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PubMed1990

Effects of gonadotropin-releasing hormone and human chorionic gonadotropin on pregnancy rate in dairy cattle.

This study was to determine if gonadotropin-releasing hormone, human chorionic gonadotropin, or their interaction would affect pregnancy rate or milk progesterone profiles in dairy cattle. Cows and heifers eligible for first, second, and third services were assigned to four treatments: 1) saline i.m. within 5 min after AI (d 0) and saline 15 d after AI (n = 222 AI); 2) gonadotropin-releasing hormone (100 micrograms) i.m. within 5 min after AI and saline on d 15 (n = 223); 3) saline after AI and human chorionic gonadotropin (3500 IU) i.m. on d 15 (n = 196); 4) gonadotropin-releasing hormone at AI and human chorionic gonadotropin on d 15 (n = 195). Progesterone was quantified in milk samples collected twice weekly for 5 wk from all cows. Neither gonadotropin-releasing hormone, human chorionic gonadotropin, gonadotropin-releasing hormone x human chorionic gonadotropin interaction, age, nor service number affected pregnancy rate, which averaged 46.2%. Pregnancy and human chorionic gonadotropin affected milk progesterone profiles. Pregnancy maintained progesterone concentrations and human chorionic gonadotropin on d 15 increased them. This study does not support the general use of gonadotropin-releasing hormone at AI or human chorionic gonadotropin 15 d after AI as methods for enhancing pregnancy rates of dairy cattle.

Animals↗

PubMed1998

Merit of outliers for milk yield as indicators of accuracy of genetic evaluations of sires.

To determine whether the accuracy of the genetic evaluations of sires can be assessed by the presence of extreme daughter records, we studied herd-years with records from first-crop daughters of 217 Holstein bulls that were not sampled by artificial insemination (AI) organizations but that later entered AI. The presence of outliers for standardized milk yield was determined within herd-year. Outliers were defined as records exceeding 1.5 interquartile ranges below the 25th percentile or above the 75th percentile. Herd-years were separated into two groups based on whether or not an outlier daughter record was present for an AI bull that had initially been sampled through non-AI. Herd-years without daughter outliers from those bulls were divided into herd-years with 1) no daughter outliers from any bull, 2) only negative daughter outliers from other bulls, 3) only positive daughter outliers from other bulls, or 4) negative and positive daughter outliers from other bulls. Herd-years with daughter outliers from AI bulls initially sampled through non-AI were divided into herd-years with 1) only negative daughter outliers, 2) only positive daughter outliers, 3) positive daughter outliers from those bulls and negative daughter outliers from other bulls, or 4) both negative and positive daughter outliers. The relationship between the frequency of outlier classes and a change in the Modified Contemporary Comparison genetic evaluations (the difference between the last available second-crop evaluation and the next to the last first-crop evaluation) was examined with logistic regression. For AI bulls that were initially sampled through non-AI and having evaluations that decreased > or = 386 kg, 9% of herd-years had positive first-crop daughter outliers and negative daughter outliers from other bulls; 38% had no outliers. For bulls with evaluations that increased > or = 194 kg, comparable percentages were 2 and 53%.

Animals↗

PubMed2003

Evaluation of an antibiotic-impregnated shunt system for the treatment of hydrocephalus.

OBJECT: Staphylococcus species are the most common organisms responsible for infection following implantable cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) diversionary procedures. The role of an antibiotic-impregnated shunt (AIS) system in the prevention of shunt infection has remained unclear because no human clinical trial has been reported on thus far. In this study, the authors assess an AIS system with respect to its prevention of shunt infection. METHODS: Patients were prospectively randomized into groups to evaluate the efficacy of an AIS system against an identical control shunt system. The data accrued were subjected to a detailed statistical analysis. Logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the independent association between outcome and predictor variables. Shunt function analysis was also performed to compare the average time to infection between the two groups. One hundred ten patients were recruited; 60 received control shunt systems and 50 received AIS systems. Thirteen shunt infections were recorded (10 in the control group and three in the AIS group). Nine (69%) of 13 infections occurred within 2 months after shunt implantation (eight of 10 in the control group and one of three in the AIS group). Apart from one patient in whom no organism was identified, a total of 14 organisms (12 patients) were cultured from either the CSF (nine) or the shunt apparatus (three). Staphylococcus species accounted for the majority of shunt infections (83%): all 10 control shunts were found to have a positive culture of staphylococci, whereas none of the AISs had any staphylococci (p = 0.038). CONCLUSIONS: The AIS afforded antistaphylococcal protection, especially during the early postoperative period when most shunt infections are known to occur and throughout the follow-up period (median 9 months). The AIS system represents another important tool to enable the neurosurgeon to prevent shunt infections.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2000

The effect of oxytocin antagonist on uterus in response to exogenous oxytocin.

This study was performed to determine the action mode of oxytocin antagonist. In Study 1, the duration of in vivo action of oxytocin antagonist I (AI) was examined. After infusing AI, oxytocin was given and repeated every hour for 5 hr. Uterine activities were monitored with a polygraph. Study 2 determined the effect of AI on uterine oxytocin receptor number (Rn) and binding affinity (Kd). AI treated rats were sacrificed at 0.5 and 4 hr later for receptor assay. In Study 1, the uterine contractile response to oxytocin was significantly inhibited (p<0.05) compared to controls at five min, 1 and 2 hr after injection of AI. No differences in response were detected compared to controls (p>0.05) at later hours. In Study 2, no differences (p>0.05) between the AI and control animals in either oxytocin receptor number or binding affinity was found. These data suggest that the major mode of AI action is via competitive inhibition at the uterine oxytocin receptor and not by altering receptor number or binding affinity. AI is suggested to have the potential of being a potent and specific tocolytic agent for prevention of preterm labor in human.

Animals↗

PubMed2026

Association between circulating GTP cyclohydrolase 1 concentrations and acute ischemic stroke: an exploratory case-control study in a Chinese population.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Ischemic stroke (IS) is a leading global cause of disability and mortality, characterized by cerebral hypoxia and tissue necrosis. GTP cyclohydrolase 1 (GCH1) regulates endothelial function and oxidative stress; however, whether circulating GCH1 concentrations are altered in acute ischemic stroke (AIS) remains unclear. This exploratory case-control study aimed to investigate plasma GCH1 levels and their associations with clinical characteristics in patients with AIS. METHODS: Seventy-one patients with AIS and 92 controls undergoing routine health examinations were recruited at the Affiliated Hospital of Youjiang Medical University for Nationalities (January 2024-May 2025). Clinical and biochemical data including lipid profiles, C-reactive protein, homocysteine, and National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) scores (only for patients with AIS) were collected. Plasma GCH1 levels were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Statistical analyses were performed to evaluate differences between groups and to examine the associations between plasma GCH1 levels and clinical characteristics. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was conducted to assess the discriminatory performance of circulating GCH1. RESULTS: Plasma GCH1 concentrations were significantly lower in AIS patients (6.51 ± 3.59 ng/mL vs. 14.32 ± 3.29 ng/mL, p < 0.001). Binary logistic regression analysis showed that lower plasma GCH1 levels were independently associated with AIS (OR = 0.496, 95% CI: 0.385-0.644, p < 0.001), while multiple linear regression analysis demonstrated that AIS was independently associated with lower plasma GCH1 levels (B = -7.687, 95% CI: -9.011 to -6.362, p < 0.001). Plasma GCH1 showed strong discrimination between the two groups (AUC = 0.924, 95% CI: 0.871-0.978) but was not associated with NIHSS scores (Spearman's rho = -0.034, p = 0.778). CONCLUSION: Plasma GCH1 concentrations were lower in patients with AIS than in health-examination controls and showed high apparent discrimination in this dataset. Because GCH1 was measured after stroke onset and the sample-derived threshold was derived in the same case-control sample, these findings do not establish temporality, causality, or clinical diagnostic utility. Prospective multicenter studies including clinically relevant disease controls and independent external validation are required.

Humans↗

PubMed2005

Genes "waiting" for recruitment by the adaptive immune system: the insights from amphioxus.

In seeking evidence of the existence of adaptive immune system (AIS) in ancient chordate, cDNA clones of six libraries from a protochordate, the Chinese amphioxus, were sequenced. Although the key molecules such as TCR, MHC, Ig, and RAG in AIS have not been identified from our database, we demonstrated in this study the extensive molecular evidence for the presence of genes homologous to many genes that are involved in AIS directly or indirectly, including some of which may represent the putative precursors of vertebrate AIS-related genes. The comparative analyses of these genes in different model organisms revealed the different fates of these genes during evolution. Their gene expression pattern suggested that the primitive digestive system is the pivotal place of the origin and evolution of the AIS. Our studies support the general statement that AIS appears after the jawless/jawed vertebrate split. However our study further reveals the fact that AIS is in its twilight in amphioxus and the evolution of the molecules in amphioxus are waiting for recruitment by the emergence of AIS.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed2006

Adjuvant endocrine therapy in hormone receptor-positive postmenopausal breast cancer: evolution of NCCN, ASCO, and St Gallen recommendations.

Endocrine therapy has a firm role in adjuvant treatment of women with hormone receptor-positive invasive breast cancer. Until recently, tamoxifen was the most commonly used adjuvant endocrine therapy in premenopausal and postmenopausal women. Several randomized clinical trials have studied the third-generation selective aromatase inhibitors (AIs) (anastrozole, letrozole, and exemestane) as adjuvant endocrine therapy in postmenopausal women. These studies compared therapy with an AI alone versus tamoxifen alone; 2 to 3 years of tamoxifen followed by switching to an AI versus continuation of tamoxifen; or extended therapy with an AI after approximately 5 years of tamoxifen therapy. No statistically significant differences in overall survival were observed. A single trial using extended treatment with an adjuvant AI suggests a small, statistically significant survival advantage in women with axillary lymph node-positive disease while showing no statistically significant decrease in survival with the use of an AI. The toxicities of the AIs are generally acceptable, with fewer endometrial cancers, gynecologic complaints, and thromboembolic events, but more bone fractures and arthralgias compared with tamoxifen alone. Three widely disseminated treatment guidelines, the National Comprehensive Cancer Network Breast Cancer Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology, the American Society of Clinical Oncology Technology Assessment on the Use of Aromatase Inhibitors, and the St Gallen International Expert Consensus on the Primary Therapy of Early Breast Cancer, now incorporate AIs in the adjuvant therapy of postmenopausal women with estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer.

Female↗

PubMed1999

Comparison of results using "freestyle" stentless porcine aortic root bioprosthesis with cryopreserved aortic allograft.

Aortic valve replacement with natural heart valves offer the advantages of superior hemodynamics, laminar flow patterns, lack of need for anticoagulation, and perhaps improved durability. This study compares 5-year results for two stentless aortic valves. In 1992, two prospective clinical trials using two different stentless aortic valves were initiated at our center. The Freestyle stentless porcine aortic root bioprosthesis (SPB) was placed in 106 patients, and cryopreserved aortic allografts (CAA) were placed in 174 patients using a freestanding total root replacement technique in each series. The mean systolic gradient for the SPB was 7.5+/-4.4 mm Hg at discharge and 5.9+/-3.1 mm Hg at 5 years. The mean systolic gradient for the CAA was 6.4+/-3.3 mm Hg at discharge and 5.0+/-2.2 mm Hg at 5 years. At discharge 92.2% of SPB patients had no aortic insufficiency (AI) and 7.8% had trivial AI. In all, 92.9% of CAA patients had no AI at discharge, and 7.1% had mild AI. At 5-year follow-up, 100% of the SPB had no AI, and only 20% of the allograft patients had no AI. The remainder, 80%, had mild AI. Excellent hemodynamic function was seen with both SPB and CAA. A lower incidence of nonhemodynamically significant AI was observed in the SPB group. Preoperative factors such as chronic renal failure and endocarditis may have adversely affected durability in the allograft group, but long-term follow-up is still required to determine durability.

Adult↗

PubMed2000

Early invasive adenocarcinoma of the cervix.

BACKGROUND: Adenocarcinoma of the cervix is increasing in frequency. There is a dearth of specific detail concerning the histomorphology, histogenesis, and associated findings in early invasive cervical adenocarcinoma. METHODS: Forty cases of cervical adenocarcinoma invasive to 5 mm or less were examined in detail. RESULTS: Mean patient age was 40.9 years. In 78% of the cases, the midpoint of the invasive focus was in the region of the squamocolumnar junction or transformation zone; more than 1 invasive focus was present in 4 cases. Eighty-five percent of cases also had adenocarcinoma in situ (AIS). In 9 of 10 minimally invasive cases, small invasive glands were present in the stroma adjacent to AIS. In some of these, the AIS had preinvasive buds that were still attached. Endometrioid adenocarcinomas were associated with AIS but were located higher in the canal than the more common endocervical type. All three adenosquamous carcinomas were associated with both squamous intraepithelial neoplasia and AIS. Vascular space invasion was observed in two cases, microglandular hyperplasia in four. CONCLUSIONS: Adenocarcinoma in situ is the precursor to most adenocarcinomas of the cervix with an average interval between clinically detected AIS and early invasion of approximately 5 years, supporting the potential for Papanicolaou test screening to prevent this disease. However, the existence of small carcinomas in the absence of AIS suggests the possibility of rapid progression in some cases. Invasion occurs by budding from or expansion of AIS glands, usually in the region of the squamocolumnar junction. Multifocal invasion is uncommon, as is vascular invasion in early lesions. The endometrioid variant has the same histogenesis as the endocervical type but may arise higher in the canal. The precursor of adenosquamous carcinoma has a similar bimorphic differentiation potential. Microglandular hyperplasia is not related to early invasive adenocarcinoma.

Adenocarcinoma↗

PubMedDate not supplied

From analgesic intolerance to analgesic induced asthma: are there some determinants?

BACKGROUND: Analgesic intolerance (AI) sometimes appear alone and sometimes with bronchial asthma affecting about 10% of asthmatics and sometimes before and the other times after asthma. OBJECTIVE: We investigated the possible clinical risk factors which might be affecting the transition from isolated AI to analgesic induced asthma (AIA). METHODS: A total of 344 patients admitted to Hacettepe University Hospital Adult Allergy Unit between January 1991 and March 1999 and diagnosed with AI were enrolled in this survey. Patients having AIA (group I) (n = 191) were compared with the patients having AI without asthma (group II) (n = 153). The diagnosis of AI and AIA were made by history and oral provocation tests. A standard questionnaire was filled-in for all the patients. RESULTS: The risk of AIA was increased with nasal polyp, and rhinosinusitis via OR's of 2.75 (95% CI: 1.09, 6.91), and 18.58 (95% CI: 9.86, 35.01), respectively. Having a pet, and ever smoking decreased the risk of AIA in the patients with AI via OR's of 0.53 (95% CI: 0.24, 1.17), and 0.37 (95% CI: 0.17, 0.80), respectively. The association of AIA and smoking was slightly modified by food intolerance (OR for ever smoked and food intolerance: 1.31, 95% CI: 0.40, 4.30). CONCLUSION: There may be two different phenotypes of AI with different clinical features: one developing AIA (having nasal polyp and/or rhinosinusitis, and smoking if food allergy/intolerance is present), and the other AI without asthma (having pet, and could smoke). Findings of this study should be confirmed by further investigations.

Adult↗

PubMed2000

Correlations between apoptotic and proliferative indices in cervical intraepithelial neoplasia and carcinoma.

Aims of the present paper was to study cell death by apoptosis and cell proliferation in normal cervical biopsies, cervical intraepithelial neoplasms (CIN) and squamous cell carcinomas of cervix (CaCx). There were each seven cases of normal cervical biopsy, CIN1 and CIN2 along with 10 cases of CIN3 and 14 cases of CaCx. Percentage of apoptotic cells and bodies (i.e. apoptotic index, AI) and mitoses (i.e. mitotic index, MI) and turnover index (TI - AI + MI) were counted in formalin fixed, paraffin embedded, haematoxylin and eosin stained slides. AgNOR stain was done and mean AgNOR dots per cell was also estimated. AI, MI and TI were correlated with histology grade of CIN and invasive carcinoma cervix. Mean AI, MI, TI and AgNOR count increased from lower to higher grades of CIN. AI, MI & TI raised significantly from CIN3 to carcinomas; AI, TI & AgNOR count raised significantly from CIN1 to combined CIM2 & 3; TI & AgNOR count were high in CIN1 to CIN2; AI & TI were significantly raised in normal to CIN1. In conclusion, TI is probably more important for cell kinetic analysis of CIN and carcinoma of cervix because it reflects the frequency of two important events i.e. mitosis and cell death. Sudden increase of AI, MI, TI count from CIN3 to CaCx may indicate the possibility of genetic alteration of cells of CIN3 which induces a frank malignant transformation from CIN3 to CaCx.

Apoptosis↗

PubMed2001

Evidence that genetic instability occurs at an early stage of colorectal tumorigenesis.

Chromosomal instability is believed to be a common feature of most human tumors, but the stage at which such instability originates has not been defined. At the molecular level, chromosomal instability is characterized by allelic imbalance (AI), representing losses or gains of defined chromosomal regions. We have assessed AI in early colorectal tumors using newly developed methods for assessing AI in complex cell populations. A total of 32 adenomas of average size (2 mm; range, 1-3 mm) were studied. AI of chromosome 5q markers occurred in 55% of tumors analyzed, consistent with a gatekeeping role of the adenomatous polyposis coli tumor suppressor gene located at chromosomal position 5q21. AI was also detected in each of the other four chromosomes tested. The fractions of adenomas with AI of chromosomes 1p, 8p, 15q, and 18q were 10,19, 28, and 28%, respectively. Over 90% of the tumors exhibited AI of at least one chromosome, and 67% had allelic imbalance of a chromosome other than 5q. These findings demonstrate that AI is a common event, even in very small tumors, and suggest that chromosomal instability occurs very early during colorectal neoplasia.

Adenoma↗

PubMed2001

[Causes of dementia and bed-ridden state in elderly victims of road traffic accidents in Japan].

BACKGROUND: In Japan, autopsies are seldom performed for the victims of road traffic accidents (RTA). Thus, when an elderly RTA victim dies after long-term hospitalization, the actual cause of death is hard to determine. SUBJECTS: Eight hundred eleven road traffic victims (69 +/- 16 years, M/F = 592/219) for whom insurance companies required us to judge the medical causal relation between the accident and the death from the view point of clinical forensic medicine. METHODS: We discussed and reevaluated the cause of death and decided the cause and effect relation based on medical information. RESULTS: The number of subjects was equivalent to 8.4% of the yearly deaths by RTA in the investigated area, 19.3% of the aged death by RTA. An autopsy was performed only for 5%, ISS was 17.0 +/- 11.5; 94% were hospitalized; 62% continued to be unconscious, involving dementia (32%), persistent vegetative state (17%), coma or semi-coma (13%). Of the cases investigated, 89% died after becoming bedridden, which in 87% of cases was due to the RTA. The odds ratios of a bedridden state for head AIS > = 3, lower limbs AIS > = 2, lower limbs AIS > = 3, spinal AIS > = 3, chest AIS > = 2 were 3.1, 3.2, 7.2, 2.5, 1.8, respectively. The odds ratios of dementia for head AIS > = 3, head AIS > = 4, chest AIS > = 4 were 29.2, 35.9, 1.2, respectively. Patients with head injuries were more likely to be bedridden and senile, and patients with leg fractures tended to be bedridden, particular in the aged. When elderly traffic victims became bedridden or senile, most of them, 399 bedridden victims and 53 non-bedridden victims, died within 242 +/- 283 days, and 356 +/- 284 days from the RTA, respectively. The cause of death could be classified into five categories; pneumonia, other infection, malnutrition and/or dehydration, malnutrition and/or dehydration with pneumonia, malnutrition and/or dehydration with other infection. Traffic deaths were recorded on 31% of death certificates, but were 77% by our reevaluation (p < 0.00001), because the cause-of-death can be difficult to determine in elderly traffic victims. Logistic regression was used to calculate the risk of dementia caused by bone fractures after adjusting for age and gender. The risk of dementia due to bone fractures was influenced by the number of the long fractured bones, a high age group, a lower ADL, and a past history of dementia. Thus, we speculate that traumatic dementia based on bone fractures may occur.

Accidents, Traffic↗

PubMed2002

[Obesity--a risk factor].

The nutritional status of a selected population--859 male members of the Fire Rescue Service from 12 districts in the Czech Republic--was assessed in 1997 and 1998. The study provides extensive information on selected anthropometrical and biochemical parameters, especially on those, which are generally used as risk indices for the origin and development of cardiovascular disease (CVD): body mass index (BMI), body fat percentage (b. fat), waist circumference (waist), serum concentrations of total cholesterol (Tchol), HDL- and LDL-cholesterol (HDL-chol, LDL-chol), triacylglyceroles (TAG) and the atherogenic index (AI). As far as lipid parameters were concerned, increased serum levels were estimated in 30.4% (TAG), 54% (Tchol) and 60.9% (LDL-chol) of volunteers. Decreased serum levels of HDL-chol were found in 38.2% of volunteers. An AI higher than 3.5 a.u. was calculated for 79.9% of all subjects in study while an AI higher than 5.0 a.u. was calculated for 45.3% of all subjects. An AI higher than 3.5 a.u. was found in 62% of males with normal weight, in 85% of overweight males and in 92% of obese males. The results of the study proved the considerable prevalence of the overweightness and obesity in the male population group that was followed: according to the calculated BMI, 49.5% of volunteers were estimated to be overweight and 16.3% to be obese. The study concept made it possible to reveal the relationships among the anthropometrical and biochemical parameters followed. The correlation matrix documents a statistically significant dependence among the BMI or waist values and the serum concentrations of Tchol, LDL-chol, TAG and AI. A significant negative correlation was found between the HDL-chol serum concentration and the BMI or waist values. The variance analysis results (the estimated lipid parameter values were divided into groups according to BMI and waist categories) document a statistically significant increase in serum Tchol, LDL-chol, TAG and AI in age categories over 35 years in comparison with the category of men under 25 years of age. For Tchol and LDL-chol a statistically significant increase had already been found in the 25-35 year age category. In comparison with the normal weight category, Tchol serum levels and AI values were statistically significantly higher in both the overweight and obese categories. Statistically significant increase was proven for the TAG and LDL-chol serum levels in both the overweight II. gr. and obese categories. A statistically significant decrease in comparison with the normal weight category was found in the HDL-chol serum levels of both the overweight and obesity categories. In the same way, an increase in Tchol and LDL-chol, TAG serum concentrations and AI values in higher and high risk CVD categories (according to the waist circumference value) was found in comparison with the low CVD risk category.

Adult↗

PubMed2003

Analgesic intolerance with or without bronchial asthma: is there a marker?

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of analgesic intolerance (AI) is less than 1% in the general population and about 10% in adult asthmatics, in whom the disease tends to be more severe. OBJECTIVE: A possible clinical-laboratory marker was sought that would differentiate patients who have AI with/without asthma, AI with asthma, and AI without asthma from the healthy subjects. METHODS: In the survey, 66 analgesic-intolerant patients (36 having asthma) were compared with 50 healthy subjects using a nickel patch-test, 65 patients (39 having asthma) with 55 healthy subjects for the presence of a genetic marker (A38G and A444C SNPs in CC16 and LTC4S genes), and 32 patients (14 having asthma) with 118 healthy subjects for presence and frequency of human leukocyte antigens (HLA). RESULTS: The mean age of the patients with AI with/without asthma and the healthy subjects for the nickel patch-test group, genetic marker group, and the HLA group was 39.8 +/- 10.5 and 33.3 +/- 11.1, 41.5 +/- 11.6 and 38.1 +/- 13.4, and 39.4 +/- 12.5 and 41 +/- 2.6, respectively. The frequency of the females in the same groups, in the same order, was 72.7% and 54%, 81.5% and 62%, and 71.9% and 59.3%, respectively. The frequency of positive nickel patch-test results and the A38G and A444C frequency in CC16 and LTC4S genes were not significantly different (p > 0.05). The frequency of HLA antigens HLA-A3, -B52, -DR16, -DQ5, -DQ8 and -DQ9 were significantly higher; and -A24, -B35, -B44, -DQ6 and -DQ7 were significantly lower in the AI group with/without asthma compared to the control group (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: As a result, nickel patch-test positivity and the genes which we have studied do not seem to be markers for AI with/without asthma. However, there might be a relation between AI with/without asthma and the types of the HLA system. Further surveys are needed with other genes and possible markers.

Adult↗

PubMed2003

Aortic valve repair versus replacement in bicuspid aortic valve disease.

BACKGROUND AND AIM OF THE STUDY: The study aim was to compare the results of aortic valve repair and replacement with biological valves in adult patients with aortic insufficiency (AI) caused by congenital bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) METHODS: Forty-four patients who had aortic valve repair were matched for age and left ventricular function to 44 patients who had aortic valve replacement (AVR) with biological valves. Patients were followed annually using echocardiography. The mean follow up was 2.6 +/- 2.1 years for the repair group, and 3.5 +/- 2.1 years for the replacement group. Follow up was complete. RESULTS: There was no operative or late death in either group. Early postoperative echocardiography showed trace or no AI in 35 patients and mild AI in nine who had repair, and trace or no AI in 38 patients and mild AI in five who had AVR. The mean peak systolic gradient was 16.2 +/- 7.6 mmHg for repair and 13.2 +/- 7.2 mmHg for AVR. Four patients who had valve repair and two who had AVR, needed repeat aortic valve surgery because of progressive AI or endocarditis. Freedom from reoperation at five years was 91 +/- 5% for repair and 94 +/- 6% for replacement (p = 0.2), while freedom from moderate or severe AI at five years was 79 +/- 8% for repair and 94 +/- 6% for replacement (p = 0.024). The peak systolic gradient at follow up was 11.7 +/- 6.8 mmHg after repair and 13.3 +/- 9.6 mmHg after AVR (p = 0.4). There were no thromboembolic complications in either group. CONCLUSION: Repair of BAV is feasible in certain patients with AI, but the hemodynamics and clinical outcomes do not appear to be superior to AVR with biological valves during the first five years of follow up.

Adult↗

PubMed2005

OGG1 Cys326 variant, allelic imbalance of chromosome band 3p25.3 and TP53 mutations in ovarian cancer.

A Ser326Cys amino acid variant encoded by OGG1 that removes the highly mutagenic 8-oxo-7,8-dihydroguanine adducts resulting from the oxidative damage produced by reactive oxygen species, has been suggested to reduce activity of the enzyme and result in an increase in G:C --> T:A transversions. Carriers homozygous for the Cys326 variant have been associated with increased risk in some cancers. In this study, we tested the association of this polymorphism with epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) (n=91 cases) in comparison with women unaffected by the disease (n=57). Although the genotype encoding the homozygous Cys326 variant was found more often in cases (11%) than controls (9%), this was not statistically significant (p=0.297). As OGG1 at chromosome band 3p25.3 overlaps a region exhibiting allelic imbalance (AI) in EOC, we also examined the frequency of AI of the OGG1 locus and its association with somatic mutations in the TP53 tumor suppressor gene, which is frequently mutated in EOC. The frequency of AI and TP53 mutations in EOC was 32 and 37%, respectively. Although the proportion of EOC cases harboring the genotype homozygous for Cys326 was greater in TP53 mutation-positive cases (5 of 34, 15%) than mutation-negative cases (5 of 57, 9%), the distribution of genotypes was not significantly different (p=0.289). Four of the six heterozygous Ser326/Cys326 samples exhibiting AI, displayed loss of the Ser326 variant. About 16% of samples exhibited both AI of the OGG1 locus and a TP53 mutation. Proportionately more EOC samples harbored a mutation in the group of samples exhibiting AI (15 of 29, 52%) in comparison to the group of samples with no AI (19 of 62, 31%) (p=0.036). Although the OGG1 Cys326 variant appears to play a minor role in conferring increased risk of ovarian cancer, the observed AI of the OGG1 locus in association with TP53 somatic mutations warrants further investigation in this disease.

Allelic Imbalance↗

PubMed2006

[Expression of transforming growth factor-beta1 and basic fibroblast growth factor in articular process cartilages of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the characteristics of the expression of transforming growth factor-beta(1) (TGF-beta(1)) and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) in the apical articular process cartilages of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) patients. METHODS: The specimens of articular processes of 22 AIS patients and 18 congenital scoliosis (CS) patients were collected during operation. The pathology of the processes was observed with H.E staining. Immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization were adopted to detect the expression of TGF-beta(1) and bFGF. The differences in the pathological changes, and expression of TGF-beta(1) and bFGF between the apical processes and the end processes, the convex processes and the concave processes, and the AIS processes and CS processes. The images of immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization were input into the image analysis system and were analyzed semi-quantitatively. The SAS (8.01) software was adopted and (128.1 +/- 50.6 vs 165.4 +/- 59.2, 126.5 +/- 47.0 vs 168.3 +/- 46.8; 76.6 +/- 29.9 vs 96.4 +/- 28.4, 73.7 +/- 31.6 vs 101.8 +/- 39.4; 77.1 +/- 52.2 vs 114.4 +/- 59.4, and 69.5 +/- 40.1 vs 109.8 +/- 51.0 (P < 0.05) was defined as the significant levels. RESULTS: The expression of TGF-beta(1) and the expression of bFGF were not significantly different between the AIS patients and the CS patients. The TGF-beta(1) expression in the concave side of the apical vertebrae of the AIS group was 165.4 +/- 59.2, significantly higher than that in the convex sides (128.1 +/- 50.6, P = 0.03), and the TGF-beta(1) expression in the concave side of the apical vertebrae of the CS group was 168.3 +/- 46.8, significantly higher than that of the convex side (126.5 +/- 47.0, P = 0.02). However, there was no statistically significant differences in the TGF-beta(1) expression between the concave and convex sides of the upper and lower end vertebrae and between the upper and lower end vertebrae. The bFGF expression in the concave side of the apical vertebrae of the AIS group, and the bFGF expression in the concave side of the apical vertebrae of the CS group was 101.8 +/- 39.4, significantly higher than that of the convex side (73.7 +/- 31, P = 0.02). However, there were no statistically significant differences in the bFGF expression between the concave and convex sides of the upper and lower end vertebrae and between the upper and lower end vertebrae. CONCLUSION: The cartilages of the apical processes show some signs of regression and hypoplasia in AIS patients, especially at the concave side in comparison with the convex side. Increase of TGF-beta(1) and bFGF in the concave sides of apical processes in AIS may be the results of reconstruction of extracellular matrix and the compensation reactions which are caused by abnormal biomechanical forces, especially compressive stresses.

Adolescent↗