Effects of fish oil on cell proliferation and liver injury in an experimental model of acute hepatic injury induced by carbon tetrachloride.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to investigate the effect of fish oil on the hepatic injury and cell cycle phases as well as cellular proliferation- regeneration in a rat model of acute hepatic injury induced by carbon tetrachloride. BACKGROUND: Compensatory cell proliferation and tissue regeneration occurs as an endogenous response following chemical damage to the liver and enable animals to over come the injury. Data related to effect of fish oil on liver injury induced by chemical hepatotoxicants are controversial. METHOD: 60 male Wistar-albino rats were fed either with a diet supplemented with 20% fish oil or standard rat feed for 2 weeks. After an overnight fast, rats in each group were administered either 1 ml/kg carbon tetrachloride or saline intraperitoneally. RESULTS: Fish oil enriched diet significantly enhanced the carbon tetrachloride - associated necroinflammatory damage, ballooning degeneration and the elevation of serum transaminases induced by carbon tetrachloride. Furthermore fish oil diet prevented cell proliferation, increased the proportion of cells in the G0/G1phase concomitant with a decrease in the proportion of cells in the S phase cells. CONCLUSION: Fish oil diet exacerbates the hepatic injury and prevents cell proliferation-regeneration in normal and injured liver cells. Suppression of tissue regeneration by fish oil may lead to progression of the hepatic injury (Tab. 3, Fig. 4, Ref. 31).

The effect of indomethacin on hepatitis B virus replication in chronic healthy carriers.

BACKGROUND: A chronic HBsAg carrier state, a major cause of viral spread in a community, is one of the consequences of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. Although successful immunization programs have been initiated to eliminate the virus, there is still a large number of people with HBV infection worldwide. This study was designed to investigate the effect of indomethacin treatment on HBV markers in humans, in comparison with a control group. METHODS: In total, 65 chronic 'healthy' HBV carriers were involved in the study. Patients were divided randomly into two groups. Group I (n = 42) received oral indomethacin 75 mg daily for 6 months. Group II (n = 23) acted as control. Patients in both groups were followed up for 6 months, during which laboratory tests, including viral parameters, were performed periodically. Liver biopsy was done in 17 patients (11/42 of the indomethacin group and 6/23 of the control group). RESULTS: All liver biopsies showed grade 0-2 and stage 0-1 HBV in both groups (P > 0.05). HBsAg positivity did not change in any patient in either group. Five patients who had positive HBeAg in group I became negative 4 months later, while patients in group II continued to be positive at 6 months (P < 0.001). Similarly, all patients receiving indomethacin exhibited a total anti-HBeAg immunoglobulin response at 6 months, while the control group remained the same during this period (P < 0.05). HBV DNA, as detected by polymerase chain reaction in 20/22 (91%), was negative in group I at the end of 6 months. No change was observed in group II (P = 0.007). CONCLUSIONS: Although no biochemical analyses were performed on prostaglandins in the present study, the results suggest that the prostaglandin pathway may be involved in the pathogenesis of the immune response against HBV, and that the suppression of viral replication is achieved as indicated by the disappearance of HBeAg and HBV DNA in healthy chronic HBV carriers.

Amiodarone pigmentation, eye and thyroid alterations.

Amiodarone is an effective cardiac antiarytmic drug. Long-term, high dose use of the drug is associated with skin discolouration, corneal deposition and alterations in thyroid hormone levels. We present the case of a 61-year-old woman suffering from the combination of these three side-effects.

Cutaneous polyarteritis nodosa in a child and a review of the literature.

The cutaneous form of polyarteritis nodosa in children is extremely rare. Findings are usually limited to the skin, muscles and joints. It has a benign but often chronic course. We describe an 8-y-old girl with cutaneous PAN, with extensive livedo reticularis on lower and upper extremities, tender subcutaneous nodules, arthralgia and right ankle swelling. Skin biopsy revealed vasculitis of small and medium-sized blood vessels characterized by fibrinoid necrosis. The use of prednisolone resulted in clinical improvement initially, but recurrence occurred during tapering. She showed marked improvement with additional high dose methyl prednisolone monthly.

Massive haemoperitoneum due to spontaneous rupture of ovarian cyst in children. A report of 2 cases.

Two girls with haemoperitoneum and haemorrhagic shock caused by spontaneous ovarian cyst rupture are described. The first case could not be diagnosed pre-operatively, and cyst excision and repair of the ovary were carried out at emergency laparotomy. The second case was diagnosed by ultrasound, and conservative treatment was successful.

Langerhans cell histiocytosis associated with recurrent pneumothorax: a case report.

Pulmonary involvement of Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) is an uncommon but important cause of pulmonary fibrosis and honeycombing in young adults. Rarely, pulmonary LCH may be complicated by spontaneous pneumothorax. It may be isolated or associated with multiple organ involvement. We describe here a case of LCH with diabetes insipidus, skin lesions and pulmonary involvement in a 15-year-old boy. The case was complicated by four episodes of spontaneous pneumothorax with typical radiologic findings of pulmonary LCH. His presentation, radiologic findings, treatment and clinical course during three-years of follow-up are discussed.

Solitary extramedullary plasmocytoma of the breast with kappa monoclonal gammopathy.

We report a case of solitary extramedullary plasmocytoma of the breast in a 85 year old woman. This is the third case of solitary breast plasmocytoma in the world's literature. This disorder is very rare and it was associated with a serum monoclonal protein. A similar case is presented and its clinical presentation and pathology discussed.

Papillary carcinoma in a thyroglossal duct remnant with normal thyroid gland.

Carcinoma in the thyroglossal duct remnant is relatively uncommon. Since the first report by Uchermann (1915), more than 150 cases of carcinoma have been reported, and the majority have been papillary thyroid carcinomas (Li Volsi et al., 1974; McNicol et al., 1988). In this report, we present a case of papillary carcinoma in the thyroglossal duct with a normal thyroid gland.

The influence of early total parenteral nutrition on experimental pancreatitis in rats.

The main purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of early total parenteral nutrition on acute sodium-taurocholate-induced pancreatitis in rats. Total parenteral nutrition did not change the survival rate, serum amylase, calcium or liver transaminase level on the degree of pancreatic damage, but reduced serum acid phosphatase and lactate dehydrogenase levels. Hyperglycemia occurred during the use of total parenteral nutrition. Total parenteral nutrition is not harmful in the course of acute experimental pancreatitis, and could be used with few side effects.

Choroid plexus arteriovenous malformation (AVM) in a newborn. Case report.

We report here on an unusual case of AVM with intraventricular hemorrhage in a full-term newborn infant. Clinical and radiological findings are discussed in the light of the recent literature.

Intraductal papilloma and papillomatosis.

The benign papillary neoplasms of the breast are still controversial topics in general surgery. There are two forms of the benign papillary lesions, solitary intraductal papilloma and multiple intraductal papilloma. These disorders are very rare and their clinical behaviour is different in each case. In this study, two cases of the multiple intraductal papilloma are presented and clinical findings and surgical therapy are discussed.

Intraventricular meningioma of the fourth ventricle.

A rare case of meningioma of the fourth ventricle is reported. A review of the literature revealed only 24 reported cases of this type of tumor.

A case of neurenteric cyst.

An eight-month-old female infant with a neurenteric cyst situated in the lumbar region is presented because of its rarity and because it can mimic other neurological malformations which occur on the same site. Microscopic examination of the surgically excised cyst revealed Water-Paccini corpuscles, lymphoid follicles, intestinal mucosa and meningeal tissue which originated from two ectoderm and endoderm-germ layers.

Effects of drag reducing polymer on atherosclerosis.

In order to determine the effect of drag reducing polymers on the occurrence of atherosclerosis, the Guinea pigs were used as the experimental animals. The inhibitory effect of a drag reducing polymer (polyacrylamide) on atherosclerosis in the aortas of Guinea pigs on a high cholesterol diet (2%) was investigated over a period of 6 months. The aortas, livers, kidneys and lungs of the animals, which were separated into four experimental groups (control, polymer, cholesterol and cholesterol + polymer) were also investigated both macroscopically and light microscopically. The selected physiological parameters such as, plasma cholesterol levels, plasma hemoglobin, hematocrit and total lipid values were determined at regular intervals for each group. The results indicate that the atherosclerosis in aorta of the animals receiving the polymer injection is suppressed significantly and the drag reducing water soluble polymers may be effectively applied against atherosclerosis.