Right Pleural Effusion in Fitz-Hugh-Curtis Syndrome

Right pleural effusion was diagnosed in a 36-year-old woman with right upper quadrant pain and fever. Enhanced pelvic computed tomography performed because of irregular genital bleeding revealed the pelvic inflammatory disease. Upon further questioning, the patient confirmed that she had recently undergone therapy for Chlamydia trachomatis infection. Therefore she was given an injection of tetracycline because we suspected Fitz-Hugh-Curtis syndrome (FHCS), a pelvic inflammatory disease characterized by perihepatitis associated with chlamydial infection. A remarkable clinical response to antibiotics was noted. The right upper quadrant pain was due to perihepatitis, and the final diagnosis was FHCS. Right pleural effusion may be caused by inflammation of the diaphragm associated with perihepatitis. Once chlamydial infection reaches the subphrenic liver, conditions in the closed space between the liver and diaphragm due to inflammatory adhesion may be conductive to chlamydial proliferation. The possibility of FHCS should be considered in patients and carefully distinguished from other abdominal diseases

Effect of galanin-like peptide on hypothalamic kisspeptin expression in female Zucker fatty rats

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1H NMR Analysis of cellulose in ionic liquids

[email protected] NMR spectroscopy of cellulose in a non-deuterated polar ionic liquid (IL) was carried out to analyze specific interaction between cellulose and ILs. We applied a polar IL, 1,3-dimethylimidazolium methyl methylphosphonate, as a cellulose solvent for 1H NMR spectroscopy. To prevent vanishing of the signals of hydroxyl groups (C-OHs) by hydrogen-deuterium exchange, a non-deuterated IL was utilized, and both signals for C-OHs and backbone protons were successfully detected with the aid of the no-deuterium NMR technique and a solvent suppression technique. It was confirmed that C-OHs interacted with ILs more strongly, rather than backbone protons. Furthermore, the signals of the C-OHs at 2-, 3-, and 6-position were independently observed. A strong interaction between C-OH at the 6-position and ILs was confirmed to be a key step for dissolution of cellulose. © 2014 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht.Embargo Period 12 month

Acetate-induced apoptosis in colorectal carcinoma cells involves lysosomal membrane permeabilization and cathepsin D release

Colorectal carcinoma (CRC) is one of the most common causes of cancer-related mortality. Short-chain fatty acids secreted by dietary propionibacteria from the intestine, such as acetate, induce apoptosis in CRC cells and may therefore be relevant in CRC prevention and therapy. We previously reported that acetic acid-induced apoptosis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells involves partial vacuole permeabilization and release of Pep4p, the yeast cathepsin D (CatD), which has a protective role in this process. In cancer cells, lysosomes have emerged as key players in apoptosis through selective lysosomal membrane permeabilization (LMP) and release of cathepsins. However, the role of CatD in CRC survival is controversial and has not been assessed in response to acetate. We aimed to ascertain whether LMP and CatD are involved in acetate-induced apoptosis in CRC cells. We showed that acetate per se inhibits proliferation and induces apoptosis. More importantly, we uncovered that acetate triggers LMP and CatD release to the cytosol. Pepstatin A (a CatD inhibitor) but not E64d (a cathepsin B and L inhibitor) increased acetateinduced apoptosis of CRC cells, suggesting that CatD has a protective role in this process. Our data indicate that acetate induces LMP and subsequent release of CatD in CRC cells undergoing apoptosis, and suggest exploiting novel strategies using acetate as a prevention/therapeutic agent in CRC, through simultaneous treatment with CatD inhibitors.This work was supported by the Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT) research project PTDC/BIA-BCM/69448/2006 and FCT PhD grants for SA (SFRH/BD/64695/2009) and CO (SFRH/BD/77449/2011). This work was also supported by FEDER through POFC—COMPETE, and by national funds from FCT through the project PEst-C/BIA/UI4050/2011

Preliminary Microbial Analyses of Groundwater in Heronobu Underground Research Laboratory, Hokkaido, Japan

Horonobe Underground Research Center of Japan Nuclear Cycle Development InstituteDowa Engineering金沢大学大学院自然科学研究科Scedule:17-18 March 2003, Vemue: Kanazawa, Japan, Kanazawa Citymonde Hotel, Project Leader : Hayakawa, Kazuichi, Symposium Secretariat: XO kamata, Naoto, Edited by:Kamata, Naoto

1H NMR Evaluation of Polar and Nondeuterated Ionic Liquids for Selective Extraction of Cellulose and Xylan from Wheat Bran

Cellulose and xylan, extracted from wheat bran with polar ionic liquids (ILs), were quantified using 1H NMR spectroscopy. Both No-D NMR and solvent suppression techniques were applied to realize direct analysis of extracts in nondeuterated ILs. As models of extracts, mixtures of cellulose and xylan dissolved in ILs were measured with 1H NMR spectroscopy. There was a linear relation between mixing ratio and specific peak area of each polysaccharide. Extracts from bran in ILs were analyzed with the obtained calibration curve. This NMR analysis was confirmed to be applicable to three representative ILs used for extraction of polysaccharides. A relation between extracted amount and extraction conditions was obtained. © 2014 American Chemical Society.Embargo Period 12 month

Advanced cueing of auditory stimulus to the head induces body sway in the direction opposite to the stimulus site during quiet stance in male participants

Under certain conditions, a tactile stimulus to the head induces the movement of the head away from the stimulus, and this is thought to be caused by a defense mechanism. In this study, we tested our hypothesis that predicting the stimulus site of the head in a quiet stance activates the defense mechanism, causing a body to sway to keep the head away from the stimulus. Fourteen healthy male participants aged 31.2 ± 6.8 years participated in this study. A visual cue predicting the forthcoming stimulus site (forehead, left side of the head, right side of the head, or back of the head) was given. Four seconds after this cue, an auditory or electrical tactile stimulus was given at the site predicted by the cue. The cue predicting the tactile stimulus site of the head did not induce a body sway. The cue predicting the auditory stimulus to the back of the head induced a forward body sway, and the cue predicting the stimulus to the forehead induced a backward body sway. The cue predicting the auditory stimulus to the left side of the head induced a rightward body sway, and the cue predicting the stimulus to the right side of the head induced a leftward body sway. These findings support our hypothesis that predicting the auditory stimulus site of the head induces a body sway in a quiet stance to keep the head away from the stimulus. The right gastrocnemius muscle contributes to the control of the body sway in the anterior–posterior axis related to this defense mechanism

MUC1 Expression in Colorectal Cancer is Associated with Malignant Clinicopathological Factors

This study aimed to evaluate the frequency, distribution, and corresponding histology of MUC1 expression in colorectal cancer and examine its association with clinicopathological factors. MUC1 expression was confirmed in 86 of 169 surgically resected colorectal cancers (51%), although the ratio of MUC1-positive cells was less than 5% in 33 cases (20%), 5-50% in 46 cases (27%), and greater than 50% in only 7 cases (4%). None or less than 5% of MUC1 expression cases were classified as L-group cancers (116 cases, 69%), while cancers showing higher than 5% expression were classified into the H-group (53 cases, 31%). Analysis of the intratumoral distribution of positive cells in the H-group cases showed MUC1 expression distributed predominantly in the upper layers in 3 cases (6%), in the lower layers in 18 cases (34%), and in all layers in 32 cases (60%). MUC1 expression was observed in various histomorphological cancer forms, but the most frequent expression was noted in the monolayer cuboidal (pancreatobiliary-type) neoplastic glands. Considering the relationship between MUC1 expression and clinicopathological factors, H-group cases demonstrated significantly larger lesions showing a greater number of ulcerated-type cancers, deeper invasion, poorer differentiation, higher frequency of budding, and higher rate of lymph node metastasis than L-group cancers. Furthermore, there was a difference of 10% between the H-group and L-group with regard to the frequency of relapse/tumor mortality three years after surgery. In colorectal cancer, MUC1 expression increases with progression of the tumor indicating that it is one of the useful indicators of malignancy and may facilitate appropriate treatment regimens; however, as its expression is heterogeneous and localized, it will be necessary to confirm the state of MUC1 expression by case

Three Cases of Noninvasive Carcinoma ex Pleomorphic Adenoma of the Parotid Gland and a Literature Survey Focusing on their Clinicopathologic Features

Only 30 cases of non-invasive carcinoma ex pleomorphic adenoma have been reported in the English language literature. Here, we report on three cases of non-invasive carcinoma ex pleomorphic adenoma. Only one of the 33 patients showed recurrence or metastasis after surgery most likely as a result of benign pleomorphic adenoma. Pleomorphic adenoma with focal areas showing malignant changes should be carefully assessed by serial sectioning. The prognosis and therapeutic appoach will depend on evidence of capsular invasion. HER-2/neu is a useful marker in the differential diagnosis of pleomorphic adenoma versus noninvasive carcinoma ex pleomorphic adenoma

Expression of Standard CD44 in Advanced Gastric Cancer: Relationship with Metastasis to Lymph Nodes

Standard CD44 (CD44s) is reported to play an important role in determining the malignant potential of various carcinomas. The aim of the present study was to evaluate CD44s expression in T2-T3 gastric cancer (Japanese Classification of Gastric Cancer stages MP, SS, SE) and the relationship between CD44s expression and clinicopathological parameters. CD44s expression was measured using immunohistochemistry in tumors from 98 patients with primary gastric cancer. Cases were categorized into two groups based on CD44s staining; the CD44s positive group had > 10% positively stained tumor cells and the CD44s negative group had < 10%. CD44s positivity was demonstrated in 59.1% (58/98) of tumors. CD44s expression showed no significant relationship with patient age or gender, or tumor location, size or macroscopic/microscopic classification. However, CD44s expression showed a significantly negative relationship with metastasis to lymph nodes (p < 0.0001). Thus, in T2-T3 gastric cancer, loss of CD44s expression suggests that metastasis of the tumor to lymph nodes is likely