Short-term effect of gastric resection on circulating levels of ghrelin, peptide YY3-36 and obestatin in patients with early gastric cancer.

The short-term responses of gut hormones and the compensative interaction during a one-week period after subtotal gastrectomy in early gastric cancer (EGC) patients were assessed. Previous studies have reported gut hormonal changes after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery. Blood samples were collected from 40 patients with EGC preoperatively, at 1 h after gastric resection, and on postoperative day (POD) 1, 3, and 7. Levels of active ghrelin, total ghrelin, obestatin, and PYY3-36 were measured. Total ghrelin level rapidly reached a nadir of 69.1%, while active ghrelin level had increased to 135.5% at 1 h after resection. Then, both returned to preoperative level. On the contrary, active/total ghrelin reached its nadir quickly at 1 h after resection and had returned to the preoperative level by POD 3. The nadir PYY3-36 level was 71.4% on POD 1, followed by a gradual recovery, and had increased to 116.5% by POD 7. The same pattern was observed for obestatin. Active ghrelin/obestatin showed an increase on POD 1 while total ghrelin/obestatin showed a decrease on POD 3. Then, both returned to preoperative level. These results suggest that a rapid interactive compensatory mechanism of gut hormones does exist in the remnant gastrointestinal tract after abrupt changes in the production reservoir in nonobese people.

Influence of choroidal thickness on subfoveal choroidal thickness measurement repeatability using enhanced depth imaging optical coherence tomography.

PURPOSE: To determine the influence of choroidal thickness (CT) and image setting on repeatability of subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFCT) manual measurement using enhanced depth imaging optical coherence tomography (EDI-OCT). METHODS: This retrospective study included 189 eyes from 189 adults. Two observers (A and B) measured the SFCT from 1 : 1 micron and 1 : 1 pixel images for evaluation of interobserver repeatability. Observer A performed a single additional measurement for intraobserver repeatability. RESULTS: The mean age was 45.1±11.1 years. The mean SFCT from 1 : 1 pixel and 1 : 1 micron images were 315.3±89.2 and 312.6±88.4 µm, respectively. The subjects were divided into three subgroups based on the mean CT from 1 : 1 pixel images: 26 eyes belonged to thin CT group, 111 eyes to intermediate CT group, and 52 eyes to thick CT group. Interclass coefficients (ICCs) exhibited high intraobserver repeatability. Interobserver ICCs were also high, except for thick CT group with 1 : 1 pixel image (ICC≤0.75). Intraobserver correlation coefficients were high regardless of CT. Interobserver correlation coefficients for 1 : 1 pixel images were 0.896 in thin CT group, 0.680 in intermediate CT group, and 0.624 in thick CT group, respectively (P<0.0001). The interobserver ICCs and correlation coefficients from 1 : 1 micron images were slightly higher than from 1 : 1 pixel images. CONCLUSIONS: The repeatability for the two observers was reduced in thick CT group despite high total repeatability. 1 : 1 Micron images provided slightly better repeatability in interobserver measurements. CT measurements should be interpreted cautiously, particularly for a thick choroid.

Determination of irinotecan and its metabolite SN-38 in rabbit plasma and tumors using a validated method of tandem mass spectrometry coupled with liquid chromatography.

New tandem mass spectrometric method coupled with liquid chromatography (LC-MS/MS) has been developed to determine the total concentration of camptothecin derivatives (irinotecan and SN-38) regardless of inter-conversion phenomenon between carboxylate and lactone forms. At first, all sample solutions were acidified for 1h in order to completely convert CPT derivatives into their lactone forms and then CPT derivatives were extracted with organic solution containing diethyl ether and ethyl acetate (2:1, v/v) just after alkalization in the range pH 8.0-8.5 in acid-treated solutions. Analytes were separated on a reverse phase C18 column (150×2.1mm) and eluted isocratically with a mobile phase which consisted of acetonitrile-methanol-buffer (0.1% formic acid, 5mM ammonium formate) (3:4:3, v/v). CPT derivatives were monitored by tandem mass spectrometry in electrospay-positive ionization and multiple reaction mode programmed to the following transitions (m/z): '587.6→167.2' of CPT-11, '393.6→349.3' of SN-38 and '349.4→ 305.2' of CPT. The method was validated to have the proper linearity (r(2)>0.99) over the range of 5-1000ng/ml of CPT-11 and 1-250ng/ml of SN-38 with good accuracy (89.8-114.3%) and precision (less than 10%). In all stability tests, concentration of CPT-11 and SN-38 had been left in the acceptable range of 88.8-110.7% when sample solutions were acidified before determination of CPT derivatives. Newly developed LC-MS/MS method was suitable for the determination of CPT derivatives of both rabbit plasma and tumor tissues in the pharmacokinetic study.

The effect of orally administered epigallocatechin-3-gallate on ligature-induced periodontitis in rats.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) is known for its beneficial properties, including anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative activities. Recently, reports have suggested that EGCG plays a pivotal role in regulating cytokine expression and osteoclastic activity. In the present study, we investigated whether orally administered EGCG has a therapeutic effect on ligature-induced periodontitis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty-eight Sprague-Dawley rats were treated with EGCG or phosphate-buffered saline. Periodontitis was induced by tying a ligature for 7 d. After removing ligation, EGCG (200 mg/kg) or phosphate-buffered saline was administered via oral gavage on a daily basis. Rats were killed after 1, 2 and 4 wk of administration. Histologic and histomorphometric analyses, tartrate resistant acid phosphatase staining and immunohistochemistry were carried out. RESULTS: In the control group, bone loss did not recover even after the causative factor of periodontitis was eliminated. On the other hand, distance from cemento-enamel junction to alveolar bone crest, long junctional epithelium and collagen destruction were reduced in the EGCG group. Decreased interleukin (IL)-6 expression was shown from the early stage of EGCG administration, followed by reduced tumor necrosis factor (TNF) expression at week 4 EGCG group. The CT area showed a higher decrease of IL-6 expression between the control and EGCG group than alveolar bone area. Downregulation of TNF and IL-6 expression led to a decrease in osteoclast number and activity, which resulted in reduced bone loss. CONCLUSIONS: Systemic administration of EGCG could have a therapeutic effect on damaged periodontal tissue. Inhibited cytokine expression, including TNF and IL-6 is responsible for the reduction in osteoclast formation, osteoclastic activity and collagen destruction.

Maintenance anaesthetics during remifentanil-based anaesthesia might affect postoperative pain control after breast cancer surgery.

BACKGROUND: Although remifentanil provides profound analgesia during operation, postoperative occurrence of hyperalgesia and tolerance after remifentanil administration could be a challenge to the postoperative pain control. In this investigation, we sought to determine the effect of maintenance with propofol or sevoflurane on postoperative analgesia after remifentanil-based anaesthesia. METHODS: Two hundred and fourteen women undergoing breast cancer surgery under remifentanil-based general anaesthesia were randomly included in this prospective and double-blind trial. The patients were anaesthetized with sevoflurane (S) or propofol (P) under high (H) or low (L) effect-site concentration (Ce) of remifentanil-based anaesthesia using a target-controlled infusion system; the patients were allocated into the SH, SL, PH, and PL groups. Pain intensity (visual analogue score, VAS) and cumulative morphine requirements were recorded 30 min, 1, 6, 12, and 24 h after operation. RESULTS: The patient characteristics were similar. Cumulative morphine consumption at 24 h after surgery was higher in the SH group [38.6 (sd 14.9)] compared with the SL [31.5 (3.7)], PH [31.7 (8.3)], and PL groups [30.1 (6.1)] (P<0.001). The VAS scores during 24 h after surgery were also higher in the SH group than the SL, PH, and PL groups (P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Remifentanil hyperalgesia was induced by high dose of remifentanil-based anaesthesia during sevoflurane anaesthesia, whereas that was not apparent during propofol anaesthesia. Also, remifentanil hyperalgesia did not occur during low dose of remifentanil-based anaesthesia. Maintenance of propofol during high-dose remifentanil-based anaesthesia provided better postoperative analgesia.

A pilot study of brain activation in children with trichotillomania during a visual-tactile symptom provocation task: a functional magnetic resonance imaging study.

OBJECTIVES: In order to reveal the etiology and pathophysiology of trichotillomania (TTM), it is necessary to investigate which brain regions are involved in TTM, but limited knowledge exists regarding the neurobiology of TTM and the available functional neuroimaging studies of TTM are little. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the specific brain regions involved in the pathophysiology of TTM with symptom provocation task using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) for children and adolescents with TTM. METHODS: Pediatric subjects who met the DSM-IV TR criteria for TTM (n=9) and age-, sex-, handedness-, IQ matched healthy controls (HC) (n=10), ages 9 to 17 years, were recruited for two fMRI experiments; symptom provocation of Visual Only (VO) and Visual and Tactile (VT). They were scanned while viewing two alternating blocks of symptom provocation (S) and neutral (N) movies. RESULTS: Random effects between-group analysis revealed significant activation in left temporal cortex(including middle and superior temporal gyrus), dorsal posterior cingulate gyrus, and putamen for the contrast S>N in TTM subjects versus HC subjects during the VO session. And TTM subjects demonstrated higher activity in the precuneus and dorsal posterior cingulate gyrus to the contrast S>N during the VT session. CONCLUSIONS: This study provided an objective whole-brain-based analysis that directed researchers to areas that were abnormal in TTM. Using the symptom provocation tasks, we found significant differences in regional brain function between pediatric TTM and HC subjects. However, in the face of modest statistical power, our preliminary findings in TTM need to be replicated in a larger sample. As the functional neuroanatomic circuits involved in TTM remain largely unexplored, future functional neuroimaging studies using other various paradigms may help investigate the neuroanatomic abnormalities of TTM.

Cloning, sequencing and expression in Escherichia coli of a thermophilic lipase from Bacillus thermoleovorans ID-1.

A thermophilic lipase of Bacillus thermoleovorans ID-1 was cloned and sequenced. The lipase gene codes 416 amino acid residues and contains the conserved pentapeptide Ala-X-Ser-X-Gly as other Bacillus lipase genes. The optimum temperature of the lipase is 75 degrees C, which is higher than other known Bacillus lipases. For expression in Escherichia coli, the lipase gene was subcloned in pET-22b(+) vector with a strong T7 promoter. Lipase activity was approximately 1.4-fold greater than under the native promoter.