Consumption of lycopene-rich tomatoes improved glucose homeostasis in rats via an increase in leptin levels

Journal of Natural Medicines - The lycopene content of tomatoes is important because of its effects on vital physiological functions such as improvement of glucose tolerance and non-alcoholic fatty...     

Expression of osteopontin at sites of bone erosion in a murine experimental arthritis model of collagen-induced arthritis: possible involvement of osteopontin in bone destruction in arthritis

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the involvement of osteopontin (OPN) in bone destruction in a murine experimental arthritis model of collagen-induced arthritis (CIA). METHODS: The expression of OPN was examined at both the messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein levels in various arthritic lesions in mice with CIA by in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry, respectively. In addition, the expression of alpha(v)beta3 integrin, a receptor for OPN, the ligation of which is thought to be essential for bone resorption by osteoclasts, was examined by immunohistochemistry. Plasma concentrations of OPN were measured at different time points in the course of CIA by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: OPN mRNA was detected mainly at sites of bone erosion in arthritic lesions, where activated osteoclasts were present; OPN protein was also detected at sites of bone erosion. In the arthritic synovium, OPN was predominantly expressed in the synovial lining layer, but not in lymphoid aggregates. In addition, alpha(v)beta3 integrin was detected coincident with OPN at sites of bone erosion (bone-pannus junction). Plasma OPN levels were markedly elevated at the time points that corresponded to arthritis flares, and higher levels were maintained during the progression of arthritis. CONCLUSION: OPN may mediate bone resorption by osteoclasts in arthritis through ligation with its receptor, alpha(v)beta3 integrin. OPN may be a useful therapeutic target molecule in the prevention of bone destruction in arthritis.     

Hepatocellular carcinoma: a case of extrahepatic seeding after percutaneous radiofrequency ablation using an expandable needle electrode

A 2.5-cm diameter, exophytic seeding of hepatocellular carcinoma was detected by contrast-enhanced computed tomography in a 76-year-old man. He had previously undergone a radiofrequency ablation therapy with an expandable, ten-hook needle electrode for the treatment of a 1.5-cm hepatocellular carcinoma in liver segment VI. Ultrasound-guided fine needle biopsy revealed that this hepatocellular carcinoma was moderately differentiated, as initial tumor was. An additional radiofrequency ablation achieved complete ablation of this neoplastic mass on contrast-enhanced computed tomography scanning. Recurrences were not found for eight months after. To prevent tumor seeding, using thermocoagulation when retracting the needle electrode may be useful.     

High incidence of subclinical peripheral neuropathy in myelitis with hyperIgEaemia and mite antigen-specific IgE (atopic myelitis): an electrophysiological study

OBJECTIVE: To study subclinical involvement of the peripheral nerves in myelitis with hyperIgEaemia and mite antigen-specific IgE (atopic myelitis: AM). MATERIAL AND METHODS: We carried out a nerve conduction study of the median, ulnar, tibial, and sural nerves in 21 patients with AM and in 28 patients with clinically definite or laboratory-supported definite multiple sclerosis (MS). RESULTS: The patients with AM showed a significantly higher frequency of abnormal records than the MS patients in the sensory nerve conduction study (52.4% vs. 14.3%, p = 0.0106). The frequency of abnormal records in the motor nerve conduction study in AM patients was twice as high as in MS patients (38.1% vs. 17.9%), but the difference was not statistically significant. Abnormality in the F-wave-evoked frequency in the median nerve was also significantly more common in AM patients than in MS patients (57.9% vs. 10.7%, p = 0.0016). CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that subclinical peripheral neuropathy is frequent in patients with AM.