Decursin, an active compound isolated from Angelica gigas, inhibits fat accumulation, reduces adipocytokine secretion and improves glucose tolerance in mice fed a high-fat diet

Decursin (De), an active component of Angelica gigas, is known to exert anticancer and neuroprotective effects. However, its antiobesity and antidiabetic potential has not yet been investigated. This study evaluated the antiobesity effect of decursin, particularly focusing on its ability to inhibit adipocyte differentiation in 3T3-L1 cells. Decursin treatment resulted in the inhibition of adipocyte differentiation and the expression of fatty acid synthase. The study further investigated these antiobesity effects using mice fed a normal diet (ND), a high-fat diet (HFD) and a HFD plus decursin 200 mg/kg diet (HFD + De) for 7 weeks. Mice administered HFD plus decursin showed a drastic decrease in weight gain, triglyceride content, total cholesterol content and fat size compared with those that received the HFD alone; this was observed despite similar quantities of total food intake. Furthermore, decursin improved glucose tolerance in mice fed a HFD. Finally, administration of decursin along with the HFD significantly reduced the secretion of HFD-induced adipocytokines such as leptin, resistin, IL-6 and MCP-1. These results suggest that decursin might be useful for the treatment of obesity and diabetes.     

Imatinib mesylate discontinuation in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia who have received front-line imatinib mesylate therapy and achieved complete molecular response

The aims were to investigate the feasibility of imatinib mesylate (IM) discontinuation in chronic myeloid leukemia patients who were initially treated with IM and achieved complete molecular response (CMR). Fourteen patients were included. Ten were relapsed within 9.5 months after discontinuation of IM. All 7 patients with high Sokal risk were relapsed. The probability of CMR persistence at 1-year was 28.6%. All relapsed patients were still responsive to IM. A high Sokal risk and delayed acquisition of CMR were associated with relapse. IM discontinuation in patients achieved CMR after treatment with front-line IM might be feasible. Further studies are warranted.     

The effects of selenium on tumor growth in epithelial ovarian carcinoma

Objective

Epidemiological studies suggest that selenium protects against the development of several cancers. Selenium (sodium selenite) has been reported to interfere with cell growth and proliferation, and to induce cell death. In this study, we tested whether selenium could have growth-inhibiting effect in ovarian cancer cells and an orthotopic animal model.

Methods

Cell growth in selenium-treated cells was determined in human ovarian cancer cells, A2780, HeyA8, and SKOV3ip1 using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazoliumbromide (MTT) assay. Animal experiment of selenium with paclitaxel was performed using SKOV3ip1 cells in nude mice to evaluate their inhibiting effect for tumor growth. In addition, another animal experiment of paclitaxel with or without selenium was performed to assess the effect of survival and food intake in mice.

Results

The in vitro growth of selenium-treated cells was significantly decreased dose-dependently in A2780, HeyA8, and SKOV3ip1 cells. Therapy experiment in mice was started 1 week after injection of the SKOV3ip1 cells. Treatment with selenium (1.5 mg/kg, 3 times/week) and paclitaxel injection showed no addictive effect of the inhibition of tumor growth. However, combination of selenium and paclitaxel showed the slightly increased food intake compared with paclitaxel alone.

Conclusion

Although selenium has growth-inhibiting effect in ovarian carcinoma cells in vitro, there is no additive effect on tumor growth in mice treated with combination of paclitaxel and selenium. However, food intake is slightly higher in selenium-treated mice during chemotherapy.     

Effects of the height of ball-backrest on head and shoulder posture and trunk muscle activity in VDT workers

This study was designed to elucidate the effects of a ball-backrest at different heights on the head and shoulder posture and neck and trunk muscles of visual display terminal (VDT) workers who adopted a forward head posture when working at a VDT. Twenty-three VDT workers with forward head posture performed the keyboard typing work at a VDT without and with a ball-backrest at the L3, T10, and T4 levels. Surface electromyograms were recorded from the neck, shoulder, and trunk muscles, and the forward head angle and forward shoulder angle were analyzed using a 3-D motion analysis system. The significance of differences for the ball-backrest at different heights was tested by repeated one-way ANOVA, with the significance cutoff set at p=0.05. The mean forward head angle and forward shoulder angle decreased in the order of no backrest, T10-level ball-backrest, T4-level ball-backrest. Compared with not using a backrest, the activity of midcervical muscles was significantly lower and that of the lower trapezius was significantly higher when using a T4-level ball-backrest, and the activity of the internal oblique abdominal muscle was significantly higher when using a T10-level ball-backrest. We suggested that using T4 and T10-level ball-backrests would produce similar effects to active exercise, such as ball exercise for trunk stabilization, and that a ball-backrest would prevent kinematics changes. Therefore, the height of the backrest must be determined on the basis of the characteristics of work-related musculoskeletal disorders when applying a ball-backrest to VDT workers with such disorders.     

A Herpes Simplex Virus Infection Secondary to Acupuncture and Cupping

Acupuncture and cupping have a public reputation as being safe even though these practices can lead to complications such as trauma or infection. We report here on a case of herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection secondary to acupuncture and cupping in a 56-year-old woman. The patient, who had a history of acupuncture and cupping on her left forearm for treating her myalgia, developed painful papules. Histologically, the biopsy specimen showed characteristic ballooning degeneration and inclusion bodies in the epidermis and mid-dermis. These clinical and histological findings were consistent with the diagnosis of HSV infection.