Ultralow-loss mirror of the parts-in-10(6) level at 1064 nm

We describe an ultralow-loss and high-reflectance mirror at 1064 nm. A Fabry-Perot cavity is fabricated with two mirrors to measure the finesse and the transmission efficiency on resonance. The finesse was cross checked by two different methods: measurements of the cavity decay time and of the frequency-response function. As a result, a loss of 6 +/- 6 x 10(-6) (6 +/- 6 parts in 10(6), scatter and absorption) and a finesse of 2236 +/- 54 were measured during the cavity decay time. This result coincides with that of the response function within accuracies cited above. To our knowledge, the loss is the lowest obtained at 1064 nm.

Correlation between serum pepsinogen concentration and gastric acidity measured by 24 h pH monitoring

The relationship between the intragastric pH measured by 24 h pH monitoring system and the serum pepsinogen I/II ratio was studied in 68 cases. When pepsinogen I/II ratio was compared with pH 3.0 holding time (the percentage time during which the gastric pH is above 3.0), there was a negative correlation between these two parameters (correlation coefficient r = -0.62, P < 0.001). Furthermore, there was also a strong negative correlation between the early morning (from 03.00 to 06.00 h) gastric pH and pepsinogen I/II ratio (r = -0.76, P < 0.001). Accordingly, by simply measuring serum pepsinogen I and II, it may be possible to infer gastric acidity and to obtain the information concerning the early morning intragastric pH.

[A case of advanced cancer of the renal pelvis effectively treated by continuous infusion of 5-fluorouracil]

We obtained a partial response to a transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) of the renal pelvis with multiple metastasis following a 24-hour continuous injection of 5-FU (5 fluorouracil) over a period of 8 weeks. After treatment we could successfully remove the primary lesion. After removal of the primary lesion, the patient lived for three months. Because the effects of this treatment, compared to those of combination chemotherapy, are mild, it is useful for elderly patients with progressive TCC.

[A case of ureteritis with a course of rapidly progressing stricture]

Rapidly progressing stricture of the ureter with non-specific ureteritis is very rare and neither pathogenesis nor reliable treatment is known. We report a case of ureteritis in a 51-year-old woman with a stricture rapidly progressing over a course of 2 months. She was sent to us for left hydronephrosis. Retrograde pyelography (RP) revealed a 5 cm stricture in the left ureter. CT showed no abnormal mass in the retroperitoneum. Gastro-intestinal and gynecological inspection revealed no abnormalities. As a second RP showed 9 cm stricture 2 months later, we performed a biopsy of the ureter and examined it pathologically. There was no evidence of malignancy, but we performed a left nephroureterectomy, because of the stricture in the entire left ureter. Pathological study of the kidney and the ureter showed a non-specific inflammation of the entire urothelium without malignancy. There has been no recurrence in the right ureter.

Incidence of fundic gland polyps in patients without familial adenomatous polyposis

The incidence of fundic gland polyps was evaluated using a high-resolution videoendoscope. In 1388 upper gastrointestinal endoscopic studies, 26 cases of fundic gland polyps (1.9% of the studied cases) were found. None of these patients had evidence of familial adenomatous polyposis. Fifteen of these patients (58%) had a solitary polyp in the gastric body, most of which were small sessile polyps of less than 2 mm in diameter. The results of this study indicated that a small solitary fundic gland polyp is not a rare gastric lesion and that little relationship exists between these solitary fundic gland polyps and familial adenomatous polyposis.

Cytomegalovirus mononucleosis--associated gastric ulcers in normal host

A case of cytomegalovirus (CMV) mononucleosis associated with gastric ulcers is reported in a normal non-immunocompromised host. The demonstration of intranuclear inclusion bodies in a few gastric glandular epithelial cells contributed to the diagnosis of CMV gastritis. Extraction of DNA from the gastric biopsy specimens and the amplification of CMV-DNA by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) showed the presence of CMV-DNA in the gastric mucosa. In situ hybridization with a probe derived from CMV genomic regions demonstrated the numerous glandular cells with CMV-DNA at the nuclear region. Treatment with a proton pump inhibitor to suppress gastric acid secretion was useful to mitigate the epigastralgia and to hasten the ulcer healing. The value of highly sensitive PCR and the in situ hybridization method to detect the CMV-DNA were emphasized for rapid and sensitive diagnosis of CMV gastritis.

Acinar cell carcinoma of the pancreas with elevated serum alpha-fetoprotein levels: a case report and a review of 28 cases reported in Japan

A 60-year-old male with elevated serum AFP levels is reported. Other tumor markers apart from AFP were normal. Serum AFP did not bind to Con A or Lentil-lectin by affinity chromatography. Abdominal ultrasonography, computed tomography and endoscopic retrograded cholangiopancreatography demonstrated a tumor extending from the body to the tail of the pancreas. The tumor was strongly suggested to be an acinar cell carcinoma of the pancreas, based on the histological findings of the resected specimen. The peroxidase-antiperoxidase method showed cancer cells to be positive for AFP. In Japan, only 27 cases of pancreatic cancer with elevated serum AFP level have been reported. This is the first Japanese case of pancreatic cancer in which the binding of serum AFP to lectins was investigated.

Fentanyl for sedation during upper gastrointestinal endoscopy

The effects of sedation by intravenous fentanyl on the rate-pressure product (pulse rate x systolic blood pressure/100), arterial oxygen saturation, electrocardiographic change, and serum cortisol concentration were studied during gastroduodenoscopy in 84 patients randomized to receive fentanyl or no intravenous sedative (controls). Fentanyl administration increased the tolerance of patients and attenuated the endoscopy-induced rise in rate-pressure product and serum cortisol concentration. Desaturation of arterial oxygen was minimal and there was no difference in arterial oxygen saturation between the fentanyl group and the control group. Therefore, fentanyl appears to be a favorable sedative for upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, since its administration increased the tolerance of patients and decreased cardiac oxygen consumption.

Gastroesophageal reflux after endoscopic injection sclerotherapy

The effect of sclerotherapy of esophageal varices on the gastroesophageal reflux was studied. Gastroesophageal reflux was monitored by a 24-h pH-monitoring catheter introduced into the distal esophagus. The results of pH monitoring of 16 patients who underwent sclerotherapy were compared with those of 21 patients with untreated varices. Seven of the 16 treated patients showed high occurrence rates of gastroesophageal reflux comparable to those observed in cases with severe reflux esophagitis. In the untreated group, only one patient showed pathological reflux (there was a significant difference between treated and untreated groups; p less than 0.01). When the level of reflux was compared with factors that might influence sclerotherapy-induced gastroesophageal reflux, there was a positive correlation between the magnitude of reflux and amount of sclerosant injected paravariceally in the submucosal tissue (p less than 0.05). The results indicate that the paravariceal injection of sclerosant for the treatment of esophageal varix may cause pathological gastroesophageal reflux after sclerotherapy is completed.

[Age-related effects of gastroduodenoscopy on arterial oxygen saturation]

Although endoscopy is widely used for safe and accurate examinations of gastroduodenal disease cases, several investigators reported arterial oxygen desaturation occurring during endoscopy. Endoscopy-induced oxygen desaturation is hazardous because it increases the risk of cardiac arrhythmia. This study is designed to investigate whether gastroduodenal endoscopy causes remarkable oxygen desaturation in elderly patients in comparison with younger ones and to study whether nasal oxygen administration can prevent it. Forty-four patients over 61 years old and 37 patients younger than 60 were divided into two groups, to one of which 100% oxygen (2 l/min) was administered through nasal prongs. During endoscopy, blood pressure, pulse rate, and arterial oxygen saturation (SaO2) were recorded at one-minute intervals by a pulse oximeter. Intubation of the endoscope caused a transient drop in oxygen saturation both younger and older patients with greater drops in older subjects (1.7 +/- 0.4% in the young and 3.3 +/- 0.8% in the old groups). In the older groups, two out of 20 patients who had no oxygen administration showed a saturation decrease of over 7%. On the other hand, no younger subject showed such a large degree of oxygen desaturation. Oxygen administration effectively prevented the endoscopy-induced desaturation both in younger and in older patients. In summary, the results of this study suggested that older subjects had a greater decrease of oxygen saturation during gastroduodenofiberscopy and that oxygen administration is useful to prevent the endoscopy-induced desaturation.

Arterial oxygen saturation, blood pressure, and pulse rate during upper gastrointestinal endoscopy--influence of sedation and age

We studied the effect of sedation by I.V. meperidine on blood pressure, pulse rate, and arterial oxygen saturation during upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. Meperidine increased the tolerance of the patients and attenuated the endoscopy-induced rise in blood pressure and pulse rate. Arterial oxygen saturation was transiently depressed in the first few minutes of the endoscopic procedure even without sedation, and meperidine administration did not aggravate this oxygen desaturation. Therefore, meperidine may be a favorable sedative for upper gastrointestinal endoscopy because its treatment increases the tolerance of patients and decreases cardiac oxygen demand without decreasing arterial oxygen saturation.

Primary chylopericardium with pulmonary shadow and large granular lymphocytosis: a case report

A 79-year-old man with primary chylopericardium associated with large granular lymphocytosis was followed for more than 26 years. Except for development of dyspnea on exertion during the past four years and more recently cough with sputum production, he has remained largely asymptomatic over this interval. Based on detailed examinations of cellular and humoral immunity, we speculate that increased natural killer cell activity and an increased number of large granular lymphocytes circulating in his peripheral blood represent a reactive response to production of various cytokines secondary to persistent loss (? chyloptysis) and sequestration of central lymph.

Two cases of gastric antral vascular ectasia--response to medical treatment

Two patients with severe iron deficiency anemia and gastric antral vascular ectasia (GAVE) are reported. The anemia caused by the chronic blood loss from the abnormally dilated mucosal and submucosal capillary veins in the gastric antrum was unresponsive to oral iron supplementation. However, one of the patients was successfully treated with intramuscular injection of (Asu1,7) eel calcitonin. The other one was treated by oral prednisolone with resulting improvement iron deficiency anemia. The possible mechanisms of successful calcitonin and prednisolone treatments on chronic blood loss from GAVE is discussed.

A case of gastric plasmacytoma: genetic analysis and immunofixation electrophoresis

A case of early gastric plasmacytoma in a 66-yr-old woman is reported. The demonstration of monotypic IgM lambda immunoglobulin in plasma cells infiltrating the gastric antrum contributed the histological diagnosis. Genetic analysis of the tumor cells confirmed the presence of a monoclonal neoplastic population of plasma cells in the tumor. Monoclonal immunoglobulin (IgM lambda) was demonstrated in serum, not by conventional immunoelectrophoresis, but by a highly sensitive immunofixation electrophoresis technique. Serum monoclonal immunoglobulin disappeared after subtotal gastrectomy. The value of immunofixation electrophoresis of serum protein and DNA analysis of tumor cells was emphasized for the diagnosis of gastric plasmacytoma.

[Treatment of priapism by caverno-spongio-anastomosis]

We experienced two cases of priapism; one, idiopathic and low flow type, the other post-traumatic and high flow type. We tried caverno-spongio-anastomosis (CSA) as an operative treatment in both cases. Postoperative courses were uneventful. We suggest that CSA is a simple and reliable treatment of priapism.

Galanin stimulates immunoreactive growth hormone-releasing factor secretion from rat hypothalamic slices perifused in vitro

The effect of galanin (GAL) on the release of GH-releasing factor (GRF) and somatostatin (SRIF) was examined in an in vitro perifusion system of rat hypothalamic slices. GAL at doses of 10(-7) and 10(-6)M stimulated the release of immunoreactive GRF while it failed to affect SRIF release. Therefore, in vivo stimulation of GH release by GAL may be explained in part by the GRF-releasing effect of this peptide.

Physiological role of somatostatin-mediated autofeedback regulation for growth hormone: importance of growth hormone in triggering somatostatin release during a trough period of pulsatile growth hormone release in conscious male rats

In mammals including human, it is generally accepted that growth hormone (GH) can regulate its own secretion through an autofeedback mechanism in which somatostatin (SRIF) may be involved. To explore a physiological role of SRIF-mediated GH autoregulation, the effect of exogenous human GH administration on plasma rat GH response to [D-Ala2, Nle27]-human GH-releasing hormone-(1-28)-agmatine (hGHRH-analog), which does not crossreact with anti-rat GH-releasing hormone gamma-globulin (GHRH-Ab), was examined in conscious male rats treated with GHRH-Ab in the absence and presence of anti-SRIF gamma-globulin (SRIF-Ab). Enhanced SRIF release during a trough period of natural pulsatile GH secretion, suggested by the blunted GH response to exogenous hGHRH-analog, no longer occurred when major GH secretory bursts were abolished by GHRH-Ab treatment. On the other hand, when hGH was administered in GHRH-Ab-treated rats so as to simulate the quantity and dynamic change of GH in hypophysial portal circulation in rats exhibiting pulsatile GH secretion, hGHRH-analog-induced GH rises were significantly suppressed during the period corresponding to a GH trough. This suppression was completely prevented by simultaneous treatment with SRIF-Ab. Furthermore, administration of bovine GH, but not ovine prolactin, resulted in significant suppression of hGHRH-analog-provoked GH rises. These findings suggest that enhanced SRIF release during a trough period of spontaneous GH secretory rhythm is induced by the preceding GH secretory burst, and also suggest a possible role for SRIF-mediated GH autoregulation in a physiological state.

Insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) production and the presence of IGF-I receptors in rat medullary thyroid carcinoma cell line 6-23 (clone 6)

To clarify whether insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) is an autocrine growth factor of rat medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) cell line, 6-23 (clone 6), IGF-I binding to MTC cell membranes, IGF-I levels in the conditioned culture medium of MTC cells and the effects of IGF-I on methyl-[3H]thymidine incorporation to MTC cells were examined. Scatchard analysis of saturation binding studies revealed the association constant and the maximal binding capacity were 1.0 x 10(9) M-1 and 199 fmol/mg of membrane protein, respectively. The binding of [125I]IGF-I to MTC cell membranes was inhibited by unlabeled IGF-I, IGF-II and insulin; the relative potencies were IGF-I greater than IGF-II much greater than insulin, suggesting the presence of type I IGF receptors in MTC cells. IGF-I levels in the conditioned culture medium of MTC cells were 120 +/- 3 pM (mean + SE). IGF-I (10(-10) to 10(-8) M) dose-dependently stimulated methyl-[3H]thymidine incorporation to MTC cells. These findings suggest a possible role of IGF-I as an autocrine growth factor for MTC cells.

Effects of dopamine on immunoreactive growth hormone-releasing factor and somatostatin secretion from rat hypothalamic slices perifused in vitro

The effects of dopamine (DA) on the release of GRF and somatostatin (SRIF) from the hypothalami of adult male rats were examined in an in vitro perifusion system using horizontal hypothalamic slices, 400 micron thick, including the median eminence and arcuate nuclei. When hypothalamic slices from five animals were perfused in a chamber with artificial cerebrospinal fluid (ACSF) at a flow rate of 100 microliters/min under a gaseous phase of 95% O2 and 5% CO2 at 37 C, rat (r) GRF- and SRIF-like immunoreactivities (-LI) were constantly detected in 30-min perifusates at least until 240 min of perifusion, and during the perifusion with 60 mM K+, the concentrations of rGRF-LI and SRIF-LI were increased 2.1 and 3.2 times, respectively, over basal values. Under the perifusion with ACSF containing normal goat gamma-globulin, the addition of 10(-8) M DA resulted in a significant increase in SRIF-LI from 8.2 +/- 0.3 to 14.3 +/- 1.5 pg/hypothalamus.30 min, but conversely, it caused a slight but significant decrease in rGRF-LI from 4.5 +/- 0.9 to 2.0 +/- 0.3 pg/hypothalamus.30 min. On the other hand, 10(-8) and 10(-6) M DA significantly stimulated rGRF-LI release from hypothalamic slices perifused with ACSF containing anti-SRIF goat gamma-globulin. These findings suggest that DA is a secretagogue for both SRIF and rGRF in the hypothalamus, but the rGRF-stimulating effect of DA is masked unless the action of endogenous SRIF is attenuated.

Orchiopexy for intravaginal testicular torsion. Ring-shaped fixation of the lower part of the testis

As a surgical therapy for intravaginal testicular torsion, we developed a testicular fixation method considering the testis in intravaginal testicular torsion in comparison with the normal one. With our method, the lower part of the testis is fixed in a ring form around the testicular long axis to show the wide extravaginal area similar to that of a normal testis. We believe that this method is simple, logical and effective to fix the testis in intravaginal testicular torsion.

Discordance between growth hormone (GH) responses after GH-releasing hormone and insulin hypoglycemia in myotonic dystrophy

Plasma GH responses to human GHRH, arginine, L-dopa, and insulin-induced hypoglycemia were determined in seven myotonic dystrophy (MD) patients. An iv bolus injection of GHRH-(1-44)-NH2 (1 microgram/kg BW) only slightly increased plasma GH concentrations in MD patients. The mean peak plasma GH level after GHRH injection [4.2 +/- 0.8 (+/- SE) micrograms/L] was significantly lower than that in 10 age-matched normal subjects (26.7 +/- 4.3 micrograms/L) or that in 6 patients with progressive muscular dystrophy (22.8 +/- 6.6 micrograms/L) whose nutritional status was similar to that of the MD patients. Even with a larger dose of GHRH (3 micrograms/kg BW), the plasma GH rises were minimal in the MD patients (mean peak, 5.9 +/- 1.8 micrograms/L). The plasma GH responses to a 30-min iv infusion of arginine (0.5 g/kg BW) and oral ingestion of L-dopa (0.5 g) were attenuated to a similar extent, whereas insulin-induced hypoglycemia caused a significant increase in plasma GH in all seven MD patients [mean peak, 17.4 +/- 4.1 (+/- SE) microgram/L]. The plasma TSH responses to TRH and plasma insulin-like growth factor I levels were similar in the MD patients and normal subjects. These findings suggest that 1) the impaired GH release after GHRH, arginine, and L-dopa administration in MD patients is not due to somatotroph deficiency, since the GH response to hypoglycemia is well preserved; and 2) insulin-induced hypoglycemia may stimulate GH release at least in part via inhibition of somatostatin release.