Intra-abdominal Esophageal Duplication Cyst in an Adult

Esophageal duplication cysts are congenital anomalies of the foregut that are rarely found in the abdomen. An accurate preoperative diagnosis is not always possible, so the definitive diagnosis can be made by histologic examination of the surgical specimen. We experienced a case of Intra-abdominal esophageal duplication cyst in a 52-year-old female, who initially presented with an esophageal submucosal tumor on upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. She did not have any gastrointestinal symptoms. Barium esophagography, chest computed tomography scan and endoscopic ultrasonography demonstrated the cystic lesion in the intra-abdominal esophagus. Transhiatal enucleation of the lesion was performed successfully via the abdominal approach with no postoperative complications. Histologic study showed that the cyst wall contained a two-layered muscle coat and the surface of the lumen was lined by pseudo-ciliated columnar epithelium. The patient has been doing well without any complaints for 3 months of follow-up period

High Prevalence of Opisthorchis viverrini Infection in a Riparian Population in Takeo Province, Cambodia

Opisthorchis viverrini infection was found to be highly prevalent in 3 riverside villages (Ang Svay Chek A, B, and C) of the Prey Kabas District, Takeo Province. This area is located in the southern part of Cambodia, where the recovery of adult O. viverrini worms was recently reported. From May 2006 until May 2010, fecal examinations were performed on a total of 1,799 villagers using the Kato-Katz thick smear technique. In the 3 villages, the overall positive rate for helminth eggs ranged from 51.7 to 59.0% (av. 57.4%), and the percentage positive for O. viverrini was 46.4-50.6% (47.5%). Other helminths detected included hookworms (13.2%), echinostomes (2.9%), Trichuris trichiura (1.3%), Ascaris lumbricoides (0.6%), and Taenia spp. (0.06%). The prevalence of O. viverrini eggs appeared to reflect a lower infection in younger individuals (<20 years) than in the adult population (>20 years). Men (50.4%) revealed a significantly higher (P=0.02) prevalence than women (44.3%). The Ang Svay Chek villages of the Prey Kabas District, Takeo Province, Cambodia have been confirmed to be a highly endemic area for human O. viverrini infection

Comprehensive Analysis of Cytomegalovirus pp65 Antigen-Specific CD8+ T Cell Responses According to Human Leukocyte Antigen Class I Allotypes and Intraindividual Dominance

To define whether individual human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I allotypes are used preferentially in human cytomegalovirus (CMV)-specific cytotoxic T lymphocyte responses, CD8+ T cell responses restricted by up to six HLA class I allotypes in an individual were measured in parallel using K562-based artificial antigen-presenting cells expressing both CMV pp65 antigen and one of 32 HLA class I allotypes (7 HLA-A, 14 HLA-B, and 11 HLA-C) present in 50 healthy Korean donors. The CD8+ T cell responses to pp65 in the HLA-C allotypes were lower than responses to those in HLA-A and -B allotypes and there was no difference between the HLA-A and HLA-B loci. HLA-A*02:01, -B*07:02, and -C*08:01 showed the highest magnitude and frequency of immune responses to pp65 at each HLA class I locus. However, HLA-A*02:07, -B*59:01, -B*58:01, -B*15:11, -C*03:02, and -C*02:02 did not show any immune responses. Although each individual has up to six different HLA allotypes, 46% of the donors showed one allotype, 24% showed two allotypes, and 2% showed three allotypes that responded to pp65. Interestingly, the frequencies of HLA-A alleles were significantly correlated with the positivity of specific allotypes. Our results demonstrate that specific HLA class I allotypes are preferentially used in the CD8+ T cell immune response to pp65 and that a hierarchy among HLA class I allotypes is present in an individual

Local Retention and Combination Effects of Biocompatible Doxorubicin-Loaded and Radioiodine-Labeled Microhydrogels in Cancer Therapy

I-131-labeled chitosan microhydrogels (I-131-CMH) that are retained at an injection site without leaking free I-131 into normal tissue can provide opportunities to improve cancer therapy. This study focuses on the development of doxorubicin-loaded I-131-CMH (Dox-I-131-CMH) for use in radiochemotherapy against cancer. The radiolabeling of I-131-CMH was found to be stable over a period of 2 weeks with no disassociation of free I-131, and Dox showed a sustained release from the CMH. When I-131-CMH were injected into the thigh muscle or tumor tissue, in vivo gamma imaging showed a retention at the injection site with no significant leakage of I-131 into other areas of normal tissue, and after an intrahepatic arterial injection, I-131-CMH were selectively retained in the liver. Dox-I-131-CMH had significant synergistic therapeutic effects of radiation and chemotherapy on mouse breast cancer models. In this regard, Dox-I-131-CMH may be a new alternative agent for cancer therapy

Frequency of LMP1- or LMP2a-specific immune responses by ELISA and comparison of IFN-γ ELISPOT assay.

<p>(A) Frequencies of IFN-r (n = 20), TNF-a (n = 22) and IL-2 (n = 20) levels were investigated with supernatant which were secreted in CD8⁺ and CD4⁺ T cells stimulated with LMP1 or LMP2a mRNA-transfected DCs. Box and whisker plots (Tukey’s test; 25% ~ 75%) indicate median (middle line in the box) of secreted cytokine level in individuals. (B) Comparison of estimates of cellular immune responses obtained using ELISPOT and cytokine ELISA. The results of the IFN-γ ELISPOT assays correlated well with those from IFN-γ ELISA (n = 20, r = 0.6595, Pc < 0.0001). (*: p < 0.05, **: p < 0.01, ***: p < 0.0001)</p

Analysis of LMP1- or LMP2a-specific immune responses by IFN-γ ELISPOT assays in a subsequent T cells (3–15 months apart).

<p>LMP1 or LMP2a proteins were obtained from ten EBV-seropositive healthy donors. Result is shown as variation in IFN-γ-secreting T cell number per 5 × 10⁵ cells.</p

Comparison of IFN-γ ELISPOT responses specific to LMP1 and to LMP2a between DCs transfected with mRNA and pulsed with pepmix.

<p>(A) IFN-γ ELISPOT responses using mRNA and pepmix were measured in 7 donors. (B) Correlation of LMP1- and LMP2a-specific IFN-γ ELISPOT responses between mRNA and pepmix was analyzed in CD8+ and in CD4+ T cells of 7 donors.</p

Frequency of LMP1- or LMP2a-specific CD8⁺ and CD4⁺ T cell responses of healthy Korean donors.

<p>Monocyte-derived DCs isolated from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from EBV-seropositive (n = 23) and EBV-seronegative (n = 4) healthy donors were evaluated in response to mRNAs for latent (LMP1 and LMP2a) EBV antigens. Results are shown as IFN-γ secreting T cell number/5 × 10⁵ for IFN-γ ELISPOT responses. EBV-specific CD4⁺ T cell responses determined by the LMP1 ELISPOT assay are significantly higher than those detected by the LMP2a ELISPOT assay (p = 0.0067, two-tailed Mann-Whitney test). Box and whisker plots (Tukey’s test; 25% ~ 75%) indicate median (middle line in the box) of EBV-specific T cell responses in individuals.</p