Healthier Food of Animal Origin and Prevention of Campylobacteriosis

Campylobacter species belong to the most important foodborne bacteria which cause gastroenteritis in humans in both developed and developing countries. Applied hygienic measures result only partially efficient, as demonstrated by the high number of reported cases in the human population. Alternative strategies to prevent the disease though a direct action at primary production level have been explored. Preliminary data showed that cattle and pigs fed with bamboo and olive by-products, respectively, were free from Campylobacter, suggesting potential sustainable prevention strategy. In addition, biochemical analysis showed high levels of unsaturated fatty acids in red meat and meat products, adequate for the application of health claims in line with EU food law.

Involvement of insulin receptor substrates in cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease

Type 2 diabetes一associated with impaired insulin/insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF1) signaling (IIS)一is a risk factor for cognitive impairment and dementia including Alzheimer's disease (AD). The insulin receptor substrate (IRS) proteins are major components of IIS, which transmit upstream signals via the insulin receptor and/or IGF1 receptor to multiple intracellular signaling pathways, including AKT/protein kinase B and extracellular-signal-regulated kinase cascades. Of the four IRS proteins in mammals, IRS1 and IRS2 play key roles in regulating growth and survival, metabolism, and aging. Meanwhile, the roles of IRS1 and IRS2 in the central nervous system with respect to cognitive abilities remain to be clarified. In contrast to IRS2 in peripheral tissues, inactivation of neural IRS2 exerts beneficial effects, resulting in the reduction of amyloid p accumulation and premature mortality in AD mouse models. On the other hand, the increased phosphorylation of IRS 1 at several serine sites is observed in the brains from patients with AD and animal models of AD or cognitive impairment induced by type 2 diabetes. However, these serine sites are also activated in a mouse model of type 2 diabetes, in which the diabetes drug metformin improves memory impairment. Because IRS1 and IRS2 signaling pathways are regulated through complex mechanisms including positive and negative feedback loops, whether the elevated phosphorylation of IRS1 at specific serine sites found in AD brains is a primary response to cognitive dysfunction remains unknown. Here, we examine the associations between IRS 1 /1 RS2-mediated signaling in the central nervous system and cognitive decline.

Pneumonectomy of Primary Pulmonary Angiosarcoma with Malignant Effusion and Intrapleural Hypotonic Hyperthermic Chemotherapy: Case Report and Review of the Literature

Background: Primary pulmonary angiosarcoma is extremely rare and the prognosis is very poor. We report a combination therapy of pneumonectomy and intrapleural hypotonic hyperthermic chemotherapy (IPHHC). Case report: A 48-year-old male with exertional dyspnea was found to have a left massive pleural effusion. Bronchoscopic examination displayed endobronchial stenosis of the left lower bronchus B8,9,10?and diagnosed with pulmonary angiosarcoma. Chest computed-tomographic scanning revealed a 5-cm mass in the left inferior lobe, which invaded the left upperbronchus. Intrapleural dissemination and malignant pleural effusion were also suspected (cT3N1M1a,?c-stage IV). As a palliative initial therapy, we performed a pneumonectomy. On the 7th?postoperative day, under general anesthesia, we performed video-assisted IPHHC (43°C, 60 min, 200 mg/m2?of CDDP). After the IPHHC, there was no major adverse event (more than Grade 3) during the postoperative course. Histological examination of the resected specimen revealed a highly-cellular growth of atypical spindle cells with a storiform pattern. By immunohistochemical testing, the tumor cells stained positive for markers including CD31 and the factor VIII related antigen, and the diagnosis of pulmonary angiosarcoma was made. No adjuvant chemoradiotherapy was given, and the postoperative clinical course was uneventful. Although there had been a recurrence in the chest wall, the patient eventually died twenty-one months later. Conclusion: As a new therapeutic option, we performed IPHHC after the pneumonectomy for an advanced pulmonary angiosarcoma with malignant pleural effusion. Although the patient had a recurrence in the chest wall, he had a reasonable postoperative outcome, that is, he returned to a work, retained a good quality of life and had a longer survival in spite of the poor prognosis of the pulmonary angiosarcoma.

Selective extraction of In(Ⅲ),Ga(Ⅲ) and Zn(Ⅱ) using a novel extractant with phenylphosphinic acid

A new extractant, [N,N-di（2-ethylhexyl）aminolmethylphenylphosphinic acid （DEAPP）, was synthesized to de- velop the mutual separation techniques of In（Ⅲ）, Ga（Ⅲ） and Zn（Ⅱ）. The extraction selectivity for In（Ⅲ）, Ga（Ⅲ） and Zn（Ⅱ） with DEAPP was higher than that of the commercial phosphorus acid extractants such as D2EHPA and PC-88A. The extraction selectivity for metal ions in 1 mob L 1 aqueous ammonium nitrate solution with DEAPP was in the following order： In（Ⅲ） 〉 Ga（Ⅲ） 〉 Zn（Ⅱ）. These selective extraction behaviors indicate that the amino moiety of DEAPP plays an important role in the mutual separation of ln（Ⅲ）, Ga（Ⅲ） and Zn（ll）. The extraction equilibria of In（Ⅲ）, Ga（Ⅲ） and Zn（Ⅱ） with DEAPP （ = HR） were expressed by the following reactions： In3＋ ＋ 2（HR）2 InR3（HR） ＋ 3H＋, Ga3＋ ＋ 1.5（HR）2 ＋ N- = GaR2（HR）（NO3） ＋ 2H＋, and Zn2＋ 4- 2（HR）2 ZnR2 （HR） 2 determined 4- 2H＋. The extraction equilibrium constants of In（Ⅲ）, Ga（Ⅲ） and Zn（Ⅱ） with DEAPP were to be Kex, M = 1.7 × 104 [dm3.mol 1], 4.17 [（dm3.mol-1）s], and 1.55 × 10 2 [-], respectively.

Gender Does Not Have a Potential Predictive Value for the Presence of Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Mutation in Lung Adenocarcinoma

Background: Previous studies reported that non-small cell carcinoma patients characterized by female gender, never-smoking status and adenocarcinoma histology were more likely to harbor epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations. However, some studies failed to find the relationship between EGFR mutation and gender. Methods: One hundred and eighty-four consecutive patients (90 men and 94 women) of resected lung adenocarcinoma were studied retrospectively. Since the smoking rate is significantly higher in men, we assumed that gender difference might be a seeming factor affected by smoking. Therefore we subdivided the patients into 2 groups: never- and ever-smokers. Results: The number of ever-smokers was 94.44% in men, whereas 8.51% in women. EGFR mutation was positive in 48.9%. For overall patients, EGFR mutation status was associated with gender, pStage, pT status, lepidic dominant histologic subtype, pure/mixed groundglass opacity (GGO) on computed tomography (CT) and smoking status. However, in ever-smokers, EGFR mutation status was associated with lepidic histologic subtype and GGO on CT, but not others including gender. Similar results were also found in never-smokers, and gender was not also related to EGFR mutation in never smokers. Conclusion: The EGFR mutational frequency among men and women was not significantly different when lung adenocarcinoma patients were stratified into never- and ever-smokers.

Impact of lipoprotein lipase gene polymorphisms on ulcerative colitis

AIM： To examine the influence of lipoprotein lipase （LPL） gene polymorphism in ulcerative colitis （UC） patients.METHODS： Peripheral blood was obtained from 131 patients with UC and 106 healthy controls for DNA extraction. We determined LPL gene polymorphisms affecting the enzyme at Ser447stop, as well as Hind Ⅲ and Pvu Ⅱ polymorphisms using PCR techniques. PCR products were characterized by PCR-RFLP and direct sequencing. Polymorphisms were examined for association with clinical features in UC patients. Genotype frequencies for LPL polymorphisms were also compared between UC patients and controls.RESULTS： In patients with onset at age 20 years or younger, C/G and G/G genotypes for Ser447stop polymorphism were more prevalent than C/C genotype （OR = 3.13, 95% CI = 0.95-10.33）. Patients with H^＋/- or H^-/- genotype for Hind Ⅲ polymorphism also were more nu merous than those with H^＋/＋ genotype （OR = 2.51, 95% CI = 0.85-7.45）. In the group with H^＋/＋ genotype for Hind Ⅲ polymorphism, more patients had serum triglyceride concentrations over 150 mg/dL than patients with H^＋/- or H^- genotype （P 〈 0.01, OR = 6.46, 95% CI = 1.39-30.12）. Hypertriglycemia was also more prevalent in patients with P^＋/＋ genotypes for Pvu Ⅱ polymorphism （P 〈 0.05, OR = 3.0, 95% CI = 1.06-8.50）. Genotype frequency for LPL polymorphism did not differ significantly between UC patients and controls.

Docking and Molecular Dynamics Study of the Carbohydrate Binding Module from Trichoderma reesei Cel7A on the Surfaces of the Cellulose Ⅲ_(1) Crystal

We report the systematic survey of the binding free energies at the interface between a carbohydrate binding module(CBM)of Cel7A and the celluloseⅢ_(1)crystal model using grid docking searches and molecular dynamics simulations.The two hydrophobic crystal surfaces were involved in the distinct energy minima of the binding free energy.The complex models,each with the CBM at the minimum energy position,stably formed in the solution state.The binding free energies of the celluloseⅢ_(1)complex models,based on both static and dynamics states,were comparable to those of the native cellulose complex models.However,the celluloseⅢ_(1)crystal had a larger binding surface,which is compatible with the observed high enzymatic activity of Cel7A for the celluloseⅢ_(1)substrate.

Changes in physicochemical properties of proteins in Kayserian Pastirma made from the M.semimembranosus muscle of cows during traditional processing

In the current study,we examined the effects of beef processing to produce pastirma on the physicochemical properties of proteins in M.semimembranosus(SEM)muscle.Protein concentrations significantly increased in pastirma muscles(P<0.01),as a result of the salting and curing process.The surface hydrophobicity values of processed samples were higher than those without processing at all guanidine-HCl concentrations,suggesting hydrophobicity increased,which may attribute to the new generated peptides during the traditional pastirma-making process.The metmyoglobin content greatly increased(by as much as 89%)in pastirma samples compared with the unprocessed samples.The images of histology also demonstrate that the pastirma processing had no negative impact on the structure of the muscle.The results from this study suggest that the traditional pastirma-making process catalyzed the enzymatic digestion of muscle proteins,and the differences in some physicochemical parameters between the control and pastirma samples were thus likely to be contributable to protein digestion.Thus,the traditional pastirma-making process results in the degradation of many proteins into peptides,which might then be obtainable as functional components to treat human dietand lifestyle-related diseases such as hypertension,hyperglycemia syndromes or to be used as nutraceuticals.©2013 Beijing Academy of Food Sciences.Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V.All rights reserved.

Functional foods effective for hepatitis C: Identification of oligomeric proanthocyanidin and its action mechanism

Hepatitis C virus(HCV)is a major cause of viral hepatitis and currently infects approximately 170 million people worldwide.An infection by HCV causes high rates of chronic hepatitis(】75%)and progresses to liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma ultimately.HCV can be eliminated by a combination of pegylatedα-interferon and the broad-spectrum antiviral drug ribavirin;however,this treatment is still associated with poor efficacy and tolerability and is often accompanied by serious side-effects.While some novel direct-actingantivirals against HCV have been developed recently,high medical costs limit the access to the therapy in cost-sensitive countries.To search for new natural anti-HCV agents,we screened local agricultural products for their suppressive activities against HCV replication using the HCV replicon cell system in vitro.We found a potent inhibitor of HCV RNA expression in the extracts of blueberry leaves and then identified oligomeric proanthocyanidin as the active ingredient.Further investigations into the action mechanism of oligomeric proanthocyanidin suggested that it is an inhibitor of heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoproteins(hn RNPs)such as hn RNP A2/B1.In this review,we presented an overview of functional foods and ingredients efficient for HCV infection,the chemical structural characteristics of oligomeric proanthocyanidin,and its action mechanism.

Adjuvant Chemotherapy of Gemcitabine plus Carboplatin versus Paclitaxel plus Carboplatin in Patients with Resected Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

Background: This retrospective study was to evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of gemcitabine plus carboplatin (GC regimen) and paclitaxel plus carboplatin (PC regimen) combination chemotherapy administered as an adjuvant therapy after complete resection of non-small cell lung cancer. Methods: Forty-four patients (GC regimen, n = 29;PC regimen, n = 15) received gemcitabine at a dose of 1000 mg/m2 on days 1 and 8, and carboplatin with the target dose of area under the curve (AUC) of 4 on day 8 every 28 days and paclitaxel at a dose of 70 mg/m2 on days 1, 8 and 15, and carboplatin with the target dose of AUC of 5 on day 1 every 28 days. Results: A total of 130 cycles of the treatment were administered (averaged, 3.1 in GC arm and 2.7 cycles in PC arm). Forty-three patients (97.7%) completed the scheduled cycles. One patient (2.3%) was discontinued due to grade 4 pneumonia. The dose was reduced in 2 patients (4.5%) due to grade 4 thrombocytopenia. Grade 3/4 neutropenia was significantly observed in the PC group (GC: 12/29, 41.4%;PC: 11/15, 73.3%, p = 0.0443). The nonhematological toxicities were mild. Grade 1/2 alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase in the GC group was significantly observed higher compared to those of the PC group (GC: 20/29, 69.0%;PC: 4/15, 26.7%, p = 0.0076). Grade 1/2 alopecia was significantly observed in the PC group (GC: 0/25, 0.0%;PC: 13/15, 86.7%, p 0.0001). There was no treatment-related death. The median survival time (MST) of the entire GC group was 784 days, the 3-year overall survival (OS) was 75.9%, and 3-year recurrence-free survival (RFS) was 65.5%. The MST of the entire PC group was 963 days, the 3-year OS was 80.0%, and the 3-year RFS was 60.0%. Conclusion: These results demonstrate that the GC and PC combination chemotherapies are efficacious and feasible regimens, which should be considered as one of the standard therapies for adjuvant therapy.

Outcomes of Quality of Life Regarding the Next-Generation Thoracoscopic Intrapleural Hyperthermic Chemotherapy of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer with Dissemination

Background: We have developed a new next-generation intrapleural hyperthermic chemotherapy (IPHC) for non-small cell lung cancer with dissemination, which is a hybrid chemotherapy combined with oral S-1 medication plus conventional cisplatin-based IPHC. We now report the preliminary feasibility and outcome of quality of life (QOL) regarding this hybrid IPHC. Methods: The patient was a 76-year-old male with a 2-cm nodule in the left upper lobe. After partial resection by video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS), which was diagnosed with advanced pulmonary adenocarcinoma with intrapleural dissemination. We initially performed two regimens of systemic chemotherapy, S-1 (day 1 - 21, 100 mg 2X/day) + CDDP (day 8, 60 mg/m2) and S-1 (day 1 - 14,100 mg 2X/day) + CBDCA (day 1, AUC 5). The regimen of next-generation IPHC is oral S-1 medication (day 1 - 21, 100 mg/day) + intrapleural hyperthermic perfusion of cisplatin (200 mg/m2) with VATS (day 8,43°C, 2 hours). Adverse outcomes, QOL, and pleural effusion were assessed in three regimens. To investigate the outcomes of the QOL, the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer QOL Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30 and QLQ-LC13), the QOL questionnaire for cancer patients treated with anticancer drugs (QOL-ACD), the Cancer Dyspnea Score (CDS), and the St. George’s Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) were used. Results: During the IPHC treatment course, grade 3 neutropenia, anemia, and diarrhea were observed. The physical function after IPHC became worse compared to that before the IPHC. Fatigue during chemotherapy (CBDCA+S-1) was more pronounced than that during the IPHC. Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea during the IPHC were prevalent than those of chemotherapy. The overall QOL after the IPHC was improved compared to that before the IPHC. Regarding before and after the IPHC, the physical function after the IPHC became worse compared to that before the IPHC, on the other hand, the global QOL before and after the IPHC had not dramatically changed. Pleural effusion was controlled after the IPHC for more than 1 year. Conclusion: The first case of a clinical trial of the next-generation IPHC showed grade 3 adverse events. However, it was an acceptable feasibility compared to the usual platinum doublet chemotherapy. The effectiveness of the IPHC allowed the patient to obtain a good control of the pleural effusion and preserved the patient’s QOL.

Randomized Control Trial on the Efficacy of Dual Bronchodilator of Glycopyrronium/Indacaterol for Lung Cancer Surgery: Improvement of Postoperative Pulmonary Function in Both Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Normal Pulmonary Function

Background: A dual bronchodilator, long-acting anticholine drugs (glycopyrronium, LAMA) and the long running β-2 stimulant (indacaterol, LABA), are effective for the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). To evaluate the effectiveness of the perioperative intervention of LAMA/LABA, a randomized prospective trial was performed for the lung cancer patients receiving a lobectomy with normal pulmonary function and COPD. Methods: Based on the results of the preoperative pulmonary function test, 25 patients were diagnosed with COPD [% forced expiratory volume in 1 second (%FEV1) < 70%]. Thirty-seven patients were enrolled as non-obstructive patients (70% ≤ %FEV1), who were randomized into two groups, the LAMA/LABA (n = 19) and the Control group (n = 18). The LAMA/LABA and the COPD groups daily received inhaled LAMA (50 μg) and LABA (110 μg) for 1 week before surgery and for least 4 weeks after surgery. The Control group had no treatment of the dual bronchodilator. The actual values were measured during the perioperative pulmonary function at three points of the preoperative baseline, the postoperative 1 week and the postoperative 4 weeks;these changes and changed ratios were then calculated. The patient-reported outcomes of the quality of life (PRO-QOL) were evaluated by the Cancer Dyspnea Scale (CDS), the COPD assessment test, and the St. George’s Respiratory Questionnaire. Results: Regarding the value of FEV1 at the baseline, that in the LAMA/LABA group was 79.2% ± 6.4% and that in the Control group was 80.9% ± 6.4%, but that in the COPD groups was 57.9% ± 8.7%;there was a significant difference between the COPD and the Control group (p < 0.0001). At the postoperative 1 week point, the FEV1 value in the Control group was 1.3 ± 0.5 L and that in the LAMA/LABA group was 1.7 ± 0.5 L. On the other hand, that in the COPD group was 1.7 ± 0.5 L, which was significantly higher compared to that in the Control group (p = 0.0251 and p = 0.0369). The intervention of LAMA/LABA for the COPD and non-obstructive patients resulted in the less decreased degree of the pulmonary function in FEV1 compared to that in the Control group. Based on the PRO-QOL by the CDS, the intervention of LAMA/LABA significantly reduced the total dyspnea in the LAMA/LABA group compared to that in the Control group (p = 0.0348). Conclusion: The perioperative intervention of LAMA/LABA should lead to maintaining the postoperative pulmonary function of the FEV1 during the lobectomy with COPD and non-obstructive patients and the improvement of PRO-QOL.

Effect of Sowing Rate on Agronomic Traits of Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor Moench) in Southern Kyushu, Japan

Newly released sudangrass-type sorghum cv. “Tarzan” was bred for use as a bioenergy-resource feedstuff in Germany. Since the genotype was collected at a high altitudinal site in the Central Africa continent, its early growth is vigorous at low temperature. As vigorous growth at low temperature is derived from high tillering ability, the sowing rate of this genotype should be reduced from the ordinary rate for sorghum. Thus, in the present study, the optimal sowing rate of cv. “Tarzan” in southern Kyushu was determined by the effect of sowing rate at 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 g·m-2, designated as low (L), middle (M), and high (H) levels, respectively, on growth habit compared with the normal sudangrass cultivar “Roll-king II”. Early growth was retarded by heavy precipitation in June, after which the growth was comparable for the two genotypes. Dry matter yield of “Tarzan” increased with higher sowing rate;the H level yield was 1298 g·m-2, and the yield was not adversely affected by the humidity and heat in the summer growing season, compared with “Roll-king II”. This suggests that “Tarzan” can adapt to the humid, hot climate in southern Kyushu, and the optimum sowing rate of “Tarzan” should be as low as 1.0 - 1.5 g·m-2, which is less than one-fifth to one-third that of forage sudangrass grown in the region.

Metastatic Ovarian Tumor of Vulvar Malignant Melanoma in a 43-Year-Old Woman: A Case Report and Literature Review

An ovarian malignant melanoma sometimes occurs from ovarian teratoma. Ovarian metastatic malignant melanoma is extremely rare. We describe a patient in whom vulvar melanoma (previously resected) metastasized to the ovary, making ovarian metastatic malignant melanoma. A 43-year-old Japanese woman was referred to us because of left ovarian tumor. She had undergone resection for malignant melanoma on the right labia minora with inguinal lymph node metastasis (pT1bN1aM0, stage IIIA, FIGO 2008). Eighteen months after this surgery, CT scans revealed left ovarian tumor and swelled pelvic lymph nodes, with a pelvic examination disclosing a left adnexal solid mass, with normal serum CA125 level (21.7 U/mL). Laparotomy revealed a left solid ovarian tumor measuring 4 cm, which was covered with a smooth grayish capsule. The right ovary, uterus, and pelvic cavity appeared normal. Upon sectioning during the surgery, the cross-sectional surface of the left ovary revealed a dark brown solid tumor. Following an intra-operative frozen-section diagnosis as metastatic melanoma, total hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy and pelvic lymph dissection was performed. Histological examination confirmed the diagnosis as malignant melanoma metastasis to the left ovary and the obturator lymph node: the same laterality (left) as the primary site. The tumor was entirely composed of malignant melanoma cells with no evidence of teratoma. Combined chemotherapy with dabrafenib mesylate and trametinib was planned based on the positive BRAF mutations. This case highlights the importance that physicians should have high index of suspicion for the occurrence of ovarian melanoma metastasis after melanoma surgery. We also made extensive literature review on this issue, of which description may contribute to better understanding of this condition.

Biomass Yield, Chemical Composition and Potential Ethanol Yields of 8 Cultivars of Napiergrass (<i>Pennisetum purpureum</i>Schumach.) Harvested 3-Monthly in Central Thailand

Eight cultivars of napiergrass (Pennisetum purpureum Schumach.), namely Dwarf, Muaklek, Bana, Taiwan A148, Common, Wruk wona, Tifton and Kampheng San, were grown in central Thailand in 2008-2009 and biomass yield, chemical composition and theoretical ethanol yield were measured. Harvests were made every 3 months. Biomass yield and cell wall compositions differed significantly (P 0.05) among cultivars. Tifton produced the highest annual biomass yield at 58.3 t/ha followed by Wruk wona (52.1 t/ha), while the lowest yield of 27.1 t/ha was in Dwarf. Biomass yield varied with season with highest yields in May and lowest in February during the dry season. Cell wall concentrations were higher in the tall cultivars than in the short ones (Dwarf and Muaklek) (P 0.05). Theoretical ethanol conversion efficiency ranged from 350 to 460 L/t DM among the cultivars following pretreatment with steam explosion. While a number of cultivars showed significant potential for use as biofuels in central Thailand, Tifton seemed to be the most promising.

Patient-Reported Outcomes of Surgery of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Evaluation Based on the Questionnaires of Anti-Aging Quality of Life and the European Organization for the Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire

Background: Patient-reported outcomes of the quality of life (QOL) after an open thoracotomy have not been studied. To determine the physical and mental changes in surgical patients is very important for medical staffs. The surgical patient’s satisfaction and overall healthy changes were evaluated by the patient-self assessment questionnaires. Materials and Methods: From July 2007 to April 2008, 26 patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) underwent surgical resection. The outcome of the QOL was evaluated by using two kinds of questionnaire surveys from the European Organization for the Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30) and the anti-aging QOL assessment (AA-QOL). The EORTC QLQ-C30 consisted of five domains (physical, role, cognitive, emotional, and social functionings) and global QOL. The AA-QOL contained 51 items;30 physical and 21 mental symptoms regarding the elderly and the aging population. The patients replied to the two questionnaires at two different times, i.e., at pre-surgery (baseline) and at post-surgery (2 weeks after the operation). The obtained data of these scores were averaged and compared between the two points of the pre-surgery and post-surgery. Results: Regarding the outcomes of the EORTC QLQ-C30, the physical and social functioning became significantly worse after the surgery. In contrast, the global QOL significantly became better after the surgery. For the symptom at post-surgery, three of which were “nausea and vomiting”, “pain”, and “appetite loss”, became significantly worse compared to those at pre-surgery. Regarding the outcomes of the AA-QOL, the physical symptoms (muscular pain/stiffness, palpitations, dyspnea, no feeling of good health, anorexia, and coughing and sputum) became significantly worse after the surgery. Regarding the mental symptoms, there were no significant differences. Conclusions: Regarding the outcomes based on the changes in the QOL after surgery, the physical symptoms became worse compared to the mental symptoms. To clarify the perioperative healthy changes of the QOL reported by patients with lung cancers is very important for multidisciplinary teamwork, which should play a role in providing the appropriate care and treatment and useful information for a preoperative patient’s decision making of receiving surgical treatment.

Clinical Outcomes, Safety and Efficacy of Intrapleural Hyperthermic Chemotherapy for Thoracic Malignant Diseases with Pleural Effusion

Background: We have performed the cisplatin-based intrapleural hyperthermic chemotherapy (IPHC) for advanced lung cancer with pleural effusion and for malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM). Retrospectively, the outcomes of the IPHC were evaluated. Methods: For 14 years from February, 2000 to February, 2014, we performed 14 cases of IPHC including 8 lung cancers (staged-IV) and 6 MPMs (staged-III: 5;IV: 1). We divided these cases in two groups;the lung cancer group (LC group) and MPM group, and assessed the perioperative factors, toxicities, and effectiveness. Results: The patient age averaged 66.5 ± 11.1 years old (11 males and 3 females). The pathology was 7 pulmonary adenocarcinomas, 1 pulmonary angiosarcoma, and 6 epithelial type MPMs. The regimens of the IPHC were CDDP (300 mg) plus saline (n = 12), CDDP (100 mg) plus saline (n = 1), and CDDP (300 mg) plus distilled water (n = 1). The operation and IPHC time was 204 ± 70 and 59 ± 19 minutes, respectively. Intraoperative complication was observed in 2 lung injuries due to exfoliation of the pleural adhesion in the LC group. Blood loss was 292 ± 365 ml. The postoperative complication, i.e., subcutaneous emphysema, was observed as grade 2 pulmonary fistula (7.1%, 1/14), which was significantly observed in the LC group (1/8, 12.5%) compared to the MPM group (0/8, 0%) (p = 0.040). The hematological toxicity of more than grade 3 was observed in only one case of anemia (7.1%, 1/14) and in the LC group (25%, 1/8). The grade 3 anemia (25%, 1/8) and grade 2 neutropenia (25%, 1/8) in the LC group were significantly observed compared to those in the MPM group (0%, 0/6), respectively (p = 0.040). The postoperative cytology of the malignant cells in the pleural effusion resulted in the negative (n = 6), positive (n = 7), and not evaluated (n = 1), and the control rate was calculated to be 46.2% (6/13). There was no significant difference between the two groups (p = 0.083), that is, 42.9% (3/7) in the LC group and 50.0% (3/6) in the MPM group. For the postoperative amounts of the pleural effusion, reduction (n = 10), unchanged (n = 3), and not evaluated (n = 1), the control rate was calculated to be 76.9% (10/13). There was a significant difference between the two groups (p = 0.042), that is, 71.4% (5/7) in the LC group and 83.3% (5/6) in the MPM group. Conclusion: The IPHC treatment resulted in no major complications, and fewer adverse events of more than grade 3. The outcome of the IPHC was safety, and a very effective control of the malignant cells and pleural effusion.

Supraceliac Aortic Clamping for Repair of Ruptured Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm in Patients with Short Aortic Neck Length

Objective: Prompt bleeding control with proximal aortic clamping and subsequent aortic repair are very important for ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm. However, unsuitable anatomy, such as short aortic neck length, not only disturbs the means to an expeditious repair, but may also increase morbidity and mortality. In the present study, we aimed to evaluate the efficacy of supraceliac aortic clamping for improving surgical outcomes for patients with ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm, who have a short aortic neck length. Method: Between April 2010 and September 2015, eighteen patients underwent emergent open surgical repair of ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm. Eight patients with a short aortic neck length underwent supraceliac aortic clamping, and 10 underwent infrarenal aortic clamping. Results: The mean supraceliac aortic clamping time was 30 ± 7 minutes. There was 1 operative death in the infrarenal aortic clamping group due to respiratory failure, and the overall operative mortality was 6%. There were no significant differences between the 2 groups with respect to postoperative complication rates or mortality. Furthermore, there were no significant differences in variables of renal function between the 2 groups, through-out the study period. Conclusion: Supraceliac aortic clamping was associated with minimal mortality and morbidity, but not with harmful effects on postoperative renal function. Thus, supraceliac aortic clamping can be safely applied for ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm with short aortic neck length.

Impact of Preoperative Serum Tumor Markers in Patients with Lung Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Background: Several previous researchers have investigated the prognostic value of serum tumor markers, especially carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA). Only a limited number of studies reported the usefulness of serum tumor markers for lung squamous cell carcinoma (SQ). We aimed to examine the significance of serum tumor markers for lung SQ. Methods: Eighty-five lung SQ patients who underwent surgery and followed more than 5-year were included. The ratios of 5-year survivors to all patients in groups with several clinicopathologic factors, including tumor markers, were compared. We also compared the clinicopathologic factors between central type and peripheral type SQ. Results: The majority of patients were male gender and current/ former smokers. Age, pN status, cytokeratin-19 fragment (CYFRA 21-1), squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCC), and comorbid interstitial pneumonia (IP) were associated with the ratio of 5-year survivors significantly. When patients were compared based on tumor location, high p-stage and CYFRA 21-1 were related to central type SQ. Conclusion: Both SCC and CYFRA 21-1 appeared to be useful prognostic markers for patients with lung SQ. Furthermore, CYFRA 21-1 was related to central type SQ.

A hydrophobic peptide fraction that enhances the water dispersibility of curcumin

The present study describes the complexation between curcumin(Cur) and a peptide mixture(Pep). Pep was prepared by enzymatic hydrolysis of casein and used as an excipient for poorly water-soluble Cur. An aqueous solution of Pep and an acetone solution of Cur were mixed and lyophilized to obtain a white-yellow powder of the peptide and Cur complex(CurPep). The water dispersibility of Cur was enhanced by the complexation with Pep. Pep was fractionated using ammonium sulfate precipitation and ultrafiltration to identify which peptides preferentially interact with Cur. Relatively hydrophobic peptides with high molecular weights(>5 k Da) were more effective in enhancing the water dispersibility of Cur than other fractions. Cur-Pep dispersed under acidic and neutral conditions, at which amphoteric Pep is positively or negatively charged. Cur-Pep exists as a hydrocolloid with particle size 160–330 nm in aqueous media.