Effects of Fucoxanthin on the Inhibition of Dexamethasone-Induced Skeletal Muscle Loss in Mice

Fucoxanthin (Fx) has preventive effect against muscle atrophy and myotube loss in vitro, but it has not yet been examined in vivo. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the effect of Fx on dexamethasone (Dex)-induced muscle atrophy and fat mass in mice. ICR mice were fed with Fx diets from 2 weeks before Dex treatment to the end of the study. Muscle atrophy was induced in the mice by oral administration of Dex. Body weight was significantly lower by Dex treatment. Visceral fat mass in the Fx-treated group were significantly lower than those in the control group. The Dex-induced decrease in tibialis anterior muscle mass was ameliorated by Fx treatment. Fx treatment significantly attenuated muscle lipid peroxidation compared with the control and Dex-treated groups. The phosphorylation of AMPK was significantly higher in the Dex-treated group than in the control group. The expression of cytochrome c oxidase (COX) IV was significantly higher in the Fx-treated group than in the control group. These results suggest that Fx may be a beneficial material to prevent muscle atrophy in vivo, in addition to the effect of fat loss.     

Accumulation of L-[2-(F-18)]fluorophenylalanine in peri-infarct area in a patient with acute cerebral infarction

We studied the brain uptake of amino acid in a patient with acute cerebral infarction with L-[2-(F-18)] fluorophenylalanine and positron emission tomography. The increased accumulation of the ligand was specifically found in the peri-infarct area where oxygen metabolism was still maintained but decreased later in the 72-day follow-up period. The kinetic analysis revealed that increased accumulation was not due to increased transport from the blood to the brain but to delayed washout from the brain to the blood. Although the mechanism is still unknown, abnormally high accumulation of L-[F-18]fluorophenylalanine may predict delayed neuronal changes after ischemic insults of the brain.     

A case with breast cancer under the nipple who underwent breast conserving treatment

Although breast conserving treatment (BCT) has become the standard therapy for early breast cancer, breast removal is still recommended for patients with a tumor beneath the nipple or with Paget’s disease. We have employed transposition of a latissimus dorsi myocutaneous (LD-MC) flap after wide local excision of a tumor with the nipple-areola complex. A new nipple-areola complex was reconstructed on the LD-MC flap after breast irradiation. Utilizing reconstructive techniques, BCT will likely become the treatment of choice for more patients with early breast cancer.     

Increase in choroidal blood flow in rabbits with endothelin-1 induced transient complete obstruction of retinal vessels

Background: In a previous paper, we reported that retinal blood flow (RBF) ceased immediately after injection of 1 nmol endothelin-1 (ET-1) and no recovery of RBF was detected for at least 50 min. In this study, we confirmed the same duration of RBF cessation and measured choroidal blood flow (CBF) for 180 min. Methods: We measured CBF in a rabbit model of transient complete obstruction of retinal vessels induced by intravitreal injection of a high dose of ET-1, using the hydrogen clearance method. We also investigated the effects of intravitreal injection of ET-1 on intraocular pressure (IOP), blood pressure, pulse rate and blood gases. Results: CBF was significantly greater in the ET-1-injected eyes than in the control eyes 40–130 min after injection of ET-1 (P < 0.05). The maximal CBF ratio in the ET-1-injected eyes was 128 ± 7.4% at 40 min. CBF decreased to the pre-injection level at 140 min after the injection of ET-1. There was no significant change in blood pressure, pulse rate and blood gases throughout this experiment, and there was no significant difference in IOP between ET-1-injected eyes and control eyes. Conclusion: It seems likely that the increase in CBF resulted from some local mechanisms of control that compensated for the decrease in RBF induced by intravitreal injection of ET-1. This model may be useful for investigation of the regulatory system of intraocular circulation, including endothelin receptors.     

Effect of 5-(p-hydroxyphenyl)-5-phenylhydantoin (p-HPPH) enantiomers,major metabolites of phenytoin,on the occurrence of chronic-gingival hyperplasia: in vivo and in vitro study

The purpose of this study was to assess the possible role of the (R)- and (S)- enantiomers of the phenytoin metabolite p-HPPH in the pathogenesis of gingival hyperplasia (GH). About 98% of circulating p-HPPH is in the (S)-form. There were significant differences between patients with and without GH in (R)-p-HPPH level (0.055 vs 0.042 g·ml^–1), both enantiomer/racemate level ratios, and R/S enantiomeric ratio (0.0313 vs 0.0232); an increase in serum (R)-p-HPPH level was observed in patients with GH. In separate experiments, the effect of p-HPPH enantiomers on the proliferation of the normal human dermal fibroblast was studied. The in vitro study showed that (R)-p-HPPH selectively stimulated fibroblast growth. The results suggest that the least abundant metabolite, (R)-p-HPPH, is the most toxic with respect to gingival hyperplasia.     

Fibrous dysplasia of the skull presenting interesting neuroradiological findings

A case of fibrous dysplasia of the frontal bone in a 51 year-old male is described. He was admitted to our hospital with a hard, painless growing mass in the left frontal region. A symmetrical protrusion of his forehead has been observed since several years before. Neurological examination and laboratory data revealed no abnormalities. Skull x-rays demonstrated two different lesions. One showed a ground glass appearance in the supraorbital region, and the other showed a radiolucent lesion with marginal sclerosis crossing the left coronal suture CT scan revealed an intradiploic multilocular mass. T1 and T2 MR images showed an abnormal low-intensity mass, and heterogeneous gadolinium-enhancement was noticed in both lesions. Selective external carotid angiography showed tumor stain in the left coronal mass fed by middle meningeal and superficial temporal arteries mimicking intraosseous meningioma. On the other hand, a supraorbital hyperostotic lesion showed no apparent vascularity. An operation was performed on the left coronal lesion to verify the nature of the progressively enlarging mass, which was histologically confirmed to be a fibrous dysplasia rich in numerous vessels. Postoperative course was uneventful. Correlation with clinical activity and enhancement pattern was not known, however, careful observation is required in hypervascular fibrous dysplasia such as was observed in this case.     

Total Esophagectomy versus Proximal Esophagectomy for Esophageal Cancer at the Cervicothoracic Junction

To investigate the adequate extent of esophagectomy and lymphadenectomy for an esophageal cancer localized at the cervicothoracic junction, the mortality and morbidity rates, survival rates, and patterns of recurrence were retrospectively analyzed in two groups—14 patients who underwent total esophagectomy with or without laryngectomy and 15 patients who underwent proximal esophagectomy with or without laryngectomy—at Kurume University Hospital from 1981 to 1996. Proximal esophagectomy with or without laryngectomy resulted in a lower hospital mortality rate and better overall survival for patients who underwent curative esophagectomy compared with total esophagectomy with or without laryngectomy. Multivariate analysis indicated that the extent of esophagectomy (total esophagectomy versus proximal esophagectomy) was not a prognostic factor. The incidence of recurrence was not different between the two groups. Lymph node metastasis or recurrence from such esophageal cancers was localized to the neck and upper mediastinum. For an esophageal cancer localized at the cervicothoracic junction, therefore, proximal esophagectomy with or without laryngectomy and with cervical and upper mediastinal lymphadenectomy could be better indicated for preselected patients.