Angiolipoma of the colon with right lower quadrant abdominal pain

BACKGROUND/AIM: An angiolipoma is a common benign neoplasm with a characteristic vascular component that occurs in the subcutaneous tissue and rarely in the gastrointestinal tract. We report on a 69-year-old man with a submucosal angiolipoma in the cecum. METHODS: This patient was treated with a laparoscopy-assisted ileocecostomy, and a side-to-side anastomosis was performed extracorporeally. RESULTS: A light microscopic study supported the diagnosis of an angiolipoma of the colon. After 5 years of follow-up, the patient has no symptoms or signs of recurrence. CONCLUSION: The colonic angiolipoma was successfully removed using a minimally invasive laparoscopic technique. Copyright Copyright 1999 S. Karger AG, Basel     

Neurotoxicity of 1-bromopropane in rats

Neurotoxicity of 1-bromopropane (1-BP) used as an alternative solvent of fluorocarbons was experimentally studied. Eight rats in the experimental group were exposed to 1-BP at 1500 ppm for six hours a day, five days a week for four weeks in an exposure chamber. Another eight rats in the control group were exposed to room air in a similar exposure chamber as those in the experimental group. During the latter half of the fourth week of exposure, all the rats in the experimental group showed a loss of body weight and ataxic gait compared with control rats. At the end of the fourth week, the rats in both groups were perfused through the ascending aorta and fixed. The cerebellum, medulla oblongata, spinal cord and peripheral nerve were processed for histopathological studies. No statistically significant difference in the frequency of axonal degeneration in both peroneal and sural nerves was found between the experimental and control groups. In the cerebellum, the frequency of degeneration of Purkinje cells in both the vermis and hemisphere was higher in the experimental group than in the control group (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the frequency of myelin ovoids in the fifth thoracic and in the third cervical posterior columns of the spinal cord between control and experimental groups. There was also no significant difference in the frequency of axonal swelling in the nucleus gracilis of the medulla oblongata between control and experimental groups. Ataxic gait was considered to be induced by degeneration of Purkinje cells in the cerebellum due to 1-BP exposure. However, degenerative findings of nerve fibers in the peripheral nerve, spinal posterior column and nucleus gracilis of the medulla oblongata due to 1-BP exposure were not evident. At the end of the fourth week of exposure, rats in the experimental group showed loss of body weight and markedly decreased motor activities, and it was considered that they would die if we continued the exposure into the fifth week. Therefore, we feel that our experimental schedule should be reconsidered before undertaking any further studies on the peripheral nerve toxicity of 1-BP.     

AS-924, a novel bifunctional prodrug of ceftizoxime.

To improve the oral absorption of ceftizoxime (CZX), 7beta-[(Z)-2-(2-aminothiazol-4-yl)-2-methoxyiminoacetamido]- 3-cephem-4- carboxylic acid, we synthesized and evaluated a novel series of bifunctional prodrugs, in which L-alanine was introduced into the aminothiazole-oxime moiety at the C-7 position of the various lipophilic esters of CZX. Among these prodrugs, pivaloyloxymethyl 7beta-[(Z)-2-(2-(S)-alanylaminothiazol-4-yl)-2-methoxyiminoa cetamido]-3-cephem-4-carboxylate hydrochloride (ceftizoxime alapivoxil, AS-924) was well absorbed after oral administration in experimental animals and showed potent therapeutic effects in mice infected with gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria.     

Effect of vitamin E in gastric mucosal injury induced by ischaemia-reperfusion in nitric oxide-depleted rats

BACKGROUND: Neutrophil infiltration and lipid peroxide accumulation are involved in reperfusion-induced gastric mucosal injury in nitric oxide-depleted rats. AIM: To assess the effect of vitamin E on this injury. METHODS: After ischaemia-reperfusion, the total area of erosions, lipid peroxide contents in gastric mucosa, and gastric neutrophil accumulation were compared between nitric oxide-depleted rats with deficient, normal, and increased vitamin E intake over 8 weeks. Thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances and tissue-associated myeloperoxidase activity were measured in gastric mucosa as indices of lipid peroxidation and neutrophil infiltration. RESULTS: The total area of erosions was significantly increased in the vitamin E-deficient group compared with the sufficient-intake and vitamin-supplemented groups. Both thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances and myeloperoxidase activity also were significantly increased in the vitamin E-deficient group compared with others. The total area of erosions closely paralleled the increases in both thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances and myeloperoxidase activity. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that the inhibition of lipid peroxidation and interference with neutrophil infiltration by vitamin E may be responsible for its cytoprotective effect in ischaemia-reperfusion.     

Adhesion molecules involved in pleural dissemination of esophageal cancer cells

Pleural dissemination is a common cause of recurrence after surgery of patients with esophageal cancer. Very little is known about the biochemical processes involved in the initial attachment of cancer cells to pleural mesothelial cells. The authors conducted in vitro and in vivo studies to assess the role of adhesion molecules in this process, using 2 cell lines derived from human esophageal cancer. TE-1 cells, which pronouncedly express CD44H, adhered to the monolayers of mesothelial cells more firmly than T.Tn cells. On the other hand, the adhesion of TE-I cells to mesothelial cells was markedly inhibited by antibodies to CD44H or the beta(1) integrin subunit, and more strongly blocked by using a combination of the two antibodies. These antibodies inhibited the dissemination of TE-1 cells in the pleural cavity of nude mice. The findings suggest that CD44 and integrin play important roles in the initial attachment of esophageal cancer cells to mesothelial cells.     

E. coli endotoxin enhances cardiomyopathy in rats with chronic alcohol consumption

The purpose of the study was to show whether it was possible to produce alcoholic cardiomyopathy by short-term alcohol ingestion combined with an infinitesimally low endotoxin injection. Wistar rats were fed an alcoholic liquid diet according to the formula of Lieber and Decarli, and challenged with an injection ofE. coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS) endotoxin (1.0 g/g body weight per day for ten weeks). After ten weeks alcohol diet combined with LPS challenge, light microscopical examination showed changes commonly seen in alcoholic cardiomyopathy such as hypertrophy, oedema and disarray of myofibers. By electron microscopy, degeneration of mitochondria and degeneration of myocardial fibers were observed, the latter showing disturbance of the myofibrilla arrangement and interstitial fibrosis. Rats on an alcoholic liquid diet and rats challenged with a single identical doses of LPS did not show characteristic histological findings of alcoholic cardiomyopathy. These results suggest that short-term alcohol ingestion combined with an infinitesimally low endotoxin injection experimentally produces alcoholic cardiomyopathy, and may support the idea that endotoxin plays an important role in the aetiology of alcoholic cardiomyopathy.     

Synergistic effects of a macrolide and a cell wall-affecting antibiotic on Pseudomonas aeruginosa in vitro and in vivo. 1. Combined effects of a macrolide and a peptide antibiotic

Synergistic effects of peptide and macrolide antibiotics against Pseudomonas aeruginosa were investigated in vitro and in vivo. Synergistic effects were evaluated by estimating the number of viable bacteria at varying intervals in the logarithmic growth phase. These bacteria were treated concurrently with polymyxin B (PL) at the final concentration of 1.56 U/ml and with 9,3"-di-O-acetylmidecamycin (MOM) at varying concentrations. Synergistic effect was observed when PL was used with MOM at 3.13 and 12.5 microgram/ml respectively. When MOM at 50 microgram/ml was used with PL, the viable bacterial count was reduced to below 1/300 of the control to which PL alone had been added. Thus, the synergistic effect was remarkable. Similar results were obtained when colistin methanesulfonate (CL) was used instead of PL. Subsequently, attempts were made to determine if this action could also be found in in vivo experiments using mice. PL or CL was injected intramuscularly and midecamycin (MDM) or MOM was administered once or repeatedly by the oral route. Simultaneously, Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain IFO 3455 was inoculated intraperitoneally to mice. In the case of treatment once or repeatedly using both PL and MDM or MOM, the survival rate of infected mice increased significantly compared to single treatment by PL alone. Thus, the synergistic effects were demonstrated in four experiments. (The significance levels for the experiments were P = 0.070, 0.015, 0.042 and 0.024). Similar results were obtained when strain No. 5 was used to infect mice (P = 0.0096, 0.0027). When CL and MOM were given to mice once prior to infection with strain No. 5, synergistic effects were obtained as well (P = 0.010, 0.034).     

Synergistic effects of a macrolide and a cell wall-affecting antibiotic on Pseudomonas aeruginosa in vitro and in vivo. 2. Combined effects of a macrolide with a fosfomycin and an aminoglycoside antibiotic

Synergistic effects of the cell wall-affecting antibiotics, dibekacin (DKB) and fosfomycin (FOM) and a macrolide antibiotic, midecamycin (MDM) or its derivative 9,3"-di-O-acetylmidecamycin (MOM) against Pseudomonas aeruginosa were investigated in vitro and in vivo. Synergistic effects were evaluated by estimating the number of viable bacteria at varying intervals after the two kinds of antibiotics were added to the logarithmic phase of the bacterial solution. Six hours after addition of antibiotic, the viable bacterial count of the culture treated with FOM and MOM underwent 2 log reduction compared to that which treated with FOM alone. Thus synergistic effect was significant. The number of viable bacteria treated with DKB and MDM showed slight reduction at 3 hours after addition of the two antibiotics and a marked reduction was noted after 20 hours compared with the control. Synergistic action was also demonstrated in in vivo experiments using mice. Three experimental mouse infection models, intraperitoneal infection, subcutaneous infection with carrageenan solution and burn infection were used. FOM was administered subcutaneously. DKB was administered intramuscularly. MDM or MOM was administered by the oral route. In all three experiments the survival rate of infected mice treated with FOM and MOM increased significantly compared to control mice. Similar synergistic effect was also obtained with DKB and MDM.     

Effect of graft-versus-host disease on the outcome of bone marrow transplantation from an HLA-identical sibling donor using GVHD prophylaxis with cyclosporin A and methotrexate.

The effect of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) on relapse incidence and survival has been analyzed in several studies, but previous studies included heterogeneous patients. Therefore, we analyzed the data of 2114 patients who received unmanipulated bone marrow graft from an HLA-identical sibling donor with a GVHD prophylaxis using cyclosporin A and methotrexate. Among the 1843 patients who survived without relapse at 60 days after transplantation, 435 (24%) developed grade II-IV acute GVHD. Among the 1566 patients who survived without relapse at 150 days after transplantation, 705 (47%) developed chronic GVHD. The incidence of relapse was significantly lower in patients who developed acute or chronic GVHD, but disease-free survival (DFS) was significantly inferior in patients who developed acute GVHD. A benefit of 'mild' GVHD was only seen in high-risk patients who developed grade I acute GVHD. The strongest association between GVHD and a decreased incidence of relapse was observed in patients with standard-risk acute myelogenous leukemia/myelodysplastic syndrome. In conclusion, the therapeutic window between decreased relapse and increased transplant-related mortality due to the development of GVHD appeared to be very narrow.     

A cancer-prone case with a background of methylation of p16 tumor suppressor gene.

PURPOSE AND EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: To date, the presence of p16 gene promoter methylation associated with loss of protein expression has been demonstrated frequently in digestive tract cancers. In this study, we tested for the methylation status of p16 promoter in normal tissue specimens using the methylation-specific PCR technique to examine whether p16 methylation already existed in the background of tumors. RESULTS: Aberrant promoter methylation of p16 gene was detected in 1 of 40 esophageal and 1 of 69 gastric and no colorectal epithelium specimens, and these 2 specimens were derived from the same patient. We also found the same methylation change in both tumor and blood cell DNA. CONCLUSION: These results suggested that the p16 gene was inactivated by methylation in normal background cells of this patient and that other additional factors may promote tumor development in his esophageal and gastric tissues.