Prognostic value of OCT4A and SPP1C transcript variant co-expression in early-stage lung adenocarcinoma

Background Octamer-binding transcription factor 4A (OCT4A) is essential for cell pluripotency and reprogramming both in humans and mice. To date, however, the function of human OCT4 in somatic and/or tumour tissues is largely unknown. Methods RT-PCR was used to identify full-length splice forms of OCT4 transcripts in normal and cancer cells. A FLAG-tagged OCT4 genomic transgene was used to identify OCT4-positive cancer cells. A potential role for OCT4 in somatic cancer cells was examined by cell ablation of OCT4-positive cells using promoter-driven diphtheria toxin A. OCT4 and secreted phosphoprotein 1 (SPP1) transcripts in early-stage lung adenocarcinoma tumours were analysed and compared with pathohistological features. Results The results show that, unlike in murine cells, OCT4A and OCT4B variants are transcribed in both human cancer cells and in adult tissues such as lung, kidney, uterus, breast, and eye. We found that OCT4A and SPP1C are co-expressed in highly aggressive human breast, endometrial, and lung adenocarcinoma cell lines, but not in mesothelial tumour cell lines. Ablation of OCT4-positive cells in lung adenocarcinoma cells significantly decreased cell migration and SPP1C mRNA levels. The OCT4A/SPP1C axis was found in primary, early-stage, lung adenocarcinoma tumours. Conclusions Co-expression of OCT4 and SPP1 may correlate with cancer aggressiveness, and the OCT4A/SPP1C axis may help identify early-stage high-risk patients with lung adenocarcinoma. Contrary to the case in mice, our data strongly suggest a critical role for OCT4A and SPP1C in the development and progression of human epithelial cancers

A new unifying heuristic algorithm for the undirected minimum cut problems using minimum range cut algorithms

AbstractGiven a connected undirected multigraph with n vertices and m edges, we first propose a new unifying heuristic approach to approximately solving the minimum cut and the s-t minimum cut problems by using efficient algorithms for the corresponding minimum range cut problems. Our method is based on the association of the range value of a cut and its cut value when each edge weight is chosen uniformly randomly from the fixed interval. Our computational experiments demonstrate that this approach produces very good approximate solutions. We shall also propose an O(log2 n) time parallel algorithm using O(n2) processors on an arbitrary CRCW PRAM model for the minimum range cut problems, by which we can efficiently obtain approximate minimum cuts in poly-log time using a polynomial number of processors

温泉水の酸化還元電位が人体に及ぼす影響について

緒言: 温泉水は老化現象を示すことが知られていて、それは温泉水の酸化還元電位が増加し、その治療効果が失われることだと考えられている。しかし温泉水の酸化還元電位が生体に及ぼす影響については良く知られていない。痛風は薬物によってと同様に温泉によって、また鍼治療によって治療されてきた。それ故我々は酸化還元電位と尿酸排泄及び鍼治療と密接な関係にある良導絡との関係を調べた。方法: 各三名、三群の被験者が硫黄泉、炭酸水素塩泉及び水道水の風呂に入浴し、時間毎に尿酸排泄と良導絡を測定した。結果: 尿の尿酸クレアチニン比と良導絡電流は硫黄泉入浴後増加し、水道水浴後減少した。尿の酸化還元電位は尿の尿酸クレアチニン比および尿のpHと負の相関を示した。良導絡電流の変動は尿の酸化還元電位の変動と逆方向を示すことが多かった。結論: 浴水の酸化還元電位は尿の酸化還元電位や尿の尿酸排泄及び良導絡電流に影響を与えた。尿の酸化還元電位は体液の酸化還元電位を反映すると考えられるので、尿酸排泄や良導絡は体液の酸化還元電位によって影響されると考えられた。これらの所見は腎や表皮の細胞に電位依存性のトランスポーターやチャンネルが存在するので、酸化還元電位がそれらの細胞の膜電位に影響を与えたことを示すように思われた。更に尿の酸化還元電位は尿のpHと負の相関を示したので、酸化還元電位は電気的にpHを緩衝しているものと思われた。これらの事実は酸化還元電位を導くネルンストの式を用いて説明できるので、温泉の酸化還元電位は入浴によって生体に電気的な影響を与えるものと思われた

温泉水の飲泉が糖代謝に与える影響

[目的] 硫黄泉やナトリウム炭酸水素塩泉の飲泉適応症に糖尿病が上げられているが詳細な検討はされていない。今回、温泉水飲泉の糖代謝に与える影響を知る目的で、硫黄泉と単純泉において検討した。[対象・温泉水] 検討した温泉水は川湯温泉水（酸性・含硫黄・鉄（II）- ナトリウム・アルミニウム - 硫酸塩・塩化物泉（硫化水素型）、pH1.98）とあすかの湯（アルカリ性単純泉、pH8.9）である。前者は2型糖尿病患者8名と健常人3名、後者は2型糖尿病患者6名について検討した。[方法] 一回の飲泉効果を知る目的で、一週間の間隔をあけて5倍に希釈した川湯温泉水200ml、あるいは水道水を飲用後に経口糖負荷試験（OGTT）を行った。次に長期飲泉効果を見る目的で糖尿病患者を対象に毎日二回、川湯温泉水は4週間、あすかの湯は一週間飲泉を継続して血糖値のコントロール状態を検討した。[結果] 川湯温泉水飲用後のOGTTでは水道水飲用後に比して血糖値の上昇が有意に抑えられた(p<0.05）。また、飲泉の長期効果として川湯温泉水ではHbA1c値の低下(p<0.05）、あすかの湯では1.5-アンヒドロ-D-グルシトール（1 .5AG）値の改善が認められた（NS）。[考察] これらの温泉水の飲泉により糖尿病患者の血糖値改善効果が期待され、特に禁忌症のない患者では試みてよい治療法と考えられる

A new unifying heuristic algorithm for the undirected minimum cut problems using minimum range cut algorithms

AbstractGiven a connected undirected multigraph with n vertices and m edges, we first propose a new unifying heuristic approach to approximately solving the minimum cut and the s-t minimum cut problems by using efficient algorithms for the corresponding minimum range cut problems. Our method is based on the association of the range value of a cut and its cut value when each edge weight is chosen uniformly randomly from the fixed interval. Our computational experiments demonstrate that this approach produces very good approximate solutions. We shall also propose an O(log2 n) time parallel algorithm using O(n2) processors on an arbitrary CRCW PRAM model for the minimum range cut problems, by which we can efficiently obtain approximate minimum cuts in poly-log time using a polynomial number of processors

Prognostic value of OCT4A and SPP1C transcript variant co-expression in early-stage lung adenocarcinoma

Background Octamer-binding transcription factor 4A (OCT4A) is essential for cell pluripotency and reprogramming both in humans and mice. To date, however, the function of human OCT4 in somatic and/or tumour tissues is largely unknown. Methods RT-PCR was used to identify full-length splice forms of OCT4 transcripts in normal and cancer cells. A FLAG-tagged OCT4 genomic transgene was used to identify OCT4-positive cancer cells. A potential role for OCT4 in somatic cancer cells was examined by cell ablation of OCT4-positive cells using promoter-driven diphtheria toxin A. OCT4 and secreted phosphoprotein 1 (SPP1) transcripts in early-stage lung adenocarcinoma tumours were analysed and compared with pathohistological features. Results The results show that, unlike in murine cells, OCT4A and OCT4B variants are transcribed in both human cancer cells and in adult tissues such as lung, kidney, uterus, breast, and eye. We found that OCT4A and SPP1C are co-expressed in highly aggressive human breast, endometrial, and lung adenocarcinoma cell lines, but not in mesothelial tumour cell lines. Ablation of OCT4-positive cells in lung adenocarcinoma cells significantly decreased cell migration and SPP1C mRNA levels. The OCT4A/SPP1C axis was found in primary, early-stage, lung adenocarcinoma tumours. Conclusions Co-expression of OCT4 and SPP1 may correlate with cancer aggressiveness, and the OCT4A/SPP1C axis may help identify early-stage high-risk patients with lung adenocarcinoma. Contrary to the case in mice, our data strongly suggest a critical role for OCT4A and SPP1C in the development and progression of human epithelial cancers

Impact of Chronic Kidney Disease on Left Main Coronary Artery Disease and Prognosis in Japanese Patients

Background: Renal insufficiency plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of ischemic heart disease. The aim of the present study was to investigate the prevalence of renal dysfunction and its impact on prognosis in patients with left main coronary artery disease (LMCAD) and stable angina pectoris. Methods and Results: A total of 626 consecutive patients with significant coronary artery stenosis were enrolled. Renal insufficiency was graded using estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) before coronary angiography. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) was defined as eGFR = 60 ml.min(-1).1.73 m(-2) (P=0.03). The hazard ratio for a cardiovascular event was 9.54 (95% CI: 3.15-28.89, P= 60 ml.min(-1).1.73 m(-2). Conclusions: Renal insufficiency is a risk factor for LMCAD and predicts poor prognosis in Japanese patients