Barium appendicitis

We have presented a case of barium appendicitis, which is a rare complication of barium enema studies. Barium sulfate is used widely for gastrointestinal radiographic studies and is associated with few complications. Clinicians need to be fully aware of this complication

Studies on the Pharmacokinetics of Arsenic Compound in the Chicken : I. Distribution, Excretion and Transference to the Eggs of Arsenic Administered Orally to Chickens.

1.3酸化ヒ素30mg/㎏を産卵鶏に経口投与して,1,2,4,8,16および32日めの各臓器,組織及び卵中のヒ素濃度をしらべた. 又雄鶏に人工肛門手術を施し,3酸化ヒ素30mg/㎏を経口投与して,以後排泄される尿と糞のヒ素量をしらべた. 2.検査した諸臓器のうちヒ素移行率の高かったのは肝,腎,心筋であった. 血漿と脾では中程度の分布率であり,赤血球,浅胸筋および脳組織の移行率は低かった. 又ヒ素のリテンションの長かったのは肝,腎,脾,浅胸筋であり,特に肝では32日めにも対照の水準に復しなかった. 3.卵ではヒ素は主として卵黄に移行し,卵白には極めて低濃度にしか移行しなかった. 4.人工肛門手術を受けたニワトリの尿中には投与後6時間めまでにヒ素が出現し始め,3日めまで急増して最高値となり,以後は一定の率で漸減した,一方糞中には投与後6～18時間でヒ素が出現し始め,36～48時間めまで急増して最高値となり,以後11日めまで緩やかに減少し,それ以後は急減した. 17日めまでに排泄されたヒ素の総量は尿中に投与量の15%,糞中に20%であった

Real-Time Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Microwave Coagulation Therapy for Hepatocellular Carcinoma Using Color Doppler Imaging

Percutaneous microwave coagulation therapy (PMCT) is a new technique for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, it is difficult to distinguish those lesions in which necrosis has been induced from the viable residual lesions during the procedure, because the margin of the tumor becomes unclear during PMCT. We determined the area of necrotic lesions during the procedure using color Doppler imaging. PMCT was performed on 10 patients (17 lesions) with recurrent HCC. The electrode of the microwave delivery system was moved around the tumor and the surrounding area until color mosaic images disappeared from the entire area of the tumor. The areas in which necrotic tissue was indicated by color Doppler imaging were later confirmed by other modalities such as angiography or contrast-enhanced computed tomography. This leads us to believe that real-time, effective evaluation of PMCT is possible with color Doppler imaging.</p

An analysis of DNA ploidy pattern of hepatocellular carcinoma.

To determine whether a relationship exists between DNA ploidy and the prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), flow cytometric DNA analysis was performed in paraffin-embedded specimens obtained from 44 patients with HCC who underwent hepatectomy. There were 26 diploid (59%) and 18 aneuploid (41%) tumors. No correlation was shown between DNA ploidy pattern and patient age, sex, liver cirrhosis, hepatitis B virus antigen and serum alpha-fetoprotein level. The ploidy pattern had no significant correlation with the presence of vascular invasion or intrahepatic metastasis. Only Edmondson's grade was well correlated with the ploidy pattern. We noted a significant correlation between survival rates and the presence of vascular invasion or intrahepatic metastasis (p &#60; 0.05). In contrast, no significant correlation was found between DNA ploidy pattern and the prognosis of HCC. The results of this study indicate that DNA ploidy pattern may not be a useful indicator for the prognosis of HCCs after hepatic resection, unlike the results of gastric and colon cancers. </p

Development Of Fuel-Flexible Gas Turbine Combustor

LectureGrowing global energy demands are motivating the gas turbine industry to seek fuel-flexible gas turbines capable of burning a wide variety of fuels as a means of increasing energy supply stability and security. These fuel-flexible gas turbines require diluent-free (“dry”), low nitrogen oxide (NOx) and flashback-resistant combustors for various fuels in order to achieve low NOx emissions and high plant efficiency for low carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. This paper describes the development of a state-of-the-art dry low-NOx and flashback-resistant combustor for fuel-flexible gas turbines. This advanced combustor consists of multiple fuel nozzles and multiple air holes. One fuel nozzle and one air hole are installed coaxially to give one key element, and a cluster of key elements constitutes one burner, which forms one flame. Multiple cluster burners constitute a can combustor, and several can combustors are installed on a gas turbine. In this paper, the burner is called a “cluster burner,” and the combustor is called a “multi-cluster combustor.” The essence of the burner concept is the integration of two key technologies: low-NOx combustion due to the enhancement of fuel-air mixing; and flashback-resistant combustion due to short premixing sections, air-stream-surrounded fuel jets and lifted flames. The development approach of the multi-cluster combustor consists of three steps: burner development; combustor development; and feasibility demonstration for practical plants. The first step optimizes burner configurations by fundamental research at atmospheric pressure. The second step optimizes combustor configurations by single-can combustor testing at medium to high pressures. The third step demonstrates the feasibility of the combustor by field testing with real gas turbines. This paper describes the development work in each step of the multi-cluster combustor developed particularly for hydrogen content syngas fuels in a coal-based integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC), and the field test in an IGCC pilot plant demonstrates the feasibility of the combustor for practical plants. This paper also describes applications of this combustion technology to expand fuel flexibility

Intraluminal implantation of rectal carcinoma successfully resected by endoscopy.

A 55-year-old Japanese woman presented at our hospital complaining of hematochezia 4 months after surgery for a rectal carcinoma. A proctoscopy revealed 2 protuberant lesions in the rectum, 5 mm anally from the anastomotic suture line. The diagnosis of adenocarcinoma was confirmed by biopsy. It was considered that these lesions were caused by intraluminal implantation from the primary rectal carcinoma. The patient underwent an endoscopic resection for these recurrent lesions and has remained stable, with neither recurrence nor metastasis, in the 7 years since the resection. For rectal carcinoma, we propose early follow-up by proctoscopy, namely within 4 months after surgery.</p

Geranylgeranylacetone and cetraxate hydrochloride increase UDP-galactosyltransferase activity in rat gastric mucosa

UDP-galactosyltransferase (UDP-Gal-T) is a key enzyme in the synthesis of mucus glycoprotein which plays an important role in gastric mucosal defensive mechanisms. Analysis of gastric UDP-Gal-T activity should clarify the mechanisms of the action of antiulcer drugs regarding gastric defensive factors. Here, we examined UDP-Gal-T activity in rat gastric mucosa treated with the antiulcer drugs geranylgeranylacetone (GGA) and cetraxate hydrochloride (CET). The effects of coadministration of indomethacin and exogenous administration of prostaglandins (PGs) were also studied. GGA and CET significantly increased UDP-Gal-T activity, and coadministration of indomethacin inhibited the increase of enzyme activity. UDP-Gal-T activity level with GGA was significantly higher than the control level, even in the presence of indomethacin. With CET, however, this was not the case. Among PGs, PGE1 significantly increased enzyme activity. Concomitant administration of PGE1 and GGA or CET increased UDP-Gal-T activity even with indomethacin to the levels achieved when these antiulcer drugs were administered without indomethacin. Our findings suggest that GGA and CET exert antiulcer effects by increasing mucus glycoprotein synthesis and that endogenous PG synthesis may be involved in this process. However, mechanisms not mediated by endogenous PGs may also exist in the stimulatory action of GGA on UDP-Gal-T activity.</p