Per‐oral transgastric abdominal surgery

Laparoscopic surgery has several advantages over traditional surgery because it has been shown to be less invasive. The next logical step in the evolution of minimally invasive surgery may be to eliminate all abdominal incisions. The natural orifices provide a port of entry via the gastrointestinal tract to the peritoneal cavity. This approach would require the creation of a perforation, which is considered to be a major complication of endoscopy with significant morbidity and mortality. However, there are several recent studies that have described the technical feasibility and safety of a per‐oral transgastric approach to the peritoneal cavity using conventional endoscopes. Theoretically, this approach could reduce postoperative abdominal wall pain, wound infection, hernia formation, and adhesions. This article aims to summarize the current status of transgastric surgery, currently referred to as natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (NOTES), and to address some of its future challenges.     

Effect of dithranol therapy on membrane, basement membrane and nuclear markers in psoriasis lesions

We investigated the effects of anti-psoriatic therapy with dithranol (1/20-1%) in salicylic acid (0.5%) in white petrolatum on lesional skin. FITC-labeled lectins and pemphigus vulgaris antibodies (PV) served as analytical means to study the glycocalyx. Antibodies of bullous pemphigoid (BP) were used as basal membrane markers. Nuclear antigens were recorded according to the binding of speckled, anti-nuclear antibodies (ANA) as well as antibodies to dsDNA. With some lectins, dithranol therapy resulted in pronounced fluorescence of the lower parts of the basal cells. ConA was fixed by the basal cell layer. To a lesser degree, ANA were fixed by nuclei of keratinocytes. PV antibodies were not fixed at all.     

Imaging of activated microglia with PET and [11C]PK 11195 in corticobasal degeneration.

Positron emission tomography (PET) using [(11)C]PK 11195, a ligand for peripheral benzodiazepine receptor binding sites, offers the opportunity to image activated microglia in vivo. This tool may therefore be used to display the occurrence of microglial activation in the course of neurodegeneration. A patient with the clinical diagnosis of corticobasal degeneration (CBD) and left-sided symptoms was studied using fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) and [(11)C]PK 11195 PET. We found a marked right hemispheric hypometabolism and asymmetric microglial activation in corresponding areas of the basal ganglia and right temporal and parietal cortex. [(11)C]PK 11195 PET suggests involvement of microglial activation in the pathogenesis of CBD.     

Plasma Ratios of Tryptophan and Tyrosine to Other Large Neutral Amino Acids in Manic-Depressive Patients

Abstract: The plasma ratio of each neutral amino acid (tryptophan (TRP), tyrosine (TYR), valine, isoleucine, leucine (LEU) or phenylalanine) to the sum of the other neutral amino acids was measured in 16 : manic and 14 : depressed patients. In the manics, there was a correlation between the psychomotor activity and the plasma TRP and LEU ratios. In the depressives, the depressed mood, retardation and global severity were correlated with the TRP ratio. The zotepine responders showed an increase in the TRP ratio after treatment. In the mianserin responders, the TYR ratio, which was high before the treatment, decreased to the normal range after the treatment. But, the plasma amino acid ratios remained unchanged in the patients treated with lithium carbonate or amitriptyhe. These results suggest that, in manic-depressive illness, there might be abnormalities in the metabolism of neutral amino acids, mainly of TRP and TYR, and that the plasma TRP and TYR ratios might be important indicators for determining the efflcacy of some drugs.