Targeted destruction of fungal structures of Erysiphe trifoliorum on flat leaf surfaces of Marchantia polymorpha.

In this study, we observed the germination behaviour of airborne conidia from powdery mildews that settle on thalloid surfaces. We inoculated thalli (flat, sheet-like leaf tissues) and gemmae (small, flat, sheet-like leaf tissues that propagate asexually via bud-like structures) of the common liverwort (Marchantia polymorpha) with conidia from tomato powdery mildew (Oidium neolycopersici; KTP-02) and red clover powdery mildew (Erysiphe trifoliorum; KRCP-4N) and examined their germination and subsequent appressorium formation under a high-fidelity digital microscope. Conidial bodies and germ tubes of the inoculated KRCP-4N conidia were destroyed on both the thalli and gemmae. The destruction of these fungal structures was observed only for KRCP-4N conidia inoculated onto M. polymorpha on both leaf surfaces. No differences in destruction of the KRCP-4N fungal structures between thalli and gemmae were observed. At 4 h post-inoculation, destruction of the germ tube tip was observed when it reached the gemmae leaf surface. At 6 h post-inoculation, the conidial bodies and germ tubes were destroyed. In contrast, KTP-02 conidia were not destroyed and formed normal, well-lobed appressoria on the surface of M. polymorpha gemmae.

Seasonal appearance of Chlorophyceae phytoplankton bloom by river discharge off Paradeep at Orissa Coast in the Bay of Bengal.

Characteristics of the monsoonal bloom of phytoplankton at Orissa Coast in the Bay of Bengal were studied through bimonthly observation from April 2001 to December 2002. Three photosynthetic pigments chlorophyll-a (Chl a), chlorophyll-b (Chl b) and carotenoid (Car) were analyzed by absorption spectroscopic method. The seasonal variation of Chl a included phytoplankton bloom in the coastal area during monsoon period. The water column integrated Chl a reached to 68 mg m(-2) at the station-1(St1), and amounted to 20 mg m(-2) at 30 km off the river mouth during August 2001. In contrast the same amount was found at 15 km off the Mahanadi river mouth during August 2002. Salinity during this period varied from 5 psu at the St1 to 27 psu at the edge of the bloom area. The total amount of river discharge in the monsoon period calculated from daily river discharge data reported by Water Resources Department in India was 84 x 10(9) m(3) during 2001 and 20 x 10(9) m(3) during 2002. Both nitrate and phosphate concentrations showed negative quadratic relationship with salinity throughout the observation period. Extrapolated nitrate and phosphate concentration discharge from the Mahanadi river were 10.8 and 4 microg-at l(-1), respectively. Microscopic identification revealed dominance of fluvial Chlorophyceae and diatoms during the monsoon period showing influence of the freshwater discharge.

[5'-DFUR chemoprophylaxis in superficial bladder cancer. Kanagawa Urology 5'-DFUR Study Group].

5'-Deoxy-5-fluorouridine (5'-DFUR), an oral fluorinated pyrimidine carbamate, is widely used in patients with gastrointestinal and breast cancers because of its effectiveness. However, in bladder cancer, response rates have only been reported in Phase II clinical trials. Therefore, we conducted a prospective randomized trial to investigate chemoprophylactic effect of 5'-DFUR against recurrence of superficial bladder cancer after transurethral bladder tumor resection (TUR-Bt). The subjects were grouped as follows: 1) 5'-DFUR group (n = 31), received 600 mg/day of 5'-DFUR starting 2-3 weeks after TUR-Bt for 2 years; and 2) control group (n = 31) received no 5'-DFUR. Although there was no significant difference between groups, the cumulative recurrence rates was more favorable in the 5'-DFUR group (p = 0.256) than in the controls. Results according to cancer factors showed that, in patients with G2 based on grading, those in the 5'-DFUR group tended to have a lower recurrence rate than the control group (p = 0.070). There was a 40% incidence of adverse drug reactions (12/30 patients), primarily slight gastrointestinal symptoms which disappeared or improved with drug discontinuation. The results of the present study suggest that 5'-DFUR might be the choice of treatment to prevent recurrence of superficial bladder cancer.

[Delayed posttraumatic high flow priapism: a case report].

A 21-year-old male complained of persisting erection. A urethral balloon catheter had been for 3 weeks after indwelt urethral injury by a skateboard, and he was hospitalized because of penile erection persisting after removing the catheter. High flow priapism was suspected by intracavernous blood gas study and color Doppler ultrasound study. Selective internal pudendal arteriography revealed a leakage of contrast medium at the base of penis. He was treated with selective embolization of bilateral internal genital arteries using gelatin sponges and achieved detumescence. Normal potency was evident 3 months later by examining nocturnal penile tumescence.

Media selection for refolding of thermolysin by use of immobilized preparation.

Selection of the most effective medium for the correct refolding of thermolysin was performed. Thermolysin that had been denatured with 6 M guanidinium chloride at pH 2.0 could not be recovered to its activity larger than ca. 10% even when the denaturant was diluted with a conventional buffer solution. The amount of activity recovered by this method decreased with time. The recovered activity was ca. 20% at most where 1 M calcium chloride or 1.6 M calcium acetate was employed as the refolding medium instead of the conventional buffer solution. In this case also, the activity decreased with time. Not only the low recovered activity or yield, but also the elimination of the activity once recovered, was probably mainly due to the intermolecular interactions between protein molecules such as autolysis and aggregation. In order to exclude the influence of the intermolecular interactions and to select the effective media for the correct refolding of thermolysin, immobilized thermolysin was prepared using agarose gel. Employment of the immobilized preparation made it possible to quantitatively determine the refolding of thermolysin and results revealed that the salts of organic acid, such as potassium acetate and sodium acetate, were excellent media for refolding. The immobilization was confirmed to be available for the selection of protein refolding media and indispensable, especially in the case of proteases. Since these results were partly similar to those obtained in the case of subtilisin reported previously, results of both cases were compared.

[Surgical removal of renal cell carcinoma after partial splenic embolization in a patient with liver cirrhosis: a case report].

Partial splenic embolization is used to treat patients with liver cirrhosis accompanied by hypersplenism for improving thrombocytopenia and leukopenia. We report a case in which partial splenic embolization was used before nephrectomy because both renal cell carcinoma and liver cirrhosis were present. A 75-year-old woman visited our hospital complaining of abdominal distension. Computed tomography revealed a 5.5 cm left renal tumor. Liver cirrhosis, ascitis, splenomegaly was observed. Blood tests revealed pancytopenia; platelet count was 2.9 x 10(4)/mm3. The patient was treated by partial splenic embolization in an attempt to ensure a safe nephrectomy. After the embolization, her platelet count increased immediately to 19.2 x 10(4)/mm3, and left nephrectomy was performed successfully.

[Treatment and prognosis of T 4 renal cell carcinoma].

BACKGROUND: We studied the cases with T 4 renal cell carcinoma (RCC) to characterize the factors associated with prolonged survival and to clarify the indication of extended nephrectomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study population consisted of 53 patients (44 male and 9 female) with pT 4 RCC treated at the Yokohama City University Hospital and its affiliated hospitals from 1965 to 1994. Survival rates were analyzed with respect to clinicopathological factors (patient age, sex, symptom, tumor growing type, tumor size, histological grade, cell type, structural type, lymph node metastasis, vein invasion, distant metastasis and extended nephrectomy). RESULTS: One-year, 2-years, and 3-years survival rates of the cases with T 4 RCC were 30.4%, 16.4%, and 9.4% respectively. In univariate analysis, improved survival were correlated with no extra-urinary symptom (Logrank: p = 0.0048, Wilcoxon: p = 0.0423), no lymphnode metastasis (Logrank: p = 0.1045, Wilcoxon: p = 0.0199), no distant metastases (Logrank: p = 0.0007, Wilcoxon: p = 0.0006), and enforcement of extended nephrectomy (Logrank: p = 0.0018, Wilcoxon: p = 0.0008). In 28 cases with extended nephrectomy, improved survival was correlated with no extra-urinary symptom, no abdominal wall invasion and no distant metastases. In 5 cases with more than 3 year survival after extended nephrectomy, 4 cases were found to have no distant metastases at the time of operation. Non-operative therapy including interferon for 20 cases without extended nephrectomy were almost ineffective. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that if curative excision for T 4 RCC cases without distant metastases could be done, some patients might be appropriate candidates for extended nephrectomy.

[Surgical removal of retroperitoneal liposarcoma after transarterial embolization: a case report].

A case of retroperitoneal liposarcoma that was removed after transarterial embolization is reported. A 62-year-old man was admitted with body weight loss and general fatigue. Computed tomography revealed an extrarenal tumor, 27 x 17 x 11 cm in size, in the left retroperitoneal space. Arteriography revealed that the hypervascular tumor was fed from the left renal artery, the left adrenal artery and the left lumber arteries (L1-L4). At first the patient underwent transarterial embolization of the left renal artery and the left lumbar arteries (L1, L3, L4). Twenty-two days later he underwent surgical excision of the tumor with combined resection of the left kidney and the descending colon. The resected tissue weighed 2,500 g. Histological examination revealed liposarcoma, pleomorphic type. His postoperative course was uneventful, and he has remained free of disease for 15 months.

[Clinicopathological study on patients with renal cell carcinoma according to whole area histological sections].

BACKGROUND: We tried to establish new classification of histological grade and indication of elective nephron-sparing surgery (ENSS) in renal cell carcinoma (RCC), and studied histological changes according to tumor size. METHODS: We made whole area histological sections on 142 cases with RCC and investigated histological aspects and prognosis. RESULTS: (1) To classify the grade of the cases, the worst grade which occupied more than 10% of the tumor provided most appropriate prognosis. (2) In 144 cases (kidneys), satellite tumor lesions (STL) were observed in 69 cases (47.9%), and the cases with vein invasion were observed in 75 cases (51.4%). Incidence of these two factors increased with tumor size. (3) From the point of view of location of STL and vein invasion, ENSS was possible with taking more than 2 cm surgical margin in the cases with less than 4 cm in size and slow growing type. But indication of ENSS should not be decided with ease. (4) Incidence of the cases with multiple structural and cell types and grades increased with tumor size. (5) Incidence of the cases with solid structure, spindle or pleomorphic cell type and high grade increased with tumor size. (6) It was supposed that tumor heterogeneity and progression could be associated with tumor growth in each cases. CONCLUSION: These results suggest the necessity of treatment of the cases with RCC as small as possible. If the tumor is less than 4 cm, prognosis tends to be good, and ENSS might be possible in some cases.

[Long-term administration study of propiverine hydrochloride (BUP-4 tablets) in pollakiuria and urinary incontinence].

The safety and efficacy of one-year administration of propiverine hydrochloride (BUP-4 tablets) were assessed in facilities affiliated with the Department of Urology of Yokohama City University School of Medicine. Changes in subjective symptoms showed significant improvement in mean frequency of urination in the daytime from 10.3 +/- 4.0 times before administration to 7.1 +/- 2.9 times 1 year after the start of administration, in mean frequency of voiding at night from 4.2 +/- 1.7 times to 2.1 +/- 1.1 times and in mean incidence of urinary incontinence from 2.9 +/- 2.1 times to 0.7 +/- 1.0 times. The final degree of overall improvement rate was 82.0% (41/50 cases). Adverse effects were observed 26 times in 22 patients, the incidence being 15.6% (22/141 cases). They consisted of digestive symptoms in 9.9% (6 events of dry mouth, 4 of constipation, 2 of abdominal discomfort, 2 of diarrhea and 1 of gastritis), urinary tract symptoms in 3.5% (4 of dysuria and 1 of residual urine), abnormal laboratory findings in 1.4% (increase in glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase, glutamic-pyruvic transaminase or lactate dehydrogenase levels) and others (1.4%). These results provide further evidence of the safety and efficacy of propiverine hydrochloride (BUP-4 tablets) even when administered for a long-term in the treatment of patients with pollakiuria and urinary incontinence.

[Prognosis in the cases with renal cell carcinoma according to clinical parameters].

BACKGROUND: The objects of this study is to evaluate the clinical prognostic factors in renal cell carcinoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: During a 30-year period from January 1965 to December 1994, 1301 cases with renal cell carcinoma were treated at the Yokohama City University Hospital and its affiliated hospitals. In these cases, cause specific 679 cases from January 1965 to December 1990 were analyzed in a study undertaken to investigate long-term treatment results and clinical prognostic factors. RESULTS: 1. The cause specific 5-, 10-, 15-, and 20-year survival rates were 48.7%, 41.1%, 32.3%, and 26.5% respectively, indicating thus that a great number of cases had an ominous prognosis even 5 years or moreafter surgical treatment. 2. Among patients under 40 years of age (n = 29) none died more than 2 years after receiving operation, the prognosis for this particular group of cases being relatively good. 3. Female, incidentally detected cancer, small tumor size (< or = 4.0 cm), slow growing type and low stage were proven to be favourable prognostic factors in renal cell carcinoma. 4. The cause specific 5-year survival rate for the patients (n = 239) from 1965 to 1981 was 33.8%, while the rate for the patients (n = 440) from 1982 to 1990 was 56.5%. This improvement of survival rate was brought by the increase of the incidentally detected renal cell carcinoma. 5. In the incidentally detected renal cell carcinoma, the incidence of slow growing cases and the cases of less than 4.0 cm tumor size were higher than in the symptomatic renal cell carcinoma. 6. Multivariate analysis using Cox's proportional hazard model showed that stage was the most important prognostic factor. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggested that sex, age, symptom, tumor size, growing type, and stage were important prognostic factors in renal cell carcinoma.

[Adrenal pheochromocytoma associated with renal cell carcinoma: report of two cases].

Two cases of adrenal pheochromocytoma associated with renal cell carcinoma are reported. The first case was in a 56-year-old woman who had been treated for hypertension. Computerized tomography (CT) scan revealed a right renal tumor and a right adrenal mass. Endocrinological examination and 131I-MIBG scintigraphy confirmed the diagnosis of pheochromocytoma. Right radical nephrectomy was performed under stable blood pressure. The second case was in a 45-year-old man who had been treated for gastric ulcers. CT scan incidentally revealed a right renal tumor and a left adrenal mass. He was normotensive and endocrinologically normal. Right radical nephrectomy and left adrenalectomy were performed, followed by corticosteroid supplementation. In both cases, histopathological diagnosis was renal cell carcinoma and adrenal pheochromocytoma. Both patients had no clinical evidence for von Hippel-Lindau disease such as tumorous lesions of the central nervous system, spinal cord and retina, and cystic lesions of the kidney and pancreas.

Clinical evaluation of soluble cytokeratin 19 fragments (CYFRA 21-1) in serum and urine of patients with bladder cancer.

OBJECTIVES: CYFRA 21-1 is a new tumor marker that measures cytokeratin 19 (CK-19) fragments by a sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). In this study, we evaluated the usefulness of serum and urine CYFRA 21-1 as a tumor marker for bladder cancers. METHODS: We measured serum and urine CYFRA 21-1 levels in a group of patients with bladder cancer (n = 58) and a group without bladder cancer (n = 220). The latter group was divided into five subgroups of patients (those with cystitis, benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), urolithiasis, or renal dysfunction, and a group of healthy, controls). In the bladder cancer group, we measured CYFRA 21-1 levels after transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TUR-Bt), and we also analyzed the relationship between serum and urine CYFRA 21-1 levels and tumor-related factors. RESULTS: Serum and urine CYFRA 21-1 levels were significantly higher in the bladder cancer group than in each of the non-bladder cancer subgroups. However, urine CYFRA 21-1 levels did not differ significantly between the bladder cancer group and the cystitis subgroup. In the bladder cancer group, serum CYFRA 21-1 levels were significantly higher in patients with local advanced-stage tumors and in those who had metastases. Urine CYFRA 21-1 levels decreased as a function of time after TUR-Bt. These levels were strongly correlated with tumor volume and were significantly better than urine cytology for the detection of bladder cancers of grades 1 and 2. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that urine CYFRA 21-1 is a useful tumor marker in screening for bladder cancer, and that serum CYFRA 21-1 may be a tumor marker for advanced bladder cancers.

New mutant rabbit strain with hypercholesterolemia and atherosclerotic lesions produced by serial inbreeding.

We have investigated the characteristics of the Kurosawa and Kusanagi hypercholesterolemic (KHC) rabbit, a strain manifesting inherited and persistent hypercholesterolemia and produced by inbreeding from mutants discovered in 1985. These KHC rabbits had abnormally high serum cholesterol, triglyceride, and phospholipid concentrations 8 to 10 times greater than the concentrations in clinically normal Japanese white rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus). The KHC rabbits also had decreased serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentration, about one-third the value in clinically normal rabbits. In addition, the serum lipoprotein electrophoretic patterns were characterized by a strong, broad beta-lipoprotein band and a diminished alpha-lipoprotein band. Fractionation of lipoprotein lipids revealed increased cholesterol, phospholipid, and triglyceride in the low-density lipoprotein fraction; increased cholesterol and phospholipid in the very low-density lipoprotein fraction; and decreased cholesterol and triglyceride in the high-density lipoprotein fraction. On the basis of incidence of hypercholesterolemia in mating experiments, this abnormality is thought to have been inherited as a single autosomal recessive gene mutation, and analysis of the low-density lipoprotein receptor indicated that the KHC rabbit has a 12-base pair deletion in the low-density lipoprotein receptor mRNA. Macroscopic analysis of the aorta revealed the atheromatous lesions at 2 months of age, drastically increased lesional areas in the total aortic surface at 8 months of age, and a high incidence of coronary atheromas and xanthomas. Light microscopy revealed two typical lesions in the aorta fatty plaque and medical calcification.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Prognostic factors for metastatic renal cell cancer].

We examined various prognostic factors of metastatic renal cell carcinoma. Patients who had metastasis at nephrectomy (A group, 38 cases) and those who had metastasis as recurrent tumors after nephrectomy (B group, 38 cases) entered in this study. Five-year survival rate of total cases after confirmation of metastatic foci was 15% and there was no statistical significant difference between A and B groups. Several pathological factors were related to poorer prognosis and included large diameters of original tumors, positive lymph nodes, higher grade tumors and non-clear cell type tumors. Patients who have a solitary lung metastasis showed better prognosis compared to those with multiple lung metastases or metastases of other organs. Two factors related to treatment were shown to contribute to better prognosis. These were the response to interferon alfa (IFN alpha) and the possibility of total resection of visible metastatic tumors. Patients who belong to A group were shown to achieve markedly better therapeutic benefit from IFN alpha or IFN alpha plus anticancer drugs. Five-year survival rate for the responders was 40%, as compared to less than 5% for the non-responders. Ten-year survival rate for patients with metastasis who had undergone complete resection of visible tumor was 50%, and the for patients belonging to B group Showed 80%. We concluded that these prognostic factors should be considered to decide how to select patients with metastatic renal cell cancer.

[Immunohistological grade of renal cell carcinoma employing anti Leu-M1 antibody and anti EMA antibody].

Attempting to establish more objective grading system of renal cell carcinoma, I studied 104 renal cell carcinoma tissue samples from 52 cases by immunohistochemical technique employing the anti-Leu M1 antibody and the anti-EMA antibody. These 52 cases could be classified into 4 groups according to the reactivity for Leu-M1 (L) and EMA (E), i.e., L+E-, L+E+, L-E+, and L-E-. Considering the expression pattern of Leu-M1 (L) and EMA (E) in normal adult/fetal renal tissue, I speculated that normal cellular characters of the proximal tubules were preserved most well in the L+E- carcinomas, and gradually lost in the L+E+ carcinomas, L-E+ carcinomas, and L-E- carcinomas in this order. The reactions L+E-, L+E+, L-E+, and L-E- were designated immunohistochemical grade 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively. In most cases, the immunohistochemical grade corresponded with the conventional histologic grade. However, dissociation of more than 2 steps of the grade was observed in some cases. I analyzed the cases with such dissociation and discussed usefulness of the immunohistochemical grading system (as a supplemental role for histologic grading) for renal cell carcinoma.

[Successful management for advanced renal cell carcinoma under combination therapy with human lymphoblastoid interferon-alpha and UFT (mixture of tegafur and uracil): a case report].

We report a case of renal cell carcinoma in a 76-year-old man with pulmonary metastasis and tumor thrombus in inferior vena cava. The patient responded to the combination therapy with a small amount of HLBI (human lymphoblastoid interferon-alpha) and UFT (1:4 mixture of tegafur and uracil). HLBI was administered intramuscularly at a dose of 3 x 10(6) IU two times a week. However, the administration of the same dose was discontinued, because of the severe side effects, such as depression, general fatigue, anorexia and high fever. Finally, the maximum dose was determined to be 2 x 10(6) IU/week. Nine weeks after the first treatment, UFT was simultaneously given orally at a dose of 100 mg/day for potentiating the antitumor effect. At 12 weeks, the patient registered complete response of pulmonary metastasis, and partial response (83% reduction) of renal tumor. About 60 x 10(6) IU HLBI was administered until the response was noted. After 34 weeks of administration of HLBI, nephrectomy was performed. Histological diagnosis was renal cell carcinoma of clear cell subtype, grade 2. Microscopically, many lymphocytes infiltrated into the cancer cells. This suggests the possibility of immunological response caused by HLBI.

[Two cases of leiomyoma of the kidney].

Renal leiomyomas large enough to be clinically diagnosed are extremely rare. We review 30 cases of clinically diagnosed renal leiomyoma from the literature in Japan, including our 2 new cases. Case 1: In a 52-year-old man with no symptoms a renal mass was found accidentally on an ultrasonogram. CT scan showed a mass with a cystic area at the upper pole of the right kidney. Angiogram showed a hypovascular mass. Case 2: CT scan revealed a cystic mass and angiogram showed an avascular mass at the upper pole of the left kidney in a 19-year-old man having gross hematuria and left flank pain. Transperitoneal nephrectomy was done in both cases. Histologically each tumor was composed of monotonous proliferation of spindle shaped cells without atypia, which showed intense immunoreactivity for alpha-smooth muscle actin. The diagnosis of benign leiomyoma was made in each case. In a review of 30 cases, we found that renal leiomyomas occur most often in female (77%), between decades 2 and 5 of life (median: 46 years). On the angiogram it appears most often as an avascular or hypovascular mass. CT scan shows cystic or mixed solid/cystic or solid lesion, occasionally with calcification. Preoperative diagnosis is extremely difficult to be made. Histologically, fibroma, angiomyolipoma, congenital mesoblastic nephroma and leiomyosarcoma should be differentiated.