Hydrops Fetalis Caused by Fetal Kasabach-Merritt Syndrome

There have been only 2 previous reports of nonimmunologic hydrops fetalis (NIHF) caused by fetal Kasabach-Merritt syndrome, both of which were pathological studies. This is the first clinical case report of NIHF due to fetal Kasabach-Merritt syndrome that was prenatally diagnosed by sonography, computerized tomography, and percutaneous umbilical blood sampling.     

Prognosis for patients with carcinoma in the middle third of the stomach

In 268 of the 1,115 patients (24.0%) with gastric cancer who underwent a curative resection in our clinics, the tumor was located in the middle third of the stomach. The clinicopathological features and prognosis of these patients were divided into two groups, according to site of the tumor: anterior wall (n = 58) vs. other sites (n = 210). Clinicopathological factors did not differ between the two groups. The survival time for patients with a tumor in the anterior group was shorter than that for patients with a tumor in other areas (P < 0.05). The five-year survival rate was 79.3% for patients with an anterior tumor and 91.9% for those with a tumor at a different site. A multivariate analysis indicated lymph node metastasis, serosal invasion, and anterior wall location to be independent prognostic factors indicative of a poor prognosis when the tumor was located in the middle third of the stomach. For such patients, close follow-up is needed to detect possible recurrences. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Adriamycin-induced DNA strand breaks in HeLa and in P388 leukaemia cells detected using in situ nick translation

DNA strand breaks produced by adriamycin (ADR) were measured in HeLa cells and ADR-sensitive and -resistant P388 leukaemia cells, using the in situ nick translation method. The break sites in the DNA were translated artificially in the presence of Escherichia coli DNA polymerase I and 3H-labelled dTTP, and were visualized by autoradiographic observation of the grains. The DNA strand breaks in the HeLa cells increased in a dose-dependent manner, compared with findings in the untreated control cells, i.e., 15.2 fold at 20 micrograms/ml of ADR for 1 h. This level correlated with DNA single-strand breaks detected by the alkaline elution method. DNA breaks were also noted in the ADR-sensitive P388 cells, but in the ADR-resistant cells the level of DNA strand breaks was low. The enhanced cytotoxicity is apparently the consequence of the enhanced potential of ADR to cause breaks in the DNA strands. Our findings show that the survival response of the cells decreases and the level of DNA strand breaks increases following exposure to ADR. ADR resistance may be mediated by a reduction in the level of DNA strand breaks.     

Video-assisted thoracoscopic treatment for spontaneous pneumothorax as two-day surgery

BACKGROUND: To see whether video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) for spontaneous pneumothorax (SP) as 2-day surgery is a safe and cost-effective procedure, we retrospectively compared VATS as 2-day surgery with standard VATS. METHODS: From April 1994 to March 2000, 139 SP patients were operated on: 115 patients were operated on by means of standard VATS and 24 were treated by 2-day surgery. The parameters we compared were the postoperative complications, hospitalization cost, and relapses. RESULTS: Excepting that 2 of those selected for 2-day surgery required another hospitalization, short-term complications were considered to be similar for the two groups. The median economic cost of 2-day surgery was about $5,822 US dollars and was lower than that of standard VATS. The difference in the recurrence rate between the two groups was not significant. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that VATS as 2-day surgery is a safe and cost-effective procedure.     

Extremely early onset of ranitidine action on human histamine H2 receptors expressed in HEK293 cells

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Histamine H2 receptor antagonists are considered to exert their effects on gastric acid secretion more rapidly than proton pump antagonists. However, there are no reports concerning the direct interaction of a histamine H2 receptor antagonist with the human H2 receptor in terms of onset of action. This study aims to characterize how rapidly famotidine and ranitidine, the most widely used histamine H2 receptor antagonists, interact with the human histamine H2 receptor. METHODS: HEK293 cell lines, stably expressing human histamine H2 receptors, were obtained. The dose- and time-dependent effects of famotidine and ranitidine on [3H]-tiotidine binding and histamine-stimulated cAMP production were analyzed. RESULTS: Ranitidine inhibited both [3H]-tiotidine binding and histamine-stimulated cAMP production more promptly than did famotidine. Inhibition of histamine-stimulated cAMP production by Cmax doses of famotidine (20 mg p.o.) and ranitidine (150 mg p.o.) peaked by 15 and 2 min, respectively. [3H]-tiotidine binding was not saturated by 60 min at the famotidine Cmax, while the ranitidine Cmax had produced saturation by 15 min. CONCLUSION: Ranitidine inhibits the human histamine H2 receptor very rapidly.     

Determinant factors of the difference between self-reported weight and measured weight among Japanese

Objectives

To assess the difference between self-reported and measured weight values in Japanese men and women and to determine the underlying determinants of the differences between self-reported and measured values.

Methods

The data were collected from 363 general Japanese individuals aged 16–88 years living in Kumamoto prefecture. Participants completed a self-administered questionnaire designed for this study with self-reported weight and height values. Measured weight and height were measured immediately after questionnaire completion. Paired t-tests identified differences between self-reported and measured values by sex. Multiple-stepwise regression analysis examined the independent variables’ effects on the differences between self-reported and measured weights.

Results

Significant differences were found between self-reported and measured values for both sexes (p < 0.001). There was a significant negative relationship between the difference in an individual’s self-reported and measured weight in each sex, with higher measured weight individuals more likely to underestimate their weight. Multiple-stepwise regression analysis models explained 12.1 % (p < 0.01), 11.3 % (p < 0.01), and 5.6 % (p < 0.01) of the variance in all participants, men, and women, respectively. Significant effects were found for age, weight measurement frequency, and measured weight in total participants, weight measurement frequency, and measured weight for men, and age for women.

Conclusions

In this study, the mean absolute value of the weight and height variances proved the unreliability of self-reported weight and height values. This study’s findings suggest self-reported weight inaccuracy especially for obese populations. This should be adjusted when using it in epidemiological studies and healthcare planning.

     

Comparison of tofogliflozin versus glimepiride as the third oral agent added to metformin plus a dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitor in Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes: A randomized, 24-week,open-label,controlled trial (STOP-OB)

Metformin plus a dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitor (DPP-4i) is the most common therapy for Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes. This 24-week, multicentre, open-label, parallel-group trial randomized patients on dual therapy to add-on tofogliflozin (20 mg/day, n = 33) or glimepiride (0.5 mg/day, n = 31). The primary outcome was change in body fat percentage. The secondary outcomes included changes in HbA1c, fat mass, fat-free mass, liver function variables and uric acid. Tofogliflozin and glimepiride reduced HbA1c to a similar extent. Body fat percentage did not change from baseline in either group. Fat mass was reduced by tofogliflozin but was increased by glimepiride (by −2.0 ± 1.7 kg and +1.6 ± 1.6 kg, P = .002). Fat-free mass was also reduced by tofogliflozin and increased by glimepiride (by −1.3 ± 1.3 kg and +0.9 ± 2.0 kg, P < .001). Alanine aminotransferase and uric acid levels were reduced by tofogliflozin (P = .006 and P < .001, respectively). These data provide novel information useful for selecting the third oral agent for patients whose diabetes is inadequately controlled with metformin plus DPP-4i dual therapy.     

p37 Induces tumor invasiveness

Previous studies have shown a statistically significant correlation between human carcinomas and monoclonal antibody detection of a Mycoplasma hyorhinis-encoded protein known as p37. A potential mechanism of p37 is that it might promote invasion and metastasis. Recombinant p37 enhanced the invasiveness of two prostate carcinoma and two melanoma cell lines in a dose-dependent manner in vitro, but did not have a significant effect on tumor cell growth. Furthermore, the increased binding to cell surfaces and the enhanced invasive potential of cancer cells from exposure to p37 could be completely reversed by preincubation of the cancer cells with an anti-p37 monoclonal antibody. Sequence comparisons, followed by three-dimensional molecular modeling, revealed a region of similarity between p37 and influenza hemagglutinin A, a sialic acid-binding protein that plays a critical role in viral entry. Binding of p37 to prostate carcinoma cells was found to be at least partially sialic acid dependent because neuraminidase treatment decreased this binding. Taken together, these observations suggest that M. hyorhinis can infect humans and may facilitate tumor invasiveness via p37. These results further suggest that p37 may be a molecular target for cancer therapy.     

Knock-down of Bcl-2 by antisense oligodeoxynucleotides induces radiosensitization and inhibition of angiogenesis in human PC-3 prostate tumor xenografts

Expression of the proto-oncogene Bcl-2 is associated with tumor progression. Bcl-2's broad expression in tumors, coupled with its role in resistance to chemotherapy and radiation therapy-induced apoptosis, makes it a rational target for anticancer therapy. Antisense Bcl-2 oligodeoxynucleotide (ODN) reagents have been shown to be effective in reducing Bcl-2 expression in a number of systems. We investigated whether treating human prostate cancer cells with antisense Bcl-2 ODN (G3139, oblimersen sodium, Genasense) before irradiation would render them more susceptible to radiation effects. Two prostate cancer cell lines expressing Bcl-2 at different levels (PC-3-Bcl-2 and PC-3-Neo) were subjected to antisense Bcl-2 ODN, reverse control (CTL), or mock treatment. Antisense Bcl-2 ODN alone produced no cytotoxic effects and was associated with G(1) cell cycle arrest. The combination of antisense Bcl-2 ODN with irradiation sensitized both cell lines to the killing effects of radiation. Both PC-3-Bcl-2 and PC-3-Neo xenografts in mice treated with the combination of antisense Bcl-2 ODN and irradiation were more than three times smaller by volume compared with xenografts in mice treated with reverse CTL alone, antisense Bcl-2 ODN alone, irradiation alone, or reverse CTL plus radiotherapy (P = 0.0001). Specifically, PC-3-Bcl-2 xenograft tumors treated with antisense Bcl-2 ODN and irradiation had increased rates of apoptosis and decreased rates of angiogenesis and proliferation. PC-3-Neo xenograft tumors had decreased proliferation only. This is the first study which shows that therapy directed at Bcl-2 affects tumor vasculature. Together, these findings warrant further study of this novel combination of Bcl-2 reduction and radiation therapy, as well as Bcl-2 reduction and angiogenic therapy.