Can susceptibility to carcinoid tumors be inherited?

Previously, all carcinoid tumors were considered to occur sporadically. We present an extremely rare series of three first-degree relatives in two generations with proximal duodenal carcinoid tumors and other family-associated neoplasms. This unusual circumstance, which has never been described previously, represents the sixth case of familial clustering of carcinoid tumors reported in the world's literature.     

Antiinflammatory properties of the new antirheumatic agent 4-acetylaminophenylacetic acid

The antiinflammatory activity of 4-acetylaminophenylacetic acid (MS-932) was investigated. MS-932 did not suppress the acute inflammation of carrageenin-induced paw edema in rats or of primary swelling in adjuvant arthritic rats. However, prophylactic treatment with MS-932 inhibited secondary inflammation in adjuvant arthritic rats. MS-932 also restored to normal the weight of the spleen and the serum albumin/globulin ratio of adjuvant arthritic rats. In addition to its prophylactic effect, MS-932 had a therapeutic effect on adjuvant arthritis. In in vitro tests, MS-932 did not inhibit prostaglandin E2 biosynthesis from arachidonic acid by sheep seminal vesicle microsomal enzyme or superoxide generation by guinea pig neutrophils stimulated with opsonized zymosan. MS-932 had no analgesic effect in mice and no antipyretic effect in rats. These results indicate that MS-932 suppresses adjuvant arthritis through modulation of the immune system.     

Localized wall thickening of the gallbladder mimicking a neoplasm

Clinical diagnosis of chronic cholecystitis is made based on diffuse hyperechoic thickening of the gallbladder wall as shown by ultrasonographic examination. We herein report three cases of chronic cholecystitis showing localized hypoechoic thickening of the gallbladder wall that mimicked gallbladder cancer by ultrasonography. Histologically, hypertrophy of the muscularis propria was a common characteristic finding in these three patients. A smooth surface of the inner hypoechoic layer of the thickened wall was considered to be a reliable finding in the differential diagnosis between this type of chronic cholecystitis and gallbladder cancer.     

Comparison of Plasma Metabolite Concentrations and Enzyme Activities in Beef Cattle Raised by Different Feeding Systems in Korea,Japan and New Zealand

Concentrations of metabolites and immunoreactive insulin (IRI) and activities of enzymes related to energy metabolism were measured in plasma of Korean and Japanese beef cattle, which were raised by the indoor feeding system programmed to feed larger amount of roughage in their growing periods and larger amount of concentrate diet in their finishing periods (Japanese feeding system), and grazing New Zealand beef cattle. By the Japanese beef grading system, Korean and Japanese beef cattle showed high beef quality score, average grade 3.3 and 3.6, respectively. The plasma free fatty acid and lactate concentrations and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), malate dehydrogenase (MDH) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) activities in Korean beef cattle were significantly higher than those in Japanese beef cattle. The plasma lactate concentration in Korean beef cattle was 8.40 mmol/l, which was similar to the values observed in lactic acidosis. The higher activities of plasma LDH, MDH and AST may indicate slight liver damage by slightly acidotic conditions in Korean beef cattle. New Zealand beef cattle fed on pasture which they harvest by grazing showed significantly lower plasma glucose, cholesterol, lactate and IRI concentrations and enzyme activities than those in Korean and Japanese beef cattle fed on larger amount of concentrate diets. Plasma metabolite concentrations and energy metabolism‐related enzyme activities may be good indicators for evaluating metabolic conditions of beef cattle raised by different feeding systems.     

Solitary right ventricle metastasis by renal cell carcinoma.

A 57-year-old man with a history of renal cell carcinoma presented with presyncope. He underwent nephrectomy years earlier followed by HLA-matched allogeneic peripheral-blood stem-cell transplantation. Echocardiographic investigation revealed a solitary right ventricle mass without contiguous vena caval or right atrial involvement. The mass was pathologically confirmed to be metastatic carcinoma in the right ventricular cavity. This case highlights the need to consider an underlying neoplastic syndrome in patients presenting isolated right ventricle mass by echocardiography.     

Role of proteasomes in the formation of neurofilamentous inclusions in spinal motor neurons of aluminum‐treated rabbits

We examined the role of the 20S proteasome in pathologic changes, including abnormal aggregation of phosphorylated neurofilaments, of spinal motor nerve cells from aluminum‐treated rabbits. Immunohistochemistry for the 20S proteasome revealed that many lumbar spinal motor neurons without intracytoplasmic neurofilamentous inclusions or with small inclusions were more intensely stained in aluminum‐treated rabbits than in controls, whereas the immunoreactivity was greatly decreased in some enlarged neurons containing large neurofilamentous inclusions. Proteasome activity in whole spinal cord extracts was significantly increased in aluminum‐treated rabbits compared with controls. Furthermore, Western blot analysis indicated that the 20S proteasome degraded non‐phosphorylated high molecular weight neurofilament (neurofilament‐H) protein in vitro. These results suggest that aluminum does not inhibit 20S proteasome activity, and the 20S proteasome degrades neurofilament‐H protein. We propose that abnormal aggregation of phosphorylated neurofilaments is induced directly by aluminum, and is not induced by the proteasome inhibition in the aluminum‐treated rabbits. Proteasome activation might be involved in intracellular proteolysis, especially in the earlier stages of motor neuron degeneration in aluminum‐treated rabbits.     

Duodenum-Preserving Resection of the Head of the Pancreas: The Significance as a Diagnostic Therapy for the Lesion in the Pancreatic Head

A 75-year-old man who was diagnosed as having mucin-producing pancreatic cystic lesion ofthe main pancreatic duct by duodenoscopic examination was reported. Because of the low malignant potential of such lesions, duodenum-preserving resection of the head of the pancreas was performed, and the intra-operative histological examination showed no malig-nancy of the resected pancreatic head and no other surgical procedures, such as lymph-adenectomy nor pancreato-duodenectomy were necessary. The significance of this case report lies in that a less invasive operation should be selected at first to diagnose whether the lesion is malignant or not, and als0 that the selected operation itself must be sufficient to resect an adequate part of the pancreatic tissue involving the cystic lesion, ifnot malignant. Here, we report the process to select the procedure and the surgical technique.     

Measurement of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and its clinical application in oral cancers.

The PCNA score was measured in oral squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), and its relationship to other cell proliferation markers, Ki-67 score, S-phase fraction (SPF), and AgNORs counts was investigated. The PCNA score ranged from 0.4% to 43.5% with an average value of 22.8%, the Ki-67 score ranged from 4.9% to 40% with an average of 24.1%, and the SPF ranged from 0.4% to 32.5% with an average of 12.4%, while AgNORs counts ranged from 2.53/nucleus to 7.03/nucleus with an average of 4.74/nucleus. These four parameters were closely interrelated. There was a significant difference in PCNA score between malignant and nonmalignant lesions, suggesting a difference in growth activity. The mean PCNA score decreased significantly from 20.0% to 8.0% after cancer chemotherapy. The response of cancer cells to anticancer agents may be estimated by consecutive measurement of PCNA, since the PCNA score dropped after treatment in cases showing a favorable prognosis.