Prediction of metabolic syndrome using artificial neural network system based on clinical data including insulin resistance index and serum adiponectin

Objective

This study aimed to predict the 6-year incidence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) using an artificial neural network (ANN) system and multiple logistic regression (MLR) analysis based on clinical factors, including the insulin resistance index calculated by homeostasis model assessment (HOMA-IR).

Design

Subjects were recruited from participants in annual health check-ups in both 2000 and 2006. A total of 410 Japanese male teachers and other workers at Keio University, 30–59 years of age at baseline, participated in this retrospective cohort study.

Measurements

Clinical parameters were randomly divided into a training dataset and a validation dataset, and the ANN system and MLR analysis were applied to predict individual incidences. The leave some out cross validation method was used for validation.

Results

The sensitivity of the prediction was 0.27 for the MLR model and 0.93 for the ANN system, while specificities were 0.95 and 0.91, respectively. Sensitivity analysis employing the ANN system identified BMI, age, diastolic blood pressure, HDL-cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol and HOMA-IR as important predictors, suggesting these factors to be non-linearly related to the outcome.

Conclusion

We successfully predicted the 6-year incidence of MetS using an ANN system based on clinical data, including HOMA-IR and serum adiponectin, in Japanese male subjects.     

Identification of ETFB as a candidate protein that participates in the mechanoregulation of fibroblast cell number in collagen gel culture

Background

Fibroblast activation is strongly influenced by mechanical environment in the wound-healing process, especially in fibrosis. Mechanically stressed three-dimensional collagen embedded culture is a useful model representing fibroblasts in morphological as well as biochemical situations encountered during fibrosis.

Objective

To find key proteins involved in reducing the number of fibroblasts during mechanical stress, we performed two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2DE)-based differential display and siRNA-based functional screening with collagen gel culture focusing on the differences between attached and detached culture environments.

Methods

Membrane extracts of fibroblasts from 1 day of attached or detached cultures were subjected to 2DE. We compared protein expression levels and identified the attached-culture-dominant proteins by MALDI-TOF-MS. Next, fibroblasts were transfected with siRNA and embedded in collagen gel. Cell number was counted after 3 days in culture.

Results

Eight attached culture dominant proteins were identified with MALDI-TOF-MS. Transfection of siRNA against these proteins demonstrated that electron transfer flavoprotein β subunit (ETFB)-specific siRNA reduced the cell number in the attached culture without a decrease in the detached culture.

Conclusion

ETFB participates in the mechanoregulation of fibroblast cell number in collagen gel culture.     

p53和Bcl-2基因蛋白综合表达与喉癌放疗敏感性相关性研究

目的 根据喉癌细胞自身的生物学特性,探讨Bcl-2和雄基因蛋白综合表达与放射治疗敏感性的相互关系。方法 应用抗Bcl-2和p53基因蛋白单克隆抗体,采用DACO CSA System法染色技术,对两组共70例喉鳞癌组织标本进行了免疫组织化学染色分析,将Bcl-2和p53基因表达分3个级别,应用Cramer（修正）列联系数（C）进行检验,探讨各自及综合表达强度与喉癌放疗敏感性间的相关性。结果 可将喉癌Bcl-2和p53基因表达分为强度、中度及阴性表达。基因表达强度与放疗敏感性问具有相关性,综合表达相关性更高。结论 Bcl-2和p53基因蛋白综合表达与放疗敏感性间具有明显相关性,可以把喉癌Bcl-2和p53基因蛋白综合表达作为喉癌放射治疗敏感性预后判定及指导临床治疗的参考指标。     

Characteristics of disorders of gut–brain interaction in the Japanese population in the Rome Foundation Global Epidemiological Study

Background

The aims were to use Japanese data from the Rome Foundation Global Epidemiological Study (RFGES) to test the hypotheses that severity of gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms and psychosocial disturbance are ordered as Rome IV irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) > Rome III IBS > DGBI, not IBS > others.

Methods

Subjects were 2504 Japanese in the RFGES. We assessed DGBI/IBS diagnoses with Rome IV/III, IBS Symptom Severity Scale (IBS-SSS), Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ) for anxiety/depression and non-GI somatic symptoms, PROMIS-10 for quality of life (QOL), Work Productivity and Activity Impairment (WPAI) Questionnaire, parts of Self-reported IBS Questionnaire (SIBSQ) for meal effect and stress effect, Food Frequency Questionnaire, and medication questions.

Key Results

The prevalence of Rome IV DGBI was as follows; IBS-C 0.5%, IBS-D 0.8%, IBS-M 0.8%, IBS-U 0.1%, unspecified functional bowel disorder 10.7%, postprandial distress syndrome 2.2%, and epigastric pain syndrome 0.3%. Rome III IBS prevalence; IBS-C 3.0%, IBS-D 3.1%, IBS-M 2.7%, and IBS-U 0.6%. Comparison among Rome IV IBS (n = 54), Rome III IBS (n = 197), other DGBI (n = 746), others (n = 1389) revealed significant order as Rome IV IBS > Rome III IBS > other DGBI > others in IBS-SSS, anxiety/depression, activity impairment, non-GI symptoms, physical QOL, mental QOL, exacerbated symptoms by meals and perceived stress (all p < 0.001).

Conclusions & Inferences

These findings support the study hypotheses. Data from Japan as a culturally homogenous country suggest Rome IV IBS is more severe and hence has more gut–brain psychobehavioral involvement than Rome III IBS.     

反义Ku70在人肺癌细胞的表达及对放射线的敏感性研究

目的：研究反义Ku70在人肺癌细胞的表达及对放射线的超敏效应。方法：采用Western-boltting法证明,Ku70－LCA中Ku70蛋白的表达情况,采用体外放线敏感实验症明,反义Ku70在人肺癌细胞的表达及对放射线的超敏效就,其结果以细胞存活克隆率和剂量效应曲线表示,结果：（1）对照组和人正义Ku70基因的LCA组细胞可见Ku70蛋白表达印迹,导入反义Ku70基因LCA组细胞未见Ku70蛋白表达印迹,（2）导入反义Ku70基因的LCA组细胞对放线的敏感性明显增强（P＜0．01）,并呈剂量依赖性,结论：反义Ku70封闭了肿瘤细胞的正义Ku70蛋白表达后,对放坶呈超敏感效应,为提高肿瘤放疗的特异性的靶向基因治疗奠定了基础。     

Ampullary Adenoma Treated by Endoscopic Double-Snare Retracting Papillectomy

We report herein improved methods for the safe and successful completion of endoscopic papillectomy (EP). Between January 2008 and November 2011, 12 patients underwent double-snare retracting papillectomy for the treatment of lesions of the major duodenal papilla. The main outcomes were en bloc resection rates, pathological findings, and adverse events. All of the patients (mean age, 60.1 years; range, 38 to 80 years) were diagnosed with ampullary adenoma by endoscopic forceps biopsies prior to endoscopic snare papillectomy. En bloc resection by double-snare retracting papillectomy was successfully performed for all lesions (median size, 12.3 mm), comprising six tubular adenomas, one tubulovillous adenoma, three cases of epithelial atypia, one hamartomatous polyp, and one case of duodenitis with regenerative change. Significant hemorrhage and pancreatitis were observed in one case after EP. Adenoma recurrence occurred in three patients during follow-up (median, 28.5 months) at a mean interval of 2 months postoperatively (range, 1 to 3 months). No serious adverse events were observed. Double-snare retracting papillectomy is effective and feasible for treating lesions of the major duodenal papilla. Further treatment experience, including a single-arm phase II study, needs to be accumulated before conducting a randomized controlled study.     

Steroid pulse therapy transiently destroys the discriminative histological structure of tonsils in IgA nephropathy: Tonsillectomy should be performed before or just after steroid pulse therapy

Objective

Tonsillectomy combined with steroid-pulse therapy is a widely accepted method for the treatment of IgA nephropathy (IgAN) in Japan. However, the indication of tonsillectomy for IgAN is still controversial, and the timing of tonsillectomy is not clearly defined for the protocol of this therapy. Based on the results of a randomized control trial in Japan, the Evidence-Based Clinical Practice Guidelines for IgA nephropathy 2014 (edited in Japan) recommended tonsillectomy combined with steroid-pulse therapy for Grade C1. However, this is not widely accepted worldwide. To clarify the validity and timing of tonsillectomy, we evaluated how the three-consecutive steroid-pulse therapy method affects the tonsil tissues of IgAN patients.

Effects of Nocardia rubra cell wall skeleton on interleukin 2 production and lymphocyte proliferation in former poison gas factory workers

Phytohemagglutinin (PHA)-induced interleukin 2 (IL-2) production and lymphocyte proliferation were measured in former workers of the Okunojima Poison Gas Factory (poison gas workers), who have a high incidence of lung cancer, and the efficacy of administration of Nocardia rubra cell wall skeleton (N-CWS) was studied. In comparison with normal controls and poison gas workers receiving N-CWS, lymphocyte proliferation in poison gas workers not receiving N-CWS showed a significant decrease, while IL-2 production showed a slight though not statistically significant decrease. When N-CWS was administered to poison gas workers, IL-2 production and lymphocyte proliferation were significantly elevated, with a peak two weeks after administration. N-CWS, by elevating IL-2 production of lymphocytes, is considered to have improved the depression of lymphocyte proliferation.