Expression of a rice glutaredoxin in aleurone layers of developing and mature seeds: subcellular localization and possible functions in antioxidant defense.

MAIN CONCLUSION: A rice glutaredoxin isoform (OsGrxC2;2) with antioxidant capacity is expressed abundantly in seed tissues and is localized to storage vacuoles in aleurone layers in developing and mature seeds. Seed tissues undergo drastic water loss at the late stage of seed development, and thus need to tolerate oxidative injuries associated with desiccation. We previously found a rice glutaredoxin isoform, OsGrxC2;2, as a gene expressed abundantly in developing seeds. Since glutaredoxin is involved in antioxidant defense, in the present study we investigated the subcellular localization and expression profile of OsGrxC2;2 and whether OsGrxC2;2 has a role in the defense against reactive oxygen species. Western blotting and immunohistochemistry revealed that the OsGrxC2;2 protein accumulated at a high level in the embryo and aleurone layers of developing and mature seeds. The OsGrxC2;2 in developing seeds was particularly localized to aleurone grains, which are storage organelles derived from vacuoles. Overexpression of OsGrxC2;2 resulted in an enhanced tolerance to menadione in yeast and methyl viologen in green leaves of transgenic rice plants. These results suggest that OsGrxC2;2 participates in the defense against oxidative stress in developing and mature seeds.

[A case of huge advanced hepatocellular carcinoma resected after hepatic arterial infusion therapy of 5-FU/LV/CDDP].

A 58-year-old man was referred to our hospital for a huge tumor occupying the entire right lobe of the liver. An imaging method revealed a 15 cm-sized hepatocellular carcinoma in the right lobe which extended to the internal segment across the middle hepatic vein. The serum AFP level was 15.3 ng/mL, and the level of protein induced by vitamin K absence or antagonist II was 4,340 mAU/mL. We judged it unresectable, then arterial infusion chemotherapy using 5-fluorouracil, cisplatin, and Leucovorin was performed. After 4 courses, the tumor was markedly reduced to 56 mm. We performed an extended right lobectomy. In the operative finding, although the tumor partially reached the internal segment, the middle hepatic vein was preserved. Nine months after operation, no sign of recurrence was found. It is suggested that hepatic arterial infusion therapy is useful for pre-operative therapy of far-advanced hepatocellular carcinoma as a part of combined modality therapy.

Synthesis and characterization of pi-extended bowl-shaped pi-conjugated molecules.

A series of pi-extended bowl-shaped pi-conjugated compounds were synthesized from sumanene and characterized, and among them the terthiophene derivative showed a remarkable red-shifted absorption and small band gap, which wa rationalized by molecular orbital calculation.

Laparoscopic-assisted partial ileectomy for crohn's disease associated with chronic anemia due to frequent hemorrhage.

Crohn's disease can involve any part of the gastrointestinal tract. Although good conservative treatment is given as soon as possible, most patients with this disease will eventually require surgery. We encountered a case of Crohn's disease associated with anemia which we treated with laparoscopic-assisted ileectomy. The postoperative course was satisfactory. The most important characteristic of Crohn's disease, fat wrapping and extending over the serosal surface toward the antimesenteric border, was observed in the ileum, distinguishing the disease and pinpointing the lesion accurately. This surgical method has an advantage over open surgery in that the recovery time is shorter and incisions are smaller, allowing easier surgery in the future, shortening the patient's hospital stay, and improving the patient's quality of life.

High frequency of DAP-kinase gene promoter methylation in colorectal cancer specimens and its identification in serum.

Death-associated protein (DAP)-kinase is frequently inactivated by promoter methylation in human cancers. To understand the involvement of the DAP-kinase gene in colorectal cancer (CRC), we investigated the methylation of the DAP-kinasegene in primary CRC to define the frequency of this epigenetic aberration and the clinicopathological significance. For this reason, methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction (MSP) was used to detect DAP-kinase gene methylation in DNA from 122 cases of CRC and 18 paired serum samples. Methylation of the DAP-kinase gene was found in 67 of 122 (55%) cases of primary CRC. Study of the serum DNA from 14 patients exhibiting methylated DAP-kinase gene revealed aberrant methylation in three patients (21%). False positives were not obtained in any of the patients who did not exhibit methylation. No association was found between the promoter methylation of the DAP-kinase gene in primary CRC and gender, localization, tumor differentiation, invasion depth, regional lymph node involvement, or tumor stage. In conclusion, methylation of the DAP-kinase gene is common in CRC. The detection of the methylation of the DAP-kinase gene has a potential clinical application as a diagnostic tumor marker for CRC.

Gum chewing enhances early recovery from postoperative ileus after laparoscopic colectomy.

BACKGROUND: Postoperative ileus limits early hospital discharge for patients who have undergone laparoscopic procedures. Sham feeding has been reported to enhance bowel motility. Here, the effect of gum chewing is evaluated as a convenient method to enhance postoperative recovery from ileus after laparoscopic colectomy. STUDY DESIGN: A total of 19 patients who underwent elective laparoscopic colectomy for colorectal cancer participated in the study. Each patient was randomly assigned to one of two groups: a gum-chewing group (n = 10, mean age 58.6 years, range 50 to 71 years) or a control group (n = 9, mean age 60.6 years, range 45 to 80 years). The patients in the gum-chewing group chewed gum three times a day from the first postoperative AM until oral intake. The times of the first passage of flatus and defecation were recorded precisely. RESULTS: The first passage of flatus was seen, on average, on postoperative day 2.1 in the gum-chewing group and on day 3.2 in the control group (p < 0.01). The first defecation was 2.7 days sooner in the gum-chewing group (postoperative day 3.1) than in the control group (5.8 days; p< 0.01). All patients tolerated gum chewing on the first operative AM. The postoperative hospital stays for the gum-chewing and control groups were 13.5+/-3.0 days and 14.5+/-6.1 days, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Gum chewing aids early recovery from postoperative ileus and is an inexpensive and physiologic method for stimulating bowel motility. Gum chewing should be added as an adjunct treatment in postoperative care because it might contribute to shorter hospital stays.

Is carbon dioxide as an insufflation agent for double contrast barium enema still worthwhile after a same-day flexible sigmoidoscopy?

PURPOSE: The aim of the study was to evaluate the efficacy of a double-contrast barium enema (DCBE) with CO(2) as a distending gas after a screening flexible sigmoidoscopy for reducing abdominal distension after an examination. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 165 DCBEs for patients with positive faecal occult blood tests were randomly allocated to a CO(2) group (n = 83) and a control group (n = 82) using air. Abdominal radiograph were taken before the DCBE, immediately following it, and 30 minutes later to determine residual bowel gas. The degree of abdominal discomfort was recorded using a scoring system. RESULTS: The patients in the CO(2) group had significantly smaller amounts of residual gas 30 minutes after the DCBE than did the control group, both in the colon (P < 0.02) and in the small intestine (P < 0.001). There was significantly less abdominal distension after the DCBE in the CO(2) group compared to the control group (P < 0.001). The abdominal discomfort score at 30 minutes after CO(2) correlated with the residual gas in the small intestine (r = 0.390,P = 0.003) but not in the colon (r = 0.155, P = 0.15). The quality of the images and the number of polyps detected did not differ between two groups. CONCLUSIONS: We concluded that using CO(2) when administering a DCBE after a screening sigmoidoscopy was useful for relieving abdominal discomfort following the examination; furthermore, it did not impair the diagnostic ability of the DCBE.

Use of a mattress suture to eliminate dog ears in double-stapled and triple-stapled anastomoses.

Double-stapling techniques for restorative rectal resection have been effective in minimizing local contamination compared with open circular stapling techniques. Inclusion of the transverse staple line closure of the distal rectal stump in the circular stapled anastomosis may minimize the risk of suture line recurrence. A technique for formation of such an anastomosis is described that avoids use of a distal purse string.