ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND/AIMS: Hepatocarcinogenesis of microscopically altered foci could be shown to be progressed into a trabecular pattern of hepatocellular carcinoma. And it is reported that down-regulation of TGF beta II receptor and up-regulation of TGF alpha and c-myc reveal the progression of diethylnitrosamine-induced foci into liver cell cancer. Up-regulation of TGF beta II receptor, however, causes apoptosis of foci. To determine characteristic morphology and growth kinetics of putatively precancerous y glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) positive foci and hyperplastic nodules, a stereological quantification was attempted in the Peraino's neonatal rat model initiated by diethylnitrosamine and promoted by phenobarbital. MATERIALS/METHODS: Fifteen Sprague-Dawley rats were I.p. injected with 0.15 pmole/g of body weight of diethylnitrosamine mixed in corn oil at one day after birth. From weaning at 4 weeks of life, the rats were continuously fed 0.035% phenobarbital in drinking water and sacrified 5 rats at each time point of 8 weeks, 16 weeks, and 32 weeks. Teklad standard diet was fed after weaning. The livers obtained were fixed in freshly prepared, cold ethanol-acetic acid (99:1 vo1%). For the GGT histochemical staining, Rutenberg's method was modified, and counterstained with H & E or toluidine blue. For the stereological analysis GGT positive foci and nodules were traced in 200 consecutive tissue sections and quantified the 3 dimensional volumes by computer assisted planimetry. Either spheroidal or non-spheroidal morphology was determined by parabola 2nd degree equation ' y=ax+bx+c (sphere a=-P,). RESULTS: Thirty nine (55.71%) out of 70 representative lesions were nonspheroidal. Especially at 8 weeks, the 28 out of 40 GGT positive foci were irregular, nonspheroidal shape. Later times, however, GGT positive foci and reprogrammed nodular lesions were become spheroidal. Lilliefors probabilities test for spheroidal frequency was statistically significant (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Stereologically non-spheroidal characteristics of the early GGT positive foci limit growth kinetic estimation by 3 dimensional volume quantitation but permit in later times in spheroidal, GGT positive foci and reprogrammed nodules showing fade-out of GGT activity. In other words, GGT positive foci may be clonally selected for growing into hyperplastic nodules and hepatocellular carcinoma or regressed by apoptosis.
Subject(s)
Animals , Rats , Apoptosis , Body Weight , Carcinoma, Hepatocellular , Corn Oil , Diet , Diethylnitrosamine , Down-Regulation , Drinking Water , gamma-Glutamyltransferase , Kinetics , Liver , Models, Animal , Parturition , Phenobarbital , Rats, Sprague-Dawley , Tolonium Chloride , Up-Regulation , WeaningABSTRACT
Lipomas are among the most common of all benign neoplasma and occur more frequently over the back, between the shoulders, and on the back of the neck. They are usually subcutaneous in origin, and characteristically multilobulated masses of fatty tissue that vary from small nodules to large masses weighing several kilograms.A mass in the anterior part of the neck may be initially thought to be thyroid nodules and then other cervical masses should be considered. Ultrasonographic examination of benign lipoma demonstrates solid and echogenic mass and may differentiate nonthyroid from thyroid masses. When lipoma is clinically suspected, the use of CTs can establish the correct diagnosis without the use of thyroid hormone suppression or the need for urgent surgery.We experienced a case of anterior cervical mass in a 51-year-old male patient presenting a non-tender and soft mass rapidly growing for recent several months and moved with swollowing, and diagnosed his case as benign lipoma using ultrasonography, computed tomographic scan, and fine niddle asperation biopsy and therefore when we encounter patients with anterior neck mass, we should consider benign lipoma mimicking thyroid nodule.
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Adipose Tissue , Biopsy , Diagnosis , Lipoma , Neck , Shoulder , Thyroid Gland , Thyroid Nodule , UltrasonographyABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Fosinopril is a new phosphorous containing angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor. To assess the antihypertensive efficacy and safety of fosinopril, the clinical trial was done in patients with mild to moderate hypertension. METHODS: In 30 patients with mild to moderate essential hypertension, we administered fosinopril 10-20mg once daily for 10 weeks and checked their blood pressure every 2 weeks. RESULTS: The blood pressure decreased from 158+/-12.3/103.4+/-4.2mmHg to 139+/-7.5/88.4+/-5.9mmHg at the end of treatment(p<0.05). Heart rate did not change significantly during therapeutic period. Of 30 patients, the efficacy of fosinopril therapy disclosed 25 patients(83.7%) with normal diastolic pressure of more than 10mmHg decline of diastolic blood pressure. But two patients had no effects and three patients were not followed up. The adverse reactions due to fosinopril were reported in 3 patients(10%) with dry cough, 2 patients with palpitation(6.7%) and 1 patient with weakness(3.3%), but there were no patients who discontinued fosinopril due to adverse effect. CONCLUSION: Fosinopril has an excellent antihypertensive effect at low dosage as a first line antihypertensive agent or as a substituting agent for other antihypertensives in patients with mild to moderate essential hypertension.