Higher melatonin secretion is associated with lower leukocyte and platelet counts in the general elderly population: the HEIJO‐KYO cohort

Circulating white blood cell (WBC) and platelet (PLT) counts are widely available and inexpensive cellular biomarkers of systemic inflammation and have been associated with a risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and mortality. Melatonin may reduce systemic inflammation through its direct and indirect antioxidative effect; however, the associations of melatonin secretion with systemic inflammation remain unclear. In this cross‐sectional study on 1088 elderly individuals (mean age, 71.8 years), we measured overnight urinary 6‐sulfatoxymelatonin excretion (UME) and WBC and PLT counts as indices of melatonin secretion and systemic inflammation, respectively. UME was naturally log‐transformed for linear regression models because of skewed distribution (median, 6.8 μg; interquartile range, 4.1–10.6 μg). Univariate models revealed that higher log‐transformed UME levels were significantly associated with lower WBC and PLT counts (P = 0.046 and 0.018). After adjusting for potential confounding factors significantly associated with WBC or PLT counts, higher log‐transformed UME levels were significantly associated with lower WBC and PLT counts (WBC: β, ?0.143; 95% confidence interval, ?0.267 to ?0.020; P = 0.023; PLT: β, ?6.786; 95% confidence interval, ?12.047 to ?1.525; P = 0.012). Furthermore, the adjusted mean differences in WBC and PLT counts between the lowest and highest UME tertile groups were 0.225 × 10⁹/L and 9.480 × 10⁹/L, respectively. In conclusion, melatonin secretion was significantly and inversely associated with WBC and PLT counts in the general elderly population. The associations were independent of several major causes of systemic inflammation, including aging, obesity, smoking, hypertension, diabetes, and physical inactivity.     

Preoperative scoring system for predicting early adjacent vertebral fractures after Balloon Kyphoplasty

BackgroundAdjacent vertebral fracture (AVF) is a major complication following Balloon Kyphoplasty (BKP). There is no scoring system for predicting AVF using only preoperative elements. The purposes of this study were to develop a scoring system for predicting early AVF after BKP based on preoperative factors and to investigate the appropriate surgical indication for BKP.MethodsOf 220 patients who underwent BKP at a single institution since 2011, 65 patients over the age of 60 who had undergone a standing whole spine X-ray preoperatively were enrolled. Factors affecting the occurrence of early AVF were examined. A scoring system was created consisting of the factors exhibiting significant differences, and the correlation between the total score and the incidence of early AVF was investigated.ResultsTwenty of the 65 patients (30.8%) had early AVF. In a univariate analysis, age, previous vertebral fracture, pelvic tilt, and Local kyphosis significantly influenced early AVF. In a multivariate logistic regression analysis, age had an odds ratio of 1.136 (95% CI 1.001–1.289), previous vertebral fractures 4.181 (1.01–17.309), and Local kyphosis 1.103 (1.021–1.191). The scoring system was set as follows: ①Age (<75 years: 0 points(P), 75years≦: 1P), ②The number of previous vertebral fractures (0: 0 P, 1: 1P, 2: 2P, 3 or more: 3P), and ③Local kyphosis (<10°: 0P, 10°≦: 1P). There was a correlation between the total score and the incidence of early AVF (r = 0.812, 1P = 0.05). The incidence of early AVF was 6.4% (2 cases/31 cases) for a score of ≦1P and 54.5% (18 cases/33 cases) for a score of ≧2P.ConclusionsThere was a correlation between the total score and the incidence of early AVF. A score of 1 point or less may represent the appropriate surgical indication for BKP.     

Investigation of recent problems in an acute care psychiatric ward considering the number psychiatrists working in the ward]

In July 2001, psychiatric wards for acute treatments (PWAT) were investigated in Japan using a questionnaire to clarify current and recent problems in 79 PWAT. The questionnaires were sent to wards, patients and psychiatrists and were returned by 72.2% overall. The number of admissions per ward was calculated as 21 patients per one month, and comprised half of all admissions to the hospital. 50% were schizophrenia, 17% were affective disordes and 16% involved drug abuse. Seventeen patients were discharged from PWAT per one month, and comprised 43% of all patients discharged from the hospital. These results indicate that both 21 patients admitted and 17 patients discharged per month and needs to maintain the essential standard for PWAT and the standard should be come more flexible as admission from the other unit of ward than PWAT. As rate of re-admission within 3 months after discharge was around 10% of the total number of patients in the ward, 3 months was considered suitable length of acute treatment in the field of psychiatry in Japan. There was one psychiatrist working in PWAT, and specialized psychiatrists had 17.4 patients, the most number of patients among types of psychiatrist. Simulations of one psychiatrist to 16 and to 32 patients in PWAT were performed to determine how many psychiatrists were needed for a ward. When the ratio was 32 patients to 1 psychiatrist, it was necessary to increase the number of psychiatrists to a ward by 1, and in the case of 16 patients, 1-3 psychiatrists were needed. These indicate the standard number of psychiatrists for PWAT should be at most one psychiatrist for the ward or all of the psychiatrists working in PWAT should be allowed to work simultaneously in other wards. Preparing wards to treat acute phase psychiatric patients is a very important role of each psychiatric hospital, the standard for PWAT should include not only a high level of medical staff, but also preparing easy criteria for each hospital.     

High incidence of nitrosamine-induced tumorigenesis in mice lacking DNA repair methyltransferase

The enzyme O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase repairs alkylation- induced DNA damage, O6-methylguanine and O4-methylthymine, the former being formed more frequently. Previously, by means of gene targeting, we generated mice in which alleles for methyltransferase were disrupted. We now use these mouse lines, which are totally deficient in methyltransferase activity, to examine protective effects of the enzyme against tumor formation. In gene-targeted female mice given an i.p. injection of 5 mg/kg of dimethylnitrosamine, a larger number of liver and lung tumors occurred, as compared with normal female mice treated in the same manner. In male mice given a lower dose of carcinogen, the difference between normal and gene-targeted mice was statistically insignificant although more tumors did form in the gene-targeted mice. Methyltransferase apparently afforded protection from nitrosamine- induced tumorigenesis.      

A dominantly inherited malformation syndrome with short stature,upper limb anomaly,minor craniofacial anomalies,and absence of TBX5 mutations: Report of a Thai family

We report on a Thai family with dominantly inherited malformation syndrome with upper limb anomalies, short stature, quadricuspid aortic valve, and minor craniofacial anomalies. The affected individuals comprised a mildly affected mother, a moderately affected daughter, and a most severely affected son. The daughter and son had short stature. The craniofacial abnormalities comprised frontal bossing, hypoplastic nasal bones, depressed nasal bridge, and broad nasal alae. The upper limb defects varies among the patients, ranging from radial ray defects in the mother through radial and ulnar ray defects with unilateral humeral hypoplasia in the daughter to radial ray defects with severe oligodactyly and bilateral humeral hypoplasia in the son. All patients in this family had hypoplasia of the shoulder girdle and resembled what is observed in many families with Holt‐Oram syndrome. Moreover, the son showed quadricuspid aortic valve with mild aortic regurgitation. However, the present family did not show any mutation of the TBX5 gene, a disease‐causing gene of Holt‐Oram syndrome. The present family deserves further investigation on other genes that play a role in the development of the upper limbs, particularly of radial rays. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

A study on the metabolism of galactose cataract using a 31P-NMR spectroscopy

Using a 31P-NMR spectroscopy, we monitored the metabolic kinetics of energy organophosphate compound in rat lens during the process of generating galactose cataract. The most remarkable metabolic change in the earlier phase of galactose cataract formation was found in alpha-glycerophosphate. This increased significantly, as compared to controls, since the day 3 of giving feed containing 25% galactose. The high level lasted for up to three weeks, decrease followed by a gradual decrease and subsequently a significant decrease at five weeks. Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) showed a significant decrease in the galactose group compared to the controls from two weeks after beginning of the experiment and the decrease continued. Inorganic orthophosphate increased gradually in the galactose group as compared to the controls, the increase being of significance at one week reading a maximum at two weeks followed by a subsegment decrease. Our basic study suggests that 31P-NMR spectroscopy is a useful technique in lens of the metabolic kinetics, to noninvasively determine the pathophysiology of galactose cataract, which has been studied biochemically and histologically.     

ENDOSCOPIC OBSERVATION OF MUCOSAL SPREAD LESION OF CHOLANGIOCARCINOMA USING PERORAL CHOLANGIOSCOPY WITH NARROW BAND IMAGING

A 69‐year‐old man was admitted to Toho University Omori Medical Center complaining of icterus. Abdominal computed tomography, magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography were suspicious of cholangioma of inferior bile duct. Peroral cholangioscopy using narrow band imaging (NBI) was performed and it was possible to diagnose the mucosal spread lesions of cholangioma. Histological findings reflected the endoscopic findings. Mucosal spread lesions of cholangiocarcinoma were successfully diagnosed using the CHF‐B260 for NBI.