Resection for multiple metastatic liver tumors after portal embolization

BACKGROUND: Five patients with bilateral multiple liver metastases (3 to 12 lesions) from colorectal cancer who underwent extensive liver resection after portal embolization are described. METHODS: Portal embolization of the right portal branch was performed 9 days to 8 months before hepatic resection. The location and number of metastases were determined by intraoperative ultrasonography at the time of liver resection to accomplish complete resection of the tumors. Extended right lobectomy was carried out in four patients, two of whom underwent additional wedge resection of nodules located in the left lateral segment. The other patient underwent right lobectomy associated with local resection of the tumor in the left lobe. RESULTS: The postoperative course in the five patients was uneventful, with no serious complication or liver dysfunction. Although one patient died of recurrence 28 months after liver resection, the remaining four patients were alive and free of cancer between 36 and 74 months after hepatectomy. CONCLUSIONS: The presence of bilateral multiple (four or more) metastatic liver lesions from colorectal cancer is not considered a contraindication for hepatic resection if thorough examination of the liver is performed with intraoperative ultrasonography and the surgical risk is minimal. Portal embolization appears effective for increasing the safety of hepatectomy for patients with small metastases who require major right-sided resection combined with wedge resection of the left lobe.     

Crystallization and preliminary crystallographic data of the alpha-amylase inhibitors, Haim I and Paim I

Two proteins that act as alpha-amylase inhibitors, Haim I and Paim I, were crystallized and preliminary X-ray diffraction studies on them were carried out. We also sequenced Haim I prepared from Streptomyces griseosporeus YM-25 and confirmed that it is composed of 78 amino acid residues. Crystals of Haim I were grown from ammonium sulfate solution mixed with ethanol by the vapor diffusion technique. The crystals grew as hexagonal bipyramids and diffracted X-rays beyond 2.0 A resolution. They belong to the space group P6(1)22 (or P6(5)22) with unit cell dimensions of a = b = 36.7 A, c = 192.4 A, and contain one molecule per asymmetric unit. Paim I, a protein of 39 amino acid residues produced by Streptomyces corchorusii, was crystallized under similar conditions to Haim I. The crystals diffracted X-rays beyond 2.5 A. They belong to the space group P4(1)2(1)2 (or P4(3)2(1)2) with unit cell dimensions of a = b = 65.4 A, c = 96.1 A, and contain three molecules per asymmetric unit.     

-NMRC-NMR study on α-(BEDT-TTF)2MHg(SCN)4

The low temperature electronic states of the organic conductors, α-(BEDT-TTF)₂MHg(SCN)₄ [M = K, Rb], have been studied by -NMR¹³C-NMR with the use of ¹³C labeled samples. We observed anomalies in the nuclear spin-lattice relaxatin rate, T₁, and shift of the NMR line below 8 K for the K salt and below 12 K for the Rb salt. These indicate some phase transition. However, absence of critical fluctuation near the transition temperature and absense of splitting or broadening of the NMR line is against the static magnetic ordering as found in usual SDW systems such as the TMTSF compounds. The present results imply that the electronic density of states decreases to a half below the transition.     

The effects of orientation and thickness on the notch-tensile creep strength of single crystals of a nickel-base superalloy

The effects of crystallographic orientation and thickness of specimen on the notch-tensile creep strength of single crystals of a nickel-base superalloy UDIMET∗520 has been examined at 700°, 850°, and 900 °C. It was found that the notch-tensile creep strength of thin specimens depended on the crystallographic orientations not only in the tensile direction but also in the normal direction of the specimens, and that the creep strength was superior in the thin specimens with the [011] tensile and the [011] normal orientations or the [001] tensile and the [110] normal orientations. The thick-notched specimens exhibited great creep resistance regardless of the crystallographic orientations. Formerly Graduate Student Formerly Graduate Student, Tokyo Metropolitan University     

Evaluation of LiNbO/sub 3/ intensity modulator using electrodes buried in buffer layer

For highly efficient operation, a new type LiNbO/sub 3/ Mach-Zehnder intensity modulator using electrodes buried in the buffer layer was designed and fabricated. The modulator was designed considering velocity matching between light and microwave, microwave propagation loss and characteristic impedance Z/sub 0/ of 50 Omega . This modulator for a 1.5 mu m wavelength operates with a V/sub pi / of 3.2 V, a 3 dB down bandwidth of 14 GHz and a temperature dependence of 17 mV/ degrees C.<>     

Implication of membrane factors other than DAF and CD59 in complement-mediated lysis of paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria erythrocytes

The effect of Colcemid on satellite association frequencies was investigated in human cell lines U-937 GTB, SC-N-MC, HL-60, and Raji by silver staining method. Cell cultures were exposed to Colcemid at a concentration of 0.02 mg/ml for 15-60 minutes. As exposure time to Colcemid was increased, both the frequency of cells with satellite associations and the number of chromosomes involved in satellite associations increased significantly. Furthermore, the mean number of silver-stained chromosomes decreased with longer exposure time. Without Colcemid, we were able to obtain an adequate number of good-quality metaphase spreads. The data obtained may be of help in furthering research concerning satellite associations and in obtaining better quality chromosome preparations.     

Autoimmune endocrine disease induced by recombinant interferon-alpha therapy for chronic active type C hepatitis

To elucidate the role played by interferon-alpha (IFN alpha) in the pathogenesis of autoimmune endocrine disease, we determined the autoantibody status, thyroid function test results, hemoglobin-A1c levels, and clinical symptoms of 58 patients who received IFN alpha for treatment of chronic active type C hepatitis. Each patient was treated for 6 months with a total dose of 391 +/- 140 x 10(6) U (mean +/- SD). Thyroid microsomal and/or thyroglobulin antibodies newly appeared or were increased in titer in 6 patients, 2 of whom developed hypothyroidism during IFN alpha therapy. Neither islet cell antibodies nor insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus developed during IFN alpha therapy, although hemoglobin-A1c levels were increased in 2 patients. One patient became positive for antimitochondrial antibodies, and another patient with preexisting antimitochondrial antibodies also manifested deterioration in liver function test results. Parietal cell antibodies and smooth muscle cell antibodies were the most frequent newly developed antibodies in 7 patients. Adrenal medullary cell antibodies and nuclear antibodies newly developed in 2 and 1 patients, respectively. At least 1 of 8 autoantibodies newly appeared in 19 patients (32.8%) and hypothyroidism developed in 2 patients (3.4%) during IFN alpha therapy. On the other hand, in 19 age- and sex-matched patients who did not receive IFN alpha, no autoantibody appeared, and no autoimmune disease developed during a follow-up period of 3 months. These findings suggest that IFN alpha acts as an immunomodulatory agent, inducing autoantibody production and the development of autoimmune disease in susceptible patients. Special attention should be paid to the development of hypothyroidism during IFN alpha therapy.     

A new system for laser-UVA-microirradiation of living cells

Local nuclear irradiation of living cells has been used to gain insight into the dynamic changes that cell nuclei undergo in response to DNA damage. In particular, the effects of DNA double‐strand breaks (DSBs), a major threat to the genomic integrity of cells, have been studied by local nuclear irradiation with ionizing radiation. This method has the disadvantage that it requires expensive equipment to generate a sufficiently high density of focused or collimated ionizing radiation. After appropriate sensitization of the cellular DNA, nuclear microirradiation with UVA can also produce DSBs. In this communication we present a semi‐automatic system for laser‐UVA‐microirradiation based on a commercial laser scanning microscope. The system allows the convenient selection and precise irradiation of living cells, and could provide the basis for a more widespread availability of microirradiation facilities for DNA‐repair research.     

Nonlinear vibration induced by the water-film whirl and whip in a sliding bearing rotor system

Many industrial applications and experiments have shown that sliding bearings often experience fluid film whip due to nonlinear fluid film forces which can cause rotor-stator rub-impact failures. The oil-film whips have attracted many studies while the water-film whips in the water lubricated sliding bearing have been little researched with the mechanism still an open problem. The dynamic fluid film forces in a water sliding bearing are investigated numerically with rotational, whirling and squeezing motions of the journal using a nonlinear model to identify the relationships between the three motions. Rotor speed-up and slow-down experiments are then conducted with the rotor system supported by a water lubricated sliding bearing to induce the water-film whirl/whip and verify the relationship. The experimental results show that the vibrations of the journal alternated between increasing and decreasing rather than continuously increasing as the rotational speed increased to twice the first critical speed, which can be explained well by the nonlinear model. The radial growth rate of the whirl motion greatly affects the whirl frequency of the journal and is responsible for the frequency lock in the water-film whip. Further analysis shows that increasing the lubricating water flow rate changes the water-film whirl/whip characteristics, reduces the first critical speed, advances the time when significant water-film whirling motion occurs, and also increases the vibration amplitude at the bearing center which may lead to the rotor-stator rub-impact. The study gives the insight into the water-film whirl and whip in the water lubricated sliding bearing.