Serum C1q- binding adiponectin in maintenance hemodialysis patients.

Background: Patients on maintenance hemodialysis (HD) have much higher levels of adiponectin (Total-APN). Adiponectin and C1q form a protein complex in human blood, and serum C1q-binding adiponectin (C1q-APN) can be measured. We recently reported that C1q-APN/Total-APN ratio rather than Total-APN correlated with atherosclerosis in diabetics.

Prognostic predictors in breast cancer patients with postoperative 5-fluorouracil-based chemotherapy.

Thymidylate synthase (TS) and dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPD) are enzymes involved in the metabolism of 5-fluorouracil (FU). To investigate the relationship of these activities with clinicopathological factors and survival, we measured TS (88 patients) and DPD (122 patients) activities in resected specimens of breast cancer by enzyme assay. Significant difference was found only in TS activity between tumors > or = 20 mm in diameter and those < 20 mm (p = 0.