Impact of Diabetes on Oncologic Outcome of Colorectal Cancer Patients: Colon vs. Rectal Cancer

Background: To evaluate the impact of diabetes on outcomes in colorectal cancer patients and to examine whether this association varies by the location of tumor (colon vs. rectum). Patients and methods This study includes 4,131 stage I-III colorectal cancer patients, treated between 1995 and 2007 (12.5% diabetic, 53% colon, 47% rectal) in South Korea. Cox proportional hazards modeling was used to determine the prognostic influence of DM on survival endpoints. Results: Colorectal cancer patients with DM had significantly worse disease-free survival (DFS) [hazard ratio (HR) 1.17, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.00–1.37] compared with patients without DM. When considering colon and rectal cancer independently, DM was significantly associated with worse overall survival (OS) (HR: 1.46, 95% CI: 1.11–1.92), DFS (HR: 1.45, 95% CI: 1.15–1.84) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) (HR: 1.32, 95% CI: 0.98–1.76) in colon cancer patients. No association for OS, DFS or RFS was observed in rectal cancer patients. There was significant interaction of location of tumor (colon vs. rectal cancer) with DM on OS (P = 0.009) and DFS (P = 0.007). Conclusions: This study suggests that DM negatively impacts survival outcomes of patients with colon cancer but not rectal cancer

Radiofrequency ablation via an implanted self-expandable metallic stent to treat in-stent restenosis in a rat gastric outlet obstruction model

Background: In-stent restenosis caused by tissue hyperplasia and tumor growth through the wire meshes of an implanted self-expandable metallic stent (SEMS) remains an unresolved obstacle. This study aimed to investigate the safety and efficacy of SEMS-mediated radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for treating stent-induced tissue hyperplasia in a rat gastric outlet obstruction model.Methods: The ablation zone was investigated using extracted porcine liver according to the ablation time. The optimal RFA parameters were evaluated in the dissected rat gastric outlet. We allocated 40 male rats to four groups of 10 rats as follows: group A, SEMS placement only; group B, SEMS-mediated RFA at 4 weeks; group C, SEMS-mediated RFA at 4 weeks and housed until 8 weeks; and group D, SEMS-mediated RFA at 4 and 8 weeks. Endoscopy and fluoroscopy for in vivo imaging and histological and immunohistochemical analysis were performed to compare experimental groups.Results: Stent placement and SEMS-mediated RFA with an optimized RFA parameter were technically successful in all groups. Granulation tissue formation-related variables were significantly higher in group A than in groups B–D (all p < 0.05). Endoscopic and histological findings confirmed that the degrees of stent-induced tissue hyperplasia in group D were significantly lower than in groups B and C (all p < 0.05). Hsp70 and TUNEL expressions were significantly higher in groups B–D than in group A (all p < 0.001).Conclusion: The implanted SEMS-mediated RFA successfully managed stent-induced tissue hyperplasia, and repeated or periodic RFA seems to be more effective in treating in-stent restenosis in a rat gastric outlet obstruction model

Pneumopericardium as a Complication of Pericardiocentesis

Pneumopericardium is a rare complication of pericardiocentesis, occurring either as a result of direct pleuro-pericardial communication or a leaky drainage system. Air-fluid level surrounding the heart shadow within the pericardium on a chest X-ray is an early observation at diagnosis. This clinical measurement and process is variable, depending on the hemodynamic status of the patient. The development of a cardiac tamponade is a serious complication, necessitating prompt recognition and treatment. We recently observed a case of pneumopericardium after a therapeutic pericardiocentesis in a 20-year-old man with tuberculous pericardial effusion

Association between Bone Mineral Density and LDL Receptor-Related Protein 5 Gene Polymorphisms in Young Korean Men

Recently, It has been reported that the LDL receptor-related protein 5 (LRP5) regulates bone formation, and that mutations of the gene cause osteoporosis-pseudoglioma syndrome or high bone mass phenotypes. However, the mutations cannot explain a genetic trait for osteoporosis in the general population because of their rarity. From 219 Korean men aged 20-34 yr, we looked for six known polymorphisms causing amino acid changes in the LRP5 coding region, and investigated their association with bone mineral density (BMD) at the following anatomical sites: lumbar spine (L2-L4) and the left proximal femur (femoral neck, Ward's triangle, trochanter and shaft). We found that the Q89R polymorphism was significantly associated with BMD at the femoral neck and Ward's triangle (p=0.004 and <0.001, respectively). However, after adjusting for age, weight and height, a statistically significant association only occurred at the Ward's triangle (p=0.043), and a marginal association was observed at the femoral neck (p=0.098). No A400V, V667M, R1036Q and A1525V polymorphisms were found, and no statistically significant association was found between the A1330V polymorphism and BMD at any sites. Although we failed to demonstrate a clear association between the LRP5 polymorphism and peak bone mass in young men, the present study suggests that larger-scale studies on the Q89R polymorphism need to be performed

Chemerin and Adiponectin Contribute Reciprocally to Metabolic Syndrome

Obesity and metabolic syndrome (MetS) are considered chronic inflammatory states. Chemerin, a novel adipokine, may play an important role in linking MetS and inflammation. We investigated the association of chemerin with inflammatory markers and with characteristics of MetS in apparently healthy overweight and obese adults. We studied 92 adults; 59 men and 33 women whose average body mass index (BMI) was 28.15±5.08 kg/m2. Anthropometric parameters, insulin resistance indices, lipid profiles, and inflammatory markers including high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), pentraxin 3 (PTX3), adiponectin, and chemerin were measured. Controlling for age, gender, and BMI, serum chemerin level was positively correlated with body fat and serum triglyceride, and negatively correlated with adiponectin and high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL- C), and was not correlated with altered hsCRP or PTX3 levels. Among the low, moderate and high chemerin groups, high chemerin individuals are more likely to have lower HDL-C. Conversely, individuals in the low adiponectin group are more likely to have lower HDL-C and show more MetS phenotypic traits than moderate and high adiponectin subjects. To determine the relationships of chemerin and adiponectin to MetS and its components, participants were stratified into four groups based on their chemerin and adiponectin levels (high chemerin/high adiponectin, high chemerin/low adiponectin, low chemerin/high adiponectin, or low chemerin/low adiponectin). Participants who were in the high chemerin/low adiponectin group more likely to have dyslipidemia and MetS (OR: 5.79, 95% CI:1.00–33.70) compared to the other three group. Our findings suggest that chemerin and adiponectin may reciprocally participate in the development of MetS

Laboratory information management system for COVID-19 non-clinical efficacy trial data

Background : As the number of large-scale studies involving multiple organizations producing data has steadily increased, an integrated system for a common interoperable format is needed. In response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, a number of global efforts are underway to develop vaccines and therapeutics. We are therefore observing an explosion in the proliferation of COVID-19 data, and interoperability is highly requested in multiple institutions participating simultaneously in COVID-19 pandemic research. Results : In this study, a laboratory information management system (LIMS) approach has been adopted to systemically manage various COVID-19 non-clinical trial data, including mortality, clinical signs, body weight, body temperature, organ weights, viral titer (viral replication and viral RNA), and multiorgan histopathology, from multiple institutions based on a web interface. The main aim of the implemented system is to integrate, standardize, and organize data collected from laboratories in multiple institutes for COVID-19 non-clinical efficacy testings. Six animal biosafety level 3 institutions proved the feasibility of our system. Substantial benefits were shown by maximizing collaborative high-quality non-clinical research. Conclusions : This LIMS platform can be used for future outbreaks, leading to accelerated medical product development through the systematic management of extensive data from non-clinical animal studies.This research was supported by the National research foundation of Korea(NRF) grant funded by the Korea government(MSIT) (2020M3A9I2109027 and 2021M3H9A1030260)

CNS targets of adipokines

This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from American Physiological Society via the DOI in this record.Our understanding of adipose tissue as an endocrine organ has been transformed over the last twenty years. During this time a number of adipocyte-derived factors or adipokines have been identified. This paper will review evidence for how adipokines acting via the central nervous system (CNS) regulate normal physiology and disease pathology. The reported CNS-mediated effects of adipokines are varied and include the regulation of energy homeostasis, autonomic nervous system activity, the reproductive axis, neurodevelopment, cardiovascular function, and cognition. Due to the wealth of information available and the diversity of their known functions, the archetypal adipokines leptin and adiponectin will be the focused on extensively. Other adipokines with established CNS actions will also be discussed. Due to the difficulties associated with studying CNS function on a molecular level in humans, the majority of our knowledge, and as such the studies described in this paper, comes from work in experimental animal models; however, where possible the relevant data from human studies are also highlighted