No abstract available.

Solid pseudopapillary tumor of the pancreas is a rare tumor that affects young females with low malignant potential and good prognosis with more than 90% survival at 5 years. Metastasis is very rare. We report the case of a 74-year-old female who had pancreatic solid-pseudopapillary tumor and synchronous hepatic metastasis.
Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Pancreas ; Pancreatic Neoplasms ; Prognosis

Pityriasis lichenoides Chronica is a cutaneous disorder of unknown etiology and characterized pathologically by vasculitis and clinically by its marked chronicity and lack of specific treatment. Emollient-phototherapy is a recently introduced effective treatment for psoriasis. The authors treated 3 patients with pityriasis lichenoides chronica by the emollient-phototherapy technic with quite satisfactory results.

Transcriptional co-activator with a PDZ-binding motif (TAZ) is an important factor in lysophosphatidic acid (LPA)-induced promotion of migration and proliferation of human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). The expression of TAZ significantly increased at 6 h after LPA treatment, and TAZ knockdown inhibited the LPA-induced migration and proliferation of MSCs. In addition, embryonic fibroblasts from TAZ knockout mice exhibited the reduction in LPA-induced migration and proliferation. The LPA1 receptor inhibitor Ki16425 blocked LPA responses in MSCs. Although TAZ knockdown or knockout did not reduce LPA-induced phosphorylation of ERK and AKT, the MEK inhibitor U0126 or the ROCK inhibitor Y27632 blocked LPA-induced TAZ expression along with the reduction in the proliferation and migration of MSCs. Our data suggest that TAZ is an important mediator of LPA signaling in MSCs in the downstream of MEK and ROCK signaling.
Animals ; Fibroblasts ; Humans* ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells* ; Mice ; Mice, Knockout ; Phosphorylation ; Receptors, Lysophosphatidic Acid

Transcriptional co-activator with a PDZ-binding motif (TAZ) is an important factor in lysophosphatidic acid (LPA)-induced promotion of migration and proliferation of human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). The expression of TAZ significantly increased at 6 h after LPA treatment, and TAZ knockdown inhibited the LPA-induced migration and proliferation of MSCs. In addition, embryonic fibroblasts from TAZ knockout mice exhibited the reduction in LPA-induced migration and proliferation. The LPA1 receptor inhibitor Ki16425 blocked LPA responses in MSCs. Although TAZ knockdown or knockout did not reduce LPA-induced phosphorylation of ERK and AKT, the MEK inhibitor U0126 or the ROCK inhibitor Y27632 blocked LPA-induced TAZ expression along with the reduction in the proliferation and migration of MSCs. Our data suggest that TAZ is an important mediator of LPA signaling in MSCs in the downstream of MEK and ROCK signaling.
Animals ; Fibroblasts ; Humans* ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells* ; Mice ; Mice, Knockout ; Phosphorylation ; Receptors, Lysophosphatidic Acid

Carcinoid tumors arise from enterochromaffin cells that are located predominatly in the gastrointestinal mucosa. The vast majority of rectal carcinoid tumors are benign and can be safely treated by local excision. Lesions larger than 2 cm and invading the museular wall of the rectum should be considered malignancy and treated by more radical surgery such as abominoperined resection. We report 6 cases of rectal carcinoid tumor, three cases of them were less than 1 cm in size without metastasis. Two of these, small carcinoid tumor were treated with endoacopic polypectomy and one was treated with segmental resection. The others were 2.0 cm or larger in size with regional or liver mestasis. They were treated with segmental resection or electrical fugalization for tumor and transcatheter arterial embilization for liver metastasis or none.
Carcinoid Tumor* ; Enterochromaffin Cells ; Liver ; Mucous Membrane ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Rectum

Bacillus Calmette-Guerin(BCG) has been widely used for the prophylaxis of superficial bladder tumor recurrence and for the treatment of bladder carcinoma in situ. More than 95% of patients who receive BCG instillation tolerate the treatment well and side reactions have been reported in less than 5% of patients. Most side effects are minor and self-limiting. However, a rear occurrence of severe systemic reactions have been reported. Among the severe systemic reactions, hypersensitivity pneumonitis should be considered in patients with pneumonic complications after BCG instillation in cases where the culture for mycobacteria is negative in the sputum, brochoalveolar lavage and blood specimen. In addition, a fiberoptic bronchoscopy with transbronchial lung biopsy demonstrates a fibrosis of the alveolar septums, where there is and an increased lymphocyte count without tuberculous inflammatory changes, the and CD4:CD8 ratio is increased and no symptomatic response to antituberculosis chemotherapy is observed. Here we report a 68 years old man with interstitial pneumonitis following intravesical BCG instillation.
Administration, Intravesical* ; Alveolitis, Extrinsic Allergic ; Bacillus ; Biopsy ; Bronchoscopy ; Carcinoma in Situ ; Drug Therapy ; Fibrosis ; Humans ; Lung ; Lung Diseases, Interstitial* ; Lymphocyte Count ; Mycobacterium bovis* ; Recurrence ; Sputum ; Therapeutic Irrigation ; Urinary Bladder Neoplasms* ; Urinary Bladder*

PURPOSE: To evaluate the radiologic findings and clinical feasibility of thymic enlargement in patients with hyperthyroidism. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seven patients with hyperthyroidism and anterior mediastinal bulging revealed by chest radiogaphy were evaluated. The CT findings were analyzed with regard to the shape of the anterior mediastinal mass, surrounding infiltration, and enlargement of mediastinal lymph nodes. Whether or not tumor markers (alpha-fetoprotein, beta-human chorionic gonadotrophin, and chorionic embryonic antigen) showed increased levels was determined, and the size and thickness of the anterior mediastinal mass were measured and compared with previously described age-matched thymus data. In addition, changes in the thyroid gland were evaluated. RESULTS: In all seven patients, anterior mediastinal masses were bi-lobed, with no surrounding infiltration or enlarged mediastinal lymph node, and tumor marker levels showed no increase. The masses were therefore considered to be thymus. In six patients, the size of the thymus exceeded two upper standard deviations of mean value and in one patient, it was smaller than this. In three patients, PCNB (percutaneous needle biopsy) revealed normal thymic tissue and in two, follow-up chest PA demonstrated no interval change. CT showed that in three patients, the thyroid glands were diffusely enlarged. CONCLUSION: In patients with hyperthyroidism, an anterior mediastinal mass seen on chest radiographs was due to thymic enlargement. The recognition of CT findings of thymic enlargement in such patients may avoid unnecessary biopsy.
Biopsy ; Chorion ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hyperthyroidism* ; Lymph Nodes ; Needles ; Radiography, Thoracic ; Thorax ; Thymus Gland ; Thyroid Gland ; Biomarkers, Tumor

No abstract available.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the MRI findings of acute facial nerve paralysis in Bell's palsy and herpes zosteroticus, and to correlate these with the clinical findings. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed theMRI findings in six cases of Bell's palsy(BP) and two of herpes zoster oticus(HZO), and compared them with thefindings for 30 normal facial nerves. This nerve was considered abnormal when its signal intensity was greaterthan that of brain parenchyma or the contralateral normal side on Gd-enhanced T1-weighted axial and coronal MRimages. We analysed the location and degree of contrast enhancement, interval change, and clinical progression incorrelation with House-Brackmann(HB) grade and electroneuronography(ENoG) findings. RESULTS: Fifteen of 30 normalfacial nerves(50%) seen on Gd-enhanced MRI were mildly enhanced in the geniculate ganglion, the proximal tympanic,and the proximal mastoid segment of the facial nerve. No enhancement of the internal auditory canal(IAC) orlabyrinthine segment of the facial nerve was noted, however. In BP and HZO, Gd-enhanced MR images revealed fair tomarked enhancement for more than two segments from the internal auditory canal to the mastoid segment of thefacial nerve. During follow-up MRI, enhancement of the facial nerve varied in location and signal intensity,though gradually decreased in intensity approximately eight weeks after the onset of facial nerve palsy. Nocorrelation between clinical HB grade, ENoG, and follow up MRI findings was noted. CONCLUSION: Except in theinternal auditory canal and labyrinthine segment, normal facial neve may show mild and relatively symmetricalenhancement. In BP and HZO, the facial nerve showed diffuse enhancement from the IAC to the mastoid segment.
Bell Palsy* ; Brain ; Facial Nerve ; Follow-Up Studies ; Geniculate Ganglion ; Herpes Zoster Oticus* ; Herpes Zoster* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Mastoid ; Paralysis ; Retrospective Studies