[Validation study on a multi-residue method for determination of pesticide residues in agricultural products by new automatic pretreatment equipment (FASRAC) and GC-MS/MS].

A validation study was performed on a multiresidue method for determination of pesticide residues in agricultural products according to the method validation guideline of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan. FASRAC (Food Automatic Analytical Systems for Residual Agricultural Chemicals) automatically performs extraction of pesticide residues from agricultural products with acetonitrile, filtration, constant volume, mixing with the use of air, mixing acetonitrile with buffer solvent, separation, and dehydration with sodium sulfate. The extract was purified with a GC/NH2 column. For wheat flour and soybeans, a purification step with a C18 column was added before a GC/NH2 column. After removal of the solvent, the extract was resolved in n-hexane/acetone solvent for GC-MS/MS analysis. In the case of manual analysis, pesticide residues were analyzed according to official multiresidue methods and purification steps were the same as in FASRAC. Recovery tests were performed with wheat flour, soybeans, spinach and apples, by addition of 302 pesticides at the concentrations 0.01 mg/kg. The results indicate that automatic extraction using FASRAC is superior to manual analysis in trueness, repeatability and within-run reproducibility. Specially, automatic extraction using FASRAC is superior to manual analysis in trueness because it is optimized in various respects, for example reextraction at salting-out.

[A long survival case of sigmoid colon cancer patient with initially unresectable hepatic metastases].

The prognosis of a colorectal cancer patient with unresectable hepatic metastases is extremely poor. To improve the prognosis, when the hepatic metastases were initially unresectable, we performed second-look hepatectomy (s-l hepatectomy) after neoadjuvant hepatic arterial 5-FU infusion plus UFT (HAI-PMC). Here, we report the case of a sigmoid colon cancer patient with initially unresectable hepatic metastases showing a prolonged survival (6.5 years) by second-look operation after HAI-PMC. A 57-year-old woman was diagnosed with sigmoid colon cancer with unresectable liver metastases. Sigmoidectomy and hepatic arterial catheterization were performed in the initial operation, and HAI-PMC was performed 6 months after. Metastatic foci of the liver had shrunk (90.9%), but solitary metastatic lung cancer was detected during HAI. As no other metastatic lesion was observed, partial resection of the liver and lung was performed as a second-look operation, 6 months after the initial operation. The woman continued venous infusion chemotherapy as an outpatient, and she survived for 6.5 years after the initial operation. This result suggests that strategic multidisciplinary treatment utilizing s-l hepatectomy after neoadjuvant chemotherapy can lead to better prognosis for colorectal cancer patients with hepatic metastases.

Anal function during pregnancy and postpartum after ileal pouch anal anastomosis for ulcerative colitis.

PURPOSE: Total proctocolectomy and ileal pouch anal anastomosis (IPAA) is now a common procedure for ulcerative colitis (UC). Moreover, it has been reported that fertility is preserved in women who undergo this procedure, many of whom can experience normal delivery. METHODS: We assessed the perinatal outcomes and changes in anal function in four women, aged from 27 to 35 years, who gave birth after undergoing IPAA for UC. Pregnancies were confirmed 15-111 months after IPAA, three women had full-term pregnancies, and one gave birth after 31 weeks' gestation. RESULTS: Cephalic delivery with a vacuum extractor was used for one patient, and another underwent cesarean section. The other two patients experienced normal delivery. None of the patients needed artificial insemination and none had any symptoms of intestinal obstruction during their pregnancy. After delivery, two patients suffered a transient increase in bowel frequency and soiling, which gradually resolved. CONCLUSIONS: Although transient anal dysfunction occurred in the puerperal period, there were no changes in anal function during pregnancy. Therefore, there are no factors directly prohibiting pregnancy and vaginal delivery in women who undergo IPAA for UC.

Effect of lateral cyclic loading on abutment screw loosening of an external hexagon implant system.

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: Efforts to reduce the recurrence of abutment screw loosening with single tooth implant-supported restorations have been reported. However, the current knowledge about the role of the implant external hexagon is incomplete. PURPOSE: This in vitro study investigated the effect of lateral cyclic loading with different load positions on abutment screw loosening of an external hexagon implant system. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Fifteen Brånemark implant assemblies were divided equally into 3 groups, A, B, and C. Each assembly consisted of a Mark IV implant (4 x 10 mm) mounted in a brass block, a CeraOne abutment (3 mm), and an experimental cement-retained superstructure. For group A, a cyclic load of 50 N was applied centrally and perpendicular to the long axis of the implant, whereas for group B, the same load was applied eccentrically (at a distance of 4 mm) in a loosening direction. A target of 1.0 x 10(6) cycles (40 months of simulated function) was defined. Group C (control) was left unloaded for the same loading time period as groups A and B. Reverse torque was recorded before and after loading and the difference was calculated. The data were analyzed with 1-way analysis of variance and compared with the Tukey test (alpha=.05). RESULTS: Group A exhibited a significant difference in the reverse torque difference values ([-5.6 to -3.4] +/- 0.86 N.cm) compared with groups B ([-1.9 to 0.5] +/- 0.99 N.cm) and C ([-0.7 to 0.0] +/- 0.26 N.cm) (P<.001). Groups B and C were not significantly different from each other. CONCLUSION: Within the limitations of this study, reverse torque values of the screw joint were preserved under eccentric lateral loading, as compared with centric loading (P<.001).

New reconstructive procedure after intestinal resection for Crohn's disease: modified side-to-side isoperistaltic anastomosis with double Heineke-Mikulicz procedure.

Although side-to-side isoperistaltic anastomosis is a useful strictureplasty technique when long segments of intestinal stenosis complicate Crohn's disease, concerns have been raised regarding disease recurrence adjacent to the anastomosis. We performed side-to-side isoperistaltic anastomosis without spatulated intestinal ends as a method of reconstruction after intestinal resection for Crohn's disease; both intestinal ends were transversely closed like a Heineke-Mikulicz-type strictureplasty. With this procedure, the luminal diameter proximal and distal to the anastomosis became wider than the original diameter of the intestine. This new procedure, which we refer to as the "modified side-to-side isoperistaltic anastomosis with double Heineke-Mikulicz procedure" could become an alternative operation after intestinal resection in persons with Crohn's disease, although long-term outcome analysis is necessary.

Effect of intra-arterial cisplatin on multiple liver metastases from rectal cancer associated with ulcerative colitis.

We report a patient with synchronous multiple liver metastases from rectal cancer associated with ulcerative colitis. Because the liver tumors were unresectable, we performed total proctocolectomy and hepatic intra-arterial cisplatin infusion with systemic oral administration of fluorouracil. A complete response was obtained. The patient is alive without sign of recurrence 5 years postoperatively. Hepatic intra-arterial administration of cisplatin should be considered in the treatment of unresectable liver metastases from colorectal cancer.

Octreotide in control of multiple liver metastases from gastrinoma.

The somatostatin analogue octreotide was effective in controlling systemic effects related to multiple liver metastases from a gastrinoma. A 61-year-old man underwent distal gastrectomy for gastrinoma in the duodenum, because a curative resection was not feasible due to metastases found in paraaortic lymph nodes during operation. Multiple liver metastases, associated with an increase in serum gastrin concentration, were found by magnetic resonance imaging 16 months after the operation. Although chemotherapy with dimethyltrizenoimidazole carboxamide was not effective, subcutaneous administration of octreotide was effective in controlling the growth of the liver metastases and in stabilizing serum gastrin. The patient now receives subcutaneous injections of octreotide, at 200 microg a day, twice a week, as an outpatient.

Surgical treatment of chronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction: report of three cases.

We report the cases of three patients with chronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction (CIP) whose quality of life (QOL) was improved by palliative surgery in combination with home parenteral nutrition (HPN). Loop enterostomy and shortening of the gastrointestinal tract was performed with good results in all three patients to relieve abdominal distension that was progressive despite treatment with prokinetic drugs. Oral intake was also improved after surgical treatment in one patient who underwent massive resection of the jejunoileum. HPN maintained a satisfactory nutritional state in all patients. These three case reports serve to demonstrate that surgical intervention to improve QOL should be considered for patients with CIP if medication is not effective and symptoms are progressive.

Measurement of phosphatidylcholine hydroperoxide in mild ischemia-reperfusion injury in rat intestine.

In the pathogenesis of intestinal ischemia-reperfusion injury, the measurement of lipid peroxides needs to be established. Sprague-Dawley rat intestines were assessed after 30 minutes of occlusion of the superior mesenteric artery followed by reperfusion at 30, 60, 120, 180, 360 minutes. Grade of the mucosal injury, accumulation of the activated neutrophils and ICAM-1 expression were transiently increased after reperfusion. Two measuring methods of mucosal lipid peroxides using thiobarbituric acid reacting substance (TBARS) and phosphatidylcholine hydroperoxide (PCOOH) were compared. PCOOH level was significantly increased after reperfusion, while the mucosal TBARS level showed no significant change. In conclusion, lipid peroxidation could be detected with high specificity and sensitivity by measuring the mucosal phosphatidylcholine hydroperoxide level.

Formation of Embryo Thromboblasts in Chick Blastoderm: Morphology, Site of Production and Time of Emergence in the Blood: (embryo thromboblast/glycogen deposit/differentiation/chick blastoderm).

Thrombocytes in the blood of chick embryos (termed embryo thrombocytes by Lucas and Jamroz) have PAS-positive granules in their cytoplasm. Electron microscopic observations reveal that the embryo thrombocytes contain glycogen granules present singly or in clumps. The presence of these inclusions and other morphological characteristics were used as specific markers to distinguish embryo thrombocytes from primitive erythroid cells. These markers also made it possible to determine the time at which the immature thromboblasts first emerge in blood vessels, and the period of their continued presence in the circulation. In this way we found that thromboblasts were detectable in embryos as early as stage 10+ of Hamburger and Hamilton (after 35 hr incubation) and that the thromboblasts were present in the circulation until day 4 of incubation (stage 23). In ovo and in vitro culture of de-embryonated blastoderm demonstrated that thromboblasts were formed in the area opeca vasculosa. The present observations suggest that embryo thromboblasts are formed at the same time and in the same area as the primitive cells of erythroid line.