Pancreatic duct lavage cytology with the cell block method for discriminating benign and malignant branch-duct type intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms.

Background: Differentiation between benign and malignant branch-duct type intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMNs) remains challenging.

Objective: To examine the usefulness of pancreatic duct lavage cytology with cell block method for discriminating benign and malignant branch-duct type IPMNs.

Patients And Methods: Between December 2007 and April 2011, patients with branch-duct type IPMNs having mural nodules on EUS were examined by pancreatic duct lavage cytology by using the cell block method.

Identification of cerebral response to balloon distention of the bile duct.

Aim: To identify the brain loci that process human biliary sensation.

Methods: In 6 patients (age range: 42-74 years; 4 men), who underwent percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage (PTBD), the distal biliary tract was stimulated by repeatedly inflating the balloon of the PTBD catheter so that it reached volumes that produced a definite painless sensation. The functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) of the cortical response to biliary sensation was examined.

[Effects of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma ligands on monocrotaline-induced pulmonary hypertension in rats].

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARgamma) is a member of the nuclear hormone receptor superfamily, which regulates transcription of target genes in a ligand-dependent manner. Ligands for PPARgamma have been shown to attenuate proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells, and to induce apoptosis in several cell lines in vitro. Since monocrotaline (MCT)-induced pulmonary hypertension in rats is characterized by proliferation of pulmonary vascular smooth muscle cells, we hypothesized that PPARgamma ligands may reduce MCT-induced pulmonary hypertension.