[A case of "colitis-like intestinal Behçet's disease" accompanied by ulcerative colitis after the development of myelodysplastic syndrome].

A 71-year-old man developed ulcerative colitis (UC) at 48 years of age. As a steroid-dependent case with poor UC control, the patient was treated with azathioprine, which resulted in clinical remission. However, a blood test revealed pancytopenia. Bone marrow examination confirmed the diagnosis of myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). During the patient's clinical course, multiple round ulcers appeared in the terminal ileum. We suspected concomitant "colitis-like intestinal Behçet's disease" (BD). Treatment with adalimumab resolved the ulcers. To the best of our knowledge, this is a rare case of intestinal BD accompanying UC after MDS.

Controlled attenuation parameter is correlated with actual hepatic fat content in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease with none-to-mild obesity and liver fibrosis.

AIM: Non-invasive steatosis-quantifying methods are required for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) patients in order to monitor disease severity and assess therapeutic efficacy. Controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) evaluated with vibration-controlled transient elastography can predict the presence of steatosis, but its application to absolute hepatic fat quantitation remains unclear. The aim of this st\udy was to examine whether CAP is correlated with real hepatic fat content in NAFLD patients. METHODS: Eighty-two NAFLD patients who had undergone percutaneous liver biopsy were enrolled. CAP was measured using FibroScan(®) just before liver biopsy. The percentage of fat droplet area to hepatocyte area in biopsied specimen was determined morphometrically using computerized optical image analyzing system. The correlation between CAP and liver histology was examined. RESULTS: CAP showed an excellent correlation with actual liver fat percentage in the NAFLD patients with body mass index (BMI) of less than 28 kg/m(2) (r = 0.579, P < 0.0001), especially less than 25 kg/m(2) (r = 0.708, P < 0.01), but the meaningful correlation disappeared in the patients with BMI of 28 kg/m(2) or more. In the patients with BMI of less than 28 kg/m(2) , CAP quantitativeness was affected by the presence of stage 2-4 fibrosis, but not the presence of hepatocyte ballooning and severity of lobular inflammation. CONCLUSION: CAP may be a promising tool for quantifying hepatic fat content in NAFLD patients with none-to-mild obesity and liver fibrosis. Further improvement of CAP performance is needed for the NAFLD patients with BMI of more than 28 kg/m(2) or significant hepatic fibrosis.

Serum sodium concentration is associated with increased risk of mortality in patients with compensated liver cirrhosis.

AIM: Although hyponatremia is associated with a poor prognosis in liver cirrhosis, little is known about the clinical significance of serum sodium concentration in cirrhosis in Japan. This study investigated associations of mortality in Japanese cirrhosis patients taking conventional diuretics with serum sodium concentration and other clinical characteristics. METHODS: A total of 171 consecutive patients with cirrhosis who were taking diuretic medication were enrolled retrospectively. We determined the prevalence of low serum sodium concentration and searched for associations with age, sex, etiology, complications of cirrhosis, liver function tests and Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) and MELD-Na scores. The predictive ability of sodium level on mortality was also investigated. RESULTS: Median serum sodium concentration was 139 mEq/L (interquartile range, 137-141). Only eight of 171 (4.7%) patients had low serum sodium (<130 mEq/L). Median MELD-Na score was 10.5 (interquartile range, 8.0-14.3). Cumulative survival rates were significantly lower in patients with Na of less than 139 mEq/L or MELD-Na score of 10.5 or more (log-rank test, P = 0.017 and P = 0.0002, respectively). Several liver function tests, MELD and MELD-Na scores, and the incidence of ascites were all significantly associated with patients having Na of less than 139 mEq/L. CONCLUSION: Serum sodium concentration below 139 mEq/L and MELD-Na score above 10.5 may be predictive markers for mortality in patients with cirrhosis despite being within normal ranges. These markers may help to better assess and manage the prognosis of patients with cirrhosis in Japan.

Factors associated with seedling establishment on logs of different fungal decay types-A seed-sowing experiment.

Wood decay fungi alter the abiotic and biotic properties of deadwood, which are important as nurse logs for seedling regeneration. However, the relationship between fungal decay type and seedling performance has not been evaluated experimentally. In this study, we examined the germination, growth, and survival of six arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) and six ectomycorrhizal (ECM) tree species on three substrates (pine logs with brown and white rot and soil) by conducting seed-sowing experiments in a mixed forest dominated by Pinus densiflora and Quercus serrata. Analysis using ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacer 1 (rDNA ITS1) sequencing revealed that the fungal community was significantly different across three substrates. The richness of operational taxonomic units (OTUs) of AM and ECM fungi was the largest on brown rot logs and soil, respectively. The substrate significantly affected the seedling performance when comparing wood decay types, but these were not consistent across the mycorrhizal status of the seedlings. Nevertheless, seedlings of some AM trees showed better growth and enhanced mycorrhizal colonization on brown rot logs than on white rot logs. The wood decay type influenced fungal communities in the logs and the performance of some seedling species partly by different mycorrhizal colonization rates. However, the effect was seedling species dependent and showed no apparent difference between AM and ECM trees.

A case of malignant peritoneal mesothelioma with a Fitz-Hugh-Curtis syndrome-like imaging finding.

Malignant peritoneal mesothelioma (MPeM) is a rare disease with a poor prognosis that develops in the mesothelial cells of the peritoneum. We encountered a 48-year-old man with no prior asbestos exposure who visited our hospital with abdominal pain. Laboratory findings showed elevated C-reactive protein of 15.5 mg/dL. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) detected a Fitz-Hugh-Curtis syndrome-like contrast effect on the liver surface and thickening of the peritoneum. Blood culture, Mycobacterium tuberculosis-specific IFN-γ release assay, Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae DNA testing, and antinuclear antibody were all negative. CA125 was high at 124.8 U/mL. The laparoscopy for diagnostic purposes revealed adhesions between the liver surface and peritoneum in addition to numerous small and large white nodules on the peritoneum. Biopsy of the nodules confirmed the diagnosis of epithelial-type MPeM. Treatment was initiated with combined cisplatin and pemetrexed, and CT 6 months later showed a reduced contrast effect on the liver surface and improved peritoneal thickening. A Fitz-Hugh-Curtis syndrome-like contrast effect on the liver surface on contrast-enhanced CT may help identify MPeM.

Development of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma from follicular lymphoma of the duodenum: changes in endoscopic findings during a 6-year follow-up.

A 71-year-old Japanese man was diagnosed as having stage I primary follicular lymphoma (FL) of the duodenum according to Lugano International Conference Classification and began receiving annual checkups. Endoscopic examination disclosed white villi swelling with depressed red mucosal lesions. Biopsy specimens from the area of white villi exhibited histopathological features that met the diagnostic criteria for low-grade FL. The depressed red lesions gradually enlarged over six years of follow-up. A biopsy of the white villi swelling revealed distinct well-circumscribed follicles with attenuated mantles in the lamina propria that were positive for CD20, bcl-2, and CD10. Histological findings from the depressed red lesions at 5.5 years after the initial diagnosis were compatible for FL. However, biopsy specimens 6 months later obtained from the same lesions showed a mixture of larger mononuclear cells. These follicular cells were positive for CD20 and bcl-2, but not for CD10, indicating the presence of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). This case shows altered endoscopic findings in the course of DLBCL development from FL. When depressed red lesions are detected in the background of white villi swelling, repeated biopsies should be performed from both lesions.

Association between endotoxemia and histological features of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

AIM: To assess whether surrogate biomarkers of endotoxemia were correlated with the histological features of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). METHODS: One hundred twenty-six NAFLD patients who had undergone percutaneous liver biopsy were enrolled. Serum lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-binding protein (LBP) and anti-endotoxin core immunoglobulin G (EndoCab IgG) antibody concentrations at the time of liver biopsy were measured using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays to examine for relationships between biomarker levels and histological scores. RESULTS: Serum LBP concentration was significantly increased in nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) patients as compared with nonalcoholic fatty liver (NAFL) subjects and was correlated with steatosis (r = 0.38, P < 0.0001) and ballooning scores (r = 0.23, P = 0.01), but not with the severity of lobular inflammation or fibrosis. Multivariate linear regression analysis revealed that LBP was associated with steatosis score and circulating C-reactive protein, aspartate aminotransferase, and fibrinogen levels. Serum EndoCab IgG concentration was comparable between NASH and NAFL patients. No meaningful correlations were detected between EndoCab IgG and histological findings. CONCLUSION: LBP/EndoCab IgG were not correlated with lobular inflammation or fibrosis. More accurate LPS biomarkers are required to stringently assess the contribution of endotoxemia to conventional NASH.

Mechanism of the development of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis after pancreaticoduodenectomy.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: It is recognized that nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), including nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), may develop after pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD). However, the mechanism of NASH development remains unclear. This study aimed to examine the changes in gene expression associated with NASH occurrence following PD. METHODS: The expression of genes related to fatty acid/triglyceride (FA/TG) metabolism and inflammatory signaling was examined using liver samples obtained from 7 post-PD NASH patients and compared with 6 healthy individuals and 32 conventional NASH patients. RESULTS: The livers of post-PD NASH patients demonstrated significant up-regulation of the genes encoding CD36, FA-binding proteins 1 and 4, acetyl-coenzyme A carboxylase α, diacylglycerol acyltransferase 2, and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) γ compared with normal and conventional NASH livers. Although serum apolipoprotein B (ApoB) and TG were decreased in post-PD NASH patients, the mRNAs of ApoB and microsomal TG transfer protein were robustly increased, indicating impaired TG export from the liver as very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL). Additionally, elevated mRNA levels of myeloid differentiation primary response 88 and superoxide dismutases in post-PD NASH livers suggested significant activation of innate immune response and augmentation of oxidative stress generation. CONCLUSIONS: Enhanced FA uptake into hepatocytes and lipogenesis, up-regulation of PPARγ, and disruption of VLDL excretion into the circulation are possible mechanisms of steatogenesis after PD. GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE: These results provide a basis for understanding the pathogenesis of NAFLD/NASH following PD.

Breast metastases of gastric signet-ring cell carcinoma: a report of two cases and review of the literature.

It is occasionally difficult to diagnose breast metastasis of gastric carcinoma because of its rarity. However, to appropriately treat patients with breast tumors without delay, it is important to distinguish metastatic cancer from primary breast cancer. We report two cases of breast metastasis of gastric carcinoma and review the literature. The first case was a 41-year-old female diagnosed with bilateral pelvic tumors who visited the outpatient clinic because of pain and enlargement of both breasts. Ultrasonography showed diffuse hypoechoic lesions, which were enhanced on gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging in the bilateral mammary gland. Core needle biopsy of the right breast revealed signet-ring cells, which were also identified in the resected bilateral pelvic tumors. Subsequent upper gastrointestinal endoscopy revealed signet-ring cell carcinoma in the stomach, and the bilateral breast lesions were diagnosed as metastases of gastric carcinoma. The second case was a 34-year-old female diagnosed with cervical metastasis of signet-ring cell carcinoma who was referred to the breast cancer clinic because of a nodule in the left breast detected by computed tomography. Ultrasonography showed a hypoechoic nodule that was enhanced on gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging. Because the pathologic findings for the left breast nodule were quite similar to those of gastric cancer and its cervical metastasis, the breast nodule was diagnosed as a metastasis of gastric carcinoma. When a breast tumor is suspected to have metastasized from a primary tumor in another organ, particularly if signet-ring cells are found, the possibility that gastric cancer is present should be considered.