Calcifying fibrous pseudotumor of lung: a previously unreported entity

Calcifying fibrous pseudotumor (CFP) is one of the most unusual benign tumors of childhood and is located mostly in soft tissues, pleura, and peritoneum. The first case of pulmonary CFP in a 7-year-old boy is presented. The clinicopathologic features of this rare entity are discussed with special emphasis on histopathologic features and prognosis including a brief literature review. There are no presumptive clinical and laboratory findings, including tumor markers and imaging techniques, that distinguish CFP from other space-occupying lung lesions. The most important diagnostic aid is to bear this entity in mind when a child presents with an unexplained pulmonary mass. Total excision is mandatory for the appropriate diagnosis and treatment.     

Efficacy and safety of reuse of disposable laparoscopic instruments in laparoscopic cholecystectomy: a prospective randomized study

Background The aim of this prospective randomized study was to investigate the efficacy and safety of the reuse of disposable laparoscopic instruments (DLI) in laparoscopic cholecystectomy.Methods A total of 125 consecutive patients with symptomatic cholelithiasis were randomly assigned to undergo laparoscopic cholecystectomy with single-use DLI (group 1, n = 62) or DLI that were reused (group 2, n = 63) after high-level disinfection by alkalinized 2% glutaraldehyde. Operative and postoperative outcomes were investigated.Results There was no significant difference between group 1 and group 2 in mean operating time, linear analogue pain scale score, duration and amount of analgesic administration, or hospital stay. Total incidence of complications (3.2% vs 4.8%, p = 0.50) and infection rates (1.6% vs 3.2%, p = 0.57) were also similar when group 1 was compared to group 2.Conclusion This study showed that reusing DLI did not change the operative and postoperative outcomes or the infection rate for laparoscopic cholecystectomy when strict rules for disinfection were followed.     

Optimal Timing for Surgery After Adriamycin Treatment in Rats

Purpose To determine the optimal timing of surgery after adriamycin treatment, we investigated the time-related effect of adriamycin on wound healing over a long period.Methods We divided 119 female Sprague-Dawley rats into seven treatment groups. Group 1 was subjected to laparatomy only. All the other groups were given 8mg/kg adriamycin intravenously followed by laparotomy on the same day (group 2), 7 days later (group 3), 14 days later (group 4), 21 days later (group 5), 28 days later (group 6), or 35 days later (group 7). On postoperative day 7, the sutures were removed, abdominal bursting pressure was measured, and tissue samples were taken for histopathological evaluation and analysis of hydro-xyproline content.Results Bursting pressures were significantly lower in groups 3, 4, 5, and 6 than in group 1. The hydroxyproline content and histopathological evaluation supported these findings.Conclusions Our results showed that the optimal timing for surgery after adriamycin treatment is before the 7th day or after the 35th day. If surgery is performed between these days, there is a high risk of impaired wound healing.A preliminary study on this subject was accepted as a poster presentation at the Congress of the European Surgical Society of Oncology (ESSO) in 2002     

Simvastatin induces proliferation inhibition and apoptosis in C6 glioma cells via c-jun N-terminal kinase

The lipid-lowering drugs, statins, induce apoptosis in a variety of tumor cells. Here we investigated the apoptotic effect of the lipophilic statin, simvastatin, in C6 glioma cells and the underlying effects on intracellular signal transduction. Simvastatin inhibited cell proliferation totally after 20 h of treatment as shown by the decrease in proliferating cell nuclear antigen expression in the nucleus. Subsequently, simvastatin caused apoptotic cell death by shrinkage of cytoplasm and condensation of chromatin, and DNA fragmentation. The features of apoptosis were visible only after 48 h of treatment, possibly reflecting a requirement for cell commitment to growth arrest. In immunocytochemical and immunoblotting experiments we have shown that simvastatin markedly increased the phosphorylation of ATF-2 and c-jun in the nucleus of the C6 glioma cells at early time points which was preserved even 24 h after treatment. In contrast, activities of protein kinases Erk1/2 and AKT in the cell survival pathway remained unchanged throughout the treatment. Selective inhibitor of JNK, but not p38 kinase, reduced simvastatin-induced cell death and ATF-2 and c-jun phosphorylation suggesting that JNK-dependent activation of ATF-2 and c-jun may play an important role in simvastatin-induced proliferation inhibition and apoptosis in C6 glioma cells. These observations suggest that statins may have clinical significance in the prevention of glial tumors beyond their cholesterol-lowering effect and JNK may be a rational target for sensitizing glioma cells to chemotherapeutic agents.     

Some arylacridine derivatives possessing potassium channel opening activity

In this study, six new 2,2,7,7-tetramethyl-9-aryl-2,3,4,5,6,7,9,10-octahydro-1,8-acridinedione derivatives (1-6) were synthesised and their functional effects on vascular potassium channels and mechanism of induced relaxations on phenylephrine-induced contractile responses in isolated rat mesenteric arteries were investigated. Pinacidil was used as standard potassium channel opener. Compounds 1, 2, 5, 6 and pinacidil induced concentration-dependent relaxation response of vessel rings previously contracted with phenylephrine.     

Easy method of capturing microscopical images by using a consumer-type digital camera

Taking pictures of microstructures is difficult, requiring sophisticated cameras coupled by the microscopes. Furthermore, it may not be feasible to find an operating microscope paired with a camera, especially in laboratory conditions. Considering the difficulty of obtaining microscopic photographs in clinical and laboratory settings, this report describes a practical method of digital photography of microstructures using a consumer-type digital camera. The technique can be summarized simply as placing the lens of a consumer-type digital camera over the eyepieces of a surgical microscope, whereby the anatomic structure of interest is focused. The image thus obtained is transferred to the computer, using easily available software programs. The authors conclude that this method is an inexpensive and practical way of capturing photographs of microstructures, obviating the need for using microscopes coupled by the cameras.     

Prevention of intraperitoneal adhesion formation using beta-glucan after ileocolic anastomosis in a rat bacterial peritonitis model

BACKGROUND: To investigate the effects of beta-glucan on intraabdominal abscess and adhesion formation after ileocolic anastomosis in a rat bacterial peritonitis model. METHODS: Sixty male Wistar rats were used in this study. Bacterial peritonitis was induced by performing a cecal ligation and puncture (CLP). On the first day, abdomen was reopened and peritoneal fluid samples were taken for microbiological examination. Thereafter, cecum was resected and ileocolic anastomosis was made. Group 1 rats were given 1 mL of normal saline as a placebo. Group 2 and group 3 rats were given beta-D-glucan 2 mg/kg by intramuscularly; 1 mg of beta-1,3-D-glucanase was administered to group 3 rats just after the use of beta-D-glucan. Half of each group were killed at day 7 and at day 21, respectively. Adhesions were scored and the presence of intraabdominal abscesses was noted. RESULTS: One day after CLP, microbiological examination showed polymicrobial bacterial peritonitis. Five (8%) of the 60 animals died owing to sepsis. One week after CLP, in two rats in each group developed abscess formation. Three weeks after CLP, abscess formation was observed in only one rat in each group. The rats treated with the beta-glucan had significantly lower adhesion scores than did the saline-treated rats (P = 0.008 at one week; P = 0.001 at 3 weeks). Administration of beta-glucanase inhibited beta-glucan activity and resulted in more adhesions (P = 0.022 at 1 week; P = 0.006 at 3 weeks). CONCLUSIONS: Although the use of beta-glucan after ileocolic anastomosis in rats with experimentally developed intraabdominal sepsis does not have any significantly effect on mortality and abscess formation, beta-glucan is capable of reducing the frequency of adhesion. This effect of beta-glucan has been prevented with beta-glucanase     

An overview: Human polyomavirus JC virus and its associated disorders

JC virus (JCV) is a polyomavirus infecting greater than 80% of the human population early in life. Replication of this virus in oligodendrocytes and astrocytes results in the fatal demyelinating disease progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) in immunocompromised individuals, most notably acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) patients. Moreover, recent studies have pointed to the association of JCV with a variety of brain tumors, including medulloblastoma. The JCV genome encodes for viral early protein, including large and small T antigens and the newly discovered isoform T', at the early phase of infection and the structural proteins VP1, VP2, and VP3 at the late stage of the lytic cycle. In addition, the late gene is responsible for the production of a small nonstructural protein, agnoprotein, whose function is not fully understood. Here, we have summarized some aspects of the JCV genome structure and function, and its associated diseases, including PML and brain tumors.