A study of arteriosclerosis in healthy subjects with HBV and HCV infection

Background It is unclear whether infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV) or hepatitis C virus (HCV) affects arteriosclerosis. We performed a cross-sectional study to clarify the effect of HBV and HCV infection on arteriosclerosis. Methods The study subjects were 1806 healthy individuals who visited Shimane Environment and Health Public Corporation for routine medical check-ups. Serum levels of total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol, triglycerides, and blood glucose were investigated in all subjects. The degree of arteriosclerosis was assessed using systolic blood pressure, the bilateral ankle brachial index (ABI), the heart-carotid pulse wave velocity (HCPWV), and the heart-ankle PWV (HAPWV). These cardiovascular parameters were compared between control subjects and subjects with HBV and HCV infection, using analysis of covariance to adjust for confounding factors (sex, age, body mass index, and smoking and drinking). Results Of the 1806 subjects, 39 and 31 were diagnosed as positive for HBV and HCV infection, respectively. The remaining 1736 were considered to be the controls. Adjusted serum lipid levels in the subjects with HBV and those with HCV infection tended to be lower than those in the control subjects. Adjusted arteriosclerotic parameters in the subjects with HBV and HCV infection were similar to those in the control subjects, even after adjusting for serum lipid levels. Conclusions Infection with HBV or HCV does not influence the severity of arteriosclerosis in healthy subjects.     

Papillary tumor of the pineal region: report of a rapidly progressive tumor with possible multicentric origin

Papillary tumor of the pineal region (PTPR) is an uncommon tumor recently added to the WHO classification of CNS tumors. We report a case of PTPR in a young boy that was noteworthy for early CSF dissemination and relentless progression. In spite of intensive chemotherapy and comprehensive radiotherapy, the boy died. The neuroimaging appearance is unique with possible multicentric origin of the tumor and intense uptake of ¹¹¹In-DTPA-pentetreotide.     

Thermoregulatory sympathetic nervous system activity and diet‐induced waist‐circumference reduction in obese Japanese women

The present study is designed to investigate how and to what extent sympathovagal behavior in a balanced low‐calorie diet relates to favorable changes of body mass, waist circumference, and/or metabolic risk factors. The study involved 28 mildly obese women without clinical complications, who underwent an 8‐week calorie restriction program using a 1,200‐kcal daily diet with an adequate nutrient content; including two regular meals, and one formula meal replacement. All subjects were examined before and after the dietary intervention. We measured anthropometric parameters, blood pressure, and biochemical blood profiles for lipid metabolism. Autonomic nervous system activity was evaluated by heart rate variability power spectral analysis. The dietary intervention induced moderate, but significant reduction of waist circumference (?5.3% ± 0.8%), body fat percentage (?5.8% ± 0.8%), and body mass (?6.6% ± 0.5%). Linear regression analysis showed that Δvery low frequency (VLF) power reflecting energy metabolic‐ and thermoregulatory sympathetic function significantly correlated to Δwaist circumference (r = ?0.53, P < 0.01), Δbody fat percentage (r = ?0.39, P < 0.05), Δbody mass (r = ?0.43, P < 0.05), ΔHDL‐cholesterol/total cholesterol ratio (HDL‐C/TC) (r = 0.62, P < 0.001), and Δnonesterified fatty acids (NEFA) (r = 0.56, P < 0.01). A stepwise multiple regression analysis additionally revealed that Δwaist circumference (P = 0.024), ΔHDL‐C/TC (P = 0.013), and ΔNEFA (P = 0.016) were significant and independent factors, which contributing to the variance in ΔVLF power (r² = 0.61). Although causes and consequences of obesity continue to elude researchers, the present study indicates that thermoregulatory sympathetic activity relates to moderate waist‐circumference reduction together with favorable changes of blood lipid profiles after short‐term dietary modification in mildly obese women. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Hepatic resection for liver metastases from carcinomas of the distal bile duct and of the papilla of Vater

Purpose  

Hepatectomy for liver metastasis from carcinomas of the distal bile duct (BDC) and of the papilla of Vater (PVC) has not been studied in detail. The purpose of this study is to analyze risk factors of liver metastasis and to evaluate outcome of hepatectomy for liver metastasis.     

Cumulative effects of chromosome aberrations and sister chromatid exchanges in rat liver induced in vivo by heterocyclic amines

Cumulative effects of chromosome aberrations and sister chromatidexchanges (SCEs) were studied in hepatocytes of F344 rats exposedin vivo to 2-amino-3-methylimidazo[4,5-fIquinoline (IQ) at dosesof 12.5,25 or 50 mg/kg body wt/day or 2-nitro-3-methylimidazo[4,5-f quinoline (nitro-IQ) at doses of 12.5, 25 or 50 mg/kg bodywt/day. Hepatocytes were isolated 24 h after 1, 7,14 or 28 repeateddoses (once a day) by gastric intubation and allowed to proliferatein Williams' medium E supplemented with epidermal growth factor.Cells were fixed after a culture period of 48 h. Multiple treatmentwith IQ or nitro-IQ induced significant chromosome aberrationstime- and dose-dependently, the maximum frequency of chromosomeaberrations in metaphase cells being 39 and 33% respectively,while that in controls was 1.1%. Single treatment with IQ ornitro-IQ induced significant SCEs dose-dependently, the maximumfrequency being 0.83 and 0.79 per chromosome respectively, whilethe control value was 0.51. Multiple treatment with nitro-IQinduced significant SCEs to a plateau level of 0.90 per chromosome.Cytogenetic damage in the liver by IQ was greater than thatby nitro-IQ. These results show that this assay of chromosomeaberrations and SCEs in rat liver in vivo without partial hepatectomyor mitogen treatment in vivo is a sensitive method for evaluatingthe cumulative tumor-initiating activities of carcinogenic heterocyclicamines at low doses and should be useful for the detection ofunknown hepatocarcinogens.     

Cyclotheonamide E4 and E5, new potent tryptase inhibitors from an Ircinia species of sponge

Tryptase is a protease released from mast cells and is believed to contribute to the inflammatory process in allergic diseases including asthma. In the course of screening to find tryptase inhibitors, we isolated two new tryptase inhibitors, cyclotheonamide E4 (3) and E5 (4), from a marine sponge of the genus Ircinia. The structures of these molecules were determined by interpretation of 1H and 13C NMR spectra, and they were shown to be closely related to the previously reported cyclotheonamides E (1), E2, and E3 (2). These molecules contain two unusual amino acids, vinylogous tyrosine and alpha-ketohomoarginine, which are involved in strong activities against serine proteases. Cyclotheonamide E4 showed potent inhibitory activity against human tryptase (IC50 5.1 nM). Therefore, cyclotheonamide E4 may be useful as a therapeutic agent in the treatment of allergic diseases including asthma.     

Synaptic organization of tooth pulp afferent terminals in the rat trigeminal sensory nuclei

Previous studies provide evidence that a structure/function correlation exists in the distinct zones of the trigeminal sensory nuclei. To evaluate this relationship, we examined the ultrastructure of afferent terminals from the tooth pulp in the rat trigeminal sensory nuclei: the principalis (Vp), the dorsomedial part of oral nucleus (Vdm), and the superficial layers of caudalis (Vc), by using transganglionic transport of wheat germ agglutinin conjugated to horseradish peroxidase (WGA-HRP). A total of 93 labeled boutons were serially sectioned, in which some sections were incubated with gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) antiserum. Almost all labeled boutons formed asymmetric contact with nonprimary dendrites, in which more than half of labeled boutons in the Vc made synapses with their spines. The labeled boutons could be divided into two types on the basis of numbers of dense-cored vesicles (DCVs) in a boutons: S-type and DCV-type. Almost all labeled boutons in the Vp and Vdm were S-type, whereas two types were distributed evenly in the Vc. In contrast to DCV-type boutons, the S-type was frequently postsynaptic to unlabeled axon terminals containing a mixture of round, oval, and flattened vesicles (p-endings) and forming symmetrical synapses. Most p-endings examined were immunoreactive to GABA. The frequency of axoaxonic contacts was higher for labeled boutons in the Vp than in the Vdm and Vc. These results suggest that the three structures of trigeminal sensory nuclei serve distinct functions in nociceptive processing.     

Adequate evaluation of HSL mass and activity in rat adipose tissue in fasting and aging-related obesity

Adipose tissue is a unique tissue because its mass is readily changed by altering nutritional conditions. Therefore the activity and content of enzyme in the adipose tissue is significantly differed according to the way of their presentation: per g tissue, per whole tissue, or per cell number. In the present study, the effects of the ways of expressing the hormone sensitive lipase (HSL) activity and content were studied in rat by decreasing or increasing adipose tissue. Fasting caused a progressive decline in body weight and in the weight of the epididymal fat pad. When the HSL content was expressed per g of adipose tissue, the lipase activity and immunoreactive HSL protein content in fasting rats were higher than those in fed rats. On the other hand, when they were expressed as per fat pad, the lipase activity and immunoreactive HSL protein in fasting rats were lower than those in fed rats. The opposite results were observed in obesity. When the HSL content was expressed per g of adipose tissue, the lipase activity and immunoreactive HSL protein in obese rats were lower than in control rats. However, when the HSL content was expressed per fat pad, the lipase activity and immunoreactive HSL protein in the obese rats were higher than in the control rats. Therefore we must pay careful attention to the way of presentation of adipose tissue enzyme contents.     

Werner and Bloom helicases are involved in DNA repair in a complementary fashion

Werner syndrome (WS) is a recessive disorder characterized by premature senescence. Bloom syndrome (BS) is a recessive disorder characterized by short stature and immunodeficiency. A common characteristic of both syndromes is genomic instability leading to tumorigenesis. WRN and BLM genes causing WS and BS, encode proteins that are closely related to the RecQ helicase. We produced WRN-/-, BLM-/- and WRN(-/-)/BLM(-/-) mutants in the chicken B-cell line DT40. WRN-/- cells showed hypersensitivities to genotoxic agents, such as 4-nitroquinoline 1-oxide, camptothecin and methyl methanesulfonate. They also showed a threefold increase in targeted integration rate of exogenous DNAs, but not in sister chromatid exchange (SCE) frequency. BLM-/- cells showed hypersensitivities to the genotoxic agents as well as ultraviolet (UV) light, in addition to a 10-fold increase in targeted integration rate and an 11-fold increase in SCE frequency. In WRN(-/-)/BLM(-/-) cells, synergistically increased hypersensitivities to the genotoxic agents were observed whereas both SCE frequencies and targeted integration rates were partially diminished compared to the single mutants. Chromosomal aberrations were also synergistically increased in WRN(-/-)/BLM(-/-) cells when irradiated with UV light in late S to G(2) phases. These results suggest that both WRN and BLM may be involved in DNA repair in a complementary fashion.     

A case of preoperative concurrent chemoradiotherapy and curative resection for locally advanced non-small-cell lung cancer

We report the case of a 58-year-old man who underwent complete resection for locally advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (cT4N2M0). The patient received UFT (400 mg/m2 orally on days 1-14 and 22-35) and cisplatin (80 mg/m2 intravenously on days 8, 29) with a total 40 Gy, delivered in 20 fractions on days 1-26. The tumor reduction rate was 76%, and no remarkable toxicities were observed. The patient underwent complete resection and a pathologic complete response was observed. This induction concurrent chemoradiotherapy (followed by surgery) is considered to be effective and safe.