Dietary habits in Japanese patients with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis: Low intake of meat in psoriasis and high intake of vitamin A in psoriatic arthritis

Psoriasis is characterized by T‐helper 17 cell‐dominant abnormal immunity, and hyperproliferation and abnormal differentiation of epidermal keratinocytes. Some patients are associated with arthritis. Dietary habits can modulate the pathogenesis of psoriasis. Previous studies in Western countries showed higher body mass indices, higher intake of fat and lower intake of fish or vegetables in psoriatic patients compared with the reference groups. We evaluated dietary habits in adult Japanese psoriatic patients, using a validated brief‐type self‐administered dietary history questionnaire, and compared the results to those of age‐ and sex‐matched healthy controls. The results in psoriatic patients with arthritis were compared with those in the patients without. Japanese psoriatic patients showed higher body mass indices, higher intake of fish/shellfish, pulses, sugar/sweeteners, vitamin B₁₂ and vitamin D, and lower intake of meat, compared with those of healthy controls. The logistic regression analysis showed that psoriasis was associated with high body mass index and low intake of meat. The intake of confection in patients with high Psoriasis Area and Severity Index was higher than that in those with low index. The intake of β‐carotene, vitamin A and green/yellow vegetables in psoriatic patients with arthritis were higher than those in the patients without. The dietary habits in Japanese psoriatic patients are rather different from those in Western patients. This is the first study showing the differences in dietary habits between psoriatic patients with arthritis and those without. Further studies should elucidate the relationships of these results with skin and joint lesions in psoriatic patients.     

注射用血栓通中三七元素迁移的规律

目的:分析注射用血栓通中三七从原料到成品全过程的元素迁移规律,以便更好地控制成品中元素杂质。方法:采用ICP-MS法全面分析三七药材、三七总皂苷(中间体)和注射用血栓通中21种元素的含量。结果:21种元素的标准曲线相关系数r均在0. 999以上,回收率在92. 71%～107. 07%之间,RSD均在5%以内。三七药材中铝、铁含量较高,铅、砷、汞、镉、铜符合中华人民共和国药典的相关规定,三七总皂苷(中间体)和注射用血栓通中多数元素均未检出或含量极低。结论:注射用血栓通的提取工艺可有效去除三七中大部分元素,重金属及有害元素也降到较低水平。     

The investigation of the effects of topiramate on the hypothalamic levels of fat mass/obesity-associated protein and neuropeptide Y in obese female rats

Objective: The aim of the present study is to investigate the effects of topiramate on the fat mass/obesity-associated protein (FTO) and on the neuropeptide Y (NPY) level in the hypothalamus depending on the recently increased prevalence of obesity.

Method: In this study, twenty-four female rats were divided into four equal groups: Non-obese control, obese control, non-obese topiramate, and obese topiramate. Obese groups were fed with a 40% high-fat diet. At the end of the 9th week, the drug treatment started and the subjects were treated with topiramate once a day for 6 weeks. All animals underwent cardiac perfusion under high-dose anesthesia on the 15th week. Tissues were analyzed using biochemical, histological, and stereological methods.

Results: In terms of neuron number in the arcuate nucleus area, a significant difference was observed among all groups (P?<?0.01). The neuron number of the non-obese topiramate group was found to be significantly higher than that of the non-obese control group (P?<?0.01). In the examination of the ventromedial nucleus of the entire group, it was observed that the neuron number of the non-obese control group was significantly lower than those of the other groups (P?<?0.01). A significant increase in the NPY levels of the obese groups compared to the groups treated with topiramate was observed. Furthermore, the amount of the FTO protein increased in obese rats, while FTO and NPY levels decreased in the groups treated with topiramate.

Discussion: In conclusion, the mechanism of the effect of topiramate to create a state of obesity is thought to involve the decrease in the levels of NPY and FTO.     

Searching for prognostic biomarkers for small renal masses in the urinary proteome

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is frequently diagnosed incidentally as an early-stage small renal mass (SRM; pT1a, ≤4 cm). Overtreatment of patients with benign or clinically indolent SRMs is increasingly common and has resulted in a recent shift in treatment recommendations. There are currently no available biomarkers that can accurately predict clinical behavior. Therefore, we set out to identify early biomarkers of RCC progression. We employed a quantitative label-free liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) proteomics approach and targeted parallel-reaction monitoring to identify and validate early, noninvasive urinary biomarkers for RCC-SRMs. In total, we evaluated 115 urine samples, including 33 renal oncocytoma (≤4 cm) cases, 30 progressive and 26 nonprogressive clear cell RCC (ccRCC)-SRM cases, in addition to 26 healthy controls. We identified six proteins, which displayed significantly elevated expression in clear cell RCC-SRMs (ccRCC-SRMs) relative to healthy controls. Proteins C12ORF49 and EHD4 showed significantly elevated expression in ccRCC-SRMs compared to renal oncocytoma (≤4 cm). Additionally, proteins EPS8L2, CHMP2A, PDCD6IP, CNDP2 and CEACAM1 displayed significantly elevated expression in progressive relative to nonprogressive ccRCC-SRMs. A two-protein signature (EPS8L2 and CCT6A) showed significant discriminatory ability (areas under the curve: 0.81, 95% CI: 0.70–0.93) in distinguishing progressive from nonprogressive ccRCC-SRMs. Patients (Stage I–IV) with EPS8L2 and CCT6A mRNA alterations showed significantly shorter overall survival (p = 1.407 × 10⁻⁶) compared to patients with no alterations. Our in-depth proteomic analysis identified novel biomarkers for early-stage RCC-SRMs. Pretreatment characterization of urinary proteins may provide insight into early RCC progression and could potentially help assign patients to appropriate management strategies.     

花宝金运用抗癌解毒药对治疗肿瘤经验探析

导师花宝金教授长期从事中西医结合肿瘤的临床与基础研究。认为"正气内虚"是肿瘤发生的根本,"癌毒"是肿瘤发生的必要条件。收集导师多年临床组方,归纳、总结后发现清热解毒或攻毒散结之法常贯穿于始终。结合现代药物理论及导师多年临床经验,总结出临床常用七组抗癌解毒药对:(1)夏枯草、半枝莲;(2)石见穿、猫爪草;(3)金荞麦、蒲公英;(4)龙葵、白英、白花蛇舌草;(5)山慈菇、浙贝母;(6)藤梨根、蛇莓;(7)全蝎、蜈蚣。通过整体与局部的辨病与辨证、根据肿瘤的不同类型及发病阶段,结合癌毒的病机特点,灵活运用抗癌解毒药对,临床疗效确切。     

Five cases of orbital extramedullary plasmacytoma: diagnosis and management of an aggressive malignancy

Purpose: Multiple myeloma is an insidious haematological malignancy characterised by monoclonal proliferation of plasma cells in the bone marrow. Extramedullary plasmacytoma is a rare manifestation of multiple myeloma and usually occurs in the upper respiratory tract. Orbital involvement is particularly uncommon, but may be associated with devastating visual impairment and poor clinical outcomes. Therefore, this article aims to highlight the need for multidisciplinary management of orbital extramedullary plasmacytoma.

Methods: This is a retrospective observational case series of five patients. All presented to the authors for management of orbital extramedullary plasmacytomas from 2004 to 2015 at Prince of Wales and Mater Hospitals in Sydney, Australia. Medical records were reviewed for pertinent information including demographics, disease features, management strategy, and clinical progress. The study met Medical Ethics Board standards and is in accordance with the Helsinki Agreements.

Results: This case series of five patients underscores the poor prognosis of orbital extramedullary plasmacytoma. Despite aggressive multidisciplinary management, four of these five patients succumbed to their illness during the study period. However, multidisciplinary management did manage to minimise symptoms and preserve quality of life.

Conclusions: On a case-by-case basis, patients may derive palliative benefit from orbital surgery in conjunction with radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Orbital surgeons are encouraged to work within a multidisciplinary framework of medical specialists, including haematologists and radiation oncologists, when determining the optimal management plan in cases of orbital extramedullary plasmacytoma.     

山西营养与慢性病家庭队列人群体质指数与死亡率的关系

目的 分析山西营养与慢性病家庭队列人群BMI与总死亡率的关系。方法 以"2002年中国居民营养与健康状况调查"山西省调查人群为基线建立队列，于2015年12月至2016年3月对研究对象进行随访调查，对逝者进行死因回顾调查。2002年基线信息完整的≥ 18岁研究对象7 007人，随访到5 360人，随访率为76.5%。将研究对象按BMI分为8组，计算死亡率，以死亡率最低组作为参照，采用Cox比例风险回归模型估计全人群、分性别、年龄（≥ 60岁、<60岁）的各组死亡风险比（HR）及95% CI，模型调整基线年龄、性别、吸烟、饮酒、文化程度等因素，并进行敏感性分析。结果 共随访67 129人年，平均随访12.5年，死亡615人，队列总死亡率为916/10万人年。BMI为26.0~27.9 kg/m²组死亡率最低，以该组为参照组，多因素调整后，BMI<18.5、18.5~19.9、22.0~23.9和≥ 30.0 kg/m²组的死亡风险明显升高，调整HR值（95% CI）分别为1.90（1.26~2.86）、1.68（1.15~2.45）、1.49（1.08~2.06）和1.72（1.07~2.76）。对于≥ 60岁老年人，BMI<18.5 kg/m²组的死亡风险明显升高，调整HR值（95% CI）为1.94（1.20~3.15）。结论 BMI ≤ 19.9、22.0~23.9及≥ 30.0 kg/m²均会增加全因死亡风险。除关注肥胖外，低体重营养不良造成的老年人高死亡风险应特别引起重视。