Rectal Perforation during Computed Tomographic Colonography: Case Report and Literature Review

Hellenic Journal of Surgery - Computed tomographic colonography (CTC) is a minimally invasive imaging technique implemented primarily for the diagnosis of disease of the colon and rectum. Although...     

Analysis of Nausea in Clinical Studies of Lubiprostone for the Treatment of Constipation Disorders

Digestive Diseases and Sciences - Lubiprostone is a ClC-2 chloride channel activator approved for the treatment of chronic idiopathic constipation (CIC) and opioid-induced constipation (OIC) in...     

Experimental models to study lymphatic and blood vascular metastasis

As a model system for the understanding of human cancer, the mouse has proved immensely valuable. Indeed, studies of mouse models have helped to define the nature of cancer as a genetic disease and demonstrated the causal role of genetic events found in tumors. As an experimental platform, they have provided critical insight into the process of tumor metastasis in the lymphovascular system. Once viewed with skepticism, mouse models are now an integral arm of basic and clinical cancer research. The use of a genetically tractable organism that shares organ systems and an immense degree of genetic similarity to humans provides a means to examine multiple features of human disease. Mouse models enable development and testing of new approaches to disease prevention and treatment, identification of early diagnostic markers and novel therapeutic targets, and an understanding of the in vivo biology and genetics of tumor initiation, promotion, progression, and metastasis. This review summarizes recent mouse models for lymphangiogenesis and the process of lymphovascular metastasis, focusing on the use of the cornea as an experimental platform for lymphangiogenesis in inflammation and immunity, and on the use of molecular and viral vector mediated imaging and to identify and monitor lymph node metastases of prostate cancer.     

Neuregulin-1 is neuroprotective in a rat model of organophosphate-induced delayed neuronal injury

Current medical countermeasures against organophosphate (OP) nerve agents are effective in reducing mortality, but do not sufficiently protect the CNS from delayed brain damage and persistent neurological symptoms. In this study, we examined the efficacy of neuregulin-1 (NRG-1) in protecting against delayed neuronal cell death following acute intoxication with the OP diisopropylflurophosphate (DFP). Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were pretreated with pyridostigmine (0.1 mg/kg BW, i.m.) and atropine methylnitrate (20 mg/kg BW, i.m.) prior to DFP (9 mg/kg BW, i.p.) intoxication to increase survival and reduce peripheral signs of cholinergic toxicity but not prevent DFP-induced seizures or delayed neuronal injury. Pretreatment with NRG-1 did not protect against seizures in rats exposed to DFP. However, neuronal injury was significantly reduced in most brain regions by pretreatment with NRG-1 isoforms NRG-EGF (3.2 μg/kg BW, i.a) or NRG-GGF2 (48 μg/kg BW, i.a.) as determined by FluroJade-B labeling in multiple brain regions at 24 h post-DFP injection. NRG-1 also blocked apoptosis and oxidative stress-mediated protein damage in the brains of DFP-intoxicated rats. Administration of NRG-1 at 1 h after DFP injection similarly provided significant neuroprotection against delayed neuronal injury. These findings identify NRG-1 as a promising adjuvant therapy to current medical countermeasures for enhancing neuroprotection against acute OP intoxication.     

Aortic false aneurysm at the distal anastomotic suture line after aortic arch replacement; a case report with review of the literature

Anastomotic pseudoaneurysm remains one of the main life-threatening complications after surgery on the thoracic aorta. We report a case with a history of ascending and aortic arch replacement and a false aneurysm creation at the anastomotic line found at the 2-year follow-up computed tomography. Either, due to incidental and asymptomatic finding and patient negation to any kind of intervention, it has been followed the medical treatment with blood pressure and heart rate control. In this, we discuss also the ways of treatment and the indication of any interventional therapy. Endovascular stent-grafting is a minimal invasive treatment for thoracic aortic aneurysm. However, its clinical usefulness for anastomotic false aneurysm following thoracic aortic surgery is unclear.