A case of chronic pancreatitis successfully treated by endoscopic removal of protein plugs.

A 56 years old male with chronic pancreatitis complained of intractable abdominal pain, anorexia, emaciation and peripheral edema. Medical treatment initiated only partial improvement in the general condition and hypoproteinemia. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography revealed multiple filling defects in the dilated main pancreatic duct. Endoscopic aspiration of pure pancreatic juice yielded numerous protein plugs. The endoscopic removal of protein plugs from the pancreatic duct resulted in remarkable improvement in symptoms, laboratory findings and ERCP findings. We consider this procedure to be an important new treatment of chronic pancreatitis.</p

A case of chronic pancreatitis successfully treated by endoscopic removal of protein plugs.

A 56 years old male with chronic pancreatitis complained of intractable abdominal pain, anorexia, emaciation and peripheral edema. Medical treatment initiated only partial improvement in the general condition and hypoproteinemia. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography revealed multiple filling defects in the dilated main pancreatic duct. Endoscopic aspiration of pure pancreatic juice yielded numerous protein plugs. The endoscopic removal of protein plugs from the pancreatic duct resulted in remarkable improvement in symptoms, laboratory findings and ERCP findings. We consider this procedure to be an important new treatment of chronic pancreatitis.</p

Dangerous noodle: A case of swallowing syncope and a review of 122 cases from the literature.

Swallowing syncope is a rare medical condition. Even though it has been known as a neurally mediated syncope, the definitive mechanism of this condition remains unclear. We show in this study an additional case of swallowing syncope and review the 122 reported cases from the literature. A 47-year-old Japanese man had been suffering from recurrent syncopal attacks, when he fainted immediately after swallowing. Holter electrocardiogram monitoring demonstrated a sinus pause (maximum R-R interval of 3.8 seconds) after he swallowed a noodle quickly. A permanent pacemaker was implanted because the frequency of syncope increased

Diagnosis of chronic pancreatitis

近年，各種膵疾患に対する検査法の発達には目を見張るものがあるが，実際の運用にあたっては各検査法の適応，限界，組合わせおよび実施する順序等に迷うことが少なくない。本研究では，最近我々が経験した慢性膵炎Ⅰ群116例の診断過程を振り返ることにより，慢性膵炎の診断における理想的な検査法の組合わせとそれぞれの役割を検討し，同時に診断名のみならず病態と病期が容易に理解できる表現方法を提案した。画像診断法，膵外分泌機能検査法（EX），膵内分泌機能検査法（EN）を比較検討し，以下の結果を得た。①画像診断法は必須である。②内視鏡的逆行性膵胆管造影（ERCP）を軸とした腹部超音波検査（US）あるいは腹部CTスキャン（CT）の組合わせは欠くことができない。③EXもまた必須の検査法である。④ENは慢性膵炎の診断に必要不可欠ではないが，治療方針を決めるうえで重要である。⑤純粋膵液（PPJ）の生化学的検査と組織化学的検査は膵炎の診断と病態生理の解明に重要である。⑥PPJ中の細胞診は慢性膵炎に合併した膵癌の検索に有用である。⑦以下に示すような診断の記載方法を提案した。"Calcified chronic pancreatitis, alcoholic, diffuse,　ERCP-3, US-2, CT-3, EX-2, EN-1, Lf(＋)"。Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), ultrasonography (US), computed tomography (CT), exocrine pancreatic function test (EX), endocrine pancreatic function test (EN), and analysis of pure pancreatic juice (PPJ) are currently available for the investigation of pancreatic diseases. The purpose of the present study is to evaluate the roles and preferable combinations of these tests in the diagnosis of chronic pancreatitis and then to propose a way to describe the results of the tests along with diagnosis for a better understanding of the disease process. Comparative studies of imaging, EX and EN led to the following conclusions. 1) imaging procedures (ERCP, US and CT) are mandatory, partly because they were frequently the test that showed diagnostic changes and partly because they often gave key information for operative treatment. Among the imaging procedures, ERCP combined with US and/or CT is mandatory because these combinations alone can reveal detailes of structural changes attendant on chronic pancreatitis. 2) EX is also mandatory, because it was occasionally the only test that showed diagnostic changes and partly because it often gave important information for medical treatment. 3) EN is also important, not because it was indispensable for detecting chronic pancreatitis, but because it often gave important information for medical treatment. For btter understanding of the disease process as well as diagnosis, we propose, as suggested by Seligson, that the test used for the establishment of the diagnosis and the degree as well as extent of abnormalities. An example is "Calcified chronic pancreatitis, alcoholic, diffuse, ERCP-3, US-2, CT-3, EX-2, EN-1, Lf(+)". This attitude will lead to a more rational approach to both diagnosis and treatment

Endoscopic diagosis of gastric malignant lymphoma

To delineate the pitfalls and counter-measures in the endoscopic diagnosis of gastric malignant lymphoma (GML), reviewed were 32 cases of primary GML and 16 cases of systemic ML with gastric involvement (secondary GML). 1) Accurate diagnosis of GML had been made in only 13 cases of primary GML ; 18 cases had been diagnosed of gastric cancer (GC); the remaining one of benign ulcer (BU). Review of the endoscopic films, however, revealed more than two of the three findings characteristic, but not pathognomomic, of GML in 84 percent. This result indicates that possibility of GML must be kept in mind in the differential diagnosis of malignant lesions despite its rarity, because endoscopists tend to be predisposed with an impression of GC. 2) Follow-up examinations made in nine cases of primary GML revealed marked changes in endoscopic findings in three cases : healing of an ulcer lesion in one case, healing of an ulcer lesion on an unchanged tumor in another and enlargement of a tumor in the remaining one. The first case had been followed up for two years with an impression of BU. This result indicates that improvement of ulcer does not necessarily rule out GML because it can show "malignant cycle" just as GC. 3) Endoscopic biopsy performed in 30 cases of primary GML had led to accurate diagnosis in only 16 cases and erroneous diagnosis of GC in five and no malignancy in nine. Review of the cases revealed the importance of having suspicion of GML at first from endoscopic findings, because it can lead to an increase of the number of biopsy specimens, careful selection of biopsy sites, careful use of biopsy instruments to obtain good specimens and closer contact with pathologists. 4) Prospective studies on systemic ML revealed gastric involvement in 17 percent. Examinations of the GI tract, especially of the stomach is one of the important steps for staging of systemic ML and deciding therapeutic modalities. 5) It is extremely difficult to diffierentate primary GML and secondary GML from endoscopic findings alone, although there are a few findings characteristic of the latter

Identification of the ultrahigh-risk subgroup in neuroblastoma cases through DNA methylation analysis and its treatment exploiting cancer metabolism

神経芽腫の新たな診断法と治療戦略を創出 --がん細胞の生存戦略「がん代謝」を逆用する--. 京都大学プレスリリース. 2022-11-02.Neuroblastomas require novel therapies that are based on the exploitation of their biological mechanism. To address this need, we analyzed the DNA methylation and expression datasets of neuroblastomas, extracted a candidate gene characterizing the aggressive features, and conducted functional studies. Based on the DNA methylation data, we identified a subgroup of neuroblastoma cases with 11q loss of heterozygosity with extremely poor prognosis. PHGDH, a serine metabolism-related gene, was extracted as a candidate with strong expression and characteristic methylation in this subgroup as well as in cases with MYCN amplification. PHGDH inhibition suppressed neuroblastoma cell proliferation in vitro and in vivo, indicating that the inhibition of serine metabolism by PHGDH inhibitors is a therapeutic alternative for neuroblastoma. Inhibiting the arginine metabolism, which is closely related to serine metabolism using arginine deiminase, had a combination effect both in vitro and in vivo, especially on extracellular arginine-dependent neuroblastoma cells with ASS1 deficiency. Expression and metabolome analyses of post-dose cells confirmed the synergistic effects of treatments targeting serine and arginine indicated that xCT inhibitors that inhibit cystine uptake could be candidates for further combinatorial treatment. Our results highlight the rational therapeutic strategy of targeting serine/arginine metabolism for intractable neuroblastoma

Hydrogen in Drinking Water Reduces Dopaminergic Neuronal Loss in the 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine Mouse Model of Parkinson's Disease

It has been shown that molecular hydrogen (H2) acts as a therapeutic antioxidant and suppresses brain injury by buffering the effects of oxidative stress. Chronic oxidative stress causes neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's disease (PD). Here, we show that drinking H2-containing water significantly reduced the loss of dopaminergic neurons in PD model mice using both acute and chronic administration of 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP). The concentration-dependency of H2 showed that H2 as low as 0.08 ppm had almost the same effect as saturated H2 water (1.5 ppm). MPTP-induced accumulation of cellular 8-oxoguanine (8-oxoG), a marker of DNA damage, and 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE), a marker of lipid peroxidation were significantly decreased in the nigro-striatal dopaminergic pathway in mice drinking H2-containing water, whereas production of superoxide (O2•−) detected by intravascular injection of dihydroethidium (DHE) was not reduced significantly. Our results indicated that low concentration of H2 in drinking water can reduce oxidative stress in the brain. Thus, drinking H2-containing water may be useful in daily life to prevent or minimize the risk of life style-related oxidative stress and neurodegeneration