Detection of Epstein-Barr virus in oral papilloma

Infantile hemangioendothelioma of the thymus is a rare disease. We describe a patient who developed a large anterior mediastinal mass, severe thrombocytopenia and massive pleural effusion at 1 month of age. Glucocorticosteroid and irradiation therapy had no effect on either the tumor size or clinical symptoms and the tumor was resected subtotally. Three months after the subtotal resection, the remaining tumor had almost disappeared and the symptoms had resolved. The patient has now been well for 1 year after surgery without evidence of recurrence. The tumor tissue was characterized by prominent vascular endothelial proliferation intermixed with a normal thymic structure, producing a picture consistent with that of an infantile hemangioendothelioma in the thymus. Immunohistochemically, the tumor cells showed positive staining for vimentin, factor VIII and CD34. The DNA stemline and proliferative activity were examined by flow cytometry, which revealed a diploid stemline with a low growth fraction. DNA content and cell cycle analyses of the tumor tissue may be useful for predicting the biological behavior of the tumor.     

High-performance guided-wave multi/demultiplexer based on novel design using embedded gradient-index waveguides in glass

A guided-wave multi/demultiplexer which comprises low-loss gradient-index ion-exchange waveguides embedded in a glass substrate and optimised interference filters was successfully fabricated. Around ? 1dB insertion losses for demultiplexing and less than 2dB insertion losses for multiplexing with sufficient transmission bandwidth as wide as 66 nm were achieved.     

A study of topical and systemic prostaglandin E1 and survival of experimental skin flaps

A study has been undertaken to investigate Prostaglandin E1 administration procedure for improving flap survival. Whether the drug was administered continuously or transcutaneously using a silicone gel drug delivery system; or was topically injected into the critical zone of the flap; or was intraperitoneally administered intermittently over an hour after surgery a statistically significant improvement of flap survival occurred (P < 0.01, Student's t-test). However, no improvement of flap survival was seen when the drug was administered only once intraperitoneally immediately after flap elevation, although administered doses of the drug in those rats was equal to the doses in the rats which received intermittent administration of the drug intraperitoneally over an hour after surgery.     

Optical loss change caused by hydraulic pressure in multimode optical fibres

The optical loss change caused by hydraulic pressure in a multimode plastic-coated fibre with a buffer layer was examined. The relationship between loss change and fibre dimensions was found. A large-outer-diameter fibre exhibits a small change in the optical loss caused by hydraulic pressure.