Impact of overweight and obesity on US renal cell carcinoma incidence trends (1995-2018)

In the United States, renal cell carcinoma (RCC) incidence and the prevalence of obesity, an established risk factor for RCC, have been increasing for several decades. RCC is more common among older individuals. We sought to quantify the contribution of excess adiposity to the rising incidence of RCC among individuals 60 years or older. National Institutes of Health-American Association of Retired Persons Diet and Health Study data (n = 453 859 participants, enrolled in 1995-1996, age at enrollment 50-71 years) were used to estimate multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) for RCC across body mass index categories and HRs associated with smoking. Population attributable fractions (PAFs) were calculated using estimated HRs and annual overweight/obesity prevalence from the National Health Interview Survey (1985-2008). PAF estimates were combined with RCC incidence from Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results-13 to calculate annual percent changes in RCC incidence attributable (and unrelated) to overweight/obesity. We found that between 1995 and 2018, among individuals aged 60 years and older, PAF for overweight/obesity increased from 18% to 29% for all RCCs. In comparison, the PAF for smoking declined from 12% to 9%. RCC incidence increased 1.8% per year (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.5%-2.1%) overall, while RCC incidence attributable to overweight/obesity increased 3.8% per year (95%CI 3.5%-4.2%) and RCC incidence unrelated to overweight/obesity increased 1.2% per year (95% CI 0.9%-1.4%). In conclusion, overweight/obesity appears to have contributed importantly to the rising incidence of RCC in the United States since the mid-1990s. Public health interventions focused on reducing overweight and obesity could help substantially in curbing this trend.     

Ernährung bei Diabetes

According to the current nutritional recommendations issued by professional diabetes and nutrition associations, diabetic patients should keep to a diet consisting of 45–60% carbohydrates, 10–20% protein, and not more than 35% fat. However, not all of these nutritional recommendations are evidence based. For example, current studies show that the intake of insoluble roughage may be underrepresented. It is also possible that diabetic patients could benefit from keeping to the lower end of the recommended range for carbohydrates (45%) and the upper end of the range advised for protein (20%).     

Critical study of hair growth analysis with computer-assisted methods

BACKGROUND: Computer-assisted image analysis has been proposed for human hair growth studies. METHODS: The performances of Trichoscan, a commercially available automated system combining epiluminiscence microscopy with digital image analysis, developed for office-based hair growth measurements, have been evaluated comparatively on the same skin sites using standardized photographic equipment and calibrated processing for contrast-enhanced phototrichogram (CE-PTG) analysis. This reference method has been validated with scalp biopsies and histological examination of serial sectioning. RESULTS: Besides edge effects, hair fibres escaped the Trichoscan analysis for various reasons including, but not limited to, thickness, pigmentation, closeness and crossing. CONCLUSION: Most of these problems have been identified in the late 1980s and remain largely unsolved by the processing software that was evaluated in 2004. Therefore claims promoting the Trichoscan method for accurate hair measurements in clinical trials on scalp and body hair are not supported by the present investigation. The speed at which the analysis is performed is outweighed by the errors in signal detection. Therefore we suggest that improvements must be clearly documented before Trichoscan is established for quantified diagnostic purposes and detailed hair cycle monitoring during hair trials.     

双波长紫外分光光度法测定贝母中腺苷和胸苷的含量

将4种贝母的甲醇提取物经薄层色谱法粗分离后,直接用双波长紫外分光光度法测定其含量。结果表明,该方法线性关系好,腺苷和胸苷标准曲线的相关系数均为0.9999,同时也发现平贝、炉贝和伊贝中腺苷都占核苷总量60%以上,而浙贝中仅占约40%,提示贝母生药的抗凝血活性可能与贝母中核苷类化合物的种类和含量的差别有关。     

No impact of repeated endoscopic screens on gastric cancer mortality in a prospectively followed Chinese population at high risk.

BACKGROUND: Gastric cancer (GC) is the leading cause of cancer deaths in China. Our study prospectively evaluated the impact of repeated endoscopic screens on GC mortality in a high-risk population in China. METHODS: Between 1989 and 1999, a population-based gastroscopic screening was conducted in 4,394 residents of Linqu County, China, a region with the highest rates of GC worldwide. Residents ages 35 to 64 years received initial gastroscopies with biopsies in 1989. Repeated endoscopies were performed in 1994 and 1999. Cancer occurrences and deaths were actively monitored throughout the entire period until July 2000. Mortality from GC was compared with expected values based on mortality rates obtained for Linqu in the 1990-1992 Chinese Cancer Mortality Survey. RESULTS: Between March 1989 and July 2000, 39,303 person-years were accumulated; 85 new GCs occurred, 29 (34.5%) were in early stage. Fifty-eight cases (68%) were identified at one of the screens. The number of observed deaths from GC (37) was close to the expected (36.8). The standardized mortality ratio was 1.01 (95% CI 0.72-1.37) for the entire cohort, 1.13 (95% CI 0.77-1.57) for males, and 0.65 (95% CI 0.26-1.32) for females. CONCLUSIONS: Despite high population coverage with repeated screens, no reduction in GC mortality was observed in this high-risk population in China.     

On the way to the automated (blood) glucose regulation in diabetes: the dark past,the grey present and the rosy future

The development of the artificial pancreas represents an important step forward in modern diabetology. The practical and theoretical findings obtained by its application to Type 1 (insulin-dependent) diabetic patients has given new insights into modes of insulin secretion, pathophysiology of diabetes mellitus, and new forms of treatment, i.e. the development of portable insulin pumps and intensified conventional insulin therapy. All of these therapies provided better results than conventional insulin administration. However, there is no doubt that the restoration of normoglycaemia in a real sense is obtainable only by an implantable artificial pancreas or pancreas transplantation. The development of the implantable artificial pancreas, on the other hand, is dependent upon the development of a reliably working permanently implantable glucose sensor. The first attempts in that direction have opened new vistas as to the differences between blood and interstitial tissue glucose measurements, displaying different modes of regulation under normal and pathologic conditions. A number of barriers have to be overcome until the final goal has been attained: to obtain, by automated blood glucose control, narrow glycaemic fluctuations of the normal subject, and to prevent, hopefully, relentless diabetic complications.     

Lipoprotein(a) as a strong indicator for cerebrovascular disease

To evaluate the role of lipoprotein(a) (Lp(a] in patients with cerebrovascular disease (CVD), lipid parameters were compared with a control group (CO). Additionally, the Lp(a) serum levels were investigated in a coronary artery disease (CAD) group. The CO was made up of 37 healthy persons (age: 54.5 +/- 7.7, 26 males and 11 females), the CVD group included 46 patients with sustained transient ischemic attack (TIA) prolonged reversible ischemic neurologic deficits (PRIND) and cerebral infarction (CI) (age: 53.6 +/- 9.7, 32 males and 14 females), and the CAD group was made up of 28 survivors of myocardial infarctions (age: 52.5 +/- 8.1, 18 males and 10 females). The median values of Lp(a) in CVD were significantly higher than in the CO (p less than 0.01) and did not differ significantly from the CAD. Total TC, HDL-C, TG, LDL-C and the ratio of LDL-C/HDL-C did not show any significant difference between the control and cerebrovascular disease group. For quantification of the vascular lesions of the carotid system, a Duplex Doppler score system was used. The score correlated with Lp(a) in patients between 40 to 65 years of age (r = 0.34, p less than 0.01). Thus, we conclude that Lp(a) is not only a risk factor for CAD but also for CVD.     

Limbus-based versus Fornix-based conjunctival flap in filtering surgery

Summary A randomized prospective study was performed to compare the results of filtering surgery using a Limbusbased versus a Fornix-based conjunctival flap. The wound closure of the Fornix-based flap was performed using a running 10/0 nylon suture at the limbus. No statistical significant difference of IOP regulation was found between the two groups. There was a tendency of reduced occurrence of shallow anterior chamber and of less vascularized filtering blebs in the Fornix-based technique.