Surgical treatment of primary lung cancer in patients less than 40 years of age

PURPOSE AND METHODS: The major purpose of this study was to determine whether the survival rate in young lung cancer patients after surgical treatment differs from that in older patients. An analysis was performed for all patients with bronchogenic carcinoma who underwent surgery at Mie University Hospital from 1965 to 1990. RESULTS: Of 803 patients, 24 (2.99%) were 33 to 39 years old. At the time of surgery, the disease was diagnosed as stage I in seven patients (29%), stage II in four (17%), stage IIIa in seven (29%), stage IIIb in two (8%), and stage IV in four (17%), while 46.3% of the patients older than 40 years of age had either stage IIIa, IIIb, or IV disease. All of the 24 patients less than 40 years of age underwent thoracotomy: curative resection in 14 cases, palliative resection in sex, and probe-thoracotomy in four. The 5-year survival rate for all stages of disease was 31.4% in these 24 patients, and 41.9% in 603 patients greater than 40 years of age. The 5-year survival rate for stage I disease was 35.7% in the seven younger patients and 78.0% in the 207 older patients; for stage II, it was 25.5% in the four younger patients and 40.6% in the 98 older patients; for stage III, it was 33.3% in the nine younger patients and 15.6% in the 250 older patients; and for stage IV, it was 25% in the four younger patients and 6.6% in the 48 older patients. There were no significant differences in survival rate between the two age groups for all patients or for those with each stage of disease. CONCLUSION: Although younger patients tended to have more advanced disease, long-term survival in these patients did not differ from that of older patients.     

5,6-Cis-penems: broad-spectrum anti-methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus beta-lactam antibiotics

5,6-cis-Penem derivatives have been synthesized and evaluated as anti-MRSA antibiotics. The cis-penems 5 and 6 showed potent activities against not only MRSA but also a wide variety of bacteria including beta-lactamase-producing microorganisms. These compounds were designed to have high affinity to the penicillin-binding protein 2a of MRSA and to form stable acyl intermediates with beta-lactamases by blocking the deacylating water molecule.     

Epitaxial growth of ferromagnetic CrO2 films in air

Epitaxial growth of CrO₂ films under atmospheric pressure has been investigated. Single crystal films of CrO₂ were obtained by the thermal decomposition of gaseous CrO₃ onto the substrates of rutile single crystals in air. The optimum temperature of the substrate for the pure CrO₂ epitaxial films was found to be 390°C. At the substrate temperature of 380°C, the obtained film included Cr₂O₅ as impurities, and Cr₂O₃ appeared at 400°C. Magnetic domain patterns of these films were observed by longitudinal Kerr effect. The growth patterns of domain were obtained with applied field.     

Colony-forming cells expressing high levels of CD34 are the main targets for granulocyte colony-stimulating factor and macrophage colony-stimulating factor in the human fetal liver

This study explores the perceptions of staff who have been practising primary nursing for more than 4 years in intensive care. It considers what primary nursing is, what its benefits, disadvantages, and role impact are and other issues within an intensive care setting from the staff's perceptions and experiences. Although many of the perceived advantages and disadvantages are similar to experiences from other areas of nursing, there are some differences. The differences seem to relate to the way primary nursing is practised within the research setting-each primary nurse works with the same small team of associates, which is perceived as providing added benefits in terms of personal support and development of junior staff. The changes in role are seen to reflect other models in the literature which focus on becoming more patient centred and on working therapeutically. A number of future issues are addressed.     

Genetic characterization of an oral treponeme isolated from human subgingival plaque

INTRODUCTION: Since many benign and malignant pathologic conditions can appear as solitary pulmonary nodules, to establish nodule nature is always necessary for correct patient management. Recently, some authors have demonstrated the effectiveness of incremental dynamic CT in distinguishing cancerous from noncancerous lesions. The purpose of this work is to report our personal experience in this field. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We reviewed the incremental dynamic CT scans of 21 patients with a solitary pulmonary nodule < 3.5 cm phi without any calcifications, cavities and fat--namely, 15 carcinomas, 3 granulomas, 2 hamartomas, 1 abscess. Lesion density was evaluated before and 30 s, 1, 2, 3 and 5 min after contrast agent administration; we used a circular region of interest consisting of the central portion of the nodule in all cases and of 60-70% of its area in most cases. We subdivided the nodules into two groups, according to their enhancement: the nodules with > 20 HU and those with < 20 HU. All the lesions were submitted to surgery and histologic studies. RESULTS: Fourteen of 15 carcinomas and one hamartoma had contrast enhancement > 20 HU; an abscess exhibited marked ring-shaped contrast enhancement (positive predictive value: 87%). One carcinoma, three granulomas and one hamartoma had no contrast enhancement, or else it was < 20 HU (negative predictive value: 80%). DISCUSSION: Recently, some authors have demonstrated that malignant nodules, studied with incremental dynamic CT, have higher contrast enhancement than benign nodules. A value > 20 HU is a good predictor of malignancy (positive predictive value: 90%) and, conversely, a value < 20 HU is an unquestionable sign of benignity (negative predictive value: 100%). Our findings confirm the positive predictive value of enhancement > 20 HU, but not its negative predictive value because we found a malignant nodule without contrast enhancement. CONCLUSIONS: Incremental dynamic CT is an effective indicator of solitary pulmonary nodule nature, but its predictive value is not absolute and therefore this technique should be integrated with biopsy in the cases which are clinically or radiologically suspicious.     

Chromosomal mapping of the gene encoding serotonin N-acetyltransferase to rat chromosome 10q32.3 and mouse chromosome 11E2

Pineal melatonin is produced during the night. Its nocturnal increase regulates circadian rhythms and the photoperiodic reproductive response. Serotonin is acetylated to N-acetylserotonin by serotonin N-acetyltransferase (SNAT) and then methylated to form melatonin by hydroxyindole-O-methyltransferase (HIOMT). The rhythmicity of melatonin synthesis is regulated by the rhythmic activity of SNAT. Most laboratory mice do not have melatonin because of a genetic defect in the activity of SNAT and/or HIOMT. In a previous study using a recombinant inbred strain, we have found that the locus controlling pineal SNAT activity (Nat4) is located on mouse Chromosome 11. Recently, SNAT has been cloned in the rat. In the present study, the gene encoding SNAT was localized, using a rat cDNA fragment, on rat and mouse chromosomes by direct R-banding fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). In addition, using molecular linkage analysis with interspecific backcross mice, a gene encoding SNAT was mapped on a mouse chromosome. The gene encoding SNAT was localized to rat chromosome 10q32.3 and mouse Chromosome 11E2 by FISH. The molecular linkage analysis demonstrated that the gene encoding SNAT maps 1.5 cM distal to D11Mit11. The data suggest that Nat4 encodes SNAT. These chromosomal locations are in a region of conserved linkage homology between the two species.     

Changes in myocardial metallothionein on isoproterenol-induced myocardial injury

The amounts of myocardial metallothionein (MT) and heavy metal (Zn, Cu) levels during the early stage of the experimental myocardial infarction model induced by isoproterenol (Isp) administration were measured by an atomic absorption spectrophotometry. MT was measured by the Cd-hem method. Myocardial infarction was induced by the administration of 75 mg/kg i.p. of Isp to rats weighing 270 +/- 10 g. Thirty minutes after Isp injection, Zn and Cu levels began to decrease and 12 h later, reached the minimal values compared with the control value. The level of MT began to increase 3 h after the Isp injection and reached the maximal value at 12 h, although MT remained undetectable in the control myocardial tissue by the Cd-hem method. MT levels in the liver increased and total Zn and Cu were elevated compared with the control value 12 h after Isp administration. These results suggest that MT is produced in the myocardium after Isp administration, and that the roles of MT in the heart and the liver are different. It was thought that a rise in MT was induced for the protection of the myocardial cells to injury.     

Amino acids and peptides. XXI. Laminin-related peptide analogs including poly(ethylene glycol) hybrids and their inhibitory effect on experimental metastasis

Laminin-related peptides, Tyr-Ile-Gly-Ser-Arg analogs, were prepared and their inhibitory effects on experimental metastasis were examined. Of the amino acids in the Tyr-Ile-Gly-Ser-Arg sequence, L-Arg was very important and Ile was not essential for the inhibitory effect. To obtain a potent inhibitor of metastasis, hybrids of Tyr-Ile-Gly-Ser-Arg-Gly and 2 types of poly(ethylene glycol) were prepared. The inhibitory effects of the hybrids were more potent than that of Tyr-Ile-Gly-Ser-Arg-Gly.     

Clinical evaluation of irinotecan combined with cisplatin by divided administration in patients with untreated primary non-small cell lung cancer

A 78-year-old man was admitted to hospital with heart failure and chronic bronchitis. A computed tomographic scan of the chest incidentally demonstrated bilateral abnormal vessels near the left atrium. Selective angiography showed that both internal mammary arteries and bronchial arteries communicated with the pulmonary arteries bilaterally. The patient refused surgery and was discharged on medical therapy. This is the first reported case of bilateral fistulas between the internal mammary arteries and bronchial arteries and the pulmonary arteries.     

Genetic Modeling of the Neurodegenerative Disease Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type 1 in Zebrafish

Dominant spinocerebellar ataxias (SCAs) are progredient neurodegenerative diseases commonly affecting the survival of Purkinje cells (PCs) in the human cerebellum. Spinocerebellar ataxia type 1 (SCA1) is caused by the mutated ataxin1 (Atx1) gene product, in which a polyglutamine stretch encoded by CAG repeats is extended in affected SCA1 patients. As a monogenetic disease with the Atx1-polyQ protein exerting a gain of function, SCA1 can be genetically modelled in animals by cell type-specific overexpression. We have established a transgenic PC-specific SCA1 model in zebrafish coexpressing the fluorescent reporter protein mScarlet together with either human wild type Atx1[30Q] as control or SCA1 patient-derived Atx1[82Q]. SCA1 zebrafish display an age-dependent PC degeneration starting at larval stages around six weeks postfertilization, which continuously progresses during further juvenile and young adult stages. Interestingly, PC degeneration is observed more severely in rostral than in caudal regions of the PC population. Although such a neuropathology resulted in no gross locomotor control deficits, SCA1-fish with advanced PC loss display a reduced exploratory behaviour. In vivo imaging in this SCA1 model may help to better understand such patterned PC death known from PC neurodegeneration diseases, to elucidate disease mechanisms and to provide access to neuroprotective compound characterization in vivo.