Autoimmune pancreatitis that developed over a 3-month observation period for IgG4-related dacryoadenitis and sialadenitis

Autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP) that developed in a short period in a patient with IgG4-related dacryoadenitis and sialadenitis is reported. A 67-year-old man was diagnosed as having IgG4-related dacryoadenitis and sialadenitis histologically, serologically, and radiologically. At that time, the pancreas was normal on computed tomographic scanning, magnetic resonance imaging, and 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography. However, AIP occurred in the pancreatic body and tail during the 3-month period of observation of the initial diseases. All IgG4-related lesions improved promptly after steroid therapy. This report emphasizes that, since IgG4-related disease can develop in other organs within a short period in a patient with IgG4-related disease, periodic imaging follow-up is necessary.     

ABO blood type,long-standing diabetes,and the risk of pancreatic cancer

AIM: To retrospectively study pancreatic cancer patients with respect to their ABO blood type and diabetes. METHODS: Our analysis included a cohort of 1017 patients with pancreatic ductal cancer diagnosed at our hospital in Tokyo. They were divided into two groups: 114 patients with long-standing type 2 diabetes (DM group, defined as diabetes lasting for at least three years before the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer) and 903 patients without diabetes (non-DM group). Multivariate analysis was performed to identify factors that are associated with long-standing diabetes. The DM group was further divided into three subgroups according to the duration of diabetes (3-5 years, 5.1-14.9 years, and 15 years or more) and univariate analyses were performed. RESULTS: Of the 883 pancreatic cancer patients with serologically assessed ABO blood type, 217 (24.6%) had blood type O. Compared with the non-DM group, the DM group had a higher frequency of blood type B [odds ratio (OR) = 2.61, 95%CI: 1.24-5.47; reference group: blood type A]. Moreover, male (OR = 3.17, 95%CI: 1.67-6.06), older than 70 years of age (OR = 2.19, 95%CI: 1.20-3.98) and presence of a family history of diabetes (OR = 6.21, 95%CI: 3.38-11.36) were associated with long-standing type 2 diabetes. The mean ages were 64.8 ± 9.2 years, 67.1 ± 9.8 years, and 71.7 ± 7.0 years in the subgroups with the duration of diabetes, 3-5 years, 5.1-14.9 years, and 15 years or more, respectively (P = 0.007). A comparison of ABO blood type distribution among the subgroups also showed a significant difference (P = 0.03). CONCLUSION: The association of pancreatic cancer with blood type and duration of diabetes needs to be further examined in prospective studies.     

Electron microscopy of the epithelial flap created by ethanol treatment in the rabbit corneal epithelium

PURPOSE: To assess the effect of corneal debridement with 25% ethanol on rabbit corneal epithelium by electron microscopy. SETTING: Department of Ophthalmology, Osaka University School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan. METHODS: Rabbit corneas were deepithelialized by applying 25% ethanol for 3 minutes, and a hinged epithelial flap was created and repositioned. Ten corneas were evaluated immediately after the epithelial debridement procedure and at 1, 3, and 7 days. Histological changes were evaluated using scanning and transmission electron microscopy. RESULTS: Corneas treated with ethanol showed a decrease in microvilli, breaks in intercellular junctions, epithelial cell edema, and damage in basement membrane hemidesmosomes. These toxic changes recovered to an almost normal appearance after 24 hours and rapidly improved over the following week. An increase in desquamated cells was observed after debridement; this returned to normal after 1 week according to the normal cellular cycle. Wing cells showed no damage at any stage. CONCLUSIONS: Although ethanol appeared to have a toxic effect on rabbit epithelial cells, the effect did not persist over time. The first signs of recovery were observed 24 hours after debridement, and full recovery was observed over the following week. The ethanol path to the central basement membrane appeared to be centripetally from a round cut through the basement membrane, leaving the wing cells intact.     

Identification of decatenation G2 checkpoint impairment independently of DNA damage G2 checkpoint in human lung cancer cell lines

It has been suggested that attenuation of the decatenation G(2) checkpoint function, which ensures sufficient chromatid decatenation by topoisomerase II before entering into mitosis, may contribute to the acquisition of genetic instability in cancer cells. To date, however, very little information is available on this type of checkpoint defect in human cancers. In this study, we report for the first time that a proportion of human lung cancer cell lines did not properly arrest before entering mitosis in the presence of a catalytic, circular cramp-forming topoisomerase II inhibitor ICRF-193, whereas the decatenation G(2) checkpoint impairment was present independently of the impaired DNA damage G(2) checkpoint. In addition, the presence of decatenation G(2) checkpoint dysfunction was found to be associated with diminished activation of ataxia-telangiectasia mutated in response to ICRF-193, suggesting the potential involvement of an upstream pathway sensing incompletely catenated chromatids. Interestingly, hypersensitivity to ICRF-193 was observed in cell lines with decatenation G(2) checkpoint impairment and negligible activation of ataxia-telangiectasia mutated. These findings suggest the possible involvement of decatenation G(2) checkpoint impairment in the development of human lung cancers, as well as the potential clinical implication of selective killing of lung cancer cells with such defects by this type of topoisomerase II inhibitor.     

A case of primary Sj?gren syndrome with repeated purpura]

In Sj?gren syndrome, purpura is one of its various well known eruptions. Although this disease state is assumed to be based on hypergammaglobulinemia, the details of its mechanism are unknown. We experienced a case involving a female patient with primary Sj?gren syndrome showing repeated purpura on the legs, and examined her blood viscosity and histopathology. This girl developed Sj?gren syndrome and was admitted to our hospital at 12-years-old. She underwent steroid treatment because of aggravation of the xerosis state and prominent purpura on the legs. Hypergammaglobulinemia was improved during the course; however, purpura appeared repeatedly. Although her blood viscosity was slightly higher than normal, this had no relation to purpura and serum gamma globulin values. Skin biopsy revealed necrotizing angiitis. These results suggest that the purpura of this case was caused not only by hyperviscosity from the hypergammaglobulinemia but also involvement of vasculitis by the primary disease.     

Cardiac performance in total anomalous pulmonary venous connection]

Cardiac performance in 54 patients with total anomalous pulmonary venous connection was investigated by cardiac catheterization before and after surgery. 51 patients underwent intracardiac repair, and 17 of them died during or immediately after operation. According to the preoperative study, the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) of surviving patients was significantly higher than that of patients who died, and the pulmonary arterial mean pressure of surviving patients was significantly lower than that of patients who died. However, there was no significant difference between the left ventricular end-diastolic volume (LVEDV), right ventricular ejection fraction (RVEF), and right ventricular end-diastolic volume (RVEDV) in surviving patients and those who died. Post-operative catheterization studies showed significant increases of LVEF and LVEDV compared to pre-operative figures. RVEF and RVEDV and pulmonary arterial mean pressure decreased significantly after surgery. It was concluded that preoperative cardiac performance of surviving patients was better than that of those who died, and post-operative cardiac performance of surviving patients was basically normal.     

Gap junction coding genes and schizophrenia: a genetic association study

The aim of this study was to evaluate the association of genes that encode gap junction forming proteins and schizophrenia. Representative genetic candidates (Panx2 and Cx36) from two families of gap junction genes were selected for analysis. According to the present findings these genes represent both functional and positional candidates for schizophrenia. The sample was comprised of 381 schizophrenic patients, and the same number of matched controls was tested in this study in order to evaluate the possible influence of the aforementioned genes on the pathogenesis of schizophrenia. Four SNPs in the case of Panx2 and two SNPs in the case of Cx36 were selected for analysis. Allele-, genotype- and haplotype-wise association did not yield statistically significant results. These data do not suggest that Panx2 or Cx36 could increase the risk of schizophrenia in the Japanese population.     

Histological sequence of the development of rat mesothelioma by MWCNT,with the involvement of apolipoproteins

A rat model of mesothelioma development by peritoneal injection of multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) has been established and found to be useful to understand the mechanisms underlying fibrous particles-associated carcinogenesis. Its detailed histological sequence, however, remains largely obscure. We therefore aimed to assess the time-course of mesothelioma development by MWCNT and evaluate a set of lipoprotein-related molecules as potential mechanism-based biomarkers for the phenomenon. Male Fischer 344 rats were injected intraperitoneally (ip) with MWCNT (MWNT-7) at 1 mg/kg body weight, and necropsied at 8, 16, 24, 32, or 42 wk after injection. For biochemical analyses of the lipoprotein-related molecules, more samples, including severe mesothelioma cases, were obtained from 2 other carcinogenicity tests. Histologically, in association with chronic inflammation, mesothelial proliferative lesions appeared at c. Wk-24. Before and at the beginning of the tumor development, a prominent infiltration of CD163-positive cells was seen near mesothelial cells. The histological pattern of early mesothelioma was not a papillary structure, but was a characteristic structure with a spherical appearance, composed of the mesothelioma cells in the surface area that were underlain by connective tissue-like cells. Along with the progression, mesotheliomas started to show versatile histological subtypes. Serum levels of apolipoprotein A-I and A-IV, and a ratio of HDL cholesterol to total cholesterol were inversely correlated with mesothelioma severity. Overall, the detailed histological sequence of mesotheliomagenesis by MWCNT is demonstrated, and indicated that the altered profile of apolipoproteins may be involved in its underlying mechanisms.