Significance of the BTA Test in Bladder Cancer: A Multicenter Trial

Background :
The BTA test is a latex agglutination assay for the qualitative detection in the urine of analytes that are associated with bladder tumor. We compared the results of the BTA test with those of voided urine cytology (VUC) in patients with bladder cancer.
Methods :
A multicenter trial was performed at 6 institutions. A total of 132 patients with histologically diagnosed bladder cancer were enrolled. Urine samples were split for BTA and VUC testing.
Results :
The sensitivities of the BTA test and VUC were 57.6% and 37.9%, respectively; this difference was significant ( P < 0.001). The BTA test had much higher sensitivity for small, solitary, superficial tumors than did VUC.
Conclusion :
The BTA test is simple to perform, gives rapid results, and is far more sensitive than VUC for detection of bladder cancer. The BTA test has the potential to become an additional tool for detecting bladder cancer.     

Feeding with powdered diet after weaning increases visuospatial ability in association with increases in the expression of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors in the hippocampus of female rats

We determined whether feeding with powdered diet improved the visuospatial ability in female rats by checking the expression of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) subunit 1 (NR1) mRNA in the hippocampus. In rats fed standard pelleted diet, males performed better than females in a radial 8-arm maze task as we reported previously. We found that the expression of NR1 mRNA, which may be the key mediator in visuospatial ability in the hippocampus, was also higher in males than in females. However, in rats fed powdered diet, no sex difference was seen in the radial 8-arm maze task and the expression of NR1 mRNA in the hippocampus, since feeding with powdered diet improved the visuospatial ability with increases in the expression of NR1 mRNA in the hippocampus in females. We suggest that the sex difference in visuospatial ability is at least in part due to feeding conditions.     

Genotoxicity studies of glycidol fatty acid ester (glycidol linoleate) and glycidol

Glycidol fatty acid esters (GEs) are found in refined edible oils. Safety concerns have been alleged due to the possible release of glycidol (G), an animal carcinogen.     

Association Between Anti-Helicobacter pylori Antibody Seropositive and De Novo Gallstone Formation After Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy for Japanese Patients with Severe Obesity

Purpose

Patients who have undergone bariatric surgery are at risk for gallstone formation. However, the incidence of gallstone formation after bariatric surgery has not been adequately studied in the Japanese population. We aimed to elucidate the incidence and risk factors for gallstone formation after laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) for Japanese patients with severe obesity.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective cohort study among patients with severe obesity treated with LSG between April 2017 and June 2020 at two institutions. Patients who had received previous cholecystectomy, had preoperative gallstones, and had received postoperative prophylactic ursodeoxycholic acid were excluded. Body weight, body mass index, and blood data were collected at each follow-up visit before and after the surgery. Follow-up abdominal ultrasonography was performed 6–12 months after surgery, and the incidence of gallstones was calculated. The association between the data and gallstone formation was evaluated.

Results

During the study period, we performed LSG for 98 patients. Of these, 61 cases remained by above conditions and were examined using abdominal ultrasonography over 6 months after surgery. The incidence of gallstones was 23.0% and that of symptomatic gallstones was 3.3%. Anti-Helicobacter pylori antibody seropositive and titer were the only factors that showed significant association with de novo gallstone formation after LSG.

Conclusions

Anti-Helicobacter pylori antibody seropositive may be associated with de novo gallstone formation after LSG for Japanese patients with severe obesity.

Graphical abstract

     

Mid‐term results of bariatric surgery in morbidly obese Japanese patients with slow progressive autoimmune diabetes

Introduction

Bariatric surgery is recognized as an effective treatment for type 2 diabetes mellitus, but data on its efficacy for type 1 diabetes mellitus, especially slowly progressive insulin‐dependent diabetes mellitus, are limited.

Methods

We investigated five Japanese patients with slowly progressive insulin‐dependent diabetes mellitus who underwent bariatric surgery at our center.

Results

Five morbidly obese glutamic acid decarboxylase antibody‐positive diabetic patients underwent two different types of bariatric surgery. The mean titer of anti‐glutamic acid decarboxylase antibody was 4.6 U/mL, and the mean preoperative bodyweight and BMI were 113 kg and 39.6 kg/m², respectively. The mean hemoglobin A1c was 8.4%. The mean fasting serum C‐peptide was 5.0 ng/mL. Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy was performed in two patients, while laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy with duodenojejunal bypass was performed in three patients. At one year after surgery, the mean bodyweight and BMI significantly dropped, and the mean percentage of excess weight loss was 96.4%. The mean hemoglobin A1c was 5.7%. This favorable trend was maintained at mid‐term.

Conclusion

Bariatric surgery for morbidly obese patients with anti‐glutamic acid decarboxylase antibody–positive type 1 diabetes mellitus, especially slow progressive autoimmune diabetes, seemed effective in achieving mid‐term glycemic control. Longer follow‐up with a larger number of patients, as well as validation with more advanced patients with slowly progressive insulin‐dependent diabetes mellitus, will be needed.

     

Amphibian thrombocyte-derived extracellular vesicles,including microRNAs,induce angiogenesis-related genes in endothelial cells

Thrombocytes circulate in the blood of nonmammalian vertebrates and are involved in hemostasis; however, many detailed characteristics of thrombocytes remain unclear. Recently, we established an amphibian thrombocyte cell line. Here, we report the finding that thrombocytes produce integrin alpha IIb (CD41)-positive extracellular vesicles (EVs), which include microRNAs (miRs). Flow cytometric analysis showed the expression of CD41⁺ and phosphatidylserine on the surface of EVs. Nanotracking analysis showed that these CD41⁺ EVs were approximately 100 nm in diameter. As CD41⁺ EVs were also observed from African clawed frogs, the production of CD41⁺ EVs might be common to amphibians. Microarray analysis showed that the CD41⁺ EVs contain many kinds of miRs. These CD41⁺ EVs were phagocytosed by endothelial cells and macrophages. qPCR analysis showed that many angiogenesis-related genes were up-regulated in CD41⁺ EV-treated endothelial cells. Over-expression of some miRs in the CD41⁺ EVs increased the proliferation of endothelial cells. These results indicated that thrombocytes produced CD41⁺ EVs, including miRs, that were received by endothelial cells to induce the expression of angiogenesis-related genes. These results indicated that the CD41⁺ EVs produced from thrombocytes act as signaling molecules to repair damaged blood vessels.     

Safety and efficacy of azilsartan in paediatric patients with hypertension: a phase 3, single-arm,open-label,prospective study

Clinical and Experimental Nephrology - Azilsartan is an angiotensin II receptor blocker indicated for the treatment of adult hypertension. A previous single-dose study suggested that azilsartan may...     

Role of FGF10 on tumorigenesis by MS‐K

Murine MS‐K and NFSA cell lines formed tumor after inoculation into mouse and both cell lines expressed high level of vascular endothelial growth factor‐A (vegf‐A) and produced same level of VEGF‐A. However, poor blood vessel formation, and necrosis was significantly observed in NFSA‐tumor, contrary to well‐developed blood vessel formation in MS‐K tumor. The microarray analysis showed high expression of fibroblast growth factor‐10 (fgf‐10) in MS‐K than NFSA. In this report, the role of fgf‐10 on tumor growth was studied. MS‐K enhanced more proliferation of endothelial cells by direct co‐culture than NFSA, and rFGF10 supported the proliferation of HUVEC in combination with VEGF‐A. fgf‐10‐knocked down MS‐K, MS‐K (fgf‐10‐KD), proliferated slower in vitro and the tumorigenicity of them was also slower than control. The blood vessel formation in these MS‐K (fgf‐10‐KD) clones was reduced compared with the MS‐K (normal). qPCR analysis showed the suppression of vegf‐A, vegf‐C and fgfr‐1‐expression in the MS‐K (fgf‐10‐KD) clones. Taken together, these results indicated that FGF10, which was produced from tumor cells, was essential for the proliferation of tumor cell itself and also supports proliferation of endothelial cells. Thus, FGF10 plays an important role for tumor growth by both paracrine and autocrine manner.