No effect of human serum and erythrocytes enriched in n-3 fatty acids by oral intake on Plasmodium falciparum blood stage parasites in vitro

To examine the effect of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFA) on the erythrocytic growth of Plasmodium falciparum, serum and erythrocytes were separated from blood of a healthy donor before and after he had taken fish oil capsules for 8 days. Such intake supplied an amount of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, 20:5n-3) of 3.5 g/d and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6n-3) of 2.5 g/d and 24 mg/d of total tocopherol. Post-intake fish oil serum (post-s) and erythrocytes (post-e) were tested in vitro for inhibitory activity against blood stages of P. falciparum compared with pre-intake serum (pre-s) and pre-intake erythrocyte (pre-e). Also the effect of EPA and arachidonic acid (AA, 20:4n-6) on the erythrocytic growth of P. falciparum was tested using in vitro assays. The results show that both post-s and post-e had no antimalarial activity on P. falciparum. No differential antimalarial effect was observed for 20:5n-3 compared with 20:4n-6, which at high concentrations (> 40 microM) had an anti-schizont-growth effect.

Inhibition of fatty acid synthesis in rat hepatocytes by exogenous polyunsaturated fatty acids is caused by lipid peroxidation

Rat hepatocyte long-term cultures were utilized to investigate the impact of different polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) on the insulin-induced de novo fatty acid synthesis in vitro. The addition of 0.5 mM albumin-complexed oleic, linoleic, columbinic, arachidonic, eicosapentaenoic or docosahexaenoic acid resulted in a marked suppression of fatty acid synthesis. By evaluation of cell viability (determined as the leakage of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) it turned out, that the antioxidant used (50 microM alpha-tocopherol phosphate) had a low antioxidant activity, resulting in cytotoxic effects by the peroxidized PUFA. Arachidonic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid showed a dose- and time-dependent cytotoxicity. Two other antioxidants: 50 microM alpha-tocopherol acid succinate and 1 microM N,N'-diphenyl-1,4-phenylenediamine, both proved more efficient than alpha-tocopherol phosphate. There was a significant correlation between LDH-leakage and inhibition of fatty acid synthesis. Lipid peroxidation, measured as thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances, also showed a significant correlation with the degree of inhibition of fatty acid synthesis. Furthermore, PUFA had no inhibitory effect on fatty acid synthesis when peroxidation was minimized by the use of proper antioxidants. These data indicate that PUFA in vitro inhibit the insulin-induced de novo fatty acid synthesis in hepatocytes from starved rats, due to cytotoxic effects caused by lipid peroxidation.

Sodium-potassium pump activity in white blood cells from children with an increased risk of developing hypertension--The Odense Schoolchild Study

We have measured the capacity of the sodium-potassium pump, as assessed by 86rubidium uptake and the number of [3H]-ouabain binding sites on white blood cells, in children aged 9-11 years, partly cross-sectionally and partly longitudinally after a physical training programme. Children from a hypertensive subgroup comprising the upper 5% of the blood pressure distribution and children from a randomly selected normotensive subgroup were eligible for the study. In the cross-sectional study 40 children from the hypertensive subgroup and 40 children from the normotensive subgroup were evaluated. A significant increase in 86rubidium uptake was present in boys as compared to girls. After adjustment for differences in sexual maturation the observed significant difference disappeared. Important correlates of pump activity were height, plasma glucose, and physical fitness. In the training study 10 boys from the hypertensive subgroup and 10 boys from the normotensive subgroup were also evaluated after eight months of physical training. A significant fall in 86rubidium uptake was observed. No control group was examined and probably the changes reflect some effects of sexual maturation on cation handling of cells. These results indicate a significant effect of sexual maturation in capacity of sodium-potassium pump in children.

Reduction of radiocesium transfer to animal products using sustained release boli with ammoniumiron(III)-hexacyanoferrate(II)

A sustained release bolus with the cesium binder ammoniumiron(III)-hexacyanoferrate (AFCF) has been developed as a countermeasure for small ruminants grazing pastures contaminated by radiocesium (134Cs+137Cs). The boli (40-50 g) are produced by compression of a mixture of AFCF, barite and wax. The release of AFCF from boli labelled with 137Cs-iron-hexacyanoferrate complex was studied in laboratory sheep. The release rate followed first order kinetics during the 108 d of observation and decreased from 40 to 22, 110 to 35 and 280 to 25 mg d-1 in sheep treated with 1, 2 or 3 boli respectively. The efficiency of boli in reducing radiocesium transfer to meat and milk was tested in laboratory studies with goats fed 134Cs tracer. Until 40 d after treatment the transfer of radiocesium to milk was reduced by 35%, 60% and 85% in goats given 1, 2 or 3 boli, respectively. The reduction in radiocesium transfer persisted for 90 d but with a lower efficiency. A similar relationship was found between number of boli and the reduction in radiocesium transfer to meat with an observed maximal reduction of 60%.

Bradykinin and vasopressin activate phospholipase D in rat Leydig cells by a protein kinase C-dependent mechanism

In the present study we report that bradykinin stimulated phospholipase D activity in rat Leydig cells. Bradykinin added for 8 min stimulated choline formation in a dose-dependent manner and, in the presence of ethanol, bradykinin (100 nmol/l) stimulated transphosphatidylation by phospholipase D resulting in the formation of phosphatidylethanol. This stimulation was abolished after down-regulation of protein kinase C by long-term pretreatment for 22 h with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA). The stimulation of phospholipase D by the simultaneous addition for 8 min of maximum concentrations of PMA and vasopressin (AVP), PMA and bradykinin, or AVP and bradykinin produced no additive phosphatidylethanol or choline response, suggesting that AVP, bradykinin and PMA stimulated phospholipase D-catalysed phosphatidylcholine hydrolysis by a similar protein kinase C-dependent mechanism. Furthermore, LH (10 ng/ml), insulin (500 nmol/l), GH (100 ng/ml), interleukin-1 beta (5 U/ml) and platelet-activating factor (200 nmol/l) were found not to activate phospholipase D, whereas the Ca2+ ionophore A23187 (10 mumol/l) stimulated phosphatidylethanol formation, suggesting that Ca2+ might be a regulator of phospholipase D in Leydig cells.

Dietary n-3 and n-6 fatty acids are equipotent in stimulating volume regulation in Ehrlich ascites tumor cells

This investigation addresses whether enriching cellular phospholipids with n-3 or n-6 fatty acids affects the process of regulatory volume decrease (RVD) in murine Ehrlich ascites tumor cells. Two weeks of dietary n-3-rich fish oil (7.5%, wt/wt) increased the ratio of eicosapentaenoic acid to arachidonic acid in cellular phospholipids compared with an olive oil control diet. Cells grown in mice fed on fish oil had an accelerated RVD response after hypotonic exposure, indicating that the volume-induced K+ conductance was increased. The fish oil diet furthermore resulted in an increased Cl- conductance during RVD, demonstrated as an increased initial rate of cell shrinkage after addition of K+ ionophore to the swollen cells. The initial rate of volume recovery correlated positively with the sum of eicosanoid precursors (arachidonic acid plus eicosapentaenoic acid) (P = 0.007). Diet supplemented with n-6 fatty acids resulted in an enhanced RVD response as well. RVD was inhibited by anti-calmodulin drugs, and exogenous leukotriene D5 and leukotriene D4 were equipotent in attenuating this inhibition. We conclude that dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids result in a more effective RVD response because of an increase in the volume-induced Cl- and K+ conductances. We propose that this is caused by an enhanced volume-induced leukotriene synthesis due to an increase in eicosanoid precursor availability.

Reduction of radiocesium transfer to animal products using sustained release boli with ammoniumiron(III)-hexacyanoferrate(II)

A sustained release bolus with the cesium binder ammoniumiron(III)-hexacyanoferrate (AFCF) has been developed as a countermeasure for small ruminants grazing pastures contaminated by radiocesium (134Cs+137Cs). The boli (40-50 g) are produced by compression of a mixture of AFCF, barite and wax. The release of AFCF from boli labelled with 137Cs-iron-hexacyanoferrate complex was studied in laboratory sheep. The release rate followed first order kinetics during the 108 d of observation and decreased from 40 to 22, 110 to 35 and 280 to 25 mg d-1 in sheep treated with 1, 2 or 3 boli respectively. The efficiency of boli in reducing radiocesium transfer to meat and milk was tested in laboratory studies with goats fed 134Cs tracer. Until 40 d after treatment the transfer of radiocesium to milk was reduced by 35%, 60% and 85% in goats given 1, 2 or 3 boli, respectively. The reduction in radiocesium transfer persisted for 90 d but with a lower efficiency. A similar relationship was found between number of boli and the reduction in radiocesium transfer to meat with an observed maximal reduction of 60%.

Pre-operative radiotherapy prolongs survival in operable esophageal carcinoma: a randomized, multicenter study of pre-operative radiotherapy and chemotherapy. The second Scandinavian trial in esophageal cancer

In a prospective multicenter study, 186 patients with squamous cell esophageal carcinoma, who after evaluation were considered suitable for surgery, were randomized to 4 treatment groups: Group 1, surgery alone; Group 2, pre-operative chemotherapy (cisplatin and bleomycin) and surgery; Group 3, pre-operative irradiation (35 Gy) and surgery; Group 4, pre-operative chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and surgery. Three-year survival was significantly higher in the pooled groups receiving radiotherapy as compared with the pooled groups not receiving radiotherapy. Comparison of the groups having pre-operative chemotherapy with those not having chemotherapy showed no significant difference in survival. Female patients had a significantly better survival than males. The results indicate that pre-operative irradiation had a beneficial effect on intermediate term survival, whereas the chemotherapy regime used did not influence survival.

Epidemiology of nasopharyngeal and salivary gland carcinoma in Greenland

From 1950 to 1989 one hundred and forty-four cases of either undifferentiated nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) or salivary gland carcinoma (SGC) were diagnosed in Greenlanders, all born in Greenland. The Greenland SGC is an anaplastic carcinoma with histopathology and electronmicroscopic cytopathological alterations as found in undifferentiated NPC. Both NPC and SGC from Greenland and Alaska are associated with Epstein-Barr virus infection. The incidence rate of NPC based on newly diagnosed cases during the last 15 years is 12.7 for men and 9.2 for women. The same figures for anaplastic SGC are 3.4 and 3.1. These are among the highest incidence rates of Epstein-Barr virus associated carcinomas on record. From 1950 to 1989 there has been an increase in the rate of NPC. From the cumulated rate, it can be predicted that the number of cases will continue to increase during the years to come. During the ten year period 1980 to 1989 patients were questioned about their childhood life style and the family history was taken. The Inuit lifestyle is quite different from that of Europeans and Chinese, but in common with Chinese from Guangzhou (formerly Canton) Greenlanders have a high consumption of fish, fresh as well as dried. Familial clustering has been rarely reported, but in the present investigation 27% of the patients diagnosed between 1980 and 1990 had a positive familial history with one or more confirmed cases among first degree relatives.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Blood pressure and cardiac structure in children with a parental history of hypertension: the Odense Schoolchild Study

OBJECTIVE

To examine the relation between a parental history of hypertension and blood pressure and cardiac structure in children aged 8-10 years.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional study of a sample of children drawn from a population survey of coronary risk factors in children.

SETTING

Odense, Denmark.

SUBJECTS

Sixty-nine children of hypertensive parents (5.2% of the eligible population).

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Physical fitness assessed by calculation of maximum oxygen uptake, blood pressure recorded by one blind observer and left ventricular structure determined by echocardiography.

RESULTS

Children with a parental history of hypertension displayed a significant decrease in physical fitness and a significant increase in obesity and systolic and diastolic blood pressure compared with the rest of the population. After controlling for differences in body size and physical fitness, they also showed significantly higher levels of systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Apart from a significant increase in thickness of the interventricular septum during systole, no significant differences in echocardiographic measures or indices could be demonstrated between children with a parental history of hypertension and a normotensive control group.

CONCLUSION

Our results indicate that a higher level of blood pressure in children with a parental history of hypertension is apparent before the age of 10 years.

Bleomycin/cis-platin as neoadjuvant chemotherapy before radical radiotherapy in localized, inoperable carcinoma of the esophagus. A prospective randomized multicentre study: the second Scandinavian trial in esophageal cancer

Survival and swallowing function were studied in a randomized trial of 97 patients with inoperable, localized esophageal carcinoma. Radical radiotherapy was given to 51 patients, while 46 patients had two courses of bleomycin/cisplatin before radiotherapy. The survival was 29% after one year, and 6% after 3 years in the radiotherapy group. The survival in the combined treatment group was 18 and 0%, respectively; p = 0.1895. The number of patients who could swallow any food increased from 6% before treatment to 38% after 3 months in the radiotherapy group, and from 0% to 23% in the combined group. No benefit was found by combining bleomycin/cisplatin with radiotherapy.

Malignant melanoma of the upper respiratory tract and the oral cavity

Twenty-six patients with mucosal malignant melanoma of the upper respiratory tract and of the oral cavity were seen at the oncologic departments of eastern Denmark from 1955 to 1989. There were 17 males and nine females with an average age of 65 years. Primary symptoms lasted from one to 24 months and depended on localization of tumor. Five patients had lymph node metastases at the time of diagnosis; one also had distant metastases. Ten patients had surgery as primary treatment, 10 had combined surgery and radiotherapy and six had radiotherapy. Complete remission after primary treatment was seen in 22 cases (85%) and lasted from three to 94 months. Seventeen patients had recurrence, six of these had recurrence twice or three times. The five-year crude survival was 35% and only one patient (4%) lived more than 10 years. Recurrence-free survival among the 22 patients with initially complete response was 14%.

Randomised controlled trial of effect of fish-oil supplementation on pregnancy duration

The high birthweights and long duration of pregnancy in the Faroe Islands led us to suggest that a high intake of marine-fat-derived n-3 fatty acids might prolong pregnancy by shifting the balance of production of prostaglandins involved in parturition. We have compared the effects on pregnancy duration, birthweight, and birth length of a fish-oil supplement, a control olive-oil supplement, and no supplementation. 533 healthy Danish women in week 30 of pregnancy were randomly assigned in a ratio of 2/1/1 to fish oil (four 1 g Pikasol capsules [containing 2.7 g n-3 fatty acids] per day), olive oil (four 1 g capsules per day), or no supplement. The three groups differed in mean length of gestation (p = 0.006), which was highest in the fish-oil group and lowest in the olive-oil group; the result was similar when the analysis was restricted to women with an estimate of gestation length based on early ultrasound findings (443 women). Pregnancies in the fish-oil group were on average 4.0 (95% confidence interval 1.5-6.4) days longer than those in the olive-oil group; the difference in birthweight was 107 (1-214) g. The effect of supplementation on length of gestation was influenced by intake of fish and of fish oil: the difference between fish-oil and other groups was increased by a low fish intake at baseline. Fish-oil supplementation in the third trimester seems to prolong pregnancy without detrimental effects on the growth of the fetus or on the course of labour.

[Incapacitating angina pectoris treated with electric stimulation of the spinal cord]

Thirty patients who had severe incapacitating angina pectoris which had not reacted to the conventional therapeutic measures and which required massive daily opioid consumption were treated with electrical spinal cord stimulation (SCS) by means of a completely implantable stimulation system. The therapeutic effect was good in 87% of the patients who experienced considerably reduced frequency of attacks and markedly reduced opioid consumption (p less than 0.00005). Nine of the patients could reduce opioid consumption and 14 out of 27 could cease their otherwise daily opioid consumption. In four patients, the therapeutic effect was unsatisfactory. In the first 22 patients in whom a unipolar electrode was introduced, displacement of the electrode and subsequent reoperation was a frequent problem. This problem disappeared after change to multipolar electrodes as slight changes in placing of the electrode could easily be compensated for via the external programming equipment. This investigation reveals that SCS is a good therapeutic alternative for this selected patient category.

Left ventricular hypertrophy in children from the upper five percent of the blood pressure distribution--the Odense Schoolchild Study

Left ventricular structural dimensions were assessed by echocardiography in a group of 64 children aged 9-11 years with a mean blood pressure at or above the 95th percentile (HC-group) and in a group of 66 children randomly selected from the rest of the population (NC-group). Children in the HC-group were heavier, more obese, and less fit. Parental history of hypertension was more frequent in the HC-group. Calculated left ventricular mass (LVM), and LVM corrected for body surface area (LVMI), were significantly greater in the HC-group and in boys. Repeated echocardiographic examination in 57 of the children following 8 months of physical training revealed significant increases in posterior wall thickness and the posterior-wall-thickness-to-radius ratio. LVM increased significantly in the NC-group. Neither physical fitness nor change in physical fitness contributed independently to the variability in LVM following the training period. In children aged 9-11 years at increased risk of developing essential hypertension left ventricular hypertrophy is present.

Malignant epithelial tumors in the minor salivary glands, the submandibular gland, and the sublingual gland. Prognostic factors and treatment results

Ninety-five malignant tumors in the submandibular gland, the sublingual gland, and the minor salivary glands seen in a 25-year period were reviewed. The patients were retrospectively staged using the Union Internationale Contre le Cancer (UICC) classification. The most frequent tumor was adenoid cystic carcinoma, followed by adenocarcinoma. The submandibular gland was the most frequent location. Five-year and 10-year crude survival rates were 62% and 43%, respectively. Clinical stage was the most important prognostic factor. Survival was not correlated with location of tumor, although recurrence and metastases occurred more frequently in patients with cancer of the submandibular gland. Histologically, the 5-year and 10-year survival was significantly better for patients with adenoid cystic carcinoma compared with the other types; however, although still significant, this difference diminished at 10 years, confirming the need for a long observation time for patients with this tumor.

A controlled study of eight months of physical training and reduction of blood pressure in children: the Odense schoolchild study

OBJECTIVE

To examine the effect of physical training on physical fitness and blood pressure in children aged 9-11 years.

DESIGN

Prospective randomised controlled intervention study of a sample of children drawn from a population survey of coronary risk factors in children.

SETTING

Odense, Denmark.

SUBJECTS

69 children with mean blood pressure greater than or equal to 95th centile (hypertensive group) and 68 with mean blood pressure less than 95th centile (normotensive group), randomly selected from a population of 1369 children.

INTERVENTION

67 children were randomised to receive three extra lessons a week of an ordinary school physical education programme for eight months.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Physical fitness assessed by calculation of maximum oxygen uptake and blood pressure recorded by one unblinded observer.

RESULTS

After three months neither blood pressure nor physical fitness had changed significantly. After adjustment for values in weight, height, heart rate, and the variable in question before training physical fitness rose significantly at the end of eight months' training, by 3.7 mlO2/kg/min (95% confidence interval 2.2 to 5.3) in the normotensive training subgroup and by 2.1 mlO2/kg/min (0.1 to 4.2) in the hypertensive training subgroup compared with that in the controls. Systolic and diastolic blood pressures in the training subgroups fell significantly by 6.5 mm Hg (3.2 to 9.9) and 4.1 mm Hg (1.7 to 6.6) respectively in the normotensive group and by 4.9 mm Hg (0.7 to 9.2) and 3.8 mm Hg (0.9 to 6.6) respectively in the hypertensive group.

CONCLUSIONS

Physical training lowers blood pressure and improves physical fitness in children and might have implications for an important non-pharmacological approach to primary prevention of essential hypertension.

[Intracavitary irradiation of esophageal cancer]

Intracavitary irradiation (ICI) of esophageal cancer is a technique where the radioactive source is placed in the lumen of the esophagus thereby delivering a high local radiation dose to the tumor. ICI is used as single modality therapy for palliation of dysphagia or as a supplement to external irradiation. Dysphagia is hereby relieved in more than 90% of the patients and it appears that survival is improved. The side effects are dose dependent and consist of esophagitis, esophageal ulceration and benign stricture. Fistulae do not seem to occur with increased frequency after ICI, but an existing fistula is claimed to be a contraindication to ICI. The mortality connected with ICI is considerably lower than with tubulation or laser extirpation. It is concluded that ICI is a promising treatment in esophageal cancer both as palliative and curative treatment in combination with other treatment modalities.

Phorbol ester and vasopressin activate phospholipase D in Leydig cells

In the present study evidence is provided for the existence of phospholipase D (PLD) activity in rat Leydig cells. Leydig cells were cultured and labelled with [3H]myristic acid. In the presence of ethanol, phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) stimulated the formation of [3H]phosphatidylethanol ([3H]PEt) in a dose-dependent manner at the expense of [3H]phosphatidic acid ([3H]PA). In cells prelabelled with [3H]choline, PMA caused a rapid increase in intracellular free [3H]choline. The time course of [3H]PEt formation was similar to the time course of intracellular [3H]choline formation. The data taken together support the notion that PMA stimulates phosphatidylcholine (PC) hydrolysis by a mechanism, which principally involves PLD. Activation of PLD by PMA was inhibited by long-term pretreatment of cells with PMA to downregulate protein kinase C (PKC) and by pretreatment with staurosporine. These data support the notion that activation of PLD by PMA is dependent on PKC. Arginine vasopressin (AVP) caused a rapid stimulation of PLD activity in the cells. This activation was inhibited after down-regulation of PKC, indicating that the agonist acts by a mechanism similar to that of PMA.

Central nervous system involvement in human immunodeficiency virus disease. A prospective study including neurological examination, computerized tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging

Sixty-seven patients with different stages of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection (47 CDC group IV, 20 CDC groups II or III) were followed prospectively for a median of 18 months with neurological examination, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and computerized tomography (CT) to evaluate the incidence of the AIDS dementia complex (CDC definition) and other neurological complications. Ten patients developed CNS opportunistic infection or malignancy. Among the remaining 57 patients, 12 of 37 (32%) belonging to CDC group IV, and 1 of 20 (5%) belonging to CDC groups II/III developed the AIDS dementia complex (p = 0.03). MRI white matter lesions occurred in 32% of CDC group IV patients and 5% of CDC groups II/III patients (p = 0.03). The corresponding figures for brain atrophy at CT were 71% and 30% (p less than 0.01) and for neurologic signs 49% and 20% (p = 0.06). The development of the AIDS dementia complex was significantly associated with the occurrence of MRI white matter lesions and a CD4 cell count of less than 200 x 10(6)/l, whereas it was not statistical significantly associated with brain atrophy at baseline. It is concluded that the AIDS dementia complex is a common feature of late stage HIV infection. Brain atrophy occurs in a large percentage of HIV infected patients, but the clinical significance of this atrophy is not clear.