Background: In recent years, laparoscopic gastrectomy has been applied for the treatment of gastric cancer in Japan and Western countries. This report describes the short- and long-term results for patients with gastric cancer who underwent laparoscopically assisted total gastrectomy (LATG) with lymph node dissection.
Methods: From September 1999 to December 2007, 20 patients underwent LATG, and 18 underwent conventional open total gastrectomy (OTG) for upper and middle gastric cancer.
Insulin-induced gene 2 (insig-2) protein is known to play important roles in cholesterol and TAG metabolism both in vivo and in vitro. One particularly interesting single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), rs7566605, located 10 kb upstream of INSIG2 was reported to have the strongest association with obesity among 86 604 SNP, while the relationship with dyslipidaemia is uncertain. Eight hundred and eighty-five Japanese Americans (347 men and 538 women) and 378 Japanese (182 men and 196 women) were enrolled, and the rs7566605 SNP, which is consistent with either G or C, was determined.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAim: To investigate the effect of 90% partial hepatectomy (90% PHx) and the involvement of bile on ileal motility in conscious rats.
Methods: Two strain gauge force transducers were chronically implanted in the ileum of each of 20 rats. The rats were divided into four groups, three of which underwent 90% PHx.
Objective: To evaluate the effects of distal subtotal gastrectomy with preservation of the celiac branch of the vagus nerve on gastrointestinal function.
Summary Background Data: The operative procedure of distal subtotal gastrectomy with preservation of the celiac branch of the vagus nerve is now in the spotlight in Japan with the goal of finding a function-preserving surgical technique. However, there has been no analysis of the effect of this type of surgery on gastrointestinal function.
Chemically synthesized sugar-cholestanols with mono-, di-, and tri-saccharides attached to cholestanol showed strong inhibiting activity against the proliferation of colorectal and gastric cancer cells. In contrast, cholestanol without sugar moieties was totally ineffective. Furthermore, when cancer cells were exposed to GlcNAcRbetacholestanol (R=(-) or beta1-3Gal), the compound was rapidly taken up via the lipid rafts/microdomains on the cell surface.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSeveral azulene-substituted thioketones, 1-thiobenzoylazulene (1a) and di(1-azulenyl) thioketone (2a) and their derivatives (1b and 2b-d) with alkyl substituents on each azulene ring, were prepared and their intramolecular pericyclization reaction was examined. The thioketones with a 3-alkyl substituent on each azulene ring exhibited the presumed pericyclization reaction under thermal and acid-catalyzed conditions, although the cases of the 1-azulenyl thioketones without the 3-alkyl substituents afforded a complex mixture under similar conditions. The intramolecular reaction following the intramolecular hydrogen transfer afforded the products 13b, 14b, and 14c.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTo identify additional alterations to c-kit or platelet-derived growth factor receptor alpha (PDGFRA) genes in gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST), we investigated the methylation status of nine known methylation-sensitive CpG islands (p15, p16, p73, 0-6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase, E-cadherin, mutL homolog 1, colon cancer nonpolyposis type 2 (escherichia), methylated in tumors [MINT]1, MINT2, and MINT31), and compared the results with the malignant potential and gain-of-function mutation types of GIST. Thirty-five GIST (c-kit mutations in 25 cases, PDGFRA mutations in seven cases, and lacking either mutation in three cases) were subjected to methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction to detect the methylation status of the nine methylation-sensitive CpG islands. Aberrant DNA methylation of these loci was found in 94% of all GIST.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFGastrointestinal (GI) motility dysfunction is a common complication of any abdominal surgical procedure. During fasting, the upper GI tract undergoes a cyclic change in motor activity, called the interdigestive migrating motor contraction (IMC). The IMC is divided into four phases, with phase III having the most characteristic activity.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHepatogastroenterology
September 2007
Background/aims: Ulcerative colitis (UC) is an inflammatory bowel disease with an unknown pathophysiological background. To identify possible regeneration or proliferation factors in colorectal mucosa of UC patients, we screened receptor-type protein tyrosine kinases in human colorectal mucosa.
Methodology: Total RNA was isolated from biopsy specimens of normal and UC patients.
Epigenetic silencing of the 14-3-3sigma gene by CpG hypermethylation has been reported in many kinds of cancers, but has been considered inapplicable in the colorectal variety. The expression of 14-3-3sigma in colorectal cancer is located primarily in the invasive area. The interaction between tumor cells and the extracellular matrix (ECM) is involved in tumor invasion.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Gastric carcinoma patients with peritoneal dissemination have an extremely poor prognosis. Attempting to improve regional control and decrease the risk of complications related to hyperthermic chemotherapy, we applied a new treatment modality using a combination of gastrectomy with postoperative intraperitoneal hyperthermo-chemotherapy (PIHC) using Thermotron RF-8. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of PIHC in advanced gastric carcinoma patients with peritoneal seeding.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAS-I-145 is a novel achiral seco-amino-cyclopropylbenz[e]indolone (seco-amino-CBI) analogue of duocarmycin that has evolved from an alternative strategy of designing CC-1065/duocarmycin agents lacking the characteristic chiral center of the natural agents. The sequence specificity of this compound was assessed by a Taq polymerase stop assay, identifying the sites of covalent modification on plasmid DNA. The adenine-N3 adducts were confirmed at AT-rich sequences using a thermally induced strand cleavage assay.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Intracorporeal suturing and knot tying are among the most difficult procedures in laparoscopic operations. An easy and inexpensive method for intracorporeal instrumental ligation with a modified laparoscopic needle driver is presented.
Methods: The needle driver developed in this study has a novel mechanism that can fix the suturing thread in a hook at the distal site of the holder's jaw hinge.
Background: Galectin-3, a beta-galactoside-binding protein, has been associated with various biological processes, such as cell adhesion, recognition, proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship of galectin-3 expression to clinicopathological findings in patients with colorectal cancer. Furthermore, the correlation between the expression of galectin-3 and beta-catenin, and the Ki-67 labeling index were investigated.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe understanding of the cell signaling pathways and the molecular events leading to cell death of cancer cells will provide in-depth perspective into the identification and development of potent anticancer agents. A balance between cell proliferation and cell death has been raised as a rational target for the management of malignant tumors. In the present study, the authors demonstrated that chemically synthesized sugar-cholestanols consisting of GlcNAcbeta-, Galbeta- and GlcNAcbeta1,3Galbeta-cholestanols exerted a strong inhibiting activity against cell proliferation of esophageal cancer cells, but cholestanol itself did not show such an activity against the same cancer cells at all.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEntero-related fistulae are often intractable. Recently, growth factors were generally in sight with the development of regenerative medicine. Basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) possesses potent angiogenic activity.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground/aims: The purposes of preoperative hyperthermoradiation (HR) therapy in advanced rectal carcinoma is to decrease the tumor mass and local recurrence after the operation and to improve long-term survival. The aim of this study was to investigate useful parameters of preoperative HR therapy in advanced rectal carcinoma.
Methodology: Thirty-seven patients with primary advanced rectal carcinoma located in the lower part of the rectum were treated with preoperative HR therapy followed by a curative resection of the rectum.
Background/aims: Xenogeneic-hepatocyte or liver-fragment transplantation could be an attractive clinical option in hepatic surgery for patients with impaired liver function if xenogeneic hepatocytes or liver fragments could be preserved for lengthy periods and if immunoisolation could be more easily achieved.
Methodology: Porcine fetal and adult livers were used as xenogeneic transplants in rats. The grafts were stored frozen for more than one year in liquid nitrogen.
Background: We have previously demonstrated tumor-specific alpha1,2fucosylation, which is associated with resistance of tumor cells to anticancer treatment in human colorectal tumor tissues. By using the YB-2 monoclonal antibody, the resulting products have been identified as Y, Le(b), and H type 2 antigens in colorectal tumor tissues.
Methods: Immunohistochemical analyses of colorectal cancer tissues (74 specimens) were performed with a newly established mouse monoclonal antibody, YB-3 specifically recognizing H disaccharide (Fucalpha1,2Galbeta) structures, and anti-A, anti-B, YB-2, and anti-sialyl Lewis X (SLX) antibodies, together with the analyses of glycosyltransferases involved in the synthesis of ABH antigens in the same tissues.
Neurogastroenterol Motil
March 2007
Xenin is a 25-amino acid peptide isolated from human gastric mucosa. The biological activities of xenin include modulating intestinal motility and affecting exocrine pancreatic secretion and gastric acid secretion. The physiological effect of xenin on the gastrointestinal tract, however, is incomplete.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSurg Laparosc Endosc Percutan Tech
December 2006
Laparoscopic ligation of the peripancreatic vessels or duct requires a particularly skillful technique. If the pancreatic tail and the spleen can be mobilized outside of the abdominal cavity, surgeons can perform these procedures as easily as ordinary open surgery. We developed a novel approach to laparoscopy-assisted distal pancreatectomy without hand-assist.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe kampo (Japanese herbal) medicine "kami-untan-to" (KUT) has been used for a long time in the treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders. We have recently reported that mice put on a thiamine-deficient (TD) diet exhibit a depressive behavior and impairment in avoidance learning after 20 days, and that this impairment was reversed by the chronic administration of KUT. In the present study, we investigated the effect of KUT on the depressive behavior observed in TD mice by using the forced swimming test.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHepatogastroenterology
February 2007
Background/aims: We conducted this prospective study to assess the anxiety in outpatients receiving chemotherapy for solid cancers.
Methodology: Patients were eligible if they were receiving chemotherapy for solid cancer in an outpatient setting, had a life expectancy of more than 6 months, and were able to complete self-administered questionnaires. The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) was used to measure the anxiety levels.
Both paclitaxel and S-1 are effective against gastric cancer, but the optimal regimen for combined chemotherapy with these drugs remains unclear. This phase I/II study was designed to determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD), recommended dose (RD), dose-limiting toxicity (DLT), and objective response rate of paclitaxel in combination with S-1. S-1 was administered orally at a fixed dose of 80 mg m-2 day-1 from days 1 to 14 of a 28-day cycle.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFA soluble form of human leukocyte antigen class I antigen (sHLA-I) has been reported to cause apoptosis on cytotoxic T cells and inhibit killer activity of natural killer cells via killer-cell inhibitory receptors. However, its effect on cancer cells has not yet been elucidated. We examined the direct effect of sHLA-I on human liver cancer cell lines, HepG2, HLE and HLF.
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