Immunohistochemical type distinction of alpha-fetoprotein in various alpha-fetoprotein-secreting tumors

In order to clarify the histogenesis of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP)-secreting tumor tissues, formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded serial sections of 148 tumors in various organs were examined by the peroxidase-antiperoxidase method for AFP, and paradoxical concanavalin A staining. Yolk sac-type AFP was found in yolk sac tumors, embryonal carcinomas, solid teratomas, (yolk sac) endodermal cell tumors, adenocarcinomas (stomach, ovary or lung) and metastatic liver cancers. Hepatic-type AFP was demonstrated in hepatocellular carcinomas, hepatoblastomas, solid teratomas and a stomach cancer. Yolk sac-type AFP was observed in the neighboring liver cells of metastatic liver cancers without relation to the type of AFP in primary cancers. The results from serum analyses of preoperative tumor-bearing patients (68 cases) were coincident with those from immunohistochemical stainings.

Estimation of the possible scale for holographic switches with liquid-crystal displays

Simulating the positions of output beams under the assumption that a liquid-crystal display acts as a binary phase modulator reveals that the number of the outputs increases almost linearly with the square root of the number of pixels assigned to an input. This result is confirmed by experiments, and it is estimated that 1016 outputs can be obtained when the number of pixels is 700 × 700. Holographic switches with liquid-crystal displays are therefore suitable for large-scale switches.

Board-to-Board Free-Space Optical Interconnections Passing through Boards for a Bookshelf-Assembled Terabit-Per-Second-Class ATM Switch

We propose free-space optical interconnections for a bookshelf-assembled terabit-per-second-class ATM switch. Thousands of arrayed optical beams, each having a rate of a few gigabits per second, propagate vertically to printed circuit boards, passing through some boards, and are connected to arbitrary transmitters and receivers on boards by polarization controllers and prism arrays. We describe a preliminary experiment using a 1-mm-pitch 2 x 2 beam-collimator array that uses vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser diodes. These optical interconnections can be made quite stable in terms of mechanical shock and temperature fluctuation by the attachment of reinforcing frames to the boards and use of an autoalignment system.

Experimental studies on spinal cord function using evoked action potentials

Experiments were carried out on cats to determine the use of conductive evoked spinal cord action potentials in diagnosing motor function of the spinal cord. Direct stimulation from the dura produced three negative wave potentials, N1, N2 and N3. The intraspinal pathway of N2 and N3 was the dorsal column. The pathways of N1, determined by dorsal and ventral epidural recording, were the dorsilateral funicle and the extrapyramidal tracts. A collision experiment between potential N1 and pyramidal tract action potential did not reflect the function of the tract as the amplitude of the action potential was too small. Nevertheless, it is considered that conductive evoked spinal cord action potentials could become a valuable method of assessing spinal cord function as they reflect the function of the extrapyramidal tracts, as well as of the dorsilateral funicle and the dorsal column.

Accumulation of thallium-201 in medullary thyroid cancer with negative serum calcitonin and carcinoembryonic antigens: a case report

Thallium-201 (201Tl) scintigraphy has been used in the evaluation of thyroid neoplasm. Even though several authors have shown the usefulness of 201Tl scintigraphy in evaluating recurrent tumor of medullary thyroid cancer, the number of reports on primary thyroid cancer is limited. We presented a case of medullary thyroid cancer which showed 201Tl uptake in both early and delayed scans. This case had normal serum levels of calcitonin and carcinoembryonic antigen.

Variable optical delay line based on a birefringent planar optical platform

A variable optical delay line is proposed for accurately adjusting optical signal timing in photonic systems. This delay line is based on a birefringent planar optical platform characterized by the multiple reflection of light beams. It consists of a birefringent plate, lambda/4 plates, mirrors, and a liquid-crystal layer. It can select an arbitrary delay from a set of discrete delays precisely determined by the thickness of the birefringent plate. A feasibility study confirms seven-step delay line operation with a 240-ps unit delay.

A case of suspected congenital rubella encephalopathy

A case of suspected congenital rubella syndrome was reported. The patient, a 3-month-old female, was admitted because of irregular respiration. She was diagnosed as suspected congenital encephalodysplasia by CT-scan. Her condition deteriorated and she died 11 days after admission. From postmortem findings it was speculated that neuropathological findings were caused by rubella virus infection in uterus and the injury on delivery.

[Combination chemotherapy with nedaplatin, bleomycin and ifosfamide for advanced cervical cancer of the uterus--a preliminary study for phase III clinical study]

A preliminary co-operative study by 7 institutes was conducted to determine the optimal dosage of the combination regimen with nedaplatin, bleomycin and ifosfamide, which is used in a phase III clinical study, to investigate its efficacy as neoadjuvant chemotherapy against advanced cervical cancer of the uterus. The drug administration consisted of 3 step; in the first step, nedaplatin and bleomycin were administered in a single dose at 80 mg/m2 and a 6-day dose at 7.5 mg/body/day, respectively, and this combination treatment was repeated every 4 weeks. After confirming the safety and efficacy of this combination regimen, the second-step treatment was started in which a 5-day dose of ifosfamide at 600 mg/m2/day was added to the combination regimen of the first step. In the third step, this three-drug combination regimen was used with the daily dose of ifosfamide increased up to 1,200 mg/m2. The drug administration was conducted in a total of 16 cases, consisting of 3 cases in the first step, 7 in the second step and 6 in the third step, which were all evaluable for tumor response and safety. Regarding tumor response, a 33.3% (1/3) of response rate was obtained in the first step, 71.4% (5/7) in the second step and 66.7% (4/6) in the third step. As for safety, bone marrow suppression indicated by grade 4 abnormal clinical laboratory test values was found in one case each in the second step (leukopenia and thrombocytopenia) and the third step (leukopenia). Thus, bone marrow suppression, mainly leukopenia and thro mbocytopenia, was regarded as the dose limiting factor of this three-drug combination regimen. The leucocyte and thrombocyte counts reached their nadirs at two weeks after administration with recovery in about two weeks. The other abnormal changes in clinical laboratory test values such as those indicating the effects on renal function were slight even in the third step. Nausea and vomiting, anorexia and fever were found in every step with high incidences. Alopecia was found in all cases of the third step. Based on the above results, the dosage of the third step (combination regimen with a single dose of nedaplatin at 80 mg/m2, 6-day dose of bleomycin at 7.5 mg/body/day and 5-day dose of ifosfamide at 1,200 mg/m2/day, repeated every 4 weeks) was considered to be the optimal dosage in the phase III clinical study for advanced cervical cancer of the uterus.

Methylmalonic acidemia: brain lesions in a case of vitamin B12 non-responsive (mut0) type

Neuropathological findings were described in a 9-day-old female infant who died of the vitamin B12 non-responsive (mut0) type of methylmalonic acidemia (MMA). Widespread karyorhectic fragments of varying size and shape were noted throughout the brain, in particular densely accumulated in the cerebellar granular layers and the layer IV of the striate cortex. Bilateral or symmetrical necrotic foci were observed in various regions of the grey matter: Sommer's sector of the hippocampus, basal ganglia, thalamus, hypothalamus and brainstem. In the cerebral cortex small spongy necrotic foci were scattered mainly in the depths of gyri. Alzheimer type II astrocytes appeared in the preserved zone of the caudate nucleus. Myelinated nerve fibers in the brainstem were spongy or vacuolated, whereas peripheral myelin sheaths of cranial nerves were intact. Multiple hemorrhagic foci were noted in the cerebellum, predominantly the granular layers. The lymphoid tissue in the spleen and the thymus was hypoplastic. It may be difficult to explain exactly the mechanisms of the pathological changes observed here on routine light microscopy; the outcome of systemic ischemia/hypoxia before death cannot be completely ignored. But, it is suggested that widespread karyorhexis may occur selectively in specific cells (or cell groups), including immature neurons and other cellular components (glial and/or mesenchymal cells) among the patients with the mut0 type of MMA.

[Comparison of preoperative and postoperative chemotherapy in the treatment of advanced ovarian cancer]

Temporary blockage of uterine and ovarian vessels with forceps led to an approximately two-fold increase in the transfer of LMOX and Carboplatin to uterine muscle, ovarian tissue and pelvic lymph-nodes after the release of forceps. This result suggests the importance of preserving these main vessels for the effective transfer of chemotherapeutic agents to target tissues. Ten cases in stage III or IV underwent cytoreductive surgery followed by three courses of CDDP, ADM, CPA chemotherapy and SLO (postop. group). A further 27 cases were given diagnostic laparotomy followed by the same chemotherapy and SLO (preop. group). Examination of both groups revealed the following: The efficacy rate of the CAP regimen was 77.8% in the preop. group and 50.0% in the postop. group; the surgical extirpation rate exceeding 90% at SLO was 76.1% and 50.0% in the preop. and postop. groups respectively. The survival period was longer in the preop. group, ie., two years in 69% versus 40% and three years 43% v 20% of the preop. and postop. groups, respectively. Preoperative (Neo-adjuvant) chemotherapy followed by aggressive surgery was concluded to be preferable to carrying out enforced reduction surgery first on such advanced cases where the mass of the residual disease cannot be left untouched is unavoidable.

Levodopa effective parkinsonism associated with aqueductal stenosis: a case report and review of the literature

A case of aqueductal stenosis (AS) associated with marked parkinsonism is described. A ventriculoperitoneal (V-P) shunt was performed in an 18-year-old female because of hydrocephalus associated with non-neoplastic aqueductal stenosis. The patient developed acute parkinsonism with Parinaud's sign after the shunt revision. She had a marked response to levodopa and the parkinsonism improved. Subsequently, levodopa therapy was gradually discontinued without any manifestation of parkinsonism. The pathophysiology of this type of parkinsonism probably involved presynaptic dopaminergic dysfunction. However, the etiology of this complication has not been confirmed.

[A case report of poststernotomy mediastinitis treated with the pectoralis major muscle flap after protracted wound irrigation]

A 8-year-old boy developed mediastinitis after direct closure of atrial septal defect. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) was detected from the wound. Intermittent wound irrigation with povidone-iodine solution and vancomycin solution was protracted for two months. After the remission of MRSA infection, implantation of pectoralis major muscle flap was performed. Without recurrence of infection the wound was healed completely. Although pectoralis major muscle flap is an effective method of choice for mediastinitis, an appropriate timing of enforcing this method should be investigated hereafter.