The volcano sign and mucus outflow by colonoscopy - Low grade appendiceal mucinous neoplasm.

An 82-year-old woman presented with painless hematochezia. Colonoscopy revealed a submucosal tumor-like mass in the cecum. The appendiceal orifice was identified in the center of the prominence, showing the volcano sign.

Ulcerative colitis complicating pneumomediastinum, subcutaneous emphysema and pneumothorax.

A 17-year-old man with ulcerative colitis (UC) presented to our hospital with neck pain and fever after vomiting. On examination, a snowflake sensation was noted in the neck. A chest radiograph showed extensive subcutaneous emphysema in the chest.

Rapid formation of aortoesophageal fistula complicated by mycotic thoracic aortic aneurysm secondary to infective endocarditis.

A 73-year-old man was admitted with four weeks of intermittent fever. He had a history of total aortic arch replacement for aortic arch aneurysm four years prior. CT scans showed no abnormalities before admission.

The residual structure of acid-denatured β -microglobulin is relevant to an ordered fibril morphology.

β -Microglobulin (β2m) forms amyloid fibrils in vitro under acidic conditions. Under these conditions, the residual structure of acid-denatured β2m is relevant to seeding and fibril extension processes. Disulfide (SS) bond-oxidized β2m has been shown to form rigid, ordered fibrils, whereas SS bond-reduced β2m forms curvy, less-ordered fibrils.

Ulcerative colitis exacerbated by strongyloidiasis.

We herein report a case of ulcerative colitis (UC) exacerbated by strongyloidiasis. Parasites including Strongyloides stercoralis and Entamoeba histolytica can cause chronic gastrointestinal inflammation and long-lasting symptoms resembling UC. On the other hand, it is not well-known that such organisms can trigger the exacerbation of pre-existing UC.

Enhanced accessibility and hydrophobicity of amyloidogenic intermediates of the β2-microglobulin D76N mutant revealed by high-pressure experiments.

β2-Microglobulin (β2m) is the causative protein of dialysis-related amyloidosis. Its unfolding mainly proceeds along the pathway of N →U ⇄ U, whereas refolding follows the U → I (→N) →N pathway, in which N, I, and U are the native, intermediate, and unfolded states, respectively, with the Pro32 peptidyl-prolyl bond in cis or trans conformation as indicated by the subscript. It is noted that the I state is a putative amyloidogenic precursor state.

Loosening of Side-Chain Packing Associated with Perturbations in Peripheral Dynamics Induced by the D76N Mutation of β-Microglobulin Revealed by Pressure-NMR and Molecular Dynamic Simulations.

β-Microglobulin (βm) is the causative protein of dialysis-related amyloidosis, and its D76N variant is less stable and more prone to aggregation. Since their crystal structures are indistinguishable from each other, enhanced amyloidogenicity induced by the mutation may be attributed to changes in the structural dynamics of the molecule. We examined pressure and mutation effects on the βm molecule by NMR and MD simulations, and found that the mutation induced the loosening of the inter-sheet packing of βm, which is relevant to destabilization and subsequent amyloidogenicity.

3,4-dihydroxybenzalacetone and caffeic acid phenethyl ester induce preconditioning ER stress and autophagy in SH-SY5Y cells.

3,4-dihydroxybenzalacetone (DBL) and Caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) are both catechol-containing phenylpropanoid derivatives with diverse bioactivities. In the present study, we analyzed the ability of these compounds to activate the unfolded protein response (UPR) and the oxidative stress response. When human SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells were treated with DBL or CAPE, the expression of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-related genes such as HSPA5, HYOU1, DDIT3, and SEC61b increased to a larger extent in response to CAPE treatment, while that of antioxidant genes such as HMOX1, GCLM, and NQO1 increased to a larger extent in response to DBL treatment.

[A case of abdominal tuberculosis lymphadenitis extending into the gallbladder and duodenum in a human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 carrier].

A 69-year-old man with a history of pulmonary tuberculosis presented with fever. He tested positive for the QuantiFERON TB-2G and human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 antibodies. Imaging revealed a mass in the neck of the gallbladder, with periportal lymph node enlargement and penetration into the duodenum.

Gonadotropin regulation and role of ovarian osteopontin in the periovulatory period.

Osteopontin (OPN), a secreted glycoprotein, has multiple physiological functions. This study investigated the regulation and roles of OPN in the mouse ovary during the periovulatory stages. Immature female mice were treated with pregnant mare serum gonadotropin (PMSG) and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) to simulate follicle maturation and ovulation.

3,4-dihydroxybenzalacetone protects against Parkinson's disease-related neurotoxin 6-OHDA through Akt/Nrf2/glutathione pathway.

Unlabelled: Oxidative stress is implicated in the pathogenesis of various neurodegenerative diseases including Parkinson's disease (PD). 3,4-Dihydroxybenzalacetone (DBL) is a small catechol-containing compound isolated from Chaga (Inonotus obliquus [persoon] Pilat), and has been reported to have beneficial bioactivities, including antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, and anti-tumorigenic activities, with a relatively low toxicity to normal cells. We, therefore, investigated the neuroprotective activity of DBL against the PD-related neurotoxin 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA).

Rapid and transient upregulation of CCL11 (eotaxin-1) in mouse ovary during terminal stages of follicular development.

Problem: This study aimed to investigate the regulation of expression, localization and physiological role of the CCL11/CCR3 axis in mouse ovary during the periovulatory period.

Method Of Study: CCL11/CCR3 expression in the mouse ovary after treatment with pregnant mare serum gonadotropin (PMSG) followed by human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) 48 hr later was assessed in vivo and in 3-dimensional cultures in vitro.

Results: Real-time RT-PCR analyses revealed transient CCL11 mRNA upregulation 6 hr after hCG treatment.

[Cepharanthin effect on radiation-induced xerostomia and taste disorder in patients with head and neck cancer].

In evaluating the effect of cepharanthin on xerostomia and taste disorder in 40 patients undergoing radiotherapy for head and neck cancer, we administered cepharanthin intravenously during chemoradiotherapy to 22 patients, with 18 others as a control group. Cepharanthin did not significantly affect salivary secretion during and after chemoradiotherapy, although taste disorder and oral discomfort were alleviated. Cepharanthin may thus be effective in maintaining the quality of life of patients with head and neck cancer.

Investigation of the association between Toll-like receptor 2 gene polymorphisms and Behçet's disease in Japanese patients.

Behçet's disease (BD) is a chronic systemic inflammatory disorder characterized by recurrent ocular symptoms, oral and genital ulcers, and skin lesions. The etiology of BD is still uncertain, but genetic and environmental factors likely both play an important role in BD development. In the present study, we investigated whether polymorphisms of Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2), previously reported to recognize BD candidate antigens, are associated with BD.