No abstract available

No abstract available

[en] Both cases showed a solitary adenoma weighing 1.1 and 1.0 g, respectively. It was useful to compare ²⁰¹Tl-chloride and sup(99m)Tc-pertechnetate scintigrams to eliminate the image of the thyroid visualized by ²⁰¹Tl-chloride. ²⁰¹Tl-chloride allows visualization of parathyroid adenomas weighing about 1 g, and the use of subtraction is expected to improve further the accuracy of the modality. (Chiba, N.)

[en] Twelve patients undergoing surgery for carcinoma of the bile duct at the liver hilus were treated with cobalt-60 beam (180 rad/day with fields of 6 x 8 cm and a total of 4,000 rad) and were compared with 6 control patients without irradiation therapy. More satisfactory results were obtained in the group with irradiation than in the group without it, irrespective of cases of noncurative or curative resection. Three-year survival rate after irradiation therapy was 20% (one of the five patients) in non-irradiated group and 44.4% (4 of the 9 patients) in irradiated group. Of six patients with macroscopically curative resection in the irradiated group, five were still alive or survived 2 years or more after irradiation therapy. These results suggest that cobalt-60 beam is effective as an adjuvant therapy following surgery for carcinoma. (Namekawa, K.)

[en] The crystal and molecular structure of the title complex has been determined by the X-ray diffraction method. The crystal was triclinic, space group P1, a = 12.80(1), b = 16.65(1), c = 8.659(9) A, α = 104.6(1), β = 93.7(2), γ = 107.5(1)⁰, Z = 2, Dsub(x) = 1.892(3), Dsub(m) = 1.91(2) Mg m^-3, μ(Mo Kα) = 3.4 mm^-1, and the final R value was 0.051 for 3577 reflections. The coordination number of both neodymium atoms is nine, although the coordinated atoms around one neodymium atom are arrayed in a tri-capped trigonal prism, and those around the other neodymium atom, in a mono-capped tetragonal antiprism. The neodymium atoms are arrayed on a linear chain bridged by the ligand; however, no metal-metal interaction is observed. The corresponding complexes of cerium(III), praseodymium(III), and europium(III) form isomorphous crystals with the title complex, but the complex of lanthanum(III) has the formula of ML₃ . 4.5H₂O (HL = (methylthio)acetic acid), and the complexes of dysprosium(III) and ytterbium(III), ML₃.2H₂O. (author)

[en] We applied the elastic recoil detection method to the in situ measurement of the hydrogen behavior in Si-implanted SiO₂ samples, where annealing in hydrogen environment increases photoluminescence efficiency. Dominant hydrogen trap sites changed depending on implantation conditions. In samples annealed at room temperature, hydrogen seems to be trapped forming vacancy-H (V-H) and Si-H bonds. The thermal annealing of the high-dose Si-implanted SiO₂ samples up to a temperature of 1173 K changes defects into tight hydrogen trapping of Si-H bond in conflict with results obtained at a low dose implantation. Annealing at 1343 K grows Si nanocrystals, and hydrogen seems to be trapped at the interface of Si nanocrystal/SiO₂ matrix. However, a result of high-dose implantation of Si up to 6x10¹⁷ cm^-2 showed that a large part of hydrogen is trapped as self-induced V-H complexes formed inside the crystals instead of the trap at interface

[en] Some studies suggest that giving radiation therapy after surgery for hilar cholangiocarcinoma improves the survival rate; however, many of these studies did not specify numbers of subjects or provide an impartial analysis. Thus, we evaluated the effectiveness of radiation therapy as adjuvant treatment after surgery and attempted to establish appropriate adaptation standards. We reviewed the records of 69 patients who underwent surgery for hilar cholangiocarcinoma between June 1980 and April 1998. Thirty-nine patients were treated with surgery followed by radiation therapy and 30 were treated with surgery alone. The clinicopathologic features that might have influenced prognosis were similar in the patients who received radiation therapy and those who did not. Radiation as adjuvant therapy did not have a beneficial effect on overall survival (P=0.554, log-rank test); however, it tended to improve survival in the group of patients who underwent curative resection for with p-stage III or IVa disease (P=0.042, log-rank test). Radiation therapy after surgery did not show any clinical benefits for patients with hilar cholangiocarcinoma. However, it may be effective as adjuvant therapy after curative resection in a small subgroup of patients with p-stage III or IVa disease. (author)

[en] Although laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) is known to be safe, the optimal imaging technique for examining the common bile duct and cystic duct prior to laparoscopic intervention remains controversial. The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of cholangiography under helical computed tomography (helical CT cholangiography) for LC. We studied 53 consecutive patients who underwent LC carried out by the same surgeon. The data of 23 of these patients who had undergone LC before the introduction of helical CT were used as the reference standard. Among the 53 patients, 28 were prospectively randomized for preoperative biliary tract evaluation with versus without helical CT cholangiography, into a CT/+ group (n=13) and a CT/- group (n=15), respectively. Two patients were excluded from the study preoperatively. There were no significant differences in age or laboratory findings, including liver function tests or the serum amylase level before or after surgery, between the two groups. In the CT/- group, endoscopic retrograde cholangiography-related pancreatitis developed in one patient, and one patient required conversion to open surgery. In contrast, in the CT/+ group, there were no preoperative complications and no patient required conversion to open surgery. The mean operative time was significantly shorter in the CT/+ group than in the CT/- group (P=0.0137). These findings provide evidence to support the advantages of helical CT cholangiography in relation to operative time, conversion, and procedure-related preoperative complications. (author)

[en] The extent of paraaortic lymph node (PAN) metastasis parellels that of distant metastases in patients with biliary carcinoma. Accurate preoperative assessment of PAN metastasis has a crucial impact on surgical indications. In this retrospective study, we evaluated whether computed tomography (CT) scans were useful for diagnosing PAN metastases and excluding patients with PAN metastases from an indication for surgery. Between March 1999 and November 2003, 57 patients with biliary carcinoma underwent radical lymphadenectomy or surgical biopsy of PANs. Nine of these patients were diagnosed as having PAN metastasis microscopically. All patients had undergone abdominal CT scans before surgery. To diagnose PAN metastases, we used the following diagnostic criteria. Size; when lymph nodes were greater than 12 mm, 10 mm, 8 mm, or 6 mm in longo or short-axis diameter, the nodes were considered metastatic. Shape and size; when the axial ratio of a lymph node was greater than 0.5, 0.7, 1.0, and the maximum diameter of the long or short axis was greater than 12 mm, 10 mm, 8 mm, or 6 mm, the node was considered metastatic. Internal structure; if the internal structure of a PAN was heterogeneous, the node was considered metastatic. A positive predictive value was calculated for each included criterion when patients numbered ten or more. Positive predictive values using the above criteria ranged from 13% to 36%. Only one patient had PANs with heterogeneous internal structures. We were unable to determine surgical indications based on the morphological criteria revealed by a CT scan. (author)

[en] The far infrared FEL based on the L-band linac at ISIR, Osaka University is being modified so that the laser wavelength can be extend to the longer wavelength region. After the wiggler and the bending magnets were remodeled and the vacuum chambers for them were replaced, we have observed laser oscillation at wavelengths from 21 to 126 μm. (author)