[A case of pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis induced by steroid pulse therapy for severe acute hepatitis B].

A 26-year-old Japanese woman was admitted to the hospital because of fever and general fatigue. A diagnosis of acute hepatitis B was given because of high levels of transaminase and positivity for HBs-Ag, HBe-Ag and HBc-IgM. On the 2nd day progression to fulminant hepatitis was suspected, and steroid pulse therapy, cyclosporin, entecavir, and interferon-β were started.

Three-dimensional cellular spheroid formation provides human prostate tumor cells with tissue-like features.

Background: Alterations in the cellular biological responses were examined in a series of LNCaP human prostate tumor cells growing under different conditions.

Materials And Methods: LNCaP cells were grown in two-dimensional monolayer cultures, three-dimensional spheroids, or as solid tumors in immune-deprived mice.

Results: As compared with the growth in the monolayers, cell growth in the spheroids was reduced, while VEGF production was increased.