The diagnosis of pancreatic endocrine tumors

The pancreatic endocrine tumors are uncommon neoplasms and are classified into non-functional and functional tumors. According to whether the secreted hormones are originated from pancreatic islet cells or not, the tumors are also classified into normotopic and ectopic tumors. Except for insulinoma, more than 60% of them reveal malignant behavior. The presence of endocrine tumor is diagnosed when patients develop a hormone-specific symptom, and the location of tumors are usually diagnosed by a combination of ultrasonography, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging and selective angiography. A somatostatin receptor scintigraphy is promising. Nevertheless, these examinations occasionally failed to precisely locate the tumors especially when they are very small and/or multiple. For such cases, both portal venous sampling and arterial provocation test are helpful.     

Correlation between the numbers of gammadelta T cells and CD4+ HLA-DR+ T cells in broncho-alveolar lavage fluid from patients with diffuse lung disease

CD4+ HLA-DR+ T cells are known to be increasing in broncho-alveolar lavage fluid (BALF) from patients with sarcoidosis, and related to disease activity. Although there are several reports that the number of gammadelta T cells in peripheral blood from patients with sarcoidosis are increasing, contradictory assertions can be seen about the number of gammadelta T cells in BALF, and the clinical significance on the presence of gammadelta T cells in disease site of patients with diffuse lung disease including sarcoidosis. The absolute number of gammadelta T cells and CD4+ HLA-DR+ T cells in BALF were determined by flow cytometry in 107 patients with diffuse lung diseases; 56 with sarcoidosis, 36 with collagen vascular diseases with lung involvement and 15 with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. We also measured the number of the transferrin receptor-positive macrophages in BALF. The correlation between gammadelta T cells and activated (maybe antigen-specific) T cells and macrophages were evaluated. Sarcoidosis patients were also evaluated from the data of the number of gammadelta T cells in peripheral blood by flow cytometry and clinical backgrounds. A significant correlation between the numbers of these two cell types was detected in each of the three patient groups. The percentage of peripheral gammadelta T cells was markedly increased in 7 sarcoidosis patients, each of whom also showed affected organs other than lung, however, 5 individuals did not show an increased number of gammadelta T cells in BALF. The number of gammadelta T cells in BALF did not correlate with the number of transferrin receptor-positive macrophages in all three patient groups. These results suggest that the increased number of gammadelta T cells in diffuse lung diseases likely plays a role in immunosurveillance and contributes to the activation of antigen-specific alphabeta T cell.     

ESOPHAGOCARDIOPLASTY FOR ACHALASIA IN CLOSURE OF A COMPLICATED ESOPHAGOBRONCHIAL FISTULA

We report a rare case or benign esophagobronchial fistula associated with achalasia. The fistula healed spontaneously after esophagocardioplasty with a gastric patch, suggesting the utility of this procedure.     

Neurohormonal determinants of peak oxygen uptake in patients with chronic heart failure

Chronic heart failure (CHF) is characterized by the activation of neurohormones and cytokines. This study determined whether peak oxygen uptake (VO2) can be predicted by the degree of neurohormonal and cytokine activations in CHF. Plasma norepinephrine. epinephrine, renin-angiotensin system activity, ANP, BNP, and serum interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha were measured in 84 CHF patients (age, 59 +/- 1 years, LVEF, 36 +/- 1%) and 34 controls. Maximal cardiopulmonary exercise testing was performed. Peak VO2 (Controls vs CHF: 27.8 +/- 1.3 vs 18.2 +/- 0.5 mL/min/kg, P < 0.0001) was lower in CHF. Patients with CHF had increased plasma norepinephrine (211 +/- 11 vs 315 +/- 24 pg/mL), renin activity (1.2 +/- 0.2 vs 6.2 +/- 1.1 ng/mL/hr), ANP (22 +/- 3 vs 72 +/- 7 pg/mL), and BNP levels (18 +/- 3 vs 200 +/- 25 pg/mL) (all P < 0.01). Serum IL-6 (1.1 0.1 vs 2.4 +/- 0.3 pg/mL) and TNF-alpha (2.7 +/- 0.2 vs 4.0 +/- 0.3 pg/mL) levels were higher in CHF (both P < 0.001). Univariate analysis revealed that age (P < 0.001), cardiothoracic ratio (P < 0.001), norepinephrine (P < 0.0001), ANP (P < 0.001), BNP (P < 0.01), and log IL-6 (P < 0.05) were significantly related with peak VO2. Stepwise regression analysis indicated that plasma norepinephrine and ANP emerged as significant determinants of peak VO2, independent of patient age (overall R = 0.61, P < 0.0001). In summary, patients with CHF exhibited activation of neurohormones and proinflammatory cytokines. Among the elevated hormonal and cytokine markers, plasma norepinephrine and ANP levels were independent predictors of exercise capacity.     

Relationships between working status and health or health-care utilization among Japanese elderly

Background:   As we have previously proposed redefining elderly from "65 years and over" to "75 and over" in Japan, many elderly Japanese now keep working beyond the traditional retirement age, around 60–65 years of age, in this rapidly aging society. It is important to assess the influence of working status on health and health-care utilization among elderly Japanese.
Methods:   We evaluated a random sample of community-dwelling Japanese elderly, aged 55–74 years. Data were collected using a health diary strategy. For health-related quality of life (HRQOL), we used SF-8 with a physical component summary (PCS8) and a mental component summary (MCS8). Health-care utilization included visiting physicians as well as using dietary and physical complementary and alternative medicine (CAM).
Results:   Among 679 participants aged 65–74 years (40.6% men), there were 254 (37.4%) working and 425 (62.6%) non-working. PCS8 and MCS8 were not significantly different between the working status groups. There were no differences in the rate for visiting physicians and using dietary and physical CAM between the working and non-working, except for those aged 70–74 years, who exhibited a higher rate for visiting a physician among the non-working. A higher annual personal income showed a significant association with better PCS8 ( P  = 0.031) and a trend towards better MCS8 ( P  = 0.055). The older participants were more likely to report better MCS8 than the young regardless of working status ( P  = 0.007).
Conclusion:   Working status itself does not appear to associate with health and health-care utilization among elderly Japanese. Working with a higher income may potentially improve HRQOL.     

Multicentric occurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma: In terms of pathology study

The remarkable advances in diagnostic techniques and in the pathomorphologic study of minute hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs) in the early stage indicate that many HCCs are multicentric in origin. Morphologically, combinations of HCC nodules and other nodules, such as adenomatous hyperplasia containing cancerous foci, well-differentiated HCC, or well-differentiated HCC containing moderate or poorly differentiated cancerous tissue are considered to originate and proliferate in situ. These combinations are considered to be HCC of synchronous multicentric origin. We found that, in HCC associated with liver cirrhosis, 6 of 74 consecutively resected HCCs (8.3%) and 4 of 8 autopsy cases (50%) satisfied the above criteria for multicentric origin. This discrepancy between surgical and autopsy cases can be explained thus: In surgical cases, morphologic examination is limited to only the vicinity of the main tumor and patients with multiple minute tumors HCC tend not to be sent to the operation table. Thus, the frequency seen in autopsy cases may reflect the true figures for multicentric origin. In 94 HCCs associated with chronic hepatitis, we found none showing coexistence of the above nodules that are suggestive of synchronous multicentric origin.     

Hyperactivation of JAK1 tyrosine kinase induces stepwise,progressive pruritic dermatitis

Skin homeostasis is maintained by the continuous proliferation and differentiation of epidermal cells. The skin forms a strong but flexible barrier against microorganisms as well as physical and chemical insults; however, the physiological mechanisms that maintain this barrier are not fully understood. Here, we have described a mutant mouse that spontaneously develops pruritic dermatitis as the result of an initial defect in skin homeostasis that is followed by induction of a Th2-biased immune response. These mice harbor a mutation that results in a single aa substitution in the JAK1 tyrosine kinase that results in hyperactivation, thereby leading to skin serine protease overexpression and disruption of skin barrier function. Accordingly, treatment with an ointment to maintain normal skin barrier function protected mutant mice from dermatitis onset. Pharmacological inhibition of JAK1 also delayed disease onset. Together, these findings indicate that JAK1-mediated signaling cascades in skin regulate the expression of proteases associated with the maintenance of skin barrier function and demonstrate that perturbation of these pathways can lead to the development of spontaneous pruritic dermatitis.