Sodium and potassium levels in colostrum.

The sodium and potassium concentrations of serum, urine and breast milk from 40 healthy, lactating mothers aged 18 to 35 years were measured. Nineteen women were primiparous and 26 were delivered prematurely for various reasons. No correlation was found between colostrum and urine sodium and potassium levels, and colostrum and serum potassium levels, however, there was a correlation found between colostrum and serum sodium levels (r: 0.311, p less than 0.05).     

Microvessel count, proliferating cell nuclear antigen and Ki-67 indices in gastric adenocarcinoma

The aim of the present study was to immunohistochemically investigate the prognostic value of neovascularization (expressed as microvessel count-MVC) and tumor cell proliferation (expressed as PCNA labeling index PLI and Ki-67 labeling index KLI) in gastric adenocarcinoma. Correlations with clinicopathologic features were also evaluated. Tumor specimens from 74 patients diagnosed as gastric adenocarcinoma were included in this study. Formalin fixed, paraffin embedded tissue sections stained immunohistochemically with F-VIII, PC10 and MIB-1 monoclonal antibodies. By ocular grid subdivided into 100 areas, number of microvessels and PC10, MIB-1 positive and negative cells were counted at x400 magnification. Chi-square test, Kaplan-Meier method and cox regression analysis were used for statistical analysis. The results showed that, MVC and PLI had a significant correlation with invasion and lymph node metastasis. The prognosis was significantly worse in patients with high MVC (>14 ) and with high PLI (>49%). However any relationship was not observed between KLI (38%) and clinicopathologic parameters, so KLI failed to predict the prognosis. Cox model showed that, MVC and PLI were independent prognostic variables. Ki-67 labeling index in gastric carcinomas has no prognostic relevance. However, the evaluation of microvessel count and proliferating cell nuclear antigen index in gastric carcinomas could be reliable indicators of prognosis.     

Plasma carnitine levels in preterm infants with respiratory distress syndrome

BACKGROUND: Antenatal carnitine administration has been shown to induce fetal lung maturity by increasing pulmonary surfactant in animal and human studies. In this study, the aim was to investigate the status of carnitine in maternal and neonatal plasma of preterm infants with respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) in the first hours of life. METHODS: Maternal plasma carnitine levels were determined before delivery and neonatal plasma carnitine levels were determined within 2 h of birth in preterm infants (< 34 weeks gestational age) who developed RDS in the first 6 h of life and in the control group. RESULTS: The mean neonatal plasma free carnitine level was significantly lower in preterm infants with RDS than in the control group (28.3 +/- 8.8 micromol/L and 36.9 +/- 18.4 micromol/L, respectively; P < 0.05) while the mean maternal plasma-free carnitine levels were similar in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: Low neonatal plasma carnitine levels in preterm infants with RDS may be due to decreased maternal-fetal transfer of carnitine or to increased consumption of carnitine in fetal lung tissue for surfactant synthesis. This could be a contributing factor in the pathogenesis of respiratory distress syndrome in preterm infants.     

Barrier function of intact and impaired skin: percutaneous penetration of caffeine and salicylic acid

Background Normally, percutaneous absorption tests are carried out using skin biopsies for an apparent and acceptable physiological condition. However, under different pathological conditions, the stratum corneum (SC) barrier function is impaired. Methods The barrier function of the SC was assessed by correlation between the number of repeated applications of tape strips on the skin and its transepidermal water loss (TEWL), as well as by in vitro percutaneous absorption studies of different compounds, using Franz diffusion cells and porcine skin previously stripped. Results A progressive diminution of the skin barrier function has been detected by TEWL both in vitro and in vivo as the number of skin tape strips increases. On the other hand, the percutaneous absorption of the compounds tested increases in a different way as the number of strips increases. Salicylic acid increases linearly depending on the barrier disturbance. However, percutaneous absorption of caffeine exponentially increased with barrier disturbance. Our results indicate that the barrier impairment of skin always increases the penetration behavior of a given compound; however, the hydrophilic–lipophilic balance of the compounds or formulations used could greatly modify its penetration profile, especially when a modified skin is used. Conclusions This in vitro protocol may be useful to simulate the percutaneous absorption profile of some drugs applied onto skin with an impaired SC barrier function and could be used to avoid, to some extent, the use of in vivo experimental animal models in the dermopharmaceutical field.     

The prognostic relevance of angiogenesis and mast cells in squamous cell carcinoma of the oesophagus

AIMS: Angiogenesis, an important prognostic factor in several tumours, is a complex event mediated by angiogenic factors released from cancer cells and host immune cells. Among the host immune cells, a role has been implicated for mast cells in tumour progression via promoting angiogenesis. Data have been recorded that indicate a correlation between intratumoral neovascularisation, as assessed by microvessel density (MVD), and prognosis in squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the oesophagus. However, a correlation between mast cell density (MCD) and either prognosis or angiogenesis has not been delineated yet in this disease. The aim of this study was to investigate the prognostic value of MVD and MCD in SCC of the oesophagus. The correlation between MVD and MCD was also evaluated. METHODS: MVD and MCD were investigated in tumour specimens from 53 patients diagnosed with SCC of the oesophagus. Intratumoral microvessels were stained with anti-CD34 antibody and mast cells with toluidine blue before being measured by light microscopy. RESULTS: Both MVD and MCD were associated with the depth of wall invasion, lymph node metastasis, and tumour progression (stage). A significant correlation was noted between MVD and MCD values (r = 0.72). The prognosis was significantly worse in patients with high MVD (> or = 92) and high MCD (> or = 18) values. Multivariate analysis indicated that MVD and stage were independent predictors of survival. CONCLUSIONS: These findings support the suggestion that MVD is a reliable prognostic marker in SCC of the oesophagus. Moreover, MCD may have a role in the angiogenesis of these tumours and might be responsible for their aggressive behaviour.     

Germline hMSH2and hMLH1 gene mutations in incomplete HNPCC families

Hereditary non-polyposis colon cancer (HNPCC) is a common hereditary disease characterized by a predisposition to an early onset of colorectal cancer. The majority of the HNPCC families carry germline mutations of either hMSH2 or hMLH1 genes, whereas germline mutations of hPMS1 and hPMS2 genes have rarely been observed. Almost all of the germline mutations reported so far concern typical HNPCC families. However, there are families that display aggregations of colon cancer even though they do not fulfil all HNPCC criteria (incomplete HNPCC families) as well as sporadic cases of early onset colon cancers that could be related to germline mutations of these genes. Therefore, we screened germline mutations of hMSH2 and hMLH1 genes in 3 groups of patients from France and Turkey: typical HNPCC (n = 3), incomplete HNPCC (n = 9) and young patients without apparent familial history (n = 7). By in vitro synthesis of protein assay, heteroduplex analysis and direct genomic sequencing, we identified 1 family with hMSH2 mutation and 5 families with hMLH1 mutations. Two of the 3 HNPCC families (66%) displayed hMLH1 germline mutations. Interestingly, 4 of 9 families with incomplete HNPCC (44%) also displayed mutations of hMSH2 or hMLH1 genes. In contrast, no germline mutation of these genes was found in 7 young patients. Our results show that germline mutations of hMSH2 and hMLH1 genes contribute to a significant fraction of familial predisposition to colon cancer cases that do not fulfil all diagnostic criteria of HNPCC. Int. J. Cancer 73:831–836, 1997. © 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Effects of idiopathic erythrocytosis on the left ventricular diastolic functions and the spectrum of genetic mutations: A case control study

Background:We have aimed at exposing left ventricular diastolic functions and the presence of known genetic mutations for familial erythrocytosis, in patients who exhibit idiopathic erythrocytosis.Methods:Sixty-four patients with idiopathic erythrocytosis (mean age, 46.4 ± 2.7 years) and 30 age-matched healthy subjects were prospectively evaluated. The regions of interest of the erythropoietin receptor, hemoglobin beta-globin, von Hippel-Lindau, hypoxia-inducible factor 2 alpha, and Egl-9 family hypoxia-inducible factor genes were amplified by PCR. Left ventricular (LV) mass was measured by M-mode and 2-dimensional echocardiography. LV diastolic functions were assessed by conventional echocardiography and tissue Doppler imaging.Results:As a result of genetic analyses, genetic mutations for familial erythrocytosis were detected in 5 patients. It has been observed in our study that the risk of cardiovascular disorders is higher in patients. Interventricular septum thickness, left atrial diameter, and some diastolic function parameters such as deceleration time and isovolumetric relaxation time have been found to be significantly higher in idiopathic erythrocytosis group than in the controls.Conclusion:This study has shown that LV diastolic functions were impaired in patients with idiopathic erythrocytosis. In this patient group with increased risk of cardiovascular disorders, the frequent genetic mutations have been detected in 5 patients only. Therefore, further clinical investigations are needed as novel genetic mutations may be discovered in patients with idiopathic erythrocytosis because of cardiovascular risk.