Kerosene condenses in the trachea following inhalation.

Purpose: We have investigated the absorption dynamics of petroleum fuel components from the analytical results of autopsy samples.

Methods: Post-mortem samples of the severely burned case, including femoral blood, intratracheal contents (mucus) and intratracheal gas-phase samples were collected, and analysed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometer with head-space solid-phase microextraction.

Results: The composition of flammable substances in the tracheal gas phase differed slightly from that in mucus.

Case report: Fatal poisoning caused by additive effects of two barbiturates.

A case of fatal poisoning involving multiple psychotropic drugs is presented. Quantitative toxicological analysis showed femoral blood concentrations of pentobarbital, phenobarbital, duloxetine, acetaminophen and tramadol were 10.39, 22.

Telomerase Reverse Transcriptase Promoter Mutations in Human Hepatobiliary, Pancreatic and Gastrointestinal Cancer Cell Lines.

Background/aim: The promoter region of the telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) gene is a regulatory element capable of affecting TERT expression, telomerase activity, and telomerase length. Mutations within the TERT promoter region are the most common mutations in many cancers. In this study, we characterized the TERT promoter mutation status in hepatobiliary, pancreatic, and gastrointestinal cancer cell lines.

Prognosis of probable autoimmune hepatitis patients: a single-center study in Japan.

Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) is an idiopathic inflammatory liver disease with genetic susceptibility and unknown environmental triggers. The gold standard for diagnosis, International Autoimmune Hepatitis Group (IAIHG) scoring system, classifies AIH as definite or probable. Conventional research on probable AIH has focused on the Caucasian population and there is little data pertaining to the Asian population.

The Effect of Gemcitabine on Cell Cycle Arrest and microRNA Signatures in Pancreatic Cancer Cells.

Background/aim: Gemcitabine, an inhibitor of DNA synthesis, is the gold standard chemotherapeutic agent for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play critical roles in cancers, including PDAC. However, less is known about the effect of gemcitabine on PDAC cells and miRNA expression in PDAC.

A case report of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor-producing hepatocellular carcinoma that recurred after long-term complete response.

The granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) is a glycoprotein that stimulates cell proliferation and differentiation of precursor cells in the bone marrow. Several cases of G-CSF-producing malignant tumors in various organs have been reported, but there are only nine cases of G-CSF-producing hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) reported in the English literature. G-CSF-producing tumors grow rapidly and have a high probability of distant metastases; thus, they generally have a poor prognosis.

Identification of microRNA associated with the elimination of hepatitis C virus genotype 1b by direct-acting antiviral therapies.

Background And Aim: Direct-acting antiviral (DAA) therapies have been proven to be highly effective for the eradication of hepatitis C virus (HCV) without resistance-associated substitutions (RASs). However, even in cases with no detected RASs, treatment sometimes fails, suggestive of the existence of some host-related factors involved in HCV eradication by DAAs. To explore such factors, we analyzed the serum microRNAs (miRNAs) of patients who received DAA treatment.

Antihypertensive drug telmisartan suppresses the proliferation of gastric cancer cells in vitro and in vivo.

Gastric cancer is one of the most common malignancies diagnosed worldwide. Telmisartan, an angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB), suppresses the proliferation of cancer cells and the growth of tumors through an unknown mechanism. To identify the mechanism, the present study was designed to evaluate the effects of telmisartan on gastric cancer cell lines and tumors in vitro and in vivo and the associated signaling molecules were identified.

Aspirin inhibits hepatocellular carcinoma cell proliferation in vitro and in vivo via inducing cell cycle arrest and apoptosis.

Aspirin, a nonsteroidal anti‑inflammatory drug (NSAID), is known to inhibit cell proliferation in a variety of cancers. However, the underlying mechanism of this inhibition remains unknown. We investigated the effects of aspirin on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells using in vitro and in vivo models.

Efficacy of crystal violet for identifying the distal end in esophageal submucosal tunnel resection.

Background: Endoscopic submucosal tunnel dissection (ESTD) has recently been an effective procedure for resecting large early esophageal neoplasm. However, excessive dissection beyond the distal limit may occur because the prepared distal end often cannot be distinguished through the tunnel. This study aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of a novel crystal violet navigation (CVN) for identifying the distal end.

Metformin Inhibits Proliferation and Tumor Growth of QGP-1 Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumor Cells by Inducing Cell Cycle Arrest and Apoptosis.

Background/aim: Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (pNETs) are rare pancreatic neoplasms, and therapeutic options for pNETs are limited. Metformin is an anti-hypoglycemic drug that appears to have anticancer effects. However, little is known about the effect of metformin on pNETs.

Anti-diabetic drug metformin inhibits cell proliferation and tumor growth in gallbladder cancer via G0/G1 cell cycle arrest.

Gallbladder cancer is the most common biliary tract cancer with poor prognosis and wide variation in incidence rates worldwide, being very high in some countries in Latin America and Asia. Treatment of type 2 diabetes with metformin causes a reduction in the incidence of cancer. Till date, there are no reports on the anti-tumor effects of metformin in gall bladder cancer.

Detection of toluene, methanol and formic acid in the autopsy case of a solvent abuser.

A fatal case of abuse of solvent containing mixture of toluene and methanol is presented. Concentrations of toluene, methanol and formic acid in a femoral venous blood sample were 20.1 mg/L, 210 mg/L and 25.

Prediction of Transplant-Free Survival through Albumin-Bilirubin Score in Primary Biliary Cholangitis.

Albumin-bilirubin (ALBI) grade is defined using the ALBI score, which is calculated based on total serum bilirubin and albumin. This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic ability of the ALBI score for determining hepatic fibrosis stage and transplant-free survival in primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) patients. A total of 181 Japanese patients with biopsy-proven or serologically diagnosed PBC were enrolled.

Albumin-Bilirubin Score Differentiates Liver Fibrosis Stage and Hepatocellular Carcinoma Incidence in Chronic Hepatitis B Virus Infection: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

The albumin-bilirubin (ALBI) score was originally established to stratify prognosis in patients with cirrhosis. The diagnostic accuracy of ALBI score in liver fibrosis staging in patients with chronic hepatitis B remains to be investigated. The present retrospective study, therefore, aimed to evaluate the ability of this score to stage liver fibrosis in these patients.

Albumin-bilirubin score indicates liver fibrosis staging and prognosis in patients with chronic hepatitis C.

Aim: Albumin-bilirubin (ALBI) grade was investigated to predict prognosis of patients with cirrhosis. It was defined using the ALBI score calculated based on serum total bilirubin and albumin, which represent liver function. The diagnostic accuracy for liver fibrosis staging in patients with chronic hepatitis using the ALBI score has not been investigated well.

Long-Term Management of Recurrent Cholecystitis after Initial Conservative Treatment: Endoscopic Transpapillary Gallbladder Stenting.

Background: Endoscopic transpapillary gallbladder stenting (ETGBS) is an effective procedure for treating high-risk patients with acute cholecystitis and severe comorbidities. However, the efficacy of ETGBS for recurrent cholecystitis (RC) remains unclear. This study aimed to explore its efficacy in patients with RC for whom cholecystectomy is contraindicated because of its high surgical risk.

Comparison of histological findings and the results of energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry analysis in experimental electrical injury.

The findings of histological examination and the results of energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDX) analysis were compared to identify skin metallization in experimental electrical injury. Rats were divided into three experimental groups (n = 5, each group): control, current exposure for five seconds, and current exposure for ten seconds. A relatively high peak of copper, which was used as an electrical conductor, was detected in formalin-fixed skin samples of the two current exposure groups by EDX.

An autopsy case of death by combined use of benzodiazepines and diphenidine.

We present an autopsy case involving benzodiazepines and diphenidine. Quantitative toxicological analysis showed concentrations of 7-aminoflunitrazepam (a flunitrazepam metabolite), 7-aminonimetazepam (a nimetazepam metabolite), chlorpheniramine and diphenidine in femoral blood of 0.086 µg/ml, 0.

Comparison of submucosal tunneling biopsy versus EUS-guided FNA for gastric subepithelial lesions: a prospective study with crossover design.

Background And Study Aims: Endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration (FNA) for gastrointestinal subepithelial lesions (SELs) has limited diagnostic accuracy due to technical problems and small lesion size. We previously reported a novel submucosal tunneling biopsy (STB) technique for sampling SELs. This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic ability and safety of STB compared to that of FNA for SELs.

Distinction between entrance and exit wounds by energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry.

We investigated gunshot wounds in two autopsy cases using energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDX). Lead and copper were detected in the entrance wound of one case and lead, antimony, and copper were detected in that of the other case. In the exit wounds of both cases, lead, antimony, and copper were below detection limits.