[A case of IL-6 producing malignant mesothelioma of abdomen with thrombocytosis].

A 77-year-old man was admitted to our hospital with abdominal pain and ascites. He had an occupational history of working with asbestos. Abdominal CT showed multiple nodular lesions with enhancement by contrast medium in the cavity.

Usefulness of a combined evaluation of the serum adiponectin level, HOMA-IR, and serum type IV collagen 7S level to predict the early stage of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis.

Objective: Since nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) may progress to cirrhosis, it is important to differentiate NASH from simple steatosis, especially in its early stages. However, a liver biopsy cannot be performed in all patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). We herein investigated whether serum biochemical markers are useful for predicting early-stage NASH.

Effect of chronic dietary ethanol consumption on colonic cancer in rats induced by 1,1-dimethylhydrazine.

Background: The pathogenetic correlation between chronic alcohol consumption and development of colon cancer is not clear. The role of alcohol abuse in the carcinogenic action of 1,1-dimethylhydrazine (DMH), which induces tumors in the colon, was evaluated.

Methods: Twenty male rats were fed liquid diets containing ethanol or carbohydrates for 39 weeks.

Mutation of mitochondrial DNA in livers from patients with alcoholic hepatitis and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis.

Background: In alcoholic hepatitis (Al-Hep) and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), triglycerides accumulate in hepatocytes. We examined the hypothesis that mutations in mitochondrial DNA may take place by mitochondrial overwork, resulting in dysfunction of mitochondria.

Subjects And Methods: Subjects of this research were 8 cases each of Al-Hep, NASH, and fatty liver (FL).

Effect of the inducer of interleukin-6 (ME3738) on rat liver treated with ethanol.

Background: Recently, ME3738, a derivative of soyasapogenol B, was developed as an inducer of interleukin (IL)-6. It has been demonstrated that ME3738 is stimulate to produce IL-6 and that it protects against concanavalin A-induced liver failure. It has also been reported that IL-6 prevents alcoholic fatty liver in mice.

Myelodysplastic syndrome complicated with inflammatory intestinal ulcers: significance of trisomy 8.

Three cases of myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) complicated with inflammatory intestinal ulcers all had cytogenetic abnormalities with trisomy 8. The first two patients were diagnosed with intestinal Behçets disease and were successfully treated with salazosulphapiridine, and the third patient died after leukemic transformation. We review the reported cases of MDS complicated with Behçets disease.

[Clinical features of NASH].

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), including simple steatosis and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), is commonly associated with metabolic syndrome. Many of NASH patients do not have subjective symptoms. The NASH is often found by routine health checkups etc.

[Mutation of mitochondrial DNA in patients with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis].

When the numbers of mutations per 1,000 bases of mitochondrial DNA were compared among three groups of Al-Hep, NASH and FL, there were significantly more mutations in ND1 and COII of Al-Hep and NASH than in FL. When details of the base mutation were investigated by group, the transition type of mutation between T:A and C:G occurred in control and coding regions. In FLS and FLS-ob mice, mutations in the D-loop and coding regions of mitochondrial DNA were investigated by sequencing analysis.

Marked pneumoperitoneum 3 weeks after percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy.

In November 2001, a 29-year-old woman was admitted to the hospital because of dysphagia due to an apallic state caused by cerebral anoxia. Nutritional support was maintained by nasogastric tube feeding for approximately 3 months. For improvement of the body state maintenance and quality of life, a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) was performed.

Effect of chronic dietary ethanol in the promotion of N-nitrosomethylbenzylamine-induced esophageal carcinogenesis in rats.

Background: The pathogenetic correlation between chronic alcohol consumption and development of esophageal cancer is not clear. The role of alcohol abuse in the carcinogenic action of N-nitrosomethylbenzylamine, which induces tumors in the esophagus, has been evaluated.

Methods: Twenty male rats were fed liquid diets containing ethanol or carbohydrates for 30 weeks.

Use of serum carbohydrate-deficient transferrin values to exclude alcoholic hepatitis from non-alcoholic steatohepatitis: a pilot study.

Background: Since no clinical or biochemical parameters allow an accurate diagnosis of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), the diagnosis by exclusion of alcoholic hepatitis is necessary. However, it is difficult to get the accurate amount of alcohol consumed from the patients, especially from females. To differentiate between NASH and alcoholic hepatitis, we investigated whether serum biochemical markers of chronic alcohol abuse are useful or not.

Expression of hyaluronic acid in N-nitrosodimethylamine induced hepatic fibrosis in rats.

Hyaluronic acid (HA) plays prominent role in the pathogenesis of liver fibrosis. The mechanism of increased serum and liver HA during hepatic fibrosis was studied in rats. Liver injury was induced by intraperitoneal injections of N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) for 7 consecutive days.

Correlation between adenosine triphosphate content and apoptosis in liver of rats treated with alcohol.

Background: Chronic alcohol consumption depresses adenosine triphosphate (ATP) synthesis and induces mitochondrial DNA (Mt-DNA) deletion. ATP content in cells may play a critical role in inducing cell death, apoptosis, or necrosis. However, it is unknown which type of cell death occurs in alcoholic liver disease.