Incorporation of branched-chain fatty acid into cellular lipids and caspase-independent apoptosis in human breast cancer cell line,SKBR-3

Background  

13-Methyltetradecanoic acid (13-MTD), an iso-C15 branched- chain saturated fatty acid, has been shown to induce apoptotic cell death of numerous human cancer cells. However, the mechanism for the induction of apoptosis has not been fully understood. This study described the incorporation of 13-MTD into cellular lipid of SKBR-3 breast cancer cells and apoptosis related event to gain more insight into the mechanism action of this fatty acid.     

Usefulness of Intraoperative Continuous Infusion of Tranexamic Acid during Emergency Surgery for Type A Acute Aortic Dissection

Purpose: We investigated the influence of intraoperative continuous tranexamic acid (TA) infusion on the amount of blood transfusion required in emergency surgery for type A acute aortic dissection.Methods: The study was based on the data of 55 consecutive patients who underwent surgery for type A acute aortic dissection. The patients were divided into 2 groups for comparison: Group T, consisting of 26 patients who received intraoperative continuous infusion of TA, and Group N, consisting of 29 patients who did not receive TA infusion during the surgery.Results: The mean amounts of blood transfusion required during and after surgery were compared between the 2 groups: they were 10.5 ± 8.7 and 16.2 ± 10.0 units of mannitol-adenine-phosphate-added red cell concentrate, 9.3 ± 8.6 and 17.1 ± 10.0 units of fresh frozen plasma, and 20.4 ± 12.2 and 29.7 ± 14.9 units of platelet concentrate, respectively, in Groups T and N. Thus, the amount of each of these blood products required was significantly reduced in Group T.Conclusions: During emergency surgery for type A acute aortic dissection, continuous infusion of TA resulted in a significant reduction in the amount of blood transfusion required.     

Effect of synthetic chicken vasoactive intestinal peptide on pancreatic blood flow and on exocrine and endocrine secretions of the pancreas in dogs

This study was undertaken to determine the effect of synthetic chicken vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) on pancreatic blood flow, exocrine and endocrine secretions of the pancreas, and biliary secretion in dogs. The effect of synthetic chicken VIP on pancreatic blood flow and systemic arterial pressure was identical to that of natural chicken VIP in dogs. The present study demonstrated that synthetic chicken VIP induces significant increases in pancreatic blood flow, pancreaticobiliary secretion, and blood levels of insulin and glucose in dogs. Both the volume of pancreatic juice and blood levels of insulin were increased in consonance with the increase of pancreatic blood flow. This study suggests that the stimulatory effects of synthetic chicken VIP on exocrine and endocrine secretions of the pancreas may be related to the increased pancreatic blood flow elicited by synthetic chicken VIP.     

Gonadotropin-inhibitory hormone neurons interact directly with gonadotropin-releasing hormone-I and -II neurons in European starling brain

Gonadotropin-inhibitory hormone (GnIH) is a hypothalamic dodecapeptide (SIKPSAYLPLRF-NH(2)) that directly inhibits gonadotropin synthesis and release from quail pituitary. The action of GnIH is mediated by a novel G-protein coupled receptor. This gonadotropin-inhibitory system may be widespread in vertebrates, at least birds and mammals. In these higher vertebrates, histological evidence suggests contact of GnIH immunoreactive axon terminals with GnRH neurons, thus indicating direct regulation of GnRH neuronal activity by GnIH. In this study we investigated the interaction of GnIH and GnRH-I and -II neurons in European starling (Sturnus vulgaris) brain. Cloned starling GnIH precursor cDNA encoded three peptides that possess characteristic LPXRF-amide (X = L or Q) motifs at the C termini. Starling GnIH was further identified as SIKPFANLPLRF-NH(2) by mass spectrometry combined with immunoaffinity purification. GnIH neurons, identified by in situ hybridization and immunocytochemistry (ICC), were clustered in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus. GnIH immunoreactive fiber terminals were present in the external layer of the median eminence in addition to the preoptic area and midbrain, where GnRH-I and GnRH-II neuronal cell bodies exist, respectively. GnIH axon terminals on GnRH-I and -II neurons were shown by GnIH and GnRH double-label ICC. Furthermore, the expression of starling GnIH receptor mRNA was identified in both GnRH-I and GnRH-II neurons by in situ hybridization combined with GnRH ICC. The cellular localization of GnIH receptor has not previously been identified in any vertebrate brain. Thus, GnIH may regulate reproduction of vertebrates by directly modulating GnRH-I and GnRH-II neuronal activity, in addition to influencing the pituitary gland.     

Is blood pressure during the night more predictive of cardiovascular outcome than during the day?

The objective of this study was to investigate the prognostic significance of the ambulatory blood pressure (BP) during night and day and of the night-to-day BP ratio (NDR). We studied 7458 participants (mean age 56.8 years; 45.8% women) enrolled in the International Database on Ambulatory BP in relation to Cardiovascular Outcome. Using Cox models, we calculated hazard ratios (HR) adjusted for cohort and cardiovascular risk factors. Over 9.6 years (median), 983 deaths and 943 cardiovascular events occurred. Nighttime BP predicted mortality outcomes (HR, 1.18-1.24; P<0.01) independent of daytime BP. Conversely, daytime systolic (HR, 0.84; P<0.01) and diastolic BP (HR, 0.88; P<0.05) predicted only noncardiovascular mortality after adjustment for nighttime BP. Both daytime BP and nighttime BP consistently predicted all cardiovascular events (HR, 1.11-1.33; P<0.05) and stroke (HR, 1.21-1.47; P<0.01). Daytime BP lost its prognostic significance for cardiovascular events in patients on antihypertensive treatment. Adjusted for the 24-h BP, NDR predicted mortality (P<0.05), but not fatal combined with nonfatal events. Participants with systolic NDR of at least 1 compared with participants with normal NDR (> or = 0.80 to <0.90) were older, at higher risk of death, but died at higher age. The predictive accuracy of the daytime and nighttime BP and the NDR depended on the disease outcome under study. The increased mortality in patients with higher NDR probably indicates reverse causality. Our findings support recording the ambulatory BP during the whole day.     

Virus-associated hemophagocytic syndrome in an international traveler as a differential diagnosis of SARS

During the epidemic of severe acute respiratory syndrome in 2003, a 27-year- old Japanese woman presented a high fever and acute respiratory distress with pulmonary infiltrates after traveling to a high-risk area. An alternative diagnosis was made as Epstein-Barr virus-associated hemophagocytic syndrome, based on the proliferation of macrophages with hemophagocytosis in the bone marrow and Epstein-Barr viral marker profiles. Virus-associated hemophagocytic syndrome in an international traveler should be included in the differential diagnosis of severe acute respiratory syndrome.