Volume 93  ·   Issue 06  ·  1980

Two cases of anterior urethral valve are reported. The condition may be diagnosed by voiding cystourethrography and treated transurethrally or by open urethrotomy with excision of the valve. After operation the 2 patients were discharged with normal urinary flow.

A case of periodic agranulocytosis was reported. In nearly 2 years the patient had 4 episodes of the disease, in which drug and infection as causative factors might be ruled out.

Large scale production of purified HBcAg from autopsied livers by zonal density gradient ultracentrifugation is reported. The preliminary results show that it is the method of choice for the preparation of purified hepatitis B core antigen which is used for vaccination.

The median value doubling time TD of 101 cases of primary lung cancer was 88.5 days. The TD of the 50-59 age group was the longest, while that of the over 60 was the shortest. No sex difference was observed. As to the lung cancer sites, TD in the right middle lobe was the longest. In this series, 45 cases were treated surgically with no intrathoracic metastasis in 16. The TD of these cases was closely related with the prognosis postoperatively. Lung cancers with a TD of >60 days had better prognosis. If the TD was >100 days, the prognosis was even better. Since lung cancer with longer TD progresses slower, there is more chance of early discovery and early treatment resulting in better prognosis.

The authors review 14 cases of superior mesenteric vein-inferior vena caval autogenous graft shunting operations for portal hypertension with bleeding esophageal varices due exclusively to late schistosomiasis with splenectomy performed 6-13 years previously. Of the 14, emergency operations were performed in 4 with esophageal tamponade, 10 had elective operations performed l-2 weeks after arrest of bleedings. There are no operative deaths. Follow-ups of 14 months to 5 years and 2 months show 12 cases satisfactory with 2 developing rebleeding with 1 death. Operative technic and points for special attention discussed.

Several Burkitt's lymphoma and lymphoblastoid cell lines with Epstein-Barr virus derived from different origins have been investigated cytogenetically. Giant group A marker chromosome was detected only in three lymphoblastoid cell lines from nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). With the exception of the HS2-1B lymphoblastoid cell line derived from a normal donor, the giant group A marker chromosome could not be found in the cell lines from the other sources, including P3HR-1, B95-8, Raji and lymphoblastoid cell lines from tonsil and so on. The results suggest that the giant group A marker chromosome might be associated with NPC. It has been proved by G-banding technic that this giant submetacentric group A chromosome was formed by the translocation of the short arm of chromosome 3, breaking at the point near to or even involving its centromere, to the distal light band region of the long arm of chromosome 1, namely t(1;3) (1p ter→1q44:: 3p11+3p ter) and t(1;3)（1p ter→1q 44::3q21→3p ter). The occurrence rate of the marker chromosome was only 6.6% half a year after CNL8 cell line was established; 82.0% after two years; and 100% after five years. The occurrence rate of the marker chromosome was 32% half a year after the NPC80 cell line had been established, and 72% after three years. Increase in the occurrence rate of the marker chromosome in these cell lines was clearly paralleled to the time of the cell lines culture in vitro. In addition, the occurrence rate of the marker chromosome was not the same in different cell lines. It was only 6.6% half a year after CNL8 cell line was established, while it was 32% for NPC 80 and 63.3% for CNL5.

A case of acquired Vitamin D resistant osteomalacia associated with an inguinal mesenchymoma is reported. Surgical excision of the tumor led to dramatic recovery of the patient. Pathologically, the tumor is similar to the 7 cases previously described in the literature. This is not an endocrine tumor but it can secrete an ectopic hormone resulting in vitamin D resistant hypophosphatemic osteomalacia. Detection of neurosecretory granules by electron microscopic examination further confirms the endocrine nature of the tumor.

Recent research by the author on tongue inspection is presented in an attempt to explain the mechanism of changes in the tongue coating. It is held that tongue inspection has a diagnostic significance in many diseases, particularly gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, endocrine and malignant diseases.