Angiotensin-Induced Hypertension Chemotherapy in Children with Advanced Solid Tumors

Angiotensin-induced hypertension chemotherapy (IHC) was investigated in six children with the following advanced malignancies: hepatocellular carcinoma, extraskeletal Ewing's sarcoma, sacrococcygeal malignant teratoma, small round cell tumor of the chest wall, hepatoblastoma and osteogenic sarcoma. Partial response was achieved in three of these patients, two showed no change, and in one IHC was used as adjuvant chemotherapy. The side effects of IHC were minimal and tolerable. Angiotensin-IHC may provide a new approach to pediatric cancer chemotherapy.     

MUCINOUS ADENOCARCINOMA ASSOCIATED WITH RADIATION COLITIS

A 57‐year‐old woman complained of anal bleeding. She had undergone radical hysterectomy followed by radiation total 60 gray for the treatment of uterus cancer 8 years prior. Colonoscopic examination was performed, and laterally spreading tumors were detected in the transverse, descending, and sigmoid colon. Histopathological findings of operated specimen were compatible with radiation colitis, and mucinous adenocarcinoma existed in this region and invaded to the subserosa with lymphonodi metastasis. She died of peritonitis carcinomatosa 8 months later.     

Haemodynamic effects of magnesium lithospermate B in rats with renal failure

A study was performed to investigate the haemodynamic effects of magnesium lithospermate B in rats with renal failure. Urinary excretion of sodium and potassium was significantly increased by administration of magnesium lithospermate B. Blood pressure was significantly lower in the magnesium lithospermate B-treated group, compared with the control group. In addition, renal tissue blood flow and cerebral blood flow were significantly higher in the magnesium lithospermate B-treated group, with significantly reduced renal vascular resistance and cerebral vascular resistance compared with the control group. These results confirm that magnesium lithospermate B reduces renovascular hypertension by improving urinary electrolyte excretion and haemodynamics.     

123I-Metaiodobenzylguanidine uptake in the nape of the neck of children: likely visualization of brown adipose tissue.

The distribution of radioiodinated metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) has been studied primarily in patients with neuroendocrine tumors-in pediatrics, particularly with neuroblastomas. Sometimes, symmetric accumulation in which no tumor is identified is seen in the nape-of-the-neck region. We estimated visually whether accumulation was found in the nape of the neck and studied the characteristics of the accumulation. METHODS: Retrospectively, we investigated 266 (123)I-MIBG scintigraphic studies performed on pediatric patients who had been treated for neuroendocrine tumors or who were suspected of having such tumors. RESULTS: Accumulation in the nape of the neck was seen in 32 of 266 studies (12%); in none of these cases was the accumulation identified as a tumor by other imaging modalities or follow-up studies. In the same individuals, the accumulation varied and it was observed more often during winter. CONCLUSION: Symmetric (123)I-MIBG accumulations in the nape-of-the-neck region observed in children are thought to be related to the uptake in brown adipose tissue.     

Interleukin-18 Induces Acute Biphasic Reduction in the Levels of Circulating Leukocytes in Mice

We investigated the acute hematological changes caused by interleukin-18 (IL-18) in mice. Intraperitoneal administration of IL-18 (2 μg/mouse) resulted in biphasic decreases in the number of leukocytes in the blood. The first phase of decrease occurred within 2 h of IL-18 administration and was followed by a transient increase at 5 h. The second phase of decrease occurred at around 6 h, reaching a nadir which lasted for more than 24 h. In mice deficient in inducible nitric oxide (NO) synthase, the first phase of reduction of leukocytes did not occur although the second phase of decrease was observed. In mice deficient in gamma interferon (IFN-γ) or in mice depleted of natural killer cells and incapable of producing IFN-γ, IL-18 had no effect on the number of circulating leukocytes. Levels of nitrite and/or nitrate in the serum were elevated within 2 h after administration of IL-18, reaching a peak at 4 h and then decreasing gradually to the basal level over a 24-h period of time. On the other hand, serum IFN-γ levels changed in a biphasic manner, reaching a peak at 2 h after IL-18 administration, followed by a decrease in the basal level and a second increase at 6 h. Levels of IL-18 receptor mRNAs also showed biphasic changes in correlation with the changes in serum IFN-γ levels. These results suggest that the changes in the leukocyte number following IL-18 administration are mediated by NO and IFN-γ, with NO being involved in the first phase of reduction and IFN-γ being involved in both phases.     

Changes in Carboxylesterase Isoenzymes of Rat Liver Microsomes during Hepatocarcinogenesis

Among the three major Carboxylesterase isoenzymes, RH1, RL1 and RL2, present in microsomes from normal rat liver, RL2 shows hydrolyzing activity towards 12-O-tetradecanoylphorboI-13-acetate and l-oleoyl-2-acetyl- rac -glycerol, both activators of protein kinase C. Since protein kinase C has been suggested to be involved in carcinogencsis and cell proliferation, alterations in hepatic micro-somal Carboxylesterase isoenzymes including RL2 were studied during hepatocarcinogenesis induced by the Solt-Farber model. Alteration of RL2 was determined by measuring acetanilide-hydrolyzing activity, by quantifying the protein amount using the single radial immunodiffusion method, and by activity staining following electrophoresis of liver microsomes. The isoenzyme composition of hepatic microsomal Carboxylesterase was changed after partial hepatectomy, and marked decreases in RL2 activity and protein content were observed at 4 weeks, at the time of preneoplastic foci induction. Partial hepatectomy alone also resulted in decreased RL2 activity. These findings suggest that RL2 may be involved in regulation of protein kinase C activity by metabolizing its activators at an early stage of hepatocarcinogenesis in rats.     

Dental variation of ryukyu islanders: A comparative study among Ryukyu,Ainu, and other Asian populations

The presence or absence of 24 nonmetric dental traits was examined to investigate the inter‐ and intraregional variation of Ryukyu Islanders. We compared the dentition of the Kadena sample from the central district of Okinawa Island in the Ryukyu Island chain to those of samples from Nakijin from the northern district of the same Okinawa Island, Tokunoshima, another island of the Ryukyu Island chain, main‐island Japanese in Kagoshima and Tokyo, Hokkaido Ainu, Atayal in Taiwan, and Pashtuns and Tajiks in Afghanistan. Many traits of the Ryukyu Islanders were found to be close to those of the main‐island Japanese; however, several were intermediate between those of the main‐island Japanese and the Ainu or Atayal. The intraregional variation in the Ryukyu Islanders was comparable to that in the main‐island Japanese. This result supports the influence of a complex gene flow to the Ryukyu Islanders, as suggested by some genetic studies. Among the populations compared here, that closest to the Ainu was the population of Tokunoshima. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 15:127–143, 2003. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.