Portsite and intraabdominal metastases of unsuspected gallbladder carcinoma after laparoscopic cholecystectomy: Report of a case

We herein report a rare case of portsite metastasis of gallbladder carcinoma which occurred after laparoscopic cholecystectomy. A 64-year-old man underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy at another hospital for symptomatic cholecystolithiasis. The histological examination revealed an adenocarcinoma of the gallbladder infiltrating the entire wall. Despite the physician's advice the patient refused any additional treatment. Thirteen months after surgery he visited our hospital because of a palpable mass at the scar of the right trocar incision. The nodule was removed and histological examination confirmed metastasis from the gallbladder carcinoma.     

Synthesis,characterization and photoreaction of side-chain liquid-crystalline polymers and copolymers comprising alkenyloxy-biphenyl mesogen

Photoreactive (meth)acrylate monomers having mesogenic groups based on 4-hexyloxy-4′-(3-methyl-2-butenyloxy)biphenyl and 4-hexyloxy-4′-(2-butenyloxy)biphenyl were synthesized. Methacrylate monomers ( 3c, d ) and acrylate monomer having 3-methyl-2-butenyloxy group ( 3b ) were polymerized by free radical mechanism; the acrylate monomer having 2-butenyloxy group ( 3a ) caused gelation during the polymerization. To obtain photoreactivity, 4-benzoylphenyl (meth)acrylates were radically copolymerized with monomers 3b and 3d . Thermal behavior of (co)polymers was determined by differential scanning calorimetry, polarized optical microscopy and temperature-controlled X-ray analysis. (Co)polymers showed liquid-crystalline behaviour with nematic and smectic phases. UV-irradiation was used to photochemically crosslink copolymer films, and the resultant films were insoluble in organic solvents. The uniaxially oriented copolymer thin film was photo-crosslinked and showed thermally stable orientation.     

Reduction of infarct size and infiltration of polymorphonuclear leukocytes by a thromboxane synthetase inhibitor. Studies in a rabbit ischemic heart model.

The effect of sodium 6-(2-(1-(1H)-imidazolyl)methyl-4,5-dihydrobenzo(b) thiophene)carboxylate (RS-5186), a potent and long acting thromboxane synthetase inhibitor in vitro and in vivo, on infarct size and on the infiltration of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs), was studied in a rabbit coronary artery occlusion (1 h)--reperfusion (0.5 h or 3 h) model. The infarcted region was stained with triphenyltetrazolium, and the ratio of infarcted area/left ventricular area was calculated. The infiltration of PMNs into the infarcted region was determined by measuring the PMNs specific enzyme, myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity. In the vehicle treated group, infarct size and MPO activity were increased with increased reperfusion time from 0.5 h to 3 h (infarct size: 15.3 +/- 2.7 to 25.2 +/- 3.2%; MPO activity: 255 +/- 51 to 825.3 +/- 169.4 units/g wet weight). There was also a significant correlation (r = 0.90, p less than 0.01) between the infarct size and MPO activity. In contrast, in the RS-5186 treated group (2 mg/kg i.v.), both infarct size and MPO activity did not increase with prolongation of the reperfusion period (infarct size: 12.8 +/- 5.5 to 10.3 +/- 3.6%; MPO activity: 318.8 +/- 36.7 to 381.2 +/- 72.6 units/g wet weight). In 0.5 h reperfused samples, there was no significant difference in infarct size or in MPO activity between the vehicle treated group and RS-5186 treated group.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Pulmonary sequestration associated with asymptomatic aspergillosis.

Intralobar pulmonary sequestration associated with asymptomatic aspergillosis is a rare case. We describe the case of a 65-year-old woman with intrapulmonary sequestration, anomalous systemic arterial supply to the left lower lobe and aspergillosis who underwent left lower lobectomy and ligation of an anomalous artery by Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic surgery (VATS). Pathological examination showed the parenchymal distortion and chronic inflammation. Aspergillus were found in the cyst. VATS lobectomy for intralobar pulmonary sequestration is a safe and valid procedure.     

Pressure overload-induced transient oxidative stress mediates perivascular inflammation and cardiac fibrosis through angiotensin II.

Oxidative stress is implicated in the pathogenesis of various cardiovascular diseases. We have shown that in Wistar rats with a suprarenal aortic constriction (AC), pressure overload-induced transient perivascular inflammation (monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 [MCP-1] induction and macrophage accumulation) in the early phase is the determinant of reactive myocardial fibrosis and resultant diastolic dysfunction in the late phase. Thus, we investigated the role of reactive oxygen species production in cardiac remodeling in AC rats. Superoxide production and the footprint of lipid peroxidation were assessed using dihydroethidium staining and immunohistostaining against 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal (4-HNE), respectively. In sham rats, dihydroethidium and 4-HNE signals were scarcely found in the heart. At day 3, AC rats showed dihydroethidium signals mainly in the intramyocardial arterial wall, whereas modest 4-HNE staining was observed diffusely in the myocardium. These signals declined to lower levels by day 14 despite sustained hypertension. Chronic administration of a subdepressor dose of an angiotensin II type 1 receptor blocker candesartan reduced the pressure overload-induced dihydroethidium and 4-HNE signals at day 3. Moreover, candesartan decreased MCP-1 induction and macrophage infiltration at day 3 and prevented myocardial fibrosis at day 14, without affecting left ventricle and myocyte hypertrophy. In conclusion, acute pressure overload induced self-limited superoxide production mainly in the vascular wall. The reactive oxygen species production would contribute to the perivascular inflammation and subsequent myocardial fibrosis. Angiotensin II was suggested to have a pressure-independent effect on the reactive oxygen species production.