Agminated fibroblastic connective tissue nevus in a 1‐year‐old boy

Fibroblastic connective tissue nevus (FCTN) is a benign cutaneous mesenchymal lesion characterized by proliferation of CD34‐positive fibroblastic/myofibroblastic spindle‐shaped cells. We report a case of agminated FCTN on the right lower abdomen of a 1‐year‐old boy.     

Adsorption of Human Recombinant Erythropoietin on Dialysis Membranes In Vitro

Abstract: The adsorptive characteristics of 5 dialysis membranes for recombinant human erythropoietin (EPO) were studied in vitro in a closed circuit system. For 120 min, EPO added with bovine serum was significantly adsorbed by polymethylmetacrylate (PMMA) and polyacry–lonitrile (PAN) membranes but not by Cuprophan, ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVAL), or polysulfone (PS) membranes. In addition the EPO adsorptive rate, as well as that of β₂–microglobulin (β₂–MG), was greater with a PMMA membrane than with a PAN membrane. EPO was not detected in the ultrafiltrate at 15 min with 5 membranes. These results indicate that EPO was eliminated by membrane adsorption only with some dialysis membranes.     

Hydroxylation of chlorzoxazone as a specific probe for human liver cytochrome P-450IIE1

Human cytochrome P-450IIE1 has been implicated in the oxidation of a number of substrates, including protoxins and -carcinogens. To date, no drugs have been identified that are exclusive substrates for the protein and are applicable for use as noninvasive probes of the in vivo function of the enzyme in humans. Chlorzoxazone was found to be oxidized only to 6-hydroxychlorzoxazone in human liver microsomes. Results of steady-state kinetics are consistent with the view that only a single enzyme catalyzes the reaction. The microsomal reaction was strongly inhibited by rabbit anti-P-450IIE1 and, in a competitive manner, by known P-450IIE1 substrates. Rates of chlorzoxazone 6-hydroxylation in different human liver microsomal preparations were well correlated with levels of immunochemically measured P-450IIE1 and rates of (CH3)2NNO oxidation. Chlorzoxazone 6-hydroxylation was also found to be catalyzed by purified human liver P-450IIE1. These results provide strong evidence that P-450IIE1 is the primary catalyst of chlorzoxazone 6-hydroxylation in human liver. Rates of chlorzoxazone 6-hydroxylation vary considerably among human liver samples, and chlorzoxazone 6-hydroxylation may have potential use as a noninvasive probe in estimating the in vivo expression of human P-450IIE1 and its significance as a risk factor in the toxicity and carcinogenicity of a number of solvents, nitrosamines, and drugs.     

Living domino liver transplantation in an adult with congenital absence of portal vein.

Congenital absence of the portal vein (CAPV) is a rare malformation of the splanchnic venous system. Although CAPV is usually detected in the pediatric age group, our patient was a 35-year-old woman. She had been diagnosed with CAPV in 1996 when she was 27 years old. In 1998, she was placed on hemodialysis due to chronic renal failure. After several episodes of encephalopathy in 2002, liver transplantation (LT) was recommended to her and her family. Since there was no suitable living donor candidate, she was put on the waiting list for a deceased donor liver transplant in Japan. In 2004, her ammonia level increased to around 300 microg/dl, and she went into a coma lasting for three days. After recovering from this event, she underwent a living domino transplantation using a whole liver donated by a familial amyloid polyneuropathy (FAP) patient. Her portal vein, which had drained directly into the inferior vena cava (IVC), was transected together with a cuff of the IVC wall and anastomosed to the graft liver portal vein in an end-to-end fashion. In conclusion, liver transplantation proved to be a safe and effective way to save this patient and improve her quality of life.