not detected in incubations with human liver and intestinal microsomes but was readily detected with corresponding homogenates. M2 formation was NADPH-dependent but unaffected by the CYP3A4 inhibitors ketoconazole and troleandomycin. Although M2 was formed from purified seco-rapamycin (20 microM) in the homogenates, it was not detected in cells when seco-rapamycin was added to the apical compartment, because seco-rapamycin was essentially impermeable to the apical membrane. Sirolimus, seco-rapamycin (basolaterally dosed), and M2 were all actively secreted across the apical membrane, and secretion of each was inhibited by the P-gp inhibitor LY335979 [(2R)-anti-5-[3-[4-(10,11-difluoromethanodibenzo-suber-5-yl)piperazin-1-yl]-2-hydroxypropoxy]quinoline trihydrochloride]. Along with CYP3A4-mediated metabolism and P-gp-mediated secretion, we conclude that the following novel pathway, which occurs at least in the intestine, may contribute significantly to the first-pass extraction of sirolimus in humans: intracellular degradation of sirolimus to seco-rapamycin, metabolism of seco-rapamycin to M2 by an unidentified non-microsomal enzyme, and P-gp-mediated secretion of M2 and seco-rapamycin.

Effects of bergenin, the major constituent of Mallotus japonicus against D-galactosamine-induced hepatotoxicity in rats

The hepatoprotective effects of bergenin, a major constituent of Mallotus japonicus, were evaluated against D-galactosamine (GalN)-induced liver damage in rats. Bergenin (50, 100 and 200 mg/kg) was given orally once daily for 7 successive days and then GalN 400 mg/kg was injected intraperitoneally to rats at 24 and 96 h after the final administration of bergenin. Pretreatment with bergenin reduced the increased enzyme activities of alanine/aspartate aminotransferase, sorbitol dehydrogenase, gamma-glutamyltransferase and the elevated level of malondialdehyde induced by GalN. Bergenin restored the decreased hepatic contents of glutathione as well as the decreased activities of glutathione S-transferase and glutathione reductase by GalN towards normalization, suggesting that the hepatoprotective effects of bergenin may consist in maintaining adequate levels of hepatic glutathione for the removal of xenobiotics. The present results indicate that bergenin has hepatoprotective effects against GalN-induced hepatotoxicity in rats.

Hepatocellular carcinoma treated with percutaneous radio-frequency ablation: evaluation with follow-up multiphase helical CT

PURPOSE

To determine serial changes in hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs) treated with percutaneous radio-frequency (RF) ablation at long-term follow-up multiphase helical computed tomography (CT).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

There were 43 nodular HCCs in 40 patients at follow-up CT performed not less than 12 months after RF ablation. All patients underwent follow-up multiphase helical CT immediately, 1 month, and then every 3 months after percutaneous RF ablation. The serial changes in attenuation, enhancement pattern, shape, other findings, and volume of the ablated lesions were analyzed at follow-up CT.

RESULTS

Thirty-eight (88%) of 43 ablated lesions were of low attenuation, with absence of contrast material enhancement at immediate and 1-month follow-up CT, which is suggestive of successful treatment. The remaining five lesions (12%) showed peripheral nodular enhancement, suggesting residual viable tumor. Compared with volume changes at immediate follow-up CT, the mean percentages of volume change at 1, 4, 10, 16, and 19 months were 79%, 50%, 27%, 11%, and 6%, respectively. Of 43 ablated lesions, 24 (56%) were mostly round at immediate CT and remained unchanged at subsequent follow-up CT. Peripheral rim enhancement was seen in 34 (79%) of 43 lesions at immediate CT but resolved in all 34 lesions at 1-month follow-up CT. Other associated findings included iatrogenic arteriovenous shunt in 10 patients, perihepatic hemorrhage in three, and pneumothorax in one.

CONCLUSION

Follow-up multiphase helical CT of HCCs treated with percutaneous RF ablation showed variable findings in the treated lesions and surrounding liver parenchyma.

Radiologic spectrum of cholangiocarcinoma: emphasis on unusual manifestations and differential diagnoses

Most cholangiocarcinomas are ductal adenocarcinomas that arise from both intra- and extrahepatic bile duct epithelium, and their typical growth pattern can be classified as exophytic, infiltrative, polypoid, or a combination of these. Those of unusual histologic type (eg, mucin-hypersecreting cholangiocarcinoma, squamous adenocarcinoma, biliary cystadenocarcinoma, and mucinous carcinoma) show a growth pattern different from that of the typical ones (ie, ductal). Cholangiocarcinomas frequently develop in patients with any of a variety of preexisting bile duct diseases, some of which are considered precursors of cholangiocarcinoma (eg, biliary lithiasis, clonorchiasis, recurrent pyogenic cholangitis, and primary sclerosing cholangitis). Some bulky hepatic tumors of either primary or secondary origin mimic exophytic peripheral cholangiocarcinoma. Some variants of hepatocellular carcinoma, such as sclerosing, fibrolamellar, and cholangiohepatocellular carcinoma, resemble exophytic peripheral cholangiocarcinoma, while that with intraductal growth resembles polypoid cholangiocarcinoma. Among benign bile duct diseases, tumorous conditions (eg, benign biliary tumors) may mimic polypoid cholangiocarcinoma, whereas benign stricture of various causes (eg, cholangitides, traumatic and postsurgical sequelae, chronic pancreatitis, papillary stenosis) usually mimics infiltrative cholangiocarcinoma.

Essential techniques for successful radio-frequency thermal ablation of malignant hepatic tumors

Radio-frequency thermal ablation is one of the most promising minimally invasive techniques for the treatment of nonresectable hepatic tumors. Essential technical tips to successful radio-frequency ablation therapy were collected from five international experts. They were organized into five categories: understanding the mechanisms and principles of radio-frequency ablation, modulation of tissue physiologic characteristics to increase tumor destruction, strategies of overlapping ablations, strategies to improve ablation according to tumor location, and imaging strategies after ablation to ensure adequate therapy. Established factors for optimal ablation, as well as emerging technical tips, are addressed with illustrations in each section. These essential tips will be very helpful for physicians performing radio-frequency ablation of hepatic tumors.

Conspicuity of hepatocellular nodular lesions in cirrhotic livers at ferumoxides-enhanced MR imaging: importance of Kupffer cell number

PURPOSE

To correlate the conspicuity of hepatocellular carcinomas and dysplastic nodules on ferumoxides-enhanced magnetic resonance (MR) images with the number of Kupffer cells in the hepatic lesions, as compared with that in background liver in histopathologic findings.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Sixty-nine histopathologically proved moderately or poorly differentiated hepatocellular carcinomas, 10 well-differentiated hepatocellular carcinomas, and 19 dysplastic nodules were retrospectively studied in 68 patients with cirrhosis who underwent ferumoxides-enhanced MR imaging. The contrast-to-noise ratio between the nodules and surrounding parenchyma was calculated at T2-weighted fast spin-echo imaging, and the difference in the number of Kupffer cells between the nodules and surrounding hepatic tissue was calculated histopathologically. The results of MR imaging and histopathologic examination were correlated.

RESULTS

All 69 moderately or poorly differentiated hepatocellular carcinomas had high contrast-to-noise ratios at MR imaging and large differences in the number of Kupffer cells. Six of the 10 well-differentiated hepatocellular carcinomas had contrast-to-noise ratios of zero or nearly zero, and five of these had little difference in the number of Kupffer cells. All 19 dysplastic nodules had contrast-to-noise ratios of zero or nearly zero, and there were virtually no differences in the number of Kupffer cells.

CONCLUSION

Hepatocellular nodule conspicuity at ferumoxides-enhanced MR imaging depends on differences in the number of Kupffer cells within a nodule and the surrounding cirrhotic liver; moderately or poorly differentiated hepatocellular carcinomas can be distinguished from well-differentiated hepatocellular carcinomas and dysplastic nodules.

Detection of hepatocellular carcinoma: combined T2-weighted and dynamic gadolinium-enhanced MRI versus combined CT during arterial portography and CT hepatic arteriography

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study was to compare the preoperative detectability of hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs) using combined T2-weighted and dynamic gadolinium-enhanced MRI and combined CT during arterial portography (CTAP) and CT hepatic arteriography (CTHA).

METHOD

Thirty-three patients with 43 HCCs underwent T2-weighted and dynamic gadolinium-enhanced MRI and combined CTAP and CTHA. The diagnosis was established by pathologic examination following surgical resection in 26 patients and by biopsy in 7 patients. The MR protocol included fast SE with two TEs (including T2-weighted imaging) and precontrast and gadolinium-enhanced T1-weighted fast multiplanar spoiled gradient-recalled echo images with dynamic study. The MR images of all sequences and the paired CTAP and CTHA images were independently reviewed by three radiologists. Image review was conducted on a segment-by-segment basis. Diagnostic accuracy was evaluated with receiver operating characteristic analysis.

RESULTS

The accuracies (Az values) of MRI of all sequences and combined CTAP and CTHA for all observers were 0.960 and 0.959, respectively. The mean sensitivities of MRI and CT were 90 and 94%, respectively. The differences were not statistically significant. The mean specificity of MRI (99%) was significantly higher than that of combined CTAP and CTHA (92%).

CONCLUSION

Combined T2-weighted and dynamic gadolinium-enhanced MRI is as accurate as combined CTAP and CTHA for preoperative detection of HCCs.

An intelligent data acquisition system for simultaneous screening of microsomal stability and metabolite profiling by liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry

This paper describes the development of a mass spectrometer-based, intelligent, programmable, sample-selection data acquisition system with two unique features. One is that the system allows automatic determination of the mass to charge ratio (m/z) of an unknown compound and the utilization of the molecular ion information to perform selective ion monitoring (SIM) experiments for quantitation. The other is its decision-making capability to select intelligently different samples and perform different experiments during data acquisition. These features were demonstrated by the application of the system to simultaneous screening for the microsomal stability and metabolite profiling of adatanserin. In this application, the data acquisition system continuously calculated the peak areas of adatanserin from SIM analyses of a batch of microsomal incubates stopped at various time points. Once the peak area of adatanserin had dropped to an arbitrarily predefined 60% of the initial value, the system made a decision to perform metabolite profiling of the sample. This decision initiated a series of automated operations, such as selecting a sample for re-analysis, changing the data acquisition time and liquid chromatographic gradient and switching the SIM mode to the data-dependent product ion scanning mode. The completed analysis of the batch of samples provided information both on the microsomal stability and on the metabolic profile of adatanserin. This simultaneous approach to investigating microsomal stability and metabolite profiling significantly increases the throughput for drug discovery support.

Hepatocellular carcinoma: correlation between vascular endothelial growth factor level and degree of enhancement by multiphase contrast-enhanced computed tomography

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES

To determine whether vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a histopathological factor influencing contrast enhancement of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) on computed tomography (CT).

METHODS

Twenty-two nodular HCCs underwent multiphase helical CT and surgery. Tumor size, histological grading of differentiation, and type of hepatitis were evaluated. Tumor attenuation was graded as hyperattenuated, isoattenuated, and hypoattenuated. Immunohistochemical staining with anti-VEGF antibody was performed and scored as weak, intermediate, or strong. Spearman's rank correlation test was used.

RESULTS

Tumors ranged from 1.0 to 12.0 cm (mean 5.1 cm). The degree of enhancement during the hepatic arterial phase was significantly correlated with VEGF expression. Size was negatively correlated with VEGF expression and the degree of enhancement, but histological grade and type of hepatitis were not correlated with VEGF expression, tumor size, or degree of enhancement.

CONCLUSIONS

In HCC, VEGF expression is correlated with the degree of contrast enhancement during arterial-phase CT.

A new method for assessing foliar uptake of fungicides using Congo Red as a tracer

In order to develop a new method for measuring foliar uptake of fungicides, Congo Red was selected as a tracer, and optimum procedures were established for washing, extracting and analyzing it and fungicides from leaf surfaces. Congo Red, a water-soluble dye, was not absorbed into cucumber or rice leaf, even in the presence of various surfactants, and was completely washable from leaf surfaces by aqueous acetonitrile solutions. Congo Red and fungicides in washings were quantified to calculate the amount of foliar uptake of the latter, by comparing the ratio to Congo Red. The optimum concentration of Congo Red in a formulation should be established in order to minimize its influence on fungicide uptake. Although Congo Red has proved to be useful with a conventional droplet application method, it will give more realistic and practical results with the spraying method used in the present study.

Enantioselective determination of metoprolol and major metabolites in human urine by capillary electrophoresis

The enantiomeric separation of metoprolol and its metabolites in human urine was undertaken using capillary electrophoresis (CE). Resolution of the enantiomers was achieved using carboxymethyl-beta-cyclodextrin (CM-beta-CD) as the chiral selector. A 100-mM acetate buffer (pH 4.0) containing 5% 2-propanol and 10 mM CM-beta-CD resulted in the optimum separation of the metoprolol enantiomers and its acidic metabolite in human urine. Following a single metoprolol oral administration of 100 mg racemic metoprolol tartrate, stereoselective pharmacokinetic analysis showed that urinary acidic metabolite 3 of metoprolol accounted for 62.3% of the dose with an R/S ratio of 1.23 and urinary unchanged metoprolol 1 accounted for 6.3% of the dose with an R/S ratio of 0.72.