The MDR1 gene and Its Transcript P-glycoprotein Expressions in Lung Cancer

To determine the clinical significance of the MDR1 gene and its transcript P-glycoprotein (PGP) expression in lung cancer, ninety-one surgical lung cancer samples and normal lung tissues were analyzed. They consisted of 85 NSCLC (84 untreated and one treated) and 6 SCLC (three untreated and three treated). MDR1 messenger RNA (mRNA) levels in all surgical samples were determined by Northern blotting and compared with anticancer drug-sensitive and -resistant cell lines. The transcript PGP was detected in frozen sections by immunohistochemical staining. There was a strong correlation between the levels of MDR1 mRNA and PGP expression in the tumors. No normal lung tissues expressed the MDR1 gene in Northern blots. Fifteen percent (13/87) of the untreated tumors were positive for the MDR1 gene at low levels, which did not relate to any pathologic factors such as histologic type, tumor extensions, and differentiation grade. All three treated SCLC expressed high levels of the MDR1 gene, although all three untreated SCLC did not. Furthermore, only SCLC negative for MDR1 gene tended to respond to chemotherapy. The MDRI gene is thought to be related to multidrug resistance in SCLC. A prospective study in a large number of patients should be attempted to clarify the clinical significance of the MDR1 gene in the treatment of SCLC

Remembering Folktales As Oral Traditions : A Qualitative Single Case Study of A Goze

本研究は口頭伝承としての昔話想起を検討するにあたり,最後の瞽女に対し,質的事例研究として13回の単独面接を重ねた。その結果,34の貴重な昔話が得られた。その内訳は,動物昔話3,本格昔話26,そして笑話5と,本格昔話が中心であった。昔話想起の特徴は以下の通りであった。(1)想起は驚くほどしっかりしていた。(2)内容は,植物や人間以外の動物が人間と等価の生命を持つ存在として,登場人物に生き生きと語りかけるアニミズムの世界が頻繁に表れていた。(3)声による感情表現は豊かであった。(4)擬態語は無秩序だが生き生きとしていた。(5)身振りはほとんど認められなかった。更に,最後の瞽女の時代には,瞽女は外部に向けての昔話の伝承機能を既にほとんど失っていたが,内向きには細々としかし確実に伝承を続けていた事実も明らかにされた。The article addressed to remember folktales as oral traditions. Very fortunately the latest female minstrel with blind eyes (goze) who could do appeared unexpectedly. A qualitative single case study was adopted in order to divulge the phenomena. Being interviewed exclusively 13 times, she remembered very precious 34 folktales. (Animal Tales 3,Ordinary Folktales 26,and Jokes & Anecdotes 5) The characteristics of them were typically as follows : (1) Almost every folktale was told without faltering. (2) The content of them sometime conveyed the world of animism. (3) Each tone of her voices on the casts communicated the corresponding emotions in her folktale. (4) Ideophone, which was unorganized, but effusive and so lived, often appeared. (5) Gesture was hardly made. Simultaneously, as having reached the period of the latest minstrels, this study strongly indicated that their function of the transmission to the other persons have mostly disappeared. Nevertheless, it survived to the same minstrels scanty but surely

Cervicomediastinal Lipoma

A 67-year-old female was hospitalized with complaints of cough and shortness of breath. A chest roentgenogram showed a right upper mediatinal mass. Computed tomography demonstrated a well circumscribed large mass, with a fat density, extending from the azygos arch to the thyroid cartilage. The mass displaced the superior vena cava anteriorly and trachea laterally to the left. It was hourglass shaped, 250g in weight and could be easily removed completely along with the thoracic portion from the cervix. The histologic findings were consistent with lipoma. Its CT diagnosis was discussed

Pulmonary Tuberculous Scar as a Factor Affecting Detection of Lung Cancer

To evaluate the radiologic influence of tuberculous scar on the detection of lung cancer, the results of radiologic screening were retrospectively analyzed. A total of 308, 565 persons above 40 years old underwent the screening from 1986 to 1988. For screening, 100-mm indirect chest radiographs were interpreted by two physicians, and compared to findings on one-year old films if necessary. The screening detected 175 peripheral lung cancers and 25,238 tuberculous scars. Both diseases were prevalent in the elderly. Twenty-seven of 175 lung cancers coexisted with tuberculous scar. The high incidence of tuberculous scar in the elderly caused the seeming increase in the incidence of coexistence of lung cancer. In 14 of 21 coexistent cases reviewed, lung cancer was identified retrospectively on one-year old radiographs. In six patients, lung cancer was misinterpreted as a part of tuberculous scar, despite comparison to one-year old films. The present study suggests that radiographs showing tuberculous scar should be carefully compared to previous films taken at least two years earlier

Gargle sample is an effective option in a novel fully automated molecular point-of-care test for influenza: a multicenter study

Background:We conducted a multicenter study to evaluate the performance of a novel fully automated molecular point-of-care test using transcription-reverse transcription concerted reaction that can detect influenza A and B within 15 min in nasopharyngeal swabs and gargle samples (TRCsatFLU). Methods:Patients who visited or were hospitalized at eight clinics and hospitals with influenza-like illnesses between December 2019 and March 2020 participated in this study. We collected nasopharyngeal swabs from all patients and gargle samples from patients whom the physician judged fit to perform gargling. The result of TRCsatFLU was compared to a conventional reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). If the results of TRCsatFLU and conventional RT-PCR were different, the samples were analyzed by sequencing.Results:We evaluated 233 nasopharyngeal swabs and 213 gargle samples from 244 patients. The average age of the patients was 39.3 ± 21.2. Of the patients, 68.9% visited a hospital within 24 h of symptom onset. The most common symptoms were fever (93.0%), fatigue (79.5%), and nasal discharge (64.8%). All patients in whom the gargle sample was not collected were children. Influenza A or B was detected in 98 and 99 patients in nasopharyngeal swabs and gargle samples using TRCsatFLU, respectively. Four and five patients in nasopharyngeal swabs and gargle samples, respectively, with different TRCsatFLU and conventional RT-PCR results. Influenza A or B was detected using sequencing in all samples with different results. Based on the combined conventional RT-PCR and sequencing results, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) of TRCsatFLU for influenza detection in nasopharyngeal swabs were 0.990, 1.000, 1.000, and 0.993, respectively. In the gargle samples, the sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV of the TRCsatFLU for detecting influenza were 0.971, 1.000, 1.000, and 0.974, respectively.Conclusions:The TRCsatFLU showed great sensitivity and specificity for the detection of influenza in nasopharyngeal swabs and gargle samples

Two Different Mechanisms of Formation of Flashbulb Memories

One hundred seventy-nine subjects took part in a test-retest study to investigate the formation of flashbulb memories (FMs) related to two notable events in 1995: the Nerve Gas Assassins\u27 Attack and the Gubernatorial Election in the Tokyo Metropolitan District. A causal analysis using the structural Equations (EQS) technique showed that the formation of FMs related to the former was primarily associated with the level of IMPORTANCE AND ESTIMATION of the event, while that of FMs related to the latter was primarily associations with AFFECT. These results suggest that the mechanisms of FMs formation do not converge into one mechanism. The implication of these findings is that studies of the formation of FMs need to take account of the characteristics of the events triggering them