Magnetization controlled by crystallization in soft magnetic Fe-Si-B-P-Cu alloys.

Soft magnetic materials have low coercive fields and high permeability. Recently, nanocrystalline alloys obtained using annealing amorphous alloys have attracted much interest since nanocrystalline alloys with small grain sizes of tens of nanometers exhibit low coercive fields comparable to that of amorphous alloys. Since nanocrystalline soft magnetic materials attain remarkable soft magnetic properties by controlling the grain size, the crystal grains' microstructure has a substantial influence on the soft magnetic properties. In this research, we examined the magnetic properties of Fe-Si-B-P-Cu nanocrystalline soft magnetic alloys obtained by annealing amorphous alloys. During crystallization, the observation findings reveal the correlation between the generated microstructures and soft magnetic properties.

Randomized phase 2 dose-finding study of weekly administration of darbepoetin alpha in anemic patients with lung or ovarian cancer receiving multicycle platinum-containing chemotherapy.

OBJECTIVE: This is the first clinical trial for Japanese to evaluate the dose-response and determine the clinically effective dose of darbepoetin alpha by weekly subcutaneously administration in anemic patients with lung cancer or ovarian cancer receiving chemotherapy. METHODS: Eligible patients were required to have anemia (hemoglobin level of 15.0 g/dl (for men) or 14.0 g/dl (for women), and reinstated at 50% of the previous weekly dose when the hemoglobin level decreased to

Axillary mass suspected to be occult breast carcinoma: a case study of skipped axillary lymph node metastasis from endometrial carcinoma in which core-needle biopsy was useful for diagnosis.

A 55-year-old Japanese woman presented with metrorrhagia and was diagnosed with endometrial carcinoma. Chest computed tomography (CT), ultrasonography (US) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed a left axillary mass. Regarding the diagnosis of the axillary mass, lymph node metastasis from the uterus was first suspected. Metastasis from the breast, lung, thyroid or stomach was considered next. On a general search including positron emission tomography (PET)-CT, there was no abnormality except endometrial carcinoma and the left axillary mass. Skipped axillary lymph node metastasis of endometrial carcinoma is extremely rare, with a reported incidence of 0.03% of endometrial carcinoma cases. The differential diagnosis was double carcinoma of the uterus and breast. We carried out US-guided core needle biopsy (CNB) of the axillary mass, and the histopathological findings suggested axillary lymph node metastasis from endometrioid carcinoma. US-guided CNB is a valid method for accurate diagnosis of an axillary mass.

A patient with stage 1a endometrial carcinoma in whom a solitary recurrent lesion was detected in the external iliac lymph node after MPA therapy.

BACKGROUND: In the treatment of endometrial carcinoma, young patients desire the preservation of the uterus, and therefore hormonal therapy has been administered. CASE REPORT: The patient was a 39-year-old nullipara diagnosed with stage 1a endometrial carcinoma. The patient desired the preservation of the uterus, and oral administration of MPA was prescribed for 18 weeks, which after the cancer tissue disappeared. However, about 1 year and 6 months later, the patient was diagnosed as having recurrent endometrial carcinoma in the left external iliac lymph node. CONCLUSION: In the literature, there is no patient with relapse at another site in the absence of endometrial relapse after MPA therapy for stage 1a endometrial carcinoma, as performed in the present patient.

A case of glassy cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix that responded to neoadjuvant chemotherapy with paclitaxel and carboplatin.

Glassy cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix is a rare tumor, and has a poor prognosis because of its aggressive clinical behavior and resistance to radiotherapy and chemotherapy. We report a case of bulky glassy cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix that effectively responded to paclitaxel and carboplatin in a neoadjuvant setting. The patient was a 30-year-old woman who became aware of vaginal bleeding and was referred to our hospital because of a cancerous tumor of the uterine cervix. Physical examination showed the cervical tumor to be approximately 8 cm in diameter with no involvement of the parametrium or vagina. The biopsy results suggested a diagnosis of glassy cell carcinoma. The final diagnosis was glassy cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix, stage 1b2. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy with paclitaxel and carboplatin was administered for downstaging. The response rate was 67.9% (partial response) under magnetic resonance imaging, and elevated serum cancer-related antigen 125 (119 U/ml) and squamous cancer cell antigen (34 ng/ml) were reduced to 34 U/ml and 3.3 ng/ml, respectively. Following neoadjuvant chemotherapy, she underwent radical hysterectomy and adjuvant chemotherapy with the same regimen. The clinical course was very good. We speculate that glassy cell carcinoma is a sensitive tumor to paclitaxel and carboplatin. Further evaluation concerning diagnosis and treatment, however, is needed to improve the prognosis of patients with glassy cell carcinoma.

[High-dose-rate interstitial brachytherapy using inverse planning for locally advanced cervical cancer].

A 56-year-old woman with bulky cervical cancer was treated with high-dose-rate interstitial brachytherapy combined with external beam irradiation and chemotherapy. Inverse planning (IP) was used in the treatment planning for brachytherapy. Source dwell positions were selected automatically, once the required information had been input, for example, to prohibit dwelling inside the organs at risk (OARs) and to permit dwelling inside the planning target volume with a 2-mm inner margin. IP was compared with conventional geometrical optimization (GO) and dose point optimization (DO). The dwell positions of 3 plannings (IP, GOIP, and DOIP) were the same as IP, while in the other 2 plannings (GOConv and DOConv) dwell positions had the same length in all the applicators without concern for anatomy. D90 was equalized in all plannings as 100% prescription dose, and so the coverage index was always 90%. There was no definite tendency in dose non-uniformity ratio in the 5 plannings. As for sparing OARs such as the bladder, urethra, and rectum, IP showed the best % V75. The calculation time of the computer was fast enough. This is the first report in Japan on the clinical use of IP in interstitial brachytherapy, and it implies the usefulness of IP.

[Clinical development of OCT].

OCT was first synthesized in the late 1980s, and clinical development was started in July 1991 with entry into Phase I. By the time the application for manufacturing approval was submitted, in February 1998, 15 clinical studies had been carried out, including 2 double-blind comparative studies and 5 long-term administration studies. The efficacy and safety of OCT were evaluated on the basis of clinical data obtained from totally 977 participants. OCT was found to be effective against secondary hyperparathyroidism in long-term dialysis patients, as it markedly decreased the PTH level, and showed ameliorative effects in bone tissue showing high bone turnover, and on bone metabolic markers. Adding to above clinical effects, because safety data demonstrated that there was no significant drawback except for an increase of serum calcium level, manufacturing approval was finally achieved in July 2000, under the commercial name "Oxarol injection".

Tosulfoxacin Treatment of Chlamydia Trachomatis Infection of the Uterine Cervix.

In vivo efficacy of tosufloxacin (TFLX) for treatment of Chlamydia trachomatis cervical infection in women was evaluated by enzyme immunoassay. The short term (within 31 days of treatment) response rates with a dosage of 150mg orally 3 times daily were 100% (54/54) with 14 days of treatment and 97% (38/39) with 7 days of treatment. Subjective symptoms such as lower abdominal pain, vaginal discharge, or atypical bleeding were observed in 76 (82%) of the 93 patients. After treatment, symptoms improved in 75 (99%) of 76 patients. Two of 34 patients (5.9%) showed positive results in the long interval tests (1 to 18 months after treatment). Three (2.3%) of 131 patients needed to be changed from TFLX to other drugs due to side effects (eczema, face edema, urticaria). TFLX was effective and patients showed high compliance for treatment of cervical C. trachomatis infection.