Maternal Quercetin Consumption during Pregnancy May Help Regulate Total Cholesterol/HDL-Cholesterol Ratio without Effect on Cholesterol Levels in Male Progeny Consuming High-Fat Diet

Quercetin has been shown to have anti-obesity effects, but it is unknown whether these effects can be transmitted from mothers to their progeny. In this study, we investigated whether maternal quercetin consumption during pregnancy has a protective effect on high-fat diet–induced hyper lipid levels and overweight in progeny. Female mice consumed a control diet or a diet containing 1.0% quercetin during breeding. The male progeny were then divided into four groups that were (1) sacrificed at postnatal day 3; (2) born to dams fed the control diet and also fed the control diet (C-C), (3) born to dams fed the control diet and then fed a 30% high-fat diet (C-HF), or (4) born to dams fed the Q-diet and then fed the HF diet (Q-HF). Maternal consumption of quercetin did not affect body weight or blood lipid parameters in either dams or neonates at postnatal day 3. After 13 weeks, the Q-HF group exhibited greater body and liver weights, and higher blood cholesterol levels than the C-HF group. However, the total cholesterol/ high density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol ratios in the Q-HF and C-C groups remained similar. In conclusion, maternal quercetin consumption does not appear to protect the next generation from high-fat diet–induced hyper cholesterol level in the blood and liver, and consequently overweight, but may help regulate the total cholesterol/HDL-cholesterol ratio.     

Diagnostic impact of monitoring transcranial motor-evoked potentials to prevent ischemic complications during endovascular treatment for intracranial aneurysms

Neurosurgical Review - The present study aimed to determine the incidence of intraprocedural motor-evoked potential (MEP) changes and to correlate them with intraprocedural ischemic complications...     

Lessons learned from lower urinary tract complications of anorectoplasty for imperforate anus with rectourethral/rectovesical fistula: Laparoscopy-assisted versus posterior sagittal approaches

PurposeTo report the sequelae of and preventive strategies for selected lower urinary tract (LUT) complications, i.e., posterior urethral diverticulum (PUD), intraoperative LUT injuries, postoperative dysuria, and fistula recurrence in male imperforate anus (IA) with rectourethral/rectovesical (RU/RV) fistula after laparoscopy-assisted anorectoplasty (LAARP) or posterior sagittal anorectoplasty (PSARP).Methods153 boys with IA and RU/RV fistula treated 1986–2019 by LAARP (n = 56) or PSARP (n = 97) at two unrelated institutes were studied retrospectively.ResultsAfter mean follow-up of 17.0 years (range: 36.5 days-32.0 years), the overall incidences of LUT complications were: LAARP (6/56; 10.7%); PSARP (7/97; 7.2%); p = 0.55, comprising PUD: LAARP (n = 5), PSARP (n = 0); p = 0.006; injuries: LAARP (n = 0), PSARP (n = 5); p = 0.16; dysuria: LAARP (n = 1), PSARP (n = 1); p>0.999; and recurrence: LAARP (n = 0), PSARP (n = 1); p>0.999. Mean onset of PUD was 5.1 years (range: 1.0–15.1 years). Treatment: PUD: surgery (n = 2/5), conservative (n = 3/5); injuries: intraoperative repair (n = 5/5); dysuria: conservative (n = 2/2), and recurrence: redo PSARP (n = 1/1).ConclusionsStrategies devised to improve dissection accuracy resolved the specific technical issues causing LUT complications (remnant RU fistula dissection in LAARP and blind posterior access in PSARP). Currently, the incidence of new cases of PUD and LUT injuries is zero.Level of Evidence: Level III     

Osteosarcoma occurring in osteogenesis imperfecta

We describe a case history of a 24-year-old male with osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) who developed osteosarcoma of the left thigh. High-dose ifosfamide therapy caused marked tumor regression of multiple lung metastases. Immunohistochemically, the tumor cells were diffusely positive for the p53 protein. Mutation of the p53 gene was not detected by direct genomic sequencing of exons 4–8. The radiographic characteristics, including irregularly distributed osteolytic lesions and cortical discontinuity, should not be confused with hyperplastic callus formation, a benign process. A biopsy is critical to establish the differential diagnosis between osteosarcoma and common hyperplastic callus formation in OI; however, it must be applied with great care.     

Risk factors for hepatocellular carcinoma at baseline and 1 year after initiation of nucleos(t)ide analog therapy for chronic hepatitis B

Nucleos(t)ide analogs (NAs) cannot completely suppress the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB). This study aimed to identify the risk factors for HCC development in naïve CHB patients treated with current NA. Patients receiving NA (n = 905) were recruited retrospectively from the 17 hospitals of the Japanese Red Cross Liver Study Group. All treatment-naïve patients had been receiving current NA continuously for more than 1 year until the end of the follow-up. We analyzed the accuracy of predictive risk score using the area under receiver operating characteristic curve. The albumin–bilirubin (ALBI) score was significantly improved by NA therapy (−0.171 ± 0.396; p < 0.001 at Week 48). A total of 72 (8.0%) patients developed HCC over a median follow-up of 6.2 (1.03–15.7) years. An independent predictive factor of HCC development was older age, cirrhosis, lower platelet counts at baseline and ALBI score, and alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) at 1 year after NA therapy according to multivariate analysis. The accuracy was assessed using the PAGE-B, mPAGE-B, aMAP, APA-B, and REAL-B scores that included these factors. Discrimination was generally acceptable for these models. aMAP and REAL-B demonstrated high discrimination with 0.866/0.862 and 0.833/0.859 for 3- and 5-year prediction from the status of 1 year after NA therapy, respectively. Baseline age and platelet count, as well as ALBI and AFP one year after NA, were useful for stratifying carcinogenesis risk. The aMAP and REAL-B scores were validated with high accuracy in Japanese CHB patients.     

Major organ function under mechanical support: comparative studies of pulsatile and nonpulsatile circulation

We examined a major organ function during 3 h biventricular assisted circulation after acute myocardial infarction model in the pig. In left ventricular circulation, the outflow cannula was placed in the ascending aorta and an inflow cannula through the mitral valve in the left ventricle. A pump (pulsatile group, Zeon Medical, Inc., Tokyo, Japan and nonpulsatile group, Nikkiso HPM-15, Nikkiso, Inc., Tokyo, Japan) was connected to each cannula. In right ventricular circulation, the outflow cannula was placed in the pulmonary artery and an inflow cannula in the right ventricle. The right ventricular circulation was supported by a nonpulsatile pump (Nikkiso HPM-15). The items measured were the regional blood flows of the cortex and medulla in the kidney, white matter and gray mater in brain, and liver; renal arterial flow; carotid arterial flow; portal vein flow; common hepatic arterial flow; arterial ketone body ratio (AKBR); and lactate/pyrubic acid (L/P). In the pulsatile group, the renal cortical blood flow increased, and the medulla blood flow decreased. On the other hand, in the nonpulsatile group, both regional blood flows decreased. That means that in the pulsatile assisted group intrarenal redistribution improved rather than in the nonpulsatile assisted group. In addition the liver regional blood flow, AKBR, and L/P showed significant differences between the pulsatile and nonpulsatile groups. On the other hand, the white matter and gray matter regional blood flows and carotid arterial flow did not show significant differences between the groups. The results of our study indicated that pulsatile circulation produced superior circulation in the kidney and liver, and microcirculation on the cell level was superior as well in early treatment of acute heart failure.     

Suramin inhibits DNA damage in human prostate cancer cells treated with topoisomerase inhibitors in vitro

Suramin, a highly sulfonated drug, has been reported to be effective against several human malignancies in vitro and in vivo, and currently is undergoing clinical trials against prostate tumors. The biochemical and molecular mechanisms for suramin's antiproliferative activity are not clear. In order to define the biochemical basis for its antitumor activity and to enhance suramin's chemotherapeutic potential while decreasing its toxicity, we have examined interactions of suramin with topoisomerase I and 11 and several clinically active anticancer drugs against the human prostate (PC3 and LNCaP) cancer cell line. While etoposide, m-AMSA, camptothecin, and SN-38 (the active metabolite of CPT-11) were active in killing prostate cells as single agents, combinations of suramin and these agents were antagonistic against these cells. We found that suramin inhibited activities of purified topoisomerase I and II in vitro as measured by relaxation and cleavage assays. Further studies indicated that suramin also inhibited the drug-induced DNA damage in vitro and in isolated nuclei. These findings indicate that combinations of suramin with topoisomerase inhibitors, for example, VP-16, m-AMSA, or CPT, may not be beneficial to patients receiving suramin-containing chemotherapy. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

1 This article is a US Government work and, as such, is in the public domain in the United States of America

.