We investigated the effects of a Chinese herbal medicine, Gosha-jinki-gan (GJG), on the regulation of insulin levels in rats fed a sucrose-rich diet (SRD). Normal Wistar rats in the SRD group were ...fed an SRD for 4 weeks. Increased dietary sucrose did not alter plasma glucose levels but it increased plasma insulin levels at 2 and 4 weeks in the SRD-fed rats relative to control rats that were fed standard chow. GJG treatment significantly suppressed the SRD-induced elevation in plasma insulin levels. These results suggest that GJG improves hyperinsulinemia caused by an SRD.
AIMS
To compare the efficacy of remnant ablation following a single low dose (specific activity of 131I administered, 1074–1110 MBq) vs. a single high dose (mostly 2775–3700 MBq) of 131I in patients ...with differentiated thyroid cancer and to determine whether or not the extent of surgery influences outcome.
METHODS
Nineteen studies have reported the results of low dose 131I ablation. Of these, 11 met our criteria for a comparative analysis. Two additional cohorts of ours were added and these were analysed in two groups based on the extent of surgery (near‐total NT; Woodhouse1 vs. sub‐total ST; Woodhouse2). There were 518 low dose and 449 high dose patients in all.
RESULTS
The average failure of a single low dose was 46 ± 28% (SD). Meta‐analysis revealed a statistically significant advantage for a single high over a single low dose and a pooled reduction in relative risk of failure of the high dose of about 27% (P < 0.01). From this we estimate that for every seven patients treated one more would be ablated given a high rather than a low dose (assuming a low dose failure risk of 50%). Also, a significantly greater proportion of patients are ablated after a single high or low dose, if they underwent near‐total as opposed to sub‐total thyroidectomy (summary relative risk (RR) 1.4; P < 0.05).
CONCLUSION
High dose 131I is more efficient than low dose for remnant ablation particularly after less than total thyroidectomy. Results suggest that patients with differentiated thyroid cancer should routinely have a total thyroidectomy followed by high dose 131I (2775–3700MBq) for ablation of the remnant.
Ktenasite was synthesized by the simple method of mixing ZnO powder with CuSO
4 solution at room temperature. The X-ray diffraction pattern of synthesized ktenasite was very similar to that of ...mineral ktenasite. The lattice parameters were determined as
a=0.559,
b=0.616,
c=2.374
nm and
β=95.63°, which agreed comparatively well with those for mineral ktenasite. The synthesized ktenasite consisted of thin rectangular particles ranging in size from 2 to 4
μm in length. TEM observation suggested the formation of a super lattice structure in the
a-axis direction and significant crystal growth in the
b-axis direction. The intercalation reaction of sodium dodecyl sulfate (NaDS) with ktenasite showed that the intercalation took place accompanied by the expansion of basal spacing from 1.17 to 2.70
nm. The reaction progressed by the SO
4
2−/DS
− anion exchange mechanism with the dissolution of interlayer Zn(H
2O)
6SO
4 salt.
: The development of an unusual case of primary pleural effusion in a 90‐year‐old human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)‐negative Japanese woman with no identifiable tumor mass has been described. ...Pleural effusion specimens contained large diffuse lymphoma cells, with the phenotype and genotype of a B‐cell lineage (positive for CD20, CD79a and clonal rearrangement of Ig heavy chain) and the c‐myc gene rearrangement, but were negative for T‐cell markers (CD45RO and CD3). The patient was negative for human herpes virus 8 (HHV8), Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV), as well as human T‐cell lymphotropic virus type‐1 (HTLV‐1). The patient died of respiratory failure 5 months after the diagnosis of primary effusion lymphoma (PEL), and an autopsy was performed. Autopsy findings revealed no evidence of tumor mass or bone marrow involvement of lymphoma cells. This case has been considered as a PEL in a HIV‐, HHV8‐, EBV‐ and HCV‐negative patient. Although cytomorphology of lymphoma cells was classified as large‐cell lymphoma in this case, it is interesting that the present case may represent an unusual subset of Burkitt‐like disease because of clear B‐cell phenotype and c‐myc gene rearrangement.
To study the mechanisms involved in the action of Z‐338, a newly synthesized gastroprokinetic agent, experiments were performed with the paratracheal ganglion cells acutely dissociated from ...2‐week‐old Wistar rats. The effects of Z‐338 on both nicotinic and muscarinic responses of the ganglion cells were studied by nystatin perforated patch recording configuration under the current‐ and voltage‐clamp conditions.
Acetylcholine (ACh) or nicotine, and muscarine or oxotremorine‐M (OX‐M) induced membrane depolarization with rapid and slow time courses respectively, followed by repetitive generation of action potentials in the ganglion cell. Corresponding to the membrane depolarization induced by cholinergic agents, ACh induced biphasic inward currents with rapid and slow time courses under the voltage‐clamp condition. Nicotine and muscarine or OX‐M evoked inward currents with rapid and slow time courses, respectively. The rapid and slow inward currents were accompanied by increase and decrease in the membrane conductance, respectively. In addition, OX‐M dose‐dependently suppressed the M‐type K+ current evoked in response to hyperpolarizing voltage‐steps from VH of −25 mV to −50 mV, indicating that the activation of muscarinic acetylcholine receptors inhibits M‐type K+ current, thus inducing inward current in the ganglion cell.
Z‐338 competitively suppressed the inward currents induced by OX‐M through M1 ACh receptor, and uncompetitively suppressed the currents induced by nicotine.
The inhibitory actions of Z‐338 on the membrane depolarization and corresponding inward currents mediated by M1‐muscarinic and neuronal nicotinic ACh receptors in the isolated ganglion cells were discussed in relation to the inhibitory actions on autoreceptors in the parasympathetic nerve terminals, which would explain the gastroprokinetic actions of Z‐338.
British Journal of Pharmacology (2002) 135, 1403–1414; doi:10.1038/sj.bjp.0704610
Prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) positron emission tomography (PSMA-PET) improves prostate cancer staging. Intraprostatic PSMA intensity may predict clinically relevant oncological outcomes. ...The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between intraprostatic PSMA intensity and adverse pathology outcomes, including biochemical progression-free survival (PFS) after radical prostatectomy.
This is a cohort study of 71 patients with MRI-guided, biopsy-proven prostate cancer and pre-operative
Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT prior to radical prostatectomy (RP). Intraprostatic PSMA intensity was correlated to adverse pathology outcomes (Gleason score and upgrading from biopsy, pathological stage) and PFS using multivariate statistical analysis.
Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT intensity in vivo predicted all of Gleason score on RP, upgrading from biopsy to RP histopathology, pathological stage, positive surgical margins and PFS. 74.6% (53/71) of patients were free from progression at a median follow-up of 19.5 months (0.4-48 months). Predictive accuracy was particularly enhanced by PSMA among patients with biopsy Gleason score ≤ 3 + 4 (n = 39) as the most significant predictor of PFS according to Cox-proportional hazards regression. Cox-regression adjusted survival analysis predicted a 5.48-fold increase in hazard for Gleason score ≤ 3 + 4 patients with high (SUVmax > 8) compared with low (SUVmax < 8) PSMA intensity.
Intraprostatic
Ga-PSMA-11 intensity is prognostic and may be a valuable new biomarker in localised prostate cancer, especially in men with biopsy-proven Gleason 3 + 4 disease considering an initial approach of active surveillance or focal therapy.
Abstract The nearby radio galaxy M87 offers a unique opportunity for exploring the connection between γ-ray production and jet formation at an unprecedented linear resolution. However, the origin and ...location of the γ-rays in this source is still elusive. Based on previous radio/TeV correlation events, the unresolved jet base (radio core) and the peculiar knot HST-1 at >120 pc from the nucleus are proposed as candidate site(s) of γ-ray production. Here we report our intensive, high-resolution radio monitoring observations of the M87 jet with the VLBI Exploration of Radio Astrometry (VERA) and the European VLBI Network (EVN) from February 2011 to October 2012. During this period, an elevated level of the M87 flux is reported at TeV with VERITAS. We detected a remarkable flux increase in the radio core with VERA at 22/43 GHz coincident with the VHE activity. Meanwhile, HST-1 remained quiescent in terms of its flux density and structure at radio. These results strongly suggest that the TeV γ-ray activity in 2012 originates in the jet base within 0.03 pc (projected) from the central supermassive black hole.
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