[A case of advanced esophageal cancer with no recurrence treated biweekly with postoperative docetaxel/nedaplatin combined chemotherapy after non-curative surgery].

We report a case of non-curatively resected esophageal cancer with no recurrence biweekly treated with postoperative docetaxel/nedaplatin combined chemotherapy. A 59-year-old woman underwent non-curative resection with esophagectomy for advanced esophageal cancer with direct invasion to the descending aorta in August, 2007. Postoperatively, she was treated biweekly with docetaxel/nedaplatin combined chemotherapy 32 times. In this period, there was no finding in the enhanced CTs, and clinically she was free from recurrence. The quality of life of this patient was also good. Thus, postoperative biweekly docetaxel/nedaplatin combined chemotherapy could be effective for advanced esophageal cancer after non-curative surgery and might be promising for long-term survival. This combined chemotherapy could be carried out on an outpatient basis, and the quality of life could also be preserved. More experience must be accumulated using this chemotherapy.

[A case of advanced gastric cancer with peritoneal metastasis successfully treated over 19 months with postoperative chemotherapy after non-curative surgery].

We report a case of non-curatively resected gastric cancer successfully treated with postoperative continuous chemotherapy, resulting in long-term survival of 19 months. A 75-year-old woman underwent non-curative resection with total gastrectomy for advanced gastric cancer with peritoneal metastasis in June, 2005. Postoperatively, at first, she received oral administration of S-1. However, due to grade 2-3 nausea and anorexia, the dose of S-1 was reduced. After four courses, the value of the tumor markers increased. Next, we chose sequential methotrexate and 5-fluorouracil therapy, but no decrease tumor markers could be obtained. Then, 9 months after surgery, biweekly paclitaxel (PTX) chemotherapy was performed. The value of the tumor markers gradually decreased or stopped increasing, and PTX was administered 18 times. In this period, the quality of life of this patient was good. Eighteen months after surgery, the value of the tumor markers increased again, and S-1 and CPT-11 combination therapy was chosen. However, the patient died of brain infarction 19 months after surgery. Thus, continuous and persevering chemotherapy could be effective for advanced gastric cancer with peritoneal metastasis and may be promising for long-term survival.

A study of gas-liquid two-phase flow in a horizontal tube under microgravity.

A better understanding of the effect of gravity level on two-phase flow characteristics is crucial for designing two-phase heat transport systems and thermal control systems for space. Hence, an experiment was conducted aboard MU-300 aircraft, as well as at normal gravity using the same horizontal tube, 10mm internal diameter and flow conditions. The experimental results, obtained under Earth, hypergravity (2g), and microgravity environments were compared with previous models. Flow pattern data were compared with data from models for predicting microgravity flow pattern transitions. The mean void fraction under microg and 1g conditions was also compared with the Inoue-Aoki model for vertical upward annular flow at normal gravity. Frictional pressure drop fitted well with the Lockhart-Martinelli model, slightly influenced by the change in gravity levels (microg, 1g, and 2g); however, the effect of changing gravity on the pressure drop was insignificant for turbulent flow.