Visible high-speed optical transmission over photonic crystal fiber.

We demonstrated high-speed transmission at visible wavelengths over a 1 km photonic crystal fiber (PCF). We achieved a 1 Gbit/s transmission at 783 nm by using the direct modulation of a cost-effective Fabry-Perot laser diode (FP-LD). By employing the external modulation of the longitudinally single-mode grating-stabilized LD, we obtained the first penalty free 10 Gbit/s transmission at 780 nm.

Flavonol glycoside production in callus cultures of Epimedium diphyllum.

Callus cultures of Epimedium diphyllum produced a large amount of epimedoside A in addition to a small amount of diphylloside B, ikarisoside C, epimedoside E, diglycosides of des-O-methylanhydroicaritin (8-gamma, gamma-dimethylallylkaempfero). Icariin, epimedins A-C, which are glycosides of anhydroicaritin, were also produced in the callus cultures. Contents of the flavonol glycosides in callus tissue were higher than those of mother plants, but the composition of each flavonol glycoside mixture in the callus cultures was different from that of the original plants. The time-course experiments showed that an inverse relationship existed between cell growth and flavonol glycoside production. Effects of hormonal factors on cell growth and flavonol glycoside production indicated that 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid was needed for the production of flavonol glycosides.

[A case of bilateral synchronous renal cell carcinoma managed with radical nephrectomy and ex-vivo tumor enucleation].

A 61-year-old female presented with gross hematuria and left flank pain. The arteriogram and CT scan revealed a large left renal tumor and multiple small right renal metastatic tumors. A chest X-ray and Ga scintigram showed no other metastatic lesions. A left radical nephrectomy and a right renal bench surgery were performed at the same time. The right multiple tumors were enucleated and the right kidney was autotransplanted into the right iliac fossa. The postoperative course was uneventful and the patient was free of tumor with good renal function. Renal preservation surgery was considered more beneficial for this patient than bilateral nephrectomy followed by hemodialysis.

[Endoscopic ethanol injection treatment for bladder cancer].

One invasive and 4 superficial bladder cancers were treated by local injection of absolute ethanol through an endoscope. With the patient placed in the lithotomy position, an endoscope was introduced after mucosal anesthesia with xylocaine jelly. According to the usual manner of retrograde catheterization, a 23G syringe needle attached to a 5F ureteral catheter was advanced into the base of the tumor and through the needle absolute ethanol was injected. This treatment is characterized by endoscopic delivery of ethanol as with sclerotherapy for esophageal varices to obtain a potent necrotizing effect as achieved by transcatheter embolization of ethanol for the treatment of renal cell carcinoma. As a rule, this technique does not require any anesthesia other than mucosal anesthesia with xylocaine jelly and can be done repeatedly and very easily, thus having a high cost effectiveness. This treatment serves as a good palliative therapy for invasive bladder cancers, because of its rapid achievement of hemostasis and reduction of the tumor masses. Furthermore, this treatment is just as effective as standard transurethral resections to eradicate superficial bladder cancer, even though the treatment may have to be repeated.

[Serum uptake of doxorubicin intravesically administered soon after transurethral resection of bladder carcinoma].

To obtain the maximum prophylactic effect of intravesical chemotherapy on the bladder tumor recurrence treatment should be started early. Since 1983, we have been initiating prophylactic instillation of doxorubicin hydrochloride (DXR) on the first post-transurethral resection (TUR) day. This study was conducted to define serum uptake of DXR and systemic toxicity in the early post-TUR period. Fifteen TURs were carried out on 14 patients with superficial bladder carcinoma. DXR (30 mg) in normal saline (30 ml) was intravesically administered 1, 3, 5, 7 and 14 days after TUR, and every 4 weeks thereafter. DXR solution was kept in the bladder for 2 hours. The serum DXR concentration was measured 30 minutes and 2 hours after the instillation through 1 to 5 days after TUR. Intolerable vesical irritability was seen in 4 of 60 instillations. No systemic side effects, however, were observed. Three of 24 samples contained a detectable level (10 ng/ml) of DXR on the post-TUR day 1, 6 of 22 samples on the post-TUR day 3, and 6 of 14 samples on the post-TUR day 5. Overall, 15 of 60 samples contained more than 10 ng/ml DXR. The highest serum DXR level was 47 ng/ml at the post-TUR day 1. Frequency of detection and average levels of serum DXR in 30-minute and 2-hour samples were not significantly different. Average concentrations in patients with multiple or diffuse tumor and solitary tumor were also not significantly different. These results indicate that intravesical instillation starting within 24 hours after TUR does not produce significant serum uptake of DXR, and systemic toxicity can thereby be avoided.

[Absorption of tetrahydropyranyl adriamycin administered intravesically immediately after transurethral resection of bladder carcinoma].

Absorption of tetrahydropyranyl adriamycin (THP) administered immediately after transurethral resection of bladder carcinoma (TUR-Bt) has not been reported. In this study, we have examined the absorption of THP and the systemic toxicity in the early post-TUR period. Of 21 patients with bladder carcinoma, 10 had a solitary tumor and 11 multiple tumors. Twenty mg THP in 40 ml of sterile water was intravesically administered on days 1, 3, 5, 7, 14 and 28, and then every 4th week. The THP solution was retained for 2 hours. The blood THP concentration was measured 30 minutes and 2 hours after the intravesical administration on days 1, 7 and 28. No systemic side effects were observed. Thirteen of the 38 (34%) samples contained a detectable level (more than 1 ng/ml) of THP on the post-TUR-Bt on day 1, 8, of 42 (19%) on day 7, and 3 of 18 (17%) on day 28. Altogether, 24 of the 98 (24%) samples contained more than 1 ng/ml THP. The highest blood THP level was 23 ng/ml on day 1. The differences between frequency of detection of blood THP in the samples at 30 minutes and 2 hours were not statistically significant. The difference between average concentration of blood THP of patients with solitary and multiple tumors also was not significant. These results indicate that intravesical THP administration starting within 24 hours after TUR-Bt can not result in significant systemic absorption of THP, and the systemic toxicity can be avoided.

[A case of metastatic renal tumor originating from a malignant mixed tumor of the submandibular gland].

A rare case of metastatic renal tumor originating from a malignant mixed tumor of the submandibular gland is reported. The patient was a 45-year-old woman with hard masses palpated in the right upper arm and the right upper gluteal region. She had a history of surgical resection of a right submandibular tumor followed by radiotherapy in 1977. Biopsy findings of the gluteal mass suggested a malignant clear cell tumor. A chest X-ray, excretory urogram, CT scan, MRI and renal angiogram were highly suggestive of a right renal cell carcinoma with metastases to the right lung (S1 & S10), the left 4th and 5th ribs, the right upper arm muscle and the right upper gluteal muscle. Right nephrectomy and resection of the right upper arm and right upper gluteal tumors were performed. Microscopic examination showed that all tumors were malignant mixed tumors. When compared to the previous surgical specimen, the tumors were believed to be identical. The tumors of the lung and ribs subsequently resected were malignant mixed tumors. The patient is well with no objective or subjective evidence of recurrent neoplastic disease 7 months post-operatively. To our knowledge only one report of metastatic renal tumor originating from a malignant mixed tumor of the salivary gland has been published in Japan. But metastatic renal tumor originating from the same tumor of the submandibular gland has not been reported previously in Japan.

ESR dating of elephant teeth and radiation dose rate estimation in soil.

Chemical analysis of 238U, 232Th and 40K in the dentine as well as enamel of elephant tooth fossil has been carried out in order to estimate the internal absorbed dose rate of the specimens, which was estimated to be (39 +/- 4) mrad/y on the assumption of early uptake model of radionuclides. The external radiation dose rate in the soil including the contribution from cosmic rays was also estimated to be (175 +/- 18) mrad/y with the help of gamma-ray spectroscopic techniques of the soil samples in which the specimens were buried. The 60Co gamma-ray equivalent accumulated dose of (2 +/- 0.2) x 10(4) rad for the tooth enamel gave "ESR age" of (9 +/- 2) x 10(4) y, which falls in the geologically estimated range between 3 x 10(4) and 30 x 10(4) y before the present.

Primary gastric lymphoma with intranuclear inclusions. An immunohistochemical and ultrastructural study.

Two patients with primary gastric lymphoma, diffuse lymphoma, a plasmacytoid variant of small cell type, with numerous intranuclear inclusions, are reported. In both cases, biopsy and surgical specimens showed diffuse proliferation of lymphoid cells having plasmacytoid features at different steps of maturation in lamina propria and submucosal layer. The cytoplasm of the lymphoma cells was stained with anti-IgM, anti-kappa chain, and anti-J chain antibodies by avidin-biotin peroxidase complex technique. A number of intranuclear inclusions in the lymphoma cells were diastase-resistant PAS positive, and also stained with anti-IgM, anti-kappa chain, and anti-J chain antibodies, suggesting a monoclonal situation. In an ultrastructural study of the first case, the inclusions were round and composed of amorphous materials surrounded by a single membrane. In many lymphoma cells, the perinuclear cisternal space was dilated and filled with materials similar to those within both inclusions and rough endoplasmic reticulum. A direct communication between the perinuclear space and the inclusion was demonstrated in some cells, suggesting the perinuclear cisternal origin of these inclusions.