Laparoscopic-assisted colectomy with lymph node dissection for invasive carcinoma of the colon.

The results of performing laparoscopic-assisted colectomy in 20 patients with invasive carcinoma of the colon were analyzed in this study. The site of the lesion was the right colon in 5 patients, the transverse colon in 1, the left colon in 13, and the rectosigmoid in 1. In 2 patients, the laparoscopic procedure needed to be converted to an open laparotomy.

Histological classification of the neoplastic changes arising in ulcerative colitis: a new proposal in Japan.

Patients with total ulcerative colitis with a longstanding course of the disease have a high risk of developing colorectal carcinoma. Colonoscopic surveillance to detect precancerous tissue and/or cancer in these patients has been carried out in countries with a high incidence of ulcerative colitis. Riddell's classification has been widely used for the interpretation of biopsy specimens obtained from the colonoscopic surveillance.

[Neoadjuvant chemotherapy with tegafur suppository for rectal cancer--effects of tegafur on nuclear DNA content of cancer cells--Tochigi Colorectal Cancer Study Group].

To assess the significance of neoadjuvant chemotherapy for large bowel cancer, we investigated an effect of tegafur on cancer cell kinetics by DNA content flow cytometric analysis. The pathologic specimens analyzed in this study were obtained from 28 patients with rectal cancer who had received tegafur suppositories prior to surgery. Mean cumulative doses administered were 13.

Sutureless anastomosis using a biofragmentable anastomosis ring.

The biofragmentable anastomosis ring (BAR) is composed of polyglycolic acid and barium sulfate. When used for intestinal anastomosis, the BAR fragments after the anastomosis is established. We used this device in 43 patients.

Participation of diacylglycerol kinase in mitogenic signal transduction induced by platelet-derived growth factor in vascular smooth muscle cells.

In rat vascular smooth muscle cells, platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), stimulated phosphatidic acid synthesis by activating both of the two alternative pathways, diacyglycerol kinase (DGK) and phospholipase D (PLD). Genistein, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor, inhibited PLD activation but not DGK activation, the latter was inhibited selectively by R 59022. PDGF-induced DNA synthesis was partially inhibited by genistein or R 59022, but these inhibitors had no effect on phorbol ester-induced DNA synthesis.

[Tissue blood flow of the sigmoid colon for safe anastomosis following ligation of the inferior mesenteric artery].

We examined the tissue blood flow (TBF) of the sigmoid colon to determine which level of inferior mesenteric artery. In 13 patients, TBF of the sigmoid colon was measured in the control state and the clamped state, in which the inferior mesenteric artery (IMA), left colic artery and the rectal were wall clamped. In the clamped state, means of TBF at 10 cm and 15 cm distal to the descend-sigmoid junction were 1.

[Clinical efficacy of arbekacin in deep MRSA infection. Including follow-up study after the termination of chemotherapy].

We analyzed the efficacy of arbekacin (ABK) using monotherapy or combined therapy on deep MRSA infection to find the most adequate usage of the drug. We also followed-up the isolation incidence of MRSA after the end of chemotherapy. The results are summarized as follows: 1.

Alpha-fetoprotein-producing gastric carcinoma with enteroblastic differentiation.

Background: Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) is a useful tumor marker for hepatoma and yolk sac tumor. Recently, elevations of serum AFP were reported in patients with other malignancies, especially gastric cancers. Two distinct tumor morphologies, hepatoid and clear cell, have been correlated with AFP production.

Enhanced phospholipase D activity in vascular smooth muscle cells derived from spontaneously hypertensive rats.

When cultured in the presence of fetal calf serum, aortic vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) derived from spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) grow faster than those from normotensive control Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats. In order to investigate the mechanism underlying this growth abnormality, we measured phospholipase D (PLD) activity in VSMC taken from both SHR and WKY rats. Upon stimulation with serum, platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) and porbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (TPA), phosphatidylethanol (PEt) was produced in the presence of ethanol.

Coexistence of somatic and germ-line mutations of APC gene in desmoid tumors from patients with familial adenomatous polyposis.

Desmoid tumors, which are locally invasive with recurrence but without metastasis, are frequently observed in patients with familial adenomatous polyposis after abdominal surgery or during pregnancy. This study analyzed mutation of the adenomatous polyposis coli gene in 8 desmoid tumors from 7 familial adenomatous polyposis patients using polymerase chain reaction-single-strand conformation polymorphism and the direct sequencing method. Seven somatic mutations, 1 somatic allele loss, and 6 germ-line mutations were detected.

[Clinical usefulness of tumor markers in breast cancer].

Currently, many tumor markers are routinely measured in patient serum, but none appears to adequately detect cancer-specific substances for breast cancer. Four tumor markers (CEA, CA15-3, BCA225, c-erbB-2) were compared for sensitivity and specificity to breast cancer in 393 patients with breast disease (fibrocystic disease; 40, benign tumor; 21, primary cancer; 22, recurrent or advanced cancer; 22, non-recurrent; 288), and the following results were obtained: In cases of primary breast cancer excluding stage IV cases, the positive rates of CEA, CA15-3 and BCA225 were 4.5%, 13.

Differing signal transductions elicited by three isoforms of platelet-derived growth factor in vascular smooth muscle cells.

The differing signal transductions elicited by three isoforms of platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) were studied in cultured rat vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC), which show different mitogenic responses to the three PDGF isoforms. PDGF-BB elicited a variety of cellular signals, including the phosphorylation on tyrosine of phospholipase C-gamma 1 (PLC-gamma 1) and the PDGF receptor, formation of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate and diacylglycerol, degradation of phosphoinositides (phosphatidylinositol, phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate, and phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate) and elevation of intracellular calcium ([Ca2+]i). However, PDGF-AB failed to show some of these signals, although it stimulated [3H]thymidine incorporation to almost the same extent as PDGF-BB.

Isolation and characterization of an endogenous Na+,K(+)-ATPase-specific inhibitor from pig urine.

A Na+,K(+)-ATPase inhibitor was purified from 88.6 l pig urine with a yield of approximately 10 micrograms. It inhibits the ouabain-sensitive uptake of 86Rb into human erythrocytes and the specific binding of ouabain to Na+,K(+)-ATPase.

Multifocal intraductal papillary adenocarcinoma of the pancreas: report of a case.

This paper describes a case of a mucin-producing tumor of the pancreas, histologically diagnosed as multifocal intraductal papillary adenocarcinoma. The patient had a markedly dilated main pancreatic duct, detected by ultrasound (US) and computed tomography (CT), and endoscopy showed a papillary tumor projecting from the patulous orifice of the enlarged papilla of Vater. Several biopsies taken from the tumor indicated a diagnosis of papillary adenocarcinoma.

A novel endogenous sodium-pump inhibitor in pig urine: purification and comparison with the inhibitor purified from bovine adrenal glands.

To clarify the chemical nature and pathophysiological significance of an endogenous, specific Na-pump inhibitor, extracts of various tissues have been examined. The activities were extracted by an Amberlite XAD-2 adsorbent and fractionated by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) on an ODS column. Among many tissues and fractions tested, the extract of pig urine has been found to contain a large amount of 86Rb uptake inhibitory activities.

Phospholipase D mimics platelet-derived growth factor as a competence factor in vascular smooth muscle cells.

Recent studies have suggested the importance of phosphatidylcholine (PC) metabolism in growth factor-stimulated cells. In these cells, PC is hydrolyzed not only by PC-specific phospholipase C but also by phospholipase D (PLD). In the present investigation, we show that the simple addition of PC-hydrolyzing PLD from Streptomyces chromofuscus to the culture medium of vascular smooth muscle cells elicits choline release into the medium accompanied by the formation of phosphatidic acid.

Diacylglycerol formation from phosphatidylcholine in angiotensin II-stimulated vascular smooth muscle cells.

In cultured vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC), angiotensin II (Ang II) induces a biphasic diacylglycerol (DAG) formation peaking at 15 sec and 5 min. Although it has been well established that the first peak is produced by the hydrolysis of inositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2), the origin of the second DAG peak has never been examined in detail. In the present paper, we provide evidence that the second peak of DAG formation in Ang II-stimulated VSMC originates mainly from PC.

[Neo-adjuvant chemotherapy with tegafur suppository for rectal cancer--evaluation of the antitumor effects, tissue levels of 5-FU and inhibition of thymidylate synthase. Tochigi Colorectal Cancer Study Group].

We evaluated antitumor effect histologically and assayed the tissue levels of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and thymidylate synthase (TS) activity using surgical specimens obtained from the patients with rectal cancer, who were given tegafur suppositories prior to surgery. The antitumor effect was evaluated histologically according to classification of the general rules for the gastric cancer study (Japanese Research Society for Gastric Cancer). In 39 patients, 16 tumor specimens revealed no effect (grade-0), 22 tumors grade-1 effect, and one was not evaluable because of the severe inflammatory changes.

Phospholipase D in cultured rat vascular smooth muscle cells and its activation by phorbol ester.

We determined the phospholipase D (PLD) activity in rat vascular smooth muscle cells by the formation of phosphatidylethanol in cells prelabeled with [3H] myristic acid. The enzyme was markedly activated by a phorbol ester (TPA). Down regulation of protein kinase C (PKC) resulted in almost complete inhibition indicating PKC-dependent mechanism of its activation.