Effects of Combination of Calcium and Aspirin on Azoxymethane-Induced Aberrant Crypt Foci Formation in the Colons of Mice and Rats

Human intervention studies have suggested an exciting synergistic action between calcium supplementation and aspirin intake in reducing the risk of colorectal cancer. The aim of this study was to determine whether such a synergy can be demonstrated on azoxymethane (AOM)-induced colon aberrant crypt foci (ACF) formation in mice and rats. Female CF-1 mice and male F344 rats were injected subcutaneously with AOM and then received diet treatments for 8 wk. The basal control diet contained high fat (20% mixed lipids by weight) and low calcium (1.4 mg/g diet) to mimic the average Western diet. The treatment diets contained enriched calcium (5.2 mg calcium/g diet), aspirin (0.2 mg aspirin/g diet), or calcium plus aspirin (5.2 mg calcium plus 0.2 mg aspirin/g diet). Treatment with calcium, aspirin, or their combination significantly decreased the number of total ACF and aberrant crypt per mouse (by 43–59%) or rat (by 23–38%), but statistically significant differences among the 3 groups were not observed. A hint of additivity between calcium and aspirin was observed in mice but not in rats. These results indicate that the combination of calcium and aspirin did not produce a synergistic effect on the ACF formation in AOM-treated mice and rats.     

Editorial

The present study was conducted to determine whether older adults can learn and retain information on asthma and play a role as community health workers to teach children about asthma. A total of 36 older adults and 28 students in grades K-6 participated. Pre-tests and post-tests were administered to participants. Improvement in older adult scores after training was significant (p =. 001), and improvement persisted through the conclusion of teaching sessions (p = 0.001). The increase in lower student scores was significant (p = 0.050). Results suggest that older adults can learn and retain asthma information and schoolchildren can learn asthma-related information taught by older adults.     

MR findings in iatrogenic Gerbode defect

Congenital or acquired communication between left ventricle and right atrium is rare and can be easily overlooked as an eccentric tricuspid regurgitation jet. MRI is the ideal modality for accurate diagnosis, providing details for surgical planning about the location and size of the defect.     

Phase Diagrams Map the Properties of Antiviral Agents Directed against Hepatitis B Virus Core Assembly

Assembly effectors are small molecules that induce inappropriate virus capsid assembly to antiviral effect. To identify attributes of hepatitis B virus (HBV) assembly effectors, assembly reaction products (normal capsid, noncapsid polymer, intermediates, and free dimeric core protein) were quantified in the presence of three experimental effectors: HAP12, HAP13, and AT-130. Effectors bound stoichiometrically to capsid protein polymers, but not free protein. Thermodynamic and kinetic effects, not aberrant assembly, correlate with maximal antiviral activity.     

Screening of Alcoholic Yeast Strains for Petite Mutation Frequency and Killer Phenotypes

Seventeen strains of alcoholic yeasts were screened for petite mutation frequency and killer phenotypes with an objective to develop them as industrial strains. The frequency of petite mutations varied with the strain. Though some strains have shown high frequency mutations, a few strains were found to be genetically stable. The killer property was found to vary with the strains. Interestingly, though some strains proved to be sensitive, some strains were found to be killer strains for marker killer strain also. Thus, the study provides the evidence that the killer principle varies with the strain.     

Surgical management of synchronous coronary artery disease and multiple aortic stenosis: a case report with brief review of the literature

One-stage surgery was successfully performed in a 44-year-old hypertensive man with uncontrolled angina, multiple coarctations of the thoracic and abdominal aorta, and a previous subtotal gastrectomy. There was a gradient of 120 mm Hg between the thoracic and abdominal aorta. A graft was placed retroperitoneally from the infrarenal aorta to the ascending aorta and was followed by a coronary artery bypass graft. Twenty-four months postoperatively, the patient was free of angina, and his hypertension was easily controlled.     

Remission of invasive thymoma due to chemotherapy. Two patients treated with cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, and vincristine

Information regarding the effectiveness of chemotherapy in cases of invasive thymoma is limited. Two patients in whom the combination of cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, and vincristine produced remission of invasive thymoma are described. The durations of remission were eight and seven months, respectively. In both patients, recurrence was observed at the site of bulky disease, and a secondary complete response continuing for 37 months was achieved in one of them with radiation therapy.