The environmental compartments of environmental hormones.

Compounds with estrogenic activity are ubiquitous in nature. Phytoestrogens and steroidal estrogens are found naturally in the food, in particular legumes and milk products. Naturally occurring steroidal estrogens and synthetic estrogens such as ethinylestradiol are constantly excreted into the environment as the result of the release of animal and human waste.

Expression of beta-catenin in gastroenteropancreatic endocrine tumours: a study of 229 cases.

Aims: To clarify the role of beta-catenin in digestive endocrine carcinogenesis, a large and representative series of gastroenteropancreatic endocrine tumours was analysed in order to determine the incidence and pattern of beta-catenin changes and to analyse the clinical and histological characteristics of the tumours presenting immunohistochemically detectable changes in beta-catenin expression.

Methods: 229 cases of gastroenteropancreatic endocrine tumours (stomach, 11; duodenum and ampulla, 29; jejunum and ileum, 51; appendix, 13; colon and rectum, 17; and pancreas, 108) were studied by immunohistochemistry to assess the pattern of distribution of beta-catenin (membranous, cytoplasmic or nuclear). DNA was analysed to detect mutations in exon 3 of the CTNNB1 gene.

Cardiotoxicity of 5-fluorouracil in 1350 patients with no prior history of heart disease.

To show the nature and magnitude of EKG anomalies subsequent to 5-fluorouracil (5FU) administration and determine whether the onset is dependent on a pre-existing cardiovascular pathological condition. 1,350 patients were treated by 5FU between 1995 and 2000. EKG were recorded in all patients before each administration of 5FU.

Hidden cardiac lesions and psychotropic drugs as a possible cause of sudden death in psychiatric patients: a report of 14 cases and review of the literature.

Objective: To confirm the hypothesis that psychotropic drugs, especially neuroleptics, lithium, and antidepressants, are implicated as a cause of unexpected sudden death in psychiatric patients because of their cardiotoxicity, especially when hidden cardiac lesions are present.

Method: We performed a full pathological examination of 14 psychiatric patients who unexpectedly and suddenly died between 1980 and 1999.

Results: Neuroleptics were involved in 13 instances, antidepressants in 9, and anxiolytics in 5.

Ropivacaine combined with various anti-arrhythmic drugs results in mild alterations in myocardial contractility in pigs.

Purpose: The present study was undertaken following the observation of a marked decrease in myocardial contractility after ropivacaine in a patient on amiodarone, in order to investigate the cardiovascular effects of combining ropivacaine with anti-arrhythmic drugs (AARD).

Methods: Anesthetized domestic pigs were treated with disopyramide, flecainide, atenolol, amiodarone, diltiazem or nicardipine at a dose leading to blood levels obtained in treated patients, then received 1 mg*kg(-1) ropivacaine. Blood pressure (BP), left venticular (LV) dP/dt max, sinus heart rate, and intraventricular conduction time were measured before and following the administration of AARD, and following ropivacaine at different time points.