Trabecular osteopenia in Colles' fracture

Bone density was measured in 23 postmenopausal women with Colles' fracture. Trabecular spine density was measured by quantitative computed tomography. The bone mineral density in the distal radius and in the diaphysis of the radius and ulna was measured by the gamma ray attenuation method. Compared with age-matched controls, the patients were found to have reduced trabecular bone mass in the spine and distal radius, but no osteopenia in the diaphysis of the radius and ulna. The mean age-corrected decrease was 0.7 SD in the spine and 0.5 SD in the distal end of the radius. The results suggest that patients with Colles' fracture have trabecular but not cortical osteopenia.     

Effects of Long-term running on spinal mineral content in dogs

The effects of long-term running were studied in 20 beagle dogs. Ten dogs ran from the age of 15 weeks to the age of 70 weeks in a progressive program for up to 40 km/day. Ten sister dogs spent the same time in individual cages. At the age of 70 weeks the spines of the dogs were studied with regard to mineral density using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and quantitative computed tomography. Mineral density was lower in the running dogs than in the controls.     

A new triphenylethylene compound,Fc-1157a

Summary The antitumor effects of a new antiestrogen, Fc-1157a¹ have been studied in vitro and in vivo. In vitro the effect of Fc-1157a was comparable to that of tamoxifen. The effect was dose-dependent, and at concentrations higher than 10^-6 mol/l Fc-1157a induced real cell death of the MCF-7 cells. In DMBA-induced mammary cancer in rats Fc-1157a decreased the number of new tumors and inhibited the growth of existing tumors, these effects being statistically highly significant. The ratio of growing tumors to stable and regressing tumors was significantly decreased. Although these effects were slightly stronger with Fc-1157a than with tamoxifen, the difference between these two compounds was not statistically significant.Murine uterine sarcoma, an estrogen receptor-negative tumor, was resistant to tamoxifen, but was statistically significantly inhibited by high doses (100 and 200 mg/kg^-1 day^-1 for 5 days) of Fc-1157a.The antitumor effects of Fc-1157a are due mainly to the antiestrogenic activity. At high concentrations in vitro and at high doses in vivo Fc-1157a exerts antitumor effects some of which are different from those of tamoxifen and are directed even against estrogen receptor-negative tumors. The exact mechanism of the observed cytolytic effect at high doses is unknown.     

Recent trends in breast cancer incidence in US white women by county-level urban/rural and poverty status

Background  

Unprecedented declines in invasive breast cancer rates occurred in the United States between 2001 and 2004, particularly for estrogen receptor-positive tumors among non-Hispanic white women over 50 years. To understand the broader public health import of these reductions among previously unstudied populations, we utilized the largest available US cancer registry resource to describe age-adjusted invasive and in situ breast cancer incidence trends for non-Hispanic white women aged 50 to 74 years overall and by county-level rural/urban and poverty status.     

Detection of QTc interval prolongation using jacket telemetry in conscious non-human primates: comparison with implanted telemetry

Background and Purpose: During repeat-dose toxicity studies, ECGs are collected from chemically or physically-restrained animals over a short timeframe. This is problematic due to cardiovascular changes caused by manual restraint stress and anesthesia, and limited ECG sampling. These factors confound data interpretation, but may be overcome by using a non-invasive jacket-based ECG collection (JET). The current study investigated whether a jacketed external telemetry system could detect changes in cardiac intervals and heart rate in non-human primates (NHPs), previously implanted with a PCT transmitter.Experimental Approach: Twelve male cynomolgus monkeys were treated weekly with vehicle or sotalol (8, 16, 32 mg kg⁻¹) p.o. ECGs were collected continuously for 24 hours, following treatment, over 4 weeks. A satellite group of six NHPs was used for sotalol toxicokinetics.Key Results: Sotalol attained C_max values 1–3 hours after dosing, and exhibited dose-proportional exposure. In jacketed NHPs, sotalol dose-dependently increased QT/QTc intervals, prolonged PR interval, and reduced heart rate. Significant QTc prolongation of 27, 54 and 76 msec was detected by JET after 8, 16, and 32 mg kg⁻¹ sotalol, respectively, compared with time-matched vehicle-treated animals. Overall, JET-derived PR, QT, QTc intervals, QRS duration, and heart rate correlated well with those derived from PCT.Conclusions and Implications: The current findings clearly support the use of JET to quantify cardiac interval and rhythm changes, capable of detecting QTc prolongation caused by sotalol. JET may be a preferred method compared to restraint-based ECG because high-density ECG sampling can be collected in unstressed conscious monkeys, over several weeks.     

Seropositivity for Helicobacter pylori antibodies is associated with lower occurrence of venous bypass graft occlusion

Common chronic infections including those caused by cytomegalovirus (CMV), herpes simplex viruses (HSV), Helicobacter pylori and Chlamydia pneumoniae have previously been related to increased risk of coronary heart disease (CHD). We investigated the association between serology of these chronic infections and coronary bypass graft occlusions in 61 patients. As a result, IgG seropositivity rate against H. pylori was higher among patients without occlusion (82%) than in those with occlusion (45%) or apparently healthy controls (57%) (p = 0.004 and p = 0.008, respectively). In conclusion, H. pylori infection, as judged by IgG seropositivity, is associated with lower occurrence of venous bypass graft occlusion in patients with CHD and may thus be connected with better outcome and prognosis of CHD patients after bypass graft surgery.     

A technique for the flow cytometric analysis of lymphocytes bearing histamine receptors

Histamine receptors have been demonstrated on lymphocyte membranes by a variety of techniques. We now report a method that allows for the flow cytometric analysis of histamine receptors on human peripheral T cells. Histamine is conjugated to fluoresceinated human albumin by the coupling agent ECDI. This conjugated histamine compound (FHA-his) binds to approximately 45% of T cells. Fluoresceinated human albumin alone (FHA), not conjugated to histamine, does not bind to T cells. In addition, unconjugated histamine can inhibit completely the binding seen with FHA-his. We conclude that this technique demonstrates specific FHA-his binding to histamine receptors on T cells and can be used to determine the number of cells bearing such receptors. In addition, the reagent could be used with a cell sorter to isolate distinct histamine-receptor-bearing (HR+) cells for further immunologic study.