[A Resected Case of Intussusception Due to Undifferentiated Carcinoma of the Colon].

An 89-year-old woman was pointed out to have anemia for a routine blood examination by her family doctor and was referred to our gastroenterological department for further examination. Colonoscopy showed a type Ⅰ tumor in the transverse colon and insertion of fiber across the tumor was difficult. On contrast enema using gastrographin, a crab's claw-like appearance was found. CT after contrast enema revealed a tumor, 5 cm in diameter with pseudokidney sign near the hepatic flexure of the transverse colon. Pathological examination of biopsy specimen proved the tumor to be a poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma. Thus, she was diagnosed with intussusception due to transverse colon cancer and we performed partial resection of the transverse colon without regional lymphadenectomy. Final pathological diagnosis of the tumor was undifferentiated carcinoma and tumor stage was pT3pN0cM0, pStage Ⅱa. She was discharged 13 days after surgery and alive without tumor recurrence at 7 months after surgery, not undergoing adjuvant chemotherapy.

Vitamin A Inhibits Development of Dextran Sulfate Sodium-Induced Colitis and Colon Cancer in a Mouse Model.

Vitamin A is essential to mucosal immunity and cell differentiation. The fact that lack of it might involve chronic inflammation and increased risk of cancer has been reported. Little is known about the mechanism of vitamin A deficiency in the development of colitis and its influence on development of colorectal cancer. To determine the influence of vitamin A deficiency on colitis and colorectal cancer development, an experimental study using a colitis mouse model was performed. Dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) colitis was induced in vitamin A-deficient and vitamin A-supplemented mice. Further, colorectal carcinoma was induced by a combination of azoxymethane preinjection and DSS colitis. Results were compared between the two groups mainly by immunohistochemical analysis. Colitis was more severe and recovery from colitis was slower in vitamin A-deficient mice than in vitamin A-supplemented mice. Compared with vitamin A-supplemented mice, vitamin A-deficient mice had decreases in colonic subepithelial myofibroblasts and the ratio of mucosal IgA(+)/IgG(+) cells, increases in CD11c(+) dendritic cells, and a higher rate of development of colorectal carcinoma with colitis following azoxymethane. Vitamin A lipid droplets in subepithelial myofibroblasts were decreased in vitamin A-deficient mice, suggesting alterations in colonic crypt niche function. Thus, vitamin A inhibited colitis and the development of colorectal cancer.

Synthetic approaches to tetracyclic pyrrole imidazole marine alkaloids.

Oroidin derived, pyrrole imidazole marine alkaloids (PIAs) are attractive targets for synthetic organic chemists because of their structural complexity and diversity, as well as their interesting biological activities. A number of efforts have been carried out to develop strategies for the synthesis of these natural products. Members of PIAs (eg., 2-7), which contain tetracyclic ring systems possessing characteristic cyclic guanidine or urea moieties, show significant biological activities including anticancer activity and agonistic activity against the adrenoceptor. In this review, investigations of the total synthesis of the representative tetracyclic PIAs, dibromophakellin (2) and dibromophakellstatin (3), are described.

Effects of incense on brain function: evaluation using electroencephalograms and event-related potentials.

To evaluate the effect of the odor of incense on brain activity, electroencephalograms (EEGs) and event-related potentials (ERPs) in a push/wait paradigm were recorded in 10 healthy adults (aged 23-39 years) with normal olfactory function. EEG was recorded from 21 electrodes on the scalp, according to the International 10-20 system, and EEG power spectra were calculated by fast Fourier transform for 3 min before and during odor presentation. ERPs were recorded from 15 electrodes on the scalp before, during and after exposure to incense with intervals of 10 min. In a push/wait paradigm, two Japanese words, 'push' as the go stimulus and 'wait' as the no-go stimulus, appeared randomly on a CRT screen with equal probability. The subjects were instructed to push a button whenever the 'push' signal appeared. Fast alpha activity (10-13 Hz) increased significantly in bilateral posterior regions during incense exposure compared to that during rose oil exposure. The peak amplitudes of no-go P3 at Fz and Cz were significantly greater during incense inhalation. The latencies of go P3 and no-go P3, and the amplitude and latencies of no-go N2 did not change by exposure to the odors of both incense, rose and odorless air. These results suggest that the odor of incense may enhance cortical activities and the function of inhibitory processing of motor response.