Objective The purpose of this study was to investigate gouty arthritis in Japanese patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Methods Questionnaires plus patient interviews and reviews of medical ...records were used to investigate gouty arthritis in 493 Japanese patients with ESRD receiving maintenance dialysis. Results The frequency of gouty arthritis was 4.1% for female patients and 15.4% for male patients greater than 2 years before the start of dialysis, and 0.6% for female patients and 7.7% for male patients less than 2 years before the start of dialysis. After the start of dialysis the frequency was 3.4% for the first 2 years and 1.2% thereafter in male patients, but no gouty arthritis appeared in female patients. Although the annual number of gouty attacks was 2.0±4.2 greater than 2 years before the start of dialysis, and 1.9±6.6 less than 2 years before the start of dialysis, the annual number of attacks decreased significantly after the start of dialysis to 0.2±0.7 in the first 2 years and 0.1±0.6 thereafter. Conclusions The frequency of gouty arthritis in Japanese patients with ESRD is similar to that of patients with hyperuricemia in the general population and it is decreased slightly before dialysis; however, the frequency decreases markedly after dialysis.
We have developed a fully automated method for measuring LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C) in human serum without the need for prior separation, using a nonionic surfactant, polyoxyethylene-polyoxypropylene ...block copolyether (POE-POP), and a sodium salt of sulfated cyclic maltohexaose, alpha-cyclodextrin sulfate. Of the surfactants tested, POE-POP with a higher molecular mass of the POP block and a greater hydrophobicity reduced the reactivity of cholesterol in lipoprotein fractions; the reactivity in descending order was LDL >> VLDL > chylomicron approximately HDL. Gel filtration chromatographic studies revealed that POE-POP removed lipids selectively from the LDL fraction and allowed them to participate in the cholesterol esterase-cholesterol oxidase coupling reaction system. By contrast, alpha-cyclodextrin sulfate reduced the reactivity of cholesterol, especially in chylomicrons and VLDL. A combination of POE-POP with alpha-cyclodextrin sulfate provided the required selectivity for the determination of LDL-C in serum in the presence of magnesium ions and a small amount of dextran sulfate without precipitating lipoprotein aggregates. There was a good correlation between the results of LDL-C assayed by the proposed method and the beta-quantification reference method involving 161 sera with triglyceride concentrations ranging from 0.3 to 22.6 mmol/L.
We present herein two patients who suffered life-threatening ischemic heart attacks following the preoperative discontinuation of aspirin. Since their cardiac conditions were stable in the long-term ...while under medication, the cessation of aspirin was highly suspected to have caused or at least to have contributed to their ischemic events. We thus discuss the appropriate timing for discontinuation of aspirin before surgery in patients with ischemic heart disease.
The MeOH extracts of the ground part and the root of Boenninghausenia japonica NAKAI showed inhibitory activity against tumor cell growth. Fractionation of the extracts has resulted in isolation of ...1,3-dihydroxy-4-(2′-hydroxy-3′-hydroxymethyl-3′,4′-epoxy-butyl)-N-methylacridone, 1,3-dihydroxy-4-(Z)-3′-hydroxy-3′-methyl-buten-1′-yl-N-methylacridone, 3-(1′,1′-dimethylallyl)-7-hydroxy-8-methoxy-2H-1-benzopyran-2-one, casegravol, cis-casegravol, and edgeworin in addition to 9 compounds reported from B. japonica and B. albiflora. The isolates from this plant and some related compounds were tested for antiproliferative activity against human gastric adenocarcinoma (MK-1), human uterus carcinoma (HeLa), and murine melanoma (B16F10) cells.
The purpose of this study was to elucidate the molecular basis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) caused by genotype-C hepatitis B virus (HBV).
We compared molecular profiles of 15 HCCs and five ...non-tumorous livers, all of which were associated with genotype-C HBV infection, using DNA microarray technology.
Our supervised learning identified 237 genes whose expression differed between HCCs and non-tumorous livers. This result was validated by a false discovery rate of 0%. Levels of expression of 35 and 202 genes were higher and lower, respectively, in HCCs than in non-tumorous livers. Among the 237 genes, we highlighted the top 35 upregulated and top 35 down regulated genes in tumor. Interestingly, when overlapping genes were excluded, 12 (e.g., NM23-H2, MCM7, PARP1, YWHAH, HSPB1, and MSH2) of the top 34 upregulated genes and five (e.g., MT1A and MT3) of the top 33 downregulated genes were c-myc-regulated genes. The microarray data for five randomly selected genes (MCM7, UBE2L3, PPIA, CXCL12, and ASS) were confirmed by quantitative real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction.
Our results indicate that many c-myc-regulated genes are involved in genotype-C-HBV-related HCC, suggesting that c-myc is related to the hepatocarcinogenic activity of genotype-C HBV.
Activation of the Wnt-signaling pathway is known to play a crucial role in carcinogenesis of various human organs including the colon, liver, prostate, and endometrium. To investigate the mechanisms ...underlying hepatocellular carcinogenesis, we attempted to identify genes regulated by beta-catenin/Tcf complex in a human hepatoma cell line, HepG2, in which an activated form of beta-catenin is expressed. By means of cDNA microarray, we isolated a novel human gene, termed MARKL1 (MAP/microtubule affinity-regulating kinase-like 1), whose expression was downregulated in response to decreased Tcf/LEF1 activity. The transcript expressed in liver consisted of 3529 nucleotides that contained an open reading frame of 2256 nucleotides, encoding 752 amino acids homologous to human MARK3 (MAP/microtubule affinity-regulating kinase 3). Expression levels of MARKL1 were markedly elevated in eight of nine HCCs in which nuclear accumulation of beta-catenin were observed, which may suggest that MARKL1 plays some role in hepatocellular carcinogenesis.
Osteosarcomas are characterized by different histologic subtypes that are composed of heterogeneous tumor cells. Although the histological origin of the malignant cells is unknown, it has been ...speculated that osteoblasts lead to the malignant cells. In the current study, the osteosarcoma cells in 27 lesions were assessed by means of immunohistochemical staining for osteocalcin (OC), S-100 protein (S-100) and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA). PCNA labeling indices were the highest in osteoblastic and stromal areas, and significantly lower in chondroblastic areas (p < 0.01). Cells that were positive for both PCNA and OC were abundant in osteoblastic and stromal areas, while cells that were positive for both PCNA and S-100 were rarely observed. These results were almost similar for conventional, parosteal and periosteal osteosarcomas. In contrast, OC reactivity was poor in fibroblastic osteosarcoma, in osteosarcoma with giant cells, and in telangiectatic osteosarcoma. Pulmonary metastatic osteosarcoma lesions weakly expressed OC (p < 0.01), but showed high values for the PCNA labeling indices. In conclusion, immunohistochemical staining for OC, S-100, and PCNA are useful to analyze the proliferating cells in osteosarcomas. The main proliferating cells in most osteosarcomas are mature osteoblast-like cells. OC-negative tumor cells predominate in some of osteosarcoma subtypes, and these tumors therefore probably represent a distinct osteosarcoma variant. OC expression in pulmonary metastatic lesions may be suppressed.
muSR study on the anomalous magnetic behavior of an intermetallic superconductor Mo3Sb7 is reported. Muon depolarization rate due to dynamically fluctuating electronic spins is reduced with ...decreasing temperature, which is in line with the development of a spin-liquid state. Meanwhile, the detailed analysis of structural deformation below 50 K suggests that the presumed spin-gap is not fully opened, and that the magnetic state just above Tc might be understood as an itinerant paramagnetic state with localized spin-singlets.
To disclose mechanisms of hepatocellular carcinogenesis and to identify novel diagnostic markers and/or drug targets for treatment of hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs), we analyzed expression profiles ...of clinical HCCs using a genome-wide cDNA microarray. From among the transcripts that were commonly up-regulated in these tumors we identified a novel human gene at chromosomal band 1p36.13, termed DDEFL1 (development and differentiation enhancing factor-like 1), encoding a product that shared structural features with centaurin-family proteins. The deduced 903-amino acid sequence showed 46% homology to DDEF/ASAP1 (development and differentiation enhancing factor), and contained an Arf GTPase-activating protein (ArfGAP) domain and two ankyrin repeats. Gene transfer of DDEFL1 promoted proliferation of cells that lacked endogenous expression of this gene. Furthermore, reduction of DDEFL1 expression by transfection of anti-sense S-oligonucleotides inhibited the growth of SNU475 cancer cells, in which DDEFL1 expression was highly up-regulated. Our results provide novel insight into hepatocarcinogenesis and may contribute to development of new strategies for diagnosis and treatment of HCC.
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