-Health promotion of Okinawan people through foot bath: Relaxation effects of foot bath on the sleep of healthy adult males

The promotion and maintenance of health in local people are important parts of human-resource development in health-tourism industries in Okinawa. In this study, we examined relaxation effects of foot bath on the sleep of healthy adult males. Foot bath is one of the simplest methods of relaxation that can be practiced easily. The administration of foot bath reduced sympathetic nerve activity and increased parasympathetic nerve activity of the heart. suggesting that foot bath reduces stresses, increases efficiency and quality of sleep, and promotes peoples feelings of having had a good sleep. We conclude that foot bath is a simple, easy, and yet effective way to maintain and promote overall health of local people, who are important human resources of tourism development in Okinawa

Wilms Tumor 1 Expression at Diagnosis Correlates With Genetic Abnormalities and Polymorphism But Is Not Independently Prognostic in Acute Myelogenous Leukemia : A Hokkaido Leukemia Net Study

The association between Wilms tumor 1 (WT1) expression, genetic abnormalities and homozygous single polymorphism (SNP) in WT1 gene was evaluated in 252 acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) patients. WT1 expression correlated with prognostic genetic abnormalities. Homozygous WT1 SNP rs16754 was associated with lower expression of WT1. WT1 expression had no prognostic impact in any cytogenetic group or SNP status. Background: The prognostic impact of WT1 expression at diagnosis of acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) has been controversial. The aim of this study was to determine the correlations of WT1 expression at diagnosis of AML with established prognostic alterations. Patients and Methods: We analyzed diagnostic bone marrow samples from 252 patients. WT1 expression, SNP in WT1 gene (rs16754), and Flt3-ITD mutation were analyzed for all patients. NPM1 mutation and CEBPA double mutation were analyzed for cytogenetically normal (CN)-AML. KIT mutation was analyzed for core-binding factor (CBF)-AML. Results: Within the cytogenetically favorable prognosis group, WT1 expression in AML with inv(16) or t(15;17) was significantly higher than that in AML with t(8;21). In cases with CN-AML, Flt3-ITD and NPM1 mutations were both correlated with higher expression of WT1, whereas CEBPA double mutation was related to lower WT1 expression. The existence of both Flt3- ITD and NPM1 mutations showed synergistically higher expression of WT1 in CN-AML. SNP in WT1 gene (rs16754) was significantly associated with lower expression of WT1. WT1 levels were not prognostic factors in the total cohort, in any cytogenetic group nor SNP status. Conclusion: Since WT1 expression correlated to known prognostic factors, the prognostic impact of WT1 levels might be misunderstood depending on the distribution of collaborative mutations in each cohort. We conclude that the prognostic significance of WT1 at diagnosis of AML is weak compared to other established prognostic factors

Cytogenetically Unrelated Clones in Acute Myeloid Leukemia Showing Different Responses to Chemotherapy

We report a case of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) with two cytogenetically unrelated clones. The patient was a 45-year-old male who was diagnosed with acute monoblastic leukemia (AMoL). Initial G-band analysis showed 51,XY,+6,+8,inv(9)(p12q13)c,+11,+13,+19[12]/52,idem,+Y[8], but G-band analysis after induction therapy showed 45,XY,-7,inv(9)(p12q13)c[19]/46,XY,inv(9)(p12q13)c[1]. Retrospective FISH analysis revealed a cryptic monosomy 7 clone in the initial AML sample. The clone with multiple trisomies was eliminated after induction therapy and never recurred, but a clone with monosomy 7 was still detected in myelodysplastic marrow with a normal blast percentage. Both clones were successfully eliminated after related peripheral blood stem cell transplantation, but the patient died of relapsed AML with monosomy 7. We concluded that one clone was de novo AMoL with chromosome 6, 8, 11, 13, and 19 trisomy and that the other was acute myeloid leukemia with myelodysplasia-related changes　(AML-MRC) with chromosome 7 monosomy showing different responses to chemotherapy. Simultaneous onset of cytogenetically unrelated hematological malignancies that each have a different disease status is a rare phenomenon but is important to diagnose for a correct understanding of the disease status and for establishing an appropriate treatment strategy