Suppressive effect of cocoa powder on atherosclerosis in Kurosawa and Kusanagi-hypercholesterolemic rabbits

We investigated the suppressive effect of cocoa powder (cacao polyphenol content: 7.8%) on atherosclerosis in a spontaneous familial hypercholesterolemic model, Kurosawa and Kusanagi-hypercholesterolemic (KHC) rabbits. Six-month dietary administration of cocoa powder had no effects on body weight, hematology or blood chemistry parameters or a lipid profile in KHC rabbits. Antioxidative activity of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) was observed in the 2nd month and 3rd month of administration. Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), the marker of lipid peroxidation, in plasma were decreased in the cocoa powder treated group from the 2nd month of administration during the study period compared to that in the control group. The area of atherosclerotic lesions in th aorta was significantly smaller in the cocoa powder group (30.87%) than in the control (52.39%). Tissue cholesterol content also tended to decrease. Distensibility of the aortic wall was improved significantly in the cocoa powder treated group due to decreases in fatty streaks and intimal thickening compared to that in the control group. These results suggest that cocoa powder has suppressive effect on development of atherosclerotic lesions. We consider that antioxidative activity of polyphenols rich in cocoa powder may be a key factor for the anti-atherosclerotic effect.     

Incidence and mechanism of dislocated fast pathway in various forms of atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia.

BACKGROUND: The incidence and mechanism of the dislocated antegrade fast pathway (A-FP) were examined in various forms of atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia (AVNRT). METHODS AND RESULTS: To localize the A-FP, 5 atrial sites comprising the inferior coronary sinus ostium (CSOS), apex of the triangle of Koch (A-TOK), and 3 equidistant sites on the atrioventricular junction extending from A-TOK to CSOS (site S, M, and I) were pace mapped at 100 beats/min in 71 patients with slow-fast (n=49), fast-slow (n=7) and slow-intermediate (n=15) forms of AVNRT. The site with the shortest interval between the stimulus and His potential recorded at the A-TOK (shortest St-H) was defined as the A-FP site. The A-FP was located at A-TOK in 31 patients (nondislocated group), and inferior to A-TOK in 40 patients (site S in 26, M in 13, and I in one patient; dislocated group). There was no significant difference in the location of the A-FP among the 3 forms of AVNRT. Although the shortest St-H did not differ between groups, the St-H at A-TOK in the dislocated group was significantly longer than that in the nondislocated group. Additionally, the His potential preceding that of the A-TOK was observed more frequently inferior to the A-TOK in the dislocated group than in the nondislocated group, suggesting that the A-FP dislocation was accompanied by displacement of the His bundle. CONCLUSIONS: Dislocated A-FP was frequently and uniformly observed among various forms of AVNRT, and is probably caused by inferior displacement of the entire atrioventricular node - His bundle apparatus.     

Catheter ablation of a polymorphic ventricular tachycardia inducing monofocal premature ventricular complex

Ventricular tachycardia originating from the right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) is considered benign, but sometimes it causes polymorphic ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation, resulting in sudden cardiac death. A 58-year-old woman without structural heart disease was admitted for evaluation of recurrent episodes of syncope. Surface ECG showed frequent repetitive premature ventricular contraction (PVC) of RVOT origin. Polymorphic ventricular tachycardia triggered by the same PVC was documented by Holter ECG during an episode of syncope. Radiofrequency catheter ablation was performed to eradicate this PVC. No polymorphic ventricular tachycardia has developed after the procedure, and the patient has had no recurrence of syncope.     

A supratentorial primitive neuroectodermal tumor exhibiting pathological characteristics of medulloepithelioma: a case report

A 50-year-old female presented with headache symptoms and left hemifacial paresis. Brain computed tomography and magnetic resonance images demonstrated a right frontal lobe tumor with hemorrhage and calcification. A gross total resection was carried out. Pathologically, the tumor exhibited three kinds of structures. The first was an astrocytic area which occupied the large part of this tumor. Small, round cells, which were positive for glial fibrillary acidic protein, were randomly distributed. The second was an epithelioid area with the highest MIB-1 labeling index of the three structures. Undifferentiated tumor cells demonstrated a dense proliferation, and short spindle-shaped cells exhibited an epithelial and a partly luminal alignment that resembled the embryonal neural tube. The third was a sarcomatoid area. Long spindle-shaped cells, which were positive for vimentin, were in a bundle-like form. We diagnosed this tumor as a primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET) with epithelial differentiation. PNETs are rare brain tumors with a predominance in children. Histologically, undifferentiated tumor cells demonstrate dense proliferations. The tumor arises from germinal matrix cells that differentiate into neuronal, glial, and ependymal cells. Medulloepithelioma, which is classified in the PNET category, is a very rare brain tumor that usually develops in childhood. Pathological studies have demonstrated that papillary, tubular, or trabecular arrangements of neoplastic neuroepithelium mimic the embryonic neural tube predominantly. In our case, the tumor partly demonstrated epithelial differentiation, which is a feature of medulloepithelioma, not only glial and mesenchymal differentiation. This is a rare case of PNET with uncommon histological features.     

Neurofibroma of the stomach: Report of a case

We report herein the case of a 71-year-old-Japanese woman who was admitted to hospital for surgical treatment of a lower abdominal tumor. At laparotomy the tumor was found to be pedunculated and growing extramurally from the greater curvature of the stomach. Thus, a wedge resection of the stomach, including the mass, was performed. The tumor measured about 9×8×7 cm and histological examination of the resected specimen showed that the main elements consisted of wavy, long-spindled cells, which crossed irregularly, indicating that it was palisading negative. Immunohistochemically, the specimen was positive for both S-100 protein and Alcian blue. From these findings, the tumor was histologically diagnosed as a neurofibroma. The patient had an uneventful postoperative course and no signs of recurrence have been recognized in the 3 years since her operation.     

A solid and papillary (solid-cystic) tumor of the pancreas occurring in a 36-year-old man: Report of a case

A case of a solid and papillary (solid-cystic) tumor of the pancreas occurring in a 36-year-old man is herein reported. This patient was admitted with left hypochondrial pain and diagnostic imaging detected a large tumor consisting of both solid and cystic components in the tail of the pancreas. A distal pancreatectomy with splenectomy was performed. The resected tumor was diagnosed as a solid and papillary tumor of the pancreas by pathological examination. Detailed immunohistochemical studies showed that the tumor consisted of cells both exocrine and endocrine in character. Thus, this case appears interesting from the point of cellular differentiation in solid and papillary tumors, since they are generally considered to have an acinar cell origin.