INDICATIONS FOR ENDOSCOPIC MUCOSAL RESECTION FOR EARLY COLORECTAL CANCER: SHOULD THEY BE STRICT OR SHOULD THEY BE EXPANDED?

Endoscopic technologies have been developed greatly. As for early gastric cancer, the indications for endoscopic mucosal resection for early colorectal cancer have been widened recently. Technological advances can support wider and deeper resections using endoscopy but the remaining problem for the endoscopic management of cancer is lymph node metastasis. I discuss here the indication for endoscopic mucosal resection for early colorectal cancer to bring into focus the risk factors for metastasis to lymph nodes.     

A retrospective analysis of the stability and relapse of soft and hard tissue change after bilateral sagittal split osteotomy for mandibular setback of 64 Taiwanese patients.

PURPOSE: This study was an analysis of the soft and hard tissue changes of the facial profile after bilateral sagittal splitting osteotomy for mandibular setback of Taiwanese patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We collected pre- and postsurgical lateral cephalographs of 64 patients (28 males, 36 females) with skeletal Class III malocclusion who received combined orthodontic-surgical treatment with bilateral sagittal splitting osteotomy mandibular setback at Taipei Veterans General Hospital between 1994 and 2000. Nineteen cephalometric parameters of (14 linear, 4 angular, and the BS index) soft and hard tissues were measured at 1 week before treatment, and 2 months and 1 year after surgery, and analyzed by paired t test. RESULTS: Mean patient age was 20.0 +/- 1.6 years. The patients underwent an average of 7 mm mandibular setback at the osseous pogonion (Pog). Average setbacks at Pog and soft tissue pogonion (pog) were 5.54 mm and 4.85 mm, respectively, at 1 year after surgery. The setback ratio of Pog/pog was 1:0.88. The hard tissue relapse at Pog was 21% at 1 year after surgery. Improvement in prognathic profile was demonstrated by significant changes in the positions of Pog and pog, ANB angle, the distance from lower lip to esthetic line (E-L lip), and the BS index after surgery. However, compared with parameters obtained from a normal Taiwanese population, the cephalometric data of Pog, pog, and BS index still indicated mild prognathism. CONCLUSION: Although mandibular prognathism could be grossly improved by bilateral sagittal splitting osteotomy mandibular setback, a significant amount of relapse occurred within 1 year after surgery. The extent of the postoperatively preserved features showing mandibular prognathism should be a concern for both patients and physicians.     

New approach to management of intraaortic balloon pumps in patients with peripheral vascular disease: Case reports of four patients requiring urgent IABP insertion

Four selected cases of emergent IABP insertion in PV patients are presented. After angiographic documentation of critical iliac stenosis, conservative peripheral angioplasty was performed prior to IABP insertion. No patient experienced a peripheral ischemic event associated with IABP use. © 1992 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Cyclic exotropia associated with retinitis pigmentosa

Purpose To report the occurrence of cyclic exotropia in a patient with retinitis pigmentosa. Methods A 31-year-old man presented with cyclic exotropia of the left eye of 4 years duration that alternated every 24 h. A detailed ophthalmologic examination was performed. Results The patient showed an orthotropia and a comitant left exotropia of 30 prism diopters at distance and 25 prism diopters at near in the primary position on an exotropic day with a cycle of 48 h. A fundoscopic examination showed bone spicule formation and arteriolar narrowing, and electroretinography showed no response in either eye. A Goldmann visual field examination showed a central island in both eyes. Conclusions Cyclic exotropia may occur in patients with retinitis pigmentosa, an association that to the best of our knowledge has not been previously reported in the English ophthalmic literature. Cyclic exotropia is an unusual association with retinitis pigmentosa.     

The common ultrasonographic features of pilomatricoma.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this series was to describe typical ultrasonographic features of 20 cases of pilomatricoma and to improve its diagnostic rate with the use of an ultrasonographic approach. METHODS: For 20 pilomatricomas in 19 patients with preoperative ultrasonography from 1995 to 2004, we reviewed age, sex, symptoms, duration, referring clinician, and tumor sites. The ultrasonographic findings were retrospectively analyzed for tumor location, shape, size, margin, echo texture, echogenicity, presence, amount, and shape of calcification, presence of a hypoechoic rim, and Doppler flow pattern. RESULTS: The mean age of the 19 patients was 6.9 years (range, 1-21 years), and the female-male ratio was 1.1:1. Patients had a painful palpable mass in 10 cases (50%). Nine lesions occurred in the neck, 5 in the cheek, 2 in the preauricular region, and 4 in the extremity. All tumors were located in the subcutaneous layer. The mean size of the tumors was 13.4 mm. Fourteen pilomatricomas (70%) appeared as well-defined oval masses. Tumors were heterogeneously hyperechoic in 80% of cases. All tumors had internal echogenic foci. A hypoechoic rim was seen in 17 cases (85%). Doppler flow signals were observed in the peripheral region in 14 cases (70%). A correct preoperative diagnosis was made in 33% on the basis of clinical findings and in 76% by ultrasonography. CONCLUSIONS: Diagnosis of pilomatricoma should be considered when a well-defined mass with inner echogenic foci and a peripheral hypoechoic rim or a completely echogenic mass with strong posterior acoustic shadowing in the subcutaneous layer of the head, neck, or extremity is found on ultrasonography.     

The study of diethylstilbestrol toxic effect in the mouse sertoli cell line by comparison of miRNA and mRNA expression

It is important to acknowledge the harmful effects of environmental chemicals in human’s lives. The toxic effects of Diethylstilbestrol (DES), one of the endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), have been documented in many studies. As expected, DES affect male gendal hormone as well as female’s; therefore, epigenetic study should be considered. In this study, microarray technology was used to study harmful effects on the level of genomics, and here, two types of microarray chips- the Agilent mouse genome 4 × 44 K array for gene expression profiling and the Agilent mouse miRNA v13 for miRNA expression profiling-was used to study the relation between gene and miRNA expression profiles. As a result, we identified 4 miRNAs (miR 203, 350, 421, and 466i) that were similarly expressed at 3 hrs and 24 hrs of DES treat times. Twenty one genes matched between predicted target for 4 miRNAs and 118 genes expressed similarly. These genes have functions related to cell differentiation and cell cycle. Therefore, DES affects cellular function and induces toxicity in TM4 cells. In future studies, it is necessary to find more related functions and mechanisms of DES in the system.     

Development of sesquiterpenes from Alpinia oxyphylla as novel skin permeation enhancers.

To improve the drug permeation into and/or across the skin, essential oils extracted from Alpinia oxyphylla (AO) were evaluated using in vitro and in vivo permeation techniques with Wistar rats as the animal model. Hydrocarbons and oxygenated sesquiterpenes were the major components in the lower-polarity fraction (AO-1) and higher-polarity fraction (AO-2), respectively. Permeation of indomethacin was significantly enhanced after treatment with AO-1 and AO-2 in the in vitro and in vivo studies. AO-2 generally showed a higher ability to promote drug permeation compared to AO-1. The increment of skin/vehicle partitioning may be the predominant mechanism for this enhancing activity. Both transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and colorimetric evaluation showed limited irritation to skin by AO essential oils at the macroscopic level. Human skin fibroblasts were used to investigate the in vitro screening of skin toxicity. AO-1 slightly increased prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)) formation from skin fibroblasts. A striking result was observed with AO-2, which greatly inhibited the release of PGE(2). Moreover, both AO essential oils had no statistically significant effect on PGE(2) release by human lung epithelial cells. The results of this study indicate that skin disruption and inflammation do not necessary correspond to the enhancing efficiency of the enhancers tested.