Enantioselective Cyanosilylation of Ketones with Lithium(I) Dicyanotrimethylsilicate(IV) Catalyzed by a Chiral Lithium(I) Phosphoryl Phenoxide.

A highly enantioselective cyanosilylation of ketones was developed by using a chiral lithium(I) phosphoryl phenoxide aqua complex as an acid/base cooperative catalyst. The pentacoordinate silicate generated in situ from Me3SiCN/LiCN acts as an extremely reactive cyano reagent. Described is a 30 gram scale reaction and the synthesis of the key precursor to (+)-13-hydroxyisocyclocelabenzine.

[Distal gastrectomy for initially unresectable gastric cancer with pyloric stenosis following gastrojejunostomy and S-1 plus CDDP chemotherapy].

We report a case of advanced gastric cancer with pyloric stenosis, in which a curative resection was performed following gastrojejunostomy and S-1 based chemotherapy. A 46-year-old female presenting with vomiting was diagnosed with unresectable gastric cancer with pyloric stenosis after a detailed examination. She underwent laparotomy, which revealed a T4 tumor invading the pancreas head and involving the gallbladder. A gastrojejunostomy was performed. After the operation, chemotherapy of S-1(100mg/body, days 1-21)plus cisplatin(85mg/body, day 8)was administered. After 4 courses, the tumor size was markedly reduced upon imaging examinations. Six months after gastrojejunostomy, distal gastrectomy was curatively performed. The pathological findings were type 3, por1, pT4a(SE), pN1, M0, pStage III A. After 5 courses of S-1(100mg/day, days 1-28)as adjuvant chemotherapy, she had a recurrence at a lymph node behind the pancreas head. Despite irinotecan+cisplatin following docetaxel therapy, she had no effective benefits and died from the cancer 17 months after the first operation. The prognosis of unresectable gastric cancer with pyloric stenosis is not promising; however, gastrojejunostomy following S-1-based chemotherapy could lead such patients to curative resection and a longer survival time.

Intestinal anisakiasis with severe intestinal ischemia caused by extraluminal live larvae: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Anisakiasis is a parasitic infection caused by Anisakis worms found in raw fish. Most cases of anisakiasis occur in the stomach and rarely occur in the intestine. It is extremely rare for live larvae to break through the intestine into the mesentery and cause severe intestinal ischemia. Anisakiasis can be treated conservatively, because the larvae will die in approximately 1 week, but, sometimes, a serious condition can arise, as in this case. We report the first case of extraluminal anisakiasis in which a live Anisakis worm caused severe intestinal ischemia. CASE PRESENTATION: The patient was a 26-year-old woman who ate squid a week prior. She had abdominal pain and was admitted to our emergency department. On physical examination, abdominal guarding and rebound tenderness were present in her lower abdomen. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography showed ascites, the whirl sign, localized submucosal edema of the intestinal wall, and a dilated small bowel segment with edema. We suspected the strangulated small bowel obstruction based on the CT-scan findings. To rule out the strangulated small bowel obstruction, laparoscopic exploration was performed. Bloody ascites in the pouch of Douglas and severe inflammation in 20 cm of the ileum were observed. An Anisakis larva had perforated the intestinal wall and was found alive in the mesentery. The ileum had developed a high degree of ischemia, so the affected section was resected. Histopathological examination revealed that the Anisakis worm body was in the inflamed mesentery and caused a high degree of ischemia in the intestinal tract. The patient was discharged 9 days after surgery. CONCLUSIONS: A living Anisakis larva punctured the mesentery of the small intestine, resulting in severe intestinal ischemia. As seen in this case, intestinal anisakiasis may cause serious symptoms, and a low threshold for performing diagnostic laparoscopy for the early diagnosis of bowel ischemia secondary to anisakiasis can be useful in determining the definite diagnosis and indications for resection.

[A case of local recurrence of rectal cancer in long-term responding to combined therapy of low-dose CPT-11 and 5'-DFUR].

A 68-year-old man underwent Miles'operation for advanced rectal cancer. Local recurrence occurred 9 months following the operation. We started the combined therapy of low-dose CPT-11 and doxifluridine (5'-DFUR). CPT-11 was administered at 80 mg/body biweekly and 5'-DFUR was orally administered at 800 mg/day/body on day 3-7. We then reduced the CPT-11 dose to 60 mg/body because of neutropenia. Four months later,we obtained a decrease in the tumor marker (carcinoembryonic antigen: CEA) to the normal serum level, and stopped the medication. However, 3 months later the serum CEA level was increased, and we restarted the same therapy. Six months after restarting this therapy, the serum CEA level decreased to the normal level,and the local recurrence was decreased in size. We finished this combined therapy and changed to 5'-DFUR only. No tumor progression or recurrences in this patient are seen 2 years after completing this combined therapy.

A novel method for faster formation of rat liver cell spheroids.

Hepatocyte spheroids are expected to be the main component of the artificial liver bioreactor for their higher function. The preparation of hepatocyte spheroids, however, can require as many as 24 to 96 h. To reduce this time, we investigated a method employing a new technique of rat hepatocyte preparation and a dynamic culture. The modified Seglen's method for standard hepatocyte isolation was altered by elimination of ethyleneglycol bis(aminoethylether) tetraacetate from the first perfusate and calcium from the second perfusate. Isolated hepatocytes were cultured in a spinner flask by spinning at 120 rpm. The modified Seglen's method was used as a control. Cells obtained by the new method were more cohesive and formed a higher proportion of cell aggregates than control cells. In the spinning culture, hepatocytes had a tendency to aggregate and 80% of cells formed spheroids within 6 h of culturing. The mean size of spheroids was 68.5 +/- 18.5 microm. Confocal laser scanning microscopy revealed that individual spheroids contained approximately 30% of nonparenchymal cells over their surface. Using the new hepatocyte preparation method followed by a spinning culture, we were able to produce hepatocyte spheroids in as few as 6 h.