Potential of non-Western medicines in chemoradiotherapy for cervical cancer

This editorial explores the potential integration of non-Western medicine into radiotherapy for cervical cancer.While radiotherapy remains a radical treatment for cervical cancer,its associated toxicity and decline in quality of life can significantly impact patients’lives.Currently,most treatments are supportive,with no specific treatment options available in Western medicine.Non-Western medicine,often less toxic and easier to administer,has shown promising results when used alongside radiotherapy for cervical cancer.Despite these potential benefits,challenges such as limited evidence and restricted application areas persist.While non-Western medicines may offer potential improvements in chemoradiotherapy outcomes for cervical cancer,further research is necessary to substantiate these benefits.

Impact of a Low Severity Fire on Soil Organic Carbon and Nitrogen Characteristics in Japanese Cedar Soil, Yamagata Prefecture, Japan

Slash and burn practices are widely used around the globe with different degrees of success which are mostly related to the impact of fire on soil properties. In Japan slash and burn practises, known as Yakihata, have a long history and are still used in Yamagata Prefecture today. The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of a low severity controlled fire underneath Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica) on brown forest soil (Cambisol). Japanese Cedar is the dominant species among plantations in Japan. We measured organic carbon and nitrogen content as well as changes in carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) stable isotope composition in a steep west facing slope under heavy precipitation (~2600 mm/a) and heavy snowfall (~3 to 4 m/a). The accumulation of Ctotal and Ntotal at the bottom of the slopes was remarkably higher at the slash and burned site than in the control forest site. After slash and burn δ15N isotopes in the slope in general became significantly lighter than in the control forest while the δ13C did not show any significant difference between the two sites except at the bottom of the slopes where δ13C was heavier in the forest. The results show that Ctotal and Ntotal values as well as the isotopes ratios of C and N change with decreasing elevation in the forest as well as in the burned site being consistent with leaching and erosion. The changes in soil nitrogen and carbon isotopes at the bottom of the slope appear to be related to the transport of material with different isotopic composition from the upper slope. The effect of the low severity fire (as part of the slash and burn practice) on soil organic carbon and nitrogen movement was enhanced by the steepness of the slopes and the high precipitation of Shonai region.

Importance of early detection of esophageal cancer before the tumor progresses too much for effective treatment

This editorial comments on an article by Qu et al published in the World Journal of Gastrointestinal Oncology.It focuses on the importance of early detection of esophageal cancer,including recurrence or secondary malignancy after chemoradiotherapy(CRT).Endoscopic resection is the first choice for treatment for esophageal cancer remaining within the mucous membrane,while surgery or radical CRT are treatment options for advanced stages depending on the patient’s general condition and desire.Although these treatments are potentially curative,they are more invasive than endoscopic resection.Early-stage esophageal cancer is often asymptomatic and difficult to detect.Uniform periodic endoscopy is unrealistic.Although less burdensome tests exist,including liquid biopsy and urinary biomarkers,these have not yet been widely used in clinical practice.Early detection is important after radical CRT because the local recurrence rate is higher than that after surgery.However,endoscopic resection or photodynamic therapy is indicated if detected in the early stages,and positive results have been reported.Early detection of esophageal cancer is crucial.Endoscopy is the main diagnostic method;however,new and less burdensome methods should be established to ensure early treatment for patients with esophageal cancer.

Comment on:Recurrence after spontaneous separation of epiretinal membrane in a young woman:a case report

Dear Editor,Herein,we provide a commentary on the recently published article by Zeng QZ and Yu WZ[1].This case report provides interesting novel insights into the recurrence of epiretinal membrane(ERM)following self-separation in a young patient.In addition to the study,we have been investigating spontaneous ERM release for many years and have recently published a related paper[2].

Radical radiotherapy without surgical tumor resection for rectal cancer

In this editorial,I would like to comment on the article,recently published in the World Journal of Clinical Oncology.The article focuses on non-surgical treatments for locally recurrent rectal cancer,including the watch-and-wait(WW)strategy after total neoadjuvant therapy(TNT)and particle beam therapy.As treatment options for rectal cancer continue to evolve,the high complete response rate achieved with TNT has led to the development of a new non-surgical approach:WW.Chemoradiotherapy followed by consolidation chemotherapy,in particular,has a low rate of tumor growth and is a treatment aimed at achieving a cure without surgery.However,the risk of recurrence within two years is significant,necessitating careful follow-up.Establishing standardized follow-up methods that can be implemented by many physicians is essential.Carbon ion radiotherapy has demonstrated high local control with a low incidence of severe late toxicities,even after previous pelvic radiotherapy.While these new non-surgical curative treatments for rectal cancer require further investigation,future advancements in this field are anticipated.

Correlation between dose-volume parameters and rectal bleeding after 12 fractions of carbon ion radiotherapy for prostate cancer

BACKGROUND Carbon ion radiotherapy(CIRT)is currently used to treat prostate cancer.Rectal bleeding is a major cause of toxicity even with CIRT.However,to date,a correlation between the dose and volume parameters of the 12 fractions of CIRT for prostate cancer and rectal bleeding has not been shown.Similarly,the clinical risk factors for rectal bleeding were absent after 12 fractions of CIRT.AIM To identify the risk factors for rectal bleeding in 12 fractions of CIRT for prostate cancer.METHODS Among 259 patients who received 51.6 Gy[relative biological effectiveness(RBE)],in 12 fractions of CIRT,15 had grade 1(5.8%)and nine had grade 2 rectal bleeding(3.5%).The dose-volume parameters included the volume(cc)of the rectum irradiated with at least x Gy(RBE)(Vx)and the minimum dose in the most irradiated x cc normal rectal volume(Dx).RESULTS The mean values of D6cc,D2cc,V10 Gy(RBE),V20 Gy(RBE),V30 Gy(RBE),and V40 Gy(RBE)were significantly higher in the patients with rectal bleeding than in those without.The cutoff values were D6cc=34.34 Gy(RBE),D2cc=46.46 Gy(RBE),V10 Gy(RBE)=9.85 cc,V20 Gy(RBE)=7.00 cc,V30 Gy(RBE)=6.91 cc,and V40 Gy(RBE)=4.26 cc.The D2cc,V10 Gy(RBE),and V20 Gy(RBE)cutoff values were significant predictors of grade 2 rectal bleeding.CONCLUSION The above dose-volume parameters may serve as guidelines for preventing rectal bleeding after 12 fractions of CIRT for prostate cancer.

Lithium Ion Transport Environment by Molecular Vibrations in Ion-Conducting Glasses

Controlling Li ion transport in glasses at atomic and molecular levels is key to realizing all-solid-state batteries,a promising technology for electric vehicles.In this context,Li_(3)PS_(4)glass,a promising solid electrolyte candidate,exhibits dynamic coupling between the Li^(+)cation mobility and the PS_(4)^(3-)anion libration,which is commonly referred to as the paddlewheel effect.In addition,it exhibits a concerted cation diffusion effect(i.e.,a cation-cation interaction),which is regarded as the essence of high Li ion transport.However,the correlation between the Li^(+)ions within the glass structure can only be vaguely determined,due to the limited experimental information that can be obtained.Here,this study reports that the Li ions present in glasses can be classified by evaluating their valence oscillations via Bader analysis to topologically analyze the chemical bonds.It is found that three types of Li ions are present in Li_(3)PS_(4)glass,and that the more mobile Li ions(i.e.,the Li3-type ions)exhibit a characteristic correlation at relatively long distances of 4.0-5.0A.Furthermore,reverse Monte Carlo simulations combined with deep learning potentials that reproduce X-ray,neutron,and electron diffraction pair distribution functions showed an increase in the number of Li3-type ions for partially crystallized glass structures with improved Li ion transport properties.Our results show order within the disorder of the Li ion distribution in the glass by a topological analysis of their valences.Thus,considering the molecular vibrations in the glass during the evaluation of the Li ion valences is expected to lead to the development of new solid electrolytes.

庚型肝炎病毒基因组RNA转录体恒河猴肝内注射感染的初步研究

GBV-C/HGV RNA transcripts were transcribed in vitro from a single GBV-C/HGV full-length cDNA clone pHGVqz, and injected directly into the liver of Macaca mulatta to test their infectivity. Serum samples from the experimental Macaca mulatta were collected weekly after injection to detect ALT, anti-GBV-C/HGV and GBV-C/HGV RNA. At week 6 post injection, the liver tissues of the infected Macaca mulatta were dissected through operation for histological examination. The results showed that ALT level of the Macaca mulatta remained normal and anti-GBV-C/HGV kept negative after infection. GBV-C/HGV RNA was detected positve from week 1 through week 14 post injection. The liver biopsy showed light viral-hepatitis like histological changes. From the preliminary results, we concluded that the in vitro transcripts of GBV-C/HGV may be infectious. Further studies are under way to confirm the conclusion.

森林土壤融化期异养呼吸和微生物碳变化特征

采用室内土柱培养的方法,研究在不同湿度(55%和80%WFPS,土壤充水孔隙度)和不同氮素供给(NH_4Cl和KNO_3,4.5 g N/m^2)条件下,外源碳添加(葡萄糖,6.4 g C/m^2)对温带成熟阔叶红松混交林和次生白桦林土壤融化过程微生物呼吸和微生物碳的激发效应。结果表明:在整个融化培养期间,次生白桦林土壤对照CO_2累积排放量显著高于阔叶红松混交林土壤。随着土壤湿度的增加,次生白桦林土壤对照CO_2累积排放量和微生物代谢熵(q_(CO_2))显著降低,而阔叶红松混交林土壤两者显著地增加(P<0.05)。两种林分土壤由葡萄糖(Glu)引起的CO_2累积排放量(9.61—13.49 g C/m^2)显著大于实验施加的葡萄糖含碳量(6.4g C/m^2),同时由Glu引起的土壤微生物碳增量为3.65—27.18 g C/m^2,而施加Glu对土壤DOC含量影响较小。因此,这种由施加Glu引起的额外碳释放可能来源于土壤固有有机碳分解。融化培养结束时,阔叶红松混交林土壤未施氮处理由Glu引起的CO_2累积排放量在两种湿度条件下均显著大于次生白桦林土壤(P<0.001);随着湿度的增加,两种林分土壤Glu引起的CO_2累积排放量显著增大(P<0.001)。单施KNO_3显著地增加两种湿度的次生白桦林土壤Glu引起的CO_2累积排放量(P<0.01)。单施KNO_3显著地增加了两种湿度次生白桦林土壤Glu引起的微生物碳(P<0.001),单施NH_4Cl显著地增加低湿度阔叶红松混交林土壤Glu引起的微生物碳(P<0.001)。结合前期报道的未冻结实验结果,发现冻结过程显著地影响外源Glu对温带森林土壤微生物呼吸和微生物碳的刺激效应(P<0.05),并且无论冻结与否,温带森林土壤微生物呼吸和微生物碳对外源Glu的响应均与植被类型、土壤湿度、外源氮供给及其形态存在显著的相关性。

Alterations of tumor suppressor and tumor-related genes in the development and progression of gastric cancer

The development and progression of gastric cancer involves a number of genetic and epigenetic alterations of tumor suppressor and tumor-related genes. The majority of differentiated carcinomas arise from intestinal metaplastic mucosa and exhibit structurally altered tumor suppressor genes, typified by p53, which is inactivated via the classic two-hit mechanism, i.e. loss of heterozygosity （LOH） and mutation of the remaining allele. LOH at certain chromosomal loci accumulates during tumor progression. Approximately 20% of differentiated carcinomas show evidence of mutator pathway tumorigenesis due to hMLH1 inactivation via hypermethylation of promoter CpG islands, and exhibit high-frequency microsatellite instability. In contrast, undifferentiated carcinomas rarely exhibit structurally altered tumor suppressor genes. For instance, while methylation of E-cadherin is often observed in undifferentiated carcinomas, mutation of this gene is generally associated with the progression from differentiated to undifferentiated carcinomas. Hypermethylation of tumor suppressor and tumor-related genes, including APC, CHFR, DAP- kinase, DCC, E-cadherin, GSTP1, hMLH1, p16, PTEN, RASSF1A, RUNX3, and TSLC1, can be detected in both differentiated and undifferentiated carcinomas at varying frequencies. However, the significance of the hypermethylation varies according to the analyzed genomic region, and hypermethylation of these genes can also be present in non-neoplastic gastric epithelia. Promoter demethylation of specific genes, such as MAGE and synudein y, can occur during the progressive stages of both histological types, and is associated with patient prognosis. Thus, while the molecular pathways of gastric carcinogenesis are dependent on histological background, specific genetic alterations can still be used for risk assessment, diagnosis, and prognosis.

Cooperative function of antioxidant and redox systems against oxidative stress in male reproductive tissues

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are produced under oxidative stress, such as high oxygen concentration and during the metabolic consumption of oxygen molecules. Male reproductive tissues appear to be continuously exposed to ROS produced by active metabolism. In addition, spermatozoa must pass through a high oxygen environment during the mating process. Thus, to maintain viable reproductive ability, a protective mechanism against oxidative stress is of importance. Here, we overview our current understanding of the cooperative function of antioxidative and redox systems that are involved in male fertility. Superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase are major enzymes that scavenge harmful ROS in male reproductive organs. In turn, glutathione and thioredoxin systems constitute the main redox systems that repair oxidized and damaged molecules and also play a role in regulating a variety of cellular functions. While glutathione functions as an antioxidant by donating electrons to glutathione peroxidase and thioredoxin donates electrons to peroxiredoxin as a counterpart of glutathione peroxidase. In addition, aldo-keto reductases, which detoxify carbonyl compounds produced by oxidative stress, are present at high levels in the epithelia of the genital tract and Sertoli cells of the testis. Since these systems are involved in cross-talk, a comprehensive understanding will be required to maintain the physiological functions of male reproductive system.

Decreased levels of plasma adiponectin associated with increased risk of colorectal cancer

AIM:To investigate the association between adiponectin levels and risk of colorectal adenoma and cancer (early and advanced).METHODS: A cross-sectional study in a cohort of hospital-based patients was conducted between January 2004 and March 2006 at Yamagata University Hospital. Male subjects, who had colorectal tumors detected by endoscopic examination, were enrolled according to inclusion and exclusion criteria. Based on the T factor of the TNM system, intraepithelial carcinoma and submucosally invasive carcinoma were def ined as early cancer, and invasion into the muscularis propria or deeper was defined as advanced cancer. The plasma levels of glucose, insulin, total cholesterol, triglyceride, high sensitivity C-reactive protein, insulin like growth factor (IGF)-1, IGF binding protein-3, adiponectin, leptin, and resistin were measured. Each factor level was designated low or high, and the risk of adenoma or cancer was estimated by univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis.RESULTS: We enrolled 124 male subjects (47 with adenoma, 34 with early cancer, 17 with advanced cancer, and 26 without tumors as controls). In patients with adenoma, high triglyceride and low adiponectin were associated with a significant increase in the odds ratio (OR) by univariate analysis. Only a low adiponectin level was related to increased adenoma risk, with an adjusted OR for low level (<11 μg/mL) to high (≥11 μg/mL) of 5.762 (95% confidence interval (CI):1.683-19.739, P=0.005). In the patients with early cancer, high body mass index, high triglyceride, and low adiponectin were associated with a significant increase in OR in univariate analysis. Imultivariate analysis, only low adiponectin was significantly associated with early cancer, with an adjusted OR of 4.495 (95% CI:1.090-18.528, P=0.038). However, in patients with advanced cancer, low adiponectin was not recognized as a significant risk factor for advanced cancer.CONCLUSION: A decreased level of adiponectin is strongly associated with an increased risk of colorectal adenoma and early cancer. These data call for further investigation, including a controlled prospective study.

Spleen-preserving distal pancreatectomy with conservation of the splenic artery and vein

PreservaUon of the spleen at distal pancreatectomy has recently attracted considerable attention. Since our first successful trial, spleen-preserving distal pancreatectomy with conservation of the splenic artery and vein for tumors of the pancreas and chronic pancreatitis has been performed more frequently. The technique for spleenpreserving distal pancreatectomy with conservation of the splenic artery and vein are outlined. The splenic vein is identified behind the pancreas and within the thin connective tissue membrane. The connective tissue membrane is cut longitudinally above the splenic vein. An important issue is to remove the splenic vein from the body of the pancreas toward the spleen, since a different approach may be very difficult. The pancreas is preferably removed from the splenic artery toward the head of the pancreas itself. This procedure is much easier than removing the pancreas from the vein side. One patient had undergone distal gastrectomy for duodenal ulcer, with reconstruction by Billroth Ⅱ tehcnique. If distal pancreatectomy with splenectomy had been performed for the lesion of the distal pancreas at the time, the residual stomach would also have to be resected. The potential damage done to the patient by reconstruction of the gastrointestinal tract in combination with distal pancreatectomy and splenectomy would have been much greater than with distal pancreatectomy only with preservation of the spleen and residual stomach. Benign lesions as well as low-grade malignancy of the body and tail of the pancreas may be a possible indication for this procedure.

Pancreatic schwannoma:Case report and an updated 30-year review of the literature yielding 47 cases

Pancreatic schwannomas are rare neoplasms. Authors briefly describe a 64-year-old female patient with cystic pancreatic schwannoma mimicking other cystic tumors and review the literature. Databases for PubMed were searched for English-language articles from 1980 to 2010 using a list of keywords, as well as references from review articles. Only 41 articles, including 47 cases, have been reported in the English literature. The mean age was 55.7 years （range 20-87 years）, with 45% of patients being male. Mean tumor size was 6.2 cm （range 1-20 cm）. Tumor location was the head （40%）, head and body （6%）, body （21%）, body and tail （15%）, tail （4%）, and uncinate process （13%）. Thirty-four percent of patients exhibited solid tumors and 60% of patients exhibited cystic tumors. Treatment included pancreati- coduodenectomy （32%）, distal pancreatectomy （21%）, enucleation （15%）, unresectable （4%）, refused opera- tion （2%） and the detail of resection was not specified in 26% of patients. No patients died of disease with a mean follow-up of 15.7 mo （range 3-65 too）, although 5 （11%） patients had a malignancy. The tumor size was significantly related to malignant tumor （13.8 ＋ 6.2 cm for malignancy vs 5.5 ＋ 4.4 cm for benign, P = 0.001） and cystic formation （7.9 ~ 5.9 cm for cystic tumor vs 3.9 ＋ 2.4 cm for solid tumor, P = 0.005）. The preoperative diagnosis of pancreatic schwannoma remains difficult. Cystic pancreatic schwannomas should be considered in the differential diagnosis of cystic neoplasms and pseudocysts. In our caset intraoperative frozen sec- tion confirmed the diagnosis of a schwannoma. Simple enudeation may be adequate, if this is possible.

Mutual interaction between oxidative stress and endoplasmic reticulum stress in the pathogenesis of diseases specifically focusing on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

Reactive oxygen species(ROS) are produced during normal physiologic processes with the consumption of oxygen. While ROS play signaling roles, when they are produced in excess beyond normal antioxidative capacity this can cause pathogenic damage to cells. The majority of such oxidation occurs in polyunsaturated fatty acids and sulfhydryl group in proteins, resulting in lipid peroxidation and protein misfolding, respectively. The accumulation of misfolded proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum(ER) is enhanced under conditions of oxidative stress and results in ER stress, which, together, leads to the malfunction of cellular homeostasis. Multiple types of defensive machinery are activated in unfolded protein response under ER stress to resolve this unfavorable situation. ER stress triggers the malfunction of protein secretion and is associated with a variety of pathogenic conditions including defective insulin secretion from pancreatic β-cells and accelerated lipid droplet formation in hepatocytes. Herein we use nonalcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD) as an illustration of such pathological liver conditions that result from ER stress in association with oxidative stress. Protecting the ER by eliminating excessive ROS viathe administration of antioxidants or by enhancing lipidmetabolizing capacity via the activation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors represent promising therapeutics for NAFLD.

Combined assessment of myocardial damage and electrical disturbance in chronic heart failure

AIM To investigate feasibility of combined assessment of biochemical and electrophysiological myocardial impairment markers risk-stratifying patients with chronic heart failure(CHF). METHODS Serum levels of heart-type fatty acid binding protein(H-FABP) as a marker of ongoing myocardial damage and QRS duration on electrocardiogram were measured at admission in 322 consecutive patients with CHF. A prolonged QRS duration was defined as 120 ms or longer. The cut-off value for H-FABP level(4.5 ng/mL) was determined from a previous study. Patients were prospectively followed during a median follow up period of 534 d. The primary endpoint was cardiac deaths and rehospitalization for worsening CHF.RESULTS There were 117 primary events, including 27 cardiac deaths and 90 rehospitalizations. Patients were stratified into four groups according to H-FABP level and QRS duration(≥ 120 ms). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that high H-FABP levels [hazard ratio(HR) = 1.745, P = 0.021] and QRS prolongation(HR1.612, P = 0.0258) were independent predictors of cardiac events. Kaplan-Meier analysis demonstrated that the combination of high H-FABP levels and QRS prolongation could be used to reliably stratify patients at high risk for cardiac events(log rank test P < 0.0001).CONCLUSION Combined assessment of myocardial damage and electrical disturbance can be used to risk-stratify patients with CHF.

Redox regulation of fertilisation and the spermatogenic process

Oxidative stress is one of the major causes of male infertility; it damages spermatogenic cells, the spermatogenic process and sperm function. Recent advances in redox biology have revealed the signalling role of reactive oxygen species （ROS） that are generated by cells. While highly reactive oxidants, such as the hydroxyl radical, exert largely deleterious effects, hydrogen peroxide can feasibly serve as a signal mediator because it is moderately reactive and membrane permeable and because it can oxidize only limited numbers of functional groups of biological molecules. The amino acid side chain most sensitive to oxidation is cysteine sulphydryl, which is commonly involved in the catalysis of some enzymes. Although the reactivity of cysteine sulphhydryl is not very high in ordinary proteins, some phosphatases possess a highly reactive sulphydryl group at their catalytic centre and are thereby oxidatively inactivated by transiently elevated hydrogen peroxide levels after extracellular stimuli and under certain environmental conditions. Peroxiredoxins, in turn, show moderate hydrogen peroxide-reducing activity, and their role in the modulation of ROS-mediated signal transduction in ordinary cells, mediated by protecting phosphatases from oxidative inactivation, has attracted much attention. Although knowledge of the signalling role of ROS in the male reproductive system is limited at present, its significance is becoming a focal issue. Here, we present a review of the emerging signalling role of hydrogen peroxide in testes.

Effects of Cerium Doping at Ti Sites and Europium Doping at Ba Sites on Dielectric Properties of BaTiO_3 Ceramics

Two special rare earth elements cerium and europium were chosen to conduct chemical modification of the BaTiO3 structure. The cold-pressing ceramic processing technique was used to prepare barium titanate ceramics doped with Ce at Ti sites and with Eu at Ba sites on the base of formulas Ba （ Ti1 -x Cex ） O3 （x = 0. 05, 0. 10 ） （CBT） and （ Ba1-y Euy ） Ti1-x/8O3 （ y = 0. 05, 0. 10） （EBT）. Associated with structures and microstructures, the effects of cerium and europium doping on dielectric properties of BaTiO3 ceramics were discussed. The CBT ceramics exhibit a pseudocubic perovskite structure, while the EBT ceramics exhibit a tetragonal perovskite structure with the exception of the existence of a small percentage of the Eu2Ti2O7 phase. The Curie peak of BaTiO3 shifts towards room temperature at rates of 3 ℃/mol Ce atoms and 10 ℃/mol Eu atoms（ Eu≤5% ）, respectively. Compared with the CBT ceramics, the EBT ceramics show significant advantages, such as a narrow fine grain size distribution（ 1 μm）, a lower porosity and a higher density（5.85 g/cm^3）, more stable dielectric-temperature dependence（ ε′= 1600-1800 at t 〈 50℃ ） and a lower dissipation factor（ 〈 0. 05 ）. The stability of dielectric constant with frequency in BaTiO3 can extend to 107 Hz due to Ce and Eu doping.

Transmission of hepatitis C virus: Self-limiting hepatitis or chronic hepatitis?

It has been suggested that hepatitis C virus(HCV)is selectively transmitted to a new host as an infectious clone from multiple HCV variants(quasispecies)in the donor.Most individuals with HCV infection develop chronic hepatitis,but approximately 15%-40%of them clear the virus spontaneously and the hepatitis is resolved in a self-limiting manner in the acute phase of infection.This difference in the outcome of acute hepatitis C is attributable to both viral characteristics and genetic regulation of infection.In particular,the evolutionary dynamics of the infecting virus and host genetic polymorphisms pertaining mainly to the immune system,including polymorphisms in the region of the Interleukin 28B gene encoding interferon-λ-3,are associated with susceptibility to HCV infection.

Pancreatic hyperechogenicity associated with hypoadiponectinemia and insulin resistance: A Japanese population study

AIMTo examine the relationship between pancreatic hyperechogenicity and risk factors for metabolic syndrome. METHODSA general population-based survey of lifestyle-related diseases was conducted from 2005 to 2006 in Japan. The study involved 551 participants older than 40 year of age. Data for 472 non-diabetic adults were included in the analysis. The measures included the demographic factors, blood parameters, results of a 75 g oral glucose tolerance test, and abdominal ultrasonography. The echogenicity of the pancreas and liver was compared, and then the subjects were separated into two groups: cases with pancreatic hyperechogenicity (n = 208) and cases without (controls, n = 264). The differences between both groups were compared using an unpaired t-test or Fisher&rsquo;s exact test. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to determine the relationship between the pancreatic hyperechogenicity and clinical and biochemical parameters. RESULTSSubjects with pancreatic hyperechogenicity had decreased serum adiponectin concentration compared to control subjects [8.9 (6.5, 12.8) vs 11.1 (7.8, 15.9), P P CONCLUSIONPancreatic hyperechogenicity is independently associated with increased BMI, insulin resistance, and hypoadiponectinemia in the general population.