A Serosa-Originated Gastric Stromal Tumor Misdiagnosed by Ultrasonography and Frozen Section Pathology: A Case Report.

Gastric gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) is a mesenchymal neoplasm, typically arising from the muscularis propria layer of the stomach wall. Serosa-derived GIST is rarely seen and has not been reported yet. A 49-year-old Chinese female was presented with marked abdominal distension. Ultrasonography revealed a retroperitoneal tumor adjacent to the stomach wall with an intact structure of five echo layers, indicating a non-stomach tumor origin. Preoperative radiological studies suggested tight tumor-stomach adjacency, which was confirmed by intraoperative dissection. Initial frozen section indicated a pathological diagnosis of spindle cell tumor, which turned out to be a gastric GIST originated from the serosa layer of the stomach wall. The current case demonstrates the rare occurrence of serosa-derived GIST. This case also suggests difficulties in preoperative diagnosis of gastric GISTs, especially when uncommon pathological conditions like rare tumor origins were presented.

[Experimental study on effect of anhydroicaritin phytosomes in preventing and treating bone loss and enhancing bone quality in ovariectomized osteoporosis rats].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effect of anhydroicaritin phytosomes (AIP) in preventing and treating bone loss and enhancing bone quality in ovariectomized osteoporosis rats. METHOD: Seventy-two SD female rats were randomly divided into 6 groups: the sham group, the model group, the estrogen group and AIP groups (low, middle, high). The sham group was only sham operated, and the remaining five groups were ovariectomized. One week after the ovariectomy, the rats were given 17 beta-estrogen and AIP (15, 30, 60 mg x kg(-1)) for consecutively three months, during which period their serum calcium (s-Ca), serum phosphorus(s-P), alkaline phosphate (ALP), urine calcium (u-Ca), urine phosphorus(u-P), urinary deoxypyridinoline (D-Pyr) and creatinine (Cr) were detected. Subsequently, rats were sacrificed, and their thighbone, second lumbar vertebrate and forth lumbar vertebrate were collected to detect bone mineral density (BMD), bone calcium (b-Ca) and phosphorus (b-P), biomechanical properties and bone histomorphometric parameters. RESULT: Compared with the sham group, the model group showed a significant increase in serum ALP, u-Ca and D-Pyr /Cr, and reduction in BMD of femur, b-Ca and b-P, biomechanical properties (elastic load, maximum load, break load, stiffness), static parameters (total tissue area, trabecular area, trabecular perimeter) and dynamic parameters (% L Pm, BFR/BV and BFR/ TV), with metratrophia. Compared with the model group, ALP high and middle-dose groups and the estrogen group showed a decrease in serum ALP, u-Ca and D-Pyr/Cr, and growth in BMD of femur, b-Ca and b-P, biomechanical properties of the forth lumbar vertebrae (elastic load, maximum load, break load, stiffness), static parameters (total tissue area, trabecular area, trabecular perimeter) and dynamic parameters (% L Pm, BFR/BV and BFR/TV). The beta-estrogen group showed endometrial hyperplasia, whereas AIP groups showed no hyperplastic change. CONCLUSION: AIP could inhibit enhanced bone turnover induced by ovariectomy, improve BMD the biomechanical properties of vertebrae, without any stimulation on uterus.

Effects of total flavonoids of Epimedium sagittatum on the mRNA expression of the estrogen receptor α and ß in hypothalamus and hippocampus in ovariectomized rats.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effect of total flavonoids of Epimedium sagittatum (TFE) on the mRNA expressions of the estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) and estrogen receptor beta(ERß) in hippocampus and hypothalamus in ovariectomized (OVX) Sprague-Dawley(SD) rats, and the mechanism of TFE against postmenopausal osteoporosis. METHODS: Forty-eight female SD rats,aged 10-11 months old, were randomly divided into 4 groups: a sham group, an ovariectomy group (rats were bilaterally ovariectomized), a TFE group, and a 17ß-estradiol group (rats were fed with TFE and 17ß-estradiol for 4 months, respectively). The RT-PCR was performed to determine the mRNA expression of ERα and ERß in hypothalamus and hippocampus. RESULTS: Serum estradiol level, bone mineral density (BMD) of vertebra,wet weight of uterus, and the mRNA expressions of ERα and ERß in hypothalamus and hippocampus were markedly decreased in OVX rats, all of which were reversed by 17ß-estradiol treatment except the mRNA expression of ERß. Similar results were achieved by TFE treatment except the wet weight of uterus. CONCLUSION: TFE can improve BMD of vertebra in the OVX rats without side effects on the uterus. The mechanism may be related to increasing the mRNA expressions of ERα and ERß in hypothalamus and hippocampus.

[Research on relationship between tissue quantitative distribution of 3H-Achyranthes bidentata ecdysterone and channel-tropism of herbal drugs in mice].

OBJECTIVE: To study the relationship between tissue quantitative distribution and pharmacokinetics of 3H-achyranthes bidentata ecdysterone and the channel-tropism of herbal drugs in mice. METHOD: 3H-achyranthes bidentata ecdysterone was used as a tracer agent and injected into mice by the caudal vein. In 36 hours, the contents of the tracer agent of samples involving 9 different tracing phases and organ or tissue were determined in order to observe the dynamic quantitative distribution and excretion and pharmacokinetics of 3H-achyranthes bidentata ecdysterone and to understand the channel-tropism of herbal drugs achyranthes bidentata. RESULT: 3H-achyranthes bidentata ecdysterone of same organs in different tracing phases and the contents of 3H-achyranthes bidentata ecdysterone in same tracing phases of different organs were significantly different (P<0.01). 3H-achyranthes bidentata ecdysterone was mainly distributed, in the liver, kidney, adrenal gland, small intestine and lung. The concentration-time profiles of achyranthes bidentata ecdysterone in rats injected into mice by the caudal vein were shown to fit a two-compartment open model with half-lives of (778.65 +/- 12.36) min, the elimination of achyranthes bidentata ecdysterone from plasma was found to be in accord with linear kinetics. CONCLUSION: The above mentioned selective distribution of 3H-achyranthes bidentata ecdysterone basically coincides with the meridian affinity and zang fu selection of the traditional Chinese medicine drug Achyranthes bidentata. This study will provide a scientific basis for the channel-tropism of A. bidentata.