Magnetic resonance imaging captures the biology of ductal carcinoma in situ.

Purpose: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is an important tool for characterizing invasive breast cancer but has proven to be more challenging in the setting of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). We investigated whether MRI features of DCIS reflect differences in biology and pathology.

Patients And Methods: Forty five of 100 patients with biopsy-proven DCIS who underwent MRI and had sufficient tissue to be characterized by pathologic (nuclear grade, presence of comedo necrosis, size, and density of disease) and immunohistochemical (IHC) findings (proliferation, Ki67; angiogenesis, CD34; and inflammation, CD68).

The International Classification of Retinoblastoma predicts chemoreduction success.

Purpose: To evaluate the reliability of the International Classification of Retinoblastoma (ICRB) for predicting treatment success with chemoreduction (CRD).

Design: Noncomparative interventional case series.

Participants: Two hundred forty-nine consecutive eyes.

Biologic significance of false-positive magnetic resonance imaging enhancement in the setting of ductal carcinoma in situ.

Background: Imaging patterns of benign proliferative processes often complicate the assessment of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). We investigated the pathologic and biologic characteristics of false positive enhancement by breast MRI.

Methods: DCIS (n = 45), benign (n = 5), and false-positive (MRI enhancement and nonmalignant pathology) (n = 10) cases were characterized by immunohistochemistry and MRI features.

Modulation by homocysteine of the iberiotoxin-sensitive, Ca2+ -activated K+ channels of porcine coronary artery smooth muscle cells.

We evaluated the acute effect of homocysteine on the iberiotoxin-sensitive, Ca(2+)-activated K(+) (BK(Ca)) channels of the porcine coronary artery smooth muscle cells. NS 1619 (1 to 30 microM) caused a concentration-dependent enhancement of the BK(Ca) amplitude (recorded using the whole-cell, membrane-rupture configuration) only with an elevated [Ca(2+)](i) of approximately 444 nM, but not with [Ca(2+)](i) of approximately 100 nM. Homocysteine (30 microM) caused a small inhibition ( approximately 16%) of the BK(Ca) amplitude ([Ca(2+)](i)= approximately 444 nM), and a greater inhibition ( approximately 77%) was observed with 100 microM NADH present in the pipette solution.

Interfering effects of multitasking on muscle activity in the upper extremity.

Multitasking, where workers are required to perform multiple physical tasks with various levels of cognitive load is common in today's workplace. Simultaneous physical and mental demands are thought to cause task interference and likely increase muscle activity. To test the interfering effects of multitasking, 16 healthy participants performed hand and shoulder exertions with combinations of four grip conditions (no grip, 30% grip with low precision, 30% grip with high precision, and maximal grip) and three shoulder conditions at 90 degrees abduction (maintaining posture, 40% force-controlled moment, 40% posture-controlled moment), with and without the Stroop test while surface EMG was recorded from eight upper extremity muscles.

Effect of dietary apigenin on colonic ornithine decarboxylase activity, aberrant crypt foci formation, and tumorigenesis in different experimental models.

The efficacy of dietary apigenin, a dietary flavonoid, in colon cancer prevention was investigated by evaluating the inhibition of the ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activity and the formation of aberrant crypt foci (ACF) and by studying the ability of apigenin to block colon carcinogenesis in two mouse models. First, the activity of ODC was measured in colon cancer cells (Caco-2) and in the colon epithelium of CF-1 mice. Apigenin at 10 and 30 muM significantly inhibited the ODC activity of Caco-2 cells by 26% and 57%, respectively.

Contribution of loading conditions and material properties to stress shielding near the tibial component of total knee replacements.

This communication reports important preliminary results of a parametric analysis into the stress shielding effects of loading conditions and material properties of a total knee replacement (TKR) prosthesis. A previously developed finite element (FE) model of the proximal tibia that incorporated orthotropic and heterogeneous bone properties was used. Tibiofemoral joint compression and soft tissue (ligament and muscle) forces were also included to better represent the loading condition in the tibia.

Nickel and vanadium metal ions induce apoptosis of T-lymphocyte Jurkat cells.

Metal alloys are used as prosthetic components in the orthopaedic and dental field. However, there is growing concern over the reported leaching of metal ions from implants. Ions released from metals have been thought to be associated with local immune dysfunction, inflammation, and tissue cell death.

Magnetic resonance imaging for the detection of nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Background: Endoscopic guided biopsy (EGB) is performed after an initial endoscopy for the investigation of patients with suspected nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). The aim of the study was to determine whether MR imaging has the potential to replace invasive EGB in patients with a normal endoscopy.

Patients And Methods: Data from 2 groups of patients was reviewed, group 1 with proved NPC for MR staging (n = 456) and group 2 with suspected NPC (n = 77).

Assessment of macular function by multifocal electroretinography following epiretinal membrane surgery with indocyanine green-assisted internal limiting membrane peeling.

Purpose: To evaluate the changes in macular function and potential retinal toxicity in epiretinal membrane (ERM) surgery with indocyanine green (ICG)-assisted internal limiting membrane (ILM) peeling using multifocal electroretinography (mfERG).

Methods: Thirteen eyes of 13 patients were randomly assigned to have ERM surgery with ILM peeling using 0.5 mg/ml or 1.

Subjective memory and mood of Hong Kong Chinese adults with epilepsy.

Clinicians are often confronted with the self-report of memory difficulties by patients. This study explored the possible correlates of subjective memory in 67 adult Chinese patients with epilepsy in Hong Kong. These correlates include epilepsy-related factors, mood state, and actual performance on neuropsychological tests.

Delineation, functional validation, and bioinformatic evaluation of gene expression in thyroid follicular carcinomas with the PAX8-PPARG translocation.

A subset of follicular thyroid carcinomas contains a balanced translocation, t(2;3)(q13;p25), that results in fusion of the paired box gene 8 (PAX8) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARG) genes with concomitant expression of a PAX8-PPARgamma fusion protein, PPFP. PPFP is thought to contribute to neoplasia through a mechanism in which it acts as a dominant-negative inhibitor of wild-type PPARgamma. To better understand this type of follicular carcinoma, we generated global gene expression profiles using DNA microarrays of a cohort of follicular carcinomas along with other common thyroid tumors and used the data to derive a gene expression profile characteristic of PPFP-positive tumors.

The Ras effector NORE1A is suppressed in follicular thyroid carcinomas with a PAX8-PPARgamma fusion.

Context: The Ras effector NORE1A (RASSF5A) is a putative tumor suppressor and is inactivated in several human cancers. NORE1A has not been studied in thyroid cancer.

Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate whether NORE1A is involved in follicular thyroid cancer (FTC) development.

PAX8-peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARgamma) disrupts normal PAX8 or PPARgamma transcriptional function and stimulates follicular thyroid cell growth.

Follicular thyroid carcinomas are associated with a chromosomal translocation that fuses the thyroid-specific transcription factor paired box gene 8 (PAX8) with the nuclear receptor peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARgamma). This study investigated the transcriptional mechanisms by which PAX8-PPARgamma regulates follicular thyroid cells. In HeLa cells, rat follicular thyroid (FRTL-5) cells, or immortalized human thyroid cells, PAX8-PPARgamma stimulated transcription from PAX8-responsive thyroperoxidase and sodium-iodide symporter promoters in a manner at least comparable with wild-type PAX8.

Contribution of glibenclamide-sensitive, ATP-dependent K+ channel activation to acetophenone analogues-mediated in vitro pulmonary artery relaxation of rat.

Compared to the currently available therapeutic drugs for peripheral vascular diseases, agents that are selective for relaxing pulmonary circulation are scarce. The present study was undertaken, using isometric tension change measurement and whole-cell patch-clamp electrophysiology methods, to evaluate the vascular relaxation effect and the underlying mechanisms involved of two naturally found alkaloids: paeonol (2-hydroxy-4-methoxy-acetophenone), acetovanillone (4-hydroxy-3-methoxy-acetophenone) and the non-substituted analogue acetophenone on pulmonary artery of Sprague-Dawley rats. Cumulative administration (3 microM-1 mM) of acetophenone analogues resulted in a concentration-dependent relaxation of phenylephrine (1 microM) pre-contracted pulmonary artery.

Development of a novel method for measuring in vivo breast epithelial cell proliferation in humans.

Cell proliferation plays an important role in all stages of carcinogenesis. Currently, no safe, direct, in vivo method of measuring breast epithelial cell (BEC) proliferation rates in humans exists. Static immunohistochemical markers of cell proliferation, such as Ki-67 and PCNA indices, have technical limitations including high inter-lab variability, inaccuracy in the presence of agents that cause G1/S cell cycle block and inadequate sensitivity in post-menopausal women with low BEC proliferation rates.

Investigation of a hybrid method of soft tissue graft fixation for anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.

To increase knee stability following anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction, development of increasingly stronger and stiffer fixation is required. This study assessed the initial pullout force, stiffness of fixation, and failure modes for a novel hybrid fixation method combining periosteal and direct fixation using porcine femoral bone. A soft tissue graft was secured by combining both an interference screw and an EndoButton (Smith and Nephew Endoscopy, Andover, MA).

Prevention of mouse skin tumor promotion by dietary energy restriction requires an intact adrenal gland and glucocorticoid supplementation restores inhibition.

Our laboratory has demonstrated in the previous studies that dietary energy restriction (DER) inhibited the promotion of skin tumorigenesis and others have found that adrenalectomy may reverse that inhibition. The purpose of the research reported here was to determine if circulating corticosterone (CCS) may be the adrenal hormone responsible for DER prevention of skin carcinogenesis. Female SENCAR mice were initiated with 7,12-dimethylbenzanthracene (DMBA) and promoted with 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) in either sham-operated or adrenalectomized (ADX) mice fed ad libitum (AL) or energy restricted diets.

A large outbreak of scombroid fish poisoning associated with eating escolar fish (Lepidocybium flavobrunneum).

In August 2003, an outbreak of scombroid fish poisoning occurred at a retreat centre in California, USA. In a retrospective cohort study, 42 (75%) of the 56 dinner attendees who ate escolar fish (Lepidocybium flavobrunneum) met the case definition. Individuals who ate at least 2 oz of fish were 1.

A three-dimensional finite element stress analysis for tunnel placement and buttons in anterior cruciate ligament reconstructions.

This communication reports the results of a three-dimensional finite element (FE) model of stresses in a surgically altered femur and tibia. The model incorporated a novel approach in implementing orthotropic and inhomogeneous bone properties and non-uniform distributed loading. Cortical, cancellous, and subchondral bone of the femur and the tibia were modeled.

A parametric analysis of fixation post shape in tibial knee prostheses.

A primary concern of total knee replacement (TKR) is aseptic loosening of the tibial component, which may be caused by shielding of mechanical stresses in the bone and may require subsequent revision surgery. A three-dimensional (3D) finite element (FE) model has been developed to study bone and interface stresses for four different tibial prosthesis designs. The model described here incorporates orthotropic and heterogeneous bone properties with physiologically representative loading conditions.

Cognitive-behavioral group program for Chinese heterosexual HIV-infected men in Hong Kong.

This study explored the effects of cognitive-behavioral program (CBP) using a wait-list control group in 16 Chinese heterosexual HIV-infected men. Participants in the treatment condition underwent a 7-week group based CBP, which addressed various HIV-related issues. Relevant cognitive and behavioral strategies were taught as well.

Activation of iberiotoxin-sensitive, Ca2+-activated K+ channels of porcine isolated left anterior descending coronary artery by diosgenin.

The objective of this study was to determine the vasodilating effect of 3beta-hydroxy-5-spirostene (diosgenin), a phytoestrogen found in wild yams, using porcine resistance left anterior descending coronary artery. In 5-hydroxytryptamine (3 microM) pre-contracted preparation, diosgenin caused a concentration-dependent (0.01 to 1 microM), endothelium-independent relaxation, with a maximum relaxation of approximately 72% at 1 microM.