Intracellular imaging of cesium distribution in Arabidopsis using Cesium Green

The accident at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, which was one of the most serious adverse effects of the Great East Japan Earthquake, was accompanied by the release of a large quantity of radioactive materials including (137)Cs to the environment. In a previous report, we developed and proposed a cesium (Cs) fluorescent probe, "Cesium Green", that enables the detection of cesium carbonate particles by spraying an alcoholic solution of the Cesium Green probe. In this paper, the sensing activity of this probe was investigated for its selectivity (by using an optode method) and for its application to detect micrometer-sizes Cs particles. Cesium Green was also assessed for its use in plant cellular imaging of Cs localization in Arabidopsis. Cesium Green enabled high-resolution Cs imaging of Cs-containing particles and of Cs contained in plants.

Highly frequent and enhanced injection site reaction induced by peripheral venous injection of fosaprepitant in anthracycline-treated patients

BACKGROUND

Fosaprepitant-associated injection site reaction (ISR) has been reported in patients treated with cisplatin, an irritant drug. We conducted this retrospective study to clarify the incidence and symptoms of fosaprepitant-associated ISR in patients treated with anthracycline.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Fifty six patients receiving 159 injections administering doxorubicin/cyclophosphamide (AC), fluorouracil/epirubicin/cyclophosphamide (FEC), or rituximab/cyclophosphamide/doxorubicin/vincristine/prednisolone (R-)CHOP regimen through a peripheral vein at ambulatory treatment centers reviewed for this study from patients' medical records. Incidence of ISR was compared between 24 patients with fosaprepitant injection (fosaprepitant group) and 32 patients without fosaprepitant (control group). Frequency and symptoms of ISR per injection were also compared between 61 injections with fosaprepitant and 98 injections without fosaprepitant.

RESULTS

Both the ISR incidence rate per patient and per injection were significantly higher in the fosaprepitant group than in the control group (67% vs. 16%; P=0.0002, 34% vs. 8.2%; P<0.0001, respectively). By multivariate analysis, fosaprepitant injection was found to be a significant independent variable correlated with ISR risk. Symptoms observed in 61 injections of fosaprepitant were pain (n=14, 23%), erythema (n=10, 16%), swelling (n=6, 10%), and delayed drip infusion (n=6, 10%). After the observation period, no ISR occurred when the administration route was changed to central venous injection or oral aprepitant was administered despite the continuation of chemotherapy.

CONCLUSION

ISR occurred more frequently and severely when fosaprepitant was injected through the peripheral vein in patients treated with anthracyclines compared to those without fosaprepitant.

Ubiquinone-rhodol (UQ-Rh) for fluorescence imaging of NAD(P)H through intracellular activation

The nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) derivatives NADH and NADPH are critical components of cellular energy metabolism and operate as electron carriers. A novel fluorescent ubiquinone-rhodol derivative (UQ-Rh) was developed as a probe for NAD(P)H. By using the artificial promoter [(η(5) -C5 Me5 )Ir(phen)(H2 O)](2+) , intracellular activation and imaging of NAD(P)H were successfully demonstrated. In contrast to bioorthogonal chemistry, this "bioparallel chemistry" approach involves interactions with native biological processes and could potentially be used to control or investigate cellular systems.

[Spontaneous resolving rate of congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction and success rate of late probing after age 18 months: historical cohort study]

PURPOSE

To determine the spontaneous resolving rate of congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction (CNDO) and the success rate of late probing after age 18 months.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A single-center, historical cohort study. We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of infants less than 18 months of age who were diagnosed with CNDO and referred to the Department of Ocular Plastic & Orbital Surgery of the Seirei Hamamatsu General Hospital in Japan. We conservatively observed them up to the age of 18 months. We performed late probing for CNDO in the patients 18 months of age or older using lacrimal endoscopy.

RESULTS

Eighty-two obstructed nasolacrimal ducts of 72 patients with a mean age of 8.6 +/- 5.4 months were included. Twenty-five lacrimal ducts (31%) had a history of early probing in other hospitals. The spontaneous resolving rate was 42 (51%) at 12 months, and 64 (78%) at 18 months of age. There was no significant difference in spontaneous resolving rate between the existence and absence of early probing. Nine lacrimal ducts (11%) were treated with late probing with silicone tube intubation after age 18 months, and all were cured.

CONCLUSIONS

The spontaneous resolving rate of CNDO either with or without early probing history was about 80% at 18 months of age with conservative medical management. Late probing with tube intubation after age 18 months had a high success rate.

Early-onset diffuse gastric cancer associated with a de novo large genomic deletion of CDH1 gene

A 41-year-old man with no familial history of gastric cancer was diagnosed as with intramucosal early gastric cancer. Two months after the first endoscopic submucosal dissection for signet-ring cell carcinoma (SRCC), the appearance of previously unrecognized multiple erosions of SRCC was noticed. Pathological examination after a total gastrectomy and Roux-en-Y reconstruction with D2 lymph node dissection were performed. Postoperative pathological examination revealed 90 and more lesions, which tempted the attending pathologist to refer to genetic tests for the predisposition though the patient had no familial history of gastric cancer. There were no mutations in all the exons of CDH1 with conventional DNA sequencing, but multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification, and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction analyses disclosed a large genomic deletion (c.1566-?_1711+?del), leading to the mRNA with loss of the exon 11. Among family members, his son was found to be a carrier of this change, while his parents were negative for the familial CDH1 mutation, implying that this change is a de novo event in the proband. The present report is the first description of a de novo large genomic deletion of CDH1 gene associated with early-onset diffuse gastric cancer. When the clinician finds a relatively-young patient who has multiple SRCCs, CDH1 germline mutation should be considered, even for patients with no familial history.

Cumulative exposure to ritonavir-boosted atazanavir is associated with cholelithiasis in patients with HIV-1 infection

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to examine the effect of long-term treatment with ritonavir-boosted atazanavir (atazanavir/ritonavir) on cholelithiasis.

METHODS

A single-centre, cross-sectional study was conducted to elucidate the prevalence of cholelithiasis in patients with HIV-1 infection who underwent abdominal ultrasonography between January 2004 and March 2013. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were applied to estimate the effects of >2 years of atazanavir/ritonavir exposure on cholelithiasis as the primary exposure.

RESULTS

Of the 890 study patients, 84 (9.4%) had >2 years of atazanavir/ritonavir exposure. Cholelithiasis was twice as frequent in those treated for >2 years with atazanavir/ritonavir [15 (18%) of 84 patients] compared with those treated for <2 years [72 (8.9%) of 806 patients] (P = 0.018). Univariate analysis showed a significant association between >2 years of atazanavir/ritonavir exposure and cholelithiasis (OR = 2.216; 95% CI = 1.206-4.073; P = 0.010) and the association almost persisted in multivariate analysis (adjusted OR = 1.806; 95% CI = 0.922-3.537; P = 0.085). Long-term treatment (>2 years) with other commonly used protease inhibitors, such as ritonavir-boosted lopinavir and ritonavir-boosted darunavir, was not associated with cholelithiasis in univariate and multivariate analysis. Additional analysis showed that >1 year of exposure to atazanavir/ritonavir was significantly associated with cholelithiasis (OR = 1.857; 95% CI = 1.073-3.214; P = 0.027), whereas >1 year of exposure to ritonavir-boosted lopinavir and ritonavir-boosted darunavir was not.

CONCLUSIONS

Long-term treatment of patients with HIV-1 infection for >2 years with atazanavir/ritonavir was associated with an increased risk of cholelithiasis compared with patients with shorter exposure. Long-term exposure to atazanavir/ritonavir appears to increase the risk of cholelithiasis in patients with HIV-1 infection.

High prevalence of illicit drug use in men who have sex with men with HIV-1 infection in Japan

OBJECTIVE

To examine the prevalence of illicit drug use among men who have sex with men (MSM) with HIV-1 infection in Japan, where the life-time prevalence of illicit drug use in the general population is only 2.9%.

DESIGN

A single-center cross-sectional study at a large HIV clinic in Tokyo, which treats approximately 15% of HIV-1 infected patients in Japan.

METHODS

The prevalence of illicit drug use and the association of characteristics and social demographics of the patients with illicit drug use were examined. Patients who visited the clinic for the first time from 2005 to 2010 were enrolled. Relevant variables were collected using a structured interview and from the medical records. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were applied to estimate the odds of association of MSM over non-MSM HIV-infected patients with illicit drug use.

RESULTS

1,196 patients were enrolled. They were mostly Japanese men of relatively young age. Illicit drug use (including injection drugs) was reported by 35% of the patients (by 40% of MSM), and 4% were IDU while 5% were on methamphetamine. 2% of the population was arrested due to illicit drugs. MSM was significantly associated with illicit drug use (adjusted OR = 4.60; 95% CI, 2.88-7.36; p<0.01). Subgroup analysis of the patients stratified by three age groups (≤ 30, 31 to 40, and >40) showed that the odds of association of MSM with illicit drug use was the strongest in the youngest age group (≤ 30 years: adjusted OR = 7.56; 95% CI, 2.86-20.0; p<0.01), followed by the oldest (>40 years: adjusted OR = 6.15; 95% CI, 2.40-15.8; p<0.01), and the weakest in the group aged 31 to 40 (adjusted OR = 3.39; 95% CI, 1.73-6.63; p<0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

The prevalence of illicit drug use is high among MSM patients with HIV-1 infection in Japan. Effective intervention for illicit drug use in this population is warranted.

Antitumor effects of bevacizumab in a microenvironment-dependent human adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma mouse model

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to evaluate the therapeutic potential of bevacizumab with or without systemic chemotherapy for adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATL) and clarify the significance of angiogenesis for ATL pathogenesis.

METHODS

NOD/Shi-scid, IL-2Rγ(null) (NOG) mice were used as recipients of tumor cells from a patient with ATL, which engraft and proliferate in a microenvironment-dependent manner. The ATL cells could be serially transplanted in NOG mice, but could not be maintained in in vitro cultures.

RESULTS

Injection of bevacizumab alone significantly increased necrosis and decreased vascularization in the tumor tissue. Levels of human soluble interleukin two receptor in the serum (reflecting the ATL tumor burden) of bevacizumab-treated mice were significantly lower than in untreated mice. Although bevacizumab monotherapy showed these clear anti-angiogenesis effects, it did not prolong survival. In contrast, injection of bevacizumab together with cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, prednisolone (CHOP) led to a significant prolongation of survival of the ATL mice relative to CHOP alone.

CONCLUSIONS

This is the first report to evaluate the efficacy of bevacizumab for ATL in a tumor microenvironment-dependent model. Bevacizumab therapy combined with chemotherapy could be a valuable treatment strategy for that subgroup of ATL probably depending to a large extent on angiogenesis via vascular endothelial growth factor.

Persistent petrosquamosal sinus: underlying cause of otitic hydrocephalus with lateral sinus thrombosis

Lateral sinus thrombosis (LST) occurs when a middle ear infection disseminates directly via bone erosion or disseminates indirectly through the venous networks. The petrosquamosal sinus (PSS) is the residual accessory dural sinus connecting intracranial to extracranial drainage. This report describes a case of a patient with persistent PSS running through the mastoid in context of otitic hydrocephalus with LST. To identify PSS, enhanced CT and reconstructed image from CT venography were more useful than MRI. The possibility of persistent PSS running through the mastoid should be considered if LST without marked inflammation and bone erosion is noted.

Global real-time quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction detecting proto-oncogenes associated with 14q32 chromosomal translocation as a valuable marker for predicting survival in multiple myeloma

CCND1, FGFR3 and c-MAF mRNA expression of tumor samples from 123 multiple myeloma patients were analyzed by global RQ/RT-PCR. CCND1, FGFR3 and c-MAF were positive in 44 (36%), 28 (23%) and 16 (13%) of patients, respectively. In 7 patients, both FGFR3 and c-MAF were positive. The expression of c-MAF was independent unfavorable prognostic factors for overall survival (OS). Autologous stem cell transplantation improved progression-free survival of CCND1-positive patients. Bortezomib, thalidomide or lenalidomide extended OS of FGFR3 and/or c-MAF-positive patients. Thus, CCND1, FGFR3 and c-MAF mRNA expression can predict survival and is useful for planning stratified treatment strategies for myeloma patients.

Ritonavir-boosted darunavir is rarely associated with nephrolithiasis compared with ritonavir-boosted atazanavir in HIV-infected patients

Background

Although ritonavir-boosted atazanavir (ATV/r) is known to be associated with nephrolithiasis, little is known about the incidence of nephrolithiasis in patients treated with ritonavir-boosted Darunavir (DRV/r), the other preferred protease inhibitor.

Methods

In a single-center cohort, the incidence of nephrolithiasis was compared between HIV-infected patients who commenced DRV/r-containing antiretroviral therapy and those on ATV/r. The effects of ATV/r use over DRV/r were estimated by univariate and multivariate Cox hazards models.

Results

Renal stones were diagnosed in only one patient (0.86 per 1000 person-years) of the DRV/r group (n=540) and 37 (20.2 per 1000 person-years) of the ATV/r group (n=517). The median [interquartile (IQR)] observation period in the DRV/r group was 27.1 months (IQR 18.1-38.4 months), and 40.6 months (IQR 17.5-42.7) for the ATV/r group. The total observation period was 1,163.6 person-years and 1,829.6 person-years for the DRV/r group and for the ATV/r group, respectively. In the 37 patients on ATV/r who developed nephrolithiasis, the median time from commencement of ATV/r to diagnosis was 28.1 months (IQR 18.4–42.7), whereas nephrolithiasis in the single patient of the DRV/r group occurred 11.2 month after the introduction of DRV/r. ATV/r use over DRV/r was significantly associated with nephrolithiasis by uni- and multivariate analyses (HR=26.01; 95% CI, 3.541–191.0; p=0.001) (adjusted HR=21.47; 95% CI, 2.879–160.2; p=0.003).

Conclusion

The incidence of nephrolithiasis was substantially lower in patients on DRV/r than those on ATV/r. The results suggest that DRV/r should be selected for treatment of HIV-infected patients at risk of chronic kidney disease.

Intracellular activation of acetyl-CoA by an artificial reaction promoter and its fluorescent detection

The application of a new rhodamine-based fluorescent probe, RH-NH2 3 and an acyl transfer promoter, PBu3, to Hela cells induced a time-dependent increase in fluorescence in the mitochondria, which was most likely due to acetylation of RH-NH2 3 with activated acetyl-CoA by the artificial reaction promoter in living cells.

Switching tenofovir/emtricitabine plus lopinavir/r to raltegravir plus Darunavir/r in patients with suppressed viral load did not result in improvement of renal function but could sustain viral suppression: a randomized multicenter trial

Background

Whether tenofovir nephrotoxicity is reversible after its withdrawal is unknown. Furthermore, there are no data on the viral efficacy of raltegravir (RAL) plus ritonavir-boosted Darunavir (DRV/r) in patients with suppressed viral load.

Methods

This multicenter, randomized trial compared renal function and viral efficacy in patients with suppressed viral load treated with RAL+DRV/r and ritonavir-boosted lopinavir (LPV/r) plus tenofovir/emtricitabine (TVD), who had been previously on LPV/r+TVD. The primary endpoint was the proportion of patients with >10% improvement in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) at 48 weeks calculated with Cockcroft-Gault equation.

Results

58 randomized and treatment-exposed patients were analyzed (28 on RAL+DRV/r and 30 on LPV/r+TVD). Greater than 10% improvement in eGFR was noted in 6 (25%) out of 24 with RAL+DRV/r and 3 (11%) of 28 with LPV/r+TVD, and the difference was not statistically significant (p=0.272, 95% CI -0.067 to 0.354). Sensitivity analyses using three other equations for eGFR showed the same results. Urinary β2 microglobulin, a sensitive marker of tenofovir tubulopathy, significantly improved with RAL+DRV/r than with LPV/r+TVD (-271 versus -64 µg/gCr, p=0.026). Per protocol analysis showed that the HIV-RNA was <50 copies/mL at week 48 in all patients of both arms (24 in RAL+DRV and 29 in LPV/r+TVD).

Conclusions

Switching LPV/r+TVD to RAL+DRV/r did not significantly increase the proportion of patients who showed >10% improvement in renal function among those with relatively preserved eGFR. However, the switch improved urinary β2 microglobulin, suggesting that discontinuation of TDF might be beneficial in the long-term. RAL+DRV/r showed favorable viral efficacy in patients with suppressed viral load.

Trial Registration

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01294761 http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01294761?term=SPARE&rank=2, Umin Clinical Trials Registry UMIN000005116 http://upload.umin.ac.jp/cgi-open-bin/ctr/ctr.cgi?function=brows&action=brows&type=summary&recptno=R000006083&language=J)

Illicit drug use is a significant risk factor for loss to follow up in patients with HIV-1 infection at a large urban HIV clinic in Tokyo

BACKGROUND

Loss to follow up (LTFU) is an important prognostic factor in patients with HIV-1 infection. The impact of illicit drug use on LTFU of patients with HIV-1 infection is unknown in Japan.

METHODS

A single center observational study was conducted to elucidate the impact of illicit drug use on LTFU at a large HIV clinic in Tokyo. LTFU was defined as those who discontinued their visits to the clinic for at least 12 months and were not known to be under the care of other facilities or have died within 12 months of their last visit. Patients who first visited the clinic between January 2005 and August 2010 were enrolled. Information on illicit drug use was collected in a structured interview and medical charts. Comparison of the effects of illicit drug use and no use on LTFU was conducted by uni- and multi-variate Cox hazards models as the primary exposure.

RESULTS

The study subjects were 1,208 patients, mostly Japanese men, of relatively young age, and infected through homosexual contact. A total of 111 patients (9.2%) were LTFU (incidence: 24.9 per 1,000 person-years). Among illicit drug users and non users, 55 (13.3%) and 56 (7.1%) patients, respectively, were LTFU, with incidence of 35.7 and 19.2 per 1,000 person-years, respectively. Uni- and multi-variate analyses showed that illicit drug use was a significant risk for LTFU (HR=1.860; 95% CI, 1.282-2.699; p=0.001) (adjusted HR=1.544; 95% CI, 1.028-2.318; p=0.036). Multivariate analysis also identified young age, high CD4 count, no antiretroviral therapy, and no health insurance as risk factors for LTFU.

CONCLUSIONS

The incidence of LTFU among illicit drug users was almost twice higher than that among non users. Effective intervention for illicit drug use in this population is warranted to ensure proper treatment and prevent the spread of HIV.

Autologous Tax-specific CTL therapy in a primary adult T cell leukemia/lymphoma cell-bearing NOD/Shi-scid, IL-2Rγnull mouse model

We expanded human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 Tax-specific CTL in vitro from PBMC of three individual adult T cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATL) patients and assessed their therapeutic potential in an in vivo model using NOG mice bearing primary ATL cells from the respective three patients (ATL/NOG). In these mice established with cells from a chronic-type patient, treatment by i.p. injection of autologous Tax-CTL resulted in greater infiltration of CD8-positive T cells into each ATL lesion. This was associated with a significant decrease of ATL cell infiltration into blood, spleen, and liver. Tax-CTL treatment also significantly decreased human soluble IL-2R concentrations in the sera. In another group of ATL/NOG mice, Tax-CTL treatment led to a significant prolongation of survival time. These findings show that Tax-CTL can infiltrate the tumor site, recognize, and kill autologous ATL cells in mice in vivo. In ATL/NOG mice with cells from an acute-type patient, whose postchemotherapeutic remission continued for >18 mo, antitumor efficacy of adoptive Tax-CTL therapy was also observed. However, in ATL/NOG mice from a different acute-type patient, whose ATL relapsed after 6 mo of remission, no efficacy was observed. Thus, although the therapeutic effects were different for different ATL patients, to the best of our knowledge, this is the first report that adoptive therapy with Ag-specific CTL expanded from a cancer patient confers antitumor effects, leading to significant survival benefit for autologous primary cancer cell-bearing mice in vivo. The present study contributes to research on adoptive CTL therapy, which should be applicable to several types of cancer.

Oncology nurses' recognition of supportive care needs and symptoms of their patients undergoing chemotherapy

OBJECTIVE

To assess the accuracy of oncology nurses' recognition of supportive care needs and symptoms of their patients undergoing chemotherapy.

METHODS

The participants comprised randomly selected cancer outpatients receiving chemotherapy in an ambulatory setting and 17 oncology nurses working in two chemotherapy units in Japan. For assessment of the patients' supportive care needs and symptoms, the patients were asked to respond to a validated self-administered questionnaire. The oncology nurses completed a survey in which they indicated their perception of the level of the same set of needs or symptoms. The two data sets obtained from the patients and nurses were compared statistically to assess the accuracy of the oncology nurses' recognition of their patients' needs and symptoms.

RESULTS

Complete data sets were available for 439 patients. The most common primary cancers were breast cancer (36.0%), followed by colorectal (24.4%) and lung (12.3%) cancers. Nurses' awareness of their patients' supportive care needs and physical and psychological symptoms were less than optimal in routine care. In particular, psychological symptoms and support needs for these symptoms were markedly under-recognized. Physical symptoms associated with chemotherapy, such as hair loss, appetite loss and fatigue, were better recognized than symptoms not specific to chemotherapy, such as constipation, insomnia, dyspnea and pain.

CONCLUSIONS

Oncology nurses' recognition may not accurately reflect their patients' supportive care needs and symptoms in routine practice. In clinical practice, it may be beneficial to conduct routine screening of patients' perceived needs and symptoms comprehensively using self-administered questionnaires.