Anaplastic large cell lymphoma associated with Sjögren's syndrome

We report a case of a 20-year-old Japanese female with recurrent anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) associated with Sj?gren's syndrome (SjS). She was first diagnosed to have ALCL presenting with axillary lymphadenopathy, which within a month underwent spontaneous remission, at the age of 12 years. Eight years later she developed left inguinal lymphadenopathy with clinical overt sicca symptoms associated with elevated serum IgG, interleukin (IL)-1beta and IL-6 levels. Lymph node biopsy was now diagnostic of ALCL characterized by large pleomorphic CD30+ blast cells with the specific chromosomal abnormality, t(2;5)(p23;q35). In contrast to this the salivary gland and renal biopsy revealed infiltration of small lymphocytes, morphologically and cytogenetically distinct from the ALCL cells. Interestingly, SjS symptomatology correlated with disease activity of ALCL and based on an association with elevated IgG and IL-6 levels, suggesting that the concurrence of these two diseases could be more than coincidental. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case of ALCL presenting concurrently with SjS.     

Human erythrocyte band 3 (EPB3) polymorphism: Analysis of blood and bloodstains by an immunodetection method and frequency of the EPB3* Memphis variant

Summary The erythrocyte band 3 (EPB3) variant, band 3 Memphis (EPB3*Memphis), was detected by immunoblotting with a monoclonal antibody to the 41 kDa cytoplasmic N-terminal domain of band 3 without protease treatment of erythrocytes. EPB3*Memphis was also detected by immunoblotting from 3-month-old bloodstains subjected to -chymotrypsin treatment. A population genetic study using this method indicated that the EPB3 variant would be useful for forensic work in Japan, since the frequency of this variant in Japanese (Wakayama prefecture) is relatively high (0.159).     

Antitumor activity of HO-221, a derivative of benzoylphenylurea against human cancer xenografts in nude mice

HO-221, a derivative of benzoylphenylurea, is a newly developed anticancer drug which was found to show an excellent antitumor effect against transplantable murine tumors by the novel mechanism of action. This study was designed to evaluate the antitumor effect of HO-221 and to establish the optimum regimen, using seven human gastrointestinal and breast cancers xenografted in nude mice. Better antitumor effect of HO-221 by oral administration was observed when it was suspended in larger volume of the vehicle. Moreover, the effect increased by the multiple intermittent administration compared to the single treatment. Best antitumor effect was observed by oral administration of 75 mg/kg (0.1 ml/10 g mouse body weight) repeated twice weekly for a total of eight times or 300 mg/kg (0.2 ml/10 g mouse body weight) repeated once weekly for a total of four times. The antitumor effects of these two regimens were approximately equal except against H-31, the former regimen being more effective. When the tumor growth inhibition rate (IR) over 58% was rated as "effective", the above two regimens were equally effective against 4 of 7 cancers, H-111, H-154, H-143 and H-31. While HO-221 was not effective to a gastric cancer line, H-81, which was most susceptible to the variety of existing anticancer agents, but effective to another gastric cancer line, H-111, which was relatively resistant to conventional cytocidal agents. From the aspect of chemosensitivity spectrum, this drug revealed a rather different pattern compared to other antimetabolites. Although oral administration volume is limited in small animal model, enhancing its antitumor effect may be possible in clinical application by contriving the method of administration. HO-221 is, thus, considered to be a promising drug for further study.     

Hand-arm vibration syndrome and its prevalence in the present status of private forestry enterprises in Japan

Summary Currently there are no limitations on age of employment on private forestries in Japan. Hence, it was hypothesized that in these kind of enterprises, elderly chain saw operators, or those with long-term exposure, might be at higher risk of developing hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS). We consequently investigated the prevalence of HAVS in 447 chain saw workers on private forestries in Gifu Prefecture, Japan, with particular reference to age and exposure period. Of this population, 43 (9.6%) had signs and symptoms of vibration-induced white finger (VWF), and among these workers the severity of finger blanching was significantly correlated (P < 0.01) with the exposure period. Classification of all subjects by exposure period showed that workers with 30 years' exposure had higher prevalences of VWF (20.9%) and numbness of the hands (25.4%) compared to other groups. Significant differences (P < 0.01) were found between the functional capacities of workers with VWF and those of control subjects. We concluded that (a) the elderly chain saw operators and those with longer exposure should be moved to other jobs with a lower or no risk of exposure to vibration, and (b) the results of screening tests, even without cold water immersion (which we did not employ, in order to protect workers' hands), could be helpful for the identification of workers with VWF.     

Effect of retinoids on the induction of colon cancer in F344 rats by N-methyl-N-nitrosourea or by 1,2-dimethyihydrazine

The possible modifying effect of synthetic and natural retinoidson the incidence of colon cancer in rats induced by 2 intrarectaldoses of 2.5 mg of N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (MNU) given once aweek for 2 successive weeks or a single 150 mg/kg body weightdose of 1,2-dime-thylhydrazine (DMH), s.c. was investigated.Emphasis was on the effect of the development of early tumorsas visualized by endoscopy. With the retinoids N-ethyl-retinamide,N-2-hydroxyethylretinamide, N-(4-hydro- xyphenyl)-all-trans-retinamide(RAHA), and retinyl acetate (RA) administered orally after thecarcinogens, significant differences in early developing tumorswere not found. At histopathological examination of the tumorsthe RAHA + DMH group had significantly fewer adenomas per animal.The percentage of adenoma bearing rats was significantly lowerin groups receiving RAHA + DMH or RA + DMH. However, food consumptionwas lower in rats consuming either RAHA or RA. Retinyl palmitate(RP) and RAHA was administered intrarectally to MNU-inducedrats either before or after the carcinogen. When administeredbefore MNU, RP caused a significant increase in the percentageof tumor bearing animals and the average number of tumors peranimal as visualized endos copically. At histopathological examination,all retinoid groups except RAHA given after the carcinogen,produced significantly more adenomas per animal and a significantlygreater adenoma incidence than did the control groups. Thus,in two systems, the oral administration of retinoids did notclearly inhibit the early or later stages of colon tumor development.Inirarectal infusion of two retinoids had no effect on colonicmor phology but at histopathological examination of later stagetumors there was an enhanced adenoma response.     

Precancerous lesions of the stomach

The etiology of stomach cancer in relation to preexisting mucosal alterations is described and discussed from a review of the literature and our own previously reported experience. The incidence of cancerization or malignant change of gastric polyp, chronic gastric ulcer, and chronic gastritis varies considerably from researcher to researcher. Clinical follow-up studies in many cases of gastric polyp and chronic ulcer discovered in the mass survey examination of the stomach revealed incidences of malignant degeneration of 2.3% of the gastric polyp cases and 2.06% of the gastric ulcer cases.

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Résumé Les relations entre altérations préexistantes de la muqueuse et étiologie du cancer gastrique sont décrites et discutées, avec revue de la littérature et de notre expérience personnelle. La fréquence des cancérisations ou des dégénérescences malignes des polypes gastriques, de l'ulcère gastrique chronique et de la gastrite chronique est éminemment variable d'une étude à l'autre. Les follow-up de populations soumises à des examens systématiques de dépistage indiquent que la fréquence des dégénérescences malignes est de 2.3% pour les polypes gastriques et de 2.06% pour l'ulcère gastrique.

     

Prognostic impact of hypoxia-inducible factors 1alpha and 2alpha in colorectal cancer patients: correlation with tumor angiogenesis and cyclooxygenase-2 expression.

PURPOSE: Angiogenesis plays an important role in a multitude of biological processes including those of tumorigenesis and cancer progression. Hypoxia is the prime driving factor for tumor angiogenesis and the family of hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs) plays a pivotal role in this process. The role of HIF in tumor angiogenesis has been underscored in different carcinomas but yet to be reported for colorectal carcinomas. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: In this study, we examined HIF [HIF-1alpha (HIF1) and HIF-2alpha (HIF2)] expression in 87 curatively resected colorectal carcinoma samples, and the results were correlated with clinicopathological factors, microvessel density, cyclooxygenase 2 expression, and patient prognosis. RESULTS: HIF1 (44.8%) was more frequently expressed than HIF2 (29.9%). Most of the clinicopathological factors representing the tumor aggressiveness were significantly correlated with overexpression of HIF2 but not with HIF1 expression. HIF2 expression had direct correlation with microvessel density and cyclooxygenase 2 expression. and, in contrast, HIF1 expression had a weak but significant inverse correlation in T1 and T2 tumors only. HIF2 expression alone and the combined expression of HIF1 and HIF2 had significant impact on patient survival. In the multivariate analysis, however, only the combined expression of HIF1 and HIF2 remained independently significant. CONCLUSIONS: Taken together, our results suggest that HIF2 expression may play an important role in angiogenesis and that the combined expression of HIF1 and HIF2 may play an important role in tumor progression and prognosis of colorectal carcinomas. Therefore, HIF expression could be a useful target for therapeutic intervention.     

Use of tactile stiffness to detect fatigue in the latissimus dorsi muscle

In clinical settings, no method has been established to examine the fatigue of a latissimus dorsi muscle (LDM) preconditioned for cardiomyoplasty. We examined the feasibility of measuring muscle stiffness (tactile stiffness) to evaluate muscle fatigue in situ using our tactile sensor. We stimulated canine LDM with burst pacing and monitored both stiffness and tension to determine their relationship. In both dissected LDM and LDM in situ, the decrements of these parameters during burst pacing were compared between preconditioned and unconditioned LDM. In measurement in situ, the sensor probe was placed on the LDM through a small incision. Strong statistical correlation was shown between stiffness and tension (r = 0.935). In decrements of stiffness in situ, there were statistically significant differences between preconditioned and unconditioned LDM. Our tactile sensor system can provide an efficient method for evaluating fatigue of muscles in situ without measuring muscle tension.     

A 5 year follow-up study on the relationship between changes in serum lipids and blood pressure, and changes in exercise habits in subjects 30 years of age

A 5 year follow-up study was conducted to investigate the relationships between %changes in serum lipids and blood pressure and corresponding changes in exercise habits in the middle-aged. The subjects were 152 males and 169 females who received a health check-up at 30-years-old during the period between 1990-1992 and then at 35-years-old during the period between 1995-1997. The results are as follows: 1. In multiple regression analysis, % delta toriglyceroid (TG) and % delta AI(atherogenic index) ratio were associated significantly with changes in exercise habits in males (P < 0.05) and % delta high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLC) was associated with changes in exercise habits in females (P < 0.05). % delta TG and % delta HDLC were affected by changes in exercise habits adjusted for BMI, smoking, and drinking. But changes in TC and blood pressure were not affected by changes in exercise habits. 2. In males, % delta TG was significantly lower in those subjects who started their exercise habit than in the no exercise group and than in those within the ceased exercise group who ceased their exercise during the study period (P < 0.05). % delta AI was significantly lower in the started exercise group than in the no exercise group. Also, the continued exercise group had a significantly (P < 0.05) lower % delta AI as compared to the ceased exercise group. In females, % delta TG was significantly lower in the started exercise group than in the no exercise group (P < 0.05). % delta HDLC was higher significantly in the continued exercise group than in the ceased exercise group (P < 0.05). From the results obtained, it is recommended that the no exercise subjects should have exercise more than once time per week and those with more than 1 time per week maintain their exercise habits.