Endoscopic internal biliary drainage in a child with malignant obstructive jaundice caused by neuroblastoma

We describe a 13-year-old girl who underwent insertion of a Flexima biliary stent for obstructive jaundice due to compression of the extrahepatic bile duct by an enlarged lymph node secondary to neuroblastoma. This novel endoscopic internal biliary drainage procedure was safe and effective even for a child, and improved her quality of life. We further review other treatment options available for malignant obstructive jaundice in children.     

Fluctuation of 6Ckine expression in human endometrium during the menstrual cycle

OBJECTIVE: To clarify the expression of 6Ckine, a potential chemoattractant for endometrial natural killer (NK) cells, in the human endometrium. DESIGN: Experimental study. SETTING: Department of obstetrics and gynecology at a medical university. PATIENT(S): Fifty-seven fertile women 25 to 52 years of age who had regular menstrual cycles and normal endometrium and were undergoing hysterectomy. INTERVENTION(S): Endometrium was obtained from operative samples. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Tissue was immunostained to determine the localization of 6Ckine in the endometrium throughout the menstrual cycle. The number of NK cells was counted in 10 nonoverlapping stromal areas. The concentration of 6Ckine in homogenized endometrium was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULT(S): Endometrial surface, glandular epithelial cells, and perivascular stromal cells were immunoreactive for 6Ckine throughout the menstrual cycle with some fluctuation. In addition, some T cells, NK cells, and macrophages in the stroma were immunoreactive for 6Ckine. The 6Ckine concentration was low in the proliferative phase but elevated in the secretory phase. It showed a moderate positive correlation with the number of endometrial NK cells. CONCLUSION(S): 6Ckine may be a potential chemoattractant for endometrial NK cells.     

Developmental toxicity of estrogenic chemicals on rodents and other species

ABSTRACT  Antenatal sex-hormone exposure induces lesions in mouse reproductive organs, which are similar to those in humans exposed in utero to a synthetic estrogen, diethylstilbestrol. The developing organisms including rodents, fish and amphibians are particularly sensitive to exposure to estrogenic chemicals during a critical window. Exposure to estrogens during the critical period induces long-term changes in reproductive as well as non-reproductive organs, including persistent molecular alterations. The antenatal mouse model can be utilized as an indicator of possible long-term consequences of exposure to exogenous estrogenic compounds including possible environmental endocrine disrupters. Many chemicals released into the environment potentially disrupt the endocrine system in wildlife and humans, some of which exhibit estrogenic activity by binding to the estrogen receptors. Estrogen responsive genes, therefore, need to be identified to understand the molecular basis of estrogenic actions. In order to understand molecular mechanisms of estrogenic chemicals on developing organisms, we are identifying estrogen responsive genes using cDNA microarray, quantitative RT-PCR, and differential display methods, and genes related to the estrogen-independent vaginal changes in mice induced by estrogens during the critical window. In this review, discussion of our own findings related to endocrine distuptor issue will be provided.     

Expression of BLM (the causative gene for Bloom syndrome) and screening of Bloom syndrome

Bloom syndrome (BS) is a rare autosomal recessive genetic disorder characterized by growth deficiency, unusual facies, sun-sensitive telangiectatic erythema, immunodeficiency and predisposition to cancer. The causative gene for BS is the BLM gene which encodes the BLM RecQ helicase protein. The BLM gene has 4437 bp and encodes 1417 amino acids. The detection of BLM gene mutations for laboratory diagnosis of BS is laborious and impractical, unless there are common mutations in a population. Here we describe the immunoblot and immunohistochemical analyses for the detection of the BLM protein using a polyclonal BLM antibody. The BLM gene and protein were consistently and clearly detected in Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-transformed or phytohemagglutinin (PHA)-stimulated lymphoblasts from control and various human hematopoietic cell lines. In a 7-week old human fetal brain, the BLM gene expression was strongly detected in contrast to an adult human brain. The BLM protein was not detected in EBV-transformed lymphoblasts from three BS patients. By immunohistochemistry, nuclear dots of the BLM protein were detected in both EBV-transformed lymphoblasts and PHA-stimulated lymphoblasts from the control. However, in lymphoblasts from BS patients no nuclear dots of the BLM protein were detected. These results indicate that the combinational analysis of immunoblotting and immunohistochemistry is a useful approach to screening of BS, although a mutation analysis is necessary for a definitive diagnosis of BS.     

Veneering technique for a Ti-6Al-7Nb framework used in a resin-bonded fixed partial denture with a highly filled indirect composite

This article presents a veneering technique for fixed partial denture frameworks made from a Ti-6Al-7Nb alloy. The fixed partial denture framework was prepared with a magnesia-based mold material and a centrifugal casting machine. An esthetic veneer was fabricated with a highly filled dual-polymerized composite material and a metal-conditioning agent. This technique can be applied as a standardized veneering procedure for the titanium alloy, for which porcelain fusing is currently difficult.     

Effects of clarithromycin and amoxicillin on gastric emptying in rats

The effects of oral administration of clarithromycin (CLR), amoxicillin (AMX), and lansoprazole (LPZ) on gastric emptying in rats were investigated by a glass powder method and a phenol red method. By both test methods, no significant effects on gastric emptying were observed when CLR, AMX, or LPZ was administered alone or when the three drugs were administered concomitantly. The levels of gastrointestinal absorption of [(14)C]CLR and [(14)C]AMX were measured. Four hours after injection of [(14)C]CLR or [(14)C]AMX into the stomach and duodenum loops of rats, 86.63 and 1.27% of the original amount of [(14)C]CLR administered were recovered in the contents of the stomach and duodenum loops, respectively, and 80.01 and 55.88% of the original amount of [(14)C]AMX administered were recovered in the contents of the stomach and duodenum loops, respectively.