Dietary Olive Oil Intake Improves Running Endurance with Intramuscular Triacylglycerol Accumulation in Mice

Olive oil is a functional food shown to have a variety of bioactive effects. Therefore, we expect it to be a novel functional food with an exercise-mimetic effect on skeletal muscles. This study aimed to investigate the effect of olive oil on the endurance capacity and muscle metabolism in mice. Mice fed a 7% (w/w) olive oil diet for eight weeks showed improved treadmill running endurance and increased intramuscular triacylglycerol (IMTG) accumulation in the gastrocnemius muscle compared to soybean oil diet-fed controls. The increase in running endurance with olive oil intake was independent of the muscle fiber type. To elucidate underlying the mechanism of elevated IMTG levels, we examined the expression levels of the genes related to lipid metabolism. We found that the expression of diacylglycerol O-acyltransferase1 (DGAT1) was significantly upregulated in the muscle of olive oil diet-fed mice. In addition, the olive oil diet-fed mice showed no metabolic impairment or differences in growth profiles compared to the controls. These results suggest that dietary olive oil intake affects muscle metabolism and muscle endurance by increasing energy accumulation.     

Can random bladder biopsies be eliminated after bacillus Calmette–Guérin therapy against carcinoma in situ?

Purpose

Intravesical bacillus Calmette–Guérin (BCG) is the standard of care for bladder carcinoma in situ (CIS). The response to BCG therapy against CIS is generally assessed by random bladder biopsy (RBB). In this study, we examined the necessity of routine RBB after BCG therapy.

Methods

We retrospectively identified 102 patients who were initially diagnosed with CIS with or without papillary tumor and received subsequent 6–8-week BCG therapy. Thereafter, all patients underwent voiding cytology analysis, cystoscopy, and RBB to evaluate the effects of BCG therapy. We evaluated the association between clinical parameters (voiding cytology and cystoscopy findings) and the final pathological results by RBB specimens.

Results

According to the pathological results of RBB, 30 (29%) patients had BCG-unresponsive disease (remaining urothelial carcinoma was confirmed pathologically) and 20 were diagnosed with CIS. Positive/suspicious voiding cytology and positive cystoscopy findings were well observed in patients who had BCG-unresponsive disease compared with their counterparts (p?=?0.116, and p?<?0.001, respectively). The sensitivity (Sen.), specificity (Spe.), positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) of voiding cytology were 50%, 68%, 39%, and 77%, respectively. The values for cystoscopy findings were as follows: Sen.: 87%, Spe.: 57%, PPV: 46%, and NPV: 91%. The values for their combination (having either of them) were as follows: Sen.: 100%, Spe.: 44%, PPV: 43%, and NPV: 100%.

Conclusion

RBB after BCG therapy for patients with negative voiding cytology and negative cystoscopy may be omitted because their risk of BCG-unresponsive disease is significantly low (NPV: 100%).

     

Knee Flexion Angle Following Total Knee Arthroplasty Relates to a Preoperative Range of Motion of the Hip

BackgroundMany factors have been reported to affect postoperative range of knee flexion after total knee arthroplasty (TKA); however, no study has reported the impact of preoperative range of motion of the hip to the postoperative flexion angle of the knee thus far.MethodsOf 38 consecutive patients who underwent posterior-stabilized TKA, we assessed 21 patients after excluding 17 patients who met exclusion criteria. The range of motion of the knee and the hip, age, body-mass index, serum albumin level, HbA1c, Kellgren–Lawrence grade, knee extension strength and radiological femorotibial angle as well as postoperative knee flexion angle at three months were evaluated. The preoperative data and the knee flexion angle at three months after TKA were compared using Spearman''s rank correlation coefficient.ResultsKnee flexion angle at three months after TKA was positively correlated with preoperative flexion (ρ = 0.616, p = 0.007) and external rotation angle (ρ = 0.576, p = 0.012) of the hip as well as preoperative knee flexion angle (ρ = 0.797, p = 0.001). There were no correlations between postoperative knee flexion angle and other preoperative data.ConclusionsPatients with restricted flexion and/or external rotation of the hip may have contractures of Gluteus maximus, Gluteus medius and Tensor fasciae latae, which can cause hypertension of iliotibial tract. It may cause decreased internal rotation of the tibia when the knee is flexed, which affects postoperative knee flexion angle, thus limited flexion and/or external rotation of the hip might restrict knee flexion angle following TKA.     

Isolated avulsion fracture of the lesser tuberosity of the humerus: A case report

Isolated avulsion fractures of the lesser tuberosity are extremely rare. A 24-year-old woman fell on her back as her arm was forcibly extended and adducted. Radiographs revealed a small fragment of bone beneath the glenoid. Axillary radiography showed the bone fragment and a bone defect of the lesser tuberosity. Computed tomography scan clearly demonstrated those findings. Surgery was performed 3 weeks after the occurrence of the injury. The bone fragment was reduced and fixed by means of two screws. After 3 weeks, light exercise was started. At follow-up 7 months later she had no complaints. Most reported cases involved sudden contraction of the subscapularis tendon. This type of fracture is sometimes misdiagnosed; computed tomography scan is useful for diagnosis. Previously reported cases have similarly demonstrated a good outcome after surgery, except in cases involving children.     

Early surgery in elderly patients with ruptured intracranial aneurysms--preoperative clinical evaluation and prognosis.

Numerous clinical classification systems have been developed for patients with ruptured intracranial aneurysms. However, most systems do not take age into account and are less reliable in elderly than in younger patients in terms of indications for early surgery and predicting the clinical outcome. The authors have studied this problem using our clinical classification system and, present here the results of 38 elderly patients (greater than or equal to 65 years of age) who underwent neck clipping and implementation of continuous ventricular drainage within 3 days of aneurysm rupture. The clinical outcome at 1 year after onset was considered "good" if the patient was able to function independently and "poor" if he or she was partially or fully dependent or had died. The preoperative level of consciousness was not significantly correlated with the outcome according to Spearman's nonparametric statistical analysis. Age, however, was a significant factor: the incidence of poor outcome was significantly higher in patients over age of 70 years than in those between 65 and 70 (p less than 0.05). Postoperative complications, which were previously found to be significantly related to the outcome in elderly patients, were significantly more common in patients who had a history of cardiac, pulmonary, hepatic, and/or renal disease than in those without such a history (p less than 0.005). The authors found that the prognostic accuracy of clinical classification systems, based on preoperative level of consciousness, is improved in geriatric cases if one point is added for patients over age of 70 years or those with a history of systemic diseases. Additional relevant factors included computed tomographic findings and pre-existing cerebral dysfunction.     

Radioimaging of human glioma xenografts with 123I labeled monoclonal antibody G-22 against glioma-associated antigen

Summary Monoclonal antibody (MCA) G-22 is directed against a human glioma-associated surface antigen. Its availability for the radioimmunodetection of human glioma was analyzed by utilizing the xenografts in athymic mice. Nude mice with subcutaneous grafts of U251-MG or U251-SP glioma received intravenous administration of ¹²³I or ¹³¹I labeled F(ab)2 fragment or whole immunoglobulin. Results of radioimaging revealed that ¹²³I-labeled antibody was better than the ¹³¹I-labeled. It was also noted that administration of ¹²³I-labeled F(ab)2 fragment of G-22 MCA enabled the imaging of human glioma xenografts weighing 80–650 mg after 48 hours. When biodistribution of ¹²³I MCA was compared between G-22 and control antibodies, the percentages of dose/g in tumors were 5.228–1.799 at 30 hours and 4.112–1.132 at 48 hours with G-22 and they were 4.164–1.248 and 0.314–0.142 with control. The tumor/blood ratio until 72 hours after injection was constantly above 1 with G-22 and less than 1 with control antibody. These results indicate the potential usefulness of G-22 MCA for the radioimmunodetection of human gliomas.     

Inhibition of neovascularization in vivo by gold compounds

As mononuclear cell infiltration and growth of pannus critically depend on synovial neovascularization in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), inhibition of the synovial blood vessels would have the potential to reduce rheumatoid inflammation. In this investigation, we studied the effect of gold sodium thiomalate (GST) and auranofin (AUR) on neovascularization in vivo by using a micropocket technique. Both GST and AUR suppressed rabbit corneal neovascularization in a dose-dependent fashion. Significant inhibition was observed by 3 mg/kg GST and 1 mg/kg AUR injected intravenously every other day. These injections maintained serum gold concentrations at the level of 2–5 g/ml and less than 2 g/ml in GST-and AUR-injected rabbits, respectively. These are concentrations attained in the serum or synovium of rheumatoid patients treated by gold compounds. Similar inhibition was observed by both intramuscular administration of GST and oral administration of AUR. In contrast, no inhibition was observed when non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs; 20 mg/kg acetylsalicylic acid, 10 mg/kg ibuprofen and 10 mg/kg indomethacin) were injected intravenously on a daily basis. These results suggested that gold compounds have an antiangiogenic effect in vivo. The inhibition of neovascularization by gold compounds suggested that they may suppress rheumatoid synovitis by reducing the number of small blood vessels required for mononuclear cell infiltration and synovial tissue proliferation.     

Establishment of 2 human thyroid-carcinoma cell-lines (8305c, 8505c) bearing p53 gene-mutations

New cell lines, designated 8305C and 8505C, were established from undifferentiated thyroid carcinomas of a 67 year-old-female patient and a 78-year-old-female patient, respectively. Pathologically both these primary undifferentiated carcinoma tissues contained residual well differentiated components, suggesting well differentiated to undifferentiated carcinoma progression. Cell kinetic analysis indicate that the cell population doubling time is 43 h for 8305C and 36 h for 8505C. The saturation density at confluency is 5.7 x 10(4) cells/cm2 for 8305C and 1.1 x 10(5) cells/cm2 for 8505C. To identify genetic changes that may have occurred in these two cell lines, tumor suppressor genes p53, Rb, APC and MCC were analyzed. Sequence analysis confirmed a C:G to T:A transition at the first base of p53 gene codon 273 in 8305C and a C:G to G:C transversion at the first base of p53 codon 248 in 8505C. Polymerase chain reaction-loss of heterozygosity assays confirmed allelic deletion of p53 gene from the 8505C cell line. Loss of heterozygosity of other tumor suppressor genes were not observed. Given that p53 mutations associate with undifferentiated carcinoma but not with well differentiated carcinoma during multistep carcinogenesis of the thyroid, these cell lines should prove useful for research into the role of p53 gene mutations in malignant transformation.