Dietary Intake and Serum Levels of Iron in Relation to Oxidative Stress in Breast Cancer Patients

Iron may induce oxidative stress via production of reactive oxygen species, facilitating mammary carcinogenesis. This study investigated the role of iron in relation to oxidative stress as a potential risk factor in the development of breast cancer (BC). BC patients (n = 121) and healthy age-matched controls (n = 149) were entered into the study. Iron and antioxidant vitamins intakes were estimated using a quantitative food frequency questionnaire. Thirty one subjects from each group provided blood samples for measurement of serum iron, plasma malondialdehyde (MDA) and ferric reducing ability of plasma (FRAP). Total and non-heme iron intake of BC patients were lower than those of the controls. However, the serum iron level was significantly higher in BC patients. Plasma MDA levels were also significantly higher in BC patients whereas no significant difference in FRAP values were observed between the two groups. Log-transformed serum iron concentration showed no significant correlation with MDA or FRAP. These results suggest that serum iron overload may be a breast cancer risk factor possibly due to increased oxidative stress

Synaptic connectivity of the TRPV1-positive trigeminal afferents in the rat lateral parabrachial nucleus

Recent studies have shown a direct projection of nociceptive trigeminal afferents into the lateral parabrachial nucleus (LPBN). Information about the synaptic connectivity of these afferents may help understand how orofacial nociception is processed in the LPBN, which is known to be involved primarily in the affective aspect of pain. To address this issue, we investigated the synapses of the transient receptor potential vanilloid 1-positive (TRPV1+) trigeminal afferent terminals in the LPBN by immunostaining and serial section electron microscopy. TRPV1 + afferents arising from the ascending trigeminal tract issued axons and terminals (boutons) in the LPBN. TRPV1+ boutons formed synapses of asymmetric type with dendritic shafts and spines. Almost all (98.3%) TRPV1+ boutons formed synapses with one (82.6%) or two postsynaptic dendrites, suggesting that, at a single bouton level, the orofacial nociceptive information is predominantly transmitted to a single postsynaptic neuron with a small degree of synaptic divergence. A small fraction (14.9%) of the TRPV1+ boutons formed synapses with dendritic spines. None of the TRPV1+ boutons were involved in axoaxonic synapses. Conversely, in the trigeminal caudal nucleus (Vc), TRPV1+ boutons often formed synapses with multiple postsynaptic dendrites and were involved in axoaxonic synapses. Number of dendritic spine and total number of postsynaptic dendrites per TRPV1+ bouton were significantly fewer in the LPBN than Vc. Thus, the synaptic connectivity of the TRPV1+ boutons in the LPBN differed significantly from that in the Vc, suggesting that the TRPV1-mediated orofacial nociception is relayed to the LPBN in a distinctively different manner than in the Vc

Computed tomography-based assessment of radiographic progression in spine and sacroiliac joints after pregnancy in women with radiographic axial spondyloarthritis

BackgroundMechanical stress are one of the pathogenesis of axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA). During pregnancy, the mechanical overload on the spine and pelvis increases due to gravid uterus. We aimed to investigate whether pregnancy affects radiographic progression in patients with radiographic axSpA (r-axSpA) based on computed tomography (CT) evaluations.Materials and methodsThis retrospective study included women with r-axSpA aged 19–49 years who underwent at least two CT evaluations of the whole spine and/or sacroiliac joints (SIJs) at intervals of 2–4 years. To compare radiographic progression after delivery, we classified the patients into two groups: delivery group and controls. The delivery group was restricted to women who had the first CT ∼2 years before delivery and the second CT ∼2 years after delivery. The CT Syndesmophyte Score (CTSS) (0–522) and SIJ scores (0–40) were used to evaluate spinal syndesmophytes and erosion, joint space narrowing, and sclerosis of the SIJs.ResultsA total of 21 women in the delivery group and 38 women in the control group were included. The median (Q1–Q3) CTSS at baseline in the delivery group and controls was 19 (16–23) and 20 (13.25–27.75), and the median progression was 1 (0–3) and 0 (0–1) during the median 2.9-year follow-up, respectively. The median (Q1–Q3) SIJ score at baseline in the delivery group and controls was 13 (8–22) and 11 (6–22), and the median progression was 1.5 (0–3) and 1 (0–2), respectively. Using cut-off 0.5, 52.9, and 61.9% of r-axSpA patients and 39.3 and 44.4% of controls showed progression of whole spine and SIJs, respectively. However, no difference in proportion of spinal and SIJ progression and absolute score changes per time point was observed between two groups. Moreover, the SIJ score changes were comparable according to the delivery method.ConclusionPregnancy and delivery do not affect the radiographic progression of the spine and SIJs in women with r-axSpA assessed by CT

Extreme glacial cooling likely led to hominin depopulation of Europe in the Early Pleistocene

The oldest known hominin remains in Europe [~1.5 to ~1.1 million years ago (Ma)] have been recovered from Iberia, where paleoenvironmental reconstructions have indicated warm and wet interglacials and mild glacials, supporting the view that once established, hominin populations persisted continuously. We report analyses of marine and terrestrial proxies from a deep-sea core on the Portugese margin that show the presence of pronounced millennial-scale climate variability during a glacial period ~1.154 to ~1.123 Ma, culminating in a terminal stadial cooling comparable to the most extreme events of the last 400,000 years. Climate envelope–model simulations reveal a drastic decrease in early hominin habitat suitability around the Mediterranean during the terminal stadial. We suggest that these extreme conditions led to the depopulation of Europe, perhaps lasting for several successive glacial-interglacial cycles

Acute Obstructive Cholangitis after Transarterial Chemoembolization: the Effect of Percutaneous Transhepatic Removal of Tumor Fragment

Acute obstructive cholangitis due to the migration of necrotized tumor fragment is a rare complication occurring after a transarterial chemoembolization. The percutaneous tumor removal procedure following percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage is an appropriate treatment over endoscopic removal for the relief of acute cholangitis in this case. Following this serial management, no invasive hepatocellular carcinoma of the bile duct recurred after two years of follow-up

A Case of Anaphylaxis to Oral Minocycline

Minocycline is a semisynthetic tetracycline derivative that is often used in the treatment of acne vulgaris. To date, there has been only one case report of anaphylaxis to minocycline. We report here a case of anaphylaxis to oral minocycline. A 56-yr-old woman visited our hospital after three episodes of recurrent anaphylaxis. We performed an oral challenge test, the standard method for diagnosing drug allergies, with minocycline, one of the drugs she had taken previously. She developed urticaria, angioedema, nausea, vomiting, hypotension, and dyspnea within 4 min and was treated with intramuscular epinephrine, intravenous antihistamine and systemic corticosteroid. However, she presented similar symptoms at 50 min and at 110 min. In prescribing oral minocycline, physicians should consider the possibility of serious adverse reactions, such as anaphylaxis

Genetic diversity and genetic structure of the Siberian roe deer (Capreolus pygargus) populations from Asia

This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made.Abstract Background The roe deer, Capreolus sp., is one of the most widespread meso-mammals of Palearctic distribution, and includes two species, the European roe deer, C. capreolus inhabiting mainly Europe, and the Siberian roe deer, C. pygargus, distributed throughout continental Asia. Although there are a number of genetic studies concerning European roe deer, the Siberian roe deer has been studied less, and none of these studies use microsatellite markers. Natural processes have led to genetic structuring in wild populations. To understand how these factors have affected genetic structure and connectivity of Siberian roe deer, we investigated variability at 12 microsatellite loci for Siberian roe deer from ten localities in Asia. Results Moderate levels of genetic diversity (H E = 0.522 to 0.628) were found in all populations except in Jeju Island, South Korea, where the diversity was lowest (H E = 0.386). Western populations showed relatively low genetic diversity and higher degrees of genetic differentiation compared with eastern populations (mean Ar = 3.54 (east), 2.81 (west), mean F ST = 0.122). Bayesian-based clustering analysis revealed the existence of three genetically distinct groups (clusters) for Siberian roe deer, which comprise of the Southeastern group (Mainland Korea, Russian Far East, Trans-Baikal region and Northern part of Mongolia), Northwestern group (Western Siberia and Ural in Russia) and Jeju Island population. Genetic analyses including AMOVA (F RT = 0.200), Barrier and PCA also supported genetic differentiation among regions separated primarily by major mountain ridges, suggesting that mountains played a role in the genetic differentiation of Siberian roe deer. On the other hand, genetic evidence also suggests an ongoing migration that may facilitate genetic admixture at the border areas between two groups. Conclusions Our results reveal an apparent pattern of genetic differentiation among populations inhabiting Asia, showing moderate levels of genetic diversity with an east-west gradient. The results suggest at least three distinct management units of roe deer in continental Asia, although genetic admixture is evident in some border areas. The insights obtained from this study shed light on management of Siberian roe deer in Asia and may be applied in conservation of local populations of Siberian roe deer