Use of vitamin supplements and risk of total cancer and cardiovascular disease among the Japanese general population: A population-based survey

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Despite the popular use of vitamin supplements and several prospective cohort studies investigating their effect on cancer incidence and cardiovascular disease (CVD), scientific data supporting their benefits remain controversial. Inconsistent results may be partly explained by the fact that use of supplements is an inconsistent behavior in individuals. We examined whether vitamin supplement use patterns affect cancer and CVD risk in a population-based cohort study in Japan.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A total of 28,903 men and 33,726 women in the Japan Public Health Center-based Prospective Study cohort, who answered questions about vitamin supplement use in the first survey from 1990-1994 and the second survey from 1995-1998, were categorized into four groups (never use, past use, recent use, and consistent use) and followed to the end of 2006 for cancer and 2005 for CVD. Sex-specific hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were used to describe the relative risks of cancer and CVD associated with vitamin supplement use.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>During follow-up, 4501 cancer and 1858 CVD cases were identified. Multivariate adjusted analysis revealed no association of any pattern of vitamin supplement use with the risk of cancer and CVD in men. In women, consistent use was associated with lower risk of CVD (HR 0.60, 95% CI 0.41-0.89), whereas past (HR 1.17, 95% CI 1.02-1.33) and recent use (HR 1.24, 95% CI 1.01-1.52) were associated with higher risk of cancer.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>To our knowledge, this is the first prospective cohort study to examine simultaneously the associations between vitamin supplement use patterns and risk of cancer and CVD. This prospective cohort study demonstrated that vitamin supplement use has little effect on the risk of cancer or CVD in men. In women, however, consistent vitamin supplement use might reduce the risk of CVD. Elevated risk of cancer associated with past and recent use of vitamin supplements in women may be partly explained by preexisting diseases or unhealthy background, but we could not totally control for this in our study.</p

Selective Synthesis of Gasoline-Ranged Hydrocarbons from Syngas over Hybrid Catalyst Consisting of Metal-Loaded ZSM-5 Coupled with Copper-Zinc Oxide

The conversion of syngas (CO + H2) to gasoline-ranged hydrocarbons was carried out using a hybrid catalyst consisting of metal-loaded ZSM-5 coupled with Cu-ZnO in a near-critical n-hexane solvent. Methanol was synthesized from syngas over Cu-ZnO; subsequently, was converted to hydrocarbons through the formation of dimethyl ether (DME) over the metal-loaded ZSM-5. When 0.5 wt% Pd/ZSM-5 and 5 wt% Cu/ZSM-5 among the metal-loaded ZSM-5 catalysts with Pd, Co, Fe or Cu were employed as a portion of the hybrid catalyst, the gasoline-ranged hydrocarbons were selectively produced (the gasoline-ranged hydrocarbons in all hydrocarbons: 59% for the hybrid catalyst with Pd/ZSM-5 and 64% for that with Cu/ZSM-5) with a similar CO conversion during the reaction. An increase in the Cu loading on ZSM-5 resulted in increasing the yield of the gasoline-ranged hydrocarbons, and in decreasing the yield of DME. Furthermore, the hybrid catalyst with Cu/ZSM-5 exhibited no deactivation for 30 h of the reaction. It was revealed that a hybrid catalyst containing Cu/ZSM-5 was efficient in the selective synthesis of gasoline-ranged hydrocarbons from syngas via methanol in the near-critical n-hexane fluid

Invasive lobular carcinoma of the breast detected with real-time virtual sonography: a case report

Abstract Background Invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) sometimes presents with unique clinical, pathologic, and radiographic features. In this case report, we describe a patient with ILC, whose initial presentation consisted with symptoms secondary to bone-marrow dissemination. In addition, the breast primary was revealed only by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) followed by real-time virtual sonography (RVS). Case presentation A 51-year-old woman presented to our outpatient clinic with dyspnea on exertion. She had severe anemia (hemoglobin, 5.3 g/dL) and thrombocytopenia (platelet count, 31 × 103/mL). Bone-marrow biopsy was performed to evaluate hematopoietic function. The pathologic diagnosis was bone-marrow carcinomatosis due to metastatic breast cancer. Initial mammography followed by ultrasonography (US) failed to detect the primary tumor. On MRI, a non-mass-enhancement lesion was observed. While second-look US also did not detect the lesion, it was clearly visualized with RVS. We were finally able to biopsy the breast lesion. The pathologic diagnosis was ILC positive for both estrogen receptor and progesterone receptor, with 1 + immunohistochemical staining for human epidermal growth factor receptor 2. This case of ILC was characterized by bone-marrow metastasis. Due to decreased cell adhesion, the risk of bone-marrow metastasis is higher in ILC than in invasive ductal carcinoma, the most prevalent type of breast cancer. Biopsy of the primary lesion, which was initially only detected with MRI, was successfully performed with clear visualization during RVS, which is based on the fusion of MRI and US images. Conclusion In this case report and literature review, we describe the unique clinical characteristics of ILC and a strategy for identifying primary lesions that are initially only visualized with MRI

Distinct Signaling Pathways Mediate Stimulation of Cell Cycle Progression and Prevention of Apoptotic Cell Death by Estrogen in Rat Pituitary Tumor PR1 Cells

Estrogens control cell growth and viability in target cells via an interplay of genomic and extragenomic pathways not yet elucidated. Here, we show evidence that cell proliferation and survival are differentially regulated by estrogen in rat pituitary tumor PR1 cells. Pico- to femtomolar concentrations of 17β-estradiol (E2) are sufficient to foster PR1 cell proliferation, whereas nanomolar concentrations of the same are needed to prevent cell death that occurs at a high rate in these cells in the absence of hormone. Activation of endogenous (PRL) or transfected estrogen-responsive genes occurs at the same, higher concentrations of E2 required to promote cell survival, whereas stimulation of cyclin D3 expression and DNA synthesis occur at lower E2 concentrations. Similarly, the pure antiestrogen ICI 182,780 inhibits estrogen response element-dependent trans-activation and cell death more effectively than cyclin-cdk activity, G(1)-S transition, or DNA synthesis rate. In antiestrogen-treated and/or estrogen-deprived cells, death is due predominantly to apoptosis. Estrogen-induced cell survival, but not E2-dependent cell cycle progression, can be prevented by an inhibitor of c-Src kinase or by blockade of the mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase/extracellular signal-regulated kinase signaling pathway. These data indicate the coexistence of two distinguishable estrogen signaling pathways in PR1 cells, characterized by different functions and sensitivity to hormones and antihormones

A cross-sectional, multicenter survey of the prevalence and risk factors for Long COVID

Abstract Long-term sequelae of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) constitute Long COVID. Although Long COVID has been reported globally, its risk factors and effects on quality of life (QOL) remain unclear. We conducted a cross-sectional study using questionnaires and electronic medical records of COVID-19 patients who were diagnosed or hospitalized at five facilities in Japan. Responses were obtained from 285 out of 1,150 patients. More than half of the participants reported Long COVID symptoms of varying severity 1 year after COVID-19. Common sequelae included fatigue, dyspnea, alopecia, concentration problems, memory problems, sleeplessness, and joint pain, which often significantly reduced their QOL. COVID-19 severity was strongly associated with sputum production, chest pain, dyspnea, sore throat, and diarrhea, but not with fatigue, dysgeusia, anosmia, alopecia, and sleeplessness. Fatigue, dysgeusia, anosmia, alopecia, and sleeplessness affected the QOL among participants with asymptomatic or mild COVID-19 during the acute phase. Moreover, these sequelae persisted for prolonged periods