Postoperative development of sarcopenia is a strong predictor of a poor prognosis in patients with adenocarcinoma of the esophagogastric junction and upper gastric cancer

Background

There were few studies assessed the postoperative sarcopenia in patients with cancers. The objective of present study was to assess whether postoperative development of sarcopenia could predict a poor prognosis in patients with adenocarcinoma of esophagogastric junction, (AEG) and upper gastric cancer (UGC).

Hemodynamic effects of KRN2391 (potassium channel opener) in halothane-anesthetized dogs

The cardiovascular responses to an infusion of KRN2391, a potassium channel opener, was studied in halothane-anesthetized dogs. Intravenous administration of KRN2391 at 1.0 and 5.0 μg·kg⁻¹·min⁻¹ for 60 min produced dose-dependent decreases in mean arterial pressure (MAP) and systemic vascular resistance (SVR) associated with dose-dependent increases in the cardiac index (CI) and stroke volume index (SVI) but was not accompanied by an increase in heart rate (HR). The maximum decrease in MAP during the infusion of KRN2391 at 1.0 and 5.0 μg·kg⁻¹·min⁻¹ was −13±7% (P<0.01) and −37±10% (P<0.01), respectively. The maximum reduction in SVR after 1.0 and 5.0 μg·kg⁻¹·min⁻¹ was −20±11% (P<0.01) and −60±16% (P<0.01), respectively. A KRN2391 infusion of 1.0 and 5.0 μg·kg⁻¹·min⁻¹ increased Cl a maximum of 11±13% (P<0.05) and 65±33% (P<0.01), respectively. KRN2391 1.0 μg·kg⁻¹·min⁻¹ showed a tendency to increase SVI but this change was not significant, KRN2391 5.0 μg·kg⁻¹·min⁻¹, however, produced a significant increase in SVI. The present results demonstrate that the decrease in MAP and the increases in CI and SVI caused by KRN2391 are due to a reduction in the afterload. Therefore, we conclude that these cardiovascular profiles of KRN2391 may be benificial in perioperative uses including the control of systemic blood pressure and the treatment of hypertension during halothane anesthesia in clinical practice.     

Binding profile of SM-9018, a novel antipsychotic candidate

The present study employed various receptor-binding assays to clarify the biochemical characteristics of SM-9018. SM-9018 possessed very high affinity for 5-HT2, D2 and 5-HT1A receptors (Ki = 0.61, 1.4 and 2.9 nM, respectively), and it had moderate affinity for alpha 1 and D1 receptors (Ki = 17 and 41 nM, respectively). However, SM-9018 had only negligible affinity for alpha 2, opiate, glutamate, phencyclidine, benzodiazepine and GABAA receptors. These results suggest that SM-9018 may be a novel antipsychotic agent with binding affinity for 5-HT2 and 5-HT1A receptors.     

Gliomatosis cerebri with good prognosis

A 52-year-old man was admitted to our clinic with severe headache and bilateral papilledema. Magnetic resonance (MR) images on admission demonstrated diffuse swelling of the cerebral cortex without formation of a tumor mass. Biopsy revealed diffuse infiltration with neoplastic glial cells. After radiation and chemotherapy, the MR images returned to normal. The morphological and neurological features of the present case met the criteria for gliomatosis cerebri. However, this patient showed an unusually good response to radiation and chemotherapy.     

Ascorbic acid prevents ischemia-reperfusion injury in the rat small intestine

Ischemia-reperfusion injury by free radicals and lipid peroxides is observed in various organs. Ascorbic acid (AsA) or glutathione (GSH) in various doses (AsA:2, 0.5, 0.1 mmol/kg, GSH:2 mmol/kg) was intraperitoneally administered to male Wistar rats. The entire small intestines were resected just before ischemia, after ischemia, and after 20 min of reperfusion (n = 7–10 at each time point). At each time point, the specimens were subjected to assays of lipid peroxides, GSH, and glutaminase activity of the tissues; they were also examined histologically. In the AsA group, the production of lipid peroxides after reperfusion was significantly suppressed in a dose-dependent manner, and the ratio of oxidized GSH to total GSH was also significantly low. Tissue glutaminase activity decreased to a lesser extent, and the degree of injury was apparently less marked in the AsA group. This study indicates that AsA acts as an antioxidant against peroxidative tissue injury, possibly by scavenging radicals, preserving reduced GSH, and reducing the peroxidative reaction. Received: 21 June 1996 Received after revision: 8 October 1996 Accepted: 12 November 1996     

Modifying Effects of Various Chemicals on Preneoplastic and Neoplastic Lesion Development in a Wide-spectrum Organ Carcinogenesis Model Using F344 Rats

Modifying potentials of various chemicals on tumor development were investigated in a wide-spectrum organ carcinogenesis model using male F344/DuCrj rats. The animals were treated with N-nitroso-diethylamine (100 mg/kg body weight, ip, single injection at the commencement of the study), N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (20 mg/kg body weight, ip, 4 times during weeks 1 and 2) and N-bis(2-hydroxypropyl)nitrosamine (0.1% in drinking water, during weeks 3 and 4) for multi-organ initiation and then were given one of 14 test chemicals including 6 hepatocarcinogens, 7 non-hepatocarcinogens and 1 non-carcinogen, or basal diet for 16 weeks. All rats were killed at the end of week 20, and the major organs were carefully examined for preneoplastic and neoplastic lesions. Immunohistochemical demonstration of glutathione S -transferase-positivc foci was also used for quantitative assessment of liver preneoplastic lesion development. Modifying effects were shown for 11 out of 14 test agents in the liver, forestomach, glandular stomach, lung, urinary bladder or thyroid, 7 of them targeting more than two organs. This was the first demonstration to our knowledge that cloflbrate possesses enhancing potential for urinary bladder carcinogenesis and an inhibiting effect on thyroid carcinogenesis. Caprolactam showed no effect in any organ, in agreement with its established inactivity. The results indicated that the system could be reliably applied as a medium-term multiple organ bioassay for assessment of the modification potential of test agents in unknown target sites.     

Subretinal neovascularisation and snow banking in a case of sarcoidosis: case report.

A 49-year-old Japanese man presented with chronic granulomatous uveitis in his left eye. Later he developed macular subretinal neovascularisation. The chest x-ray showed bilateral hilar lymphadenopathy. Bronchoscopy and gallium-67 scanning were positive, PPD skin test negative, and serum angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) levels increased. Ophthalmoscopy and fluorescein angiography of the left eye showed perivasculitis, retinochoroidal exudates, snow banking, and vitreous opacity. On these findings, the diagnosis of sarcoidosis was made. Treatment was based on topical corticosteroids, mydriatics, beta blockers, and oral carbonic anhydrase inhibitors. After 15 months the visual acuity decreased in the left eye, and a neovascular membrane was observed in the macula. Fluorescein angiography confirmed subretinal neovascularisation. Almost two years later the patient still has the neovascular membrane in his left eye.     

Electroencephalographic study on the central action of a new anxiolytic: 3a alpha, 4 beta, 7 beta, 7a alpha-hexahydro-2-(4-(4-(2-pyrimidinyl)-1- piperazinyl)-butyl)-4, 7-methano-1H-isoindole-1, 3(2H)-dione dihydrogen citrate (SM-3997)

Electroencephalographic (EEG) studies were performed to examine the effects of SM-3997 on the spontaneous EEG, EEG arousal responses, recruiting responses and hippocampal afterdischarges in rabbits and the spontaneous EEG in chronically electrode-implanted rats. In acute experiments using rabbits, SM-3997 at doses of 1-3 mg/kg, i.v., produced low-voltage fast waves in cortical EEG and slow waves with reduction of the amplitude in hippocampal EEG. The drug at doses of 1-3 mg/kg, i.v., dose-dependently inhibited the threshold stimulus voltages in EEG arousal responses induced by stimulation of the midbrain reticular formation and slightly inhibited the threshold in recruiting responses by stimulation of the centromedian nucleus of the thalamus. However, the cortical and hippocampal afterdischarges induced by hippocampal stimulation remained unaffected by SM-3997 at doses up to 3 mg/kg, i.v., while they were inhibited by diazepam of 1 mg/kg, i.v. In the study using rats in which electrodes were chronically implanted, SM-3997 at doses of 10-30 mg/kg, i.p., also produced low voltage fast waves in cortical EEG and slow waves of reduced amplitude in hippocampal EEG; and it simultaneously caused flat body posture. These results suggest that SM-3997 acts on both the cerebral cortex and hippocampus, inducing much more pronounced inhibition on the midbrain reticular formation-hippocampal system