Retinol Supplements Antiviral Action of Interferon in Patients with Chronic Hepatitis C: A Prospective Pilot Study

Sustained virologic response with peg-interferon and ribavirin combination therapy for 48 weeks is still inadequate. Our study examined whether short-term administration of retinol clinically influences the anti-viral activity of interferon early during interferon and ribavirin combination therapy. The control group received 6 MIU of interferon α-2b every day for two weeks and then 3 times a week for 22 weeks intramuscularly plus 600 mg or 800 mg per day of ribavirin orally for 24 weeks. The retinol group, in addition to above treatment, received retinol 30,000 units per day orally for 3 weeks from one week before the start of interferon α-2b plus ribavirin combination therapy. The hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA negativity rate at 1 week after the end of interferon α-2b and ribavirin combination therapy was 46.7% (28/60) for the retinol group and 31.7% (19/60) for the control group, which was significantly higher for the retinol group. The level of serum HCV RNA in the retinol group was significantly lower at 1 week after beginning treatment as compared to the control group (p<0.01). Furthermore, serum 2,5'AS protein at 1 week after beginning treatment was significantly higher in the retinol group (p = 0.0002). The results suggest that retinol supplement increases the antiviral effect of interferon α-2b plus ribavirin only during the administration of IFN α-2b, ribavirin and retinol in patients with chronic hepatitis C

Does the combination of different pitches and the absence of pitch type information influence timing control during batting in baseball?

Baseball pitchers use various pitch types to reduce hitting accuracy, but little is understood of the practical strategy of using visuomotor skills and timing control to respond to different pitches. This study examined 1) effectiveness of pitch type combinations, and 2) relationship between the presence and absence of advance information about the next pitch and the timing error. Twenty-six high school baseball players hit a ball launched from a pitching machine in a combination of fastballs (34.3±1.3 m·s-1), curveballs (25.4±1.0 m·s-1), and slowballs (25.5±0.9 m·s-1). Each participant performed three conditions. (1) Continuity condition (15 trials), in which the same pitch type was thrown five times consecutively. (2) Random condition (30 trials), in which pitch type was not preliminarily conveyed to the participants. (3) Open condition (20 trials), in which the next pitch type was preliminarily conveyed to participants. Participants' hitting movement was recorded by an optical motion capture system and force platform. We calculated timing error based on the difference between the measured impact location (ball position relative to the batter's body at ball-bat impact) and optimal impact location. The timing error between n-th pitch type, (n-1)-th pitch, and the presence or absence of advance information about pitch type (open vs random condition) were analyzed using three-way repeated ANOVA. The results showed that the (n-1)-th pitch type did not affect the timing of impact (p = 0.338). In contrast, the timing errors in open conditions were fewer compared to random conditions (p < 0.001). These results indicate that the pitch type sequence has insignificant effects, and advance information about pitches affects the timing errors. Therefore, having two or more pitch types, reducing the fluctuation of the pitching motion, and the early trajectory of the ball between different pitches potentially lead to increase timing errors

Stress fracture of the second proximal phalanx of the foot in teenage athletes: Unrecognized location of stress fracture

Background: Adolescent athletes are a high-risk population for stress fractures. We report four cases of stress fractures of the second proximal phalanx, which had not been previously diagnosed as the location of the stress fracture of the foot, in teenage athletes. Case report: All fractures were on the plantar side of the proximal phalangeal base, and the oblique images of the plain radiograph clearly depicted the fractures. Notably, three out of the four patients had histories of stress fracture of other locations. While three athletes with acute cases were able to make an early return to play with simple conservative management, the chronic case required surgical treatment for this rare injury. Conclusion: Although a rare injury, it is important that clinicians be aware of this type of stress fracture, as a timely diagnosis can avoid the need for surgical treatment and allow an early return to play

Histamine Inhibits Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Tumor Necrosis Factor-␣ Production in an Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1- and B7.1-Dependent Manner

ABSTRACT Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is recognized as a key molecule in the pathogenesis of Gram negative sepsis and septic shock. In the present study, we demonstrate that LPS (1-1000 pg/ml) concentration dependently up-regulated the expression of intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)-1, B7.1, and B7.2 on human monocytes using fluorescence-activated cell sorting analysis, and that tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-␣ production induced by LPS in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) was inhibited by the addition of antibodies against these adhesion molecules, suggesting the dependence of TNF-␣ production on cell-cell interaction through these adhesion molecules. Moreover, we found that histamine (10 Ϫ7 -10 Ϫ4 M) concentration dependently inhibited the expression of ICAM-1 and B7.1, but not B7.2 on monocytes induced by LPS. Histamine also inhibited the responses of TNF-␣ production induced by LPS. The modulatory effects of histamine on ICAM-1 and B7.1 expression and TNF-␣ production were all concentration dependently antagonized by famotidine but not by d-chlorpheniramine and thioperamide, and were mimicked by selective H2-receptor agonists but not by H1-, H3-, and H4-receptor agonists, indicating the involvement of H2-receptors in the histamine action. Dibutyryl cAMP down-regulated ICAM-1 and B7.1 expression on monocytes stimulated by LPS, suggesting the mediation by the cyclic adenosine monophosphate-protein kinase A pathway of H2-receptor activation. These results as a whole indicated that histamine via H2-receptor inhibited the LPS-induced TNF-␣ production through the regulation of ICAM-1 and B7.1 expression, leading to the reduction of innate immune response stimulated by LPS

Transitional impact of short‐ and long‐term outcomes of a randomized controlled trial to evaluate laparoscopic versus open surgery for colorectal cancer from Japan Clinical Oncology Group Study JCOG0404

Abstract Background The JCOG0404 randomized controlled trial conducted to compare laparoscopic surgery (LAP) with open surgery (OP) for stage II/III colon cancer showed better short‐term outcomes and equal long‐term outcomes of LAP versus OP. Technical instrumentation of surgery and anticancer agents given during the registration period might have affected the outcomes. Aim To evaluate outcomes according to the registration periods. Methods The overall registration period was divided into three periods (first: 2004‐2005, second: 2006‐2007 and third: 2008‐2009). Short‐term and long‐term outcomes were compared between registration periods. Results In total, 1057 patients were registered. Numbers of patients undergoing each approach for each of the three periods (1st/2nd/3rd) were 528 for OP (106/244/178) and 529 for LAP (106/246/177). Operation time (minutes) did not change between the periods for OP (160/156/161) or LAP (205/211/219). Blood loss (mL) gradually decreased in the latter two periods: (119/80/75) for OP and (35/28/25) for LAP. Incidence of complications (%) decreased in the latter periods for OP (27.6/20.3/21.3), whereas that for LAP remained consistently low (14.3/14.8/13.6). There was no particular trend in 5‐year overall survival and recurrence‐free survival depending on the period regardless of treatment. D3 dissection rates were 95% or more for all periods in both groups. Conclusions Operation time and survival rates did not change over time, whereas blood loss in OP improved in the latter periods. Quality control applied in this trial might have been effective in producing such safe endpoints. (ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT00147134, UMIN Clinical Trials Registry, number C000000105.