An acoustic analysis of vowel sequences in Japanese

PhD Thesisambassadorial scholarship of Rotary Internationa

根治的前立腺全摘標本における神経線維周囲浸潤の生化学的再発予知因子としての意義

著者らは, 臨床的限局性前立腺癌に対して術前内分泌療法を施行せずに根治的前立腺全摘除術を施行した202症例を対象に, 全摘標本における神経線維周囲浸潤の臨床病理学的意義を検討した.その結果, 1)神経線維周囲浸潤は131例(64.9%)に陽性であった.また, 神経線維周囲浸潤の存在は, 臨床病期, 病理学的病期, Gleasonスコア, 精嚢浸潤, リンパ節転移および腫瘍体積と有意に相関したが, 術前PSA値との相関は認めなかった. 2)経過観察期間(中央値34ヵ月)中, 20例に生化学的再発を認めたが神経線維周囲浸潤はこの内17例に陽性であった. 3)神経線維周囲浸潤陽性131例および陰性71例の5年生化学的非再発率は, それぞれ84.4%および94.3%であり統計学的有意差を認めた.神経線維周囲浸潤の他, 病理学的病期, 精嚢浸潤, リンパ節転移および腫瘍体積が生化学的非再発率と有意な相関を示した.しかし, 多変量解析の結果, これら5因子の内, 精嚢浸潤のみが生化学的再発の独立した予知因子であった.以上, これらのことからも, 根治的前立腺全摘標本における神経線維周囲浸潤の存在は, 種々の予後規定因子と有意な相関を示すが, 生化学的再発の独立した予知因子とは成りえない可能性が示唆されたThe objective of this study was to determine whether the presence of perineural invasion (PNI) in radical prostatectomy specimens could be a useful prognostic parameter in Japanese men with prostate cancer. Between January 1995 and September 2003, 202 Japanese men underwent radical retropubic prostatectomy for prostate cancer without any neoadjuvant therapies prior to surgery. We retrospectively analyzed the relationship between PNI in radical prostatectomy specimens and other prognostic factors, and also assessed the significance of PNI in biochemical recurrence after radical prostatectomy. The presence of PNI was significantly related to clinical stage, pathological stage, Gleason score, seminal vesicle invasion, lymph node metastasis and tumor volume, but not pretreatment serum prostate specific antigen value. During the observation period, biochemical recurrence occurred in 20 patients (3 in patients without PNI and 17 in those with PNI), and the biochemical recurrence-free survival rate in patients with PNI was significantly lower than that in patients without PNI. In addition to-PNI, pathological stage, seminal vesicle invasion, lymph node metastasis and tumor volume were significantly associated with the biochemical recurrence-free survival rate; however, among these five factors, only seminal vesicle invasion was an independent predictor of biochemical recurrence on multivariate analysis. Despite a significant association between several prognostic parameters, PNI was not an independent predictor of biochemical recurrence; therefore, it may not provide an additive effect to consider the presence of PNI in predicting the prognosis of Japanese men who underwent radical prostatectomy if there are other conventional parameters available

Studies on the Electrolysis of Sodium Sulfate Solution

Presented at The Indianapolis Meeting of The Electrochemical Society, May 3, 1961.The electrolysis of sodium sulfate solution by the 1500 amp. vertical mercury cell was investigated. Lead alloy containing 2% Ag and 1% Te was selected as the anode, and fine porous rubber sheet or blue asbestos cloth were used as the diaphragm. The concentrations of sulfuric acid and caustic soda obtained were 200-250 g/l H₂SO₄ and 30-40% NaOH, respectively, under the condition of 30 amp/dm² of current density by continuous operation. The terminal voltage was less than 5.0 volts and the current efficiency and the consumption of the anode were 90% and 2-3 mg/AH, respectively