Reduced Insulin Sensitivity Is Related to Less Endogenous Dopamine at D2/3 Receptors in the Ventral Striatum of Healthy Nonobese Humans

Background:

Food addiction is a debated topic in neuroscience. Evidence suggests diabetes is related to reduced basal dopamine levels in the nucleus accumbens, similar to persons with drug addiction. It is unknown whether insulin sensitivity is related to endogenous dopamine levels in the ventral striatum of humans. We examined this using the agonist dopamine D_2/3 receptor radiotracer [¹¹C]-(+)-PHNO and an acute dopamine depletion challenge. In a separate sample of healthy persons, we examined whether dopamine depletion could alter insulin sensitivity.

Methods:

Insulin sensitivity was estimated for each subject from fasting plasma glucose and insulin using the Homeostasis Model Assessment II. Eleven healthy nonobese and nondiabetic persons (3 female) provided a baseline [¹¹C]-(+)-PHNO scan, 9 of which provided a scan under dopamine depletion, allowing estimates of endogenous dopamine at dopamine D_2/3 receptor. Dopamine depletion was achieved via alpha-methyl-para-tyrosine (64mg/kg, P.O.). In 25 healthy persons (9 female), fasting plasma and glucose was acquired before and after dopamine depletion.

Results:

Endogenous dopamine at ventral striatum dopamine D_2/3 receptor was positively correlated with insulin sensitivity (r(7)=.84, P=.005) and negatively correlated with insulin levels (r(7)=-.85, P=.004). Glucose levels were not correlated with endogenous dopamine at ventral striatum dopamine D_2/3 receptor (r(7)=-.49, P=.18). Consistently, acute dopamine depletion in healthy persons significantly decreased insulin sensitivity (t(24)=2.82, P=.01), increased insulin levels (t(24)=-2.62, P=.01), and did not change glucose levels (t(24)=-0.93, P=.36).

Conclusion:

In healthy individuals, diminished insulin sensitivity is related to less endogenous dopamine at dopamine D_2/3 receptor in the ventral striatum. Moreover, acute dopamine depletion reduces insulin sensitivity. These findings may have important implications for neuropsychiatric populations with metabolic abnormalities.     

Usefulness of measurement of reticulated platelets for diagnosis of idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura.

Reticulated platelets (RP) and large platelets (LP) were measured by an automated hematology analyzer (modified R-2000) in 287 healthy volunteers and 131 patients with thrombocytopenia or thrombocytosis. RP was significantly higher in patients with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), especially in active phase, while RP was markedly lower in patients with essential thrombocytosis (ET) or chronic myelocytic leukemia (CML). LP was significantly higher in patients with ITP, especially in active phase, while LP was markedly lower in patients with aplastic anemia (AA), ET, or CML. In ITP, RP and LP were significantly higher in patients positive for anti-glycoprotein (Gp) IIb/IIIa antibody. RP and LP were poorly correlated with platelet-associated IgG (PAIgG). RP and LP were poorly correlated with plasma thrombopoietin levels, and negatively correlated with platelet count. These results show that RP reflects the pathology of thrombocytopenic disorders, and that measurement of RP is useful for the differential diagnosis and analysis of platelet kinetics.     

Association study between a novel single nucleotide polymorphism of the promoter region of the prostacyclin synthase gene and essential hypertension.

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether an association exists between the promoter region of the prostacyclin synthase gene and essential hypertension (EH). Using the polymerase chain reaction-single strand conformation polymorphism (PCR-SSCP) method, we discovered a novel single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), T-192G, in the 5'-flanking region. We performed an association study using the SNP in 200 patients and 200 controls. The allele frequency distribution in the two groups was not significantly different. Thus, this SNP in the PGIS gene is not associated with EH.     

Highly variable sequences in the env V3 region of HIV type 1 distributing among Thai carriers from 1995 to 1997

The amino acid sequences of the Env V3 region of HIV-1 subtype E in Thailand were highly variable in the samples obtained from 1995 to 1997, compared with the previously reported sequences in samples obtained from 1990 to 1993. The sequences of the V3 region in the samples from five provinces in Thailand revealed that the variability was much higher in the samples from Bangkok and Ubonrachathani than in those from Chiangmai, Prathumthani, and Trang. There was no apparently different level of diversity at the V3 region in the samples from symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals. The V3 loop motif in most (66.7%) of the samples was GPGQ, although this motif was more heterogeneous in the samples from Bangkok and Ubonrachathani than in those from the other three provinces. The N-linked glycosylation sites in the V3 region among these samples were relatively conserved. There was no apparent difference in the presence of positively charged amino acids at positions 306 and 320 between the samples from symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals.     

Hepatic adrenal rest tumor: Diagnostic pitfall and proposed algorithms to prevent misdiagnosis as lipid‐rich hepatocellular carcinoma

We present a case of adrenal rest tumor of the liver in which differential diagnosis from lipid rich‐hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) was challenging. The patient was a 50‐year‐old woman in whom a 3‐cm tumorous mass was discovered in segment 7 of the liver during computed tomography evaluation of a uterine leiomyoma. The preoperative diagnosis was HCC, and subsegmental liver resection was performed. The tumor appeared as a well‐demarcated golden yellow nodule consisting of clear or partially eosinophilic cells arranged in a trabecular pattern. The initial impression of this lesion was that of clear cell type or lipid‐rich type HCC because it stained positive for Hep Par1, but negative for arginase‐1 and positive for CD56 which is one of the neuroendocrine markers. The lesion also stained positive for SF‐1 and 3β‐HSD, both of which are markers of adrenocortical tissue. The final diagnosis was hepatic adrenal rest tumor. Hepatic adrenal rest tumor should be considered in the differential diagnosis of segment 7 tumor. A diagnostic algorithm that includes immunohistochemical staining for CD56 and arginase‐1 is to rule out the possibility of lipid‐rich HCC.     

Food intake survey of kindergarten children in Korea: Part 1 food,energy, and nutrient intake

Objectives

Nutrient intakes of children were surveyed at the time when a nation-wide shift took place in the Republic of Korea from agriculture-based to industrialized society. Taking advantage of the survey locations (see below), possible delay in nutritional improvement in rural areas (as compared with that in an urban area) was also examined.

Methods

In total, 108 4- to 6-year-old children (boys and girls in combination) in 4 kindergartens (KGs; 1 in Seoul and 3 in Jeju Island) participated in the survey in 2003–2004. 24-h food duplicate samples were prepared by the mother of each child. Food items in each duplicate sample were separated and coded with reference to the Dietary Reference Intake for Koreans (the 2005 version). Nutrient intake of the day was estimated from the code and weight followed by summation for daily intake.

Results

The children in the KG in Seoul studied were younger, and therefore were smaller in body size than those in other KGs. Thus, it was considered necessary to evaluate nutrient intake not only on a daily basis, but after adjustment for body weight. The AM daily intake of energy (protein in parenthesis) for the 108 children was 1479 kcal (55 g)/day or 69.8 kcal (2.6 g)/kg body weight/day. Evaluation by individual nutrient suggested that the intake was sufficient for almost all nutrients except for sodium and potassium. Sodium and potassium intake (2285 and 1840 mg/day, respectively) was in excess and insufficient, respectively, with potential risk of inducing hypertension later in life.

Conclusions

Inter-KG difference was not remarkable and therefore urban–rural difference was not apparent. Nutrient intakes as a whole appeared to be sufficient urban and rural areas. Nevertheless, excess Na intake coupled with insufficient K intake was a common problem.     

Outcomes in Patients with Classic Hodgkin Lymphoma Treated with ABVD: A Single-center Retrospective Study

Objective Classic Hodgkin lymphoma (CHL) has been regarded as a curable disease when treated appropriately, especially in younger patients, and ABVD (doxorubicin, bleomycin, vinblastine, and dacarbazine) has been regarded as the standard regimen. However, a relatively poor prognosis has been reported in older patients with CHL, and the efficacy and tolerability of the ABVD regimen has not been fully elucidated. We retrospectively investigated the outcomes in patients with CHL treated with ABVD at our institute. Methods Twenty-five patients were evaluated; 14 were ≤60 years of age, and 11 were >60 years of age (older group). Results The ABVD doses were reduced in all patients in the older group; the median average relative dose intensity was 0.58. In the older group, the 5-year overall survival (OS) and median OS were 100% and not reached, respectively, for patients with early-stage CHL and 66.7% and not reached, respectively, for those with advanced-stage CHL. No patients died of CHL, and only one treatment-related death was observed in the older group. Conclusion ABVD with dose attenuation may represent a feasible and effective strategy for the treatment of older patients with CHL in clinical practice, particularly in those with early-stage disease, although the optimal degree of attenuation remains unclear.     

Triglyceride Deposit Cardiomyovasculopathy with Massive Myocardial Triglyceride which Was Proven Using Proton-magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy

The patient was a 73-year-old man with a history of hypertension, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, rheumatoid arthritis, repeated percutaneous coronary intervention and percutaneous peripheral intervention procedures. He was frequently admitted to our hospital for congestive heart failure with orthopnea. The myocardial washout rate of iodine-123-β-methyl iodophenyl-pentadecanoic acid was defective on scintigraphy. He was diagnosed with triglyceride deposit cardiomyovasculopathy (TGCV). Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (¹H-MRS) indicated the level of myocardial triglyceride (TG) content to be extremely high (4.92%). This is the first report to confirm a massive accumulation of TG in the myocardium of a patient with TGCV using ¹H-MRS noninvasively.     

Leucine-rich alpha-2 glycoprotein is a potential biomarker to monitor disease activity in inflammatory bowel disease receiving adalimumab: PLANET study

Journal of Gastroenterology - This multicenter prospective study (UMIN000019958) aimed to evaluate the usefulness of serum leucin-rich alpha-2 glycoprotein (LRG) levels in monitoring disease...     

Heat sensitivity of human parvovirus B19

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: To date there has been no published report on a systematic evaluation of the heat sensitivity of human parvovirus B19 (B19) and the related safety of the plasma-derived fractionated products. In this study, we examined the heat sensitivity of B19 by using the infectivity assay with cultured cells. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The heat sensitivity of B19 was examined by measuring the reduction in viral infectivity titres after heating liquid containing B19 at 60 degrees C. Viral infectivity was assayed by detection of viral antigens or viral mRNA in infected cells. As a control, canine parvovirus (CPV) was also heat-treated. RESULTS: B19 displayed quite different inactivation kinetics to CPV when both were heated in liquid at 60 degrees C. In sharp contrast to the latter, B19 was rapidly inactivated within 1 h when the virus was suspended in 5% or 25% human serum albumin solution, phosphate-buffered saline, or complete medium. However, B19 appeared to be resistant to heat inactivation in liquid containing 60% sucrose. CONCLUSIONS: The heat sensitivity of B19 in liquid was clearly different from that of CPV. Significantly, the efficiency to inactivate B19 and reduce its infectivity following heating in liquid was mainly affected by the composition of the solutions used for virus suspension.